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
pretermitte with silence the shorte space of that tyme because as yet the race of Iohn was not ended that is the preparation to receyue the Gospell of Christe And trewely althoughe Christe had done the office of a teacher within that tyme yet notwithstanding he began not properly the preachinge of the Gospell vntill he had succeded Iohn Wherfore the three Euangelistes do graunt and assigne not absurdly that tyme to the mynistery of Iohn by the whiche he prepared disciples vnto Christe as if they should haue saide the morning geuing place the sonne ariseth 13 And left Nazareth and went dwelt in Capernaum whiche is a Citie vppon the sea coastes in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalym And lefte Nazareth M. Why did Christ leauing his own countrey go to Capernaum Luke in his .4 chapt shewethe The ingratitude of the countrey droue away Christe the Nazarytes dyd not beleue Christ because he was known vnto them Furthermore they were offended with him because he reproue them and therfore they went about to cast him downe hedlong He therefore him selfe truely saythe of them A prophete is not accepted in his own countrey This dissease hath ben of longe time as Chryste taught by the examples of Elias and Elizeus and we our selues also haue experience of the same For those thynges whiche are best cōmon auncient plentiful and familiar are dogge cheape as we say and of no reputation This hapned not to the prophetes Christ alone but to all the giftes of god Suche is our wickednes which deserueth to be depriued of the gyftes of God til such time we be more destrous of the. Therfore by this example of Christ we are taught to departe for a time if we maye when that the furor of the wicked rageth againste the ministers of god A. For as before our lorde auoyded the outragious crueltie of Herode so nowe he escheweth the rage and madnes of the Nazarytes And dvvelt in Capernaum M. That is oftē tymes he abode there Wherefore being reiected of the Nazarytes the Capernaites receyue him So that we see there wanteth no place to those which are banished for the trueth of god This cittie gat a wonderfull gifte and a great prerogatiue aboue all other citties beside this a singular cōmoditie for the knowledge of God by the presence of Chryste But it vsed not this gift well as we shal se anone VVhich is a cittie vpon the sea coastes M. The Hebreus call the metynge and gathering together of many waters the sea and therfore the lakes and marishes by them are called the sea So the lake of Genefar is called the sea and Caparnaum a cittie bordering vpō the sea coastes because it is nere vnto that water where the endes and borders of Zabulon and Nephthalym do meete or elles Nazareth shoulde be nerer to the sea Mediterrane then Capernaū least some shuld thinke that the citie was for that cause sayde to border vpon the sea 14. That it myghte be fulfylled whiche was spoken by the prophete saying Question That it might be full M. Why did Christ returne out of Iewrye into Galile and for what cause leauinge Nazareth came he to Capernaum What is that therfore that Mathewe saith he lefte Nazareth came to Capernaum that the sayinge of the prophete might be fulfilled The answere It is no rare or vnwonted thing that those thinges which are done by deuine power ar done for certain humain causes For it was so appoynted of God that in this region Christ shuld set forth his light First because when Iohn was taken he went into Galile then because of the ingratitude of the Nazarites he left his countrey and wente into Capernaū But as concerning the fulfyllinge of the scripture we haue spoken before 15 The land of Zabulon and Nephthalim by the way of the sea beiond Iordan Galile of the Gentyles The lande of Zabulon A. This place is taken out of the .9 of Esay C. But Mathewe semeth to abuse the testimonye of the prophete in an other sence yet if we waye and consider the true meanynge of the prophete the appliynge of the same to this present place shal be very apt and easy For after that Esay had spoken of the great calamitie and destructiō of the people to comforte them againe and to adioyne ioye with sorrowe he promiseth that when they ar brought to extremitie there shall a deliuerance com which shal driue away the darkenesse most vncomfortable and restore vnto them agayne the parfecte lighte of lyfe The woordes of the prophets are these Out of such aduersitie he shall not escape Euen like as in tyme past it hath ben well seene that the land of Zabulon the land of Nephthaly where throughe the sea way goeth ouer Iordane into the lande of Galile was at the first in lyttle trouble but afterwarde soore vexed The people that walk in darkenes haue sene great light At this time the people of Israel were in double calamitie and bothe the waies oppressed Firste whereas they were broughte into exyle by Tyglath peleser beinge in nomber .3 tribes or there aboutes Then whereas Salmanasar cut of the whole kingedome of Israell The thirde calamitie remayneth in the latter ende of the .8 chap. whiche the prophete saith shulde be most cruell of all Nowe in the wordes whiche we haue rehersed there followeth a mittigation namely because God will stretch out his arme ouer his people to defend thē deathe shal be now more tolerable then the disseases at the first saith he although al the people shall be destroyed yet notwithstandinge the shyninge lighte of grace shall bring to passe that ther shal be lesse darknes in this later destruction then in the double ruine and destructiō of the tenne tribes Forasmuch as therefore he doth promise the instauration and reedicting of the whole churche it must needes followe that he comprehendeth the land of Zabulon and the land of Nepthalim and Galile of the Gentiles in the nomber of them whose darkenes of deathe is to be chaunged into the lighte of life The beginning of this light was as it were the dawninge of the peoples retourne out of Babilon At the length arose Christe beinge the sonne of righteousenesse with parfecte brightnes which wholly abolyshed the darckenes of deathe by his comming Therfore Paule sheweth vs that the same whiche was spoken by the prophetes was fulfilled in hym saying Awake thou that slepest Christ shal geue thee lighte Nowe since we knowe that the kingdome of Christ is spiritual it is necessary that the lighte of his saluation whiche he offereth and what helpe so euer we haue at his handes should be according to his nature Whereby it followeth that our soules are ouerwhelmed in the shadowe of euerlasting death vntill he doth illuminat thē with his grace But as concerning the destruction of the Gentiles the prophet sufficiently sheweth But what the state and condition of mankinde was vntyll the
