might bee discerned from falsehode and lyes For the crafty vvylines of false Apostels is vvell enough knovven vvho being deceitful and subtile vvorkers taking vpon them the name of the Apostels of Christe do easely begyle the simple and suche as take no hede of them as the Apostell Paule in his epistell to the Corinthians declareth M. Therefore to the ende a certainâ—… doctrine as concerning Christ should persiste and continue in the Churche or congregation the holy Ghoste brought to passe that firste of all the natiuitie of Christe his life doctrine death buriall resurrection and assention into heauen beside these the sending forth of the embassage of the Gospell into the vvhole vvorlde the going forvvarde and good successe of the doctrine of the Gospell and Christian faithe the declaration and confirmation of the same by faithful vvitnesses that is to saye holy Euangelistes should in maner of an history beÌ„ coÌ„mitted to vvriting by them vvhiche Euangelistes heard and savve all thinges them selues before their face vvhiche also hauing authoritie and povver of God vvere the first vvhiche vvere sent and appointed to the preaching of the Gospell throughout the vvhole vvorlde To this vse ende and purpose the foure Euangelistes haue vvrytten the history of Christe among vvhome C onely Luke maketh a preface to his Gospell vvhiche he vvryteth briefely shevvyng the cause vvhiche moued him to vvryte as euidently you may see if you reade the same B. As touching the interpretation of this vvorde Gospell it being taken from the Greeke vvorde signifieth good or glad tidinges The vvhiche vvorde the three score and tenne interpretours vsed so often as they founde the Hebrevve vvorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bisser vvhiche signifieth to tell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besora tidinges being the deriuatiue of the same and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meuasser telling The Apostels and Euangelistes vsed this vvoorde very muche after them The Euangeliste Luke citing the place of the Prophete Esaye vsed this vvoorde To preache the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me Therefore the Gospell shal be vnto vs a publique or open setting foorth and preaching of the grace and redemptioÌ„ purchased and gotten by Christe as concerning the vvhiche redemption there are infinite testimonies of holy Scripture C Or els the Gospell is a history conteining the glad tidinges of the comming of Christe in the fleshe being sent of the Father accordinge to his promises in the lavve Prophetes and Psalmes In the vvhiche history the lyfe specially of Christe his doctrine death resurrection and assention is declared beside these the fruite of his comming is therein declared namely that by him vve are deliuered from the Deuell sinne and death and that vve are sanctified and assured of euerlasting lyfe B. As therefore the Gospell in the Scripture is properly a declaration of the long loked for saluation and at the lengthe reuealed and offered by Christe euen so our Euangeliste Mathevve as the reste Marke Luke and Iohn hath very cunningly and artificially vvritten in his Gospell the history of the Lorde by the vvhiche he declareth both his vvoordes and dedes in order A. But vvho this Mathevve vvas vvhose vvorke in the nevve TestameÌ„t hath the first rome M and from vvhat state of life he vvas called of Christe and aduaunced by him to the dignitie of an Apostle he of himselfe as vve shall heare hereafter declareth In the meane tyme vve must thinke and assure our selues that the holy Ghoste vvas and is the true authour of this history and that Mathevv vvas only the instrumeÌ„t or secretary to the same vvho leauing his pouling kinde of lyfe is become not onely a companion and disciple but also an Apostell and Euangeliste of Christe from vvhome all thinges in the vvorlde that are good do flovve as from the lyuely and celestiall vvell of grace A GODLY AND CATHOLIKE EXPOSITION OF THE HOLY Gospell of Iesu Christ after Mathevv The fyrst Chapiter The booke of the generation of Iesu Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham The booke of the generation C. IN VAYNE do certaine interpretours trauel about this titel or inscription to make excuse because the Euangelist Mathew doth name the whole history of the halfe of one chapter For this titel is not exteÌ„ded to the whole booke but the name of the booke is put for a Cataloge or rehersall as if it had ben saide here foloweth the order of the generation of Christ B. Euen as we maye reade in Genesis This is the boke of the generatioÌ„ of meÌ„ In the which place the Hebrew worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sepher which coÌ„meth of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saphar that is he hath nombred rehersed or declared For there foloweth the Cataloge or rehersal of men from Adam vntyll Noah with a discription of whoÌ„ and what tyme euery one had his ofspringe and originall Or els the booke of the generation signifieth that in the which somwhat is rehersed or nombred M. whervpon we reade that the booke of the Iust the booke of God in the whiche the Iust are written is so called B. This name therfore perteineth properly to the Cataloge and to the history A. And although the Euangelist goeth about to shew that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the true Messias promised long before in the lawe and Prophetes and loked for of the fathers B. Yet notwithstanding he wolde begyn the Gospell of Christ with the basenes of his generation sekinge to bring in all the sorrowes traueiles and paines of his life euen till the power glory and maiestie of his resurrection and kingdome in the which he sittinge at the right hande of God gouerneth all thinges that as Christ suffered many thynges and so entered into the glory of his kingdome and as he dyd fyrst abase hym selfe and became man a seruant also and humbled him selfe to the death of the crosse euen so he myght preache Christ vnto vs to be a mortal maÌ„ and crucified before that he was mortal and rayned gloriously in his kyngdome and so by the folishenes of preachinge to bringe saluation to the faythfull A The Euangelist Iohn more plainly euen at the fyrst preacheth the maiestie of Christ B. teaching him to be the eternall worde of the father and that deuine power and vertue by the which all thynges were made lyue moue consist feele vnderstand But our Euangelist Mathewe thought it sufficient to shewe briefely as it were in one word the diuinitie of Christe wrytinge thus The booke of the generation of Chryste And where as he calleth Iesus whiche was thought to be a carpenter and the sonne of a carpenter Chryst being that king which was long loked for promysed to the fathers he hath already shewed a sufficient cause and reason of so doinge to those that knowe the force of this name The sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham C. He calleth Chryst the son of Dauid and AbrahaÌ„ in respecte of
August lib. 11. Super gens Maior est huius scripturae authoritas quam omnis humani ingenij perspicacitas A CATHOLIKE AND ECCLESIASTIcall exposition of the holy Gospell after S. Mathewe gathered out of all the singuler and approued Deuines whiche the Lorde hath geuen to his Churche by Augustine Marlorate And translated out of Latine into Englishe by Thomas Tymme Mynister Sene and allowed according to the order appointed Jmprinted at London in Fletestreate neare vnto S. Dunstones churche by Thomas Marshe 1570. Quanto magis quisque in sacris eloquijs assiduus fuerit tanto ex eis vberiorem intelligentiam capit Isidor De summo bo lib. 3. I haue once already founde suche frendship at your honours handes tempered with liberalitie whiche I cannot sufficiently requite that now againe I am the more bolde to moleste and trouble you Crauing pardon that for your noble courtesy then I nowe dare presume to committe vnto your honours charge the conduction of a drifte and sea beaten ship And although the very substauÌ„ce of the treasure and precious pearle contained in my shippe of it selfe is so excelent that it nedeth not the commendation and defence of man yet notwithstanding because by Gods appointment man hath to do with the same for his saluation and therefore I being one among all other moste vnworthy hauing taken vpon me to publishe the same by translation out of Lattin into our vulgar tongue for the common profite of my countremen must of necessitie my own vnworthines I say considered humblely beseche your honor to be a garde and defence of this my endeuour handled with as great dilligence as possible I coulde In so doing you shall not only promote the glory of God and greately further this my simple labour but also make me bounde vnto your honor while life doth laste Thus hauing bouldly required your honourable defence and troubled your eares with tediousnes I ceasse wyshing to youre honour long lyfe increase of nobilitie and the perfecte felicitie of the lyfe to come Your humble orator Thomas Tymme TO AL THE BRETHREN DISPERsed here and there that fauoure and loue the Gospell Augustine Marlorate wisheth grace mercy and peace from God the father through the Lorde Iesus WHen as all men so long as they liue in this present life ought to leuell as at a Butte at the knowledge of the truthe whiche maye nourishe them in the hope of the true and eternall lyfe those men are to bee iudged vnworthy vtterly the name of Christians whiche being contente with some arte or science whereby to get their liuing either do lightly regarde or els altogether neglecte the knowledge of heauenly matters the onely meanes to attayne saluation Neither can there be found any greater ingratitude among men then wheÌ„ they do not endeuour to the vtmoste of their power to know God alone whiche hath not only created fashioned and nourished them as a father in this life but incessantly calleth them to the immortall and incorruptible heritage whiche is prepared for all them whome that celestiall father hath engâ—â—fted by faithe into the body of his onely begotten sonne Moreouer a true and singuler waye to attayne saluation is by God propounded to vs namely if wee beleue his promises whiche waye iustefieth before God mankynde by nature prone vnto sinne and maketh hym the heyre of God and fellowe heyre with Christe I meane faithe not suche as veyne men and hypocrites boast of when they chaunce to conceiue some slender opinion of God but that whiche alone deserueth the name of faithe and vndoubtedly taketh holde of the righteousnes offered in the Gospell and so stayeth on the foundatioÌ„ of free remission of synnes that it caÌ„not be perswaded any other thing than that whiche is certainly knowen to procede out of the mouthe of the Lorde for faythe commeth by hearing but hearing by the woorde of God who at sundrye tymes and in diuers manners spake in the olde tyme to our fathers by Prophetes but in these laste dayes he hath spoken to vs by his sonne On whome he hath powred out his spirit most plentifully in so much that whosoeuer shall heare him teaching and imbrace his doctrine by faythe they may assure them selues to haue bene rightly instructed by the wysedome of God it selfe and to be setled out of all peryll of errour Nowe when his vocation required that after he had opened the veritie to his electe and finished al thinges for the whiche he came into this worlde then he should retourne to his father he woulde not that his spouse the Churche should lacke that incomparable treasure of the Gospell whiche he hym selfe brought down from heauen For seing the cause of his comming was to builde agayne the taberdacle of Dauid whiche was fallen downe and to repaire the ruine therof that is to say that he might erecte and stablishe his kyngdome in the middest of his Churche whiche according to the oracles of the Prophetes he should gather together out of all people and tongues he thought it not sufficient to offer the happy and gladde tidinges of the Gospell to theÌ„ which were at hand namely to the Iewes but he would haue the benefite of the heauenly calling offered to them also whiche were farre of to witte the Gentiles For God had also determined from the beginning that the Gentiles shoulde be heyres knit in one body fellowship of the promises in Christe through the preaching of the Gospell Christe therefore rysing as a conquerer from death coÌ„maunded his Apostels being endewed with heauenly vertue to go into all the worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures teaching the Gentiles to obserue all thinges that he had commaunded them But because the nomber of twelue did not suffice for so great a multitude of men as the king of all kinges had decreed to call to saluation by the shryll trumpe of his Gospell after he had obtained of his father and that the holy Ghoste was sente downe on his Apostels he enriched encreased and adorned his Churche with men indewed with heauenly wisdome whose ministery he would vse to the ende of the worlde in feading the flocke redemed by the sheading of his bloude Therefore he ordeined some Apostlels some Prophetes some Pastors some Teachers to the gathering together of the sainctes to the woorke of the ministery and to the edefying of Christes body But alas after the departing of those watchemen there was in all the worlde so great scarsitie of faythfull ministers that those heauenly ryches wherewith the Churche was beautified were not on euery part so plainely set forth as the worthynes of the thing it selfe did require For it was brought to passe by the wilines of Sathan that fearce enemy of the Euangelicall truthe that in stede of faithfull Pastors innumerable gredy and rauening Wolues did craftely insinuate or wynde in them selues in to the flocke of Christe whiche straightwaye being disguised with those worthy titles of Pastors did vnder that
out of those wrytinges whiche were employed and consecrate to the Churche it selfe by holy men whiche bestowed all their labour and study to enlarge the true faith and for that cause they may well be termed Ecclesiasticall wryters Secondly because it appertayneth of dutie to the Churche to knowe the familiar voyce of their spouse who speaketh vnto her sitting in the heauens and that by the helpe of his seruauntes to wytte faithfull ministers who for that same cause are called in the Scriptures the interpretours of Gods wyll and the messengers whiche bryng fidinges of the reconciliation betwene God and man. But we call it Catholike that is vniuersall because it is gathered vniuersally out of all the most appro◅ed deuines And for because welbeloued brethren in Christe you whiche yet grone vnder the yoake o◅◅ntechriste dispersed here and there you desier with ardent affectiōs to knowe those things whiche may guyde you to the perfect vnitie and certaintie of faythe I moste earnestly request you that as the Churches restored to their integritie enioye the sacred sermons lectures communication and publique conference of the selfe same men whiche haue enriched this woorke with their labours so you also vse gladly and cherefully this exposition of the newe Testament that your fayth may haue the better successe and Christes spirite by the reading of the Scriptures may in suche wyse mortefie whatsoeuer concupiscence of the fleshe is remayning in you that we may all speake thinke and vnderstande one thyng being one whole body Flie therefore all peregrine straunge doctrines and geue attentiue eare to the moste swete voyce of that great shepehearde of the shepe Christe Iesus who by his Apostels and Euangelistes teacheth you moste playnly the way to saluation Despise with a stoute courage the forged tales and traditiōs of men by whiche your consciences are snared and imbrace the libertie achieued by Christe and worthely set forth in this newe Testament whereof you haue here an exposition no lesse sounde than playne and euident Not that this interpretation is so perfect absolute in euery point that nothinge may be added thereto pertayning to doctrine and edification for who can examine or interprete any one place of Scripture so happely and dilligently that no man shal be able to expresse the same more playnely or obserue in it somewhat more helping either to teache exhorte or reconcile other places Neither was it my intente to vrge the studentes in holy Scriptures to kepe silence but rather not onely to exhorte all the Godly but also to desier them for Gods sake that if they haue attayned anye thing either by reuelation of the spirite or by the commentaries of other whome we haue not sene to brynge it and make it commen so that it be briefe and fitte to edefie whiche howe necessary it is in serious matters there is none but wyll confesse For ouer and besides the newe bookes whiche come forth dayly whereby this worke might bee enlarged I am fully perswaded that the authours them selues out of whose wrytinges I haue taken this exposition are so farre from ambition and emulation that they desier nothing more than that they to whome the gifte of prophecie is graunted shoulde not defraude the Churche thereof for whose sake they haue receiued that whiche they haue I sought therefore to profite them onely whiche with vpright conscience seke the symple and peculiar sence of the Scriptures leauing vnto the Church whom God endeweth euery day with marueilous giftes libertie to adde according to tyme and place what semeth to belonge to the common edifyinge of the godly as is wont to be done in the holy assembles and metinge where the Godly communing of diuine matters haue libertie to bringe forth or alleage in the middest of the company that whiche they haue receiued of the father of lightes so that if it be reuealed to an other sitting by the firste doth willingly kepe silence as the Apostell commaundeth Nowe as concerning the authours out of whose commentaries or annotation vppon the Gospell after Mathewe this exposition is collected we haue declared their names in the next leafe following And leaste the often repetition of their whole names should trouble the readers we haue signified thē by their first letters although that thing semed once vnto me not greatly necessary if this one admonition of my frēdes had not prouoked me thereto who tolde me that it would fall out that some would reproue me of a lye for because this woorke being intituled a Catholyke exposition collected out of sondrye interpretours should neuertheles appeare to be one discourse neither would they beleue any other except we did note by letters euery particuler mans woordes But where I my selfe did incline to that parte not to discrie the authours names by letters I was led hereby because I feared the disposition of some who being addicted to men do for the moste part measure approue and reiect the interpretations according to the authoritie and estimation of the man rather considering the men than what the holy Ghoste pronounced by them to the common erudition of the Churche Moreouer the readers peraduenture will marueyle that I note so fewe woordes out of some authours but let them vnderstande this that when I finde one that sayth the same that almoste all the reste do whether it be in fewe woordes or many so it be in more playne woordes his woordes I haue chosen yet as it were weauing to or vniting out of other that whiche he had either omitted or lefte vnspoken for one man can not speake of all thinges for want of memory neither is occasion offered If at any tyme a diuers or contrary exposition happen to be founde among the authours I haue so described the same that I haue noted what the reader should followe Neither shall there be founde in this booke a hotche potche of opinions if wee maye so terme it whereby the Reader myght bee troubled not edefied but sounde and true doctrine and the same throughout the whole booke guyding vs to the father and Iesus Christe his sonne Therefore good brethren accepte and according to goodnes and equitie allowe his dilligence whiche together with you wysheth before all thinges the increase of Christes kyngdome and the destruction of Antechriste Do you also your endeuour with earnest ardent zeale to professe Christes Gospell neither as some falsely termed Christians do be you ashamed of it by constant confession whereof the glorious sentence of Christe is onely to be hoped for who shall approue the same before his heauenly father and electe Angels And verely no man is able worthely to commende the excellency and frute of the eternall wysdome of God whiche is opened in the Gospell For the Gospell is The light vvhiche the people that vvalked in darkenes did see and vvhiche sprang vp to them vvhich sate in the region of the shadovve of death It is the kyngdome of God vvhich approched to vs vvhich
