harme and deceite C. But Chryste by these woordes semeth to be contrarye to him selfe Obiection For this had ben an excellente waie to beware and take hede namely to do their busines at home and not to com in the company of men I answere that here is noted an other kynde of takynge heede not that they shoulde depart from their office beinge dysmayed with feare but that they shoulde not be troubled out of measure when euyls do aryse at a sodeine For we do see that many men beinge beset with daunger on euery syde vnloked for do faynte and quaile by and by Christe therefore woulde haue hys disciples se before hand what would followe afterwarde that they might frame and prepare their mindes betime to suffer trouble To conclude hee soundethe the trompet vnto them that they might with the better cheere and courage prepare them selues to the battaile For as to muche forecast dothe weaken and dyscourage some euen so to muche securytie and carelesnes doth make at it were other som drunke so that in soddaine desstruction they perishe For they shall delyuer you vp M. Nowe hee sheweth the reason wherefore his Apostelles shoulde take hede of men because they shoulde suffer muche euyll at theyr handes He saythe not They wil goo aboute to delyuer you or to beate you or to betraye you but most certainly he affirmeth that they shal deliuer them vp to the counselles in dede and scourge them C. By the whiche woordes we may easely gather that those troubles whiche Christe nowe declareth to his Apostels ought not to be restrained to the first expedition or sendyng forthe in the which they had no experiēce of any such thyng This was the ende of the forewarninge of Christe that they shoulde not be dysmaied with feare at any tyme because it was a rare vertue and seldome sene for poore men when they came in the presence of princes to be of stoute mynde and to be troubled with worldely tumulte To the counselles E. The Greeke worde Synedrion signifieth the syttynge of the senatours iudges and chiefe of the people which we cōmonly call the sessions And shall scourge you in their Sy. B. The greke woorde signifieth the temples where the people met together it signifieth also the assemblies of people as in this place M. Hereby trewely we maye note that the aduersaries of Chryst although they shewe them selues to be wulues bruite beastes rather then men yet notwithstanding they wold seeme to condempne the ministers of Chryste as schismatikes and seditiouse persons not by violence but by iuste iudgement by lawe by the consente of the people and by publyque aucthoritie when as in deede these kinde of men neyther regarde people nor maiestrate but do onely seeke with earnest study to abuse theyr affectiōs the nothing might seeme to be done of hatred or of a sinister affection but by lawe cōscience After this maner when they had taken Christ him selfe by their souldiours and might haue slaine him out of hand without any more busynes they didde rather seke first to bryng hym before the counsell of the elders and hyghe priestes and there to condemne him then being condempned by the auctoritie and consent of the coūsel he was delyuered to the deputie to be ponyshed who broughte hym to the people to be condempned and afterwarde was scourged of him and deliuered again to the people to be put to death Herevpon the Euangelistes Marke and Luke write at large After the same maner Peter Iohn were violently handled and all the rest of the Apostels And of Peter beinge bounde it is saide that Herode after the passeouer would bryng him forth to the people Steuen also was broughte before the counsell 18 And ye shal be brought to the heade rulers and kynges for my sake in witnesse to them to the Gentiles And ye shall be brought to the head rulers C. By these wordes Christ admonished the dysciples that they must not onely fyghte in Iewry but in places of farther distance that by longe preparation they myghte arme them selues to warre M. By this place also we se that Christe had an euyll opinion of al the potētates of the world and not without cause For looke howe muche more dignitie they are of in this worlde and the more power and aucthoritie they haue soo muche the more are they geuen to persecute Chryst and hys doctrine whether they be counsels common assemblies maiestrates or kinges that is the whole seate of iudgement all the power of the worlde whiche was ordeyned of God to the ponishement of the wycked and to the prayse and mayntenaunce of the good and godly Whereby it appereth that Sathan the prynce of this world hath obtained tiranny in this world to styrre vppe all the force of the worlde against Christ the sonne of God and that in so peruerse a manner that he hath made that power rule and aucthoritie whiche by God was appoynted to ponishe the wicked and to suppresse all impietie to defend his owne kyngdome and to impugne resiste the kyngedome of Christe And that whiche is most subtyll and craftye of all other is this hee dothe so handell and vse the matter that he maketh the maiestrates princes and kinges beleue that they do good seruyce vnto God when as in deede they doo the contrary and are suche of whom Christ speaketh sayinge The houre wil come in the whiche who so euer kylleth you wil thinck that he doth god good seruice For my sake M. that is as muche to saye for my names sake In vvitnesse to them C. The sence meanyng of this place is this that the disciples must witnesse the wyll of God to forrayne prynces farre coūtreis to th ende they might be inexcusable A. Herby let the ministers of the woorde learne that their laboure is not in vayne althoughe they be reiected of wycked men because the woorde that they preache shall be a testimony in the daye of iudgement against them 19. But when they delyuer you vp take ye no thought howe or what ye shal speake for it shal be geuen you euen in the same houre what ye shal speke But vvhen they delyuer you vp B. After he had admonished them of the greate and manifolde daungers whiche were at hande he now sheweth them by whose ayde and helpe they shall ouercome theym to the ende he mighte comforte them C. For Christe in vaine shoulde haue exhorted his disciples an hundered tymes excepte he had promised vnto them also that God shoulde be their helper and that also by his power they shoulde certaynely haue the vpper hande Herby we may gather that it was farre from the purpose and meanynge of Christe to discourage his disciples by telling them of the perylles to come they being before very desirouse no doubte to discharge theyr duetie It is a greate thinge trewelye to abyde the countenauce of princes for not only the feare but
awaye for vs to come thyther that the gate may stande open for vs whiche before was shut by reason of synne Furthermore he is an aduocate and intercessor with God for vs as it is said in the Epistle to the Romaynes And sitteth at the right hand of god C. This kynde of speache signifieth that he is taken vp an highe that hee might excell Angels and all other creatures that the father by his hande myghte gouerne the worlde and that before hym euerye knee might bowe C. This similitude is taken of the manner of princes which haue their counsellers and assistentes to whome they geue seuerall offices of gouernement EueÌ„ so Christe is sayde to bee receiued vp to the right hand of the father solemly to receiue possession of the administration committed vnto him and to kepe the same till his comming to iudgemeÌ„t And therfore the Apostel saith The father hath set him on his right hande in heauenly thinges aboue all rule and power and mighte and dominion and aboue euery name that is named not in this worlde only but also in the worlde to come and hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath made hym aboue all things the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnes of him whiche fylleth all in all Therefore this is as much as if he shuld be called Gods vicar whiche taketh vppon him his persone After these thinges the Euangeliste Luke declareth howe the disciples behaue them selues and what they did when the Lorde was taken from them saying And when they had worshipped hym they behelde as he was taken vp an high and a cloude receiued him vp out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly vp to heauen as he went beholde two meÌ„ stoode by them in whyte apparell which also sayde ye men of Galile why stande ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus whiche is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene him go into heauen C. This sentence consisteth of two partes The first is that Iesus is receiued vp into heauen least men any more by a foolysh desire should plucke him down into the earth The seconde is added for a consolation as concerning his seconde comming R. The summe and effecte is that although Christ be nowe taken vp into heauen and will not at this tyme reueale the publique maiestie of his kingdome in this worlde that his excelent treasures might bee perceiued and felte by humane sence yet notwithstanding he ascended not into heauen to dwell there alone and to enioye the celestiall glory alwayes him selfe inuisible and to suffer the worlde after his olde manner to passe from tyme to tyme but rather that hee myght come in his tyme into this worlde visibly with great power to set al thinges in a better order that is to geue vnto the Godly and faithfull euerlastinge felicitie and to the wycked and contemners of the Gospell perpetuall damnation And by these twoo partes ioyned together a strong argument to confute the Papistes and all others whiche affirme that the carnall presence of Christe is ioyned with the signes of bread and wyne may be gathered For when Christe is sayde to bee taken vp into heauen the distance betwene heauen and earth is manifestly noted Wee graunt truely that this worde heauen is diuersly taken some tymes for the ayre some tymes for the whole compas of the Sphere some times for the glorious kingdome of God wheÌ„ as his maiestie hath his proper seate howsoeuer it fulfilleth the worlde For the whiche cause Paule placeth Christe aboue the heauens because he is aboue the worlde and in that mansion place hath the hyghest roume of immortalitie because hee is aboue all Angels of whome he is the head But this letteth not that he should not be absent from vs and that by the name of heauens a separation from the worlde may be signified And how soeuer they cauil it is playne that heauen into the whiche Christe is taken is apposed and sette against the compas of the whole worlde Therefore if he be in heauen as no doubte he is he cannot be in the worlde But first of all we must note the purpose of the Angell that wee maye geue the better iudgement of his wordes The Angels go about to reuoke the disciples from the carnall presence And to this ende they saye that he shall not come agayne vntyll the second tyme which is at the generall iudgement But they thynke that thei haue made a good distinction wheÌ„ they saye that he shall then come in a visible forme but now daily in an inuisible forme But there is no disputation here about the forme onely the Apostels are admonished to suffer Christe to abyde in heauen vntyll the last daye appeare As Peter also admonisheth in an other place sayinge When the tyme of refreshing commeth which we shall haue at the presence of the Lorde wheÌ„ God shall sende him whiche before was preached vnto you that is to wytte Iesus Christe whiche must receiue heauen vntyll the tyme that all thinges whiche God hath spoken by the mouthe of all his holy prophetes since the worlde began he restored againe Therefore according to the commaundemene of the Angell let vs not with our fayned inuencions plucke Christe out of heauen before the tyme but let vs consider that accordinge to the presence of his spirite he is euery where and according to the presence of his fleshe at the right hande of God in heauen For this matter reade the .xxvi. chapiter going before Then retourned they to Hierusalem with great ioye from the mount Oliuete R. Although the Disciples had loste the sight of the Lorde 〈◊〉 they retourne to Hierusalem with great ioye Thei felt then that it was true whiche the Lorde had said namely that it was good for them that he shoulde departe from them in the fleshe Whyle hee was with them in the fleshe they were altogether carnall and sauored nothing but that whiche was fleshelâ—â— but when he departed as touching the fleshe was present with them in the spirite they were wonderfully affected with ioye and began to extoll and magnifie the name of god They obey the commaundement of Christe in going to Hierusalem which said vnto them before But abide ye in Hierusalem vntil ye be indewed with power from aboue It was very daungerous for them to be in Hierusalem among the middest of Christes enemies yet they obey Surely if we waye the circumstances well we shall see that they retourned all moste to present death For howe should they spare the disciples whiche so cruelly put Christ to death But the power of the spirit of Christe filled them with suche ioye and made them obedient to do their office And when they were come in thei weÌ„t vp into a parler where abode both Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrewe Philip and Thomas Bartholomewe and Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus
the bokes the prophet saying In the pristes lyppes shoulde be sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouthe 5 And they sayd vnto hym at Bethlem in Iewry for thus it is wrytten by the Prophete And they sayde vnto hym at Bethleem in Ievvry M. Here is to be considered the wonderfull impietie of the tyrante The twoo thinges whiche he sought as well of the chiefe priestes as of the wyse men dyd wholly consist vpon the detection and reuelation of God that whiche was demaunded of the hye priestes was of that whiche is wrytten in the prophetes that whiche was demanded of the wyse men was as concerning the heauenly sygne So that the maiestie and power of God was on bothe sydes and yet the foolysshe mad man thought he could deceyue god and coulde make all the deuine oracles and tokens as concernynge Chryste of none effecte Euen so the wicked menne in these dayes are wonte to learne the prophesies and to vsurpe the same soo farre as they do séeme to make by any meanes for theyr vngodlynesse or hypocrysie but in howe muche they myghte be withdrawne frō the same in so much with shamelesse obstinacie they doo reiecte it For so it is vvritten by the Prophete C. That the chiefe priestes and scrybes do so syncerely and truely aunswere out of the Scriptures whiche notwithstandynge afterwarde wente aboute furyousely to peruerte the same leaste they shoulde geue any estymation to Chryst was done for this ende bycause as yet Christe was not troublesome vnto them with his Gospell Euen so all the vngodly in generall beginnynges do wyllyngely subscribe and submytte theimselues vnto God but when as the truth of God dothe more neerely begynne to vrge and touche them then they shewe out theyr poysoned cankered dysobedyence Of the whiche thynge at this day we haue a manifeste and playne exaumple in oure Papistes For they wyll confesse without contention or controuersie that Chryste is the onely begotten sonne of God whiche hath taken vpon hym oure fleshe and they wyll acknowledge also one person in twoo natures of God and man but when wee come to the vertue and offyce of Chryst then begynneth the contention In fyne so longe as the wycked perceyue that they do nothynge preiudicyall or hurtefull to theym selues they wyll geeue some reuerence to God and his woorde But when Chryste shall fyghte hande to hande with Ambytion with Couetousenesse Pryde Hypocrysie and Deceyte then they forgette all modestie and become more madde then dogges Let vs be well assured therefore that wicked affections are the princypall cause of blyndenesse to the ennemyes of the trewethe whiche tourne lyght into darckenesse 6. And thou Bethleem in the lande of Iuda arte not the leaste amonge the prynces of Iuda For out of thee there shal come a captayne whiche shall feede my people Israell And thou Bethleem in the lande of Iuda M. This place is wrytten in the prophecie of Mycheas From the whyche texte the hyghe priestes and Scrybes beinge asked of the place where Chryste shoulde be borne aunswered Herode C. And no doubte they syted trewely the woordes of the texte in theyr tongue accordyng to the prophesie but Mathew thought it suffycient to note the place And because he wrytt in Gréeke he followed the readynge admytted and receiuyd For out of this place and such lyke it maye easely be gathered that he wrote not the Gospell in the Hebrewe tongue But this is alwayes to be noted that so often as the Apostelles do syte and alleage any place of scrypture althouge they reherse it not word for worde yea sometymes they much dyffer in wordes yet for all that they applye it verye agreable and aptly for the purpose Wherefore lette the readers alwayes marcke and take heede for what pourpose the Euangelystes brynge in places of the Scrypture that they stande not scrupulousely vpon euery worde but to be satisfyed and contented with this one thynge that the Scripture is at no tyme wrested of them into a contrarye sence but is properly vsed accordynge to the trewe sence and meanynge thereof But for so muche as they were appoynted to nouryshe vp infantes and nouyces in the Faythe with the dryncke of mylke whiche coulde not take fleshe as yet no religion dothe hynder but that the chyldren of God maye exactely and dyligently serche what the scrypture cōteyneth and so the taste whiche the Apostelles do geue maye brynge them to the cleere and perfect well Nowe let vs retourne to the prophesie of Mycheas it is red thus according to the words of the prophesie And thou Bethleem Ephrata art not littel amōg the thousādes of Iuda Out of thee shall come vnto mee whiche shall be the gouernour of Israell For Ephrata Mathewe hath put Iuda but in the same sence For Mycheas woulde haue Bethleem whereof he speaketh discerned as it were by this note from the other whiche was in the tribe of Zabulon of the whiche we spake before in the fyrste verse C. In the rest of the text there is much more difficultie and hardenes For the Prophete saithe that Bethleem was lyttle amonge the thousandes of Iuda Mathewe on the other syde extolleth the dignitie thereof and sayth that it is one of the chiefe And this is the cause that dyuerse interpretoures doo reade this place interrogatiuely But others much better expounde it whiche thought that Mathewe woulde cellebrate the grace of God in this mutation and chaunge because that a symple lyttle base towne shoulde be made the place of byrthe for so excellente a kynge Bu. As yf he shoulde haue sayde And thou Bethleem althoughe thou seemest a base and contemned towne if thou be compared to many other townes in the tribe of Iuda yet notwithstandinge thou arte not the leaste amonge the chiefe Cities of Iuda if that in deede we haue respecte vnto the mysterie For oute of thée shall be borne a captayne whiche shall gouerne my people Israell M. In the whiche we maye note howe God dothe choose those thinges that are humble and of no reputation in the worlde to greate and hye matters Euen so he chose Dauid beinge the leaste of his bretherne to the dignitie of a kynge Furthermore we see of howe greate pryce and estimation those thynges are whiche when they be abiectes and castawayes in the syghte of the worlde are made by the gyft of God most excellente What had that poore cytie Bethleem and the very leaste among the reste of the cities of Iuda whereby it shoulde be so muche exalted of the Prophete It hadde the byrthe of Christe and that of all byrthes the moste base and humble and yet throughe this name it was so greate in the syghte of God and the Prophete But althoughe this cytie dyd excell with such honour yet not withstanding it nothyng at all profyted them that dwelte therein so that they fell into greatter mischiefe because that the redemer of mankynde was so vnworthely receyued VVhiche shall feede my people
as God doth promyse to nourishe me Thou Sathan doste bynde his grace vnto breade but he on the contrary parte witnesseth that his grace is sufficient to nourishe and succoure vs Nowe let vs consyder what kynde of temptation this was surely suche a one with the which Sathan dayly fighteth against vs For the sonne of God would not suffer any vnwonted temptation but would fight in the same battaile that we fight in to the ende that we being fournished with the same armoure wherewith he was armed nede not doubt of the victory but that already we haue the palme in our handes 4 But he aunswered and said It is wrytten man shal not lyue by bread only but by euery woorde that proceadeth out of the mouthe of God. And he aunsvvered and. C. First this is here worthy to be noted that Christe taketh the scripture for his buckler for this is the true kynde of fight if we couet to haue the victory Neyther in vayne doth Paull call the woorde of God the sworde of the spirite M. Christe coulde by his deuine power haue caste Sathan into the bottomles pit but for our sake he would ouercome his temptations that his deceites should not only be frustrate but also we that shoulde followe thereby might learne howe to fight A. That we being well appointed with the armoure of the woorde of God might bouldely resiste our enemy the deuell C. Whereby also we may gather that the Papistes hauing made a league and agremente with Sathan as it were to caste out the soules of men to th ende they may cruely of hym be destroyed they suppressing the scripture do despoyle the people of God of their armoure with the whiche they might only defend them selues For they whiche caste from them this armour and exercise not thē selues daily in the schole of God are worthy euery houre to be in daunger of the deuell to whome they do betraye them selues Neyther is there any other reason why Sathan should so spoyle and ouercomme so many were it not that God would be reuēged on their negligence and contempt of his woorde Now we must consider the testimony of Moyses whiche Christe citeth Man shall not liue by bread M. By this word bread he vnderstandeth all maner of foode what soeuer we vse to the sustentation of our body Loke in the sixt chap. folowing Some very falsely wreste this testimony of Moyses as if it had bene saide that the liues of mē were not nourished with visible breade but with the worde of god In some respect this is true but Moyses respected another thing For when they had no other breade at hande he sheweth that Manna was an extraordinary foode to the people that by this document it might be witnessed for euer that the life of men is not included in bread but to depend at the wil and pleasure of god The woorde therefore in this place is not takē for doctrine but for the decrée which god published to the defending of the order of nature to the nourishing of his creatures Neither doth he reiecte men which are the workemanship of his handes but for this cause he powreth life into them that once being geuen he may daily sustaine the same The woorde is the vertue and power of God by the whiche we be sustained as well without meate as with meate whether he place any other thinge in steade of meate as Manna which he gaue to our forefathers or nothing as he kept and preserued Moyses Helias and Christe so many dayes C. So saythe the Apostle he ruleth all thinges with the woorde of his power That is al the worlde is preserued all the partes thereof abide in their proper state at his becke and decrée by whom al thinges are gouerned Therefore although we be fed by breade yet we must not attribute our lyfe to the vertue of the same but to the secrete power of his grace whiche God inspireth in the bread to feede vs. Whervpon also it followeth that God whiche vseth the ordinary meane of bread to our sustentatiō will otherwise whē it pleaseth him fede vs that we may liue B. Therfore the aunswere of Christe is in effecte thus Although I honger yet God by his power can preserue me still as he hathe done hitherto without meate that I shal not nede to make these stones breade A. Neyther is the power of my father tyed vnto breade By this sentence of Moyses therefore their wickednes is condemned wiche counte that their lyfe and felicitie to haue aboundace and superfluitie of all thynges pertayning to the body Here also is reproued the distruste wicked carefulnes whiche causeth vs to seke after vnlawfull thinges And to this point the aunswere of Christ is properly directed that we must so trust to receiue our foode and other thinges necessary to our life that we passe not the boundes limited vnto vs. For if Christe thought it not lawfull and mete to make breade of stones contrary to his fathers commaundement muche lesse it is lefull to get our liuinge by rapine violence murther bribery extortion vsury and suche lyke We knowe it was sayde to Adam in the beginning Thou shalt get thy liuing in the sweate of thy browes And Paule He whiche laboureth not let hym not eate And againe if any prouide not for his housholde he hath denied the fayth and is worse then an infidele And these places are wrytten leaste that any man should take occasion to lyue idely refuse the labour of his handes whiche God hath appoynted to get our liuing by 5 Then the Deuell toke hym into the holy cittie and set hym on a pinnacle of the temple Then the deuell toke him M. This is the other temptation of Sathan by the which what he wente aboute we may gather by the aunswere of Christe Luke resiteth this in the second place but the Euangelistes ment not so to order the history that they would obserue and kepe alwayes exactly the order of tyme but rather to gather the speciall thynges that they might set forthe as it were in a glasse or table those thynges whiche were moste proffitable to bee knowen as concernyng Christe This therefore shall be sufficient for vs to knowe that Christe was tempted thrée manner of wayes But whiche was the fyrste seconde or thyrde it maketh no matter vnto vs. A. Here Mathew declareth that Christ was taken of the deuell and set vppon the Pinacle of the temple E. But howe he was taken and caried whether by force or by his own free wyll following the Deuell C. Or whether he were caried through the aire or whether it were done by a vysion it is not for the godly to searche It may be that there was no small tyme betwene the first and seconde temptation and betwene the seconde and the thyrde but that there was some distaunce whiche is moste lykely although by the wordes of Luke it is gathered
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 expoūded 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 cādelstick 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 thē 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 whō we haue to do by our workes may knowe what pietie there is in oure hartes And glorifie your father vvhich is in heauē 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 visitatiō 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 thē 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 cōcerning 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 traditiōs 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 entreāteth 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 gouernemēt 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 comprehēded 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 cōtinently and comly with modestie which the necessitie of the body requireth to the whiche also appertaineth whatsoeuer is cōmaunded 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 māner namely by false expositiōs 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 cōming 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 thē 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 cōprehended 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 cōfirmation 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 amē 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 incoÌ„tineÌ„t it foloweth Neither by heauen nor by earth Who nowe seeth not that these kyndes of swearing or particulers are added expositiuely that they myght expresse the firste member by destincte enumeration The Iewes had a disordered kynde of swearing and wheÌ„ they did sweare by heauen by the earth or by the altare they did counte it as nothing Christe to the ende he might reproue this vice playnely declareth that they must not sweare at all neither by this nor by that neither by heauen nor by earthe nor by any thinge Whereby we may gather that this worde At all is not referred to the substaunce but to the forme of an othe otherwise in vayne he shold haue rehersed these particulers Wherefore the Anabaptistes bewraye their grosse ignoraunce for whyle they curiously persiste in vrging one worde they ouerpasse perceiue not the whole tenor of his talke A. Christe speaketh here of busynes and affayres and familiar talke about the whiche there is no necessitie of an othe required In necessary causes it is not onely permitted to sweare but also is commauÌ„ded of God as appeareth in the sixte of Deutronom And the Prophete Ieremy saythe that an othe is to be taken in truthe in Iudgement and righteousnes Christ did often tymes sweare Paule vsed an othe God also swore by hym selfe Therefore the effecte is this that the name of God is by other meanes taken in vayne then by swearing Therefore men must abstaine from all superfluous kynde of swearing and where iust occasion serueth there to sweare Wherefore Christe mente nothing els but this that all kynde of othes were vnlawefull which by any abuse did prophane the holy name of God to the reuerence whereof they ought to serue V. Finally he that sweareth doth twoo thinges fyrst he taketh God to witnes and sayth that he wyll fulfill his promyse to the honour of God Then he calleth vpon God as the chiefe iudge that he wil not suffer his office to be abused prayeth that he wyll defende his honour and the dignitie of his deuine iudgemeÌ„t and shewe the same vpon him whiche sweareth excepte he kepe his othe And thus he constraineth God to take veÌ„geaunce by the mention of his honour truthe and office Neither by heauen C. They are greatly deceyued whiche expounde these maner of othes to be corrected of Christ because we ought to sweare by God only For the reasons whiche he bringeth do tende more to the contrary that then we sweare by the name of God when we sweare either by heauen or by the earth because there is no part of the worlde in the whiche some special note or marke of the glory of God is not imprinted Obiection Notwithstandinge this sentence dothe not seme to agree with the commaundemeÌ„t of the Lawe where God dothe plainely coÌ„maunde to sweare by his name Moreouer it semeth to disagree with many places of holy scripture where the almighty God complayneth that we do vnto him iniury so often as we sweare by his creatures We may aunswere that corruption is adioyning to idolatry wheÌ„ that either the power of iudgement or the authoritie of approuing testimony is deferred and brought to them For the ende of an othe is to be coÌ„sidered because men called God the reuenger of falshod and the defender of truthe as we haue shewed already a litle before This honour cannot be geuen to another without the violating of his maiestie In consideration of this the Apostell saith Men verely sweare by him that is greater theÌ„ them selues and an othe to confirme the thing is to them an ende of all stryfe So that this is only proper to God to sweare by him selfe Euen so in olde tyme men did vse to sweare by Moloch or by some other Idole and so they appointed another in Gods stede to be a knower of secretes iudge of myndes by the whiche they did take away the righte appertayning to god Euen so at this daye they do no lesse offende which sweare by aungels and other dead saintes God therefore in all thinges is only to be taken for a witnes Because it is the seate of God. M. These wordes appertayne also to â—â—e Prophete when he saithe Thus saithe the lorde The heauen is my seate and the earth is my foote stoole C. The heauen therefore is called the throne or the seate of God not that he is there included and shut vp but that meÌ„ may learne to lifte vp their myndes so often as they thynke of him and that we might not imagine any earthly thing of hym A. To this effecte tendeth the begynning of the lordes prayer wherein we are commaunded to call hym our father whiche is in heauen 35 Neither by the earth because it is his footestoole Neither by Hierusalem because it is the citie of the great king Neither by the earth M. This sentence also is taken out of the foresayde place of the Prophete Esaie Christ speaketh here of a kingely maiestie to put vs in minde of a heaueÌ„ly maiestie and dignitie Great is the excellencie of a kynges throne neyther do the footestoles of kings want their honoure Let no man therefore thinke that this earth in the which we liue is without the glory maiestie and power of god C. The earthe is called the foote stoole of God that we might knowe that he is euery where and that he cannot in the space of place he comprehended Neyther by Hierusalem M. Althoughe the earthe is the lordes and all that therein is as the Prophete Dauid saythe and therefore ought reuerently to be inhabited by the grace and fauour of the deuine maiestie Yet notwithstaÌ„ding it is worthely required that those places in the which the goodnes of God is more highly extolled should be more honorable then others Suche was this cittie because of the Temple priesthoode worshippe and woorde of God and because the lorde had chosen the same to be the seate of his empyre To the probation wherof these places followyng do serue I haue appointed him my kinge vppon my holy hill of Sion Agayne Tourne thy wrath awaye I beseche thee from thy cittie HierusaleÌ„ and from thy holy hill Moreouer the deuell caried him into the holy cittie And they came into the holy cittie It is called therefore the cittie of the great kyng because there more plentifully he shewed his power and the signes of his presence not that he was therein included Nowe Hierusalem is become the whole worlde as it was spoken of before by the Prophetes God wyll be called vppon and knowne euery where M. It is not with out great cause that Christe in this place calleth God the great
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 spokē 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 mēs faultes which ariseth for wāt 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 cōtent only to note in his minde his neighbours offence But because he bursteth out is not afraid opēly to reprehende his brother face to face neglecting his own faltes far greater he is inexcusable worthy to be cōdēned of impudēcy 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 mē 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 cōfused 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 heauēly wisdom only for the sonnes of God and that they do not bestow the same vpō 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 cōmunicated to euery one C. But here ariseth a questiō 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 tokēs do declare that obstinate cōtempt 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 childrēs bread and caste it to dogges But here he vnderstandeth thē 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
