be that disputethe howe the deade do syt in heauen he dothe stay him self from comming to the kingdome of heauen A. Some thinke that the Apostels in this place called the new people whereof they them selues were the first fruites the kingdome of God as if they shoulde haue saide whiche of thye Apostelles shall be the chiefe when thou beginnest to raigne by the churche in the whole worlde or elles who shal be chefe now in this our administration By this question it doth sufficientely appere that not onely the reliques of synne but also greate synnes do remaine in the sainctes and faythfull The Apostelles were holy and faithfull yet notwithstandinge they were ambitiouse and spitefull 2 And Iesus called a childe vnto hym and set him in the middest of them And Iesus called a childe vnto E. The Greeke worde Paidion for the whiche wee reade this woord childe althoughe it be sometymes vsed for a great boy yet notwithstandinge in this place it is not vsed as a diminutiue in vayne For it maketh the matter to haue the greater Emphasis and force when hée doth not onelye call them to the imitacion of euerye childe but also of euery small childe Bu. And the Lorde to the ende hee mighte make them beare in minde the which he was about to teach hée vseth not onely words but also a liuely patterne and expresse example The same did the Prophetes oftentimes vse because it was profitable both to teache and also to demonstrate to moue and to printe those thinges in minde which we would haue remembred For the action doth set the thinge to be seene before our eyes and the woordes do declare vnto vs what the action meaneth And therefore the Prophete Ieremy doth not onely saye that the Cittye of Hierusalem shal be destroyed but hée taketh also an earthē pot and breaketh the same in the presence of those that were with him saying Euen so wil I destroy this Cittie and this people sayth the Lorde Also the same Prophete maketh bondes and chaynes sheweth them vnto all men and afterwarde hee expoundeth the meaninge of them The like doth the Lorde himselfe go aboute in this place and therefore when he had called a childe vnto him hée set him in the middest of those that contended and disputed and then by and by hée declareth the meaning of this example by wordes saying 3. Verely verely I say vnto you except ye tourn become as childrē ye shal not enter into the kingedome of God. Verely verely I say vnto you M. This earnest and graue affyrmation of our sauiour Christ maketh this sentence of more waight and importaunce For althoughe all the wordes of Christ ought to be coūted true and certaine yet notwithstanding it is euidente that those thinges are spoken wyth a more earneste affection whiche haue this asseueration adioyned vnto them and for that cause they ought to be dyligently hearde and considered What other thinge dothe oure sauioure Christe meane by this affyrmation then to extorte fayth from vs and to admonishe vs that excepte we beleue wée shall certaynely peryshe Excepte ye tourne M. Namely from that way in the which ye are entered disputing for the superioritie which way leadeth not to the kingdome of heauen but to the kingdome of Sathan excepte I say ye be otherwise then ye nowe are A. ye shall neuer be parte takers of the kingdome of heauen wherof I haue spoken vnto you C. He meaneth that they were vngodly minded therfore he reprehendeth their ambitiō And become as children ye shall not Beholde here what the conuersion is whereof he speaketh namely humillitie and voluntary submission as in the verse followinge he declareth more at large Ye shall not enter into the kingdome Bu. This is a horrible sentence for he speakethe not of some lighte kinde or of some fatherlye correction but of a perpetuall refusall forsakinge as if he had said So farre ye are from excellinge in the kingedome of heauen that ye shall haue noo accesse or portion at all in the same because I wil vtterly forsake you except ye tourne and be conuerted from your peruerse desyre of ruling to the trew submission and humillitie of the minde 4. VVhosoeuer therfore humbleth him selfe as this child the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen VVhosoeuer therefore M. Here hee dothe more plainely declare what he mente by this saiynge Excepte ye turne and become as children C. The somme of his woordes is this They which desire ambiciously to excell their bretherne shal be so farre from obteyning theyr desier that they shal be far inferiour to them Accordinge to that whiche he saith in an other place He that exalteth him selfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth him selfe