comminge of christ it is described as it wer in a glasse M. For those thicke darcknesses do take place where so euer that light of the grace of Christ doth not shine This darknesse dothe ingender all kinde of wickednesse whiche the apostel calleth the workes of darkenesse Galile of the Gentiles C. This lower Galile was called Galile of the Gentiles not onely for the adioyning to Tyre Sydon but bicause that there the Iewes and the Gētyles wer mingled together oute of the whiche specially Dauid had graunted to king Hiram certaine cities to declare that the lyghte of the Gospell shoulde be caried also to the Gentiles Iesus spake vnto Paule thus Delyueringe the from this people and from the Gentiles vnto whom nowe I send thée to open their eies that they may be turned from darkenes to light and from the power of Sathā vnto God that they may receyue forgyuenesse of synnes and inheritaunce among them which are sanctified by faith that is toward mée 16. The people whiche sat in darknesse haue seene greate lyght and to them which sat in the regiō and shadow of darkenesse is the lyght sprong vp The people vvhich sat in darke M. The Apostell Paule most plainely declareth what it is to sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death saying Remēber that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh were called vncircumcision from that whiche is called circumcision in the flesh which circumcision is made by hands remember I say that at that time ye were without Christ being aliantes from the common weale of Israell and strangers frō the testamētes of the promise hauing no hope being without God in this world Savve great lyght C. That they whiche sat in darknesse are said to se great light so sodaine and manifest a chaunge dothe amplifie and inlarge the greatnes of the deuine sauing health M. Christ doth cal him selfe the light of the world The propertie of the lighte is to dryue awaye the darkenesse and to lyghten those that are in the same So Christ is the true lyght of the worlde which lighteth euery man comming into the world that is he putteth awaye the darkenes of our mindes he openeth the secretes of our hartes and by his holy spirite he maketh vs to haue parfecte knowledge of God. In the region and shadovve of deathe S. He calleth it the region and shadowe of deathe according to the maner of the Hebreues a region in the whiche there are darke cloudes euen as in hell The shadow of death is the comming of present death yea euen the very terrours of death and it signifieth a continuall trouble of consciences Is a light sprong vp A. To se the light and to haue the lyght to shyne vp-vpon any man is all one 17. From that tyme forth Iesus began to preach and say repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hande From that tyme forth C. Mathewe in this place doth seeme somwhat to differ from the other two Euangelistes Marke and Luke For after he saide that Christ leauinge his countrey went into Capernaum at length he toucheth the beginning of his preachinge but Luke and Marke say that he taughte openly in his owne countrey A. For thus saith Marke After that Iohn was taken came Iesus into Galile preaching the Gospel of the kingdome and saying The time is fulfilled and the kingdome of God is at hands repente and beleue the Gospel But Luke saith And Iesus returned by the power of the spirite into Galile and the fame of him was spredde througheout the whole region and he preached in they re synagogges and was cōmended of all men But the solution of these is easie soone gathered For the aduerbe of time which Mathew hath oughte to be referred not onely to the next member but also to the whole somme of the narration Therefore Christ by his comming into Galile entered and began his race Repent for the kingdome C. The somme order of this doctrine differeth nothinge from that which Iohn vsed of the which we spake before For it consisteth of two partes of Repentaunce and of the preaching of grace and healthe He exhorteth the Iewes to cōuersion and amendment of life because the kingdome of God was at hande that is because God wold take in hand him selfe to gouerne his people with full and parfect felicitie and blessednesse Marke a littell otherwise saythe The kingdome of heauen is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell notwithstandinge euen in the same sence that Mathew writeth For speaking before of the restoring againe of the kingdome of God to the Iewes he exhorteth to repentaunce and fayth A. Christe hym selfe commaundeth his apostelles to preache the like Se that ye preache sayinge the kingdome of heauen is at hande and againe he sent them to preache the kingdome of god Also saye vnto theim the kingdom of God is come vpon you And againe Repentaunce and remission of sinnes muste be preached in his name The whiche commaundement the Apostells obeyed For when they went forth they preached repentaunce But Peter said vnto them Repent and be baptised euery one of you in the remission of sinnes And again Repente and conuerte that your sinnes maye be done awaye Notwithstanding it may be demanded forasmuche as Repentaunce dependeth vppon the Gospell why Marke did seperate the same frō the doctrine of the Gospell We maye aunswere two maner of waies For God somtimes doth so bed vs amend our lyues that he onely saith the same must be chaunged into a better afterward he sheweth that conuertion and newnes of life is the gift of his holy spirite that we maye knowe howe we are commaunded not onely to do that which is our duetie but also that the grace and vertue of obeiyng is with the same offered vnto vs If after this maner we vnderstande that whiche Iohn preached of repentaunce the sence and meaning is The lorde commaundeth you to tourne vnto him but because of your selues you can not do it he promyseth his spirite of regeneration Wherefore you must receyue this grace by Fayth although the faith which the Gospel requireth ought not at all to be restrayned to the gyfte of renouation or renuinge but specially it dothe belong to remission of synnes For Iohn ioyneth repentaunce with faythe because God dothe reconcile vs to hym selfe to be worshipped and honored of vs as a father in holines and rightousnes Furthermore it is no absurditie to saye that to beleue the Gospell is as muche as to imbrace and receyue free iustificacation righteousenes For often times in the scripture this speciall relation betwene faith remission of sinnes is had as when it teacheth that we are iustifyed by faythe Bothe wayes we maye expounde this place but the beginninge is sure and ratyfied that free saluation is offered vnto vs of God that being tourned vnto him we may liue to righteousnes Therfore he promising
