Euangelist saith not that the hidden and secrete workynge of God was openly knowen but that he mingelth with the knowledge of men the vertue power of the spirite whiche as yet laye hidde By the holy ghoste B. Ioseph was fleshe and therefore he coulde beget nothing but fleshe that is lies and vanitie for that whiche is borne of the fleshe is flesh But by Christe there commeth grace truth Therefore he could not be begotten of a man It was necessary also that by the secrete power of God that is by the holy ghost the tyme and course of the séede of man should be supplied and haue hys full continuance in the virgin being the elect vessell of God and in the same time or terme a body to be formed to the lord in a Most chast virgin wherby he being pure and voyde of all synne mighte be a holy and acceptable sacrifice to his father and also might purge and sanctifie vs The aungell being sent of God did foreshewe the same to the virgin saiyng The holy ghost shall come vpon thée and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thée 19 Then Ioseph her husband because he was a righteous man and woulde not put her to shame he was minded priuely to departe from her Then Ioseph her husband C. These twoo partes must be reade aduersatiuely that Ioseph was righteous and yet that he was carefull for the fame of his wyfe Therefore the righteousnes whiche is here praysed was for the contempte of the euill facte because he suspected his wyfe of adultery yea and iudged her to be an adulteresse Suche a wickednes with his clemencie and gentlenes he would not seme to fauoure for truly he is a bawde to his owne wyfe whatsoeuer he be that winketh at her dishonesty neither is there any being of honestie and godly disposition but they abhorre detest suche wickednes Therefore Ioseph by the zeale of righteousnes dyd condemne that whiche he thought to be a falte in his wyfe notwithstanding his mynde bending to humanitie did staye him that he shewed not the rigor or extremitie of the lawe M. The lawe commaunded that she shoulde be punished which in adultery was founde with childe Yet the humanitie that was in Ioseph would not suffer him to shewe such extremitie C. This was a more meane and reasonable waye if he departing priuely went to another place Wherby we may gather that he was not of so tender or effeminate mynde that vnder shewe of mercy and compassioÌ he should maintaine the falte in hiding of it He did only remitte somwhat of the extremitie of the lawe least he should make his wyfe an open shame And we ought not truly to think but that this was done by the deuine counsel of God who no doubt staied his minde by the secrete motion of his holy spirite By this we knowe how impotent and weake Ielosy is and howe violently it withdraweth a man Wherfore although Ioseph did fully determine in his minde to departe away from his wife yet he was let with the consideration of so many daungers that woulde insue vpon the same And the selfsame is to be iudged of the silence of Mary who no doubte also was let with shame that she durst not bewraie her selfe to be with childe by the holy ghoste Notwithstanding she was let more by the prouidence of God then by her owne counsell and mynde For if she had spoken of it the matter being so straunge and hard to be beleued namely that she was with child by the holy ghoste then would Ioseph haue though he had bene mocked Therfore the lorde did suffer his seruaunte Ioseph to be led by ignoraunce into a peruerse iudgement that he by his own voice might bringe him into the waye But we must vnderstande that this was done rather for vs then priuately for Iosephs sake or cause For God in no wyse would suffer any to haue a sinister or wrong iudgement and suspicion in his woorde M. Let vs learne here by the example of Ioseph so to be angry with wickednes that we swarne not altogether from humanitie yea and let out humanitie be suche that iustice thereby be not hindered C. Also this is the reason why this misery was not made knowen then immediatly to many because it was necessary that the excellent and incomparable treasure should be hidde that it might onely be reueled to the sonnes of god Againe it should seme no absurditie if we saye that the lorde did it as he often doth to proue the faithe and obedience of those that be his For the same cause also it came to passe that the lorde suffered Mary to marie that the celestiall heauenly conception of the virgin should be hid vnder the name of mariage vntil the full time that reuelation should be made in the meane time it was hidde from the vnbeleuers as their ingratitude malice deserued And vvould not put her to shame M. A man is put to shame when that he is opeÌly punished according to his desert 20 But while he thus thought behoulde the aungel of the lorde appeared vnto him in slepe saying Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife For that which is coÌceiued in her coÌmeth of the holy ghost VVhile he thus thought C. Here we may perceiue that the lorde is always ready to help those that are his that in time eueÌ at the very instant Bu. In Ioseph is verested that whiche Paule writeth saiyng God is faithful which shal not suffer you to be teÌpted aboue your strength but shal in the mids of the temptatioÌ make away that ye may be able to beare it For with a wonderfull coÌfort here doth God assiste Ioseph being afflicted Whereby we may gather that although he feareth or semeth as though he regarded not our cares and griefes yet notwithstanding he hath respect vnto vs but he thus hideth him self refraineth that he may haue a ful triall of our pacience in the time which shall be of him appointed to helpe vs And all though his help be long ere it be shewed oftentimes yet is it profitable for vs so to haue it differred Appered vnto him in slepe A. That thaungel appeared vnto him in slepe it sheweth vnto vs that this is one of the two ordinary meanes that God vsed in time paste to shewe his minde to man of the which is made meÌcion in Numeri where the lord saith I wil be knoweÌ to the prophetes which are among you by a vision will speake to them in a slepe My seruaunt Moyses is not so vnto whoÌ I will speake mouth to mouth Bu. Supernatural slepes or dreames do come of God from aboue by good aungels by the which God reueleth his will to whome it pleaseth him C. And we must vnderstande that those kinde of dreames doo much differ from those that are naturall because they are of more certeintie and sealed
men As this he that speaketh what he will shall heare that which he wold not Also the saying of Homere As thou speakest so art thou spokeÌ to againe Christe addeth also another prouerbe And vvith vvhat measure ye meate E. As if he shoulde saye if you backebyte many and do iniury thou shalt be sure to haue reproche of many to be iniuried againe 3 VVhy seest thou a moate in thy brothers eie and perceiuest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Bu. Here by an allegory he doth more plainly expresse his mynde C. And dothe nominate the vice with the which hypocrites are commonly polluted For when as like vnto hawkes they can prie and beholde other mens faultes and that not only seuerely but also tragically they can amplifie and depainte them they reiecte their owne faultes be hynde them According to the saying of Ouide we see not the wallet the hangeth behinde at our backes Christe therfore reprehendeth bothe these euels namely to much promptnes in beholding other meÌs faultes which ariseth for waÌt of charitie the wilfull negligence also in the hiding cloking our own faultes Bu. Let euery man therfore take hede that he amende that vice in him self which he reproueth in an other specially when he goeth about to reprehend a small faulte hauing a greater him selfe raigning in him As the wyse man Cato saith It is a foule thinge in the correctour when his owne faulte shall reproue him 4 Or why saiest thou to thy brother suffer me to plucke out the moate out of thyne eie and beholde a beame is in thine owne eie M. Christ noteth here the presumption of impudent hypocrisie which should be lesse if that the hypocrite could be coÌtent only to note in his minde his neighbours offence But because he bursteth out is not afraid opeÌly to reprehende his brother face to face neglecting his own faltes far greater he is inexcusable worthy to be coÌdeÌned of impudeÌcy 5. Hipocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eie and then shalt thou see clerely to pluck out the moate that is in thy brothers eie Hypocrite A. By a figure called apostrophe he doth inuay against the hypocrites that truely very sharpely For the disease of hypocrisy is almost incurable M. For he which is infected with this is only at this point that he would seme to be suche a one to other which in dede he is not Hypocrisy doth so blynde a man that either he séeth not that which pertaineth to him self or at least he thinketh the other meÌ do not se or regard it in the meane tyme he reprehendeth others faltes although very smal to this ende that he might seme to abhorre vice to be a louer of righteousnes a folower of the same And then shalt thou see Bu. By the moate he vnderstandeth smale offences by the beame greater offences whiche often tymes are hydden in men M. Here we maye note that it is not in vayne that Christe at other tymes was moste meke and gentle towarde the Publicanes and synners and that he noteth this kynde of men with the reprochefull name of hypocrites It is not in vayne I saye for he dothe it to shewe that the whole and only destruction of these men is because they do not knowe them selues what they are And therefore it is very necessary that suche should be called as they are to the ende they maye amende whiche may be the cause why the lorde did so name them in dyuers places as when he sayde You hypocrites well prophecied Esaie the Prophete of you and so forth Yea often tymes very earnestly he called them hypocrytes If therefore we meane to esschewe and auoyde this so execrable a vyce let euery one of vs fyrst enquyre of our owne faultes proper and domestical then let vs take vpon vs to iudge of other men yet not with a desyre to calumniate and hurte but of brotherly loue and affection lynked with the bonde of charitie to reduce hym that goeth out of the way For the whiche matter reade the second Chapiter of saint Paule to the Romains and the thirde Chapiter of saint Iames. 6 Geue not that whiche is holye to dogges neyther caste ye your pearles before swyne leaste they treade them vnder their feete and the other tourning againe all to rente you Geue not that vvhiche is holy to dogges M. How these thinges are by order vnited to that whiche goeth before many diligently labour to vnderstande not weying that al thinges are not wrytten of the Euangelistes orderly as Christe spake them but those thinges whiche they remembred they committed to wryting haue made as it were a coÌfused mixture of many matters specially of such as are sufficient to our saluation C. But Christe here admonisheth the apostels and vnder their persone all those whiche are teachers of the Gospell that they preserue and kepe the treasure of the heaueÌly wisdom only for the sonnes of God and that they do not bestow the same vpoÌ vnworthy persons and prophane contemners of god M. By this worde holy he doth very wel teache them howe religiously they ought to administer the misteries of the kyngdome of heauen as men that knowe howe those things whiche were sanctified in the lawe were not coÌmunicated to euery one C. But here ariseth a questioÌ For afterward he commaunded them to preache the Gospell to all creatures generally And Paule saithe that his preaching was to the reprobate the sauore of death vnto death For there is nothinge that shal be a surer testimony against the vnfaithful then the word of God because by the preaching therof they shal be voide of all excuse It is aunswered thus Because the ministers of the Gospell whosoeuer are called to the office of teaching cannot discerne betwene the sonnes of God and hogges it is their partes without respecte to offer the doctrine of saluation to all For although in the beginning they see many dull and vnapte to be taughte yet for all that charitie forbiddeth to reiect them and to counte them incurable For we must note this that Christe calleth dogges and hogges not all that are impure men and voyde of the feare of God and true pietie but such as by sure tokeÌs do declare that obstinate coÌtempt of God whereby the disease may appeare incurable In an other place Christe setteth dogges against the children of God when he saith It is not good to take the childreÌs bread and caste it to dogges But here he vnderstandeth theÌ to be dogges hogges whiche being contemners of God do admitte no medicine Hereby it dothe appeare howe thei do wreste the woordes of Christe amisse whiche thinke that he restraineth the doctrine of the Gospell only to suche as are apte to receiue the same There were two causes why Christ forbad the Gospell to be preached to the obstinate contemners of the same For it is a manifest prophanation of
the redemer shold spring notwithstandinge we knowe that from the defection and fall of the fyrst man he was necessary to all meÌ euen as he was then ordeyned appoynted to the whole world This was don by the wonderfull wisedom of God that Luke shoulde describe declare vnto vs that Christ was the sonne of Adam and that Mathewe should include him in the stock and kinred of Abraham For it should haue nothing profited vs that Christ was geueÌ and appoynted of the father to be the redemer and author of saluation except he had perteined generally to al men alike Furthermore the sayinge of the Apostel should not be true that he was to daye and to morrowe and for euer excepte his grace and goodnesse had ben powred out apon al ages from the creation of the worlde Let vs therfore know for a suertie that saluation by Iesus Christ is made manifest geuen to all mankind for so muche as not without cause he is called the sonne of Noe the sonne of Adam Notwithstandinge because he must be sought for in the worde of God the spirite dothe not rashely or without good consideration call vs backe by this oure Euangelist Mathewe to the holye stocke and kynred of Abraham where the treasure of euerlastinge lyfe wyth Christ was layed vp for a tyme. As touchinge the thirde difference there is not doubt but that Mathewe obserueth an other maner of order then doth Luke for the one hath Salamon the sonne of Dauid and the other hath Nathan the sonne of Dauid wherupon it euidently appereth that there are dyuerse lyniall descentes appoynted The best and most cunning interpretours do thus vnite and reconcile this shewe and apparance of discorde namely that Mathew leauinge the naturall lyne and stocke which Luke followeth doth reherse the legall genealogy or petegrewe And wee interprete that to be the legall genealogye by the whiche it was ordeyned that the right of the kingdome shoulde come to Salathiell And where as Eusebius in his fyrst booke of his Ecclesiasticall hystorie calleth the genealogy which is described of Luke a legall petegrewe it commeth all to one effecte For he meaneth nothinge elles then that the same kingedome whiche by lawful right was stablished in the person of Solomon came at the length to Salathiell But more trewly and parfectlye a great deale do they speake which saye that the legall petegrew was set forth of Mathew because he naminge Solomon streight after Dauid doth not al together by order still obserue of whoÌ Christ cam as touching the fleshe but howe he desceÌded and sprange out of Solomon and other kinges that he might be the lawful successour in whose hande the eternitie of the kingdome should be stablished accordinge to the couenant and promise of god For their opinion is probable and likely which think that the stocke of Solomon ended by the death of Ochozias As touching that which many allege out of the coÌmentaries of the Iewes how that it was coÌmaunded of Dauid that if at any time the issue of Solomon should decay or want that theÌ the kingdome shulde come to the posteritie of Nathan we leaue vnspoken and we take that onely whiche is certayne namely that the successioÌ of the kingdome was not confounded but that the degres therof were distinct Now where as the sacred historie doth shewe that after the deathe of Ochozias the kyngedome was taken of his mother Athalia all the kinges séede destroyed it is very euident plaine that those horrible and wicked slaughters were procured of a woman ambitious and desirous of rule least shée being brought to a priuate estate and meane condition of lyfe shoulde see the kingedome remoued and taken away Therefore if the sonne of Ochozias hadde bene alyue Athalia the grandmother shoulde quietly haue raygned vnder the collour of protectioÌ without enuy or dauÌger But the reason why Ioas is sayd to be the sonne of Ochozias is this because he was the next of kinne or bloud they called him so to the end he might in dede be thought to be the trewe and naturall heire of the kingedome For if Athalia had ben the grandmother of Ioas in déede he beinge an infant shée woulde neuer wyllingly haue so muche abused his titel againe what man of indifferent iudgement wil thincke it likely that the naturall sonne of the kynge coulde be so priuyly hydden by Ioiada the priest that the grandmother by diligent care and serche shuld not finde him out But rather if a man waye all thynges wisely he shall finde that the next heyre of the kingedome was of an other stocke And that is the meaninge of the woordes of Ioiada the priest when he sayde the kinges sonne shall raigne accordinge to the couenant of the lorde with Dauid as who shuld say it was an execrable thing for a woman beinge a straunger to take by violence vnto her the which God wold haue stande in the house of Dauid Wherefore it is no absurditie if Luke bring the stocke of Christe from Nathan because it mighte be that the stock of Solomon as perteining to the succession of the kingdome myght decaye Now if any do obiect that Iesus Christ can not be known to be the Messias whiche was promised but by the posteritie of Solomon who without all doubte was a figure of Christe we answere that al though he spraÌg not naturally from Solomon yet notwithstaÌding by the legall order he ought to be couÌted thought his sonne because he tooke his originall and beginninge of kinges But so great dyuersitie in names troubleth many very muche For from Dauid to Ioseph there semeth to be no agrement at al betwene the twoo Euangelistes sauing onely betwene Zorobabell and Salathiell This difference is sayde to come because the Iewes for the most part had two names but this excuse of some is not well lyked But truely for so much as the maner order of bringing placing genealogies petegrewes is not well knowne to vs now adayes the whiche order Mathew kept and folowed it is no marueile if we be ignorant knowe not howe bothe of them do agree or differ in euerye name and yet not withstandinge it can not be doubted but that froÌ the tyme of the exile of BabiloÌ they rekned certain men by diuers names and yet the selfe and same men But in Salathiel and Zorobabel bothe the names were kept still peraduenture for the altered state of the people because then the kingely throne and maiestie was cleane extinguyshed put out And that small and thyn shadowe of domination and rule being left as a remnant there apered a marueylous chaÌge whiche change shoulde admonishe all the faithful to hope for a more excelleÌt kingdome then the vysible kingdome of Salomon whiche for a short time onely florished This also is now worthy the notinge namely that it is no absurdytie for Luke in his Cataloge or rehersall to recken vp more then Mathew when
wyldernes of the spirite by the sure determinate couÌsel of God who no doubt would shew in the person of his sonne as in a clere glasse what a cruel importunate aduersary Sathan is to the health saluation of maÌkinde Wherby it came to passe that more sharpely he assaulteth Christe and vseth al his force and power against him euen in this moment which the EuaÌgelistes do note and that because he sawe him prepared at his fathers commaundement to worke the redemption of man Therefore then he resisted our saluation in the persone of Christe euen as he doth cruelly bende all his mighte dayly against the ministers of the same redemptioÌ the authour wherof is Christ But we must also note that the sonne of God did wyllingly without cohersion take these temptations vpon him which here are mencioned and that he contended with the deuill hande to hande that by his victory he might cause vs to reioyce and triumphe Therefore so often as Sathan doth assaulte vs let vs remeÌber that we can by no other meanes sheylde and defende our selues then by this bucler and this was the cause in dede that the sonne of God suffered hym selfe to be tempted that he might helpe vs so often as Sathan armed him selfe against vs. M. For in that he was tempted him self he can help theÌ that are teÌpted Therefore when he led a priuate life at home we reade not that he was tempted but when he toke vpon him the office of a redemer he descended into the midst of the fielde to take the quarrel in hand in the name of his churche But if Christ was tempted in the common state and persone of all the faithfull let vs then wel know that those temptations which we suffer are not by chauÌce or at the wil and pleasure of Sathan without the permission of God but that the spirite of God is the cause of all our temptations by the whiche oure faithe is tried Whereby a sure hope is to be gathered that God whiche is the chiefe ouerseer and moderator will not be vnmyndefull of vs but will helpe vs at all suche nedes and straites whiche are to harde for vs But the woordes of Luke haue more force who saieth that Iesus being ful of the holy ghost retourned froÌ Iordane By the which he signifieth that he was then endewed with more plentifull grace and power of the spirite that he might be more strong and apte to the enterpryse whiche he had in hande neyther in vayne did the holy ghost descende vpon him in a visible shape Obiection But at the firste sighte it semeth very absurde that Christe shoulde be subiecte to the deuels temptatioÌs because it is a great vice and infirmitie that causeth man to be tempted First I aunswere that Christ toke our infirmities vpon him but without vice furthermore that nothing of his glory was any whit the more deminished in suffering him self to be tempted then it should be in taking oure infirmities vpon him For this was the cause that he was made man that taking vpon him our fleshe he should take our affections also But all the doubte consisteth in the first member or parte how Christ should be inclosed in our infirmitie that he might be subiect to the temptation of Sathan and yet neuerthelesse to be pure and frée from all vyce and synne But truly this is no doubt at all if we call to mynde the whole and perfecte nature of Adam in whome although the Image of God did shyne yet neuerthelesse he was subiecte to temptations Moreouer loke howe many corporall affections there be in men so many occasions dothe Sathan take to tempte them And this is worthely thought to be the infirmitie of mans nature to haue his sences moued with those thinges that are before him whereby it commeth to passe that Sathan doth at no time set vpoÌ vs but he doth wouÌde vs or at least with some stroke or other hurte vs But the integritie of nature in this parte doth seperate vs from Christ Howebeit suche a meane condition as was in Adam is not to be imagined who had power geuen hym only not to synne But truely we knowe that Christe was so replenished with the vertue of the spirite that the ingins and dartes of Sathan could not once pearce and enter into him Bu. Nowe as touching the texte Mathewe here calleth hym the ââ¦uell whom by and by he calleth Sathan that the Greke texte whiche signifieth deuel and the Hebrew texte that hath Sathan may be all one In some places these two are ioyned together The olde Serpent whiche is called the deuell and Sathan where the Hebrewe texte doth alleadge this woorde SathaÌ the .lxx interpretours haue altered it into deuell Properly this name deuell doth signifie a priuy accusar and slaunderer causing infamy betraying men According to the etimology or force of the same woorde Iohn sayth The accusar of our brethren is cast downe whiche accused them before our God daye and night But Sathan dothe signifie an enemy an aduersary a hatefull persone As Dauid sayd what matter is betwene you and me for this daye ye are become aduersaries vnto me The Lattin text hath Cur efficimini mihi hodie in Satan Euen so to Peter he perswading Christe from the crosse it was sayde Come after me Sathan for he was an aduersary vnto Christe reuoking him from his fathers commaundement 2 And when he had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nightes he was at the last an hongered And vvhen he had fasted C. The fasting of Christe and his departure into the wyldernes were done all to one effecte and purpose Neyther did Christe abstaine from meate drinke to geue an example of temperauncy but because thereby he might haue the greater authoritie and being exempted from the common coÌpany of men might come as an aungell from heauen and not as a man out of the earth For what vertue of abstineÌcie was that not to taste meate to the desire wherof he was not once moued by hââ¦nger For it is moste sure and the Euangelistes do declare the same that he suffered hunger no otherwyse theÌ as if he had not taken vpon him our flesh Wherefore the faste of the holy tyme of Lente as they call it was mere foolishenes synce it was appointed to the immitation of Christe Neyther is there any suche reason to perswade vs more to followe this example of Christe at this day then there was to moue the holy prophetes and fathers in tymes paste vnder the lawe to followe the example of Moyses fast And we know that none remembred this Also allmoste for the same ende God caused only Helias to faste in the mounte because he was a minister of the restoring of the lawe They fayne them selues to be immitators and followers of Christe whiche obserue and kepe the faste of the holy tyme of Lente For they so stuffe their bellies at dynner
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 coÌprehended 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 destructioÌ 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 theÌ 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 meÌ do destroy one an other by their peruerse ensamples For wherevpon coÌmeth 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 maÌkinde 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 sufficieÌt 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 coÌstancy 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 ââ¦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 sathaÌ let vs go on without feare craââ¦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 aÌ 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 theÌ 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
of their wicked impietie he made theÌ gilty of al those murthers whiche were committed long before Therfore he dothe not denounce vnto them the reuenge of theyr presente crueltie onely but saythe also that they must geue accompte and answere for the murther of Zacharias as thoughe theyr handes were imbrewed with his bloudde For their opinion is not probable or likely whiche referre this to Zachary which exhorted the people that retourned from the exile of Babilon to builde the temple whose prophesies remaine with vs to be sene at this daye For althoughe the inscription or titell of the booke declarethe that hee was the sonne of Barachias yet notwithstandynge we reade in no place that he was kylled Furthermore it is a plaine exposition that he was kylled betwen the building of the aultare and the temple As concernyng the other Zachary the son of Ioiada the holy Scripture maketh mention that hee agreeth verye well with this place For when that after the deathe of his father by the wicked defection of the kinge and people trewe religion decayed hee was indewed with the holy ghost seuerelye to reproue open Idolatry and therefore he was slayne in the courte of the temple And it is no absurditie at all to saye that the surname of Barachias was geuen to the father of Ioiada for honours sake because seynge he was a worshipper of God and a maintayner of the same all his lyfe tyme hee oughte worthely to be counted blessed of god But whether Ioiada had two names or whether there were a falt in the word as S. Hierome estemeth of the matter trewely there is no doubte but the Chryst noted that execrable stoninge of Zacharias which is written in the place before cited Betvvene the temple and the aultare A. He dothe expresse the place that he myghte increase and amplifie the crueltie brutishe madnesse of the Iewes which were not moued by the holynesse of the place nor stayed from layinge handes violently vpon the holy prophete of God. C. Furthermore the temple is here taken for the courte as in other places also to this adioyned the aultar of burnte offerynges that the priest in the sight of the people mighte offer vp sacrifyce It appereth therfore that theyr cruelty was to tyrannicall in that neither the respect of the aultar nor the temple coulde pacifye them but they must nedes defyle the holy place with horryble murther 36 Verely I say vnto you all these thinges shall come vpon this generation Verely I say vnto you B. Bu. He addeth this earnest affirmatioÌ to terrefie the Iewes As if he shoulde saye There is no cause why any man should thinck that he may escape the iudgemente of god For certaynely all those euylles shall be heaped from heauen vpon that vyperouse progeny whiche the lorde dothe thretten to powre vpon those horrible murtherers And let all those thyncke also that these sayinges pertayne vnto theym whiche thincke it a godly thinge at this day to persecute the truethe of the Gospell and the professours thereof For the bloudde shall be neuer the lesse vnreuenged which cryeth vnto God for vengeaunce 37 O Hierusalem Hierusalem thou that killest the prophetes and stonest theÌ that are sente vnto thee howe often wolde I haue gathered thy chyldren together euen as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her and ye wolde not O Hierusalem Hierusalem C. By these wordes our sauiour Christ dothe more plainely declare howe iuste occasion he hath to be angrye because Hierusalem which God had chosen to be a holy and heauenly house as it were to him selfe did not only shew it selfe to be vnworthy of suche honor but as though it were a denne of theues it had vsed and accustomed a longe tyme to drynke the bloudde of the prophetes Christe therefore cryeth out pytifully against so monstruouse behauioure because the holye cittie of God was fallen into suche madnes that it wente about dayely to extinguishe the wholsome doctrine of God by the bloud of the prophetes B This bewaylinge therfore of Christ was a token of his great and exceding loue towardes this people It is a token of greate affection that he nameth the cittie it self and that hee dothe double the appellation or name of the same sayinge Hierusalem HierusaleÌ Thou vvhiche killest the Prophetes Because the Euangelist Mathewe vseth the participle of the present teÌce and the wordes of Christ seeme to haue respecte vnto bothe times the dede may be taken or vnderstoode without any certaine lymitting of time as if thou shouldest say Thou killer of the prophetes which hast kylled doest kyll and wilt kyll C. Thou I saye whiche shouldest be the faithfull keper of Gods woorde the mistresse of heauenly wysedome the lyghte of the worlde the welspringe of true doctrine the place of the syncere worshyp of God and the example of faythe and obedience art the killer of the prophetes in so muche that thou haste gotten nowe a habit and custome of drinking bloudde Herby therfore it apereth that they were worthye of all kinde of reproche whiche had so filthely prophaned the sainctuarye of god E. Manye thincke that by the name of Hierusalem which was the hed of Iewry is vnderstande the whole contrey or region of the Iewes And stonest them vvhiche are sent vnto thee A. Namely to bringe thee from the error and obstinacie He saith that prophetes are sent as he dyd before saying beholde I sende vnto you Prophetes and Scribes and wise men c.. C It was also the purpose of Christ to preuent the offence whiche was nie at hande leaste the faythefull seinge hym to be slayne so vnworthely at HierusaleÌ shold be troubled at this newe and straunge sighte For they were admonished by these wordes that it was no meruayle if the cittie beinge accustomed in killynge and stonynge the prophetes dyd kyll also the redemer But hereby it apereth how much it is meete to attribute vnto places There was no cittie in the whole worlde truely whiche God adorned and beutyfyed with suche excellent titles or whiche he exalted to suche honour yet notwithstandinge we see howe it cast it selfe downe headlonge throughe ingratitude Nowe let the Pope compare the seate of robbery and thefte in the whiche he sytteth with that holy cittie and what shal he fynde therein worthye of the lyke honour His hiered flatterers boaste vnto vs that fayth once floryshed there The whiche thinge let vs graunte vnto them yet if it be wel knowne at this daye that the same is alienate and fallen froÌ Christ and filled with abhominations howe folishelye do they contende to haue the honour of the supremacy tyed to the same But let vs rather learne by this worthye example that the more any place is extolled and set aloft by the benefytes of God and exempte from the common state of other places if the same doo degenerate or decline it shall not onely be despoyled of the ornamentes appertayninge to it but also so muche the more shall it
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 approââ¦ed deuines And for because welbeloued brethren in Christe you whiche yet grone vnder the yoake oââ¦ââ¦ntechriste dispersed here and there you desier with ardent affectioÌs 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 traditioÌs 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 theÌ by their first letters although that thing semed once vnto me not greatly necessary if this one admonition of my freÌdes 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
as it was vsuall to put more in nomber in the natural generation theÌ in the legall Moreouer it coÌmeth to this purpose that Mathew deuiding the genealogy of Christ into three degrées or partes and attributynge to euery degrée fowertene heades or pryncipalles gaue to hym selfe lybertie to pretermytte certaine names whiche Luke could not omyt because he had not tyed him selfe to that lawe or order Thus farre as concernynge the genealogy of Christ Nowe it resteth to declare wherefore Mathew hath comprehended the whole generation of Chryste in three speciall heades and pyllers as it wer and hath attrybuted to euery head fowertene generations Suerly hée dyd it not onely to helpe the memory of the readers but also to note the trypell estate and condition of the people of the whiche Chryste was promysed to Abraham to come euen vntyl the fulnesse of tyme came in the whiche he shoulde be reuealed in the fleshe For althoughe the trybe of Iuda vntyll the tyme of Dauid dyd excell the rest yet not withstandynge it kept not the principalitie In Dauid the kingly authoritie contrary to all mennes expectation issued out whiche abode vntyll the tyme of Iechonias From that tyme there remayned some dignitie and gouernement in the tribe of Iuda which chered vp and comforted the myndes of the godly vntyll the comminge of the Messias 2 Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his bretherne Abraham begat Isaac M. Moyses doth shewe that Abraham dyd not only beget Isaac but also Ismaell But to the generation of Christ the carnall propagation was not sufficient but the deuine election was also required Wherefore God sayde to Abraham In Isaac shall thy seede be called A. Whiche sainct Paule also alleageth when that he maketh a distinction betweene the carnall sonnes of Abraham and the spirituall M And to this Isaac although he ware inferiour bothe by byrthe and condition dyd God promyse the blessed seede In thy seede sayth hée shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And trewely this miraculous and wonderfull byrth of Isaac beinge begotten by a man that was an hundred yeres olde and beinge borne of a woman that was also fowerscore and tenne and barren dyd foreshewe the miraculouse natiuitie of Christ euen as did also the natiuitie of Iohn the Baptist Beside this the wonderful obedience of Isaac which he shewed first to God then to his father when he shuld be offered bare the Image of Christe which was obedient to his father euen to the death Isaac begat Iacob M. He begat Esau also which two were borne at one birth But Christ came not of Esau Iacob was chosen to this dignitie althoughe he were inferioure to his brother Esau both in age and also in coÌdition of life For so God saith by his prophete Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated And S. Paule also repeteth the same woordes To this Iacob also the promyse was made In thée and in thye séede shall all the nations of the earthe be blessed Iacob begat Iudas and his bretherne M. Neyther was he the fyrste begotten but the fowrth neyther of Rachell which was so wel beloued of her husbaÌd but of Lea he was borne And yet the Patriarche Iacob dyd prophesie that Christe shuld spryng of him saying The scepter shall not depart from Iuda For so much as the Euangelist maketh no mention of Ismael the first begotten sonne of Abraham neither of Esau whiche by order of nature was aboue his brother Iacob he did not vnaduisedly place the .xii. Patriarkes in the genealogy when as God hath geuen the adoption of his grace to all men alike It signifieth therefore vnto vs that the blessednes promysed in Christ doth not onely belong to the tribe of Iuda but to all the children of Iacob also whom God hath gathered into hys churche where as Ismaell and Esau are made aliantes M. And although Christ came only of Iuda yet not withstanding all those fathers perteyned to the rest of the tribes of whom Christ came 3 Iudas begat Phares and ZaraÌ of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. Iudas begat Phares Many thynges are to be reprehended in Iudas First because he went from his bretherne because hée agreed to the ChananeaÌs and maryed with a woman of the same countrey because he begyled his daughter in lawe of the maryage of his sonne being promised to her because he committed fylthines so that of this maÌ was Phares begotten out of wedlocke by whoredome which Phares is nombred among the fathers and elders of Christ This was truely a foreshewinge of the basenes and lowlines of Christe of the whiche Paule speaketh The sonne of god could haue kept by his prouidence his seede his stocke from al filthines note of infamie but he came into the worlde to abase him selfe and to take vpon him the forme of a seruaunte that he might be a worme no man opprobry and iestinge stocke of men and the outcast of the people that at length he might take vpon him the cursed death of the crosse This reproche hée refused not in his stock that out of the incestious bed might come one that shuld be among his anceters For although Thamar did not couete to lye with her father in lawe being by lust prouoked yet not withstaÌding she sought by an vnlawful meanes to reuenge her iniurie for Iudas wheÌ he wolde haue coÌmitted filthines by chance happened on his daughter in lawe But certainely the inspeakeable loue goodnes of god stroue with the sinne of them bothe that this vncleane séede should neuerthelesse obteyne the septer M Furthermore it was so conuenient and necessarie that he whiche should dye for sinners and should take fleshe of our synfull fleshe should also take his generation by synfull fathers sinful fleshe Phares begat Esrom A. For so hath the sacred hystorie The sonnes of Phares are Esrom and Hamul Esrom begat Aram. Loke in the booke of Ruth chap. 4. 18. 4 Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon The order of these is plainely set forth in the hystorie of Ruth the. 4 Chapter 5 Salmon begat Booz of Rahab Booz begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse Salmon begat Booz of Rahab B This Rahab is rehersed by name that in her we may se the cause why Christ came which was to delyuer that which was lost wholly subiect to death and not onely to delyuer it from destruction and death but also to beutifie and decke the same with dignitie and worship For this woman was one of the citizens of Ihericho whom the lord had made to be accursed the chyldren of Israell being commaunded wholly to destroy them and to burne the Citie and al thinges therein with fyer yet notwithstanding he did exempt this woman beinge scant good as men thought for she was a tauerner and perhappes a harlot for the hebrew word signifieth bothe not
and boÌdage in the which he was ouerwhelmed and drowned At the first he was like vnto a dead man and Aegipt was vnto him as it were a sepulcher but I brought him as it were out of the woÌbe into the light of life Not without cause the lorde speaketh this because the deliueraunce was as it were a certaine natiuitie of the people by the whiche they became newe borne For then openly the tables of adoption were made when as the lawe being promulgated and published they were made a peculiar people vnto God a priestly kyngdome and a holy nation when as they were seperated from all people yea finally when as the lorde dwelling in the middest of them erected and buylt a tabernacle to him self Wherefore the woordes of the prophete are in effect as if he should haue said that the people were escaped out of Aegipte as out of the depe gulfe of death and destruction Nowe the redemption by Christe being brought vnto them what is it els but a rising from death and the beginning of a newe lyfe For almoste the light of saluation was extinguished when as God in the persone of Christe againe begat vnto him a true churche then came the churche out of Aegipte as it was brought before from thence a whole body For this analogy or proportion maketh that it should not seme absurde that Christe passed some parte of his childhode in Aegipte but rather the grace and power of God was the more manifeste and his wisdome did the more appeare that light should arise out of the pitte and dungeon of Darkenes For otherwyse the carnal sense and meaning might make muche a do here that the redemer should come out of Aegipte Mathewe therfore doth shewe that it is no vnwonted or newe thing that God would call his sonne to him from thence and that rather this thing did concerne the confirmation of our faith that as in times past euen so nowe the churche of God should spring in Aegipte from the one ende to the other By this meanes it is otherwyse because in tymes past all the people were shut vp in the brikehouse or pryson of Aegipt but in the second redemption only Christe the head of the churche was there priuely kepte but he it was in whome was included the life and saluation of all men Bu. Moreouer the scripture is fulfilled when as one thing oftentimes is finished and done As this With the eares ye shall heare and not vnderstande Of the whiche in the thirtene chapter of Mathew is made mention also And the same saying was fulfilled in the Iewes in the time of the prophete Esaye 16 Then Herode when he sawe that he was mocked of the wyse men he was eexceading wrath and sent forth men of warre and flewe all the childreÌ that were in BethleheÌ and in all the costes as many as were two yere olde an vnder according to the time whiche he had diligently learned of the wise meÌ Then Herode vvhen he savve B. Here we may se that the wyse men were neither kinges nor princes for if they had they could not haue scaped away without the knowledge of Herode neither would he haue sent them away to Betlehem without some to wayte vpon them for nobilities sake C. But as touching the texte Mathewe speaketh of the minde and opinion of Herode who thought him selfe to be deceiued of the wyse meÌ because they would not be ministers of his wicked crueltie He in dede was rather taken in his owne craft and fraude which deceitfully fayned that he ment to come and worship the newe king M. Therfore in that the wyse men retourned not according to their promise it was not done for any crafte and contempt but because they were admonished to the contrary by the commaundement of God. He vvas exceading vvrath Although the wise men seme to geue this cause of greate and vehement anger yet they are not in faulte of this fearce and mad crueltie For there are two kyndes of anger the one deserued the other vndeserued The deserued anger is with the whiche God is prouoked against sinners parentes against disobedient children magistrates against wicked subiectes and maisters against negligent scholers and such like He that geueth occasion of suche anger offendeth and is in faulte because the party against whome the offence is coÌmitted is iustly angry but suche was not the anger of Herode The vndeserued anger is when as they are angery whiche are let by some meanes or other from their wicked intent and purpose He that geueth occasion to these is not in faulte With this kinde of anger was Herode angry wherefore the faulte was in him selfe and not in the wyse men And he sent forth men of vvarre and slevve C. Iosephus maketh no mention of this history Only Macrobius shewyng the iestes and dedes of Augustus saith WheÌ he harde that all the children that were two yeare olde and vnder should by the commaundement of Herode be slayne and that among the multitude his owne sonne was slaine also he sayde I had rather be Herodes hogge then his sonne But in dede sufficient enough is the authoritie of Mathew vnto vs For so notable a dede should not haue bene pretermitted of Iosephus and yet notwithstanding it is no meruaile that he maketh no mention of the infantes when as he doth lightly passe ouer obscurely touch the detestable example of crueltie that almost euen at the same tyme he shewed in destroying all the Iudges that no remnaunt of the stocke of Dauid might remayne There is no doubt but one feare constrained him to commit bothe kyndes of murther and yet for all that there is great doubt as concerning the tyme For when as the Euangelist saith that the children that were two yeare old and vnder were slayne according to the tyme that he had diligently learned of the wyse men we may thereby gather that Christ was come to that age or very nere thereaboutes Howe greatly with feare Herode was amased When the rumor was spred abrode of the newe kyng that was borne we harde before At the whiche tyme feare letting hym he durst not fende any priuy betrayor or spye whiche diligently might haue searched out all thinges And yet we neade not marueyle that he was withhelde and let so long tyme from suche wicked and detestable slaughter specially when as the fame of the retourne of the wyse men as yet was newe and brim in all places And certainly it may well be coniectured and thought that this wicked dede which did reuolue and pricke in his minde did lynger and watche for his occasion and it may be that he first flewe the Iudges whereby the people being depriued of their Iudges he might constrayne them to ende any matter without dammage or checke Whereby we may easely gather that fondly they argue which wold make Christe two yeares olde when he was worshipped of the wyse men because at the second time when the