shall be exalted For he reasonethe of the contrary because onely humillitie dothe exalte vs But where as he commaundeth his disciples to be as chyldren his woordes are not to be extended to all the quallities of a chylde generally For we knowe that there are many faltes in children Wherefore the Apostell Paule exhorteth vs to be children in mallice but not in sence and vnderstanding But because infantes do not knowe as yet what preferment and principallitie meaneth for the which they should contend Christ by their example seketh to take away ambition out of the mindes of those that are his least they should be like vnto the children of this world which are neuer contente with their vocation and state To the whiche effecte partaineth this saying of the Apostell Peter Wherefore lay aside all maliciousenesse and al guile and faynednes and enuie and all backebytynge and as new borne babes desire ye that milke not of the body but of the soule whiche is without all deceyte c. But if any man obiecte and saye Obiection that infantes are proude by nature euen from theyr mothers wombe we answere that similitudes oughte not too exactly scrupulouselye to be wayed and strayned as thoughe of necessitie they shoulde holde in al poyntes Because therfore so great symplicitie doth raigne as yet in the age of infantes that they are ignorant of the degrees of honoure and the affections of pryde Christ dothe very aptly propoūde them for an exaumple And to this ende partaineth the conuersion that hee spake of euen nowe namely that the disciples had already applied them selues too much to the maners of worldely men and that therfore if they wolde come to the marke they muste turne backe againe Euerye man desired to haue eyther the firste or the seconde roome but Christ wil not so muche as graunte the fotestoole to any man but to him whiche humblethe hym selfe to the lowest degree And to such he pronounceth prefermente and dygnitie least we should thinke to loose any thing by abasinge our selues And hereuppon may be gathered a short definition of humilitie namely that he is hūble in dede whiche neyther arrogateth any thing to him self before
were depriued of the externall signe And it is wicked and impudeÌ„t bouldnes to driue those from the shéepefoulde of Christ whome he voutchsafeth to embrace in his armes bosom and to shut those as forreners out of the gates whome hee maketh of the houshould For of such is the kingedome of HeaueÌ„ M. Hée sayth of such not of these because hée comprehendeth all sortes of little children For Marke and Luke adde Verely I say vnto you whosoeuer receiueth not the kingdome of God as a little childe hée shall not enter therein Of the like matter reade the eightéene Chapter going before C. By these woords therfore Christe affyrmeth that these little children and such like pertaine vnto him M. By the kingdome of heauen in this place is vnderstoode that euerlastinge felicitye of the electe purchased by Christe the which felicity is here felte in the hartes of the electe according to the measure of faythe and in the worlde to come shall more plentifully be poured vppon them He goeth not about therfore only to shew that those little children which were theÌ„ brought vnto him pertaine to the kingedome of Heauen but also that it doth so pertaine that whosoeuer is not like vnto them pertayneth not to the kingdome of Heauen C. And here let vs note the admonition of S. Paule when hee sayth Let vs not be children in vnderstanding but in mallice 15. And when hee had put his handes on them hee departed thence A. Marke sayth hee layed his handes vppon them and blessed them To blesse is here put for to praye for one to wishe well vnto him For before in the thirtene Verse the Euangeliste Mathewe sayde that hee would put his handes on them pray As concerning the which we haue already sufficiently spoken 16. And behoulde one came and said vnto him good Maister vvhat good thinge shall I doe that I maye haue eternall life And beholde one came and saide vnto him A. EueÌ„ as before our sauiour propounded an example to his Disciples of simplicity and modesty euen now in the yonge man desirous of perfecte godlines but laden with riches hee setteth before theyr eyes how harde a thinge it is for those that geue themselues to riches to come to the true and euerlastinge lyfe Marke hath and when hée was gone foorth into â—â—e waye there came one runninge and kneeled to him and asked him c. Luke sayth that hée was a ruler that is one set in auctority amonge the people and not one of the common sorte Although truly that ryches do bring honor yet notwithstaÌ„ding