town that lyeth oueragainst you anon ye shall fynde an Asse bounde and a coulte wyth her loose them and bringe them vnto me Go into the tovvne that lyeth M. Some very fondly haue expounded this place sayinge that by this towne he ment the Citty Hierusalem the which Citty say they he called a towne in contempte C. But the woords of Christ ought to be vnderstode of some village that was in the Subarbes beinge suche a one as we see commonly adioyninge to Citties in the which they vsed asses for cariage betwen the Citty and the towne Again it may be that Bethanye or some other suche towne laye so betwene Bethphage and Hierusalem that they which were at Bethphage could not sée Hierusalem That lyeth ouer against you A. That is which lyeth righte before your face He sheweth them a place which was in their sighte which could not be Hierusalem by reason of the hill which laye betwene For Bethphage stoode of one syde of the hill and Hierusalem on the other And anon ye shal fynde an Asse C. Seinge that Christ was so nere the Citty it can not be thought that he sent for the Asse to ease hym of his Iorney for it had bene a smale matter to walke that two miles on foote but euen as kinges ascende and syt in they re charriots because they will be sene euen so the lorde ment to be sene of all men and by som token to seme to allowe the cryes and shoutes of those that followed him leaste they shoulde thinke that it was done agaynst his will and that withoute his consente they attributed vnto him the honour of a kinge M. Hée which was Lord of all men and of all thinges ells borroweth a poore mans beast to ryde vppon and hath nothinge of his owne beinge made poore for our sakes althoughe hee were the richest of all C. And least anye thinge shoulde staye the Disciples from fulfillinge his will and commaundement the Lorde doth preuent certaine doubts which might aryse in their myndes And firste of all he declayeth that he sendeth them not by chaunce when he saith that euen in the enteraunce into the towne they shall fynde an Asse with her coulte M. A wonderfull foreknowledge treulye it was which beinge absente coulde tel where and what maner of Asse it was that he shoulde occupy The lyke of this wee reade in the Gospell after sainct Ihon where it is thus written Nathanaell sayth vnto him whence knowest thou me Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym Before that Philip called thee when thou wast vnder the figge trée I sawe thee C. Furthermore he saith that no man shall deny them the asse but wil suffer them to lead it awaye For it followeth 3. And if any man saye ought vnto you say ye the Lorde hath nede of them and straytewaye he will let them go And if any man saye B. The Euangelists Marke and Luke adde to this sayinge Why do ye so why doe ye louse hym Thus shall ye saye vnto hym the Lorde hath néede thereof C. By this meanes the Lorde declared a notable argument and proofe of his Godhead For to know a thinge not presente and to bende the harts of men to agree to his will belongeth vnto God and not to a mortal man For although it might be that the owner of the Asse hauinge a good opinion of Christe mighte graunte willinglye the loue of the same Yet notwithstanding to knowe and foreshewe whether he wer at home or no to describe the Asse so nerely and to knowe whether he woulde credit his Disciples comming as strangers it was not in the power of a mortall man B. By these thinges therfore he went about to reueale and make manifeste his power and Deity to his Apostells leaste afterwarde they shoulde doubte or dispayre of the same when they shoulde sée him hange on the crosse with synners Saye ye the Lorde hath nede of them M. The Lorde sought not to take away any mans cattell althoughe he were the Lorde of all creatures but firste shewed his necessity and then with their coÌ„sent led and toke them awaye And straite vvaye he vvill let them go Some translations haue And he letteth them go But it is better to read it in the futer tence than in the present tence 4. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophete saying All this vvas don M. The Euangelist here sheweth a reason why Christe commaunded the Asse to be brought that he â—…ittinge vpon the same mighte ryde into Hierusalem namely that those thinges which were spoken of before by Zacharias the Prophete might be fulfilled And the Euangelist Ihon alleageth the same place to the same ende and purpose sayinge And Iesus gate a young Asse and sate thereon as it is written â–ª Feare not daughter of Sion beholde thy Kyng commeth on an Asses coulte Moreouer the Euangelist brought in this place of Scripture to the ende we might sée that Christ came not because we had deserued his comminge but because he would performe and fulfill the treuth of God For asmuche as he was promised long