Iohn He therfore that dothe the will of the father doth the will of Christe B. To do the wyll of the lord is to expresse the same to endeuour our selues with all our mindes to that which he cōmaundeth although we be vnable to performe the same For the lorde in this life doth not require of vs to performe fulfil his cōmandements but to do thē whervpon in the lawe he saith Here O Israel take hede the thou do therafter For he knoweth howe sore we are molested with this sinful fleshe that we can not fulfil al thinges that we cannot be cleane voide of sin Wherfore S. Iohn saith If we say that we haue no syn we deceiue our selues the trueth is not in vs And yet the same S. Iohn saith if we say that we haue felloship with him walk in darckenes we lie do not the trueth Again Euery one that is borne of god sinneth not and he cannot sin because he is borne of god A godly man therefore can not syn because he is not willingly geuē to syn wickednes as the wicked are but alwaies hath a delight in the lawe of the lord yet notwithstāding because he hath no good thinge in his fleshe he cōmitteth many thinges which he hateth which ar sinful whervpon Paule saith The good which I wold do I not but the euil which I wold not that do I. If I do that which I wold not then is it not I that doth it but sinne that dwelleth in me But because the inward mā is not delighted with sin but is wholly geuen vnto Christ god imputeth not syn vnto him Wherfore they ar no sinnes no more thē they are deltes which the creditour hath forgeuē thoughe duely thou owe the same do not paye C. Furthermore to do the will of the father doth not only philosophically signifie the life maners of men to be framed according to the rule of vertu but also to beleue in Christ as it is said in Iohn By these wordes therfore fayth is not excluded but is pointed as it wer a beginning frō whence the rest doth ensue A. Herevpō S. Iohn saith This is his cōmandement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christe and loue one an other as he commaunded vs. 22 Many wyll say vnto me in that daye lorde lorde haue we not prophesied through thy name And throughe thi name haue cast out deuils done many myracles through thy name Many vvyl say Bu. Here he reherseth one thing twise doth inculcate that whiche he spake before C For he cyteth hypocrisie to his tribunal seate For loke how lōge they haue place in the churche they bothe flatter them selues and deceiue others also He saith therfore that there shal com a day in the which he wil pourge his florth clēse the chaff dust frō the pure wheate In that day B. He vnderstādeth the day of iudgemēt in the which the good shal be seperated frō the euyl the sheepe from the goates whē al secretes shal be reuealed Haue vve not prophesied in thy name E. To prophesie in the name of Christ is to teach vnder the autoritie of Christ as whē it is sayd Blessed is he that cōmeth in the name of the lord Or as som others do expoūde it in thy name that is in thy power strēgth For alwais these speches by thy name or in thy name or for thye name to the hebrewes from whom they com signify no more thē if thou sholdest say by thee Euen so whē Christ saith to his father I haue declared thi name vnto men it is as if he had said I haue declared thée Also wheras it is said in that scripture oftē times deliuer vs for thy name sake it is in efecte thus Delyuer vs for thy selfe The like maners of speach also ar these I beseche your grace your maiestie your honour it may please your lordship suche like The whiche are nothing els thē I pray you it shall please you Therefore to prophesy in the name of Christ in this place doth properly signify to do the office of teaching by his authorite This word prophesy in this place is takē very largely as in the .14 of the 1. to the Corin. He mighte truely haue vsed more simplely this woord preachinge but not without cause he put the which was more honorable whereby he mighet the better expresse the external professiō was nothing how gloriouse so euer it semed vnto mē Bu. Many will boste saith he that they haue shewed them selues excellente teachers interpretours of the scriptures in the church And haue cast out deuills A. He reherseth one kynde of miracles for exāples sake then generally he addethe And done many miracles C. To do miracles in the name of Christ is nothing els then to worke wōders by his power aide and gouernment for although the name of miracles is restrained to one kinde of miracles yet notwithstanding in this place in many other it doth signifie al kinde of wōders M. Here we se the God lendethe his power to euil ministers sometimes As to Baalā to Saule whervpō this prouerbe came Is Saule also among the prophetes To Iudas the traitor also who receiued power of Christ to cast out deuils to heale the sicke to do al thinges as the other Apostels dyd Furthermore we do reade the many claue vnto Paule which afterwarde fel frō him whervpon he complaineth saiyng All men do seeke theyr own not that whiche is Christes The which no doubt for the maner of the tyme did wōders cast out deuils prophecied We must not thinke therfore that they are happy streightway blessed truely aperteining to Christ which do miracles signes wonders in this worlde by the name of Christ Wherfore we reade that Christ answered the three score and ten which were returned bosting of the myracles which thei had done thus Reioyce not in this that deuils are subdued vnto you but reioice in that your names are written in the booke of life And Paule reprouing the foolishenes of the Corinthiās which they conceiued by miracles the same being set apart he requireth loue at their handes We must note also farther what Paule teacheth that the deuil by his subtiltie craft can trāseforme him self into an angell of lighte shewe miracles by his ministers to corrupt the truth of the gospel that which cōmeth to passe by the permission of God because men loue not the trueth As Paule in an other place wryteth He shall destroy the aperance of his cōming euen him whose commynge is after the working of sathan with al lying power signes wonders with all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes amōg thē that perishe Euen as it happened to the Iewes also in the old testament Finally we se by this place the prophesie casting out of
knitt to a constant minde that it wil not one inche geue place to any temptation For all they buylde vppon the sandes whiche digge not inwardly euen to the denyinge of them selues VVhiche buylde on the sandes Bu. The sande signifyeth false hypocrisie fayned sanctimony and those thinges whiche aryse of the same as trust in creatures inuocation of sainctes choyse of meate and apparell fastinges hypocriticall prayers and suche lyke who soeuer trusteth in these maketh a sandy and frayle fyckle foundation There is a common prouerbe thou buyldest on the sande and others also like vnto these Thou striuest against the streame Thou drawest water in a siue Thou castest stones against the winde which all are spoken against those and applied to theim whiche go about anye thinge that will be vnprofitable and to none effecte 27 And a shower of rayne descended and the flouddes came and the windes blewe and beate vpon that house and it fell and great was the fal of it C. By these woordes Christ doth signifie that trewe pietie and godlynes cannot well be distinguished from hypocrisie til suche time as it commeth to a triall For the temptations wherewith we are proued are lyke vnto flouds or troublesom waues which easely ouerwhelm vnconstant mindes whose lyghtenes in calme weather is not knowne 28 And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these sayinges the people were astonied at his doctrine C. When he had geuen the people a tast of his doctrine euery man that heard him was amased because a new and vnwonted maiestie did drawe vnto it the myndes of men Bu. The talk of Christ was liuely feruent and pearcing the mindes of men in so much that it moued the herers and specially because it was new in the peoples eares whervpon they sayde afterwarde what maner of thing is this what new doctrine is this For with authoritie commaunded he the foule spirytes and they obeied him The multitude therefore was amased because the doctrine of Christ was ioyned with a maiestie In the which doctrine the efficacy of the spirite was included 29 For he taughte them as one hauynge power and not as the Scribes M. Some expounde this place so as though the Euangelist shoulde say that Christe therefore taught with aucthorytie because by his aucthoritie he forbad that whiche the lawe graunted and required that whiche the lawe commaunded not thinking the .5 chapter before so to be the fulfylling of the lawe that it shoulde fulfyll that whiche was imperfecte in the same But if they marke well the sentence of Chryste they shall fynde that he addeth nothinge to the lawe but rather doth restore the law which before was broken and obscured by the Scribes and Phariseyes to his former place Wherfore others a greate deale better dyd vnderstande this sentence sayinge that this auctoritie was a certain vigour and force of parfecte doctryne veritie with the which Christe dyd instructe the people standinge before hym And there is no doubt but that the doctrin of Christ was of greate force to the people when as the doctryne of the Scrybes and Phariseies was obscure feble and colde E. And trewely the Greeke woord for the whiche we reade the auctoritie doth signifie power and right to do any thing B. But here it signyfieth aucthoritie and power of the spirite persing the hartes which parteineth to Chryst and the trewe mynisters although not by lyke measure For it is geuen to euery one by measure And some haue the same more plentifully then other some The .viij. Chapter WHEN he was come downe from the mounte muche people followed him VVhen he vvas C. Nowe Matthewe commeth to the pithe of the history Before he sayd that Christe ascended into the mounte and then he brought in many principelles of the doctrine of Christe And nowe he addeth that at the same tyme that he preached in the mounte he healed a Leaper The whiche miracle Marke and Luke do also declare although they shewe not the time Muche people M. The great multitude of people which are here said to followe flocked and came vnto hym a litle before as the Euangeliste shewed saying And there followed hym a greate multitude of people from Galilee and frō the tenne citties and from Hierusalem from Iurie and from the regions that lie beyonde Iordane Notwithstandinge the inconstancie of the common sorte of people is to be noted who for a tyme haue a feruent desire to knowe the truthe but when persecution commeth they flye and are sodenly gone 2 And lo there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Maister if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And lo there came C. In this truely appeared the deuine power of Christe that only with his woorde and the touchinge of his hande he sodainly put awaye the leprosy of the man M. By suche workyng of myracles greater faythe credit and authoritie was gotten to the woorde of god Neither without cause was the healyng of bodies ioyned to the cure of soules For Christe is the true Sauiour of the whole man not only of the soule but also of the body the which he wil plainly declare in the ende of the world when as he wyll bestowe on vs the benefite of euerlasting lyfe C. But although the leprosy were of an other kynde then that whiche the Physitions call Elephanthiasis in Gréeke whiche leprosy also maketh amans skynne like vnto the skynne of an Elephant yet notwithstanding it is welenough knowen that this disease was incurable For if it continued any long tyme it was seldome heard or sene that any mā was deliuered frō the same VVhiche vvorshipped him saying B. What signifieth here to worshippe the other twoo Euangelistes do shewe whiche declare this same history Marke in stede of he worshipped hath he bowed the knee or kneled downe Luke saythe he fell down at his feete on his face Also the Samaritane which was clensed when he retourned to geue thankes fell downe on his face at Iesus feete And Symon Peter fell downe at Iesus knees also C. The Leper therefore by bowyng of his knee shewed some signe of reuerence We do knowe that Adoration was a common vse among the Iewes and among them in the easte partes Wherefore many thynke that the Leper did not worshyp Christe in his mynde with any deuine worship but did honourably salute hym as some great Prophet of god But with what affection he worshipped Christe we dispute not But what he obiected vnto hym we sée namely that he could make hym cleane if he would by the which wordes he acknowledgeth a deuine power to be in Christe And Christ when he aunswered that he would sheweth that he attributeth more vnto him then appertaineth vnto a mā For he must nedes be of great power whiche onely with a woorde or becke can restore helth vnto men But whether the Leprose man dyd beleue Christe to be the sonne of God or whether he were endewed
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 thē why do not they them selues receiue that proffered grace before they bring straūgers vnto it Therefore in this they cōdemne them selues 7 And Iesus sayde vnto hym I when I come wyll heale hym A. Luke hath and Iesus went with thē 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 cōsidered in an Ethnicke and Heathen mā 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 wōderfull 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 mē Question C. Notwithstanding it may be demaūded 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 mā 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 senteÌ„ce is as much as if he should haue saide they shall haue the same life Wherby certainly we may gather that the same sauing health which is exhibited vnto vs in Christ was exhibited in times paste vnto the fathers Neyther should the kingdome be common to all except there were but one faith which is the onely meane to obtaine the same The same manner of speaking the lorde vsed to his Apostles when he sayde I apointe vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye maye eate drinke at my table in the kingdome 12 But the children of the kingdom shal be cast out into vtter darkenes there shal be weping and gnashing of teeth But the children of the. M. This is the other matter which we saide Christ had here in hande namely of the reiecting of the Iewes C. But it may be demaunded how Christe calleth them the children of the kingdome whiche were nothing lesse theÌ„ the sonnes of Abraham For truely they whiche are alienate from the faythe ought not to be numbred in the flocke of Christ It may be aunswered that although they were not truly of the flock of Christ notwithstaÌ„ding because thei had a roume in the flocke or churche he grauÌ„teth this title vnto them Furthermore we muste note that the couenaunt and promyse of God was of such force so long as it stode in the sede of Abraham that properly the inheritauÌ„ce of the kingdom of heauen did pertaine vnto them at the least in respect of God him selfe then as yet they were holy braunches of the holy roote And truely that deniall or forsakinge whiche afterward folowed dothe sufficiently declare that they were then accoumpted of the housholde of god M. Therefore because the promises of the kingdome the testameÌ„t did properly pertain vnto the Iewes they ar worthely called the soÌ„nes of the kingdoÌ„ Of this matter Paul doth dispute at large in his epistle to the Romaynes C. Secondly we muste note that Christe dothe not speake of euery one but of the whole nation This truely was farre harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it mighte seme scarse tollerable for the Gentiles to be planted knytte and vnited to the same body by frée adoption with the posteritie of Abraham Notwithstanding Christe pronounceth that they shal be vnited to the end God might admitte straungers into the bosome of Abraham and denye the chyldren B. that the laste may be firste and the fyrste last M. So that it is not to be thoughte that the Lorde woulde haue all the Iewyshe chyldren of the kyngdome to be caste out but he hathe selected and chosen to hym selfe certayne of them as saynt Paule wryteth to the Romaynes Euen as we may not thinke that all the Gentiles shal be saued but that the chosen of God shal be gathered from amonge them Into vtter darkenes C. There is a secrete antithesis in this woorde vtter darkenes for Christe dothe signifie that out of his kyngdome whiche is the kyngdome of lyghte there reigneth nothynge but darkenes For the Scriptures when they make mencion of darkenes do signifie metaphorically a horrible kynde of payne whiche the tongue of man in this lyfe cannot expresse nor the harte imagine Bu. So that by these greuous threatenynges Christe went not about to dismaye the Iewes or to brynge them into dispayre but rather to drawe them out of the myre and puddell of incredulitie and to wynne the Gentiles vnto hym who came to saue bothe the Iewe and the Gentyle There shal be vvepynge M. This is a Metaphor by the whiche he compareth that vnhappy state and condition of the damned to captiues sytting in a dongeon or darke place full of horror and feare who are constrayned by an euell conscience feare of the iudgement to come to wepe wayle mourne gnashe their teethe And thus thought he good to set foorthe the tormentes of damned soules 13 And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion go thy waye and as thou beleuest â—…o shall it be vnto thee And his seruaunt was healed in the selfe same hower And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion M. Nowe the Lorde aunswerynge the Centurion graunteth him his petitioÌ„ as if he should say be of good chere and quiet thy minde For go thy waye in this place hath such signification Neyther is this a symple commaundement to go vnto his owne whiche shoulde cary with it ambition but it is an assent or agreinge to that whiche was demaunded So Dauid consentinge to the woman of Thecoa sayd go home to thy house I wyll geue a charge for thee So we reade that Christ did often tymes sende awaye the afflicted after they had obtayned consolation at his handes saying go in peace and be whole from thy plague And in another place he saythe go thy sonne lyueth And as thou beleuest so shall Bu. In fewe woordes euidently he declareth the efficacy of faythe Faythe bryngeth to passe and is the cause that we receyue that by the power operation of the holy ghoste whiche we beleue of the woorde of god The Centurion beleued that the Lorde coulde heale his seruaunte lying sycke therefore the lorde healed hym C. Hereby it appeareth howe louingly our Sauioure Christe poureth out his grace if he may haue the vessell of fayth open vnto hym For although oure Sauioure Christe speaketh vnto the Centurion notwithstanding there is no doubte but that by his example he woulde haue vs all to haue the lyke faythe Moreouer we are here taught what is the cause that God dothe oftentymes reiecte oure prayers surely our incredulitie and vnbeliefe Wherefore if in faythe we come vnto hym we maye be sure our prayers shal be harde So shall it be vnto thee M. These woordes do not onely expresse and set forth the goodnes of Christe but also his omnipotency by the whiche he hathe in his wyll and power lyfe and death healthe and syckenesse yea onely with his assente he restored this seruaunte whiche was euen nowe at the poynte of deathe to healthe and lyfe He saythe not go thy waye I wyll praye vnto my father for thee or for thy seruaunte but he saythe go thy waye be it vnto thee according to thy faythe
Christes cōming did the more rage which thing came not to passe without the wonderfull prouidence of god For Christe hereby had the more occasion offered to set forth his glory And he cast out the spirites vvith a vvorde C. That is by his power commaundement strengthe and rule C. Luke addeth and saithe that these sicke persones were healed by layinge on his handes For the laying on of his handes was a signe of reconciliation vnder the lawe Wherfore not without good cause Christ layeth his handes on them whom he absolueth from the curse of god It was a solēne manner of consecration as in an other place is more largely declared But we saye that Christe here simplely layde on his handes on the sicke that in commending them to his father they mighte obtayne fauour and deliueraunce from their diseases And healed all that vvere sycke A. That is he refused none that came vnto hym to receiue their healthe so gentle and louyng was he 17 That it might be fulfylled whiche was spoken by the Prophete Esay when he saith he toke on hym oure infirmities and bare our sicknesses That it might be fulfilled M. We may not so vnderstande this place as to thinke that Christe did therefore heale the sycke that the scripture might be fulfilled that els he woulde not haue done it But rather we must thinke that this piece of Scripture was put because this thinge should come to passe by Christe and because it was so decreed of the father He toke on hym our infirmities A. This place is in the thrée and fifty chapter of Esaye C. This prophecie semeth to bee cyted smally to the purpose Obiection nay it semeth to be wrested to a contrary sence For there the Prophete Esay speaketh not of myracles but of the death of Christe Neither of temporall benefites but of the spirituall and euerlasting grace And that whiche was certainly spoken of the vices of the mynde Matthewe referreth it to corporall diseases The aunswere is not harde if so be that the Readers waye and consyder not onely what Christe bestowed vppon the sycke but also to what ende he cured their diseases They felte the grace of Christe in their bodies But we must haue respecte vnto the ende because it is vnfitte to sticke and stande in a transitory benefite as though the sonne of God were onely a Phisition of the body What then Truely he gaue syghte to the blynde to declare that he was the lyghte of the worlde he restored the dead to life to proue that he was the life and the resurrection The like matter we must thinke as concerning the halte the lame Wherefore let vs folowe this analogy that what benefites soeuer Christe hath shewed to man in the flesh the same must be referred to the ende whiche Matthewe setteth before vs namely that Christe was sent of his father to deliuer vs from all euell and misery Bu. All these thynges therfore pertaine to this ende that we come and declare al the diseases bothe of the body and mynde to this heauenly faythfull and mighty Physition For he came into this worlde from aboue to heale our infirmities As concerning the whiche matter reade the second chapter of the firste epistle of S. Peter 18 VVhen Iesus sawe muche people about him he commaunded that they should go vnto the other syde of the water C. The Euangeliste Matthewe toucheth that briefely whiche others very plentifully and fully do expounde And that whiche is omitted of Matthewe the other two Euangelistes do declare Namely that Christe soughte occasion priuely to departe into a deserte place before it was daye And Marke sayth afterward that he was admonished of Peter howe that all men sought him But Luke sayth that the people soughte hym and came vnto him Now where as Mathewe sayth that he went ouer to the other syde of the water the other two in steade of that sayd that he went throughout all Galilee that he might preache in all places 19 And a certaine Scribe when he was come sayde vnto him maister I wyll followe thee whether soeuer thou goest And a certayne Scribe C. Matthew in this chapter maketh mētion but of two men onely that would folowe Christe Luke maketh mention of thrée whiche when they were ready to geue them selues vnto Christ were hindered by dyuers lettes from the righte race according to the whiche lettes they receiue their aunswere Maister I vvill follovve thee M. What this Scribe here sought can not be gathered by his woordes but by the woordes and aunswere of Christe it appeareth He semeth after a littel taste of doctrine to acknowledge the Gospell to be the doctrine of God and to be moued with violence a certayne affection to followe Christe not considering what it was to followe Christe but by and by he quayled Many such we haue in these days which so sone as thei heare of the Gospel geue their names vnto Christe and professe that they beleue in hym but if there chaunce to arise a litle persecution by and by they become Scribes and forget their profession This Scribe would followe Christ but he thought he shoulde walke a pleasaunt waye at his iourneys ende haue a quiet Inne or resting place with good chere whē as the disciples of Chist must passe through brambles and thornes and by many troubles to the crosse Therefore the more he hasted the lesse was he ready his heate was meere colde his diligence became neglygence He dyd as one that wolde fayne be a warriour but he would not fight in the same or in the dust neither wolde he wante his ordinary fare nor stande in peril of the gunneshot It is no marueile if Christe reiecte suche souldiours suche disciples who as they rashely offer theim selues so do they rashely plucke backe their foote againe with shame Wherefore let vs vnderstand that we are all in the person of this mā admonished that we do not rashly or carelesly boast our selues to be the disciples of Christ without any consideration of the crosse and trouble to come but rather let vs before the time consider what the condition of suche must be For this ignorance calleth vs to his schole teacheth vs to denye our selues to take vp the crosse and followe him And sainct Paule saith All they that wil lyue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 20 And Iesus sayde vnto hym the foxxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of mā hath not where to rest his head And Iesus saido vnto hym M. By this aunswere our sauiour Christ dothe playnely open and manifest that which the scribe had hidden kepte secret in his brest he maketh not aunswere to his woordes directly but to his mynde he saithe not I would not haue thée followe mée neither saithe he I thincke it good that thou followe mée but he so aunswereth him that he can not fynde in his barte
that all thinges oughte to be asked of hym in a sounde faythe and that the faithfull do aske nothynge of hym in vayne For these aske nothynge but that whiche they are perswaded of by the holy ghost and do it to the glory of God. 30 And theyr eies were opened And Iesus charged them sayinge Se that no man knowe of it .. And theyr eies vvere opened A. Parfecte healthe followeth Faythe Althoughe a syngular benefyte is here declared to be bestowed vppon the two blynde men yet notwithstanding hereupon we may gather a generall doctryne That if wee praye alwaies in faythe wee shal neuer suffer the repoulce in oure petitions Agayne if these twoo of lyttell faythe and beynge as yet nothynge at all furnyshed in faythe obtayned that whiche they coulde desyre muche more then shall wee with oure faythe at this daye preuayle whyche are endewed verye plentifully with the spirite of adoption if we come vnto God bearing our selues boulde vpon the sacrifice of a mediatour And he charged them sayinge let no man knovve of B. This warneth and exhorteth vs from preachinge openly the glory of God by our owne intrusion rashe zeale without occasion mynistred by Goddes holye spirite that is before we be sente 31 But they when they were departed spred abroade his name in all the lād C. In that these twoo hauinge receyued their sighte publyshe by and by the benefyte whiche they receyued contrary to the commaundement they deserue blame For it is not as some fayne that Christe forbadde them to the ende they should be the more desirouse to publyshe the same abroade There is some cause why they shoulde be forbodden which is vnknowne to vs but these men beinge moued with a rashe zeale did spreade his same abroade before the time A. wherfore that whiche they did was worthye of reprehension B. although they emed to do it to the glory of Christe He which is a Christian in deede will alwaies seke to perfourme and fulfill the will of God and wyll also beware that he prefer not his owne wyl before the will of his maister beinge certaynely perswaded that Christ neuer forbiddeth any thyng to be done that is symplely good But where as the name of Chryste was neuerthelesse set forth by their disobediēce which happened to some for the best the oughte to be ascribed to the goodnes of God and not to their disobediēce C. So Paul was gladde that Chryste was preached by any occassion but yet he neuer commended those that dyd so preache M. Let vs therefore learne symplely to obey the commaundementes of God howe so euer it seemeth good in our eies too do the contrarye For it doth not become a man to seeke to be wyser then the wysedome of God it selfe whiche commandeth nothinge without speciall reason weighty matter leadynge the same We know ryghte well what happened to Saule because he dyd contrary to the commandemente of God in reseruynge parte of the praye of Ameleche Agayne we are not ignorant that the man which wolde not smite the prophete according to the woorde of the lorde was slaine of a lyon And whye woulde he not smyte the prophete Because he thought it euyll so to do The lyke did Peter when he wente about to perswade Christ that he sholde not suffer him selfe to be crucified of the Iewes Also when he woulde not permitte Christe to washe his feete 32 As they wente oute behoulde they broughte to hym a dombe man possessed of a deuyll As they vvent out Bu. The blynde men beinge scarce gon there commeth an other very myserable vnworthy of help and yet sekyng a benefyte to whom the mercifull lorde denieth nothinge For he is ryche and plentyfull to all those that call vpon his name The treasury of the Lorde is neuer emptie yea thoughe he spende and bestowe innumerable riches He is that bottomlesse well euer open to the ende men may drawe drinck and be satisfied The fathers haue tasted of this goodnesse of God from the begynnynge of the worlde and yet he hathe enoughe in store for vs and our posterytie euen to the worldes ende Behold they broughte to hym a dombe man possessed This myracle only Mathew maketh mētion of the other twoo speaking nothing of the same It is probable and likely that this man by nature was not dombe but when he was delyuered to the deuil the vse of his speche was taken awaye His ponishement was so laied vpon him that it might appere by manifest signes that his toungue was helde by the euyll spirite M. For Sathan specially at that tyme was wonte to obscure the glorye of God in the giftes of seing and speaking but specially in the vse of speaking For in him of whom mention is made here and in hym of the whiche is made mention in the twelthe of Mathewe and of an other in the seuenth of Marcke we se that Sathā toke away the vse strength of theyr speache or at leaste stayed and letted the same 33 And when the deuil was cast out the dōbe spake the people marueiled saying It was neuer so sene in Israell VVhen the deuyll vvas cast out M. Here we se that Chryste doth not onely helpe theym whiche come to seeke his helpe of theyr own free wyl but those also which were broughte by others as it were agaynste their wyll For the Euangelicall history dothe wytnesse that foure kyndes of men were healed and holpen of Chryste The fyrste kynde are those whiche came to seeke his helpe of their own free wyl as the blynde the leprouse and such like The seconde sorte are they which were brought by others as the Rulers daughter of the Synagogge of whome in the eyghtene verse we haue made mention or suche as he was intreated for they beinge not present as the seruaunt of the Centurion and the daughter of the woman of Canaan The third sorte are they whiche he came vnto and healed of his owne voluntary will beinge not called or sent for as the man whiche was sicke of the dissease thirtye yeres and the man also that was borne blinde furthermore the sonne of the wyddowe whiche was deade The fourth sorte are they whiche came not onely of their owne voluntary wyll but were also dryuen by violence compultion as was this demoniake this possessed beynge dombe whose remedy is descrybed vnto vs in this presente hystorye in the whiche is set forth vnto vs the singular goodnesse and prompte redynesse of Christe to heale the sycke to helpe the impotent and to comforte the afflicted And the people marueyled sayinge C. This miracle is wholly in it self simple good and a manyfeste token of the kyngedome of God but here we se that it is not taken and receiued in this manner for if it had then woulde the multitude haue receyued this dede of Christe then woulde the Scrybes and Pharyseyes haue imbraced not onely the dede but the doer of the same