the promises because God had promised that the seede should come of Abraham in the which al the nations of the earth shuld be blessed But to Dauid there was a more playne promise made namely that his kingdom shulde abide firme euen vnto the worlds ende and that a kynge out of his loynes should syf vpon the throne so long as the sonne the moone endured Wherfore it was a common speache amonge the Iewes to call Christ the sonne of Dauid M. The cause therefore why Mathewe doth place Dauid before Abraham was the same and renowne which Dauid had in that Age among the people when so euer they talked of Christ to com which fame was first brought by the wordes of the prophetes with whom it was counted a solem matter to prophesy of Chryst vnder the name of Dauid Euen so in many places the people cried vnto christ Thou sonne of Dauid and Hosanna to thée sonne of Dauid And the Phariseis being demaūded as concerning Christ whose sonne he was aunswered the son of Dauid S. Paule also sayth whiche was borne of the sede of Dauid after the fleshe A. But because the genealogy or pedegrewe of Christe is described and set forth by the two Euangelistes as by Mathewe and Luke and that not without great difference as it might seeme this chiefly ought to be considered whether both of them do bryng the petegrew of Christ from Ioseph or whether Mathew doth it alone and Luke from Mary They which thinke that Luke bringeth the petegrew of Christ from Mary haue a speciall pretence of difference in diuerse names and trewely at the fyrste syght a man can not perceiue that Mathewe and Luke do declare all one petegrewe there is so muche difference betwene them For in the genealogy frō Dauid to Salathiell from Zorobabell to Ioseph Mathew nameth not one of those names which Luke nameth Furthermore they say that is very absurde to bestowe so muche laboure in a thynge not necessary as to haue the stocke of Ioseph who notwithstandinge was not the father of Ioseph twise recited And because Mathewe hath recited the progeny and ofspringe of Ioseph they excuse the matter and say that it was done for many mens sakes which thought him as yet to be the father of Chryst But truely it had ben great folly by suche sufferance to maynteine a perniciouse errour also the text it selfe is manifestly repugnant and contrary to it For so sone as the Euangelist Mathew commeth to the ende of the genealogy or petegrew hee teacheth that Christ came not of the seede of Ioseph but that he was conceyued in the wombe of the virgyn by the secret working of the holy ghost Wherfore if theyr reason shuld stande and be allowed then we must nedes condemne Mathew of folishenes and rashnes that he in vaine woulde recite from whence Ioseph hadde his originall But theyr obiection is not yet aunswered which affirme that the progeny of Ioseph doth nothing parteine vnto Christ We aunswere therfore that the stocke of Mary is comprehended in the person of Ioseph B. because the lawe commanded euerye man to take a wyfe of his owne tribe As it is wrytten Euery man shal marry his wife of his own tribe and kinred euery woman shall take her husbande of the same trybe that the inheritaunce of the children of Israell remoue not from trybe to trybe C. They gather against this law saying that it was almost neuer vsed but neglected But the argumentes which they bring in are but vayne They alleage an exāple out of the booke of Iudges because the eleuē tribes promised that in no wise thei wold geeue any of their daughters to wyfe to the trybe of Beniamin It may be aunswered that very vnaptly they bryng in that which is extraordinary and nothing to the purpose for a common rule For it must needes be that one trybe beynge cut of the body of the people must be mutilate lame and imperfecte excepte the last extremitie by this remedy were holpen Therfore the common lawe in this place must not be regarded Beside this they do obiecte that Mary being the mother of Christ was cosyn to Elizabeth whom Luke at the firste wytnessed to be of the daughters of Aron This also maye easelye be aunswered namely that it was lawefull for younge damsels of the tribe of Iuda or of any other tribe to be maried frō them to the priestly trybe because the lawe dyd not gainsay it which was that no woman shulde remoue her inheritaunce from one trybe to an other So doth the sacred hystory make mētion that the wyfe of Ioiada the hie priest sprange of a kingely stocke Therfore no strange or vnwonted thing is it if that the mother of Elizabeth were ioyned to a priest Wherfore these two generations written by Mathew and Luke do very well agree together Yet notwithstandynge there are fower differences to be noted First Luke preposterously as a man maye terme it ascendeth vpwarde from the later ende to the begynning where as Mathew beginneth euen at the originall and so desendeth The seconde is because that Mathewes beginning tendeth no farther then to the holy and chosen seede of Abraham but Luke euen from Adam goeth forwarde The thirde is because Mathewe onely taketh in hande the legal stocke or stocke perteyning to Christ and cutteth of and omitteth some men in the order of the rehersal of the petegrew and seking to help the memory of the readers he reckeneth vp onely thre tymes fouertene generations but Luke dothe more exactly prosecute the naturall stocke of Christe The fourth and last is that these twoo speaking of one and the self same men do somtimes notwithstanding vary and disagree in their names As concerning the first difference because it is not hard but very easy it wer to no effect to make more wordes about the same then were requisite The secōd wanteth no good reason For seing that God had chosen to hym selfe the seede of Abraham from the whiche the redemer of the worlde shoulde come and seing the promised sauynge health was there after a sorte included vntill the commyng of Christ Mathew passeth not the boundes or lymittes appoynted of God. Wee must remember what S. Paule saith Christ was made a minister of the circumcision of the trueth of God to confyrme the promyses made vnto the fathers To the whiche agreeth the saying of our sauiour Chryst namely that Saluation sprang of the Iewes So that Mathew placeth him to be sene in that stock to the whiche he was properly and peculiarly appoynted Therfore in the petegrew of Mathew we must consider the couenant of God by the whiche he chose the seede of Abrahā to be a people to him selfe that they mighte be hedged in as it were and seperated from other nations But Luke had a further consideration and regarde for although God had made his leage and couenante with Abraham that of his séede
the redemer shold spring notwithstandinge we knowe that from the defection and fall of the fyrst man he was necessary to all mē euen as he was then ordeyned appoynted to the whole world This was don by the wonderfull wisedom of God that Luke shoulde describe declare vnto vs that Christ was the sonne of Adam and that Mathewe should include him in the stock and kinred of Abraham For it should haue nothing profited vs that Christ was geuē and appoynted of the father to be the redemer and author of saluation except he had perteined generally to al men alike Furthermore the sayinge of the Apostel should not be true that he was to daye and to morrowe and for euer excepte his grace and goodnesse had ben powred out apon al ages from the creation of the worlde Let vs therfore know for a suertie that saluation by Iesus Christ is made manifest geuen to all mankind for so muche as not without cause he is called the sonne of Noe the sonne of Adam Notwithstandinge because he must be sought for in the worde of God the spirite dothe not rashely or without good consideration call vs backe by this oure Euangelist Mathewe to the holye stocke and kynred of Abraham where the treasure of euerlastinge lyfe wyth Christ was layed vp for a tyme. As touchinge the thirde difference there is not doubt but that Mathewe obserueth an other maner of order then doth Luke for the one hath Salamon the sonne of Dauid and the other hath Nathan the sonne of Dauid wherupon it euidently appereth that there are dyuerse lyniall descentes appoynted The best and most cunning interpretours do thus vnite and reconcile this shewe and apparance of discorde namely that Mathew leauinge the naturall lyne and stocke which Luke followeth doth reherse the legall genealogy or petegrewe And wee interprete that to be the legall genealogye by the whiche it was ordeyned that the right of the kingdome shoulde come to Salathiell And where as Eusebius in his fyrst booke of his Ecclesiasticall hystorie calleth the genealogy which is described of Luke a legall petegrewe it commeth all to one effecte For he meaneth nothinge elles then that the same kingedome whiche by lawful right was stablished in the person of Solomon came at the length to Salathiell But more trewly and parfectlye a great deale do they speake which saye that the legall petegrew was set forth of Mathew because he naminge Solomon streight after Dauid doth not al together by order still obserue of whō Christ cam as touching the fleshe but howe he descēded and sprange out of Solomon and other kinges that he might be the lawful successour in whose hande the eternitie of the kingdome should be stablished accordinge to the couenant and promise of god For their opinion is probable and likely which think that the stocke of Solomon ended by the death of Ochozias As touching that which many allege out of the cōmentaries of the Iewes how that it was cōmaunded of Dauid that if at any time the issue of Solomon should decay or want that thē the kingdome shulde come to the posteritie of Nathan we leaue vnspoken and we take that onely whiche is certayne namely that the successiō of the kingdome was not confounded but that the degres therof were distinct Now where as the sacred historie doth shewe that after the deathe of Ochozias the kyngedome was taken of his mother Athalia all the kinges séede destroyed it is very euident plaine that those horrible and wicked slaughters were procured of a woman ambitious and desirous of rule least shée being brought to a priuate estate and meane condition of lyfe shoulde see the kingedome remoued and taken away Therefore if the sonne of Ochozias hadde bene alyue Athalia the grandmother shoulde quietly haue raygned vnder the collour of protectiō without enuy or daūger But the reason why Ioas is sayd to be the sonne of Ochozias is this because he was the next of kinne or bloud they called him so to the end he might in dede be thought to be the trewe and naturall heire of the kingedome For if Athalia had ben the grandmother of Ioas in déede he beinge an infant shée woulde neuer wyllingly haue so muche abused his titel againe what man of indifferent iudgement wil thincke it likely that the naturall sonne of the kynge coulde be so priuyly hydden by Ioiada the priest that the grandmother by diligent care and serche shuld not finde him out But rather if a man waye all thynges wisely he shall finde that the next heyre of the kingedome was of an other stocke And that is the meaninge of the woordes of Ioiada the priest when he sayde the kinges sonne shall raigne accordinge to the couenant of the lorde with Dauid as who shuld say it was an execrable thing for a woman beinge a straunger to take by violence vnto her the which God wold haue stande in the house of Dauid Wherefore it is no absurditie if Luke bring the stocke of Christe from Nathan because it mighte be that the stock of Solomon as perteining to the succession of the kingdome myght decaye Now if any do obiect that Iesus Christ can not be known to be the Messias whiche was promised but by the posteritie of Solomon who without all doubte was a figure of Christe we answere that al though he sprāg not naturally from Solomon yet notwithstāding by the legall order he ought to be coūted thought his sonne because he tooke his originall and beginninge of kinges But so great dyuersitie in names troubleth many very muche For from Dauid to Ioseph there semeth to be no agrement at al betwene the twoo Euangelistes sauing onely betwene Zorobabell and Salathiell This difference is sayde to come because the Iewes for the most part had two names but this excuse of some is not well lyked But truely for so much as the maner order of bringing placing genealogies petegrewes is not well knowne to vs now adayes the whiche order Mathew kept and folowed it is no marueile if we be ignorant knowe not howe bothe of them do agree or differ in euerye name and yet not withstandinge it can not be doubted but that frō the tyme of the exile of Babilō they rekned certain men by diuers names and yet the selfe and same men But in Salathiel and Zorobabel bothe the names were kept still peraduenture for the altered state of the people because then the kingely throne and maiestie was cleane extinguyshed put out And that small and thyn shadowe of domination and rule being left as a remnant there apered a marueylous chāge whiche change shoulde admonishe all the faithful to hope for a more excellēt kingdome then the vysible kingdome of Salomon whiche for a short time onely florished This also is now worthy the notinge namely that it is no absurdytie for Luke in his Cataloge or rehersall to recken vp more then Mathew when
will ensue and seeke to get with synguler diligence puritie innocency and trewe godlines 9. And be not of suche mynde that ye would say within your selues we haue AbrahaÌ„ to our father For I saye vnto you that God is able of these stones to rayse vp children to Abraham And be not of suche E. That is lyue not so that you may seme to lay al your trust in Abraham M. Or be not of this opion to saye that you are the sonnes of AbrahaÌ„ as though that were sufficient to righteousenesse to be begotteÌ„ of saintes C. Vntill hypocrites are oppressed they slepe securely in theyr synnes but when they are cyted so the tribunal seate of God carefully they seke for starting holes and lurking places or some couering to hideÌ„ them selues Thus therefore Iohn doth speake to the Phariseies and Saduceis Nowe that you are sharpely reproued of mée I would not haue you do as others are wonte whiche are lyke vnto you to seke for remedy by a false vaine and coloured pretence For he doth extorte froÌ„ them the vaine trust with the which they were bewitched The league and couenaunte that God made with Abraham was as it were a target or buckeler to couer their euill conscience not that they would place all their saluation vpon one man but because God had adopted all the stocke of Abraham not wayinge at all that none were of the séede of Abraham but suche as followed his faithe and that the league of god was not ratified to profite to saluation but by fayth Therfore Iohn addeth not this in vaine VVithin your selues For althoughe they boasted not with their toÌ„gues that they were the sonnes of AbrahaÌ„ yet inwardly they greatly gloryed of this title as hipocrites are not ashamed at all to iest more grossely to dally with God than with men VVe haue Abraham M. Iohn knewe that they were the sonnes of Abraham as also Christe witnesseth saying I knowe that you are the sonnes of AbrahaÌ„ he knew that the couenant was not only made with Abraham but with his séede also I wyll make a couenaunt betwene thée and mée betwene my séede and thy séede after thée c. This he had neuer taken froÌ„ them if they wold haue followed the steps of their father Abraham But because after a preposterouse sorte they flattered them selues through the promises made by God to Abraham and because they perswaded them selues that it was possible that they shoulde be cut of because the promise was made for euer to Abraham and his posteritie their hartes were so hardened that at no time they were moued at the threteninges of God to powre vengeance on them therfore after the apte and profitable exhortation to bring forth fruites of repentaÌ„ce he thoughte to take away this preposterouse securitie and carelesnesse For I say vnto you C. The Iewes dyd flatter them selues almost after the same maner that the Papistes do at this daye aduance them selues It is necessary that some church be in the world because god wyll be knowen in the worlde and wyll haue his name called vppon And his churche can be no where but amonge vs with whom the lorde hath made his couenaunte The hye priestes and bysshoppes swelled aboue others with arrogancie and others which were of great power and authoritie with them For the common sorte of people were counted prophane and accursed of them as we maye reade in Iohn But theye thought them selues to be holy primates and heades euen as at this daye our horned byshoppes our abbotes our monkes our channons oure fryers and euerye masse prieste being eleuated and puffed vp with the proude tytle of Clergy did muche despise the laytie Iohn dothe refell and confute this errour that they do to much restraine the promyse of god shewinge that althoughe God do want them yet he will haue his churche The effecte therefore of his woordes is this God made an euerlastinge couenaunte with Abraham and his séede Yet one thinge deceiueth you that when you are more theÌ„ bastardes you thinck your selues to be the sonnes of AbrahaÌ„ Therfore God will rayse vp a newe seede to Abraham which nowe apereth not For Iohn speaketh here in the datiue case he will rayse vp to Abraham sonnes that they may vnderstand that the promise of god shall not be voide but stande in effecte still Neither was Abraham deceiued although his sede died in them So that froÌ„ the beginning of the world god was true iust in his promises to his seruauntes Neither dothe he at any tyme leaue of to geue his grace to those that be his children althoughe he reiecte hipocrytes Neyther dothe Iohn speake here of the callinge of the Gentiles as some suppose but he meaneth the verye stones without any further sence For because that prowde men thought it vnpossible that his churche should be caried to an other place he sheweth that the lorde hath meanes waies in his hande to delyuer his church which they thoughte not vppon euen as if he shoulde create newe sonnes to him selfe of stones As if he should haue said I declare vnto you that God is of such power that althoughe he vtterly destroy you as you haue deserued yet he can rayse vp children to his beloued Abraham euen of these stones Te lyke argument our sauiour Christ vsed saying I say vnto you that if these holde their peace the stones shal cry Abraham had respect vnto this power of God when he was commaunded to offer vp his sonne 10 Euen nowe is the axe layde vnto the rote of the tree euery tree that bryngeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fyer Euen novve is the axe layde to the roote C. After that Iohn had taken awaye the cloake of vayne truste from the hypocrites he denounceth vnto them that the iudgemeÌ„t of God is at hande Before he shewed them that being expelled they were not the people of God now he addeth that God is bent to banishe rote out al chose that are vnworthy from his church euen as barren vnfruitful rotten trees ar woÌ„t to be cut vp The efecte is this that God is purposed to purge his church For the grace of God neuer coÌ„meth forthe to the healthe of the godly but also his iudgement cometh forth to the destructioÌ„ of the world that for two causes because then god wil seperate his people from the reprobate and the ingratitude of the world prouoketh newe anger Wherefore no maruaile if the preaching of the gospell and the comming of Christ haue remoued the axe to the cuttiÌ„g vp of the wicked trees do daily hasten against them the vengeance of God. Is hevven dovvne and cast into the fyer B. Here he saithe that as trees whiche in vayne comber the grounde and are vnfrutful are cast into the fier euen so shal you be cast out of the laÌ„d and be consumed with fier which hitherto haue ben vnfrutful vnthankful to Goâ—…