before were It was necessary therfore that this portion of Scripture shuld be fulfilled in Christ because it was appointed by God that before his passion he shoulde ryde into Hierusalem vpon an Asse And it was therfore foreshewed by the holye Ghoste because it shoulde com to passe it should come to passe because it was so appointed by the eternall decree and purpose of God and it was appointed by God because it semed vnto him good by that meanes to set forthe the quality quantitye of his Kyngdome The quality because it shoulde be full of righteousnes sauing healthe peace and humility the quantity because it shoulde be ample large and full of power 5. Tel ye the daughter of Sion behold thy Kinge commeth vnto thee meke sitting vpoÌ„ an Asse and a coulte the foale of an Asse vsed to the Yoake Tell ye the daughter of Sion E. This testimonye of Scripture is taken out of the ninthe chapter of the prophesye of Zacharye howbeit the Euangeliste dothe not agrée with the Hebrewe texste neyther with the thrée score and tene interpretors L. For firste of all wee must note that the Euangelistes had no speciall regarde to cite euerye woorde of the Prophetes but counted it sufficient to alleage theire meaninge and manifestlye to declare that those things wherof they prophesyed were fulfylled and that speciallye to this ende they mighte geue vs occasion to searche the Scripture to se what they had omitted and how that nothinge was prophesyed of before by the Prophetes whiche was not fulfylled This place therfore of the Prophete Zachary accordinge to the Hebrewe texte is thus written Reioyce thou greatelye O daughter Sion be glad O daughter Hierusalem For lo thy thy Kynge commeth vnto thée euen the righteouse and Sauiour Lowlye and simple is he he rydeth vpon an Asse and vppon the
receyue hym that wee maye acknowledge hym onelye to be the righteouse and Sauioure which is Iuste and a Sauiour bothe iustifyinge and sauinge vs and that by his owne mercy and goodnes and by no deserte or merite of oures but by his free grace offered vnto vs. Meke B. In that our Euangelist saith that Christ came meke it is nothing coÌ„trarye to that which the Prophets hath when he sayth that hée came poore and afflicted for there is none meeke but hee which willingly suffereth affliction and so hée is also poore Moreouer Christ was not poore but with mekenes as wée read in the fifte Chapter going before Furthermore the Hebrewe woord Ani which signifyeth poore and the which also Zacharias vseth in this place doth not alwayes signifye him to be poore which is destitute of moneye and other riches but which is of a brokeÌ„ hart and humble spirit who is alltogether frée froÌ„ wrathe and arrogancy and full of humillity and mekenes Of the which signification meaninge wee haue an expresse example in our sauiour Christ when Luke describeth him to haue wept ouer Hierusalem and to bewaile the miserye of the same at this his enterance therein So that the Hebrew worde signifyeth that which thou readest here as concerninge the behauioure of our sauiour Christ whether thou interprete it to be poore or meke His harte is oppressed as thou séest with affliction and compassion ouer Hierusalem here is no shewe of anger or token of reuenge but a certaine signe of mekenes bewayling the destruction of his ennemyes The affliction of the harte with the which hée was disquieted and troubled had made him so gentle and méeke that no anger no cruelty no threatning nor no reuenge could once take place in his minde hée could do nothinge but suffer and offer his inspeakeable goodnes to his ennemies Behould this is the cause why the Prophete calleth him here poore and the Euangelist meeke Blessed is hée to whom it is geuen thus to beleeue and acknowledge Christ And sitting vpon an Asse B. The Gréeke the Hebrew woord also signifyeth eyther the male or female kinde But the other thre Euangelistes do declare that it was a male and the Euangeliste Iohn who bringeth in the same place of the Prophete Zachary writeth thus And Iesus got a yonge Asse and sate thereon as it is written Feare not daughter of Sion behold thy Kinge commeth sitting vppoÌ„ an Asses coulte And whereas the Prophete writteth that Iesus rode vpon an Asse and the coulte of an Asse hee vseth a figure very common to the Prophets by the which they double one thinge by diuers voyces For accordinge to the maner of the Scripture hee putteth the coulte of an Asse in steede of an Asse And the Hebrewe woorde for the which wée haue this woord coulte doth properly signify a beaste broken to the saddell and méete to ryde vppon and not a coult as wee may euidently gather by that place where we reade these woordes And hee had thirtye sonnes which roode vppon thirtye Asse coultes C. But very fonde is the allegory which many make here in the Asse and the