to suche blindenes and madnes Wherefore the purpose of Christe was otherwyse By this deceite the Scribes got fauore to them selues amonge the vnlearned multitude yea amonge all the Iewes because they did reuerently imbrace the memory of the Prophetes For they faining by this meanes that they allowed and maintained their doctrine euery man thought that they were faithful imitators and the best folowers of the worship of god The matter therfore at the first sighte was plausible and commendable to builde the monuments of the Prophetes because by this meanes religion rose as it were out of darknes that it might stād in her dew honor But truelye they minded nothinge lesse thā to restore doctrine which might seme to be extinguished by the death of the Prophetes But when as they themselues were not only alienate from the propheticall doctrine but also most dedly enemis therof yet for al that they adorned the dead Prophets with sepulchres as thoughe they were in all points agreing with the Prophets And this is alwayes the maner of hypocrite to honor the ministers of God and true teachers after their death whome they could in no wise abide whē they were aliue Neither commeth this onely to passe by a common faite but because the dead ashes are no more greuouse troublesome by sharpe and seuere reprehencions they do not thinke it much to set forth a vaine shadowe of religiō in worshipping of thē whose liuely voices they could neuer abide to heare but wer thereby prouoked to madnes For this fained shewe costeth and standeth them not in much to professe and shewe reuerence towardes those that are dombbe Euenso all the Prophetes amonge the Iewes in their time were cōtumeliously reiected and vexed yea often tymes they were cruelly kylled and the posterity which were littel better nay rather worse than their fathers didde rather reuerence their shadowed memory than imbrace their doctrine for somuche as they also were as dedly ennemis to their teachers also in their age For as the worlde because it dare not altogether despise God or at leaste openlye resiste him it inuenteth this practise namelye to worship the shadowe of God for God euen so in the Prophets it exerciseth the like valliance of the whiche matter we haue to euident an exāple in the papecy For they being not contented with the lawfull worshipping of the Apostels and martyrs do worship them with deuine worship and in what maner and how much soeuer they honor them they thinke that they excede not howbeit in raging against the faithfull they declare what their piety shal be towardes the Apostels and martirs if they which are alyue at this daye mighte haue the same office and autority that they had in tyme paste For why are they so mad fearce againste vs but only because we desyre to haue that doctrine florishe and receyued which the Apostels martyrs haue scaled with their bloude And seinge that the same doctrine was more preciouse to the seruantes of God then their owne liues thinke you that they should spare this whiche so cruelly persecute the same Let them therfore honor the Images of saints with scankensence with candels with flowers and other kindes of pompe at their pleasure if Peter were now aliue they wold teare hym in peeces if Paule they woulde stone him yea if Christ himselfe were in the worlde they woulde torment him in the flaminge fyer But because the Lorde sawe that the Scribes and sacrificers of his tyme soughte to get praise herebye because they were godly honorers of the Prophetes he reproueth them of deceitful hypocrisy because they woulde not onely reiecte the Prophets if they were present with thē sent vnto them but also cruelly afflicte them For in this their hypocrisy grosse impudency be wrayeth it selfe that they desyred to some religiouse in the worshipping of the dead when as they went aboute to extinguishe and vtterly to destroy them when they were alyue A. Christ therefore detecteth this hypocrisye in this place leaste they shoulde please thē selues any longer in the vanity 30. Yf vve had bene in the dayes of oure fathers Vve woulde not haue beene partners with them in the bloud of the Prophetes Yf vvee had bene in the dayes B. Because they boasted themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham Christ by their owne wordes ouercometh them and proueth that they are not the sonnes of Abraham but rather the sonnes of murtherers which slewe the Prophetes tourning the glory which they so desyred into ignominy and reproche For naturall children doe commonly resemble their parents VVee vvoulde not haue bene partners Accordinge to the sence of the Hebrewe it is thus Wee woulde not haue agreed to their death 31. And so ye be witnesses vnto youre selues that ye are the children of them whiche killed the Prophetes And so ye be vvitneses Althoughe he dothe not accuse them in the persone of theire fathers and dothe not principallye laye it to theyr charge and putte them in the falte because they are the children of murtherers yet notwithstandynge by the waye he toutcheth their foolishe boasting because they were wont to bragge and glory in their stocke and of springe who notwithstannynge were the progeny of the bloudy enemis of GOD. Thus muche therefore his wordes signify in effecte The worship which ye geue to the deade Prophetes is thought to be a certaine satisfaction of your parte for your fathers iniquity Now therfore ye must nedes graunte me this that ye doe in vaine bragge of your holy stocke seing that ye take your original of wicked and vngodly parents Go ye now pretende their piety with your own wickednes whose hands ye graunt were poluted with innocent bloud But truely a farre greater faire approcheth because ye followe imitate the execrable furor and madnes of your fathers which ye condemne in the sepulchres of the dead in the slaughter of the liuing Wherfore at the length he concludeth that they doe not degenerat frō their fathers as if he should haue saide This is not the firste beginning of the cruelty of this natiō against the Prophetes of God for this is the ancient and wonted discipline this was the custome of your fathers finally this maner of behauiour is as it were naturall in you A. The same wordes almost in effecte the blessed martir s. Steuen vttered when his deathe approched saying Ye styfnecked and vncircomsised hertes and eares ye haue alwayes resisted the holy ghost as your fathers did so do ye which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted And they haue slaine them whiche shewed before of the comminge of the Iust whome ye haue nowe betrayed and murthered B. In the Gospell after Sainct Luke wee reade that the Lorde sayde vnto them Truly ye bare witnes that ye allowe the dedes of your fathers for they killed thē ye build their sepulchres As if he should say You in building the sepulchres of the Prophets would seme to worship