to Iordane to Iohn that he myght be baptised of him Then came Iesus from Galile B. The preachinge of Iohn the Baptiste being ended the EuaÌgelist beginneth to preach our lord Iesus the sauiour of the world personally of his own wordes and dedes And first of al he sheweth howe he was baptised not onely with water but also with the spirite was not so much celebrated and put into the flock of Goddes people which was the kingdom of heaueÌ as he was declared by the voice of his father froÌ aboue to be a teacher kinge of his people kingdome M. Marke saith in those daies wheÌ as Iohn had preached a while and a gret multitude of the people came to be baptised then was it a fyt conuenieÌt tyme for Christ to be reuealed the hartes of mortal men by the preching of repeÌtance being pricked desiring thirsting after the grace of Christ That he might be baptised of him C. To what ende the son of god wold be baptised we maye somewhat gather of his aunswere folowinge 14. But Iohn forbad him saying I haue nede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to mee But Iahn forbad him M. Iohn denied his office and ministerye to Christe firste in consideration of his maiestie then in consideration of his own imbecillitie and weakenes the which he partly declared when he sayd whose shoose I am not worthye to beare He knewe that Chryste had no neede to be baptized with this baptisme of repentaunce yea rather that he had neede to be baptized of hym he thoughte it was vnworthy and vnmete that the seruant shoulde baptize the lorde and maister of all whiche had no necessitie therevnto By these reasons beinge moued he refused to baptise him I haue nede to be C. It is certaine that Christe was not onely knowne of Iohn to be an excellente prophete as many very fondly imagin but also to be the son of God otherwyse submittinge and surrendring his holy vocation to a mortal man he should haue ben iniuriouse to god But the reader may learn wherby he was knoweÌ vnto Iohn in the first cha of Iohn This was a reasonable cause to refuse and denye seing that Christ had no nede of baptisme but in this Iohn was deceyued that he wayed not howe that Christe dyd not desire baptisme for his owne sake but for other mennes Therefore Christ beddeth hym to consyder what doth belong vnto him that hath taken vpon him the parson of a seruaunte because that willinge subiection dothe derogate nothinge of his glorye and renowne For althoughe Iohn knewe not his owne office and dewely for a tyme yet notwithstandinge his errour doth not let but that he did his duetie both lawfully and duely 15. Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym let it be so nowe For thus it becommeth vs to fulfyll all ryghteousenes Then he suffered him Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vnto E. Our sauiour Christ by these wordes doth not denie the wordes of Iohn to be true when he said I haue nede to be baptized of the. but graunteth the wordes of Iohn to be trew yet neuerthelesse he doth infringe and put away the occasyon of controuersie which arose of those wordes sayinge Let it be so novve for so it becommeth vs to fulfyll all righteousenesse C. By this aunswere of Chryste we may gather why he woulde be baptised because it becommeth vs saith he to fulfyll all righteousenes To fulfil al righteousenes in the scripture is as much to saye as to fulfyll the lawe And so wee may expounde this place that it behoued Christe which willingly submitted hym selfe to the lawe to fulfill the same in al poyntes But better it maye be vnderstande on this maner as if Christe shuld haue sayde Sease and leaue of to speake of my dignitie neyther is it my purpose at this tyme to reason whiche of vs two is the better but rather we must looke what oure vocation requireth and what God the father hath appoynted vnto vs For Chryst vsed this generall baptisme that he might in al poyntes obey the will of his father but he vsed the special baptisme that he might consecrate the same in his owne body that it mighte be common to vs with him Therfore he saith so it behoueth vs to fulfill all righteousenesse as if he shoulde say I muste in all thinges be obediente to my father Thy baptisme is apoynted of the father therefore although I am greter then thou yet it so pleased my father that I should receyue baptisme of thée and shoulde consecrate the same in my bodye that they whiche receyue mée and are in me baptyzed should acknowledge me to be their brother and fellowe heyre Then he suffered hym Here is to be noted the modestie of Iohn whiche by and by geueth place and obeyeth Chryste For he contendeth no farther but hearynge reason that so it became hym to fulfyll all ryghteousenes althoughe before it seemed verye absurde is nowe perswaded and baptizeth Christe Euen so Peter which said Thou shalt neuer washe my feete when he hearde Christ say excepte I wasshe thée thou haste no parte with me by and by he sayde Lorde not onely my fete but my handes and head M. Whereby we are taught that those that erre by ignorance when they know the trueth are easely perswaded 16. And when Iesus was baptized he ascended out of the water and behold the heauens were opened vnto hym and he sawe the spirite of God desceÌdinge lyke a dooue and lyghtynge vpon him And vvhen Iesus vvas baptized M Now the Euangeliste dothe shewe vnto vs howe Christ was celebrated and authorised after his baptisme And beholde the. C. The openinge of the heauens is sometymes taken for the shewing forth of the glory of the heauens But in this place it is taken for the visible seperation and diuision of the heauens so that Iohn might se somwhat hier then the starry firmameÌt where the planettes were But to search farther what this opening of the heaueÌs meaneth or what it was neyther dothe it parteine to the matter neyther is it necessary because it is sufficieÌt to know that this was a signe token of the presence of god Yet where the Euangelistes do saye that Iohn sawe the holye ghost it is lykely that the heauens were open specially for his sake Althoughe it ought not to be denied but that Christ in respect that he was maÌ was the more assured of his vocation And to this effect do the wordes of Luke seme to serue whiche sayth that when Christe prayed the heauens were open M. But by the openinge of the heauens here specifyed is signified that this is he whiche shulde come from heauen and shoulde teache heauenlye thynges that is he shoulde shewe the wyll of his father to heauenly men For he that is of the earthe speaketh of the earthe but he whiche came from heauen is aboue all Furthermore it is signified that this is hée whiche by his
is wrytten thou shalte not tempte thy lorde thy God. Iesus sayde to him M. Here our sauioure Christe doth very well set and compare Scripture to Scripture not to deny the Scripture whiche Sathan broughte as though it were false but rather to reiect the whiche he falsely applied out of the scripture saying Throwe thy selfe downe Although the Greke woorde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is so placed that it may be referred to both He sayde agayne or againe it is wrytten Furthermore sometime it signifieth an itteration sometyme a contrarietie If it be referred to this woorde sayde it signifieth an itteration for he aunswered before once but if it be referred to this woorde it is wrytten it signifieth then a contrarietie As if he should haue sayde on the contrary parte it is wrytten that he might set scripture against his scripture not that he woulde deny the same as it was sayde euen now but that he might resiste the temptation of Sathan by the testimony of scripture Thou shalt not tempte B. This place is in the booke of Deutronomie where as Moyses doth warne the Israelites not to tempte the lorde as they did in that place whiche was called Massa and Meriba that is temptation For there when they thyrsted thei would proue whether there were a God amoÌg them or no saying Is there a God amonge vs or not C. Moste aptly therefore dothe Christe aunswere that the helpe whiche God promysed there is no otherwyse to be hoped for then if the faythfull modestly committe them selues to hym to be gouerned For we can no otherwyse assaye the promyses of God then if we obeye his commaundementes But for so muche as God is tempted by many kyndes of meanes in this place he is sayde to be tempted when we forsake the ordinary meanes whiche are before oure eyes And they whiche forsakinge the meanes that God dothe commende wyll trye the power and strength of God do euen as if one should cut of a mans armes and his handes and after bedde hym set them on agayne and go worke Or as if a man hauing his limmes should lye styll in the ditche and yet desyre God to helpe hym out To be shorte whosoeuer seketh to trie the deuine power whereas there is no necessitie he tempteth God makyng his promyses to none effecte M. So the Iewes tempted Christe saying What signe doest thou showe that we may sée and beleue thée What workest thou Our fathers did eate Manna c. And in an other place when as somme of them tempting hym required a signe from heaueÌ But this place which our sauiour Christe alleageth was spoken of Moyses plurally as thus see that ye tempte not the lorde your God as ye did in the temptatioÌ Yet he toke no more then that which should serue for his purpose leauing out that whiche followed as ye tempted in the temptation because that did appertayne to the chyldren of Israell 8 Agayne the deuell toke him vp into an exceading hyghe mountayne and shewed hym all the kyngdomes of the worlde and the glory thereof Againe the deuell toke him M. By the two former temptatioÌs the tempter nothing preuayled For Christe neyther gaue place to the honger nor to the subtill wresting of the Scripture amisse Therefore nowe the enemy taketh another kynde of temptation in hande And shevved him all the kingdomes of the vvorld C. This truly was a vision yet we must note that it was not made by the imbicillitie and weakenes of the nature of Christe that Sathan shoulde staye his eyes but rather by voluntary dispensation and sufferaunce Furthermore his sences were so pleasauntly touched and styrred with the kyngdomes of the worlde set before him that his mynde was nothyng at all therwith touched When as the lustes of the fleshe as wylde and vntamed beastes are caried headlong to those things that seme pleasaunt vnto vs For Christe had the lyke sence and felinge that we haue but not his desyers and appetite so vnruly and out of square Nothing therefore is saide here to be vnworthy of Christe although he were God nor nothing secrete vnto hym For it was necessary that his diuinitie for a tyme shold be hidde that he myghte bee subiecte to temptations 9 And he sayth vnto him all these wyll I geue thee if thou wylt fall downe and worship me And he sayde vnto him all these C. The order of this temptation was that Christe should seke for the enheritaunce whiche God had promysed to his sonnes from some other then of God hym selfe then being delighted with the pompe of the worlde might submitte him selfe to Sathan with the whiche temptations we are daily assalted And here the theuishe boldenes of Sathan in stealing of holy thinges doth shewe it selfe in that he vsurpeth the kingdom of the earth to him selfe whiche pertaineth vnto god A. As more plainly by the wordes of Luke appereth where he saith I wyll geue thee all this power and the glory thereof because they are geuen vnto me to whom I wyll I geue them C. And we with the same deceite must haue no lesse contention daily the whiche all the faithfull do fele in them selues and is more plainly perceiued in the whole life of the wicked For although we repose all oure strength and defence all our riches and proffit in the blessing of God yet neuerthelesse our sences do prouoke and allure vs to seke for the helpes of Sathan as though God alone were not sufficient For the chiefe parte of the world taking away from God the empyre and rule of the earth do perswade them selues that Sathan is the geuer of all good thinges Whereby it commeth to passe that they are addicte and geuen to euell practyses to rapyne and to all kynde of deceites Thei truly with their mouth desier God to geue them their dayly breade but no farther then with their mouthe because they make Sathan the chiefe in distributing the ryches of the whole worlde M. Moreouer the byshop of Rome doth immitate this lie of Sathan which saith that the power and empire both of heauen and earth is geuen vnto him that also he hath by ryght the dispensation of kyngdomes and that by his liberalitie it came to passe that the empire came to the Germanes If thou vvilt fall dovvne and vvorship C. This is the spirite whiche froÌ that time requireth to haue deuine honor of mortal meÌ in the which because of his pride he was cast downe from heauen into the inferior partes He prescribeth this condition to his subiectes to whoÌ he promiseth earthly power and glory that they may worship him And this was the chiefest cause of worshiping of deuels that therby they were promysed to haue the kingdome rule of this worlde 10 Then sayde Iesus vnto him auoyde Sathan for it is wrytten thou shalt worship the lord thy God and hym only shalt thou serue Then saide Iesus vnto him B. As in the former temptations so euen
godlines and integritie of life be agreable to the doctrine whereof they are ministers B. In another place we reade that the lorde vsed the lyke similitude of a candel when he expouÌded the parable of the sede falling in diuers places after the whiche he addeth Is the candell lighted to be put vnder a bushel or vnder a table Is it not lighted to be put on a caÌdelstick that those which come into the house may se the light For there is nothing so secrete that shall not be opened neither hath it bene so priuie but that it shall come abroade If any man haue eares to heare let him heare he sayd vnto theÌ take hede what ye here Vnto him that hath shall more be geuen And from him that hath not shal be taken away euen that whiche he hath C. The whiche similitude semeth not to be applied like vnto this For there Christe doth admonishe them that they must diligently beware least any man bearing him selfe bolde of the darkenes do take occasion and libertie to sinne 16 Let your light so shyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Let your lyght so shyne C. After that our Sauiour Christ had taught his Apostles that they were set in the state and degrée that as well their vices as their vertues were sene a farre eyther to good or euill example Nowe he byddeth them so to frame their lyfe that all that behold the same may be styrred vp to glorifie God. Let men saythe he see your good woorkes and glorifie God because as Paule wytnesseth the faythfull do make prouision for good and honest thinges not onely in the sighte of the lorde but also in the sight of men M. By this therefore we are admonyshed to apply our selues to good workes and that so dilligentlye that those men with whoÌ we haue to do by our workes may knowe what pietie there is in oure hartes And glorifie your father vvhich is in heaueÌ Bu. Beholde the ende of good workes As if he should haue sayde Not that men maye glorifie you or prayse you or extoll you aboue the heauens and to worshyp you as Gods offering their goodes vnto you but that they may glorifie God that they attribute all praise to God that they may onely depende vpon God that they honour hym worship hym and serue hym with their whole harte M. So Peter also saythe Se that ye haue honest conuersation amonge the Gentyles that where as they backebyte you as euell doers they may see your good workes and glorifie God in the daye of visitatioÌ C. Finally if the glory of good workes ought rightely to be geuen vnto God and if he be the onely authour of them it can not be without the derrogation of Gods glory that free wyll shoulde be so highly exalted as though good workes came of the same Agayne here we may see howe fauourably the lorde doth deale with vs to cal theÌ our good workes the prayse whereof by righte he shoulde haue ascribed to hym selfe 17 Thinke not that I came to destroye the lawe and the Prophets no I came not to destroy but to fulfill them Thinke not that I came Bu. Hetherto our sauiour Christ hath reasoned as coÌcerning the true and perfecte felicitie nowe he commeth to the manifestynge and declarynge of the Lawe of God it selfe and to remoue and puryfye the same from the traditioÌs of the Phariseis with the whiche they corrupted and defiled the true vse and meaning of the Lawe C. And although Christe might worthely haue boasted that he came to fulfill the Lawe with the perfection of his lyfe here notwithstandinge he entreaÌteth of doctrine not of his life Moreouer because he cried that the kingdome of God was come and lifted vp the myndes of men with a rare and vnwonted hope and called his disciples to baptisme it is probable that the myndes of men were suspended and doubtfull and that they dyd diligently searche to what end this newnes did appertaine Nowe Christe dothe testifie that there is suche concordaunce and agrement betwene his doctrine and the Lawe that it dothe very well agree with the Lawe and the Prophetes and that it doth not only agree but also is a fulfilling of the same For two causes he should seme to be led to testifie the agrement of the Lawe with the Gospell So sone as there ariseth any newe order or forme of teaching straightway the common people thinke that there is made an alteration of all thinges But suche was the preaching of the Gospell to put men in hope that the Church should be otherwyse appointed then it was at the firste Therefore they thought that the old and accustomed gouernemeÌt was abolished whiche opinion was very burtfull many wayes For the godly worshippers of God had neuer imbraced the Gospell if it had bene a decresinge or diminishing of the Lawe for some light and troublesome spirites hauing gotten occasion assayed gredely to ouerthrowe the state of religion For we knowe how proudely rashnes reioyseth in newe thynges Moreouer Christe sawe that many of the Iewes although they did professe that they did beleue the Lawe were notwithstandinge profane and vnlyke to their forefathers For the people were in suche disorder all thynges were so corrupted and defyled The Priestes with their luskishnes and malice did so extinguyshe the pure lighte of the doctrine that there was no more any great reuerence of the Lawe But if any newe manner of doctrine had bene brought in which had abrogated faythe from the Lawe and the Prophetes then had Religion bene miserably shaken This semeth to be the fyrste reason why Christe denieth that he came not to destroye the lawe Whiche also may be gathered by the texte For by and by in steade of confyrmation he addeth that not one tyttel of the Lawe shall perishe and he curseth those teachers whiche haue not laboured to preferre the authoritie of the same The second reason was that he might put awaye the wycked calumniation of the people who sayde that he came to destroye the Lawe But we must note that this was the counsell of Christe so to call and exhorte the Iewes to receiue the Gospell that he mighte staye them notwithstanding in the obedience of the Lawe Then he dothe refelle and put awaye the vndeserued reproches sclaunders by the whiche the enemies wente about to defame and discredite his preachinge For if a man purpose and determine to restore thinges decayed and dispersed into a better order then this wysdome and moderation is alwayes to bee had that the people maye knowe that the euerlastynge woorde of god is not for that cause displaced neyther newnes brought in whiche is contrary to scripture leaste any suspition of contrarietie shoulde take awaye the faythe of the godly and least rashe men should be presumptuous by the colour of newnes Finally that there might be a remedy against the prophane
contempte of the woorde of God and that Religion myght not altogether be despysed and of no reputation amonge the vnlearned But the defence of Christ with the which he dothe purge his doctrine oughte to animate and incourage vs If we at this daye haue the lyke reproche and false accusations layde against vs. This cryme also was layde againste Paule sayinge that he was an Apostata contrary to the lawe of god Wherefore it is no marueyle if the Papistes in like sorte falsely accuse vs and rayle against vs. But by the example of Christe we must reiecte all false accusations and not regarde them notwithstanding we muste frely professe the truthe although it be subiect to false sclaunders B. But here this woorde Lavve is taken for the doctrine ordeined for the institution of lyfe by the wyll of god Wherfore immediatly the lorde dothe adde to the Lawe the Prophets also saying I am not come to destroye the Lawe and the Prophetes that so he might more plainely declare what he ment by the Lawe namely the doctrine and institution of life which the Prophetes shewed and declared also It is certaine therefore whatsoeuer thinges are written in the Lawe do appertayne to this ende namely to call the minde of man to the perfecte and true righeousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared to all good woorkes The whiche also the lorde signifieth when after the exhortation to the lighte of good workes and the necessitie of fulfillinge the lawe he addeth that therfore he came to fulfill the same And so we vnderstand by the Lawe and the Prophetes the doctrine of God comprehended in the holy scriptures by the whiche men are instructed to liue righteously and godly in this present world whiche is compreheÌded in this that we trust in God that we feare and loue him with all our mynde to the whiche our elders added and appointes the Lawes of sacrifices and of other ceremonies of the tabernacle Furthermore that we loue our neighbour as our selfe to the whiche was added ciuile Lawes Laste of all that we vse those thinges coÌtinently and comly with modestie which the necessitie of the body requireth to the whiche also appertaineth whatsoeuer is coÌmaunded for the cleannes and comlines of bodies to the which are added certaine externall purifiynges To destroie M. The Lawe is destroyed or broken when that it is made voyde of none effecte by false expositions traditions of men or els when as men do violate and breake the preceptes thereof either by the imbecillitie weakenes of the fleshe or els by a wicked contemptuous minde But here he vnderstandeth the destroying of the Lawe after the first maÌner namely by false expositioÌs A. To breake the Lawe and to destroy the lawe are all one as appeareth by the saying of Christe in Iohn If a man on the Saboth daye receiue circumcision without breaking of the lawe of Moyses disdayne ye at me because I haue made a man whole on the Saboth day No I came not to destroye C. God truly had promised a new league by the coÌming of Christ but he had shewed also that it shoulde littell differ from the first but rather this to be the end that he would obserue kepe the league whiche he made with his euen from the beginning I wil wryte saith he my Lawes in their hartes I will forget their sinnes By these woordes he doth not so departe from his former league that he woulde deny his laste to be firme and sure when the newe succeded And this is the meaning of the woordes of Christe when he saide I came not to destroy but to fulfil the Lawe For truly he fulfilled it in quickning the dead letter with his spirite theÌ shewing the same in dede whiche was declared vnder figures signes Therfore in respect of doctrine we must imagine no abrogation of the Lawe in the comming of Christe For seing that it is an euerlasting rule to lyue well and godly by it must be immutable euen as there is one only permanente righteousnes of God which is coÌprehended therin As touchinge ceremonies although they may be thoughte improper and not pertayning to the Lawe notwithstanding they wer only abrogated in vse but the signification abideth still Wherefore the comming of Christe did detracte nothing no not from ceremonies but rather the truthe of shadowes being declared it doth bring great coÌfirmation vnto them when we beholding the true effecte do perceiue that they are not vayne and vnprofitable Let vs learne therefore to kepe this holy bonde and knot of the Lawe and the Gospell inuiolable the whiche many do breake amis and very fondly M. Christe fulfilled the Lawe and the Prophetes first by his comming in the fleshe when as he fulfilled those thinges whiche are written in the Lawe and the Prophetes as concerning his kyngdome and the redemption of mankynde promysed longe before Of the whiche Luke speaketh in his .xxiiij. chap. Therefore as saint Paule saythe Christ is the fulfilling of the Lawe to all them that beleue Do we then destroye the Lawe through faythe God forbidde but we rather mayntaine the Lawe 18 For truly I saye vnto you tyl heauen and earth passe one iot or one title of the Lawe shall not escape till all be fulfilled For truly I saye vnto you Bu. Although that whiche was spoken of before was made manifest enough yet for all that it is more strongely confirmed agayne by the mouth of the lorde For he vseth a moste vehement othe and confirmation saying For truly I saye vnto you Truly is a worde peculier to the Hebrewes confirming and wytnessing the truthe for this cause it is so often repeted of the lorde And the Apostell Paule saythe All the promyses of God by Christe are yea and are in hym ameÌ vnto the lande of god Whiche is as if he shoulde haue sayde all the promyses of God are sure and certaine by Christe Tyll heauen and earth passe Luke in woordes somwhat differeth but in sence he very well agreeth saying It is easier for heauen and earth to perishe then for one iot or titell of the Lawe to fayle For the holy ghoste would teache by both places that there was nothing so fyrme and stable in the whole worlde as the truthe of the lawe that truly in euery pointe Some very subtilly dally with this woorde Vntill As though the vanishing of heauen and earth whiche shal be at the last daye of iudgement shoulde bringe an ende to the Lawe and the Prophetes And truly euen as then tounges shall cease and prophecies shal be taken awaye euen so we thinke that the Lawe written with the exposition of the same shall cease But because Christe spake more symply suche intisementes being set to allure this shal be sufficient for vs to note that heauen shal perishe and the whole worlde shall decaye before the stabilitie and strength of
did condemne all kynde of othes without exception As the Anabaptistes who thought that Christe did admitte no man to sweare for any kinde of cause in that he forbad to swere at al. But by the text it self the meaning is best gathered For incoÌtineÌt it foloweth Neither by heauen nor by earth Who nowe seeth not that these kyndes of swearing or particulers are added expositiuely that they myght expresse the firste member by destincte enumeration The Iewes had a disordered kynde of swearing and wheÌ they did sweare by heauen by the earth or by the altare they did counte it as nothing Christe to the ende he might reproue this vice playnely declareth that they must not sweare at all neither by this nor by that neither by heauen nor by earthe nor by any thinge Whereby we may gather that this worde At all is not referred to the substaunce but to the forme of an othe otherwise in vayne he shold haue rehersed these particulers Wherefore the Anabaptistes bewraye their grosse ignoraunce for whyle they curiously persiste in vrging one worde they ouerpasse perceiue not the whole tenor of his talke A. Christe speaketh here of busynes and affayres and familiar talke about the whiche there is no necessitie of an othe required In necessary causes it is not onely permitted to sweare but also is commauÌded of God as appeareth in the sixte of Deutronom And the Prophete Ieremy saythe that an othe is to be taken in truthe in Iudgement and righteousnes Christ did often tymes sweare Paule vsed an othe God also swore by hym selfe Therefore the effecte is this that the name of God is by other meanes taken in vayne then by swearing Therefore men must abstaine from all superfluous kynde of swearing and where iust occasion serueth there to sweare Wherefore Christe mente nothing els but this that all kynde of othes were vnlawefull which by any abuse did prophane the holy name of God to the reuerence whereof they ought to serue V. Finally he that sweareth doth twoo thinges fyrst he taketh God to witnes and sayth that he wyll fulfill his promyse to the honour of God Then he calleth vpon God as the chiefe iudge that he wil not suffer his office to be abused prayeth that he wyll defende his honour and the dignitie of his deuine iudgemeÌt and shewe the same vpon him whiche sweareth excepte he kepe his othe And thus he constraineth God to take veÌgeaunce by the mention of his honour truthe and office Neither by heauen C. They are greatly deceyued whiche expounde these maner of othes to be corrected of Christ because we ought to sweare by God only For the reasons whiche he bringeth do tende more to the contrary that then we sweare by the name of God when we sweare either by heauen or by the earth because there is no part of the worlde in the whiche some special note or marke of the glory of God is not imprinted Obiection Notwithstandinge this sentence dothe not seme to agree with the commaundemeÌt of the Lawe where God dothe plainely coÌmaunde to sweare by his name Moreouer it semeth to disagree with many places of holy scripture where the almighty God complayneth that we do vnto him iniury so often as we sweare by his creatures We may aunswere that corruption is adioyning to idolatry wheÌ that either the power of iudgement or the authoritie of approuing testimony is deferred and brought to them For the ende of an othe is to be coÌsidered because men called God the reuenger of falshod and the defender of truthe as we haue shewed already a litle before This honour cannot be geuen to another without the violating of his maiestie In consideration of this the Apostell saith Men verely sweare by him that is greater theÌ them selues and an othe to confirme the thing is to them an ende of all stryfe So that this is only proper to God to sweare by him selfe Euen so in olde tyme men did vse to sweare by Moloch or by some other Idole and so they appointed another in Gods stede to be a knower of secretes iudge of myndes by the whiche they did take away the righte appertayning to god Euen so at this daye they do no lesse offende which sweare by aungels and other dead saintes God therefore in all thinges is only to be taken for a witnes Because it is the seate of God. M. These wordes appertayne also to ââe Prophete when he saithe Thus saithe the lorde The heauen is my seate and the earth is my foote stoole C. The heauen therefore is called the throne or the seate of God not that he is there included and shut vp but that meÌ may learne to lifte vp their myndes so often as they thynke of him and that we might not imagine any earthly thing of hym A. To this effecte tendeth the begynning of the lordes prayer wherein we are commaunded to call hym our father whiche is in heauen 35 Neither by the earth because it is his footestoole Neither by Hierusalem because it is the citie of the great king Neither by the earth M. This sentence also is taken out of the foresayde place of the Prophete Esaie Christ speaketh here of a kingely maiestie to put vs in minde of a heaueÌly maiestie and dignitie Great is the excellencie of a kynges throne neyther do the footestoles of kings want their honoure Let no man therefore thinke that this earth in the which we liue is without the glory maiestie and power of god C. The earthe is called the foote stoole of God that we might knowe that he is euery where and that he cannot in the space of place he comprehended Neyther by Hierusalem M. Althoughe the earthe is the lordes and all that therein is as the Prophete Dauid saythe and therefore ought reuerently to be inhabited by the grace and fauour of the deuine maiestie Yet notwithstaÌding it is worthely required that those places in the which the goodnes of God is more highly extolled should be more honorable then others Suche was this cittie because of the Temple priesthoode worshippe and woorde of God and because the lorde had chosen the same to be the seate of his empyre To the probation wherof these places followyng do serue I haue appointed him my kinge vppon my holy hill of Sion Agayne Tourne thy wrath awaye I beseche thee from thy cittie HierusaleÌ and from thy holy hill Moreouer the deuell caried him into the holy cittie And they came into the holy cittie It is called therefore the cittie of the great kyng because there more plentifully he shewed his power and the signes of his presence not that he was therein included Nowe Hierusalem is become the whole worlde as it was spoken of before by the Prophetes God wyll be called vppon and knowne euery where M. It is not with out great cause that Christe in this place calleth God the great
Other some there are whiche do so securely flatter theÌ selues that thei dare boldly chalenge to them selues before God perfecte righteousnes And another sorte there are whiche do good not for the study of that which is righte neither for the glory of God but only to get vnto them selues same renowme and the opinion of sanctimony to be counted iuste perfecte and holy These laste sorte of hypocrites be they whome Christe here toucheth who wheÌ they do their good workes to no good end put on them another persone or shew that they may appeare vnto the worlde holy and true worshippers of God. in their Synagoges M. Here these Synagoges are thought of certaine to be conuenient places of resorte erected in the streates or market place To others it semeth to be an ecclesiastical place of resort wherunto the people came to beare the worde of god By these notes shew tokens of Hypocrisie that which he now addeth may be vnderstode when he saith To be praysed of men Neither can there be shewed any other reason why they gaue their almes openly with the sounde of a trompet rather then in secrete priuely Bu. And in our tyme also the couetousnes of priestes and the arrogancy of the people hath deuised a way and meane by the whiche liberalitie may be openly celebrated in the church For if any maÌ had violently handled the innocent and done him iniury if any man had defrauded his brother in bargaining all his life tyme yea if any man had oppressed the poore at length geuen to the church goodes tenementes or landes whereby the same might be inriched suche a founder suche an excellent and liberall benefactor shold haue bene as liberally dealte withall againe For leaste so greate beneficence shoulde quite be ouerwhelmed with the waues of obliuion a daye at the yeares ende was celebrated for euer in the which out of the holy chayre both the name the family and liberalitie of the geuer shold with all commendations be recited euen as though he had bene a saint on earthe Furthermore for his prayse his funerall verses were song yea and all the belles in the stepell were ronge Beside this his armes are set on the churche walles and all his famouse dedes with solemnitie are blowen into the eares of all men These solemnities hath the couetousnes of soule priestes alowed and this worldly pompe and vanitie hathe the foolyshe pryde of the people imbraced But harken to what dothe the Lorde here pronounce against these thynges and suche as delighte in them Verely I saye vnto you they haue their revvarde Bu. As who should saye they looke in vayne for a rewarde whiche are after that sorte lyberall For in their well doinge they had not respecte vnto God and his glorye but to them selues and the prayse of men whiche was their shoote anker He saythe not here they haue a rewarde but they haue their rewarde As if he should haue sayde It is enough for them to beare a countenaunc of holynes and pietie and therby to get vnto them selues a vayne rumour or fame whiche vanisheth away and being therewith contente looke for nothynge els at the handes of God. 3 But thou when thou geuest thyne almesse let not thy lefte hand knowe what thy right hande doth But thou vvhen thou geuest M. After he had admonished taught vs what we oughte to eschewe auoyde he telleth vs what we muste do and prescribeth a waye cleane contrary to that whiche the hypocrites do namely that as the hypocrites deale their almes in the sight of men only for vayne glory to haue name fame so we wheÌ we do good to our neighbours beinge contente with the wyll of our father muste mot regarde publique rumours but must be desirours to haue all thinges done secretly C. For by this saying Let not thy lefte hand knovve vvhat thy rygt hand doth he meaneth that we ought to be contented with the onely testimonie of God and so to staye our selues vpon his wyll that we ought not to be caried away with any vanitie M. He saythe not let not thy neighbour knowe howe muche thou geueste in thy almes but let not thy lefte hande knowe what thy righte dothe As who should saye See that thou seke not to get the myndes and commendations of the people when thou geuest thyne almes euen as thou wouldest hyde it from thy left hande whiche is a worker and an ayde of goodnes if it had any intelligence to knowe what to whome howe muche and howe often thou didest geue Bu. Let therefore thy almes be farre from arrogancie and pryde and worship God with a pure vncorrupted coÌscieÌce 4 That thy almes may be in secrete and thy father which seeth in secrete shall rewarde the openly That thy almes may be in secrete M. As if he should haue sayd As the hypocrites geue their almes openly so let thyne be geuen in secreate and seke for nothing lesse theÌ the syght of men to prayse the same Obiection C. Notwithstandinge this place dothe seme to be contrary to other sentences of scripture wherein we are commaunded to edifie our brethren by our good ensample But if we marke consider the purpose of Christ we shall easely be satisfied He commaundeth his disciples to do good workes with so pure a mynde that they be voyde of all ambition not regardinge who beholdeth their dedes but rather to haue respecte to the nede and necessitie of the receiuer And onely to contente them selfe with the prayse of god This simplicitie truly doth nothing at all hynder the study and care of edifiynge by good example And if we remember that whiche he spake a litle before he did not precisely forbidde to do good before men but rather did condemne oftentation and boasting Bu. The almes therefore is geuen in secrete when the minde is without the desyre of praise and ambition and when we seke not for vayne glory but the prayse of God although we geue to the poore in the sighte of men And thy father vvhiche seeth in secrete Here priuelye he toucheth the foolishenes of men in that they thinke their labour lost and their worke as nothing excepte it be behelde of many wytnesses and lokers ââ¦n Therfore he saith that God hath no nede of light to knowe those thinges that are well done because al thinges that are hid in darkenes are manifeste and playne vnto hym There is no cause then why we shoulde thinke that to be loste whiche is not done in the presence of men because God hath his abiding in darkenes as well as in the lighte As the Prophete Dauid witnesseth saying Whether shall I go then from thy presence if I clyme vp into heauen thou arte there if I go down into hel thou arte there also and so forth Also to confute this fonde opinioÌ of men let them consider what the scripture saith Man loketh on the outwarde apperance but God beholdeth the harte
vnto vs that he dothe promise his spirite which ingraueth the righteousnes of the law in our hartes We are coÌmaunded therfore to aske both and in the fyrst place the petition to obtaine remissioÌ 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 pardoÌ 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 ouerladeÌ 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 theÌ selues such perfectioÌ in this worlde that they think them selues frée froÌ al sin and vice do not so much neglect their sinnes as they do Christ froÌ whose church they banish them selues For when he coÌmanded al his disciples daily to aske remissioÌ of their sins he excludeth al out of theyr nomber coÌpany whiche thinke this remedie to be superfluous vnto theÌ Let vs put awaye therefore by this praier the wrath indignation of our heauenly father the iust ponishmeÌtes 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 heaueÌly father good and iuste cause we haue to put awaye his displeasure Now this remissioÌ which we here desire is coÌtrary to satisfactioÌs by the which the world seketh redeÌption For that credytour is not said to remit whiche beinge paid asketh the det no more but he which willingly frely departing froÌ his right dischargeth the debttor Neither dothe that coÌmon 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 forgeueÌ fréely al dispensations coÌming from the Pope are in vaine For to obteine remission of oure sinnes Christ seÌdeth vs to his father alone that rightly for who can forgeue the offence coÌmitted 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 wheÌ we syn against God our health saluation only coÌsisting in him it is manifest that we can be forgeuen of none but of him therfore at his haÌds 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 wheÌ thou maiest be found Neither is this repugnaÌt 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 NotwithstaÌding the pardoÌ 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 pardoÌ 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 meÌ their trespases your father whiche is in heaueÌ 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 teÌptation 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 euideÌt to be but one not two as they imagine For the coniuÌctioÌ set betwene both coupleth both the senteÌces together whiche S. Austine very wiselye examined Thus therefore ought this praier to be resolued Least vve be led into teÌptation deliuer vs from euill But the soÌm of this prayer is this that we knowing our own infirmities desier god to be our aide helpe that we may staÌde valiantly against al the assaltes of sathaÌ M. We are taught therfore in this petion that we are as yet set in a doubtfull daÌgerous coÌflict 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 childreÌ 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
For what can be more foolish then to lay vp goodes where either they muste perishe or be stolne away of men But couetous men thinke not vpoÌ this for they shut vp their riches in chestes surely barde and stroÌgly banded with sufficient lockes Yet not withstanding they can not bynde so sure but their riches are in daunger of ruste of mothe of corruption of theues of water of fyre and a hundred daungers mo They are blynde therefore and out of their wittes whiche moyle and toyle laboure and trauayle so immoderatly for ryches and knowe not what shall become of them specially when God wyll lende vnto vs a place in heauen to laye vp oure treasure yea and that whiche is more liberall he offereth vs treasure to possesse whiche shall neuer by no corruption perishe E. Let not man marueyle that Christe so carefully seketh to withdrawe his disciples from couetousnes V. For couetousnes is nothing els theÌ a distrust in god M. Whereupon not without iuste cause Paule calleth the same the roote of all euell Bu. And truely if we consider well what is the cause of strife but couetousnes what is the cause of warres couetousnes What is the cause of iniuries Couetousnes What is the cause of sedition Couetousnes What is the cause of periury Couetousnes What is the cause that men betray their owne Countrey is not couetousnes Yes vndoubtedly To be shorte Couetousnes taketh awaye liberalitie Couetousnes hyndreth the true worshipinge of God and Couetousnes maketh all that we do to be frustrate before god O crabbed roote that spreadest thy braunches so farre that all the worlde taketh a taste of thy fruite Thou haste made truthe to be vnsauory in the mouthes of men And as for iustice and righteous dealing thou haste so shadowed them with thy armes that the dewe of heauen can scarse falle vpon them Yea and the time of thy florishinge is of suche continuance that excepte the heauenly husbaÌd man cut the downe thou wilt shortly ouergrowe all goodnes in the earthe VVhere ruste and mothe do corrupte M. Christ reproueth them by the vtilitie and profite of earthly thinges As if he should haue sayde what madnes is this that you put your truste in those thinges whiche are transitory and subiect to corruption By this woorde ruste is vnderstode all corruption that maye happen to earthlye thynges reade the fifth chapter of Saint Iames. M. Here also he toucheth secretly the troublesome care of kepynge and the greuous feare of loosing riches being once gotten 20 But laye vp for youre selues treasures in heauen where neither ruste nor mothe dothe corrupte and where theues breake not through nor steale C. They are sayde to laye vp their treasure in heauen whiche auoydinge the snares of this worlde do bestowe their cares and study to the meditation of a heauenly lyfe Luke expresseth not the Antithesis but sheweth the diuerse occasion wherefore Christe commaunded his disciples to prepare them littell sackes whiche waxe not olde For he sayde vnto them Sell all that ye haue and geue almes Nowe because it is a difficulte and harde matter for men to sell all that they haue to ease this griefe he setteth before them a wonderfull hope of recompence namely that they shall laye vp treasures in heauen whiche helpe and succour the necessitie of their brethren in earthe according to the saying of Salomon He that hath pittie vppon the poore lendeth vnto the lorde and looke what he layeth out it shall be payde hym again M. The lorde therefore doth here as it were sette heauen against the earthe whereby he may withdraw his as the sonnes of heauen from the earthe to their proper contrey that heauenly Hierusalem where they should raigne for euer Paule wryting to Timothie dothe as it were expounde these woordes of Christe saying Charge theÌ that are ryche in this worlde that they be not hie minded and that they truste not in the vncertaine ryches but in the liuing God and so foorth till you come almoste to the ende of the chapiter Againe If ye be rysen with Christe seke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christe sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on thinges that are aboue and not on thinges that are on the earthe 21 For where your treasure is there will your harte be also For vvhere your treasure is C. By this prouerbiall sentence Christ proueth men to be moste miserable whiche haue their treasure layde vp in the earthe because their felicitie is but earthly and vayne For couetous men do affirme that they are not let by no meanes of their money to lifte vp their hartes to heauen but Christe propoundeth an axioma that wheresoeuer they fayne their chiefe felicitie to be there is their whole harte affiaunce As if he should saye yea call vpon God your father in heauen of whoÌ ye are called to heauenly goodes vppon hym therfore set your whole mynde and affection But if you laye vp your treasure in earthe then all youre mynde and care wyll be there C. They renounce heauen therefore whiche haue their felicitie in this worlde We knowe howe muche how diligently the Phylosophers disputed about felicitie yea it was the greatest pointe whereabout they laboured and coÌtended and not without cause for so muche as the whole consideration of the framing of our lyfe dependeth vpoÌ the same and whereunto are referred al sences For if honour and dignitie be thoughte felicitie and chiefe happenes then it must nedes come to passe that ambition do raigne in the myndes of men If money then it followeth that couetousnes inuadeth the whole lande If the pleasure of the bodye as the Epicures thought then it can not be auoyded but that men shal be geuen to brutishe inclination and behauioure For we are all naturally geuen to seke that whiche is good and so it commeth to passe that we are diuersly caried and led awaye by false imaginations But and if we were well and seriously perswaded that our felicitie and happines were in heauen it were an easy thing the worlde and all earthly thinges beinge despised whose intisementes and snares do deceiue the greater parte of men to ascende into heauen In consideration of this Paule goeth about to lifte vp the myndes of the faythefull into heauen and to exhorte them to the study of an heauenly lyfe settinge Christe before their eyes in whome the true and perfecte felicitie oughte to be sought As if he should counte it a madnes in meÌ to fire their minde in the earth whose treasure is in heauen There vvill your harte be also B. The harte is here put for the affections of the harte The harte therfore to be in a place is nothing els but a care a cogitation a ioye a truste a hope a loue a feare or the whole mynde to be in some place Bu. The whiche is to be thought not onely of the study of money but also of all other
where commende sinceritie and abhorre a double harte we may see howe greatly they are deceiued whiche thinke that he wyll be contented with halfe a harte All men truely wyll confesse with their mouthe that God cannot be worshipped but with a whole and earnest affectioÌ But in dede they denie it when they go about to reconcile and agree twoo contrary thinges in all respecte I wyll not cease sayth the ambitious man to serue God although I apply a good parte of my mynde to get honoure So doth the couetous persone the voluptuous man and the cruell tyraunt boaste them selues As if truly it were possible partely to serue God and partely to be starke enemies vnto hym It cannot be denied that the faythfull them selues are not so wholely geuen to the obedience of God but that oftentimes they are drawne awaye by the synfull lustes of the fleshe Notwithstanding because they syghe and sorrowe vnder the yoke of this miserable seruitude boundage and are displeased with theÌ selues and do serue the same no otherwyse then against their wylles and striuinge with the same therefore I saye that they serue not two maisters because their study indeuoure is as muche accepted before God as if they had perfourmed and fulfilled the perfecte obedience Here also their hypocrisie is refelled whiche flatter them selues in their vices as if light and darkenes could agree We knowe what Elizeus sayde If the Lorde be God followe him if Baale be God follow him Howe longe wyll ye halte on both sides For God doth require of vs the integritie of the mynde that we might wholely depende vpon hym 25 Therfore I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or drinke nor yet for your bodye what rayment ye shall put on Is not the life more worth then meate and the body more of value then rayment Therefore I saye vnto you be not carefull M. Now consequently he commeth to the roote it selfe of euell namely to the carefulnes of foode and other necessaries or if thou wylt to the distruste or incredulitie whereof all wycked carefulnes aryseth whiche at the length bryngeth a man to that point that being not content with necessary thinges to his present vse he beginneth sorrowefully to care for the tyme to come and therefore to prouide for many yeares and thus springeth the seruitude of Mammon which withdraweth vs from the seruice of god C. Notwithstanding where as Christe forbiddeth vs to be carefull he meaneth not so precisely that he woulde haue vs voyde of all care for we knowe that men are therefore borne to sustayne some care nay this is the leaste parte of the myseries whiche the lorde hathe inioyned to vs in penaunce to humble vs withall But he condemneth immoderate care for two causes First because men in vayne do vexe and disquiete them selues in busying and occupying them selues further then becommeth their vocation Then because they take more vpon them then becoÌmeth him bearinge them selues bolde vpon their owne industrie and laboure forget quyte to cal vpon god We must remember the promyse whiche the Prophete speaketh of saying that it is but loste laboure that the vnfaithfull ryse vp early and so late take reste and eate the bread of carefulnes for so he geueth his beloued slepe Therefore the sonnes of God although they be not without laboure and care yet notwithstaÌding they are not properly sayde to be carefull for their lyfe because they staying theÌ selues on the prouidence of God are at quiet M. The lorde therefore sayth not I say not vnto you labour not for your liuing and sustentation but be not carefull He forbiddeth sorrowefull and immoderate carefulnes not laweful labour Let euery man laboure saythe saint Paule with his handes that he may haue wherwithall to helpe hym that nedeth C. Hereby we may easely gather what care of lyfe euery man oughte to haue namely that euery one of vs laboure so farre as oure vocation requireth and the lorde commaundeth furthermore that euery maÌs necessitie may cause them to call vppon god Suche care is a meane betwene slouthfull securitie and immoderate vexation and trouble whiche the vnbeleuers brynge vpon them selues So that if we waye diligently the woordes of Christe we shal see that he forbiddeth not al care but that only which riseth vpon distrust Saying be not carefull what ye shal eate or drynke For that is proper to them whiche are afrayde of pouertie and nede as if they shoulde wante meate euerye moment Is not the lyfe more vvorth then meate Bu. Nowe by stronge and infallible argumentes he taketh awaye that distrustfull care and bringeth forth dyuers questions by the whiche his talke maye be more ample C. And the first argument that he bryngeth is of the more to the lesse Hee forbadde vs of to muche care howe our lyfe should be sustayned Now he addeth the reason that the lord whiche gaue the lyfe it selfe will not suffer vs to wante those aydes and helpes which pertayne to the staying and holdinge of oure lyfe And truely we do no small iniury vnto God so often as we beleue not that he wyl geue vnto vs sufficient foode and apparell as though without regarde he had set vs vpon the earth For whosoeeuer is fully perswaded that he is not ignoraunt what the condition of our lyfe is of the whiche he is the authour he wil not doubte but that in due tyme he wyll helpe his necessitie Therefore so often as feare care of foode troubleth any man let him straight remember that God hath care for that life which he gaue vnto him Here also we muste note that althoughe we haue aboundaunce of meate drinke apparell and all other thinges necessary yet that oure life consisteth not in them According to the saying of our Sauiour in an other place Beware saith he of couetousnes because no mans lyfe consisteth in the aboundaunce of those things whiche he possesseth And then he addeth For the lyfe is more worth then meate the body more of value then raymente As if he should saye If God of his owne free wyll hathe geuen to you a body and lyfe whiche haue not deserued the same doubte ye not then but that he wyll also geue vnto you meate and apparel which thinges are of lesse value a great deale 26 Beholde the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither do they reape nor cary into the barnes and youre heauenly father fedeth them Are ye not muche better then they Beholde the foules of the ayre M. That he might more playnely set before our eyes the prouidence of oure heauenly father he bringeth the brute beastes to be an example whiche by the power of God are fed and nourished without any care that we might learne in them the ryches of his goodnes and the amplenes of his deuine prouidence in the whiche we ought to quiete our selues C. For infidelitie is the mother
