simili M. As in the parable going before our sauiour Christ declared that we must not loke that al the hearers of the gospel shoulde be bringers forth fruit of the same because the greater parte sholde here the same in vain that those which bring forth fruit sholde not be alike in fertillitie euē so in this parable all are admonished lest that the mindes of the godly by tediouse ircksomnes sholde quaile fainte when they beholde a cōfused mixture with the good the euil For although Christ purifyed made clene his church with his blud so preciouse that it might be without spot or wrincle yet notwithstandinge he suffereth it to haue many vyces Wee speake not here of the infirmities which remain in the fleshe to the whiche euerye one of the faythefull are subiecte after that they be regenerate by the spyrite of God but so soone as Chryste hath congregated and gathered to hym selfe his small flocke many Hypocrites insinuate them selues many peruerse men crepe in and many wycked personnes intrude theim selues and so it commeth to passe that this holy company and flocke of Christe whiche he hath segregated to hym selfe is defyled and stayned with many spotts But this seemeth absurde to many that vngodlye prophane and wycked men shoulde be nourysshed as it were in the bosome of the Churche There are some whiche vnder the coullour of zeale being more waywarde curiouse and frowarde then nedeth excepte all thynges be framed accordynge to theyr mynde which because absolute and perfecte puritie appereth no wheare eyther troublelousy departe from the Churche orelles do ouerthrow and destroy the same with importunate rygoure Wherefore this is the symple scope and meaning of the parable that loke howe longe the churche of God hath his abode and contynuaunce in earthe soo longe shall good and syncere men be myngled with wicked ones and hypocrytes to the ende the chyldren of God myghte arme them selues with paciēce might holde fast the constancie of faith among so many stombling blocks and offences with the which they myght be troubled The kingedome of heauen is lyke vnto a man. A. That is to say The heauenly kyng and Messias is like vnto him which sowed good seede in his fyelde Or thus The like happened to the Messias which some tymes happeneth to the husebande man when he soweth his seede Some thincke it a greate deale better that the Gospell be called the kingedome of heauen as if he shoulde saye The like happeneth to the preacher of the Gospell whiche some times happened to him that sowed good seede 25 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares amonge the wheate and went his way But vvhile men slepte B. Christ in this parable hath rehearsed certaine thinges whiche in his exposition in the .37 verse and in the other folowinge he hath not repeated at all as this whyle men slepte the seruauntes asked the master of the house Diddest thou not sow good seede in thy field wilt thou that we go and wede them vp and suche like that herby they myght be taught exhorted which preache and publyshe the wordes of Chryst vnto others that they wolde not be more subtil curiouse then Christ both in other places of Scripture and specially in parables but to count it sufficient for them to bestowe and cōmit that to their herers which they se Christ wold haue cōmitted and let such so handell parables that they onelye take that thing for the which they are broughte The which thing Chrisostome also more vnderstoode then he shewed and in dede declared Such truely are al the parables of Christ that if thou wilt geue to euery part his exposition thou shalt do nothing els by that thy subtill curiositie but omyt let passe both that whych Chryste specially wolde haue obserued and also bring thy selfe to mere triffels curiositie confoundinge it selfe As shal in the xx and .xxv. chapters herafter following more plainely apere but specially in certaine parables of Luke But because the fathers haue handled those thynges whiche were not expressed of Christ the aduersaries of the truth also haue vsurped those thinges to defend theyr errours as expressing the sentences of Christ somthinge shall be spoken here not without cause for to profyte the busines woorke of the trueth His ennemy came C. The deuyl is saide to sowe when we be a slepe to the ende he mighte craftely corrupte spoile our labours that if any com in the night he might not be sene but may depart no mā knowing what he hath done The deuyll also is not knowne when as he doth transforme him selfe into an angell of lyght M. By this kynde of speaking therfore the crafts deceites of sathan are signified with the whiche by a collour of Hypocrisie he dothe so obscure and hyde the sowing of his tares that ye cannot perceiue any one print of his fote steps so warely doth he work his deceit C. Notwithstanding wee must here se what Christ vnderstandeth by the wheat and what he meaneth by the tares This can not be expoūded of the doctrine as if he should haue said when the Gospell is sowne it is strayght way corrupted by wicked inuentions imaginatiōs for Christ wold neuer haue forbidden to be diligent in purging such corruption For we maye not suffer those wicked errours which do infect the puritie of faith so or in such wise as those vices whiche concerne pertayne to the manners of men and can not be corrected are to be borne withall Furthermore Christ saying by name that the children of the wicked are tares taketh away all doubte Notwithstanding we must note farther that this can not simplely be vnderstoode of the persons of men as thoughe God in his creation dyd sowe good men and the deuyll euyll men The which thinge we therefore admonishe you of because by this place the Maniches were abused But truely we knowe that what faulte so euer it be that is as well in the deuill as in men it is the corruption of nature nothing elles As God therfore maketh not his elect whiche are infected with originall synne good seede by creation but regenerateth thē by the grace of his spirite So the deuill doth not create euyll men but beinge created of God he depraueth them and soweth them in the fielde of the lord to corrupt vitiate and defile the pure seede 26 But when the blade was spronge vp and had brought forthe fruite there appered the tares also M. Here we are taught that in the beginnynge of the sowing of the Gospell and the tares that is of the electe the reprobate the puritie goodnes of the field is not by and by knowne because the difference betwene the chyldren of God the wicked is not known vntil they be somwhat sprong vp grown For the reprobate according to the maner of tares are not much vnlike in the beginning to the elect at the first sight
Yea the field of the lord which is his church is so replenished with them so diuersely collored that a mā may hardly discern the wheat frō the tares 27 So the seruauntes of the housholder came and said vnto him Sir diddeste thou not sow good sede in thy fielde from whence then hath it tares M. So we may rightly meruaile when that the lord doth bestow so great labour and trauayle in tillinge of his fielde and yet notwithstanding how cockel darnel and tares growe in the same the houseband man is good but the sede is naught 28 He saide vnto them the enuiouse mā hath done this The seruauntes saide vnto him wilte thou then that wee go and weede them vp M. Christ sayth here that this wickednes is wroughte by the Deuill whiche is a continuall and deadly ennemy to the saluation of mankind A. The rest shal be expounded in that exposition which Christ maketh himself Namely the 39 and 40. verces folowing in the text 31. Hee put another parable vnto them sayinge The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a grayne of mustarde seede which a man toke and sowed in hys fielde B. By this parable the Lorde doth declare with what vertue and with what successe his Gospell shoulde passe through the whole world For the kingdome of heauen at the first beinge brought to the world by the Gospel was verye small in the which was the kinge Christ onely with a few contemned persons in the sight of all men stickinge to him C. Therefore hee dooth encourage his Disciples least they beinge offended at the base simple beginning of the Gospell should draw backe and dispayre of the good successe of the same Wée sée howe proudly profane mē despyse deryde the Gospell because it is brought vnto them by poore Ministers and rude in comparison of those which are of noble byrth and parentage because all men do not by by receyue the fame but hath only a few Disciples euen the baseste amonge the common people wherby it commeth to passe that the weake do dispayre of the good successe of the Gospell which they loke for in the beginning But truly the lord doth by his secrete counsell begin his kyngedome with bace and contemned beginninges to the end a wonderfull successe of the same comming at a sodayne vnlokedfor mighte declare his power to be the greater For the kingdome of Heauē is cōpared to a grayne of Mustard séede 32 VVhich is the least of all seedes But when it is growne it is the greatest of all herbes and is a tree soo that the birdes of the aire come make their nestes in the braunches thereof VVhiche is the least B. As if he should say As the grayne of mustardsede being but smal the least among seedes groweth into a greatter stalke and branche then all other herbes in short time also waxeth a tree euē so the flocke of Christ in short time was spred to the vtmost parts of the earth excelled al the kingdomes of the world C. Let vs learne therfore if the shewe of the kingdome of Chryste be contēptible base to our fleshely eies to lifte vp our mindes to the inestimable exceading power of God the whiche as he created all thinges once of nothing so dayly he stirreth vp those thinges which are not aboue humaine reason or vnderstanding As for the proude let vs suffer them to grynne like dogges vntill suche time as the lord astonishe amase theim with that whiche they loked not for In the meane time let vs not dispaire or be without hope but let vs rise agaynst the disdayne of the worlde with a sure and vndoubted faythe vntyll suche tyme as the lorde sheweth forth some wonderfull token of his power of the which the lord speaketh here 33 An other similitude spake hee vnto thē The kingdome of heauem is like vnto leuen whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three peckes of meale till all be leauened An other symilitude M. This parable of the leauen hath the same signification that the other had goinge before This name of leauen some tymes signifyeth that whiche is euyll as when Christ admonished his disciples to beware of the leauen of the Phariseyes and Saduceyes Also when Paule teacheth that a lyttell leauen sowrethe the whole lompe of dough But here the application must be taken symplely to