goodes and hated and despised of al men But on the contrary parte the lorde pronounceth them blessed so that they suffer the same persecution and afflictiō for the lorde rightuousnes sake Of the whiche doctrine the disciples of Christe haue great nede and the more harde and greuously that fleshe wyll beare the same the more intentiuely we ought to meditate vpon the same Neyther is there any other condition to fighte vnder the banner of Christe then that when the whole world doth ryse against vs and pursue vs to the death The matter is thus Sathan the prince of the worlde ceaseth not to arme his souldiours with furious madnes to the ende they may ryse against the members of Christe This is very monstrous truly and exceadinge nature that they whiche imbrace righteousnes should be violently vexed contrary to their desert Therefore Peter sayth Who is it that wyll harme you if ye followe that which is good yea happy are ye if any trouble happen vnto you for righteousnes sake But in suche vntamed and fierce wickednes of the worlde it hapneth to much oftentimes that the good by the zeale of righteousnes do inflame the hatered of the wycked against them selues and this is specially common vnto Christians to be hated of the greatest number of men For fleshe can not beare the doctrine of the Gospel none can abyde to haue their faltes reproued M. But persecution is an obstinate pursewing to destroy by the whiche there is no place of reste and quietnes geuen but the destruction of innocentes is soughte with all kynde of violence and deceites For righteousnes C. They are sayde to suffer for righteousnes whiche therefore purchase and prouoke the hatred of euell men because with all their indeuour they resiste that whiche is euell and defende that whiche is good In this part therefore the truthe of God worthely hath the preheminence Wherfore by this note Christe doth disceuer his martyres from the euell and wycked persones A. According to that saying of Peter Se that none of you be punished as a murther or as a thiefe or as an euell doer If any man suffer as a Christian man let him not be ashamed but glorifie god on this behalf Therfore for so muche as all they whiche wyll liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution as witnesseth the apostell Paule this admonition dothe belonge to all the godly alike But and if the lorde do at any tyme beare with our infirmitie weakenes and wil not suffer the wicked to vex vs at their pleasure notwithstanding it is mete that in peace and reste we meditate and thinke vpon this doctrine that we may be ready so often as nede shal require to come into the field and not to encoūter with our enemy vntil we be therunto sufficiently armed and appointed For theirs in the kingdome of A. This is a moste ample and large rewarde of the which also S. Iames speaketh thus Happy is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of lyfe whiche the lorde hathe promised to them that loue him For so much as therefore in the whole race of this lyfe the state of the godly is moste miserable Christe doth worthely call vs vnto the hope of a heauenly lyfe Bu. And therefore the lorde whiche is liberall shall rewarde vs for the losse of our countrey for our goodes taken from vs for the vayne glory of this worlde he wyll geue vs a celestiall countrey euerlasting goodes and perfecte glory farre exceading the light in brightnes 11 Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsely saye all maner of euill saying against you for my sake Blessed are ye vvhen men reuile you M. Here by a figure called Apostrophe be declareth to whom he hath spoken al these things namely to his disciples which beleued in him whiche were afflicted by dyuers meanes despised and reiected for the Gospels sake C. But the Euāgelist Luke hath Blessed shall ye be when men hate you and thrust you out of their company and rayle on you and abhorre your names as an euill thinge By the whiche wordes Christ would comforte his faithfull that they should not be discouraged although they perceiued them selues to be the moste detestable in the sight of the worlde For this was no small temptatiō to be cast out of the churche as prophane and Heathenishe men For when as he knewe that nothinge was more venemous then hypocrites Furthermore when he forsawe with what violēt force the enemies of the Gospell were vehemently inflamed against his litle and cōtemned flocke he woulde fortifie them that they might not fainte although an exceading sorte of reproches were presently ready to be layde against them And hereby it appeareth how litle the excommunication and cursing of the Pope is to be feared when as he lyke a tyraunt doth separate vs from his synagoge because we wyll not be diuorsed frō Christ And shall falsely say all A. The children of this worlde because they can not hate them which are indewed with the spirite of Christe because they so lyue that they cannot worthely deserue their hate and be afflicted in stede of the truthe they inuente false crimes the whiche they alleage as causes worthy of hatred persecution M. Here they saye that they reiecte not the woorde of God but that they cannot beare with suche as are alterers of custome makers of new thinges disturbers of peace and religion and finally contemners of true worship So Christe was accused to Pilate that he seduced the people and that he was a mouer of sedition against the empire And the enemies of Steuen brought in false witnes which sayd we harde him speake contumelious woordes against Moyses and against god M. And Christians were called malefactours murtherers and seditious persones As concerning the whiche we may reade in Tertullian howe the wicked cried against the Christians if any calamitie trouble chaunced To the beastes to the beastes away with the churcherobbers it is not mete for suche wicked persones to lyue and suche kynde of cruell and reprochefull woordes cried they against them For my sake Bu. That is if thou suffer persecution for Christe and his Gospell not for thy faltes and wicked desertes Finally if they be false and imagined accusations whiche are layde against thée thou shalt be happy and blessed For if thou be called a mouer of sedition an heretyke a robber of God of his honour and arte suche a one in dede so that they be verified in thee then thou hast no cause to thynke thy selfe happy but rather accursed 12 Be glad and reioyce for great is your rewarde in heauen for so they persecuted the Prophetes whiche were before you Be glad and reioyce C. By these woordes he declareth that the remedy is at hande least we should be dismayed with iniust reproches and slaunders
this kynde of seasonynge by the whiche onely oure putrifaction is corrected and amended but in the meane tyme let the saltours take hede that they suffer not the worlde in their foolishenes yea much more let them take hede that they infecte them not with their euell and corrupte seasoning And therefore the impudency of the Papistes is not to be borne with all who are not ashamed to adorne and decke their masking Prelates with these tytels that none myght so hardy of his eares reprehende any thing in them As though truely it were the purpose of Christe to geue vnto his disciples vnlaufull lybertie and to appoynte and make them slears of soules as tyrauntes and not rather to admonyshe them of their dutie leaste they shoulde departe from the righte lyne Christe dothe here shewe what manner of persones he would haue the teachers of his Churche to be Let therefore all vnsauory ministers pastors and teachers yea and suche specially as vaunte them selues to be the Apostels successours let suche I saye consider what a seuere commination and threatning our lorde and maister pronounceth against them that they of all men are in worse case if they be vnsauoury As plainlye we may reade in the prophecie of Malachy V. Wherefore let the preachers of the woorde take hede that they discharge their office and callynge throughlye leaste that the curse of the Lorde pronounced by the mouthe of the Prophete fall vppon them sayinge Seynge thou haste refused vnderstandynge therefore wyll I refuse the also so that thou shalt be no more my Prieste 14 You are the lighte of the worlde a cittie set on a hill cannot be hidde You are the light of the vvorlde M. He speaketh here in effect the same thing which he spake in the wordes going before sauing that he addeth a more plaine admonition Bu. Those whome before he called salte he now calleth light and where as before he called them the salte of the earth he now calleth thē the light of the world so that nowe by the worlde he vnderstandeth men liuing in the worlde Therfore as there is nothing more clere then the lighte so there is nothing more proffitable then the same He hathe very well therefore shadowed and prefigured the teachers of the church by the lighte by that meanes also the celestial euangelicall doctrine then the which as there is nothing more pure cleane so there is nothing that doth more replenishe vs with heauēly benefites thē that For the Prophete saith Thy woorde is a lanterne to my fete a light to my pathes C. For although we be all the sonnes of lighte after we be illuminated by faithe are cōmaunded to haue cādels burning in oure handes least we wāder in darkenes yea and to shewe others the way of life Notwithstandinge because the preaching of the Gospel was appointed to the apostles aboue other men also at this day is appointed to the pastors of the church Christ did specially geue this titel vnto them as if he should haue saide that for this cause they were placed in this degrée to shyne clerely vnto all men M. Finally Christe doth plainly shewe that this world without the doctrine of the kingdome of God whereof his disciples shoulde be the ministers should be oppressed quite ouer whelmed with the darke obscure cloudes of errour and finne Furthermore we see that the ministers of Christe ought to be in steade of the light lighting the darkenes of this worlde because of the doctrine of truthe whiche they shewe to the whole worlde For this is iudgement that light is come into the worlde and men loue darkenes more then lighte The doctrine of the Gospel is the light bewraying detecting and reprouing vngodlines and the ignoraunce of the true pietie of God and for this name it is muche enuied of the worlde for he which doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the lighte least his dedes should be made manifest Then after it hath put awaye the darkenes of ignoraunce it offereth the knowledge of God and true godlines to the hartes of mortall men But here it maye be demaunded how and after what sorte the disciples are the lighte of the worlde when as Iohn woulde not graunte the same to the foreronner of Christ saying He was not the lighte but he graunted that Christe was the light of the worlde And Christe speaking of him selfe saith I am the light of the worlde I aunswer Christe is the true light which receiueth not the light from any other but by his owne proper nature hath strengthe and power to illuminate His Apostels haue not so but are therefore called the lighte because they bare wytnes of the true lighte and they receyued the brightnes of the deuine knowledge of that lighte whiche saythe I haue chosen and ordayned you And agayne without me ye can do nothyng Euen so Iohn was a burnyng and shyuing lyghte but not of hym selfe for he was lyghted of this lyghte whiche is Christe Bu. The synceritie and integritie both of lyfe and manners whiche oughte to be in them is signified by this lyghte as appeareth by the woordes followynge So let youre lyghte shyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauē Hereuppon Saynt Paule saythe do all thynges without murmuringe and disputynge that ye may be suche as no mā can complayne on and vnfained sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a croked and peruerse nation amonge whome see that ye shyne as lyghtnes in the worlde A cittie buylte on a hill cannot be hid Bu. Nowe he sheweth by this parable that the heauenly doctrine and the lyfe of the teacher muste be godly holye pure perfecte and irreprehensible B. But oure lorde leafte the exposition of this collation to the intelligence of the hearers as thus As a cittie builte on a hill cannot be hid euen so ye can not be hyd neither ought ye but ye shal be made manifest vnto the whole worlde euen as a cittie set vppon an hill Wherefore by all meanes endeuour your selues that men may se that in you whiche is godly and verteous to immitate and followe 15 Neither do men lighte a candell and put it vnder a bushell but on a candelsticke that it may geue light to all that are in the house Neither do men light a candel C. He doth shew vnto thē by these wordes that they ought so to lyue as if they were set forth for all mē to be hold And certainly the more a mā doth excell the more he doth hurte by his euell example if he behaue him selfe not well Christ therfore wold haue his disciples to be more ware and circumspect to leade a godly sober lyfe then are the cōmon sort of people because al men do beholde them as candels and that they are in no wise to be borne withal except
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
their ennemie most vigilant and crafty agaynst them and because they haue their cōuersation in heauen they are as yet subiecte to the hate mischife of the worlde and because they obey the spirite the fleshe is disobedient vnto them draweth thē to wicked things so that not without cause we are taught here to pray And leade vs not into temptatiō but delyuer vs frō euil C But this word tēptation is in the scriptures often times taken generally for euery kinde of tryall probation In the which sence Abrahā is said to be temted of God when his faith was tried So we are oftē times tried as wel in aduersitie as prosperitie because by this occasion the affections of men are manifest which before were not known But here is noted the internal temptation whiche may wel be called the deuils bellowes to kindel our cōcupiscēce for it were an absurd thing to aske of God to pray hym that we may be frée from al documentes instructions of our faith Therefore all wicked motiōs which cause vs to sinne are comprehēded vnder the name of tēptation Although it cannot be but that we must féele such prickes motions in our minde because al our life time we haue a cōtinual battel with the flesh notwithstanding we desire of god that he wil not suffer vs to be subiect or leade vs to tēptation And to the ende Christ might the better expresse to how great fall ruyne we are subiecte except god of his mercy stay vs with his hand he vsed this maner of speach And leade vs not into temptation For it is certain that euery man is tempted of his own concupiscence as S. Iames saith but because God dothe not onely geue sathan libertie to kindell in vs the fier of concupiscēce but also vseth him as a minister of his Ire so often as he purposeth to destroy men he him self also by his own meanes leadeth to tēptation In the which sence the euill spirite of God is saide to come vpon Saule and to the same effect do many places of scripture tende yet notwithstāding we may not cal God the aucthour of euyl because although he geue ouer men into a reprobate sence yet he vseth not vpon thē tyranny but his iust secrete iudgement But deliuer vs from euyl C. By this name of euill whether we vnderstād the deuil or sinne it maketh no matter Sathā truely is that enemie which seketh cōtinually whom he may deuour the armoure wherwith he is prepared to destroy vs is sin The ende therefore of our prayer is that we be not ouercome with temptatiōs but that we may stand by the power of the lorde agaynst al the force of Sathan and that we beinge protected and gouerned vnder the shadow of his wings may tryumphe ouer sinne deathe hel gates and al the kingdome of the deuyl which is to be deliuered from euyll For thine is the kingdome C. It is meruayle that this clause so wel agreing with the rest was pretermitted of the Latines Neyther was this therefore added onely that he might kyndel our hartes to desire the glorye of God and to shewe vs what the scope and ende of our prayers oughte to be but also to teache vs that the praiers which are here declared vnto vs ar groūded vpon none other then God onely lest we woulde truste to our owne merytes For although nowe we be most miserable although we be of al creatures most vnworthy and althoughe we be voide of al commendation yet for al that we shal neuer want occasion to pray oure faith cannot decrease because all kingedome dominion power and glory perteyneth vnto hym and can neuer be taken from hym M. Firste therefore we attribute this vnto God that his is the kingdome By this woorde kingdome is vnderstode al right and power of raigning of rulinge of gouerninge protectynge and defendinge The povver This is added that we should not thinke the kyngdome of God to be weake and voyde of force and mighte and that we shuld not thynke it to be for wante of power that he dothe not reuenge hym selfe of theim whiche acknowledge not his kingdome What power therefore so euer there be in any place it parteyneth not vnto the creature but vnto God. And the glory That is magnificence and the honour of al things The which if any man vnderstande of the dewe praise glory of god it shal be al one to say thou only art to be honored praysed and glorified For euer and euer M. This is added that we might acknowledge the kingdom of god our father to be perpetual his power infinite and his glorye euerlastinge The which things the prophete comprehēdeth after this sorte sayinge All thy workes praise thée O lord thy saintes geue thākes vnto thée They shewe the glory of thy kingdome talke of thy power that thy power thy glory mightines of thy kingdome mighte be known vnto men Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kyngdome thy dominion indureth throughout al ages Amen C. By this word the feruente desier to obteine those thynges which we aske of God is expressed our hope is confirmed that those thinges which we aske are granted vnto vs because of the promyses of God whiche can not be broken M. This is an Hebrew word hauing a signification of a certaintie and truth And this word is vsed two maner of waies First to expresse the affection desire of him that praieth And here is required the consent of the minde that which consent truely they haue not which pray without the minde or marke not the which is spoken of others As concernynge the which reade the. 14. of S. Paule in his 1. epis to the Corin. The other is that we declare that we do not only wishe that the thing may com to passe which is spokē but also that we know certainly that it will come to passe In this sence a sure vndoubted Faith is required Thus Christ him selfe oftē times said ▪ Amen Amē dico vobis Verely verelye I saye vnto you This word amen being said our conscience is pacified and so we ende our prayer 14. For if ye forgeue men their trespasses your heauenly father shall also Bu. By a certaine repetition or relation here he retourneth to the whiche he spake euen now saying And forgeue vs oure debtes as we forgeue our debters C. And doth teach vs that god wil not be intreated of vs except we likewyse do forgeue thē which by any meanes do hurte vs And surely except we be harder then stele or stony flint this exhortatiō ought to mollifie vs to make vs tractable to remit our offenders Except God should forgeue the manifold sinns that we daily cōmit we know that we shold perishe many waies truely god dothe forgeue vs vpon no other conditiō then that we likewyse forgeue our brethren in whatsoeuer they offended vs They therefore which wil not forgeue
