in a base contemned person C. Luke saith that this was done when he praied But by the circumstance of the place and tyme we gather that which we saide euē nowe namely that he praied that there mighte be a visible sighte or shewe of his deitie in the brightnes of a newe forme the which thing he obtayned not because it was necessary that he shoulde pray for that which he wāted him selfe or because the wyll of his father was doubtful but because in humillitie he referred all that he did to his father and would by his exaumple incourage vs to praye And his face did shine C. Luke hath And it came to passe as he praied the fashion of his face was altered Yet notwithstāding this transformatiō did not set forth Christ to be seene of the disciples according to the glory which he hath nowe in heauen but he gaue them a tast of exceding glory accordinge as they were able to cōprehend the same His face dyd then shine as the sonne but now it dothe far excede the son in brightnesse A strange and vnwonted brightnesse shone then in his apparell but nowe his deuine maiestie shineth without apparel in his whole body So God appered in tyme paste to the holy fathers not as hee was in hym selfe but as they were able to abyde the beames of his excedinge brightnesse M. But whereas Christ was transeformed frō the forme of humillitie into that heauenly deuine shape it was a manifest token that the state in the which he was then was not eternal but mutable and subiecte to chaunge not that the substance of his body was subiecte to trasmutation and chaunge in so muche that the veritie of his humaine fleshe shoulde be turned into the veritie of the spirite God forbid but that there should be a trāsmutation of the humaine condition fragillitie his manhode abidinge styll M. But where as he was transformed while hee was at praier it sheweth howe wee are trāsformed into God when we are praying for the which cause we ought to be the more earnest to pray Herupō it came to passe that the fathers holy men were so often times in minde rapte caryed into heauen As Peter the Apostel of Chryst Daniell to whome an Angell appered when he was in prayer declarynge vnto hym thinges to come Cornellius who in praier sawe an Angell And Paule who as he praied saw Ananias in a vision laiing his hād on him Also the same Paule testifieth of him selfe thus When I was come againe to Hierusalē and praied in the temple I was in a traunce and sawe hym saying vnto me make hast and get the quickely out of Hierusalem for they wyll not receiue thy witnes Hereby we gather that they are most farre from the company and fellowship of God of the heauenly spirites whiche are neuer ledde by the feruencye of the mynde to prayer And his clothes vvere as vvhite as C. It is not mete that any man should dispute or reason subtilly about the whitenes of his apparell or of the brightnes of his countenance seing that this was not a perfecte declaration of his heauenly glory but a signe which did onely pertaine to the measure capacitie of flesh M. For as darknes is assigned by Christ to the kingdom of Sathā and externall darckenes to the condemnation also of the wicked for the horror which they shall suffer euen so an excedinge light inspeakeable brightnes is ascribed to the kingedome of God for the glory and pleasure whiche the electe shall haue The iuste saithe our sauiour Christ shal shine as the sonne in the glory of their father As the light E. It is red in a certayne auncient Greeke boke As the snowe and the Euangeliste Marke saith also thus And his raymente dyd shine became very white euē as snow so white as no fuller cā make vpō the earth 3 And beholde there appered vnto thē Moyses and Helias talking with thē And beholde there appered B. No doubt this apperinge and talke of Moyses and Helias dyd make very muche to the declaration of the kingdome of Christ Notwithstandynge it is demaunded whether they were truely present or whether that a figure or shewe onely of them was set before the face of the disciples euen as vysions of thinges absent were sette before the Prophetes Althoughe the matter be so probable that bothe partes may haue good occasion to dispute yet notwithstādinge it is more lykely that they were truely brought into that place Neyther is it any absurditie at all to say seinge that God hath both body soule in his hād power that the dead for a time may be restored to life according to his will. Moyses and Helias dyd not rise vnto thē selues at that tyme but they rose at the will cōmandement of God to be presēt for the time with Christ Againe Question if any demaund how the Apostels knew Moyses Helias whō they neuer sawe it may easely be answered that whē God had set them in the midst before them he gaue thē signes tokens by the which they might be knowne vnto them This truely was done by an extraordinary maner of reuelation that they might certainely knowe Moyses Helias Question But why did these two rather thē any other of the saintes apere Surely that reasō ought to satisfie vs to say that the lawe the Prophetes had no other scope or ende then Christe For it was a great aide helpe to our faythe the Christe came not forth without testimony but was cōmēded of God long before B. Therfore in Moyses the lawe and in Helias the Prophetes are represented M. For althoughe Helias left nothinge writtē behinde him yet notwithstanding after Moyses he was the chiefe excelled all men He restored the polluted law of God to perfectiō yea he was an excellent meintainer setter forth of true godlynes pietie whiche was then almost extinguished C. The talk therfore of Moyses Helias with Christ is the agrement of the lawe and Prophetes with Christe For it behoued the Apostels to be confirmed perswaded that it was no newe doctrine or religion which Christe preached vnto thē but the same wherof the lawe and prophetes beare witnes for excepte they had ben perswaded in this that Christ did not teache any thing contrary to the law and prophets they had euer doubted neither had they ben able with a constante minde to preache the Gospell We haue therfore here a notable seale of our faith when we know that the doctrine of christ is not newely sprong vp as some imagine but of long cōtinuance Talking vvith them A. Onely Luke sheweth for what cause they talked with Christ in these wordes That appered in the maiestie and spake of his departinge whiche he should ende at Hierusalem M. He calleth the death of Christe a departinge or a going out namely of this worlde So in
an other place his deathe is called a going out of this worlde to the father C. But this talke ought not to be restrained to the priuate personnes of Moyses and Helias but rather to the imbassage whiche longe before was inioyned committed to them For althoughe they were lately deade and had finished the race of their callynge yet notwithstandinge the lorde wolde that they by their voyce once againe should confirme that which in their life they had taught to the ende we might know that the saluation set forthe in the sacrifice of Christ pertaineth vnto vs as well as to the fathers M. Therefore the woorde ende whiche Luke vseth doth pertaine to the Prophetes and truethe of God that the same whiche God promysed by the Prophetes as concerninge the departure or endinge or death of his sonne mighte be fulfylled C. Nowe when the Prophetes prophesied of the deathe of Chryst he sate whiche is the eternall wisedome of God in the secrete throne of his glory Wherevpon it followeth that he beynge man was not subiecte vnto death but so farre as he willingly submitted him self M. Therfore they talked about the crosse and resurrection to the ende the Apostels might vnderstande that it was the wyll of God that hee shoulde be slaine at Hierusalem and rise againe euen as it was foreshewed by the law and the prophetes Wherupon Christ him selfe after his resurrection expounded vnto thē the lawe and the Prophetes teachinge that it soo behoued Christe to suffer and to ryse agayne from deathe 4 Then answered Peter and sayd vnto Iesus Lorde here is good beinge for vs If thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and an other for Elias Then aunsvvered Peter M. The Euangelist abuseth this woorde aunswered accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes when as nothinge went before whereto aunswere might be made But the Euāgeliste Luke more playnely rehearseth these woordes sayinge But Peter and they that were with hym were heauy with sleepe And when they awoke they saw his maiestie and two men stāding with him Beholde here how that three of the chiefe Apostels whiche were with Christ ar a slepe when he praieth So they slept againe in the gardein when Christ was redye to be taken This was their infirmitie and yet theye were not reiected of Christe but are borne withall tyll they were by little and littell confirmed that they might be the more perfecte By the which example we must learne to beare with the weake and not by and by to cast them of Luke addeth further sayinge And Peter sayde vnto Iesus Master it is good beinge here for vs C. These woordes saith the Euangelist he spake when Moyses and Helias were gone Whereby we gather that Peter was afraide least that by their departure that swete and gloriouse sight should vanishe away And althoughe it be no meruaile that Peter was so rauished with the swetenesse of that sight that all other thinges despised the sight therof and the fruition of the same onely coulde suffice him as it is saide in the Psalme in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye and at thy righte hande there is pleasure for euermore Yet notwithstandinge his wishe and desier was preposterouse because he knew no ende of the vision secondely he verye foolishely made an equalitie betwene the lorde and his seruantes thirdely he erred because he wolde haue builte earthly tabernacles vnto men whiche were receyued into heauenly glory We saye that the ende of the visiō was not known vnto Peter For when he hearde oute of the mouthe of Moyses and Helias that Christe muste shortely dye he as a man voyde of sence immagineth that temporall shewe of glory to be eternall What kingdome of Christ should this haue ben included and compassed within the space of twenty or thirty foote What should haue become of the redēptiō of the whole Churche and where shoulde haue bene the fellowship of euerlasting saluation Therefore the two Euangelystes do very well note that he knewe not what hee sayde Marcke addeth the cause namely for that they were afraid God truely did not seke to make the Apostels haue anye farther profite in vnderstandinge than in this that they should haue a féeling as it were at one sighte and in a momente of the deitie of his sonne Afterward in processe of time he shewed vnto them the fruite and corrected the wante of iudgemente that was in them Marke therefore meaneth that Peter was as a man in a traunce and amased that he spake accordingely In lyke maner we do not knowe oftentimes to what ende the lord declareth his power vnto vs but he correcteth our ignorāce and infirmitie and in continuance of time teacheth vs what his pourpose was 5 VVhile he yet spake behold a bright cloude shadowed them And beholde there came a voyce out of the cloude which saide This is my beloued son in whom I delight heare hym VVhile he yet spake beholde a bright cloude shado C. When the lord meaneth to shewe vnto vs a signe of his presence he commonly setteth before vs a cloude to the ende he might bryng vs to humillitie lest we shoulde rashely burst forthe into secrete matters whiche our sence and reason is not able to comprehende and leaste we shoulde be to wise forsakinge sobrietie For we can not be sober except God put the bridell in our mouthe and restraine our pride and follye The imbecillitie of mannes witte and vnderstandinge can not conceiue the glory of god therefore the cloude is set as a courtaine betwene God and vs whereby he may bridell our natural folly for we are to bolde and curiouse Euē so now to the ende he might bringe his disciples to humillitie he hydeth his heauenly glory from their eyes A. The whiche thinge also ought to profyte vs that we acknowledging the imbecillitie of our mindes may auoyde all curiositie in sekinge the workes of god for he dwelleth in the lighte whiche no man can attayne If men knewe what Cloudes do signifie and to what end they are set forthe they wolde restrayne and brydell that fonde and vayne delighte in settinge vp Immages and Idoles to represent the person of god For he being inuisible with what boldenes dare they set him vppe to be seene as visible This cloude as it was saide beinge set before the disciples eyes had a type of the presence and grace of god For so God was wonte to shewe his presence in his people vnder Moyses and Aaron specially in the tabernacle of wytnesse also in the departinge of Israel out of Egipte Herupon the Prophet Dauid ascribeth vnto God that he maketh the cloudes his chariote and rydeth vpon the winges of the wynd And Christ assended into the heauens in a cloude And he shall com again at the daye of iudgement in a cloude And S Paule saith that we shal be taken vp in the cloudes to mete Christ in the ayre
the fleshe M. Therefore the tyme of resurrection was to be loked for in the whiche the sonne of God was to be declared by the spirite of sanctification so that the thinge whiche was done before a parte and in secrete in the mount should nowe fynde faithe and fruite in more excellent and euidente thynges C. Hee wolde not therefore that his myracles shoulde lye hyd and buryed but he wolde that in dewe and conueniente tyme they should be openly published and declared And this reason shall be applied to other places which speake of the lyke prohibition After these woordes Marcke and Luke adde sayinge And they kepte that saying within them and demaunded one of an other what the rysyng from death againe shoulde meane 10 And his disciples asked hym saying VVhy then do the Scribes saye that Helias must fyrst come And his disciples asked hym C. So soone as menciō was made of the resurrectiō the disciples by and by began to conceyue the beginning of the kingdome of Christ for they so put foorth this name because the world would acknowledge him to be the Messias For that they Imagined otherwise of the resurrection then Christe woulde haue them it is apparant by the wordes of Marke who saythe that they disputed among them selues what the risynge agayne from death should meane A. as it was sayde a littell before C. Peraduenture the dotinge errour did then preuaile which at this day is counted a sure and certaine oracle among the Rabbines namely that the commyng of Christe is taken two maner of wayes because frō the beginning he shold be contemptyble and base but afterwarde his kingly dignitie should succede and take place And trewely this errour had some collour or shewe because it proceded from a trewe begynning The Scripture also doth cōmend vnto vs two maner of comminges of the Messias because it promyseth that there shal be a redemer which by his own sacrifice shal take away the sinnes of the world And to this ende pertaine the prophesies Reioyce O daughter Syon beholde thy kynge commeth poore sytting vpon an Asse In like maner it is writtē He hathe neyther bewtie nor fauoure when we shall loke vpon hym there shal be no fayrenesse we shall haue no luste vnto him Howebeit he onely hath taken on hym our infirmities and borne oure paynes Secondly the Scripture declareth hym to be the conquerer of deathe whiche shal brynge all thinges in subiection vnder hym But wee see howe the Rabbines with theyr fayned inuentions corrupt the sincere doctrine of the Scripture B. But the Scribes falsely gathered by the fourthe chapter of Malachy that hee shoulde not come in the spyrite before the comming of Messias And because they sawe that thynge came not to passe they tooke thereuppon occasion to proue that the tyme of Christes coming was not yet come and so consequently that this Iesus was not Christ C. and that because he came without Helias The whiche thynge they went aboute to put into the peoples heades and to perswade them in the same to the ende they might discredite Christe that he mighte not seme to be the lawfull Messias Bu. But when the Apostels them selues knewe for a suertie both by infinite myracles and also by the late transfiguration that he was very Christe althoughe Helias wente not before but was onely sene of them with Moyses in the mount they aske him Why then do the Scribes saye that Helias muste firste come As if they shoulde haue saide We euidentely see by thy mighty and meruaylouse workes but speciallye by that vision shewed vnto vs in the mounte that thou arte the Messias promysed in the lawe and Prophetes but we neyther see nor knowe that Helias wente before thee Tell vs therfore why do the Scribes teache that Helias shall come and that he muste goo before the Messias This force hathe the coniunction then whiche make this to depende vppon that whiche went before M. But where as the disciples brynge the woordes of the Scribes vnto Christ it is an exaumple of wisedome and of a mynde seking the trewth This desire of knowledge ought at this day to be in thē whiche are symple and ignorant of the truethe that if they here any thyng spoken by the aduersaries against the truth they may brynge the same straight waye to their teachers wherby al impedimentes set aparte they may abyde and continue in the trueth receyued 11 Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Helias trewlye shall firste come and restore all thinges Iesus ansvvered C. We haue shewed already whereuppon this errour sprange amonge the Iewes Because that Iohn the Baptist shoulde be lyke vnto Helias in repayrynge the decayed state of the Churche the Prophete Malachy gaue vnto hym also the name of Helias the whiche place was rashely taken and vnderstoode of the Scribes as though Helias the Thesbite should come againe into the worlde Christ therfore now witnesseth that the Prophete Malachy foretolde nothing in vaine but saith that his prophesie is misconstrued as if he should haue saide The promyse of Helias comminge was trewe whiche is also fulfylled but Helias was reiected of the scribes whose vaine name they do falsely obiecte against mee Helias shall fyrst come B. This oughte to be referred to the tyme of the prophesie As if he had saide The Prophete Malachy did not falsly speake this for Helias is come alredy for the prophesie was fulfilled in Iohn the Baptist comminge in the power and spirite of Helias And so the angell also declared to Zacharias the father of Iohn saying And he shall go before hym in the spirite and power of Helias to turne the hartes of the fathers And Christ him self in an other place saithe If ye wyll receiue it this is Helias whiche was for to come And restore all thinges C. A restitution is here attributed to Iohn the Baptist yet not a parfecte restoringe but because by a continuall order he gaue that to Christ from hand to hand to be absolued which he had begon M. For hee by his preachinge broughte the people of the Iewes vnto Christ euen as the Angell said before to his father he shoulde do 12 But I say vnto you that Helias is com alredye and ye knewe him not but haue done vnto him what soeuer thei lusted In like manner shall also the sonne of man suffer of them But I say vnto you that Helias is come A. As if he had said Let not the false immagination of the Scribes as concernynge the comming of Helias moue you any thing at all whom I certifie you to be com alredy not in the body but in the spiryte euen as the lord vnderstode by the words of the Prophet But haue done vnto him vvhat That is hee suffered many thynges hee was vndeseruedly reiected and contempned and also reproched with diuers slanders As testifieth our sauiour Christe sayinge Iohn came neyther catinge nor drinkinge and they saye beholde he hath a
and bōdage in the which he was ouerwhelmed and drowned At the first he was like vnto a dead man and Aegipt was vnto him as it were a sepulcher but I brought him as it were out of the wōbe into the light of life Not without cause the lorde speaketh this because the deliueraunce was as it were a certaine natiuitie of the people by the whiche they became newe borne For then openly the tables of adoption were made when as the lawe being promulgated and published they were made a peculiar people vnto God a priestly kyngdome and a holy nation when as they were seperated from all people yea finally when as the lorde dwelling in the middest of them erected and buylt a tabernacle to him self Wherefore the woordes of the prophete are in effect as if he should haue said that the people were escaped out of Aegipte as out of the depe gulfe of death and destruction Nowe the redemption by Christe being brought vnto them what is it els but a rising from death and the beginning of a newe lyfe For almoste the light of saluation was extinguished when as God in the persone of Christe againe begat vnto him a true churche then came the churche out of Aegipte as it was brought before from thence a whole body For this analogy or proportion maketh that it should not seme absurde that Christe passed some parte of his childhode in Aegipte but rather the grace and power of God was the more manifeste and his wisdome did the more appeare that light should arise out of the pitte and dungeon of Darkenes For otherwyse the carnal sense and meaning might make muche a do here that the redemer should come out of Aegipte Mathewe therfore doth shewe that it is no vnwonted or newe thing that God would call his sonne to him from thence and that rather this thing did concerne the confirmation of our faith that as in times past euen so nowe the churche of God should spring in Aegipte from the one ende to the other By this meanes it is otherwyse because in tymes past all the people were shut vp in the brikehouse or pryson of Aegipt but in the second redemption only Christe the head of the churche was there priuely kepte but he it was in whome was included the life and saluation of all men Bu. Moreouer the scripture is fulfilled when as one thing oftentimes is finished and done As this With the eares ye shall heare and not vnderstande Of the whiche in the thirtene chapter of Mathew is made mention also And the same saying was fulfilled in the Iewes in the time of the prophete Esaye 16 Then Herode when he sawe that he was mocked of the wyse men he was eexceading wrath and sent forth men of warre and flewe all the childrē that were in Bethlehē and in all the costes as many as were two yere olde an vnder according to the time whiche he had diligently learned of the wise mē Then Herode vvhen he savve B. Here we may se that the wyse men were neither kinges nor princes for if they had they could not haue scaped away without the knowledge of Herode neither would he haue sent them away to Betlehem without some to wayte vpon them for nobilities sake C. But as touching the texte Mathewe speaketh of the minde and opinion of Herode who thought him selfe to be deceiued of the wyse mē because they would not be ministers of his wicked crueltie He in dede was rather taken in his owne craft and fraude which deceitfully fayned that he ment to come and worship the newe king M. Therfore in that the wyse men retourned not according to their promise it was not done for any crafte and contempt but because they were admonished to the contrary by the commaundement of God. He vvas exceading vvrath Although the wise men seme to geue this cause of greate and vehement anger yet they are not in faulte of this fearce and mad crueltie For there are two kyndes of anger the one deserued the other vndeserued The deserued anger is with the whiche God is prouoked against sinners parentes against disobedient children magistrates against wicked subiectes and maisters against negligent scholers and such like He that geueth occasion of suche anger offendeth and is in faulte because the party against whome the offence is cōmitted is iustly angry but suche was not the anger of Herode The vndeserued anger is when as they are angery whiche are let by some meanes or other from their wicked intent and purpose He that geueth occasion to these is not in faulte With this kinde of anger was Herode angry wherefore the faulte was in him selfe and not in the wyse men And he sent forth men of vvarre and slevve C. Iosephus maketh no mention of this history Only Macrobius shewyng the iestes and dedes of Augustus saith Whē he harde that all the children that were two yeare olde and vnder should by the commaundement of Herode be slayne and that among the multitude his owne sonne was slaine also he sayde I had rather be Herodes hogge then his sonne But in dede sufficient enough is the authoritie of Mathew vnto vs For so notable a dede should not haue bene pretermitted of Iosephus and yet notwithstanding it is no meruaile that he maketh no mention of the infantes when as he doth lightly passe ouer obscurely touch the detestable example of crueltie that almost euen at the same tyme he shewed in destroying all the Iudges that no remnaunt of the stocke of Dauid might remayne There is no doubt but one feare constrained him to commit bothe kyndes of murther and yet for all that there is great doubt as concerning the tyme For when as the Euangelist saith that the children that were two yeare old and vnder were slayne according to the tyme that he had diligently learned of the wyse men we may thereby gather that Christ was come to that age or very nere thereaboutes Howe greatly with feare Herode was amased When the rumor was spred abrode of the newe kyng that was borne we harde before At the whiche tyme feare letting hym he durst not fende any priuy betrayor or spye whiche diligently might haue searched out all thinges And yet we neade not marueyle that he was withhelde and let so long tyme from suche wicked and detestable slaughter specially when as the fame of the retourne of the wyse men as yet was newe and brim in all places And certainly it may well be coniectured and thought that this wicked dede which did reuolue and pricke in his minde did lynger and watche for his occasion and it may be that he first flewe the Iudges whereby the people being depriued of their Iudges he might constrayne them to ende any matter without dammage or checke Whereby we may easely gather that fondly they argue which wold make Christe two yeares olde when he was worshipped of the wyse men because at the second time when the
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
he speaketh it for this cause that he knowing the daunger of our dissease mighte be oure phisition to cure and helpe vs. And vvho so euer saith vnto his brother C. For so much as it is certaine that this word Racha is sette in the myddle place betwene anger and the open and manifest reproche there is no doubte but that it is an interiection of despising and enuiinge Bu. This therefore is the seconde degree not to restraine euen at the first and subdue our burninge Ire but to bewray the same with som signe of disdain and to suffer it to burste forthe M. Wherfore let vs vnderstād that here are condempned all signes of rancoure and a maliciouse mynde By what kinde of meanes so euer they burst forth whether it be in murmuring or in ragynge or in reprochynge or in turnynge away the face disdainefully or in frownynge or in turning vp of the nose with mowes and mockes suche lyke By such kinde of signes the trouble and perturbation of an angry mind is often times bewraied euen as the pleasuntnes of a louinge minde by certaine and speciall signes is declared Shall be in daunger of a counsaile E. The Greke worde signifieth a sitting of iudges which Chrisostome also sheweth In suche sessions as in the court of Mars at Athens greate matters were wont to be handled and also men were wonte to delyberate of the order of ponishement Bu. Christ therfore by the mention of a sessions applyinge it to the orders and customes of men dothe declare that they shall haue the greatter ponishement whiche slacke the brydell of anger As if he should haue sayd such a one is worthye to haue a counsell and sessions vppon hym if God might be satisfied But he that saith thou foole The third degree is when anger bursteth out to open reproche M. For he that callethe his brother foole doth shewe forth an vndoubted anger of the mynde By this woorde foole he vnderstandeth all maner of euyll callinges of cursinges of banninges of raylinges and of euill wyshinges Shal be in daunger of hell fyer A. That is euerlastinge damnation For although Christ doth adiudge them onely to hell fyer which burst forth into open reproche notwithstanding he doth not exempt anger from the same ponishment but alludinge the same to earthly iudgementes he dothe affirme that God wyll be the iudge of secrete anger to ponishe the same But because he excedeth more whiche be wraieth his disdayne hatred with an euyll toungue he saythe that he is giltie before the whole counsel of heauen to haue the greatter ponysshement And he appoynteth them to hel fyer which burst out to raile with wordes of reproche signifiinge that hatred and what soeuer is contrary to loue leadeth to the destruction of euerlastyng deathe But as concerning the name of hel fier diuers wryters write muche B. Gehennon was in the valley of the tribe of Beniamin of the which there is mentiō made in the booke of Iosua the 28. chap but it was possessed of the wicked in the which they burnte their sonnes and daughters and sacrifyced theim to deuylles euen to Moloch and Rempham The same was also called Topheth Of the whiche wee reade this And he defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children of Hinnō that no man should offer his sonne or his daughter in fier to Moloch Moreouer in the boke of the chronicles it is writtē thus He offered insence in the valleye of the sonne of Hinnon and burnt his children in fyer after the abhominatiō of the Gētiles whom the lorde cast out before the children of Israell Also in the prophesie of Ieremy It shal no more be called Topheth or the valleye of the chyldren of Hinnon but the valley of slaughter for in Topheth they shal be bourned because they shall elles haue no rome The auncient writers thincke that Topheth was so called of the custome of the sacryfices of Moloch to whom when their infantes were offered they did play vpō theyr tympanies that when they were burned theyr pittiefull crie myght not be heard for the Hebrewe woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toph is saide to signifie a tympany Finally because in this place the infants were burnt or because this Topheth was in the valley whiche was called Gehennon was a place of wonderful abhomination into the which the dead carcases and what so euer was fylthy were cast out of Hierusalem a place in the whiche the wicked were ponished it was so called the which Esayas describeth thus Topheth or the fyer of peyne is ordeined from the beginnynge yea euen for kynges it is prepared this hath the lord set in the depe and made it wyde the burning wherof is fier and much woode the breath of the lord whiche is a ryuer of brymstone doth kindel it This place of ponishement wherof our sauiour Christe speaketh here are those outward darkenesses into the which the reprobate are caste The lorde therefore vsing then the vulgare toungue vsurped this woord Gehennam ignem that is hell fier for the tormēt of soules which is to com And he doth it to declare what an vnspekeable force of torment abydeth for the reprobate the which kinde of torment also the prophet calleth vnquenchable fyer sayinge Their fyer shall not be quenched The which saying the lord vsed when he spake of hell fyer in the .9 of Marke expoundinge him selfe after a sorte what he ment by hell fyer saying It is better for thée to go halte and lame into the kingdome of God then hauinge twoo féete to be cast into hell fyer which neuer shal be quenched wher the worme dieth not nor the fier goeth out 23. Therefore if thou offerest thy gift at the aultare and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Therefore if thou offerest C. This small clause or sentence doth confirme and expounde that doctrine whiche was spoken of before Bu. Christ taught what was forbiddē by the law of God in this point Thou shalt not kil and now it followeth what God hath cōmaunded by the same C. The effecte and somme is that we do then satisfye and fulfill the commaundement of the lawe by the whiche wee be forbidden to kill if that we lyue in vnytie and loue with our neyghboures And that Christe myghte the more moue our mindes he pronounceth that the verye dueties of pietie and gladnesse are vnacceptable to God not regarded of hym if that we dissente and disagree amonge our selues For when as he commaundeth those whiche hurte one of their bretherne to come fyrst in fauour with him before they offer theyr gift he signifieth vnto vs that so long as we are throughe our owne falte alienate from our neighbours we haue no accesse vnto God. Wherefore if men by their hatred ire do pollute corrupt al their worshyping which they geue vnto God we may therby gather how greatly he estemeth mutuall amitie