the present cause M. The Apostelles were a littell leauen who beinge taken out of Galile by the wysedome of God were made apte and of stronge force to sower and season and were sente oute into the whole worlde for the same pourpose vntill the same in al points were leauened And hydeth in thre peckes of meale Bu. Chrisostome saithe that hee nameth not three peckes for many in vayne For the lorde declareth that a lyttell quantitie of leuen is of strengthe and vertue to leauen and sower a greate deale of meale The latten woord Satum a pecke as it is translated is taken from the Hebrewe word Seah whiche is a measure conteynynge one Italyan busshell and a halfe of drye thinges as sayth Iosephus in his ninthe booke and fourth chapter de antiquitatibus Some affirme that this measure cōtayned .320 ounces of water And some saye that it woulde holde no more then .144 hennes egges 34 Al these things spake Iesus vnto the people by similitudes and without a parable spake he nothing vnto them C. Althoughe Marke plainely saith that Christ spake so that they might heare yet notwithstanding it semeth probable that he vsed not cōtinual parables so much to teache as he did to make the auditory more apt to here against a more cōueniēt time For why did he expound thē to his disciples in secret familiarly did he it because they were more rude ignoraunt then the cōmon people No surely that was not the cause but he rather did so to the end he myght familiarly set the meanyng of his minde before them leaue the myndes of other suspended vntill he myghte find a more cōuenient time better oportunitie For these were as one mighte terme thē the enterances begynnings of the Gospell the more plain manifest declaration wherof was differred vntil the time came of the same But the shew of repugnācie contrarietie whiche seemeth to be betwen the saying of our Euāgelist Mathew the prophecie of Esay spoken of before is easely put away For although he obscured toke away the light of his doctrine frō the reprobate yet notwithstandinge this doth not let but that he might apply him selfe to their capacytie so that they might be inexcusable He followed therfore a kind of teaching apte and mete for those herers whō he knew not to be ready as yet to learne 35 That it might be fulfylled which was spoken by the prophete that sayth I will open my mouthe in parables I wyl speake forth thinges which haue ben kept secrete from the beginning of the worlde
sée here what an excellent rule of beneficence and liberality the holy ghoste geueth First therefore let vs here note that Christe chiefly exhorted his disciples to be liberall and beneficiall B. But Christe meaneth not here that we shoulde geue to euery one that asketh of vs we care not howe for so we might be deceiued by scoffynge and fained beggers and by other idell persones whiche are vnprofitable members of the common wealthe Therfore Paule saythe It is not my mynde that other be set at case and ye brought into comberaunce but that thereby egalnes now at this tyme and that youre aboundaunce may succour their lacke and that theire aboundaūce may supply your lacke that there may be equalitie agreinge to that whiche is wryten he that had muche had not the more aboundaunce and he that had littell had neuerthelesse A. But this exhortation of Christe doth agree very well with the sayinge of S. Paule where he saythe Let vs not be wery of well doyng And whyle we haue tyme let vs do good vnto al men but specially to them of the housholde of faythe C. Furthermore least any man shoulde gather occasion to cauill by the woordes of Mathewe let vs consider what Luke saythe Christe doth denie that we fulfill the wyll of God if in lendinge we looke for rewarde So he doth distinguish charitie from carnall frendshyp For prophane men and such as are of this world loue one an other why surely because of ryches because of gaine and rewarde But Christe requireth of those that are his frendly loue and perfecte amitie as to seke to helpe the poore the nedy the straunger the fatherlesse the wydowe and all suche as are oppressed of whome no rewarde or good tourne is to be hoped for agayne For to what ende tendeth the exhortation of Christe els whē he saythe When thou makest a dynner or a supper call not thy frendes nor thy brethren neyther thy kinsmen nor thy neyghbours leaste they also bydde thee agayne and a recompence be made thee But when thou makest a feaste call the poore the feble the lame and the blynde and thou shalt be happy for they cannot recompence thee C. Nowe we se what it is to geue to them that aske namely to be liberal to all men whiche haue nede of our helpe and whiche cannot requite agayne M. This therefore is required of Christians that they be good gentle humble pacient louing mercifull and louers of vnitie and peace so that it pertayne to heauenly thinges Whosoeuer is not of this mynde he is a despyser of this sentence of Christe and no true Christian 43 Ye haue harde howe it is sayde thou shalt loue thy neyghbour and hate thyne enemy Ye haue hearde Bu. This Lawe dependeth vpon that which went before plainly teaching that we must hurte no man but rather do good to all men yea euen to our enemies M. Thus it is written in the booke of Leuiticus I am the lorde Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne harte but shalte in any wyse rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare not sinne for his sake Thou shalt not auenge thy selfe nor be myndefull of wronge againste the children of my people but thou shalt loue thy neighbour euen as thy selfe Nowe the Scribes and Phariseis were so blinded that they vnderstode those to be their neighboures which were louing and beneficiall vnto them when as notwithstāding it is moste certayne that God by the name of neighboure comprehendeth all mankinde For because euery man is addicted to him self so often as their priuate commodite and profite doth separate one from another mutuall amitie and frendship is forsaken God therefore to staye kepe vs in the bonde of brotherly loue doth affirme that all men are our neighbours and brethren because nature knitteth vs vnto them For so often as one man loketh vpon an other because they be al of one bone and one fleshe he beholdeth him selfe as it were in a glasse The whiche thinge the lorde him selfe dothe more plainly touche when he telleth of the man which fel into the hands of theues And hate thine enemy Bu. Let no mā so vnderstand this as though the lawe of God geuen by Moyses commaundeth to hate any man C. But this was a Phariseycall addition by the whiche they thought that they only ought to loue their frēdes according to the Lawe and to hate their enemies and so they taught M. By the which assertiō they brought to passe that the force of the Lawe being weakened hatred might increase betwene mā mā 44 But I saye vnto you loue your enemies Blesse them that curse you Do good to thē which hurt you pray for thē that hate you and persecute you But I say vnto you Bu. Christe being the renewer and cōsummation of the lawe that he mighte restore the commaundement of the lawe as concerning the loue of our neighbour to his integritie full perfection he teacheth by the woorde neighbour that not only our frendes but also our enemies ought of vs to be loued C. But this one thing doth conteine all the former doctrine for whosoeuer can finde in his harte to loue his enemies them that hate him shall easely temper and refraine him selfe from all reuengement yea he shall be paciente to beare al euell and ready to helpe the poore and afflicted To be shorte Christe sheweth here the meane and the way to fulfil this commaundement loue thy neighboure as thy selfe For there is none that can fulfyll this commaundemente but he whiche not regarding selfe loue but rather denying hym selfe dothe loue those which hate and despyse hym Of this perfecte loue we haue an example and liuely paterne in the only begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ which praied to his father for thē whiche crucified him saying Father forgeue them for they knowe not what they do And in Steuen lykewyse who prayed for them whiche stoned him saying O lord laie not this sinne to their tharge Blesse them that curse you C. By the whiche woordes we may learne how far vengaunce ought to be from the faithful the which vengeaunce they are not only forbiddē to aske of God but also they are cōmaūded so to remyt the same that they rather prepare their mindes to craue at the handes of God that vengeaunce come not vppon their enemies although they haue deserued the same And let thē cōmit their cause vnto God vntill it shal please him to take vengeaūce on the reprobate Do good to them that hate you Bu. The lyke wordes writeth Paule after this sorte If thine enemy honger fede him if he thirst geue him drinke in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpō his head C. This truly is a very harde thing contrary to the flesh to do good against euel but yet we may not excuse oure selues by oure faltes infirmitie but rather simply we must seke what
the lawe of charitie dothe require that we being strengthened by the power of the holy ghoste may in strining ouercome all affectiōs that are cōtrary against vs Christ here doth set forth vnto vs certaine degrées to obserue namely to loue with our harte to blesse with our mouth and to do good with our dedes These thinges he requireth of vs but to what ende namely 45 That ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his Sunne to arise on the euell and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniuste That ye may be C. When as Christ doth plainly pronounce that none can be the sonnes of God but they which loue their enemies who dare saye that we nede not of necessitie obserue this doctrine For his wordes are thus in effecte Whosoeuer will be a Christian let him loue his enemies And yet for all this suche horrible libertie haue our Monkes geuē to the people that they durste boldely saye that this was the counsell of Christe not his commaundement M. Christe saith not your enemies are worthy which ye loue For thei proue you for your proffite and they are the instrumentes of God prouing your faith and pacience For here the fleshe might drawe backe persuade vs that they are euell which trie vs and that they do it of hatred and that therefore they are worthy to be hated agayne What saythe Christe therefore That ye may be saythe he the sonnes of your father C. By the whiche wordes he doth set God before vs as ensample to followe as though that whiche he doth became vs also For he striketh and punisheth the vnthankefull and often tymes doth roote the wycked and vngodly out of the worlde in the which pointe he doth not set him before vs to followe and immitate because the iudgemente of the worlde doth not belonge vnto vs whiche