the estimation of a graue and honest man séemeth to be attributed vnto him For the circumstances wayed and considered it is likely althoughe hée were called a yonge man that hée was of the nomber of those meÌ„ which led a godly honest life Hée came not craftely deceytfully as the maner of the Scribes was but with a minde desirous to learne the which hée well declareth as well by his woords as by the bowinge of his knée reuerentinge Christe as a faythfull teacher But againe a blind trust of woorkes did stay him that he could not profite vnder Christ at whose hands hée was desirous to learne Euenso at this day wée sée diuers which are not euill affectioned yet notwithstanding because they haue but an outwarde shewe of godlynes they haue not a swéete taste of the Gospell Good maister vvhat good thinge A. By this beginninge hée declareth that hée would willingly embrace the doctrine of Christ C. To the ende wée maye the better iudge of the state of the aunswere let vs note the forme and manner of the question Hée doth not aske howe and by what waye hée maye come vnto lyfe but what good thinge hée might do to attaine the same Hée dreameth therefore that his merits are the meane to come to euerlastinge lyfe as by a iust satisfaction and recompence Wherefore oure sauioure Christ very aptely chargeth him with the obseruation of the Lawe the which Law no doubte is the true waye to life as by by more plentifullye wée will declare They are euer of this mynd which know not the true way to euerlastinge life Such were the Scribes and Phariseyes which soughte to get the kingedome of Heauen by their workes 17. Hee saide vnto him why callest thou mee good there is none good but one and that is god But if thou wilt enter into life kepe the commaundementes Hee said vnto him vvhy calleste E. Some Bookes haue whye doest thou aske mée as concerninge that which is good The which woordes aunswere the which goeth before what good thinge shall I do Mathewe Marke and Luke haue why callest thou mee good C. The which correction or reprehencioÌ„ is so taken of some of the interpretors as thoughe Christe should goe about to insinuate and put in minde his dutye For they thincke that these woordes are as much in effecte as if hée had said If thou know nothing to be in mee more than in a man thou doest falsely attribute vnto mee that littell of good which belongeth vnto God only But these woordes of our sauioure Christe are more simplelye to be vnderstoode Wee graunte trulye that men cannot properly be saide to be good they deserue not a tytle of such honor no not the Angels which haue no sparke of goodnes of theÌ„ selues but do borrowe of God also because the goodnes which is in theÌ„ is imperfect But the purpose of Christ was nothinge ells than to maintaine the fayth and truthe of his doctrine as if hee should haue sayd Thou doest falsely call mee good master except thou do acknowledge mee to be come from god Christ therefore doth not here reason as concerning the essence of his dutye but seeketh to bringe the yonge man to the fayth of his doctrine Hee was already endewed with some affection of obedience but Christ woulde haue him assende a little hyer that hee mighte be perswaded that hee did talke with God himselfe For it is the common manner of men to make deuils Angels and to call those good teachers in whom they know nothing that is deuine But these are prophanations of the giftes of god It is no marueile therefore if Christ to the ende hee might get auctority to his woord calleth the yong man to the remembraunce of God. There is none good but one M. Hereby wée learne that what good thinge soeuer is founde in man it commeth from God as from the well of all goodnes Wherfore if thou requyre any good thinge of a maÌ„ first pray vnto God that hée wyll geue the vnto the man which cannot otherwyse be founde in mortall men and then if thou haue receyued any good thinge at the handes of a man or by a man perswade thy selfe that thou hast receiued the same of god It appeareth also how great the ingratitude vnthanckefulnes of mortall men is in that they haue lesse truste in none than in God