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
straungers and foriners should be of the housholde and heyres of the kingdome of heauen And not onely that but this that the couenaunt and league of saluation should by and by be publyshed that the whole worlde myght growe into one body of the churche when he saythe that the Gentyles which should come to the faythe shoulde bee partakers of the same saluation with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Bu. They reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen whiche being partakers of the promises of God which he made with the holy fathers do at the lengthe possesse the kingdome of heauen with them beinge made the sonnes of God coheyres with Christe and fellowes with the sainctes C. To be briefe this senteÌ„ce is as much as if he should haue saide they shall haue the same life Wherby certainly we may gather that the same sauing health which is exhibited vnto vs in Christ was exhibited in times paste vnto the fathers Neyther should the kingdome be common to all except there were but one faith which is the onely meane to obtaine the same The same manner of speaking the lorde vsed to his Apostles when he sayde I apointe vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye maye eate drinke at my table in the kingdome 12 But the children of the kingdom shal be cast out into vtter darkenes there shal be weping and gnashing of teeth But the children of the. M. This is the other matter which we saide Christ had here in hande namely of the reiecting of the Iewes C. But it may be demaunded how Christe calleth them the children of the kingdome whiche were nothing lesse theÌ„ the sonnes of Abraham For truely they whiche are alienate from the faythe ought not to be numbred in the flocke of Christ It may be aunswered that although they were not truly of the flock of Christ notwithstaÌ„ding because thei had a roume in the flocke or churche he grauÌ„teth this title vnto them Furthermore we muste note that the couenaunt and promyse of God was of such force so long as it stode in the sede of Abraham that properly the inheritauÌ„ce of the kingdom of heauen did pertaine vnto them at the least in respect of God him selfe then as yet they were holy braunches of the holy roote And truely that deniall or forsakinge whiche afterward folowed dothe sufficiently declare that they were then accoumpted of the housholde of god M. Therefore because the promises of the kingdome the testameÌ„t did properly pertain vnto the Iewes they ar worthely called the soÌ„nes of the kingdoÌ„ Of this matter Paul doth dispute at large in his epistle to the Romaynes C. Secondly we muste note that Christe dothe not speake of euery one but of the whole nation This truely was farre harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it mighte seme scarse tollerable for the Gentiles to be planted knytte and vnited to the same body by frée adoption with the posteritie of Abraham Notwithstanding Christe pronounceth that they shal be vnited to the end God might admitte straungers into the bosome of Abraham and denye the chyldren B. that the laste may be firste and the fyrste last M. So that it is not to be thoughte that the Lorde woulde haue all the Iewyshe chyldren of the kyngdome to be caste out but he hathe selected and chosen to hym selfe certayne of them as saynt Paule wryteth to the Romaynes Euen as we may not thinke that all the Gentiles shal be saued but that the chosen of God shal be gathered from amonge them Into vtter darkenes C. There is a secrete antithesis in this woorde vtter darkenes for Christe dothe signifie that out of his kyngdome whiche is the kyngdome of lyghte there reigneth nothynge but darkenes For the Scriptures when they make mencion of darkenes do signifie metaphorically a horrible kynde of payne whiche the tongue of man in this lyfe cannot expresse nor the harte imagine Bu. So that by these greuous threatenynges Christe went not about to dismaye the Iewes or to brynge them into dispayre but rather to drawe them out of the myre and puddell of incredulitie and to wynne the Gentiles vnto hym who came to saue bothe the Iewe and the Gentyle There shal be vvepynge M. This is a Metaphor by the whiche he compareth that vnhappy state and condition of the damned to captiues sytting in a dongeon or darke place full of horror and feare who are constrayned by an euell conscience feare of the iudgement to come to wepe wayle mourne gnashe their teethe And thus thought he good to set foorthe the tormentes of damned soules 13 And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion go thy waye and as thou beleuest â—…o shall it be vnto thee And his seruaunt was healed in the selfe same hower And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion M. Nowe the Lorde aunswerynge the Centurion graunteth him his petitioÌ„ as if he should say be of good chere and quiet thy minde For go thy waye in this place hath such signification Neyther is this a symple commaundement to go vnto his owne whiche shoulde cary with it ambition but it is an assent or agreinge to that whiche was demaunded So Dauid consentinge to the woman of Thecoa sayd go home to thy house I wyll geue a charge for thee So we reade that Christ did often tymes sende awaye the afflicted after they had obtayned consolation at his handes saying go in peace and be whole from thy plague And in another place he saythe go thy sonne lyueth And as thou beleuest so shall Bu. In fewe woordes euidently he declareth the efficacy of faythe Faythe bryngeth to passe and is the cause that we receyue that by the power operation of the holy ghoste whiche we beleue of the woorde of god The Centurion beleued that the Lorde coulde heale his seruaunte lying sycke therefore the lorde healed hym C. Hereby it appeareth howe louingly our Sauioure Christe poureth out his grace if he may haue the vessell of fayth open vnto hym For although oure Sauioure Christe speaketh vnto the Centurion notwithstanding there is no doubte but that by his example he woulde haue vs all to haue the lyke faythe Moreouer we are here taught what is the cause that God dothe oftentymes reiecte oure prayers surely our incredulitie and vnbeliefe Wherefore if in faythe we come vnto hym we maye be sure our prayers shal be harde So shall it be vnto thee M. These woordes do not onely expresse and set forth the goodnes of Christe but also his omnipotency by the whiche he hathe in his wyll and power lyfe and death healthe and syckenesse yea onely with his assente he restored this seruaunte whiche was euen nowe at the poynte of deathe to healthe and lyfe He saythe not go thy waye I wyll praye vnto my father for thee or for thy seruaunte but he saythe go thy waye be it vnto thee according to thy faythe
diseasest thou the maister any farther We haue already shewed of howe small and weake fayth this Ruler was then how by the example of the womā healed aforesayde he was not a litle erected and confirmed but nowe againe by these messengers he is made as feble and weake as euer he was By the whiche example the temptation of fayth is depainted vnto vs how the same is resisted by the iudgemēt and sence of reason For he beinge erected and lifted vp by the woordes of Christe whiche he spake vnto the womā saying Go in peace thy faythe hath made the safe conceiued in his mynde greater thynges of Christe then he did before but by and by this message being broughte by his seruauntes his truste is layde in the duste because he neuer came so farre as to beleue that Christe by his power was able to rayse vp the dead But what sayde Christe vnto this Dothe he altogether reiect the man wauering in faith No truely For hearing the worde that was brought he sayth to the Ruler of the Synagoge Feare not only beleue Luke sayth feare not only beleue and she shall be safe C. The messenger of death brought dispayre because he craued nothyng at the handes of Christe but to helpe her that was sicke Christe therefore forbiddeth to shut the enteraunce waye to grace by feare and distruste to the whiche grace death can neuer be a hynderaunce For in that he sayth Only beleue he declareth that he wanteth not power so that Iayrouse would admitte and receiue the same whiche can be done by no other meanes then by faythe And truely euen as it fared with Iayrouse so commeth it to passe with many of vs. For God oftē tymes would deale a great deale more liberally with vs if we were not so harde of beliefe but oure straightnes our precisenes doth let and hynder hym to power his giftes plentifully vpō vs To be shorte in this place we are taught that we cannot beleue to muche because our faythe be it neuer so large cannot comprehende the hundreth parte of the goodnes of god Furthermore here we see the goodnes of Christe and the care that he had to heale those that were sycke and diseased because he is not ignoraunt of our infirmities and temptations Moreouer this ought to be a great consolation vnto vs that he neglecteth not those that are his but helpeth them so sone as nede requireth Laste of all when as so straightly he requireth faithe of this Ruler he plainely declareth that he seketh for nothing but faith only For where vnbeliefe is there can not the power and strengthe of God exercise it self A. On the contrary parte all thynges are possible to hym that beleueth 23 And when Iesus came into the Rulers house and sawe the minstrelles and the people making a noyse C. The Euāgelistes reherse mourning to make the faithe of resurrection more sure for Christe reprehended and blamed greatly their lamentation and wepinge as appeareth in Marke when he sayde why make ye this a do and wepe Matthewe playnely affirmeth that there were mynstrelles which thing was not wonte to be excepte the party were certainly knowen to be dead and their exequies and funeralles a preparing And although they vsed after this fashion to honour their dead and to furnishe and decke their buriall Yet notwithstanding we see that the worlde is not onely ready to nourishe but also to styrre vp their owne vyces and to adde vnto the same If we be desyrous to knowe what absurde fashions the Gentiles vsed in bewayling their dead we may reade Lucianus wher he writeth of mourning This vse was a signe of humanitie but we must alwayes obserue a meane in all our doinges For where as there is hope of eternall lyfe there is comforte and cōsolation But when as we geue the brydell libertie and the ful scope to weping lamentatiō and mourning then are we cleane without hope and we do also therby resiste God and his wyll Therefore immoderate lamentatiō is a signe of infidelitie The faithfull can measure their mourninge but the vnbeleuinge fret against God and are ouercome with sorrowe Reade the apostell Paule to the Thessalonians Where the apostell dehorteth Christians from vnmeasurable mourning saying in the end of the same chapter Wherfore comfort your selues one another with these wordes 24. He sayth vnto them get you hence for the maide is not dead but slepeth And they laughed him to scorne He saith vnto them C. Marke and Luke saye that none were admitted to go in with Christe to the raysing of the mayde saue only thrée of the disciples of Christe and the parentes Matthewe being more brief pretermitteth the circumstaunces But the cause why Christe would haue so fewe witnesses at the raising vp of the mayde commaundinge them also very straightely that they should tell no man semeth to be this This mayde was the firste that Christe raysed from deathe to lyfe and therefore he woulde be sene to do suche an vnwonted thynge but of a fewe witnesses For as he reuealed him selfe more and more by succession continuaunce of tyme so he kepte an order in his disciples that he might manifeste his trueth to some in the begynning and to other some more late hauing alwaies respecte in all things to reueale the glorye of his father in that order in that tyme in that place and to those mynysters that his father had appoynted him before to do So he reuealed that to the shepeherdes which he did not onely hide from the hye priestes but also frō other holy men So at the firste he wolde haue the kyngdome of God preached onely to the Iewes as we may reade in the tenth of Mathewe and afterwarde to be preached throughout the whole worlde Also that whiche he spake to the people in symilitudes and parables he afterwarde expounded to his disciples And euen amonge them he had a certayne choyse For in this place he preferred these thrée disciples before the rest because no doubt he determyned to vse theim in greatter thinges This therefore was a specyall thyng whiche they nowe mighte by this myracle behold namely that Christ was lorde of lyfe and deathe whiche mysterie he thought good to reueale but to a few beinge suche as he had specially chosen He cōmandeth the rest to departe eyther because they were vnworthye to beare witnesse to such a miracle or ells because he not would haue the miracle obscured and not manifested the people makinge a hurlyburly round about him this was onely sufficiente that the maide whose carcase lay before theyr eyes dead sholde arise sodeinely alyue and in ful and parfecte strengthe For the mayde is not deade M. What Did not Christe knowe that the maide was deade Yes trewely he knewe well enoughe that she was dead to her father and mother to the people which mourned yea to the whole world and to her selfe also but to Chryste the sonne of God to
Wherefore the Euangelistes are symplely to be vnderstoode who placed Peter and Andrewe or Peter Iames and Iohn in the firste place for no other consideration then because they were firste in vocatiō and calling C. Very fondly therefore the Romane byshops buylde their suppremacy vpon this place But admitte graunte that Peter was chiefest of the Apostels yet notwithstanding it followeth not that the thing whiche was of force amōg twelue shoulde extende it selfe to the whole worlde Admitte that he was first numbred yet it doth not thereupon followe that he should be chiefe or excel the reste VVhiche is called Peter A. Of this woorde Peter we haue spoken before in the fourth chapter And Andrevv his brother Howe this Andrewe came at the first vnto Christe saint Iohn playnly in his first chapter declareth Iames the sonne of Zebed E. The Gréeke texte hath onely Iames whiche was of Zebede and leueth out this woorde sonne but the olde intepretour because it was vnderstoode as appeareth by the article putteth it in We may reade of this mans death in the Actes of the Apostels And Iohn his brother This is that disciple whome Iesus loued as he hym selfe wytnesseth in the Golpel whiche he wryte 3 Philippe and Bartholomewe Thomas and Matthewe whiche was the Publicane Iames the sonne of Alphae and Lebbeus whose syrname was Thaddeus Phillippe and Bartholomevve Bu. These were twoo graue and excellent men although no mention is made of them in the holy scripture Thomas This is that Thomas Didimus whiche after the resurrection touched the perfecte body of Christe Mathevv vvhich had ben a P. A. The interpretour addeth this worde had ben to make the matter more plain M. For by this remembraunce or rehersall the Euangeliste Matthewe sheweth him selfe thankefull for the inestimable mercy of Christe towardes him whiche turned not away his face from a Publicane but vouchsafed to receiue hym to his grace Hereby we learne not to hyde and obscure the grace of Christe whiche happeneth vnto vs but to preache the same although it be to our own reproch For it pertayned to the glory of Christe that of a Publicane he was made an Apostell A. So Paule in diuers places reherseth what he was before his calling to enlarge set foorth the mercy of god M. Also note that the other Euangelistes adde not to Matthewe the name of a Publicane For it is better that a man remember his owne faulte then another do it But we in these dayes vse the contrary for we hyde our owne faultes and bewraye all that we can by other men if it touche the hurte of their good name Iames the sonne of Alphe He is called Iames the sonne of Alphe to make a difference betwene hym and Iames the sonne of Zebede Of some he is called Iames the lesse or the yōger And Lebbeus vvhose surname is Taddeus Bu. This man is sayde to haue thrée names For he was called Iudas the brother of Iames and Thaddeus and Lebbeus 4 Symon of Canaan and Iudas Iscarioth whiche also betrayed hym Symon of Canaan Bu. This Simō of Canaā was so called of Cana a towne in Gallilae as Hierom thinketh Luke saith that his sirname was Zelotes For Cana is as much to saye in Lattine Zelus which is in Englyshe zeale So that of Zelus he is called Zelotes And Iudas Iscarioth M. He is so called either of the towne where he was borne or els of the trybe whiche is called Isachar VVhiche also betrayed him A. This is spokē by a figure called Anticipation by the whiche we do commonly preuent that whiche followeth with some note or tytell as this also It was that Mary which annointed the Lord with oyntment and wyped his fete with her heare M. Here also we muste note that there is no fellowship so holy so pure and cleane but in the same there is founde some euell persone Wherefore we muste take hede that for one euell mans sake we reiecte not all the good and that for Iudas sake we reiecte not all the Apostles For the churche shall alwayes consiste of good and euell of faithefull men and Hypocrites vntill the highe Iudge come and separate the Goates from the Sheepe This lewde and fylthy persone defyled not the integritie ministerie of Sainctes howe great soeuer his transgressiō was Let vs therefore note that godly vertuous and honest men are not alwayes defiled by the company of the wicked and vngodly specially if they be ignoraunt of his wickednes neither is the doctrine of truthe and the administration of Sacramentes the worse for the vnworthynes of the minister 5 Iesus sent forth these twelue in nomber whome he commaunded saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles and enter not into the cittie of the Samaritanes Iesus sent foorth these tvvelue E. The Gréeke worde signifieth that thei were sent forth with commaundement strayght charge geuen vnto them as we shal here by and by It may be thought that the Lorde vsed this worde sente because the Prophetes make mention oftentimes of sendinge and of those that were sente And the lord him selfe expounding this woorde saythe thus Verely verely I saye vnto you the seruaunt is not aboue his maister neither is the Apostel greater then he which sente him The Apostels therfore are the messengers and Embassadours of the lorde to declare his commaundementes to those to whome they are sente Go not into the vvaye of the Gentyles C. Here more plainely appeareth that whiche we touched euen nowe that the office of the Apostels pertained to no other end then to make the Iewes to heare Christe attētiuely by putting them in mynde of the saluation whiche was at hande Therefore nowe he doth limitte thē to preache to the Iewes onely but afterwarde to sounde forth their voyce into the whole worlde The reason is this Because he was sente of his father being a minister of the circumcision for the truthe of God to confirme the promyses made vnto the fathers For God made a speciall couenaunt with the séede of Abraham So that for the promyse sake Christe would haue the firste fruites of his Gospell to be bestowed vpō the Iewes but when the fulnes of time was come thē would he haue it preached also to the Gentiles For after his resurrection he gaue theim this generall commission saying Go ye into the whole worlde and preache the Gospel to all creatures M. Saint Paule to cōfirme this saith The word of God ought firste to be preached vnto you but because ye put the same from you iudge youre selues vnworthy of euerlasting lyfe beholde we tourne to the Gentiles for so the Lorde commaunded vs I haue made thee a lighte of the Gentiles that thou be the saluation to the ende of the worlde And Christe hym selfe saythe I am not sent but to the loste shepe of the house of Israell And enter not into the cittie of
the lighte of the gospell because they were bytter and rebelliouse againste Christe Also in an other place he saith Israell hath not obtayned that whiche he seeketh but the election hath obtained it The remnaunt are blinded accordynge as it is wrytten God hath geuen them the spirite of vnquietnes eies that they shoulde not se eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto this daye In this place of Paule the Antithesis is to be noted for if the onely and free election of God hath saued som remnant of people it followeth by the secrete iust iudgemēt of god that al the rest shall perish For who are the rest whō Paule in contrary wise setteth against the elect but onely they whom God hath appoynted to euerlasting damnation The lyke reason is in Iohn For he saith that ther were many vnbeleuing because no mā beleueth but they to whō God reuealeth his arme power And by by he addeth that they coulde not beleue because it is written harden the harts of this people To the same thing hath Christ respecte when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the trueth of the gospel is not reuealed to euery one alyke but is depely hiddē in parables darke sentēces to the ende he might power nothinge but thycke darkenes into the myndes of the people We wyll alwayes truely confesse that those whome God doth blynde are founde worthy of this punishement but because there appeareth not a manifeste reason or cause in the persones of men this principal abideth sure that thei by a singuler gifte are ordeined to saluation illuminated by the spirite of God whome God hath frely chosen and that all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God geue vnto them his worde or whether he blinde their eyes stoppe their eares that they can neyther heare nor perceiue the same Now let vs note howe Christ doth applie the prophecie of the Prophete to the present cause And seing ye shall see and not perceiue C. The wordes of the Prophete are not recited as it was sayd euē now neyther maketh it any matter because it was enough for Christe to shewe that it was no newe or vnwonted example if many were amased and astonied at the worde of god It was sayde vnto the Prophete Goe and hardē the harte of this people This Matthew attributeth to the hearers that they should beare the blame of their blyndnes and obstinacy Neyther can the one be separated from the other for all they that are caste into a reprobate sence do wyllingly with an inwarde mallice blynde obdurate them selues For it can come no other wyse to passe where the spirite of God abydeth not with the whiche only the electe are gouerned Wherefore we conclude thus that they are not of a soūd and perfecte mynde whome God dothe not illuminate with his spirite of adoptiō and therefore are they blinded by the worde of God and yet notwithstāding the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blynde 15 For the harte of this people is wexed grose and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes haue they closed least at any tyme they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and shoulde vnderstande with their harte and be conuerted that I also might heale them For the harte of this people S. That is The harte is so inclosed and choked with fatte that it is not able to discharge his proper office M. Therefore when the harte is grosse it cannot be that the eares shoulde heare and that the harte it selfe shoulde vnderstande and conuerte Whereupon he sayth the harte of this people is wexed grosse And by and by he addeth Their eares are dull Therefore before all thinges the harte muste be opened and made fitte to heare the worde of god A. But who can brynge this thing to passe saue only the spirite of God. Of this matter we haue an example of Lydia the seller of purple of whome it is wrytten in the actes of the Apostels thus And the lorde opened her harte that she attended vnto the thinges whiche Paule spake And their eies haue they closed C. Christ here attributeth that to the people whiche the Prophete Esay attributeth to God It is true in either sence The people them selues are the cause of excecation blindnes for they shut their own eies stoppe their own eares We shall alwayes finde the first or speciall cause to be in mē But the secundary or least cause to be in God who blyndeth the eyes of the reprobate whiche he hath predestinate to damnatiō We cal it not the secōdary or least cause according to the Philosophers but we cal that the secundary cause whiche is hydden from the sence of men and so secrete that we ought not curiously to serche for the same But to content our selues with the first cause seing the other is not apparaunt or manifest We must also note that the doctrine is not properly neyther of it selfe neither by his owne nature the cause of blyndnes but by accidēs For as the porblynde men when they come forth to the Sunne haue their eyesighte more obscure and dimme whiche faulte is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes euen so where as the worde of God doth blinde and obdurate the reprobate because it is by their owne wickednes it is proper vnto them but accidentall to the woorde Leaste at any tyme they should see vvith C. Here the lorde might seme to be vnwilling to haue the reprobate conuerted whiche is contrary to this sentēce I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednes and lyue A. Also Peter saith The lorde is paciente to vs warde for so muche as he wold haue no man loste but wolde receiue all men to repētaunce But Peter and Ezechiell dispute not in those places as concerning the secrete pourpose of God but onely they do shewe howe God shewethe him selfe towardes vs calling vs by the preachinge of the Gospell to euerlasting life So that it is not cōtrary to the place of Esay for he calleth all by his woorde yea euen the reprobate But the reprobate are soo destitute of grace that they are nothinge at all moued by the gentyll inuitation of God no they do not mollifye theyr heartes And be conuerted that I also myghte heale hym C. By these wordes he sheweth to what ende seing and vnderstanding do profite namely that men beinge conuerted vnto God may come into fauoure with hym and might haue hym a gentyll louinge and merciful God vnto them Therfore to this ende properly he would haue his woorde preached that he renuynge the hartes and mindes of men might reconcile them vnto hym As concerninge the reprobate Esay here pronounceth the cōtrary namely least that they should obtayne mercy there remayneth vnto thē a stony hardnes and obstinacie and that the effecte of the
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