coulte For they make the Asse a figure of the people of the Iewes which a longe time had beene subiecte and accustomed to the yoake of the Lawe And by the coulte they saye that the Gentiles are vnderstoode And that Christ did therfore first sit vppon an Asse because hee ought to begin at the Iewes and that bee afterward rode vppon the coult because after that hée had done his office concerninge the Iewes hée shoulde finishe his worke in the Gentiles And our Euangelist Mathew truly séemeth to note the rydinge vppon them both But seinge the figure called Synecdoche is often vsed in the Scripture it is no maruelle if he name two for one B. But by the other two Euangelistes as it is said before it is euidente that Christ vsed but the coult only And the Prophet Zachary taketh away all doubt who according to the familliar vse of the Hebrewe tongue repeteth oâ—…e thinge twyse C. But wheras the Euangelist sayth that the foale of the Asse was vsed to the yoake that is to say which was vsed dayly to carry burthens and to labour which woordes the Prophet hath not the Euangeliste therefore did it to expresse of what kinde of Asse the Prophete spake as if hee shoulde haue saide The prophesye is fulfilled in that Asse which was brought vp not to iourneye but to carrye burthens accordinge to the manner of that countreye vppon whose coulte the Lorde did ride So abiecte and base was the fulfillinge of this prophesye least any man should thincke that the Prophete did forshewe anye excellente thinge or pompouse maiestye C. The Euangelist Mathew therefore went about to shew what maner of king Christ should come namelye farre vnlike to the kinges of this world which excell in gorgious and sumptuouse ornamentes 6. The Disciples went and did as Iesus commaunded them The Disciplles vvent and C. Here the redines of the Disciples in séeking all meanes to obey and fullfill their maisters will commaundement is to be commended who withoute delaye did that which hee bad them For Christ was not of so great authority that his name only was sufficient to moue straungers vnacquainted persons furthermore the Disciples might haue feared the infamy of theft Hereby therfore it appeareth how great a credit they had in their masters worde when that they aunswere not nor question about the matter but bearinge them bould vppon his commaundemente and promise make hast to the place wherunto they were sente and being come thither they were not deceiued of their expectation The which thinge ought to be a lesson vnto vs that wée may learne to quiet and contente our selues with the promises of God and to go forwarde to the fullfilling of his promises throughe all manner of lets that wée by our obedience may fulfill those thinges which hee commaundeth For hee all impedimentes beinge remoued will finde oute the waye and will not suffer our trauaile to be voyde of none effecte R. Luke sayth They which were sent wente their way and founde as hée had saide vnto them 7. And brought the Asse and the coult and put on them their clothes and set him thereon And brought the Asse A. Our Euangelist Mathewe omitteth certaine thinges which are red in Luke For hee sayth that it was said vnto that Disciples which loused the coulte Why louse ye the coulte which saide Because the Lord hath néede there of but all these are included in the verre goinge before for so the Disciples made aunsweare as they were coÌ„maunded of Christ And put on them their clothes E. The Greeke word doth rather signifye gownes and cloakes than apparell The Disciples spred therefore their cloakes vppon the Asse in stéede of a saddle And set him thereon A. Namely vppon their garmentes not vppon the Asse and the coulte as thoughe hée had ridden vppon
might bee discerned from falsehode and lyes For the crafty vvylines of false Apostels is vvell enough knovven vvho being deceitful and subtile vvorkers taking vpon them the name of the Apostels of Christe do easely begyle the simple and suche as take no hede of them as the Apostell Paule in his epistell to the Corinthians declareth M. Therefore to the ende a certainâ—… doctrine as concerning Christ should persiste and continue in the Churche or congregation the holy Ghoste brought to passe that firste of all the natiuitie of Christe his life doctrine death buriall resurrection and assention into heauen beside these the sending forth of the embassage of the Gospell into the vvhole vvorlde the going forvvarde and good successe of the doctrine of the Gospell and Christian faithe the declaration and confirmation of the same by faithful vvitnesses that is to saye holy Euangelistes should in maner of an history beÌ„ coÌ„mitted to vvriting by them vvhiche Euangelistes heard and savve all thinges them selues before their face vvhiche also hauing authoritie and povver of God vvere