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 heaueÌly 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 wheÌ 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 coÌmeth 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 maÌ 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 pronouÌce 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 coÌstrained 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
Lyeth at home C. It is manifest by bothe the Euangelistes that this was a sodayne Palsey whiche at the firste comminge broughte daunger and hasarde of lyfe For those Palseys whiche are not extreame want the torment of payne But Matthewe saythe that the Lad was greuously payned And Luke saythe that he was at the pointe of death So that bothe of them do seke to set out the glory of the myracle Bu. Nowe let vs learne by this mans example in all our tribulations to come vnto Christe and to open al the sorrowes of our mynde vnto hym and to craue his sure and vndoubted helpe Luke addeth that the messengers sayde he is worthy that thou do this for hym or he deserueth this at thy handes for he loueth our nation and hath buylte vs a Synagoge By the whiche wordes there is no doubt but that the Iewes did geue him a singuler reporte and commendation of godlines In buylding a Synagoge he did playnly declare him selfe to be a fauourer of the Lawe Wherefore they do not without cause pronounce hym to be worthy to whome Christe doth offer him selfe as to a godly worshipper of the lorde to benefite and helpe him B. And truly he knew the Iewes to be the people and to haue the worde of God and his counsels committet vnto them and therfore he loued them sought by his benefites to winne them For he was constrained with that spirite with the whiche Cornelius was forced to geue him selfe to fastinge and prayer Neither can the holy ghoste chose but offer hym selfe to the electe howe ignoraunte and infirme and weake soeuer they be Notwithstanding here appereth the great and wonderfull blyndnes of the Iewes that they would by their consent and furtheraunce transport the grace of God whiche they them selues disdainfully refused to a Gentile and Heathen man For if Christ were the minister and dispensator of the giftes of God vnto theÌ why do not they them selues receiue that proffered grace before they bring strauÌgers vnto it Therefore in this they coÌdemne them selues 7 And Iesus sayde vnto hym I when I come wyll heale hym A. Luke hath and Iesus went with theÌ B. Where the incomparable goodnes submission of Christe is to be considered For although the Centurion were a heathen man and his messengers also puffed vp with a vayne shewe of holines yet notwithstanding by and by of his owne free wyl he offereth to go and see the seruaunt of the Ethnicke What dede can be more gentle and louing then this yea what is he that wyll not loke for helpe at his handes 8 The Centurion aunswered and sayde Syr I am not worthy that thou shouldest com vnder my roofe but speake the woorde onely and my seruaunt shal be healed The Centurion aunsvvered C. Because Matthewe sought to be briefe he bringeth in the Centurion speaking in his owne persone But Luke more amply expresseth the same saying that he sent these words in message by his frendes But the sence and meaning of them bothe is all one There are two speciall thinges to be noted in these woordes The Centurion sparing Christ for honor and dignities sake requesteth Christ that he would not wery and trouble hym selfe Because he thought him selfe vnworthy of his commyng Then he bringeth and attributeth so great power vnto him that he beleueth that his seruaunt by his becke woorde onely may be restored to lyfe A marueylous humilitie to be coÌsidered in an Ethnicke and Heathen maÌ It may be that he being accustomed to the manner of the Iewes for modesties sake toke it not vnworthely that he was counted a Heathen man and so was a fearde that he shoulde do iniury to the Prophete of God if he shoulde constrayne hym to come into a Gentile Heathen and vncleane man But whatsoeuer it was it is certayne that he speake vnfainedly with his whole harte and that he had so reuerent an estimation of Christe that he durste not inuite hym to his house Yea as it followeth in Luke he thought not hym selfe worthy to talke with hym R. A woÌderfull grace truely of modestie whiche is not only set before our eyes to maruayle at but also to followe We shal immitate the same if we truly acknowledge what we are by nature in the iudgement of god For it wyll come thus to passe that how excelent soeuer we seme in the sight of men yet we shall downe with our pecockes tayle and shall thinke our selues worse then the moste abiect kynde of meÌ Question C. Notwithstanding it may be demauÌded by what reason the Centurion was moued so highly to extoll Christe that whiche followeth to maketh the matter more obscure But speake the vvoorde onely C. Or speake by woorde as Luke hathe for excepte he had knowen Christe to be the sonne of God it had bene superstitious to attribute the glory of God to a maÌ And truely it is not to be thoughte certainly that he was truely instructed in the diuinitie of Christe of the whiche all almoste at that tyme were ignoraunte But Christe imputeth not his woordes to erroure but affirmeth them to proceade of faithe And this reason constrained many interpretours to thinke Christ to be celebrated as the true and onely God by the woordes of the Centurion But it is more probable that this godly man being persuaded by the rare manifeste workes of God in Christe did simplely thinke the power of God to be in hym And no doubt by hearing he vnderstode somewhat of the promysed redemer and Messias Therefore although he dyd not as yet vnderstand plainly that Christ was God manifested in the fleshe Yet notwithstanding he was so perswaded that the power of God was declared and publyshed in him that it was his office to shewe foorthe the presence of God by myracles So that he doth not supersticiously ascribe vnto man that which is only proper to God but he attributeth that to Christe which was geuen him from aboue and beleueth that he is able to heale his seruaunt If any wyll yet obiect and saye that nothing is more proper to God then to bryng to passe that which semeth vnto hym good and that this power can not be graunted to a mortall man without sacriledge It maye easely bee aunswered agayne Although the Centurion did not so subtilly distinguishe yet notwithstanding he did not attribute this power to a mortal man but to the power of God the minister wherof he was certainly perswaded to be Christe Therefore he acknowledging the grace of healing to be a heauenly power he doth not bynde it to the presence of the body but is contented with the woorde onely out of the which he knewe so great force and power coulde come 9 For I also my selfe am a man subiect to the authoritie of another and haue souldiours vnder me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruaunt do this
straungers and foriners should be of the housholde and heyres of the kingdome of heauen And not onely that but this that the couenaunt and league of saluation should by and by be publyshed that the whole worlde myght growe into one body of the churche when he saythe that the Gentyles which should come to the faythe shoulde bee partakers of the same saluation with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Bu. They reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen whiche being partakers of the promises of God which he made with the holy fathers do at the lengthe possesse the kingdome of heauen with them beinge made the sonnes of God coheyres with Christe and fellowes with the sainctes C. To be briefe this senteÌce is as much as if he should haue saide they shall haue the same life Wherby certainly we may gather that the same sauing health which is exhibited vnto vs in Christ was exhibited in times paste vnto the fathers Neyther should the kingdome be common to all except there were but one faith which is the onely meane to obtaine the same The same manner of speaking the lorde vsed to his Apostles when he sayde I apointe vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye maye eate drinke at my table in the kingdome 12 But the children of the kingdom shal be cast out into vtter darkenes there shal be weping and gnashing of teeth But the children of the. M. This is the other matter which we saide Christ had here in hande namely of the reiecting of the Iewes C. But it may be demaunded how Christe calleth them the children of the kingdome whiche were nothing lesse theÌ the sonnes of Abraham For truely they whiche are alienate from the faythe ought not to be numbred in the flocke of Christ It may be aunswered that although they were not truly of the flock of Christ notwithstaÌding because thei had a roume in the flocke or churche he grauÌteth this title vnto them Furthermore we muste note that the couenaunt and promyse of God was of such force so long as it stode in the sede of Abraham that properly the inheritauÌce of the kingdom of heauen did pertaine vnto them at the least in respect of God him selfe then as yet they were holy braunches of the holy roote And truely that deniall or forsakinge whiche afterward folowed dothe sufficiently declare that they were then accoumpted of the housholde of god M. Therefore because the promises of the kingdome the testameÌt did properly pertain vnto the Iewes they ar worthely called the soÌnes of the kingdoÌ Of this matter Paul doth dispute at large in his epistle to the Romaynes C. Secondly we muste note that Christe dothe not speake of euery one but of the whole nation This truely was farre harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it mighte seme scarse tollerable for the Gentiles to be planted knytte and vnited to the same body by frée adoption with the posteritie of Abraham Notwithstanding Christe pronounceth that they shal be vnited to the end God might admitte straungers into the bosome of Abraham and denye the chyldren B. that the laste may be firste and the fyrste last M. So that it is not to be thoughte that the Lorde woulde haue all the Iewyshe chyldren of the kyngdome to be caste out but he hathe selected and chosen to hym selfe certayne of them as saynt Paule wryteth to the Romaynes Euen as we may not thinke that all the Gentiles shal be saued but that the chosen of God shal be gathered from amonge them Into vtter darkenes C. There is a secrete antithesis in this woorde vtter darkenes for Christe dothe signifie that out of his kyngdome whiche is the kyngdome of lyghte there reigneth nothynge but darkenes For the Scriptures when they make mencion of darkenes do signifie metaphorically a horrible kynde of payne whiche the tongue of man in this lyfe cannot expresse nor the harte imagine Bu. So that by these greuous threatenynges Christe went not about to dismaye the Iewes or to brynge them into dispayre but rather to drawe them out of the myre and puddell of incredulitie and to wynne the Gentiles vnto hym who came to saue bothe the Iewe and the Gentyle There shal be vvepynge M. This is a Metaphor by the whiche he compareth that vnhappy state and condition of the damned to captiues sytting in a dongeon or darke place full of horror and feare who are constrayned by an euell conscience feare of the iudgement to come to wepe wayle mourne gnashe their teethe And thus thought he good to set foorthe the tormentes of damned soules 13 And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion go thy waye and as thou beleuest ââ¦o shall it be vnto thee And his seruaunt was healed in the selfe same hower And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion M. Nowe the Lorde aunswerynge the Centurion graunteth him his petitioÌ as if he should say be of good chere and quiet thy minde For go thy waye in this place hath such signification Neyther is this a symple commaundement to go vnto his owne whiche shoulde cary with it ambition but it is an assent or agreinge to that whiche was demaunded So Dauid consentinge to the woman of Thecoa sayd go home to thy house I wyll geue a charge for thee So we reade that Christ did often tymes sende awaye the afflicted after they had obtayned consolation at his handes saying go in peace and be whole from thy plague And in another place he saythe go thy sonne lyueth And as thou beleuest so shall Bu. In fewe woordes euidently he declareth the efficacy of faythe Faythe bryngeth to passe and is the cause that we receyue that by the power operation of the holy ghoste whiche we beleue of the woorde of god The Centurion beleued that the Lorde coulde heale his seruaunte lying sycke therefore the lorde healed hym C. Hereby it appeareth howe louingly our Sauioure Christe poureth out his grace if he may haue the vessell of fayth open vnto hym For although oure Sauioure Christe speaketh vnto the Centurion notwithstanding there is no doubte but that by his example he woulde haue vs all to haue the lyke faythe Moreouer we are here taught what is the cause that God dothe oftentymes reiecte oure prayers surely our incredulitie and vnbeliefe Wherefore if in faythe we come vnto hym we maye be sure our prayers shal be harde So shall it be vnto thee M. These woordes do not onely expresse and set forth the goodnes of Christe but also his omnipotency by the whiche he hathe in his wyll and power lyfe and death healthe and syckenesse yea onely with his assente he restored this seruaunte whiche was euen nowe at the poynte of deathe to healthe and lyfe He saythe not go thy waye I wyll praye vnto my father for thee or for thy seruaunte but he saythe go thy waye be it vnto thee according to thy faythe
the institutions therfore when as they haue no respecte to the ende for the whiche they were ordeined He therfore whiche hath not a care of his neighbors health but is a straight obseruer of externall rites dothe bewray declare his own hipocrisie as these iusticiaries who reiected the Publicanes synners suffered them to perishe had not Christe called theÌ vnto him cured them We must so thinke therfore of sacrifices as wayes meanes to come vnto God which notwithstaÌding are of no force except a sounde perfect truthe be annexed vnto the same Bu. So that our Sauiour Christ did very well oppose this general sentence of religion to his aduersaries C. For vnder this worde mercy he comprehendeth all the partes and duties of humanitie whiche we owe vnto oure brethren as by the name of Sacrifice he meaneth all seremonies and externall thynges For I came not to call the righteous Bu. Nowe Christ hauing respect to that whiche he spake euen now that he came a Phisition into the worlde by a certayne illation and exposition he concludeth the whole disputation and those whome before he called whole and strong he nowe calleth righteous Not that he meaneth them to be righteous in dede but because they bosted thought them selues to bee righteous as did the Phariseis These thinking them selues to be absolute perswaded theÌ selues that the grace of God pertained nothing at all to their perfection and this was the cause that they did not call for the mercy of the Lorde For what nede haue the righteous of mercy So that here their offence was great in so muche that the Lorde in an other place sayde If ye were blynde then had ye no synne but nowe ye saye we see therefore your synne remayneth Again he sayde Yee are they whiche iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hartes C. Wherefore although this was spoken to refelle and confute the pryde and hypocrisie of the Scribes yet notwithstanding generally it contayneth a profitable doctrine For we are taught that the grace of Christe dothe no otherwyse proffite vs then when we acknowledging our synnes and syghing vnder the burtheÌ of the same come humblely vnto hym for release and pardon Furthermore infirme and weake consciences are erected and lyfted vp by sure truste and confidence because we oughte not to feare that Christ wyl reiecte synners for whose saluation he descended from his heauenly glorye into this wycked worlde M. But we muste note that he sayth not I came to constrayne synners but to call synners Whereby we may gather what kynde of persones the medicine of the grace of God would haue vs to be namely suche as are desyrous of saluation and wyllyng to receiue the same for he reiecteth the vnwillyng Hereupon it is written Blessed are they that hunger and thyrste after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Neither doth Christe saye here I am come to call some or a fewe but generally all excludynge none C. But we muste note this also which followeth To repentaunce That we may know how that pardon is graunted vnto vs not to synne or offende styll but that afterwarde we may leade a godly holy and vertuous lyfe For vpon this condition he dothe reconcile vs to his father that we being redemed by his bloud may offer our selues liuely sacrifices as saynt Paule saythe The grace of God that bryngeth saluation hath appeared to all men and teacheth vs that we shoulde deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde To the whiche also agreeth the saying of Zacharias That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our lyues M. For repentaunce is nothing els but a conuersion of the mynde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the saying of the Prophetes Tourne vnto me and ye shal be safe Againe I wil not the death of a synner but that he tourne and liue Also repente and ameÌde that your synnes may be done away 14 Then came the disciples of Iohn vnto hym saying why do we and the Phariseis faste for the most part but thy disciples faste not Then came to him the disciples M. It is not the least among the miracles of the wisdome of God when that he dothe oftentymes manifeste and confirme his truthe by the resistaunce and gainsayinge of the wycked The whiche thinge as in all other places so in this may manifestly be sene whereupon truely no small proffite commeth vnto vs by the rebellion of the Phariseis VVhy do vve and the Phariseis faste C. Luke in his fifth chapter bringeth in the Phariseis speakinge in their owne persone and Marke semeth to ioyne theÌ both together Neither is there any doubt but that the Phariseis by this wycked deceite and wyle pretended to wynne and allure the disciples of Iohn on their part and to make theÌ contende with the disciples of Christe The coÌgruitie in prayers and fastinges was a plausible prouocation and intisement of societie but the contrary opinion and reason of Christe was an occasion of discorde and priuy hatred to waywarde and curious persones being to muche addicted to their owne willes By this example we are admonished and taught wisely to take hede least by some light pretence the wycked and crafty men do sowe discorde and dissention among vs For Sathan is wonderfull busy in this practise and againe it is an easy matter for vs to bee troubled about nothyng But we ought specially to take hede leaste that the vnitie and agrement of oure faythe be cut asunder by suche externall rites and ceremonies and leste the bonde of charitie be broken With this disease many are infected in that they seke more then is necessary to stablishe the ceremonies and elementes of the worlde as Paule sayth Furthermore there commeth another euel of curiositie disdayne that is euery one seketh to bring all the worlde to his example If any thing please vs we couet straightway to haue the same a lawe that others may depend vpoÌ our arbitrement Nowe forasmuche as we do reade that the disciples of Iohn laboured with this disease were taken with these snares of Sathan let vs learne vnderstaÌd that sanctimony pietie is not placed in external thinges let vs learne also to brydell our selues with the byt of moderation and equitie least that we seke to bring al men to our opinion but rather let euery man haue his owne libertie M. Furthermore that the disciples of Iohn were enuious against Christe for a certaine zeale they bare vnto their maister it is euident by S. Iohn where he saith There arose a questioÌ betwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about the purifying And they came vnto Iohn sayde vnto hym Rabby he that was with thee beyonde Iordane to whome thou
whom all thinges lyue she was not deade but a sleepe slepynge to the glory of God loking for her resurrection So that he truely saith the maide is not dead But sleepeth not denying her to be deade in dede according to nature but so speaking as the matter was in his eies not as it appered vnto them which bewayled her deathe C. To sleepe in the scripture is taken often tymes for to die neither is it so sayde of the good only but also of the wycked It is sayde of Steuen when he had thus spoken he fel a sléepe And of Lazarouse Our fryende Lazarus is a slepe but I go that I maye awake him Moreouer it is wrytten Of the whiche some remayne as yet other some are a sléepe Also of wicked Ieroboam it is saide And Ieroboam slepte with his fathers Bothe the wicked and the godlye sleepe vnto the lorde and shall be raysed of him but this is onely beleued of the godly whiche knowe that God is not the God of the deadde but of the lyuinge and that al thinges liue vnto him Herevpon the Christians with a singular fayth called the place of buryall Coimeterion whiche is in lattine Dormitorium and as much to say in english properly a sleping place which coÌmonly we nowe call a Sepulcher a Tombe or a Graue but here in this place Chryste taketh it otherwise For Chryst maketh a speciall dyfference betwene sleepe and deathe to the ende he might bringe hope of lyfe as if he shoulde haue sayde Shée is not so deade that she slepeth in death but she slepeth for a tyme it is slepe and not death for ye shal see her aryse by and by whom ye thincke to be deade And they laughed hym to scorne A. Luke addeth knowinge that shee was deade they laughed him to scorne C. It is no maruaile if the lorde were deryded of ignorante grosse and vnlearned men whiche being altogether trobled with prophane mourninge regarded not the ende of his doinges nor his purpose And this parteyned not a lyttell to the commendation of the myracle that they were so doubtfull of the maides resurrection 25 But when the people were put forth he went in and toke her by the hand and sayde damsell aryse and the daÌsell arose VVhen the people vvre put A. Nowe Christe taketh the myracle in hand but not before the people were put out of the house for those causes that we declared euen nowe He vvent in and tooke her by C. There was necessitie why be shoulde take her by the hande but he did it for their sakes which were presente Outwarde signes are of no force sauinge that it pleaseth the lord to vse them All myracles depende vpon the commaundement of God onely not vpon the outwarde signe whiche is adioyned for mannes sake A. In Luke it is said that Christ cryed C. The which crie profited nothinge her naturally to the mouyng of her sences which were deade notwithstanding Christ thought good to shew the force of his voice wherby he myghte bringe men in vre to here his doctrine Herupon it apereth of what efficacie and force the voyce of Chryste is whiche pearceth euen to the deade in suche wise that it reuiueth and quickeneth in deathe Therefore Luke saythe that her spirite came into her agayne as if he shoulde haue saide that the same beinge called by the power of Christe was by and by at hande B. But Marke doth seeme more specially to gather the werdes of Christe affirmynge that he sayde Tabita cumi whiche is if a man interprete it damsell I say vnto thee aryse For this woorde Cumi is an Hebrewe woorde and is as much to say in english arise but Tabita is a Calde worde or of the Syrian tongue and signifieth maideÌ Base wordes trewely they were and vsed amonge the common sorte of people For it is certayne that Christe vsed the vulgar tongue whiche was moste vsed among the multitude specially when he did talke with them And the damsell arose A. Marcke saithe and shee walked M. These wordes are spoken to the amplifiyng and settinge forth of the power of Christ in that not onely he raiseth her beinge deade and contrary to the maner of the prophetes he raysethe her after a commaundinge sorte with his word not by prayer as they did but hee so raiseth her that sodeinely shee is aliue and not onely aliue but walking free from all sickenesse dissease What phisition can so raise vp any body that is sicke that hée shall arise by and by and walke Wee do reade that the prophete Elyzeus raysed vp one that was deade but farre after an other maner then Christe did here Also we reade howe that Peter raysed a woman whiche was a disciple from death but not without praier before Moreouer the maide is saide to be twelue yeres of age least any man should think her to be an infant which was not able to walke 26 And this rumour went abroade into all the lande A. The other twoo Euangelistes saye that the standers by were greately amased M. whiche serueth greatly for the commendation of the myracle Neyther were the seers of this myracle amased without a cause For it was a special argument and manifest token of the great power of god Wheras therefore it was so straunge and vnwonted a thynge it made theim amased A. In the meane season the fame of this myracle is spred throughout the whole countrey Marcke and Luke adde that Christ commaunded them to tell no man C. For althoughe Christ dyd not allowe all men to beholde this spectacle of the resurrection yet notwithstandinge the myracle coulde not be hid any longe tyme Neyther was it coÌuenient to suppresse and kepe vnder the power and vertue of God by the whiche the whole worlde shoulde be prepared to lyfe Why then doth he commaunde the parentes of the maide to keepe scilence Peraduenture he would haue them scylent for a time not so much for the thing it selfe as for the order and maner of doinge of the same For we se here that he soughte oportunitie as in other places also M. Moreouer Chryste on the one side knew the curiousenes of the people on the other syde that the exceding mallice of the hye priestes against him wold haue ben stirred vp by the publishyng of these greate myracles In so muche that the common sorte of people would haue attributed vnto him some kinde of preposterouse honour and dignitie and the hye priestes wold haue ben moued more and more to seeke his destruction hearinge that he did suche wonderfull thynges when as the tyme of his glorifiyng was not yet come Of the which matter reade the twelfth sixtene and seuentene chapters followynge M. In Marcke it followeth that hée gaue commaundement that she shoulde eate This commaundemente he gaue to confirme the trueth and certaintie of her resurrection leaste that it myghte seeme but a vysion or phantasie Wherevpon he woulde not geue her any
thyng himselfe to eate but commaunded her parentes to geeue it her So after that Lazarouse was raysed from deathe he caused a feaste to be made Peter also by this argumente confyrmeth the resurrection of Christe because he dyd eate and dryncke with the lorde after his deathe 27 And when Iesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And vvhen Iesus departed Bu. By a newe proofe and a newe benefyte he declareth to the whole world that there is no dyssease so incurable whiche the lorde is not able to heale Tvvo blynde men follovved C. The other twoo Euangelistes omytt this myracle because as sayncte Iohn saythe they determyned not to set forthe all the deedes of Chryste but gatherynge the chyefest amonge a greate maynye go aboute to proue hym to be the Messias Matthewe saythe here that twoo blynde men had theyr syghte restored vnto theÌ but not so soone as Chryste was wonte to helpe others that were dysseased afflicted troubled For hee geueth these two no answere they crying styll after hym as he wente but as it were faynynge that he harde theim not suffered theym to followe hym to his lodgynge and there at the last he asketh theÌ what they thyncke or beleue of his power Therefore bothe in dede and wordes he taketh a tryall and iust examination of theyr faythe and pacience in sufferyng them to crye as thoug he regarded them not M. There is no doubte but that by the occasyon of the other myracle goynge before and by the fame of his benefytes whiche was spredde throughoute the whole worlde they were moued to followe after Chryste sayinge Haue mercy on vs. C. They expresse not theyr suite for it is enoughe for vs to call vpon God for our mysery M. Furthermore they callynge for mercye require not that whiche is vaine or without effecte but suche mercye as dyd not onely consyst in the affection of the hart but also whiche in deede dyd helpe theyr mysery which was beyng blynde to be restored to theyr sight Thou son of Dauid C. They call hym the sonne of Dauyd because the promyse whiche was made vnto Dauid was commonly in the mouthes of the Iewes They counted him not therfore as a prophete but they estemed him euen as he was to be Chryst the redemer of the whole worlde B. And it is lykely that Iesus was then commonlye thoughte to be the Messias promysed before in the lawe and prophetes For all the people at that tyme loked for Chryste In so muche that they tooke Iohn to be the Messias Whereby wee maye see howe inexcusable the obstynacye of the Pharyseys was which wolde not acknowledge the tyme of theyr visytation being admonyshed of the same by so many signes and tokens M. Moreouer it appereth howe lyttell fayth thynketh vpon daunger For it was decreed amonge the chiefe Rulars of the Iewes that euerye one that confessed this Iesus to bee Chryste the sonne of Dauyd shoulde bee caste oute of the Synagogge Notwithstandinge these blynde men were nothynge afrayde of this commaundement For their crye dothe sufficiently declare howe sounde in faythe they were 28 And wheÌ he was come into the house the blynde came vnto hym And Iesus saythe vnto theim Beleue ye that I am able to do this They saye vnto hym Lorde we beleue And vvhen he vas come into the hovvse B. The lord suffereth these blinde men to cry after him til he came to his lodging wherby he myghte make them more earneste and try them and make their faythe an exaumple for vs to followe The blinde came to hym A. That is they wente into the howse into the whiche Chryste was entered before theim M which is a syngular exaumple of the stedfaste faythe whiche ceasethe not to hope although at the firste time the petition be not graunted but continuethe mutable till the purpose be obteyned Suche was the faythe of the woman of Syrophenesia Beleue ye that I am able to do this B. He asketh them if they beleeue teachinge that faith is required to the obteininge of the power of Chryste and the wyll of God and that the same faithe by the which we beleue in Christ can heale and saue of his owne proper nature and force without the benefyte of prayer For he saithe not do you beleue that I can obtaine this at the hands of God but do you beleue that I can do this By the which wordes wholely such a faith is required by the which we attribute the dyuine power vnto Christ to obtayne any benefite at his handes Question But here it maye be demaunded whether it be sufficiente to make a faythful man to be perswaded of the power of God and of Chryste For so it maye be gathered by the woordes of Chryst Do ye beleue that I can do this And by many other places of the Scrypture it is manifest that the acknowledgynge of the diuine power is but vaine vnlesse wee be certaynelye perswaded of his wyll Notwithstandynge Chryste beynge contente with theyr aunswere doth commende the same as parfecte in all poynctes Wee aunswere when at the fyrste they had confessed hym to be the sonne of Dauid they were perswaded somewhat of his grace For by this tytell they declare hym to be the redeemer of theyr countreye and the aucthor of all good thynges Faythe therefore comprehendeth the mercy of God his fatherly loue his omnipotencie the good wyll of Chryste also towardes man with his power and strengthe But because men do commonlye attrybute lesse to the power of God and vertue of Chryste then they oughte this question is not withoute reason moued to the blynde whether they beleeue that Chryste can doe that whiche they professe with the mouthe And for this cause theyr faythe is commended because they beleeue hym to be the sonne of Dauyd beyng in so humble and base estate Lorde vve beleue A. Hym whom before they called the Sonne of Dauid they nowe call Lorde attrybutynge vnto hym no doubte the honoure of a Messias 29 Then towched he theyr eies saying accordinge to your faythe be it vnto you Then tovvched he their eies M. It is not necessary that Christ shold toutche theyr eies for he coulde helpe theim with his woorde onelye but for the blynde mennes sakes onely namely that hereby their faythe myght be much holpen Euen so we counte the couching of such as we thincke to be saynctes and holy men of greate force Chryste therefore waying the imbecillitie of maÌkind to the ende he myght helpe the faythe of the blynd toucheth theyr eyes the which no doubte confyrmed muche the truste and hope of these blynde men to receyue their syghte Hereby we see the nature and goodnesse of Christe who alwayes indeuoureth hym selfe to helpe our imbecillitie in those thynges which require a constante faythe Sayinge accordynge to your faythe be it vnto you E. By this shorte sentence the lord teacheth vs
order or regarde caste here and there C. By the whiche woordes we may gather how greate the securitie and slouthfulnesse of the hyghe priestes was who beinge appoynted to set forthe the doctryne of God became idell and slowe bellies They beinge arrogant and proude boasted theim selues to be the heades of the people but Christ notwithstandynge acknowlegeth neuer a one of them to be a pastore Wee maye at this daye beholde the lyke arrogancye in the Papacy which is replenished with titels and names of pastors and curates but in deede they are worse then the rauenynge wolues There are an innumerable sorte of them which vnder this titell and pretence destroy and deuoure the people To be shorte when as they are dombe dogges they are not ashamed to bragge and boaste of theyr pryncipalitie and gouernance But we must here what Christe sayth that no idell and negligent parsons are sheepeherbes and that those are wanderynge and straying sheepe whiche are not gathered into the sheepefoulde of God by the doctryne of the Gospell 37 Then saythe he to his disciples the haruest trewely is plenteouse but the labourers are fewe Bu. He meaneth that there are very many of the people desyrouse of the doctrine of the Gospell but fewe mynisters apre and meete to instructe the people to godlynesse and to labour in the mynisterie of goddes kyngedome He vseth here an Allegorye taken of a rusticall matter B. For by the plentifull haruest he vnderstandeth the greate multitude of people prone and redye bente to here the woorde of God those also whiche thyrsted after the trewthe of the Gospell C. For although the greater nomber dyd reiecte by filthye ingratitude the proffered sauinge health yet dyd God esteme the smal handfull of his elect more theÌ the whole world besydes But the labourers are fevve Althoughe there were many that intruded theym selues yet because there were few that behaued them selues faythfully he counteth them not amonge the workemen Paule wheÌ he complained of the euyll labourers he had respecte vnto theyr boastinge M. When as Chryste therefore calleth them labourars whiche are mynysters of his Churche he meaneth that the ministery and dispensation of the Gospell is not accomplyshed and fynysshed with idelnesse but with labour with woorke and trauayle This was the cause that Paule so often tymes sayde I feare me least I laboure in vayne agayne Helpe the women whiche laboure with mee in the Gospell also And whiche speciallye laboure in the worde and doctrine 38 Praye ye therefore the Lorde of the haruest that he wil send labourers into the haruest Pray ye therfore the lord B. By these woordes our sauiour Christ sufficientely declareth that it is not in mannes power and strengthe to sende labourars into the harueste but that he muste praye the Lorde of the harueste namely the father that he woulde sende woorkemen or reapers into the haruest Wherevppon Paule wrytynge of this thynge saythe Suche truste haue wee throughe Chryste to Godwarde not that we are sufficyent of our selues to thinck any thynge as of oure selues but if we be able to any thyng the same commeth of God whiche hath made vs able to minyster the newe testamente And hee speaketh of his mynysterye towarde the Corynthyans whom he made by his preachynge the epistel of Chryst wrytten by the spyryte in theyr hartes that is trewe Chrystians For God by his holy spiritie worketh all in all When as then no maÌ at any tyme shal be a sincere fitt minister of Christes Gospell neither shall any teache as they ought excepte the lorde styrre them vp indue them with the giftes of his holy spirite so often as we see nede of good ministers it is necessary that we lift vp our eyes vnto him and craue the remedy at his handes And truely if we loke about vs circumspectly we shal finde that there was neuer more nede of faythful haruest men then there is at this daye That he vvill sende labourers E. The oulde Gréeke translatioÌ signifieth that he wold cast out labourers And so haue many very auncient Lattin bookes also But the new interpretour thought good to tourne it thus that he would thrust out that we might vnderstand that they must be sent very shortly or els that they muste bee thruste out with violence against their willes into the worke of god The which thing Hierome noted citing this place B. We must praye therefore vnto God that by his holy spirite he woulde make preachers and sende them out into the whole worlde without the whiche there can be no preachers in dede Saint Paule therefore sayth very well Howe can they preache without they be sente As if he should haue sayde It is not possible that any man shoulde preache the Gospell truely excepte he be appointed and called to the same by god Bu. Neither shal the prayers of the faythfull be vnproffitable or in vayne as wycked men immagin whiche thinke that the omnipotency of God doth rule guyde and gouerne all thynges without our prayers But the wycked worthely peryshe which preferre with all their might wycked and vngodly pastors and flatterers and tourning awaye their eares from the truthe are turned to fables The .x. Chapter AND VVHEN his twelue disciples were called vnto hym he gaue them power against vncleane spirites to cast them out and to heale all manner of sycknes and all manner of diseases And vvhen his tvvelue M. This chapter agreeth with the whiche went before For Christ taking occasion of the compassion mercy whiche he had on the people by his office for he is the good and true shepeherde he beginneth nowe to consider the people and to sende them true shepeherdes C. Here therefore the vocation and calling of the Apostels is described vnto vs not as it was before when the lorde prepared them to their office and chose them into his fellowship For nowe they are called to the present function they are commaunded to prepare them selues to the worke coÌmaundementes are geuen vnto them and leaste they should wante authoritie they are replenyshed with the power of the holy ghoste At the first therfore they were chosen in hope of the labour to com But nowe Christe telleth them that the houre is come in the whiche they muste set their handes to the worke Notwithstanding we must note that as yet Christ speaketh not of the continuall Apostelship but only of the temporal preaching by the whiche the myndes of men might be stirred and lifted vp that they mighte be the more attentiue to heare the words of Christe Nowe then they are sent that they maye declare in Iury that the tyme of their visitation and sauing health is at hande Afterwarde Christe appointeth ordayneth them to preache the Gospell throughout the whole worlde Here only he taketh them vnto hym as helpers to get vnto him audience whiche his voyce alone could not bryng to passe afterward he sendeth them as I
vnto theÌ what thei should do howe they should behaue theÌ selues Bu. By this place we maye gather that there is no worke so excellent as the office of teaching For the lorde him selfe whiche did exercise him selfe in the moste excellent workes of God did esteme nothing more theÌ the preaching of the worde neither did he any thinge more often or more feruently And by this it is manifest that ther is no worship of God more acceptable then the study of the worde of god For the lord pronouÌceth them blessed which heare the worde of God kepe it He saith also to Martha as concerning Mary Mary hath chosen the better parte whiche shal not be taken froÌ her For she sate at the féete of the lord heard his word In their citties E. That is in those citties in the whiche they had preached before For the other Euangeliste saith that the lorde sent them by two two before hym into euery citty place whether he hym self wold come A. Wherfore it was said before ye shal not go through al the citties of Israel before the sonne of maÌ be come 2 VVhen Iohn being in prison hearde the workes of Christe he sent two of his disciples VVhen Iohn being in prison B. Luke wryteth that Christe before the disciples of Iohn came had restored the wydowes sonne to life which dwelte in the gate of the citie of Naym in the presence of many people wherupon they were al taken with feare glorified God saying A great Prophete is risen vp among vs and God hath visited his people For God can by no better meanes declare his fauour vnto meÌ then by sending vnto theÌ his Prophetes which may throughly instructe them in his knowledge Therfore there went forth a rumor of him through out all Iury throughout al the regions that lie rounde about And the disciples of Iohn shewed him of all these thinges In prison B. The Gréeke texte hath Iohn being in bondes He sent tvvo of his disciples C. The Euangelistes meane not that Iohn was moued to knowe the mediator by myracles But because he sawe that Christ began to waxe glorious thinking now that a coÌuenient tyme was come to confirme the testimonie that he bare of hym he sent his disciples vnto hym A. Not for his owne cause but for his disciples sake who thoughte better of their maister then they did of Christe as we may reade in the third of Iohn C. Also their diuinatioÌ is but vayne which faine Iohn Baptiste being nowe at the pointe of death to demaunde the questions following of Christe that he might reporte it of his mouthe to the fathers that were dead But it is playne and euident that this foreruÌner of Christ seÌt his disciples to th ende they might be confirmed in the knowlege of the Messias he him self hauiÌg trauailed in the same before that they mighte imbrace Christe faithfully without delay Hereby al the ministers of God are taught to send all men vnto Christ B. And what soeuer they be that teache the truthe they will acknowledge theÌ selues with S. Paule to be the ministers of this maister onely But it is the point of all false Apostels to make theÌ selues maisters to leade about with theÌ disciples as S. Paule declareth saying There shal aryse froÌ among you men speaking peruerse things to drawe disciples after theÌ On the contrary parte those that are true pastors directe sende their disciples vnto Christ geuing authoritie to him whiche is the maister onely C. Iohn in the beginning did acknowledge that he was not the bridegrome This I say maye be an example to all the ministers of the Gospell 3 And said vnto him Arte thou he that shall come or do we loke for an other E. The Gréeke woorde signifieth bothe tences as Art thou he that art coÌming or is it thou that shalt come M. He speaketh as if he were doubtful when as notwithstaÌding he doubted not as sufficieÌtly appeareth by S. Iohn But he declareth by this that his disciples were not as yet well confirmed in the which he had taught theÌ C. It was a coÌmen principle of piety amoÌg the Iewes that Christ the author of perfect helth and felicitie should come Wherfore of this matter he moueth not the question but only demaundeth whether Iesus be the promised redemer or no. For after they were persuaded of the promised redemption in the lawe Prophetes it was necessary that they should imbrace the same beinge offered in the persone of Christe 4 Iesus answered and said vnto them Go and shew Iohn what ye haue heard and sene B. Luke wryteth that Christ in the same houre cured many that were troubled with infirmities plagues of euel spirites vnto many that were blinde he gaue sight that theÌ he said Go your way briÌg word vnto Iohn what things ye haue heard sene C. For as Iohn bare the persone or represented another man so Christ coÌmaundeth to tel him that which his disciples shoulde marke moste But where as he answereth not simpely first he doth it to this end that he might as he thought it best declare the matter it self then that he might geue a more frée argumeÌt of teaching to his crier or foreruÌner 5 The blinde receiue their sight the lame walke the lepers are cleÌsed the deafe heare the dead are raysed vp and the poore receiue the glad tydinges of the Gospel The blynde receiue C. This place is taken out of the prophecie of Esay that the disciples of Iohn might knowe that a Prophete did witnes of the kingdome of Christ vnder the which kingdom God did promise him self so liberal beneficiall that he would bring help remedy to al mortal men And there is no doubte but that he speaketh there of the spiritual deliueraÌce from all euels miseries But Christ as it was said before sheweth by externall visible signes that he came a spiritual phisition to heale the soules of men And so it came to passe that the disciples of Iohn weÌt their ways fully satisfied with a perfecte answere M. Christe therfore did rather seke that the thing should declare it self theÌ that he him self wold beare any testimony of him self as he dothe in many other places also And the poore receiue the. The Gréeke text hath The poore are preached that is coÌsolation tranquillity is declared to the afflicted sorrowful C. This second place also is taken out of the prophecy of Esay is in effect like vnto the place that went before because the same teachinge that the treasures of grace are offered to the world in Christe expresseth that Christe was sent specially to the poore afflicted Christe bringeth this prophecy partly to indue those that are his with humilitie partly that he might take away the offeÌce whiche the carnal sence might coÌceiue by his poore base conteÌptible flock For