to her greate vncle the brother of her grandfather whiche for age was euen croked But Herode Antipas here mentioned and Phillippe were not brethren by the mother side but Herode was the sonne of Marthaca the thyrd wyfe of great Herode and Phillip was borne of Cleopatra Nowe to retourne to our Euangelistes they say that Iohn was cast into pryson because hee reprehended the wicked acte of Herode more freely then the madnes and crueltie of the tyrante wolde beare Nowe the horriblenes of the deede was odious and excecrable enough of it selfe because he did not onely foster and kepe in his house an other mannes wife beinge forsed frō her laufull husbande but also because this iniury was done contumelyousely against his owne brother But for so muche as the reprehension of Iohn was soo sharpe free Herode feared not in vaine leaste sedition shoulde spring and that sodainly His filthy lust suffered him not to amēde his haynous fault detestable cryme but the Prophete of God being bounde cast in pryson he promyseth vnto hym selfe quiet rest and libertie By ignoraunce of this historie it came to passe that many entered into vaine disputacion whether it were laufull for any man to marrye a wife whiche had bene fyrst maried to his brother For although the honest shame of nature dothe lothe and abhorre suche wedlocke yet notwithstandinge Ihon doth more condemne the forcinge and raueshing of a woman thē incest because that Herode by force and deceyte spoyled his brother Phillip of his laufull wyfe And otherwise it had ben lesse lawefull for hym to marry his sonnes daughter then to take his brothers wife being ded out of her widdowhed Well Iohn with cōstant bouldnes preacheth against this beastly and cruel deede to se if he by any meanes might be brought to repētance Whereby we learne of what constante and inflexible courage the preachers and seruantes of God ought to be when that they haue to do with prynces for in euery court almost raigneth Hypocrisie and seruile flattery which for aduauntage is a bondslaue so feeding the eares of princes with pleasaunt and delectable words that they wil in no wise receiue the sharp sower reprehētions of their wickednes But because so wiccked a dede ought not to be cloked dissembled hydden or conceled of the Prophete of God Iohn commeth forth euen in the middest although aboute an vnthanckefull imbassage and worke and least hee shoulde declyne or swarue from his office he feareth not to incurre the displeasure of a tyrante M. In this reprehension therefore of Herode we haue an example what lybertie to vse in reprehendinge and open reprouing of wicked persons namely such as hath these twoo thinges Fyrste that they be tolde that they do the thing which ought not to be done whiche is againste the lorde and his wyll The other is that they be so reproued that they be dryuen to shame the whiche is brought to passe when the offence and faulte is openlye with plaine woordes cast in their teethe 5 And when he would haue put him to death he feared the people because they counted hym as a Prophete C. There semeth in the wordes of Matthew and Marcke to be no small discrepance or disagrement for Mathew sayth that Herode was desirouse of this cruell and wicked murther but was stayed by feare of the people but Marke onely laieth this crueltie to the charge of Herodias but the reconciliation is easye to be made namely that Herode in the beginninge excepte that because greater necessitie constrained hym thereto wolde not haue killed the holy man because he feared hym and trewely conscience dyd somwhat pricke and stay hym from dealyng so cruelly with the prophete of god but Herodias dayly egginge and prouokinge him forwarde at the length droue the feare of god wholly out of his minde But when he was ledde and subdued by that furiouse madnes he wholly desired and sought by all meanes to haue the holy man put to death and extinguysshed notwithstanding he was nowe staied by a newe let that is to say hee feared the people And heare the woords of Marke are to be noted for saythe hee Herodias laide waite for him namely because that Herode of hym selfe was not inclined or prone to kyll Iohn and therefore Herodias eyther by subtil meanes went about to circumuēt him or els priuily to worke the deathe of the holy man. But it is more probable and likely that by subtiltie and deceyte she went about to subdue and wynne the mynde of her husebande but in vaine so longe as the conscience of Herode was pricked not to work the ende or destruction of the saint of god Furthermore there succeded an other feare least any tumulte should aryse amonge the people because of hys deathe For all the multitude accounted Iohn a Prophet But Marke onely toucheth the cause why Herode was stayed from fulfillinge the minde of the strompet and harlot his vsurped wife for Herodias sought so sone as Iohn was put in pryson to haue his deathe and that pryuylie But truely Herode reuerenced the holy man and wolde willingely haue obeied his counsell and admonition For the feare whiche is here mentioned was not conceyued of a contrary opinion as commonly we feare those whiche are in aucthoritie although we counte theym vnworthy of honoure but this feare was a voluntary obseruaunce or reuerence because that Herode beinge perswaded that Iohn was a holy man and a faithful mynister of God durst not for this cause despise him And this is worthy to be noted for although Iohn knewe by experience that it was profytable for hym many wayes to be of price and estimation with the Tetrarche yet notwithstanding he was not afearde to alyenate his mind or to displease hym when as otherwyse he coulde not obteyne his fauoure then by winkynge at a horryble and knowne fact He rather seketh to make his friend a foe then by flattering silence to meintaine and nussell a wicked person in his vngodlynes Iohn therfore by his example hath prescribed a certayne rule to all godly teachers that theye dyssemble not the wickednes of princes thereby to win their fauour and estimation It is a very harde and daungerouse thing truely for the seruantes of the lord to excecute their office because they can not do it without reprouinge and sharpe reprehension in excecutinge the whiche we maye se the minde of Iohn stoute and constant whiche wold not dissemble neyther for feare of present death nor for hope of rewarde and fauour A great exaumple truely I say to all mynisters that they decline or swerue not from theyr office A verye harde matter truely it is but let theym not take that office vppon theim vnlesse they determine to shew forth that which perteyneth to theyr function and calling But in Herode as in a glasse the spirite of God setteth forthe vnto vs that those which do not syncerely worship God but are somewhat
cōceiued of their master For they imagined that he should be the aucthor of earthly felicitie They were led therfore with a vaine hope gredely gaping for the time in the whiche he should reueale the glorye of his kingdome They wayed so littel in their mindes the ignominy and shame of the crosse that they thoughte it impossible that any thinge not honorable should happen vnto hym For this was a greuouse sayinge and circumstance that he should be reiected of the hye priestes Scribes in whose power the rule of the Church consisted Whereby we may gather how necessary this admonition was The Euangeliste Luke saythe And hee warned and commaunded them that they shoulde tell no man that thinge sayinge The sonne of mā must suffer many thinges and be reproued of the Elders and of the bye Priestes Scribes and be slaine c. Hée woulde not therefore at that time bee published to be Christe because hee should be crucifyed and reiected Of the seniors C. When wee heare that the elders and Scribes were the chiefe ennemyes of Christ wee maye sée howe great the discipation of the Church of Ierusalem was For the sacrifycers did not onlye sacrifyce but also teache therefore of the Prophete Mallachy they are called Angels or messengers These were then the ennemyes of Christ which coulde in no wyse abyde his Doctrine But and if this were spoken of the Priestes of Egipt or of the sacrifycinge Priestes and teachers of other Nations it had beene no maruayle but this is spoken of those Priestes which bare the chiefe rule of the Church of God in earth The which thing oughte to be an example vnto vs that wee suffer not our selues to be seduced and deceyued wyth counterfeytes whiche doe not their dutye truly and as they ought Let vs alwaye remember that Christ is the heade corner stone which the builders reiected as hée himselfe sayth to Phariseys in the one and twenty Chapter And be raysed agayne the thirde daye C. Because it coulde not be but that the onely mencion of the Crosse should trouble the infirme and weake mindes of the Dysciples Christ by and by séeketh to salue this sore saying that hée must ryse agayne frō death the .iii. day And truly whē as in his Crosse onlye the infirmitye of the fleshe appeareth our fayth shall finde nothinge to staye and lift vp it selfe vntill we haue respecte vnto his resurrection in the which the power of the holy ghost most brightly shyneth Therefore the Mynisters and Preachers of the woorde of God muste wysely way and consider this that when they couet to edify and to teach with profite they must alwayes ioyne the glorye of the resurrection with the death of Christ Let vs consider therefore that the absolution of true fayth and confession doth pertayne to this ende namely that wee beleue and confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes roose againe for our iustification For the which reade in S. Paules Epistell to the Romaynes 22. And vvhen Peter had taken him a syde he began to rebuke him saying maister fauour thy selfe this shall not happen vnto thee And vvhen Peter had taken him C. It was a greate signe of moderate boldenes for Peter after this sorte to take his Maister a syde howbeit hée might seeme to haue a consideration of the reuerence due vnto him when hée toke him asyde because hée durst not be boulde to reprehende before witnesses notwithstanding Peter exceded the boldnes of modestye to admonishe him to fauour himselfe as though Christ had not bene in his right minde Hee began to rebuke him M. Peter trulye loued Christ more then any one of the Apostels but his loue was to carnall as yet and not accordinge to knowledge therefore hée vseth more libertye in speaking to Christ as wee may see in manye other places So also here when hee thought that this thinge which hée hearde shoulde be a shame to Christ the sonne of God that it mighte be auoyded and did thincke that Christ was inflamed with a certaine impotent zeale and that hée was bent againste the wickednes of the elders Scribes and hye Priestes of Ierusalem whereuppon hee knew that hée should be afflicted yea killed by them being ignonoraunt of the mystery of redemption of the necessity of the Crosse of the will of the father of the end of Christes comminge for this cause hée taking Christ a syde rebuked him and goeth about to wythdraw him from his purpose Hée beinge affected with a preposterous zeale cōsidereth not what hée doth hee goeth about to hinder Christ from the worke of our redemption and from the fulfylling of the will of his father C. But such is the force of rashe and vndiscreete zeale and to this issue it dryueth men and so carryeth them hedlonge that they are not afrayde to take vppon them to teache God what hee hath to do Peter iudgeth it an absurde thinge that the sonne of God should be crucifyed of the Elders which came to be the redeemer of the people and that hee shoulde be put to death which was the Lord of lyfe And hereby wée are taught how our good intencions are accepted before God. So great pryde truly is naturally ingraffed in men that they thincke great iniury is done vnto them and do murmure if that please not God whiche they iudge to be right and good So that we sée with how greate pertinacye the Papistes do boaste and vaunt of their deuocions For trulye whē they do so arrogātly reioyce in them selues God doothe not onelye reiecte that which they iudge worthye of so greate praise but doth also condemne it as mere madnes If truly sence carnall iudgement mighte preuayle the intencion of Peter was godlye or at least tollerable But Christe so sharplye reproued him that hée could not put him to greater reproch For what meaneth so seuere a reprehension Question whereas hée shewed alwayes such gentlenes that hée brake not the broosed réede why then doth hée now so cruellye thonder against his electe chosen Dysciple The reason trulye is manifest namely because in the person of one mā hée woulde pacifye and staye all the rest least they shoulde séeme to alow their vndiscrete zeale For although the lustes of the fleshe in vnrulelynes are like vnto brute beastes yet notwithstanding there is no beaste more furious and vnrulye then the wysedome of the fleshe Therefore Christ so sharpely inueyeth against the same and doth as it were suppresse it with an yron mallet that wée learne onlye to seeke for wysedome out of the word of God to iudge that onely to be righte which the word of God doth alowe Fauor thy selfe The Lattine text is Propitius tibi sis the Gréeke text hath onlye Propitius tibi so that wée muste vnderstande esto or sis and the omittinge of the verbe maketh muche for the affection of Peter declaring that his minde did greatly abhorre the same
for the woord of abhorringe or forbidding is more peculiar to the Hebrewes Abraham sayde vnto God be it farre from thée that thou shouldest do this thinge and shouldest kill the iust with the wicked And in another place be it farre from thy seruauntes that they should do so the Hebrew word is Talila which signifyeth prohibition as if thou wouldest saye staye thy selfe or it is not good for thée so that whereas the Greke text hath onlye propitius tibi peraduenture sit Deus is better vnderstoode thē sis as if we should say God forbid this to happen to thee This shall not happen Bu. These woords do shew how Peter abhorred that which Christ sayd should happen to him as if hee should haue sayde no man wyth indifferente eares could abyde to heare that the sonne of God muste be crucifyed for death happeneth not to the liuely sonne of the lyuinge God which rayseth other frō the dead and hath declared by so many inuincible arguments that hée is the Lord of life and deathe Therefore that by no meanes shall come to passe which thou sayest shall happen vnto thee that thou shouldest suffer many things of the elders and Scribes in that Cittye in the which wée hope to rayne with thee in excellente glorye for euer 23. But hee turned him aboute and sayde vnto Peter go after me Sathan thou hinderest mee for thou sauerest not the thinges that be of God but those that be of men But hee turned him about and sayde to Peter M. Because that Peter wente about to withdrawe Christe from obeyinge his fathers will hee is sharpely reproued of him C. But some verye fondlye make much a do about this worde come backe as thoughe Peter were commaunded to follow and not to go before For the Deuill also had the repoulse at the handes of the Lord by the same wordes as wée haue allready declared And the Gréeke worde Hupage signifyeth to auoyde or depart whereof the latyne woorde apage is deryued Christ therefore putteth his Dysciple from him and maketh him stande a loofe because hée playeth the parte of Sathan by his preposterous and vndiscrete zeale Neyther doth hee simplely call him an aduersary but hée giueth him the name of the Deuill in token of great disdayne Bu. As if he had said auoyde with this thy counsell I ought to haue more regarde to fulfill my fathers will althoughe it be neuer so hard to the flesh thou which art inoued with more knowledge of the father than any of the rest and which oughtest to be a helper vnto mée and a faythful companion that I mighte fulfill my fathers commaundemente doest dehorte diswade mée so much as lyeth in thée frō the same and that not lightlye but in reprouinge mée auoyde with this thy wisedome for thou shewest thy selfe to mée to be Sathan an open ennemy and a most wicked conspirer As concerninge this word Sathan we haue spoken before in the 4. Chapter The Euangelist Marke hath these words but hée tourned aboute and looked on his Disciples and rebuked Peter sayinge go after mée Sathan Christ therefore spake these woordes to the rest of his Dysciples for hée knewe that they were of the same minde also Wherefore for the example and erudition of others hée rebuketh Peter the more sharpely but for our sake also C. For théeues adulterers and suche like are ashamed to excuse their filthynes but a good intencion is obstinately defended and maintayned of all men Wherefore the Lorde vseth more seuerity in correctinge this wicked zeale of Peter than if hée had committed any other cryme Thou hynderest mee E. The Gréeke texte hath thou offendest mée C. Peter was in déede an offence vnto Christ when hee dehorted him from his callinge For by and by it followeth Because thou sauerest not those thinges that be of God Hereby it appeareth howe greatly men are deceyued in their vngodly zeale For when Peter wente aboute to hinder hys Maisters office hée did not onely séeke to depriue himselfe but all mankinde also of euerlasting saluation yet ignorantly Here therfore we are taught in one word howe muche wée oughte to abhorre those thinges which do withdraw vs from the obedience of Gods will. And there is no doubte but that Sathan doth vse men as instrumentes when they allure vs and withdraw vs from oure dutye towardes God Peter coulde not staye Christ from his purpose But Christ geeueth vs here an example to beware of that frendship be it neuer so pleasaunt which doth call vs from the obedience of Gods will and doth bid vs sparinge our selues to sauer those thinges which are of men and not the thinges that are of god For otherwyse our fleshe is so inclyned that wée shoulde spare oure selues and neglecte the commaundementes of god But if Christ so sharply reprehended the frendship of Peter to whom it was not so daungerous what shall wée do which are easlye seduced But those thinges vvhich are of men C. Here Christ openeth euen the very wellspring of the whole euill when hée sayth that Peter sauoreth onely those things which are of men Therefore least the Heauenly iudge sende vs away and our practises hedlonge to the deuill let vs learne not to be adicted to our owne sence but obedientlye to embrace that which the Lorde commaundeth and alloweth B. If wee sauor those thinges that are of men then are we enemyes vnto God and Sathans friendes Therefore whatsoeuer proceadeth of our selues it is here by the words of Christ condemned Whereuppon S. Paule sayth that the wysedome and vnderstanding of the fleshe is death and enmitye against god What then shall wée arrogate vnto our selues where is frée will become where is the iudgemente of reason but where is the Church built vppon Peter who nowe is called by the name of Sathan the Deuill Nowe let the Papistes goe and extoll their fonde imaginations to the Heauen they shall feele at the lengthe when they appeare before the trybunall seate of God what boastinge doothe preuayle which Christe here pronounceth to be Satanicall and deuelishe But wee accepte wee meane willinglye to stoppe the waye agaynste our selues which leadeth to euerlastinge life may learne out of the mouth of Christ to sauore those thinges which are of God. 24. Then sayde Iesus to hys Disciples if any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and followe mee Then sayde Iesus to his Disciples C. Marke sayth when hee had called the people to him with his Dysciples also hee said vnto them c. But Luke sayth hée sayd vnto them all Because that Christe perceiued that Peter the rest of his fellowes did abhorre the Crosse and affliction hee taketh occasion to speake generally of pacience sufferaunce of the same neither doth hée onely exhorte the twelue but all those that are godly to the same The like sentence allmost wee had in the sentence goinge before in the eyghte and twentye verce of the tenthe
wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen 25. For whoso will saue his life shall lose it Againe whoso doth lose his life for my sake shall finde it A. A most excellent comforte is this that whosoeuer looseth his life willinglye for Christes sake doth get life vnto himselfe For the Euangelist Marke plainly prescribeth this cause of dyinge to the faythfull therfore it is vnderstode in the wordes of Mathewe For it commeth oftentimes to passe that ambition or desperation dryueth prophane men to contemne and to despyse this life yet notwithstandinge they go bouldlye to their deathe in vayne Bu. Therefore to loose the lyfe in this place signifyeth to despyse the life of this worlde for Christes sake and to treade those thinges vnder foote in the which the world setteth life the chiefe felicity That truly is nothing els but to deny our selues to renounce our selues and to beare patiently such calamitye as is layed vppon vs whereby wée maye brydell all fleshlye affections C. The threatninge which is here set on the contrary part serueth very much to the dryuing away of the sluggishnes of the flesh which admonisheth vs that such as desyer greatly this lyfe purchase to themselues the losse of this life And there is an Antithesis betweene temporall and eternall lyfe as wee haue shewed before in the tenthe Chapter 26. For what doth it profite a man if hee winne all the whole worlde and loose his owne soule Or what shall a man geue to redeme his soule againe withall For vvhat doth it profite C. Here hée confirmeth the former sentence namelye that wée ought not to be vnwilling to forsake this lyfe For what is all the worlde in respect of mans lyfe for it is immortall And lose his ovvne soule Here our sauioure Christ admonisheth that the soule of man is not created to the ende hée might haue the same for a short tyme in this worlde but to the ende hée may liue immortall in heauen as if hée should haue sayd What negligence is this and what beastly incensible dulnes that men are such bondslaues vnto the worlde that they haue no consideration wherfore they were borne and that they are ignoraunt how that an immortall soule is giuen vnto them that the race of this lyfe beinge ended they maye liue perpetuallye in heauen And truly all men will confesse that the soule is more worthe than all the ryches and pleasures in this world but in the meane time the sence of the fleshe blindeth them that will they nill they theyr soules are caryed to destruction and euerlastinge perdition Therefore least the worlde by his intysing allurements do bewitche vs let vs alwayes call to mynde the excellēcye of oure soule the which if it be well wayed will easlye driue awaye all the vaine imaginations of earthly felicitye The Euangeliste Luke hath and looseth himselfe Or vvhat shall a man Bu. B. What exchaunge shall a man geue for his owne soule The Gréeke woord signifyeth that by the which anye thinge is redeemed Bu. Wherefore let euery one of vs endeuor our selues to despyse corruptible momentanye thinges and to holde faste those thinges that are eternall the which wee shall easly do if so be wée mortify all carnall thinges and retayne only Christ the lyfe 27. For the sonne of man shall come in the glorye of his father with his Angels and then shall hee rewarde euery man accordinge to his dedes For the sonne of man shall come C. To the ende his former doctrine might the better sincke into their mindes hée setteth before their eyes the Iudgement to come For it is necessarye to the despysinge of this lyfe that wée be touched with the féelinge of a heauenly life But the flownes of our minds hath néede of a helpe to loke vp towardes heauen Therefore Christ calleth the faythfull to his trybunall seate to the end they maye continuallye remember that they liue to no other ende than to aspyre and come to that blessed redemption which at that time shal be reuealed But to this ende the admonition tendeth that wee may know that they cōtend not in vaine to whom the confession of sayth is more precious and déere than theyr owne life as if Christ had sayd cōmit to my charge and custodye without all feare your soules for I will come at the lengthe a reuenger which wil restore you to perfection allthough you séeme for a time to perishe B. That therefore which hée speaketh here must be referred to the sentēce goinge before when hée sayde The one should finde his life and the other should loose it namely when the sonne of man commeth to Iudgement and shall geue to euery one accordinge to his deseruing But Christ exhorteth all those that desire to séeme followers of him and his Dysciples by thrée reasons to denye themselues to take vp his Crosse and to followe him Of the which the first is that hee shall loose his life which woulde saue the same and that hée shall saue it which looseth it the seconde is that to him which appeared a mortall man for a time in the fleshe all Iudgement is giuen and that therefore hée shall come in the glorye of his father with his Angels that hée maye giue to euerye man accordinge to hys deedes to the denyers of him hell fyer to the professors of him the kingdome of his father For as Marke in his eyghte Chapter and Luke in his nynth Chapter declare hée repeateth here to his Dysciples the same thinge that hée spake of before in the tenthe Chapter Whosoeuer shall deny mee before men him will I also deny before my father which is heauē And as Luke sayth and Marke whosoeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my wordes in this aduouterouse and sinfull generation of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holye angels Then he shal say vnto thē I neuer knew you Depart frō me ye that worke iniquitie Then shal they receyue according to theyr life and dedes What thing can be so heauy and greuouse vnto vs in this life that we shoulde not rather do beare the same then we shoulde offende this general iudge of all men and cause him to pronounce this bitter sentence against vs saying Go ye cursed of my father into Hell fyer A. It is better therfore to denie our selues and to cōtemne this lyf for Christes sake then to be depriued for euer of euerlasting life B. The thirde reason which bringeth a wonderfull consolation with it is that he saithe the time is not very long in the which he shall come with great power that som of them which were present should se the same What is he now the will not follow him for his sake deny him selfe take vp his crosse whō he knoweth shal raine very shortly gloriously in diuine power and that he him selfe shal raine with him For whosoeuer suffereth
whiche Christ began at his resurrection afterward more fully reuealed the same by sending his holy spyrite and by working miracles B. Therfore to see Christ comminge in his kyngdome is nothing els in this place then the which Marke and Luke haue To see the kingdome of God that is the glory good successe of the kingdome of god The Euangelist Marke expressely saith Vntyll they haue sene the kingdome of God come with power The kingdome of god was com before wherupon he cōmanded to preach that the kingdome of God was at hande And in an other place he sayde vnto the Phariseis If I by the spirite of God cast out deuyls then is the kingdome of God come vpon you But because the kyngedome of God was not yet so gloriouse as it should be in all the worlde after his resurrection he truely saith Vntyll they haue sene the kingdome of God come Of this kingdome the apostel Paule writeth thus whē he speaketh of the Gospel Whiche is come vnto you euen as it is into all the worlde and is fruitefull and groweth c. But more largely in an other place whē he saith I haue therfore whereof I may reioyce through Christe Iesu in those thinges which pertayne to god For I dare not speke of any of these thinges which Christ hath not wrought by mee to make the Gentiles obediente with woorde and dede in mighty signes and wonders by the power of the spirite of God so that from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde aboute vnto Illiricum I haue filled all countreys with the Gospel of Christe This gloriouse power of the kingedome of Christ did chiefely declare it selfe within .xx. yeres or theraboutes after his passion vntyll the whiche time no doubte many of those to whome the lord presently spake were aliue But to what ende doth Christ speake this Surely to the ende he might learne them some comfort against the tyme of the crosse affliction because shortely the kingdome power of God should be declared and reuealed So are we comforted by the holy ghost so often as we heare it saide The lorde is nigh and wyll not be flacke The cōming of Christe truely semeth to be far hence but doth he not in the meane time shewe vnto vs his power Some vnderstande this place to be spokē of the transefiguration of Christ in the mount which is declared in the chapter followinge as though that Christ by these wordes shold promise that there were som disciples in the cōpany to whom he wolde shew his glory in the earth so far as the eies of mortall men might perceiue the same A. But we haue shewed alredy the true proper sence and meaning of Christes wordes VVhich shal not tast of death Bu. That is they shal not die The like phrase of speche we haue in the .viii. chapter of s Iohn in the secōd of s Paules epistel to the Hebrues The .xvii. Chapter AND after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and bringeth them vp into an high mountaine A. This history is declared by three of the Euangelist namely by this our Euangelist Mathewe and Marke and Luke C. In the which hystory we must fyrst of al se to what ende and purpose Christ wolde put vpon hym his heuenly glory for so short a time and wolde take onely three of his disciples to be witnesses of this sight Some thincke that he did it to the ende he mighte arme his disciples against the temptation whiche was at hande by reason of his deathe but that is verye vnlikely For why dyd he depriue others of the same remedye Yea why dothe he plainely forbyd them to publishe that which they had sene vntyl after his resurrectiō vnlesse the fruit of the vision had ben after his time There is no doubte therefore but that Christ ment to declare that hee was not deliuered vnto death against his wil but that he came vnto it willingelye to offer the sacrifice of obedience vnto his father This kingedome came not into the mindes of the disciples vntill Christe rose agayne neyther was it necessary at that tyme to conceyue the deuyne power of Christe which they knewe to be the vanquisher and ouercōmer in the crosse and affliction but they were taught agaynste an other tyme as wel for them selues as for vs least that the infirmitie of Christe shoulde offende any man as thoughe he had suffered by necessitie and force for it is euident that it was no more hard vnto Christ to exempte and deliuer his bodye from death than to adorne the same with heauenly glory We are taught therfore that he was subiectte vnto death because he woulde and that hee was crucyfied because he offered hym selfe For the same fleshe which honge vpon the crosse and laye in the sepulchre seinge before it was partaker of the heauenly glorye might haue bene free from death and the graue But we are taught that Christ so longe as he bare the forme of a seruante in the worlde his maiestie hidden vnder the infirmitie of his fleshe there was nothing detracted or taken from him because he did abase hym selfe of his owne free wyll but now his resurrection toke a way that vaile by the which his power for a tyme was couered And the Lorde thoughte it sufficient to chose vnto hym three witnesses because this nōber was prescribed by the lawe to testifie proue any matter And after syxe dayes B. As cōcerninge the nomber of the daies Marke agreeth with Mathew But Luke hath And it fortuned that about an eight daies after these sayinges But this oughte to offende no man C. For Marcke and Matthewe nomber sixe whole dayes which came betwene the tyme the Christe spake the woordes goinge before in the xvi chapter and the tyme in the whiche he was transfigured but Luke faithe it was done within eyght daies after comprehending as well the day in the which Christ spake as also the day in the which he was transfigured Wee se therefore howe well diuerse wordes comprehende one sence and meaning And bringeth them vp into Luke saithe that the lord went vp into the moūtaine to pray no doubt to pray vnto the father that he wold manifest reueale his glory to his disciples for the which cause he brought them vp into the mountaine By the which example of Christe we are taught to be likewise affectioned to the glorye of Christes kingdome towardes those also to whom as yet it hath not apered So Paule prayed as it appereth by his epistels But Christ him self hath taught vs to pray saying Hallowed be thy name 2 And was transfigured before them his face did shine as the sonne and his clothes were as white as the lighte And vvas transfygured before them S. That is to say he put on a newe figure or forme full of all glory and excellent brightnes and dyd not appere as the sonne of man