the first vvhiche vvere sent and appointed to the preaching of the Gospell throughout the vvhole vvorlde To this vse ende and purpose the foure Euangelistes haue vvrytten the history of Christe among vvhome C onely Luke maketh a preface to his Gospell vvhiche he vvryteth briefely shevvyng the cause vvhiche moued him to vvryte as euidently you may see if you reade the same B. As touching the interpretation of this vvorde Gospell it being taken from the Greeke vvorde signifieth good or glad tidinges The vvhiche vvorde the three score and tenne interpretours vsed so often as they founde the Hebrevve vvorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bisser vvhiche signifieth to tell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besora tidinges being the deriuatiue of the same and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meuasser telling The Apostels and Euangelistes vsed this vvoorde very muche after them The Euangeliste Luke citing the place of the Prophete Esaye vsed this vvoorde To preache the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me Therefore the Gospell shal be vnto vs a publique or open setting foorth and preaching of the grace and redemptioÌ„ purchased and gotten by Christe as concerning the vvhiche redemption there are infinite testimonies of holy Scripture C Or els the Gospell is a history conteining the glad tidinges of the comming of Christe in the fleshe being sent of the Father accordinge to his promises in the lavve Prophetes and Psalmes In the vvhiche history the lyfe specially of Christe his doctrine death resurrection and assention is declared beside these the fruite of his comming is therein declared namely that by him vve are deliuered from the Deuell sinne and death and that vve are sanctified and assured of euerlasting lyfe B. As therefore the Gospell in the Scripture is properly a declaration of the long loked for saluation and at the lengthe reuealed and offered by Christe euen so our Euangeliste Mathevve as the reste Marke Luke and Iohn hath very cunningly and artificially vvritten in his Gospell the history of the Lorde by the vvhiche he declareth both his vvoordes and dedes in order A. But vvho this Mathevve vvas vvhose vvorke in the nevve TestameÌ„t hath the first rome M and from vvhat state of life he vvas called of Christe and aduaunced by him to the dignitie of an Apostle he of himselfe as vve shall heare hereafter declareth In the meane tyme vve must thinke and assure our selues that the holy Ghoste vvas and is the true authour of this history and that Mathevv vvas only the instrumeÌ„t or secretary to the same vvho leauing his pouling kinde of lyfe is become not onely a companion and disciple but also an Apostell and Euangeliste of Christe from vvhome all thinges in the vvorlde that are good do flovve as from the lyuely and celestiall vvell of grace A GODLY AND CATHOLIKE EXPOSITION OF THE HOLY Gospell of Iesu Christ after Mathevv The fyrst Chapiter The booke of the generation of Iesu Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham The booke of the generation C. IN VAYNE do certaine interpretours trauel about this titel or inscription to make excuse because the Euangelist Mathew doth name the whole history of the halfe of one chapter For this titel is not exteÌ„ded to the whole booke but the name of the booke is put for a Cataloge or rehersall as if it had ben saide here foloweth the order of the generation of Christ B. Euen as we maye reade in Genesis This is the boke of the generatioÌ„ of meÌ„ In the which place the Hebrew worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sepher which coÌ„meth of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saphar that is he hath nombred rehersed or declared For there foloweth the Cataloge or rehersal of men from Adam vntyll Noah with a discription of whoÌ„ and what tyme euery one had his ofspringe and originall Or els the booke of the generation signifieth that in the which somwhat is rehersed or nombred M. whervpon we reade that the booke of the Iust the booke of God in the whiche the Iust are written is so called B. This name therfore perteineth properly to the Cataloge and to the history A. And although the Euangelist goeth about to shew that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the true Messias promised long before in the lawe and Prophetes and loked for of the fathers B. Yet notwithstanding he wolde begyn the Gospell of Christ with the basenes of his generation sekinge to bring in all the sorrowes traueiles and paines of his life euen till the power glory and maiestie of his resurrection and kingdome in the which he sittinge at the right hande of God gouerneth all thinges that as Christ suffered many thynges and so entered into the glory of his kingdome and as he dyd fyrst abase hym selfe