also The common sorte of people were of a symple affection beinge nothyng vaine-gloryouse nor of a malyciouse spyrite Wherefore with pure eyes they coulde beholde the dede of Chryst and with an indyfferent iudgement symplely iudge that whiche was trewe Thus coulde not the Pharyseies do It vvas neuer so seene in Israell C. This exclamation of the people semeth to excede to much For God had declared his glorye and power to that people in tyme paste by greater miracles But paraduenture they haue respecte to the ende of the myracle that then all men hoped for the cōminge of the Messias Wee muste note that this voice was not premeditated but burste forthe at suddein by a certaine admiration which they had at the miracle 34 But the Phariseies said he casteth out deuills through the prince of diuills M. These Phariseies these hypocrites coulde not denie but that this dede was deuine and done by the power of God yet they calumniate raile vpon Christ Euen so at this daye the enemies of the treweth can not deny but that the Gospell is preached and yet neuerthelesse they raile they speake euyll and persecute the same C. But hereby we se how furiouse and mad the Pharyseys were whiche were not afrayde to speake against the excellent worke of God with open reprochefull mouthes For wee muste note the Antithesis betweene the prayse of the people and the blasphemye of the Pharyseis For where as they say it was neuer so seene in Israell they confesse the glory of God by the whyche confession the madnes of these dogges the better apperethe whiche dare blaspheme God euen to his face M. And althoughe they can not denie the dede it selfe or affirme it to be euyll or that it was of no force or the others had done the like yet notwithstandinge they can not suffer the people for this cause to geue glory vnto the dede of Chryste but craftely transport the same from hym to an other seking to alyenate counterfaite the glory of Chryst and to robbe God of his honour And not contented with this they seeke to brynge vnto the miracle al ignominie reproche when they ascribe all to the deuyll as thoughe Chryste had done all that he dyd by the power ayde and assistaunce of the deuyll Wherefore we are taughte by this place when pietie commeth to the extreme poyncte of blindenes there is no woorke of God so manifest whiche it wyll not peruerte But this is a monstruouse and execrable thynge for mortall men to ryse against theyr maker but let suche be sure that they shall not escape the ponishment and wrathe of God for hee reuengeth hym selfe vppon the wicked after longe sufferaunce As concernynge the prynce of the deuylles reade the twelfth chapter of Mathewe 35 And Iesus wente about all citties and townes teachynge in their Synagoges and preachynge the glad tydinges of the kyngedome and healynge euery sickenesse and euery dissease amonge the people And Iesus vvent about M Nowe Mathew reherseth that agayne whiche was already declared in his fourth chapter C. But this is spoken to the ende wee maye knowe howe that all the mynysterye and office of Christe is not orderlye descrybed because he was continuallye occupyed in his function namelye that he myghte publishe the doctrine of saluation then that he might ratifye and confyrme the same with myracles adioyned to it M. Therfore that earnest desyer and wonderful diligence of Christ in prosecutinge and fulfyllynge the offyce whiche he had taken in hande that is to teache and heale is to be noted Whose diligente care and study is to be noted in this that hee is not one whytt stayed or hindered by the wicked reproch of the Phariseyes aforesayde Whereby the mynisters of Chryste are admonyshed to followe his example and not to suffer them selues to be moued by the slaunderouse reproches of the wicked and to forsake the people of God but to prosecute and followe dylygently theyr office and callyng And preaching the gospell M. He sayth not speakinge the Gospell of the kyngedome but preachinge that we might knowe what affection what minde and what spiryte oughte to be in hym whiche preachethe the Gospell of god To preache according to the Greke woorde signifieth to praise to celebrate and to commende some thinge to many or to all men Therefore where as Mathewe saith that Chryste went aboute and preached the Gospell of the kyngedome of God hee meaneth that with a good wyll and boulde spyrite hee praised celebrated and commended the grace of Goddes kyngedome whiche was then offered the reconcillyation of mankind and the restauration and renewynge of all thynges It is called the Gospell of the kyngedome of the effecte because by this meanes God gathered the people which were myserably dyspersed to him selfe that they myght raygne with hym in all felycitie and ioye and peace Notwithstandynge let vs remember that we submytt oure selues vnto God that we maye be caried vppe of hym into his heauenly glory Healynge euery dissease among Reade for this matter in the fourth chapter of Matthewe and that whiche is noted there 36 But when he sawe the people he was moued with compassion on theym because they were destitute and