no tyme the worde of God was preached there neyther was any myracles wrought for them to beholde to worke repentaunce But in the citties of Galilae whiche Christe rebuked there was exceding obstinacie in despising the miracles whiche he wrought often times among them by the power of god In effect the wordes of Christ tende to no other ende then to shewe that Chorazin and Bethsaida dyd excell Tyre and Sydon in mallice in the incurable contempte of god M And yet notwithstandinge there is no cause why we shoulde contende with God because he neglecteth those of whō there mighte be hope and sheweth hys power to contemners For he leaueth al those iustely to destruction to whom he vouchsafeth not to shewe his mercy Nowe if it be his wyll in taking awaye his woorde from some to haue them peryshe And in offerynge the same to other to exhort them to repentance who hath any thynge at all thereby to accuse hym of parcialitie and vnrighteousenes Therefore we knowynge our owne infyrmitie let vs learne to beholde this altitude and highnesse For their prowde curiositie is not tollerable which cannot abide to geue the glory prayse of ryghteousenes to God but so farre as theyr vnderstandinge is able to comprehende the same In sackecloth and asshes C. Those that were wonte in tyme past to mourne and repente were wont to be apparelled with sackeclothe and asshes Sackclothe and ashes were externall signes whiche were vsed in solempne repentance whē the people had offended which made the people the more earnest affected in repētyng theyr sinnes C. Therfore repentance in this place is descrybed by externall signes of the which there was then a solēpne vse and custome in the churche of God not that Christ doth stande vpon this parte but because hee bendeth hym selfe to the capacitie of the common people We do knowe that repentance was not required of the faythfull onely for a fewe dayes but it was requyred to the ende they shoulde meditate in the same and exercise it euen to the deathe Nowe if these externall signes shoulde stil continue then must we weare euerye daye and euery hower sackecloth then muste we continually sprinkel our selues with ashes because we oughte neuer to ceasse from repentance Therefore this externall profession of repentaunce muste not alwayes be vsed but onely when men aryse from some greate fall and haynous cryme and tourne vnto God with a sorrowfull harte for the same And trewly sackcloth and ashes are signes of offēce to pacifie the wrathe of the iudge and therfore they do properly pertaine to the begynnyng of the conuersion Nowe seinge men do testifie by this ceremony and declare theyr sorrowe and griefe it is necessary that the hate of sin the feare of God and the mortifycatyon of the fleshe do go before accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophete Rent your hartes and not your garmentes and so forthe And now we see wherfore Christ ioyneth sackeclothe and ashes to repentance when he maketh mention of Tyre and Sydon to whose inhabitauntes the Gospell coulde not be preached without the condemnation of theyr lyfe past and the exhortation to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe 22 Neuerthelesse I say vnto you it shal be easyer for Tyre and Sydon in the day of iudgement then for you Bu. Nowe he declareth by a comparison the greate and greuouse ponishement of those Citties whiche haue reiected the grace of God offered vnto them M. Let those citties therefore stande in feare to whom the trewth of the Gospel hath ben preached more then to other vnles they shew forth the fruit of the same in theyr lyfe and conuersation A For truely the contempte of the woorde of God can not escape longe vnponyshed In the daye of iudgemente C. There are som whiche vnderstande by the day of iudgement that tyme in the which God ponyshed the land of Iewry but some a graet deale better referre it to the day of iudgmente which shall be after the consummation of the worlde as before in the tenthe chapter 23 And thou Capernaū which art lyfte vp vnto heauen shalt be cast downe into hell For if the myracles whiche haue ben done in thee had bene shewed in Sodome they had remayned vnto this daye And thou Capernaum Bu. This Apostrophe or conuersion hath a wonderful Emphasis as if a man should reprehende a company of wicked persons and at the length forsakinge al other shoulde conuerte and turne his reprehensiō to some one notorious wicked person and say Ye haue all committed iniquitie wherfore ye shall al accordinge to your desertes be ponysshed and plagued but thou perniciouse and wycked fellowe aboue all other whiche haste commytted so haynouss offence that no man in wickednes is like vnto thee thou I say shalt haue farre greatter ponishement then the rest C. Euen so Christe namely aboue all others reprehendeth Capernaum because he was in no place more conuersante then there B. This cittie Capernaum was the most famous cittie of Galilae bothe because it was the publyque and common place of marchādise all thinges necessary beinge there bought and solde and also because that Christe had wrought many of his excellent miracles in the same as it is said before C. This trewely was such a dignitie as none might be compared to the same that the sonne of God chose this citie in stede of his pallace and sanctuary in the which he mighte begin his kyngedome and priesthode But surely it was so ouerwhelmed and drowned in fylthynes as it no droppe or sparke of Goddes grace had once ben sene or hard of in the same and therfore Chryst pronounceth that the more goddes benefytes were bestowed vppon theim the more horryble ponishement was at hande prepared for them VVhiche art lyft vp A. In two olde greke bokes it is red with an interrogation as readeth it also the olde interpretoure sayinge Shalte thou be lyfted vp to heauen Shalte be throvven dovvne that is thy fame shall haue a fall thou shalte be despoyled of thy glory and thou shalte vtterly be destroyed Because if the myracles had ben done in So. M. He terrefyeth theim by the exaumple of the Sodomites because if they hadde not so great a consideration of the iudgement to come as they shoulde haue that then he mighte moue them to the same Wee se here also that as some sinnes are gretter then other some so one ponishmente shall be greater then an other least that we shoulde rashely heape one synne vppon an other For this cause Christ saith therefore ye shall receyue the greatter dampnation And S. Paule saith Accordinge to thy harte beinge harde and impenitent thou heapest to thy selfe a treasure of wrathe agaynst the daye of wrath and of the openynge of the ryghteouse iudgement of god They had remayned vnto Before wee declared that Chryste spake accordinge to the capacitie of manne not foreshewinge what shoulde haue come if he had sent a prophete to the Sodomites
the Sabaoth daye A. Here he bryngeth in to confirme that whiche he saide an argument of the lesse to the more M. As if he should saye denye it if ye can If you care for those thinges that are your owne that with laboure and paine do seke to saue a shepe on the Sabaoth daye howe then wyll ye blame me whiche seke not that which is myne owne but serue helpe my neighbours through loue sauinge soules not shepe and that with my woorde without any laborious and troublesome busines If you offende not in sauinge a shepe on the Sabaoth daye howe muche lesse do I offende in sauing soules on the Sabaoth daye For howe muche a man doth excel a shepe I leaue it to your own iudgemēt Therefore it is lavvfull This is the conclusion of the premisses It is lawefull to do good vnto a beaste on the Sabaoth daye therefore it is lawfull to do good vnto a man on the Sabaoth daye 13 Then sayde he to the man stretche forth thy hande And he stretched it forth and it was whole agayne lyke vnto the other Then sayde he to the man. A. Before these woordes Luke saith But he knewe their thoughtes C. If Matthewe saye true they did plainly declare by their mouthe what they had in their hartes Christe therefore dothe not aunswere to their secrete cogitation but to their manifeste wordes But it may stande both wayes that they spake openly and that Christe did iudge of their secrete affection Neyther did they professe in what the Scribes did catche or intrappe him as Matthewe expresseth their captions interrogation cauill Luke therefore meaneth nothing els but that their deceites wyles were knowne vnto Christ although by words they pretended another thing Marke addeth that he loked rounde about vpon them with wrath And not without cause so great was their wicked obstinacy For to the ende we may know that his wrathe was iust and holye he saithe moreouer that he was sory for the hardnes of their hartes First of all therefore Christe is sory because men exercised in the lawe of God are so muche blynded But because malice had blynded them he myngeleth his sorowe with wrath This is the true moderation of zeale that whē we are carefull with sorrowe for the destruction of wicked men then also we are very angry against their impietie Christ therefore is angry but with his anger the griefe and sorrowe for our blyndnes is myngeled by the whiche he declareth his louing kindnes towardes vs namely that although we through our obstinate pertinacy and wilfull blyndnes do prouoke him to wrath yet notwithstanding he of his louing kyndnes towardes vs doth no lesse sorrowe then a father for the stobornes and blyndnes of his children And as this place doth testifie that Christ was not voyde and free from humane affections euen so hereby we gather that the passions by them selues were not vitious because they were not exceadinge and out of measure But we because of our corrupte nature can not obserue a meane and moderation so that we can not be angry and moued to wrathe without synne Therefore we must pray vnto God so to directe our affections by his holy spirite that we in our anger offēd not Stretche forth thy hande B. When he had proued both by reason and example that it was not only lawfull but also always necessary to do good vppon the Sabaoth daye specially vnto men he healed the man In the whiche healinge we muste note that he cured hym with his worde only not mouinge his hande or any externall thing as he was wonte to do at other tymes to the ende they might haue the lesse cause to calumniate or cauyll against him For howe could he violate or breake the Sabaoth with his woorde Therby he teacheth vs that it is not sufficient to do well but also we muste remoue euery stone or impedimente that our doings may haue fauour with euery man For so we see that Christe dothe in this place he set the man with the wythered hande in the myddest to the ende they beholding his misery might counte it a good charitable deede to heale hym though it were on the Sabaoth day Thē by conuenient interrogation he admonisheth that it shal be vnlawefull at no time to doo good muche lesse on the Sabaothe daye For to do a holy thynge accordinge to charitie on the holy daye is accordinge to the commaundement of the lorde Last of all by an example of them selues he proueth the same A. And at the lengthe he restoreth healthe vnto the man. 14 Then went the Phariseis oute and helde a counsell againste hym howe they might destroy hym B. Hetherto the Euangelist hath shewed of the religion of the Sabaoth and of the externall worship whiche is the exercise of that whiche is internal which is farre more excellent and of suche waighte and importaunce that the externall without the internall worship is of no proffite Nowe it followeth howe this doctrine of pietie is receiued whereby we learne againe how it will be receiued of the world to the ende of the same The Phariseis went out to take coūsell how they might destroye him C. Beholde nowe how the reprobate in their obstinate madnes go about to resiste the power of god For they being conuicte confounded ouercome in their malice doo more and more power out their poyson This truely is a horrible and monstruous thing that the chiefe doctours of the lawe which had the gouernement of the churche shoulde go about lyke theues to moue sedition But such is the malice of the reprobate wicked that they desire to haue all thinges that are against their lust will to be extinguished though they proceade from God him selfe Bu. The wickednes of the world can in no wyse beare and abyde the puritie and simplicitie of the Gospell therefore it goeth wonderfully about by all meanes to intrap intāgle the ministers of the same trāsforming it selfe into many shapes at the length taketh coūsell how it may suppresse not only the truth it self but also the ministers of the same to destroy them bothe together C. Marke addeth that the Phariseis toke coūsell with Herodes seruauntes or officers whiche were called Herodians whome notwithstanding they hated wōderfully Whherby we may note their exceding malice in that they could nowe at this tyme for the hatred they bare vnto Christ insinuate cloke with such as afore time thei abhorred detested For although the tyraūtes of this worlde are at debate strife one with another yet notwithstāding to destroy Christ his power with one cōsent they can linke vnite thē selues in frēdship A. Furthermore Luke declareth that the Phariseis were filled with madnes Was not this a wonderfull madnes to hate the lorde for so singuler a benefite shewed with so great modestie Yes vndoubtedly but this is the cōmon practise of the wicked that when they
are tried by the goodnes of God then chiefly doth the power of Sathan shewe it self in thē For as S. Paule saith the wicked spirite is of great force in them 15 But when Iesus knewe thereof he departed thence and muche people followed him and he healed them all But vvhen Iesus knevve C. In that Christ seketh to escape by flight it is not to be imputed to any feare that was in him For as he did flie at this time so did he diuers times afterward because the time in the which he should suffer was not yet com but when the fulnes of time was expired he did not let to offer him self to the death yea euen to the most shamefull death of the crosse Again it is euident that he was rather by his heauēly power then by flight preserued for otherwyse it had bene no hard matter if the Iewes would haue persecuted hym to haue found hym neither did he hide him selfe in caues but had alwaies a great multitude following him and by the myracles that he wroughte had great fame also He fled therefore out of their sighte only because he would not kyndell their madnes whiche would haue increased more and more by his presence There follovved him a great multitude The Phariseis go aboute to kyll Christe and the multitude followe hym M. Wherupon the Scribes and Phariseis sayde Do any of the Rulers and Phariseis beleue on hym But the common people whiche knowe not the lawe are cursed At this daye we maye heare the lyke sayinges of the wicked Saye they These lewde fellowes meanynge the preachers of the woorde seduce the rude and ignoraunte people but what wyse man or what is he of reputation that regardeth them But let vs cōsider for what cause the Scribes and Phariseis did not followe Christe Did not they see what Christe did Yes vndoubtedly very well Wherefore then do not they also with the multitude followe hym Surely if the lyke affection had bene in them that was in the multitude they had followed Christe also But because the lyke was not in them therefore they dyd the contrary And he healed them all C. Here he sheweth the promptnes and readines of Christe in healing the infirmities and diseases of the people to this ende that we shoulde rather consider his goodnes mercy and louing kyndnes then the power of healing with the whiche he was endowed 16 And charged them that they shoulde not make hym knowne C. But Marke in steade of this semeth to place some other speciall matter namely that he charged the vncleane spirites to holde their peace whiche proclaymed hym to be the sonne of god But we will shewe in an other place why he woulde not admit the testimony of these Notwithstanding there is no doubt but that God caused the deuels to make this confession But after that Christe had shewed that they were subiect to his power he did not without cause reiecte their testimony But that which Matthew saith is more large namely that Christ forbad them to publishe the fame of those signes and miracles that he did not that he wold haue them wholely suppressed but that they hauing nowe taken roote shoulde bringe forth their frute in dewe and conuenient tyme whiche tyme as yet was not come For we knowe that Christ did not dally or tryfell in his miracles that is he wroughte them not without some serious effecte to come but he had this regarde to proue hym selfe thereby to be the sonne of God and the redemer of the worlde He came therefore by lyttell and littell to the lyght and as it were by degrees or steppes neyther was he any other wyse made manifeste what he was then the time which was ordeined of his father before would suffer This now is worthy the notinge here that whyle the wicked go about to frustrate obscure the glory of God they make the same the more to appeare peruerte their owne imaginations by the secrete counsell of God who worketh the same confoundeth their deuises as foolishe For althoughe they expulsed him from one place his glory shyneth straightwaye in an other yea more then it did before 17 That it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esay the Prophete whiche saythe B. The Euangeliste alleageth this place to cōmende the wonderfull mekenes modestie of Christ by the whiche he gaue place to his aduersaries when as he might haue destroyed them also in a momēt cōfounded them but he rather through pacience wayghted when iudgemēt should be cast forthe to victory to declare also that he woulde go to the Gentiles that he would teache thē by his Apostels C. Therfore Mathew vnderstandeth not that the prophecy of Esay is altogether fulfilled in this the Christe prohibited the rumors of his deuine power but in this part also a trial of his mekenes was declared which is set forth by Esay in the persone of the Messias Mathew also by this circūstaunce intended to shew that the glory of the deuinitie of Christ was not therfore the lesse to be estemed because he appered vnder the shewe of infirmitie And truly to the same ende scope did the holy ghost direct the eyes of the Prophete For because the fleshe doth always couet and desyre an externall shewe and bewty leaste that the faythfull shoulde seke for the like in the Messias the spirite of God witnesseth that he shal be altogether vnlyke to earthly kinges who to the ende they may get vnto them selues admiration whethersoeuer they come they styr vp great shoutes cries and they fill the citties and townes with tumultes Now let vs beholde howe aptly Matthewe applieth the prophecie of the Prophete to the present cause or matter in hand For because it pleased God to put vppon his sonne an humble base estate least that the rude ignoraunt should conceiue any offence by his cōtemptible obscure cōdition both the Prophete and Matthewe to preuente this I say pronounce that it was so decreed before hande not rashely but by the will of god Hereupon it followeth that all they do amis whiche despyse Christe because his externall condition aunswereth not or is not agreable to the desires of the fleshe Neither is it mete that we imagin or thinke of Christ according to our wyt reason or vnderstāding but simpely it is necessary that he be imbraced as Christe whiche is sente and offered vnto vs of God the father So that he is vnworthy of saluation whiche despyseth the humilitie of Christe with the whiche the almighty God witnesseth that he is pleased 18 Beholde my seruaunt whome I haue chosen my beloued in whome my soule delighteth I will put my spirite vpon hym and he shall shewe iudgement to the Gentiles Beholde my seruaunt E. Some translations haue Behold my sonne but the Hebrew woorde Abdi whiche is redde in the prophecie of Esay dothe rather signifie a seruaunt then a sonne The Greeke woorde is ambiguous
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 thē it is not geuē 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 lāterne 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 notwithstāding the truth of God was manifest enough in the same vnlesse the eyes of mē were blinded And as cōcerning the Gospel S. Paule sayth that it is not hid vnles it be hiddē 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 chosē 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 seasō the Lord doth neuertheles contayne kepe his mysteries that the sence vnderstāding 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 spokē 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 mē 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 coūsell 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 mā 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 demaūde frō whēce the Apostels haue this priuiledge of dignity truly there shal no cause of worthines be found in thē for Christ in pronoūsing 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 cōmon prouerbe that to the rych shal be giuen but to the poore not so yea they shall haue the little takē 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 geuē 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 cōmon sence The lord toke the Disciples vnto him to the end they might more more
the lighte of the gospell because they were bytter and rebelliouse againste Christe Also in an other place he saith Israell hath not obtayned that whiche he seeketh but the election hath obtained it The remnaunt are blinded accordynge as it is wrytten God hath geuen them the spirite of vnquietnes eies that they shoulde not se eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto this daye In this place of Paule the Antithesis is to be noted for if the onely and free election of God hath saued som remnant of people it followeth by the secrete iust iudgemēt of god that al the rest shall perish For who are the rest whō Paule in contrary wise setteth against the elect but onely they whom God hath appoynted to euerlasting damnation The lyke reason is in Iohn For he saith that ther were many vnbeleuing because no mā beleueth but they to whō God reuealeth his arme power And by by he addeth that they coulde not beleue because it is written harden the harts of this people To the same thing hath Christ respecte when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the trueth of the gospel is not reuealed to euery one alyke but is depely hiddē in parables darke sentēces to the ende he might power nothinge but thycke darkenes into the myndes of the people We wyll alwayes truely confesse that those whome God doth blynde are founde worthy of this punishement but because there appeareth not a manifeste reason or cause in the persones of men this principal abideth sure that thei by a singuler gifte are ordeined to saluation illuminated by the spirite of God whome God hath frely chosen and that all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God geue vnto them his worde or whether he blinde their eyes stoppe their eares that they can neyther heare nor perceiue the same Now let vs note howe Christ doth applie the prophecie of the Prophete to the present cause And seing ye shall see and not perceiue C. The wordes of the Prophete are not recited as it was sayd euē now neyther maketh it any matter because it was enough for Christe to shewe that it was no newe or vnwonted example if many were amased and astonied at the worde of god It was sayde vnto the Prophete Goe and hardē the harte of this people This Matthew attributeth to the hearers that they should beare the blame of their blyndnes and obstinacy Neyther can the one be separated from the other for all they that are caste into a reprobate sence do wyllingly with an inwarde mallice blynde obdurate them selues For it can come no other wyse to passe where the spirite of God abydeth not with the whiche only the electe are gouerned Wherefore we conclude thus that they are not of a soūd and perfecte mynde whome God dothe not illuminate with his spirite of adoptiō and therefore are they blinded by the worde of God and yet notwithstāding the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blynde 15 For the harte of this people is wexed grose and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes haue they closed least at any tyme they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and shoulde vnderstande with their harte and be conuerted that I also might heale them For the harte of this people S. That is The harte is so inclosed and choked with fatte that it is not able to discharge his proper office M. Therefore when the harte is grosse it cannot be that the eares shoulde heare and that the harte it selfe shoulde vnderstande and conuerte Whereupon he sayth the harte of this people is wexed grosse And by and by he addeth Their eares are dull Therefore before all thinges the harte muste be opened and made fitte to heare the worde of god A. But who can brynge this thing to passe saue only the spirite of God. Of this matter we haue an example of Lydia the seller of purple of whome it is wrytten in the actes of the Apostels thus And the lorde opened her harte that she attended vnto the thinges whiche Paule spake And their eies haue they closed C. Christ here attributeth that to the people whiche the Prophete Esay attributeth to God It is true in either sence The people them selues are the cause of excecation blindnes for they shut their own eies stoppe their own eares We shall alwayes finde the first or speciall cause to be in mē But the secundary or least cause to be in God who blyndeth the eyes of the reprobate whiche he hath predestinate to damnatiō We cal it not the secōdary or least cause according to the Philosophers but we cal that the secundary cause whiche is hydden from the sence of men and so secrete that we ought not curiously to serche for the same But to content our selues with the first cause seing the other is not apparaunt or manifest We must also note that the doctrine is not properly neyther of it selfe neither by his owne nature the cause of blyndnes but by accidēs For as the porblynde men when they come forth to the Sunne haue their eyesighte more obscure and dimme whiche faulte is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes euen so where as the worde of God doth blinde and obdurate the reprobate because it is by their owne wickednes it is proper vnto them but accidentall to the woorde Leaste at any tyme they should see vvith C. Here the lorde might seme to be vnwilling to haue the reprobate conuerted whiche is contrary to this sentēce I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednes and lyue A. Also Peter saith The lorde is paciente to vs warde for so muche as he wold haue no man loste but wolde receiue all men to repētaunce But Peter and Ezechiell dispute not in those places as concerning the secrete pourpose of God but onely they do shewe howe God shewethe him selfe towardes vs calling vs by the preachinge of the Gospell to euerlasting life So that it is not cōtrary to the place of Esay for he calleth all by his woorde yea euen the reprobate But the reprobate are soo destitute of grace that they are nothinge at all moued by the gentyll inuitation of God no they do not mollifye theyr heartes And be conuerted that I also myghte heale hym C. By these wordes he sheweth to what ende seing and vnderstanding do profite namely that men beinge conuerted vnto God may come into fauoure with hym and might haue hym a gentyll louinge and merciful God vnto them Therfore to this ende properly he would haue his woorde preached that he renuynge the hartes and mindes of men might reconcile them vnto hym As concerninge the reprobate Esay here pronounceth the cōtrary namely least that they should obtayne mercy there remayneth vnto thē a stony hardnes and obstinacie and that the effecte of the
in all Hee that hath eares to heare Bu. By this addition hee doth admonishe the hearers to way and consyder diligētly of those thinges which hee spake namelye that they rather oughte to chose the studye of righteousnes the rewarde wherof is saluation and euerlasting glory then the studye of impietie and hypocrisie the end wherof is destruction and perpetuall shame 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto treasure hyd in the field the which a man hath founde and hydde and for ioy thereof hee goeth and selleth all that hee hath and byeth the fielde Againe the kingdome Bu. The other two parables following tende to the same effect and purpose that this doth Hitherto Christ hath spoken of the Gospell of the kingdome of God and of the word of life comparing the same to thinges of small valew but now hee compareth it to thinges of great pryce C. To this ende speciallye that the faythfull might learne to preferre the kingdome of God before the whole worlde and therefore to renounce and forsake them selues and all the desyres of the fleshe least they should be let or hindered to obtayne and enioy so singuler a benefyte For this admonition is verye necessarye for vs both because the inticementes and prouocations of the world do so bewitch vs that euerlasting life doth vanishe awaye from vs and also because wee are carnall the spirituall heauenly graces of God are little esteemed of vs Chryst therefore verye worthely doth so farre extoll the excellency of the grace that it oughte not to be greuous vnto vs for the desier of the same to leaue forsake what soeuer is precious deare vnto vs. To treasure hyd in the fyelde C. First he saith that the kingdome of God is like vnto treasure hid in the field For wee do magnify and extoll very muche those thinges which do appeare and are manifest before our eyes and therfore the new and spiritual life which is set forth in the Gospell is vyle and contemptible vnto vs because it lyeth secretly included vnder hope Therfore the comparison of the treasure here is very apte whose pryce estimation nothing decayeth although it appeareth not to the eyes of men beinge buryed and layed vp in the earth By the which words we are taught that the spiritual ryches of the grace of God are not to be esteemed and valued accordinge to our carnal eye or after the externall shewe and appearaunce but we must esteeme and iudge of it as of treasure whych although it be hyd yet notwithstandinge it is preferred before speciall ryches The vvhich a man hath founde C. All things in parables are not alwayes to be considered by them selues as it is sheewed already before in the 44 verse For if any man wyl be very curious here in the hyding of the treasure wee oughte not to hyde the Gospelll but to call others into the societie and fellowshippe of the same Bu. Vnles paraduenture wee may saye that that is of so greate force as if thou shouldest say hee dissembled hee did not make the seller priuye vnto it because the treasure which was buryed in the fielde laye hid and was not knowne to the seller And selleth all that hee hath C. By these wordes hee teacheth that they are apte meete to receyue and vnderstand the grace of the Gospel which all other desyers set apart endeuour them selues wholly and studye by all meanes to enioy the same Notwithstandinge some man will demaunde whether all our goodes muste be forsaken to the ende wee maye obtayne euerlasting life But hee may brieflye be aunswered that this is the simple true meaning of the words of Christ namely that wee doo not honoure the Gospell aright except wee make more accoumpte of the same more highly esteme it than all the pleasures honours delights in the world for they must be free from al impediments which will aspyre to the ioyfull blisse of heauen Therefore to sell all thinges for the gospell is to be Prest readye to relinquishe and forsake all that maye let hynder or staye vs from oure purpose so that the whole world shoulde be nothinge vnto vs in comparison of this precious Iewell and treasure For wee must alwaye destinguishe and put a differēce betwene the helping meanes the staying lets Ryches are some times aydes and helpes and sometimes letts impedimentes so are all those thinges which are of great pryce by the iudgemēt of men In one respecte Abrahā possessed ryches being ready to forsake all that euer hee had if the Lord had commaunded In another respecte Moyses refused the ryches of the Egiptians which could not be both the daughters sonne of Pharao the seruaunte of the Lorde S. Paule speaketh of him selfe thus the thinges that were vauntage vnto mee those I counted losse so Christs sake Yea I thinke al things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lorde For whom I haue counted al thing losse and do iudge them but vyle that I maye wynne Christ And byeth the fielde C. No man can dye the kingdom of God wherfore we may not argue here in this point of the parable of bying and selling For Christ doth not meane by the word of bying that any man can bye for anye price eternall life for we do know vpon what condition God calleth his faythfull vnto him by the Prophete saying Come vnto the waters all ye that be thyrsty and yee that haue no moneye come bye that ye maye haue to eate come bye wyne and mylke withoute any moneye or moneye worth But althoughe the heauenly and euerlasting life and whatsoeuer pertayneth therto is the free gift of God notwithstanding wée are said to redéeme the same when willinglye wée depriue our selues and cleane put away from vs all the desires of the fleshe least that anye thinge should hinder vs in obtayning the same This treasure is not manifest to euerye one but is hyd in the field to the end wée might with great care and diligence seke for the same 45. Againe the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a marchante man seekinge goodly Pearles A. This parable and the other goinge before pertaine to one effecte Sekinge goodlye Pearles M. The Greeke woorde signifyeth good Pearles In these precious stones the beautye and excelencye of them is the cause of the pryce and valew Hée seemeth here to put a particuler thing for that which is more generall as the Pearle for all other kinde of precious stoones as the Emerande the Saphyre and the Diamonde Plynie wryteth of precious stoones at large in his 9. Booke and thirde Chapiter 46. VVhich vvhen hee had founde one precious Pearle vvent and soulde all that hee had and bought it Bu. The sence and meaning of this place is this As marchaunt men séeke carefullye with great labour and perill for precious stoones so it behoueth euery one to be desirous of the woorde of God