and became man a seruant also and humbled him selfe to the death of the crosse euen so he myght preache Christ vnto vs to be a mortal maÌ„ and crucified before that he was mortal and rayned gloriously in his kyngdome and so by the folishenes of preachinge to bringe saluation to the faythfull A The Euangelist Iohn more plainly euen at the fyrst preacheth the maiestie of Christ B. teaching him to be the eternall worde of the father and that deuine power and vertue by the which all thynges were made lyue moue consist feele vnderstand But our Euangelist Mathewe thought it sufficient to shewe briefely as it were in one word the diuinitie of Christe wrytinge thus The booke of the generation of Chryste And where as he calleth Iesus whiche was thought to be a carpenter and the sonne of a carpenter Chryst being that king which was long loked for promysed to the fathers he hath already shewed a sufficient cause and reason of so doinge to those that knowe the force of this name The sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham C. He calleth Chryst the son of Dauid and AbrahaÌ„ in respecte of
did condemne all kynde of othes without exception As the Anabaptistes who thought that Christe did admitte no man to sweare for any kinde of cause in that he forbad to swere at al. But by the text it self the meaning is best gathered For incoÌ„tineÌ„t it foloweth Neither by heauen nor by earth Who nowe seeth not that these kyndes of swearing or particulers are added expositiuely that they myght expresse the firste member by destincte enumeration The Iewes had a disordered kynde of swearing and wheÌ„ they did sweare by heauen by the earth or by the altare they did counte it as nothing Christe to the ende he might reproue this vice playnely declareth that they must not sweare at all neither by this nor by that neither by heauen nor by earthe nor by any thinge Whereby we may gather that this worde At all is not referred to the substaunce but to the forme of an othe otherwise in vayne he shold haue rehersed these particulers Wherefore the Anabaptistes bewraye their grosse ignoraunce for whyle they curiously persiste in vrging one worde they ouerpasse perceiue not the whole tenor of his talke A. Christe speaketh here of busynes and affayres and familiar talke about the whiche there is no necessitie of an othe required In necessary causes it is not onely permitted to sweare but also is commauÌ„ded of God as appeareth in the sixte of Deutronom And the Prophete Ieremy saythe that an othe is to be taken in truthe in Iudgement and righteousnes Christ did often tymes sweare Paule vsed an othe God also swore by hym selfe Therefore the effecte is this that the name of God is by other meanes taken in vayne then by swearing Therefore men must abstaine from all superfluous kynde of swearing and where iust occasion serueth there to sweare Wherefore Christe mente nothing els but this that all kynde of othes were vnlawefull which by any abuse did prophane the holy name of God to the reuerence whereof they ought to serue V. Finally he that sweareth doth twoo thinges fyrst he taketh God to witnes and sayth that he wyll fulfill his promyse to the honour of God Then he calleth vpon God as the chiefe iudge that he wil not suffer his office to be abused prayeth that he wyll defende his honour and the dignitie of his deuine iudgemeÌ„t and shewe the same vpon him whiche sweareth excepte he kepe his othe And thus he constraineth God to take veÌ„geaunce by the mention of his honour truthe and office Neither by heauen C. They are greatly deceyued whiche expounde these maner of othes to be corrected of Christ because we ought to sweare by God only For the reasons whiche he bringeth do tende more to the contrary that then we sweare by the name of God when we sweare either by heauen or by the earth because there is no part of the worlde in the whiche some special note or marke of the glory of God is not imprinted Obiection Notwithstandinge this sentence dothe not seme to agree with the commaundemeÌ„t of the Lawe where God dothe plainely coÌ„maunde to sweare by his name Moreouer it semeth to disagree with many places of holy scripture where the almighty God complayneth that we do vnto him iniury so often as we sweare by his creatures We may aunswere that corruption is adioyning to idolatry wheÌ„ that either the power of iudgement or the authoritie of approuing testimony is deferred and brought to them For the ende of an othe is to be coÌ„sidered because men called God the reuenger of falshod and the defender of truthe as we haue shewed already a litle before This honour cannot be geuen to another without the violating of his maiestie In consideration of this the Apostell saith Men verely sweare by him that is greater theÌ„ them selues and an othe to confirme the thing is