For what can be more foolish then to lay vp goodes where either they muste perishe or be stolne away of men But couetous men thinke not vpō this for they shut vp their riches in chestes surely barde and strōgly banded with sufficient lockes Yet not withstanding they can not bynde so sure but their riches are in daunger of ruste of mothe of corruption of theues of water of fyre and a hundred daungers mo They are blynde therefore and out of their wittes whiche moyle and toyle laboure and trauayle so immoderatly for ryches and knowe not what shall become of them specially when God wyll lende vnto vs a place in heauen to laye vp oure treasure yea and that whiche is more liberall he offereth vs treasure to possesse whiche shall neuer by no corruption perishe E. Let not man marueyle that Christe so carefully seketh to withdrawe his disciples from couetousnes V. For couetousnes is nothing els thē a distrust in god M. Whereupon not without iuste cause Paule calleth the same the roote of all euell Bu. And truely if we consider well what is the cause of strife but couetousnes what is the cause of warres couetousnes What is the cause of iniuries Couetousnes What is the cause of sedition Couetousnes What is the cause of periury Couetousnes What is the cause that men betray their owne Countrey is not couetousnes Yes vndoubtedly To be shorte Couetousnes taketh awaye liberalitie Couetousnes hyndreth the true worshipinge of God and Couetousnes maketh all that we do to be frustrate before god O crabbed roote that spreadest thy braunches so farre that all the worlde taketh a taste of thy fruite Thou haste made truthe to be vnsauory in the mouthes of men And as for iustice and righteous dealing thou haste so shadowed them with thy armes that the dewe of heauen can scarse falle vpon them Yea and the time of thy florishinge is of suche continuance that excepte the heauenly husbād man cut the downe thou wilt shortly ouergrowe all goodnes in the earthe VVhere ruste and mothe do corrupte M. Christ reproueth them by the vtilitie and profite of earthly thinges As if he should haue sayde what madnes is this that you put your truste in those thinges whiche are transitory and subiect to corruption By this woorde ruste is vnderstode all corruption that maye happen to earthlye thynges reade the fifth chapter of Saint Iames. M. Here also he toucheth secretly the troublesome care of kepynge and the greuous feare of loosing riches being once gotten 20 But laye vp for youre selues treasures in heauen where neither ruste nor mothe dothe corrupte and where theues breake not through nor steale C. They are sayde to laye vp their treasure in heauen whiche auoydinge the snares of this worlde do bestowe their cares and study to the meditation of a heauenly lyfe Luke expresseth not the Antithesis but sheweth the diuerse occasion wherefore Christe commaunded his disciples to prepare them littell sackes whiche waxe not olde For he sayde vnto them Sell all that ye haue and geue almes Nowe because it is a difficulte and harde matter for men to sell all that they haue to ease this griefe he setteth before them a wonderfull hope of recompence namely that they shall laye vp treasures in heauen whiche helpe and succour the necessitie of their brethren in earthe according to the saying of Salomon He that hath pittie vppon the poore lendeth vnto the lorde and looke what he layeth out it shall be payde hym again M. The lorde therefore doth here as it were sette heauen against the earthe whereby he may withdraw his as the sonnes of heauen from the earthe to their proper contrey that heauenly Hierusalem where they should raigne for euer Paule wryting to Timothie dothe as it were expounde these woordes of Christe saying Charge thē that are ryche in this worlde that they be not hie minded and that they truste not in the vncertaine ryches but in the liuing God and so foorth till you come almoste to the ende of the chapiter Againe If ye be rysen with Christe seke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christe sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on thinges that are aboue and not on thinges that are on the earthe 21 For where your treasure is there will your harte be also For vvhere your treasure is C. By this prouerbiall sentence Christ proueth men to be moste miserable whiche haue their treasure layde vp in the earthe because their felicitie is but earthly and vayne For couetous men do affirme that they are not let by no meanes of their money to lifte vp their hartes to heauen but Christe propoundeth an axioma that wheresoeuer they fayne their chiefe felicitie to be there is their whole harte affiaunce As if he should saye yea call vpon God your father in heauen of whō ye are called to heauenly goodes vppon hym therfore set your whole mynde and affection But if you laye vp your treasure in earthe then all youre mynde and care wyll be there C. They renounce heauen therefore whiche haue their felicitie in this worlde We knowe howe muche how diligently the Phylosophers disputed about felicitie yea it was the greatest pointe whereabout they laboured and cōtended and not without cause for so muche as the whole consideration of the framing of our lyfe dependeth vpō the same and whereunto are referred al sences For if honour and dignitie be thoughte felicitie and chiefe happenes then it must nedes come to passe that ambition do raigne in the myndes of men If money then it followeth that couetousnes inuadeth the whole lande If the pleasure of the bodye as the Epicures thought then it can not be auoyded but that men shal be geuen to brutishe inclination and behauioure For we are all naturally geuen to seke that whiche is good and so it commeth to passe that we are diuersly caried and led awaye by false imaginations But and if we were well and seriously perswaded that our felicitie and happines were in heauen it were an easy thing the worlde and all earthly thinges beinge despised whose intisementes and snares do deceiue the greater parte of men to ascende into heauen In consideration of this Paule goeth about to lifte vp the myndes of the faythefull into heauen and to exhorte them to the study of an heauenly lyfe settinge Christe before their eyes in whome the true and perfecte felicitie oughte to be sought As if he should counte it a madnes in mē to fire their minde in the earth whose treasure is in heauen There vvill your harte be also B. The harte is here put for the affections of the harte The harte therfore to be in a place is nothing els but a care a cogitation a ioye a truste a hope a loue a feare or the whole mynde to be in some place Bu. The whiche is to be thought not onely of the study of money but also of all other
and he doeth it For I my selfe also am a man. M. Here the Centurion cōfirmeth by his example the confession of his faithe of the power of Christe bringing in an argument of the more to the lesse For he estemed more the deuine power whiche was in Christ then the rule and domination whiche he had ouer his souldiours and seruauntes B. As if he should saye I am nothing at all like vnto thee in power which as yet am vnder the subiection of another man where as thou haste all thinges in thy hande and yet with my woorde can I make my seruauntes to do any thing my souldiours at my commaundement are obedient and those whiche are vnder my rule grudge not to fulfill my mynde Howe muche more then canste thou do with thy worde whatsoeuer thou wilt in all thinges as in healing diseases in restoring health in putting awaye death in restoring lyfe M. Here al they haue an ensample set before them whiche are magistrates maisters ouer housholdes that they may learne by their power to acknowledge the power of God thinke vpon his deuine woorde and cōmaundement If our wordes be so muche able to preuayle among men that whatsoeuer we saie and commaunde they do and fulfill when as notwithstandinge we our selues are miserable men nothing differing from others howe muche more hath the worde of God his power in ruling all vniuersally Furthermore let them gather of their owne obedience after this sorte Beholde thou art a man set vnder the power of another and thou saiest vnto this go and he goeth to another come he commeth and to the third do this and he doeth it loking and requiring of them their due obedience Therefore if so great obediēce be shewed to thée whiche arte a man subiect to others the whiche thou also requirest to be done as a duty tell me I pray thée how thou wilt behaue thy selfe if thou be disobedient to thy lord of whom thou hast receiued that power and in whose name this obediēce is done to thée if he saye vnto thée go and thou goest not come thou comest not do this and thou doest not B. Here also we must note that all thinges that are good procede of God are done by his power according to the saying of S. Paule It is neither in the willer nor in the ronner but in the mercy of god For who wyll not muche meruaile at the great goodnes of God if he way howe littel this Centurion being an Ethnike the more prophane by reason of his affayres in the warres had heard of Christe and howe muche be beleued Let all fleshe therefore humble him selfe to the maiestie of God the whiche except he of his goodnes reuoke to life it must nedes perishe 10 VVhen Iesus hearde these woordes he meruailed and sayde to them that folowed him verely I say vnto you I haue not found so great faith in Israel VVhen Iesus hearde these vvordes C. Although admiration belong not to God because it ariseth of newe thinges vnloked for notwithstāding it might happē in Christ because he taking vpon him our fleshe was endewed with mans affections B. He meruayleth therefore in respecte of his humanitie at so wonderfull a myracle of the goodnes of God that so greate faith should be geuen to an Ethnicke Heathen man being rudely brought vp in respect of his faith in so muche that he should excell the people of God in the excellency of faithe B. Before God being knowen almoste only in Iury nowe of a prophane man he is more knowne then of many of the Iewes A newe thing truly and straunge worthy of admiration And sayde to them that follovved him B. To the ende the people which followed him might also meruaile and might haue a desire to immitate the fayth of the man he saythe thus vnto thē Verely I say vnto you I haue not founde so great faithe in Israell C. The whiche woordes are spoken as the Logicians terme it Secundum quid non simpliciter that is in respect of his faithe not simplely that he did excell in generall For if we cōsider all the partes of faith the faith of Mary excelled in this that she beleued her self to be with childe by the holy Ghoste that she might bringe forth the only begotten sonne of God furthermore because she beleued the sonne whiche shoulde be borne of her to be his owne maker and the creator redemer of the whole worlde But for two causes specially Christe did cōmend preferre the faith of this Gētile heathē man before the faith of the Iewes namely because that of so small and littell taste of his doctrine he brought forth so sodainly such gret frute Secōdly wher as the Iewes did to much depēd vpō earthly signes external this Centurion this Gētile Heathē man requireth no signe at all but dothe affirme his onely woorde to be sufficient for him Christ was cōming vnto him not because ther required any necessitie but to proue trie this faith of the mā wherfore he doth specially cōmēd this faith because it is satisfied with the word only He saith not here com lord se touch no he desireth not any corporal presēce tuchīg but he beleueth such efficacy to be included in the word that thereby he knewe the healthe of his seruaunt might be recouered And hereupō may be gathered a generall rule namely although God woulde haue our sauynge health wrought in the fleshe of Christe and doth dayly seale the same by Sacramentes Notwithstandinge we muste seke the certaintie of the same out of his woorde For excepte this authoritie be attributed to the woorde that we graunt that so sone as God hathe spoken by his ministers that our synnes are forgeuen vs and that we are restored vnto lyfe all the sure truste of saluation dothe falle awaye By this place also we vnderstande that the Centurion was no Israelite 11 I saye vnto you that many shal come from the Easte and VVeste and shal reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdome of heauen A. Now Christe takyng occasion of the faythe of the Centurion dothe in fewe woordes touche the callynge of the Gentyles and the reiecting of the Iewes C. For as Christe in the parsone of the seruaunt propounded a taste and as it were the fyrste fruytes of his grace to the Gentyles euen so he dothe teache his dominion to be a token of the callynge hereafter of the Gentyles and of the dispersyng the fayth throughout the whole worlde neyther doth he onely teache that they shall comme out of the countreys whiche are at hande but also out of all the partes of the whole worlde And although this be declared already by many of the Prophetes notwithstandinge in the beginning it semed absurde and incredible to the Iewes whiche immagined that God was bounde to the sede of Abraham Wherefore not without admiration this was heard that they which were
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
in them is mad and rageth against the name of Christe so sone as the doctrine of the Gospell is published their impietie whiche before laye a slepe is nowe awaked and styrred vp So that Christe whiche properly is the authour of peace for the malice of mē is made the cause of tumulte Whereupon Christe saithe here thynke not that I am come to sende peace but a swerde Bu. As if he should say I would not haue any of myne to thinke that I came into the worlde to brynge suche peace as the worlde loketh for and desyreth namely a secure voluptuous and luxurious peace For Christe is not the authour of sinne or the fautor and mainteiner of vyce and wickednes No I came not to sende peace Bu. Christ truly is the prince of peace and his kyngdome is the kyngdome of peace For he geueth peace vnto those that are his and he leaueth to them peace but that peace which the worlde can not geue yea that peace whiche the worlde can not abyde but hateth For the peace of Christe passeth all vnderstanding and is the peace of consciences by the whiche we agree with God whose wrathe we beleue to be appeased for Christes sake and therefore we walke in his commaundemētes and we auoyde the cōcupiscences of the flesh we agree with al good men and we contende against all euel and peruerse men The mundane peace hath respecte to nothyng but to that whiche pertayneth to the worlde S. This therefore is the conditition of the Gospell to stirre vp discorde among men although not by his owne nature but because that is the doctrine of the Gospell whiche the deuell hateth that is Christe whose heele the Serpent seketh to hurte Moreouer because the Gospell reproueth the worlde and the wickednes thereof therefore it is hated and euell spoken of accordinge to the saying of Christe in an other place The worlde loueth darkenes more then lyghte because their dedes are euel And for this cause the Gospell is called a swerd that is an instrument of warre by occasion C. Hereby let vs learne how wycked we are by nature whiche do not only despyse so precious a gifte and iewel but also impute to it all kynde of euell Whē as in dede it is the right waye the straight pathe and ordinary meane to brynge vs to all vertue to all quietnes and to direct our steppes to the euerlasting life in heauē 35 For I am come to set a mā at variaūce against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in lawe against the mother in lawe For I am come to set E. The Gréeke woorde for the whiche the olde interpretour hath seperate signifieth to deuide that into two whiche before was vnited and ioyned in one The which thing Chrisostom also noteth wryting vppon this place Furthermore in this place man is put for sonne accordinge to the Hebrewe phrase for he saythe a man againste his father M. To the ende Christe mighte expresse and declare that this discorde should not be after the common manner or wonted sorte he bringeth in the degrees of consanguinitie and nature affirming that he wyll separate them with the swerde whiche he