he deserueth 15 He that hath eares to heare lett hym heare M. Christe with his wonted exclamation stirreth vp the mindes of his hearers C. For wee knowe that he is wonte to bringe in this sentence so often as he intreateth of any seriouse matter which deserueth more then the common kynde of attention or geuinge hede Bu. As if he shoulde saye I think there nedeth not many wordes when as hitherto al truth in this matter is sufficientely declared ⪠therefore there remaineth nothing now but that he shoulde admytte the treweth which hath eares to heare the same and is not altogether voide of vnderstanding Notwithstanding he also declareth that the mysteries whereof he speaketh can not be comprehended of all men because many of the hearers are deafe and dull of hearinge But nowe because euerye mannes incredulitie and vnbelefe dothe not onely hynder theim selues but maketh other men slowe also Christ exhorteth his elect whose eares are opened to be attentiue to this secrete mysterye of God and not to be deafe with the vnbeleuers but to consider diligeÌtly of the same 16 But wherevnto shall I lyken this generation It is lyke vnto chyldren whiche syt in the market places and call vnto theyr fellowes But vvherevnto A. Hytherto by the commendation of Iohns mynistery he perswaded the Iewes to beleue the testimonie of Iohn and to receiue Iesus Bu. beleuynge hym to be Chryst But of Luke it is added And al the people the Publicanes that hearde hym iustified God and were baptysed with the baptisme of Iohn But the Phariseys and lawyers despised the counsel of God against them selues and were not baptysed of hym Therefore the lorde dothe very sharpely inueigh agaynst their obstinacie and vnbeleefe greatly accusinge the inuincible hardnes of their harts Whervnto saith he shall I lyken this generation C. In these woordes he doth not comprehende all the men that were in his tyme but onely the Scribes and Phariseyes such as were their imitatours For he dothe brynge reproche vnto them because the lord had tried by diuers meanes to bring them vnto hym and they with inflexible contumacy despysed his grace It is lyke to chyldren C. He vseth a similytude whiche is thought to be taken from the wonted and common pastime of children For it is not vnlykely that chyldren so pyped when they daunsed together And truely Chryst semeth to endeuoure hym selfe to beate down the pride and haughtye stomackes of the Pharyseies in comparyng them to chyldren 17 And saye VVe haue pyped to youe and ye haue not daunced wee haue mourned and ye haue not wepte Bu. He saith that they are like vnto froward children who are pleased wyth no plesaunte or musicall noyse nay rather to rebelliouse and obstynate persons to whom the diligence indeuoure of theyr fellowes is neuer acceptable but the coÌtrary is allowed and lyked of them If it please theÌ to make any mery or pleasant note then do these men crye and say we rather desire mournynge If then they make any sorowfull noyse straightway they wishe for pleasaunte tunes so inconstant and mutable are they A. This simylytude the lorde hym selfe applyeth to the Scrybes and suche lyke sayinge 18 For Iohn came neyther eatinge nor drinkinge and they say he hath a deuyll For Iohn came Bu. By an excellent Antithesis he sheweth to them al that the faith and dyligence of God hath omitted nothing of those thynges which pertayne to the workyng of theyr saluation and againe that they being at contention with God do omit nothyng that pertayne to hynder theyr sauegarde and to repel and put away the care and beneuolence of God whereby it commeth to passe that they perysshe throughe theyr owne faulte and mallice Neyther eatynge nor B. Iohn trewely dyd eate and drinke but because he had a speciall kynde of foode dyd abstaine from vsuall and common meate as it is saide before hee is sayde neyther to eate nor drynke C. This man therefore leading an austere and strayght lyfe thundered out as it were repentaunce and seuere reprehensions euen as he that singeth a sorrowful songe But the lord him selfe as one that singeth a pleasaunt and mery note more gentelly with fauour sought to bring them vnto his father But what was the cause that neyther of them bothe dyd profyte suerly theyr stony and stubborne obstinacye Moreouer this place teacheth vs why there was so greate difference of external lyfe betwene Christ and Iohn Baptiste seinge that they dyd all one thinge namely the lorde woulde by this varietie and difference the more conuince and ouerthrowe the vnbeleuinge because he framinge and transformynge hym selfe to theyr manners mighte make theim voyde of all excuse they neuerthelesse continuinge in theyr obstinacie Wherefore if they in those daies be voide of al excuse which by caucared mallice reiected the manifolde callinges of God what shall befall those meÌ in these dayes whose hartes wyll not be moued by no kinde of mellody I meane neyther by the threatnynges of Goddes woorde neyther yet by the swete promises of the same He hath a deuyll C. Iohn was called a demoniake or one possessed with a deuyll the whiche wee call commonly frantike or fantasticall or suche a one as is not wel in his wittes By the whiche we maye note the greate mallice of the Scribes Phariseys and lawyers who letted not to cauill against this holy and deuoute man of God being the fore ronner haruinger and preparer of the way of his sonne Christe 19 The sonne of man came eatinge and drinkinge and they saye beholde a glutton and a bibber of wyne a frend to Publicanes and synners And wisedome is iustifyed of her children The sonne of m an came C. To eate drinke in this place is to lyue after the comon maner of men Bu. The sonne of man therefore came whiche tryeth what he coulde do by an other waye because the way of Iohn toke no place this man Iesus sheweth him selfe gentill and tractable to al men he despiseth no man be vseth the common and vsuall kynde of apparel he shonneth not the feastes of publicanes and synners and yet also theye fynde somewhat in him to cauill at And they saye beholde a glotton A. This reproche of Christ was greate trewly and horrible to be spoken For he beinge an example of temperancy sobrietie and of all vertue was notwithstanding counted a ryoter a drunkerde and a vyciouse person C. Let theim therefore marke this place whiche thincke that the chiefe poynt of perfection consisteth in the outward austeritie of lyfe and do count that an Angelicall lyfe if any man be such an abstainer that he sterue his bodye with famine and pinynge honger for accordinge to this rule Iohn was more excellent then the sonne of god But wee must rather note what S. Paule saythe that bodely exercise profiteth littel wheras godlinesse is profytable to al thinges Notwithstandynge we maye not vnder this pretence geue lybertie to the fleshe to
But and if this solution be not sufficient to those that are contenciouse we answere that althoughe the remedy for the preseruation of the Sodomites was in the handes of God yet notwithstanding he shewed his iustice in destroyinge them C. It shal be nedelesse therfore to enter into those questions of predestination when as we knowe that God wolde not do neither hath he decreed any thing to be done without excellent consyderation as to whom he shoulde shewe mercy and to whom not 24 Neuerthelesse I say vnto you it shall be easyer for the lande of Sodome in the daye of iudgement then for thee For this matter reade the tenth chapiter goinge before and the fyftene verse 25 At the same tyme Iesus answered and saide I thancke thee O father lord of heauen and earthe that thou haste hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent and hast opened them vnto babes At that tyme. B. Luke saythe that Christ spake these wordes when the threscore and ten disciples were retourned and reioysed that deuylls were subdued vnto them Iesus aunsvvered C. Althoughe this worde of answeringe is very vsuall and familiar to the Hebrewes in the begynninge of some communication and matter notwithstanding in this place it hath a greate Emphasis or force Because that Christe thus toke occasion by the present matter to speake namely when the threscore and tenne retourned with ioye the which thinge the wordes of Luke confyrme a greate deale better saying that Iesus in the same hower reioysed in the spirite But whervpon cam this reidysynge but onelye because the Churche being gathered of a fewe poore and contemptible men was no lesse dere and preciouse vnto hym then if it hadde bene fornysshed with all the nobylytie power and glory in the whole worlde And the prayer of Christe beinge dyrected vnto the father was of more vehemency then if he had talked with his disciples Howe be it it is moste sure that for theyr sakes hee gaue thanckes vnto the father leaste that the base and lowe degree of the churche should offende any man For wee do all for the most parte seeke for glorye and there is nothynge seemeth lesse necessary vnto vs then the heauenly kyngdome of the sonne of god whose glory in dede consisteth in the dregs reliques and of scouringes of the world Accordynge to the sayinge of S. Paule We are become as it were the very outswepynges of the world and ofscouring of all men vnto this tyme And trewely this is the wonderfull counsell of God that he hauynge the whole worlde in his hande rather choseth to him selfe his peculyar people out of a base poore and contemptyble multitude then out of the heapes of nobles and prynces who as it myghte be thoughte shoulde better by theyr nobylitie and excellencie set forth the name of Christe then any other But Christe here sekethe to withdrawe his discyples from a proude lofty minde leaste they shoulde despyse the base and obscure state of the churche in the which he hym selfe dyd delyghte and gaue thanks vnto his heauenly father for the same Nowe what madnesse what blindnesse yea what arrogancye were there in vs if we shoulde denye gaynesay or mislike of that which our sauiour Christ hym selfe beinge our heade vouchesafeth reuerently to receyue and hyghelye to commende sayinge I thancke thee O fa. B. Or I prayse thee or I glorysie thye name For these three I prayse I gloryfye I geue thanckes are taken frome the Hebrew worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Iadath which the GretiaÌs haue made Omulogeo that is I confesse C. Christ therfore by these wordes doth testifie that he doth quyete and rest hym selfe in the decree of his father whiche disagreeth and differeth from the reason and vnderstandinge of man. Lorde of heauen and. C. In this thing therfore he dothe affirme that he doth gloryfye his father that he beinge lorde of the whole earthe hath preferred babes and younglings before the wise of the world For it maketh no smal matter to the circumstance of the argument that he calleth the father lord of heauen and earth because by this meanes he declareth the cause of the blyndenes of the wyse to depende vppon the wyll of God and that by his wyll also the rude and ignorante are made to vnderstande his hye and secrete mysteries There are many other places also where the lord declareth that al those that com to saluation are elected chosen by him of his tender mercy frely because the earth is the lordes and al that therin is the compas of the worlde they that dwel therin Wherefore this sentence hath a double coÌsideratioÌ First where as all men do not obey and beleue the gospel it coÌmeth not so to pas by the impotencie vnablenes of god in whose power it is to subdue all creatures vnto him Secondly wheras some beleue obey other som remaine hard harted obstinate that is brought to pas by his louing free election Notwithstanding in that he choseth babes rather then the wise he hath a coÌsideration of his glory For how much wold the flesh reioyce if faith mighte be gotten by the dexteritie of wyt by industry or by learnyng Wherefore God beateth downe the wisedome of man to the ende the glory of his name might not be obscured but brightly shine in makiÌg the foolishe thinges of this world to confound the wise C. That therefore which Christe here affirmeth seruethe muche to the confirmation of the faithful at this day and for euer in that all men ar stirred to the acknowledginge of the mercy of god for so muche as there is nothyng in vs that can prouoke him to cal vs but rather a woÌderful heape of sinne wickednes to stir him to plague condemne vs wer it not that his mercy is the greater For truely the Gospell is not gotten by the wyt labour or industrie of man but onely by the illumination of the spiryte of God. Because thou hast hyd thee A. That is because thou hast not reuealed or opened these mysteries of thy kyngedome to the wyse and prudent For to hyde not to reueale open or shewe are all one So in an other place we reede The lord hyd it from mee and dyd not shew it vnto me and againe My father wyl do nothinge neyther great nor smal but that he will shewe it mee and howe shoulde he hyde this thinge from mee From the vvise and prudeÌt C. Here it maye be demanded who they ar whom Christ calleth wyse and babes for experyence teacheth vs that all that are vnlearned and rude come not to the perfection of faythe neyther are the learned and wise lefte in their blyndenesse Therfore they are defyned to be wyse and prudente in this place whiche beinge lifted vp with diabolical or deuelishe disdain wyl in no wyse abyde to heare the voice of Christe Paule with this pride was puffed vp but the lorde tamed his furiousenes If wee
as concernynge the father this alone is spoken that he alone knoweth the sonne no mention of reuelatioÌ being made We answere that it was superfluous to repete the which was spokeÌ alredy before for what doth that former geuing of thanks coÌtaine but only that the father reueled the sonne to whoÌ yf pleased him Where as now therfore it is added that the son is knoweÌ of the father only it is as it were the shewinge of the cause for this thought might arise What nede was ther that the sonne should be reueled of the father which offered himselfe to be seene openly of all men Now let vs note vpoÌ what occasion it was said that the sonne was knowen of the father alone It followeth Neyther knovveth any man the father saue the sonne This knowledge differeth from that whiche wente before For the sonne is not said to know the father because hee reuealeth him by hys spyrite but he is sayd to know him in as muche as hee being the liuely Image of the father dothe after a sort in his owne person shewe him visiblye So that wee exclude not the spiryte but wee referre the reuelacion of the whych mencion is made here to the maner of knowledge and so very well this text is vnited in it selfe For Christ confirmeth that whiche hee spake before that al things were geuen to him of his father to the ende wee might know that the fulnes of the deyty consisteth in him This therefore is the some of this text It is the gyft of the father that the sonne is knowne bycause by his holy spyrite hee openeth the eyes of our mynds by the which wee beholde the glory of Chryst whiche otherwyse is hydden from vs But the father whyche dwelleth in the mydest of light being in himselfe incomprihensible is reueled vnto vs by the Sonne which is the patterne and liuely Image of him to the ende that hee should be sought for in no other A. Wherupon the Lorde aunswered Philip which requested that the father mighte bee sheewed to him and to the rest of the Apostells Philippe hee that seeth mee seeth the father also Last of al this place sufficieÌtly declareth that neither the vnbeleuing Iewes neyther the Turkes nor the Papistes whiche reiecte the doctrine of Christe doe knowe the father when none but Christe can shewe and declare hym vnto vs. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that laboure and are heauye laden and I wyll ease you Come vnto mee all yee B. He doth verye well inuyte and call all men vnto hym after that hee hath declared that all things are giuen vnto him of his father and that it is hee onelye that geueth the knowledge of his father C. By this so gentle and louing a calling hee witnesseth and declareth that hee is ready to entertaine and receiue all men if so bee that they come to be his Disciples For although hee be ready to shew his father vnto all men yet notwithstandinge the greatest parte neglecte to come because they feele not their owne necessity Hypocrites regard not Christ because they being dronke as it were with their owne righteousnesse do neyther honger nor thyrst after his grace They whiche are adicted giuen to the world also esteme the heauenly lyfe as nothing Therfore Christ in vaine shold call those two sorts of men vnto him so that he turneth him rather about to those that are myserable afflicted That labour and are laden C. Hee calleth those laborers and laden whiche feele the burthen of their sinnes sighe vnder the waight of the same and which trauaile for the quietinge of their conscience and which continue poore in spirit God truly dothe humble his electe and chosen by dyuers meanes but because there are manye which beinge oppressed with miseryes do remaine neuertheles obstinate and stubborne Christ calleth those laborers laden whiche haue their consciences afflicted with the punishmeÌt of eternal death and are inwardly so vrged with their sinnes that they are ready euen to dispayre the which sorrow inward griefe in deede maketh vs moste apte to retaine the grace of Christ Wherfore let vs suffer the proude iusticiaries to seeke for health by their owne merites let vs suffer also the worldlings to flatter themselues with the felicity and prosperous estate of this worlde but let vs suffer our selues by the sting of conscience to be broughte vnto Christ And because Chryst wyll admit no other into the fellowshippe and fruition of his rest and quyetnes but suche as faynte and beginne to quayle vnder the burthen of sinne let vs vnderstande that there can be no poyson more pestiferous and pernicious then that negligence whych that false and deceytfull opinion of earthly felicitye and oure owne ryghteousnesse bredeth and ingendreth in vs. Therefore let euery man dayly awake stir vp him selfe and first of all let hym shake of froÌ him the vaine delightes and pleasures of this world then let him put away cleane wholly al peruerse trust confidence in his owne righteousenes But we must note that no maÌ can aspire and come to this repentance by his own power because it is the gift of God Neither doth Christe here go about to teache what man may do of him selfe but onely he declareth with what affectioÌ they oughte to com vnto him A. For this saying of Christ is most true No man coÌmeth to me except my heuenly father draw him C. But they which go about to restrayn this burthen labour to the legall ceremonies do to much stretch the meaning of Christe We graunte truely that the burthen of the lawe is intollerable and that it doth discourage the mindes of meÌ but we must be mindefull of that whiche was said that Christ doth reache out the haÌde of his mercy to al those that are afflicted to the ende he mighte make a dyfference betwene his disciples the contemners of his gospell Also we muste note that he maketh here a generall calling leaste that any man should doubte that hee had not fre accesse and comming vnto Christ Bu. He calleth not therfore this man or that he calleth not the Iewes alone he calleth not the learned the noble or riche onely but he calleth all olde and young Iewe or gentyll learned or vnlearned riche or poore ye so generall is this his inuitatioÌ that he refuseth none of what state or condition so euer they be of C. And yet notwithstanding they whith come are few in nomber because amoÌge a great multitude that perishe there are fewe that fele theyr destruction And I vvyll ease you B. Or I wyll refreshe you This refreshinge is not to bee referred to meate or drynke but to the remedy of werines As if he should haue saide I wyll make you rest and breathe your selues C. Notwithstandinge this refocillation or refreshynge whiche hee speaketh of and promyseth here consysteth in the remission and forgeuenes of our synnes whiche alone
purpose According to the prouerbe Necessitie hath no lawe M. For always extreame hunger hath a prerogatiue As saithe the common prouerbe Hunger breaketh through stone walles The lord therefore here aunswered the churlishe and full bellies whiche will beare and coÌsider nothing of their neighbours necessitie For so it coÌmonly commeth to passe that he whiche neuer feleth the violence and necessitie of huÌger can not take pitty vpon suche as are hungery the whiche we commonly sée in many that are riche The ryche man whereof Luke maketh mention was altogether ignoraunte of the hunger that Lazarus suffered 5 Or haue ye not redde in the Lawe howe that the priestes in the Temple breake the Sabaoth and yet are blamelesse Or haue ye not redde C. This is the seconde argument by the whiche Christe proueth the violation of the Sabaoth of the which the Iewes so muche coÌplayne to be without faulte because it was lawefull on the Sabaoth dayes to offer sacrifice to circumcise infantes and to doo all other thynges whiche pertaine to the worship of god Whereby it followeth that the duties of godlines are not contrary one to the other Nowe if the Temple sanctifie handlabourers in sacrifices and externall worshyp then muste the holines of the true and spirituall Temple purge the worshippers that pertayne to hym from all vyce synce they labour in the offices of godlynes And in this worke of godlines were the disciples greatly occupied for thei offered their soules being consecrated throughe the Gospell vnto god This argument Matthewe onely toucheth That the priestes in the temple breake the Sabaoth C. This is an improper kynde of speache by the whiche Christe frameth hym selfe to the hearers For the lawe when it byddeth men to abstayne from their workes prohibiteth them not to do those thynges that are holy So that Christ counteth it sufficient if the labours concerning the Temple offende not God. 6 But I say vnto you that here is one in this place greater then the Temple M. They thoughte peraduenture that the thyng whiche the priestes did worke in the temple on the Sabaoth daye dyd pertayne to the worship of God whiche was fulfilled by sacrifice and that they were excused by the Temple of god To these cogitations Christe aunswereth that if the holynes of the Temple did not onely excuse but also require the worke to be done by the priestes on the Sabaoth daye the same holines ought much more to excuse these my disciples whiche are choseÌ to the ministery For they offer not vp carnall offeringes oblations with the externall swerde but with the spirituall swerde of the Gospell they consecrate and offer vp vnto God the soules of the faithfull Whereas therefore he saith here that there is a greater then the TeÌple in this place it oughte to be vnderstoode of the healthe of men the whiche seing it is better in the sight of God then the Temple and sacrifices it doth better excuse a great deale the dede of the Apostels than the doinges of the priestes 7 But if ye wiste what this were I wyll haue mercy and not sacrifice ye wold not haue condemned innocentes But if ye knevve C. Matthewe onely maketh mention of this thirde argumente also In the which Christe reproueth the Phariseis because they do not consider for what cause the ceremonies were coÌmaunded and to what ende they did pertayne And truely this hath bene a common vyce alwayes Therefore the Prophete Osee rebuketh and reproueth the men in his tyme because they beyng addicted to ceremonies regarded not the duties of charitie And truly God him selfe crieth that he estemeth more of mercy then of sacrifice Signifying vnder this woorde mercy the dueties of charitie by a figure called Synecdoche euen as the external worshyp of the lawe is comprehended vnder sacrifice The same senteÌce Christe applieth to his tyme and accuseth the Phariseis because they wreste the Lawe of God amisse into a wronge sence because also they reiectinge the seconde table set their whole affiance vpon ceremonies Bu. As if he shoulde saie Where as you iudge of the Sabaoth and all other thinges pertayning to religion amisse it commeth hereby so to passe because alwayes ye cleaue to much to externall thynges to the whiche ye attribute more then true godlynes wyll beare and in the meane tyme ye pretermite internall and true pietie that is to saye faythe in God the feare of God charitie and mercy than which thinges nothing can be more necessary One place of the Prophete Esaye if that you were curable might reduce you into the way and rightly informe your mindes wherby ye might more rightly and more truely iudge of religion and the obseruation of the Sabaoth Then should ye not so ignorauntly haue coÌdemned my disciples whiche haue offended nothynge neither against God neither against the faythe nor against charitie Yea then you wold haue vnderstoode that that lawe as concerning the Sabaoth had not been violated and broken for plucking vp one eare of corne Question C. Notwithstanding some maÌ may demaunde here why God saythe in this place of the Prophete that he regardeth not sacrifice when he hath coÌmaunded the same in the lawe It may be aunswered that external rytes of theÌ selues haue no force neither are they required of God but only in respecte of their ende to the whiche they are made and directed Furthermore the lorde doth not reiecte them but comparing them to the workes of charitie he teacheth that they are of lesse estimation in his sighte then these A. As wee haue declared before in the nynthe chapter C. Neither doth this let but that the worship of God may be placed in the hiest degree in the perfection of righteousnes then that the duties of meÌ shoulde be set in the seconde place nexte vnto the same Ye vvould not haue condemned C. By the testimony of the Prophete Christ plainely concludeth that his Apostels were without blame because God exercising his people in the rudimentes of the lawe woulde not haue miserable men to die with hunger M. In effecte Christe blameth the Phariseis in twoo thinges Firste of ignoraunce whiche greued theÌ much they challenging to theÌ selues the keyes of knowledge SecoÌdly of iniustice because they condemned innocentes 8 For the sonne of man is lorde euen ouer the Sabaoth C. Some knitte this sentence with that whiche goeth before that there is one present greater then the Temple but it semeth rather to differ from the same For at the first Christe alluding it to the temple affirmed that whatsoeuer was ioyned with his holynes was not the trasgressioÌ of the lawe But here he saith that he hath power to deliuer his apostels from the necessitie of the obseruing of the Sabaoth The sonne of man sayth he by his power may vse the Sabaoth as other ceremonies of the lawe And truely the obseruaunce of the lawe without Christ is miserable from the whiche he onely doth deliuer by indewing vs with the
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 iudgemeÌt 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 wheÌ 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 offeÌd 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 TheÌ 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 couÌsell 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 intaÌgle the ministers of the same traÌsforming it selfe into many shapes at the length taketh couÌsell 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 couÌsell with Herodes seruauntes or officers whiche were called Herodians whome notwithstanding they hated woÌderfully 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 tyrauÌtes of this worlde are at debate strife one with another yet notwithstaÌding to destroy Christ his power with one coÌsent they can linke vnite theÌ selues in freÌdship 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 coÌmon practise of the wicked that when they
so often parables For they thought that it should haue bene his part to vse manifest and plaine words to the end hée might the more easilye be vnderstode C. And although that symilitudes doe oftentimes manifest the thinge which is handled those notwithstanding which do containe a continual metaphor are very hard darke and obscure Christ therefore propoundinge this similitude would comprehend that vnder an allegorye which without a figure might more plainly and euidently haue bene spoken But now when the exposition is added made the figured speach hath more perspecuity and plainenes then the simple that is it is not onely of more efficacy force to moue the minds of men but also more cleare and euidente to be perceyued so great a difference ther is in the speaking and vttering of things Truly if Chryst should haue sayd simplely the Gospell is preached to manye in vaine A. Hée had touched the effect of al this matter C. Notwithstandinge it woulde not haue had so great force waight as this similitude Bu. The Disciples therefore saye whye speakest thou the mysteries of the kingdome of God in such darke parables rather then in plaine and easye sentences whereby thou mayst be vnderstoode 11. Hee aunsweared and saide vnto them it is geuen vnto you to knowe the secrets of the kingdom of heauen but to theÌ it is not geueÌ Bu. The lord by his answeare manifestly declareth to whom the doctrine of the Gospell is obscure and to whom it is euident plaine also who are mete hearers of the Gospell who are not C. By that which answere of Christ we gather that the doctrine of saluation was propounded of God vnto men for diuers ends and purposes For Christ testifyeth that hée spake therfore the more obscurelye because his word should be hard and difficile vnto many mighte stryke and sound in their eares with confused ambiguous sound If any man obiecte the saying of the Prophet I haue not spoken in the secret places of the earth neither yet in darknes It is not for naught that I sayde vnto the séede of Iacob séeke mee Also Dauid acknowledgeth the words of the law to be a laÌterne to his féete to geue wisedome vnto babes It may be aunswered that the woord of God by his owne nature is brighte cleare but the brightnes of the same by the darkenes of men is suffocated obscured For although the law had the vaile hanging before it yet notwithstaÌding the truth of God was manifest enough in the same vnlesse the eyes of meÌ were blinded And as coÌcerning the Gospel S. Paule sayth that it is not hid vnles it be hiddeÌ to the reprobate to such as are in darcknes whose minds Sathan hath blinded Furthermore wée must note that the force of illuminating wherof Dauid speaketh the familiar maner of preaching whereof Esay prophesyeth is properlye referred to the elect and choseÌ people of god This notwithstanding alwayes abydeth infallible that the woord of God is not obscure of it selfe but as it is obscured darkened with the blind mystes of the world in the meane seasoÌ the Lord doth neuertheles contayne kepe his mysteries that the sence vnderstaÌding of the same cannot come to the reprobate And truly by two meanes hée doth depriue them of the light of the Gospell For sometimes hée speaketh that in parables which mighte be spokeÌ much more plainly sometimes expressing his mind plainly without eyther tropes or figures hée doth so dul amase their sences that euen in the open manifest light they are blind To this effect pertayneth the saying of the Prophete Your Prophets rulers that should sée hath hée couered And the visions of al the prophets is become vnto you as the woords of a Booke that is sealed vp which meÌ delyuer to one that is learned sayinge reade thou in it And hée sayth I cannot for it is sealed Forsomuche as Christ hath so dispensed his doctrine by his deuyne couÌsell that it shal profite only a few in whose mindes it shall soundlye be imprinted shall trouble and moleste the rest it followeth that this doctrine of saluation was not sente vnto men for one end purpose but by the wisedom of God to be so moderatly tempered that it should be no lesse a sauor of death vnto death to the reprobate then it is of life vnto life to the electe chosen children of god And least any maÌ should contend S. Paule addeth to these words that what soeuer the effect of the Gospell bée though it be a deadly sauour yet is it swete before god But to the ende wée may haue the true sence and meaning of this place wée must more nerely consider the purpose of Christ for what cause and to what end hée speaketh this First vndoubtedly the comparison pertayneth to this end that hée might amplifye the grace geuen to his Disciples because that was geuen specially vnto them whiche was not giuen in like maner to all men To you sayth hee it is giuen to know the misteries of god If any demauÌde froÌ wheÌce the Apostels haue this priuiledge of dignity truly there shal no cause of worthines be found in theÌ for Christ in pronouÌsing that it is geuen vnto them excludeth al deserte Christ pronounceth that they be certaine select chosen men vpon whom God specially bestoweth this honor to be partakers of the secret mysteries of God the other being depriued of the same Ther is no other cause of this difference found sauing that it pleaseth God to call vnto him those whom he hath chosen frelye in his mercye before the foundacion of the world was layde A. Whervpon hee calleth the rest forreners or straungers as may be gathered by the words of Marke when hee sayth but vnto them that are without all thinges happen by parables C. By the which words Christ plainly declareth that these were not of the nomber of the electe and therefore that it was not giuen vnto them 12 For whosoeuer hath to him shal be giuen and hee shall haue aboundaunce but whosoeuer hath not from him shal be taken awaye euen that whiche hee hath M. It is a coÌmon prouerbe that to the rych shal be giuen but to the poore not so yea they shall haue the little takeÌ from them be made beggers By the which our sauiour Christ would signify that it was also ful filled in his kingdome that the knowledge of life should be communicated and geueÌ to those only which haue the gift of election and from those that want the same shal be taken awaye that deuyne knowledge whiche they séeme to haue by the preaching of the woord because the reprobate by the contempte of the woord whiche they cannot receaue are blynded more and more til at length thou mayest see them depryued of their coÌmon sence The lord toke the Disciples vnto him to the end they might more more
woorde towardes theim shall be taken away least it should mollifie their hartes to repentaunce By this woorde of healinge Matthewe and the Prophete comprehende a delyueraunce from all euyll for they do compare the people afflycted by the hand of God Metaphorically to a sick man therfore they say that health is wrought when the lord releaseth the ponishement But because this healthe dependeth vpon the remission of synnes Marke very aptly sheweth the originall and cause For wherupon commeth the mitigation of ponishementes but onely because the lorde beinge pleased with vs dothe bestowe vppon vs his benediction and peace And although somtimes our offence and wickednes being abbolished he ceasseth not to ponishe vs eyther because he wolde humble vs or els because we should afterwardes be more ware notwithstanding because he shewing signes of his fauour doth quikken and renew vs and for the most part ponishementes do ceasse with the faulte the healing is very wel ioyned with pardon forgeuenes But therby we ought not to gather that repentance is the cause of forgeuenes as thoughe God wold receiue them that conuert into his fauour through desert for the conuersion it self is a signe and token of the free fauour of God but onely the order and consequeÌce is noted because God dothe not forgeue synnes but only those for the which men are sory and displeased with them selues M. By this place I say we may easely vnderstande what the order meane or way is by the which men are saued Before all thynges the harte is to be opened and made apte to here the woorde of God that the same being hearde men may conuerte vnto god and repente for the preachinge wherof Christe sente his Apostelles Furthermore no man can trewely tourne and repente vnlesse his harte be made apte to vnderstande that is vnlesse it be illuminated Therfore he saithe here and vnderstande with their hart and be conuerted Thirdly the vnderstanding of the harte which is the reuelation of the trueth is not hearde but onely by the hearinge of the woorde Hereupon it commeth that the eares are so requisite to heare that is desirouse to heare So saith the Apostell faythe commeth by hearyng and hearing commeth by the woord of God Fourthly healthe and remission of sinnes followe couersion and repentaunce But the reprobate can not heare whose hartes are hardened because they are not of god And therupon it commeth that they neyther heare nor vnderstand nor be conuerted and be healed 16 But blessed are your eies because they see and your eares because they here But happy are your M. The obstinacy excecation and dampnation of the wicked and reprobate beinge declared Chryste our sauiour is rapte as it were drawen to the preaching and publyshing of theyr beatitude to whom it is geuen to haue eies of seinge and hearyng eares that he myght therewith geue a reason wherefore the misteries of the kingdom of heauen whiche being hidden from others were reuealed by hym to his Apostelles C. Luke semeth to referre this sayinge to an other tyme notwithstandinge the solution is easy that the Euangelist there heapeth many sentences together withoute any distyncte order of times But Matthew in his texte dothe more plainely expresse and shewe whervpon he toke occasion so to speake For as at the fyrst the disciples were admonished and put in minde of the synguler grace of God bestowed vppon theim in that they were by the lorde exempt from the common sorte of people admytted familiarly to the misteries of the kyngedome so nowe the same grace by an other comparison is extolled in that they do excell the olde prophetes and the holy kynges For this is much more then to be preferred before the vnbeleuing multitude But Christe here vnderstandeth not euery kinde of hearing nor the simple aspecte or sighte of the fleshe but hee pronounceth their eies to be blessed because they beholde the excellent glory of the onely begotten sonne of God in soo much that they know and acknowledge hym to be the redemer and because the lyuely Image of God shined vnto them in the whiche they perceyued sauynge health and the sounde of perfect blessednes Furthermore because the saying of the Prophetes might be fulfilled in them namely that they being fully and perfectly taught of God no man nede be taught of his neyghbour And thus is the obiection put away which might be broughte of the other part of the senteÌce of Chryst when he saith that they are blessed which haue not sene and yet beleued For ther is noted a contrary kind of seyng which Thomas grossely required But the sight whereof Christe speaketh nowe in this place is common to the faythefull of all ages with the Apostels For we not seinge Christ se him and not hearing do heare hym because in the Gospell he appereth vnto vs face to face as saith saint Paule that we might be traÌsformed into his Image or lykenes and the perfection of wisedome of righteousnes and of life being once offered vnto vs in him doth there continually shyne 17 Verely I say vnto you that many prophetes and righteous men haue desired to see those thinges vvhich ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges whiche yee heare and haue not hard them Verelye I saye vnto you Z. Christ shéeweth that the fathers of olde tyme were very desirouse of his comming whose corporal presence notwithstaÌding they might not see And righteous men C. Luke hath many Prophtes and kinges The condition of the present churche is very well said to be better then the state of the holy fathers whiche liued vnder the lawe to whom that was shewed vnder types shaddowes which now by the shynynge face of our sauiour Christ most brightly shined and appered For the vaile of the temple beinge cut we enter by faith into the heauenly sainctuarye we haue a familiar accesse vnto god For although the fathers beinge contented with their condition and state dyd quiet and pacifie their mindes yet notwithstanding this did not let or hinder but that they might haue a farther desire So Abraham sawe a farre of the day of Christe and reioysed yet notwithstanding he wished to behold it more nere and obtained not his desire For Symeon spake according to the affection of all men when he saide Lorde nowe let thy seruaunt departe in peace Nor truely could it come any otherwise to passe when as all men had an earnest desire and longing for the promised delyueraunce beinge vnder the burthen of malediction with the whiche euery one is oppressed Let vs vnderstand therfore that they longed after Christe as men that are extreame hungery and yet notwithstanding their faith was safe in so much that they murmured not againste God but paciently suspended their mindes vntyll the fulnes of the tyme came in the which they should beholde the reuelation and manifesting of the sonne of god R. But if Abraham sawe in the spirite that
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 ReligioÌ 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 waÌtinge 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 theÌ 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 forgotteÌ to bring bread as though any thing should be waÌting 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 coÌmeth 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 remembrauÌce 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 remeÌber those fiue loaues when there were fiue thousand meÌ 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 vnderstaÌd 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 ofteÌtimes 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
coÌceiued of their master For they imagined that he should be the aucthor of earthly felicitie They were led therfore with a vaine hope gredely gaping for the time in the whiche he should reueale the glorye of his kingdome They wayed so littel in their mindes the ignominy and shame of the crosse that they thoughte it impossible that any thinge not honorable should happen vnto hym For this was a greuouse sayinge and circumstance that he should be reiected of the hye priestes Scribes in whose power the rule of the Church consisted Whereby we may gather how necessary this admonition was The Euangeliste Luke saythe And hee warned and commaunded them that they shoulde tell no man that thinge sayinge The sonne of maÌ must suffer many thinges and be reproued of the Elders and of the bye Priestes Scribes and be slaine c. Hée woulde not therefore at that time bee published to be Christe because hee should be crucifyed and reiected Of the seniors C. When wee heare that the elders and Scribes were the chiefe ennemyes of Christ wee maye sée howe great the discipation of the Church of Ierusalem was For the sacrifycers did not onlye sacrifyce but also teache therefore of the Prophete Mallachy they are called Angels or messengers These were then the ennemyes of Christ which coulde in no wyse abyde his Doctrine But and if this were spoken of the Priestes of Egipt or of the sacrifycinge Priestes and teachers of other Nations it had beene no maruayle but this is spoken of those Priestes which bare the chiefe rule of the Church of God in earth The which thing oughte to be an example vnto vs that wee suffer not our selues to be seduced and deceyued wyth counterfeytes whiche doe not their dutye truly and as they ought Let vs alwaye remember that Christ is the heade corner stone which the builders reiected as hée himselfe sayth to Phariseys in the one and twenty Chapter And be raysed agayne the thirde daye C. Because it coulde not be but that the onely mencion of the Crosse should trouble the infirme and weake mindes of the Dysciples Christ by and by séeketh to salue this sore saying that hée must ryse agayne froÌ death the .iii. day And truly wheÌ as in his Crosse onlye the infirmitye of the fleshe appeareth our fayth shall finde nothinge to staye and lift vp it selfe vntill we haue respecte vnto his resurrection in the which the power of the holy ghost most brightly shyneth Therefore the Mynisters and Preachers of the woorde of God muste wysely way and consider this that when they couet to edify and to teach with profite they must alwayes ioyne the glorye of the resurrection with the death of Christ Let vs consider therefore that the absolution of true fayth and confession doth pertayne to this ende namely that wee beleue and confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes roose againe for our iustification For the which reade in S. Paules Epistell to the Romaynes 22. And vvhen Peter had taken him a syde he began to rebuke him saying maister fauour thy selfe this shall not happen vnto thee And vvhen Peter had taken him C. It was a greate signe of moderate boldenes for Peter after this sorte to take his Maister a syde howbeit hée might seeme to haue a consideration of the reuerence due vnto him when hée toke him asyde because hée durst not be boulde to reprehende before witnesses notwithstanding Peter exceded the boldnes of modestye to admonishe him to fauour himselfe as though Christ had not bene in his right minde Hee began to rebuke him M. Peter trulye loued Christ more then any one of the Apostels but his loue was to carnall as yet and not accordinge to knowledge therefore hée vseth more libertye in speaking to Christ as wee may see in manye other places So also here when hee thought that this thinge which hée hearde shoulde be a shame to Christ the sonne of God that it mighte be auoyded and did thincke that Christ was inflamed with a certaine impotent zeale and that hée was bent againste the wickednes of the elders Scribes and hye Priestes of Ierusalem whereuppon hee knew that hée should be afflicted yea killed by them being ignonoraunt of the mystery of redemption of the necessity of the Crosse of the will of the father of the end of Christes comminge for this cause hée taking Christ a syde rebuked him and goeth about to wythdraw him from his purpose Hée beinge affected with a preposterous zeale coÌsidereth not what hée doth hee goeth about to hinder Christ from the worke of our redemption and from the fulfylling of the will of his father C. But such is the force of rashe and vndiscreete zeale and to this issue it dryueth men and so carryeth them hedlonge that they are not afrayde to take vppon them to teache God what hee hath to do Peter iudgeth it an absurde thinge that the sonne of God should be crucifyed of the Elders which came to be the redeemer of the people and that hee shoulde be put to death which was the Lord of lyfe And hereby wée are taught how our good intencions are accepted before God. So great pryde truly is naturally ingraffed in men that they thincke great iniury is done vnto them and do murmure if that please not God whiche they iudge to be right and good So that we sée with how greate pertinacye the Papistes do boaste and vaunt of their deuocions For trulye wheÌ they do so arrogaÌtly reioyce in them selues God doothe not onelye reiecte that which they iudge worthye of so greate praise but doth also condemne it as mere madnes If truly sence carnall iudgement mighte preuayle the intencion of Peter was godlye or at least tollerable But Christe so sharplye reproued him that hée could not put him to greater reproch For what meaneth so seuere a reprehension Question whereas hée shewed alwayes such gentlenes that hée brake not the broosed réede why then doth hée now so cruellye thonder against his electe chosen Dysciple The reason trulye is manifest namely because in the person of one maÌ hée woulde pacifye and staye all the rest least they shoulde séeme to alow their vndiscrete zeale For although the lustes of the fleshe in vnrulelynes are like vnto brute beastes yet notwithstanding there is no beaste more furious and vnrulye then the wysedome of the fleshe Therefore Christ so sharpely inueyeth against the same and doth as it were suppresse it with an yron mallet that wée learne onlye to seeke for wysedome out of the word of God to iudge that onely to be righte which the word of God doth alowe Fauor thy selfe The Lattine text is Propitius tibi sis the Gréeke text hath onlye Propitius tibi so that wée muste vnderstande esto or sis and the omittinge of the verbe maketh muche for the affection of Peter declaring that his minde did greatly abhorre the same