entertayned of strangers then of theyr owne Countryemen But there may be two causes of this Prouerbe for this is a cōmon and generall faulte that those whom wée sée cryinge in the cradell and playing the Children are despysed of vs all theyr lyfe tyme after as thoughe there followed no profite or amendment after childhoode The other faulte is emulation or enuye the which wée practise agaynst those whom wée know Notwithstanding it is probable that the Prouerbe roose of this that Prophetes were so lyttle regarded in their owne countrey For good and godly men when they sée so great ingratitude shewed agaynste God so great contempte of his word contumacye they maye make this complaint worthelye and saye that they neuer sawe the Prophets of God lesse honored in no place then in their owne countreye Therefore Christ doth not withoute cause vpbrayde the Galilaeans who whē they should haue ben the first that should haue receyued the grace offered vnto them they were the most despysers of the same 58. And he did not many myracles there because of their vnbeleefe C. Marke speaketh with a greater Emphasis sayinge And hée could there shewe no myracle but layed his hands vpon a few sicke folke healed them maruayled because of theyr vnbeléefe Notwithstāding in effect they very wel agrée that the way was shut agaynste Christ by the wickednes of his Cittizens that hée wrought not many myracles there Hée gaue thē nowe some taste but they willinglye plucke backe and refuse to haue anye more of the same Therefore Austen verye aptelye compareth faythe to certayne Vesselles with open mouthe but hee sayth infidelitye is like to a couer wythe the whyche the Vessell is couered that it cannot receyue the lyquor or moysture powred in by the spyrite of god And trulye it is so in déede For the Lorde seinge that hys power is not receyued of vs dooth at the lengthe take away the same and yet notwithstādinge afterward wée complain that we want his helpe which our incredulity and hardnes of hart hath repelled and driuen away Marke in denying that Christ coulde do anye myracle amplifyeth their faulte by the which his goodnes was let For certainly the vnbeleuers by their cōtumacy and hardnes of hart do restraine so much as in them lyeth the hand of God not that there is any abillitye wanting in God but because they will not permit his power to be fulfilled and executed M. The vertue and power of Christe trulye was prepared to heale them but by the Ingratitude and infidelity of mortall mē it was let and hyndered after a certayne maner by the vnworthynes of these infydels it came to passe that the plentifull and flowing ryuers of the goodnes of God did not power out their streames C. Notwithstanding we must note what Marke addeth that certayne weake personnes were neuerthelesse healed For hereby wée gather that the goodnes of Christ dyd stryue as it were with theyr mallyce and did ouerflow the same And we haue daylye experience of the like in god For althoughe hée do iustly and necessarilye restrayne kéepe backe his power because it hath not frée accesse vnto vs yet notwithstanding wée sée that hée making away to himselfe wher no way is letteth not to do good vnto vs And herein his mercy ouerfloweth the stop of our wickednes and hath his force mangre our heads in spyte of the Deuill Bu. When the Lord therefore hath promised helpe euery where to the fayfull hée wyll leaue the vnbeleuinge Nazarites to their error and will multiplye his myracles and graces amonge his seruauntes The xiiii Chapter AT that tyme Herode the Tetrarcha hearde of the fame of Iesu M. In this Chapter the crueltye of Herode the death of Iohn the Baptiste the myraculous féedinge of fiue thousande men the wonderfull calminge of the tempest of the Sea and the appearinge of Chryst walking on the sea is declared And last of all is shewed howe hée came to Genesareth and healed all the sicke folkes that were brought vnto him Herode Bu. This Herode was the sonne of that Herode of the great Antipater syrnamed of some Ascalon which flewe the infantes of Bethlehē being a most pernicious Rauen hatched of so wicked an egge Some cal this Herode Antipas for his surname Hée is the very same which arayed our sauioure with a white vesture and deryded his deuine wisedome makinge an open iest and laughinge stocke of him Of this man Iosephus maketh mencion in his 18. Booke of the Antiquities of the Iewes The Tetrarcha Bu. Tetrarchia and Tetrarcha are words vsurped of the Romain writers but taken from the Gréekes Tetrarchae were Princes hauinge the fourth part or some portion of the kingedome Such are they which wée call Deputies or Presidentes The Romaynes deuidinge theyr kingdomes to suppresse rebellion lymitted the same to dyuers Presidents or gouernours whiche they called Tetrarchae or Toporchae and the regions themselues Toporchas or Tetrarchas The whiche thinge wée maye reade in Plynie This Herode was Tetrarcha of Gallilae and no king Hearde the fame of Iesu A That is al thinges that were done by Iesu as sayth the Euangeliste Luke For Marcke saithe that his name was sprede abrode C. The which thing the Euangelistes do declare to the ende we may knowe that the name of Christe was in many places famouse whereby the Iewes might be voyde of excuse and coulde not pleade ignoraunce for otherwise this doubt might crepe into the hartes of many men and cause them to saye thus Howe chaunced it that the Iewes were so secure and carelesse Christe being in the earth was his diuinite so shut vp in a corner that he reuealed the same to none This doubte I say the Euangelistes take awaye and testifie that hys name was famouse and spread abroade yea in suche publique sorte that it entered euen into Herodes courte 2 And saide vnto his seruantes this is Iohn the Baptist He is risen from the dead and therefore are miracles done by hym And sayde to his seruauntes E The Greeke woorde for seruantes is so generall that it comprehendeth the whole housholde This is Iohn C. By the wordes of Luke it may be gathered that this offered not it selfe or came into the mind of Herode willyngly but rather that he had a suspicion by the cōmon rumour of the people For thus Luke writeth And Herode the Tetrarche hearde of all that was done by him and doubted because it was saide of some that Iohn was rysen agayne from deathe Neyther nede we to doubte but that the hate of the tyrant and the detestation of the cruell and wicked acte gaue occasion to talke and rumoure as often tymes it commeth to passe For this superstitiō remained in the mindes of many men that the deadde vnder an other person came to lyfe agayne Nowe they take that which is next namely that Herode in kyllinge so cruelly the holy man missed of his purpose because
prayed therefore earnestly hee prayed I saye being constrayned by necessity Let vs learne therfore by this example that the chiefe exercyse of our fayth is to pray vnto God and to remoue all impedimentes that mighte hynder the same And vvhen nyght vvas come hee vvas M. Before in the fiftene verce the Euangeliste sayd and when the euen drewe on his disciples came to him saying c. These wordes were spoken before Chryste had fed the people and now the Euangelist semeth to repete the same agayne But by euening in that place wee muste not vnderstande one houre of the daye but all that part which is from three of the clocke in the after noone vntill it be darke night for the euening hath his beginning his end so that wee may well call that the Euening which falleth eyther in the ende or in the beginning of the same 24. But the ship was now in the myddest of the Sea and was tost with vvaues for it was a contrary wynde B. The Lord taryed til the tempest arose and tlil it was verye fearefull C. that the Disciples being tossed with daunger in the same for a tyme might at the last receiue the helpe broughte vnto them with more ioyfull myndes For about mydnight or about the darke time in the nighte there arose a contrarye wynd 25. And in the fourth watch of the night Iesus went vnto them walking on the Sea. And in the fourth vvatch C. That is Chryst appeared thre howers before the Sunne rysing The armes of the Dysciples were not more weryed with rowinge then their faythe was assaulted with terrors B The nyght was deuyded into fower parts which were called watches because so often the night watches were chaunged The fourth watche was the morning watch of the which there is mencion made in the fourtenthe of Exodus This is a singuler and comfortable example by the which Christe declareth that although hee bringeth not presente helpe to those that are his yet notwithstanding hee will not forsake them but will helpe in due time Howsoeuer these Dyscyples of Christe laboured in daunger they perishe not but are preserued Let vs leaue therefore that yeares monethes dayes howers and moments are in his power and let vs not prescribe vnto him any time but rather let vs as the Apostell sayth tarrye the Lords leysure VValking on the Sea M. In that Christe walked vppon the rough boysterous and raging sea it was then an argument that hee was Lord of the swelling sea the which sea was so vnable to destroye his Dysciples that it was constrayned for all the raging to giue waye vnto Christ to come vnto them Wee haue therefore such and so excellent a Lord euen the Lorde oure God whych notwithstāding all the seas and swelling flouds of this world will deliuer vs So great is his power 26. And vvhen the Dysciples savve him vvalking on the Sea they vvere troubled sayinge it is some spyrite and they cryed oute for feare And vvhen the Dysciples savve A. Here it followeth how the Dyscyples were afrayde and amazed at the syght of Chryst Sayinge it is some Spirite S. The Greeke translator hath trāslated the Gréeke word Phantasma into the Latine woorde Spectrum whiche betokeneth an Image or figure in a mans imagination Wherevppon in the Englishe translation wée fynd this worde spirite C. But when as necessitye did greatly vrge the Disciples to loke and long for their masters presence it was a token of to much lumpishe dulnesse to be troubled with the sight of him as with the sighte of a spyrite For thys cause the Euangelyst Marke sayth that their hartes were blinded that they remembred not the fiue loaues For by that myracle they were sufficiently taughte that Christ was not destitute of Diuyne power to helpe those that are his and that hée carefullye sought to helpe whereas necessitye required Therfore now they wel deserued to haue their grosse dulnes reprehended seinge they called not to minde that heauenlye power which being shéewed but the daye before should haue remayned freshe before their eyes It is most certaine true that they were amazed by reason of their forgetfulnes not consideringe as they oughte the myracles that were so latelye done before by the which they should haue greatlye profited But their blyndnes is chieflye reproued because they applyed not theyr mindes to consider the deity of Christ of the which the multiplying of the fyue loaues was a sufficient confirmation and proofe Notwithstanding the wordes of the Euangelyste Marke expresse two thinges first that they did not well way the glorye of Christ which was shewed in multiplying the fyue loaues secondly hee shéeweth the cause which was the blyndnes of their hartes The whych thing was not onelye noted of the Euangelyst to the setting forth of the greatnes of the faulte but also to the end wée beyng admonished of the blindnes of our mindes shoulde craue newe eyes at the hande of god It was truly as wée said euen now to brutishe a kinde of ignoraunce not to féele the palpable power as it were of god Notwithstanding because all mankinde is infected with the same disease the Euangelyst Marke endeuoureth himselfe to make mencion of this blyndnes to the end wée might know that it is no new thing to see men blinde in the manifeste light of Gods workes vntill they be illuminated from aboue as sayth Moyses Hitherto the Lord hath not giuen thée a hart to vnderstand And althoughe by the name of hart the wil or affection of man is oftentymes noted yet notwithstāding in that place of Marke and in this sentence of Moyses it is taken for the mynd of man Bu. Furthermore that spirits are oftentimes set before the eyes of men it is no vayne opinion Man truly oftentimes imagineth throughe the corrupt humors of his brayne that hee séeth those things which in deede hee seeth not which are not at all but sometimes not sildome certayne spirites appeare vnto men not without the iust iudgement of God by the mynistery both of good euill spirits instructing and admonishinge men or els accusing and laying violence on the vnbeléeuing and louers of darkenes It is commonlye sayd that spirits do appeare vnto men because they do oftentimes hurt those to whom they do appeare and that for the imbecillitye of theyr fayth therefore many are afrayde of spirites This trouble therfore which came through the opinion and persuation of the sighte of a spirite did greatlye batter and shake the mynds of the Disciples For so it happeneth vnto vs oftentimes that wee are vexed and disquieted with vaine feare when wée dreade the befall of some euill which is farre from vs or could not hurt vs if it were presente before our face The selfe same Apostels that wée read of here when they sawe Chryst to be rysen agayne from deathe thinking that they saw a spirite were wonderfully troubled and afrayde Feare oftentimes bereueth and
cōceiued 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 mā 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 frō death the .iii. day And truly whē 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 cōsidereth 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 whē they do so arrogātly 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 mā 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
whiche Christ began at his resurrection afterward more fully reuealed the same by sending his holy spyrite and by working miracles B. Therfore to see Christ comminge in his kyngdome is nothing els in this place then the which Marke and Luke haue To see the kingdome of God that is the glory good successe of the kingdome of god The Euangelist Marke expressely saith Vntyll they haue sene the kingdome of God come with power The kingdome of god was com before wherupon he cōmanded to preach that the kingdome of God was at hande And in an other place he sayde vnto the Phariseis If I by the spirite of God cast out deuyls then is the kingdome of God come vpon you But because the kyngedome of God was not yet so gloriouse as it should be in all the worlde after his resurrection he truely saith Vntyll they haue sene the kingdome of God come Of this kingdome the apostel Paule writeth thus whē he speaketh of the Gospel Whiche is come vnto you euen as it is into all the worlde and is fruitefull and groweth c. But more largely in an other place whē he saith I haue therfore whereof I may reioyce through Christe Iesu in those thinges which pertayne to god For I dare not speke of any of these thinges which Christ hath not wrought by mee to make the Gentiles obediente with woorde and dede in mighty signes and wonders by the power of the spirite of God so that from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde aboute vnto Illiricum I haue filled all countreys with the Gospel of Christe This gloriouse power of the kingedome of Christ did chiefely declare it selfe within .xx. yeres or theraboutes after his passion vntyll the whiche time no doubte many of those to whome the lord presently spake were aliue But to what ende doth Christ speake this Surely to the ende he might learne them some comfort against the tyme of the crosse affliction because shortely the kingdome power of God should be declared and reuealed So are we comforted by the holy ghost so often as we heare it saide The lorde is nigh and wyll not be flacke The cōming of Christe truely semeth to be far hence but doth he not in the meane time shewe vnto vs his power Some vnderstande this place to be spokē of the transefiguration of Christ in the mount which is declared in the chapter followinge as though that Christ by these wordes shold promise that there were som disciples in the cōpany to whom he wolde shew his glory in the earth so far as the eies of mortall men might perceiue the same A. But we haue shewed alredy the true proper sence and meaning of Christes wordes VVhich shal not tast of death Bu. That is they shal not die The like phrase of speche we haue in the .viii. chapter of s Iohn in the secōd of s Paules epistel to the Hebrues The .xvii. Chapter AND after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and bringeth them vp into an high mountaine A. This history is declared by three of the Euangelist namely by this our Euangelist Mathewe and Marke and Luke C. In the which hystory we must fyrst of al se to what ende and purpose Christ wolde put vpon hym his heuenly glory for so short a time and wolde take onely three of his disciples to be witnesses of this sight Some thincke that he did it to the ende he mighte arme his disciples against the temptation whiche was at hande by reason of his deathe but that is verye vnlikely For why dyd he depriue others of the same remedye Yea why dothe he plainely forbyd them to publishe that which they had sene vntyl after his resurrectiō vnlesse the fruit of the vision had ben after his time There is no doubte therefore but that Christ ment to declare that hee was not deliuered vnto death against his wil but that he came vnto it willingelye to offer the sacrifice of obedience vnto his father This kingedome came not into the mindes of the disciples vntill Christe rose agayne neyther was it necessary at that tyme to conceyue the deuyne power of Christe which they knewe to be the vanquisher and ouercōmer in the crosse and affliction but they were taught agaynste an other tyme as wel for them selues as for vs least that the infirmitie of Christe shoulde offende any man as thoughe he had suffered by necessitie and force for it is euident that it was no more hard vnto Christ to exempte and deliuer his bodye from death than to adorne the same with heauenly glory We are taught therfore that he was subiectte vnto death because he woulde and that hee was crucyfied because he offered hym selfe For the same fleshe which honge vpon the crosse and laye in the sepulchre seinge before it was partaker of the heauenly glorye might haue bene free from death and the graue But we are taught that Christ so longe as he bare the forme of a seruante in the worlde his maiestie hidden vnder the infirmitie of his fleshe there was nothing detracted or taken from him because he did abase hym selfe of his owne free wyll but now his resurrection toke a way that vaile by the which his power for a tyme was couered And the Lorde thoughte it sufficient to chose vnto hym three witnesses because this nōber was prescribed by the lawe to testifie proue any matter And after syxe dayes B. As cōcerninge the nomber of the daies Marke agreeth with Mathew But Luke hath And it fortuned that about an eight daies after these sayinges But this oughte to offende no man C. For Marcke and Matthewe nomber sixe whole dayes which came betwene the tyme the Christe spake the woordes goinge before in the xvi chapter and the tyme in the whiche he was transfigured but Luke faithe it was done within eyght daies after comprehending as well the day in the which Christ spake as also the day in the which he was transfigured Wee se therefore howe well diuerse wordes comprehende one sence and meaning And bringeth them vp into Luke saithe that the lord went vp into the moūtaine to pray no doubt to pray vnto the father that he wold manifest reueale his glory to his disciples for the which cause he brought them vp into the mountaine By the which example of Christe we are taught to be likewise affectioned to the glorye of Christes kingdome towardes those also to whom as yet it hath not apered So Paule prayed as it appereth by his epistels But Christ him self hath taught vs to pray saying Hallowed be thy name 2 And was transfigured before them his face did shine as the sonne and his clothes were as white as the lighte And vvas transfygured before them S. That is to say he put on a newe figure or forme full of all glory and excellent brightnes and dyd not appere as the sonne of man
be that disputethe howe the deade do syt in heauen he dothe stay him self from comming to the kingdome of heauen A. Some thinke that the Apostels in this place called the new people whereof they them selues were the first fruites the kingdome of God as if they shoulde haue saide whiche of thye Apostelles shall be the chiefe when thou beginnest to raigne by the churche in the whole worlde or elles who shal be chefe now in this our administration By this question it doth sufficientely appere that not onely the reliques of synne but also greate synnes do remaine in the sainctes and faythfull The Apostelles were holy and faithfull yet notwithstandinge they were ambitiouse and spitefull 2 And Iesus called a childe vnto hym and set him in the middest of them And Iesus called a childe vnto E. The Greeke worde Paidion for the whiche wee reade this woord childe althoughe it be sometymes vsed for a great boy yet notwithstandinge in this place it is not vsed as a diminutiue in vayne For it maketh the matter to haue the greater Emphasis and force when hée doth not onelye call them to the imitacion of euerye childe but also of euery small childe Bu. And the Lorde to the ende hee mighte make them beare in minde the which he was about to teach hée vseth not onely words but also a liuely patterne and expresse example The same did the Prophetes oftentimes vse because it was profitable both to teache and also to demonstrate to moue and to printe those thinges in minde which we would haue remembred For the action doth set the thinge to be seene before our eyes and the woordes do declare vnto vs what the action meaneth And therefore the Prophete Ieremy doth not onely saye that the Cittye of Hierusalem shal be destroyed but hée taketh also an earthē pot and breaketh the same in the presence of those that were with him saying Euen so wil I destroy this Cittie and this people sayth the Lorde Also the same Prophete maketh bondes and chaynes sheweth them vnto all men and afterwarde hee expoundeth the meaninge of them The like doth the Lorde himselfe go aboute in this place and therefore when he had called a childe vnto him hée set him in the middest of those that contended and disputed and then by and by hée declareth the meaning of this example by wordes saying 3. Verely verely I say vnto you except ye tourn become as childrē ye shal not enter into the kingedome of God. Verely verely I say vnto you M. This earnest and graue affyrmation of our sauiour Christ maketh this sentence of more waight and importaunce For althoughe all the wordes of Christ ought to be coūted true and certaine yet notwithstanding it is euidente that those thinges are spoken wyth a more earneste affection whiche haue this asseueration adioyned vnto them and for that cause they ought to be dyligently hearde and considered What other thinge dothe oure sauioure Christe meane by this affyrmation then to extorte fayth from vs and to admonishe vs that excepte we beleue wée shall certaynely peryshe Excepte ye tourne M. Namely from that way in the which ye are entered disputing for the superioritie which way leadeth not to the kingdome of heauen but to the kingdome of Sathan excepte I say ye be otherwise then ye nowe are A. ye shall neuer be parte takers of the kingdome of heauen wherof I haue spoken vnto you C. He meaneth that they were vngodly minded therfore he reprehendeth their ambitiō And become as children ye shall not Beholde here what the conuersion is whereof he speaketh namely humillitie and voluntary submission as in the verse followinge he declareth more at large Ye shall not enter into the kingdome Bu. This is a horrible sentence for he speakethe not of some lighte kinde or of some fatherlye correction but of a perpetuall refusall forsakinge as if he had said So farre ye are from excellinge in the kingedome of heauen that ye shall haue noo accesse or portion at all in the same because I wil vtterly forsake you except ye tourne and be conuerted from your peruerse desyre of ruling to the trew submission and humillitie of the minde 4. VVhosoeuer therfore humbleth him selfe as this child the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen VVhosoeuer therefore M. Here hee dothe more plainely declare what he mente by this saiynge Excepte ye turne and become as children C. The somme of his woordes is this They which desire ambiciously to excell their bretherne shal be so farre from obteyning theyr desier that they shal be far inferiour to them Accordinge to that whiche he saith in an other place He that exalteth him selfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth him selfe shall be exalted For he reasonethe of the contrary because onely humillitie dothe exalte vs But where as he commaundeth his disciples to be as chyldren his woordes are not to be extended to all the quallities of a chylde generally For we knowe that there are many faltes in children Wherefore the Apostell Paule exhorteth vs to be children in mallice but not in sence and vnderstanding But because infantes do not knowe as yet what preferment and principallitie meaneth for the which they should contend Christ by their example seketh to take away ambition out of the mindes of those that are his least they should be like vnto the children of this world which are neuer contente with their vocation and state To the whiche effecte partaineth this saying of the Apostell Peter Wherefore lay aside all maliciousenesse and al guile and faynednes and enuie and all backebytynge and as new borne babes desire ye that milke not of the body but of the soule whiche is without all deceyte c. But if any man obiecte and saye Obiection that infantes are proude by nature euen from theyr mothers wombe we answere that similitudes oughte not too exactly scrupulouselye to be wayed and strayned as thoughe of necessitie they shoulde holde in al poyntes Because therfore so great symplicitie doth raigne as yet in the age of infantes that they are ignorant of the degrees of honoure and the affections of pryde Christ dothe very aptly propoūde them for an exaumple And to this ende partaineth the conuersion that hee spake of euen nowe namely that the disciples had already applied them selues too much to the maners of worldely men and that therfore if they wolde come to the marke they muste turne backe againe Euerye man desired to haue eyther the firste or the seconde roome but Christ wil not so muche as graunte the fotestoole to any man but to him whiche humblethe hym selfe to the lowest degree And to such he pronounceth prefermente and dygnitie least we should thinke to loose any thing by abasinge our selues And hereuppon may be gathered a short definition of humilitie namely that he is hūble in dede whiche neyther arrogateth any thing to him self before
God hym selfe speakynge there but whether of the partes thou chose it maketh lyttell to the purpose in this place because it was sufficiente in this place to alleage the oracle and word of God althoughe it was pronounced by the mouthe of Adam If Adam speake it he hath respecte vnto that whiche God had commaunded and done and Adam in this place is a Prophete shewynge the worke of God loking also vnto the ende Man shall forsake father and mother C. In this place he that maryeth a wyfe is not simplely cōmaunded to leaue his father and mother for thē shold God be contrary vnto him selfe if by matrimony he shoulde abolishe the dewety whiche hee chargeth children to shewe towardes their parentes but when the comparison betwene the dueties is made the wyfe is preferred before father and mother But if any man should relinquishe or forsake his father and shake of the yoke to the which he is tyed no man myghte abyde suche a monster Muche lesse therefore there is lybertie graunted to breake wedlocke C. B. Therefore trewely the naturall and mutuall affynite of the father mother with the chyldren is holye but the loue of the husband and the wyfe is more holy Wherefore if time and occasion so require the societie of the father muste rather be forsaken then the fellowship of the wyfe And shal be ioyned to his vvyfe E. The Metaphor is taken of those thinges that are so set together with glewe that you wolde thinke them to be but one thynge By this word Christ excludeth all causes for the whiche the wyues among the Iewes were rashly put away And they tvvo shall be one fleshe C By this sayinge the hauinge of many wyues is no lesse condempned than the lybertie of diuorcynge wyues For if the mutuall coniunction betwene two was hallowed of the lorde then the mynglinge of three or fower is adultery But Christ as we saide before doth applie it otherwise vnto his purpose that is that whosoeuer is diuorced from his wyfe teareth and renteth him selfe because suche is the force of holy matrymonye that the husbande and the wyfe shoulde growe together as one man Neyther was it the meaning of Christ to bringe in the impure and filthy speculation of Plato but did reuerētly intreate of the order appointed by God sayinge 6 Therfore nowe they are not two but one fleshe Let no man therfore put asonder that whiche God hath coupled together Therefore novve they are not tvvo B. Or hereafter they are not twoo that is after they are coupled together or maryed They were created twoo and not one that is to wit man and woman and agayne by the copulation of matrimony of twoo hée made them one Therfore it should be as muche against nature to pull the wyfe from her husband as to cut of any member of the body Furthermore in Genesis from whence this place was taken this woorde twoo is not red but onely on this wise And they shal be one flesh But the Euangelist Matthew addeth this worde twoo to make the matter more playne euen as the Apostell Paule hath done in the sixte chapter of the first epistell to the Corinthians or els both of them dyd follow the threscore and ten interpretours That therefore vvhiche God hath coupled E. Or ioyned yoked in one yoke This phrase and manner of speeche is taken from the Oxen which carrie together one yooke Let not man seperate C. By this sentence Christe dothe brydell the lustes of men leaste they shoulde breake the holy knot by putinge away their wiues And as he denieth that it is in the husebandes wyll to dissolue wedlocke so also he pronounceth a lawe to all other that by their authoritie they should not confirme vnlawful diuorses For the maiestrate abuseth his aucthoritie which graunteth fauoure vnto the husbande to cast of his wyfe Yet notwithstandinge Christ hath a due respecte vnto this that euerye man for hym selfe shoulde deuoutelye reuerence his promyse made and those whom eyther lust or concupiscence shoulde moue to diuorce shoulde haue a consideration of this What arte thou that wouldeste make the breache of this holy coniunctyon free vnto thy selfe B. Christ truely in this place accuseth that mind to be giltie of Adultery whiche contrary to the lawes of matrimony is so frowarde towarde his wyfe that it were better for her to be free from him than to be ioyned vnto him C. Moreouer this doctryne may farther be extended The Papistes propoundinge and settinge before vs the Churche pulled and torne from her head do leaue vs a blockish and maimed body In the holy Supper Christ hauing ioyned breade vnto wyne they are bolde to take away the vse of the cup from all the people to this diuelishe corruption and adhominable aduoutry we maye boldely obiecte this place of our sauiour Chryste and say That whiche God hath coupled together let no man put a sunder 7 They saye vnto hym why therefore did Moyses commaunde to geeue a testimoniall of diuorsemente and to sende her awaye They say vnto hym M. By the woordes of our sauiour Christ they dyd well vnderstande his meanynge namely that it was not lawefull to sende awaye a wyfe for euery cause And here they obiect vnto hym the authoritie of Moyses whiche authoritie no doubte came from God as if they shoulde haue sayde Hath Moyses commaunded that whiche is vnlawful Thou saiest it is vnlawfull but Moyses commaunded it to be done therefore it shoulde seme by thy wordes that Moyses hath offended and sedused vs Therfore thou woldeste haue vs to credyte thee more thē Moyses who receiued this lawe all others at the mouth of god Therefore thou resistest the doctrine of God. 8 He saith vnto them Moyses because of the hardnes of your hartes suffered you to put away your wiues but frō the beginning it was not so Moyses because of the hardenes of your heartes C. The Phariseis had inuēted that crafty Cauill whiche I haue aboue noted to intrap Christ if he as they thoughte he wolde and as it was lykely had shutt out the lawefull cause of diuorses For that whiche God by his lawe permitteth whatsoeuer it be semeth lawfull whose onely wil appoynteth a difference of good and euyll But Christe by an apte aunswere putteth awaye their false mallice because Moyses granted to this their peruersnesse frowardnes not as thoughe he did approue it to be good and laweful M. He dothe not therfore deny but that Moyses gaue commaundement as concerninge the geuing of a byll of diuorcemente but he denieth that he commanded to put away their wyues onely grāting that he suffered it adding the cause namely for the hardenes of their hartes which hardnes of hart Moyses oftētimes castethe in the Israelites tethe as apperethe in the ninthe sixte and thirtenthe chapter of Deutronomy As if he should say He dyd suffer you to do this because by nature it was righte but knowynge the
hardenes of your hartes he pardoned the lesse euyll least a greatter should be committed by you For he doth not allow diuorsementes that suffereth them to be vsed rather then manslaughter shoulde be committed Neyther dothe the testymoniall of dyuorcemente proue that dyuorcemente it selfe is righte and legyttimate but it is a witnesse of thy crueltie who for euery lyght cause doest driue away thy wife And here be obiecteth this very fitly vnto the Phariseies who were of all men most obstinate and harde harted that he might declare vnto thē that this their hardenes of hart is an olde disease and of longe continuance But from the begininge it vvas not so C. He calleth them backe to the pure and fyrst institution whiche also oughte to be vnto vs a firme foundation so often as the aduersaries of the Gospel do seke to inuade vs that is to saye we muste referre all thinges to the fyrste institution so often as they preferre their owne dreames before the woorde of god Therfore Christ confirmeth his opynion by a verye good reason because it was not so from the begynninge But he taketh it as a thynge graunted namely that when God from the beginninge did institute matrimony he made a certayne lawe and establyshed the same for euer whiche ought to stand in force to the ende Wherefore if the institution of wedlocke oughte to stande as a lawe that maye not be vyolated it followeth that whatsoeuer declineth frō it is not accordynge to the nature of the firste lawe but procedeth of the corruption of men Nowe some man maye demaunde whether it were lawefull for Moyses to permyt that whiche of it owne nature is euyll and viciouse Wee aunswere that it is improperlye saide to be permitted which hee did not seuerelye forbydde Neyther dyd hee sette forthe a lawe of diuorcement that by his consent he might approue thē but when the wickednesse of men coulde not be otherwyse restrayned hee broughte a remedy that was most tollerable that at the least the husbande shoulde geue his wyfe a testymoniall of diuorce in the which he sholde testifie her chastitie For the lawe was not made but in the fauour of the womē least after they were vniustly cast of they shoulde be subiecte to any reproche Whereby wee gather that rather a punishement was layed vpon the men then that by pardone and permission their lust was increased Moreouer spirituall regiment differeth much from politique and ciuile order The lord comprehendeth in tenne wordes what is laweful and standinge with the lawe of god Nowe because it maye come to passe that manye thinges may not be called before mannes iudgement seate of which neuerthelesse euery mannes owne conscience may reproue conuince him it is no meruayle thoughe politique lawes do wyncke at them As for example A greater liberty to contende is graunted vs by the lawes than the rule of charitie doth beare and why so because ryght can not be geuen to euery one excepte the way to require it be as a gate open vnto them But the internall lawe of God pronounceth that that ought to be followed which charytie shall counsell Neyther yet is there any cause why the maiestrates shoulde hereby challenge an excuse of their necligēce and slouthefulnes if wyllingely they be slacke in punishynge of vyces or if they admitte that whiche the mynistration of their office doth require But let priuate men take heede leste by clokinge their offences with the supportation of the lawe they double the falte For here the lorde rebuketh the Iewes ouerthwartlye as thoughe it were not sufficiente for them that their peruersenesse shoulde be borne withall without punishemēt except they ascribe and make God the autour of their iniquitie Wherefore if of the pollitike lawe a rule of lyuinge a holy and godlye life cannot alwayes nor in euerye place be required muche lesse of custome A. which neuerthelesse at this daye is carelesly preferred of somme before the truth of the Gospell but not withoute cruell reproche against God. 9 I say vnto you who soeuer putteth away his wife except it be for fornication and maryeth an other breaketh wedlocke And who so euer marieth her which is diuorsed doth committe adultery I say vnto you that vvhosoeuer C. The Euangelist Marke in his tenth chapter reporteth that this was spoken a parte or in secret to his disciples when they came home But Matthewe omytting this circumstance doth prosecute the woordes as the Euangelistes do often times leaue out some thinge in the middest of a story because it is sufficiente for them to gather the sommes of thinges There is no difference therefore but that the one declareth the matter more distinctly then the other The summe and effecte is this Although the lawe doth not punishe deuorces which do disagrée and dessente from the first institutiō ordained of God yet notwithstandinge is it adulterye if any man reiectinge his wife do take vnto him another For it is not at the will and pleasure of man to breake the promyse made in matrimony which he will haue to remayne constante and firme Therefore shee that occupyeth and defileth the bed of the lawfull wife is a harlot But there is an exception added because the woman by committinge whoredom doth cut of her selfe from the man as a corrupt member and setteth him at lyberty And of the man Christ speaketh expresly here that hée may for fornication put away his wife but hee sheeweth not whether the woman may leaue her husband if hee cōmit whoredom the reason is because hée doth only answeare vnto that which was demaunded of him But if a generall question be moued on this behalfe there is a common and mutuall right of eyther parte euen as there is a mutuall knot of faithe and promise otherwise the husbande is the head of the wife and the wife is subiecte vnto her husbande But as far foorthe as pertayneth vnto the chastitye of Matrimony and to the faithfulnes of the bed the like lawe is prescribed to the husbande that is prescribed to the wyfe The man sayth S. Paule hath not power ouer his owne bodye but the wife neither hath the womā power ouer her owne body but the man There is like liberty therefore if the husbande or wyfe do violate the promise of the bed the chaste wife maye forsake her husband if hée be a fornicator as well as the husband may put away the wife if shée haue played the whore Certaine there be which inuent other causes for the which one of the partyes may be deuorced from the other But wée must take héede that wee séeke not to be wyser then our heauenly Scholemaster whilest wée presume to ymagine some thinge otherwyse then his word doth teach vs Some will haue the Leprosy to be a iust cause of deuorce because the contagiō of the disease maye infecte both the husbande and the children But as the godly husband is not enforced to