came to sende into the worlde For among those persones there were chiefly wonte to aryse for the wordes sake bitter and cruel contentiōs For the more the persones by nature are ioyned together the greater and more sharpe is the contention betwene them When the Gospell is preached and receiued of the sonne but reiected of the father by and by mutuall discorde dothe aryse which in dede doth properly spring of the dissimilitude and varietie of the myndes not of the Gospell or lorde hym selfe For this happeneth through the faulte of the wycked as we sayde euen nowe contrary to the nature of the Gospell That whiche the Prophet Malachy teacheth of Iohn the Baptiste belongeth to all the ministers of Christe namely that they are sente to this ende to tourne the hartes of fathers to their chyldren the hartes of chyldren towardes their fathers And truely the malice of the wycked bryngeth to passe that they which before were ioyned together are so sone as they heare the voyce of Christe separated and deuided into contrary partes A. To cōclude Curssed be that peace whose bonde is not the only truthe of Christe 36 And a mans enemyes shal be they of his own houshold Bu. This doth the Gospell in these dayes brynge to passe that they whiche were in tyme paste of the housholde that is speciall frendes and acquaintaunce shal be afterwarde enemies and straungers one to an other So that Christe foresheweth that they in the worlde shal come to suche confusion that the lawe of nature shall not be regarded and all humanitie quite banished For when the Prophet Micheas doth bewayle the case of those whose enemies shal be of their own house he declareth the destruction and cōfusion to come The lyke our Sauiour Christe affirmeth shall come to passe whē his Gospell is preached which at an other tyme had bene incredyble Bu. But here the godly haue great nede of wysdome and warines being conuersaunt among them with whome there is nothing in safegarde to the ende they may seke for helpe at the handes of god C. Neither doth Christe meane that this shall endure alwayes that they of one housholde shall haue dissention styll among them selues for the Gospel as certayne curious men imagin who thynke that they cānot be the disciples of Christ without they be banyshed from their parentes from their wyfe chyldren and housholde But rather all lawefull coniunction is fulfilled and accomplished in the vnitie of fayth Christe only admonisheth his disciples that they be not troubled so often as suche debate and discorde happeneth but rather to consyder the sayinges of the Prophetes by the whiche they may comforte them selues agayne 37 He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me He that loueth father or mother C. Because this is very straighte and sharpe for amā to make those his enemies which should by nature be moste nere vnto hym therfore Christe saythe nowe that without it come so to passe we cannot be his disciples He hiddeth vs not put from vs humane affections naturall inclination or mutuall loue but onely he goeth aboute to restrayne all that is of suche mutuall loue among men that godlines and true religion can not haue the preheminence Let the husband therefore loue the wyfe the father his sonne and the sonne his father but so that their humane loue withdrawe them not from the spirituall loue of Christe whiche is to obserue and kepe that whiche he commaundeth Bu. All thinges therefore that are in the worlde be they neuer so precious neuer so dere vnto vs ought to be despysed for Christes sake and the truthe of the Gospel For the
But and if this solution be not sufficient to those that are contenciouse we answere that althoughe the remedy for the preseruation of the Sodomites was in the handes of God yet notwithstanding he shewed his iustice in destroyinge them C. It shal be nedelesse therfore to enter into those questions of predestination when as we knowe that God wolde not do neither hath he decreed any thing to be done without excellent consyderation as to whom he shoulde shewe mercy and to whom not 24 Neuerthelesse I say vnto you it shall be easyer for the lande of Sodome in the daye of iudgement then for thee For this matter reade the tenth chapiter goinge before and the fyftene verse 25 At the same tyme Iesus answered and saide I thancke thee O father lord of heauen and earthe that thou haste hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent and hast opened them vnto babes At that tyme. B. Luke saythe that Christ spake these wordes when the threscore and ten disciples were retourned and reioysed that deuylls were subdued vnto them Iesus aunsvvered C. Althoughe this worde of answeringe is very vsuall and familiar to the Hebrewes in the begynninge of some communication and matter notwithstanding in this place it hath a greate Emphasis or force Because that Christe thus toke occasion by the present matter to speake namely when the threscore and tenne retourned with ioye the which thinge the wordes of Luke confyrme a greate deale better saying that Iesus in the same hower reioysed in the spirite But whervpon cam this reidysynge but onelye because the Churche being gathered of a fewe poore and contemptible men was no lesse dere and preciouse vnto hym then if it hadde bene fornysshed with all the nobylytie power and glory in the whole worlde And the prayer of Christe beinge dyrected vnto the father was of more vehemency then if he had talked with his disciples Howe be it it is moste sure that for theyr sakes hee gaue thanckes vnto the father leaste that the base and lowe degree of the churche should offende any man For wee do all for the most parte seeke for glorye and there is nothynge seemeth lesse necessary vnto vs then the heauenly kyngdome of the sonne of god whose glory in dede consisteth in the dregs reliques and of scouringes of the world Accordynge to the sayinge of S. Paule We are become as it were the very outswepynges of the world and ofscouring of all men vnto this tyme And trewely this is the wonderfull counsell of God that he hauynge the whole worlde in his hande rather choseth to him selfe his peculyar people out of a base poore and contemptyble multitude then out of the heapes of nobles and prynces who as it myghte be thoughte shoulde better by theyr nobylitie and excellencie set forth the name of Christe then any other But Christe here sekethe to withdrawe his discyples from a proude lofty minde leaste they shoulde despyse the base and obscure state of the churche in the which he hym selfe dyd delyghte and gaue thanks vnto his heauenly father for the same Nowe what madnesse what blindnesse yea what arrogancye were there in vs if we shoulde denye gaynesay or mislike of that which our sauiour Christ hym selfe beinge our heade vouchesafeth reuerently to receyue and hyghelye to commende sayinge I thancke thee O fa. B. Or I prayse thee or I glorysie thye name For these three I prayse I gloryfye I geue thanckes are taken frome the Hebrew worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iadath which the Gretiās haue made Omulogeo that is I confesse C. Christ therfore by these wordes doth testifie that he doth quyete and rest hym selfe in the decree of his father whiche disagreeth and differeth from the reason and vnderstandinge of man. Lorde of heauen and. C. In this thing therfore he dothe affirme that he doth gloryfye his father that he beinge lorde of the whole earthe hath preferred babes and younglings before the wise of the world For it maketh no smal matter to the circumstance of the argument that he calleth the father lord of heauen and earth because by this meanes he declareth the cause of the blyndenes of the wyse to depende vppon the wyll of God and that by his wyll also the rude and ignorante are made to vnderstande his hye and secrete mysteries There are many other places also where the lord declareth that al those that com to saluation are elected chosen by him of his tender mercy frely because the earth is the lordes and al that therin is the compas of the worlde they that dwel therin Wherefore this sentence hath a double cōsideratiō First where as all men do not obey and beleue the gospel it cōmeth not so to pas by the impotencie vnablenes of god in whose power it is to subdue all creatures vnto him Secondly wheras some beleue obey other som remaine hard harted obstinate that is brought to pas by his louing free election Notwithstanding in that he choseth babes rather then the wise he hath a cōsideration of his glory For how much wold the flesh reioyce if faith mighte be gotten by the dexteritie of wyt by industry or by learnyng Wherefore God beateth downe the wisedome of man to the ende the glory of his name might not be obscured but brightly shine in makīg the foolishe thinges of this world to confound the wise C. That therefore which Christe here affirmeth seruethe muche to the confirmation of the faithful at this day and for euer in that all men ar stirred to the acknowledginge of the mercy of god for so muche as there is nothyng in vs that can prouoke him to cal vs but rather a wōderful heape of sinne wickednes to stir him to plague condemne vs wer it not that his mercy is the greater For truely the Gospell is not gotten by the wyt labour or industrie of man but onely by the illumination of the spiryte of God. Because thou hast hyd thee A. That is because thou hast not reuealed or opened these mysteries of thy kyngedome to the wyse and prudent For to hyde not to reueale open or shewe are all one So in an other place we reede The lord hyd it from mee and dyd not shew it vnto me and againe My father wyl do nothinge neyther great nor smal but that he will shewe it mee and howe shoulde he hyde this thinge from mee From the vvise and prudēt C. Here it maye be demanded who they ar whom Christ calleth wyse and babes for experyence teacheth vs that all that are vnlearned and rude come not to the perfection of faythe neyther are the learned and wise lefte in their blyndenesse Therfore they are defyned to be wyse and prudente in this place whiche beinge lifted vp with diabolical or deuelishe disdain wyl in no wyse abyde to heare the voice of Christe Paule with this pride was puffed vp but the lorde tamed his furiousenes If wee
foale of an Asse For these wordes of the Euangeliste Tell ye the daughter of Sion are not in Zachary as touching the very worde yet notwithstandinge the Euangeliste verye conninglye and aptly transferreth that to all the godly teachers which God commanded one Prophete onely to testify For this was the onelye hope by the which the sonnes of God ought to erecte and conforte themselues namelye that the Redemer at the lenghte shoulde com And therefore the Prophete teacheth that full and sufficient matter of Ioye is brought vnto the faythful by the comminge of Christe For seing that God canne no otherwyse be fauorable vnto them than by the meane of a Mediator who delyuereth those that are his from all euell What thynge can there be without hym whiche can exhillerate and make glad the harts of men who are drowned in theire synnes and oppressed with manye miseries And euen as it is necessarie Christe beinge absent that wee bee sorowfull and heauy euen so againe the Prophete admonisheth the faythfull that there is good cause why they shoulde reioyce when a Redemer is com vnto them C This therefore is an exhortation to Prophetes Preachers to declare these glad tydings to the Churche of Israell for by the name of sonnes the Prophets did call as well the Cittyes them selues as the Cittizenes that dwelte in them For so often as wee heare the Lorde speakynge let all Prophetes Apostels and Pastors knowe that they are commaunded to speake in the name of the Lorde and to declare theire Imbassage Tell ye sayth he the daughter of Sion He commaundeth therefore his Ministers to speake vnto the congregation of Saincts and to the Churche of Hierusalem and to declare vnto them the commynge of they re Christ The daughter of Sion and the daughter of Hierusalem are bothe putt for the Churche whiche was at Hierusalem For Syon was a parte of the Cittye The Euangeliste beinge contentâ—… that he had shewed the place of the Prophete exhorteth the Ministers of the Churche to declare that the Prophesy of the Prophete as concernynge the Messias is fulfylled when they sée Iesus syttynge on an Asse to enter into Hierusalem as it was Prophesyed before Beholde E. By this woorde he goeth about as one hauynge som greate and waightye matter to speake of to awake vs from sleepe and infydellitye to the ende wee mighte with the greater Ioye receyue this Ioyfull tydynges The Kynge commeth L. That is to saye whiche was promised vnto thee whose peculiar people thou arte who onelye ought to gouerne thee all other sette asyde but in spirite not in externall rule and Empire of whome thou shalte and arte so gouerned that beinge delyuered from synnes from Deuells from Hellegates from the fleshe from the world mayest most pleasantly be broughte vp gouerned of him in grace in spirit in lyfe in heauen in God the which thinge commeth to thee onelye by Fayth by the which thou doest beleue him to be suche a King and that he doth vse no other gouernmeÌ„t that he came to no other end For if thou do not beleue these things of him thou shalt neuer attaine theÌ„ by any other thing nor by thine owne labor and industry For suche a one as thou doste deme and esteme thou hast whatsoeuer thou doest persuade and promise thy selfe to be in him that same shalte thou finde in him and in all thinges as thou beleuest so shall it be vnto thee he for euer abyding all one and immutable which is the Kyng of life of grace of felicitye whether ye be so tought or no. Commeth vnto thee He it is that commeth For it is not thou the coÌ„mest bringing thy selfe vnto hym his dwellynge is so hye and so farre hence that thou canste not com vnto him by thy riches by thy worke or by thy labor that thou mightest haue nothing to boaste that thou by thine own merite or deserte hadest purchased hym vnto thee He commeth also because he foreshewed the same in the Prophetes and promised that he woulde com So that nowe he hath faythfully performed his promises and is com Bu. Thou haste looked for hym a longe tyme O Sion and haste weryed they selfe wyth wayting where and when thou shouldest beholde that Kynge whiche in all ages was promised to com into the worlde Nowe therfore he commeth there is no cause why thou shouldest wayte for his comminge anye more And he commeth treuly to thee that is to thy vse for thy proffite not for any matter of his owne as commonly Kinges do but to saue thee to lyfte vp thee and to make thee happy B. He came also to make thee his peculiar people For Christe thought it not sufficiente to make vs free from tyrannye from the rule of sinne deathe and hell and to bee oure Kyng but also to geue hym selfe wholely vnto vs that whatsoeuer pertayned vnto hym mighte be our owne Of the which saincte Paule wrighteth saying God spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all howe then with him shoulde he not geue vs all thinges And againe hee saythe Christe is made vnto vs of God Sanctification righteousnes wisedome and redemption In this therefore that he commeth vnto thee thou haste a greate benefyte aboue all other namelye that thou mightest haue power ouer those thinges that belonge vnto him Euen as the wyfe taketh those things for her owne which pertaine to her husbande namelye the apparell with the which he adorned and beautifyed her so we take those thinges which pertaine to Christ as oure owne Besyde these woordes of the Euangelist we may reade in the Prophete more namely wheÌ„ he saith that he is righteouse and a sauiour Christ is here saide to be righteouse because of the righteousnes wherewith he is saide to Iustify vs and not of that whereby he iudgeth vs. For all those thinges which the Scripture attributeth to God and Crist our sauiour ought to be referred vnto vs He came therfore righteouse vnto thée that is he came to iustify thée by his grace only beinge not ignorant of thy vnrighteousnes And that thou mightest be made righteouse thou haddest no nede of anye thinge that pertained vnto thee but of his grace of his goodnes and liberalitie that thou mightest by hym alone obtaine righteousnes In this sence the Apostel Paule vseth these wordes when he sayth Christ is the obteyner of mercy through faith by the meanes of his bloud to declare his righteousnes in that he forgeueth the synnes that are paste whiche God did suffer to shewe at this tyme his righteousnes that he might be counted iuste and the Iustifyer of hym which beleueth in Iesus For he should not haue com a Sauiour to euerye one if he had come with his seuere strayte and Iudgeinge iustice but rather a condemner to all menne Forsomuche as all men are vniuste and synners But now hee commeth not onelye to make vs Godlye and Iust but also to saue so many as