is only proper to him but he would haue vs followers of his fatherly goodnes and liberalitie The whiche thing not onely the prophane Philosophers sawe but also certaine wicked and vngodlye men whiche were despisers of godlines could confesse and saye We are in nothinge more like vnto God then in weldoynge In fine Christe doth here shewe a note token of our adoption if we be good and beneficiall to vnworthy and euell persones M. Not that he meaneth that we by doing these thinges are the sonnes of God C. But because the same spirite whiche is a witnes a seale and earneste of our adoption doth correcte the euell affections of the fleshe whiche resiste charitie Christ of the effecte proueth that no other are the sonnes of God but they whiche declare the same seale and token by gentlenes mekenes pacience and liberalitie M. As if he should haue sayd by doing these thinges ye shal shew and declare your selues to be the sonnes of the highest As Luke saith This therfore is the accustomed maner of speaking in the scripture to put in the place and stede of a reward the free mercies of God when he seaketh to animate and incourage vs to do wel And the reason is this because he hath respecte to what ende we were called namely that the Image of God beinge repayred in vs we shoulde leade a holy and a godly lyfe VVhiche is in heauen This is not added in vaine For thereby he sheweth that this earthly natiuitie by the which we are in the fleshe must be denied and the eies of our mindes must be erected and lifted vp to heauenly thynges in the whiche we haue suche parte and fellowship that we should neuer forget to be of an heauenly nature For he maketh his Sunne to arise M. Some reade it thus Whiche suffereth his Sūne to arise but a great deale better they reade it whiche saie He maketh his Sunne to arise For it is more imperfect to saie he suffereth his Sunne because it fulfilleth not the deuine prouidence and goodnes whiche Christ setteth before vs here But Christ here reherseth two testimonies of the benefites of God whiche are not onely well knowen vnto vs but also commen to all men As the sunne whiche shineth vpon all the world as the rayne which falleth vpon the face of the whole earth as lyfe also which he geueth as well to beastes as to men as well to the good as to the wicked Let therefore the exāple of your father saith he moue you whiche is mercifull to all men He is no iudge now but in the fulnes of tyme he wyll iudge the whole world Now his benefites and giftes are extēded both to the godly vngodly this he dothe to allure all men to goodnes to the cōsideratiō of his merciful liberalitie To the godly all thynges happen for the beste but the wycked in prosperitie are hardened thinke them selues in their wickednes to be acceptable vnto God. 46 For if ye loue those which loue you what rewarde haue ye Do not the publicanes euen so also For if ye loue Bu. Now by a comparison Christe sheweth playnely that men do not according to their dignitie and profession if they loue them only of whome they are beloued and do good only to thē of whome they receiue benefite agayne VVhat revvarde haue ye M. The Iewes hoped for a great rewarde in keping the lawe But the Phariseis did so expounde this that thei thought no loue to be commaunded but the loue of their frendes Of this fonde imagination and doctrine what absurditie followeth Christ by this place plainly declareth If so be saithe he that you wil only loue your frendes that is to saye those which loue you what rewarde can ye hope for For he whiche loueth his frēde or louer doth bestowe loue for loue good tourne for good tourne According to the prouerbe Manus manum fricat one good tourn requireth another Which in dede deserueth neither thanke prayse nor rewarde before God. Do not the publicans euen so C. In the same sence Luke putteth sinners that is wicked vngodly persons not that the office it selfe is damnable For the Publicanes were receiuers of custome or tribute for as princes of their authoritie right appointe tribute to be payde so is it lawful for others whom they shall appointe to require it But because this kind of men was wont to be couetous yea gredy and cruel Further they were cōdemned because they were coūted of the Iewes vniust ministers of tyranny Bu. To be short they were euell spoken of amonge the people neither were they counted or regarded among honest citizens but rather were called common troublers the wormes mothes of the people and robbers and poulers Whereupon Iohn the Baptiste when they came to his baptime sayde Require no more then that whiche is appointed vnto you For if any man gather by the wordes of Christ that Publicanes are the worste sorte of men they are deceiued because he speaketh after the
where commende sinceritie and abhorre a double harte we may see howe greatly they are deceiued whiche thinke that he wyll be contented with halfe a harte All men truely wyll confesse with their mouthe that God cannot be worshipped but with a whole and earnest affectiō But in dede they denie it when they go about to reconcile and agree twoo contrary thinges in all respecte I wyll not cease sayth the ambitious man to serue God although I apply a good parte of my mynde to get honoure So doth the couetous persone the voluptuous man and the cruell tyraunt boaste them selues As if truly it were possible partely to serue God and partely to be starke enemies vnto hym It cannot be denied that the faythfull them selues are not so wholely geuen to the obedience of God but that oftentimes they are drawne awaye by the synfull lustes of the fleshe Notwithstanding because they syghe and sorrowe vnder the yoke of this miserable seruitude boundage and are displeased with thē selues and do serue the same no otherwyse then against their wylles and striuinge with the same therefore I saye that they serue not two maisters because their study indeuoure is as muche accepted before God as if they had perfourmed and fulfilled the perfecte obedience Here also their hypocrisie is refelled whiche flatter them selues in their vices as if light and darkenes could agree We knowe what Elizeus sayde If the Lorde be God followe him if Baale be God follow him Howe longe wyll ye halte on both sides For God doth require of vs the integritie of the mynde that we might wholely depende vpon hym 25 Therfore I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or drinke nor yet for your bodye what rayment ye shall put on Is not the life more worth then meate and the body more of value then rayment Therefore I saye vnto you be not carefull M. Now consequently he commeth to the roote it selfe of euell namely to the carefulnes of foode and other necessaries or if thou wylt to the distruste or incredulitie whereof all wycked carefulnes aryseth whiche at the length bryngeth a man to that point that being not content with necessary thinges to his present vse he beginneth sorrowefully to care for the tyme to come and therefore to prouide for many yeares and thus springeth the seruitude of Mammon which withdraweth vs from the seruice of god C. Notwithstanding where as Christe forbiddeth vs to be carefull he meaneth not so precisely that he woulde haue vs voyde of all care for we knowe that men are therefore borne to sustayne some care nay this is the leaste parte of the myseries whiche the lorde hathe inioyned to vs in penaunce to humble vs withall But he condemneth immoderate care for two causes First because men in vayne do vexe and disquiete them selues in busying and occupying them selues further then becommeth their vocation Then because they take more vpon them then becōmeth him bearinge them selues bolde vpon their owne industrie and laboure forget quyte to cal vpon god We must remember the promyse whiche the Prophete speaketh of saying that it is but loste laboure that the vnfaithfull ryse vp early and so late take reste and eate the bread of carefulnes for so he geueth his beloued slepe Therefore the sonnes of God although they be not without laboure and care yet notwithstāding they are not properly sayde to be carefull for their lyfe because they staying thē selues on the prouidence of God are at quiet M. The lorde therefore sayth not I say not vnto you labour not for your liuing and sustentation but be not carefull He forbiddeth sorrowefull and immoderate carefulnes not laweful labour Let euery man laboure saythe saint Paule with his handes that he may haue wherwithall to helpe hym that nedeth C. Hereby we may easely gather what care of lyfe euery man oughte to haue namely that euery one of vs laboure so farre as oure vocation requireth and the lorde commaundeth furthermore that euery mās necessitie may cause them to call vppon god Suche care is a meane betwene slouthfull securitie and immoderate vexation and trouble whiche the vnbeleuers brynge vpon them selues So that if we waye diligently the woordes of Christe we shal see that he forbiddeth not al care but that only which riseth vpon distrust Saying be not carefull what ye shal eate or drynke For that is proper to them whiche are afrayde of pouertie and nede as if they shoulde wante meate euerye moment Is not the lyfe more vvorth then meate Bu. Nowe by stronge and infallible argumentes he taketh awaye that distrustfull care and bringeth forth dyuers questions by the whiche his talke maye be more ample C. And the first argument that he bryngeth is of the more to the lesse Hee forbadde vs of to muche care howe our lyfe should be sustayned Now he addeth the reason that the lord whiche gaue the lyfe it selfe will not suffer vs to wante those aydes and helpes which pertayne to the staying and holdinge of oure lyfe And truely we do no small iniury vnto God so often as we beleue not that he wyl geue vnto vs sufficient foode and apparell as though without regarde he had set vs vpon the earth For whosoeeuer is fully perswaded that he is not ignoraunt what the condition of our lyfe is of the whiche he is the authour he wil not doubte but that in due tyme he wyll helpe his necessitie Therefore so often as feare care of foode troubleth any man let him straight remember that God hath care for that life which he gaue vnto him Here also we muste note that althoughe we haue aboundaunce of meate drinke apparell and all other thinges necessary yet that oure life consisteth not in them According to the saying of our Sauiour in an other place Beware saith he of couetousnes because no mans lyfe consisteth in the aboundaunce of those things whiche he possesseth And then he addeth For the lyfe is more worth then meate the body more of value then raymente As if he should saye If God of his owne free wyll hathe geuen to you a body and lyfe whiche haue not deserued the same doubte ye not then but that he wyll also geue vnto you meate and apparel which thinges are of lesse value a great deale 26 Beholde the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither do they reape nor cary into the barnes and youre heauenly father fedeth them Are ye not muche better then they Beholde the foules of the ayre M. That he might more playnely set before our eyes the prouidence of oure heauenly father he bringeth the brute beastes to be an example whiche by the power of God are fed and nourished without any care that we might learne in them the ryches of his goodnes and the amplenes of his deuine prouidence in the whiche we ought to quiete our selues C. For infidelitie is the mother