figures of blessed and happy thinges that we may the better conceyue of the same euen as also the punishements of the wicked are described vnto vs by fier Therefore Christ in this place calleth the state and condition of eternall life Paradice So that we ought to contente our selues with this that whosoeuer by faythe are ingrafted into the bodye of Christe are partakers of his life and so after deathe do inioye a blessed and quiete life vntyll the parfecte glory of the heauenly lyfe be fully reuealed at the comming of Christ One thing yet is to be noted that Christ promisethe not to the théefe to ease his presente miseries or to take awaye any parte thereof he beinge in bodely payne By the whiche we are admonished that wee must not iudge of the grace of God according to the sence and reason of flesh and bloude for it commeth oftentimes to passe that God doth suffer those to be myserably aflicted to whome notwithstanding he is mercifull Therefore if wee be miserably disquieted in body we muste take hede least the sharpnes of the grefe do take away the tast and feelinge of the goodnes of God but rather that we leâ—…t this only consolation to temper and moderate our trouble namely that so soone as God hathe taken vs into his fauoure what trouble so euer wee suffer it is for the furtherance of our saluation And so it shall come to passe that our faith shall not onely haue the victory ouer all troubles and myseries but shal also haue rest with pacience in the middest of punishmentes 45 From the sixt houre was there darknesse ouer the lande vnto the nynthe houre From the syxt houre there vvas darcknes B. Mark hath And when the sixt houre was come That sixte houre was the thirde parte of the daye which began at one of the clock after none accordinge to our daye and al the same vntyll nine of the clocke was wonte to be called the syxte houre Reade the twenty Chapter goinge before E. Hereby we see that Christ honge vppon the crosse almoste three houres for Mark declareth that he was crucified the third houre There vvas darkenes ouer the lande Althoughe in the death of Christe the infirmity of the fleshe did hyde the glory of the deitye for a tyme and althoughe the Sonne of God laye deformed vnder reproche and contempte yet notwithstandyng the father of heauen ceassed not to adorne hym with heauenly tokens and signes And also in the last deiection and extremity he erected and set forthe certeyne proffers and signes of his heauenlye glory which might staye holde vp the mindes of the godly against the offence or stomblynge blocke of the crosse Euenso the maiesty of Chryste was wonderfully declared by the darkenes of the Soon by the earthquake by the cleauinge of the Rockes and by the rentinge of the veale euen as if heauen and earthe shoulde shewe their dewe reuerence to their worke master and maker But firste of all it maye be demanded to what ende was the eclipse of the Soone Some interpreters do thynke that God sente darkenes at the deathe of Christe for a signe of detestation as if God should hide his face the soone being darkened froÌ„ the abhominable wyckednes of all menne Other some saye that the visible Soone beinge extinguished the destruction of the Soone of righteousnes was declared â–ª Other some thinke it better to referre it to the blinding of that nacion which followed a lyttell after For the Iewes beinge reiected and puâ—…t to death were depriued of the lighte of the heauenly doctrine neyther was ther any thing lefte vnto them but the darkenes of desperation Notwithstanding it is more probable that because that people was blynde at the cleare lighte they were awakened and stirred vp by darkenes to consider the wonderfull purpose of God in the death of Christe For the straunge and vnwonted conuersion of the order of nature mighte seriously haue moued them if they had not bene to blynde and obstinate to consider the renewing of the worlde to come In the meane tyme a terrible sighte was shewed vnto them that they mighte bee afrayde at the iudgement of God. Ouer the lande E. Not ouer the whole earth but this darkenes was ouer Iudea onely or Hierusalem C. For if this darkenes hadde beene ouer the whole worlde it woulde haue bene thoughte a naturall eclipse and so not regarded of men But to haue Iudea couered wyth darkenes and the Soon to shyne in other places was a more notable miracle E. TertulliaÌ„ doth affirme in his Apologitico that this darkenes of the Soonne was writen in the booke of aunciente monumentes of the Romanes For Pylate as hee writeth in an other place hadde foreshewed all these thynges vnto Tiberius Eusebius also in his Cronicles maketh mencion of this darkenes of the Soone and of the earthquaque by the whiche many houses in Bethania fel downe he bringynge in Phlegontis the writer of the Olympiades for his witnes There wante not some whiche write that this darkenes was ouer the whole worlde beinge led therunto by the writing of Phlegontis and Orosius describynge peraduenture those thyngs whiche were kepte of his matter in the monumentes of the Romanes beinge writen and foreshewed as we sayde eueÌ„ nowe by Pylate vnto Tiberius C. But althoughe this was broughte forthe by one or twoo writers yet notwithstandyng the hystory of their times was so common that suche a notable miracle coulde not be buryed in silence of so many which diligently obserued those thinges whiche were not so well worthy to be remembered 40. And aboute the nynthe hower Iesus cryed with a loude voyce sayinge Eli Eli lama sabathany That is to saye My God my God why haste thou forsaken me And about the nynth hovver M. The Apostell maketh mencion of the crye and teares of Christe sayinge Whiche in the dayes of his fleshe when he had offered vp prayers and supplications wyth stronge cryinge and teares vnto hym that was able to saue hym from deathe and was hearde because of his feare Ely Ely Lamasabathany M. The Chalde or Sirian worde is Sabathany for the which the Hebrewes writte Azabathani Thou haste forsaken me It is the firste verse of the twoo and twentye psalme in the whiche Dauid whiche bare the persone of Christe complayneth himselfe But ther are many things in the psalme which can not appertayne but vnto Christe the which thinge that Christe might shewe he vsed this beginnynge C. And althoughe their appeared more than humane force in the crye of Christe yet notwithstandynge it is certeyne that he was forced therunto by the vehemencye of grefe And certeinly this was the speciall conflicte and more sharpe than all other tormentes that in his extremities he was so lyttell holpen wyth the helpe and fauour of his father that after a certeine maner he thoughte himselfe to bee forsaken For he did not offer his bodye onely a pryce of our reconciliation with God but also suffered in soule