not belonge to the faythfull to murmure against God. But truely this is the simple sence and meaning of this place that it is in the handes and choyse of God séeing that he doth defraud no man of his iust reward to geue them an vndeserued recompēce which he called late that the first might be last and the last first 15. Is it not lavvfull for me to do as me listeth vvith mine ovvne goodes Is thine eye euill because mine is good Is it not lavvfull A. By these words he declareth that the gentlenes and liberalitie of God cannot iustly be reproued of any man although he geue rich rewards to the vnwoorthy and vndeseruing Is thine eye euill E He put the eye for the mind for malice pertaineth to the mind and not to the corporall eye As if he should haue saide Art thou therfore greued because thou seest me gentle towardes those whom it pleaseth me 16. So the last shal be firste and the first last for many be called but fevve be chosen So the last shal be first C. Christe doth not nowe ioyne the Iewes to the Gentiles as in another place neither the reprobate which swerue from the fayth to the elect which perseuer and continue so that the sentence which some adde vnto this doth in no poynt agrée with the same Many are called but fevve C. The purpose of Christ is onely to shewe that as euery man is called before another so he ought more cherefully to runne and then to exhort all men to modestie least they prefer them selues before another but that they admit and geue way one to another to come to the cōmon rewarde The Apostles were séene to take vnto them selues some great and excellent thing because they were the first fruites of the whole Churche neither did Christe denye but that they shoulde sit as Iudges to iudge the twelue tribes of Israell but least any ambition or vayne trust in them selues should make them prowde they wer also to be admonished that others whiche should be called a great while after them shoulde be felowes and partakers with them of the same glory because God is bounde to no man but calleth euery one whom it pleaseth him of his frée mercye and being called he geueth them what rewarde séemeth him good A. This is the simple and bare exposition of the parable set before vs the which more safely may be folowed then standing vpon euery part to fayn and inuent more matters which are not according to the minde of Christ So the parable of the steward in the sixtene of Luke is not set before vs to be obserued and folowed in all poyntes that we also shoulde deceiue and begile our masters but onely the industrye of the steward is commended vnto vs to be folowed which so carefully prouided for himselfe and that by his masters goodes and because so wittily he had founde out that which was best for him selfe If any man nowe should curiously searche and go about to teach what the debters what the booke of accomptes the oyle the wheate and measure signifyed in that parable that man shoulde easyly decline from the purpose of Christe and shoulde folowe his owne inuentions and vayne comentes and shoulde also offende the Church and not teache it For these similitudes are not set forth before vs to the ende they shoulde be obserued in all poyntes For Paule also compareth Adam and Christ together and saith that Adam was a tipe and figure of Christe when as notwithstanding Adam left vnto vs for our inheritaunce sinne and death but Christ life and righteousnes 17. And Iesus going vp to Hierusalem tooke the tvvelue disciples aside in the vvay and sayde vnto them And Iesus going vp to Hierusalem B. Nowe our Sauiour Christ doth more playnely preache and speake of his death and passion to his disciples M. For nowe the time of his passion was at hand the time of darkenes and offence and this was the last iorney that he made to Hierusalem But the disciples whiche folowed him were astonied and afrayde for he assending to Ierusalem wonte before them Therefore although they were admonished and tolde before what the end of the Lorde shoulde be yet notwithstandinge because that which he had often spoken did profite them nothing at all he nowe repeteth the whole summe agayn from the beginning to the ending and exhorteth them to constancy least they should fall so soone as they were tempted But he confirmeth them by two maner of wayes for he foreshewing that whiche should come doth not only gard and fortefie them least a sodaine mischiefe and vnlooked for should cause them to faynte but also by the offence of the crosse he setteth before them a shewe of his deitie least that a sodaine onset shoulde discourage them they being perswaded that he is the sonne of God and therefore the conquerer of death The second way by the which he doth confirme them is of the resurrection which should shortly folowe A And truelye this exhortation was very necessary for them C. For because they sawe by experience before that he had gréeuous aduersaryes at Hierusalem they go with Christe not onely afeard but also greatly astonished They therfore rather wisshed that he woulde seeke to be quiet in some bye way or corner without daunger then willingly to put him selfe into the hands of such cruell enemyes But although this feare might by many meanes be reprehended as vngodly yet notwithstanding in that they folowed Christ they shewe a signe of great obedience and pietie It had truely bene farre better cherefullye and without sorowe to runne and make haste to what soeuer the sonne of God would haue led thē but their reuerence deserueth great prayse in that they rather séeke to venture them selues then to forsake him M. Our Euangelist Mathewe sayeth here that he assended or went vp to Hierusalem because it stoode vpon an bye ground Tooke the tvvelue C. It might séeme straunge seing fear had inuaded them al insomuch that they were without consolation why he maketh the twelue onely priuy to his secret purpose It is likely that he did therefore hide his death and keepe it secret because he would not haue it spreade abroade before the time Furthermore because he did not looke for any fruite or profite of his admonition out of hande he thought it better to commit the same to a fewe which afterwards might be witnesses of it For as the séede which is cast into the earth doeth not by and by growe and ware gréeue euen so we knowe the Christ had spoken many things to his Apostles which by and by brought not forth fruit But and if he had spoken these wordes generally in the eares of all mē it might haue come to passe that many for feare would haue fled from him and woulde haue made his secretes common to all men So contemptible was the death of Christ that he séemed rashly to bring the same vpon him Therfore
Christe to the ende hee mighte reprehende ambition and reclayme his Disciples frō a wicked desire setteth before them the crosse and all kinde of calamitie which all the children of God must suffer as if he shoulde haue saide ▪ haue ye so much ease are ye so free from the present warre that ye prouide already for the glorye of the triumphe For if they had bene seriouslye busyed and occupied about the exercises of thier calling they should neuer haue had this fond ymagination come in their mindes Wherfore by this sentence our Sauioure Christe commaundeth them which triumph before the victorye to be occupied in the exercise and busynes of godlynes And certainlye by this bridle ambitiō is very wel stayed because such is our condition so longe as we are pilgrims in this worlde that it ought to shake of all vayne delightes We are beset on euery side with a thousand daūgers one while the enemy by subtill and craftye meanes setteth vpon vs another while he setteth vpon vs by open warre Is not he worse then mad which among so many deathes carelesly pleaseth and delighteth him selfe in depainting out the victory The Lorde commaundeth his Disciples to be certarne and sure of the victorye and to triumph in the middest of death because otherwise they should not be hold ynough to fight manfully boldlye but it is one thing to prepare them selues to fight cheerefully and to endeuour them selues wholly therunto vpon hope of the rewarde set before them and it is another thinge to be vnmindfull of the warre to forsake the enemy to neglect all daunger ▪ and to triumph before the victory the which should not be loked for before the battaile wer fought Moreouer this vntimely making of hast doth very much drawe men from their vocation For euē as the more cowardly that a mā is in the warre the more he seketh for the pray and spoyle euen so in the kingdome of Christ none desire more the superioritie then they which séeke to auoyd all laboure and payne Our Sauiour Christe therefore dooth not withoute good cause appoynte those souldiers their statiō and abiding place which they shall not passe whose mindes are eleuated and puffed vp with vayne glory But this is the summe of his wordes that none hath the crowne prepared for him but he which fighteth lawfully and that none shal be partaker of the life and kingdome of Christe but he which is a partaker of his passion and death M. Christ therfore asketh them if they could suffer the crosse and punishment which he shoulde suffer For so he meaneth by the drinking of the cup which he should drinke of and by the baptising of the baptime wherewith hee shoulde be baptized C For we knowe that by Baptisme the faythfull enter into the denying of thē selues to the crucifying of the old man to the bering of the crosse But it is to be doubted whether the Lord do draw this word cup to the mistery of his supper or no but because his suppper was not then instituted in vse it is better to take it more simply for the measure of afflictions which the Lord appointeth to euery mā For because it pertaineth vnto him to lay vpō euery man his burthen as it semeth him best euē as the goodman of the house deuideth equal portions amongst those that ar his therfore he is saide to geue the cup to drinke A. Wherupō our sauiour Christ saith in another place O my father if this cuppe may not passe frō me except I drink of the same thy wil be don Also he saith to Peter in another place Shall I not drinke of the cup which my father hath geuē me B. He calleth the same also Baptisme as we haue shewed alredy for it was euen as a washing away of death a purging to euerlasting life The same Metaphor he vsed also in another place as when he said I must be baptised with a Baptime and howe am I payned till it be ended B. But the metaphor of the cuppe in the Scriptures is often times taken in both partes For certainly God hath measured to euery man both aduersitie and prosperitie and he shal drinke his portion whether he will or no. It is taken in euill part as when it is said storme and tempest shal be their portion to drinke It is taken in good part as when it is sayde The Lorde is my portion and my cup. C. Moreouer in the wordes of Christe there is not a litle consolation to mittigate and asswage the sharpenes of the crosse when as Christe in the same ioyneth him selfe vnto vs For what can be more excellent then for vs to haue all thinges common with the sonne of God for so it commeth to passe that those thinges which seme deadly vnto vs do turn to our saluation and life But he whiche desireth to be altogether frée from the Crosse howe shall he be counted among the disciples of Christ which refuseth to be subiect to his Baptisme for this is nothing els then to refuse to be instructed in the first principles But nowe let vs learne so often as we heare mentiō made of Baptisme to remember that we are baptised vpon this condition and to this ende that we should willingly beare the crosse A. For all they which will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution They say vnto him vve are C. In that Iames and Iohn do so careleslye boaste that they are able and ready to drinke of the cup their carnall confidence is perceiued for when we are out of daunger we thinke we can do all thinges These two disciples perswade them selues that they are able to do muche by their owne strength and that without God forgetting their owne imbecilitie But at the length it came to passe that their rashnes was bewrayed For when they sawe that the Lorde was apprehended in the garden all fled awaye and lefte him alone Notwithstanding this was commendable in them that they offered them selues readyly to beare the crosse 23. He saide vnto them ye shall drinke in deede of my cup and be baptised vvith the Baptime that I am baptised vvith But to sit on my righte hande and on my lefte is not mine to geue but it shall chaunce vnto them that it is prepared for of my father He saide vnto them ye shall drinke C. Nowe he openeth vnto them and to all other the state and condition of his kingdome and sheweth what shall come to passe as concerning the same that they mighte arme them selues with patience because by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen For this is the kingdome of Christ and he which is the head in this kingdome testifyeth by his example that the same is necessary He sayth my cup as if he shoulde saye By my example suffer persecution Or els he sayth my cup to bring a consolation to them to beare the crosse
is no doubt but that Christ here toucheth the foolish imagination by the which he saw his Apostles to be deceiued You do foolishly sayth hee and amisse faine vnto your selues a kingdome the which I abhorre If therefore yee seeke to do mee faithfull seruice yee must meditate and study vppon another manner of matter namely to serue and loue one another VVhosoeuer vvill be great amonge you M. Our sauiour Christe mighte séeme here to graunt vnto his Apostles superiority C. But hee speaketh improperlye commaundinge him to be a minister which would be greate For ambition will not suffer that any man should submit himselfe to his brethren Wée graunt truly that they flatter after a seruile manner which aspyre vnto honor but their intēt is nothing lesse than to serue But the meaninge and purpose of Christ is not obscure for because euery man is geuē to loue himselfe hee pronounceth that the affection must be otherwyse transposed as if hee should haue sayd Let this onely be your greatnes excellency and dignitye to submitte your selues vnto your brethren let this also be your superioritye to be the seruauntes of all men M. For the greatest honor in the Church of Christ is that euery man shoulde mynister and serue Therefore hée which is called in the Churche to be a Pastor and gouernor of the Church must know that hée hath not obtaynde a Lordship but the office of a minister or seruaunt Therefore the Apostle Peter prescribing to ministers the duties of life sayth Raigne not as Lordes ouer the parishes but see that yée be an ensample to the flocke And the Apostle Paule Let a man thus wise estéeme vs as the mynisters of Christe and dispensators of the mysteries of god They therefore which are chosen to a Bishopricke haue gotten the mynistery and office of a seruante not of Lordship not of superiority not of principallity Therefore Peter speaking of Iudas sayth Hée was numbred with vs and had obtayned fellowship in this ministration 27. And whosoeuer will be chiefe among you let him be your seruaunt And vvhoso vvill be chiefe amonge you A. This is all one in effect with the sentence goinge before By these woordes it is euidente and manifest that the bishop of Rome is not of Christ but of the world of the deuill the Prince of this world It is a counterfeyte humilitye which they faine calling thēselues seruaunts of seruaūtes for indéede they testify that they couet to be worshipped as the kinges of all kings but they haue the Lord their iudge 28. Euen as the sonne of man came not to be mynistred vnto but to minister and to geue his life a redemptiō for manye Euen as the sonne of man Bu. The Lord to his commaundement addeth his example to the ende hee might the more mightely perswade Wee must alwayes remēber that the seruaunt is not greater thā his maister neither the disciple aboue his teacher Christ speaketh here as concerninge the time of his abasinge of the which S. Paule writeth thus When he was in the shape of God hee thoughte it not robbery to be equall with god Neuerthelesse hee made himselfe of no reputacion takinge on him the shape of a seruaunte and became like vnto men was found in his apparell as a man Hée humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen to the death of the Crosse Who will refuse this condition seinge that wée haue the example of our Lorde and maister Hée behaued himselfe no otherwise then it became a seruaunte yea a seruaunte of men for hee was made the mynister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises Neyther did he only declare himselfe to be a minister and seruaunt in death but in the whole race of his life also And to geue his life also a redemption for manye C. To the ende hée might more plainlye proue how farre hée was frō a hye estate he putteth them in remembraunce of his death as if hee shoulde saye Because I haue chosen you to be nexte vnto mée in honour a wicked ambition doth inflame your hartes to rule but I to whose example yee oughte to frame your lyues came not to extoll my selfe or to vsurpe vnto mée any kingly maiestye but I rather tooke vppon mée the ignomynye of the Crosse with the base and contēned forme of the fleshe also Bu. I am truly the onely sonne of the liuing God by whom all thinges were made your Lord and maister the Prince of lyfe and the conquerour of deathe and the power of Sathans kingdome yet notwithstādinge I arrogate and take vnto mee no dignity For I came for the commodity of all men and that I mighte geue my lyfe for sinners Let therefore all your counsayles and studies tend to this ende ▪ that you seeke the healthe and profite of all men and that you abase your selues to the lowest degrée C. If anye man do obiecte that Christ was therfore exalted that before him euery knée should bowe Wée may easly aunswere that the thinge which hée now speaketh is referred to the time of his abaseing as wee shewed a little before And therefore the Euangelist Luke addeth that hee was so conuersaunt among them as though he had bene a minister Not that hée was inferiour vnto them either in forme in name or in deede for hée woulde be alwayes acknowledged of them their Lord and master but because he descended frō the throne of the heauenly glory to so base an estate to take their infirmities vppon him not only theires but the infirmities of all men Moreouer wée must remember that there is here a comparison made of the more and of the lesse as wée maye read in Iohn where hée sayth thus If I your Lord and master washe your féete ye ought also to wash one anothers féete A redemption for many E. The Gréeke word signifyeth properly a price or raunsome by the which captiues are deliuered C. But the mencion of deathe as wee saide before was made to the ende the Disciples mighte be broughte from the false imagination of an earthye kingdome Notwithstandinge the force and fruit of the same is very aptly expressed when that hee affirmeth that his life is a price of our redemption Whervppon it followeth that wee are fréelye reconsiled into the fauoure of God onlye by the raunsome of Christes death E. The Apostle Paule declareth what that redēption is namely the remission of sinnes In whom sayth hee wée haue redemption by his bloud euen the remission of our sinnes And in another place By whom wee haue a redemption by hys bloud euen the remission of our sinnes And the Apostell Peter sayth for somuch as ye know how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersatiō which ye receiued by the tradition of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled C.
cōfirme the promises made vnto the fathers Moreouer God in times paste diuersly and manye wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes but in these laste dayes he hath spoken to vs by his owne Sonne whome he hath made heyre of al thinges They vvil stande in avve of my Sonne E. The Euangelist Luke hath Peraduenture they will stande in awe of my Sonne But this peraduenture is not founde neither in the Gréeke bookes nether in the olde Lattine bookes C. The which cogitatiō truely doth not properly belonge vnto god For he knew what woulde come to passe without all peraduenture so that he was not deceiued by hope of better chance But in parables we do often times sée that humaine affections are attributed vnto hym Notwithstandinge this sentence was not without cause added of our Sauiour Christe because he woulde thereby declare as in a glasse how farre passe all recouerye their wickednes was growen the which they to euidently declared in risynge with deuelishe fury againste the sonne of God whiche came to bring them to perfecte health 38. But when the husbandmen sawe the sonne they said among them selues this is the heyre come let vs kil him and let vs inioye his inheritaunce But vvhen the husbandmen A. Nowe he declareth how his sonne was receiued of them They sayde among them selues E. The Gréeke woorde is somwhat doubtefull whether it signify within themselues or amōg thē selues howbeit the most fete sēce is amōg them selues that thereby we may vnderstande that they had secrete talke among them selues of this conspiracye But they spake these wordes within thē selues when in spight of their téeth they were constrained to thinke him to be the Messias and when they sayd If we let him escape thus all men will beleue in him the Romanes shall come and take awaye bothe our roome and the people Come let vs kil him They spake this when Cayphas sayde It is expedient for you that one man dye for the people not that all the people perishe Also awaye with him crucify hym And let vs inioye his inheritaunce Bu. As if they shoulde haue said This man challengeth the vineyarde for his inheritāce makinge hym selfe the Kyng of the people of God He arrogateth to hymselfe equal with the Father come hyther therfore let vs kill this blasphemouse personne whereby wee maye in safety enioye his inheritance The inheritance of the Lord is the power of all thinges the people of God the holy Citty the dignity of the priestehode and the gouernement amonge saincts To the ende therefore saye they it maye be lawfull for vs to retayne and kepe the dignitye of the priestehode and the gouernement ouer the people let vs kill hym leaste peraduenture the Romaines hearynge that a kynge and sauioure is come vnto vs set vpon vs with battaile spoyle our cittie leade our people into captiuitie and burne oure temple A. This was the wicked madnes of the priestes C For as they by theyr cruell murther of the prophetes dyd thruste and depriue God so muche as in them laye from his inheritaunce euen so this was the heape of all mischiefes to kyll the sonne that they might raygne as in an house without an heyre For this was the cause that the aduersaries did so rage against Christ leaste they shoulde forgo and loose theyr tyranny as a praie For he it is by whom God the father wyll rule and to whom he hath geuen all empire Therfore the ambition and couetousnes of the prestes is noted which wente aboute to vsurpe vnto them selues the gouernemente of the vyneyarde they them selues beynge but seruauntes This is an exaumple worthy to be noted of the ministers of the Churche to the ende they maye remember that they are Goddes seruantes and howe that they ought not challenge and take to them selues his authoritie rule but so to laboure in the vyneyarde that the fruite thereof may remayne to God and that they may onely seke for his glory A. For so the lorde sayde vnto his Apostelles I haue chosen you and ordeined you to go and brynge forthe fruite and that your fruite shoulde remayne 39 And they caught him and thrust him out of the vineyarde and slewe him And they caught him A. That wicked and cruell decree of the Phariseies agaynste the professours of Christ is well enough knowne by the whiche they conspired that if any confessed hym to be Christ hee shoulde be caste out of the synagogge Moreouer when they rated the blind mā they saide Be thou his disciple for wee are Moyses disciples And slevve him Bu. For the Lorde Iesus beinge taken and beinge condemned as ablasphemer and an excommunicate person was deliuered to Pilate to be crucifyed But the rulers of the people were in this poynte chiefely to be blamed whiche perswaded foolishe and common people that they shoulde aske to haue Christ geuen them to be crucified and Barrabas to be loused 40 VVhen the lord therfore of the vineyarde commeth what wyll he do vnto those husbande men Bu. Here the Iudgement of God is shewed whiche is prepared for all rebellyouse obstinate and vnthanckefull personnes For God the father cannot leaue suche horrible and crewell contempte of his onely begotten sonne vnpunyshed A. For he had also spoken to them by Moyses sayinge Whosoeuer wyll not harken vnto the woordes of the prophete which he shall speake in my name I wil require it of hym But those men durste not onely reiecte the sonne of God teachinge and speakinge vnto them but also they presumed with vyolence to put him to death yea euen to the most shamefull deathe of the crosse Wherefore they beinge worthy of the crewell vengeance of God haue felte at the length the hande of the lorde and the iust punishmentes of theyr rebellion 41 They saide vnto him For as much as they be euill he will trewely destroie them and will let out his vineyarde to other husbandemen whiche shall deliuer him the fruite in dew seasons He vvyll truely destroye them Bu. Our sauioure Christ by his former question caused the vnwise to confesse the truth For they are constrayned openly with theyr owne mouthes to grante that whiche he wolde hym selfe C. Notwithstanding the Euangelystes do here varry and dyffer a lyttell Our Euangelist Matthew saith that they were forced to cōfesse this them selues Marke saith that Christ did symplelye pronounce what the ponishement of suche wycked seruantes shoulde be And Luke more euidētly as it might seeme dysagreeth from them bothe for when Christ had pronounced the ponishment against these wycked seruauntes they dyd dislike of it saying God forbid But if wee do more depely way serche for the sence and meaning we shal finde no repugnance or disagrement at all For these priestes not perceyuing at the fyrste that this parable pertayneth vnto them but thinkinge that Christe spake in dede of suche wicked and vnthanckfull housebandemen they by and by sayde Suche