brother should hate another yet doth our sauioure Christe here affirme that it shall come to passe for his names sake that it may be fulfylled which hee sayth in another place I am not come into the world to bringe peace but a sworde 22 And yee shal be hated of all men for my names sake but hee that continueth to the end shal be safe and ye shal be hated Heare oure sauioure Christe foresheweth that his Disciples shal be hated of all men that is of all euyl men for many be called but few are chosen For my sake That is for me as is shewed before Here wee must note that it is the part of Christians so to liue so to behaue theymselues and so to suffer all thinges that Christe onely maye be the cause of the hatred and persecutiō which they suffer This therefore is ought to be a comfort vnto vs that if we suffer for Christ thē are we his then are we chosē out of the world then shall we say with the apostel Paule We labour and suffer rebuke because we haue a stedfast hope in the lyuinge God whiche is the sauioure of all men specially of those that beleue But he that continueth B. This promyse of healthe is a greate consolation and comforte in so much that howe greate so euer the dangers be if faith be presente it is able to lift vp a discouraged faint hart For he that only continueth to the ende committinge him selfe vnder the tuition and protection of the Lorde hee I saye at the length shall be safe although he be deliuered to the death hated of al men This safetie health is promysed not by resistinge but by sufferynge as the lord more plainly in another place declareth saying In pacience possesse your soules This truely is a wonderful consolation They which fight vnder princes ar doutful of the victory but Christ here promiseth victory without al doubt to thē that fight to the ende A. Let vs not therfore feare or doubte to fighte for the glory of God although the whole world rise against vs because a happy and prosperous ende is promised vnto vs of the sonne of God whiche is a faithfull keper of our saluation if we continue To the ende This teacheth vs that it is not trewe pacience which continueth not to the ende Many men saye Is it possible for any man to suffer these things continually Trewly whatsoeuer he be that suffereth the trouble that is laide vppon hym for Christes sake may continue without yrkesomnes to the last cast yea to the very ende We must not therefore call to mynde howe longe but we muste haue respecte vnto the ende Herevpon the Apostell saythe So ronne that ye maye obtayne Also Stretche forthe the handes that were let downe and the weake knees And in an other place Let vs ronne with pacience vnto the battaile that is set before vs lokinge vnto Iesus the capitayne and fynisher of our faith and so forthe What doth it proffite a man to labour in the siluer myne and to sainte before he attaine the syghte of the syluer Dothe he not lose all his labour and trauayle yes vndoubtedly What dothe it proffe the ronner to ronne if he faynte in the myddest of the race shall he haue the game or rewarde No vndoubtedly Not withoute cause therefore dothe the Scripture in so many places exhorte vs to pacience and perseueraunce Let vs not therefore be weake or feble but followers of theym which receiue by faith paciēce the inheritaunce of promise which is euerlasting life after the trauaile paine of this life 23 But when they persecute you in this cittie flee ye into an other For verely I saye vnto you ye shall not goo through all the citties of Israell til the sonne of man be come VVhen they persecute Question C. By these wordes Christe preuenteth that whiche myghte be obiected thus If we muste beare the hatred of all men in the worlde when shal there be an ende Chist aunswereth Althoughe ye can be no where in peace and sauegarde yet must ye not dispayre but when you are caste out of one place you muste proue and trye whether your worke and labour maye take place in an other But certayne interpretours are deceyued whiche thyncke here that this is a bare permission or sufferaunce whē as Christ rather cōmanded his Apostels to do that which he wold haue done For he which hath suffered one persecution wolde willingly geue ouer by by lyke vnto an olde beaten souldiour which beinge once maymed in the warres goeth no more to the same but lyueth on his pētion at home in peace But Christ here geueth no such vacatiō and ease to his soldiours but wil haue them without ceassing to passe throughe to the ende To be short the apostels are cōmaunded so sone as one battell is done to begin a newe not to think them selues absolued or dismist for fightinge twoo or three fieldes Neyther are they permytted to flee into caues dens wher they may lie ydel but although their labor com not to good succes in one place the lord exhorteth thē to go forward M. that if the gospel of his kingdome will not be admytted in one place they preach the same in an other without delay C. But vnder the cōmaundement there is also some libertie graunted For we must thus thinke of flying persecution All that flye persecution are not presysely to be condemned neyther is flyeing in all pointes without exception lawefull Many of the aunciente fathers in time paste were to earnest in this point whiche condemned flight in persecution no lesse then a certaine kynde of denying Christe For if this were true some part of ignominie shoulde redounde to Christ and his Apostels Agayne if it were lawefull to flye without difference or exception there should be no difference in persecution betwene the good shepeherd and the hiered seruaunt We muste obserue therefore the meane whiche saynt Augustin prescribeth to Honoratus least any man forsaking his abode or hould for feare should either betray his flocke into the handes of the enemy or els geue a cowardly example and yet notwithstāding sayth he let no man rashely daunger him selfe If any vrgent matter require it is necessary that the Pastor venter his life for the flocke but if there be no great necessitie it may bee that his absence may proffite the churche of God more Verely I saye vnto you C. This can not bee referred to the first sending out of the disciples but oughte rather to be referred to the whole Apostelship Notwithstanding in this there is some hardnes what the comming of the sonne of man here signifieth Some expounde it to be suche good successe of the Gospell that all men shoulde acknowledge the kyngdome of Christe and should loke for the renuing of the kingdome of Dauid at his handes And some referre it to the
and may be taken for either of them But as touching the matter God to the ende he might bynde vs as it were to his wyll doth shewe euen as with his finger him whome he wyll sende and to this ende pertayneth this worde of demonstration beholde The lyke reason is in the Epithetes or tytels followyng in the whiche he calleth hym his seruaunt and his chosen in whome his soule delighteth For whereupon cōmeth it to passe that men dare presume to measure Christe by their reason and sence but only because they consider not that their redemption dependeth vppon the mere grace of god But this is to wicked and grosse a libertie That whē God offereth vnto vs his incomparable treasure we esteme and make pryce of the same according to our fleshely skyll Also he is called a seruaunt by excellency not as one among a common multitude or as cōmon seruauntes are but as suche a one to whome God hathe committed the charge of his churche or congregatiō and the redemption of mankynde And because no man which vsurpeth honour to hym selfe is worthy of honour but he whiche is truely called to the same God pronounceth that his sonne Christe is thereunto called and chosen by his heauēly and euerlasting decrée and councell Therefore he saythe VVhome I haue chosen Whereupon it followeth that it is not mete for men to reiecte hym whom God hath chosē And truely it were to absurde and voyde of all reason that the holy and inuiolable vocation of God should be frustrate and of none effecte at our will and pleasure M. He sayde therefore to be the elect and chosen of God not in respecte that he is a sonne but a seruaunt sente into this worlde for our redemption Therefore the Prophetes vsed to call Christe the electe and chosen of god And the hyghe priestes mockynge hym sayde if he be Christe the chosen of God let hym saue hym selfe Also saynt Peter saythe If so be that ye haue tasted howe gracious the lorde is to whome ye come as a liuinge stone disalowed of men but chosen of God. My beloued This is not redde in the Hebrewe texte In vvhome my soule delighteth C. Where as God addeth that the pleasure of his soule resteth in Christe it cōtayneth more matter in it then can well be perceiued at the firste sighte For although the vocation and calling of vs all dothe sprynge from the frée fauoure and grace of God as from a lyuelye well Notwithstandynge this is synguler in Christe because in his persone God the father comprehendeth the whole churche with his loue For in that we are al enemies vnto God by nature his loue can neuer come vnto vs except it beginne first at the heade as shal be declared in the seuententh chapter followyng M. There is no firme sure and perfect loue to be founde in no creature no not in the Aungels in heauen but in Christe him selfe alone I vvyll put my spirite vpon hym M. Christe in respecte of his humanitie was appointed and cōsecrated with the grace of the holy ghoste before he executed the office for the whiche he was sent Bu. He being baptized sawe the spirite of God descending and resting vpon him of the which Iohn the Baptist was warned before by these wordes He whiche sente me to baptize with water sayde vnto me vpon whome soeuer thou sest the spirite of God descending and restinge the same is he whiche baptizeth wyth the holy Ghoste So were Moyses Samuel and Dauid consecrated So were Elias and Elizeus the Prophetes consecrated also There is all so yet another reason for the which Christ is sayd to be endewed with the holy ghost as we wyll declare anone And he shall shevve iudgement to the Gentyles C. The Prophete here sheweth briefely the office of Christ which was to declare iudgement to the Gentyles But by the name of iudgement