the Phariseies were gathered together Iesus asked them sayinge VVhile the Phariseis vvere gathered together M. The Phariseies were nowe gathered together to suborne and craftelye to set forthe some one whiche by puttynge forthe a question mighte tempte and intangle Christe the whiche thinge they went about a littell before to brynge to passe by the Lawyer of whom we spake euen now but in vayne When as therfore the Phariseies were gathered together whiche tooke vnto them selues the knoweledge of the lawe and the prophetes and yet were ignorante of the comminge of Christe because they dyd not greately desyer the same neyther vnderstode his maiestie and glory it is not without cause yf Chryste demaunde of them sayinge 42 VVhat think ye of Christ VVhose sonne is hee They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid VVhat think ye of Christ B. This is thought to be the laste talke that our Sauyoure Christ had with the Phariseies and his aduersaries by the whiche he wente about to prouoke them to knowe him except those thinges whiche he aunswered them to when he was taken of them By these wordes therefore he wente about to stirre vp theyr mindes and to admonishe them of his kingedome if so be that there were any amongest them which were curable the they might loke for Chryst to be greater than the carnall kinge yea and more excellente than Dauid his father For those that were carnal hoped for nothing but carnal things VVhose son is he C. The Euangelistes Marke Luke do more plainely expresse why Christ demaunded this question namely because a wicked opinion preuayleth among the Scribes that the promised redemer sholde be one of the sonnes successors of Dauid which shold bring nothing with him more excelent than the humaine nature For by by at the beginning Sathan by all meanes possible wente about to supplante some false fayned Christ whiche shoulde not be the true mediatour of God and man And because God had so often times promised that Christ should come of the séede and sprynge out of the loynes of Dauid this perswasion was so depely rooted in the hartes of al men among the Iewes that they coulde in no wise abide to haue him depriued of the humaine nature Sathan therfore suffered Christ to be acknowledged to be a trew man and the sonne of Dauid because he sholde in vaine haue gone about to take away this part of fayth being so euident common amōg al men but that which was worse he spoyled him of his deitie as though he should be some one of the sonnes of Adā And after this sorte the hope of the euerlasting life to come spiritual righteousnes was abolished But so sone as Christ was declared vnto the worlde the Heretiques went about by many subtil meanes deceites to ouerthrowe one while his humaine nature an other while his diuine nature least that he should either haue full power to saue vs or elles least we shold haue familiar accesse vnto him But because the houre of his deathe was at hande the lorde hym selfe thoughte good to make his deitie Godhed known that the trust of al the godly might be reposed in him without all feare or doubting For if he were onely a man it were neither lawefull for vs to glory in hym nor yet to hope for saluatiō by him Now let vs note that his purpose and intente was not so much for his owne sake to declare him selfe to be the sonne of God as it was to ground our faith vpon his heauenly power For as the infirmitie of the fleshe by the whiche hee made him selfe nere of kynne vnto vs dothe incourage vs that we should not doubt to come vnto him euen so if we sholde haue onely respect vnto the same we shall be rather filled with feare and desperation than with any god trust and confidence Notwithstanding we must note that the Scribes are not reprehēded because they did teach Christ to be the sonne of Dauid but because they immagined him to be a mere man which should come from heauen to put vpon him the nature and person of a man Neither doth the Lord altogether speake of himselfe but simplely sheweth that the Scribes do wickedlye erre in that they loked that the redemer should come onely of the earth and humaine progeny And althoughe it was an olde opinion amonge them yet notwithstandinge wee gather by this our Euangelist Mathewe that they were asked before the people what they thought They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid Bu. It was euident by many promises of Scripture that Christ should come of the seede of Dauid A. but they which dayly redde these promises and interpreted them to the people loked for nothinge to be more in the person of Christ then a man Therefore they make aunswere vnto Christe whiche was most common and vsuall amongest them namely that the Messias was the sonne of Dauid 43 Hee saide vnto them howe then doth Dauid in spirite call him Lorde sayinge Hovve then doth Dauid M. Christ our sauiour doth not reprehende the Phariseis as we said euē now because they cōfessed him to be the sonne of Dauid but because men commonlye denied him whiche shoulde be the Messias to be nothyng elles but an earthlye kinge which should bringe the people of God into a certaine earthly libertye and that he should so inlarge the tereene and transitory kingdome that it should extēd it selfe euen to the endes of the worlde that hee shoulde be of the tribe of Dauid for this cause I say he thought good in the presence of some to geue them occasiō to haue a farther cōsideration of his glory maiesty namely that he was not the sonne of Dauid according to the flesh but also the sonne of Dauid Dauids lord For in respect that he toke fleshe of the virgin Mary his is the sonne of Dauid in respecte that hee was conceiued by the holye ghoste he is the sonne of God and Dauids lord Therfore this is no new or late inuented error For this impietie raigned among the phariseis long before be came into the worlde So that the deuill hath soughte frō the beginning as it is saide already to take awaye the deitie godheade from Christ that by that meanes al the saluation of mankind might be vtterly quite ouerthrowen In spirite The Euangelist Marke hath Inspired with the holye ghoste And the Euāgelist Luke in stede of both these hath In his boke of Psalmes C. But Christ declareth that Dauiddyd speake in the spirit expresly with great emphasis and force For he opposeth and setteth the prophesie of the thing to com against the testimony of the thing presēt And the cauill by the which the Iewes at this day excuse thē selues is this They say that by this prophesye the kingedome of Dauid is celebrated as though he apointing God to be the author of his raygne wolde rise against the mad enterprises beastly practises of his enemies
excluded whome Christe will acknowledge and whome he will reiecte All are virgins by profession al haue lampes all are called to the mariage to welcome the brydegrome but howe vnmete they are it shall appeare at the comming of the brydegrome And fiue vvere vvyse C. In the chapiter going before the Lorde shewed that he would haue the stewardes to bee wyse aboue all others because it is mete that the more burthen a man hath and is occupied in waighty matters the more wysely hee ought to behaue him selfe but nowe he requireth wysedome generally of all the chyldren of God least in rashe running they make them selues a pray vnto Sathan 3 They that were foolishe tooke their lampes but tooke no oyle with them M. Although there is nothinge handeled here but the manner of receiuinge brydegromes whiche was vsed in that contrey being therefore set foorthe that the faithfull might be admonished howe they might bee prepared to mete with the heauenly brydegrome Christe least they being vnprepared should be shut out from his weddinge yet notwithstanding it shall proffite to vnderstande here mistically by the lampes all externall worship cōuersation righteousnes honestie and all the workes of charitie 4. But the wyse toke oyle with them in their vessels with the lampes also C. He noteth this to be a token of wysdome for the faithfull to seke to arme them selues with necessary helpes to finishe and accomplyshe the race of their lyfe For the tyme although it be shorte semeth by reason of our exceading impacience to be very muche prolonged furthermore such is our nede that it wanteth helpes euery moment 5 VVhyle the bridegrome taried they all slombered and slepte VVhyle the brydegrome taried M. Christ here declareth that it wylbe late before he come for his retourne is in the ende of the worlde and is reserued till the latter tymes For it must nedes be that the nomber of the electe be fulfilled least the company of the saintes should be accomplished without those of the latter tymes and ◅east the iniquitie and malice of this worlde should come to the full before it be iudged and condemned euen as we reade of the Sodomytes and of the Cananeaus whose punishemente by the longe sufferinge of God was so muche differred that by the fulnes of iniquitie it was made rype M The Apostle Peter declareth another cause also of this prolonginge of the tyme. The Lorde is not slacke saithe he as some men counte slacknes but is pacient to you warde for so muche as he woulde haue no man loste but would haue al men tourne to repentaunce These thinges are to be cōsidered least that we drawe the slacknes of the Lordes comming with the wicked into an argument of vnbeliefe and negligence They all slombered and slepte C. In that some take this slepe here mentioned in euell parte as though the faythfull gaue them selues to slouthfulnes as wel as others and sleape in the vanities of this worlde let vs knowe that it is contrary to the meaning of Christe and to the order of the parable It should be more probable to vnderstande it of death of the which the faythfull taste before the comming of Christ for we must not now onely loke for saluation but also when we being departed this lyfe reste in Christe Notwithstanding it is more simplely vnderstode of earthly busines with the which it is necessary that the faithful be intangled so long as they dwell in the fleshe For although thei neuer ought to forget the kingdome of God yet notwithstanding the departure out of this worlde is not amis compared to a slepe Neither can they waighte so diligently to mete Christ but that diuers cares of this lyfe do either drawe thē back make them slowe or intangle them Whervpon it commeth to passe that in watchinge they are in some point a sleape M. We are truly by a thousande intisementes drawen awaye but yet for al that we ought to haue oyle in store alwayes at what hower soeuer he cal It cannot be but that we should haue our myndes occupied for Sathan dothe assaulte vs by wōderful meanes in the meane tyme let vs not be without oyle that we maye declare our selues not to bee vnprepared The infidell being called of the Lorde is by and by troubled he thinketh of his lampe but hath nothing in a redines On the contrary parte the faithfull is neuer take without his forniture and thinges necessary appertaining to him 6 And euen at midnighte there was a crie made beholde the bridegrome commeth go out to mete him C. This crie is here metaphorically put for the sodayne comming For we knowe by experience that so often as any newe thing or vnloked for happeneth men are wont to make a tumulte The Lorde truely crieth dayly that he wyll come shortly but then ale the whole worlde shall sounde and the terrefiynge maiestie shall so fulfill heauen and earth that it shal not only waken those that are asleape but also make the dead to ryse out of their graues A. according to this saying The hower shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall here his voyce 7. Then all those Virgins arose and prepared their lampes Then all those Virgins arose M. Euen as the slackenes of Christes comming doth make euen the wyse slouthfull so the loude crye of his comminge will styrre vp not onelye the wyse but also the folish and will make them carefull howe they maye meete with Christ And prepared their Lampes All truly shal adorne and set forth the meetinge of the Lord as wel these fooles as the wise but by another maner of preparation farre differinge from theirs The wyse because they haue oyle in their lampes maye easelye light them and make them ready but the foolishe cannot do so They at the last when it is to late go about to borrow vnoccupyed lampes when they shoulde meete with the Lorde 8. So the foolishe saide vnto the wyse geue vs of your oyle for our lampes are gone out C. In these wordes is declared theyr late repentance which feele not theyr want and lacke till all remedy is past For they are therefore condemned of folishnes which do not prouide and store themselues for a long time because they carelesly please themselues in theyr neede do so ouerpasse the time of mutuall communication that they despise the helpe offered vnto them Because therefore they remember not in due time the preparinge of theyr oyle Christe derydinge their to late knowledge sheeweth what punishmente they shall haue for theyr slouthe because they shall see that they are voyde and drye without profit 9. But the wyse aunswered sayinge not so least there be not anoughe for vs and you but go ye rather to them that sell and by for your selues No not so least there be not C. We do know that the giftes of God are therfore diuersly distributed of the Lorde to euery one according to their proper measure
the disposinge of the inheritance and are then at the last confirmed and in full strengthe when the testators or will makers are desceased In like maner Christ being dead the Heauenly graces are exhibited and geuen to vs euen as oute of a Testamente or will. The Greeke interpreters of the Byble haue translated the Greeke word Dhiatheken to signify a Testament the whiche word our Euangelist Mathewe vseth also Howbeit S. Hierom hath translated it to signifye a league or couenant Of the which woord when the Scripture maketh mencion namely that God entered into a league whether it were by the olde or newe with his people it meaneth that couenaunte and promise by the whiche God promised that hee would be the God of his people and by the which his people promised likewise that thei would take him for their God for their father and sauiour and that they woulde geue themselues wholly to the wil of God. The oulde leage and Testamente therefore is that by the which God chose Abraham and his seede After that hee did renue with all the people by Moyses in the mounte Sion This was also confirmed agayne in Iosue as we may reade in the fower and twētye Chapter of his Booke The newe leage and Testamente is that by the which God chose all Nations to be his people by the Gospell of the which Testament the Prophetes foreshewed many thinges as Esay Ieremye and others This Testamente is described by remission of sinnes and in destributinge the amplenes of the spirite to all the electe that they maye knowe the Lorde from the smallest to the greatest hauinge the lawe written in their hartes The holye fathers of olde time also were partakers of this leage and Testament but not so clerely in such mightynes of spirite as now that Christ is exalted For truly there is but one mediator of God and mā neither was there any man which was able to please God at anye tyme but the same had his sinnes remitted and the lawe of God by some meanes written in his hart The bloud of Christ is one price of redemption to all the saints But as the more full and perfect reuelation of the old Testament was confirmed by the same bloude of Christ but vnder the type notwithstandinge of the bloude of a yonge bullocke euen so the new was sealed by no other bloude then by the preciouse harte bloud of Christ himselfe For immediatlye after the death resurrection of the Lord the Gospell begā to be preached to all creatures and a new people to be gathered Herevppon the Lord sayth that he geeueth his bloud of the newe Testament that is by the which this new Testament was sealed and the Testamente it selfe confirmed with this bloude For this cause truly wee acknowledge and worship God the father and are partakers in deede of the true spirite and of the grace of the new Testamēt because Christ liueth in vs and because we are flesh of his flesh C. But two things are here worthy to be noted For wee gather by this worde Testamente or leage that there is a promise included in the holy Supper By that which their error is confuted which deny that fayth is holpen cherished stayed vp and increased by Sacramentes For betwene the Testament of God and the faith of men there is alwayes mutuall relation Whervppon it followeth that they are not onely amonge men externall signes of profession but also inwarde helpes of fayth Furthermore by this word Newe Christ went about to teache that old figures haue nowe an ende that they might geeue place to the firme and eternall couenant There is therefore here a crosse opposition or comparison betweene this mystery and the shadowes of the Lawe whereby it appeareth how much our condition is better than the fathers which after the sacrifyce finished on the Crosse do enioye the sounde and perfect truth That is shed for manye Luke declareth that he said also For you Christ doth here depaint and set forth himselfe as thoughe hee were hanginge on the Crosse and imbrewed with bloude For hee sayth which is shed and not which was shed And when he sayth For you in Luke hee declareth his owne innocencye which was not subiecte to deathe for so muche as the Prince of this world which had rule ouer death had nothing in him because he was free from sinne wherevppon it was not needefull that hee should offer for his owne sinnes first accordinge to the maner of the hye priestes because he is holy vndefiled voyde of all sinne Hee teacheth also howe great his loue is toward vs that when hee ought nothinge vnto death he would suffer the same for vs Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestow his life for his frends But whereas this our Euangelist Mathewe sayth that Christe sayde For manye some man might marueile seinge the Apostle sayth Christe dyed for all that they which liue shoulde not henceforth liue vnto themselues And seinge it is saide in another place that Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole worlde The aunswere to this doubt is That our sauiour Christe vnder the name of manye doth meane not onely a part of the world but all mankinde also For hee opposeth or setteth many against one as if he shoulde saye that hee is the redeemer not of one man onelye but that hee suffereth deathe to deliuer many from the gilt of sinne and cursse Euen so in the fifte to the Romaynes S. Paule taketh manye for all men by a comparison betwene one and many Neither is there any doubt but that Christe speakinge here to a few ment to make the doctrine cōmon to more Notwithstandinge wee must also note that in Luke he speakinge to his Disciples by name exhorteth all the faithfull to apply the effusiō of his bloud to their vse Thereforefore when we come to the holye Table let not onelye this generall cogitacion come into our minde that the worlde is redemed by the bloude of Christ but also let euerye man thincke with himselfe that Christ hath satisfyed for his sinnes M. For the death of Christ is a vniuersall redemption for that cause he is called the sauioure of the world and the preachinge of the Gospell was sent into the whole world that all men might be called to the fayth of Christ But because the elect onely do receiue this grace he is specially said to be the sauioure of the electe and faithfull who in comparison of the reprobate are fewe yet in them selues are many For the remission of sinnes C. That whereof Mathewe and Marke made no mencion in the signe of bread they nowe expresse in the Cuppe namelye that his bloud shoulde be shed for the remission of sinnes But this note ought to be referred to both partes Therefore to the ende wee may eate the fleshe of Christ aright wee must behould his offeringe because it was