by the wōderfull power of God sodaynely he rose againe from the dead to be a more sharp ennemy and reuenger of his wickednes Bu. And by the waye here we may note that tyrauntes are not free from feare tremblinge and rebuke although by all meanes they seeke to be delyuered from the same by fyer and sworde This wycked tyrante Herode had slayne Iohn the Baptist least any man shoulde reproue his incestiouse mariage but Iohn being slaine the lorde him selfe commeth with his twelue Apostels who with one consent teache the puritie of life to be obserued and condemne the vncleanes of the same Therfore truely saith the Apostel that the woord of God can not be bound The mynisters of the worde maye be taken scourged and kylled but the worde and the mynistery of the same is euerlastinge and inuincible for so sone as one by deathe or imprisonmente is put to sylence an other by and by arysethe in his place Wherefore tyrauntes shall neuer be delyuered from feare vntyll they forsake theyr tyranny and obey the woorde of God C. Marke and Luke teach that men spake diuersly of Chryste namelye that some thought him to be Elias some one of the prophetes or a Prophete For because the lord had promised by the prophete Malachy that Helias should come whiche should congregate and gather together the dispersed churche they wrested this prophesie amisse to his persone when as it was a symple comparison in this sence as followeth Leaste the comminge of the Messias should be obscure and least the people shoulde not see perceiue and vnderstand and their gracious redemption there shall suche a one go before them as was in tyme paste whiche shall restore al those thinges that are decayed and the trewe worshyppe of God which was quite ouerthrowne He shall go before them therfore with a singuler power of the spirite to set forth vnto thē that great and excellent day The Iewes accordyng to their grosse dulnes in interpreting restrain this to Helias the Thesbite as though he shoulde come againe to take vpon him the office of a prophete Notwithstandinge other some coniectured that he was eyther som one of the old Prophetes whiche was rysen or els that he was some great man whiche was as excellent and of as great power as they were But it is meruayle that none of them beinge drawne into so many sondry opinions coulde remēber that which was trewe specially when as the tyme and the consideration of the same mighte haue directed them vnto Christ God had promised vnto them a redemer whiche shoulde helpe the myserable and shyne vnto such as were in darknes and in the shaddowe of deathe The extreme necessitie in the which they were thrown did then greately require the helpe of God. A redemer is come both celebrated by the office and proclamation of Iohn and also by the testimonye that he bare of his office they are cōstrained to acknowledge some what that is deuine and heauenlye in him but beinge fallen notwithstandyng to their own immaginations they transpose chaunge him to other mens persons And thus truely by most wicked ingratitude the worlde oftentymes extinguisheth the graces of God offered vnto them As towchinge Herode hym selfe he toke not this opinion willyngly of the rysynge of Iohn agayne as wee towched a lyttel before but as euyl and gylty consciences are alwaies wauering and afearde he easely conceyued that which he feared And God doth oftentimes vexe and stir vppe the wycked by these blynde terrors by the whiche they are greately disquieted And therefore are myracles done by C. A man may much meruaile what reson led them thus to say for Iohn all the tyme of his preachinge shewed no myracle or signe A. as witnessed the multytude C. They seme therefore to wante theyr colloure or clocke because they seinge hym to be famouse by doing of myracles cōiecture him to be Iohn but they thought that myracles were done nowe by hym at the fyrst to proue his resurrection and to testify that he being the holy Prophete of God was wickedlye put to death of Herode that nowe he came agayne as a holy and vndefiled man to the ende no man myghte hereafter presume to hurte or vyolate his personage B. We se therfore hereby how men are wrapped and tangled in childishe errors when godlinesse falleth and decayeth as in that age it came to passe And the like hath often tymes synce hapened and we our selues in these dayes with to muche griefe haue experience of the same This is the blyndenes and madnesse with the which God doth strike the wicked when they hoyse vp the sayle to all wyckednes and byd God farewel of the which Moyses in the eighte and twentye chapter of Exodus speaketh 3 For Herode had taken Iohn and boūd him put him in pryson because of Herodias his brother Phillips wyfe B. The Greke texte vseth the preterperfecte tence hath taken hath bound hath put for the preterpluperfecte tence accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes M. Because the Euangeliste had made mention of Iohn by occasion he ioyneth to the history of his deathe and that by the waye For it is not a proper woorke of the Euangeliste to describe the deathe of any besyde the actes dedes of Christe Because of Herodias B. This semeth to be a name diminutiue taken of Herode Hys brother Phillips vvyfe C. The Euangelistes affirme that Iohn was taken because he openly condempned the incestiouse matrimony of Herode with Herodias which was his brother Philips wife 4 For Iohn saide vnto hym It is not laufull for thee to haue her C. Iosephus alleageth an other cause why he was put in prisō namely because by his doctrine to the whiche the people wonderfully resorted be broughte hym selfe in suspition with Herode of the mouinge of some newe attempt or vnwonted matter But it myghte be that the wicked tyrant toke this as a cloake to couer his cruell murtherynge of Iohn Or it might be that this wicked rumor was spredde abroade of hym for vniust vyolence and crueltie is neuer withoute dyuerse accusatiōs But the Euangelistes shew the very cause in dede namely that Herode was an ennemy to the holy man because he was sharpely reprehended of hym For Iosephus is deceyued whiche thoughte that Herodias was not taken from Phillip the brother of Herode but from Herode the kynge of Chalcis his fathers brother For at what tyme the Euangelistes wryt the remembraunce of this wicked dede was not onely new but also common in the eies of all men And wheras Iosephus in an other place saythe that Phillip was of a soft wyt in consideratiō and hope wherof there is no doubt but that Herode was the more boulde to accomplishe his wyll to abuse the modestie of Phillip not fearing any ponishment Here is also an other probable cōiecture that Herodias was rather geuen in matrimony to Phillip her fathers brother than