is comprehēded the state of the Iewes where equitie right florished Therefore these wordes are in effect as if the Prophete should haue sayd that he shall come which shall restore the righteousnes that is decaied that he shal be the moderator guyde not of one people only but shall bring also the Gētiles vnder the rule gouernemēt of God amōg whome before there was nothinge but vaste rude ignoraunt behauiour And this truly was the office of Christ to spread the kingdome of God which was shut vp in a corner of Iury throughtout the whole worlde as it is said in another place The lorde shall sende the rodde of thy power out of Syon A. In this place therefore the calling of the Gētyles is prophecied Also the manner howe iudgement shall be declared is expressed because God hath endewed Christe with his holy spirite whiche spirite Christe receiued of his father to powre vppon all those that are his For he teacheth vs not by a voyce or by wrytinge onely but by the grace of his holy spirite he frameth the hartes of men inwardly to the obseruing and keping the true and perfecte rule of righteousnes And without the operation of the same spirite in our hartes we are not able to performe any thing that is good 19 He shall not stryue nor crye neyther shall any man heare his voyce in the streates M. This is spoken of the mekenes and modestie of Christe the whiche he kepte vnto the ende and with the whiche he ouercame all his enemies C. For there shal be no suche māner of shouting cries and tumultes about his kingdome as is in the worlde Neyther shall his kyngdome consiste of pompe and violence but it shall be humble and base in the sighte of the worlde Yea by this place the Euāgeliste sheweth that Christe shoulde not reigne violently constrayninge men with force to be subiecte vnto hym but rather mekely with longe sufferaunce forbearing all men 20 A broused Reede shall he not breake and smokynge Flaxe shall hee not quenche till he sende foorthe iudgement vnto victory A broused Reede M. By these twoo sayings the Euāgelist declareth that Christ shall rather helpe our infirmitie then reiecte our weakenes and imbecillitie The Prophete also by these woordes setteth foorthe the wonderfull clemency and mekenes of the Lorde in that hee brake not the afflycted beynge as broused quilles or Reedes but rather comforted erected and strengthened them Also the smookynge Flaxe whiche was almoste extinguyshed he put not oute but kyndeled and gaue more lyghte vnto the same that it myght clerely burne He despysed not the Publicanes and sinners but soughte rather by all meanes to saue them There was nothynge so weake so broused and so muche quenched that hee strengthened not that hee made not whole that hee kyndeled not agayne with his holy spirite M. All the whiche thynges tende to this ende that the mekenes and clemency of Christe might be amiable vnto vs which is despysed in the worlde And truely the foolishenes of men is to be meruailed at that they
Christ is so lyttell disswaded from that which he had spoken by the obiection of Peter that he plainely affyrmeth that there oughte to be no ende of forgeuing For he wolde not prescribe any certayne nomber but rather geue commandement that we ought neuer to be wery But seuenty times seuen tymes M. Here the certayne nomber for the vncertayne and the finite for the infinite is put by the which our sauioure Christ declareth that we must forgeue our brother so often as he cōuerteth For as God is alwaies ready to forgeue euen so wee must followe his clemency vnlesse wee will be bastardes and degenerate from our heauenly father For conuertion or repentance is the worke of God the wōderfull power of his spirite and a newe creation The which if we reiect we are greately iniuriouse vnto god C. Luke the Euangelist semeth not a littel to disagree from Matthewe because hee simplely bringeth in the commaundemente of Christe namely that wee shoulde be ready to forgeue seuen tymes For hee writeth thus If thy brother sinne seuen times a day against thee seuen tymes in a day tourneth him vnto thee saying it repenteth me forgeue him Yet notwithstanding the sence is all one that we sholde not forgeue once or twise onely but that we shold receiue the offender into our fauoure so often as he submitteth him self vnto vs This is onelye the dyfference that out Euangelist Matthewe maketh mention that the lorde reprehended Peter because he was to straite and seuere and that Hiperbolically he increaseth the nōber the which nōber is sufficient to set forth vnto vs at full the meaning of our sauiour Christe Neyther did Peter demaunde whether he shoulde forgeue his brother seuen tymes as though he ment any certayne nomber but he made this demaunde to the ende he settinge forthe a greate shewe of absurditie might withdrawe Christe from his purpose as wee shewed a lyttell before Therefore hee which shal be redy to forgeue seuē times will also be contente to forgeue seuenty tymes Moreouer in the woordes of Luke there ariseth an other question because Christe doth not commaunde vs to forgeue excepte the synner by conuertinge and submittinge hym self vnto vs declare his repentaunce for by this hée semeth to graunt liberty to his disciples to deny pardō forgeuenes to the wicked We aunswere that synnes are remitted twoo manner of wayes If any man do vnto thee iniury and thou laying away all desyre of reuenge ceassest not to loue him styll but doste in steede of reuengement bestowe good tournes on hym althoughe nowe thou haue an euyll iudgemente of hym as hee deserueth yet notwithstandinge thou shalte be saide to remytte and forgeue hym For althoughe God dothe commaunde vs to wyshe well to oure ennemies yet neuerthelesse hee dothe not require of vs that wee shoulde allowe that in them whiche he him selfe condemneth but onely that we seeke to pourge our minde of all hatred and mallice The seconde kynde of remittynge is when wee so receiue our brother into fauour that wee haue a good opinion of him and are certainly perswaded that the remembrance of his synne is cleane put out before the lord And this is that which we spake of before that Christ doth not onely here speake of iniuries doone vnto vs but of al maner of offences also For he woulde haue those that are fallen to be lifted vp againe by our mercye and compassion The which doctrine is therfore very necessarye because wee are all for the most parte by nature out of measure waywarde and peruerse And Sathan vnder the pretence of seuerytie bryngeth vs to fearce and cruell rigour whiche makethe those men to whom we deny pardon most miserable and ouerwhelleth them with heauynes dispaire Againe Question it may be here demaunded whether we ought to beleue the offender so sone as he hath with the mouth professed repentaunce For what shall become of discretion and iudgement if euerye one maye mocke deceiue Answere and offende vs vntyll the hundreth time Fyrste we aunswere that Christ speaketh here of dayly offences in the whiche the very best hath nede of pardon and forgeuenes Seynge therfore we haue so slippery a iourney in so greate infirmitie and weakenes of the flesh so many deceites and intisementes what shall become of vs if al hope of pardone shoulde be taken from vs at the first seconde or thirde falle Secondly we may answere and say that Christ doth not depriue the faythfull of iudgement discretion that they might foolishely and rashely beleue euery worde but that hée goeth about onely to make them indifferente and mercifull that they may reach out theyr hande to those that repent if by any meanes we may perceyue that they are displeased with thē selues for their offēce and that vnfaynedly For repentance is a holy acceptable thinge and therefore it hath nede of a ripe examination trial but so often as the offender shall shewe a probable and likely signe of repentance Christ wold haue vs to admyt hym to reconciliation least by repelling shaking him of he fall into dispayre Thirdely we must note that whē a man hath brought him selfe into suspition by his lightnes inconstancie wee maye so forgeue hym that asketh pardon that euer after wee maye note and obserue his maners least he make a iest skoffe at our sufferaunce and gentylnesse whiche commeth by the spirite of god For wee must marke the purpose of the lorde in this place namely that they ought to be holpē vp which are fallen according to the exāple of our heauēly father who calleth sinners beinge far of that he may bringe them to saluation 23 Therfore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine man that was a king whiche wold take accomptes of his seruauntes Therefore is the kingdome M. What he meaneth by this parable it is euidente by that whiche he addeth in the ende of the chapter sayinge So likewise shall my heauenly father do also vnto you if ye from youre hartes forgeue not euery one his brother their trespasses C. For because it is a harde matter to bring vs to mercy and that specially when we must suffer and beare many sinnes of our brethern the lord very aptly with this parable confirmeth the doctrine goinge before teaching that they which will not yelde to forgeue the offēces of their brethern are to hard seuere and cruell by the which they do not only hurt their brethern but also them selues prouokinge the almighty to be likewyse cruell towardes them not to be intreated For this similitude consisteth specyally of three partes The lorde is opposed or set against the seruante A great som is compared with a small value And inspeakeable compassiō and mercy is set agaynst extreame cruelty These three being wel considered noted we may easely gather the meaninge of oure Sauiour Christ For what are we if wee be compared vnto God Whiche of vs are not