amplifye the matter Luke addeth this word also as if hee had sayde After they perceyued how many wayes hée did helpe those that were of discretion and cype yeres had conceiued hope that hée would do the like to yonge children they brought them vnto him knowing that they should not go away cleane voyde of all the giftes of the holy ghost if hee layed his handes vppon them That hee should toutche them C. The laying on of handes was a familiar signe amonge the Iewes so often as there was any solemne kinde of prayer or blessinge as when they offered sacrifice Wée haue also an exsample in Isaac more agreable to this place when hée layed his hands vppon his sonne Iacob as thoughe hée did offer and consecrate him vnto God that he might be the promised heyre That this was a common custome amonge the Iewes it is euident by another example of Iacob which blessed the two children of his sonne Iosephe namely Ephraim and Manasses But they were not wont to lay hands on any mā which were not endewed with some notable power or vertue or set in some hye office euen as the Apostell taketh an argument of the blessinge of Melchisedec which blessed Abraham neither doth hée faine the argument For it is oftētimes red that there were Priestes chosen which might blesse the people euē as though God were present to blesse himselfe The maner of blessing was prescribed vnto Moyses by the mouth of the Lord when hee sayd Yee shall blesse the childrē of Israell and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee and kepe thee The Lord make his face to shine vppon thee and be mercifull vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenaunce vppon thee and geue thee peace The like also wee haue in the 118. Psalme Seinge therefore the layinge on of handes was an aunciente and solemne order of blessing among the Iewes it is no meruaile if the Parents desier Christ to vse this Seremonye in blessinge their children And the Disciples rebuked B. That is to say they rebuked the Parentes that brought the childrē as testifyeth the Euāgelist Marke The Apostels were angry taking disdaine that Christ should haue to do with infants yea they count it a reproche to his person to admit children Neither did theyr error wante a cooller or cloake For what had this excellente Prophete and Sonne of God to doe with infants But hereby we gather that they are peruerse Iudges which estéeme and iudge of Christe after carnall reason for they do as it were robbe him of his owne vertues proper vnto him and vnder the shew of honor they yelde vnto him those thinges which belonge not vnto him Hereuppon came a wonderfull heape of superstitions which broughte in vnto the worlde a fayned Christe Wherefore let vs learne to esteme and Iudge no otherwise of him than he himselfe hath faught and to putte no other person vppon him than his heauenlye Father hath done allready Wée sée what foolishnes hath chaūced into the Papacy which thincke that they do bringe great honor vnto Christe in worshippinge and fallinge downe to a péece of starche or fayned breade a moste filthye abhomination in the sight of god Againe because they thought it a greate dishonour vnto him to haue the office of an aduocate they haue made vnto themselues an innumerable sorte of aduocates but trulye by this meanes the honor of a mediator is quight taken from him M. If these infants which were brought vnto Christ had bene sicke peraduenture they would not haue forbidden and stayed those that broughte them but because there was no occasion offered vnto Christe to shewe foorth his power in these infantes as they thoughte because they wanted reason to gather any thinge eyther by his Doctrine or by his power they sawe no reason why these little children should be brought vnto Christ And this was the cause why the Disciples rebuked the Parentes of the childrē A. Such a preposterous zeale was there in the Dysciples 14. But Iesus saide vnto them suffer the childrē and forbid them not to come vnto mee for of suche is the kingedome of Heauen But Iesus saide vnto them M. The Euangelist Marke sayth when Iesus sawe it hée was displeased and sayd vnto them And Luke sayth when hée had called the children c. By these our sauiour Christ doth testify that hée would haue children admitted and taking them at the lengthe in his armes hee doth not onely embrace them but also layeth his handes vppon them and blesseth them Whereby also we may gather that euen vnto this age of infancye his grace was extended and no marueile for seinge all the posterity and ofspringe of Adam was included vnder the condemnatiō of death it must néedes come to passe that all from the highest to the lowest shoulde perishe sauinge those whom the Redeemer should deliuer M. Therefore that embracinge which Marke maketh mencion of doth declare that littelones do not onely pertaine vnto Christ but also that they are déere vnto him For what is it to come vnto Christe but onelye to come vnto life by Christ C. Therefore it were to cruell a déede to put awaye this age of infancy frō the grace of the redemption So that wee do not in vaine holde vp this buckeler against the Anabaptistes for they denye Baptisme to infants because they be not capeable of that misterye which is there sealed But wée reason and proue against them thus that seinge Baptisme is a figure and pledge of the frée remission of sinnes of the deuine adoption it oughte not to be denyed vnto infantes whō God doth adopte and washe with the bloude of his sonne Christ And whereas they do obiecte and say that repentance and newnes of lyfe are bothe together there figured wée answeare that they are renewed accordinge to the measure of the spirit of God vntill the power which is hid in thē do increase by degreese and openly shyne in due time But whereas they do contende that wée are no otherwise reconcyled vnto God and made heyres of the adoption than by fayth wée graunte that this is spoken of those that are come to the yeares of discretion but as touchinge infantes this place doth proue it to be false The layinge on of handes truly was no tryfling or vaine signe neither did Christ power oute his prayers in vaine into the ayre for hée could not offer them sollemlye vnto God but hée must néedes make them cleane and purifyed And to what ende did hée pray for them but to this end that they mighte be receiued amonge the sonnes of God whereuppon it followeth that they were regenerated by the spirite of God into the hope of saluation The verye embracinge it selfe is a sufficiente witnes and testimony that they were receiued of Christ into his flocke Wherefore if they were partakers of those spirituall benefites which Baptisme do figure it is an absurdity to say that they
the Disciples mindes his glorye to come beinge as yet but in a base estate and in such a place where hée sheweth that they must beare the crosse and forsake all for his names sake Yee shall sit also vppon tvvelue seates Bu. Hee speaketh accordinge to the maner of kinges which sit in their heighe throne and haue their councellers sittinge round about them By a humaine similitude yet full of magnificence hée setteth forth as vnder a shadow the deuine and perfecte iudgement of his maiesty This sitting therefore is nothinge els but that which the Apostell speaketh of sayinge When Christe shall appeare which is your life then shall you also sit with him in glory And in another place And then heyres annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that wée may also be glorifyed together with him C. And it is the selfe same thinge that Luke sayth the Lord spake to his Disciples on this maner Yée are they which haue â—…idden with mee in my temptacions and I apoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed vnto mée that ye may eate and drinke at my table in the kingdome sit on seates iudginge the twelue tribes of Israell For because the Apostels kepte him coÌ„pany all the time of temptacions and did constantlye abyde hee pronounceth that they shal be partakers of his glory Iudginge the tvvelue tribes of Israell C. Hee named the twelue tribes by the same reason which moued him to make twelue Apostels namely because hee was sente to be a minister of the circumsition for the truthe of God to confirme the promises made vnto the fathers as wée said before now to the ende hée might gather the remnaunt of the twelue tribes of Israell into one A. But whereas the Lorde sayth in this place that the Apostels shall be Iudges of Israell it must be referred to the last day of iudgement as wée sheewed before M. For then they shal condemne the harde harted and vnbeleuinge Israelites The which is no otherwise to be vnderstoode then that the faith of the Apostels which were also Israelites vnlearned simple men and yet embraced Christ shall take away all excuse from the Israelits Wée do reade also before that this condempnatioÌ„ shal procede from the Niniuits and from the Quéene of the Southe And in another place our saui Christ sayth Hée that refuseth mée and receiueth not my woordes hath one that Iudgeth him The woord that I haue spoken the same shall iudge him in the last daye Otherwise Christ shall sit a Iudge alone in Iudgemente C. But this is not spokeÌ„ as though the Apostels should haue no more excellency thaÌ„ the Quene of the Southe in the day of Iudgemente For this is a greate matter that Christe speaketh of here for what can be greater and more glorious than to be so accepted and allowed in the day of Iudgement before the world and the Angels of God than that thy faithe O man shall condemne whole nations that haue bene vnbeleuinge And yet notwithstanding wée muste not thincke that the Apostels shall haue no more saue this for the glorye of the kingdome also is promised vnto them As wée may gather out of the place which wée cited out of Luke a litle before 29. And euery one that forsaketh house or bretheren or sisters or father or mother or wife or childreÌ„ or landes for my names sake shall receiue an hundered foulde and shall inherit euerlastinge life And euery one that forsaketh C. After he had listed vp their mindes to the hope of the life to come hée dothe also sustaine them with present solace and ioye and doth coÌ„firme them to beare the Crosse For God doothe neuer forsake those that are his thoughe hée suffer theim for a time to be greuouslye afflicted but sendeth ayde and helpe in the middest of trouble Neither is this here onely spokeÌ„ by the Apostels but hauinge occasion hee speaketh generally to all the godly M. To forsake anye thinge for the name of Christe or for Christ is to set Christ before all thinges and to loue him aboue all thinges and to haue him so déere vnto oure hartes that for his sake wee are ready to forsake all be it neuer so déere vnto vs which allureth leadeth or constrayneth vs to do any thinge which is contrary to his glory Or bretheren or sisters or father C. Hée reherseth our Parentes and the rest of our frendes to the ende hee mighte shewe that there is nothing so precious which the rewarde that hée setteth before vs doth not excede This therefore is the summe and effecte of his woords Whosoeuer loose all things willingly for Christs cause shall notwithstandinge be more happye and blessed in this life than if they had lost nothinge but their chiefe rewarde is layed vp for them in heauen Shall receiue an hundered foulde E. The Greeke text signifyeth thus muche as if thou shouldest saye Euery thinge shal be an hundered times doubled for the Gréeke word is a number of moultitude M. Luke hath shall receiue much more least wée should stande vppon this nomber of a hundered fould As if hee should haue said none shall sustaine losse for my sake but shall rather haue greate gayne both in this life also in the life to come Marke hath hée shall receiue an hundered foulde nowe in this life houses bretheren sisters mothers children and landes C. Which promyse notwithstaÌ„dyng doth not seeme to agrée with experience For wée sée oftentimes that they which are depriued and forced to forsake their Parentes theyr children and the rest of theyr kinsfolkes to leaue their wyues wydowes and to be dispoyled of all their substance for the testimonye of Christ are so far from the recouering of their owne againe with aduantage that all their life time they are constrayned to liue in exile and banishement with great penurye But wee aunswere againe to coÌ„mon experience that if any man rightly consider and esteeme the present grace of God by the which their myseries are holpen hée will confesse that it is not in vaine preferred before all the riches of the world For although the vnbeleuinge do florishe yet notwithstandinge because they know not what shall befall them to morrowe it muste néedes be that they burne alwayes in great perplexitye and feare neither can they without great torment tourne the whele of fortune which to them pertayneth But God doth make the hartes of those that are his ioyfull that they maye thincke that little which they possesse and the trouble that they suffer hauinge the grace and fauore of Christ to be more pleasaunte and sweete vnto them than if they had excedinge aboundance withoute Christe In the which sence the Euangelist Marke addeth these woordes with persecutions As if Christ should haue sayde Although the Godlye all their life time remaine in persecutioÌ„ and though the Crosse do as it were cleaue vnto their backes
and the other half to the vttermost sea as we may reade in the prophesie of Zachary At this day althoughe wee vse temples to make holy metinges and coÌ„mynges together yet notwithstanding there is a diuersitie betwene oure temples and that because seing that Christe is nowe come the externe and shadowed Image therof is not set before vs as it was in times past before the fathers vnder the lawe A. Therfore the temple of HierusaleÌ„ had a special significatioÌ„ But the truethe ought to be in vs that we may be the lyuely teÌ„ple of the liuinge god C. Furthermore wee must note that by the name of praier the prophete noteth the whole worshippe of god For although there were many ceremonies at that time yet notwithstanding his purpose was to teach the Iewes briefely to what ende euery one of them oughte to be referred namely that they might worshippe God spiritually as it is said in the Psalme more plainly for ther also God reuoketh al the exercises of godlines to praier But ye haue made it a deâ—… of theues C. Our sauiour Christ doth here declare the the coÌ„plainte of Ieremy did verye well serue for his time in the which the temple was no lesse abused Bu. For this place is takeÌ„ out of the. 7. chapter of Ieremy where the prophete accuseth the people for the abuse of the teÌ„ple and ceremonies euen as Hypocrites abusinge the name of god whose propertie is to tourn that trueth of god into a lie C The Iewes were contented with the vaine pretence of the teÌ„ple as though it were sufficient to obserue externall ceremonies and by this trust they gaue vnto theÌ„ selues libertie to syn But the prophete reclaymeth them declaringe that God is not tyed to the teÌ„ple or bound to externall ceremonies therefore they do falsely bragge of the name of the temple whiche they had made a den of theues For as theues do more boldely sin offend in their dennes because they hope they shal escape vnpunished euen so Hypocrites waxe so bold vnder the pretence of godlines that they are not afraide almost to mocke God. But because this denne is metaphorically extended to all corruptions abuses Christ doth very well applie this preseÌ„t place of the Prophete to the present occasion C. For as theues lurking in their dennes go craftely about to spoyle men euen soo these priestes in the temple of God and vnder the pretence of the worshyppe of God brought men vnto theyr praye For they which exercise and seke after gayne in the house of God doo couer theymselues with the holye cloake of Goddes worshippe that thereuppon as by deceytes they myghte sette vppon the symple people and spoyle theim For as the obscurenesse of the caue or denne doth hyde the theefe euen so Hypocrisye and the pretenced shewe of Goddes worshipp do couer and hyde these couetouse prestes theues that they be not known Otherwyse who coulde perceiue that the temple at any time werea den of theues beinge so holy so excellente and sumptuouse in the which there was nothyng pretended but the worshyppe of God and the trewe worshyp of God The Euangeliste Marke addethe that Christe gaue commandement that no man shold cary a vessell through the temple that is he woulde not suffer that any thing shold be sene there contrarye to the holy thynges To be shorte Chryste toke awaye whatsoeuer did obscure the reuereÌ„ce and maiestie of the temple 14 And the blynde and halte came vnto hym in the temple and hee healed them S. Twoo speciall offyces belonge vnto Christ one is to louse mennes consciences from impietie and this pertaineth to the sowle the other is the healinge of corporall disseases this pertayneth to the body as for exaumple in this place For the blynde the lame come vnto Christ beinge certainely perswaded that hee is the sauiour C. And least that the aucthoritie which he had vsurped vnto hym selfe contrary to the vsuall manner and custome should be suspected of rashenes he confirmeth the same by miracles He healed therefore the blinde and the lame in the temple that al men might see that the honour and right of the Messias did truely appertaine vnto him For the prophetes did foreshewe that he shoulde be knowne by these markes and excellente tokens Wherby againe we may behold and se that whiche we shewed a lyttel before that it pertaineth not to euery priuate person to imitate and followe this dede of Christ and rashely to exalte hym selfe into the throne of the Messias And this truely we muste note that the blinde and the lame whiche were healed were witnesses of the deuyne power of Christe euen as thoughe God had made a proclamation with his own voice from heauen to the multitude M. For after this manner God wente aboute to take awaye all excuse from this people 15 VVhen the chief priests and Scribes sawe the wonders that he did and the children crying in the temple saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid they disdayned VVhen the chiefe priestes Bu. We haue hearde how the godly receiued the king Christ in these woordes it is shewed how the wicked do enuy his glory they disdaine that Christ shoulde be glorifyed and they hate calumniate hym for his well doinge and that for no other cause thaÌ„ for that they perceiue that he resisted their euyll affections C. The Euangelist Luke sayth that the Pharyseies wold haue had Christ to rebuke his Disciples for then the Disciples cried onely But he aunswereth that if they should holde their peace the stones wold crye because God woulde sooner make the stones to speake than to suffer the kyngedome of his sonne to be ouerwhelmed The Scribes Phariseies thought they had bitten Christ shrewdely when they obiecte and cast in his teeth that hee sought the praise of children but he answereth their obiection as followeth 16 And sayde vnto hym heareste thou what these saye But Iesus saith vnto theÌ„ why not Haue ye neuer red Out of the mouthes of babes sucklinges thou hast ordeined prayse Hearest thou vvhat these saye C. Notable and greate was the mallice of the hyghe priestes as concerninge the signes whiche they had séene they say nothinge but they cauill and calumniate at the acclamation of the children when as notwithstandinge withoute all doubte the excellente shewe of myracles did more greeue them then the voyce of the children For those myracles gaue a greatter testimonie vnto Chryste than the crying of the children A. Notwithstandinge wee must se wherefore these priestes were so malyciouselye offended at those prosperouse cries of the children C. and what thynge dyd moste of all pricke them Wee knowe howe earnestly and straitely they stroue for their ryghte for zeale droue them to this passe that they wold haue the cruell and straighte lawe abide fyrme vnto them selues which they had once vsurped Againe this was not the smallest impayrings and dyminishinge of the Empire if it had bene laweful for
he wyll breake theim in their hardenes and so their destruction shal be more manifeste He did perceyue greate stubbernenesse to be in the Iewes it was necessary therefore that this kynde of ponishement and vengeance shoulde seuerely be sette before them that they myghte not so securelye kycke againste the same This doctrine doth partely teache vs to commytte our selues quietly to be tamed of Christ with a gentle and flexible harte partelye also he confirmeth the godly againste the obstinacie and furiouse madnes of the wicked for whom there remaineth horryble destruction M. To fall vpbn the stone and to stomble at the stone Chryst signifieth all one thynge namely to reiecte Chryste and not to beleeue hym C. Therefore they are sayde to fal vpon Chryste whiche rushe vppon hym to oppresse hym not that they clyme aboue hym but because their madnesse doth so bewitche and carye theim an ende that they go aboute to throwe downe Christ as it were from an hye But hee teacheth that this is onely their gaine euen in the middeste of the conflicte to be broken and brused But when they do so prowdely exalte them selues he sheweth that an other thynge shall befall theim that is to saye they shall be broken vnder the stoone vpon the whiche they so boldely rushed Bu. These men do as they whiche in climynge plucke from a lofte some greate stone or other vppon theyr owne heades by the whiche they are broken to peces For whē they think that they haue ouercome the followers of Chryste and that they haue broughte theyr purpose to passe and that they are in safetie voyde of all daunger then are they moste neere to destruction and sodayne vengeaunce hangeth ouer theyr heades A. These thynges are more plentifully declared by the Apostelles And namely by the Apostel Peter when he saith Vnto you therefore whiche beleue he is preciouse but vnto thē which beleue not the stone which the buylders refused the same is begon to be the head of the corner and a stone that men stomble at and a rocke wherat they be offended which stombled at the worde and beleue not that whereon they were sette Also the Apostel Paule saith Beholde I put in Syon a stone to stomble at and a rock that men shal be offended at And who so euer beleueth on him shall not be confounded 45 And when the chiefe priests and Phariseies had hearde his parables theye perceiued that he spake of them And vvhen the chiefe priestes C. The Euangelist sheweth how littell Christ profyted leaste we shoulde meruayle that the doctrine of the gospel at this day constraineth not al mē to obey god They know saith the Euangelist that they spake of him M. For their conscience was an interpreter to theim of the parables of Christ For they knewe who they were how they were affectioned what they went about Euen so at this day when the ministers of the word do speke against hypocrits against fornicators against ydolators againste Simoniakes against false teachers by by the Pope the bishop the sacrificing priestes and the monkes thinke that they are spoken of And howe cōmeth this to passe Surely euery one of them knowe their owne dedes 46 And they went about to laye handes on him but they feared the people because they toke him as a prophete And they vvent aboute to laye handes Bu. They being ouercom by the scriptures perfect reason geue not place to the trueth and although they had herd the deuine iudgement of God yet notwithstandinge they feare nothinge but goinge forwarde in their wonted mallice and enuy they go about and take counsell how they might destroy the lord Iesus C. Let vs therefore learne that it cannot otherwise com to passe but that threatenynges shoulde more more kendell the outragiousnes of the wicked For as God doth seale our hartes by his word so also he doth woūd wicked consciences with his whos iron whereby it cometh to passe that wickednes doth the more increase Wee muste pray therefore that he will vouchsafe to bring vs to a voluntary feare least that the bare knowledge of vēgeance do more exasperate vs and prouoke vs to wrathe But they feared the people M. Bu. Here the Scribes and Pharyseyes accordynge to theyr manner are more and more inflamed agaynste Chryste but because his honoure was not yet come they are able to do nothinge being striken once agayne with vayne feare Herevppon wee haue a synguler comforte and consolation namelye that the Lorde wyll take and delyuer those that are hys euen frome the mouthes and chawes of the Lyons For hee restrayneth his enemies euen as it were with a brydell in so muche that they are able to do nothynge withoute hee graunte them leaue to the ende he myght proue theyr pacience Because they take hym as a Prophete M. The multitude and common sorte of people thyncke a greate deale better of Chryst than the wyse holy and chiefe heades of the people The lyke whereof also we see at this daye A. For as towchynge those thynges that pertayne to the exacte knoweledge of the kingedome of God God hathe hidden them from the wyse and prudent of this worlde and hath reuealed them to babes to base and symple men The xxii Chapter ANd Iesus answered and spake vnto theim agayne by parables and sayd The kingdom of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a king which made a maryage for his sonne And Iesus aunsvvered and spake agayne A. The Euangelyste Luke rehearseth the same parable the whiche as it maye seeme was propounded of oure Sauioure not by and by after the parable going before but before when hee satte at the table of a certayne Pharyseye as it appereth by the woordes of Luke C. But because it was the purpose of Matthewe to shewe for what cause the Scrybes were so prouoked to madnes hee putte this sermon also in conuenyente tyme and vnited it to the terte neglectynge the order of tyme amongeste his sermones that were so hated and detested of the Scrybes and Phariseyes And wee muste note the narration of Luke that when one of the gestes hadde sayde that theye were blessed whiche eare breade in the kyngedome of heauen Chryste therevppon toke occasion to caste the ingratitude of the Iewes in theyr teethe And althoughe it be scarse credyble that the geste and friende of the Pharyseye burste forthe into these woordes by an earneste affection of godlynesse yet notwithstandynge he sholde not seeme to scoffe or mocke by these woordes but as men of a meane faithe and not openlye knowne to be wycked do in the middest of theyr cuppes prate and talke of euerlastynge lyfe euen soo it is lykely that this manne caste forthe these woordes to the ende that hee in lyke case myghte haue some talke with Christ And his woordes do declare that hee mente nothynge but that whiche was grosse and terrestriall for hee dyd not speake of eatynge breadde metaphorically for the
the iudge of the whole worlde and that humane things were gouerned by his power but seinge they did restraine as well the rewarde of the godlye as the condigne punishmentes dewe to the wicked althoughe they had sayde trueth that euerye man nowe in this life is delte with all accordinge to vs desert yet notwithstanding this was to preposterouse and out of order to include the promises of God into so straight boundes Nowe experience dothe declare euidentlye that there dulnes and incensiblenes was to grosse seing that it is manifest that the reward which is layed vp in store for the godly is suspended vntil the life to come that the wicked haue not their punishmeÌ„t in this life To coÌ„clude there is nothing to be imagined more absurde than this error the men being created after the Image likenes of God should be extinguished cleane put out by death eueÌ„ as the brute beastes But how filthye monstrouse was this opinioÌ„ wheÌ„ as ther was no nacion whether they were heathenish or prophane Idolaters or wrapped in blind ignoraÌ„ce which had not some hope of the life to come whereas this séede of godlines was quight abolished among the Iewes being the peculiar people of god But first of al this there reward was iust whiche diuided the Churche of God into sectes Moreouer by this meanes God was reuenged of the wicked contempte of his doctrine 24. Maister Moses said that if a maÌ„ die hauinge no child his brother shoulde mary his wife and raise vp seede vnto his brother Master Moses sayde A. By the same subtility deceite they cal Christ master which the Disciples of the Phariseis Herodians vsed before All these made a ieste and mocke at the doctrine of Christ yet notwithstaÌ„ding they fayned them selues to be very desyrouse to learne C. The Saduces do here propounde a question vnto Christe that by the shew of absurdity they might coÌ„deÌ„ne the doctrine of the resurrection That yf a man dye hauing no children C. Seing that it was sufficient to propound the matter without any circoÌ„stance why do they begin after this maner Surely thei do craftly alleage for theÌ„selues the name of Moses to the ende they mighte â—…roue those mariages to be lawful which were contracted not by the will and pleasure of men but by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and ordinaunce of GOD himselfe For it was necessary that he should agrée with hymselfe Therefore the snare whiche they layed for hym was suche if God shall gather in tyme to come the faythfull into his Kyngdome he will also restore vnto them that which he gaue vnto them in the worlde What shall then become of the woman whiche God gaue vnto seuen men After this maner al wicked ones and heretiques do calumniate and quarell to the ende they might depraue the true doctrine of Godlines and make the seruauntes of Christ ashamed yea the Papistes are let by no shame openlye to ieste at God and his worde when they go about to intangle vs. Therfore the Apostell Paule not without cause woulde haue the teacher sufficiently appointed with weapons by the which he may repel and put to flight the aduersaris of the trueth As touchinge the lawe by the which God commanded that the kinsmen should succede the deade in matrimony whiche were nexte of bloud if the firste departed without children this was the reason that the womaÌ„ which maried into any stocke or kinred shoulde thereby receyue sede But and if children were brought forth in the firste state of wedlocke it was incestiouse wedlocke whiche was betwene the degrées forbidden by the law His brother shoulde mary his vvise M. In the name of brother other degrees also more nere are contayned as the cosyne germanes and suche lyke of the same kynred And rayse vp sede vnto his brother B. This law was made as all other pollitique lawes were for publique tranquillitys sake the which was not a littel established if the inheritaÌ„ces abode with oute mixture and euery stocke kinred possessed his owne inheritance Wherefore the Lorde did diligently prouide as well by other lawes as by this whiche the Saduces obiected for the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce and perpetuity of stockes and kinredes and for the lawfull succession of inheritaÌ„ces th t one brother being dead without sede the other brother by maryinge his wife should go about to stirre vp his posterity and should make the firste begotten sonne of his brothers wife to possesse the name and inheritance euen as thoughe he were adopted to the deade brother 25. There were with vs seuen brethren and the firste maried a wyfe and disceassed withoute issue and lefte his 26. wyfe to hir brother Lykewise the second and the third vnto the se 27. uenth Last of all the woman dyed also A. This example they bring in to make their minde and meaninge more playne and euidente being agreable to the law 28. Therfore in the resurrection whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Therfore in the resurrection M. That is to saye in the euerlastinge lyfe to come whiche we shall enioye after the resurrection froÌ„ death They thoughte if there were any resurrection to come that the state of that worlde wherunto they rose shoulde be lyke vnto this which is now but hereof there came an infinite sorte of absurdities and thinges incredible 29. Iesus answered and said vnto them ye do erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. ye do erre M. He sayth that they erre generally because they denyed the resurrection Not knovving the scriptures C. Although our Sauiour Christ doth onely touche the Saduces yet notwithstaÌ„ding this repreheÌ„cion doth beloÌ„g generally to al the inuentors of false opinioÌ„s For seing that God dothe brightly shine vnto vs in the scriptures it must nedes be that the ignorance of them is the welspring and cause of all error M. As more plainly appereth by the wordes of Marke where it is thus written Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God They erred therfore because they knew not the scripture wresting the sence therof amis C. But this is no smal consolation to the godly in that they shal be safe froÌ„ the danger of erringe so long as by humble and modest docillity they do seke search for that which is right true out of the Scriptures For the worde of God is a lighte vnto oure feete and a lanterne to oure pathes and it shyneth in this worlde as a candell in the darkenes Wherevpon the Apostel Paule sayth Al Scripture geuen by diuine inspiracion is profitable to teache to improue to correcte and to amende that the man of God maye be perfecte and geuen to all good workes Neyther the povver of God. C. Whereas Christ ioyneth the power of God to the worde it is referred to the circomstance of the present cause For because the resurrection dothe farre excéede the capacitye of humane sence