themselues vnto Christe as thoughe they were desyrouse to learne and not onely indewed with godlynes but also throughly persuaded of his doctrine For if they had spoken without dissimulation this was the true and right waye M. They praise him for the study of truth because he was frée from all dissimulation because he regarded no man and because he fayned nothynge And teachest the vvaye of God truely By these wordes they declare what they mente when they said thou arte true that is to saye thou teachest faithfully and truely the will of God and that which is acceptable vnto him and not vnto men They fayne and beare a shewe as though they soughte God and that they were not of the Phariseis minde which said in what power doest thou these thinges but rather to be truelye persuaded of the doctrine of Christ and to beleue that he was a teacher of the trueth sente of God. Neyther carest thou for any man. As if they should haue sayd By thy dealing with our Scribes by Priestes and elders o the people thou hast declared throughly persuaded vs that thou art no accepter af persons and that thou carest for no man neither for the people neither for the nobles and Potentates neyther for Cesar nor Herode but only haste regarde vnto god Bu. shewing vnto vs with greate liberty those thinges which thou knowest to be acceptable vnto vs C. But by the wordes of these slye and subtill deceiuers a difinition of a true faithful teacher such a one as thei semed to persuade thē selues that Christ was may be gathered They saye that he is a true teacher which teacheth the waye of God that is to saye which is a true interpretour of God and that in veritye that is withoute anye corruption The waye of God is opposed or set againste the inuencione or straunge doctrines of men and trueth against ambition couetousnes and other wicked affections which are wont to vitiate and defile the pure order of teachinge Therfore we must counte him a true teacher whiche thrusteth not in the inuencions of men and departeth not from the true proper sence of Gods worde but doth as it were dispence and deliuer that with his handes whiche he hath receyued at the mouth of god Furthermore he applieth his doctrine by a singuler study of edifiynge to the proffite and saluation of the people and he falcefieth not the same by any traditiō As touching that which pertaineth to this latter sēce the Apostel Paule when he saithe that he dothe not choppe and chaunge the woorde of God he meaneth that he is not like vnto those which eyther beinge couetouse ambiciouse or inconstante do falsefy and corrupte the purity of doctrine So that he compareth them to choppers and chāgers or mingelers of wine because they do depraue and viciate the pure and right vse of Gods worde This is also worthy to be noted which these hypocrites doe adde saying that Christe doth rightly truelye teache because he regarded not the persons of men For there is nothyng that doth more withdrawe the teachers from the faithfull and perfecte dispensation of Godes woorde than the regarde and respecte of persons For it is impossible that he should addict wholie geue himselfe to serue and please God which seketh to please men It cannot be denied truelye but that we ought to haue a certaine care and regard of men yet not so that wee shoulde seke to wine their fauore by flattery To conclude let all acceptation and respecte of persons cease that wee may be perfecte I meane such regard and respecte as dothe obscure and darken the true lighte and doth peruerte and ouerthrowe true iudgement euen as God doth often tymes inculcate in the lawe and experience sheweth the same Therfore Christe doth compare together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is respecte of personnes and true iudgemente in the seuenth of Iohn C. And the person is taken for euery cōsideration which is beside the cause and matter as kinred riches commendacions of men age forme or comelines whatsoeuer winneth fauour towardes men For if in iudgemtnt we discerne betwene a good man and an euell man we haue not respecte vnto the persone but to the matter and cause it selfe 17. Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull that tribute be geuen to Cesar or not Hovve thinkest thou A. The hypocritical Disciples of the Phariseys those hypocrites beginning after this maner do at length propound the question to Christ Is it lavvfull that tribute be geuen to Cesar or not M. This deceite hath not one snare alone but two It was great daunger to be silente for so he should haue semed to haue regard to the persones of men and to be stayed helde with humaine feare and so to hyde the trueth in a matter of so great waighte Againe to answere it was dangerouse for they thoughte that he woulde either saye that tribute ought to be geuen to Cesar so incurre the hatred of the people that they might afterwarde with lesse feare of the people kill hym or els that he would denye tribute to be geuen to Cesar so mighte fall as a seditiouse persone into the hāds of Cesars power And this is that which Luke saith They watched him sente forth spyes which should faine thēselues righteouse mē to take him in his words and to deliuer him vnto the power and authority of the deputy to the ende they might put him to death as a traitor and seditiouse persone the matter nothynge appartaining to the Phariseis For how dangerouse a matter it was openlye to denye tribute to bee geuen to Cesar Theudas and Iudas taughte by theyr example of whome wee maye reade in the actes of the Apostels and in Iosephus aso Marke addeth that they sayde shall wee geue or shall we not geue 18. But Iesus perceiuinge their wickednes said why tempte ye me ye hypocrites But Iesus perceiuing E. Not onely their wickednes and malice but also their subtilty as saith the Euangeliste Luke C. These hypocrites semed as though they had been after the beste maner desirouse to learne Howe then doth our Sauiour Christe knowe what they were but onely because his sprite was the searcher of the harte For he did was the searcher of the harte For he did not espie and finde oute their crafty and double dealing by humane cōiecture but because he was God he pearced euen to the hartes of them in so much that they couered themselues in vaine with flattery the cloake of rigeteousnes Therefore before he answered thē he made a plaine declaratiō of his diuinity detecting reuealing their secret malice and spighte Nowe seing the like sleightes deceits are daily set layed for vs of the wicked to intrap vs seing their malice lieth secret hiddē frō vs let vs praie vnto god that he will instructe arme vs with the spirit of discretiō and geue vnto vs
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
the Prophetes to allowe their doctrine and to condemne your fathers which slewe them but if any man would iudge of your harte with the whiche in dede ye rage and swell againste the Prophetes as muche as did your fathers he might more truely saye that ye do allow the crueltye of your fathers do bragge as it were by these monumentes but do condemne the Saints whome youre fathers kylled A. There is no doubt here but that Christe speaking these thinges did greuously pricke and gaalle his enemies speciallye he speakynge so boldly in the presence of the people Thus al hipocrites muste be delt withal and by force dryuen out of theyr lurking dennes 32. Fulfill ye lykewyse the measure of your fathers B. All this oration of Christe dothe declare a moued minde For they which are augrye do commonly speake sharpelye obruptly and obscurely C. He doth not here bed them do that which they do that they mighte kill the holye teachers but he figuratiuely declareth that they do as it were by byrthrighte and inheritaunce ryse againste the Prophetes of God and that they must haue liberty to resist godlines because by this meanes they should finishe the wickednes with their fathers had begon make an ende of the webbe which their fathers had spoone By these words he doth not only declare that they are desperate and suche as can not be brought into a right minde but also he admonisheth the simple that it is no merueile if the Prophetes of God be euel intreated by the children of homicides and murtherers Bu. To fill the measure is prouerbially spoken to finishe impietye and to adde that to impiety ond wyckednes which semed to be wantinge 33. Ye serpentes ye generation of vipers how wil ye scape the daÌ„nation of hel Ye serpentes ye generation of vipers Bu. He doth sodenly as it were leauinge his former talke rushe vpon these manslears shewinge vnto them that they can not shunne or auoyde the iudgement of god that they shal be greuously punished and cast into hel C. For after he had shewed that the Scribes were not onely wicked enemies of godly doctrine and false cor rupters of diuine worship but also mortiferouse dedly plages of the Churche he goinge about to make an ende of his oration and sermon and sermon doth in more sharpe maner waxe angery with them saying Hovv vvil ye scape the daÌ„natioÌ„ Bu. He vseth an interrogation because thereby his wordes mighte be the more vehement The like oration did S. Iohn the Baptiste vse againste the same men sayinge O ye generatioÌ„ of vipers who hath taught you to flée froÌ„ the veÌ„geance to come For because they were obstinate and because his doctrine tooke liâ—…eâ—… place among them he speaketh vnto theÌ„ after this maner to terrify him C. Howbeit Christ had not only respect vnto the Scribes and Phariseis but also to the whole multitude that he might make them affrayed and to beware of the like destruction The damnatirn of hel He vnderstandeth by these woordes the iudgement of God by the which he would adiudge them to euerlasting death As concerning hel reade in the fifte chapter going before But howe harde and intollerable this sharpnes of woordes was to these reuerend masters we may hereby gather because they had kepte a longe time their mastership and authority in such peace that no man durst once mutter against them There is no doubt but that many were offeÌ„ded gréeued at the seuere liberty of Christ yea he was couÌ„ted of som peruerse and childishe that he durst be so bolde to speake so oprobriously of the order of the Scribes euen as at this daye also many dantye and tender eared persoÌ„s can not abide to here the popishe clergy seuerelye spoken againste but because Christe had to do with hypocrits and that of the worste sorte which being not only puffed vp with a proude conteÌ„pte of God dronken with a vaine and false truste but also hauinge be witched the people in their steppes of superstition it was necessary for him to inuey the more earnestly against them He calleth them therfore Serpents as well in respette of their nature as maners then he pronounceth vnto them vengeaunce the which they should séeke in vaine to auoide excepte they repented in time 34. VVherefore beholde I sende vnto you Prophetes and wyse men and Scribes and some of them ye shall kil and crucify and some of the shall ye scourge in your synagoges and persecute them from Ciâ—…ty to Citty VVherefore beholde M. These wordes pertaine to that which wente before by the which hee called the Scribes Phariseis a generation of vipers that is a most wicked posterity of wicked homicides and murtherers shewing forthe the like mallice that their forefathers dyd and greater also who coulde not possiblely escape the iudgemente of hell I sende vnto you Prophetes C. The Euangeliste Luke addeth somwhat more expreslye in these woordes Therfore said the wysedome of god The whiche sayinge some interpreters conster thus I which am the eternal wisedome of God do pronounce of you Notwithstanding it is more probable accordinge to the wonted maner of the Scripture that the Euangeliste here bringeth in God speking vnder the persone of his wisedome so that the sence and meanynge of these woordes is this It is not longe synce the Almighty God by the spirite of Prophesy pronounced what should come to passe of you We graunt that this seÌ„teÌ„ce as touching the letter or verye woorde is redde no where but because God dothe in diuers places touche and reprehende the vntamed obstinate contumacy of this people Christe doth gather an epitome or shorte some and by this Prosopopoeia doth more plainly expresse what the iudgemente of GOD shal be vpon the vncurable wickednes of that people For it might seme wonderfull and straunge if the Prophetes and teachers wente about to do nothinge profitable or worthy of regarde why the Lorde woulde haue them without cause to be vexed and weryed For some men affirme that God doth lose his labor worke when he appointeth his woord to be preached to the reprobat whom he knoweth to be obstinat But hipocrits as though this one thing were sufficient namely to haue amongest them daily preachers of the heauenly doctrine althoughe they shewe themselues vnwillinge to be taught do trust that God will be mercifull and fauorable vnto them if so bee that the externall worde do sounde amonge them So the Iewes did stoutlye boaste that they alwayes excelled all other nations Prophetes and teachers and that they had as it were deseruâ—…d so greate honor that this was vnto them an vndoubted badge and token of their dignity Oure Sauiour Christ séekinge to beate down this vaine arrogancy doth not onely deny them to excell all other nations althoughe they had amongest them by the excedinge loue of GOD his Prophetes and excelent interpreters of his wisedome but also he sayth that his grace being euell bestowed vppon them
should be a greater reproche vnto them and worke them greater destruction because in dede the purpose of God was otherwise than they imagined For hee ment thereby to make them the more inexcusable and also to bringe their wicked malice euen to the full As if he had sayde althoughe heauenly Propheres were sente vnto you of God and ordained for you only yet do ye folishly alleage for your selues and bragge of this honor For God by his secrete counsell and iudgemente determined an other matter namely that by continual and gentel inuitacion and callinge he might openly detecte and bewraye your wycked obstinacy the whiche beinge conuicte and ouercome he mighte bringe both vppon the fathers and the children a like horrible destruction I sende vnto you Prophetes Bu. Hereby it appeareth that ministers of saluation come not excepte they be sente of God. Howe shal they preache saith S. Paule excepte they be sente Whereuppon our Sauioure Christe also sayde Praye ye the Lorde of the haruest that he woulde thruste out laborers into his haruest It declareth also the fatherlye affection of God in sendynge Prophetes to saue Israell And vvyse men and Scribes C. In that he reckeneth wysemen and Scribes with the Prophetes he doth it to amplify the grace of God whereby their ingratitude doth the more appeare because although the Lorde omitted nothinge to teache them by yet notwithstandinge they did not proffite at all M. in so muche that they cruelly slewe the Prophetes and wyse men that were sente vnto them for their saluation C. In stede of wyse men and Scribes the Euangeliste Luke putteth downe Apostels in the same sence B. These are they which by the instincte and motion of gods spirit brought preached to the whole worlde the woorde of lyfe the true wysedome of God and the proper naturall sence of the Scriptures 〈…〉 This place pertaineth to the trueth of the gyftes of the spirit among which not only the prophesis shewing of things to come and declaring the wil of God and also the wisedome of those which speake by the spirit of God without the knowledge of the Scriptures haue place but also the knowledge of the Scriptures which the Scribes haue Of whom read the second chapter going before And some of them ye shal kil and crucify M. Here the wonderful malice of the Scribes and Phariseis is described It is a smal matter not to receiue a minister of grace if it be cōpared to this cruelty by the which he is contumeliously handeled afflicted scourged and killed This crueltye pertaineth to those that swel and are puffed vp by the name of holines and righteousnes which can not abide the preaching of the trueth but do resiste the same all that they can with fyer and swerde and do persecute it as though it were heresi But they perish not vnto the Lord whiche are slaine and the founde shéepe are brought vnto the pastor and all excuse is taken from the wicked when that theire malice which otherwyse would lye hid is made manifeste to all men Euen so in an other place he sayth For a testimony vnto them and the Gentiles C. So that this place teacheth that God dothe not worke the saluatiō of men alwaies so often as he sendeth vnto thē his word but that he woulde haue the same some times declared vnto the reprobate who he knoweth notwithstanding will be obstinate that it may be vnto them the sauore of death vnto death The woorde of God certeinlye of his owne nature is of power to saue and calleth all men without exception to the hope of euerlastinge lyfe but because al men are not inwardlye drawne because God doth not open their eares and because all men are not renewed to repentance or framed to obediēce whosoeuer do reiecte the woorde of GOD do make the same to be vnto them selues death and destruction Seinge therefore God knewe that this shoulde come to passe that the reprobate shoulde be drawne into greater damnation hee by his secrete counsell sente vnto them his Prophets as more plainly the Prophete Esay declareth Wee graunte truelye that this is farre contrarye to carnall sence and reason euen as wee sée the impure and vnreuerent contemners of God to take hereby speciall occasion to barke and murmure againste the secrete counsels of God because that lyke a tyraunte as they say he delighteth in the greater punishemente and destruction of men whome he doth more and more indurate make blinde in their synnes withoute all hope of profite But God by such documentes as these doth exercise and trye the modesty of the faithfull Let this therefore bee oure sobriety namely to reuerence that with tremblynge feare whiche excedeth our reason and capassity They whiche saye that the foreknowledge of God is no let at all wherebye the vnbeleuinge shoulde not be saued do by vaine defēce foolishly excuse God himselfe We graūt certainly that the reprobat do not therefore bringe death vnto them selues because God hath so prouided that it shall come to passe and therefore it can not be ascribed to his foreknowledge that they perishe but wee deny the righteousnes of God to be lawfullye and truelye defended by this cauill because a man may straite waye obiecte that it is in Godes power to staye them from repentance because the gyfte of faythe and repentance is in his handes This also maye be obiected Obiection What meaneth this that God by his sure determinate counsell appointeth the lighte of his woorde to blynde and dasell the eyes of men Why wil God beinge not contente with the simple falle and destruction of suche as are accursed and ordeyned to euerlastynge death haue them to taste of the fyrste seconde and thyrde death Wherefore this onelye resteth that wee geue this glorye to the Iudmentes of GOD and to crye wyth Sainct Paule and saye O the déepenes of the ryches both of the wysedome and knowledge of GOD howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements his wayes past findinge oute For who hathe knowne the mind of the lorde But it maye be demaunded howe the Lord pronounceth by his Prophete Esay that the Prophesies should tourne to the destruction of the Iewes Question seing that his adoption did alwayes effectuallye take place flourishe in that nation It may be answered that seing a very littel and smale portion only receiued imbraced the worde by faith mencion is made here of the greater nomber as of the vniuersal body Euen as Esayas who when he preached the common destruction of the people was commaunded to seale the law of god with his disciples Let vs vnderstāde therfore that so often as the Scripture doth adiudge the Iewes to euerlastinge death the remnaunts are excepted in whome the Lorde preserueth some sede for his frée elections sake 35. That vpō you may come all the righteouse bloud which hath beene shed vpon the earthe from the bloude of righteouse Abel vnto the
for there shabe greate trouble in the lande and wrathe ouer all this people And they shall fall throughe the edge of the swerde and shal be led awaye captiue in to all nations He meaneth the lande of Iewry By this woorde wrathe he vnderstandeth the vengeaunce of God frō Heauen that is to saye greate afflictions and calamitis sent of God from heauen which declare that God is angrye He ioyned wrath and trouble together because God beinge angery sendeth trouble as if he shoulde saye by this greate trouble the Lord declareth that he is angrye against this people dwelling in the lande of Iewry And what this trouble should be he afterward declareth when he saith And they shall fall through the edge of the swerde c. And in this place is putte in stede of For. B. He that readeth the story of Iosephus shall see that these thinges are true in all pointes For so many euels happened vnto them in the tyme of beséeginge that they can not be tolde an innumerable sorte of them in this tyme perished daylye some by kyllinge themselues some by honger whiche continued so longe that a certayne woman was fayne to seeth her owne sonne for foode there were also taken of them in the tyme of this warre a thousande and foure score and seuentene prisoners and theyr dyed betwene the beginnynge and endynge of this séege ten hondered thousande as writteth Iosephus C. The Euangeliste saincte Luke addeth that all those thinges whiche were written mighte be fulfilled For seinge the couenaunte of GOD was then broken by the obstinate malice of the people it was necessary that the earthe it selfe and the ayer shoulde be stricken wyth a wonderfull alteration and chaunge There coulde no plage truely bee more deadlye and greuouse to the Iewes than to haue the lighte of the heauenlye doctrine extinguished and they them selues also reiected of god But they were constrained to fele the plage of their reiection by sharpe and greuouse scourges as in greate obstinacye it was necessary More ouer the cause of so horrible vengeaunce was for that the desperate impietye of this people was come euen to the full For the medecine whiche was broughte for theire disease was not onlye proudlye despised of them but also contumeliouslye reiected yea they dyd cruelly as it were mad men rage against the Phisition hym selfe Seinge therefore the Lorde reuenged on them so seuerelye the obstinate contempte of his Gospell let vs alwayes haue before our eyes their punishement and let vs therby learne that there is nothynge that the Almighty God can lesse suffer at our handes than the obstinate contempte of his grace And althoughe the same rewarde dothe abyde the lyke contemners of the Gospell yet notwithstandynge God woulde haue the same documente or instruction to abyde in memorye aboue all others to the ende the glory of Christe his commynge mighte be more euident to those that shoulde come after For wee can not by woorde of mouthe expresse anye crime more hainouse than to put the sonne of God to death the author of lyfe offered vnto them from heauen Therefore when they had fulfilled this horrible acte they seassed not by one wickednes or an other to brynge vppon them all the causes of extreame destruction A. Therefore Christe sayth there shal be greate tribulation Suche as vvere not from the beginning of the vvorld Bu. Marke hath from the beginninge of creatures whiche God created callinge there the world the creature of god as in the eight to the Romanes also Neither shal be C. Christ saith here that the like afflictiō shal neuer be in the world because euē as the only repulse of Christ beinge ioyned with suche obstinacy and ingratitude was the moste detestable sinne that euer was committed euen so also it was iust and mete that the reuēge therof should passe all other in cruelty M. But if the Lorde did so seuerely punishe and reuenge himselfe on that nacion whiche he had chosen to be a holye one to himselfe what shall wee thinke will come to passe excepte wee beinge warned by these examples followe oure callinge 22. Yea and except those dayes shoulde be shortned there should no fleshe be saued but for the chosens sake those dayes shal be shortened Yea and except those dayes should be shortened A. That is except the Lord should shorten those dayes For Marke hath Except the Lorde had shortened those dayes that is except the Lord had ended them As if he shoulde saye if the Lorde had suffered that calamity as it was vehement so to haue continued if also he had suffered the enemys to rage so much and so longe as they listed not one amonge all that people should haue escaped There shoulde no fleshe be saued C. He putte this worde fleshe for man accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes We must vnderstande these things to be spoken of the Iewes not of all mankind as some falsely interprete as if he should haue saide that no man shoulde abide in safety He amplifieth therfore the cruelty of the destruction notwithstandinge he mitigateth the same againe with a consolation namely that the name of the Iewes thereby shoulde vtterlye be destryed blotted out excepte the Lorde shoulde haue respecte vnto his electe and for their sakes to release somwhat of the extremity And this place agreeth with that of the prophete Esay where he saith And excepte the Lord of hostes had lefte vs a fewe alyue we shoulde haue bene as Sodoma lyke vnto Gomorha For it was necessary the that vēgeāce of god which happened in the Babilonical exile should be fulfilled againe by the comming of Christ as the Apostell Paule witnesseth Yea the greater that the wickednes was the more greuouse ought the vengeance of God to be Therfore our sauiour Christ saith that except God should make appointe an ende to these euels the Iewes shoulde vtterly perishe in so muche that not one of them shoulde remaine But God hauing a consideration of his cōuenāt saith he spared his electe according to the Prophesy of Esay in an other place saying Thoughe thy people O Israell be as the sande of Sea yet shall the remnaunte of them conuerte in him and bee saued But for the chosens sake those dayes A. The Euāgeliste Marke hath he hath shortned those dayes Because he had as yet and woulde haue some of the chosen oute of this people the Lorde shortened those days of calamity leaste the whole stocke of the Iewes shoulde altogether be extinguished Whereuppon Peter also writteh The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the godly oute of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgemēt for to be punished He preserued Noe the eight preacher of righteousnes and broughte in the floude vpon the worlde of the vngodly and he deliuered iust Loth being vexed with the vncleanly cōuersatiō of the wicked C. And this is a notable documēt or lesson of the diuine Iudgement of God
Disciples that he was the true Lorde to whom it belonged to commaunde all menne who commaundinge all oughte to obeye and that he hathe also the hartes of menne in his handes in so muche that he can dispose and constraine them to obeye him Suche a one he nameth him selfe and suche a one in déede he proueth him selfe when he commaundethe the Fole to be loosed and broughte vnto him as appeareth in the 21. Chapter before And saithe he if any shall saie vnto you why doo you loose him say yée The Lord hathe néede of them â–ª And by and by he will lette them goe Marke and Luke adde sayinge And while they were loosinge the Coulte the owners thereof saide vnto them Wherefore doo yée loose the Coulte And they saide Because the Lorde hathe néede thereof And they suffered them But in an other place also he dothe most plainely call him selfe a maister as when he saith Yée call me maister and Lorde yée say wel for so I am My time is at hand C. Althoughe he did rightely celebrate Paseouer accordinge to the commaundemente of the Lawe yet notwithstandinge he séemeth not without consideration to allege this that he mighte put away the fault of moroâ—â—tie and waywardnesse He saithe therefore that he hathe cause to make haste that he might apply him selfe to euery vsuall Custome because he is called to a greater Sacrifice In the meane time notwithstandinge as we saide in the seconde verse before he dothe renewe nothinge in the Ceremonie B. Neither dothe he saye My deathe but My time is at hande that he mighte declare that his deathe was for certaine appointed of God and also to teache vs by his example to be ready and willinge when the time shall comme whiche is appointed to euery one C. Christe dothe so often therfore inculcate that the time of his death is at hand that the Disciples mighte knowe that willingely he made haste to obeye the Decree and Will of his Father I vvill keepe my Easter by thee B. Behould with how great confidence and authoritie he commauÌ„deth this man to geue him roume place in the which he might keepe his Easter Marcke and Luke adde that he saide Where is the gheastchamber that I maie eate Paseouer with my Disciples And he shall shewe vnto you a greate Parloure paued and prepared there prouide make ready for vs And his Disciples wente and came into the Cittie and founde as he had saide vnto them The Euangelistes saie that they founde as the Lorde had sayde by the whiche we are taughte that he will neuer frustrate our hope if we geue credite vnto his woordes For he cannot deceiue C. But in that he ioyned the shadowed sacrifice to that which is trewe he thereby exhorted the faithefull that they woulde compare that with the Olde Figures whiche he fulfilled in déede For this Comparison settethe foorthe no small force and effecte of his deathe For Paseouer was not enioyned to the Iewes to this ende onely that they shoulde be mindefull of the Oulde Deliuerance but also that they shoulde hope for the more speciall Deliuerance that shoulde come by Christe To this effect pertaineth this sentence of Paule Christe our Paseouer is offered vp for vs. 19. And the Disciples did as Iesus had appointed them and they made ready the Paseouer And the disciples did C. Here the Apostles declare how much they beleued the wordes of Christe and howe obedient they were in the whiche we muste note theire godly docilitie and aptnesse to be taughte For they mighte haue doubted seing they folowed an vnknowne man whether they shoulde obtaine that of the goodman of the house whiche theire maister by theire message required seinge they knewe that he was contemned and hated of the most parte But truely they doo not carefully inquire of the euent and ende but quietly they obey his commaundemente M and doo simply finishe the thinge they were commaunded C. And we muste obserue this rule if we desire to proue our faithe that beinge content with the only commaundemente wée maye goe forwarde to that whiche God commaundeth and that we hopinge for the successe whiche he promiseth maie put away all carefulnes For if we be to inquisitiue it is a signe of distrust of distruste foloweth rebellion and obstinacy whiche seperateth vs from the grace of God. 20. VVhen the euen was comme he sate down with the twelue VVhen the eueÌ„ C. Not that he mighte eate Paseouer the which should be done standing euen as men that haue haste of their iourney beinge shodde and eate their meate with the staffe in their hande but the solemne rite beinge done it is mente that he sate downe to supper Therfore the Euangelistes saie the euen being come because in the firste euen they did kill the lambe and did eate the fleshe thereof rosted He sate dovvne vvith the tvvelue M. Greate was the impudency of Iudas that after the bargaine made with the hie priestes he durste sitte downe with the rest at the Lordes table beinge nothing afrayde of his maisters conscience For peraduenture he thoughte that he was ignorante of his pourpose or at least that he would not bewray it by reason of the méekenes of his minde whereof he had oftentimes experience before 21. And as they did eate he saide verily I saie vnto you that one of you shal betray me And as they did eate Bu. Christe was not ignorante of the practises counselles and conspiracies of his enimies therfore easily he could haue deceiued them if he would but he rather soughte by the foreshewinge of them to fortifie the weake against the stumbling blocke of the Crosse euen as he saide vnto them I haue toulde you these thinges before they comme to passe that when they come yée might beleue A. And â—…ecause the wicked treason of Iudas semed to excel al the rest he thought good to shew that the same was not hidden from him saying One of you shall betray me M. By these obscure darke woordes the Lorde went about to proue the mind of Iudas secretely to pricke his conscience that none of those thinges might be omitted which did pertaine to his repentance For although Christe knewe the blindenes of the trayter to be such that he should be admonished in vaine yet notwithstaÌ„ding it was not without consideratioÌ„ to strike his coÌ„science that hereafter he might be voide of all excuse neither that any of those thinges might be omitted whiche concerne the duety of a good man The EuaÌ„gelist Marke hath One of you which eateth with me C. For to the end he might make the treasoÌ„ of Iudas the more detestable by this circonstance he increaseth his vnworthines because he sittinge at the holy Table went about treason For if a stranger had don this it had ben more tollerable but for one of the housholde to worke suche mischiefe and then vnder the coller of frendship to ioyne himselfe to the holy supper was to monsterouse a