in a base contemned person C. Luke saith that this was done when he praied But by the circumstance of the place and tyme we gather that which we saide eueÌ nowe namely that he praied that there mighte be a visible sighte or shewe of his deitie in the brightnes of a newe forme the which thing he obtayned not because it was necessary that he shoulde pray for that which he waÌted him selfe or because the wyll of his father was doubtful but because in humillitie he referred all that he did to his father and would by his exaumple incourage vs to praye And his face did shine C. Luke hath And it came to passe as he praied the fashion of his face was altered Yet notwithstaÌding this transformatioÌ did not set forth Christ to be seene of the disciples according to the glory which he hath nowe in heauen but he gaue them a tast of exceding glory accordinge as they were able to coÌprehend the same His face dyd then shine as the sonne but now it dothe far excede the son in brightnesse A strange and vnwonted brightnesse shone then in his apparell but nowe his deuine maiestie shineth without apparel in his whole body So God appered in tyme paste to the holy fathers not as hee was in hym selfe but as they were able to abyde the beames of his excedinge brightnesse M. But whereas Christ was transeformed froÌ the forme of humillitie into that heauenly deuine shape it was a manifest token that the state in the which he was then was not eternal but mutable and subiecte to chaunge not that the substance of his body was subiecte to trasmutation and chaunge in so muche that the veritie of his humaine fleshe shoulde be turned into the veritie of the spirite God forbid but that there should be a traÌsmutation of the humaine condition fragillitie his manhode abidinge styll M. But where as he was transformed while hee was at praier it sheweth howe wee are traÌsformed into God when we are praying for the which cause we ought to be the more earnest to pray HerupoÌ it came to passe that the fathers holy men were so often times in minde rapte caryed into heauen As Peter the Apostel of Chryst Daniell to whome an Angell appered when he was in prayer declarynge vnto hym thinges to come Cornellius who in praier sawe an Angell And Paule who as he praied saw Ananias in a vision laiing his haÌd on him Also the same Paule testifieth of him selfe thus When I was come againe to HierusaleÌ and praied in the temple I was in a traunce and sawe hym saying vnto me make hast and get the quickely out of Hierusalem for they wyll not receiue thy witnes Hereby we gather that they are most farre from the company and fellowship of God of the heauenly spirites whiche are neuer ledde by the feruencye of the mynde to prayer And his clothes vvere as vvhite as C. It is not mete that any man should dispute or reason subtilly about the whitenes of his apparell or of the brightnes of his countenance seing that this was not a perfecte declaration of his heauenly glory but a signe which did onely pertaine to the measure capacitie of flesh M. For as darknes is assigned by Christ to the kingdom of SathaÌ and externall darckenes to the condemnation also of the wicked for the horror which they shall suffer euen so an excedinge light inspeakeable brightnes is ascribed to the kingedome of God for the glory and pleasure whiche the electe shall haue The iuste saithe our sauiour Christ shal shine as the sonne in the glory of their father As the light E. It is red in a certayne auncient Greeke boke As the snowe and the Euangeliste Marke saith also thus And his raymente dyd shine became very white eueÌ as snow so white as no fuller caÌ make vpoÌ the earth 3 And beholde there appered vnto theÌ Moyses and Helias talking with theÌ And beholde there appered B. No doubt this apperinge and talke of Moyses and Helias dyd make very muche to the declaration of the kingdome of Christ Notwithstandynge it is demaunded whether they were truely present or whether that a figure or shewe onely of them was set before the face of the disciples euen as vysions of thinges absent were sette before the Prophetes Althoughe the matter be so probable that bothe partes may haue good occasion to dispute yet notwithstaÌdinge it is more lykely that they were truely brought into that place Neyther is it any absurditie at all to say seinge that God hath both body soule in his haÌd power that the dead for a time may be restored to life according to his will. Moyses and Helias dyd not rise vnto theÌ selues at that tyme but they rose at the will coÌmandement of God to be preseÌt for the time with Christ Againe Question if any demaund how the Apostels knew Moyses Helias whoÌ they neuer sawe it may easely be answered that wheÌ God had set them in the midst before them he gaue theÌ signes tokens by the which they might be knowne vnto them This truely was done by an extraordinary maner of reuelation that they might certainely knowe Moyses Helias Question But why did these two rather theÌ any other of the saintes apere Surely that reasoÌ ought to satisfie vs to say that the lawe the Prophetes had no other scope or ende then Christe For it was a great aide helpe to our faythe the Christe came not forth without testimony but was coÌmeÌded of God long before B. Therfore in Moyses the lawe and in Helias the Prophetes are represented M. For althoughe Helias left nothinge writteÌ behinde him yet notwithstanding after Moyses he was the chiefe excelled all men He restored the polluted law of God to perfectioÌ yea he was an excellent meintainer setter forth of true godlynes pietie whiche was then almost extinguished C. The talk therfore of Moyses Helias with Christ is the agrement of the lawe and Prophetes with Christe For it behoued the Apostels to be confirmed perswaded that it was no newe doctrine or religion which Christe preached vnto theÌ but the same wherof the lawe and prophetes beare witnes for excepte they had ben perswaded in this that Christ did not teache any thing contrary to the law and prophets they had euer doubted neither had they ben able with a constante minde to preache the Gospell We haue therfore here a notable seale of our faith when we know that the doctrine of christ is not newely sprong vp as some imagine but of long coÌtinuance Talking vvith them A. Onely Luke sheweth for what cause they talked with Christ in these wordes That appered in the maiestie and spake of his departinge whiche he should ende at Hierusalem M. He calleth the death of Christe a departinge or a going out namely of this worlde So in
an other place his deathe is called a going out of this worlde to the father C. But this talke ought not to be restrained to the priuate personnes of Moyses and Helias but rather to the imbassage whiche longe before was inioyned committed to them For althoughe they were lately deade and had finished the race of their callynge yet notwithstandinge the lorde wolde that they by their voyce once againe should confirme that which in their life they had taught to the ende we might know that the saluation set forthe in the sacrifice of Christ pertaineth vnto vs as well as to the fathers M. Therefore the woorde ende whiche Luke vseth doth pertaine to the Prophetes and truethe of God that the same whiche God promysed by the Prophetes as concerninge the departure or endinge or death of his sonne mighte be fulfylled C. Nowe when the Prophetes prophesied of the deathe of Chryst he sate whiche is the eternall wisedome of God in the secrete throne of his glory Wherevpon it followeth that he beynge man was not subiecte vnto death but so farre as he willingly submitted him self M. Therfore they talked about the crosse and resurrection to the ende the Apostels might vnderstande that it was the wyll of God that hee shoulde be slaine at Hierusalem and rise againe euen as it was foreshewed by the law and the prophetes Wherupon Christ him selfe after his resurrection expounded vnto theÌ the lawe and the Prophetes teachinge that it soo behoued Christe to suffer and to ryse agayne from deathe 4 Then answered Peter and sayd vnto Iesus Lorde here is good beinge for vs If thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and an other for Elias Then aunsvvered Peter M. The Euangelist abuseth this woorde aunswered accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes when as nothinge went before whereto aunswere might be made But the EuaÌgeliste Luke more playnely rehearseth these woordes sayinge But Peter and they that were with hym were heauy with sleepe And when they awoke they saw his maiestie and two men staÌding with him Beholde here how that three of the chiefe Apostels whiche were with Christ ar a slepe when he praieth So they slept againe in the gardein when Christ was redye to be taken This was their infirmitie and yet theye were not reiected of Christe but are borne withall tyll they were by little and littell confirmed that they might be the more perfecte By the which example we must learne to beare with the weake and not by and by to cast them of Luke addeth further sayinge And Peter sayde vnto Iesus Master it is good beinge here for vs C. These woordes saith the Euangelist he spake when Moyses and Helias were gone Whereby we gather that Peter was afraide least that by their departure that swete and gloriouse sight should vanishe away And althoughe it be no meruaile that Peter was so rauished with the swetenesse of that sight that all other thinges despised the sight therof and the fruition of the same onely coulde suffice him as it is saide in the Psalme in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye and at thy righte hande there is pleasure for euermore Yet notwithstandinge his wishe and desier was preposterouse because he knew no ende of the vision secondely he verye foolishely made an equalitie betwene the lorde and his seruantes thirdely he erred because he wolde haue builte earthly tabernacles vnto men whiche were receyued into heauenly glory We saye that the ende of the visioÌ was not known vnto Peter For when he hearde oute of the mouthe of Moyses and Helias that Christe muste shortely dye he as a man voyde of sence immagineth that temporall shewe of glory to be eternall What kingdome of Christ should this haue ben included and compassed within the space of twenty or thirty foote What should haue become of the redeÌptioÌ of the whole Churche and where shoulde haue bene the fellowship of euerlasting saluation Therefore the two Euangelystes do very well note that he knewe not what hee sayde Marcke addeth the cause namely for that they were afraid God truely did not seke to make the Apostels haue anye farther profite in vnderstandinge than in this that they should haue a féeling as it were at one sighte and in a momente of the deitie of his sonne Afterward in processe of time he shewed vnto them the fruite and corrected the wante of iudgemente that was in them Marke therefore meaneth that Peter was as a man in a traunce and amased that he spake accordingely In lyke maner we do not knowe oftentimes to what ende the lord declareth his power vnto vs but he correcteth our ignoraÌce and infirmitie and in continuance of time teacheth vs what his pourpose was 5 VVhile he yet spake behold a bright cloude shadowed them And beholde there came a voyce out of the cloude which saide This is my beloued son in whom I delight heare hym VVhile he yet spake beholde a bright cloude shado C. When the lord meaneth to shewe vnto vs a signe of his presence he commonly setteth before vs a cloude to the ende he might bryng vs to humillitie lest we shoulde rashely burst forthe into secrete matters whiche our sence and reason is not able to comprehende and leaste we shoulde be to wise forsakinge sobrietie For we can not be sober except God put the bridell in our mouthe and restraine our pride and follye The imbecillitie of mannes witte and vnderstandinge can not conceiue the glory of god therefore the cloude is set as a courtaine betwene God and vs whereby he may bridell our natural folly for we are to bolde and curiouse EueÌ so now to the ende he might bringe his disciples to humillitie he hydeth his heauenly glory from their eyes A. The whiche thinge also ought to profyte vs that we acknowledging the imbecillitie of our mindes may auoyde all curiositie in sekinge the workes of god for he dwelleth in the lighte whiche no man can attayne If men knewe what Cloudes do signifie and to what end they are set forthe they wolde restrayne and brydell that fonde and vayne delighte in settinge vp Immages and Idoles to represent the person of god For he being inuisible with what boldenes dare they set him vppe to be seene as visible This cloude as it was saide beinge set before the disciples eyes had a type of the presence and grace of god For so God was wonte to shewe his presence in his people vnder Moyses and Aaron specially in the tabernacle of wytnesse also in the departinge of Israel out of Egipte Herupon the Prophet Dauid ascribeth vnto God that he maketh the cloudes his chariote and rydeth vpon the winges of the wynd And Christ assended into the heauens in a cloude And he shall com again at the daye of iudgement in a cloude And S Paule saith that we shal be taken vp in the cloudes to mete Christ in the ayre
occasion of voluntary humilitye euen as the Apostell Paule commendeth this doing and prescribeth it as a rule to the children of God sayinge Be not hye minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sorte And againe hee sayth let no man stande in his owne conceite It vvere better for him M. As if hee should haue sayd It were better for him that a mylstone were hanged about his necke hee cast into the sea than to abyde those paynes which remayne vnto him in the world to come That a milstone vvere hanged E. Hee maketh mencion here of a greeuous kinde of ponishment which the Palaestines vsed as sayth S. Hierom to po nishe notable offences and wicked actes The Lattin text for a milstone hath Mola asinaria which signifyeth the greater stoone that lyeth vndermost in the Mill the which stoone in Greke is called Asinus an asse of the which commeth Asinaria S. Hillarye sayth that it is called Mola asinaria or the Asses stoone because the Asse did vse to tourne the same aboute at such times as any thing should be grouÌd accordinge to the maner of those milles which wee haue in these dayes in the which a horse beinge blindfoulded tourneth the stone goinge still rounde And that hee vvere drovvned in the E. The Greeke worde signifyeth the bottom of the sea or that which is euen in the middest of the sea for commonlye it is seene that the farther from the shoore the deper it is Hee vnderstandeth and declareth the certaine and vndoubted ponishment by two thinges namelye by the greatnes of the stoone by the depenes of the sea C. But because Christ maketh here mencion of a kinde of ponishmente which was then verye fearefull and terrible and by the which haynous offences were punished wee may hereby gather how deere precious they are in the sighte of God which are abiecte contemned and despised in the world A. Wherfore let vs learne to take vp one another amonge our selues euen as Christ hath takeÌ vs vp into the glorye of God 7. VVo vnto the worlde because of offences necessarye it is that offences come but vvo vnto the man by whoÌ the offence commeth VVho vnto the vvorlde because A. This is a kynd of bewayling as if he should haue saide Alas how euyll shal it happen vnto the worlde because of the offences and stoÌbling blockes whiche are layed before the little ones C. This place may be expounded two maner of wayes Actiuely that Christ may be sayd to curse the authours causers of offences and so vnder the name of World all the vnbeleuing must be vnderstode Or passiuely that Christ maye be said to be waile the euils which he saw to be at hand ready to fal vppon the worlde because of offences as if he shold haue said that there coulde be a no more pernitiouse hurteful plague and whiche shoulde bringe greatter desstruction than that whiche shoulde come to passe by the trouble and fall of manye throughe offences And this sence dothe best agree for there is no doubt but that Christ speakynge of offences by an other occasion dyd prolonge and augment his talke to the ende he might make his disciples more atteÌtiue to beware and take hede Men truely are seduced from the right way by many offences For what is the cause that so many depart froÌ Christ so fewe come vnto him offeÌces Least therfore SathaÌ we being a slepe shold circumuent vs deceiue vs the lord maketh exclamatioÌ that we must take hede of nothing more then of offeÌces because sathaÌ hauing an innumerable company of stoÌbling blockes in a redynesse neuer ceasseth to lay theÌ before vs at euery step and we being weake by nature are sone ouerthrowen And so it cometh to passe that so fewe go forwarde in the faythe of Christ that scarse the tenth part which enter into the race of saluation by reason of werynes come not to the ende of the same It is a rare thinge to finde one that doth perseuer and continu to the ende in Christe And often times the ministers geue occasion of offence which being the chiefe soldiours and as it were the standard bearers in the Church are alienate and withdrawen from Christe Of the which matter we haue spoken in the .xiii. chapter goinge before Necessary it is that offences come C. The lord sekinge to whette and styrre vp the care diligence of his disciples telleth theim that it can not be auoyded but that they must passe by diuerse stombling blockes So that this senteÌce is a confirmation of the next sentence because Christ hereby teacheth howe many inconueniences do depend vpon offences seinge the Church shall neuer be free from theim neyther can be But he doth not here expresse the cause of necessitie or why it is necessary the offences come as the apostel Paule speakinge of heresies sectes saith that there must be sectes among the Corinthians that they whiche were parfecte amonge them might be known But we must note this that God wold haue men subiect to offences to the ende he might exercise their fayth but as for Hipocrites god doth as it were fan fist them as cockell and chaffe from the pure wheate But if any man do obiecte say that it is verye absurde that the lorde shold lose the brydel geue liberty vnto Sathan to bring destructioÌ to miserable men we answere that it is our partes dueties to haue a reuerent coÌsideratioÌ of the secrete counsell purpose of God which is that it is necessary that the worlde be troubled with offeÌces M. Wherfore wheÌ our sauiour Christ saith that it is necessary the offences come no maÌ oughte to be troubled seinge that it setteth forth vnto vs the prouidence of god About this word of necessitie the anciente writers subtilly disputed wrytt to auoyde that whiche might haue ben said namely the God is the authour of euill We say that the iudgements of God are insearchable and that this necessitie is one of the iudgementes of God of the whiche because wee can geeue no certaine reason we muste not seke to deny it This necessitie coÌmeth of the prouidence of God yet for al that he is not therefore the author of euil or the cause of the falte Other ponishmeÌtes by the which the rebellions blindnes of infidelles is ponished do procede froÌ God when he suffereth the wicked to fall and geueth them ouer into filthy desiers and shameful filthines in that he is a iust iudge and cannot be sayd to be the Auctor of euilâ⦠for the wicked cannot be excused from sinne So wee must iudge of offences that the iudgementes of God are certaine and sure by the which hée doth reuenge the contempte of his woorde rebellion the which vengeaunce when hee layeth vppon the wicked cannot make him to be blamed Neyther oughte it to séeme a newe thing vnto vs
Euangelist addeth this worde expressely For Christe woulde not that this multitude shoulde followe him into Iewery least he shoulde geue an occasion to the backebitinges and slaunderouse reproches of the Scribes and Phariscies He knewe that except he had thus done be should haue ben accused of seditioÌ vnto Pylate and that this sedition shoulde be moued from Galile from whence hee came euen to Iewry He did not auoide this slaunder yet wolde he not geue any occasion therof We are therefore admonished that because we cannot escape the slanders of the wicked yet must we take hede of this that by our falte wee mynister no occasioÌ vnto them to speake euill 3 The Phariseis came also to him temtinge him and sayinge vnto him Is it lawfull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for any maner of cause The Phariseies also came to hym Bu. The lorde dyd good vnto all men and therefore the reporte of his glory was spred abrode far and nere But the ennemies of the truth do enuy the glory of the lorde and are agreued because the people forsakyng the priestes and the Scribes cleaued vnto the lorde The Phariseis therefore are come on a heape together C. And althoughe they do laye wayte to deceyue Christe and assalte him subtillye to the ende they mighte intrappe him yet this theyr wyckednesse tourned to oure commoditie euen as the lorde knoweth how to conuerte wonderfully into the proffyt of his what so euer the wicked do deuise for the subuersion of his trewe doctrine For by this meanes a doubte whiche the libertie of diuorsement did ingender is dissolued and a sure lawe of the holy and inseperable knot of wedlocke set forthe The occasion of this captiouse question is taken hereof because howsoeuer hee answered as they thought it coulde not be but odiouse Is it lavvfull for a man. saye they for euerye cause to put awaye his wife Nowe if Christ had denied it then wold they quickely haue cryed and made exclamation that hee had abolyshed the lawe if he had affirmed that it was lawfull then wolde they haue reported him to be a bande rather then a Prophete of God whiche so lightly wolde geue place and consent to the wanton and voluptuouse lustes of men This Dilemma and subtyll question they had conceyued in their mindes but the sonne of God who knowethe howe to subuerte the wyse in their owne folly dothe disapointe theim resistinge seuerelye their vnlawefull diuorces and yet shewynge also that hee saide nothing but that whiche was agreable to their lawe For he concludeth the matter in two principall poyntes namely that the order of our creation ought to be as a lawe that the man shoulde maintayne his promise made in matrimonye all his lyfe and that dyuorses were permitted not because they were lawefull but because they that graunted them had to do with a froward stifnecked people 4 He aunswered and saide vnto theim Haue ye not red how that hee whiche made man at the begynninge made the man and woman Haue ye not red C. Christ doth not directly aunswere to the question of the Phariscies when as neuertheles he did very well satisfie it in declaringe that the first ordinaunce must be kepte and that wee ought to be contente with the doctrine of God whiche is a most sure foundation But he aunswereth that it is not lawefull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for euery cause and he answereth so that he sendeth theim vnto the Scriptures by whose wordes he teacheth that the order of matrimony was ordeyned by God and that no man oughte to departe from the prescript rule of the Scriptures Euen as if a man being asked now of the Masse shoulde faithfully declare the mystery of the lordes holye supper and in the ende shoulde affirme that they were Sacrilegers and forgers whiche dare presume to dyminishe or to adde any thyng to the pure institution of the lorde might confounde after this sorte the fained sacrifice of the Masse M. But because the question was moued by the Phariseis who boasted and bragged amonge the people of their skil and knowledge in the Scriptures He saythe haue ye not red As if he shoulde haue saide Why aske you me ye Hypocrites you haue the Scripture in the whiche ye reade and therefore ignorance can not excuse you He that made man from the begynning E. This woorde Man in the latten bokes of the olde interpretation is not red but is left onely to be vnderstode C. Christ taketh this Axioma or generall proposition From the begynninge God ioyned man vnto the woman that two might make a whole and parfect man therefore he that putteth away his wyfe putteth away as it were from hym selfe the one halfe of his body but nature cannot abide that any man should deuide him selfe or teare his body in peces S. Therefore Christe dothe so moderate and temper his aunswere that he mighte neyther hurte the aucthoritie of Moyses nor recante hys owne doctrine whiche he had vowched in the fyfth chapter goinge before and that he might stoppe the mouthes of the Phariseies and lawyers by the auctoritie of the lawe C. For this is the sence and meanyng of the woordes of Christ That God the creatour of mankinde made maÌ and woman that euery man beinge content with one wyfe shoulde desire no other For he standeth vpon this nomber of two As also the Prophete Malachias when he inueyeth against the hauing of manye wyues hee bringeth in the same reason namely that God in whoÌ the spyrite was more aboundant so that it was in his wyll to create more yet he made one man euen after this sorte as hee is here described by Christ Bu. He saythe not he made man woman but he made them man and woman C. Therefore by the order of oure creation the inseperable societie of the husebande with one wife is proued Yf any man wyll obiecte and say that by this meanes it is not laufull the fyrst wyfe beinge deade to marry an other we maye easely aunswere not onely that the band is loused by death but also that the seconde wyfe is substytute and placed in stede of the firste as if shee were one and the same 5 And saide for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twaine shall be one fleshe For this cause shall a man. C. He addeth an other argument a Minori ad manus that is from that whiche semeth lesse to that which semeth the more rather to be The bande of wedlocke is more holy then that whiche ioynethe chyldren vnto their parentes but truely godlines byndeth the children vnto their parentes with an inseperable knot much lesse therfore may the housebande renounce and forsake his wyfe Here vppon it followeth that the deuine bonde is broken if the husband be diuorsed from the wyfe Furthermore it is to be douted whether Moyses do bring in Adam or
God hym selfe speakynge there but whether of the partes thou chose it maketh lyttell to the purpose in this place because it was sufficiente in this place to alleage the oracle and word of God althoughe it was pronounced by the mouthe of Adam If Adam speake it he hath respecte vnto that whiche God had commaunded and done and Adam in this place is a Prophete shewynge the worke of God loking also vnto the ende Man shall forsake father and mother C. In this place he that maryeth a wyfe is not simplely coÌmaunded to leaue his father and mother for theÌ 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 reuereÌtly 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 theÌ 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 froÌ the beginning it was not so Moyses because of the hardenes of your heartes C. The Phariseis had inueÌted 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 graÌting that he suffered it adding the cause namely for the hardenes of their hartes which hardnes of hart Moyses ofteÌtimes 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 suÌme 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 theÌselues 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 theÌ 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 thaÌ all the kingdomes of the world C. Notwithstanding the Disciples maye be excused because although they had not abouÌdance 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 chauÌged 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 haÌde 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 coÌtayned 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 choseÌ 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 operatioÌ of the holy ghost for that is a Christian life when wée consecrate our selues to God and Christ The secoÌde 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 conditioÌ 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 regeneratioÌ notwithstaÌding 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
yet notwithstanding the sauce of the grace of God is so swete that their condition is more pleasaunte desiered then the delights of kinges M. For they shal be so farre from loosing the ayde helpe of kinsfolkes that they shall gette many more in my kyngdome than they had before and of greater fidellity and trust For loke how many fellowes they shall finde partakers of theyr fayth so many bretheren so many sisters so many fathers and mothers so manye children so many kinsfolkes and frends they shall finde For they are our PareÌts sisters bretherene father and mother which heare the word of God and kepe it B. When hée sayth therefore An hundered foulde hee meaneth that wee shal haue a more infinite deale of pleasure in vsinge that small quantity in persecution which the Lord hath geueÌ vs for this present life than wee had with the abundaunce of those thinges which wee enioyed before wee knewe the Gospell For the children of God esteeme so much of the knowledge thereof that they will not chauÌge the same for the whole world Furthermore because they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good and to them that séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof all thinges needefull shal be geuen although Christians are banished from their house and are lefte destitute of thinges necessary yet notwithstanding nothinge shal be wanting vnto them the vse whereof might either be profitable vnto them or necessary In the meane time they haue learned of S. Paule to be content with those thinges that they haue they knowe howe to be low and howe to excéede they know how to be full and how to be hungrye both to haue plentie and to suffer néede And shall inherite euerlasting life Bu. This truely is the greatest comfort of al to be the heyre of God and coheyre with Christ that is to be partaker of the graces of god A So in another place our Sauiour Christe doth call those that are his to the bearing of the crosse manfully by the consideration of this excéeding benefite saying Be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen 30. But many that are firste shal be last and the last shal be first But many that are first BV. This sentence teacheth vs that modestie becommeth those that are Saints Z. Because Peter very ambitiously had sayde Behold we haue forsaken all folowed thée what reward shall we haue therfore the Lord fore shewed that it woulde come to passe that many in the Church shold conceiue a great opinion of theÌ selues by reason of their works and merits for the which they think that eternall life is due vnto theÌ for the which they should glory and boast theÌ selues to be most acceptable vnto God Such were the Scribes Pharises in Christes time such are the Scribes and Pharises in these our dayes I mean the Papistes whom our Sauiour Christ pronounceth here to be last or farthest from the kingdome of heauen that is to say such as shal be excluded and shut out of the kingdom of heauen This sentence therefore serueth greatly to driue away the slouthfulnes of the fleshe For our Sauiour Christe here sheweth that they which are neuer so forward in their race except they go on still and continue to the ende shall not obteyne According to S. Paule which sayth that all which runne do not obteyne the game And in another place he exhorteth by his owne example to forget those thinges whiche are behinde and to séeke to gette those thinges which are before according to the marke appoynted But where as he saith And the last shal be first he taketh awai all desperation from the greatest sinner whom the goodman of the house may call into his vineyard to be a laborer when he will and geue him eternall life as to the thiefe hanging on the crosse which deserued no such thing Do we not see that the Iewes boasting them selues to be the first in the lawe to be made last and to be reiected that the Gentiles which were last are nowe become firste and most acceptable vnto God to whom he hath geuen repentaunce vnto life The whiche thing our Sauiour Christe doth more largely declare in the Chapter folowing The .xx. Chapter FOr the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a manne that is an housholder vvhich vvent out earlye in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard For the kingdome of heauen Bu. Here our Sauiour Christe according to his maner to make the matter more euident and playne taketh a parable by the which he might make manifest his seÌtence which went before Many that are first shal be last and the last shal be first C. But we must sée howe this similitude maye be made apt and applied to the purpose Certaine interpreters coniecture this to be the summe and effect Because the heauenly inheritaunce is not gotten by the merites of workes but is geuen fréelye that therfore the glory of all men shal be alike But truely Christ doth not here dispute of the equalitie of the heauenlye glory or of the state and condition of the godly that shal be but hée onlye sheeweth that there is no cause why they shoulde glory or boast more theÌ other which are first or excell by reason of time because the Lorde so often as it shall please him may call those whom hée might séeme to neglecte for a time and so eyther make them equall or preferre theÌ before those that were first If any man go aboute to discusse exactlye euerye parte of this parable hée shal shewe himselfe to curious Therefore wée muste searche no farther then the counsell and purpose of oure sauiour Christ But wée said a little before that hée had no other respecte than that he mighte continually styrre vp his Apostels to go forward Wée do knowe that slouthfulnes doth aryse moste commonlye of to much trust and so it commeth to passe that many as it were in the running of a race do faint and fall downe in the middest of the waye Therefore Paule commaundeth vs to forget those things that are behinde that wée consideringe what remayneth vnto vs maye with a good courage prepare oure selues to runne The kingdome of heauen is like A. To know what the kingdome of Heauen is reade the fower twentye verce of the thirtene Chapter going before C. The sence and meaninge is that the maner of the deuine callinge is euen as if a man should hyer workemen early in the morning at a certaine price to dresse his Vineyarde and afterwarde shoulde send other labourers without couenant or gréement to whom notwithstanding hée should geue the same rewarde But hée therefore maketh mencion of the kingdome of Heauen because hee compareth a spirituall kinde of life to that which is earthy and the rewarde also of eternall life to moneye by the which men doe reward those that worke for them
coÌfirme the promises made vnto the fathers Moreouer God in times paste diuersly and manye wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes but in these laste dayes he hath spoken to vs by his owne Sonne whome he hath made heyre of al thinges They vvil stande in avve of my Sonne E. The Euangelist Luke hath Peraduenture they will stande in awe of my Sonne But this peraduenture is not founde neither in the Gréeke bookes nether in the olde Lattine bookes C. The which cogitatioÌ truely doth not properly belonge vnto god For he knew what woulde come to passe without all peraduenture so that he was not deceiued by hope of better chance But in parables we do often times sée that humaine affections are attributed vnto hym Notwithstandinge this sentence was not without cause added of our Sauiour Christe because he woulde thereby declare as in a glasse how farre passe all recouerye their wickednes was growen the which they to euidently declared in risynge with deuelishe fury againste the sonne of God whiche came to bring them to perfecte health 38. But when the husbandmen sawe the sonne they said among them selues this is the heyre come let vs kil him and let vs inioye his inheritaunce But vvhen the husbandmen A. Nowe he declareth how his sonne was receiued of them They sayde among them selues E. The Gréeke woorde is somwhat doubtefull whether it signify within themselues or amoÌg theÌ selues howbeit the most fete seÌce is amoÌg them selues that thereby we may vnderstande that they had secrete talke among them selues of this conspiracye But they spake these wordes within theÌ selues when in spight of their téeth they were constrained to thinke him to be the Messias and when they sayd If we let him escape thus all men will beleue in him the Romanes shall come and take awaye bothe our roome and the people Come let vs kil him They spake this when Cayphas sayde It is expedient for you that one man dye for the people not that all the people perishe Also awaye with him crucify hym And let vs inioye his inheritaunce Bu. As if they shoulde haue said This man challengeth the vineyarde for his inheritaÌce makinge hym selfe the Kyng of the people of God He arrogateth to hymselfe equal with the Father come hyther therfore let vs kill this blasphemouse personne whereby wee maye in safety enioye his inheritance The inheritance of the Lord is the power of all thinges the people of God the holy Citty the dignity of the priestehode and the gouernement amonge saincts To the ende therefore saye they it maye be lawfull for vs to retayne and kepe the dignitye of the priestehode and the gouernement ouer the people let vs kill hym leaste peraduenture the Romaines hearynge that a kynge and sauioure is come vnto vs set vpon vs with battaile spoyle our cittie leade our people into captiuitie and burne oure temple A. This was the wicked madnes of the priestes C For as they by theyr cruell murther of the prophetes dyd thruste and depriue God so muche as in them laye from his inheritaunce euen so this was the heape of all mischiefes to kyll the sonne that they might raygne as in an house without an heyre For this was the cause that the aduersaries did so rage against Christ leaste they shoulde forgo and loose theyr tyranny as a praie For he it is by whom God the father wyll rule and to whom he hath geuen all empire Therfore the ambition and couetousnes of the prestes is noted which wente aboute to vsurpe vnto them selues the gouernemente of the vyneyarde they them selues beynge but seruauntes This is an exaumple worthy to be noted of the ministers of the Churche to the ende they maye remember that they are Goddes seruantes and howe that they ought not challenge and take to them selues his authoritie rule but so to laboure in the vyneyarde that the fruite thereof may remayne to God and that they may onely seke for his glory A. For so the lorde sayde vnto his Apostelles I haue chosen you and ordeined you to go and brynge forthe fruite and that your fruite shoulde remayne 39 And they caught him and thrust him out of the vineyarde and slewe him And they caught him A. That wicked and cruell decree of the Phariseies agaynste the professours of Christ is well enough knowne by the whiche they conspired that if any confessed hym to be Christ hee shoulde be caste out of the synagogge Moreouer when they rated the blind maÌ they saide Be thou his disciple for wee are Moyses disciples And slevve him Bu. For the Lorde Iesus beinge taken and beinge condemned as ablasphemer and an excommunicate person was deliuered to Pilate to be crucifyed But the rulers of the people were in this poynte chiefely to be blamed whiche perswaded foolishe and common people that they shoulde aske to haue Christ geuen them to be crucified and Barrabas to be loused 40 VVhen the lord therfore of the vineyarde commeth what wyll he do vnto those husbande men Bu. Here the Iudgement of God is shewed whiche is prepared for all rebellyouse obstinate and vnthanckefull personnes For God the father cannot leaue suche horrible and crewell contempte of his onely begotten sonne vnpunyshed A. For he had also spoken to them by Moyses sayinge Whosoeuer wyll not harken vnto the woordes of the prophete which he shall speake in my name I wil require it of hym But those men durste not onely reiecte the sonne of God teachinge and speakinge vnto them but also they presumed with vyolence to put him to death yea euen to the most shamefull deathe of the crosse Wherefore they beinge worthy of the crewell vengeance of God haue felte at the length the hande of the lorde and the iust punishmentes of theyr rebellion 41 They saide vnto him For as much as they be euill he will trewely destroie them and will let out his vineyarde to other husbandemen whiche shall deliuer him the fruite in dew seasons He vvyll truely destroye them Bu. Our sauioure Christ by his former question caused the vnwise to confesse the truth For they are constrayned openly with theyr owne mouthes to grante that whiche he wolde hym selfe C. Notwithstanding the Euangelystes do here varry and dyffer a lyttell Our Euangelist Matthew saith that they were forced to coÌfesse this them selues Marke saith that Christ did symplelye pronounce what the ponishement of suche wycked seruantes shoulde be And Luke more euideÌtly as it might seeme dysagreeth from them bothe for when Christ had pronounced the ponishment against these wycked seruauntes they dyd dislike of it saying God forbid But if wee do more depely way serche for the sence and meaning we shal finde no repugnance or disagrement at all For these priestes not perceyuing at the fyrste that this parable pertayneth vnto them but thinkinge that Christe spake in dede of suche wicked and vnthanckfull housebandemen they by and by sayde Suche
of Scripture in one cause And yet for al that Chryst toke not this place before others without cause but hee chose it with an excelleÌt iudgement althoughe at a blushe it might seeme more obscure because fyrst of all it was mete that this place shoulde be known aboue al others amonge the Iewes namelye that they were redemed of the Lord because they were the chyldren of AbrahaÌ For there God doth pronouÌce that he came to helpe the afflicted people and addeth also that he dothe acknowledge that people for his owne in respecte of the adoption for the couenant that hee made with Abraham Howe commeth it to passe that God hath more respecte to the lyuinge than to the dead but onely because hee attrybuteth the fyrst degree of honour to the fathers with whom hee made his couenaunte And how shoulde they excel if they were extinguished by deathe This also is very well expressed by the relation For as no man can be saide to be a father without children neyther a kynge withoute-people euen so the lorde cannot properly be called God excepte he be the God of such as lyue Howebeit Christ doth not reason so muche of the common order of speach as hée doth of the promise which is included in these wordes For the Lord doth offer himselfe vnto vs to be our God vppon this condition that hée mighte in like maner make vs to be his people the which one thing is sufficient to the trust of full and perfect beatitude Wherevppon the Churche cryed after this maner as appeareth by the Prophete Thou arte our God from the beginninge wee shall not dye Seing therefore hee promiseth saluation to all those whose God hée sayth hee is and seing hee publisheth the same of Abraham Isaac Iacob after their death it followeth that ther is hope of life left to those that be dead B. Wee sée therefore how conningly our sauiour Christ hath gathered this that to whom soeuer the Lord is a God to him also hee is a sauiour and quickener for euer the which hée cannot be altogether to the dead that is to those from whom all hope of life is taken away For to whom soeuer God is a God him he blesseth that is hee declareth himselfe to him to be a God. But if the dead were wholy voyde of life as the Saduces thoughte and should neuer retourne to the same howe shoulde God blesse them or bestow any benefites vppon them The saintes therefore are not voyde of participation of life And least the Saduces should saye no man denyeth God to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob hee therefore addeth God is not the God of the deade But AbrahaÌ Isaac and Iacob were deade It is true they were are But to God they were not dead they are onely dead to the world to the fleshe and liue vnto god For all liue vnto him as sayth the Euangeliste Luke C. The which saying in the Scriptures is taken diuersly M. For wée liue vnto God when wée liue vnto him and not to the fleshe Wée are said also to liue vnto God when oure life dependeth vppon his power and not of our selues C. But oure sauiour Christe meaneth here that the faithful after they dye vnto the worlde liue a heauenlye life with God according to that which the Apostle Paule writeth saying that Christ after hee was receyued into the heauenly glorye liueth vnto God because hee was exempte from the infirmities and troubles of this transitory life But our sauiour Christ doth here with good aduisement declare that we ought not to iudge of the life of the Godly according to fleshly sence because it is layed vp in the secrete power of god For if they be almost like vnto deade men while they walke in the world much lesse any shew of life shall appeare in them after the death of the fleshe But God is faythfull and will preserue them aliue before him beyonde the reason of man If any man do obiecte and saye that the soules maye remaine aliue without any resurrectioÌ of the flesh Wee answered them alittle before where wée saide that these two were so knit and linked together that there could not be any seperation because the soules do aspyre and come to the heritage layed vp for them that as yet they mighte not obtaine their state M. After these thinges the Euangelist Marke writeth that Christ said againe you therefore greatly erre And the Euangelist Luke addeth saying Then certaine of the Phariseis answered and said Master thou hast well saide C. When as it is probable that al of them were euill affectioned God by his secrete power did as it were eitorte wringe this confession out of their mouthes Peraduenture it might be that although the Phariseis wished that Christ might be ouerthrowne and put to silence in this conflict with the Saduces yet notwithstanding because they sée that they are armed by his aunswere againste the contrary faction of the Saduces their ennemyes ambition brought to passe that they yelde the victory vnto Christ PerchauÌce also they were inflamed with enuye least the Saduces should bringe that to passe namely by putting Christ to syleÌce which they nor other for them could do But howe soeuer it was it came to passe by the prouidence of God that the most deadly ennemyes that he had subscribed and yelded also to his doctrine 33. And wheÌ the people heard this they were astonyed at his doctrine And vvhen the people hâârde this Bu. The people are iustly amazed at the answeres of God so excellent and full of wisedome For in them all there is wholesome profite and a certaine deuyne maiestye C. Notwithstanding wée must note the the doctrine of Godlynes was at the time so infected with so many wicked and false coÌments that it was not without cause counted as a myracle to haue the hope of the resurrection so trulye and aptly proued out of the law The people therefore are amazed at the wonderfull grace but obstinacy is mad and neuer in quiet and impiety is led by furious violence specially when the power of God appeareth 34. But when the Phariseis had hearde that he had put the Saduces to sileÌce they came together M. Here againe the nature and propertye of mallice appeareth For although the Phariseis had bene twise before put to sylence and made ashamed yet notwithstanding they assaye againe They came together Because the Saduces were inferiour in learning to the Phariseis as our sauioure Christ obiected against them the Phariseis thought it no marueile if they could preuaile nothinge at all against Christ Therefore they themselues boastinge of the knowledge of the Law do determine once againe more bouldlye to set vppon Christ They do now therefore suborne and coollerablelye set forth a Doctour of the Law whom Marke calleth a Scribe which might obiect a question of the law not to learne but rather to tempte 35. And one of them which was a Doctor of
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 coÌmaundement 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 coÌmaundements 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 couenauÌt 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 ⪠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 notwithstaÌding 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 meÌbers is more full and perfect yet notwithstaÌding 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
the Phariseies were gathered together Iesus asked them sayinge VVhile the Phariseis vvere gathered together M. The Phariseies were nowe gathered together to suborne and craftelye to set forthe some one whiche by puttynge forthe a question mighte tempte and intangle Christe the whiche thinge they went about a littell before to brynge to passe by the Lawyer of whom we spake euen now but in vayne When as therfore the Phariseies were gathered together whiche tooke vnto them selues the knoweledge of the lawe and the prophetes and yet were ignorante of the comminge of Christe because they dyd not greately desyer the same neyther vnderstode his maiestie and glory it is not without cause yf Chryste demaunde of them sayinge 42 VVhat think ye of Christ VVhose sonne is hee They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid VVhat think ye of Christ B. This is thought to be the laste talke that our Sauyoure Christ had with the Phariseies and his aduersaries by the whiche he wente about to prouoke them to knowe him except those thinges whiche he aunswered them to when he was taken of them By these wordes therefore he wente about to stirre vp theyr mindes and to admonishe them of his kingedome if so be that there were any amongest them which were curable the they might loke for Chryst to be greater than the carnall kinge yea and more excellente than Dauid his father For those that were carnal hoped for nothing but carnal things VVhose son is he C. The Euangelistes Marke Luke do more plainely expresse why Christ demaunded this question namely because a wicked opinion preuayleth among the Scribes that the promised redemer sholde be one of the sonnes successors of Dauid which shold bring nothing with him more excelent than the humaine nature For by by at the beginning Sathan by all meanes possible wente about to supplante some false fayned Christ whiche shoulde not be the true mediatour of God and man And because God had so often times promised that Christ should come of the séede and sprynge out of the loynes of Dauid this perswasion was so depely rooted in the hartes of al men among the Iewes that they coulde in no wise abide to haue him depriued of the humaine nature Sathan therfore suffered Christ to be acknowledged to be a trew man and the sonne of Dauid because he sholde in vaine haue gone about to take away this part of fayth being so euident common amoÌg al men but that which was worse he spoyled him of his deitie as though he should be some one of the sonnes of AdaÌ And after this sorte the hope of the euerlasting life to come spiritual righteousnes was abolished But so sone as Christ was declared vnto the worlde the Heretiques went about by many subtil meanes deceites to ouerthrowe one while his humaine nature an other while his diuine nature least that he should either haue full power to saue vs or elles least we shold haue familiar accesse vnto him But because the houre of his deathe was at hande the lorde hym selfe thoughte good to make his deitie Godhed known that the trust of al the godly might be reposed in him without all feare or doubting For if he were onely a man it were neither lawefull for vs to glory in hym nor yet to hope for saluatioÌ by him Now let vs note that his purpose and intente was not so much for his owne sake to declare him selfe to be the sonne of God as it was to ground our faith vpon his heauenly power For as the infirmitie of the fleshe by the whiche hee made him selfe nere of kynne vnto vs dothe incourage vs that we should not doubt to come vnto him euen so if we sholde haue onely respect vnto the same we shall be rather filled with feare and desperation than with any god trust and confidence Notwithstanding we must note that the Scribes are not repreheÌded because they did teach Christ to be the sonne of Dauid but because they immagined him to be a mere man which should come from heauen to put vpon him the nature and person of a man Neither doth the Lord altogether speake of himselfe but simplely sheweth that the Scribes do wickedlye erre in that they loked that the redemer should come onely of the earth and humaine progeny And althoughe it was an olde opinion amonge them yet notwithstandinge wee gather by this our Euangelist Mathewe that they were asked before the people what they thought They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid Bu. It was euident by many promises of Scripture that Christ should come of the seede of Dauid A. but they which dayly redde these promises and interpreted them to the people loked for nothinge to be more in the person of Christ then a man Therefore they make aunswere vnto Christe whiche was most common and vsuall amongest them namely that the Messias was the sonne of Dauid 43 Hee saide vnto them howe then doth Dauid in spirite call him Lorde sayinge Hovve then doth Dauid M. Christ our sauiour doth not reprehende the Phariseis as we said eueÌ now because they coÌfessed him to be the sonne of Dauid but because men commonlye denied him whiche shoulde be the Messias to be nothyng elles but an earthlye kinge which should bringe the people of God into a certaine earthly libertye and that he should so inlarge the tereene and transitory kingdome that it should exteÌd it selfe euen to the endes of the worlde that hee shoulde be of the tribe of Dauid for this cause I say he thought good in the presence of some to geue them occasioÌ to haue a farther coÌsideration of his glory maiesty namely that he was not the sonne of Dauid according to the flesh but also the sonne of Dauid Dauids lord For in respect that he toke fleshe of the virgin Mary his is the sonne of Dauid in respecte that hee was conceiued by the holye ghoste he is the sonne of God and Dauids lord Therfore this is no new or late inuented error For this impietie raigned among the phariseis long before be came into the worlde So that the deuill hath soughte froÌ the beginning as it is saide already to take awaye the deitie godheade from Christ that by that meanes al the saluation of mankind might be vtterly quite ouerthrowen In spirite The Euangelist Marke hath Inspired with the holye ghoste And the EuaÌgelist Luke in stede of both these hath In his boke of Psalmes C. But Christ declareth that Dauiddyd speake in the spirit expresly with great emphasis and force For he opposeth and setteth the prophesie of the thing to com against the testimony of the thing preseÌt And the cauill by the which the Iewes at this day excuse theÌ selues is this They say that by this prophesye the kingedome of Dauid is celebrated as though he apointing God to be the author of his raygne wolde rise against the mad enterprises beastly practises of his enemies