Euangelist addeth this worde expressely For Christe woulde not that this multitude shoulde followe him into Iewery least he shoulde geue an occasion to the backebitinges and slaunderouse reproches of the Scribes and Phariscies He knewe that except he had thus done be should haue ben accused of seditiō vnto Pylate and that this sedition shoulde be moued from Galile from whence hee came euen to Iewry He did not auoide this slaunder yet wolde he not geue any occasion therof We are therefore admonished that because we cannot escape the slanders of the wicked yet must we take hede of this that by our falte wee mynister no occasiō vnto them to speake euill 3 The Phariseis came also to him temtinge him and sayinge vnto him Is it lawfull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for any maner of cause The Phariseies also came to hym Bu. The lorde dyd good vnto all men and therefore the reporte of his glory was spred abrode far and nere But the ennemies of the truth do enuy the glory of the lorde and are agreued because the people forsakyng the priestes and the Scribes cleaued vnto the lorde The Phariseis therefore are come on a heape together C. And althoughe they do laye wayte to deceyue Christe and assalte him subtillye to the ende they mighte intrappe him yet this theyr wyckednesse tourned to oure commoditie euen as the lorde knoweth how to conuerte wonderfully into the proffyt of his what so euer the wicked do deuise for the subuersion of his trewe doctrine For by this meanes a doubte whiche the libertie of diuorsement did ingender is dissolued and a sure lawe of the holy and inseperable knot of wedlocke set forthe The occasion of this captiouse question is taken hereof because howsoeuer hee answered as they thought it coulde not be but odiouse Is it lavvfull for a man. saye they for euerye cause to put awaye his wife Nowe if Christ had denied it then wold they quickely haue cryed and made exclamation that hee had abolyshed the lawe if he had affirmed that it was lawfull then wolde they haue reported him to be a bande rather then a Prophete of God whiche so lightly wolde geue place and consent to the wanton and voluptuouse lustes of men This Dilemma and subtyll question they had conceyued in their mindes but the sonne of God who knowethe howe to subuerte the wyse in their owne folly dothe disapointe theim resistinge seuerelye their vnlawefull diuorces and yet shewynge also that hee saide nothing but that whiche was agreable to their lawe For he concludeth the matter in two principall poyntes namely that the order of our creation ought to be as a lawe that the man shoulde maintayne his promise made in matrimonye all his lyfe and that dyuorses were permitted not because they were lawefull but because they that graunted them had to do with a froward stifnecked people 4 He aunswered and saide vnto theim Haue ye not red how that hee whiche made man at the begynninge made the man and woman Haue ye not red C. Christ doth not directly aunswere to the question of the Phariscies when as neuertheles he did very well satisfie it in declaringe that the first ordinaunce must be kepte and that wee ought to be contente with the doctrine of God whiche is a most sure foundation But he aunswereth that it is not lawefull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for euery cause and he answereth so that he sendeth theim vnto the Scriptures by whose wordes he teacheth that the order of matrimony was ordeyned by God and that no man oughte to departe from the prescript rule of the Scriptures Euen as if a man being asked now of the Masse shoulde faithfully declare the mystery of the lordes holye supper and in the ende shoulde affirme that they were Sacrilegers and forgers whiche dare presume to dyminishe or to adde any thyng to the pure institution of the lorde might confounde after this sorte the fained sacrifice of the Masse M. But because the question was moued by the Phariseis who boasted and bragged amonge the people of their skil and knowledge in the Scriptures He saythe haue ye not red As if he shoulde haue saide Why aske you me ye Hypocrites you haue the Scripture in the whiche ye reade and therefore ignorance can not excuse you He that made man from the begynning E. This woorde Man in the latten bokes of the olde interpretation is not red but is left onely to be vnderstode C. Christ taketh this Axioma or generall proposition From the begynninge God ioyned man vnto the woman that two might make a whole and parfect man therefore he that putteth away his wyfe putteth away as it were from hym selfe the one halfe of his body but nature cannot abide that any man should deuide him selfe or teare his body in peces S. Therefore Christe dothe so moderate and temper his aunswere that he mighte neyther hurte the aucthoritie of Moyses nor recante hys owne doctrine whiche he had vowched in the fyfth chapter goinge before and that he might stoppe the mouthes of the Phariseies and lawyers by the auctoritie of the lawe C. For this is the sence and meanyng of the woordes of Christ That God the creatour of mankinde made mā and woman that euery man beinge content with one wyfe shoulde desire no other For he standeth vpon this nomber of two As also the Prophete Malachias when he inueyeth against the hauing of manye wyues hee bringeth in the same reason namely that God in whō the spyrite was more aboundant so that it was in his wyll to create more yet he made one man euen after this sorte as hee is here described by Christ Bu. He saythe not he made man woman but he made them man and woman C. Therefore by the order of oure creation the inseperable societie of the husebande with one wife is proued Yf any man wyll obiecte and say that by this meanes it is not laufull the fyrst wyfe beinge deade to marry an other we maye easely aunswere not onely that the band is loused by death but also that the seconde wyfe is substytute and placed in stede of the firste as if shee were one and the same 5 And saide for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twaine shall be one fleshe For this cause shall a man. C. He addeth an other argument a Minori ad manus that is from that whiche semeth lesse to that which semeth the more rather to be The bande of wedlocke is more holy then that whiche ioynethe chyldren vnto their parentes but truely godlines byndeth the children vnto their parentes with an inseperable knot much lesse therfore may the housebande renounce and forsake his wyfe Here vppon it followeth that the deuine bonde is broken if the husband be diuorsed from the wyfe Furthermore it is to be douted whether Moyses do bring in Adam or
not apointe any certain place but it doth rather include heaueÌ„ earth vnder the rule gouernmeÌ„t of Christ A. How Christ doth sit at the right hande of God reade in the first chapter of s Paules epistell to the Ephesians in the first chapter of his epistell to the Hebrewes Vntill I make thine ennemies C. This woorde vntil doth not signifie somwhat to come or not to come but it signifieth the tyme which goeth before B. We muste also note the Christ vseth the testimony of this psalme to declare that he is not only Dauids lord but also to set forth the inuincible power victorye of his kingdome against his enemies As if he should haue said ye shal be so far froÌ„ resisting me that ere it be long my father wil set me at his right hande and geue me full possession of all power the which power I wyl exercise vntyll suche tyme as you and all my ennemies are made my footestoole C. The holy ghost therefore dothe pronounce that Christe shall sytte vntyll his enemies are laide prostrate and brought into subiection that we myghte knowe that his kingedome shall euer remayne inuincible not because his enemies beinge ouercome his power shall be taken from hym agayne but because all the rable of his ennemies being ouerthrowen it shal stande whole and sounde for euer In the meane season the state and condition of his kingdome at this day is noted vnto vs to the ende it shoulde not be greuouse vnto vs when we se the same resisted on all handes For it wyll come to passe that whosoeuer rashely rysethe to rebel against the kyngdome of Christ shall vtterly be destroied and cast downe As concernynge the which matter reade the fyftene chapter of the fyrst epistell of S. Paule to the Corinthians Thy foote stoole B. M. By these woordes hee vnderstandeth absolute subiection euen suche subiection as that whiche the Apostell Paule speakethe of when hee saythe that in the name of Iesu euerye knee shall bowe These woordes do contayne seuere threateninges againste the ennemies of Christe The holy martyre S Steuen had the like meanynge also when he said Beholde I sethe heauens open and the sonne of man standynge at the right hande of the power of God. 45 If Dauid then called him lorde how is he then his sonne A. Our sauiour Christ concludeth with greate boldenesse that there shoulde be somewhat more in the Messias than the Humanitie M. Yet notwithstandinge hee dothe not this to proue that hee is the sonne of Dauid but to reproue the ignorance and blindenesse of the hie priestes scribes and Phariseyes by the whiche they iudged nothynge elles of Chryste than that whiche mighte also appertayne to the sonne of a man A. They dyd so assigne vnto him the terrene and transytorye kyngdome that they neuer remeÌ„bred the heauenly and euerlasting power with the whiche the father endewed his sonne Hee seeketh therefore to brynge theim to the consyderation of this heauenly kingedome 46 And no man was able to answere him any thinge neither durste any man from that daye forthe aske him any mo questions C. They dyd perceiue the power of God in his aunsweres the whiche they were not able to resiste excepte they shoulde seeme to contend and striue against God and that in vayne M. These woordes are added of the Euangelistes partely to declare the lighte of the trewthe whyche cannot be extinguished and partelye to declare howe hardely the mallyce of the wicked maye be ouerthrowne For although they be not able to make any answere nor dare any more aske hym questions to proue him yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to hate But this profyte commeth by the confusion of the ennemies of the trewthe namely that theyr impudencie is reuealed And this is the cause that the Apostel Paule commaunded Tytus to reproue sharpely the obstinate with wholesome doctrine The xxiii Chapter THEN spake Iesus to the people and to his disciples sayinge The Scribes and the Phariseis syt in Moyses seate Then spake Iesus to the. Bu. When our sauiour Christ had tried and assaied all the waies and meanes hée coulde and seynge there was nowe no hope left to conuert the hie priestes and rulers of the people at any time vnto the lorde for they were fully determined to perseuer in their errours and obstinatly to peryshe in their synnes leaste they should bring the people with them selues into the same ruine and destruction hee teacheth them at the laste to beware and take hede C. This admonition aboue al other was necessary profitable that amonge the discordes dissentions burliburlies in matters troblesome confused in the dissipatioÌ„ of the right lawfull order the autoritie notwithstanding of the word of God shuld remaine safe sound For to this ende did the purpose of Christ tende leaste the people beynge offended at the wickednes of the Scribes shoulde cast from theÌ„ the reuerence of the lawe For we knowe howe easely the myndes of men are inclyned to disdaine the same speciallye when the lyfe of the pastor or teacher is dissolute and louse and not agreable to his doctrine For then al men for the moste parte by theyr exaumple thincke that they maye do the lyke without daunger of ponishement The lyke yea a greate deale worse coÌ„meth to passe by discorde discention and strife For the greater parte the yoake beinge caste of geue them selues to pleasure burste forthe into extreame contempte But at that tyme the Scribes were excedynge couetouse they swelled with pryde and ambition and theyr rapyne gredynesse and terrible crueltie was so wel known with the corruption of theyr manners that they myghte seeme to haue conspyred the vtter destruction of the lawe Besyde this they had peruerted the true and naturall sence of the law with their false commentes and interpretations in so muche that Chryste was constrayned sharpely to contende with them because that a wonderful outragious madnesse caryed theim headlonge to extynguyshe the lyghte of the trewthe Therefore because it was daungerouse leaste that manye partely by suche corruptions and partely by the tumulte of contentions shoulde wholly contempne and despyse trewe godlynesse Chryste in good tyme meeteth with the same and pronounceth it to be done amisse if that trewe religion and reuerence of the lawe runne into contempte throughe the wyckednesse of menne Seinge the Scrybes were altogether obstynate ennemies of the trewthe because through theyr tyrannye they helde the Churche in oppression Chryste was constrayned to deâ—…ecte and dysclose theyr wyckednes For excepte that good and simple menne had bene drawne from theyr seruytude and hoâ—…dage the passage and waye had bene shutte and stopt against the Gospel There was also an other reason namely because the people thought that to be lawefull for them whiche they saw their guides and ringeleaders do and fayned vnto them selues a lawe of theyr vicious and corrupte manners Moreouer leste any man should misconstrue that which he