to them an ende of all stryfe So that this is only proper to God to sweare by him selfe Euen so in olde tyme men did vse to sweare by Moloch or by some other Idole and so they appointed another in Gods stede to be a knower of secretes iudge of myndes by the whiche they did take away the righte appertayning to god Euen so at this daye they do no lesse offende which sweare by aungels and other dead saintes God therefore in all thinges is only to be taken for a witnes Because it is the seate of God. M. These wordes appertayne also to â—â—e Prophete when he saithe Thus saithe the lorde The heauen is my seate and the earth is my foote stoole C. The heauen therefore is called the throne or the seate of God not that he is there included and shut vp but that meÌ„ may learne to lifte vp their myndes so often as they thynke of him and that we might not imagine any earthly thing of hym A. To this effecte tendeth the begynning of the lordes prayer wherein we are commaunded to call hym our father whiche is in heauen 35 Neither by the earth because it is his footestoole Neither by Hierusalem because it is the citie of the great king Neither by the earth M. This sentence also is taken out of the foresayde place of the Prophete Esaie Christ speaketh here of a kingely maiestie to put vs in minde of a heaueÌ„ly maiestie and dignitie Great is the excellencie of a kynges throne neyther do the footestoles of kings want their honoure Let no man therefore thinke that this earth in the which we liue is without the glory maiestie and power of god C. The earthe is called the foote stoole of God that we might knowe that he is euery where and that he cannot in the space of place he comprehended Neyther by Hierusalem M. Althoughe the earthe is the lordes and all that therein is as the Prophete Dauid saythe and therefore ought reuerently to be inhabited by the grace and fauour of the deuine maiestie Yet notwithstaÌ„ding it is worthely required that those places in the which the goodnes of God is more highly extolled should be more honorable then others Suche was this cittie because of the Temple priesthoode worshippe and woorde of God and because the lorde had chosen the same to be the seate of his empyre To the probation wherof these places followyng do serue I haue appointed him my kinge vppon my holy hill of Sion Agayne Tourne thy wrath awaye I beseche thee from thy cittie HierusaleÌ„ and from thy holy hill Moreouer the deuell caried him into the holy cittie And they came into the holy cittie It is called therefore the cittie of the great kyng because there more plentifully he shewed his power and the signes of his presence not that he was therein included Nowe Hierusalem is become the whole worlde as it was spoken of before by the Prophetes God wyll be called vppon and knowne euery where M. It is not with out great cause that Christe in this place calleth God the great
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
foale of an Asse For these wordes of the Euangeliste Tell ye the daughter of Sion are not in Zachary as touching the very worde yet notwithstandinge the Euangeliste verye conninglye and aptly transferreth that to all the godly teachers which God commanded one Prophete onely to testify For this was the onelye hope by the which the sonnes of God ought to erecte and conforte themselues namelye that the Redemer at the lenghte shoulde com And therefore the Prophete teacheth that full and sufficient matter of Ioye is brought vnto the faythful by the comminge of Christe For seing that God canne no otherwyse be fauorable vnto them than by the meane of a Mediator who delyuereth those that are his from all euell What thynge can there be without hym whiche can exhillerate and make glad the harts of men who are drowned in theire synnes and oppressed with manye miseries And euen as it is necessarie Christe beinge absent that wee bee sorowfull and heauy euen so againe the Prophete admonisheth the faythfull that there is good cause why they shoulde reioyce when a Redemer is com vnto them C This therefore is an exhortation to Prophetes Preachers to declare these glad tydings to the Churche of Israell for by the name of sonnes the Prophets did call as well the Cittyes them selues as the Cittizenes that dwelte in them For so often as wee heare the Lorde speakynge let all Prophetes Apostels and Pastors knowe that they are commaunded to speake in the name of the Lorde and to declare theire Imbassage Tell ye sayth he the daughter of Sion He commaundeth therefore his Ministers to speake vnto the congregation of Saincts and to the Churche of Hierusalem and to declare vnto them the commynge of they re Christ The daughter of Sion and the daughter of Hierusalem are bothe putt for the Churche whiche was at Hierusalem For Syon was a parte of the Cittye The