lawe asked him a question temptinge him and sayinge C. This lawyer was a pickte and chosen fellow amonge the whole sects as it is saide before which seemed to excell others in witte and learninge This good fellow beinge sufficiently instructed before came vnto Christ saying 36. Master which is the greatest coÌ„maundement in the Lawe C. Because this man was an interpretor of the Lawe hee is offended at the doctrine of the Gospell by the which hee thoughte that the auctoritye of Moyses was demynished Howbeit hée is not so muche affected throughe the zeale of the law as hee taketh disdaine the any thinge shoulde departe from the honour of his Mastership Christ thefore demaundeth of him whether hee would professe anye thinge more perfecte then the lawe For although the lawyer do not expresse this in words yet notwithstanding his question is very captions seekinge thereby to make Christ hated of the people The greatest commaundement B. The Euangelist Marke hath which is the first of all the commaundementes The greatest first chiefest signify all one thing as that to the which all the reste maye be referred 37. Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Thou shal s loue thy Lorde Bu. The Lorde aunswereth to the question euen out of the profoundnes and depthe of the Law that by these few wordes all men might gather know that the Lord was moste skilfull and cunninge in the Lawe Mâ—… Notwithstandinge the Euangelist Marke sayth that Christe spake more woordes namely these followinge The first of all the coÌ„maundements is Heare O Israell The Lorde our God is Lorde onely and thou shalt loue thy Lorde thy God with all thy harte c. C. By the which wordes God getteth auctoritye to his lawe for two causes For this also ought to be vnto vs a most sharpe pricke and prouocation to the worship of God when that we are certainly perswaded the wee worship the true creator of heauen and earth because doubtinge doth naturally ingender sluggishnes a pleasaunt intisement also to loue him seing that hee hath adopted vs freely to be his sonnes Therfore least the Iewes should be afrayde as comonly men are in doubtful matters they beare a true rule of life prescribed vnto them by the true only god And lest distrust should stay them God commeth familliarlye vnto them comitteth vnto them his free couenauÌ„t In the meane time notwithstandinge there is no doubt but that he seperateth himselfe from all Idoles least the Iewes should be led amisse but might kepe themselues in the true worshippe of him onlye Now trulye if vncertainty and doubting do stay nothing at all the miserable worshippers of Idoles from being caryed by folish zeale to the loue of them what excuse is lefte to the hearers of the lawe if they forsake God M. Further â–ª more by these woordes The Lorde our God is one God hee doth not onely go aboute to proue the Lorde to be one onely God but also to haue vs so to estéeme beleue of him But truly to beleue that ther is one God it doth profit vs nothing but to accompt him for one onlye God for oure God is saluation and life and the fulnes of all the commaundementes Euen so sayd the holy patriarcke Iacob the Lord shal be my God as thoughe bee were not his God before but he meaneth that hee doth fully determyne with true worshippe to accompt the Lord onely for his god Hée sayth therefore that wee must accompt the Lord our God for one God onelye and no mo that is that wee ought not to worshippe him with diuers worshippes inuented of vs but with the onelye worship which hee himselfe hath appointed And this is done by faith For no man can haue one God except hee depende onely vppon him and beleue onely in him otherwise hee shal be earyed into the variety of workes and shall faine vnto him selfe diuers Goddes C. That which followeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde is the epitome or briefe compendium of the lawe the which is also to be seene in the sixtene Chapter of Deutronomye For seinge the law is deuided in two tables whereof the firste is referred to the worshippe of God and the other to loue Moyses did very well and wisely gather this short somme that the Iewes might know what God required in euery commaundement Moreouer although it be méete that we loue God farre otherwise than men yet notwithstaÌ„ding God doth not without cause required of vs loue for his honour and worship because by this meanes hee declareth that no worship is so acceptable vnto him as that which is voluntarye For hee doth trulye at the lengthe geue himselfe to the obedience of God which loueth him But because the vitious and wicked affections of the fleshe do withdrawe vs from the righte way Moyses sheweth that our way and life is framed aright if that all our sences be replenished with the loue of god Let vs therefore learne that the beginninge of godlines is the loue of God because God reiecteth the coacted and constrayned obedience of men and will be worshipped liberally and willingly And by the waye let vs learne that the reuerence whiche is due vnto him is noted vnder the loue of god In the Booke of Moyses this word mind is not added but onely mencion is made of the harte minde and strengthe And althoughe that the participacion of these sower meÌ„bers is more full and perfect yet notwithstaÌ„ding it altereth not the sence For Moyses goinge about brefely to teache the God oughte to haue oure loue in whole and summe hee thought it sufficient to adde strength to the soule and harte least hee should leaue any parte of man voyde of the loue of god B. As if hee should haue said thou shalte so vnfaynedlye loue thy God that the loue of him shal inuade and possesse thy whole nature and sences euery one whatsoeuer is in thee applye it to the loue of him let thy minde alwayes thincke vppon him let thy will delight in him before all thinges and let all thy strengthe and endeuoures be to the fulfilling of his pleasure The which loue is the first fruite of faith C. Furthermore wée muste note that the Hebrewes vnder this word harte do sometymes note the minde specially where it is ioyned to the minde For what doth the minde differ from the harte in this place surely nothing but in this that it séemeth to signifye a more hye seate of reason from whence all counsayles and cogitacions do springe B. C. Moreouer these thinges are not so spoken as though wéé ought to loue no other thing but God onelye when as all the thinges that hee made are excedinge good and to be beloued but because nothinge ought to be made equall in loue with him or to be preferred before the loue of God C. Also it doth appeare by this
was aboute to speake he foresheweth that what soeuer the teachers be yet not withstandyng it is mete eyther by their fylthynesse to defyle the worde of God or by theyr wycked examples to take lybertie to synne And this wyse consyderation must diligently be noted for many when they gett this one thynge that they maye hate and defame the wycked and vngodlye they do myngle and confounde all thinges with theyr rashe and vnaduysed zeale For all discipline is cōtempned shame troden vnder foote to be shorte there remayneth no regarde of honestie yea many thereby waxe bould and seeke by all meanes to bewraye the synnes of the priestes that they theym selues vnder that collour may haue more lybertie to synne But Christe dothe so inuey againste the scrybes that fyrste of all he bringeth the law of God from contempte Wee therefore muste vse the same caution and dyligence if we desire to haue our reprehentions profyte Agayne it shall be profytable for vs to note that for all this Chryste was not terrefyed by feare of the offendynge of any whereby he myghte be stayed from reprehendynge these wicked teachers accordynge to theyr desertes Hee onely obserued this moderation leaste the doctryne of God shoulde waxe vyle for the wyckednesse of men The Euangelyste Marcke saythe that hee spake vnto them in his doctryne to the ende wee myghte heare that hee preached against vyce and not to brede enuy towardes any person Howe be it the Euangelist Luke semeth to restrayne it to the dysciples but it is more probable that hee spake withoute exception to the whole multytude as more playnely appereth by the woordes of this oure Euangelyste and the matter it selfe requyred also that Chryste should haue respecte to all in generall In Moyses seate 1 M. Because the lorde Iesus wente aboute to reprehende those thynges for the moste parte whyche dyd make and appertaine bothe to error by false doctrine and also to seducinge of people by false immitation he goeth about before all other thinges to bringe to passe that they shoulde not reiecte that good whiche they had with that whiche was euill They did good in that they administred Moyses chaier or seate that is because they taught the people the lawe and the prophetes C. He exhorteth therfore the faithfull seinge the Scribes lyued so vngodly not to frame their liues after their manners but to lyue rather accordinge to the rule of the lawe which they heare out of the Scribes mouthes For it was necessary for hym as we shewed euen nowe to reprehend many corruptions in them leaste they shoulde infecte the whole multitude Therfore lest their wicked abhominatiōs the doctrine wherof they were ministers preachers should be brought into contempt he commaundeth the faythfull to geue eare vnto theyr wordes and not to haue regarde vnto their workes as if he had said that there was no cause why the wicked examples of the pastors should staye the faithfull from leadinge a godly life M. Christe also taketh away that suspytion by the whiche he was thought to be an ennemie vnto the lawe of Moyses because he dyd so earnestly inueye againste the priestes as thoughe he were by and by an ennemie vnto the lawe of God whiche reprehended the ministers of the lawe Scribes and hie priestes in any matter For as at this day also they are counted for aduersaries ennemies vnto Christ and of the Church which do speke against the wickednes of the priestes of religion of the churche euen so at that time they which vnderstode not the purpose and scope of Christe did easelye fall into this suspitiō the they thoughto this that Iesus did impugne resist the hie pristes scribes and Phariseis because he hated the lawe of Moyses To take away therfore this error he doth firste geeue them an admonition by the whiche he goethe about to establishe in them the authorytie of Moyses lawe that men myghte knowe that he did not resist or gainesaye the mynistery of Moyses lawe but those thynges onely whiche they loued and taughte agaynste Moyses Sit the Scribes and the Phariseies C. By the name of Scribes wee maye note well enoughe the doctours interpreters of the lawe and that by the Hebrewe phrase The which the Euangelist Luke calleth Lawyers But the Lorde doth specyally towche the Phariseyes whiche were of the nomber of the Scrybes because then this secte hadd the prerogatiue and preheminence in the gouernment of the Church and in the interpretation of the Scripture What the Scrybes Saduces and Phariseies were we haue shewed before B The Chaire of the which our Sauioure Chryste maketh mention here dothe not signifie the authoritie of Moyses which the Scribes abused but it signifieth the place out of the whiche they purely redde and interpreted the lawe of Moyses C To syt therefore in Moyses Chaire is nothynge elles than to shewe out of the lawe of God howe men ought to lyue And althoughe it be not certaine out of what place thei did speke or preach yet notwithstanding their coniecture is probable whiche referre it to the pulpet whiche Esras made to haue the lawe taught in He therefore sitteth in Moyses Chaire which preacheth not of his owne brayne but by the authoritie and woorde of god E. G. The Scribes and Phariseies were wont to reade and interpret the lawe of Moyses the prophetes also on the Saboth daies Wherupon the Euangelist Luke hath these wordes After the lecture of the lawe and the prophetes the rulers of the sinagogges sent vnto thē c 3 All therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but do not ye after their woorkes for they saie and do not All therefore vvhatsoeuer C. This sentence oughte thus to be vnderstoode The phariseies and reste of the Scrybes or the Scribes amonge whom the Phariseyes do moste excell when theye speake vnto you are good maisters and teachers of an honeste and godly life but they leade you farre wyde by theyr wicked workes Wherefore se that ye haue more regarde to their woordes than to theyr handes B. For I wil not that any man contēne and despise the sacred and holy ministery and office of teachynge for the corrupte maners of the Scribes C. Nowe here it maye be demaunded whether that all whatsoeuer the doctors do commaunde ought to be followed without exception For it is well inoughe knowne that the Scribes of that age did wickedlye corrupte the lawe with their owne inuencions that they oppressed the miserable consciences of men wyth vniust lawes and that they polluted the seruice and worshipp of God with manye superstitions But truely Christe woulde haue their doctrine obserued and kepte althoughe it were not lawfull to resiste their tyranny The answere may easely be made that all kynde of doctrine is not simplely compared with the lyfe but that this was the purpose of Christe to put a difference betwene the holy lawe of God and their prophane woorkes For to sitt in
daungerous least they should quayle being ouerwhelmed with euels specially if they had promised vnto them selues quiet ease But he speaketh not here symplely but by a cōparison that there were always warres but neuer such greuouse warres For about the begynning of Christes commyng or about the beginninge of the Gospell they preuayled more and more B. Furthermore these rumours of warres and warres that is to saye tumultes seditions and murthers began specially and chiefely to bee in the tyme of Cumanus lieftenaunt whiche succeded Tyberius Alexander of whome Iosephus maketh mention Within a whyle after there insued an other tumulte betwene the Iewes and the Samaritanes with greate slaughter of men and spoylyng of townes After that there followed an other tumulte at Caesaria But when P. Festus had succeded Felix of whiche succesion mention is made in the fower and twenty chapter of the Actes he went aboute to delyuer that Prouince form theues but the vengeaunce of God stayinge the same he coulde not The sayde Festus being succeded by Albinus and Albinus by C. Florus all kynde of wyckednes ouerflowed For as these twoo but specially Florus lefte nothyng vndone pertayning to tyranny extreame and open iniurie and rapine euen so therewith the bouldenes of those that were seditious amonge the Iewes did dayly more and more increase where vpon immediatly came tumultes hurly-burlys roberies open violence and by little and lyttle cruel murthers and the people were vexed daylye with vnspeakeable euels and calamities tyll that they were driuen to iust rebellion with suche vnwonted force and violent crueltie not heard of before he raged against them But kyng Agrippa went many wayes about to diswade and dehorte them from rebellion yet all in vayne At the length therefore when they had preuayled whiche sought to renewe thynges the Romane power and the garryson of kyng Agrippa did assault the cittie of Hierusalem with open warre and being forced to yelde after they had geuen handes and promysed lyfe with an othe they slewe ouery one of them sauing only Mutilius the lieftenaunt After that Cestius the presidēt of Syria did bid the cittizens of Hierusalem battaile But he being forced to rayse his siege and to auoyde the force of the Iewes by flight the authours of the rebellion were made more boulde and hauing gotten all power they brought vnto them selues and to theires muche euell vntyll suche tyme as they were altogether banyshed by Titus Of all the whiche thynges Iosephus wryteth at large form the eleuenth chapiter of the seconde booke of the warre of the Iewes vnto the ende of the seuenth booke Be not troubled S. To be troubled by reason of warres in this place is to doubte of the truthe of the worde the whiche thyng we doe when we iudge of the woorde by vncertayne thynges B. as at this daye it happeneth with them whiche for the present happe and chaunce doe eyther begyn to doubte of the Gospell or to haue the same in suspicion or els altogether to cōdemne it For all these thinges must firste come This woorde Must conteineth in it no small consolation For what wyse man wil be afflicted for the thing whiche cannot otherwyse be But what man that trusteth in God wyll be troubled when that commeth to passe whiche must nedes happen by the ordinaunce of God the whiche thing must nedes be beste and moste wholsome for the saynctes of God God truly wyll not haue those that are his to bee troubled in these necessary and continuall tormoyles of thinges but to bee of a stoute mynde as those that knowe it to bee the decree and ordinaunce of god He saieth that it must nedes bee and yet notwithstandinge hee sheweth not the cause but declareth that none of all these thinges come to passe by chaūce or without the prouidence of God least we shoulde in vayne kycke against the pricke For there is nothynge more effectuall to bryng vs vnder than when we do acknowledge that those thinges whiche seme moste confused are moderated by the wyll and pleasure of god For to God him selfe iust causes and true reasons why he suffereth the worlde to be troubled are neuer wantinge but because it is mete that the faythfull doe areste in the mere and good pleasure of God Christe thoughte it sufficient to exhorte the disciples to haue their mindes armed with constancie to beare and suffer because so it pleased God. By these woordes also he dothe shewe vnto vs that his kyngdome dothe not brynge vs pleasaunte delightes and suche other lyke commodities of this worlde but that it is spirituall and he dothe as it were demonstrate with the fynger that wee must haue respecte to somewhat els than to the earth and the commodities of this present lyfe Neither dothe this woorde Must signifie any thing that is fatall or belonging to desteny as certayne fanaticall or mad men doe deme For it hath alwayes one cause or other and it is profitable to bee done for those causes before mencioned But the ende is not yet Christe here more playnely vttereth that whiche we spake of before namely that those thinges whiche were greuous of thē selues were notwithstanding onely certayne enteraunces and beginninges of greater calamities because whan the flame of warres had corrupted Iury it would burste out further For in that the doctrine of the Gospell was spread abroade the lyke ingratitude among other nations dyd kyndle the wrathe of God. Hereupon it came to passe that they whiche had broken the bonde of peace with God dyd nowe teare one an other with mutuall debate that they whiche refused before to obeye God are nowe gladde to submitte them sleues to the violence of their ennemies that they whiche before woulde not abyde to be reconciled vnto God are nowe together by the eares one with an other and that they whiche depryued them selues of heauenly saluation haue nowe fylled the earth with murther in sleying one an other M. Therefore by these woordes hee sheweth that these sedicions shall bee of longe continuance And it is a verye proffitable admonition leaste men shoulde thynke that they haue done enough if they haue escaped twoo or three daungers but rather that they shoulde alwayes bee readye to a newe fyghte For seynge the lyfe of man is a continuall warrefare vppon earthe we ought not to promyse vnto our selues a quiet state whyle we are in this worlde 7 Nation shall ryse againste nation and kyngdome against kyngdome there shall be pestilence and hunger and earthquakes in all places Nation shall ryse against nation B. This proued to true to Caesarea Scythopolis Ascalon Ptolmaida Alexandria and afterwarde to Damasi where tenne thousande were slayne finally to the kyngdome of Agrippa and to all Syria and the kyngdomes there aboutes of the whiche Iosephus maketh mention And there shal be pestilence M. In the third place he putteth those sygnes of the wrath of God and of the destruction to come whiche shoulde be from heauen As concerninge these plagues
the Euangeliste Marke hath Take hede to your selues by the which wordes he noteth the end vse of the admonition namely that they ought to be ready to suffer least that temptation should oppresse them vnawares B. Furthermore the cause of this hate was the scourge of God with the which both the Iewes the Gentiles resistinge the grace of God were scourged as we may se if we reade Tertullian For they assigned imputed the causes of warres of pestilence of honger of earthquakes such like to the Christians as though the deuine maiestie of God were offended angry with thē After the same manner the ministers of the Gospell the receiuers of the Euangelicall grace at this daye are hated A. according to these sayinges The time will come that whoso killeth you wil thinke that he doth God good seruice Also we are made the filthines as it were of the world the ofscouringe of all thinges euen vnto this daye 10 And then shall many bee offended and shal betray one another and shal hate one an other And then shal many C. Nowe he rehearseth certaine temptations whiche shall come of euill examples But this tēptatiō aboue al others is moste violent hard to ouercome seing that Christ him selfe is the stone of offence to many at the which some stomble some when they se it before them go backwarde other some fall thereat B. For it was mete that the disciples shoulde be exercised with this aduersitie whiche oftentimes bringeth more trouble doth more afflicte the true ministers of Christe than persecution it selfe Least therefore they should be troubled out of measure in seing many to fal for always the nōber of the elect is small he thought it good also to forwarne thē of these things For they should not only fall whiche were offended but there should also be enemies euen of the brethren of the whiche matter Paule had experience as he writeth in his Epistle to Timothe This is a moste daungerous temptation or triall when we see those that professed Christe to fall frō him But this offence is of two sortes for they whiche fall suffer offence then they bring offence to those that see their fall This last of seconde is very daungerous therefore they had great nede of this forewarninge But this place may very well be expoūded of those whiche semed to be domestical mēbers of the churche Howebeit Chirste semeth here to comprehende many kynde of perturbations because they do not only fal whiche had once entered into the right race But also many are exasperated moued against Christ other some hauing quyte forgotten modestie and equite doe caste them selues into brutishe madnes others become as Heaten men and put of all sence of pietie others in confused matters do vsurpe vnto them selues libertie to do that whiche is euell And shall hate one an other A. This must be referred to the hatred with the which the vnbeleuing hate those that preache the worde of the Gospoell Christe declareth the cause of hatred to his bretheren by these wordes The worlde can not hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are euell But he whiche hateth Christe hateth his ministers also If the worlde hate you ye knowe that it hated me firste And a litle after he saieth the seruaunt is not greater than his Lorde If they persecuted me they will also persecute you If they haue kept my saying they wyll kepe yours also To this saying also agreeth that whiche went before in the .x. chapiter of Mathewe And ye shal be hated of all men for my names sake The infidell shall hate the faythfull man. 11 And many false prophetes shall arise and deceiue many And many false prophets This admonition differeth from that whiche went before when Christe sayde that many should come in his name for there he spake only of false Christes which within a while after the beginning of the Gospell did falsely boaste them selues to be Christes but nowe he saith that false teachers shall come after them whiche should corrupte the sound and true doctrine with their errours euen as Peter teacheth that the churche shoulde be no lesse subiect to this euel than it was in tyme past vnder the lawe wherfore there is no cause why errors euery deceite of Sathan the corruptions of pietie should appaire or hurte the godly myndes because there is no man truely founded and buylte vpon Christe but he whiche hath learned to knowe that he must stande against suche assaltes For this is the true trial of our faith when the same is not ouerwhelmed by the rising of false prophetes Furthermore a false Prophete signifieth as muche to saye as a lying Prophete and whiche is called a Prophete by a false name as a false Apostle he whiche falsely taketh vnto hym the name of an Apostle B. Against suche Paule hath euer great contention These serued their bellies and not Iesu Christe They are such as were gelous ouer the Galathians amis These are dogges slowe bellies euell workers ennemies of the crosse of Christe whose ende is damnation whose God is their belly glory to their shame whiche are worldly mynded These are deceyuers through Philosoply and vayne deceite hauinge in their mouthes a shewe of wysdome And deceyue many C. He dothe not onely saye that false Prophetes shall come but he sayeth also that they beyng indewed with crafte and deceyte to deceyue shall drawe sectes after them In this point therefore we haue greate nede to beware because the multitude of those that erre causeth to declyne from oure race no lesse than a violent waue of the Sea except we be surely grounded vpon God. Bu. Of these deceauers also Peter spake the chief of the whiche were these Praxeas Valētinus Nouatus Arrius Manicheus Macedonius Donatus Nestorius Pelagius ◅uthiches the Mahometes also and the Papistes 12 And because iniquitie shall haue the vpper hande the loue of many shall abate B. That is to saye that crookednes or euell disposition of nature by the whiche men onely seeke to benefite them selues and haue no regarde to the proffite of their neighboure this abounding charitie loue must nedes waxe colde C. The whiche euell howe generall it is no man ought to be ignoraūt but fewe or none haue any regarde thereof For because by the lyght of the Gospell the faultes of men are more playnely detected we maye also euidently see that the studye of benificence is fainte and almoste extinguished euen in the honester more godly sorte For thus euery man thinketh in hym selfe if I bestowe my lyberallitie vppon this or that man surely it is loste and in vayne for experience and dayly practyse teacheth me that all men for the moste parte are vnthankefull vntrusty or vnhonest A greuous surely and a daungerous temptation for what can be more absurde than to allowe
when he so afflicteth the visible Church that it might seme vtterly to be destroyed yet notwithstanding to saue some sede he doth wōderfully deliuer his elecct being fewe in nōber from destruction that they might withoute all hope arise oute of the gulphe of death For so the hypocrites are terrefyed and made affrayed leaste they bearing them selues bolde vppon the titell shewe of the Church do faine vnto thē selues a vaine hope of escaping vnpunished because God will deuise a meane by the whiche he may deliuer his Churche they being geuen ouer to destruction But a wonderfull consolation is here committed to the mindes of the Godlye because God will neuer geue so muche place to his wrathe but he will haue regarde to their safety So in punishinge the Iewes he was horriblelye inflamed yet notwithstāding contrary to the hope and expectation of men he did moderate himselfe leaste any of the electe shoulde perishe And thus gaue greate occasion to woonder that when saluation should spring oute of Iewry God made floudes to issue and flowe oute of small droppes of a dryed well whiche shoulde water the whole worlde For so sone as they had broughte vppon them selues the hatred of all people it coulde not come otherwise to passe but that theye muste nedes haue bene tormented at a soden in euery place Neyther is there any doubt seing that many sought to haue thē thus destroyed but that Titus was stayed by the power of god least the soldiours and others which were to greedy to execute this matter shoulde at his apointement arme them selues This therefore was a shortenynge to preserue some seede in that the Romaine emperoure dyd keepe vnder and staye at that time the last misery and destruction of the whole nation In the meane tyme this is to be noted that for the electes sake he stayed the vyolence of his wrathe least he should ouerwhelme them al. For why wold he haue a fewe to remayne of so greate a multytude and what cause had hee why hee shoulde preferre these before other Suerlye the reason was this namelye because his grace rested vpon the people whom he had adopted and least his couenaunte shoulde be of none effecte certain were elected and appoynted by his eternal purpose and decree to saluation And therfore S. Paule doth assigne the cause to the free election of God that of so gret a people the remnaunt are sauid Lette therfore the merites of men cease when wee are called backe to the meere good pleasure of God least there depende any other difference betwene these and them sauinge this that they must of necessitie be saued whiche are elected The whiche thinge Marke seking more plainely and expressely to set forthe addeth these wordes sayinge But for the electes sake whom he hath chosen he hath shortened those dayes The participle truely might haue serued but onely that he wente aboute expressely to affirme that God was not moued by any forrayne causes to be more fauourable to the one than to the other but because it pleased hym to elect those whom hee woulde saue that hee myghte stablyshe the secrete pourpose of his free grace in theyr saluation Notwithstanding it maie be demaunded howe God dyd moderate the destruction and miserye for the electes sake that hee vtterly destroied not al the Iewes when as many desperate and reprobate persōs were sauid We maye easely aunswere that parte of the nation was deliuered that hee mighte the chaffe beinge put aparte bring and saue his elect therfrom whiche were mingled euen as seede Althoughe therefore a temporal saluation did happen as well to the reprobate as to the electe yet notwithstanding because it profited not them it is iustely ascribed vnto these alone euen as it was directed for theyr sakes by the wonderfull prouidence of god M. We se by this place how peruerse the iudgemēt of the worlde is as concerninge the iuste Where such afflictions do fall by and by all the falt is ascribed to those that feare God when as notwithstandinge for theyr sakes God dothe moderate and temper the deserued vengence 23 Then if any saye vnto you lo here is Christe or there beleue it not Then if any say vnto you C. Nowe he repeteth that agayne whiche he had spoken before as concernynge seducers and deceyuers and not in vayne for a greater daunger by reason of this temptation was at hande least myserable men beinge deceiued by a deceitfull and false title in affliction and desperation shoulde seke for counterfayte and fayned shewes in steede of Christe and shoulde imbrace the delusions of Sathan in steede of the helpe of god For when the Iewes beinge so hardely oppressed for contemning and despysinge the redemption shuld be brought from their vnfaithfulnes at lest by vyolent remedies Sathan craftelye obiected vnto theim newe hopes whiche shoulde seduce them farther from god And truely there is nothynge more deadly than to be deceyued vnder the pretence of the name of God by lyes when we are voide of councell in aduersitie the which lies bothe stop vp the gate of repentance against vs and also do increase the darknesse of infidelitie and at the length being confoūded with desperation do bring to madnesse Wherefore in so great danger this repetition was nothynge at all superfluouse A. as if Christe shoulde haue sayde See that ye be seduced by no meanes M. because if any saye vnto you in that desolate dissipation or scatterynge Beholde here is Christ or there is Christe that is if they shal shew you some carnall sauiour beleue them not I am the onely sauioure of all men and the eternall Chryst whiche euen nowe by humilitie am conuersant in the world and wyll shortely forsake the same in the fleshe vntyll I come agayne in greater glorye For I foreshewe vnto you that false Christes shall arise and that theye also shal haue their false prophetes whiche shall allure men to them not onelye by woordes but by signes also and great wonders in so muche that many shal be deceyued by them B Thus symplely these thinges muste be vnderstoode and taken For it is certaine that the lorde in this place went about to answere his disciples what they ought to thincke of the comminge of Christes kyngdome which they had alwaies hearde should be restored by Christe Neyther is there any doubt but that they alwaies dreamed of a carnall kingedome and externall felycitie and that therefore the lorde wente about to brynge them from that erroure as he did at other tymes also Wherfore it can not be denied but that they were false Christes whiche by promisyng externall felycitie seducede manye of the Iewes So that this was the scope and ende of the aunswere of Christe in this place to perswade the disciples that the kingedome of Christ should not be restored with externall felycitie and glory in this present lyfe but in spirite and faith and that with the greate afflictions and temptations of the citezens of
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 notwithstādinge 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 prisō 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 cōtemner 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 sūme 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 thē 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 excellēt 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 notwithstāding 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 commaūdementes 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