the Euangeliste Marke hath Take hede to your selues by the which wordes he noteth the end vse of the admonition namely that they ought to be ready to suffer least that temptation should oppresse them vnawares B. Furthermore the cause of this hate was the scourge of God with the which both the Iewes the Gentiles resistinge the grace of God were scourged as we may se if we reade Tertullian For they assigned imputed the causes of warres of pestilence of honger of earthquakes such like to the Christians as though the deuine maiestie of God were offended angry with thē After the same manner the ministers of the Gospell the receiuers of the Euangelicall grace at this daye are hated A. according to these sayinges The time will come that whoso killeth you wil thinke that he doth God good seruice Also we are made the filthines as it were of the world the ofscouringe of all thinges euen vnto this daye 10 And then shall many bee offended and shal betray one another and shal hate one an other And then shal many C. Nowe he rehearseth certaine temptations whiche shall come of euill examples But this tēptatiō aboue al others is moste violent hard to ouercome seing that Christ him selfe is the stone of offence to many at the which some stomble some when they se it before them go backwarde other some fall thereat B. For it was mete that the disciples shoulde be exercised with this aduersitie whiche oftentimes bringeth more trouble doth more afflicte the true ministers of Christe than persecution it selfe Least therefore they should be troubled out of measure in seing many to fal for always the nōber of the elect is small he thought it good also to forwarne thē of these things For they should not only fall whiche were offended but there should also be enemies euen of the brethren of the whiche matter Paule had experience as he writeth in his Epistle to Timothe This is a moste daungerous temptation or triall when we see those that professed Christe to fall frō him But this offence is of two sortes for they whiche fall suffer offence then they bring offence to those that see their fall This last of seconde is very daungerous therefore they had great nede of this forewarninge But this place may very well be expoūded of those whiche semed to be domestical mēbers of the churche Howebeit Chirste semeth here to comprehende many kynde of perturbations because they do not only fal whiche had once entered into the right race But also many are exasperated moued against Christ other some hauing quyte forgotten modestie and equite doe caste them selues into brutishe madnes others become as Heaten men and put of all sence of pietie others in confused matters do vsurpe vnto them selues libertie to do that whiche is euell And shall hate one an other A. This must be referred to the hatred with the which the vnbeleuing hate those that preache the worde of the Gospoell Christe declareth the cause of hatred to his bretheren by these wordes The worlde can not hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are euell But he whiche hateth Christe hateth his ministers also If the worlde hate you ye knowe that it hated me firste And a litle after he saieth the seruaunt is not greater than his Lorde If they persecuted me they will also persecute you If they haue kept my saying they wyll kepe yours also To this saying also agreeth that whiche went before in the .x. chapiter of Mathewe And ye shal be hated of all men for my names sake The infidell shall hate the faythfull man. 11 And many false prophetes shall arise and deceiue many And many false prophets This admonition differeth from that whiche went before when Christe sayde that many should come in his name for there he spake only of false Christes which within a while after the beginning of the Gospell did falsely boaste them selues to be Christes but nowe he saith that false teachers shall come after them whiche should corrupte the sound and true doctrine with their errours euen as Peter teacheth that the churche shoulde be no lesse subiect to this euel than it was in tyme past vnder the lawe wherfore there is no cause why errors euery deceite of Sathan the corruptions of pietie should appaire or hurte the godly myndes because there is no man truely founded and buylte vpon Christe but he whiche hath learned to knowe that he must stande against suche assaltes For this is the true trial of our faith when the same is not ouerwhelmed by the rising of false prophetes Furthermore a false Prophete signifieth as muche to saye as a lying Prophete and whiche is called a Prophete by a false name as a false Apostle he whiche falsely taketh vnto hym the name of an Apostle B. Against suche Paule hath euer great contention These serued their bellies and not Iesu Christe They are such as were gelous ouer the Galathians amis These are dogges slowe bellies euell workers ennemies of the crosse of Christe whose ende is damnation whose God is their belly glory to their shame whiche are worldly mynded These are deceyuers through Philosoply and vayne deceite hauinge in their mouthes a shewe of wysdome And deceyue many C. He dothe not onely saye that false Prophetes shall come but he sayeth also that they beyng indewed with crafte and deceyte to deceyue shall drawe sectes after them In this point therefore we haue greate nede to beware because the multitude of those that erre causeth to declyne from oure race no lesse than a violent waue of the Sea except we be surely grounded vpon God. Bu. Of these deceauers also Peter spake the chief of the whiche were these Praxeas Valētinus Nouatus Arrius Manicheus Macedonius Donatus Nestorius Pelagius ◅uthiches the Mahometes also and the Papistes 12 And because iniquitie shall haue the vpper hande the loue of many shall abate B. That is to saye that crookednes or euell disposition of nature by the whiche men onely seeke to benefite them selues and haue no regarde to the proffite of their neighboure this abounding charitie loue must nedes waxe colde C. The whiche euell howe generall it is no man ought to be ignoraūt but fewe or none haue any regarde thereof For because by the lyght of the Gospell the faultes of men are more playnely detected we maye also euidently see that the studye of benificence is fainte and almoste extinguished euen in the honester more godly sorte For thus euery man thinketh in hym selfe if I bestowe my lyberallitie vppon this or that man surely it is loste and in vayne for experience and dayly practyse teacheth me that all men for the moste parte are vnthankefull vntrusty or vnhonest A greuous surely and a daungerous temptation for what can be more absurde than to allowe
in the houses wherin ye are And whē I sée the bloud I will pase ouer you and the plage shall not be vpon you to destroe you when I smite the lande of Egipte And this day shal be vnto you a remembrance and ye shall keepe it holy daye vnto the Lorde for euer M. Christ saith not here simplely after two dayes the sonne of man shal be deliuered vp c But he saith After two dayes shal be Easter the soone of man c To the ende he might declare that the time of Easter was the appointed time in the which he should be crucified Furthermore that he mighte declare that he was the true Paseouer which must be offered for the redemption of the world the tipe figure wherof was the Paseouer which the Iewes celebrated euery yere The Euangeliste Marke in stede of Ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter write After two daies was Easter and the dayes of swete breade that is according to the wordes of S. Luke The feaste of swete breade drewe nye whiche is called Easter that is to say the eating of the Paschall lambe and the vnleauened bread For in the fore said chapter of Exodus where it was commanded as concerning the celebration of paseouer it is strayght waye added Seuen dayes shall ye eate vnleauened breade And the Sonne of man C. Nowe Christe confirmeth that againe which wee haue hearde him so often foreshewed vnto his Disciples but this laste forewarnynge doth more plainly shewe how willing he was to offer him selfe to the death and it was necessary because God could not be pleased but by the Sacrifice of obediēce He ment also to preuent the offēce least the Disciples thinkinge that he was cōstrained by necessitye to be deliuered to death shoulde quayle and faynte in the faythe And so the vse of this sentence was twoo maner of wayes Firste that it mighte be declared that the Sonne of God of his owne accorde deliuered hym selfe to death that he mighte reconcile the worlde to his Father because otherwise he coulde not satisfye for the gylte of synne or purchase vnto vs righteousnes Secondly that he was not oppressed to dye as by a violent death whiche he coulde not auoyde but because he did wilingly offer himselfe to the death He dothe therefore here openlye declare that he commeth to Hierusalem with good aduisement that he might there suffer death For he hauing liberty to go backe againe and in quiete retourne to ouerpasse that time yet notwithstandinge euen in the very moment and tyme conuenient he goeth with good aduisement and deliberation into the midest of his enemys And although it did then nothynge profite the Disciples to be admonished of the