necessar that hee shoulde be geuen once for oure saluation that hee might be daily geuen to vs Let vs know then that by these woordes we are directed to the sacrifyce of Christ his death without the rememberaunce whereof the Supper shall neuer be rightly celebyated Neither trulye can the mindes of the faithfull be otherwise filled but by this that they know God to be fauourable to them M. But this is diligently to be noted that hee sayd in the plurall nomber Of sinnes not of one sinne againste the opinion of those which wickedly say that the death of Christ hath made satisfaction for Originall sinne but not for actuall sinne and for those sinnes also which were cōmitted before Baptisme and not after for the which they appoint a proper satisfaction Against whom S. Iohn also writeth thus My little children these thinges writ I vnto you that ye sinne not but if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous hee is the propitiacion for our sinnes Hee writ no doubt to the Christians which were already baptized and therfore hee teacheth also that the sinnes of those that are baptised are forgeuen by the propitiation of Iesus Christe To these woordes of Christe S. Paule addeth this Do this so often as yee shall drincke it in the remembraunce of mee And then what that remēbraunce is hee declareth in the words followinge For so often as yee shall eate this breade drincke this Cuppe ye shall shew forth the Lordes death till his comminge Therfore the Supper is ◅ certaine memoriall which ought continuallye to abyde in the Churche euen till the last comming of Christe beinge instituted to this ende that Christ mighte admonishe vs of the benefite of his deathe and that wee might acknowledge the same before men wherevppon it is also called Eucharistia that is a thanckes geuinge 29. But I say vnto you I will not drincke henceforthe of this fruite of the vine tree vntil that day whē I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kingedome But I saye vnto you C. By this sentence the Dysciples were admonished as well of the death of their master which was at hād as of the newe and Heauenlye life For the more neere that the houre of his death approched the more they were to be confirmed least they should altogether quaile Hee sheeweth also that his Disciples shall in a short time haue the truth of this signe As if he should say I do not apoint a signe the truth of the which is farre of no it is at hand Hee commendeth vnto them his supper for this cōsideratiō because they shold not alwayes haue him present with them While hee was presente they were confirmed by his Sermones and now that he must be absent they had neede of another confirmatiō Great therfore is the force of the supper which supplyeth the presence of Christ and setteth him before vs But because it was sorrowfull tydinges when hee affirmed that he must now go out of the world there is by and by added a consolation that there is no cause why they shoulde abhorre death after which there shall followe a better life as if hee had sayd ▪ Now truly do I make hast vnto death but to this ende that I may thereby passe to blessed immortality not to liue alone in the kingdome of God by my selfe but that I may haue you partakers of the same life So we see that hee lifteth vs hys Dysciples to the hope of the resurrection after hee had ledde them by the hande as it were to the Crosse And as it was meete that they should be directed to the death of Christ that by that ladder they might assende into Heauen euen so now Christ hauinge tasted of death and beinge receiued vp into Heauen it is meete that wee be broughte from the behouldinge of the Crosse to the lifting vp of our mindes to Heauen that death and the repayringe of life may agree together And that they shal be partakers of the same glory with him it may euidentlye appeare by his wordes VVhen I shall drincke it nevve vvith you in my fathers kingdome Bu. As if hee should say I beinge now made immortall and translated into the glory of my father or els I beinge now in Heauenly glorye in eternall ioye For Luke hath almost the like wordes when he sayth And I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed vnto mee that yee may eate drincke at my table in the kingdome C. But whereas some do obiecte that meate and drincke doth not appertaine to the kingdome of God it is a friuolous and vaine obiection because Christe meaneth nothinge els but that his Dysciples should shortly want his presence insomuche that after this hee shoulde eate with them no more till that they enioyed the Heauenly kingdome together Againe the eatinge and drinkinge mencioned in Luke is spoken of our sauiour Christ allegorically To be shorte Christe here commendeth vnto vs the frute and effect of the redemption which he got by his death Whereas some thincke that this was fulfilled so often as the Lord did eate with his Dysciples it is contrary to his minde and nothinge so For seinge hee was the mydle state betweene the course of mortall life the goale or ende of Heauenly life the kingdome of God was not then as yet reuealed and therefore hee sayd vnto Mary Toutch mee not for I am not yet assended to my father Moreouer the Dysciples were not as yet entered into the kingdome of God that they might drincke new wyne with Christ and be partakers of the same glorye But whereas wee reade that Christ drancke after his resurrection when as notwithstādinge he had denyed to do it till such tyme as hee had gathered his Dysciples into the kingdome of Heauen that shewe of repugnancye may easlye be put awaye For hee speaketh not precisely of meate and drincke but of the custome of this present life And wee knowe that Christe did not therefore drincke eyther because hee was a thrist or because hee woulde retaine his Dysciples in his meate and drincke but onely that his resurrection beinge thereby approued of the which they were as yet doubtfull he might lift vp their mindes to Heauē Let vs therfore contente our selues with this true and proper meaning of the place that the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples the fellowship of the blessed and immortall life with him seing they had the fellowship of his mortall humanity in earth 30. And when they had saide grace they went out vnto mount Oliuet And vvhen they had saide grace C. The first three Euangelistes omit those deuine Sermones which S. Iohn sayth the Lord made as wel in the house as by the way that they wente For their purpose was to comprehende and set forthe the Historye of thinges done more than doctrine This onely they toutche that hee wente of his owne accorde to the place whether Iudas was
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
of age are not able by fayth to comprehende the grace of God yet notwithstanding God speaking to their parentes dothe also comprehende them As wel may be proued by this place I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee A. By this place also many do gather that wee could not be saued without baptisme But as S. Paule sayth that the confession of the mouthe is necessary to saluation euenso Christ here speaketh of baptisme Baptisme is necessarily required because it is the pleasure of God to haue vs baptized notwithstandinge wee muste not hereby gather that wee cannot otherwise be saued Fayth also is necessarily required to vnderstande the worde For fayth commeth by hearinge Can not God for al that geue vs faith by some other meane Hee can no doubt but this is the meane whiche hee hath appointed In the name of the father C. This place teacheth that the full and perfecte knowledge of God which was onely obscurely shadowed vnder the lawe and the Prophetes sprange forth at the lengthe vnder the kingdome of Christe The fathers of oulde time truly durst neuer haue called God theyr father except they had taken this trust frō Christ their head neither was the eternall wisedome of God which is the well of light and life altogether hiddē from them But by the beginninge of the Gospell God was more plainlye reuealed vnder three personnes because then the father in the Sonne by his liuely and expresse Image manifestlye declared himselfe but Christe himselfe shyninge throughe the whole world by the brightnes of his spirite so set forth this spirite himselfe that the world might know him But mencion is not here made of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost without cause for that the force of Baptim cannot otherwise be apprehended than to begin at the free mercye of God the father which reconcileth vs to himselfe by his only begotten Sonne then we must behould Christ with the sacrifice of his death last of all wee must remember the power of the holye Ghost by whom he doth wash and regenerate vs and make vs partakers of all his benefites So that wee see God cannot be rightlye knowne except that our fayth do distinctly conceiue three personnes in one essence and that the efficacy and fruit of baptisme doth come hereof because God the father doth adopt vs in his sonne and doth bring vs vnto righteousnes beinge purged by the spirite from all the filthy spots of the fleshe Therefore to be baptised in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holye Ghoste is to enter and consecrate those which are baptised into the fayth and Religion of one God that they maye beleue the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be one God to whom alone they oughte to truste and that the Sonne and the holye Ghost are nothinge els but the very essence of God acknowledginge the father who hath adopted them The Sonne by whom they are accepted and the holye Ghoste by whom they are regenerate Furthermore hereby the godhead of the personnes is proued against all heretiques For if wee be Baptised in the name of the Sonne then the Sonne is God if in the holy Ghost thē the holy Ghost is god The Euangelist Marke addeth sayinge Hee that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but hee which beleueth not shal be damned C. This promise was added to draw all mankind to the fayth as was also the threatninge of dampnation to the vnbeleuinge to terrefye them Baptisme is ioyned with fayth of the Gospell to the ende we might know the marke of our saluation to be ingraued in the same For except it were effectuall to testifye the grace of God Christ improperly had sayde that they shal be saued which beleue and are baptised Moreouer he cannot be sanctifyed inuisiblelye whiche contemneth and regardeth not the visible Sacramentes not that they are so necessarye as wee saide before that we cannot be saued without them but because thereby wee shew our obedience to God who hath ordayned this thinge And he which beleueth not shal be damned C. Christ by this part doth declare that the obstinate in reiecting the grace offered vnto them do bringe vnto themselues the greater punishment The Lord himselfe in another place expoundeth what it is to be damned sayinge Hee that beleueth on the Sonne hath euerlastinge life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him 20 Teachinge them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you And lo I am with you alway euen vnto the ende of the world Teachinge them to obserue C. This is the other part of Christian doctrine that when wee shall beleue the Gospell and beleuing the grace of Christ and remission of sinnes shall apprehende true saluation we might obey the commaundementes of the Lorde and maye keepe those thinges whiche are taught by the Apostles as if they were commaunded of the Lorde Moreouer by these woordes Christe doth declare that he doth not wholy resigne vnto them his office as thoughe hee woulde ceasse to be the maister of his Churche For he sendeth forth his Apostles with this exception that they thruste not vnto men theyr owne inuentiōs but that they do pure lye and faithfullye dispense from hande to hande as it were that which hee himselfe hath commaunded And I would to God the Pope would submit the right which he arrogateth to himselfe to this rule For wee would easlye graunt him to be the successor of Peter or Paule if so be hee would not tyrannicallye raigne in the consciences of men But seinge the maistershippe and auctoritye of Christ beinge refused hee infecteth the Churche with his vaine trifles it doth sufficientlye hereby appeare howe farre he is from the Apostolicall office In fine let vs note that such are appointed teachers of the Church not which bring forth what seemeth vnto them good but whiche depende vppon the mouthe of their maister onlye that they may bringe Dysciples vnto him not to themselues Ye know saith the Apostle Paule what commaūdementes I haue geuen you by the Lord Iesus And S. Peter sayth If any man talke let him speake as the words of god M. But Christ speaketh not here of one or two commaundementes but of all hys doctrine which wee haue set forth vnto vs by his Apostles and Euangelistes A. Wherevppon the Apostle Paule going about to shew how faithfully he had done his duty sayth I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you all the counsaile of god M. We must also note that the Lord sayth not Teaching them to know and vnderstand but To keepe all those thinges vvhich I haue commaunded For althoughe the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ be required of the faithfull yet notwithstandinge the ende in learninge is not here prescribed to a Christian that he may only know those thinges which are good right but that he
may keepe them also and shewe them in dede And lo I am vvith you alvvaye It was a hard office whiche hee committed vnto them to beare the whiche good were able in no pointe And it is likely that the Dysciples were not a little terrefyed by the consideration of it C. Therefore hee doth incourage them with the truste of his heauenlye ayde promisinge vnto them his presence euerye where at all times throughout the whole worlde his helpe and grace also euen to the ende and finishinge of their embassage For before hee promised that he woulde be with them hee declared that hee was the kinge both of Heauen and earth whiche with his hand and power gouerneth all things Therefore in this word I there is a great Emphasis and force contayned as if he had sayde that if the Apostles would discharge their dutye bouldly they must not haue respect what they themselues were able to do but must leaue to his inuincible power vnder whose banner they fight Bu. As if he should say So longe as you do these thinges the world wil be against you as it hath bene againste mee For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of this worlde and my doctrine is altogether contrary to their affections which loue those thinges that are of this world So that with many tumultes men will ryse againste you but there is no cause why ye should dispayre althoughe ye be not noble but simple weake and few in nomber I haue ouercome the world you by my helpe and my example shall ouercome By my power not by your owne shall yee ouercome what soeuer seemeth feareful to you in this world And although I will cary vp shortlye this body into Heauen which thinge is good for you that it be so yet not withstandinge I will neuer forsake you for after that I shall cease to be with you in body then more effectually wil I be with you in spirite C. Therefore the maner of presence which the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples ought spiritually to be vnderstode because it is not needefull that hee shoulde descende from Heauen to helpe vs because hee canne helpe vs by the grace of his spirit as it were stretching his hande from Heauen Euen vnto the ende of the vvorld These wordes do declare that this was spoken not to the Apostles onelye because the Lorde doth promise his helpe to continue not to the ende of one age onelye but also to the consumation of the worlde His wordes therefore are in effect as if hee should saye How weake soeuer the mynisters of the Gospell be and what neede soeuer of thinges necessary they suffer I wyll be their ayde and defender insomuch that they shall haue the victory ouer all the conflictes of the worlde M. The order of the Historye doth require that wee adde those thinges which the Euangeliste Luke writeth as concerning the Assencion of Christ in the latter ende of his Gospell and in the Actes of the Apostles He sayth therefore And hee led them out into Bethanye C. Because Mathewe had greatlye exalted the kingdom of Christ aboue the whole world hee maketh no mencion of his Assention into Heauen Marke maketh mencion of the Assention but where and how he assended hee speaketh nothinge at all But Luke very plainly setteth forth this matter for hee sayth that Christe led his disciples forth into Bethany that he might assende from the mounte Oliuet into his heauenly throne R. For the Euangeliste Luke saythe in an other place that when the Lorde was assended the Apostels retourned to Hierusalem from the mount Oliuet C. As hee woulde not be seene of all men after his resurrection as wytnesseth Peter so hee would not haue all men to be wytnesses of his assention into heauen because he would haue this mistery of the fayth to be knowen rather by the preaching of the Gospell thā to be seene with the eyes R. But what talke the Apostles had with Christe in the mounte S. Luke wryteth in these wordes saying Lorde wilte thou at this tyme restore the kyngdome of Israell But he said vnto them It is not for you to knowe the tymes and seasons whiche the father hathe put in his owne power It followeth in Marke and Luke So vvhen the Lorde had spokē vnto them he lifted vp his handes and blessed them C. And so he taught them that to blesse which office was committed to the priests vnder the lawe did truely and properly be long vnto him Seing therefore he was the onely authour of all blessing yet to the end his grace might bee the more familiar hee would haue the priests from the beginning to blesse in his name as mediatours So Melchisedech blessed Abraham And for this matter there is a lawe geuen whiche lasteth for euer To the same ende pertaineth that which is written in the Psalmes where it is said We haue wyshed you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lorde And the Apostle saith that it is a signe of excellency to blesse others For the lesse sayth he is blessed of the greater Nowe when Christ the true Melchisedech and the euerlasting prieste declared him selfe it was necessary that the same whiche was shadowed in the figures of the lawe should be fulfilled euen as the Apostell Paule also teacheth that wee are blessed of God the father in him that we may bee ryche in all celestiall benefites Therefore he once blessed the Apostels solemly that the faythfull might come vnto hym if they desyred to be partakers of the grace of god So that he lifting vp his handes and blessing them and theyr ministery declareth by a certain signe that he wysheth vs well that we might receyue consolation by this blessing so longe as the Gospell is preached It followeth And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was taken vp an hie and a cloude receiued him out of their sight into heauē After Christe had done all those things which were appointed to him of his father and whiche pertayned to our saluation it was not nedefull that he should be any longer conuersaunt in earth He therefore being taken vp into heauen hath taken out of our sight the presence of his body not that he seasseth to be present with the faithfull whiche as yet are pylgrymes on the earth but that he might gouerne heauen earth with a more present power The heauens are sayde to be the seate of God who notwithstanding fulfilleth all thinges The heauen therefore into the with our Lord is ascended is the inuisible glory of the father where the sonne of man whiche was before so contemned and reiected of his enemies reigneth for euer in power glory hauinge all thinges subiect vnto hym and fulfilling all thinges in his electe by his holy spirit And wee obtayne two specallye fruites by this assention For in that hee ascended into heauen for oure sakes hee hath opened
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