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 thāked 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 communiō let vs assure our selues that it is moste false For the promise is awaye where the cōmaundemēt 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 preuēt the deuelishe inuentiō which afterward crept into the church the which because he foresawe he thought good opēly 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 cānot learne true humillity except we haue experiēce 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 reprehēded 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 constācy 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 begā 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 oblatiō He humbled himselfe beinge made obediēt 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 gardē 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 whē 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
we sayde before to praye the more earnestlye C. For the whiche cause also wee reade that hee wente another tyme to praye withoute witnesses for when wee are oute of the sighte of men wee do better consider and feele our selues that wee may geeue the more heede to that which wee do It is not necessarye trulye that wee go into secrete corners so often as we would pray no it is not alwayes meete but when anye greate necessitye doth vrge vs because the feruentnes of prayer doth more frely poure out it selfe in the solitary place it is profitable for vs to go a part to pray Wherefore if the Lorde did not neglecte this helpe it should betoken to much madnes and pryde in vs not to vse the same our selues Moreouer where God is the onelye arbitrator vmpire Iudge the faythfull minde may more familliarlye open it selfe more simplely power out prayers sighes cares feares hope ioyes into the bosome of god For God doth wincke at many folish toyes which are in his seruauntes which shoulde not wante os◅entacion in the sight of men B. Therefore Christ prayed not in the presence of those three but leauinge them hee wente a little asyde S. Luke sheeweth howe farre hee wente from them sayinge And hee gat himselfe from them aboute a stones caste And fell flat on his face Marke addeth To the grounde Luke hath And hee kneeled downe C. By the whiche gesture also hee declared the earnest vehemencye of prayer For although the kneelinge be bsed commonlye in prayer as an outwardr signe of reuerence yet notwithstandinge Christe in simplely prostratinge himselfe vpon the earth for the very greatnes of his griefe framed himselfe to a myserable shewe and outwarde gesture M. And such gestures do belong to a troubled and disquieted mind they haue also an argument and profe of humilitye which is alwayes ioyned to the prayers of the godly Thus truly are the holye and godlye sort of mē wont eyther to kneele or postrate them selues vppon their face to declare an humbled minde before the maiesty of God. O my father Marke hath set downe the Chalde word adioyninge to it the Greeke worde expoundinge as it were the other as Abba father By the which wee are taught that these two thinges are requyred in prayer namely the ardent affection of the minde and the faithfull trust of sonnes towards God that these two were in Christ these wordes in this place do testifye If it be possible C. Some trauaile in vaine when they go about to declare that prayer is not here described but onelye a certayne complaint But wee although we confesse that it was an abrupte prayer being sodenly expelled with violent anguishe of minde doubt not for all that but that Christe conceyued prayer Neither doth it hinder that he requireth to obtaine a thinge impossible because the prayers of the faythfull do not continue in one order to the ende they do not alwayes keepe one temperature neither are they alwayes made in distincte order but are confused intricate and doubtfull eyther they do striue with themselues or els they do stande still in the middest of the race euen as the shippe tossed with waues which although it tende to the Hauen yet notwithstandinge it cannot keepe hys right and straight course because of the vnquiet sea Wee muste note that which wee touched euen nowe that the affections of Christ were not troublesome which should put of and from his minde as oures do all pure moderation but so muche as the sounde and perfecte nature of man coulde beare he was stricken with feare and held with sorrow that he could not of necessity at euerye other prayer or petition but bee tossed betweene the violent waues of temptacion This is the reason why hee hauinge prayed to put away his death by and by brideleth himselfe and submittinge himselfe to his father calleth backe sodenly and correcteth that carnall request M. For these wordes If it be possible haue a condition Luke hath If it be thy will. Question C. But it may be demaunded howe hee requyreth to haue the eternal decree of the father cut of of the which hee was not ignorant For although this condition If it be possible be put betweene yet notwithstandinge this seemeth absurde to make the purpose of God flexible and vncertayne For it is meete to be sure of this that it cannot be that GOD should retracte or alter his purpose And by Marke it should seeme that Christ doth oppose or set the power of God against his decree All thinges sayth hee are possible to thee But trulye the power of God is extended amis hitherto that by making him mutable his truth mighte be weakened and discredited Wee aunsweare that it is no absurditye if Christ accordinge to the common manner of the godlye lettinge passe the consideration of the deuyue purpose put downe into the bosome of his father his desier with the which hee burned For the faithfull in pouringe out their prayers do not alwayes assende to the behoulding of the secrete counsayles of God neither do they waye as though they were at leysure what mighte be done but are feruētly caryed sometimes with hasty desier to obtaine their requestes So Moyses desyered to be blotted out of the boke of life So Paule wished hīselfe accursed for his brethrē This prayer of Christ therefore was not premeditated but the force and violence of griefe did extort from him these wordes to the which he added by and by a correction The same vehemency toke from him the presente remembraunce of the Heauenly decree that hee considered not in the very moment that he was sente for this cause to be the redeemer of mākind euen as wee see oftētimes that great griefe bringeth a miste before the eyes that wee cannot remember all thinges at once To be shorte there is no absurditye if wee haue not a present consideration of all thinges in our prayers that a distincte order maye be kept And whereas Christ sayd as appeareth by the wordes of Marke that all thinges are possible to the father hee sayd it not to bringe his power and his mutable truth and constancye into controuercye and contencion but because there was no hope as commonly there is not in troublesome and desperate matters hee committeth himselfe to the power of God. Let this Cuppe passe from mee M. This is an Hebrewe phrase of speache and is as much to say As let mee be deliuered I pray thee from this cruel kinde of death Take away this Cuppe from mee C. Wee haue shewed before that by the name of Cuppe the prouidence of God is noted which dispenseth to euery man the measure of the Crosse and of afflictions euen as if the goodman of the house shoulde appoint to his seruauntes their allowance and distribute to his children their porcion Read the twenty Chapter goinge before M. This prayer bringeth much consolation to the afflicted mindes of the godly Christ in this
fealynge of oure infirmitye oughte not to staye vs from taking that in hand whereunto the Lorde doothe calle vs but it oughte rather to restrayne oure rashenesse leaste wée goe beyonde oure callinge It shoulde also stirre vs vp to Prayer that God whiche gaue vs power to beginne wel wil also geue grace to perseuere and goe forewarde And sate vvith the Seruauntes to see the ende A. Luke saithe that he sate with them by the fire as appeareth by these wordes And when they hadde kindeled a fire in the middest of the Pallaice and were sette downe togeather Peter also sate downe amonge them To see the ende Bee oulde here the Ende why Peter followed Christe namely that he mighte sée what woulde becomme of hym This Narration as concerninge Peter which oure Euangelist Mathew hath here begonne is ended in the thrée score and nienth verse folowinge In the meane tyme he writethe what was donne vnto Christe by Caiphas 59 The Chiefe Priestes and the Elders and all the Councell soughte False witnesse againste Iesus for to putte hym to Deathe The Chiefe Priestes and the Elders M. Mathewe sayde before that the Scribes and Elders of the people were gathered togeather in the House of Cayphas Nowe he describethe wherefore they were gathered togeather namely to consulte by a common Councell aboute the Deathe of Christe Soughte False vvitnes C. By theise woordes the Euangelistes doo note that the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people wente aboute nothinge les then to enquire of the cause that the mater beeinge founde out they mighte minister vnto him iustice for thei had fully determined before to destroy Christ and nowe onely they seeke howe to oppresse him And it cannot be that equity shall take any place when the cause is not firste knowen Theire False and wicked Crueltye bewraiethe it selfe in that they seeke for False Witnesses A. S. Iohn saithe that Christe was demaunded as concernynge hys Disciples and his Doctrine by the hie Priest the which the other thrée haue omitted 60. But they founde none yea when many False VVitnesses came yet founde they none At the laste came twoo False VVitnesses and saide But they founde none B They did not gather a Councell that the cause of Christe might be knowen and that truth mighte take place but only to condemne him by False Testimonie and to deliuer him vp to Pilate to be slaine C. In the whiche they doo notably declare their Crueltye And where as they beeinge disappointed of theire hope doo persiste notwithstandinge in their wicked pourpose wée maye the better perceiue theire blinde obstinacie Therfore in that blind madnesse the Innocencie of the Sonne of God did shine notwithstanding that the Diuels them selues might know that an Innocent was put to death B. For the Lorde was so cleare not onely from all euill but also from all shewe of Euill that the whole coūsaile could finde no false witnesse to come in agaynst hym that they might haue any likelihoode or shew of Truthe Chiefely wee muste note this Innocencie of Christe not so mutche in this presente Publique Action as in that also whiche Pilate did as hereafter followethe I saye wée muste note this as the speciall Heade of oure Saluation and principall place and fruite of the Lordes Passion For it was méete that wee shoulde haue suche a Hye Prieste which is Holy Harmelesse Vndefiled and seperated from Sinnes that wée through him mighte be made the Rightuousnes whiche is allowed of god S. Marke hathe Many bare False Witnesse againste him but theire witnesses agreed not togeather At the laste came in tvvoo False A. False Testimonyes of other here mentioned by Mathewe are not spoken of by the other Euangelistes but are simply condemned of Falsehoode and vanity and the Testimonye of these menne is therefore brought foorthe because it hath somme shewe of Truthe 61. This Fellowe saide I am able to destroye the Temple of God and to builde it againe in three daies This Fellovve saide Howe are theise called False Witnesses seeinge wée reade that they saide nothinge but that whiche Christe spake C. But wee muste note that they are called False Witnesses not only which bringe foorthe a Lie made of nothynge but also whiche doo cauellingly peruerte those thinges whiche were trewely spoken and wreste them to a Faulte Of the which mater wée haue here an example as concernynge the Ruine and Newe Buildinge againe of the Temple Christe truely saide that when they had destroyed the Temple of hys Bodye he woulde rayse it agayne in thrée Dayes So that nowe the False Witnesses doo not deuise a newe Lye but doo depraue and misconstrue his woordes as though he woulde haue vsed somme Legierdumaine or craftie conueiance in building the Temple For he saide not I can destroye or I will destroye but Christe saide Destroye yée or if yee doo destroye attributing the destruction of the Temple vnto them not to him selfe Furthermore he said not This Temple made with handes but they beinge superstitious diuised it estéeminge the Temple made of Stoane to be more excellente and Holy then the Spirituall Temple whiche is a faithfull Soule And of that superstition spronge that Iewishe crueltie whiche not onely Christe fealt but the Prophetes also and S Steuen The same Superstition also raigneth at this daye To conclude he coulde not by righte be called the Destroyer of the Temple of God whiche destroyed not the Temple to the ende it mighte lie waste but that it mighte be better then it was before If thei did not beleue that he could make it better why did they beleue that he coulde destroie it in thrée daies seinge the same also was impossible to man Wherefore Marke saithe But yet their Witnesses agreed not togeather 62. And the Chiefe Priest arose and said vnto him Answearest thou nothing VVhy doo these beare VVitnesse againste thee And the Chiefe Prieste arose M. Although this Testimonye was not sufficiente to bringe Condemnation yet notwithstandinge the Hie Prieste for too mutche desire that he hadde to kille Christe coulde not pretermitte this with silence but risinge in hys Authoritie goeth aboute to exaggerate the matter and to make it more hainous C. But it is certayne that Christe helde hys peace when False Witnesses pressed hym not only because they were vnwoorthy of Confutation but also because he did not nowe séeke to be loused knowinge that hys houre was comme Notwithstandynge Cayphas tryumphethe because of hys silence as thoughe he helde his peace because he was ouercomme euen as they doo whose Consciences accuse them But the wickedness of Caiphas was the more in that he dissemblethe Christe not to be without faulte because false Witnesses doo stande againste him For that is the meaninge of this question VVhy doo these beare vvitnesse against thee As if he had saide Howe commeth it to passe that these menne comme agaynste thée but only that Conscience causeth them Neither are they thine enimies without a cause M. What notable wickednesse
persecute Wee are the chiefe priestes and louers of the law and Dysciples of Moyses let this our authority be sufficient to content thee Thinkest thou that wee do erre Behould here howe these wicked ones whom God hath aduaunced to a hye degree of honour beinge blinded as it were with their excellencye do geue liberty to them selues to do what they liste Behoulde also what swellinge pride remayned in them They would haue Christ to be thought an euill doer because they accuse him but truly if the matter had bene handeled in deede what should his euill deedes haue beene founde to bee but onely the healinge of the sicke the castinge of deuils out of men the makinge of those that were sicke of the palsey to stand the restoringe of sight to the blinde the makinge of the deaffe to heare the restoring of life to the deade The matter truly was thus and they were sufficiently conuinced but as we sayd euen now there is nothing more hard than to make men that are droncke with pride to Iudge with a sounde and vprighte minde Pilate therefore sayth vnto them Take yee him and Iudge him after your owne law There is no doubt but that Pilate beinge offended at their rudenes violence casteth in their teeth that order of condemnation which they vrged to be contrarye to the cōmon Lawe of all Nations and to abhorre the sence of man And therewith also hee secretelye reprehendeth them because they bosted that they had the Lawe geuen vnto them of god Hee speaketh Ironice when he sayth Take ye him For he ment not to suffer them to execute Iudgement of life and death vppon him but his wordes are thus much in effect If the power were yours hee shoulde sodainelye be drawne vnto death his cause not hearde is this therefore the equitye of your lawe to condemne a man for no faulte Euen so the wicked falselye pretendinge the name of God do submit his holy doctrine to the sclaūder and reproche of the ennemyes and occasion geuen to the world to speake euill The Iewes therefore sayd vnto him It is not lawful for vs to put any man to deathe They are deceiued whiche thincke that the Iewes refused that whiche Pilate offered vnto them but rather when they knewe that it was sayd to them by a mocke Take you him they aunswere It is not lawfull for vs to put any mā to death as if they should saye Thou wouldest not suffer this therefore seing thou arte a Iudge execute thine office That the sayinge of Iesus might be fulfilled which hee spake signifyinge what death he should dye At the length Saint Iohn addeth that it ought so to be that the same might be fulfilled which was foreshewed of Christe sayinge The sonne of man shal be deliuered into the hands of the Gentiles C. Pilate therefore would not by by accomplishe and satisfye the request wickedlye made of the Iewes neither deliuer and innocent to death at their pleasure And therefore the Euangelist Luke sayth And they beganne to accuse him sayinge Wee founde this fellowe peruerting the people and forbiddinge tribute to be payed vnto Caesar sayinge that hee is Christe a kinge M. This is that accusation by the whiche they desyered to styrre vp the minde of the debity against the Lord and that not without craft For although they went aboute to ouerthrow Christ with many and sondry faultes yet notwithstandinge it is certaine that this accusation that hee desyered the name of a king was very wickedlye put vp against him to the ende they mighte thereby cause Pilate to enuye him And therefore they do expreslye saye that they founde him alteringe the state of thinges peruertinge the people and forbiddinge tribute to be geuen to Caesar This trulye of all other faultes was most odious vnto Pilate who cared for nothinge more than to defende and maintaine the quiet state of the people and gouernment M. The Iewes also knew that a prophane man would be much moued if they should say Wee found this man speakinge blasphemye against God to be a despiser of our Temple But they knew that Pilate and such as hee was coūted sedition a greuous faulte and not tolleble if anye man shoulde forbid tribute to be geuē to Caesar and a most greuous hatred if any man should make himselfe a kinge in the Romaine Empire A. Wherefore they do chieflye stande vppon this as vppon the special part of the whole accusation namely that they mighte make Christe giltye of ambicious desyer of the kingdome Euen as at this day also Sathan by this pretence goeth about to make the Gospell hated and suspected as though Christe in erectinge settinge vp his kingdome would destroye all the gouernementes of the world and abolishe the rightes and lawes of kinges magistrates And truly suche is the blinde pride oftentimes of kinges that they thincke Christe cannot raigne withoute the losse of their power Therfore that action seemeth vnto them alwayes plausible and right by the which Christ is once vniustlye burthened M. For this cause both the Prophetes in the olde Testamente and also the Apostles and so many as at anye time in the newe haue sincerely preached the worde of God were not only accused of eronious doctrine but also of seditions and are at this day also And for this cause wee do see many princes to abhorre out of measure the doctrine of the truth as thoughe it were a seditious doctrine But let vs retourne to our Euangelist Iesus sayth hee stoode before the Debitye C. Although this were a disordered and vnsemelye sighte farre from the dignitye of the sonne of God that hee should be drawne to the Iudgement seate of a Heathen man to pleade his cause for life in bonds as though hee had beene an euill doer yet notwithstandinge wee muste remember that in the doctrine of the Crosse which is folishnes to the Greekes and a stomblinge blocke to the Iewes there is contayned plentyfull saluation For the sonne of God woulde be brought bounde before a earthly Iudge there be made subiect to the Iudgement of deathe that hee beinge desolued from giltines of sinne may come bouldly and freelye to the celestiall throne of god Therefore if wee consider what profite wee receyued by the Iudgement of Christ vnder Pilate the reproche of such vndeserued subiection shal by and by be put away And truly the condemninge of Christ offendeth none but onlye eyther proude hypocrites or els insensible and grose contemners of God who are not ashamed of their owne iniquity Christ therefore stoode as one gilty before a mortall man and suffered himselfe there to be accused and condemned that wee mighte stande before God voyde of all feare His ennemyes truly wente about to put him to perpetuall reproche and shame but wee must rather consider the ende to the whiche the prouidence of God doth directe vs For if we call to minde how terrible and fearefull the Iudgemente seate of God is
the Churche and maintayne godlynes First of all wee aunswere that they do vnaptly and amisse which inferre this consequence that the doctrine of the Gospell and the pure worship of God ought not to be defended by the sworde because Christe is not then defended in his owne person For Christ onely proueth by the present deede how friuolus and vaine it was whiche the Iewes slaunderouslye brought against him Furthermore although godly kings do defende the kingdome of Christ with the sword yet notwithstanding this is done after another maner than earthlye kingdomes are defended For the kingdome of Christe as it is syirituall so it must be grounded in the doctrine and power of the spirite After the same maner also his buildinge is broughte to passe for neyther lawes nor edictes of men neither punishmentes do reache so far as to the conscience Notwithstandinge this doth not let but that Princes by accidens maye defende the kingdome of Christ partly when they do appoynt externall discipline and partly whē they do apply their defence to the Churche against the wicked But the wickednes of the world bringeth to passe that the kingdome of Christ is more established by the bloud of martyres than by the defence of weapons Pilate therefore sayd vnto him Art thou then a kinge Iesus aunsweared Thou sayest that I am a kinge For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I might beare witnes to the truth Althoughe alreadye Pilate vnderstoode by the former aunsweare that hee challenged some one kingdome to himselfe Christ notwithstandinge doth nowe affyrme the same againe and not content therewith hee addeth another sentence which might be a confirmation and seale of that other sayinge Whereby wee gather that the doctrine which concerneth the kingdome of Christ is not common seing hee sayeth that the same is worthy of so great asseueration or affyrmance For it is a general sentence For this cause was I borne that I might beare witnes of the truthe notwithstandinge it must speciallye be applyed to the circomstance of this place But the wordes signify thus much that it naturally belongeth vnto Christ to he true and also that for this cause he was sente of the father Wherefore there is no daunger or feare that if wee beleeue in him wee shall be deceyued betause it is impossible that hee should set forth any thinge but that whiche is true to whom the office of teachinge and maintayninge truthe was committed from aboue Whosoeuer is of the truth heareth my voyce This sentence Christ added not so much to exhort Pilate because hee knewe hee should not profite as hee did it to set his doctrine free from vndeserued reproches and slaunders to the which it was subiecte as if hee should haue sayde This is counted a fault in mee that I haue professed my selfe to be a kinge but truly this is an vndoubted truth the which they receiue reuerently withoute controuersy which are of a right Iudgement and sounde vnderstandidge Howbeit hee sayth that they are of the truthe not which naturallye behoulde that whiche is true but in respecte that they are gouerned by the spirite of god A. Christ preached these thinges as concerninge his kingdome before Pontius Pilate the Debitye as witnesseth S. Iohn But the other three Euangelistes saye that Christe aunsweared thus Thou sayest it C. The which aunswere is very ambiguous and doubtfull yet notwithstandinge it maye be gathered oute of Iohn that Christe confessed freelye that which was obiected agaynste him but yet that hee did therewith put away the fault when hee denyeth himselfe to be an earthly kinge But because hee did not greatlye seeke to purge himselfe euen as those that are giltye are wont to do the Euangelistes do set downe vnto vs his halfe aunsweare as if they should say that he denyed not but that hee was a kinge yet notwithstandinge that hee ouerthwartlye noted the slaunder wyth the whiche the ennemyes burthened him without a cause Pilate sayth vnto him What thinge is truthe It seemeth to some that Pilate curiouslye enquired as commonlye Heathen men do whiche greedelye desyer the knowledge of secrete thinges and beinge notwythstandinge ignoraunte whye they desyer this For they onlye seeke to feede their eares But rather this voyce seemeth to proceede of disdayne For Pilate thoughte that it was no small iniurye done vnto him that Christ should depriue him of all knowledge of truthe Nowe let vs behoulde in Pilate the common disease of men for althoughe oure owne consciences do beare testimonye vnto vs of oure ignoraunce yet notwithstandinge there are very fewe which can abyde to confesse the same And herevppon it commeth that the greater parte do reiecte the true doctrine Afterwarde the Lorde whiche is the teacher of the humble in blindynge the proude geeueth them the punishmente that they deserue Oute of the same pryde commeth that disdayne whiche wyll in no wise submitte it selfe to learne because euery man seemeth wyse in his owne conceyte The matter is thought to be an oulde truthe But God on the contrarye parte affyrmeth that it farre exceedeth the capascitye of mans minde The like also happeneth in other matters The speciall pointes of deuinitye consiste of these namelye of the corrupte nature of the mortification of the fleshe of the renouation of life of the free reconcilliation by the onelye sacrifyce of the imputaon of righteousnes by the whiche a sinner is accepted of God and of the illumination of the spirite Nowe because euerye one of these is a Paradox the common sence and reason of men doth contemptuouslye reiecte them Very fewe therefore do profite in the schole of God because there is scarce one amonge tenne whiche taketh anye heede to his first rules and principles And howe commeth this to passe but onelye because they measure the secrete wysedome of God by their owne vnderstandinge And that Pilate spake in derison it maye appeare by this that hee wente foorthe by and by To be shorte hee is angerye and displeased wyth Christe because hee bosteth that hee bringeth forthe the truthe whiche before was hidde Yet notwithstandynge this hys displeasure doth declare that the wicked do neuer so frowardlye reiecte the doctrine of the Gospel but that they are touched with some force of the same For althoughe Pilate came not so farre as to shewe hymselfe apte to be taughte yet notwithstandinge he is constrayned to feele some pricke of conscience within him These thinges beinge ended S. Iohn and S. Luke saye thus And when he had spoken these thinges hee came foorthe agayne to the Iewes to the hye Priestes and to al the multitude and said vnto them I finde not cause at all in him A. Althoughe Pilate were a wicked and vniuste man yet notwythstandinge hee woulde not adiudge an innocente to death so longe as his fame or office were in no perill Moreouer as the Euangelistes do dilligentlye describe that Christe wente not to hys deathe by externall force
arise by his nakednesse because hee suffered nothinge whiche the spirite of God pronounceth not to belonge trewely to the persone of a redemer 36 And they sat and watched him there M. They go not their waye but sit styll by the crosse as kepers or markers what he woulde do leaste peraduenture eyther the Disciples should come and take him aliue from the crosse or leaste hee shoulde come downe from the same by a myracle 37 And sett vp ouer his heade the cause of his deathe written thus This is Iesus the kinge of the Iewes And they sett vp ouer his heade C. The foure Euangelistes do declare that Pilate dyd set the titell of the Lord vpon the crosse Our Euangelist Matthew writeth somwhat obscurelye in this verse when as the Gréeke woorde which the interpreter calleth the cause dothe signifie bothe the cause and also the accusation or the falte S. Iohn speaketh more playnely sayinge And Pilate wrote a tytell and put it on the crosse Hee calleth that a tytell whiche our Euangeliste calleth the cause and Marke and Luke a superscription of the cause For thereby the cause of the death is briefly shewed when malefactours are led to theyr ponyshement S. Luke saith that this titell was written in Gréeke Lattine and Hebrewe And it conteyned thus muche as maye be gathered by the fower Euangelistes This is Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Ievves C. Peraduenture it was a common custome amonge the Iewes to set tytelles ouer the heades of those malefactoures that were putt to deathe But trewely this was extraordinary in Christ that the titell should be set ouer him without ignominie For it was the pourpose of Pilate that he might be reuenged of the Iewes who by their obstinacy caused an innocent vniustly to be put to deathe to condemne the whole nation in the person of Christ so that he set no inscriptiō of any falte that belonged vnto Christ ouer his heade But the prouidence of God whiche gouerned Pilates stile had respecte to a farther matter It was not the meaning and pourpose of Pilate to celebrate Christ as the aucthour of saluation the Nazarite of God and the king of the chosen people yet notwithstandinge God did so guide his minde that not knowing his proclamation of the gospell he sholde set it forthe By the same secrete impulsion of the spirite it came to passe that he should publishe the titell in thre seuerall tongues But this was no lawefull or ordinary preachinge of the Gospell because Pilate was vnworthy to beare any witnesse to the sonne of God but that whiche shoulde be done by trewe mynisters was shadowed in Pilate To be shorte he maye be thought suche a preacher of Christe as Caiphas was a prophete M. But because this tytell dyd set forthe the mallice of the people of the Iewes which had killed the heyre of the vineyarde their lorde and king the hye priestes of the Iewes after a sorte smellinge the same requested of Pilate that he woulde change the same titell that he had set ouer the heade of Christe as S. Iohn declareth by these woordes This tytell redde many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucifyed was nighe to the cittie And it was wrytten in Hebrewe Gréeke and Lattine Then saide the highe priestes of the Iewes to Pilate wryte not Kinge of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes C. They féele them selues to be towched as it was saide euen now and therfore they desyred to haue the title altered and suche a one set vp whiche might burthen Christe without infamy of the nation But in the meane time they declare how greately they were infected with the hatred of the truethe whiche coulde not abyde any one sparke thereof Euenso alwaies Sathan stirreth vp his mynisters whiche so sone as any lighte of Goddes woorde dothe appere go about by and by to extinguysshe the same or at leaste to choke it Pilate answereth That which I haue written I haue wrytten The cause of Pilatee constancie was the prouidence of god for there is no doubte but that they wente aboute to alter his minde by diuerse meanes Let vs know therfore that his minde was helde inflexible by the power of God whiche caused him to saye That whiche I haue wrytten I haue written M. For at other tymes he followed the will of the Iewes in all thinges because they dydde those thinges whiche pertayned to the executinge of the pourpose of God but those thinges whiche they nowe aske they desired to this ende that they mighte remoue the ignomynie of the crosse from theym selues vnto Christe and to put away that reproche that they had crucyfied theyr kynge that hee mighte not be counted the trewe Messias but a wicked fellowe whiche boasted hym selfe to bee the Messias of the Iewes But as this was false and full of reproche to the heauenlye kinge so it pertayned not to the pourpose of god Therfore by the instinct of the holy ghost Pilate answereth so constantly That which I haue wrytten I haue written As if he shoulde say I wil not change the tytell You wolde nedes haue me crucifie your kyng I haue crucifyed hym It shall be your shame hereafter whiche constrayned me to do this thinge B. Furthermore by these fewe woordes Iesus kinge of the Iewes the trewe Gospel of Christe was conteyned For by them hee was preached to be that trewe and vndoubted Messias whiche was sente a kinge vnto the Iewes And so in the midest of the death of the crosse Christe began to triumphe as sayth S. Paule in the seconde Chapter to the Colossians Now the Crosse of Christ begā to chaūge his conditiō and to be in steede of reproche a kingely tribunall muche more excellent than all other thrones or chayres of estate Furthermore this title was written in Hebrewe Greeke Lattine to declare that this kinge should raigne not only ouer the Iewes but also ouer the Gentiles As cōcerninge the which matter reade the seconde Psalme and the 49. of Esay The Euangeliste Luke declareth that the people stoude by lokinge on him And S. Iohn writing of the mother of Christe which stoode by also sayth There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary the wyfe of Cleophas and Marye Magdalene C. Christ did so obey God the father that hee neglected not the dutye of humaine pietye towardes his mother Hée forgate himselfe truly and all thinges els in respecte of his obedience that hée oughte to the father but this beinge done hee would not omit the dutye whiche hee did owe to his mother And here wee must learne so to do our dutye vnto men that we may neuerthelesse be obedient vnto god It commeth oftentimes to passe that when God calleth vs to any thinge oure parentes our wyfe and our children do call vs to the contrarye insomuche that wee cannot satisfye bothe at once But wee muste first preferre the commaundementes of God his