Euangeliste beinge contentâ—… that he had shewed the place of the Prophete exhorteth the Ministers of the Churche to declare that the Prophesy of the Prophete as concernynge the Messias is fulfylled when they sée Iesus syttynge on an Asse to enter into Hierusalem as it was Prophesyed before Beholde E. By this woorde he goeth about as one hauynge som greate and waightye matter to speake of to awake vs from sleepe and infydellitye to the ende wee mighte with the greater Ioye receyue this Ioyfull tydynges The Kynge commeth L. That is to saye whiche was promised vnto thee whose peculiar people thou arte who onelye ought to gouerne thee all other sette asyde but in spirite not in externall rule and Empire of whome thou shalte and arte so gouerned that beinge delyuered from synnes from Deuells from Hellegates from the fleshe from the world mayest most pleasantly be broughte vp gouerned of him in grace in spirit in lyfe in heauen in God the which thinge commeth to thee onelye by Fayth by the which thou doest beleue him to be suche a King and that he doth vse no other gouernmeÌ„t that he came to no other end For if thou do not beleue these things of him thou shalt neuer attaine theÌ„ by any other thing nor by thine owne labor and industry For suche a one as thou doste deme and esteme thou hast whatsoeuer thou doest persuade and promise thy selfe to be in him that same shalte thou finde in him and in all thinges as thou beleuest so shall it be vnto thee he for euer abyding all one and immutable which is the Kyng of life of grace of felicitye whether ye be so tought or no. Commeth vnto thee He it is that commeth For it is not thou the coÌ„mest bringing thy selfe vnto hym his dwellynge is so hye and so farre hence that thou canste not com vnto him by thy riches by thy worke or by thy labor that thou mightest haue nothing to boaste that thou by thine own merite or deserte hadest purchased hym vnto thee He commeth also because he foreshewed the same in the Prophetes and promised that he woulde com So that nowe he hath faythfully performed his promises and is com Bu. Thou haste looked for hym a longe tyme O Sion and haste weryed they selfe wyth wayting where and when thou shouldest beholde that Kynge whiche in all ages was promised to com into the worlde Nowe therfore he commeth there is no cause why thou shouldest wayte for his comminge anye more And he commeth treuly to thee that is to thy vse for thy proffite not for any matter of his owne as commonly Kinges do but to saue thee to lyfte vp thee and to make thee happy B. He came also to make thee his peculiar people For Christe thought it not sufficiente to make vs free from tyrannye from the rule of sinne deathe and hell and to bee oure Kyng but also to geue hym selfe wholely vnto vs that whatsoeuer pertayned vnto hym mighte be our owne Of the which saincte Paule wrighteth saying God spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all howe then with him shoulde he not geue vs all thinges And againe hee saythe Christe is made vnto vs of God Sanctification righteousnes wisedome and redemption In this therefore that he commeth vnto thee thou haste a greate benefyte aboue all other namelye that thou mightest haue power ouer those thinges that belonge vnto him Euen as the wyfe taketh those things for her owne which pertaine to her husbande namelye the apparell with the which he adorned and beautifyed her so we take those thinges which pertaine to Christ as oure owne Besyde these woordes of the Euangelist we may reade in the Prophete more namely wheÌ„ he saith that he is righteouse and a sauiour Christ is here saide to be righteouse because of the righteousnes wherewith he is saide to Iustify vs and not of that whereby he iudgeth vs. For all those thinges which the Scripture attributeth to God and Crist our sauiour ought to be referred vnto vs He came therfore righteouse vnto thée that is he came to iustify thée by his grace only beinge not ignorant of thy vnrighteousnes And that thou mightest be made righteouse thou haddest no nede of anye thinge that pertained vnto thee but of his grace of his goodnes and liberalitie that thou mightest by hym alone obtaine righteousnes In this sence the Apostel Paule vseth these wordes when he sayth Christ is the obteyner of mercy through faith by the meanes of his bloud to declare his righteousnes in that he forgeueth the synnes that are paste whiche God did suffer to shewe at this tyme his righteousnes that he might be counted iuste and the Iustifyer of hym which beleueth in Iesus For he should not haue com a Sauiour to euerye one if he had come with his seuere strayte and Iudgeinge iustice but rather a condemner to all menne Forsomuche as all men are vniuste and synners But now hee commeth not onelye to make vs Godlye and Iust but also to saue so many as