scattered abroade euen as sheepe hauynge no shepehearde But vvhen he savve the people he vvas moued M. The Euangeliste beynge not contente with his discription of the circuyte of Christe of his doctryne and healynge of infyrmities he nowe sheweth how he consydered in this cyrcuite the state and condition of the people in so muche that he taketh compassion vppon theim and expressethe his mynde and affection towardes them He vvas moued vvith compassiō C. The Greke word signifieth the bowelles of mercye and the Hebrewes call the bowelles of mercy a vehemente and godly affection Wherevpon Zacharias sayth For the remission of their synnes throughe the tender mercy of our God. C. Therefore the euangeliste saith that Christe was verely greued in mynd and that his affections were moued vpon the dissipation and scatterynge abroade of the myserable people of whome there was no counte made of those whose offyce was speciallye to gather to gether and to feede the people of God. He also declareth and proueth hym selfe therfore to be a faythful mynyster of his Father in carynge for the healthe of his people for whose sake hee toke oure fleshe vppon hym And although he be now receiued vp into heauē yet hath he a care for his church still and a respecte to his sheepefould in somuch that he defendeth the silly flocke of his poore shepe from cruel rauening and blouddy wulues Because they vvere destitute as sheepe E. There is no beaste more destitute and that nedethe more the helpe of a shepehearde or guide then sheepe haue The olde interpretation and Hierrom Hillary and Chrisostome haue beinge vexed And scattered abroade E. The Greke word signifyeth cast of or dispersed which cōmonly is spoken of suche thinges as are negligentlye without
euill affections and helde with a certaine admiration For how could it come to passe that they should all be so amased excepte the thinge it selfe did so cōstraine theim And truely there is none of vs but we may behold the wonderful power of God in this history as in a glasse Whereby it may bee gathered that the myndes of the Scribes and Phariseys were infected with deuelyshe poyson seinge thei were not afrayd to calumniate sclaunder and blaspheme this so excellēt and wounderfull a worke of God. Is not this that sonne of Dauid Here is to be noted the frute of the myracle For the power of God being knowen to the people they are led as it were by the hand vnto faith Not that they did so sodaynly profite so muche as they oughte for they speake doubtingly but here notwithstandinge is no smale profite when that they stirre vp their myndes so diligently to enquyre and consider of the glory of god Some thinke that they make a playne affirmation saiyng This is the sone of Dauid But the woordes sounde to no suche effectte and the matter it selfe declarethe that they beinge by so straunge a thinge amased iudged not perfectely but onely they thoughte in theyr myndes that it might be that this was Christ Neyther did they gather this absurdely by the miracles whiche Christe wroughte For it was prophesied before that Christ sholde do suche myracles And Christ him selfe sayth The woorkes that I do beare wytnesse of mee 24 But when the Phariseis heard it they saide This fellowe driueth the deuils no otherwaies out but by the helpe of Beelzebub the chiefe of the deuils C. Because the Scribes and Pharyseis had nothinge to say in so playne and euidente a thinge they blaspheme that whiche was done of Christe by the power of God being not content onely to obscure and to take awaye the deserued and iuste prayse of the myracle but also opprobriousely to rayle of the same as thoughe he had wroughte it by magicall exorcysme and that which they coulde not attribute vnto men they attribute vnto the deuil as though he had ben the aucthour of the same As concerning the woorde Beelzebub wee haue spoken before And the pryncipallitie amonge the deuylles wee haue touched in the ninth chapiter 25 But when Iesus knew their thoughts he sayde vnto theim Euerye kyngedome deuyded against it selfe shal be brought to naught And euery cyttie or house deuided agaynst it selfe shal not stande But vvhen Iesus knevve theyr Bu. Here the lorde sheweth that he dyrecteth all his doinges and woordes not by the power of Sathan but by his owne proper power and strength which is the power of god And herevppon he gathereth a farther matter namelye that the kyngedome of God is come and that he hym selfe is the kynge of the kyngdome of God whiche expoulseth Sathan the prynce of this world Although he knew well enoughe that the Scribes beynge full of mallice woulde take in euyl part