and ende of the worlde And as one error begetteth another euen so they beinge perswaded that by and by euen at the beginning of Christe his kingdome they should be blessed in all respecces that warre and battaile beinge forsaken make hast to haue the triumphe oute of hande Therefore they ioyne the comminge of Christe and the ende of the world with the ouerthrow of the temple as thinges inseperable and by the ende of the world they meane the instauration and renuinge of all things least any thinge should be wātinge to the perfect felicitye of the godlye Now we see that therefore they lept from one question to another because they were tangeled in these imaginations namelye that the temple could not fall without the whole world were destroyed that the shadowes of the lawe and the worlde shoulde ende at one time that immediatlye after this the glory of Christs kingdome should be reuealed which shoulde make the children of God blessed in all pointes and that the visible renuinge of the worlde was at hande which in a momente shoulde set all those thinges in order that were before cōfounded But specially they presuming folishly vpon the hope of Christes kingdome which was present are driuen thereby out of time to seeke in hast for the blessed quietnes and reste Euen as in another place when they saw that Christ was rysen from death they were caryed hedlonge to the felicitye which is layed vp for vs in Heauen to the which wee must aspyre and come by pacience and hope And although we differ from them in diuers respectes because we are not trayned vp in the shadowes of the lawe that the same superstition as concerninge the earthly kingdome of Christ cannot deceiue vs yet notwithstāding there is scarse one of vs amonge a hondred founde which is not infected with the like disease For seinge all men do abhorre by nature griefes contencions and all partes of the Crosse the tediousnes of these things doth vrge them to make hast without moderation and temperaunce without hope to get before the time the fruite of hope And so it cōmeth to passe that no man would sowe yet all men woulde reape before the time But to returne to the Disciples they had conceyued truly in their mindes the good seede of fayth but they taryed not till the same was rype and being indued with euil affections they do mingle the perfection of Christes kingdome with the beginning and that which they should haue sought for in heauen they seeke to obtaine in eath 4 And Iesus aunswered and saide vnto them take heede that no man deceiue you Take heede that no man deceiue you Z. Or beware that no man deceiue you A. The like woorde vseth the Apostle Paule when hee sayth Take heede least any man spoyle you through Philosophy and deceitfull vanity after the tradition of men and after the ordinaunces of the world M. B. Christ doth not answeare to that which the Disciples sought curiously to know but to that whiche did more pertaine to their profite whereby they might be made more ware and circumspect either to auoyde or els constantlye to beare the perilous thinges that were to come C. For seinge they soughte for tryumphe before the victorye was had Christ exhorteth them to longe sufferaunce A. Therefore these wordes muste be taken as if hee had said C. ye would haue the game or rewarde before yee runne but first it is meete that ye finishe your race Yee plucke downe the kingdome of Heauen to the earth the which no man can obtaine excepte hee ascende into Heauen But seinge that this principall rule doth containe special admonitions verye profitable to gouerne the whole race of our life wee do see broughte to passe by the wonderfull wisedome and counsaile of God that the error of the Apostles should be profitable vnto vs. This is the effect and summe that the Preachinge of the Gospell is like vnto the sowinge of corne and therefore wee muste wayte pacientlye for the time of Haruest and that they are to tender and effeminate whiche are so dyscouraged by the coulde of wynter by snowe by winde and raine or by anye other aduersitye But Christe doth speciallye commaunde vnto his Disciples two thinges namelye that they take heede of false doetrine and that they be not troubled at offences By the which wordes hee declareth that his Churche so longe as it is in the world shal be subiect to these euils But this mighte seeme nothing so seinge that the Prophetes had described the kingdome of Christ to be farre otherwise Esaye promiseth that al men at that time shal be taught from aboue And the Prophete Ioell sayth I will power oute of my spirite vppon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall Prophesye your yonge men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames More plentiful light also of vnderstandinge is promised by Ieremye when hee sayth No man from henceforth shall teache his neighbour sayinge knowe the Lord because all men shall knowe mee from the least to the most Therefore the sonne of righteousnes beinge rysen as Malachy Prophesyed that it shoulde it is no marueile if the Iewes did hope that they shoulde be free and cleane from all the obscure and darke cloudes Wherevppon the woman of Samaria said The Messias when he commeth will teache vs all thinges Now truly we see and know howe manye greate promises are to be founde in dyuers places of the Scripture of peace of righteousnes of ioye and of the plentye of all good thinges Wherefore it is no marueile if they beleued that they should be exempte and deliuered from troubles of warres from rapine from all iniury from honger and from pestilence by the comminge of Christ But Christ admonisheth and declareth that false teachers should be hereafter no lesse troublesome to the godly than false Prophetes were in time tofore to the people that were longe ago and that there should be no lesse perturbations and troubles vnder the Gospell than there were in time past vnder the Lawe Not because those prophesies want effecte which wee recited euen now but because the perfect fulfilling of them is not to be seene at the firist daye For it is sufficient that a taste of those blessinges is geuen nowe to the faithfull that they might euer after haue a hope of the fulfruition And therefore they were much deceiued which loke to enioye all those things at the beginninge of the Gospell which we see dayly to be fulfilled Moreouer the wickednes of men although it doth not all together frustrate and make voyde that felicitye whiche the Prophetes attributed to the kingdome of Christ yet notwithstāding it doth greatlye trouble and hinder the same For the Lord bringeth to passe in stryuinge with the mallyce of men that his blessinges may finde away through all lettes and stayes and truly it were an absurde thing that the same should be abbolished by their faulte which