sentence was muche vsed of Christ and obiected to the common sort of people as a prouerbe 13. VVo vnto you Scribes and Phariseis ye ypocrites for yee shut vp the kingdome of heaueÌ before meÌ ye neither go in your selues neither suffer ye them that come to enter in VVo vnto you Scribes and Phariseis C. Our sauiour Christ as yet doth earnestly inueye against the Scribes Phariseis the which he doth not so muche for their sakes as hee did it to reuoke the people and simple sorte from their secte For although we see that the vengeance of God is oftentimes in the Scriptures pronounced against the reprobate to the ende they mighte be made the more voide of excuse yet notwithstandinge vnder their person the children of God are profitablely admonished that they wrap not themselues in the same snares of wickednes but that they beware of the like destruction Truly when the Scribes the worship of God beinge ouerthrowne and the doctrine of godlines being corrupted woulde beare no correction and set themselues against the redemptioÌ offered vnto them by desperate madnes to the destruction both of themselues and of the people it was necessary that they should be hated and detested of all men Howbeit Christe had not respect so much what they deserued as hee had what was profitable to the rude and ignoraunte For he mente about the ende of his life to leaue some solemne testimonye least that anye man excepte willinglye and wittinglye might be deceiued by those wicked varlates For wee know howe great a let to the simple the foolishe reuerence of false teathers is least they should be deliuered froÌ errors The Iewes at that time were endued with false doctrine yea from their infancye they had sucked in manye superstitions How difficult hard a thing should it be then of it selfe to bringe them into the waye for the preposterous and wronge opinion which they had conceiued of the false teachers did greatly hinder them because in deede they thoughte them to be the lawfull gouerners of the Churche the prelates of deuine worship and the pillers of pietye Moreouer we maye deeme that they were so bewitched that they could not well be drawne from the same except it were by violent feare Christ therefore doth not pronounce the horrible veÌgeance of God against them that hee might cure the Scribes but that hee might feare the rest from their deceites and snares In like maner at this daye wee are constrayned to thunder more vehementlye againste the Popishe clergye for no other cause but this that they which are tractable and easye to be taughte and not altogether reiected and caste of of the Lorde may attende and geeue eare to their saluation and beinge striken and astonyed at the iudgemente of God maye breake the deadlye snares of superstition wyth the which they were helde captiue Whereby wee may gather how cruell their tender softnes is to whom our vehemencye is greuous It displeaseth them that the wolues are sharpelye vexed and punished whiche dailye seeke and gape to spoile and deuoure the sheepe and yet notwithstandinge they see that the sillye sheepe beinge deceiued by a vaine and counterfeite shewe do willingly cast themselues into the mouthes of the raueninge wolues excepte the sheepeheard whiche desiereth to haue them saued and goeth aboute to deliuer them from destruction do driue them awaye with the crye of his voyce Wee must note therefore the purpose of Christ that wee by his example may seuerely threaten the wolues and wicked deceiuers and may bouldly cry against them that whosoeuer are cureable maye flee from them for feare of destruction For although this profiteth nothinge with the ennemies of the truth yet notwithstandinge they muste be cited to the tribunall seate of God and others admonished that they may know that the same curse haÌgeth ouer their heades excepte they departe be times from their wicked purpose Yee hypocrites M. Christe pronounceth this malediction or cursse against these ypocrites eight times in this Chapter and that trulye with suche vehemencye of the spirite as he is read neuer to do the lyke to anye man at anye other time Wee are therefore admonished and taughte by this place that no sort of men howe pestilent and hurtfull soeuer they be can be subiecte to a greater curse than these ypocrites and not onelye these but all suche of like condition For yee shut vp the kingdome of Heauen C. Christ doth denounce a cursse agaynst them because they peruert their office to the destruction of the whole multitude For seing that the regiment of the Church was in theyr handes they should haue bene as porters of the kingdome of Heauen For to what ende pertayneth Religion and holye doctrine but onelye to open the kingdome of Heauen vnto vs For wee knowe that all mankinde is banished from God and excluded from the inheritaunce of euerlastinge life and saluation But the doctrine of Godlynes is as it were the waye by the which wee enter into life Therefore the Scripture sayth metaphoricallye that the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are geuen to the pastors as wee haue more largelye declared in the sixtene Chapter goinge before And this definition must be obserued which more euidently also maye be gathered by the woordes of S. Luke where Christe reproueth the Lawyears and casteth in their teethe that they toke away the keye of knowledge and that because they beinge the keepers of the deuine lawe defrauded the people of the true vnderstandinge thereof Euen as therefore at this daye the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are committed vnto the pastors that they maye admit the faythfull into euerlastinge life and depriue the faithfull of all hope of the same euen so in times paste the same office was inioyned and committed to the hye Priestes and Scribes vnder the lawe M. The doore of the kingdome of Heauen was opened by the comminge of the preachinge of the Gospell the which the Scribes did shut vp before men when they draue them from the enterance thereof that is to saye from the fayth of the Gospell condemninge the doctrine of Christe least the people shoulde receiue the same C. Furthermore by this woorde knowledge whereof Luke maketh mencion we gather howe folishly the Papistes faine and imagin to themselues keyes as though there were a certaine magicall power without the word of god For Christ declareth that no other vse these keyes than they whiche are the ministers of doctrine If anye man obiect that the Phariseis although they were peruerse interpretors of the law yet that they had neuerthelesse the keyes we answe are that although they were committed vnto them in respect of their office yet notwithstaÌding that they were suppressed by mallice and fraude insomuch that no vse of them remained Therefore Christ saith that they toke away or stale that keye of knowledge by the which they shoulde haue opened Heauen doore euen as it is seene in the Papacy
bloude of Zacharye the sonne of Barachias whome he slewe betwene the temple and the altar That vppon you may come B. Bu. To haue the iust bloude come vpon any man is to be gilty of bloude and to haue bloude required at his handes that is to be punished and to haue vengeance recompeÌced for the bloud whiche was shed C. Christ doth not only detracte and plucke away froÌ the Scribes Phariseis that whiche they falselye arrogated to them selues but also teacheth that they were adorned with the Prophetes to a quight coÌtrary ende that no age might be frée from the mischife of wicked rebellion For the pronoune you doth generally comprehende the whole people from their firste originall or beginning Obiection If anye man do obiecte and saye that it doth not agrée with the iudgemente of God that the punishementes of the fathers faltes shoulde be layed vppon the children wee maye easelye aunswere that seinge they also by wycked conspiracy wrapped them selues in the same vngodlines it oughte not to seme absurde if God punishinge euery one of them alike do laye the punishemente dewe to the fathers vppon the heades of the children Therefore iustly a count is to be made and punishment also to be had of the whole people for the continuall contempte at the lenghte in whose time or in what age soeuer it commeth Forâ⦠as God by the longe continuance of his pacience did constantly contende with the malice of the whole people euen so all of them by their iuste deserte werr made giltye of the inflexible obstinacy which coÌtinued euen vntil the laste hower as euery age by compacte consente murthered their Prophetes euen so it is mete that they be called to common and general iudgement and all the slaughters which were coÌmitted by one consented to be reuenged vpon al B. Bu. The Lorde therfore doth not only threaten the reuenge of those whome they shoulde kil but also the reuenge of those whome their elders had slaine signifiyng the beseginge and vtter destruction of this people For these men did kyll Christe the heade of all Saints and his Apostles also greater than all Saintes as they whiche broughte the more perfecte knowledge of God to the world therefore they did not onely finishe but also excéede the crueltye of all their forefathers whiche had shed the innocent bloud of the Prophetes So that euen as they had the crueltye of them al finished to the full so they made themselues gylty of all the iuste bloud which they at any time had shed For as all the saints from the first to the laste are all one body hauing Christe their heade and what benefits the Lorde geueth to their posteritye he saythe that he geueth them to their fathers euen so all the wicked doe consiste of one bodye hauynge Sathan their heade wee saye that vengeance is rewarded them and that they are punished with such punishmeÌts which are not felt of theÌ in this lyfe with the whiche they are afflicted in dede but firste of all are takeÌ vpoÌ their posterity So the Amalachites fought against Israel wheÌ they came out of Egipte The which thing the Lord coÌmaunded to be written in a booke for a remembrance and to be committed to the eares of Iosue promisinge that he wolde vtterly roote oute that people in somuch that no remnaunte of theÌ should remayne for a memoriall But the lorde performed that thing first of al by Saule within forty yeres after or thereabout that this people the Amalachites had offeÌded and so the vengeance or reuenge of that falte fell vpon them whiche neuer committed the same by externall falte Notwithstanding this God was not vniust in reuenging vpoÌ them that which their fathers had coÌmitted For these at the last had fulfylled and whollye rynyshed the wickednesse of their fathers so that the same wickednes did specially deserue to be ponished externally in them After this manner therefore the crueltie also of all those whiche haue shed at any time iust bloud and the impietie of these Iewes at the laste whiche were destroyed by Titus came to the full and fulfilled the same measure whiche deserued extreame vengeaunce It was reuenged therefore and ponished in them by right and they were iustely plagued for an example to the whole world NotwithstaÌdinge in the meane tyme also they which were before these men were no lesse ponished for their offence but priuatelye but they receyued the more publique and greatter ponishement whiche were destroyed by Titus This is a horrible malediction and cursse if we communicate and take parte in the wyckednesse of the vngodly we shall not onely beare the ponishemente of oure owne synnes but of their synnes also From the bloud of the righteouse Abell C. Althoughe Abell were not slayne of the Iewes yet notwithstanding Christ imputeth his deathe vnto them because euen among those there was a certain affinitie of the wickednes of Cayne otherwise it wolde not agree that he saith that the iust bloud was shedd from the begynninge of the worlde by this generation Cayne therefore is appointed the headde the prince and authour of the Iewishe people because in that they began to kill the prophetes they succeded and came into his place whose followers they were A. He calleth Abell iuste because by a lyuely fayth in the promised redemer he offered vp sacrifice acceptable to God. As concernynge the which matter reade the leuenth chapter to the Hebrewes Vntyll the bloudde of Zachary C. He nameth Zachary not as thoughe he were the laste martyr for the Iewes had not then made an ende of kyllynge the Prophetes but rather herevpon their boldenes and mad fury increased and they which came after dyd ingurge and fyl them selues with the bloudde whiche theyr fathers onelye had lycked neyther yet because his death was the more comonly known although the holye Scrypture dothe celebrate the same but there is an other cause the whiche beinge worthye to be noted was vnknowen to the interpretours Wherby also it came to passe that they were not onely deceiued but the readers also were brought into greate doubte For Christ might seme to be forgetfull when he rehersynge an olde slaughter omitteth an innumerable heape of murthers whiche were afterwarde commytted vnder Manasses For the Iewes dyd not ceasse to persecute wickedly the saintes and holye men of God euen vnto the time of transmigration or departure into Babilon yea when the affliction of the Iewes was come we knowe howe cruelly they dealt with the prophete Ieremy But trewely the Lorde didde not seeke to cast in theyr teethe those lately done murthers but he rather chose this old and ancient slaughter whiche was the beginninge and originall of mischeuouse libertie that they might afterwarde burste forthe into vnbrydled crueltie because this was more meete for his purpose For wee declared euen nowe that this was the effect of his counsell and purpose that seing that nation did not cease and leaue
daungerous least they should quayle being ouerwhelmed with euels specially if they had promised vnto them selues quiet ease But he speaketh not here symplely but by a coÌparison that there were always warres but neuer such greuouse warres For about the begynning of Christes commyng or about the beginninge of the Gospell they preuayled more and more B. Furthermore these rumours of warres and warres that is to saye tumultes seditions and murthers began specially and chiefely to bee in the tyme of Cumanus lieftenaunt whiche succeded Tyberius Alexander of whome Iosephus maketh mention Within a whyle after there insued an other tumulte betwene the Iewes and the Samaritanes with greate slaughter of men and spoylyng of townes After that there followed an other tumulte at Caesaria But when P. Festus had succeded Felix of whiche succesion mention is made in the fower and twenty chapter of the Actes he went aboute to delyuer that Prouince form theues but the vengeaunce of God stayinge the same he coulde not The sayde Festus being succeded by Albinus and Albinus by C. Florus all kynde of wyckednes ouerflowed For as these twoo but specially Florus lefte nothyng vndone pertayning to tyranny extreame and open iniurie and rapine euen so therewith the bouldenes of those that were seditious amonge the Iewes did dayly more and more increase where vpon immediatly came tumultes hurly-burlys roberies open violence and by little and lyttle cruel murthers and the people were vexed daylye with vnspeakeable euels and calamities tyll that they were driuen to iust rebellion with suche vnwonted force and violent crueltie not heard of before he raged against them But kyng Agrippa went many wayes about to diswade and dehorte them from rebellion yet all in vayne At the length therefore when they had preuayled whiche sought to renewe thynges the Romane power and the garryson of kyng Agrippa did assault the cittie of Hierusalem with open warre and being forced to yelde after they had geuen handes and promysed lyfe with an othe they slewe ouery one of them sauing only Mutilius the lieftenaunt After that Cestius the presideÌt of Syria did bid the cittizens of Hierusalem battaile But he being forced to rayse his siege and to auoyde the force of the Iewes by flight the authours of the rebellion were made more boulde and hauing gotten all power they brought vnto them selues and to theires muche euell vntyll suche tyme as they were altogether banyshed by Titus Of all the whiche thynges Iosephus wryteth at large form the eleuenth chapiter of the seconde booke of the warre of the Iewes vnto the ende of the seuenth booke Be not troubled S. To be troubled by reason of warres in this place is to doubte of the truthe of the worde the whiche thyng we doe when we iudge of the woorde by vncertayne thynges B. as at this daye it happeneth with them whiche for the present happe and chaunce doe eyther begyn to doubte of the Gospell or to haue the same in suspicion or els altogether to coÌdemne it For all these thinges must firste come This woorde Must conteineth in it no small consolation For what wyse man wil be afflicted for the thing whiche cannot otherwyse be But what man that trusteth in God wyll be troubled when that commeth to passe whiche must nedes happen by the ordinaunce of God the whiche thing must nedes be beste and moste wholsome for the saynctes of God God truly wyll not haue those that are his to bee troubled in these necessary and continuall tormoyles of thinges but to bee of a stoute mynde as those that knowe it to bee the decree and ordinaunce of god He saieth that it must nedes bee and yet notwithstandinge hee sheweth not the cause but declareth that none of all these thinges come to passe by chauÌce or without the prouidence of God least we shoulde in vayne kycke against the pricke For there is nothynge more effectuall to bryng vs vnder than when we do acknowledge that those thinges whiche seme moste confused are moderated by the wyll and pleasure of god For to God him selfe iust causes and true reasons why he suffereth the worlde to be troubled are neuer wantinge but because it is mete that the faythfull doe areste in the mere and good pleasure of God Christe thoughte it sufficient to exhorte the disciples to haue their mindes armed with constancie to beare and suffer because so it pleased God. By these woordes also he dothe shewe vnto vs that his kyngdome dothe not brynge vs pleasaunte delightes and suche other lyke commodities of this worlde but that it is spirituall and he dothe as it were demonstrate with the fynger that wee must haue respecte to somewhat els than to the earth and the commodities of this present lyfe Neither dothe this woorde Must signifie any thing that is fatall or belonging to desteny as certayne fanaticall or mad men doe deme For it hath alwayes one cause or other and it is profitable to bee done for those causes before mencioned But the ende is not yet Christe here more playnely vttereth that whiche we spake of before namely that those thinges whiche were greuous of theÌ selues were notwithstanding onely certayne enteraunces and beginninges of greater calamities because whan the flame of warres had corrupted Iury it would burste out further For in that the doctrine of the Gospell was spread abroade the lyke ingratitude among other nations dyd kyndle the wrathe of God. Hereupon it came to passe that they whiche had broken the bonde of peace with God dyd nowe teare one an other with mutuall debate that they whiche refused before to obeye God are nowe gladde to submitte them sleues to the violence of their ennemies that they whiche before woulde not abyde to be reconciled vnto God are nowe together by the eares one with an other and that they whiche depryued them selues of heauenly saluation haue nowe fylled the earth with murther in sleying one an other M. Therefore by these woordes hee sheweth that these sedicions shall bee of longe continuance And it is a verye proffitable admonition leaste men shoulde thynke that they haue done enough if they haue escaped twoo or three daungers but rather that they shoulde alwayes bee readye to a newe fyghte For seynge the lyfe of man is a continuall warrefare vppon earthe we ought not to promyse vnto our selues a quiet state whyle we are in this worlde 7 Nation shall ryse againste nation and kyngdome against kyngdome there shall be pestilence and hunger and earthquakes in all places Nation shall ryse against nation B. This proued to true to Caesarea Scythopolis Ascalon Ptolmaida Alexandria and afterwarde to Damasi where tenne thousande were slayne finally to the kyngdome of Agrippa and to all Syria and the kyngdomes there aboutes of the whiche Iosephus maketh mention And there shal be pestilence M. In the third place he putteth those sygnes of the wrath of God and of the destruction to come whiche shoulde be from heauen As concerninge these plagues
What therefore remaineth nowe but that wee shoulde looke daye by daye and euery hower for this latter daye of iudgemente the verye moment whereof is only knowne vnto the Lorde 29. And knewe not of it till the floude came and tooke them all awaye So shall also the comminge of the Son of man be And they knevv not Z. When he saythe that they knewe not it semeth to signify as much as they would not know in this place For there are some whiche wittinglye wyll fall into error and ignorance Or els it maye thus be expounded They dyd not knowe that is they did not beleue that there shoulde bee a floude vntill suche tyme as the floude came vppon them in dede C. The well springe therfore and cause of their ignorance was vnbelefe whiche had altogether blinded their mindes as the Apostell also teacheth in his epistell to the Hebrewes sayinge that by the eyes of faith he sawe afore hande the vengeance of GOD whiche was hydden as yet that he mighte feare the same in tyme And oure Sauiour Christe here compareth Noe with the reste of the worlde and the Euangeliste â⦠Luke compareth Lot with the Sodomites that the saithfull maye learne to prepare them selues leaste they wanderinge with others vanishe awaye And wee muste note that the reprobate did therefore syt downe carelesly in their wickednes because the Lord did not voutchsafe to aduertise any with his sauing admonition to beware but his seruaÌts only not because the floud was altogether hidden from the inhabitants of the earth whose eyes might behold a sorowful sight by the space of a hondered yeres more all the whiche time Noe was preparinge the Arke but because one maÌ was specially admonished by the wil of God as concerninge the destruction to come of the whole worlde was erected to the hope of saluation And nowe althoughe the fame of the last iudgemeÌt do sounde in the eares of al men yet notwithstaÌding because fewe being taught froÌ aboue do vnderstaÌde that Christ shal come a iudge in his time it is mete that they be stirred vp and their sences sharpened by this singuler benefite of God least they fal into the coÌmon ignorance For to this ende Peter compareth the Arke of Noe with our baptisme namely because a fewe that is to saye eyghte soules were saued by the water and seperated from the reste Wherefore wee muste seke to be of this small nomber if we desyere to be saued And tooke them all avvaye S. He noteth the small nomber of those whiche were deliuered and saued from the floude for all perished excepte eyghte persons only as testifyeth the Scripture So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Reade the ende of the seuen and thyrtye verse goinge before 40. Then shall twoo be in the felde the one receiued and the other to be refused B. He sheweth here that there shal be wonderfull choyse and also that fewe shal be saued at his comming and he doth therewith admonishe vs by these woordes to watche carefully that wee maye be of the nomber of those whiche shal be receiued into eternal life As if he should saye Euen as in the time of the floude a fewe were taken vp into the Arke saued the reste shut out of the dores and perished so at the comminge of the Son of manne those that shall perishe shall sodenly be deuided from those that must be saued neither shall God spare anye man from the hyeste to the lowest For the elect shal be taken vp and the damned shut into prison Two shal be laboring in the felde about one worke for one rewarde the one of them shal be receyued and the other forsaken 41. Twoo women shabe grinding together at the mill the one shal be receiued and the other refused Twoo in a bed the one receiued the other refused Tvvoo vvemen shal be grynding at the mill A. By these woordes he declareth the wonderfull diuision that shal be at the laste daye C. Therefore the EuaÌgeliste Luke speaketh of those which are ioyned together in one bed leaste that couples by the which men are mutually bounde one to an other in this worlde shoulde holde backe or staye the godly For often times it commeth to passe that while one man looketh vpon an other none setteth forwarde Therfore that euery maÌ the bond knot being loused might spedely ronne for himselfe Christ teacheth the out of one paire or couple one yoake fellow shal be receiued the other refused not because it is necessary that they whiche are ioyned together shoulde be so deuided for the holy bonde of piety wil bringe to passe that the honest woman shall cleane to the honeste man but Christe onelye wente aboute to exhorte all men to make haste that he mighte cut of all lets and stayes that they whiche were now ready to roonne shoulde tary for theyr fellowes in vaine A. To the which effecte pertayneth this exhortacion of the Apostell Seinge then that all these things shal perishe what maner of persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynes lookinge for and hastynge vnto the comming of the daye of God. The one receiued the other refused Z. As if he shoulde saye the Lord knoweth who are his the electe shall not be forsaken but shal be gathered and receiued vnto me althoughe some sodeine feare do take theÌ at the firste yet shall faithe come at the laste and putte awaye all feare To receiue is a worde of Grace And as touchinge that whiche appartaineth to the grynders wee maye gather out of the lawes and hystories of them of old time that men seruants maides were wont to be sente and put into the wyll As appeareth in the eleuenth chapter of Exod. where it is saide vnto the firste borne of the mayd seruant that is behind the mill 42. VVatche therfore for ye knowe not what howre the Lord will come VVatche therefore B. He taketh occasion to exhorte them to watche of the vncertainty of his comminge What it is to watche he afterwarde declareth by this that he saith Be ye ready For vigilaÌtly to looke for the comming of the Lorde is nothynge els than to be in a redines to receiue hym with ioye He speaketh not of the bodelye watche but of the watchynge of the minde that is a continuall care desyer and looking for the Lorde to come The Euangeliste Sainct Luke addeth continually leaste we should thinke that wee must watche onelye for a tyme. For ye knovve not vvhat hovver C. We must note that the vncertaine time of Christs comminge which bringeth slouthful security to the greatest part of men ought to be a prouocatioÌ to stirre vs vp to watchinge warding For God would haue this time hidden from vs by his secrete counsell that wee beinge voyde of care at no tyme maye alwayes watche For what triall should there be of faith and pacience if the faithfull leading their whole life in pleasures mighte haue
excluded whome Christe will acknowledge and whome he will reiecte All are virgins by profession al haue lampes all are called to the mariage to welcome the brydegrome but howe vnmete they are it shall appeare at the comming of the brydegrome And fiue vvere vvyse C. In the chapiter going before the Lorde shewed that he would haue the stewardes to bee wyse aboue all others because it is mete that the more burthen a man hath and is occupied in waighty matters the more wysely hee ought to behaue him selfe but nowe he requireth wysedome generally of all the chyldren of God least in rashe running they make them selues a pray vnto Sathan 3 They that were foolishe tooke their lampes but tooke no oyle with them M. Although there is nothinge handeled here but the manner of receiuinge brydegromes whiche was vsed in that contrey being therefore set foorthe that the faithfull might be admonished howe they might bee prepared to mete with the heauenly brydegrome Christe least they being vnprepared should be shut out from his weddinge yet notwithstanding it shall proffite to vnderstande here mistically by the lampes all externall worship coÌuersation righteousnes honestie and all the workes of charitie 4. But the wyse toke oyle with them in their vessels with the lampes also C. He noteth this to be a token of wysdome for the faithfull to seke to arme them selues with necessary helpes to finishe and accomplyshe the race of their lyfe For the tyme although it be shorte semeth by reason of our exceading impacience to be very muche prolonged furthermore such is our nede that it wanteth helpes euery moment 5 VVhyle the bridegrome taried they all slombered and slepte VVhyle the brydegrome taried M. Christ here declareth that it wylbe late before he come for his retourne is in the ende of the worlde and is reserued till the latter tymes For it must nedes be that the nomber of the electe be fulfilled least the company of the saintes should be accomplished without those of the latter tymes and ââ¦east the iniquitie and malice of this worlde should come to the full before it be iudged and condemned euen as we reade of the Sodomytes and of the Cananeaus whose punishemente by the longe sufferinge of God was so muche differred that by the fulnes of iniquitie it was made rype M The Apostle Peter declareth another cause also of this prolonginge of the tyme. The Lorde is not slacke saithe he as some men counte slacknes but is pacient to you warde for so muche as he woulde haue no man loste but would haue al men tourne to repentaunce These thinges are to be coÌsidered least that we drawe the slacknes of the Lordes comming with the wicked into an argument of vnbeliefe and negligence They all slombered and slepte C. In that some take this slepe here mentioned in euell parte as though the faythfull gaue them selues to slouthfulnes as wel as others and sleape in the vanities of this worlde let vs knowe that it is contrary to the meaning of Christe and to the order of the parable It should be more probable to vnderstande it of death of the which the faythfull taste before the comming of Christ for we must not now onely loke for saluation but also when we being departed this lyfe reste in Christe Notwithstanding it is more simplely vnderstode of earthly busines with the which it is necessary that the faithful be intangled so long as they dwell in the fleshe For although thei neuer ought to forget the kingdome of God yet notwithstanding the departure out of this worlde is not amis compared to a slepe Neither can they waighte so diligently to mete Christ but that diuers cares of this lyfe do either drawe theÌ back make them slowe or intangle them Whervpon it commeth to passe that in watchinge they are in some point a sleape M. We are truly by a thousande intisementes drawen awaye but yet for al that we ought to haue oyle in store alwayes at what hower soeuer he cal It cannot be but that we should haue our myndes occupied for Sathan dothe assaulte vs by woÌderful meanes in the meane tyme let vs not be without oyle that we maye declare our selues not to bee vnprepared The infidell being called of the Lorde is by and by troubled he thinketh of his lampe but hath nothing in a redines On the contrary parte the faithfull is neuer take without his forniture and thinges necessary appertaining to him 6 And euen at midnighte there was a crie made beholde the bridegrome commeth go out to mete him C. This crie is here metaphorically put for the sodayne comming For we knowe by experience that so often as any newe thing or vnloked for happeneth men are wont to make a tumulte The Lorde truely crieth dayly that he wyll come shortly but then ale the whole worlde shall sounde and the terrefiynge maiestie shall so fulfill heauen and earth that it shal not only waken those that are asleape but also make the dead to ryse out of their graues A. according to this saying The hower shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall here his voyce 7. Then all those Virgins arose and prepared their lampes Then all those Virgins arose M. Euen as the slackenes of Christes comming doth make euen the wyse slouthfull so the loude crye of his comminge will styrre vp not onelye the wyse but also the folish and will make them carefull howe they maye meete with Christ And prepared their Lampes All truly shal adorne and set forth the meetinge of the Lord as wel these fooles as the wise but by another maner of preparation farre differinge from theirs The wyse because they haue oyle in their lampes maye easelye light them and make them ready but the foolishe cannot do so They at the last when it is to late go about to borrow vnoccupyed lampes when they shoulde meete with the Lorde 8. So the foolishe saide vnto the wyse geue vs of your oyle for our lampes are gone out C. In these wordes is declared theyr late repentance which feele not theyr want and lacke till all remedy is past For they are therefore condemned of folishnes which do not prouide and store themselues for a long time because they carelesly please themselues in theyr neede do so ouerpasse the time of mutuall communication that they despise the helpe offered vnto them Because therefore they remember not in due time the preparinge of theyr oyle Christe derydinge their to late knowledge sheeweth what punishmente they shall haue for theyr slouthe because they shall see that they are voyde and drye without profit 9. But the wyse aunswered sayinge not so least there be not anoughe for vs and you but go ye rather to them that sell and by for your selues No not so least there be not C. We do know that the giftes of God are therfore diuersly distributed of the Lorde to euery one according to their proper measure
do contende sayinge than we domerit the kingdome of God by our workes C. But if the cause of our saluation were disputed of here they shoulde not gather amisse that wee deserue eternal lyfe by our good workes but seing the purpose of Christ was nothinge els than to exhort his Disciples to the studye of a godly life they do falsely gather of his wordes that oure woorkes are able to merite In that they stande vppon the casuall worde For it is nothinge For we know that the cause is not alwayes noted but rather the consequence when eternall life is promised to the iust Howbeit there is a more plaine aunsweare to be made For wee do not deny a reward to be promised to good workes but wee say that the free reward is not promised to good workes because it dependeth of the adoption The Apostle Paule reioyseth that there is a croune of righteousnes layed vp for him but wherevppon hath he this trust but onlye because hee was a member of Christe which is the only heyre of the celestiall kingdome Hee sayth that the iust Iudge shall geeue him this crowne but howe hath hee this reward but onely because hee is freely adopted and indued with righteousnes of the whiche wee are all voyde These two thinges therefore are to be noted namelye that the faithfull are called to the possession of the heauenly kingdome in respect of good woorkes not because they haue deserued the same by the righteousnes of workes or because they of their owne strength can gette the same to themselues but because God doth iustifye those whom hee hath first chosen Secondly although by the guiding of the spirite they aspyre to the study of righteousnes yet notwithstaÌdinge because they neuer satisfye the lawe of God there is no rewarde due vnto them but that is called a rewarde which is geuen to them freely Z. Moreouer it is a thinge often vsed in the Scriptures to geeue that vnto the latter which belongeth vnto the first as to workes that which pertayneth to fayth and againe that is oftentimes attributed to faith which is onelye proper to the deuine election Wherefore these workes here added muste not so be taken as thoughe for them God will call the electe to the possession of his kingdome but because these woorkes do testify that they are blessed of the father and chosen to the possession of the kingdome before the worlde was made by the whiche workes they declared that they were endued with the spirite of the father For to blesse the needy is a worke only belonging to the spirite of the father 36. I was naked and ye clothed mee sicke and ye visited mee I was in prisoÌ and ye came vnto mee I vvas naked and yee clothed mee C. Christe doth not recken vp here all the partes of a godly and holy lyfe but onely toucheth for examples sake certaine duties of charitie by the whiche we declare that we worship God. For although the worshippe of God doth farre excell the loue of men and therfore faythe and inuocation are preferred before almes dedes yet notwithstanding Christe dothe iustly set before vs the testimonies of true righteousnes whiche doe more appeare If a man shoulde bee beneficiall to his neighboures and liberal to the poore and yet a coÌtemner of God his mercy would profite him nothing at all to please God because in the meane tyme he defraudeth him of his right Christ therefore doth not place the suÌme of righteounes in almes dedes but doth shewe as it were by more familiar signes what it is to lyue godly iustly the the faythful truely might not only professe with the mouthe but also proue by serious exercises that they woorship god Wherefore fantasticall mad men doe very preposterously vnder the coloure of this place withdrawe theÌ selues bothe from the hearing of the woorde and also from the vse of the holy supper from other spirituall exercises because by the same coloure they would also reiect faith the bearing of the crosse prayers chastity and suche lyke But truely Christe mente nothyng lesse than to restrayne the rule of lyfe whiche is conteyned in the two tables of the lawe to parte of the seconde table Yet notwithstanding these are the true exercises of Christians to doe good vnto their neyghboures And by this meanes God shall haue a tryall of vs whether we loue hym truely or no. For seing that hypocrites fayne them selues to serue God it is shewed vnto them out of the seconde table that their seruice is false For he whiche stealeth curseth and so forth although he be dayly occupied in prayer yet he bewrayeth his impietie euen as he that dothe well declareth his goodnes to al men There are truely some tymes wycked persones whiche are innocent among men and yet in the meane time idolaters And therefore bothe do comprehende pietie and loue for loue onely is not sufficient neither is that preferred before fayth and the inuocation of God for the worship of God is more excellent than any dutie belonginge to men seing the duties whiche pertayne vnto men do stande vpon the worship and pietie in god M. There are also many other excelleÌt workes which without all doubte shall be acknowledged and allowed at that daye in Christians as the woorkes of those whiche wyll forsake all yea their lyfe for Christes sake that faithfully worke in dispensing misteries many other suche lyke but hee reherseth those whiche maye generally agree to all Christians in so muche that he whiche is founde here voyde of synceritie may be reiected as one not pertayning vnto Christe Although therefore Christe commending vnto vs loue excludeth not the duties pertaining to the worship of God yet notwithstaÌding he teacheth his disciples that this shal be the lawefull triall of holy lyfe namely if they exercise them selues in loue according to the saying of the Prophete I wyll haue mercy and not sacrifice because that hypocrites being couetous cruel deceiuers violent dealers proude and suche lyke do notwithstanding fayne holines by the pompe shewe of ceremonies Whereby also we gather that if we couet to haue our lyfe allowed and accepted before the hie Iudge we may not wander in our own inuencions but we muste rather consider what he doth specially require of vs For whosoeuer shall depart from his commauÌdementes all though thei trouble weary them selues in fayned woorkes yet neuerthelesse at the laste daye they shall heare this sayd vnto them Who sought for these thinges at your handes I vvas in pryson and ye came vnto me Z. Of these syxe whiche are here rehersed the Moonkes and suche like rables haue made vnto them selues syxe woorkes of mercy when as notwithstanding there are many mo than syxe And Christ according to the manner of the Hebrewes reckeneth a certaine nomber and that of the chiefe among many vnder the which by a figure called Synecdoche he lefte the reste to be vnderstode C. For to
thing And therefore the Euangelist S. Luke hath Yet beholde the hande of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table And although Luke bringeth in this saying of Christ to be spoken after Supper was ended yet notwithstaÌding the order of the time cannot hereby be gathered whiche we knowe to be often times neglected of the Euangelistes Yet for all that it is probable that Iudas was present wheÌ Christ did distribut the signes of body and bloud 22. And they were exceding sorowfull and began euery one of them to saye vnto him Lord is it I And they vvere exceding sorovvfull M. Three things caused the sorow of the Apostels First because he said that he shoulde be betrayed deliuered vp into the handes of his enemis wheruppoÌ they should be as orphantes therefore the Lord coÌforteth them in the fourthten of Iohn Secondly because he should be one of theÌ whiche would worke so horrible a farre For what godly man woulde not be sory to here that an enemy of Christe shoulde come forth of the congregation whiche is ioyned together for the faith of Christe When the Apostel said to the EphesiaÌ Byshopes Of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw the Disciples after the how coulde the godly which were amoÌg theÌ be frée froÌ trouble Thirdly because they know not who the traitor shoulde be Moreouer Christe when he had testified these thinges was troubled in spirite as saith S. Iohn the which wheÌ the Apostels saw how could they not be troubled also Therefore the Disciples are not afrayed as men which disquiet themselues being afrayed without cause but abhorring the wicked facte they desyer to be purged froÌ the suspicioÌ thereof This truely is a signe of reuerence that being toutched striken after a bye sorte they do not stoutly churlishly answer their master but referre them selues euery one to his iudgemente yet notwithstaÌding bearing theÌselues bolde of a good coÌscience they frely testify howe far they are froÌ doing so hainouse a fact Whereuppon euery one of theÌ demande sayinge Is it I M. They coulde not doubte of the wordes of Christe and although they knew themselues to be gylty and thing of this matter yet notwithstandinge they coulde not be quyet in all points For we are alwayes such that wee may be chauÌged euery hower in somuch that the thing which we thinke not of to day we shal earnestly séeke after to morowe Peter truely could abide nothing worse than that he should deny Christe but yet it came to passe that he did deny him Innocents also are feareful not because they distrust the promises of God but because they feare themselues I knowe nothinge by my selfe saith S. Paule yet I am not hereby iustifyed For the Lord doth looke more narrowly and there are in vs infinite lurking places A. Therefore S Iohn writeth not without cause saying TheÌ the Disciples looked one vppon an other doubtinge of whome he spake 23. He answered and sayde he that dippeth his hande with me in the dishe the same shall betray me C. Christe by this answer doth neyther take awaye the doubte from them neyther sheweth vnto them the persone of Iudas but only coÌfirmeth that which he sayd euen nowe that one of his familiar ghestes shoulde be the trayter A. As it maye also be gathered by the other twoo Euangelistes M. For S. Marke hath It is one of the twelue eueÌ he that dippeth with me in the platter And S. Luke hath Beholde the hande of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table And so by this heaping together amplifying of the matter as we sayd before the disposition of this wicked man was noted who was nothing moued by the communion fellowship of the table to abstaine from so wicked a dede yea he beinge set at the table deuised nothing but howe he might haue coÌuenieÌt time to betray him C. And although it was greuouse vnto the Disciples to be lefte suspeÌded and in perplexity for a time that they mighte busy theÌ selues in coÌsidering the hainousnes of the fact yet notwithstaÌding there folowed after that an other profite and commoditye when they knewe that the Prophesye of the Psalme was fulfilled which saith It is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonor neither was it my aduersary that magnified himself againste me But it was euen thou my companion my guide and my owne familiar frende We tooke swete counsell and walked together in the house of God as frendes Moreouer vnder the persone of Iudas the Lorde would haue his seruants of all ages to be admonished that they bee not dismayed or discouraged when they sée trayters to come from among the faithfull because the like that happened vnto him being the head of the Church must of necessity happen also to those that are his members 24. The sonne of man truely goeth as it is writen of him but who vnto that man by whome the sonne of man is betrayed It had ben good for that man if he had neuer ben borne The sonne af man truely goeth C. Christ speaketh these thinges as tourned to himself after he had admonished Iudas M. As if he should saye As toutching that which happeneth vnto me there is no dauÌger nothing shall happen vnto me by chauÌce or vnlooked for that whiche is writen of me must nedes be fulfilled and to this in dede I am ready the wicked can do nothing against me but that whiche is appointed of god Bu. My death is ordeyned by the father himselfe it is not therfore by the power pollicy of men that I suffer but by the wyll of god C. By these wordes Christe preuenteth the offence which otherwyse might greuously assayle the mindes of the Godly For what coulde be more absurde than for the sonne of God beinge falselye betrayed by a Disciple to be committed to the will of the enemys that he might bee drawne to the moste shamefull and slanderouse death But Christ pronounceth plainly that this commeth by the will of god And he proueth this decrée by the testimony of the Scripture because hee hath made manifest and fulfilled the thing whiche was appointed to be done by the mouth of the Prophete long before Now let vs note to what ende the wordes of Christe do tende namely that the Disciples knowing whatsoeuer is done to be gouerned by the prouidence of God shoulde not thinke that his life or death was ordered by chaunce But the profite that commeth of this doctrine doth farther extende it selfe because then at the last the frute of Christes deathe shal be truely ratifyed vnto vs when it is manifestly knowne that he was not rashely caryed of men to the crose but by the eternall decrée of God was ordeyned a sacrifice to take awaye the sinnes of the worlde For howe commeth reconciliation vnto vs and the attonemeÌt but only because Christ by his obedience hathe pleased the father Wherefore let