thing And therefore the Euangelist S. Luke hath Yet beholde the hande of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table And although Luke bringeth in this saying of Christ to be spoken after Supper was ended yet notwithstāding the order of the time cannot hereby be gathered whiche we knowe to be often times neglected of the Euangelistes Yet for all that it is probable that Iudas was present whē Christ did distribut the signes of body and bloud 22. And they were exceding sorowfull and began euery one of them to saye vnto him Lord is it I And they vvere exceding sorovvfull M. Three things caused the sorow of the Apostels First because he said that he shoulde be betrayed deliuered vp into the handes of his enemis wheruppō they should be as orphantes therefore the Lord cōforteth them in the fourthten of Iohn Secondly because he should be one of thē whiche would worke so horrible a farre For what godly man woulde not be sory to here that an enemy of Christe shoulde come forth of the congregation whiche is ioyned together for the faith of Christe When the Apostel said to the Ephesiā Byshopes Of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw the Disciples after the how coulde the godly which were amōg thē be frée frō trouble Thirdly because they know not who the traitor shoulde be Moreouer Christe when he had testified these thinges was troubled in spirite as saith S. Iohn the which whē the Apostels saw how could they not be troubled also Therefore the Disciples are not afrayed as men which disquiet themselues being afrayed without cause but abhorring the wicked facte they desyer to be purged frō the suspiciō thereof This truely is a signe of reuerence that being toutched striken after a bye sorte they do not stoutly churlishly answer their master but referre them selues euery one to his iudgemente yet notwithstāding bearing thēselues bolde of a good cōscience they frely testify howe far they are frō doing so hainouse a fact Whereuppon euery one of thē demande sayinge Is it I M. They coulde not doubte of the wordes of Christe and although they knew themselues to be gylty and thing of this matter yet notwithstandinge they coulde not be quyet in all points For we are alwayes such that wee may be chaūged euery hower in somuch that the thing which we thinke not of to day we shal earnestly séeke after to morowe Peter truely could abide nothing worse than that he should deny Christe but yet it came to passe that he did deny him Innocents also are feareful not because they distrust the promises of God but because they feare themselues I knowe nothinge by my selfe saith S. Paule yet I am not hereby iustifyed For the Lord doth looke more narrowly and there are in vs infinite lurking places A. Therefore S Iohn writeth not without cause saying Thē the Disciples looked one vppon an other doubtinge of whome he spake 23. He answered and sayde he that dippeth his hande with me in the dishe the same shall betray me C. Christe by this answer doth neyther take awaye the doubte from them neyther sheweth vnto them the persone of Iudas but only cōfirmeth that which he sayd euen nowe that one of his familiar ghestes shoulde be the trayter A. As it maye also be gathered by the other twoo Euangelistes M. For S. Marke hath It is one of the twelue euē he that dippeth with me in the platter And S. Luke hath Beholde the hande of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table And so by this heaping together amplifying of the matter as we sayd before the disposition of this wicked man was noted who was nothing moued by the communion fellowship of the table to abstaine from so wicked a dede yea he beinge set at the table deuised nothing but howe he might haue cōueniēt time to betray him C. And although it was greuouse vnto the Disciples to be lefte suspēded and in perplexity for a time that they mighte busy thē selues in cōsidering the hainousnes of the fact yet notwithstāding there folowed after that an other profite and commoditye when they knewe that the Prophesye of the Psalme was fulfilled which saith It is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonor neither was it my aduersary that magnified himself againste me But it was euen thou my companion my guide and my owne familiar frende We tooke swete counsell and walked together in the house of God as frendes Moreouer vnder the persone of Iudas the Lorde would haue his seruants of all ages to be admonished that they bee not dismayed or discouraged when they sée trayters to come from among the faithfull because the like that happened vnto him being the head of the Church must of necessity happen also to those that are his members 24. The sonne of man truely goeth as it is writen of him but who vnto that man by whome the sonne of man is betrayed It had ben good for that man if he had neuer ben borne The sonne af man truely goeth C. Christ speaketh these thinges as tourned to himself after he had admonished Iudas M. As if he should saye As toutching that which happeneth vnto me there is no daūger nothing shall happen vnto me by chaūce or vnlooked for that whiche is writen of me must nedes be fulfilled and to this in dede I am ready the wicked can do nothing against me but that whiche is appointed of god Bu. My death is ordeyned by the father himselfe it is not therfore by the power pollicy of men that I suffer but by the wyll of god C. By these wordes Christe preuenteth the offence which otherwyse might greuously assayle the mindes of the Godly For what coulde be more absurde than for the sonne of God beinge falselye betrayed by a Disciple to be committed to the will of the enemys that he might bee drawne to the moste shamefull and slanderouse death But Christ pronounceth plainly that this commeth by the will of god And he proueth this decrée by the testimony of the Scripture because hee hath made manifest and fulfilled the thing whiche was appointed to be done by the mouth of the Prophete long before Now let vs note to what ende the wordes of Christe do tende namely that the Disciples knowing whatsoeuer is done to be gouerned by the prouidence of God shoulde not thinke that his life or death was ordered by chaunce But the profite that commeth of this doctrine doth farther extende it selfe because then at the last the frute of Christes deathe shal be truely ratifyed vnto vs when it is manifestly knowne that he was not rashely caryed of men to the crose but by the eternall decrée of God was ordeyned a sacrifice to take awaye the sinnes of the worlde For howe commeth reconciliation vnto vs and the attonemēt but only because Christ by his obedience hathe pleased the father Wherefore let
vs alwayes remember the prouidēce of God to the which both Iudas all the wicked also although against their wils muste nedes obey Let this alwayes abide fixed firme in our mindes that Christ therefore suffered because suche kinde of sacrifice pleased god Bu. But some man wil obiect and say If it were so appointed by the prouidence of God and set downe in the Scriptures that the sonne of GOD shoulde be betrayed by Iudas I sée not truely why Iudas offended who did nothinge but that whiche God would haue don which he had ordained by the Scriptures foreshewed The Lord answereth this obiectiō here saying But vvo to that mā by vvhome the sonne of man is betrayed C. By the which wordes he denieth Iudas to be absolued by this pretence because he did no thinge but that which was appointed of god For although God by his right and iust iudgement appointed the deathe of his sonne to be the pryce of our redemption Iudas neuertheles in betrayinge Christe because he was full of falsehoode and couetousnes brought iust damnation to himselfe and in that God woulde haue the worlde redemed it did nothing let but that Iudas might hee as he is a wicked trayter Hereby wee perceiue that although men can do nothinge but that which God hath appointed yet notwithstandinge they are not absolued frō gyltines when by a wicked affectiō they are feruentlye geuen to sinne For althoughe God by a secrete brydell leadeth them to an ende vnknowne to them yet notwithstanding they seke for nothinge lesse than to obeye and accomplishe the decrees of god These two things truely seme farre contrary to humane reason that God shoulde so gouerne humane matters by his prouidence that nothing shoulde be done but at his will and pleasure and yet for all that that he should destroy the reprobate by whome he hath executed his will. But wee sée here how Christe Ioineth bothe of them together makinge Iudas subiecte to the curse althoughe God himselfe had ordained that he shoulde be an enemye vnto him not that the treason of Iudas ought properly to be called the woorke of God but because God tourned the falshood of Iudas to serue his purpose We must therefore put a difference betwene the woorke of God the impietye of Iudas Because God is alwayes Iust in his counsels he doth nothing without cause but wicked men are moued by an euell cause the whiche thinge euen their conscience decl reth The thefe the iudge although both of them kill men yet notwithstanding there is a greate difference betwen them For thee seuerity of the Iudge is commended and the thefe condemned It came to passe by the will of the father that Christ suffered and it was his pleasure so to haue it but the impiety of Iudas did not please him A. For he is a God whiche is not delighted in wickednes It is foreshewed of Christe that those whiche are his shall suffer tribulation in this life because those whome he knewe before he also ordained before that they shoulde be like fashioned vnto the shape of his sonne Z. Yet notwithstanding the wicked are not thereby excused whiche are the persecutours of the faithful Iudas when he betrayed Christ had not respecte vnto the will of God but to the wickednes of his owne harte that he mighte receiue money Accordinge to the same wickednes therfore he is iustly condened Therefore although at a blushe the wicked seme to haue some fellowship with God yet for all that we must more narrowly beholde them and then we shal sée the they are as far frō him as heauen and earth They are not excusable but rather wo vnto them These thinges are diligentlye to be noted because many frensy and hedstrong men do intangle and confounde all thinges not in disputing but with controllinge and reprochinge with God neither do they séeke for any thing els than to defame the whole doctrine of God that by hate of religion the contempte of God and brutishe boldnes may aryse that men may differ nothinge frō beastes let vs learne therfore to make a difference as Christe here hath done And yet for all that wee muste not denye but that God dothe vse the workes of the wicked that they may serue his prouidēce though against their wills and do that also which he hath decreed C. Wee do knowe truelye howe many interpreters do auoyde this rocke they graunte that the Scripture was fullfilled by the worke of Iudas because God declared that by prophesies whiche hee knew aforehande Therfore to the ende they might mittigate the doctryne which semeth vnto thē to be som what to sharp they set forth the knowledge of god in sted of his decree or appointemēt as though God should only beholde those thinges that were to come a farre of but should not dispose them accordinge to his pleasure But the holye ghoste dothe farre otherwise ende this cōtrouersy bringing in not only the reason why Christ was deliuered namely because it was so writen but also because it was so appoīted For wheras Mathew Marke do alleage Scripture Luke bringeth vs directly to the heauenly decrée euē as he teacheth in the Actes of the Apostels the Christe was not only deliuered by the foreknowledge of God but also by the determinate counsell of god Also he saith Herode Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles people of Israell gathered them selues together to do whatsoeuer thy hande thy coūsell determined before to be done Whereby it appeareth that they roon out of course which flye vnto the bare foreknowledge of God. It had bene good for that man C. By these wordes he declareth what horrible vengeance shall fall vppon the wicked for whome it had ben better that they had neuer ben borne Howebeit this lyfe though it be but transitory and ful of sorowes is a singuler and special benefite of god Moreouer also hereby we gather how detestable their impietye is whiche do not only extinguishe the preciouse gyftes of God tourne them to destruction but bringe to passe that it had ben better if they had neuer tasted the goodnes of God Let vs learne therefore to trēble at the iudgement of God that we may abhorre all wickednes and whatsoeuer is contrarye to the righteousnes of god It had ben better for Iudas neuer to haue bene than to be damned to torment for euer But this is worthy to be noted that he saith It had bene good for that man not to haue ben borne because although the state and condition of Iudas by miserable yet for all that it was good for God that he was created who appointing the reprobate to eternall destruction doth thereby set forth his glory as Solomon in his prouerbes teacheth sayinge The Lorde doth all thinges for his owne sake yea and when he kepeth the vngodly for the day of wrathe 25. Then Iudas which betrayed him answered and sayde master is it I He sayd vnto him thou
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
Lorde And so by all meanes men are alienate and drawen awaye from God vntyll he gather them vnto hym agayne Wee muste also note the circumstaunce that the disciples being so sharpely reprehended fell strayghtwaye a sleape agayne But this is not spoken of all the disciples but of those three onely whiche the Lorde chose to beare hym company What shall become then of the commoÌ„ sorte when this happened in the flower M. Truely there is nothing spoken here of the infirmitie and slouggishenes of the disciples whiche happeneth not dayly vnto vs For howe often are wee admonished and howe often do we fall for all that Wee haue nede therefore of Christe whiche may styrre vs vp wee haue nede also of his sufferaÌ„ce that he may beare with our forgetfulnes least we by by be caste of according to our deseruing 44 And he luâ—…te them and went agayne and prayed the thyrde tyme sayinge the same woordes And he lefte them C. Hee seinge that the eyes of his disciples were heauy and that his former reprehencion had profited little with them lefte them and wente to prayer agayne And prayed the thirde tyme. M. The affection of nature abhorring the crosse caused hym to do this For although there were not in hym suche a wrestlynge of the fleshe and of the spirite as there is in vs yet notwithstanding because he tooke vpon him our infirmities it was mete that he should be like vnto vs in somewhat that feare might haue his course to come again though it were once or twyse ouercome Saying the same vvordes C. The itteration or repetition of one thing was not lippe labour whiche Christe condemned in hipocrites whiche thinke that they shall obtaine that with their vayne babling whiche they aske not sincerely or with the harte but Christe taught by his example that it becommeth vs not to bee discouraged nor weary in praying if we obtayne not by and by our desiers This therefore is not a superfluous repetition of woordes if the temptation of repulse or deniall of our requestes do not extinguyshe the desyer of praying but doe continue askyng the same thing the thirde and fourth tyme whiche the Lorde before seamed to haue denied M. The Euangeliste Luke addeth saying And his sweate was like droppes of bloud trickling down to the grounde â–ª The which wordes are not so to be taken as though he would say that these droppes were but lyke dropes of bloude and not bloud in dede but we must vnderstande them that his sweate ranne down with droppes of bloud And the Greke worde here doth not onely signifie likenes but also the shewe of truthe as when it is sayde And we sawe his glory as it had ben the glory of the only begotteÌ„ sonne of God. that bloudy sweate truely was a token of great paine torment very miraculous 45 Then coÌ„meth he to his disciples and saith vnto them sleape on nowe and take your reste beholde the howre is at hande and the sonne of man is betraied into the handes of synners Then commeth he â—…o his disciples Bu. His prayers being ended and his whole cause being committed vnto God and his mynde being framed and confirmed to suffer death to abyde all kynde of tormentes the Lord retourneth to his disciples whome he founde nothing the more vigilante and saithe Slepe on novv and take your rest C. It may appere euidently enough the Christ speaketh here Ironice but yet let vs see to what end this figuratiue speache dothe appertaine For because Christe had profited nothing in admonishing his disciples hee dothe not onely touche their sluggishnes but also denounceth that although they woulde bee slouthful they should haue no leasure The sence therefore is this Because I haue hytherto spoken vnto you in vayne I wyll nowe ceasse to exhorte you any more But howe soeuer ye haue lybertie to sleape through me yet notwithstaÌ„ding your enemies wyll not suffer it but wyl constrayne you to watche against your willes Bu. For nowe both my payne and your great daunger also is at hande And therfore in Marke it is added It is enough as if hee shoulde haue sayde It is not nowe tyme to sleape And after this manner the Lorde dothe oftentymes chasten the sluggishnes of men that they which are deafe to heare wordes may at the lengthe be constrayned by euels to watche Wherefore let vs learne by the wordes of the Lorde to geue eare in dewe tyme least that necessitie plucke that from vs by violence to late whiche hee by fayre meanes wold haue gotteÌ„ at our haÌ„ds in due tyme Beholde the hovver is at hande M. He maketh mencion of his hower to the ende they might vnderstande that nowe there is nothing lesse thaÌ„ the tyme of sleape to be taken as if he should saye It is nowe the hower in the whiche I must be taken my enemies are present that must laye handes vpon me and yet ye sleape this hower requireth an other matter nowe can yâ—… not sleape any more aryse and so forth And we must note that he calleth that tyme of his taking his hower that is the certain appointed tyme Euen as it is sayd in another place They sought therefore to take him but no man layde handes on him because his hower was not yet come We are therfore here admonished that euery man hath a certayne and appointed tyme either of lyfe or death whiche he can not passe And the sâ—…n of maÌ„ 〈◊〉 and into the haÌ„ds of sinners M. By the name of sinners in this place as in many other also all mortal men are not vnderstoode whiche by nature are synfull but the wicked only and such as haue no feare of God before their eyes Whereupon S. Peter also saith thus Hym haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persones after he was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne hym To bee betrayed into the hands of synners is to be deliuered into all their power and to bee geuen to be vsed at their pleasure When he sayeth that he must be geuen to synners he meaneth that he being innocente must be delyuered vp and sheweth also that they were wycked and vniust ministers of his deathe although he shoulde bee delyuered into their handes by the deuine counsell of the father Hereby we perceyue that the deuine dispensation vseth the reprobate to the chastisement of his sonnes yea and the ministery of Sathan also as we haue often tymes declared before 46 Ryse let vs be goinge beholde he is at hande that doth betraye me Rise let vs be going C. By these woordes he declareth that so soone as he had praied he was armed with newe weapons Ar the fyrste truely hee was wyllynge â—…nough to dye but in the very instante he had a sharpe battayle with the fleshe in so much that willingly he would haue deliuered hym selfe from death if so be he might haue done it with the good will of
betrayed him gaue thē a token sayinge whome soeuer I kysse that same is he hold him fast But he that betrayed hym A. This fayned shewe and hidden hypocrisy maketh the falt of Iudas more hainouse not because it was hidden from Christe for he is a searcher of the harte reynes but because he woulde not seme to be a traitor but a frende C. For their is no doubte but that he was stayed eyther by the shame of his wicked acte or els for the reuerence of the Lorde not openly to professe hym selfe to be one of his enemys yea wheras it is sayde in S. Marke that he charged the soldiers to lead him away warely it was done because he remembred by howe many documents the Lorde had proued at other times his diuine power Holde him faste Bu. He would haue hym taken with all spede that might be least he should escape awaye For the Lorde his enemyes being deluded mockd had escaped oftentimes out of the handes of those that soughte his death A. Leaste therefore the lyke shoulde happen now the trayter admonisheth the soldiers to holde him faste and to leade him awaye warely that is to say with diligent hede least he should escape C. But notwithstāding the madnes ef the trayter is wōderfull eyther to couer him selfe with vaine dissimulation whē he should come in the presence of the sonne of God or to set the power of men against his power E. S. Iohn addeth after this saying Iesus therefore knowinge all thinges that shoulde come vppon him wente foorthe and said Whome seke ye They answer Iesus of Nazareth Iesus saith vnto thē I am he Iudas also which betrayed hym stoode with them By the which wordes truely the Euāgelist doth more plainely expresse with howe willinge a minde Christe went vnto his death and therewith also he declareth what greate power he breathed forthe by one woorde that wee might knowe that the wycked were able to do nothinge vnto him but vppon his owne sufferance The like miracle almost we haue of the host of the kinge of Assirians whiche was strycken with blindnes at the prayer of Elizeus 49. And forthewith he came to Iesus and sayde haile master and kyssed hym And forthvvith he came to Iesus Bu. The Euāgelist Luke hath And Iudas one of the twelue wente before them pressed nye vnto Iesus to kisse him Hayle master C. There is no doubte but that Iudas fained by these wordes as though he fearing his maisters daunger had ben touched with mercy And therfore Marke hath a repetition of this worde Maister Master for although the maiesty of Christ did vrge him yet notwithstāding the deuel had so bewitched his minde that he thoughe his falsehoode to bee verye well hydden with a kisse flattering wordes therfore this salutacion or acclamatiō was a pretence of compassion And he kissed hym We muste Iudge the same of the kysse that we did of the salutation going before For although it were a common maner amonge the Iewes to entertaine their frendes with a kysse yet notwithstāding because Iudas was departed a littell before from Christ he semeth nowe as one sodenly made afrayed through feare to geue his master the last kysse or farewell And so by an outward shewe of godlines hee semeth to excell the reste when he semeth with greate gréefe and sorowe to be separated frō his master But howe lyttell he profited by his deceits it appeareth by the answere of Christe hereafter followinge Bu. Iudas therefore fayned these twoo thinges namely the cooler of frendeship and the shewe of Godlines He was an open enemy and yet neuertheles he calleth Christ his master and that with a repetition thinking thereby to deceyue the mindes of Christe and of his Disciples Euen so Ioab going about to kill Amasa kyssed hym and flattered hym in this wyse saying Arte thou in healthe my brother Let vs learne therefore by this place howe greate the force of impiety is and whether it will bringe vs at the lengthe if wee do not resiste the beginninges and originall thereof This Iudas is not afrayde for money of enuy and impiety to salute his Sauiour and to geue his master a kysse when as notwithstanding he did acknowlege hī to be his master neither kissed he hī for any loue or frendeship but onelye to geue him a dedly wounde Thus did Cayne deale with Abell who vnder the pretence of frendely repaste slewe his brother It is no merueile therefore if they at this day which seke for nothinge ells than to ouerthrowe Christe and his Gospell doe vse also faire promises othes woordes and signes He whiche knoweth not that Iudas is the father of these men being suche wycked hypocrites as he was beleueth their gloseinge and painted promises 50. And Iesus sayde vnto hym frende wherefore arte thou come Then came they and laide handes on Iesus and tooke him And Iesus saide to him Bu. Here we may beholde in Christ a most perfecte example of mekenes He did not refuse to receiue the kysse of the hipocrite Iudas but bewayling his blindenes and calling the miserable wretche to repentance stricketh his conscience with a most louing frendly and gentle saying Frende vvherefore arte thou come C. The Euangeliste Saint Luke more expresely saith Iudas doest thou betraye the Sonne of man with a kysse These wordes of S. Luke do more vehemently vrge Iudas of hipocrisy thā do the wordes of Mathew howbeit they are not spoken so much to reproch him as to put him in minde of the clemency and loue which before he had shewed towardes hym beinge nowe abused For wee maye not thinke that when Christe called Iudas frende he did it Ironicè as if he had mēt him to bee his enemye but he rather casteth his ingratitude in his téeth because of a companion and frende he is now become a trayter euen as it was foreshewed in the Scripture where it is saide It is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonor for then I coulde haue borne it neither was it mine aduersary that did magnifye hymselfe againste me For then peraduenture I woulde haue hyd my selfe from him But it was euen thou my companion my guide min owne familiar frend c. VVherefore arte thou come Bu. Christe was not ignoraunt wherefore the traiter was come but after he had shewed a token of his loue he reprehendeth hym and prycked his conscience that he mighte vnderstande that the deceyte whiche he vsed was not hydden from hym As if he hadde sayde O Iudas thou doest dissemble thy frendeship with a kisse callest the son of man Rabbi or master thinkest that I am ignorāt wher about thou goest But I appeale to thin owne cōscience tel wherefore arte thou come To what ende vsest thou this kysse I knowe wel ynough that thou betrayest the sonne of man with this kysse Bu. I pray thée my frende ▪ wherefore commest thou to me with so wycked a minde Thou oughtest to