what so euer he dyd and had experience often tymes also of the same Yet notwithstanding there is no doubt but that Mathewe and Luke meane that Chryst was the sercher of the heartes And truely there is no doubte but that they spake openly agaynste Christe to the ende he mighte here theyr opprobriouse blasphemy but Christ knewe well enoughe by his holye spirite with what mynde they dyd thus cauyll The sence therefore is this that Christ dyd the more vehemently inueye against them because he knew the mallice which they had conceyued inwardly in theyr heartes againste hym M. The Euangeliste therefore by these woordes declarethe that the Pharyseyes made this reproche by their own deceit and openly against their owne consciences did publishe the same Euery kingedome deuided C. First of all he refuseth the reproche and slaunder which they obiected against hym by a prouerbiall sentence notwithstandinge it seemeth but a slender refutation We know with what pollicies and subtilties Sathā doth often tymes delude setting forthe a shewe of dissention to snare mens mindes with superstitions Euen so the exorcismes in the Papacie are nothynge els but shadowes counterfaite shewes of the conflict of Sathan against him self But there coulde be no suche iust suspition in Christe because he so caste out the deuils out of men that he restored them whole and sounde vnto god The deuyl dothe often tymes fayne hym selfe to be so ouercome that hee neuerthelesse tryumpheth But Christ with open might encountered with the deuyll that hee might wholly ouerthrow and beate him downe He dyd not beate hym downe in one parte to the ende he might the more stablishe him in an other but he despoyled him in all partes and made his deuyces of no effecte Chryste therefore very aptly doth reason and proue that he hath no fellowshippe or agrement with him because that Sathan the father of deceit and lies hath alwaies a care and is very circumspecte to preserue his kingdome B. The reasons therefore by the which the lorde declarethe that the Phariseyes bothe thincke and speake that whiche is false are these No kyngedome or house deuided agaynste it selfe can stande if I therefore by the power of deuilles expell and cast out deuilles the deuyls shoulde be deuyded and fyghte one against an other and so their kyngedome coulde not stande or continue but you see that the kingedome of Sathan doth stande and abyde in great force and inuincible therfore I cast them not out by their power By the waye wee are to be admonyshed here howe great a mischiefe cyuill and mortall dissention is Namely such that it destroyeth howses citties and kyngedomes Of this there are many examples bothe in the stories of the Gentiles and also in the sacred histories The saying of Salust is not vnknowne to vs By peace and concorde small thinges growe and encrease but by discorde and dissention greate things are wasted consumed and brought to confusion And the Prophete when he prophesied of the destruction of the kyngedome of the Iewes sayde that there shoulde be cyuill dissention among them And before that wonderfull destruction of the cittie of Hierusalem ther was greate dissention and stryfe within the same for it was deuyded into three pernitiouse sectes the heades the chiefe whereof were Symon Iohn and Eleazarouse Reade the sixt boke of Iosephus the thirtenth chapter The kyngdome of Rome also by this ciuyll dissention was brought to confusion and by the same is lyke to come to destruction agayne By the dissention of the twoo Emperours of Constantinople there was a waye made to the empire of the Turkes and to the destruction of the empire of Rome To conclude the kyngedome of Hungary felte the greate inconuenience and hurt of this mischiefe But Christ did prophesie that before the destructiō of the world nation shoulde ryse agaynst nation and kingedome against kingdome 26 And if Sathan cast out Sathan he is deuided against him selfe How then shall his kyngedome endure M. As the good spirites and