remembraunce to thinke vppon him But although he be absent yet in power he is present and will be to the ende of the worlde 27 And he toke the cup and thaÌked and gaue it to them saying Drinke ye all of this And he toke the cup. E. The Euangelist Luke addeth so doth Paule saying when he had supped because he gaue the cup twyse firste according to the auncient custome and supper being ended he is nowe sayd to geue it againe that wee might knowe the matters to bee dyuers Drinke ye all of this C. Because it was the purpose of Christ to direct our whole faith to him selfe least we should seke any thinge without him he testified that our lyfe was included in him by two signes This body standeth in nede of meate and drinke to susteine it and kepe it aliue Therefore Christ seking to teache vs that he only is sufficient for vs to geue vnto vs all thinges necessary for health geueth or attributeth the course of meate and drinke to him self By the which his wonderfull sufferaunce appeareth because he seking to helpe our faythe doth in this wyse frame hym selfe to the rudenes of our fleshe Whereby it appeareth the more howe detestable the wycked bouldenes of the Pope is by the whiche he is not afraide to breake this holy knot We heare that the sonne of God wytnessed and declared by twoo signes at once the fulnes of lyfe whiche he geueth to those that are his By what righte is it lawefull for a mortall man to pull a sonder those thynges whiche God hath ioyned together We must alwayes remember this that Christe doth first commaunde vs what wee shall do and then addeth a promyse if wee fulfill not his commaundement we loke for the promise in vayne For he beginneth with a commaundement and commaundeth all of them to drinke of this cup. Therfore if the enemies of the Gospell do boaste that thei haue the bloud of Christe without the communioÌ let vs assure our selues that it is moste false For the promise is awaye where the coÌmaundemeÌt is not kept Why Christ doth rather here than in that which went before adde this generall word All this semeth to be the reason namely that he might preueÌt the deuelishe inuentioÌ which afterward crept into the church the which because he foresawe he thought good opeÌly to condemne As concerning the bread we reade that he willed them simpely to take but why doth he expressely commaunde all to drinke and why doth Marke saye playnly that all dranke but onely because the faithful should learne to beware of new inuencion And yet for all this seuere prohibition the Pope was not one whit afrayd but durste take vppon hym to chaunge and violate the lawe whiche the Lorde so firmely made For he kept al the people from the vse of the cuppe and to excuse hym selfe he saith that one kinde is sufficient because the bloud is included in the fleshe As though truely the whole Sacrament might not be abbolished by that pretence because Christ can if it pleased him make vs partakers of him selfe as well without either of bothe signes Furthermore the Papistes say that it was daungerous least the bloud shoulde be shed For they thought that it was wyne no more but pure and true bloud and they woulde be wyser than the sonne of God to auoyde that daunger whereof he tooke no hede But their impietie is nothing at all furthered by these chyldishe cauils because there is nothing more absurde than to depriue the faythfull wyllingly of those helpes whiche the Lorde hath geuen vnto them and therefore nothing is lesse tollerable than this wicked tearing of the mistery Seing therefore one error bringeth forthe an other the institution of Christe whiche is the wysdome of his father must be kepte sounde and perfect and he only ought to be preferred before all men and forsaking all other we ought to cleaue to his authoritie 28 For this is my bloud whiche is of the newe Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes For this is my bloud Saint Luke describeth these wordes thus This cup is the newe Testament in my bloude And S. Paule hath the like wordes No man truly neede to doubt but that Luke and Paule keping the same sence and meaninge altered the wordes which Mathewe and Marke haue sayinge This is my bloude of the newe Testament In eyther forme of words this is most euident that the Lorde by this Cup doth offer and set forth two thinges namely his bloud and the newe Testament For the newe Testament is the fruite of Christes bloude whiche was shed on the Crosse and abydeth in vs and for that cause the ende summe in this misticall exhibition Herevppon S. Luke and the Apostle Paule expressed that in the former place but because wee haue a couenaunte and league by the bloud of Christ they added sayinge In my bloude The sence and meaninge therefore of the wordes of the Lorde is as Luke and Paule expressed them Take and vnderstande by this Cuppe the newe couenaunt of grace beinge confirmed vnto you by this my bloude which take ye also here of mee and drincke Although this exhibition of the bloud of Christ to be dronke be not so plainlye expressed in the wordes of the Lorde by Luke and Paule yet notwithstanding it is most euidently gathered by the woordes of Mathewe and Marke which say Take ye and drinke ye all of this And he saide vnto them this is my bloude of the newe Testamente Which wordes what do they signifye els than this Take ye with this Cuppe and drincke my bloud by the which my newe couenant is confirmed and geuen vnto you C. For this couenaunt is sealed by nothinge els than by the spirituall drinking of the bloud of Christ that it maye be strong and of efficacy But hereby we may gather how folishly the Papistes and suche others are superstitious whiche byte and choppe the wordes For although they make a noyse and talke yet for all that this exposition of the holy ghost cannot be reiected that the Cuppe is called bloud because it is the Testament in bloude And trulye the like consideration is to be had of the bread whervppon it followeth that it is called the body because it is a Testamente in the bodye There is now no cause whye they shoulde contende and saye that wee muste beleeue the simple wordes of Christ and that we muste shut our eares to al other forreine interpretacions It is Christ himselfe whiche speaketh whom they wil not deny to be a meete interpreter of his owne woordes But truly hee manifestly declareth that hee called the bread his body vppon no other consideration but because hee made his euerlastinge couenaunt with vs that the sacrifyce beinge offered wee mighte eate and drincke spiritually Of the nevve Testament B. The Epistle to the Hebrewes intreatinge of the newe Testamente alludeth to the order of Testamentes which are made onely for
sure and certaine sheewinge that it is not in the power of man not to be offended at this Crosse That in this same night Hee setteth a shorte time againste a most large promyse Before the Cocke crovve The Euangelist Marke hath Before the cocke crowe twyse For the house cocke beginneth to crowe aboute midnighte and before the breake of the daye Hee maketh mencion therefore of the Cockecrowinge to geeue him a token and to printe a certaine signe in his mind which might put him in minde the deniall which was toulde him before For it followeth in the 74. verse And immediatly the Cocke crewe And Peter remembered the wordes of Iesu which sayd vnto him before the Cocke crowe thou shalt denye mee thryse 35. Peter saide vnto him Yea thoughe I shoulde dye with thee yet will I not deny thee Likewise faide all the Disciples Yea thoughe I shoulde dye It is marueile that hee doth so wilfullye bragge that hee will not be ouercome For Marke hath But hee spake more vehementlye Hee had felt nothinge before neither had hee wayhed hys strength And how great experience soeuer hee had of the perill of deathe and howe stronge and stout soeuer hee had beene yet notwithstanding hee wanted not presumption and wonderfull rashnes in that he stroue against the wordes of Christ beinge so manifest and confirmed by the testimony of the Prophete Hereby wee are taught that we caÌnot learne true humillity except we haue experieÌce of our owne infirmity Let vs not marueile therefore that wee fal so often for otherwyse we cannot profite in the doctrine of humility But so often as we do fall let vs remember that wee are admonished of our infirmity of the Lord. Likevvise also saide all the Disciples C. It is marueile that the rest of the Dysciples after that Peter was repreheÌded burst forth notwithstandinge into the same rashnes Wherevppon it appeareth howe little acquainted they were with themselues By the which example wee are taught that we must presume to do nothinge but that wherevppon God will set his hand because there is nothinge more vaine than rashe zeale The Disciples saw that there was nothing more filthye absurde than to forsake their maister Therefore they do not without iust cause deteste this vyce but being not fullye setteled in the faith of the promise neglectinge prayer they do vndiscretely bragge boast of their constaÌcy which was nothing Euen so al our fortitude is nothinge els but a vaine immagination which seemeth to be somewhat before the profe tryall be made 36. Then came Iesus with them vnto a farme place which is called Gethsemane and saide vnto his Disciples sit ye here while I go and pray yonder Then came Iesus vvith them C. This is in dede the exordium and beginninge of the sacrifyce by the whiche wee are reconciled vnto god For Christ begaÌ here to offer himselfe it was meete that this shoulde be a voluntarye sacrifice If he had bene drawne against his will it had bene no true sacrifice or oblatioÌ He humbled himselfe beinge made obedieÌt to death euen to the death of the Crosse No man taketh awaye my life from mee saith hee but I geue the same of my selfe Christ therefore rightly take vpon him the partes of a mediator that by his sacrifyce hee might take away the sinnes of the world because he offered himselfe to the death willingly If wee consider the tormente payne that he suffered not this obedience also we omit the principall part Vnto a place vvhiche is This Greeke worde which the interpreter hath called a farme in this place signifyeth a place fielde Luke vseth a woorde lesse doubtful which signifyeth a place S Iohn calleth it a gardeÌ which seemeth more specially to expresse this place Hee addeth also that Iesus oftentimes resorted thither that Iudas which betrayed him knewe the place Whereby wee gather the Christ went not asyde to hyde himselfe but wente as it were of his owne accorde and minde to the death Sit ye here vvhile I go and pray M. By these words it is declared for what cause he wente a syde into this garden namelye to pray wee may hereby gather that this was his accustomed maner wheÌ he would pray Hee wente asyde therefore that hee mighte power out his minde wholy before God. For hee had neede of the singuler helpe of God that he might striue against death C. But leauinge the Disciples hee spared their infirmity euen as a man which being in the warre seinge greate daunger-like to happen vnto him leaueth his wife and children in a quyet place 37. And hee toke with him Peter and the two sonnes of Zebede and began to waxe sorrowfull and heauye And hee toke vvith him Peter C. Although hee woulde haue all to be oute of daunger yet notwithstandinge hee toke thre of them with him to beare him companye and hee was the chosen flower in whiche there was a sweete smellinge sauer M. The Lorde at other times also chose these thre before the reste to behoulde speciall matters as wee maye reade in the .17 Chapter goinge before and in the eight of Luke And the same three hee taketh now C. not that they were able to suffer the like violence but that they mighte be a document and patterne of the infirmitye of them all M. Marke expresseth the two sonnes of Zebede by name sayinge Iames Iohn Hee began to be sorrovvfull Or he began to waxe sad and to be greeued in minde Marke hath And hee began to waxe abasshed and to be in an agonye C. Wee haue seene before that the Lorde stroue with the feare of deathe but because the Lord now fighteth hande to hand with the feare of death it is sayd to be the beginninge of sorrowe and heauines Whereby wee gather that there is no true tryall of vertue but in a present matter For then the debillity and weakenes of the flesh sheweth it selfe which before was hid the inwarde affections power out themselues Therefore althoughe God had oftentimes before summoned his sonne to battaile exercised him with certaine skyrmishes as it were yet notwithstandinge nowe by the more approchinge sight of death he doth more greuously wound him and strike him with vnwonted feare And because this seemeth reprochfull to the glorye of Christe that hee shoulde be striken with feare and sorrowe manye interpreters haue carefully trauayled in seekinge startinge places but their labour was verye rashe and nothinge profitable For if wee be ashamed of the feare and sorrowe of Christ the redemption will soone be gone For trulye sayth S. Ambrose I do thincke him sayth hee not onelye inexcusable but also I do no where more marueyle at his piety and maiestye For hee had little profited mee excepte hee had taken on him my affection Therefore hee sorrowed for mee who had nothinge in himselfe to be sorye for and the delectacion of the eternall deuinitye beinge sequestred hee is molested with
sight with the infirmitie of the fleshe and that therefore their praiers are neââ¦er superfluous By the promptnes and willingnes of the Spirite he vnderstandeth the affection of the minde whiche is gouerned by the holy ghost And that part whiche is reformed by the spirite of God is called the spirite in than by a figure called Metonymia or denomination this is that readines of the spirite whiche coueteth to followe God whether soeuer he shall call where suche promptnes is in maÌ it may be called a willing spirite And he calleth that fleshe whiche by nature resteth in man and the naturall affection of the mynde also We see therefore that he grauÌteth vnto them the prayse of wyllingnes least their infirmitie should caste them into dispayre and yet notwithstanding we see that he prycketh them forwarde to prayer because as yet thei were not sufficiently endewed with a strong spirite Wherefore this admonition dothe properly pertayne to the faithfull who beinge regenerated by the spirit of God desier to do well yet for all that they labour as yet vnder the infirmitie of the fleshe For although the grace of the spirite be in them yet are they weake according to the fleshe And although the weakenes of the Disciples is here shewed vnto them onely by Christe yet notwithstanding because the same that is found here in them pertaineth to all other men we may hereby gather a generall doctrine namely that wee must watche dilligently in prayer because wee haue not as yet in vs suche strengthe of the spirit but that we may easely fall through the infirmitie of the fleshe excepte the Lord doe staye and holde vs vp with his hande Moreouer there is no cause why we should tremble or feare Because a certayne and and sure remedy is propounded vnto vs the whiche we shall not seke a farre of neither in vayne For Christe promyseth that all they shall haue the vpper hande whiche geuing them selues vnto prayer caste of diligently the sluggishenes of the fleshe 42 He wente awaye once agayne and prayed saying O my father if this cup may not passe from me excepte I drinke of it thy will be fulfilled He vvent avvaye once agayne C. Although he sayth that Christe prayed here the second tyme yet notwithstanding we see here no forme of prayer But this praier is nothing els then a testimony of obedience to brydel hym selfe of his owne desyer that the wyll of his father might be fulfilled Notwithstanding there is no doubt but that this testimony of Christ may be called a prayer For he so testifieth that he altogether desyreth to haue this wyll fulfilled in hym as when we saye thy wyll bee done we doe not make our petition so as though he should doe it against oure wylles but that he would bende and frame our mindes to wyll that whiche he wylleth By these woordes of Mathewe therefore Christe semeth more frely to committe hym selfe all feare as it were being gone to his father Neither doth he desyer any more that the cuppe might be taken from hym but this desyer being paste he rather seketh to obeye the counsell and purpose of God. If this cuppe may not passe from me C. But did Christe doubte here There are dyuers and sondery motions truely in a troubled mynde For what is perturbation els than as a waue with the whiche the myndes of men are caried He was not troubled verely as wee commonly are yet notwithstandinge it was mete that he should bee troubled after a sorte that he hauing a felyng of our infirmities myght be mercifull vnto vs C. The Euangeliste Marke maketh no mencion of this goinge yea and when Christe retourned the seconde tyme he is sayde to ââ¦itterate the same peticions that he dyd before And there is no doubte but that so often as he prayed he was dryuen thereunto by the feare and horror of death Notwithstanding it is probable that he was at the seconde tyme more inclyned to shewe his obedience to the father and that hee was by the firste assaulte of temptation incouraged to go to his deathe with the greater bouldenes Luke doth not distinctly shewe that he prayed at seuerall tymes but sayth onely that when sorrowe and grief did vrge him he did the longer and with the more vehemency praye as though it had bene one only prayer But we do know that the Euangelistes sometymes omitting the circumstaunces doe onely touche the effecte Where as therfore he sayth that Christe came at the ende of his prayer to the disciples it is so spoken by a figure called Hysteron proteron Euen as in the other parte also where he saythe that an Aungel appeared from heauen before that he maketh mention of the agonye of Christe whiche should by order haue bene first declared But the preposterous order whiche the Euangelist vseth proueth no absurditie because to the ende we might knowe that the Aungell was sente vnto hym in vayne he doth afterwarde expresse the necessitie and so the latter narration is as it were a shewing of the cause And although fortitude commeth of nothinge but of the spirite of God onely yet notwithstandynge this letteth not but that God may vse his Aungels as ministers And hereby we may gather what great tormentes the sonne of God suffered when that it was mete for the helpe of God to be so sette forthe that he myght beholde the same with his eyes 43 And hee came and founde them a sleape agayne For their eyes were heauy And hee came and founde them a sleape agayne C. Wee doe see here that Christe vsed not a continuing prayer but put this solace betwene namely the coÌming to the disciples For suche continuance of prayer is not required of the faythfull that they myghte not leaue of from the same But rather lette them continewe in their prayers after the example of Christe vntyll they bee come so farre as their infirmitie wyll suffer let them cease for a lyttle tyme notwithstandynge when they haue breathed them selues let them turne agayne vnto God by prayer A. Euen as therefore at the first time he rose from prayer and commyng to his Disciples sought for some solace euen so nowe this seconde tyme hee retourneth to them agayne at whose handes hee founde no more ease than hee dyd before For their eyes vvere heauy C. This sleapynes came neither with gluttony nor by grosse securitie nor by any sodayne merynes of the fleshe but rather by immoderate sorrowe as Luke testifieth Whereby wee doe the better perceyue howe prone and ready our fleshe is to slouggishenes to the whiche the very daungers them selues doe bringe the forgetting of god So that Sathan hath euery waye apte and mete occasion to snare vs For if we feare no daunger we are by and by as it were in a dronken sleape in the whiche he lulleth vs and hee ouerwhelmeth oure sences with feare and sorrowe by the whiche we should be styrred vp to prayer leaste they shoulde serue the
Lorde And so by all meanes men are alienate and drawen awaye from God vntyll he gather them vnto hym agayne Wee muste also note the circumstaunce that the disciples being so sharpely reprehended fell strayghtwaye a sleape agayne But this is not spoken of all the disciples but of those three onely whiche the Lorde chose to beare hym company What shall become then of the commoÌ sorte when this happened in the flower M. Truely there is nothing spoken here of the infirmitie and slouggishenes of the disciples whiche happeneth not dayly vnto vs For howe often are wee admonished and howe often do we fall for all that Wee haue nede therefore of Christe whiche may styrre vs vp wee haue nede also of his sufferaÌce that he may beare with our forgetfulnes least we by by be caste of according to our deseruing 44 And he luââ¦te them and went agayne and prayed the thyrde tyme sayinge the same woordes And he lefte them C. Hee seinge that the eyes of his disciples were heauy and that his former reprehencion had profited little with them lefte them and wente to prayer agayne And prayed the thirde tyme. M. The affection of nature abhorring the crosse caused hym to do this For although there were not in hym suche a wrestlynge of the fleshe and of the spirite as there is in vs yet notwithstanding because he tooke vpon him our infirmities it was mete that he should be like vnto vs in somewhat that feare might haue his course to come again though it were once or twyse ouercome Saying the same vvordes C. The itteration or repetition of one thing was not lippe labour whiche Christe condemned in hipocrites whiche thinke that they shall obtaine that with their vayne babling whiche they aske not sincerely or with the harte but Christe taught by his example that it becommeth vs not to bee discouraged nor weary in praying if we obtayne not by and by our desiers This therefore is not a superfluous repetition of woordes if the temptation of repulse or deniall of our requestes do not extinguyshe the desyer of praying but doe continue askyng the same thing the thirde and fourth tyme whiche the Lorde before seamed to haue denied M. The Euangeliste Luke addeth saying And his sweate was like droppes of bloud trickling down to the grounde ⪠The which wordes are not so to be taken as though he would say that these droppes were but lyke dropes of bloude and not bloud in dede but we must vnderstande them that his sweate ranne down with droppes of bloud And the Greke worde here doth not onely signifie likenes but also the shewe of truthe as when it is sayde And we sawe his glory as it had ben the glory of the only begotteÌ sonne of God. that bloudy sweate truely was a token of great paine torment very miraculous 45 Then coÌmeth he to his disciples and saith vnto them sleape on nowe and take your reste beholde the howre is at hande and the sonne of man is betraied into the handes of synners Then commeth he ââ¦o his disciples Bu. His prayers being ended and his whole cause being committed vnto God and his mynde being framed and confirmed to suffer death to abyde all kynde of tormentes the Lord retourneth to his disciples whome he founde nothing the more vigilante and saithe Slepe on novv and take your rest C. It may appere euidently enough the Christ speaketh here Ironice but yet let vs see to what end this figuratiue speache dothe appertaine For because Christe had profited nothing in admonishing his disciples hee dothe not onely touche their sluggishnes but also denounceth that although they woulde bee slouthful they should haue no leasure The sence therefore is this Because I haue hytherto spoken vnto you in vayne I wyll nowe ceasse to exhorte you any more But howe soeuer ye haue lybertie to sleape through me yet notwithstaÌding your enemies wyll not suffer it but wyl constrayne you to watche against your willes Bu. For nowe both my payne and your great daunger also is at hande And therfore in Marke it is added It is enough as if hee shoulde haue sayde It is not nowe tyme to sleape And after this manner the Lorde dothe oftentymes chasten the sluggishnes of men that they which are deafe to heare wordes may at the lengthe be constrayned by euels to watche Wherefore let vs learne by the wordes of the Lorde to geue eare in dewe tyme least that necessitie plucke that from vs by violence to late whiche hee by fayre meanes wold haue gotteÌ at our haÌds in due tyme Beholde the hovver is at hande M. He maketh mencion of his hower to the ende they might vnderstande that nowe there is nothing lesse thaÌ the tyme of sleape to be taken as if he should saye It is nowe the hower in the whiche I must be taken my enemies are present that must laye handes vpon me and yet ye sleape this hower requireth an other matter nowe can yâ⦠not sleape any more aryse and so forth And we must note that he calleth that tyme of his taking his hower that is the certain appointed tyme Euen as it is sayd in another place They sought therefore to take him but no man layde handes on him because his hower was not yet come We are therfore here admonished that euery man hath a certayne and appointed tyme either of lyfe or death whiche he can not passe And the sââ¦n of maÌ ãâã and into the haÌds of sinners M. By the name of sinners in this place as in many other also all mortal men are not vnderstoode whiche by nature are synfull but the wicked only and such as haue no feare of God before their eyes Whereupon S. Peter also saith thus Hym haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persones after he was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne hym To bee betrayed into the hands of synners is to be deliuered into all their power and to bee geuen to be vsed at their pleasure When he sayeth that he must be geuen to synners he meaneth that he being innocente must be delyuered vp and sheweth also that they were wycked and vniust ministers of his deathe although he shoulde bee delyuered into their handes by the deuine counsell of the father Hereby we perceyue that the deuine dispensation vseth the reprobate to the chastisement of his sonnes yea and the ministery of Sathan also as we haue often tymes declared before 46 Ryse let vs be goinge beholde he is at hande that doth betraye me Rise let vs be going C. By these woordes he declareth that so soone as he had praied he was armed with newe weapons Ar the fyrste truely hee was wyllynge ââ¦nough to dye but in the very instante he had a sharpe battayle with the fleshe in so much that willingly he would haue deliuered hym selfe from death if so be he might haue done it with the good will of
and neuer hearde of heretofore is that which these men laie to thy charge C. This doothe he speake impudentely as though he knew not that thei were subourned and craftily coloured for this matter M. Cayphas trewely here sheweth him self to be an vniust Iudge in that he dothe amplifie the Accusation againste an Innocente and in that by hys Authoritye he goethe aboute to discourage oppresse the Accused throughe feare 63 But Iesus helde his peace And the Chiefe Prieste answeared and sayde vnto him I charge the by the Liuing God that thou telle vs whether thou be Christe the Sonne of God But Iesus helde his peace M. Christe helde his peace againe when as notwithstandinge he hadde a moste certaine and readye Defence For he knewe thys that they wente aboute to take awaye al Defence from him that somme what might be colourably pretended to hys Condemnation Agayne this Accusation was so impudente that the verye Enimyes thoughte it not sufficiente to bring that to passe whiche they soughte for whereuppon they did not prosecute the same Furthermore he thoughte not hys Enimyes woorthy to heare any purgation of hys Innocencye agaynst suche impudente Declarations C. Laste of all wée muste note what personne the Lorde doothe represente here he stoode not before the Hie Prieste to defende his owne cause but that hee mighte suffer Deathe for vs It was méete therefore that Christe after thys manner shoulde be silente and beeinge geeuen to be a Sacrifice to caste awaye all care of hys owne Defence the which thinge is to be noted in the whole Historye For he helde hys peace also before Pilate knowinge what was commaunded vnto him of the Father He hauinge donne the Office of a Teacher there remained nothinge but that he shoulde be coumpted amonge the wicked it became hym to houlde hys peace at al reproches notwithstandynge the cause of hys silence was that he mighte be euil intreated for vs. I charge thee by the Liuinge God A. The Euangelists Marke hathe And the Hie Prieste asked hym agayne saieinge Arte thou Christe the Sonne of the Liuinge God C. The Hye Prieste thoughte that this one faulte was sufficiente to condemne Christe if that he professed hym selfe to be Christe But truely seinge they all boasted that they looked for Redemption by Christe they should haue firste demaunded whether it were so or no. They durste not denie that there shoulde be no Christe by whose hande the people shoulde be deliuered Christe commeth for the into the middest with the Title of Christe Why doo they not geue regarde to the matter it selfe Whye doo they not examyne the signes whereby they mighte haue true Iudgemente But because they hadde once determined to destroy Christ they are content with this pretence of Sacrilege that he tooke vpon him the glorie of the Deity And yet notwithstanding Caiphas taking an othe doth so examinate beate down the mater as though the mater being euident he were ready to geue place In the meane time his minde was full stufte with hatred and contempt of Christ and so blinded with Pride Ambition that so soone as the mater was not denied he thoughte he had the iust cause of Damnation in his owne hande without any further inquisition of Righte C. Heretofore we see that the wicked will neuer make an ende vntyll they haue oppressed Innocente menne Furthermore by the woordes of Caiphas wée maye gather that the Citie of the Messias was then common amonge the Iewes in so muche that they called hym the Sonne of god And trewelye they knewe by the testimonyes of the Scripture that he was bothe the Sonne of God and the Sonne of Dauid also And Caiphas séemethe to vse thys Epithete or name of the Sonne of God either to terrifie Christe or els to increase his enuye as if he had sayde Behoulde whereunto thou arte comme For thou canste not saye that thou arte Christe but thou dooste also arrogate the Name of the Sonne of God whiche Name the Scripture geueth vnto him M. Notwithstandinge the wicked Hye Prieste abused the Name of the Liuinge God For he soughte not for the Treuthe whiche he loued not but for Reproche Euen so also wee reade of Achab howe be charged Mycheas the Prophete to tell hym nothynge but that whiche was trewe when as notwithstandynge he soughte not for the Truethe but to cauill Sutche is the nature of the wicked and Hypocrites A. As they doo daily knowe by experience whiche haue to doo with vngodly Flatterers of the Romishe Antichriste 67. Iesus saithe vnto hym Thou haste saide Neuerthelesse I saie vnto you hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of Man sittinge on the Righte hande of Power and comminge in the cloudes of the Skie Iesus saithe vnto him M. Christe houldethe hys peace no more but for the reuerence of the name of God he telleth the truthe of the which he was asked and straitely charged althoughe he knewe that they soughte an other matter then the Truthe leaste he mighte séeme in contemnynge that Charge neither to feare God or Man nor to be touched with any zeale Howe be it the wicked muste not be alwayes answeared although they charge vs a thousande tymes by the Name of the Lyuinge God But wee muste dilygentely take héede that wée houlde not our peace when wée sée that the Glorye of God maye be endammaged thereby but to geue somme signe of reuerence leaste wée be thoughte to be withoute god Insteade of Thou haste saide the Euangeliste Marke hathe I am C. The Euangeliste Luke bringethe in an other Answeare by the whiche Christe touchethe the malice of the Hye Prieste Yee will not beleue saithe he if I tell you By the whiche woordes he declareth that althoughe he shoulde proue hym selfe to be Christe a hundred times yet notwithstandynge it shoulde nothynge at all profite the obstinate For they hadde not onely hearde but hadde séene with their eies the Myracles which had bene sufficiente to prooue hys Heauenly and Diuine Power althoughe he hadde helde his peace and to cause them also to crye Thys is the Redeemer whiche was promised to vs longe agoe Iesus therefore affirmethe hym selfe to be Christe not to auoyde hys Deathe but rather to inflame the rage of hys enimies againste hym Neuerthelesse I saie vnto you M. This sentence comprehendeth a horrible threatenynge that hereafter they shoulde haue experience of the Truthe it selfe whiche nowe they woulde not beleeue but blasphemed C. For because he was then vnder a filthye and base Fourme he saithe that he shall comme at the laste in hys tyme with Kingely Maiestye that they maye feare the Iudge whome they cannot nowe abide to acknowledge the authour of Saluation M. Therefore he saithe not simplye Hereafter the Sonne of Man shall sitte but he saithe Neuerthelesse I saye vnto you As if he shoulde saye Yée doo not nowe beleue mée Neuerthelesse I say vnto you for so muche as thou dooste adiure and charge me by the Liuinge God to tell whether I
probable Notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the ministers did deuise howe they mighte more despightfully strike him and spit in his face after they sawe that he was appointed to dye by the fore iudgement of the counsell It was wonderful madnes truely in the priestes who handeled Christe with so great cruelty forgetting that they were Iudges He is thus shamfully intreated for the iudgement that they gaue for they thought that he whome so greate a potentate as the hie priste pronounced to be a blasphemer and an enemy vnto God was worthy of all reproche and ignominy But thus oughte the Scripture of the Prophete be fulfilled when it is saide I offer my backe vnto the smiters my chikes to the nippers I tourne not my face froÌ shame and spitting But let vs note that he suffered these thinges for oure sakes For what are we before God so often as we beholde our lyfe and consider what we wante If God call vs to iudgement with howe muche and howe manye reproches shal we be couered But Christ toke away this ignominy and reproche that there might appere no blott or spot in vs Nowe for a time he executeth not the office of a teacher but of a redemer When he was sente to teache he faithfully discharged his duety and nowe diligently he fulfilleth the office of a rededemer that as a lambe he mighte be led to be slaine The Almighty God truelye pronouÌced this voyce from heauen saying heare him but if we coÌpare the office of the redemption with that wee shall finde it muche more excelent Last of al we are admonished by the example of the Lorde in this place howe many euels we must suffer of the wicked and hypocrits if we will followe our master 68. Sayinge tell vs thou Christe who is he that smote thee M. The Euangelist sainct Marke saith that they did firste couer his face The gyfte of Prophesy in Christe so necessary for mortal men is derided made a ieste Therefore the miserable Iewes are not withoute iust cause lefte altogether destitute of Prophetes They had also before time vnreuerently handeled the worde of prophesy as Ieremy complaineth saying And they caste the woorde of the Lorde in my téeth and take me euer to the worste C. But to this ende al their mockes and iestes did teÌde namely that there was nothinge more vnmete than that he shoulde be the chiefe of all Prophetes which hauinge his face couered coulde not arede and gesse who it was that gaue him a blowe on his face But truely the prouidence of God did tourne this dalliaÌce vnto an other ende because the face of Christ being striken with the fiste and defyled with spettell God did repayre and restore in vs that Image whiche was corrupted and blotted oute through synne 69. But Peter sate without in the pallace And a damsell came to him saying Thou also wast with Iesus of Galile But Peter sate vvithout C. Nowe the EuaÌgeliste goeth forwarde with the narration of Peter which he had begon before in the 58. verse after he had declared what was done vnto his Lord by Cayphas and his ministers And the fall of Peter whiche is here described is a manifeste example of oure infirmity Moreouer in his repentaÌce wee haue a liuely patterne of the goodnes and mercy of God sette before vs So that the history whiche is here declared of one manne dothe containe a generall doctrine and very profitable for the whole Churche bothe to bringe a careful feare to those that staÌde and also to lifte vp those that fal by the hope and truste of pardone VVythout in the pallace A. That is to say not within the vppermoste and inward parte of the house where Caiphas examined Christe but in the lower parte namely in the pallace S. Marke hath And as Peter was beneath in the pallace And a damsell came to him Sainct Marke saithe that this damsell belonged to the hye Priste and Sainct Iohn saith that she was the dorekeper and peraduenture the same that let him in C. Here therefore wee sée that there is no nede of any greate conflicte neyther of greate armis or preparation to ouercome a manne For whosoeuer is not stayed and helde vp with the hande of God falleth by and by at a small pufte of winde or at the falling of a leafe Peter truelye was no lesse couragiouse and bolde than one of vs and euen now declared no small token of sloute minde howbeit with preposterouse rashenes yet notwithstandynge hee looketh not when he shoulde be broughte before the the tribunal seate of the Iudge or when his enemys shoulde séeke his deathe but being terrifyed at the voyce of a woman he denyeth his master straite way wheras before he thought hymselfe such a stoute soldier that he coulde not See ouercome by death Let vs remember therefore that we are so weake to sustaine greate force that in the onely shadowe of fight wee fall In peace and tranquillity wee are more bragge and bold then nedeth But when wee come to the tryall wee shewe oure selues to be nothing but proud boââ¦sters yea when Sathan goeth not aboute to hurte vs euen then also wee imagine through vayne feââ¦re before the time that wee are in greate daunger Saying A. S. Marke S. Luke haue When she sawe Peter warminge hymselfe she looketh ââ¦n hym and saythe Thou also vvast not Iesus of Galilae S. Marke hath VVast not thou also with Iesus of Nazareth And S Iohn hath VVast not thou also one of this manes Disciples 70. But he denyed before them all sayinge I wot nos what thou sayest But he denyed The Euangeliste Luke hath But he denyed him C. Peter had bosted before that he woulde stande as an inuincible wrasteler in his masters cause euen to the death but nowe at the voyce of a poore wentche he is terrifyed in so muche that he geueth ouer in the plaine felde Beholde here a plaine proofe and tryall of mans strengthe It is but a smoke truely what strengthe soeuer appereth in man whiche wyth a blast of winde is by and by driuen away A man here fylled not with vertue but with winde promiseth to hym selfe that he will easelye get the vyctory againste the whole worlde But truely seing only the shadowe of his enemy he is made afrayed by and by C. So that God doth iustlye recompence our distrust when he doth despoyle vs of al his power vertue that wee mighte be afrayde of nothinge after wee haue caste awaye his feare For if Peter had had in his harte the sounde and perfecte feare of GOD it shoulde haue bene vnto him a stronge and inuincible bulwarke whereas now he beinge naked and withoute all defence is very muche afearde of no danger Wherefore let vs learne that wee are at no tyme nor in no place stronge without the Lorde Before them all C. This circonstance dothe make the falte more haynouse because Peter in denyinge his master feareh
Herode and from Herode againe to Pilate who more and more setteth forth and proclaymeth the innocensye of Christ bringinge Herode also for a witnes Therefore the Lorde bringeth the Counsayle of the Heathen to naughte and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effecte and casteth oute the counsayle of Princes But the CouÌsayle of the Lord shall endure for euer That whiche the Lorde hath determined cannot be vndone Because there is no wysedome no vnderstandinge nor Counsayle agaynste the Lorde 15. At that feaste the Deputye was wont to deliuer to the people a prysoner whom they woulde desier At that feaste M. The Euangeliste Luke in steede of VVas vvonte hath of necessitye Pylate soughte by all meanes occasion by the which hee mighte deliuer the Lorde that was not giltye but innocente whom hee knewe to be deliuered of enuye For this cause hee takinge occasion of the presente feaste tryeth what hee may do For hee hoped that the common sorte of people were so incensed with hatred against Barrabas that they would graunt to anye thinge rather than that hee should liue than whose deathe they desyered nothinge more R. But it appeareth that this custome of lousinge a prisoner at the feaste of Easter grewe rather of ambition and superstition amonge the Iewes than of any lawfull cause and true godlines For if the heathen rulers broughte in this custome of their owne minde they seeme not to haue done it for anye other purpose than thereby to gette the fauour of the Iewishe people that they mighte seeme to reuerence the Lawe of Moyses as concerninge the cellebration of Passeouer But it is the parte of a good magistrate to get and keepe the loue of subiectes not by neglectinge theyr offyce but by dylligente administration of publique and commen lawes amonge the whiche this also is contayned that the malefactors should seuerelye be punished to the ende others mighte feare and that honest men mighte liue in safetye And the reuerence of Moyses law should haue bene declared by another meane than by the lousinge of those which were openlye knowne to be malefactors and whom the verye Lawe of Moyses commaundeth to be put to deathe But and if this custome were brought in as it is most likelye by the Iewes themselues it doth appeare that the same was vsed speciallye for this cause that it might be a monument of the deliueraunce oute of Egipte Euen so men are commonlye wonte to worshippe God euen with euill deedes and wee do see what came by this vaine custome namely that Christe beinge an innocente should be condemned to death S. Iohn wryteth that Pilate saide But yee haue a custome that I should let one louse vnto you at Easter Mathewe sayth here VVhom they vvoulde Marke hath VVhom they had demaunded 16. Hee had then a notable prisoner called Barrabas C. What this Barrabas the prisonner was the Euangeliste Marke dothe more plainly describe sayinge And there was one that was named Barrabas whiche laye bounde wyth theim that made insurrection and that had committed murther Luke more plainlye sayth Which for an insurrection made in the Cittye for murther was cast into prison And S. Iohn in one word sayth that hee was a theefe 17. Therefore when they were gathered together Pilate said vnto them whether will yee that I geeue louse vnto you Barrabas or Iesus which is called Christe Therefore vvhen they vvere gathered together C. Here both the extreame crueltye of the Priestes and also the furious obstinacye of the people is described vs to vs. For it must needes be that they were farre oute of their wittes which thoughte it not sufficiente to conspyre the death of an innocent but they must louse also a theefe in despite of him Sathan doth so carrye the wicked hedlonge after they begin once to fall that they do abhorre no vyce be it neuer so detestable but beinge blinded do heape one sinne vppon another There is no doubt but that Pilate seekinge to make them yelde for shame chose oute the most wicked man that Christ beinge compared with him might be loused And the verye haynousnes of the faulte of the which Barrabas was gilty ought worthely to deserue the hatred of the people that Christ by this comparison at the least wyse mighte be deliuered But truly neither the Priestes nor the multitude are terrefyed wyth shame but do requyre that a seditious person a murther maye bee committed vnto them Yet by the way wee must note the purpose of God by the whiche it came to passe that Christe as the worst of all men was geuen to the Crosse The Iewes trulye rage againste him with blinde furor and madnes but because God had appointed him to be the sacrifyce for the sinnes of the whole world hee suffered him to be counted inferior to a theefe and murtherer But hereby there is no small occasion of bouldnes sure truste offered vnto vs because Christ was therefore cast into such shamefull ignominye and reproche that hee might make vs by his abasinge to assende into the Heauenly glory Therefore hee was counted woorse than a theefe that hee mighte ioyne vs to the Angels of god This fruite if it be rightlye wayed shal be sufficient to put awaye the offence of the Crosse 18. For hee knew that for enuye they had deliuered him M. This must be vnderstande by the Priestes as it maye appeare by the woordes of Marke They knewe sayeth hee that for enuye they had deliuered him These two tokens of a wycked minde are geeuen and noted in the writings of the Euangelistes to be in the Priestes Scribes and Phariseis First that they bare enuye against Christe as wee maye see here in this place Secondly that they hated him as we may reade in the fiftene of Iohn 19. VVhen hee was set downe to geeue Iudgemente his wyfe sent vnto him sayinge haue thou nothinge to do with that iust man For I haue suffered manye thinges this daye in my sleape because of him VVhen hee vvas set dovvne to geeue Iudgemente M. Onlye Mathewe maketh mencion of this thinge concerninge the wife of Pilate which was done when Pilate was sittinge downe on his tribunal seate to geue Iudgemente of death against the Lord. Haue thou nothinge to do vvith that iuste man As touchinge the Greeke texte it is sayde Thou hast nothinge to do with that iuste man. But the Hebrewe text hath Haue thou nothinge to do with that iuste man. Behould and note here how the innocency of Christ deserued testimonye of euery one namelye of Iudas of Pilate of Pilates wyfe of Anna of the false witnesses of the theefe of the wise men of the Chananites of the Samaritanes of the Centurione lastly of the theefe hanginge on the Crosse For I haue suffered manye thinges C. Although the meditacion and studye in the day time mighte be the occasion of this dreame yet notwythstandinge it is withoute all doubt that the wyfe of Pylate suffered