obedience whiche he shewed towardes his Father yet notwithstandinge afterwarde their faythe was not a lyttel builded by this doctrine Euen as also at this daye wee receyue no small profite thereby because as it were in a lyuelye glasse the willinge sacrifice is set forth vnto vs by the which all the transgressions of the worlde are wypped awaye and wee do beholde and see the Sonne of God in goinge boldlye and withoute feare to his deathe to bee nowe the conquerer of death Shal be deliuered vp to be crucifyed Bu. Namely by Iudas to the hye Priestes of these he shal be deliuered to Pontius Pilate and of hym to the tormenters to be crucifyed In this shorte sentence he comprehendeth manye thinges Reade the twenty chapter goinge before 3. Then assembled together the chiefe priestes and the Scribes and the elders of the people vnto the palace of the hye prieste which was called Cayphas Then assembled together the C. The Euangeliste Mathewe meaneth not that they were gathered together euen in the second daye or within the compas of two dayes but he bringeth in this history to shewe that Christe as he was a manne was not able to appointe anye certaine time of his death For what might moue him thus to coniecture when as his enemies were fullye determined to differre the tyme The sence and meaninge therefore is this that he spake by the spirit of prophesy of his death seing that no man coulde suspecte that it was so nye at hande M. For althoughe the deathe of Christe was ordained by God and depended vppon the secrete counsell and purpose of God and not of men yet neuertheles the narration of the history did require that it shoulde be described by what and whose practises the same was wrought to the ende we may know that there is no one sorte of men more hurteful to the kingdome of Christ than they which raigne and exercise tyranny against the people of god vnder the shew of Godlines But note who they be whiche are sayd here to come together they truelye whiche had the name of the Churche what one innocente woulde haue beene afrayed of the assemblely of these men Vnto the pallace of the hye Prieste M. Here was the heade of the priestely kyngdome the matter was now about the authoritye hereof They had all one scope namely to defende and preserue that priestely kingedome VVhiche vvas called Cayphas B. This Cayphas had also to name Iosephus whiche succeded in the priesthoode the sonne of Symon Canithus beinge made hie priest of Gratus then presidente whom Pilate succeded Hee was also remoued againe from the priesthoode by Vitellius the proconsull of Syria Ionathas the sonne of Anna being placed in his steede Reade Iosephus for this matter For al thinges yea deuyne offices throughe couetousenesse and ambition of the priestes were bestowed amis by the Romaines Bu. This Cayphas was a man corrupted with couetousenes with luste with pryde and one that swelled with ambition beinge called by no lawfull ordinance to the dignity of the hye priesthode but for bribes and fauoure of the wicked presidentes which were Ethnixes was taken from the fylthy puddell and set in the dignitie of the hie priest Behold this chiefetaine in the counsell of the prestes 4 And helde a counsel that they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kyll him And helde a counsell Bu. The Euangelist sayth here that they helde a counsell that they might take Iesus by subtiltie or deceyte that is not openlye neyther by force but by some pretence the whiche Iudas brought to passe whiche fayning friendeshippe betraied him with a kisse What this counsel was S. Iohn describeth at large saying Then gathered the hie priestes and Pharisetes a counsayle and saide What do we For this man doth many miracles If we let him scape thus all men wyll beleeue on hym and the Romaines shall come and take away bothe our rome and the people And one of them named Cayphas beinge the hye preeste the same yere saide vnto theym Ye perceyue nothinge at all nor consyder that it is expediente for vs that one man dye for the people and not that all the people peryshe 5 But they saide not on the holy daye least there be
the testimonie of the woorde of god B. Furthermore we sée howe the memory of the Sainctes whiche haue serued Christe in the Church is kepte namely by the preachinge of the Gospell For all the déedes of Sainctes deserue not to be keapte in memorye amonge theire posteritye but those onely whiche are ioyned with the preachinge of the Gospell Christe therfore confirmeth his sentence goinge before for he saithe that Mary was so farre from blame in dooinge this thinge that rather shée shoulde haue greate prayse of them whiche shall preache the Gospell of them also which shal receiue it The praise therfore of the godly is true when they are praised of God in his Church In all the vvorlde M. Here Christe foresheweth plainely that it shall comme to passe that this Gospell shal be preached not only in Iewry but also in the whole worlde the whiche might bringe greate consolation to the mindes of the Disciples because the deathe of Christe was at hande and they did wante all kinde of consolation that after his assension they mighte be the more boulde althoughe at that time no man receiued the Gospell yet notwithstandinge that it shoulde be preached in the whole world C. Christ therefore by these woordes witnessed the callinge of the Gentiles in the which our Saluation is grounded But howe the Gospell shoulde be preached in the whole worlde wée haue shewed before There shall also this that shee hathe donne be toulde In that he saith that the memory of Mary shal be honorable in the whole world he doth ouerthwartly touch by this comparison his disciples because by the consente of al the Gentiles this déede â—…t all be praised among those that dwel in the vtmost partes of the earth in condemning wherof they of the houshold had bene so greatly waiward Christ also doth gently correct his disciples because they thinke so grossely of his kingedome to comme A. Salomon as concerning the memory of the iust writeth thus The memory of the iust shal haue a good reporte And the prophet Dauid saithe The iuste shal be had in euerlasting remembrance that not onely before the Angels but also before the whole Churche 14. Then weÌ„t on of the twelue which was called Iudas Iscarioth vnto the chefe Priestes Then vvente one of the tvvelue C. What frute repreheÌ„sions bring forth we here sée The disciples are stil silent not for shame but for true obedieÌ„ce sake For they stand so much to the iudgment of Christ that after they knowe that the thinge which displeased theÌ„ pleased him they are quiet Euen so ought we to doo wheÌ„ we haue receiued a fal being taught not to be ashamed to rise from our error On the coÌ„trary part we sée what good reprehension doth in the mindes of the obstinate for the admonition of Christe did profit so litle to turne the hart of Iudas or to make it better that he went by by void of care to make a most wicked bargaine with the enimies of Christ But it was a wonderful moÌ„strous insensible dulnes that in the losse of the oyntment he thought he had gotteÌ„ an honest excuse to so wicked a facte further that he being admonished by the wordes of Christ knew not what to doo The only mencion of his burial had bene inough to mollifie an yron hart when as he might haue gathered thereby the Christ offered him selfe a sacrifice for the saluatioÌ„ of mankind But in this spectacle we behould howe greate the blindenesse of wicked desires is and howe effectually they bewitcheth the minde Iudas was seruentely bente and geuen to steale and by longe vse he was hardened to committe wickednesse nowe because he knewe not howe to â—…gete his praye he letteth not trayterously to deliuer the sonne of God the authour of life to the deathe and althoughe he were retracted and reuoked therfrom yet violently he goeth on yea as thoughe he were in a madnesse he ruÌ„neth to the sworne enimies of Christ It is trewe that he had the same in his minde before but he was now more inflamed euen as those menne be whom the Lorde by his iudgement vrgeth that they runne headlonge more and more into mischiefe But and if Iudas had bene asked wherefore he did this thinge no doubte he hadde alleged that excuse whiche the wicked at this daye doo and had saide he vrged me too muche For they will haue the seruauntes of God to be in the faulte as they whiche ought to beare with all wickednesse The wicked cannot be hâ—…lde excepte menne flatter theim When they are vrged they breake the raynes nothinge can houlde theim and afterwarde they laye the whole faulte vppon the Seruauntes of God whiche reprehende them They kéepe in theire poyson for a tyme in so muche that it appeareth not but they will in no wyse be reprehended but when they are vrged they séeke to doo all the mischefe they canne because they are possessed of the Deuill Whereuppon S. Luke dothe not without cause expressely saye that Sathan entered into hym not that the Spirite of God did gouerne hym before because he could not haue bene geuen to thefte and rapine vnlesse he had bene the mansion place of Sathan but Luke meanethe that he was then wholye geuen to Sathan in possession that beinge desperate he might runne headlong into his owne destruction For althoughe Sathan doo make vs fall dailye and raigneth in vs when he carrieth vs into a greater libertye of sinninge yet notwithstandinge he is then saide to enter into the reprobate when the feare of God beinge takeÌ„ away the light of reason extinguished shame also cleane put of he possesseth all our sences But God dothe shewe this extreame kinde of vengeance vpon none but sutche as are geuen to destruction Wherefore let vs learne to repente in tyme leaste the longe continuance of oure hardenesse doo stablishe the Kingedome of Sathan in vs. For so soone as wee are caste into this tyranye wée be out of oure wittes beyonde all measure A. For wée knowe what the Apostle writethe that the Gouernoure of the Ayre woorkethe in the children of vnbeliefe And in an other place he affirmeth that they whiche resiste the truthe are helde with the snares of the Deuill to his pleasure B. But to demaunde whether Sathan entered substaÌ„tially into Iudas or no is a vaine question This thinge is more necessarye to be weighed howe horrible a thing it is that menne beinge made to the similitude of God and appointed to be the Temples of the Holy Ghoste shoulde not onely be turned into stinkinge Stables but also be made the cursed mansion places of Sathan One of the tvvelue B. This is plainely expressed and sette foorthe that wée maie sée that there is no societye so sounde and cleane but that it may be spotted since that amonge the Apostles of Christe a Traytoure was founde Wherefore let no man be offended if any companion of Iudas be founde amonge the