vnto vs that he dothe promise his spirite which ingraueth the righteousnes of the law in our hartes We are cōmaunded therfore to aske both and in the fyrst place the petition to obtaine remissiō of sinnes is put Oure dettes M. Luke in the xi Chapter hath forgeue vs our synnes or trespasses C. Therfore our sinnes are called dettes because they bringe vs before the trybunall seat of God make vs detters vnto him yea they do wholly seperate vs from God that there is no hope to atteine peace and grace but only by pardō And so is fulfylled that whiche Paule wryteth All haue synned and are destytute of the glorye of God that all mowthes maye be stopped and that all the world may be subdued vnto god For althoughe the righteousenes of God doth partely shine in the sainctes notwithstanding so long as they are in the fleshe they lie ouerladē with sin So that there is no man founde in the whole world so pure whiche hath not nede of the mercy of God of the which if we desire to be partakers it is necessary that we féele oure owne misery But they whiche fayne to thē selues such perfectiō in this worlde that they think them selues frée frō al sin and vice do not so much neglect their sinnes as they do Christ frō whose church they banish them selues For when he cōmanded al his disciples daily to aske remissiō of their sins he excludeth al out of theyr nomber cōpany whiche thinke this remedie to be superfluous vnto thē Let vs put awaye therefore by this praier the wrath indignation of our heauenly father the iust ponishmētes whiche wee haue deserued let vs seke to please him by reconciliation For what can be more greuous then the displeasure of the father For so much as therfore our hole health consisteth in this to keepe the fauour of our heauēly father good and iuste cause we haue to put awaye his displeasure Now this remissiō which we here desire is cōtrary to satisfactiōs by the which the world seketh redēption For that credytour is not said to remit whiche beinge paid asketh the det no more but he which willingly frely departing frō his right dischargeth the debttor Neither dothe that cōmon distinction of falte ponishement here take place for there is no doubt but that dets do signifie the desert of ponishment or paine We must note also here that if we be forgeuē fréely al dispensations cōming from the Pope are in vaine For to obteine remission of oure sinnes Christ sēdeth vs to his father alone that rightly for who can forgeue the offence cōmitted against an other not againste him self Nay can any man forgeue sins beside God Wherfore Christe sent hym which had hurt his brother to go reconcile him self to his brother Therfore whē we syn against God our health saluation only cōsisting in him it is manifest that we can be forgeuen of none but of him therfore at his hāds we must aske forgeuenes according to the form of this praier Herevpon Dauid saide I saide I wil confesse my syns vnto thee lord so thou forgauest mee the wickednes of my sin For this shal euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thée in a time whē thou maiest be found Neither is this repugnāt to that authoritie which was geuen to the Apostels to remit sinnes For they did not forgeue sinnes by their own power but as ministers of Christ prechers of grace they did pronounce to the penitent faithfull that their sins were forgeuen According to the saying of the lord by the Prophete Esay I euen I am he that put away your sinnes that for my owne sake As vve forgeue our detters C. This condition was therefore added that no man should presume to aske pardon for his sinnes excepte he were free from mallice hatred Notwithstāding the pardō which we aske dependeth not vpon that which we shewe to other but by this meanes Christe exhorteth vs to forgeue all offences and dothe make our trust and confidence also of absolution pardō more fyrme and strong Furthermore it was not the purpose of Christ to note the cause but onely to teache vs of what mind we ought to be one towards an other when we desire to be reconciled vnto god And trewely if the spirite of God do raigne in our hartes all mallice euil wyl reuengement wil ceasse But for so muche as the spirite is a wytnesse vnto vs of our adoption we se that there is here a note geuen vnto vs who are the sonnes of God and who are not B. Our remission therfore is a motion of the spirite because God ruleth our affections Nowe since the case standeth thus how can they be excused whiche will not forgeue theyr neybours offences How can such presume to aske pardon of their sinnes at the handes of God Is it a triffle to lye vnto the lyuinge God and to play the Hypocrytes Yea when we say forgeue vs as we forgeue others what do we elles but call for vengeaunce at the handes of God vpon our selues if wee forgeue not oure offendours And for this cause there are many nowe a daies which rather then they wil remit forgeue they will neuer say the lordes praier But suche escape not the iudgemente of god For it shall abide for euer whiche the lord saith If ye forgeue not mē their trespases your father whiche is in heauē shall not forgeue you your trespases To this ende also parteineth the parable which he sheweth following Wherfore we may not let to forgeue our ofenders if so be that we will haue god to forgeue and forget our synnes 13 And leade vs not into tēptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer amen And leade vs not into tempta C. Here many amisse do deuide this into two petitions when as by the matter it is euidēt to be but one not two as they imagine For the coniūctiō set betwene both coupleth both the sentēces together whiche S. Austine very wiselye examined Thus therefore ought this praier to be resolued Least vve be led into tēptation deliuer vs from euill But the sōm of this prayer is this that we knowing our own infirmities desier god to be our aide helpe that we may stāde valiantly against al the assaltes of sathā M. We are taught therfore in this petion that we are as yet set in a doubtfull dāgerous cōflict in the which we must fight against the deuil the world and the fleshe For the godly haue an other maner of fight in this worlde then haue the childrē of darknes For they haue a carelesse conscience sekinge at no time to resyste Sathan whiche worketh in them but the godly because they geeue theim selues wholly vnto God they haue Sathan the prynce of this worlde
this woord in that signification yet vnderstanding it so it is writē with i. and not with e. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camilos not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camelos For though there be little difference in the woords yet notwithstanding in sence there is greate contrarietye for the first signifyeth a beast called a Camell and the other signifyeth the rope or cable of a ship Other some do rather agrée to Hierom which followed Origin which taketh this word Camelum being a gréeke word as wee shéewed before for the beast called a Camell For Christ would haue it séeme altogether as impossible for a riche mā trusting in his riches to enter into the kingdome of heauen as for a Camell being a mōsterous beast to go through the eye of a nedle But and if this sayinge séeme to anye man obscure let him remēber the man reprehēded of the Lord which went about to pluck the moate out of his brothers eye could not sée the beame in his owne eye What can be more absurde than to saye that a man caryeth a beame in his eye But this absurdity of his woords hath a great Emphasis force 25. VVhen the Disciples heard this they were excedingly amased saying who can be saued VVhen the Dis heard this By these words of Christ the Apostel gathered generally that no mā could be saued when as hee onlye spake of riche men by name And very well for they did soone perceiue sée that the same which should hinder rich men frō entering into the kingdome of heauen should be a let also to all mortall men how poore soeuer they were For rich and poore haue all one disease of minde namely to be willinge to forsake those thinges that are present to desier those things which wee haue not So that the hartes of both estates depende vppon the creatures hauing no intelligēce nor affection in heauenly things They knew therefore by the ayde of the spirite that they themselues as yet had not cleane put away these affections and that they themselues were tyed with the same chaine and with the same fetters that rich men were tyed withall except the Lord lifting thē vp from earthly cares did louse them C. For which way soeuer we turne our eyes a thousand le ts appeare before vs But let vs note that the Disciples were so stricken with feare that notwithstāding they forsoke not the doctrine of Christ Yet the yong mā whom we spake of euē now did otherwise for the straitnes of the commaundement doth so terrefye him that hée doth deuorse vtterlye seperate himselfe from Christe But the disciples although they feare demaunde who shal then be saued quaile not neither do they swerue from the race but seeke to ouercome put away desperacion Euen so it shall profite vs to tremble at the threatnings of the Lord so often as he pronoūceth any sorrowful feareful thing so that our minds thereby do not faint but rather assende 26. But Iesus beheld them and said vnto them with mē this is vnpossible but with God all thinges are possible But Iesus beheld them M. Because as it appeareth in Marke they had said amonge thēselues who shal then be saued Christ to whom nothing was hid by this beholding of them wēt about to remedy their feare in mittigating the trouble of their minds in geuing thē a better hope A. And it may be also that Christ by this beholding of them sought to prepare their minds to the end they might harken more attentiuely to those things that shoulde afterward be spoken euen as thoughe hee should set the matter before their eyes VVith men this is vnpossible C. Christ doth not altogether deliuer the mindes of hys disciples frō care because it was profitable for them to know that the way to euerlasting life was very straite narrowe First to the end they might endeuor thēselues wholy and continually to trauaile in this way Secondly that they distrustinge their owne abillitye mighte call for helpe from Heauen Wee sée howe great our slouthfulnes and security is What would come to passe thincke you if the faithfull thought that they mighte walke thither by a pleasaunte and plaine way with ioy of the minde without trouble This therfore is the cause why Christ doth not extenuate or diminishe the daūger by the which notwithstandinge hée séeth that his Disciples are made afrayde but doth rather increase the same For whereas before hée sayde it is harde hee sayth now that it is impossible Whereby it appeareth that they are not discrete teachers whiche are afraide to speake sharpely that they might beare with the sluggishnes of the flesh But truly it wer more meete to follow the rule of Christ which so ordereth his words that hée teacheth mē to fall downe in themselues yet notwithstanding hée encourageth them to praye For thus the infirmitye of man maye be helped not by attributing any thing vnto men but by liftinge vp their mindes to hope for the grace of god M. Christ therefore sayeth This is vnpossible with men as if hée shoulde haue saide as touching the abillity strength in man it is true which yee gather that no man can be saued wherfore be not troubled in vaine But vvith God all thinges are possible A. Luke hath thus Those thinges which are impossible with men are possible with god M. As though Christ should haue sayd Yee ought not therefore to despaire of the saluation of riche men or of anye other mortall man because those things which are requyred to the enteraunce of the kingdome of God are impossible vnto men For that which mā cānot do God can do C. And by this aunswere of Christ that cōmon axioma or proposition which the Papistes haue taken oute of S. Hierom is confuted namelye this Whosoeuer shall say that the lawe is impossible to be kepte be hée accursed For our sauioure Christ plainly pronoūceth that it is impossible for mā to kepe the way of saluation without the ayde of Gods grace Whervppon the Apostell Paule sayeth that hée is able to do all things by the power of the spirite without the which power wee cā do nothing 27. Then aunswered Peter and said vnto him Behoulde wee haue forsaken all and followed thee vvhat shall wee haue therfore Then aunsvvered Peter M. It séemeth that Peter was moued to demaunde this question by the occasion of the riche man and by the woordes of Christ Peraduenture hee thought that God had a greater consideratiō of a riche man if hee forsoke all that he had and followed Christ than of a poore man if he should do the like C. Or peraduenture hee compared secretlye himselfe and the rest of his Disciples with the riche man whō the worlde had alienate withdrawne from Christ But because they led a poore and wandering kinde of life subiect to reproche and griefe neither did there appere any better state of condition of life in
time to come he doth not without good cause demaund whether they leauing al that they had gaue themselues in vaine vnto Christ For it were not indifferent that they shoulde be spoyled as it were by the Lorde and not restored to better But what were all those thinges that Peter saith here he hath forsaken For they beinge meane men of poore estate had scant a house to put in their heades this great all and sūme therfore that Peter boasteth of mighte seeme ridiculous and great folly in Peter to boast of the same And truly experience doth teach howe liberally men perswade thēselues to haue done their duty towards God euen as at this day we see that some which were almost beggers in the time of the Papacy do proudly bragge that they for the Gospels sake haue suffered great losse And other some which before the Gospel was knowen were reedye to suffer whatsoeuer shoulde be layed vppon them after they were deliuered from tyranny had lefte a little god wot behinde thē being come to the place where the Gospell was more freely preached by by proudlye and vnthanckefully they boaste that they haue forsaken all whereas God doth more esteme the affection thā all the kingdomes of the world C. Notwithstanding the Disciples maye be excused because although they had not aboūdance yet notwithstanding they liued at home with their handy labor no lesse merelye than they that had great plenty of riches And we know that simple men accustomed to a quiet competent life are more hardlye withdrawne from theyr wiues and children than they which are riche Truly except some reward were in store for the Disciples they had foolishly chaūged the state of their life But as in this parte they are excusable so in this notwithstandinge they offende that hauinge not made an ende of the warre taken in hāde desier to tryumphe If at any time the like tediousnes by reason of delaye do trouble wearye and make vs impaciente let vs learne first to consider of the solace ioye which the Lorde hath in store to mittigate the sharpenes of the Crosse in this life and to lifte vs vp to the hope of the euerlastinge life to come For in these two partes the aunswere of Christ is cōtayned VVhat shall vvee haue E. Those woordes which Iesus spake to the yonge man sayinge sell all that thou haste and thou shalte haue treasure in heauen and come and follow mée did not a little kindle the hope of Peter who although hee were not riche yet notwithstanding hée forsoke that which hée had as it was said before with a willing minde as his ship and his nettes and followed the Lorde Lord sayth hée beholde wée haue done that which thou requiredst of the yonge man What reward therefore shall wée haue 28. Iesus saide vnto them verelye I saye vnto you that yee which haue followed mee in the regeneration when the sonne of man shall sit in the seate of his maiestye shall sit also vppon twelue seates iudginge the twelue tribes of Israell Iesus said vnto them verely I say vnto you yee vvhich Peter had spoken two thinges when hée saide Wée haue forsaken all and wee haue followed But Christ aunswering sayd not you haue forsaken all For Socrates the Philosopher did so and manye other which despised riches Because therefore it is not sufficient to leaue all Christ sayth ye that haue followed me For this belongeth to the Apostelles and the faithfull In the regeneration shall sit C. Least the Disciples should thincke that they had loste their labor and least they should repent them as of a foolishe enterprise Christ admonisheth them that the glory of his kingdome which then as yet lay hid should be reuealed as if hee should saye There is no cause whye this base estate should discourage you for I which am of no reputacion in the world will at the length ascende and sit vpon the seate of my Maiesty abyde therefore and content your selues a while for the time will come when yée shall sée my glorye And what doth hee promise them then sure hée promiseth that they shal be partakers of the same glory with him For in that hée attributeth vnto them thrones or seates out of the which they shall Iudge the twelue tribes of Israell hée compareth them vnto Legates or to the chiefe counsellers and Presidentes which in the presence of the Kinge haue the chiefe places Wée know that the Apostels were chosē twelue in number that thereby it might be declared that God by the reuealing of his sonne Christ would gather together the dispersed remnaunts of his people This was an excellente dignitye and honor but as yet hid therefore Christ suspendeth their desyers euen vntill the last time when the glorye of his kingdome should be reuealed that then at the last they might perceiue the fruite of their election And although the kingdome of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell in some point doth shine yet notwithstanding there is no doubt but that he speaketh here of the last day In the regeneration M. There are two kindes of regeneration The first is of the mindes of men in this present life which is finished and brought to passe by the preachinge of the Gospell fayth in Christ by the operatiō of the holy ghost for that is a Christian life when wée consecrate our selues to God and Christ The secōde is of the bodies of men beinge the state condition of the life to come which S. Paule calleth the redemption of our bodies when our bodies shal be raysed vppe from death shal be regenerate that is to say newe borne into the heauenly glory not into earthlye corruption For then the creature it selfe shal be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorye of the sonnes of god If wée well consider the time of the iudgement to come in the which all things shal be renued altered and that into another state and conditiō how can it be more aptly termed then by the name of regeneration The Apostel Peter calleth this regeneration the restoring of all things C. For then shall mortallitye be swallowed vp of life And our vile bodye shall then be transfigured into the heauenly glory of Christ This regeneratiō notwithstāding ought rather to be referred to the first comming of Christ because then the worlde began to be renued and the Churche also arose out of the shadow of death vnto life And this maner of speache is founde often times in the Prophetes and agreeth very well to the circumstance of this place For the renouation and restoringe of the Churche being so oftentimes promised so soone as the Messias appeared it brought a wonderful hope of felicity Christ therfore that hee might staye that error maketh a difference betwene the beginning of his kingdome and the finishing of the same VVhen the sonne of man shall sit in the seat M. Hée putteth into