arise by his nakednesse because hee suffered nothinge whiche the spirite of God pronounceth not to belonge trewely to the persone of a redemer 36 And they sat and watched him there M. They go not their waye but sit styll by the crosse as kepers or markers what he woulde do leaste peraduenture eyther the Disciples should come and take him aliue from the crosse or leaste hee shoulde come downe from the same by a myracle 37 And sett vp ouer his heade the cause of his deathe written thus This is Iesus the kinge of the Iewes And they sett vp ouer his heade C. The foure Euangelistes do declare that Pilate dyd set the titell of the Lord vpon the crosse Our Euangelist Matthew writeth somwhat obscurelye in this verse when as the Gréeke woorde which the interpreter calleth the cause dothe signifie bothe the cause and also the accusation or the falte S. Iohn speaketh more playnely sayinge And Pilate wrote a tytell and put it on the crosse Hee calleth that a tytell whiche our Euangeliste calleth the cause and Marke and Luke a superscription of the cause For thereby the cause of the death is briefly shewed when malefactours are led to theyr ponyshement S. Luke saith that this titell was written in Gréeke Lattine and Hebrewe And it conteyned thus muche as maye be gathered by the fower Euangelistes This is Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Ievves C. Peraduenture it was a common custome amonge the Iewes to set tytelles ouer the heades of those malefactoures that were putt to deathe But trewely this was extraordinary in Christ that the titell should be set ouer him without ignominie For it was the pourpose of Pilate that he might be reuenged of the Iewes who by their obstinacy caused an innocent vniustly to be put to deathe to condemne the whole nation in the person of Christ so that he set no inscriptioÌ of any falte that belonged vnto Christ ouer his heade But the prouidence of God whiche gouerned Pilates stile had respecte to a farther matter It was not the meaning and pourpose of Pilate to celebrate Christ as the aucthour of saluation the Nazarite of God and the king of the chosen people yet notwithstandinge God did so guide his minde that not knowing his proclamation of the gospell he sholde set it forthe By the same secrete impulsion of the spirite it came to passe that he should publishe the titell in thre seuerall tongues But this was no lawefull or ordinary preachinge of the Gospell because Pilate was vnworthy to beare any witnesse to the sonne of God but that whiche shoulde be done by trewe mynisters was shadowed in Pilate To be shorte he maye be thought suche a preacher of Christe as Caiphas was a prophete M. But because this tytell dyd set forthe the mallice of the people of the Iewes which had killed the heyre of the vineyarde their lorde and king the hye priestes of the Iewes after a sorte smellinge the same requested of Pilate that he woulde change the same titell that he had set ouer the heade of Christe as S. Iohn declareth by these woordes This tytell redde many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucifyed was nighe to the cittie And it was wrytten in Hebrewe Gréeke and Lattine Then saide the highe priestes of the Iewes to Pilate wryte not Kinge of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes C. They féele them selues to be towched as it was saide euen now and therfore they desyred to haue the title altered and suche a one set vp whiche might burthen Christe without infamy of the nation But in the meane time they declare how greately they were infected with the hatred of the truethe whiche coulde not abyde any one sparke thereof Euenso alwaies Sathan stirreth vp his mynisters whiche so sone as any lighte of Goddes woorde dothe appere go about by and by to extinguysshe the same or at leaste to choke it Pilate answereth That which I haue written I haue wrytten The cause of Pilatee constancie was the prouidence of god for there is no doubte but that they wente aboute to alter his minde by diuerse meanes Let vs know therfore that his minde was helde inflexible by the power of God whiche caused him to saye That whiche I haue wrytten I haue written M. For at other tymes he followed the will of the Iewes in all thinges because they dydde those thinges whiche pertayned to the executinge of the pourpose of God but those thinges whiche they nowe aske they desired to this ende that they mighte remoue the ignomynie of the crosse from theym selues vnto Christe and to put away that reproche that they had crucyfied theyr kynge that hee mighte not be counted the trewe Messias but a wicked fellowe whiche boasted hym selfe to bee the Messias of the Iewes But as this was false and full of reproche to the heauenlye kinge so it pertayned not to the pourpose of god Therfore by the instinct of the holy ghost Pilate answereth so constantly That which I haue wrytten I haue written As if he shoulde say I wil not change the tytell You wolde nedes haue me crucifie your kyng I haue crucifyed hym It shall be your shame hereafter whiche constrayned me to do this thinge B. Furthermore by these fewe woordes Iesus kinge of the Iewes the trewe Gospel of Christe was conteyned For by them hee was preached to be that trewe and vndoubted Messias whiche was sente a kinge vnto the Iewes And so in the midest of the death of the crosse Christe began to triumphe as sayth S. Paule in the seconde Chapter to the Colossians Now the Crosse of Christ begaÌ to chauÌge his conditioÌ and to be in steede of reproche a kingely tribunall muche more excellent than all other thrones or chayres of estate Furthermore this title was written in Hebrewe Greeke Lattine to declare that this kinge should raigne not only ouer the Iewes but also ouer the Gentiles As coÌcerninge the which matter reade the seconde Psalme and the 49. of Esay The Euangeliste Luke declareth that the people stoude by lokinge on him And S. Iohn writing of the mother of Christe which stoode by also sayth There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary the wyfe of Cleophas and Marye Magdalene C. Christ did so obey God the father that hee neglected not the dutye of humaine pietye towardes his mother Hée forgate himselfe truly and all thinges els in respecte of his obedience that hée oughte to the father but this beinge done hee would not omit the dutye whiche hee did owe to his mother And here wee must learne so to do our dutye vnto men that we may neuerthelesse be obedient vnto god It commeth oftentimes to passe that when God calleth vs to any thinge oure parentes our wyfe and our children do call vs to the contrarye insomuche that wee cannot satisfye bothe at once But wee muste first preferre the commaundementes of God his
nowe also suffered deathe B. And so hereby he hathe geuen vs an example of true obedience that it might not bee greuouse vnto vs to liue accordinge to the good pleasure of GOD althoughe it be to languishe in greate sorowe and grefe 49. Other sayde let vs see whether Helias will come and deliuer him Other sayde let vs see A. Sainct Marke saythe that he spake these wordes which offered the sponge vnto Christe wyth vineager whiche place semeth to be corrupted so that it muste bee redde thus Other sayde lette bee or suffer thou in the singuler nomber as certeyne Gréeke bookes haue and not suffer ye For he did not lette other to geue hym drinke when hee hymselfe gaue it And Sainct Mathewe plainely writeth that other woulde not suffer hym to geue it VVill come and deliuer hym Sainct Iohn addeth to these woordes sayinge When Iesus therefore hadde tasted of the vineager he saythe it is finished A. Christe woulde not drinke of the vineager which was offered at the first because hee would tary the tyme whiche the father hath appointed but when all thinges were ended he receiued it and sayde it is finished By the whiche sayinge wee are taughte that the whole summe of our saluation is contayned in his deathe We haue sayde before that his resurrection muste not bee seperated from his deathe onelye the purpose of Christe is to grounde oure faythe vppon hym alone that it swerue not oute of the waye There is also in these woordes contayned a secrete antithesis or comparison because Christe setteth his deathe against all olde sacrifices and figures as if he shoulde saye Whatsoeuer was vsed in the lawe was of it selfe of no force to putte awaye sinne to pacifye the wrathe of GOD and to gette righteousnes But nowe at the lengthe Saluation is declared and offered To this doctrine the abrogation of all the rytes of the lawe is annexed It is fynished therefore because hee brought all thinges to passe by his crosse and deathe in so muche that there remayneth nothynge nowe but that wee shoulde enter into euerlastynge lyfe and felicitye by his deathe Why then shoulde we feare All thynges I saye is finished satisfaction is made for synne the wrathe of GOD is pacifyed deathe is swallowed vp in victorye the Kingedome of God is purchased heauen opened to be shorte all thynges necessary for our saluation are obtayned A. Euen as therefore sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death euenso the deathe of Christe beinge ended hath brought foorth lyfe For it became hym for whome are all thynges and by whome are all things after that he had broughte manye sonnes vnto glory that he shoulde make the Lorde of their saluation perfecte throughe afflictions 50. Iesus when he hadde cryed againe wyth a loude voyce yelded vppe the ghoste Iesus vvhen he had cryed againe C. The Euangeliste Sainct Luke whiche made no mencion of the former crye and complaynte rehearseth the woordes of this seconde crye whiche Sainct Mathewe and Sainct Marke prefermitte For he saythe that hee cryed Father into thy handes I will commende my spirit R. This woorde spirite is here putt for the immortall essence of the soule C. By this crye Christ declared that althoughe hee were very sore assalted and shaken with violente temptations yet notwithstandynge his faythe was not shaken but alwayes abode in his place inuincible For there coulde be no more euidente a triumphe than that Christe dothe boaste that God is the keeper of his soule whiche all men thoughte to be destroyed And because hee thoughte hee shoulde speake vnto those that woulde not here he did very well tourne hym selfe vnto GOD and layed downe the testimony of his truste before hym He woulde that menne shoulde heare that whiche hee spake But althoughe hee did profite nothynge with men he was contente to haue God onelye a witnes And althoughe he semeth to take this forme of prayer oute of the thirde Psalme yet notwithstandynge there is no doubte but that accordynge to the present circonstance of the tyme hee made it serue his present tourne As if he hadde sayde I see verelye Father that I by the consente of all menne am appointed to dye and that my mynde after a sorte is caryed hyther and thyther In the meane tyme I féele no helpe to come from thee accordynge to the fleshe Yet neuertheles this shal be no let vnto me whereby I shoulde the lesse committ my spirite into thy handes and quietly reste my selfe in the secrete custody of thy goodnes Notwithstandyng wee muste note that Christe did not commende his soule into his fathers handes for the priuate respecte that hee hadde to hymselfe but that hee comprehended all the soules of his faythfull as it were in one that they might be saued and kepte with his And he speaketh in the future tence or time to come saying I will commende as if he shoulde saye Father I do willinglye committe my soule into thy handes because thou shalte bee the keeper thereof This crye dothe shewe againe the vehemency of the affection For there is no doubte but that Christe at the lengthe burste forthe into this voyce oute of the extremitye of temptations wyth the whiche he was helde not without great occasion C. Hereby therefore lette them receyue consolation whiche are vniustly putte to death of the wycked because when the wycked are suffered to do al that euer they can to the Godlye yet notwithstandynge they are constrayned whether they wyll or no to leaue they re soules vntoutthed that they may committe them wyth reste into the handes of God what soeuer happen to they re bodyes So Christ sayde Feare not them which kill the body but can not kyll the soule A. And the Apostell Peter saythe Lette them that are troubled accordinge to the wyll of GOD committe they re soules to hym wyth well doinge as vnto a faythfull creator This was the cause that the blessed martyr Saint Steuen cryed saying at his deathe Lorde Iesu receyue my spirite For this is the difference betwene the deathe of the children of GOD and the reprobate that the one dothe dispayre and the other committe theire soules to the tuition of GOD as a preciouse Iewell to bee kepte vntill the daye of resurrection Yelde vp the ghoste C. The Euangeliste Sainct Luke hathe And when hee had spoken these things he bowed down the heade saithe Saint Iohn and gaue vp the Ghoste ⪠namely to the father All the Euangelistes do diligentlye sett foorthe the deathe of Christe And not without cause For hereupon commethe the hope of eternall lyfe and hereuppon commeth reioycinge ouer death because the Son of God hath suffered the same for oure sakes and fyghtynge therewith hath gotten the victory A. Wherefore althoughe these thynges are touââ¦ched in fewe woordes yet notwithstandynge they are not negligently to be pretermitted because hereby wee maye perceyue the whole summe of our saluation All the Patriarkes by faythe had respecte vnto this hower To
behoulding the Sepulcher againe two Angels appeare vnto her of whom wee haue spoken already and do testifye vnto them that Christ is rysen do commauÌde them to tell it vnto the Disciples but namely vnto Peter whiche euen now entered into the Sepulcher perceiued that Christ was risen At the length when these women returned into the Citty to tell these thinges vnto the Disciples they were confirmed againe as they went that they might the more bouldly affyrme the Lorde to be risen for Christe appeareth vnto them saluteth them Howbeit Iohn maketh meÌcion of Mary Magdalene only And Marke doth not say that Christ met with them but sayth only that he appeared to Mary Magdalene betymes in the morninge But Luke maketh no mencion of this visioÌ at all but this pretermission oughte not to seeme absurde vnto vs seing that the EuaÌgelistes do ofteÌtimes vse the same As touchinge the difference betweene Mathewe Marke this is to be considered that Mathew by a figure called Synecdochen dothe extend that vnto al which was proper to one This Marye Magdalene was of Galile was not the sister of Martha Lazarus as some folishly haue thought For Mary the sister of Martha was not syrnamed Magdalene but is alwayes called in the Scripture Mary the sister of Martha that there might be a difference betweene her the other Maries Of this Mary Magdalene Luke writeth thus And also certaine womeÌ which were healed of euil spirits infirmities Mary which is called Magdalene out of whoÌ went seuen deuils Wherby we may behould the great goodnes mercy of God who respecteth no persons but geueth most honor where most vnworthines is to beate downe the pride of fleshe 5. The Angell answered and saide vnto the women feare ye not For I know that ye seke Iesus which was crucified he is not here The Angell ansvvered A. To answere here is put for to speake according to the maner of the Hebrewes for they demauÌded no questioÌ wherby answere should be said to be made He maketh mencion of one Angel only because but one and no mo spake vnto the womeÌ Luke speaketh of two as appeareth by these wordes Behold two men stode beside theÌ in bright garments And as they were afraide bowed downe their faces to the earth they said vnto them Feare ye not M. It was the office of the Angel to geue testimony of the resurrectioÌ of Christ But goinge thereabout he doth before all other thinges coÌfort the women that were afraid but he had made the wicked watchmen afraid For the resurrection of Christ is a terror to the wicked and to the godly a great coÌsolation WhervpoÌ he sayth Feare ye not As if he should say Be not ye afraide as those watchmen were which are gone away For I knovv This is the reasoÌ why they ought not to feare as if he had sayd I know that ye are frends such as beleeue in Iesus I knowe that for the loue of Iesus ye are come hither wherfore there is no cause why ye shoulde be afraide of mee for I am here not an ennemye but your frende C. In Luke there seemeth a sharpe reprehensioÌ to be added thus Why seeke ye the liuinge amonge the dead 6. He is not here he is rysen as hee said Come see the place where the Lorde was layed Hee is not here M Now the Angell by plaine words beareth testimony to the resurrection of the lord Bu. As if he should say the body of Christ which was crucifyed buried is not now in the Sepulcher As he said C. He putteth them in minde of the wordes of Christe Bu. as if he shoulde haue saide Christ is the truth The truth cannot lye And he said that he would rise again Therfore he is rysen in deede C. We do se here that the Angels are sent to confirme the doctrine of Christ A. And that Christe had foreshewed his resurrection the Euangelistes do testify in diuers places Come se the Bu. To the ende they might be the more fully certifyed of all thinges he willeth them to haue experience to see with their eyes For he sheweth them the empty monumeÌt VVhere the Lorde vvas layed C. Behoulde how the Angels here call Christ the lord A. Euenso in another place it is said A sauiour is borne vnto you this daye which is Christ the Lord in the Citty of Dauid S. Luke addeth sayinge Remember how hee spake vnto you when he was yet in Galile saying that the sonne of maÌ must be deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and be crucifyed the third day ryse againe 7. And go quickly and tel his Disciples that he is rysen againe from the dead And behoulde hee goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see him Lo I haue toulde you And go quickely C. Here God doth adorne the women by the Angel with extraordinary honor because he committeth vnto them the charge embassage of the speciall part of our saluation Notwithstandinge this office was accidentall extraordinarye and enioyned to them but for a time They are commaunded to tell that vnto the Apostles which they afterward according to the office enioyned them preached to the whole world but they do not this as Apostles Therefore they do amisse gather a lawe by this commaundement of the Angel which do permit to women the office of baptizing Let vs be contented with this the Christe in them set forth the treasures of his grace in that hee made them once to be the teachers of the Apostles notwithstandinge so that hee woulde not haue that to be drawne into example which was done by a singuler priuiledge If any man obiecte and say that there was no cause why women shoulde be preferred before the Apostles whiche were no lesse carnall incensible than they wee aunswere that it is not in vs but in the will pleasure of the Iudge to put a difference betweene these them Furthermore wee say that they deserued to be more sharpelye reprehended which were not only taughte before other meÌ but also were ordayned to be teachers of the Church throughoute the whole worlde being called the light of the world the sault of the earth so foully did they fall The women therefore were sente to the Disciples to their reproche because they were so slow to beleue And behould hee goeth before you into Galile C. In that the Angell calleth the Disciples into Galile it semeth therfore to be done that Christ might make himselfe knowne to many For wee know that he was longe conuersauÌt in Galile And hee thought it good to geue space vnto his Dysciples that euen in the very departure they might better remeÌber themselues Furthermore the custome vsinge of the places helped them to know their master For it was meete that they should be coÌfirmed by all meanes least they should wante any thinge whith pertayned to the assurauÌce of their faith Lo I
of age are not able by fayth to comprehende the grace of God yet notwithstanding God speaking to their parentes dothe also comprehende them As wel may be proued by this place I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee A. By this place also many do gather that wee could not be saued without baptisme But as S. Paule sayth that the confession of the mouthe is necessary to saluation euenso Christ here speaketh of baptisme Baptisme is necessarily required because it is the pleasure of God to haue vs baptized notwithstandinge wee muste not hereby gather that wee cannot otherwise be saued Fayth also is necessarily required to vnderstande the worde For fayth commeth by hearinge Can not God for al that geue vs faith by some other meane Hee can no doubt but this is the meane whiche hee hath appointed In the name of the father C. This place teacheth that the full and perfecte knowledge of God which was onely obscurely shadowed vnder the lawe and the Prophetes sprange forth at the lengthe vnder the kingdome of Christe The fathers of oulde time truly durst neuer haue called God theyr father except they had taken this trust froÌ Christ their head neither was the eternall wisedome of God which is the well of light and life altogether hiddeÌ from them But by the beginninge of the Gospell God was more plainlye reuealed vnder three personnes because then the father in the Sonne by his liuely and expresse Image manifestlye declared himselfe but Christe himselfe shyninge throughe the whole world by the brightnes of his spirite so set forth this spirite himselfe that the world might know him But mencion is not here made of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost without cause for that the force of Baptim cannot otherwise be apprehended than to begin at the free mercye of God the father which reconcileth vs to himselfe by his only begotten Sonne then we must behould Christ with the sacrifice of his death last of all wee must remember the power of the holye Ghost by whom he doth wash and regenerate vs and make vs partakers of all his benefites So that wee see God cannot be rightlye knowne except that our fayth do distinctly conceiue three personnes in one essence and that the efficacy and fruit of baptisme doth come hereof because God the father doth adopt vs in his sonne and doth bring vs vnto righteousnes beinge purged by the spirite from all the filthy spots of the fleshe Therefore to be baptised in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holye Ghoste is to enter and consecrate those which are baptised into the fayth and Religion of one God that they maye beleue the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be one God to whom alone they oughte to truste and that the Sonne and the holye Ghost are nothinge els but the very essence of God acknowledginge the father who hath adopted them The Sonne by whom they are accepted and the holye Ghoste by whom they are regenerate Furthermore hereby the godhead of the personnes is proued against all heretiques For if wee be Baptised in the name of the Sonne then the Sonne is God if in the holy Ghost theÌ the holy Ghost is god The Euangelist Marke addeth sayinge Hee that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but hee which beleueth not shal be damned C. This promise was added to draw all mankind to the fayth as was also the threatninge of dampnation to the vnbeleuinge to terrefye them Baptisme is ioyned with fayth of the Gospell to the ende we might know the marke of our saluation to be ingraued in the same For except it were effectuall to testifye the grace of God Christ improperly had sayde that they shal be saued which beleue and are baptised Moreouer he cannot be sanctifyed inuisiblelye whiche contemneth and regardeth not the visible Sacramentes not that they are so necessarye as wee saide before that we cannot be saued without them but because thereby wee shew our obedience to God who hath ordayned this thinge And he which beleueth not shal be damned C. Christ by this part doth declare that the obstinate in reiecting the grace offered vnto them do bringe vnto themselues the greater punishment The Lord himselfe in another place expoundeth what it is to be damned sayinge Hee that beleueth on the Sonne hath euerlastinge life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him 20 Teachinge them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you And lo I am with you alway euen vnto the ende of the world Teachinge them to obserue C. This is the other part of Christian doctrine that when wee shall beleue the Gospell and beleuing the grace of Christ and remission of sinnes shall apprehende true saluation we might obey the commaundementes of the Lorde and maye keepe those thinges whiche are taught by the Apostles as if they were commaunded of the Lorde Moreouer by these woordes Christe doth declare that he doth not wholy resigne vnto them his office as thoughe hee woulde ceasse to be the maister of his Churche For he sendeth forth his Apostles with this exception that they thruste not vnto men theyr owne inuentioÌs but that they do pure lye and faithfullye dispense from hande to hande as it were that which hee himselfe hath commaunded And I would to God the Pope would submit the right which he arrogateth to himselfe to this rule For wee would easlye graunt him to be the successor of Peter or Paule if so be hee would not tyrannicallye raigne in the consciences of men But seinge the maistershippe and auctoritye of Christ beinge refused hee infecteth the Churche with his vaine trifles it doth sufficientlye hereby appeare howe farre he is from the Apostolicall office In fine let vs note that such are appointed teachers of the Church not which bring forth what seemeth vnto them good but whiche depende vppon the mouthe of their maister onlye that they may bringe Dysciples vnto him not to themselues Ye know saith the Apostle Paule what commauÌdementes I haue geuen you by the Lord Iesus And S. Peter sayth If any man talke let him speake as the words of god M. But Christ speaketh not here of one or two commaundementes but of all hys doctrine which wee haue set forth vnto vs by his Apostles and Euangelistes A. Wherevppon the Apostle Paule going about to shew how faithfully he had done his duty sayth I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you all the counsaile of god M. We must also note that the Lord sayth not Teaching them to know and vnderstand but To keepe all those thinges vvhich I haue commaunded For althoughe the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ be required of the faithfull yet notwithstandinge the ende in learninge is not here prescribed to a Christian that he may only know those thinges which are good right but that he
prayer and the ende thereof 1. Cor. 14. 1. Tim. 2 Priuate praier and the end thereof Liplabour in praying must be eschewed Colde pââ¦chers vsâ⦠labour Luke 1â⦠1. Thes Popysâ⦠laboure Popishââ¦er is soââ¦uery ãâã stedeâ⦠it proâ⦠pedleâ⦠ââ¦e 1. ââ¦abourers ââ¦ompared vnto the ââ¦kes ãâã is not ââ¦d with ââ¦des 1. King. 18. Aunswere Praier is the exercise of our faythe Chap. 12 The first table of prayer in the whiche we aske those thinges that pertain to the setting forthe of Goddes glory The Lordes praier consysteth of syxe petitions The lawe of God is deuyded into two tables A time conuenient for prayer The profouÌd treasure conteyned in the lordes praier Two things to be considered of them whiche pray God is our father Psalm â⦠Psalm â⦠1. King â⦠.2 Cro. â⦠Prayeââ be gâââ vpon ãâã Chap. â⦠Christ iâ⦠made ãâã sonnes ⪠ââ¦ur prayâ⦠muste ââ¦eeke the of God. ââ¦h 6. ââ¦llowâ⦠gods Esay 52. Ezech. 36. Ezech. 39. Roman 2. Gods kingedome Mannes naturall affections resist god The destruction of the old man is the beginninge of gods kingedome 1. Cor. 15. Godâ⦠Godâ⦠is scrâ⦠vnto ãâã scriptâ⦠maneâ⦠waies Psal. â⦠Iohn 6. â⦠Thes 4. ââ¦he seconde ââ¦ble of prayâ⦠in the ââ¦hich we ask ââ¦se thinges ââ¦t parteine our soules Mans labor without goddes blessinge is nothinge 4. King. 6. Aunswere Al our meats and drinkes without goddes blessinge are nothinge Philip. 4. Our fyâ⦠make vââters vrââ Roma â⦠ââ¦ission of ââ¦s putââ¦way saââtions ââ¦ission of ââ¦es in ââ¦te putâ⦠way the ââ¦s parâ⦠ãâã 5. Psalm 32 Iohn 20. Esay 43. Math. 18. Augustin Sathan is an ennemy to the godly Gene. 22 The tempââ¦tion of the ââ¦uill is as ãâã were a pâ⦠of bellowâ⦠to kindellâ⦠wycked aââ¦tions Chap. 1. 1. Sam. â⦠ââ¦ingdome ââ¦er gloââ¦ââ¦longeth ââ¦ed ââ¦m 145. 1 Cor. 14 Math. 18. Of fastinge A definition of fastinge The fastynge of hypocrites Popishâ⦠2. Samâ⦠2 Sam. â⦠Ruth â⦠Luke â⦠Mathâ⦠ââ¦t diffeââ¦ââ¦twene ãâã and faâ⦠ââ¦de of ãâã ââ¦ousnes ââ¦nfected âân ââ¦ousnes ãâã cloake Riches are subiecte to ruste Couetousnes is a distrust in God. 1. Timo. 6. Couetousnes is the roote of all euell Luke 12. Prouer. 19 1. Tiâ⦠Col. 3â⦠Worâ⦠forsââ ãâã 3. Our affections must be guyded by the eye of Gods spirite The Papists vpoÌ this place geue free wyl Esay 29. Coueâ⦠persoâ⦠sake tââââ¦nice oâ⦠Româ⦠Godâ⦠serueâ⦠our hâ⦠ââ¦8 ââ¦ate ââ¦bid ââ¦cesââ¦quiâ⦠Psalm 127. Ephe. 4. Mans lyfe consisteth not in meate and drynke Luke 12. Gods prouidence Heâ⦠Gâ⦠deâ⦠leaâ⦠Dâ⦠Psââ ââumption ââ¦xcessiue alwayes ââ¦yned toââ¦r ââo ââe 12. ââh 5. The flowers of the field far surmounteth all the glory of the worlde Excessiue care ryseth vpon the want of faithe Ignoââ the orâ⦠of exceâ⦠care Psal. â⦠ââ¦ion ââ¦were ââ¦4 ãâã 11. Distrustfull care hath euer respect vnto the tyme to come Rashe iudgement Luke 6. Iam. 3. True ââ¦ment Esay â⦠ãâã 6. ââ¦er 17 Men are diligent to note the faltes of their brethren but not their owne Math. 15.22 and .23 Luke 13. Mark â⦠2. Croâ⦠Aunsâ⦠Wicââ are ãâã to hoâ⦠dogââ Matâ⦠Thââ¦ââ¦riesâ⦠oughâ⦠be sââ theâ⦠ââ¦th 13 â⦠Gospell preciouse ââ¦e ââ¦o manââ¦ââ¦f contemâ⦠1. Timo. 1. 2. Tim. 4. Prayer Promises annexed vnto prayer Praier is but a vaine ceremony without faithe God is redy to graunt our petitions Chap. 3. Prayer must haue constaÌcy Esay 55. Prouer. 8 Faithful men haue the lorde their watcheman Esay 4 Luke ââ God by ãâã owne ãâã is voyde ãâã affectionâ⦠ââ¦o 4. ââ¦n 5. ââ¦h 6. Equitie Euery maÌ for him selfe is an indifferent iudge Esay 1. 58 Amos. 5. Roma 13. Gala. 5. The liâ⦠man is ãâã eyther ãâã or deathâ⦠Manâ⦠hath ãâã endes ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Math. 14. Ierem. 23. Actes 20 Roman 16. 1. Cor. 11. 2. Petr. 2. The monkes and friers go in shepes clothinge Papâ⦠Tâ⦠ofâ⦠Thâ⦠dâ⦠hâ⦠Iohâ⦠Obâ⦠ââ¦tion ââ¦were ãâã 3. ââ¦ope is ââ¦a raue ââ¦ââ¦lfe ââ¦octrin ãâã Paule Math. 12 Actes 15 The ponishement of false prophetes Iohn 15. Math. 25. Math. 5. Hyerlinges Ieremâ⦠Chapââ¦â⦠ââ¦n 4.5.6 ââ¦t 6. ââ¦hn 1. ãâã 3. ãâã 7. ãâã 6. ãâã 3. The daye of iudgement Math. 25. 1. Cor. 4. Math. 21. Iohn 17. 1. Cor. 14. External profession is nothinge Myracles Nume 24. 1. Sam. 10. Math. 10. Philip. 2. Luke 10. 1. Cor. 13. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Thes 2 Deut. 1â⦠Math. â⦠2. Tiâ⦠2. Câ⦠ââ¦p 9. ââ¦e 11. ââ¦ust be ãâã of the ãâã and not ââ¦rs onely ââtr 2. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Iohn 4. Psal. 125. Trew fayth Hipocrisie TemptatioÌs are a custome to hipocrites Marke â⦠Math. â⦠ãâã 4. ââ¦constaÌââ¦e mulâ⦠ãâã diuiâ⦠hereby ãâã ãâã is the ââ¦uior ãâã ââ¦ody ââ¦e Chap. 1. Chap. 5. Luke 17. Luke 5. Modestie Roma 8. Christes innocency and cleanenes Ephe. 5. The ãâã Chrisâ⦠waââ kynde ãâã Chriââ physiâ⦠ââ¦good inâ⦠beynge ââ¦ary to ãâã will ãâã not him ââ¦n 15. ãâã withââ¦ââ¦owâ⦠ãâã 13.14 Popishe auriculer confession is here grounded Chrisost in homel 12. De muliere Cana In consi Late lib. 4. senteÌ 14 The deuoute confession of a harlot to a popishe prieste Nectarius byshop of Constantinople toke awaye auricular confession Chrisostom hom 2. in psalm 25. 1. Iohn Mathâ⦠ãâã 6. ââ¦s 4 ââ¦ation ââ¦o briÌg ââ¦o ââ¦c ãâ¦ã The blindnes of the Iewes Two things here to be noted Humilitie Aunswere Aunâ⦠ââ¦xample Magiââ¦s and ââ¦rs of ââ¦es ââ¦nce The faithe of the CenturioÌ Christe commended the Centurions faith for two causes Lukâ⦠Quâ⦠Anâ⦠ââa 9. ãâã 11. ââment ââroâ⦠2 Sam 14. Marke 5. Iohn 4. The efficacy of fayth The wante of faith is the cause that our prayers are refused The omnipoteÌcy of Christ Man must tary the lordes leysure The effectes of faythe Maâ⦠Lukâ⦠An ãâã of faâ⦠loue ââ¦ultes ãâã not be ââ¦ed ââes are ãâã messenâ⦠â⦠4. Demoniakes The mercy of Christe Esay 53. Aunswere 1. Petr. 2. Marke â⦠Luke â⦠Carnalâ⦠spellers ââ¦ardely ââ¦sh waââ¦our ââ¦6 ââ¦o 3. ââ¦e and ââ¦tate ââ¦ste Aust aduersus Fau. li. 22 chap. 48. Ciprianus aduer Qui. lib. 3. Philip. 2. Luke 9. Luke 9. Our heauenly father must be obeyed before our earthly father Luke 14. Theâ⦠liue ãâã worâ⦠deadâ⦠God. 1. Tâ⦠ãâã folloââ¦ââ¦hrist ãâ¦ã ãâã 4. ãâã 8. We can not be in the fellowship of Christ without danger Trouble is a triall of our faith The ãâã feare Quâ⦠Auâ⦠All ãâã feaââ euell ãâã 46. At what time miracles do profyte vs. Augustin The deuyll persecuteth men to the deathe Saâ⦠ranâ⦠ââ¦an his ââ¦dome is ââ¦tr unto ââ¦st â⦠16. ââ¦ng 9. ââ¦ra 35. â⦠4. Christes comminge bryngeth torment to the wicked Aunswere Mannes mysery Luke 8. Sathan desireth to be amonge men Sathan ââ¦teth no ââ¦ture bâ⦠Sathaâ⦠do notâ⦠withoâ⦠parmiâ⦠God. Iob. 1. Luke â⦠ââ¦s proâ⦠ââ¦mal ââ¦th to ââ¦ge ââ¦godââ¦y The ingratitude of the Gadarenites The countenaunce of god is terrible to the wicked Luke 14. Marâ⦠Brââ loue Noâ⦠imâââ
the lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies and with swete preachinges and flatteringe wordes deceiue the hartes of the innocentes Reade also the .xi. chapter of the 1. epistell to the Corinthyans and the second chap. of the .2 epistell of S. Peter M. Here is to be noted the hypocrisie of the moonkes and begginge fryers whiche by their sheepes clothing haue deceyued the whole world and miserably haue spoyled the sheepe foulde of Chryst A. The whiche thinge I wolde to God the kinges princes of the whole worlde specially they whiche woulde be counted Christians woulde dyligentely way and consider For they by theyr bodely apparell by their gesture voyce external shewe do measure sanctimony symplycitie and honestie but in theyr mindes they are stout couetous cruell and maliciouse Neither do they seeke to do the worke of pietie and to profite their shéepe with wholsome counsell but rather to enriche them selues to fyll theyr belly and to disperse and spoile the flocke of Christ M. The manifeste and open comming of the wulfe can scarse be auoided without harme what shall then com to passe and what shall we loke for if he come priuily being couered with a shepes skyn surely great destruction murther and tyranny And althoughe a prophete geue almes lyberally and fast excedingly althoughe he preache feruentlye and leadeth an angelical lyfe yet for al that we muste not credite that whiche he teacheth altogether but we muste followe the counsell of S. Iohn proue the spyrite whether it be of god or no whervpoÌ Christ addeth these wordes followinge 16 Ye shall knowe them by their fruites Do men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thystells Ye shall knovve them by M. He which saide before beware of rauening wulues sheweth now howe we shall knowe them Ye shal know them saith he by their fruites As if he should say ye shall not nede to doubt for they wyll bewray them selues C. for excepte this difference were put the authoritie of all teachers without exception might come in doubt For if any great danger be feared in teachers and no waye founde to auoide the same it must nedes be that all be suspectted there shall be no better remedy then to shut our eares against them all Chryste therfore to the ende he would not detract any reuerence from his Gospel and sincere ministers and teachers of the same coÌmaundeth vs to iudge false prophetes by their woorkes or fruites Wherefore the Papistes are to shamelesse which because they woulde make vs to be enuied obiecte vnto vs the sayinge of Christ to beware of false prophetes and by theyr cryes they bring to passe that ignorante men for want of skill do rashely condeÌne vs But trewly who soeuer doth seeke to harken to the counsel of Christ it is necessary that he iudge wisely without parciallitie according to trueth and veritie We truely do not only willingly grant that false prophetes are to be taken heede of and eschewed but also diligently and sharpely we exhorte the simple that they will beware of them and auoide them Onely we admonyshe accordinge to the prescripte rule of Christe that they haue firste aright knowledge and iudgement leaste the simple in reiecting the woorde of God be ponished For betwene a parfect and iust commission and a preposterouse hatred there is greate difference But the Papistes very wickedly do abrogate the coÌmaundement of Christ which bringinge in a wrong feare do fraye away miserable sowles from inquisition diligent circumspection Let this therfore be the first that those which by feare do reiecte or shonne the vnknowne doctrine do it amisse and not by the commaundement of Christ Now it restethe to see what fruites Christ assigneth wheÌ he willeth vs to iudge of false prophetes by their fruites P. There are twoo maner of fruites euill opinions and euyll manners For alwaies heretiques haue some manifest wicked opinion which is impossible to happen into the churche of Christ They are deceyued there whiche restrayne these fruites to lyfe For wheÌ as the moste wycked deceyuers do boasts them selues with saiued sanctimony and holynesse and with certayne pretenced shewes of an austere lyfe this examynate rule must nedes be vncertaine We cannot denie but that at the length hypocrisie will be knowne because there is nothynge more harde to be kepte secrete than the simulation of vertewe but yet Christ would not make his doctrine subiect to such an vniust and obscure iudgement that it mighte be measured by the lyfe of man Therfore vnder this worde fruites is conteined the manner forme of teachinge yea that is the special note to be considered For hereby Christ proueth that he is sente of God because he seketh not his owne glory but the glory of his father which sent him If any obiecte that few haue that gift of wisdome to discerne good fruites from euyll wee answere as we sayd euen nowe that the faithful are neuer destitute of the spirite of discretion when neede requireth In the meane time let vs remember that all doctrines oughte to be brought vnto the woorde of God and therfore in iudging false prophetes the analogy of faythe to beare the rule P Wherfore to the ende we may iudge aright of doctrine it is necessary that we kepe the rule that is the certaine and trew meaning of the scripture of al the articles of doctrine which playnely and manifestly may be shewed out of the scriptures of the prophetes Apostelles without the diminishinge of the scriptures Let the testimonies also of the churche of Christ be sought after the Apostels specially in those wryters whiche are well knowne to be pure that we may vnderstand the perpetuall vnitie of the Catholyke church that no false opinion without testimony warantyse sufficiÌent be brought into the churche Then let vs see what God hath geuen in charge to his prophetes to his apostels and ministers of his word because therby fydelitie and trueth may be discerned As for example if we set before our eies those thinges whiche saincte Paule hath wrytten as concerninge the duetie of a bishop that onely discription shall suffice to coÌdemne the Pope Wherefore it is no marueyll if the Pope and his sacrificers go about to forbed the iudgement of false prophetes M. But who is so blynd that when he seeth the rapacitie and greedye desire to deuour knoweth not the wulf howe so euer hee be clothed in a sheepes skynne For Do men gather grapes on thornes By these Prouerbes whiche were then coÌmonly vsed Christ doth proue and coÌfirme that none can be deceyued of false prophetes but he whiche willingly will not se because good fruites do shew who are the seruantes of god deceitful fruites do shewe a false prophet euen as the fruite declareth the tree Bu. Euery tree in his kinde bringeth forth fruit euen so euery techer bringeth forth such doctrine as he hath coÌceiued by the spirite Wherfore we must
and preacher of the Gospel But because the preachyng of the same suffered hym not to sit at home with his father Christ worthely plucketh and draweth hym away as it wer froÌ his father Bu Wherby we may gather that they are worthye of the deuine callinge and do truely followe Christ which seke not their owne that is whiche vnder the name and title of Christ hunte not after titles richesse pleasures and other vaine and corruptible delightes of this worlde Moreouer they followe Christ trewly whiche despise all thinges in respecte of the trueth to whom nothing in the worlde is more preciouse then God which for the name of Christe forsake theyr parentes yea the most preciouse and derest thynges in this life if nede shall require C. Furthermore as in this the wonderful goodnes of God appered whiche vouchesafed to bestowe so excellent an office vpon so weake a person so it shall be nedeful for vs to note how that the vice that was in hym was corrected and not fauoured with sufferaunce 23 And when he was entered into the shyp his disciples followed him And vvhen he vvas entered into Bu. Now Mathewe procedeth to shewe a greate many other excelleÌt miracles of the lord Christ amongest the whiche the alleying of the cruel tempest was the fyrst by the whiche he delyuered his disciples from shipwracke and from present death C. But because a littel hereafter there is mention made agayne of the lake when it is sayde that the hogges were caryed into the same whether it be the selfe same sake it is not agreed vpon among al meÌ All men wyl confesse that the waters of Genesareth were sweete in tast and holsome for vse but Strabo affirmeth that the lake of the Gadarenes was so hurtful and perniciouse that beastes by drinking therof did and do lose their heare nailes and hooues There is no doubt therfore but that there were twoo lakes and the one farre distante from the other but it is out of all doubt and controuersie that we oughte to vnderstande this to be the lake of Genesareth ouer the which when Christe was paste he went to the Gadarenes which of Mathew are called Gergesites But they which gather and suppose by the diuersitie of the name that there is an other historie declared contrary to that which Marke and Luke describe are while they go subtilly about to proue the same deceiued For the regioÌ of the Gergesites was also called Gadarena of a famouse cittie called Gadaris In Hieroms age and tyme the name was altered so that he calleth them Gesarenes according to the coÌmon maner then But notwithstandinge we deny not but that the hogges were caryed by the deuylles into the lake of the Gadarenes but when Chryst saith in the fourth of Marke let vs passe ouer to the other syde we can expounde that of no other then Genesareth Nowe it resteth to consider of the tyme when this shoulde be whiche can not be gathered by Mathewe or Luke Onely Marke saith that the same daye at euen when he left preachinge the Gospell vnder the parable of the seede he sayde let vs passe ouer Whereby it appereth that the Euangelystes obserued not the order of times the whiche Luke playnely proueth when he sayth It came to passe on a certayne daye by the whiche woordes he declareth that he did not greatly trauel to shew what was done before or after His disciples follovved him C. Marke saith that there were with Christe other shippes but Christ and his disciples were in one shyppe Luke resiteth the same wordes Mathewe is more briefe But in som and efecte they agree namely that Christ gaue him selfe to quiet and rest and hee beinge a sleepe there arose sodeynelye a greate tempest Matthew therfore hath these wordes following 24 And beholde there arose a great tempest in the sea in so muche that the shyp was couered with waues but he was a sleepe And beholde there arose A. It is most sure certaine that this tempest arose not by chaunce but it was raysed by the lorde for the disciples sake to the ende he mighte teache them howe weake they were as yet in faith Wherefore they were to be instructed in this point But we must note that wheÌ Christ is present with vs we are subiect to many daungers with the whiche we are assayed tried euen to the last point For he is come to helpe vs not altogether to set vs free In so much that the shippe vvas couered Bu. With these woordes althoughe in a briefe summe he comprehendeth the outragious blastes of wynde the blacknes of the ayre the hyghe surginge of the waues the breakyng of the roaring billowe and the troublesome tossing of the shippe by the whiche they were in daunger But he vvas a slepe C. Although the slepe of Christe were naturall notwithstanding to this vse that thereby the disciples might perceiue and vnderstande his infirmitie the better Let vs not saye as many do that Christ fayned a slepe to proue them no we muste rather thinke that he slept according to the condition necessitie of his humane nature notwithstanding in the meane time his godhead was awake whereby the disciples might haue comforted them selues being perswaded that helpe and ayde should come from heaueÌ Let vs vnderstande therfore that all this was done by the prouidence of God that Christe slepte that the violent tempeste arose that the waues couered the shippe and the shippe was in daunger of shypwracke And hereby let vs learne that so often as any trouble aryseth our faythe is tried of the lorde and if there come any sicknes let vs also be perswaded that the same is for the triall of our pacience or els at the leaste to bewraye our infirmitie as we see here when the waues couered the Apostles their infirmitie and weakenes was discouered whiche before was hydde Bu. To this ende therefore let vs referre all kynde of euels with the whiche the churche of God is commonly afflicted as persecutions warres seditions dearthes tempestes dissentions plagues and suche lyke with the which experimentes the almighty vseth to trye our faythe 25 And his disciples came vnto him and awoke him saying lorde saue vs we perishe M. This here semeth to be a godly kynde of praier For what better remedy could they seke for then to call for helpe being in daunger at the handes of Christe But when Christe condemned them of infidelitie we muste see in what poynte they offended There is no doubte but that they were to boulde and had to muche confidence in the presence of the carnal maister For as it appeareth in Marke they prayed not symplely but they came vnto him and sayde maister carest thou not that we peryshe And by Luke it appeareth that they had a confused kynde of feare when they sayd Maister maister we perishe They ought to haue knowne that the deity could not be oppressed with slepe But they kept them selues
quiet vntill present daunger vrged them and then exceading feare stirred them vp and perswaded them that they shoulde not bee saued excepte they awoke Christe And this was the cause why he accused them of infidelitie 26 And he sayde vnto them why are ye fearefull O ye of litle faithe then he arose and rebuked the wyndes and the sea and there followed a greate calme VVhy are ye fearefull O ye of litle Bu. Nowe it followeth howe Christe behaued him selfe in this daunger and after what sorte he delte with his disciples being paste hope almoste Firste he blameth the imbecillite of their faith in this that he teacheth howe they ought not to quayle in perilles but coÌstantly with an vndoubted mynde to hope for present helpe from the handes of the lord and sauioure Notwithstanding of this reprehension of Christe a question may be moued namely whether all feare ought to be coÌdeÌned repugnaÌt to faith At the first he reprehendeth them not symplely because they feared but because they were full of feare they were out of measure afrayed Then he opposeth faithe against their feare and declareth that he speaketh of their immoderate perturbation which did not so muche exercise their faithe as it did shake their myndes Hereby it appeareth that all kinde of feare is not contrary to faythe for if we feare nothyng then there aryseth a wonderfull carelesnesse of the fleshe so that faithe languysheth synne increaseth and the remembraunce of God vanisheth away So we see that the feare whiche exerciseth faith is not of it selfe euell vntill it exceadeth the excesse consisteth in this if the tranquillitie of faythe be troubled or disquieted whiche ought to areste in the worde of God. Then he arose and rebuked A. Christ would trie his disciples but he woulde not suffer them to perishe therefore he rebuketh the wyndes and there followed a calme C. he commaunded the sea and the wynde to be quiet not that the lake had any sence or vnderstandynge but that he might shewe that the power of his voyce did pearce euen through the deafe elementes And there follovved a great calme M. This trewely bryngeth an vnspeakeable ioye and comforte to all the elect For in this place we learne that there is nothinge in this worlde so harde so cruell and desperate which Christ can not rule tame and ouercome C. Neyther doth the sea and the winde alone which are voyde of sence obeye the rule and power of God but the very wicked also for all their obstinacie are constrayned to couche To this place agreeth the sayinge of the prophete Dauid when he saith God is oure hope and strengthe a very present helpe in trouble Therefore we wyll not feare thoughe the earth be moued and though the hilles be caryed to the myddest of the sea Though the waters therof rage and swell and though the mountaines shake at the presence of the same Againe The lorde maketh warres to ceasse in all the worlde he breaketh the bowe and knappeth the speare in sonder burneth the chariots in the fyer M. It is most true therfore that the byshoppes of Rome affyrme that the ship of Christ whiche is the churche can not perishe it maye be assalted and beaten filled with waues but in the ende it wil escape and possesse a calme They speake the trueth It appereth no lesse by this place And we reioyce But let them see whether they be in the ship with Christ or no whiche perishe not then let them see whether they them selues are not they whiche trouble the churche or no which ouerwhelming the trewth replenishe and ouerlade the same with mennes traditions 27 But the men marueyled saying what maner of man is this that both windes and sea obey him C. The Euangelistes Marke and Luke attribute this saying to the apostels for after they had said that they were reprehended of Christ they adde that they cried out with feare sayinge what maner of man is this Notwithstandinge this saying did more appertayne to others to whom Christ as yet was not knowne Yet we allowe theim bothe Here nowe the fruite of the miracle appereth when the glory of Christ is celebrated For theÌ miracles do profyte vs when we wonder at the power of God in Christ submitte our selues wholly to his wyll Bu. Wherfore let all men learne here when they are delyuered from euyll that they haue respect to God alone to geue to hym all glory and to be thanckfull vnto hym for his benefites 28 And when he was come to the other side into the countrey of the Gergesites there met him twoo possessed with deuilles whiche came out of the graues and were out of measure fearce so that no maÌ might go by that way And vvhen he vvas come B. By an other excellent miracle or benefite the lorde sealeth his power and declareth it to the whole world manifestly approuing him selfe to be lord not onely of the disseases and elementes of the worlde but also to be the ruler of Sathan the prince of this world Into the countrey of the Gergesites C. We haue already a littell before confuted their erroure whiche affirme that Marke and Luke declare an other history then this For when as the region of the Gadarenites is saide to be that which lieth ouer against Galilae of all the three Euangelistes and all the circumstaunces also do agree who wil be perswaded that these thynges happened at dyuerse tymes There met hym tvvoo possessed C. This one onely difference gaue occasion of errour to the interpretours to disseuer Mathew from the rest because he nameth twoo the other Euangelistes reherse and make mention but of one only But the coniecture of Austine is probable who thinking that there was twoo saith that they made mention but of one of them whiche was more famouse then the other because of his exceading fercenesse for the whiche crueltie and fearcenes the miracle seemed more wonderfull in him And trewelye we do see that Luke and Marcke do persist in amplyfying with many woordes the cruel fearcenesse of the deuyll the whiche maketh muche with the coniecture of S. Austin Where as Luke saithe there mett with the lorde a man out of the citie it is vncertaine whether he vnderstande hym to be a citizen of the Gadarenites or whether he wente oute of the cittie to meete with Christ For when he was commanded to go home as you may reade in the story and to preache to his famelye and kinsefolke the grace and mercy of God Marcke saith that he went and preached in the tenne cities which was a regyon nye to the Gadarenites and oueragaynst Galilae wherevppon it is gathered that he was not a Gadarenite by byrth Moreouer Mathew and Marke do in no point affirme that he came out of the citie but out of the monumentes or graues and Luke declareth that he lyued in the wyldernes These woordes therefor of Luke There met hym a certayne man oute of