and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames These al continewed with one accord in prayer and supplication with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren It is like that the Apostles gathered theÌ„ selues together into this parloure and securite place that they might there abyde vntyll they had receiued the holy Ghoste But fonde and foolishe are the Papistes whiche go about to proue the supremacy of Peter because in this place hee is named first among the reste of the Apostles And if so bee we should graunte that hee was the chief of all the Apostles yet it doth not followe that he was chief of the whole world But if he be therefore chiefe of the Apostels because in the cataloge or rehersall of names he is put in the firste place we wyll also by the same reason conclude that the mother of Christe was inferior to all other women because she is named in the lowest roume The whiche thing â–ª I am sure they wyll in no wise admitte and if they would it were to absurde Wherefore except they meane to make all men laughe and ieste at their Popishe supremacy let them cease to proue it by suche sclender and childishe reasons But to retourne to our purpose The Euangeliste Luke sayth that all the Apostels of Christe were assembled together in prayer R. Continuall prayer truly was necessary for them for at that tyme they were sette in the middest of many and greuous temptations partely because the holy Ghoste came not presently vpon them after they came from the mount Oliuet and partly because they might loke euery moment when the armed souldiers should beset the house in the whiche they were C. They praye therefore that Christe woulde sende his spirite vpon them as hee had promysed Whereby we gather that the same is a trewe faith which doth moue vs and styrre vs vp to call vppon the name of God. And were continually in the Temple lauding and praysing God. C. The Euangeliste Luke meaneth that the Apostels for exceading ioye burst forth openly into the prayse of God and were dayly in the temple The Apostels at the firste for feare pryuely kepte them selues in secrete but nowe with bouldnes and ioye they come abroade And whyle they thus wayghted for the comminge of the holye Ghoste they chose Mathias in steade of Iudas Iscariothe as Luke declareth in the Actes At the length when the fifty dayes or Pentecost was ended that is to saye seuen wekes after the resurrection the holy Ghoste was sente vppon them as wytnesseth Saynt Luke sayinge When the fifty dayes were come to an ende they were altogether with one accorde in one place And sodainly there came a sounde froÌ„ heauen as it had bene the comming of a mighty wynde and filled all the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues and so foorthe vntill the thirtene verse They being therefore baptized and confirmed by the holy Ghoste and thereby being made more strong prepared theÌ„ selues by and by to discharge their office as the Euangeliste Marke declareth by these woords And they went foorthe and preached euery where the Lord working with them and confirming the woorde with miracles followyng Wherefore let vs by the example of the Apostels glorifie the name of God whiche plentifully hath powred his holye spirite vpon vs whiche hath sanctified vs by the same spirite geuen vnto vs free remission of our sinnes by the death of his sonne Iesus Christe whome he raysed agayne from death and hath exalted to the ryght hande of his glory in heauen that he hauing takeÌ„ possession thereof 〈◊〉 wee hereafter might be partakeâ—…s of the same In the meane tyme The God of peace that brought agayne from death our Lorde Iesus the great shepehearde of the Shepe through the bloud of the euerlasting testament make vs 〈◊〉 all good workes to â—â— his wyll and bring to passâ—… that the thing whiche we do may be pleasaunt 〈◊〉 his â—â—ghtâ—… through Iesus Christe our lord To whome â—…e prayse foreuer wâ—… 〈…〉 Amen FINIS Matth. 13 â—…a 10. â—…r 1. â—…s 9. 〈◊〉 3. â—…h 28. 〈◊〉 4. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 14. Pro. 29. â—…he reason of â—…e Title 2. Cor. 5. 1. Corint 1. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 10. Math. 4. Mar. 1. Luke 2. Iohn 3. Act. 20. Rom. 1. 1. Corint 1. 2. Cor. 3. Gal. 1. Ephe. 3. Phil. 2. Colos 1. Thes 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Titus 3. Phile. Heb. 4. Iam. 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Iohn 3. Iohn Inde Apoca. 14. 1. Corint 11 Chap. 4. Esay 64. Mat. â—… Gene. 5. Exod. 32 Iosua 10. Philip. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1â—… Gene. 21. and .22 Psalm 89. Math. 21. Matth. 22. Roman i. Nume 36. Iudg. 21. Luke 1. 2. Par. 22. â—…oma 15. â—â—on 4. Hebre. 15. 4. King. 11. 1. para 22. 2. Para. 23. Gene. 16. Gene 21. Roman 9. Gene. 26. Luke â—… Gene. 22. Philip. 2. Gene. 25. Malac. 1. Roman 9. Gene. 29. Gene 49. Roma 9. Phillip 2. a Psalm 42. Gene. 38. A comfortable saying 1. Parli 2. Iosua â—… Ruth â—… â—… Sam. 8. 2. Sam. 20. 2. Sam. 7. 1 Pet. 17. Psalm 89. 132. Mans merites are condemned 1. Reg. 12 2. Para. 12. 2. Para. 12. 2. para 10. 1. Reg. 2â—… para 1â—… 2. para 14. 2. po 15. 2. para 16. Ezech. 33. 2. Par. 21. Epiphanius in his booke against heresie False religioÌ„ The reuerent â—…steming of gods worde â—… Para. 34 â—… King. 24 Gene. 49. 1 Paralip 3. Gene. 49. The signification of the woorde of Christi Dan. 9. Psalm 45. Iohn 3. â—â—e 6. â—…th 13. â—…o 6. Luke 1. Luke 1. The honest zeale of Ioseph Deutro 22. Iustice modestie merâ—… and anger must be had punishing vâ—… The cause why Mary maried 1. Cor. 20. Nume 12 Dreames suâ—â—rnaturall â—â—d naturall â—…he cause of â—â—turall â—â—ames Gene 28. Gods prouidence shewed in dreames The malice of the Rabbines Philip. 2 There is no vertue included in the bare woorde Iesus Esay 49 Act 4. b. Saluation by Christ only Roma 3 Two partes of deliueraÌ„ce Christ is not our sauiour without we beleue The coÌ„ming of Christ hatâ—… abolished the awe Osee 3. Roman 9 Esay 7 Esay 8. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. Gene. 24. c Exod. 2. b Prouerb 31. Esay 59. The nere affiâ—…tie betwene God and vs â—…y his sonne Christe â—…phe 2. Deut. 7. Psal. 147. Collos 2. Christ a lawfull mediator Iohn 1. Hebr. 2. Collos 1. 1. Tim. 2. Hebr. 4. 2. Pet. 1. The obedieÌ„ce and faith of Ioseph Without the lorde by his holy spirite in struct the hart all externall preaching is in vayne â—â—ed by the â—…slatour 〈◊〉 of HieroÌ„ â—…ath 1. Nume 18. Exod. 12. Math. 13 Actes 1. Luke 2. a The notable agrement of the Euangelistes â—…a 19. â—…ges 12. 〈◊〉 li. anti â—…ic 14. 〈◊〉 18. â—…he ende of â—…apering of 〈◊〉 starre Psalm 72. The fond immagination of
Dissention is a deadly thinge 260. Dissemulation 73. Diuorcementes are forbidden 417. Diuorcementes 101. Doctrine without authority is of small force 200. Doubtinge putteth awaye faythe 467. Dreames supernaturall and naturall 13. E. Error that commeth ignorantlye is sone put away 53. Error increaseth godlynes beinge awaye 307. Error being grounded truth is abolished 351 Error of the Rabbines 383. Error of the Scribes 383. Error of the Anabaptistes 392. Error in interpreters 421. Error in Hierome 422. Encrease commeth by Gods blessinge 347. Equitye 141. Esseyes 45. Externall profession is nothinge 147. Externall repenâ—â—nce must be auoyded 239. Excommunication 406. Eradication of the wicked 336. Eternall life cannot be boughte 299 Eternall dampnation 414. F. Faith doubteth no peril in the coÌ„minge of Christ 193. Fayth muste be confessed with the mouth 222. Faith is not gotten by mans wisedome 241. Faythfull men are the brethren of Christ 275. Fayth commeth by hearinge 340. Fayth cannot be beaten downe 342. Fayth in the woman of Chanaan 343. Fayth obtayneth all thinges 345. Fayth is the gift of God 359. Fayth of three sortes 387. Fayth is of more power than fastinge and prayer 388. Fayth 188. 536. Faythfull meÌ„ haue the Lord their watchman 140. Fayth hath his effect 159. 160. Fayth beinge awaye our prayers are not hearde 159. Fayth bringeth all things to passe 172. 190. Faith in the Parents profiteth infantes 173. Fayth and grace are ioyned together in the woorke of saluation 189. Fayth only obtayneth remission of sinnes 189. Fayth turneth the curse into a blessinge 608. Fayth is holpen by Sacramentes 643. False Religion 8. False teachers 143. False Prophetes shal be punished 146. 557. False Christes 571. False teachers teache in â—…n vnknowen tongue 574. False witnes 674. Fame of Christ 73. Familiar thinges are not esteemed Fast in Lent 59. Fast of Papistes 59. 126. Fast of Christe most myraculous 59. Fastinge must be voluntarye not constrayned 184. Fastinge helpeth prayer 389. Fayned worship of God is abhominable 334. Feare in the Apostles 166. Feare in generall is not euill 166. Feare is contrary to fayth 188. Feare alwayes remayneth in the wicked 309. Feare taketh awaye oftentimes the sences of man 322. Feare putteth away trust 323. Feare vaine glory are alwayes ioyned with impiety 479. Feare of hell is euen in the electe 608. Feare pertayneth to the electe and reprobate 743. Felicity consisteth not in meate drincke 61. Feastinge is not withoute manye euils 310. Forewarning of dangers is profitable 210. Fortitude of the faithfull 445. Fortune is condemned 221 Flattery begileth simplicity 267. Flatterers 452. Flattery in frendship 662. G. God neuer fayleth those that are his 29. Godly deedes peruerted by the wicâ—…ed 30. Gods spirite cannot be seene 54. Gods spirite is of great force 57. Gods woorde is oure weapon to beate downe Sathan 61. Gods prouidence 62. 63 132. 171. 220. God alone muste be worshipped 66. Gods promises are immutable 90. God is euerye where 104. God is liberall to all men 110. God is our father 118. Gods kingdome 120. Gods will 120. Gods blessing encreaseth all thinges 122. God muste be serued with al oure harte 130. God is readye to graunte our requestes 139. Gods countenaunce is terreble to the wicked 171 Gods giftes ought not to be sould 204. Gods Iustice 239. God hath no respect of personnes God is Lorde of the whole earth 241. Gods purpose cannot â—…ltered 243. Gods election 272. God is not the author of euil 398. God turneth all things to the best 415. God the author of all goodnes 428. God a prseent helpe in trouble 439. Gods grace is swete to those that enioye it 439. God needeth not mans helpe 483. God is a God of the lyuinge 511. Gospell is a generall calling 498. Gospell is a reconcilliation betwene God and man 364. Gospell is the keye of life 362. Gospell came from God 234. Gospell consisteth of two partes 40. Gospell is a fan 51. Gospell is hated because it is sharpe salte 84. Gospell is subiect to slauÌ„ders 89. Gospel is a precious pearle 139. Good works ought to be in Christians 87. Good workes may not be done for vaine glory 87. Good woorkes are saide to be oures by imputacion 87. Good workes are not the cause of saluation 373. Good woorkes are a seale of oure fayth 374. Generall Iudgement 499. Generall counselles 409. Generall day of Iudgement 409. Glory prepared for the righteous 297. Grace made the Gentiles the sonnes of God 343. H. Hatred must be auoyded 109. Harlots enuye those that reproue them 311. Helpe commeth from the Lord in time of neede 213. Hell fyer 608 Hell gates shall not preuaile against fayth 361. Herode feared to put Iohn to death 309. Herodes blindnes 23. Hermits 40. Hell fyer 96. Health of the bodye is more set by than soules health 73. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. 16. Hope bringeth consolation 190. Hope hath her frute 52. Honour due vnto Parents 331 Holines without brotherly loue is hypocrisye Holines consisteth not in outward shewes 183. Hypocrisy pretendeth religioÌ„ 348. Hypocrisy most abhominable 469. Hypocrits turne the truth of God into a lye 470. Hypocrites are hardly brought to repentaunce 481. Hypocrites haue a pretence 27. Hypocrisy 27. 150. Hypocrits feare to be detected 45. Hypocrites are secure 48. Hypocrites haue a cloake 73. Hypocrisy in geuinge almes 112. Hypocrits of diuers kinds 113 Hypocrisye is ambitious 115. Hyerlinges 146. Humillity 156. Humillity in Christ hid his glory from the reprobate 38. Humillity and the reward thereof 395. Humillitye pertayneth to all estates 451. Humâ—…llity is ioyned with the prayers of the godly 652. I. Idolatry 66. Idle wordes 268. Idle prelates are not sente 442 Impaciente persons cannot beare the yoake 75. Images oughte not to be in the Churche 379. Immoderate care 131. Impudencye in Papistes 85. InconstaÌ„cy 232. Ignorance in the Apostles is not an example for blinde guides to followe 71. Ignoraunce is the originall of excessiue care 134. Ignoraunce peruerteth all good workes 196. Ignoraunce oughte not to be in a teacher 301. Ignoraunce is the cause of error 58. Ignoraunce is not the mother of deuotion 242. 334. Inheritance of the godly 77. Indifferent thinges ought not to be tyed to necessity 328. Indulgences 91. Iniurye 98. Iniury must be borne 108. Infidels haue no profite by gods benefites 457. Infidels are alwayes vnprepared for the Lords comminge 593. Ingratitude in the Gaderenites 171. Ingratitude maketh vs to forget God 323. Ingratitude is the cause that wee are ouercome in temptacioÌ„ 353. Ingratitude punished 496. Inuocation 595. Infantes receiued of Christ 425. Infantes are made partakers of the grace in Christ 426. Iosephes zeale 12. Iohn the Baptiste 39. Iohn the forerunner of Christ 41. Iohn Baptist led an Austere life 43. Iohns constancy 46. Iohn Baptistes modesty 53. Iohn the Baptist is called Helias 383. Iudgemente 94. 136. 536. Iudgement doth not ouerthrowe remission of sinnes 268. Iudgement of hypocrites 499. Iudas a patterne of Popishe repentaunce 686. Iust
hart 595. Reconcilliation 97. Redemption could not be without the destruction of Sathan 262. Regeneration of two kinds 437. Religion is the keye of the kingdome of Heauen 530. RemissioÌ„ taketh away the punishment of the falte 725. Remission of sinnes putteth away satisfactions 123. Remission of sinnes by the Gospel 363. Remedies against contencion 98. Reuelation that is heauenly agreeth with the Scriptures 29. Reuerence pertayneth to Gods word 9. Rewarde 83. Resurrection of Christ 749 Riches are subiect to rust 127. Riches are a let vnto vs 178. 231. 298. Riches kepe vs from Christ 433. Riches of themselues are good 434. Rytches not vsed to the glory of God are abused 735 Righteousnes of two sortes 428 Robbery houldeth vp the Popes seate 548 S. Sabothes haue their vse 248 Sabothes ought ought rather to be broken than the rule of Charitie 255 Sacrament a visible signe 637 SacrameÌ„tes must not be despised Saduceis 45 Saluation by Christe only 14 Saluation commeth onely by the free mency of God. 604 Salutation 206 Sampson a figure of Christe 38 Sathan and the Pope desyer to be worshiped of Christ 29 Sathan the enemy of maÌ„kynde 57 Sathan is the cause of euell temptations 60 Sathan maketh vs to distruste Gods promises 60. 722 SathaÌ„ can not hurte without God suffer 63. 170 Sathan signifieth an aduersary 65 Sathan is a tyraunte 168 Sathan his kyngdome are subiecte to Christe 169 Sathan hateth no creature but man â—â—â— SathaÌ„ coÌ„tinually warreth against Christe 214 Sathan is an vncleane spirite 272. SathaÌ„ entereth not into the faithfull 273 Sathan is an ennemy to Gods worde 286 Sathan is the head of the vngodly 545. 609 Sathan possesseth the reprobate 626. Sathan woulde haue Christe to peryshe 707 SatisfactioÌ„ cannot be made by vs for synne 412 Satisfaction for all synnes made by Christe 644 Saintes may not be sought vnto for helpe 211 Scriptures are redde amis by the wycked 25 Scribes 327 Securitie 211 Seducers preache not the woorde of the Lorde 228 Sedition is ascribed to the worde of God ofteÌ„times by the wycked 693. Seueritie 402 Symplicitie of Godlynes â—…0 Sycknesses are plagues for sinne 188. Synne stopped the waye to Gods grace â—…2 Synne maketh vs detters vnto God. 122 Sinne is the cause of corâ—…orall diseases 173 Sinnes are not forgueÌ„ by maÌ„ 175 Synners ought not to be despised 181. Synnes are remitted two manner of wayes 411 Synnes are put away by the mercy of God. 413 Sinnes are put away by the sacrifice of Christe 617 Sinagoges 73. 113 Spirit of God cannot be sene 54 Spirites good and euell 322 Spirituall ioye 746 Slouthfumes dothe aryse of to muche truste 441 Sufferance 106 Subiectes must obey their prince 506. Supremacy of Rome 201 Superstition in immitation of sainctes 187 Superstitious wearing the Gospell about the necke 525 Superstition hath his originall of the fleshe 572 SuperstitioÌ„ in the faste of lent 59 Suspicion of rebellion must be auoyded 3â—…2 Streying shepe are not reiected of the Lorde 646 T Teares of repentance 684 Teares of oypocrites 684 Temperance 43 TeÌ„ptatioÌ„s come not by chauÌ„ce 58 Temptations proceade from the affections of man. 58 Temptations are a triall for a tyme. 66 Temptations that are euell come of Sathan 60 Temptations of Sathan kyndell our affections 124 Three causes of our saluation Threateninges make the wycked to rage more and more TribulatioÌ„ ought to bring vs vnto Christe â–ª 155 Tribute 390 Traditions thrust in by men 327 Traditions of three sortes 328 Traditions of men tye the consciences of Gods people 330 Tradition defenders are pernicious enemies 332 Traditions of men bryng in hypocrisie 352 Transubstantiation 638 Trouble trieth our faythe â—…66 Two partes of deliuerance 14 Two thinges to be studied of euery Christian 30. Two kyndes of anger 34 Two thinges were specially done by Christe 73 Two sortes of contemners 139 Two endes of mans lyfe 142 Two manner of frutes 144 Two things ought to be in a preacher 308 Truthe at all tymes maye not bee spoken 366 Truthe must alwayes bee defended 478 Truthe obteyneth no mercy 707 Truthe ought to be preferred before custome 94 Truthe ought to bee vsed in bargening 105 Truthe at the length ouercoÌ„meth True faythe 150 True followers of Christe 165 Tyrantes feare more than other men do 24 Tyrantes are subtill 212 Tyrantes haue no power ouer the soule of man. 219 Tyrantes that are enemies one to an other become frendes to destroye Christe 253 Tyrantes euer stande in feare 307 Tyranny in Papistes 421 Tyme to receyue the woorde of God. 39 Tythes 537 Tythes a parte of Gods worship 537. V Vaine glory in geuing almes must be put away 112 Vayne is this lyfe 219 Vayne trust 430 Vengeaunce commeth at the laste to the wycked 36 VengeauÌ„ce ought not to be required by the faithfull 109 Vertue is not included in the word Iesus 14 Vyce must be punished with iustice modesty mercy and anger 12 Vngodly men are blynded in the lighte 279 Vnfayned remission 415 Vnitie in mariage 417 Vnitie 410 576 Vnlawefull manes ought to bee auoyded 62 Vntymely heaers 286 Voyce of God chyldren pearceth the heauens 36 Vowes rasheâ—… made 312 Vowes monaâ—…ticall 313 Vowes madâ—â—y Papistes 425 Voluntary seuice is moste acceptable to Go. 513 Vsury 102 VV Watching 587 Watchinge without prayer profite nothinâ—… 656 Wedlocke â–ª a necessary remedy against sine 423 Wedlocke 102. 417 Whoredom dissolueth the knotte of matrimony 420 Whisperers must be auoided 620 Wisdome caÌ„not withstaÌ„d God. 27 Wisdome coÌ„meth not by our own industry 71 Wisdome and innocency ought to be in vs. 211 Witnesses ought to be had in matters of wayght 404 Worldlinges at the comminge of Christe feare the losse of promotion 23 Worldly wysdome is not comparable to the foolishnes of the crosse 31 Worldly felicitie 75 Wordlinges loke for gayne 108 Worldly men forsake heauen 129 Wordly wysdome 242 Worldly cares are a let to fructifie 287 Worldlynges 291 Worldly pleasure is obscure in respecte of the glory to come 297 Worldly sightes bewitche oure sences 289 Worthy receiuers of the gospel 206 Workes do not iustifie 269 Wolues of this worlde 210 Z Zeale that is rashe 46. 195. 367. 324. 667. Zeale of the godly 80 Zeale without knowledge 153 Zeale according to knowledge 252 Zeale pertayneth to the godly 468 Zeale oughte to bee guided by the woorde of God. 665 Thâ—… meaning of all those figures whiche are before in the exposition added for the better vnderstanding of the Reader wheresoeuer he fyndeth them MEtoymia is a figure called denominatioÌ„ as when Bacchus is or wyne or Venus for lechery Antithesi is a comparison or contrarietie Fol. 196 Irotia is a figure in speaking wheÌ„ a man dissembleth in speache that which hee thinketh not as in scoffing calling that foule whiche is fayrâ—… or that swete whiche is sower Hyperboâ—… is excesse in aduauÌ„cing or depressing A Metaphor is a transferring of woordes from their proper signification Prosopopaeia is a figure vsed wheras personages are supposed or fayned to speake as one man to an other Synecdoche is a figure when parte is vsed for the whole or the whole for parte 462 Hypotyposis is a figure called illustratioÌ„ by the which the forme of thinges is so sette foorthe in wordes that it semeth rather to be seene with the eyes than hearde with the eares Hysteron proteron is a figure vsed when any thing is declared out of order preposterously A Paradox is a sentence straunge contrary to the opinion of moste men Hypothesis is as argument so called FINIS ¶ Faultes escaped in printing Leafe 15 collum 1. for ioyned reade ordyned Leafe 49. â—…l 2. line 6. reade and because thingratitude Leafe 50. cl 2. for properly reade proper Leafe 67. coâ—… 1. line last saue one reade must wayes Leafe 67. col for reproue them reade reproâ—…d them Le. 68. co 1. Gâ—…nefar rea Genesar Le. 68. col 2. â—…oth the ways reade both wayes Leaf 137. co 1 â—…ine 1. reade which shall punishe Leaf 140. col 2 â—…ine 10. reade that he wyll heare it Leaf 140. col 2. â—…rent re pareÌ„tes Leaf 142. col 2. line last reade declaring that it is Leaf 144. co 2. line 33. there reade therefore Leaf 153. col 1. lin 20. for mistery reade ministery and office Leaf 154. col 1. li. 13. the read they Leaf 160. col 2. line 31. his disciples the disciples Le. 163. col 1. li. 5. same re Sunne Leafe 164. col 1. lin 2. salt re falte Leaf 169. col li. 11. exhorted reade extorted Le. 177. co 1. li. 17. saith re faythe Leafe 258. col 1. these blynde men reade this blyndeman Fol. 263. col 2. lin 4. before the end for Luke ware reade luke warme Fol. 263. col 2. line last for Crisse reade Christe Fol. 327. col 1. line last saue foure for greater reade great Fol. 335. col 2. for Israelles reade Israelites Fol. 352. col 1. for did oppressed reade did oppresse Fol. 504. leaue out the first line for it is twyse printed Fol. 675. col 2. for endued but by death reade ended but by deathe Fol. 659. for they should haue vnderstoode reade they should not haue vndrrstoode Fol. 689. co 2. reade by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghoste
pollitique or morall lawe did not prohybite they fondly immagined that it was at theyr pleasure Moyses in respecte of the externall order did not forbyd the diuorcementes with the wyues whiche were wonte to be obserued but onely to take away the occasion of luste he commaunded that a byll of dyuorcemente should be geuen to her which was diuorced For it was a certayne testimony of manumission and free lybertie that euer after the woman might be free from the bondage and power of the man and also the man by the same dyd acknoweledge and confesse that he dyd not put away his wife for any ccyme nor faulte but because shee dyd not please hym Herevpon there sprang this errour that none whiche vsed this diuorcement was in fault if so be they satisfied the lawe But amisse they toke a rule out of the ciuill lawe of liuing a godly and holy life For morall lawes are often tymes framed according to the maners of men but God in his spiritual lawe had not respect what men could do but what they ought to do So that in the same is conteyned the parfect and sound righteousenes althoughe we haue not power to fulfyll it Therefore Christ admonysheth vs that all thinges which Moyses lawe dothe allowe are not lawful before god By the cloake and collour of the lawe saythe he he abuseth him selfe with puttinge away his wyfe geueth her a byll of deuorcement but the bonde of wedlocke is more holy then that it may be losed at the will and pleasure of men For althoughe the man and the wyfe with theyr mutual cōsent do ioyne and couple them selues together yet notwithstandinge God doth knitt them together with an inseperable knot that they might neuer after depart excepte it were for fornication Let hym geue her a byll of A. The reason of this byll of diuorcement was that it was lawful for the wyfe diuorced to conioyne her selfe to an other man neuer more to haue to do with her former husbande but shoulde be vnto him as an aliant and stranger The man did declare his owne fylthynes when he gaue this byll of dyuorcement Some wryte that this byl of diuorcement here mentioned was made after this forme folowinge as shoulde appere by a coppy taken out of the lawe of the Hebrewes THis byll made the nine and twenty daye of Iune in the yere frō the creation of the world fiue thousand thirty wytnesseth that I H. R. the sonne of W. R. dwelling in the cittie of London haue wel aduised my selfe no man constraininge me and haue dismist set at lybertie and lefte thee A. R. to thy selfe whiche haste bene heretofore my wyfe And nowe hauinge dismyst thee and sette thee free I geue thee leaue to do what thou wylt and to go and geeue thy selfe to wife to whom so euer it shal please thee In witnesse wherof I geue vnto thee this bil of diuorcement and dimissory epistle being an instrument of lybertie according to the lawe of Moyses and Israell And thus muche as concerning the bil of diuorcement whiche in Greeke is called Apostosion Of this bill Christ speaketh thus Moyses for the hardenes of your hartes suffered you to put awaye your wiues but frō the beginning it was not so 32 But I saye vnto you that who so euer putteth awaye his wife excepte it be for fornicatiō maketh her to breake wedlocke and who so euer maryeth her whiche is diuorsed breaketh wedlocke also But I say vnto you M Many of the ciuil lawes are not good in that they permite euyl thynges as we said euen nowe and that for the mallice of the subiectes that the publique common estate should not be troubled euen as we se brought to passe in the suffering of vsery by the whiche constitution decree there is set a certayne meane of couetousenes and helpe to their necessitie and neede whiche nedes must borrowe other mennes money Againe they forbyd not all euyll thinges neither do they ponishe those thinges which they forbyd not as anger hatred disdaine couetousnes the impietie of the hart such lyke Neyther do they cōmaund all good thinges for they appointe nothinge of faith of hope of loue of the feare of God of pacience of brotherly loue and such like A. Therfore for so much as this lawe of Moyses was altogether politique Christ as a heauenly master teaching true godlines sheweth what must be done in this busines he saith that the wyfe maye not be put away Excepte it be for fornication For worthely and not without iust desert is that wife cast of which hath violated and broken that holy knot defyled her husbandes bed because throughe her faulte the man obteyneth lybertie Maketh her to breake vvedlocke C. Namely if she marry an other Of this you maye rede more at large in the .19 cha folowing 33. Againe ye harde how it was said vnto them of olde time thou shalte not forsweare thy self but shalt performe to the lorde those thynges that thou swearest Agayne ye haue harde Bu. This thirde example is partely in the 20. of Exod. and in the .19 of Leuit. and partly in the .30 of Numeri 23. of Deutro This same commaundeth of the sanctification and glorifiyng of the name of God of the constancy and performāce of wordes of the iuste moderation of the tongue that we vse not the same to lycenciously Thou shalt not forsvveare thy selfe C. This sentence of Christe also here spoken is not the correction of the Lawe but rather a true and proper interpretation For God did not onely condemne periury in the Lawe but also the rashenes of swearing whiche did derogate the reuerence of his name Neither dothe he onely take the name of the lorde God in vayne whiche forsweareth him self but he also which in trifling and vayne thinges or in commō talke rashely and contemptuously taketh the name of god Finally when as the Lawe did condemne euery prophanation of the name of God the Iewes did imagine that the faulte only consisted in periury Christe nowe reprehendeth this errour so grose and commaundeth that we performe our vowes othes to the lorde For he whiche after an othe begyleth his neighbour is not only deceitfull to men but also is iniurious to God But performe B. Some referre this performaunce to vowes when as any thing religiously is promysed to god But this sentence of Christe doth very well comprehende all couenauntes vargaines and promyses whiche are confirmed with takinge the name of god For God is then made a witnes betwene the parties and a suertie to whome they geue their faythe C. Therefore he that forsweareth hym selfe doth not only breake promyse with men but also with God because he toke God to witnesse 34 But I saye vnto you ye shall not sweare at all neyther by heauen because it is the seate of God. Ye shall not svveare C. Many are deceyued in this woorde at all thinking that Christe thereby
to followe him As if he shold say there is no cause why thou shouldest looke for any earthly power commoditie or gayne And if thou therfore followe mée thou art much deceiued For I haue so lyttell of those thynges in this worlde whiche thou sekest that the foxes and foules of the aire are rycher then I for they haue where to rest and dwell and so haue not I. They haue sure abiding places in this earthe but I haue not where to lay my head C. By these woordes the sonne of man declareth what the state and condition of his lyfe was when he was in the earth but he prescrybeth to all his disciples to what order of lyfe they oughte to frame them selues Notwithstāding it is marueile that Christ woulde denie him self to haue any one foote parte or portion of the earthe where to lay his heade when as he had many godly and louinge men whiche at all tymes woulde gentlely receiue and enterteine him but we muste note that this was spokē for admonyshions sake least that the scrybe should loke as from a ryche master for a riche and plentifull rewarde when as the lord him selfe as a guest or in the way of intreatie dydde leade his life in other mennes houses Neastes E. The Greeke woord rather signifieth shadowe places S. Austine in his .22 booke againste Faustus in the .48 chapter calleth this woorde neastes lodginges Euen so Ciprian calleth them in his third booke to Quirinus for the birdes beside their neastes haue holes to saue and couer them in the tyme of tempest as in hollowe trees in stone walles and in the eaues of houses The sonne of man. B. Christe here in this place in other places calleth hym selfe the sonne of Adam or the sonne of man to abase him selfe to the loweste state of men and to shewe his humyllitie It is whollye agreable to that whiche Paule saeth He made him selfe of no reputation taking on hym the shape of a seruāt and was found in his apparell as a man This kinde of speakinge therefore dothe very wel expresse the misery of mannes nature with the whiche Christe beinge indewed it must nedes be that he is partaker with vs of al our infirmities sinne onely excepted 21 And an other of the nomber of his disciples saide vnto him master suffer me first to go and bury my father And an other of the nomber A. Here is now another propoūded before our eies which askinge leaue for a time is more slowe and lesse ready to followe Christe whom notwitstanding he restrained and suffered not to go C. The Scrybe was dryuen from the fellowshippe of Christ because he immagininge that he shoulde leade a pleasant lyfe rashely offered him selfe But this man trewly whō Christ kepte backe was infected with the contrary salte For when as he should haue obeyed the callinge of Christ out of hāde he was let by the infirmitie of the fleshe thinking it a harde matter to forsake his father it is lykely that his father was a very olde man when he saide Suffer me fyrst to go and bury For this saying doth declare that he had not muche tyme behinde as if he shoulde haue said suffer me to tary with my father and to serue hym in this his olde age tyll he dye He preferred the duety which he ought vnto his father before Christ Luke sayth that he was commanded of Christ to followe him For the which Mathew saith that he was one of his disciples But to be shorte he refused not his callinge but desire the lybertie to be geuen hym for a time vntill he had discharged his duety towards his father His scuse is as much in effecte as if he should haue denied him self to be free vntil his father were dead 22 But Iesus said vnto him follow me and suffer the dead to bury their dead Follovve me B. Here this woord follow is not onely taken to cleaue vnto Chryst by fayth and to imbrace his doctrine but also to leaue all impedimentes whiche might let and drawe him backe from being a minister of the gospel which more plainely appereth by the wordes of Luke when he saith that our sauiour Chryste saide Go thou and preache the kingdom of god C By this answere of Christe therefore we vnderstand that chyldren ought so to reuerence obey and cleaue to their fathers that they leaue the same without respecte so often as God calleth thē to another matter of greater waight and importance I say all dueties apperteyning to men muste ceasse when God commaundeth vs to wayte on hym to obey him and to follow him And to this effecte perteyneth the saying of Chryste in an other place If any man come vnto me and hate not his father and mother his wyfe and children his bretherne and sisters yea and his owne life also he can not be my disciple C. Now al men must way and consider what God requirethe of theim and what the vocation wherevnto they are called requireth also least that earthly fathers hynder them withdraw them from the seruice of their omnypotent and heauenly father to whom all duetie specially parteyneth And suffer the dead to bury C. By these wordes Christ condemneth not the buriall of the deade for it were a filthy and beastly thinge to caste out the carcases of the deade and not to bury them And we knowe that the ryte and ceremony of buryinge was geuen frō aboue vnto men and receyued and vsed of the saynctes to confirme the hope of the resurrection Onely the meaning of Christ in this place was to teach vs that what so euer doth call vs from the ryght race or doth stay vs in the same doth sauoure and taste of nothing but deathe as if he should haue said They onely lyue rightly which apply their studies and al partes of theyr life to the wil and commandement of god And those whiche bowe and bend to the world and which neglect and disobey God to shew them selues obedient to men are lyke vnto the deade whiche in vaine and to no purpose occupie them selues in hauynge a care of the deade M. And so in the former place he calleth them deade which are alienate from the true lyfe that is which beleue not in him beinge depriued of the grace of god whiche haue a greatter care for worldly matters then for those thinges which parteine vnto God which neglecting God geue them selues to the world wholly as saith S. Paule speakinge of the widdow She that lyueth in pleasure is deade beinge yet alyue In the later place he calleth those dead which by tēporal death haue ended their liues suffer saith he infidelles to be with infidelles and one infidell to dwel with an other one of them to dye with an other suffer it I say rather then that shoulde be a set vnto thee to serue mée C. This man therefore was called of Christ as Luke more plainly declareth to be a minister