away our sinnes For thus muste it be We must adde somewhat to make this more plaine thus Howe then shal the Scriptures be fulfilled whiche testifie that this shall come to passe and that it muste néedes be fulfilled A. For the Scripture cannot be loused Whereupon the Lorde after his Resurrection said Was it not méete that Christe shoulde suffer these thinges and then enter into his glorye And a little before he saide Theise are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you while I was yet with you that al muste néedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the Lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes in the Psalmes C. But althoughe Christe teacheth only here that he must patiently suffer his Deathe because it is declared in the Scriptures that it muste néedes be so yet notwithstandinge the vse of thys Doctrine is more generall namely that the Scripture is fete to bridle and tame the lasciuiousnesse of the Fleashe because to this ende God doothe shewe vnto vs what doth please him that he mighte kéepe vs in the obedience of his will. Therefore S. Paule attributethe these partes as proper to the Scripture namely to bringe vs patience and consolation in aduersity that we might haue hope By the woordes of Luke it shoulde séeme that Christe more shortely reproued his Disciples sayinge Suffer yee thus farre forthe but notwithstanding here he dothe sharpely inueighe agaynst theire bouldnesse because they wente aboute a damnable déede howebeit he doth therewith put theim in hope of pardon if thei forsaking their wicked rashnesse burst out no further The Euangeliste Luke also addeth And when he had touched his eare he healed him Peter as we saide before by his foolishe rashe zeale mighte haue broughte dishonour and perpetuall infamie to Christe and his Doctrine And there is no doubt but that Sathan by his subtiltye wente aboute to bringe euerlastinge reproche to the Gospell as thoughe Christe had vsed the feloweshippe of quarrellers and raysers of tumulte to alter the state of thinges This therfore séemeth to be the cause why Christe healed the Wounde whiche Peter hadde geeuen to Malchus But the enimies were blind and insensible myraculously which were nothing moued by the sighte of so woonderfull a Myracle Notwithstandinge it is lesse marueile that they did not behoulde the power of Christe in an other man when they beinge caste to the grounde with his voice ceased not to forsake theire madnesse Thys is that Spirite of madnesse with the whiche Sathan dothe bereue and bewitche the sences of those which are his when they are blinded of the Lorde But specially in the Seruaunte whiche was healed we haue a notable example of ingratitude for he was not helped by the diuine power of Christe to tourne from his wickednes and repent neither was he conuerted by the benifite of an enimy to becomme a Disciple Foolishelye doo certaine Monkes interprete this place sayinge that he was healed also in mind leste the woorke of Christ shoulde be imperfite as thoughe in déede the goodnesse of God dothe not daily extende it selfe euen to those that are vnwoorthy thereof A. Doo we not reade that Christe healed tenne Leapers with his woorde of the whiche tenne there was but onely one that retourned to geue thankes and the same was a Samaritane 55. In the same houre saide Iesus vnto the multitude yee be comme out as it were vnto a theefe with Swordes and Staues for to take me I sate daily with you teachinge in the Temple and yee tooke me not In the same houre C. Christ here compareth theire handlinge of him to the catchinge of a théefe whiche beinge boulde desperate cannot be taken of one man Bu. By the which he declareth that these wicked ones doo vnto him great and manifest iniury which vpon spite and mere enuie came to take him with such greate preparatiō for this is the meaning of his woordes What néede had you to come againste me with suche greate force of weapons as thoughe some théefe should be taken For ye inuade me as if I were a théefe and a disturber of the peace C. But trewely I alwayes walked amongeste you as a naked man without weapon in peace and quietnesse when I taughte in the Temple ye might easily haue taken me without any souldiers M. Hereby we learne that it is the part of a Christian man howe so euer hee be prepared to the Crosse to declare his innocencie when he seeth that the same is craftily accused I sat daily vvith you teaching Hereby it appeareth that they did vse to sitte teachinge in those dayes I was saithe he daily conuersante in the Temple not with an hoste or bande of men but teachinge I haue geuen you no occasion of this matter Note this worde Daily and consider how he was alwaies occupied in teachinge his Fathers will. In the daie tyme he taught in the Temple and in the night he went to Mounte Oliuet And yee tooke me not M. The Euangelist Luke hathe And yee stretched foorthe no handes againste me Christe saithe not here And ye wente not about to take mee but And yee tooke mee not For they had oftentimes gonne about to take him but his houre was not then comme And behoulde howe priuily he puttethe them in minde of that déede whereof S. Iohn makethe mention in the 44. verse of the foresaide chapter The Seruauntes of the Hye Priestes were sent to take the Lorde in the Temple They founde hym teachinge they hearde him and beinge amazed wente their waie Being asked of the priestes whye they had not broughte him they made answeare Neuer man spake as this man dothe The very same therefore when they came to take Christe are very well admonished of this déede As if he shoulde saye Why did ye not take me in the Temple Yee hearde me were amazed in so muche that ye thoughte it not meete to laye handes on me can I not nowe also escape if I woulde C. And althoughe he dothe complaine of their malice because they did violentlye comme vppon hym as vpon a seditious man yet notwithstāding he doth againe pricke theire conscience because a Traytour beinge their guide they comme not but with feare and many signes of distruste 56. But al this is done that the Scriptures of the Prophetes mighte be fulfilled Then al the Disciples forsooke him fled But al this is done that the Scriptures C. Marke Luke séeme to write somewhat otherwise For that whiche Mathewe reciteth in hys owne personne Marke semeth to attribute vnto Christ A. For there Christe séemeth to speake thus I was daily with you teaching in the Temple and ye tooke me not But al these thinges are donne that the Scriptures mighte be fulfilled C. The Euangeliste Luke also vseth other wordes then doo either of the other twoo for hee hathe But this is euen your very houre and the power of darkenesse Notwithstanding the pourpose of the Holy Ghost is sure and certaine
persecute Wee are the chiefe priestes and louers of the law and Dysciples of Moyses let this our authority be sufficient to content thee Thinkest thou that wee do erre Behould here howe these wicked ones whom God hath aduaunced to a hye degree of honour beinge blinded as it were with their excellencye do geue liberty to them selues to do what they liste Behoulde also what swellinge pride remayned in them They would haue Christ to be thought an euill doer because they accuse him but truly if the matter had bene handeled in deede what should his euill deedes haue beene founde to bee but onely the healinge of the sicke the castinge of deuils out of men the makinge of those that were sicke of the palsey to stand the restoringe of sight to the blinde the makinge of the deaffe to heare the restoring of life to the deade The matter truly was thus and they were sufficiently conuinced but as we sayd euen now there is nothing more hard than to make men that are droncke with pride to Iudge with a sounde and vprighte minde Pilate therefore sayth vnto them Take yee him and Iudge him after your owne law There is no doubt but that Pilate beinge offended at their rudenes violence casteth in their teeth that order of condemnation which they vrged to be contrarye to the cōmon Lawe of all Nations and to abhorre the sence of man And therewith also hee secretelye reprehendeth them because they bosted that they had the Lawe geuen vnto them of god Hee speaketh Ironice when he sayth Take ye him For he ment not to suffer them to execute Iudgement of life and death vppon him but his wordes are thus much in effect If the power were yours hee shoulde sodainelye be drawne vnto death his cause not hearde is this therefore the equitye of your lawe to condemne a man for no faulte Euen so the wicked falselye pretendinge the name of God do submit his holy doctrine to the sclaūder and reproche of the ennemyes and occasion geuen to the world to speake euill The Iewes therefore sayd vnto him It is not lawful for vs to put any man to deathe They are deceiued whiche thincke that the Iewes refused that whiche Pilate offered vnto them but rather when they knewe that it was sayd to them by a mocke Take you him they aunswere It is not lawfull for vs to put any mā to death as if they should saye Thou wouldest not suffer this therefore seing thou arte a Iudge execute thine office That the sayinge of Iesus might be fulfilled which hee spake signifyinge what death he should dye At the length Saint Iohn addeth that it ought so to be that the same might be fulfilled which was foreshewed of Christe sayinge The sonne of man shal be deliuered into the hands of the Gentiles C. Pilate therefore would not by by accomplishe and satisfye the request wickedlye made of the Iewes neither deliuer and innocent to death at their pleasure And therefore the Euangelist Luke sayth And they beganne to accuse him sayinge Wee founde this fellowe peruerting the people and forbiddinge tribute to be payed vnto Caesar sayinge that hee is Christe a kinge M. This is that accusation by the whiche they desyered to styrre vp the minde of the debity against the Lord and that not without craft For although they went aboute to ouerthrow Christ with many and sondry faultes yet notwithstandinge it is certaine that this accusation that hee desyered the name of a king was very wickedlye put vp against him to the ende they mighte thereby cause Pilate to enuye him And therefore they do expreslye saye that they founde him alteringe the state of thinges peruertinge the people and forbiddinge tribute to be geuen to Caesar This trulye of all other faultes was most odious vnto Pilate who cared for nothinge more than to defende and maintaine the quiet state of the people and gouernment M. The Iewes also knew that a prophane man would be much moued if they should say Wee found this man speakinge blasphemye against God to be a despiser of our Temple But they knew that Pilate and such as hee was coūted sedition a greuous faulte and not tolleble if anye man shoulde forbid tribute to be geuē to Caesar and a most greuous hatred if any man should make himselfe a kinge in the Romaine Empire A. Wherefore they do chieflye stande vppon this as vppon the special part of the whole accusation namely that they mighte make Christe giltye of ambicious desyer of the kingdome Euen as at this day also Sathan by this pretence goeth about to make the Gospell hated and suspected as though Christe in erectinge settinge vp his kingdome would destroye all the gouernementes of the world and abolishe the rightes and lawes of kinges magistrates And truly suche is the blinde pride oftentimes of kinges that they thincke Christe cannot raigne withoute the losse of their power Therfore that action seemeth vnto them alwayes plausible and right by the which Christ is once vniustlye burthened M. For this cause both the Prophetes in the olde Testamente and also the Apostles and so many as at anye time in the newe haue sincerely preached the worde of God were not only accused of eronious doctrine but also of seditions and are at this day also And for this cause wee do see many princes to abhorre out of measure the doctrine of the truth as thoughe it were a seditious doctrine But let vs retourne to our Euangelist Iesus sayth hee stoode before the Debitye C. Although this were a disordered and vnsemelye sighte farre from the dignitye of the sonne of God that hee should be drawne to the Iudgement seate of a Heathen man to pleade his cause for life in bonds as though hee had beene an euill doer yet notwithstandinge wee muste remember that in the doctrine of the Crosse which is folishnes to the Greekes and a stomblinge blocke to the Iewes there is contayned plentyfull saluation For the sonne of God woulde be brought bounde before a earthly Iudge there be made subiect to the Iudgement of deathe that hee beinge desolued from giltines of sinne may come bouldly and freelye to the celestiall throne of god Therefore if wee consider what profite wee receyued by the Iudgement of Christ vnder Pilate the reproche of such vndeserued subiection shal by and by be put away And truly the condemninge of Christ offendeth none but onlye eyther proude hypocrites or els insensible and grose contemners of God who are not ashamed of their owne iniquity Christ therefore stoode as one gilty before a mortall man and suffered himselfe there to be accused and condemned that wee mighte stande before God voyde of all feare His ennemyes truly wente about to put him to perpetuall reproche and shame but wee must rather consider the ende to the whiche the prouidence of God doth directe vs For if we call to minde how terrible and fearefull the Iudgemente seate of God is
hym to be iuste to the ende it might be more certayne that all this whiche hee suffered was for our sakes It followeth in Luke I wyll therefore chasten hym and let hym go C. If any lyght offence were committed without deserte of deathe the Romayne gouernours were wont to punishe and beate suche an offender with roddes and this kynde of punishement was called a chastisement or correction Pilate therefore was vniust whiche absoluing Christe from all offence punysheth hym as one coÌ„uicte of a small faulte For he doth not onely affirme that hee hathe founde no faulte worthy of death in hym but hee dothe also maintayne his innocensy without exceptioÌ„ Why then doth he scourge hym But thus are earthly men went to do whoÌ„ the spirite of God doth not confirme in the constancy of truthe although they desier to imbrace equitie yet notwithstanding being constrayned they decline and yelde to smal iniuries Neyther do they onely take this for a iust excuse that they haue not greatly offended but also they do there by arrogate prayse vnto them selues because they haue spared in some pointe the gyltleâ—â— In the meane tyme they doe not consider that although extreame crueltie bee layde asyde yet righteousnes equitie whiche is more precious than the life of men is no lesse violated and broken with wordes than by the swerde As touching that whiche pertayneth to the sonne of God being after this maner abased myght he haue suffered the reproche of beating with roddes without any profite of out saluation but he could not suffer death without the accomplyshing of our saluation for he triumphed ouer oure ennemies and his vppon the crosse as on a glorious chariot And I would to God the worlde were not replenished with many Pilates at this daye But we doe see the same thyng to be fulfilled in the members which was begon in the head For looke with how great crueltie the Iewyshe priestes cryed to bring Christe vnto the death the popishe clergie prosecuteth his seruaunts with the lyke at this daye Moreouer although Mathewe Marke and Luke make no mentioÌ„ of his beating with roddes yet for all that S. Iohn expressely speaketh of the same For thus he wryteth Then Pylate tooke Iesus and scourged hym Reade the nyntene chapiter of S. Iohn These thinges being ended Pilate brought foorth to the Iewes the Lorde whiche was scourged crowned with thornes spytted vppon buffeted and mocked hopynge by that miserable sight to asswage very much the hatred and mallyce whiche they bare against hym C. But truely their madnes myght not be appeased vntyll the authour of lyfe were extinguished For when the chiefe priestes and ministers sawe him they cryed saying Crucefie hym Crucefie hym Pilate saythe vnto them Take ye hym and crucifie hym for I fynde in hym no faulte at all A. Agayne he openly pronounceth Christ to be an innocente As if he should saye if it be righte to put a man to deathe before iust cause why be knowen and founde out take you hym your selues for I fynde in hym nothyng worthy of death The Iewes aunswered hym we haue a lawe and accordyng to that lawe he ought to dye because he made hym selfe the sonne of god They declare that they doe by lawe persecute Christe not of mallice or to satisfie their wyll For they perceiued that Pilate thwarted crossed them But they speake as to one ignoraunce of the lawe as if they shoulde saye According to our custome we must lyue and frame our doynges but our religion dothe not suffer anye man to boaste hym selfe to bee the sonne of God. But this accusation dyd not altogether wante his coloure yet they erred greately in the Hypothesis For the generall doctrine is true that it is not mete for men to take vnto them selues any parte of the honour dewe vnto God that they are woorthy of death whiche take that vnto them selues whiche is onely proper vnto god But the cause of the errour was in the persone of Christe because they neyther consydered what tytels the Scripture gaue vnto Christe neyther did they once seke whether that Iesus were that Messias whiche was promised of God long before We do see therefore howe they bryng a false consequence from a trewe beginning because they take it amis By the whiche example we are taught to distinguyshe betwene a generall doctrine and a Hypothesis or particuler For many vnskylfull and lyght men if they be once deceiued by a pretenced truthe they will also reiecte the principles of Scripture The whiche libertie doth to muche abounde at this day Let vs remember therefore so to take hede of subtyll fallacies coloured argumeÌ„tes that the principles whiche are true may abyde sounde that the credite of the scripture be not takeÌ„ away Moreouer by this place we may easely refute the wicked whiche doe falsely amis alleage the testimony of the scripture and the principles that they take out of the same for false causes EueÌ„ as the Papistes do at this daye who greatly extolling the authoritie of the churche doe bringe in nothing but that in the whiche all the childreÌ„ of God do agree namely that the churche is the mother of the faithfull the pyller of truthe that it ought to be hearde and that it is gouerned by the holy ghoste the which ought not to be denied But when they wil drawe vnto them selues what right soeuer is due vnto the Churche they do wickedly and with sacriledge take that no poynte whereof pertayneth vnto them For it is necessary to consider the Hypothesis whether they deserue the title of the Churche or no. For in this point they fayle In lyke manner when they furiously rage against al the godly they excuse them selues with this colour that they are ordeined to defende and mainteyne the fayth and peace of the Churche But when we come more neare vnto the matter wee may euidently perceyue that they haue nothynge lesse in their myndes than the defence of true doctrine and that they are tooched with nothinge lesse than with the care of concorde But that they do onely fighte for their tyranny A. Moreouer this accusation semeth specially to haue his originall of that disputation in the which Christ alleaged the lawe prouing that he is the chosen sonne of God or els of his aunswere to the adiuration or charge of Caiphas the hyghe prieste For there by playne woordes he confesseth hym selfe to be the sonne of god But when Pilate hearde this sayinge hee was more afrayde In the whiche woordes there may be double vnderstanding First because Pilate feared leaste he should sustayne some blame if a tumulte should aryse because he condemned not Christe Secondly because so soone as he heard the sonne of God spoken of his minde was touched by by with feare This second sence doth confyrme that whiche followeth in the texte thus And hee wente agayne into the iudgement haule and sayde vnto Iesus Whence arte thou Hereby it
ouer them than Christe the kynge of all earthly kinges What shall come to pase therefore but onely that it be said of them at the length which the Lorde pronounceth in saint Luke sayinge Those mine ennemies which woulde not that I shoulde raygne ouer them bring hyther and flea them before me Nowe it followeth in oure Euangeliste Sainct Mathewe 24. VVhen Pilate sawe that he coulde preuayle nothinge but that more busines was made he tooke water and washed his handes before the people sayinge I am innocent of the bloud of this Iuste persone ye shall see VVhen Pilate savve A. A horrible spectacle truelye is this to beholde that a Iudge shoulde so oftentimes pronounce a manne to be innocente and yet for all that shoulde be ready to condemne him C. For as the mariners hauinge felte the greater force of a tempeste do geue place and yelde to the extreamitye and suffer them selues to be caryed oute of their course Euenso Pilate seinge himselfe not able to staye the rage of the wycked people layeth asyde the authoritye of a Iudge and followeth their outragiouse desyers But that more busines vvvas made A. There are many whiche seme to excuse Pilate Firste because hee hauynge gone about a greate tyme to resiste did nothynge but that whyche necessitye or at leaste the wyckednes of the Iewes did dryue hym vnto and forced hym to fulfyll theyr desyr then all men beinge in a tumulte he thinketh it better that one innocente shoulde perishe than to put manye in daunger of murther For in seditions as well the innocente as the wycked perishe Besyde this hee thoughte that he ought to haue a more speciall regarde of Cesar than of one abiecte man whiche was despised of all men Furthermore hee thoughte it muche better for hym selfe that a contemned persone shoulde perishe than that himselfe should be in daunger But there is a difference betwene the Iudgementes of GOD and the iudgementes of menne Peraduenture Pylate hadde somewhat to couer the matter before menne but before GOD hee was and is wythout all excuse C. For if wee waye what personne he dyd represente weee muste nedes saye that hee oughte to haue preferred anye thynge than to haue declyned from his office He tooke vvater and vvashed his hande Pylate here vseth a newe kynde of condemnynge for he dothe absolue hym selfe before that he condemneth Christe Furthermore he dothe not manifestelye condemne hym But dothe suffer hym to bee comdened at their will. For he openlye affirmeth Iesus to bee Iuste and innocente whiche hadde deserued deathe in no pointe And yet notwythstandynge hee suffereth his accusers to doe wyth hym what they lyste Whereuppon hee vniustlye condemned the Iuste againste his owne conscience whome he knewe oughte to haue beene defended And as for the childishe ceremony which he vseth it dothe nothynge at all mittigate the falte For howe coulde a fewe droppes of water washe awaye the spotte of wyckednes whyche no satisfaction coulde blotte oute Howe he it he hadde not speciall regarde vnto this that he mighte washe awaye his sinnes before God but rather hee gaue a signe to the people of detestation as if he shoulde haue sayde thus Beholde ye vrge and constrayne mee to committe vniuste murther the whiche I do tremblyngelye and not wythout horror What shall then become of you and what horrible vengeaunce hangeth ouer youre heades whiche are the speciall authors hereof B. This signe semeth to bee borrowed of the custome of the Iewes of the which Moyses writeth thus Let the elders of that Citty whiche is nexte vnto the slayne menne take oute of the droue an Heyfer that is not labored with and strycke of the Heyfers necke And all the elders of the Citty that come foorthe to the slaine manne shall washe their handes ouer the Heyfer that is beheaded in the valley and shall saye Oure handes haue not shed this bloude neither haue oure eyes sene it Bee mercyfull Lorde vnto thy people Israell whiche thou haste deliuered and laye no innocente bloude vnto thy people of Israells charge And the bloud shal be forgeuen them But what soeuer the purpose of Pilate was GOD notwithstandynge by this meanes mente to declare the innocency of his sonne to the ende it mighte the better appeare that oure synnes were condemned in hym The onely and chefe Iudge of the whole worlde is broughte before the tribunall seate of an earthelye Iudge He is condemned to the Crosse as a wycked persons and hee is also placed amonge theues as thoughe he were the chiefe of theues The basenes of suche a sighte mighte at the fyrste beholdynge thereof not a lyttell trouble the sences of manne excepte wee also remembred this that the punishement dewe vnto vs was layed vppon Christe that the gilte of synne beinge taken awaye wee may boldelye come into the sighte of the heauenlye Iudge Therefore the water whiche profited Pilate nothinge at all to washe awaye the spottes of wyckednes doe serue to an other vse at this daye namelye to purge oure eyes from all impediments that they maye plainelye and clearelye beholde the righteousnes of Christe in the midest of damnation I am innocent of the bloude of this Iuste manne Bu. This worde bloude is here put for death Pilate saythe that he killeth not Christe and yet he condemneth hym and deliuereth him to be killed in the meane time washeth his handes as one that is innocente Euenso hypocrites are alwayes wonte to bringe some cooler but what do they profite by this meanes but onely bewray their impudency vnto mē We oughte diligently to note the testimony that he beareth againe of Christes innocency because hereby the sure saluation of the faithful is gathered Ye shall see He addeth this as puttinge all the faite from hymselfe to the Iewes as if he shoulde saye I am not the cause of this mannes deathe but ye see therfore by what meanes ye may escape the vengeance that hangeth ouer you So sayde the hye priestes to Iudas What is that to vs sée thou to that 25. Then aunswered all the people and sayde his bloude be on vs and on our children Then ansvvered all Bu. Wonderful was the blindnes and brutish madnes of the hard harted reprobate people of the Iewes beinge nothynge terrified at so greate obtestation and at so manifeste testimony of a heathen Iudge but cryinge horriblely His bloud be on vs and one our children They take vnto them selues all the euel and do curse them selues yea they deriue and bringe vppon their posteritye all the falte and vengeaunce For bloude is here put for the punishemente and vengeaunce taken for the sheadynge of bloude So that their wordes signifye thus muche in effecte If anye manne muste be punished for the effusion of this bloude wee desyere that the same maye fall vppon vs and on oure children as if they shoulde saye Wee knowe so certeinlye that this man hathe deserued to dye that with safe conscience wee take all vengeaunce vppon ourselues There is
hym C. Although in the publique place al the people had condemned Christe with one voyce yet notwithstandynge wee do sée that some of them had not forgotten his doctrine miracles euenso God preserued some remnante in the miserable dissipation when all the people were dispersed But Iesus turned backe vnto them and said ye daughters of Hierusalem wepe not for me but wepe for your selues for your children Som thinke that the wemen were reprehended because they did sheade teares foolishelye with a rashe affectioÌ„ But truely Christ doth not simplely reproue theÌ„ as though they did wepe without reason but admonisheth that they haue a far greater cause to wepe for the horrible iudgemeÌ„t of God which was at hande as if he should haue sayde that his deathe shoulde be not the ende but the beginninge of all euell to Hierusalem and to all that people And by this meanes he declareth that he is not made so muche subiecte to the will of the wicked but that God hathe a care for him For it was euidente by the pounishemente that followed afterwarde that the Life of Christe was pretious to the Father at what time al men thought that he was reiected and wholy caste of of him These woordes also declare the stoute courage of Christes minde because he coulde not thus speake excepte he wente bouldly to his Deathe voide of feare but it tendeth to this ende that he might thereby declare that he was regarded of God in that deformed and base estate and that the wicked whiche nowe prowdely triumphe as Conqueroures should not enioye theire vntimely mirth longe because there should come shortly after a suddaine chaunge For behould the daies will comme in the which they shall saie Happye are the Barraine and the Wombes that neuer bare and the Pappes whiche neuer gaue Sucke He now denouÌ„ceth that no smal plague is at hande but suche a one as was neuer hearde of in the whiche the Vengeance of God maie plainely be discerned A. This Sentence agreeth with that whiche goethe before in the foure and twentie Chapter where it is saide Woe vnto them that are with Childe and that geue Sucke in those dayes For if they doo this in a gréene trée what shal be doune in the drye By this Sentence Christe confirmeth and proouethe that neither his Deathe shall be vnpounished neither that the Iewes shal stand or continewe longe whose wickednesse was euen nowe full ripe yea and halfe rotten And by a common similitude he proouethe that it cannot be but that the fire of Goddes Wrathe muste shortely consume theim Wée doo knowe that menne are woont to caste the drye woode firste vpon the fire But if the moiste and gréene woode be burned mutche lesse at the lengthe shall the drie woode be spared And wée maie expounde it thus If the gréene woode be brought before the time to the fire what shall becomme thinke you of that whiche is drie As if Christ shoulde haue saide The wicked whiche are like vnto drie woode when they haue destroyed the Godly shall also be destroied of God them selues For howe shall they beinge ordeined longe agoe to Destruction escape the handes of the Heauenly Iudge whiche take so greate Libertie to theim selues for a tyme to destroye the Good and Innocente But the summe of his woordes is that the womenne doo preposterously sheadde theire teares not hauinge respecte to the horrible Iudgemente of God whiche was at hande to pounish the wickednesse of the people And here we may learne this that when the sharpnes of the Crosse is out of measure gréeuous vnto vs wée ought to mitigate the same with this comforte that God whiche dothe nowe suffer His to be vniustely afflicted will at the lengthe poure out the fulnesse of his Vengeance vpon those that doo afflicte them The like manner of speache hathe the Apostle Peter when he saithe The time is comme that Iudgemente muste beginne at the house of God. If it firste beginne at vs what shal the ende be of theÌ„ whiche beleue not the Gospel of God Hereby let vs learne to offer oure selues a sacrifice vnto God if it be his good pleasure to make vs hotte by many afflictions asd to trie oure Faithe as it were in the Fornace and to make it more pure than Goulde let vs not onely take it patiently but gladly There shoulde bee no affection of Godlinesse in vs if hee shoulde not make vs hotte He doothe make vs hotte therefore and not burne vs but to the wicked he is a coÌ„suming fire And there were twoo euill dooers leadde with him to be slaine R. This also they did to the contempte and despite of Christe For it was necessarie that the sayinge of the Prophet shoulde be fulfilled when he saith He hathe neither bewtie nor fauoure When wée shall looke on him there shall be no fairenesse wee shall haue no luste vnto him He is despised and abhorred of men he is sutche a man as is full of sorrowe and as hathe good experience of infirmities We haue reckened him so vile that we hidde oure faces from him 33. And they came to the place which is called Golgatha that is to saie a place of deade mennes Sculles And they came B. This woorde Golgatha is a Chalde woorde signifieinge a Heade for whiche the Hebrewes saye Gulgoleth of the verbe Galal whiche signifieth to foulde or wrappe in of the whiche commethe Galgal a Spheare a Circle a Boule Gulgoleth therfore is a name for the heade because of the roundnesse therof But this place was without the gate on the north side of Mount Syon in the whiche Malefactours were put to death for the which cause the place was coumpted more reprochfull there would they haue Christe to be Crucified that thereby his Deathe mighte be more odious C. And althoughe Christe was brought vnto this place according to the custome yet notwithstandinge we must haue a further consideration of Goddes pourpose For he would haue his sonne to be caste out of the Cittie as one vnwoorthye of the companie of mennes that he mighte receiue vs with the Angelles into his Heauenly Kingdome Therfore the Apostle referreth this to the Ould â—â—gure of the Lawe For as God commauÌ„ded the bodies of the beastes to be burnte without the Tentes whose bloude was brought into the Sanctuary for Satisfaction euen so he saithe that Christe went out of the gate of the Cittie that taking vpon him the Curse that pressed vs downe he mighte be made the outcaste by this meanes might purge vs froÌ„ our sinnes And the more ignominie reproche that he suffered before the world the more acceptable and noble shewe he made in his death before God and the Angelles For the filthinesse of the place did not let but that he might set vp the glorious Ensigne of his Victorie neither did the stinke of dead Carkesses whiche laie thereabout hinder but that the swéete smel of his sacrifie might spreade