probable Notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the ministers did deuise howe they mighte more despightfully strike him and spit in his face after they sawe that he was appointed to dye by the fore iudgement of the counsell It was wonderful madnes truely in the priestes who handeled Christe with so great cruelty forgetting that they were Iudges He is thus shamfully intreated for the iudgement that they gaue for they thought that he whome so greate a potentate as the hie priste pronounced to be a blasphemer and an enemy vnto God was worthy of all reproche and ignominy But thus oughte the Scripture of the Prophete be fulfilled when it is saide I offer my backe vnto the smiters my chikes to the nippers I tourne not my face froÌ„ shame and spitting But let vs note that he suffered these thinges for oure sakes For what are we before God so often as we beholde our lyfe and consider what we wante If God call vs to iudgement with howe muche and howe manye reproches shal we be couered But Christ toke away this ignominy and reproche that there might appere no blott or spot in vs Nowe for a time he executeth not the office of a teacher but of a redemer When he was sente to teache he faithfully discharged his duety and nowe diligently he fulfilleth the office of a rededemer that as a lambe he mighte be led to be slaine The Almighty God truelye pronouÌ„ced this voyce from heauen saying heare him but if we coÌ„pare the office of the redemption with that wee shall finde it muche more excelent Last of al we are admonished by the example of the Lorde in this place howe many euels we must suffer of the wicked and hypocrits if we will followe our master 68. Sayinge tell vs thou Christe who is he that smote thee M. The Euangelist sainct Marke saith that they did firste couer his face The gyfte of Prophesy in Christe so necessary for mortal men is derided made a ieste Therefore the miserable Iewes are not withoute iust cause lefte altogether destitute of Prophetes They had also before time vnreuerently handeled the worde of prophesy as Ieremy complaineth saying And they caste the woorde of the Lorde in my téeth and take me euer to the worste C. But to this ende al their mockes and iestes did teÌ„de namely that there was nothinge more vnmete than that he shoulde be the chiefe of all Prophetes which hauinge his face couered coulde not arede and gesse who it was that gaue him a blowe on his face But truely the prouidence of God did tourne this dalliaÌ„ce vnto an other ende because the face of Christ being striken with the fiste and defyled with spettell God did repayre and restore in vs that Image whiche was corrupted and blotted oute through synne 69. But Peter sate without in the pallace And a damsell came to him saying Thou also wast with Iesus of Galile But Peter sate vvithout C. Nowe the EuaÌ„geliste goeth forwarde with the narration of Peter which he had begon before in the 58. verse after he had declared what was done vnto his Lord by Cayphas and his ministers And the fall of Peter whiche is here described is a manifeste example of oure infirmity Moreouer in his repentaÌ„ce wee haue a liuely patterne of the goodnes and mercy of God sette before vs So that the history whiche is here declared of one manne dothe containe a generall doctrine and very profitable for the whole Churche bothe to bringe a careful feare to those that staÌ„de and also to lifte vp those that fal by the hope and truste of pardone VVythout in the pallace A. That is to say not within the vppermoste and inward parte of the house where Caiphas examined Christe but in the lower parte namely in the pallace S. Marke hath And as Peter was beneath in the pallace And a damsell came to him Sainct Marke saithe that this damsell belonged to the hye Priste and Sainct Iohn saith that she was the dorekeper and peraduenture the same that let him in C. Here therefore wee sée that there is no nede of any greate conflicte neyther of greate armis or preparation to ouercome a manne For whosoeuer is not stayed and helde vp with the hande of God falleth by and by at a small pufte of winde or at the falling of a leafe Peter truelye was no lesse couragiouse and bolde than one of vs and euen now declared no small token of sloute minde howbeit with preposterouse rashenes yet notwithstandynge hee looketh not when he shoulde be broughte before the the tribunal seate of the Iudge or when his enemys shoulde séeke his deathe but being terrifyed at the voyce of a woman he denyeth his master straite way wheras before he thought hymselfe such a stoute soldier that he coulde not See ouercome by death Let vs remember therefore that we are so weake to sustaine greate force that in the onely shadowe of fight wee fall In peace and tranquillity wee are more bragge and bold then nedeth But when wee come to the tryall wee shewe oure selues to be nothing but proud boâ—…sters yea when Sathan goeth not aboute to hurte vs euen then also wee imagine through vayne feâ—…re before the time that wee are in greate daunger Saying A. S. Marke S. Luke haue When she sawe Peter warminge hymselfe she looketh â—…n hym and saythe Thou also vvast not Iesus of Galilae S. Marke hath VVast not thou also with Iesus of Nazareth And S Iohn hath VVast not thou also one of this manes Disciples 70. But he denyed before them all sayinge I wot nos what thou sayest But he denyed The Euangeliste Luke hath But he denyed him C. Peter had bosted before that he woulde stande as an inuincible wrasteler in his masters cause euen to the death but nowe at the voyce of a poore wentche he is terrifyed in so muche that he geueth ouer in the plaine felde Beholde here a plaine proofe and tryall of mans strengthe It is but a smoke truely what strengthe soeuer appereth in man whiche wyth a blast of winde is by and by driuen away A man here fylled not with vertue but with winde promiseth to hym selfe that he will easelye get the vyctory againste the whole worlde But truely seing only the shadowe of his enemy he is made afrayed by and by C. So that God doth iustlye recompence our distrust when he doth despoyle vs of al his power vertue that wee mighte be afrayde of nothinge after wee haue caste awaye his feare For if Peter had had in his harte the sounde and perfecte feare of GOD it shoulde haue bene vnto him a stronge and inuincible bulwarke whereas now he beinge naked and withoute all defence is very muche afearde of no danger Wherefore let vs learne that wee are at no tyme nor in no place stronge without the Lorde Before them all C. This circonstance dothe make the falte more haynouse because Peter in denyinge his master feareh