arise by his nakednesse because hee suffered nothinge whiche the spirite of God pronounceth not to belonge trewely to the persone of a redemer 36 And they sat and watched him there M. They go not their waye but sit styll by the crosse as kepers or markers what he woulde do leaste peraduenture eyther the Disciples should come and take him aliue from the crosse or leaste hee shoulde come downe from the same by a myracle 37 And sett vp ouer his heade the cause of his deathe written thus This is Iesus the kinge of the Iewes And they sett vp ouer his heade C. The foure Euangelistes do declare that Pilate dyd set the titell of the Lord vpon the crosse Our Euangelist Matthew writeth somwhat obscurelye in this verse when as the Gréeke woorde which the interpreter calleth the cause dothe signifie bothe the cause and also the accusation or the falte S. Iohn speaketh more playnely sayinge And Pilate wrote a tytell and put it on the crosse Hee calleth that a tytell whiche our Euangeliste calleth the cause and Marke and Luke a superscription of the cause For thereby the cause of the death is briefly shewed when malefactours are led to theyr ponyshement S. Luke saith that this titell was written in Gréeke Lattine and Hebrewe And it conteyned thus muche as maye be gathered by the fower Euangelistes This is Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Ievves C. Peraduenture it was a common custome amonge the Iewes to set tytelles ouer the heades of those malefactoures that were putt to deathe But trewely this was extraordinary in Christ that the titell should be set ouer him without ignominie For it was the pourpose of Pilate that he might be reuenged of the Iewes who by their obstinacy caused an innocent vniustly to be put to deathe to condemne the whole nation in the person of Christ so that he set no inscriptiō of any falte that belonged vnto Christ ouer his heade But the prouidence of God whiche gouerned Pilates stile had respecte to a farther matter It was not the meaning and pourpose of Pilate to celebrate Christ as the aucthour of saluation the Nazarite of God and the king of the chosen people yet notwithstandinge God did so guide his minde that not knowing his proclamation of the gospell he sholde set it forthe By the same secrete impulsion of the spirite it came to passe that he should publishe the titell in thre seuerall tongues But this was no lawefull or ordinary preachinge of the Gospell because Pilate was vnworthy to beare any witnesse to the sonne of God but that whiche shoulde be done by trewe mynisters was shadowed in Pilate To be shorte he maye be thought suche a preacher of Christe as Caiphas was a prophete M. But because this tytell dyd set forthe the mallice of the people of the Iewes which had killed the heyre of the vineyarde their lorde and king the hye priestes of the Iewes after a sorte smellinge the same requested of Pilate that he woulde change the same titell that he had set ouer the heade of Christe as S. Iohn declareth by these woordes This tytell redde many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucifyed was nighe to the cittie And it was wrytten in Hebrewe Gréeke and Lattine Then saide the highe priestes of the Iewes to Pilate wryte not Kinge of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes C. They féele them selues to be towched as it was saide euen now and therfore they desyred to haue the title altered and suche a one set vp whiche might burthen Christe without infamy of the nation But in the meane time they declare how greately they were infected with the hatred of the truethe whiche coulde not abyde any one sparke thereof Euenso alwaies Sathan stirreth vp his mynisters whiche so sone as any lighte of Goddes woorde dothe appere go about by and by to extinguysshe the same or at leaste to choke it Pilate answereth That which I haue written I haue wrytten The cause of Pilatee constancie was the prouidence of god for there is no doubte but that they wente aboute to alter his minde by diuerse meanes Let vs know therfore that his minde was helde inflexible by the power of God whiche caused him to saye That whiche I haue wrytten I haue written M. For at other tymes he followed the will of the Iewes in all thinges because they dydde those thinges whiche pertayned to the executinge of the pourpose of God but those thinges whiche they nowe aske they desired to this ende that they mighte remoue the ignomynie of the crosse from theym selues vnto Christe and to put away that reproche that they had crucyfied theyr kynge that hee mighte not be counted the trewe Messias but a wicked fellowe whiche boasted hym selfe to bee the Messias of the Iewes But as this was false and full of reproche to the heauenlye kinge so it pertayned not to the pourpose of god Therfore by the instinct of the holy ghost Pilate answereth so constantly That which I haue wrytten I haue written As if he shoulde say I wil not change the tytell You wolde nedes haue me crucifie your kyng I haue crucifyed hym It shall be your shame hereafter whiche constrayned me to do this thinge B. Furthermore by these fewe woordes Iesus kinge of the Iewes the trewe Gospel of Christe was conteyned For by them hee was preached to be that trewe and vndoubted Messias whiche was sente a kinge vnto the Iewes And so in the midest of the death of the crosse Christe began to triumphe as sayth S. Paule in the seconde Chapter to the Colossians Now the Crosse of Christ begā to chaūge his conditiō and to be in steede of reproche a kingely tribunall muche more excellent than all other thrones or chayres of estate Furthermore this title was written in Hebrewe Greeke Lattine to declare that this kinge should raigne not only ouer the Iewes but also ouer the Gentiles As cōcerninge the which matter reade the seconde Psalme and the 49. of Esay The Euangeliste Luke declareth that the people stoude by lokinge on him And S. Iohn writing of the mother of Christe which stoode by also sayth There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary the wyfe of Cleophas and Marye Magdalene C. Christ did so obey God the father that hee neglected not the dutye of humaine pietye towardes his mother Hée forgate himselfe truly and all thinges els in respecte of his obedience that hée oughte to the father but this beinge done hee would not omit the dutye whiche hee did owe to his mother And here wee must learne so to do our dutye vnto men that we may neuerthelesse be obedient vnto god It commeth oftentimes to passe that when God calleth vs to any thinge oure parentes our wyfe and our children do call vs to the contrarye insomuche that wee cannot satisfye bothe at once But wee muste first preferre the commaundementes of God his
nowe also suffered deathe B. And so hereby he hathe geuen vs an example of true obedience that it might not bee greuouse vnto vs to liue accordinge to the good pleasure of GOD althoughe it be to languishe in greate sorowe and grefe 49. Other sayde let vs see whether Helias will come and deliuer him Other sayde let vs see A. Sainct Marke saythe that he spake these wordes which offered the sponge vnto Christe wyth vineager whiche place semeth to be corrupted so that it muste bee redde thus Other sayde lette bee or suffer thou in the singuler nomber as certeyne Gréeke bookes haue and not suffer ye For he did not lette other to geue hym drinke when hee hymselfe gaue it And Sainct Mathewe plainely writeth that other woulde not suffer hym to geue it VVill come and deliuer hym Sainct Iohn addeth to these woordes sayinge When Iesus therefore hadde tasted of the vineager he saythe it is finished A. Christe woulde not drinke of the vineager which was offered at the first because hee would tary the tyme whiche the father hath appointed but when all thinges were ended he receiued it and sayde it is finished By the whiche sayinge wee are taughte that the whole summe of our saluation is contayned in his deathe We haue sayde before that his resurrection muste not bee seperated from his deathe onelye the purpose of Christe is to grounde oure faythe vppon hym alone that it swerue not oute of the waye There is also in these woordes contayned a secrete antithesis or comparison because Christe setteth his deathe against all olde sacrifices and figures as if he shoulde saye Whatsoeuer was vsed in the lawe was of it selfe of no force to putte awaye sinne to pacifye the wrathe of GOD and to gette righteousnes But nowe at the lengthe Saluation is declared and offered To this doctrine the abrogation of all the rytes of the lawe is annexed It is fynished therefore because hee brought all thinges to passe by his crosse and deathe in so muche that there remayneth nothynge nowe but that wee shoulde enter into euerlastynge lyfe and felicitye by his deathe Why then shoulde we feare All thynges I saye is finished satisfaction is made for synne the wrathe of GOD is pacifyed deathe is swallowed vp in victorye the Kingedome of God is purchased heauen opened to be shorte all thynges necessary for our saluation are obtayned A. Euen as therefore sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death euenso the deathe of Christe beinge ended hath brought foorth lyfe For it became hym for whome are all thynges and by whome are all things after that he had broughte manye sonnes vnto glory that he shoulde make the Lorde of their saluation perfecte throughe afflictions 50. Iesus when he hadde cryed againe wyth a loude voyce yelded vppe the ghoste Iesus vvhen he had cryed againe C. The Euangeliste Sainct Luke whiche made no mencion of the former crye and complaynte rehearseth the woordes of this seconde crye whiche Sainct Mathewe and Sainct Marke prefermitte For he saythe that hee cryed Father into thy handes I will commende my spirit R. This woorde spirite is here putt for the immortall essence of the soule C. By this crye Christ declared that althoughe hee were very sore assalted and shaken with violente temptations yet notwithstandynge his faythe was not shaken but alwayes abode in his place inuincible For there coulde be no more euidente a triumphe than that Christe dothe boaste that God is the keeper of his soule whiche all men thoughte to be destroyed And because hee thoughte hee shoulde speake vnto those that woulde not here he did very well tourne hym selfe vnto GOD and layed downe the testimony of his truste before hym He woulde that menne shoulde heare that whiche hee spake But althoughe hee did profite nothynge with men he was contente to haue God onelye a witnes And althoughe he semeth to take this forme of prayer oute of the thirde Psalme yet notwithstandynge there is no doubte but that accordynge to the present circonstance of the tyme hee made it serue his present tourne As if he hadde sayde I see verelye Father that I by the consente of all menne am appointed to dye and that my mynde after a sorte is caryed hyther and thyther In the meane tyme I féele no helpe to come from thee accordynge to the fleshe Yet neuertheles this shal be no let vnto me whereby I shoulde the lesse committ my spirite into thy handes and quietly reste my selfe in the secrete custody of thy goodnes Notwithstandyng wee muste note that Christe did not commende his soule into his fathers handes for the priuate respecte that hee hadde to hymselfe but that hee comprehended all the soules of his faythfull as it were in one that they might be saued and kepte with his And he speaketh in the future tence or time to come saying I will commende as if he shoulde saye Father I do willinglye committe my soule into thy handes because thou shalte bee the keeper thereof This crye dothe shewe againe the vehemency of the affection For there is no doubte but that Christe at the lengthe burste forthe into this voyce oute of the extremitye of temptations wyth the whiche he was helde not without great occasion C. Hereby therefore lette them receyue consolation whiche are vniustly putte to death of the wycked because when the wycked are suffered to do al that euer they can to the Godlye yet notwithstandynge they are constrayned whether they wyll or no to leaue they re soules vntoutthed that they may committe them wyth reste into the handes of God what soeuer happen to they re bodyes So Christ sayde Feare not them which kill the body but can not kyll the soule A. And the Apostell Peter saythe Lette them that are troubled accordinge to the wyll of GOD committe they re soules to hym wyth well doinge as vnto a faythfull creator This was the cause that the blessed martyr Saint Steuen cryed saying at his deathe Lorde Iesu receyue my spirite For this is the difference betwene the deathe of the children of GOD and the reprobate that the one dothe dispayre and the other committe theire soules to the tuition of GOD as a preciouse Iewell to bee kepte vntill the daye of resurrection Yelde vp the ghoste C. The Euangeliste Sainct Luke hathe And when hee had spoken these things he bowed down the heade saithe Saint Iohn and gaue vp the Ghoste â–ª namely to the father All the Euangelistes do diligentlye sett foorthe the deathe of Christe And not without cause For hereupon commethe the hope of eternall lyfe and hereuppon commeth reioycinge ouer death because the Son of God hath suffered the same for oure sakes and fyghtynge therewith hath gotten the victory A. Wherefore althoughe these thynges are touâ—…ched in fewe woordes yet notwithstandynge they are not negligently to be pretermitted because hereby wee maye perceyue the whole summe of our saluation All the Patriarkes by faythe had respecte vnto this hower To
and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames These al continewed with one accord in prayer and supplication with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren It is like that the Apostles gathered theÌ„ selues together into this parloure and securite place that they might there abyde vntyll they had receiued the holy Ghoste But fonde and foolishe are the Papistes whiche go about to proue the supremacy of Peter because in this place hee is named first among the reste of the Apostles And if so bee we should graunte that hee was the chief of all the Apostles yet it doth not followe that he was chief of the whole world But if he be therefore chiefe of the Apostels because in the cataloge or rehersall of names he is put in the firste place we wyll also by the same reason conclude that the mother of Christe was inferior to all other women because she is named in the lowest roume The whiche thing â–ª I am sure they wyll in no wise admitte and if they would it were to absurde Wherefore except they meane to make all men laughe and ieste at their Popishe supremacy let them cease to proue it by suche sclender and childishe reasons But to retourne to our purpose The Euangeliste Luke sayth that all the Apostels of Christe were assembled together in prayer R. Continuall prayer truly was necessary for them for at that tyme they were sette in the middest of many and greuous temptations partely because the holy Ghoste came not presently vpon them after they came from the mount Oliuet and partly because they might loke euery moment when the armed souldiers should beset the house in the whiche they were C. They praye therefore that Christe woulde sende his spirite vpon them as hee had promysed Whereby we gather that the same is a trewe faith which doth moue vs and styrre vs vp to call vppon the name of God. And were continually in the Temple lauding and praysing God. C. The Euangeliste Luke meaneth that the Apostels for exceading ioye burst forth openly into the prayse of God and were dayly in the temple The Apostels at the firste for feare pryuely kepte them selues in secrete but nowe with bouldnes and ioye they come abroade And whyle they thus wayghted for the comminge of the holye Ghoste they chose Mathias in steade of Iudas Iscariothe as Luke declareth in the Actes At the length when the fifty dayes or Pentecost was ended that is to saye seuen wekes after the resurrection the holy Ghoste was sente vppon them as wytnesseth Saynt Luke sayinge When the fifty dayes were come to an ende they were altogether with one accorde in one place And sodainly there came a sounde froÌ„ heauen as it had bene the comming of a mighty wynde and filled all the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues and so foorthe vntill the thirtene verse They being therefore baptized and confirmed by the holy Ghoste and thereby being made more strong prepared theÌ„ selues by and by to discharge their office as the Euangeliste Marke declareth by these woords And they went foorthe and preached euery where the Lord working with them and confirming the woorde with miracles followyng Wherefore let vs by the example of the Apostels glorifie the name of God whiche plentifully hath powred his holye spirite vpon vs whiche hath sanctified vs by the same spirite geuen vnto vs free remission of our sinnes by the death of his sonne Iesus Christe whome he raysed agayne from death and hath exalted to the ryght hande of his glory in heauen that he hauing takeÌ„ possession thereof 〈◊〉 wee hereafter might be partakeâ—…s of the same In the meane tyme The God of peace that brought agayne from death our Lorde Iesus the great shepehearde of the Shepe through the bloud of the euerlasting testament make vs 〈◊〉 all good workes to â—â— his wyll and bring to passâ—… that the thing whiche we do may be pleasaunt 〈◊〉 his â—â—ghtâ—… through Iesus Christe our lord To whome â—…e prayse foreuer wâ—… 〈…〉 Amen FINIS Matth. 13 â—…a 10. â—…r 1. â—…s 9. 〈◊〉 3. â—…h 28. 〈◊〉 4. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 14. Pro. 29. â—…he reason of â—…e Title 2. Cor. 5. 1. Corint 1. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 10. Math. 4. Mar. 1. Luke 2. Iohn 3. Act. 20. Rom. 1. 1. Corint 1. 2. Cor. 3. Gal. 1. Ephe. 3. Phil. 2. Colos 1. Thes 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Titus 3. Phile. Heb. 4. Iam. 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Iohn 3. Iohn Inde Apoca. 14. 1. Corint 11 Chap. 4. Esay 64. Mat. â—… Gene. 5. Exod. 32 Iosua 10. Philip. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1â—… Gene. 21. and .22 Psalm 89. Math. 21. Matth. 22. Roman i. Nume 36. Iudg. 21. Luke 1. 2. Par. 22. â—…oma 15. â—â—on 4. Hebre. 15. 4. King. 11. 1. para 22. 2. Para. 23. Gene. 16. Gene 21. Roman 9. Gene. 26. Luke â—… Gene. 22. Philip. 2. Gene. 25. Malac. 1. Roman 9. Gene. 29. Gene 49. Roma 9. Phillip 2. a Psalm 42. Gene. 38. A comfortable saying 1. Parli 2. Iosua â—… Ruth â—… â—… Sam. 8. 2. Sam. 20. 2. Sam. 7. 1 Pet. 17. Psalm 89. 132. Mans merites are condemned 1. Reg. 12 2. Para. 12. 2. Para. 12. 2. para 10. 1. Reg. 2â—… para 1â—… 2. para 14. 2. po 15. 2. para 16. Ezech. 33. 2. Par. 21. Epiphanius in his booke against heresie False religioÌ„ The reuerent â—…steming of gods worde â—… Para. 34 â—… King. 24 Gene. 49. 1 Paralip 3. Gene. 49. The signification of the woorde of Christi Dan. 9. Psalm 45. Iohn 3. â—â—e 6. â—…th 13. â—…o 6. Luke 1. Luke 1. The honest zeale of Ioseph Deutro 22. Iustice modestie merâ—… and anger must be had punishing vâ—… The cause why Mary maried 1. Cor. 20. Nume 12 Dreames suâ—â—rnaturall â—â—d naturall â—…he cause of â—â—turall â—â—ames Gene 28. Gods prouidence shewed in dreames The malice of the Rabbines Philip. 2 There is no vertue included in the bare woorde Iesus Esay 49 Act 4. b. Saluation by Christ only Roma 3 Two partes of deliueraÌ„ce Christ is not our sauiour without we beleue The coÌ„ming of Christ hatâ—… abolished the awe Osee 3. Roman 9 Esay 7 Esay 8. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. Gene. 24. c Exod. 2. b Prouerb 31. Esay 59. The nere affiâ—…tie betwene God and vs â—…y his sonne Christe â—…phe 2. Deut. 7. Psal. 147. Collos 2. Christ a lawfull mediator Iohn 1. Hebr. 2. Collos 1. 1. Tim. 2. Hebr. 4. 2. Pet. 1. The obedieÌ„ce and faith of Ioseph Without the lorde by his holy spirite in struct the hart all externall preaching is in vayne â—â—ed by the â—…slatour 〈◊〉 of HieroÌ„ â—…ath 1. Nume 18. Exod. 12. Math. 13 Actes 1. Luke 2. a The notable agrement of the Euangelistes â—…a 19. â—…ges 12. 〈◊〉 li. anti â—…ic 14. 〈◊〉 18. â—…he ende of â—…apering of 〈◊〉 starre Psalm 72. The fond immagination of
in an vnknowen tonge Matth. 5. Ephe. 4. Ephe. 5. Baptisme is a pledge before God and a signe before men Math. 3 Iohn 4 Aunswere Gene. 17 Rom. 10. Rom. 10. Marke 16. Iohn 3. 1. thess. 4. 1 Peter 4. Actes 20. Luke 24 Actes 1. Actes 1. Actes 10. Actes 1. Num. 6. Gene. 14 Heb 7. Nvm. 6. Psal. 118. Heb. 7. Ephe. 1. Luke 24. Actes 1. Rom. 8. Heb. 7. Ephe. 1. Luke 24. Actes 1. Ephe. 4. Act. 3. Act. 1. Iohn 16. Actes 1. Luke 24. Marke 16. A TABLE IN THE ORDER of an Alphabete contayninge all the speciall notes for the moste parte in the Exposition goinge before A. ABraham sawe Christe by fayth Folio 284. Abhomination of the heathen Folio 96. Absolution 407. Accomptes must be made for oure talentes 600. Adoption hath made vs sonnes 344. Adulterye 99. 417. 421 Affections are not naturallye in God. 140. Affections of mans minde are sinfull 654. Affinitye betweene God and man by Christe 17. Affliction perrtayneth to the mynisters of Gods word 84. Affliction maketh vs to come vnto Christe 186. Affliction is the badge of a Christian man 215. 244. Affliction is a stombling blocke to some 287. Affliction brideleth ambitiō 447. Almes muste be geuen to the pore 607. Almes a true sacrifyce 623. Almes deedes 112. 114. Ambition is restrayned by the spirite of God 440. Ambition keepeth vs from Gods kingdome 395. Ambition is a deadly disease 528. Anabaptistes deny pollitique gouernment 506. Anabaptistes 103. 450. Anabaptistes kisse in tokē of loue 111. Angels know not all things 583. Angels make no reuelations contrary to the saluation of mē 583. Angels 742. Angels haue no power to saue 50. Angels are Gods mynisters to keepe vs 63. 373. 580 Angels needed not a reconciler 380. Angels are the kepers of the faith full 400. Antechristes 571. Antechrist of Rome craftely stayeth vp his kingdome 352. Antechrist of Rome taketh awaye the foundacion of the Church 365 Anger may be founde in the electe 95. Anger of two kindes 34. Anger must be without sinne 252. Anger maye be perceiued by certaine signes 95. Apostleship is not an ydle offyce 752. Auriculer confession 44. 153. Arrian heritique 584. B. Baptizme 50. Baptizme generall speciall 53. Baptizme was the beginninge of the Gospell 55. Baptizme oughte not to be denied to infantes 426 Baptizme is a pledge before God and a signe before men 752. Baptizme oughte not to be mynistered by women 745. Backebytinge 180. Benefites temporall 110. Blasphemy 217. Blasphemy is to dye withoute repentance 264. Blasphemy against the spirit 264. Blasphemy that procedeth of ignoraunce is remissible 265. Blessednes pertayneth to the pacient 75. Blindnes is the cause of destruction 337. Blindnes commeth of false perswasion 446. Bindinge pertayneth to the Gospell 363. Bouldnes ought to be in a Preacher 308. Bread is but the ordinary meane to preserue life 61. Brotherly loue 172. Buriall is to be reuerenced 313. Buriall pertayneth to saints 313. C. Cause why the virgin Marye did marrye 13. Cause of naturall diseases 13. Callinge external internall 72. Callinge of three sortes 500. Caiphas a corrupted priest 618. Care excessiue 134. 205. 213 Care distrustfull 135. Cares of this life are a hinderance to the faithfull 593. Carelesse seruauntes 600. Carnall Gospellers 161. 286 Ceremonies oughte not to be preferred before Gods word 251. Ceremonies are put awaye 91. Chanonistes geeue the temporall sword to the Pope 665. Charitye must be preferred before pollitique lawes 419. Charity 108. Chastity in Popery is mere bauderye 423. Chastity of thre sortes 423. Chastity is no vertue 424. Christ hath made vs the sonnes of God 118. Christ is true sauiour both of body and soule 151. Christ is our Phisition 152. 180 Christ is mercifull 161. Christe became pore for our sakes 163. Christes comminge bringeth tormente to the wicked 169. Christ dothe not reiecte vs for all our infirmitye 187. Christ beinge in heauen careth for his Churche 198. Christ is a sworde to the wicked 224. Christe is a stomblinge blocke to the wicked 231. Christ is the Image of the father 244. Christ alone is our helpe in trouble 245. Christ was made a seruaunte for vs. 255. Christes Church is defiled with many hypocrites 290. Christ God and man 320. Christ the sonne of man 355. Christ suffered because he would 375. Christ a mediatour 380. Christe the Iudge of the whole worlde 407. Christ a spirituall kinge 460. Christ commeth to vs not wee to him Christ is the sonne of Dauid and the sonne of God 516. Christ hath two natures 518. Christ the heade of the Churche 545. Christ is the stone of offence 561. Christes buriall a sauoure of life 624. Christ what it signifyeth 143. Christ is not our sauiour without we beleeue 14. Christ a lawfull mediator 17. Christ cannot be destroyed by the wicked 32. Christ was exercised with the crosse from his infancy 37. Christ the bright sonne of righteousnes 39. Christ wente into the wildernes 57. Christ suffered willingly 57. Christ our Conquerer 61. Christ is our lighte 69. Christ is our onely stay in trouble 77. Christ fulfilled the lawe Christians worse than Publicās 111. Contemners of the Gospell 139. Contempt of the Gospell 208. 209. 568. Concupiscence 100. Confession of Christe is required of all men 222. Confession of Christ is the effect of faith 467. Confessiō of sinnes is a true signe of repentance 44. Confidence in God 467. Constancye in Iohn the Baptiste 46. Consciēces that are gilty euer accuse themselues 307. Continencye is the gifte of God 422. Couetousnes 126. Couetous men forsake the seruice of God 130. Couetousnes crept into the Temple of Hierusalem 469. Couetous men possesse not money but are possessed of money 601. Couetousnes a monsterous beast 621. Courtears for the most parte despise the graces of God 699. Corruption of nature is cause of debate 225. Corruption in mans harte Corban the boxe of the Temple 332. Correction of thre sortes 402. Crosse 226. Creatures made by God are pure 334. Cruell men shal be cruellye handeled 412. 413. 414. Cruel men are a feare to themselues 77. Curiositye 183. Curious searching of Godes secretes may not be 583. Custome oughte not to be preferred before the Gospell 419. D. Daunsinge is not commendable 310. Day of Iudgemente 147. Death is compared to sleape 191. Death is a perpetuall destruction to the wicked 227. Death after our resurrection hath no more power ouer vs 509. Demoniakes 161. Denyars of Christ 223. Defence of oure selues muste be without anger 665. Deliuerance commeth to the godly in time of neede 493. Destroyers are oftentimes called builders Desperate men are the worse for punishment 424 Deuils obey Christ 387. Dilligence oughte to be in mynisters of the worde 72. Dilligence in hearing gods word 302. Disciples of Christe were rude when they were called at the first 71. Discipline oughte to be in the Church 604. Discipline of the spirite putteth away euill 608. Dysdaine commeth of pride 696. Distrust bringeth into perill 324.