this howere all the sacrifyces of the lawe did tende To this hower therefore wee muste also haue regarde whiche desyere the true and perpetuall saluation A. Christe here declareth his maiesty in that he putteth awaye his spirite not when men will but when he will. Whereuppon Pylate merueyled afterwarde that Christe was so soone deade And the Lorde hymselfe sayde No man taketh the same from me but I putte the same from me of my selfe I haue power to putte it frome mee and I haue power to take it vnto me againe To the whice effecte also it pertayneth when it is sayde that ◅owinge his heade he gaue vp the Ghoste 51. And beholde the Vaile of the temple did rente into twoo partes from the toppe to the bottome and the earthe did quake and the stone rente And beholde the Vaile of the C. Whereas Saint Luke ioyneth the rentynge of the Vaile of the temple with the darkenes of the sonne as though it happened before the death of Christe wee muste knowe that it is an inuersion of order For the Euangelistes as wee doe oftentimes see do not obserue the special moments and seasons of times Neyther was it meete that the vayle shoulde be rente before the sacrifice of satisfaction were ended because then Christe beinge the true and ternall Prieste the fygures of the lawe beinge abolished made awaye vnto vs by his bloude to the heauenlye sanctuarye that wee shoulde not stande nowe a farre of but that wee mighte come foorthe boldelye into the presence of god For so longe as the shadowed worshyppe dyd indure the Vaile was set before the earthly sanctuary whiche mighte kepe awaye not onelye the fete but also the eyes of menne that they coulde neyther come vnto it nor beholde it But Christe hauinge put out the hande writtinge that was againste vs hathe taken awaye all lette that bearinge oure selues bolde of the Mediator wee maye bee all a kyngelye priesthoode Therefore the rentinge of the Veale was not onelye an abrogatinge of the ceremonyes whiche were vnder the lawe But also a certaine openynge of the heauens that God mighte nowe familiarelye call and bringe to him selfe the members of his soone In the meane tyme the Iewes were admonyshed that externall sacrifices hadde an ende and that the olde priesthoode shoulde bee no more in vse But because the substance and truethe of shadowes was fulfylled the figures of the lawe were tourned into spirite For althoughe Christe dyd offer a visible sacrifyce yet notwithstandinge we muste esteme of it spirituallye as the Apostoll teacheth that wee may knowe the frute and price thereof Hereby also wee maye discerne ▪ What difference there is betwene the Gospell and the lawe in the Gospell all things are made manifeste by Christe but Moses had the Veale set betwene A. Of the which matter reade the third chapter of the secōd to the Corinthians And the path did quake and the stones C. It is lykelye that these thynges also were done when the Veale of the temple did rente Here the earthe geueth testimony vnto Christe as the sonn had done before These signes do declare the obstinacy of that people whiche coulde be moued neither by the quaking of the earth nor by the rentinge of stones By these also it was declared that the worlde shoulde be moued by the Gospel and that stony hartes shoulde bee rente throughe repentance 52. And graues did open and many bodyes of Sanites which slepte arose And graues did open C. This also was a speciall miracle by the which God declared that his soone entered into the prison of deathe not that he shoulde abyde there shut vp but that he mighte bring oute all those whiche were holde captiue For at what time the contemptible infirmity of the fleshe was sene in Christe the magnificente and diuine power of his death pearced euen to the the lower partes And this is the cause why he being redy to be shute into one Sepulcher or monument opened other Sepulchers Notwithstandyng it is doubtefull whether this openynge of the Sepulchers happened before the resurrection For the resurrection of Saintes which is afterwardes added followed as it semeth the resurrection of Christe For it is verye absurde that certayne interpreters doe dreame and imagine that they laye for the space of three dayes breathynge and alyue in the Sepulchers It is more likely a greate deale the Christ being dead the Sepulchers were by and by opened but when he rose that certein of the godly hauing recyued lyfe wente foorthe and were seene in the Cittie For seing the breakyng of Sepulchers was a foreshewyng of newe lyfe the fruite and effecte it selfe thereof appeared the thyrde daye after Because Christe rysing agayne brought others with hym to beare hym company out of the Sepulchres And many bodyes of saynctes vvhiche slepte arose It may be demaunded why God would haue a fewe to ryse agayne seeyng the felloweship of Christes resurrection doth pertayne a lyke to all the faythfull Wee aunswere that it was so appointed because the full time was not yet come by the which the whole body of the churche should be gathered vnto his head a shewe onely of the newe lyfe whiche all men hope for beynge declared and set foorthe in a fewe For we knowe that Christe on this condition was receyued vp into heauen that the lyfe of his members myght bee hydden as yet vntyll it shoulde bee reuealed by his comming They are called saintes in this place whiche were deade in the faythe of Christe to come by whose bloude they presented them selues with a fyrme faythe before the father to bee sanctified and purged from they re synnes VVhiche slepte A. As concerninge this sleape reade the fower and twenty verse of the nynthe chapiter before 53 And went out of the graues after his resurrection and came into the holy cittie and appeared vnto many And vvent out of the graues C. It may bee demaunded what came afterwardes to passe of the saynctes For it seameth verye absurde that they beynge once admitted of Christe into the societie of lyfe shoulde retourne agayne to duste But as the aunswer is not easy and ready to bee made euen so it is but vayne curiously to labour in a thynge not necessary to bee knowen It is lykely that they were not longe conuersaunt among men because it was mete that they should be sene but for a shorte tyme that in thē the power of Christe myght be made manifest And seeinge hee woulde confirme those that were alyue in the hope of the heauenly lyfe in theire persone it shall bee no absurditie if wee saye that so soone as they had shewed them selues they rested agayne in theire Sepulchres And came into the holy cittie C. In that the Euangeliste honourablely calleth Hierusalem the holy cittie hee doth it not for the desertes of this cittie for we knowe that it was then replenyshed with all kynde of wyckednes that it myght seeme rather to bee a denne of