desyres of the fleshe and al our busynes and intende and geue oure selues wholely vnto hym M. By this place all so wee see howe preposterous the veneration of the vyrgin Mary is with the whiche she is worshyped as a Goddesse all because she was the carnall mother of Christe When as Christe here doth extenuate that consanguinitie preferringe the spirituall kyndred only whiche pertayneth to all the sonnes of God farre before all other So in Luke when the woman cried out and sayd Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the teates that gaue thee sucke he aunswered Nay rather blessed are they whiche heare the woorde of God and kepe it By the whiche wordes Christ meaneth the same that he ment in this place The xiii Chapter THe same day went Iesus oute of the house and sate by the Sea syde M. After that the fame of myracles began to encrease the concourse and multitude of people began also to multiplye in so muche that they had no leasure to eate as appeareth in the thyrde Chapter of Marke Iesus went out of the house in the which he spake those words before mencioned to the ende hee might haue a more conuenient place to seeke the kingdome of god For willingly hee woulde haue framed himselfe to the zeale of the people although hee knew the nature of man In this Chapter there are certaine parables by the which the nature force frute and excellency of the word of God is declared 2. And much people were gathered together vnto him so greatlye that hee went and sate in a shippe and all the people stode on the shore C. It is not in vaine that the Euangelystes spake first of the great concourse multitude of people by the syght wherof Christ was moued to prepare the doctrine of the seede This multitude came from dyuers and sundry places they stoode all amazed euery one of them beinge of like desyer to heare but not of lyke affection to profit This was the occasion of the parable to the ende men might know that the seede of doctrine was not frutefull in euery place being euery where dispersed and scattered abroade because it shal not alwayes fynd fertyle frutefull and wel tylled ground It followeth therefore 3. And hee spake many thinges to them by simylitudes sayinge Behould the sower went forth to sowe And hee spake manye B. Hee spake vnto the multitude by symilitudes and parables no doubt to the end hee might make them more attentyue and also more curiouse of those things which were spokē that afterwarde inquyring of them they myghte more certaynlye be taught and perswaded of all thinges A. Marke hath hee taught them many thynges by parables and sayde vnto them in his doctrine harkē to What those many things were this present Chapter sufficientlye declareth as there were manye hearers presente so they were of dyuers natures and dispositions And therefore wyselye dispensinge and bestowing the treasure and ryches of the kingdome of God hee preacheth the one onely and selfe same Doctrine of the Gospell of the kingdome of God by manye and sundrye symilitudes Behoulde the sovver vvent B. The occasion of this parable seemeth to be as wee touched euen now the great multitude of people whiche came from diuers places with a desyer to learne to whome Chryst by this parable declared that it was not sufficiente to heare the woorde and that not all that hearde it were therby anye thinge the better vnlesse they brought foorth the frutes of the same The similitude is verye apte and fit for wee are borne a newe by the doctryne of the Gospell whiche is the incorruptible seede As the seede by his owne proper nature is frutefull so is the Gospell if it profyte not the hearers wee maye not saye therefore that it is vnfrutefull for it is alwayes fruteful in power but not in acte or deede Where the earthe is wantinge there doth not the seede by it selfe bring forth frute Christ therefore here professed himselfe to be as it were a husband man which is come forth to sow the seede but manye of his auditours to be like barren and vntilled land other some to be like the thornye and bushye groūd in the which both the labor and the seede perisheth But as concerninge the sence of the parrable it shal be omytted and let passe vntill suche tyme as wee come to the exposition which our sauiour Chryst hymselfe maketh onelye the Readers are presentlye to be admonyshed of thys that if they were compared to barren and vnfrutefull lande which came from farre as men that were hunger starued vnto Christ it is no marueyle if the Gospell do not fructifye at this day in many of the which some are slouthful some slow some negligent and some such drones that they can scante be drawne to heare the word of God 4. And when hee had sowne some fell by the waye syde and the foules of the ayre came and deuoured it And hee vvent forth to sovve A. Namely his séede The fift sixt and seuenth verces are omytted and declared in the exposition that our sauiour Christ himselfe maketh 8. But some fell into good grounde and broughte forthe frute some an hundreth fould some sixty foulde some thyrtie foulde E. For a hundereth foulde sixty foulde and thyrty fould The Gréeke texte and the old translation in lataine hath only a hūdered sixty and thyrtie this word foulde being omytted For the Gréeke tongue wanteth the names distributiue of numbers Hée meaneth that out of euery graine there proceded many out of some an hūdered out of some sixtye and out of other some thyrtye 9. Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare B. This sētence our sauiour Christ was wōt to adde when hée would styrre vp the minds of the hearers to marke and note diligently that whiche hée spake vnto them By these words hée partly declareth that all haue not true intelligēce to comprehende that which hée spake and partly hée styrreth vp his disciples to cōsider diligently that his doctrine was not comon and easy to euery one And he maketh this difference betwene his hearers that some heare and that othersome are deafe Now if it be demaunded how they that heare come by theyr hearinge the Scripture in another place answeareth sayinge sacrifyce and meate offeringe thou wouldest not haue but myne eares hast thou opened 10. And the Disciples came and said vnto him whye speakest thou to them by parables C. By the woords of this Euangeliste it appeareth that the Disciples had not onely a respecte of themselues but wished also profit to others They themselues not vnderstanding the parable knew well enoughe that it was no lesse obscure and hard to the people They complayne therefore that Chryste speaketh words of the which there came no profite to the hearers M. Furthermore this kind of teachinge séemed vnto them to be rare and vnwonted and very straunge because hytherto they had not heard Christ vse
pleasant fruites smellinge preciousely with a most acceptable odour before god men The tares are the chil M. Here we se to whō the wicked ones in the churche were ascribed But he speaketh not here of theues murtherers suche like but of those speciallye which haue not a sincere faith in Christ but are rather hypocrits fayning an outwarde shewe of holines Bu. We see therefore what the state of Christ his church is here in this worlde It was neuer without hypocrites Vntill the time of iudgement therfore there shal be traytours destroiers corrupters and theues euen in the middest of the church Of the vvicked M. He calleth the deuyll wycked not by nature but for his malliciouse practise Hee was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the way of trueth because there is no trueth in him When he speaketh of a lye hee speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father of the same thing 39 The ennemy that soweth them is the deuill The haruest is the ende of the worlde the reapers be the Angelles The ennemie that sovveth M. Whom before he called wicked he calleth nowe the ennemie All wee therefore whiche are the children of the kyngdome and sowne of Christ and cleaue vnto him haue the deuill a continuall ennemie vnto vs. A. But how the rebrobate are sowne in the field of the lord by the deuyl we haue shewed before in the fiue twenty verse The haruest is the ende of the vvorld C. This trulye is a troublesome state and a greuous burthen yea almost intollerable that the Churche shal be burthened with the reprobate to the end of the world notwithstanding Christ therfore prescribeth vnto vs this time to patiēce least wée shold nourishe flatter oure selues with vaine hope wheras now the certaine time of a purgation is prefixed It behoueth the pastors therefore to endeuour them selues with all diligence to purge the Churche in this part all the godlye ought to set to their helping hands so far as their vocation will beare the same but when all the godly with hartye consente do theyr good will and true intente yet shall they neuer bring it about to purge the Churche from euery spot Wherfore let vs consider that our sauiour Christ mēt nothing lesse then to nourishe such filthy spots in his Church by to much sufferaunce onely his meaning and purpose was to comfort and exhort his faythfull seruauntes not to bee dismayed or drawne backe because they are constrayned to suffer wicked ones in their felloship and fraternity and also to brydel and moderate their zeale whiche thincke it not méete to haue any felloship but with suche as are pure and the sayntes of god The Anabaptistes therfore are greatly abused in séekinge by this place to dryue and put awaye the vse of the sword frō the church And they are easely aunsweared For sythens they do admitte excommunication which doth roote out and expoulse the wicked and reprobate at the least for a time why shoulde not the godlye Magistrates vse the sword against the wicked and vngodly ones so oft as néede requireth They affyrme that there is place geuen to repentaunce where there is no deadly punishment As though truly the théefe vppon the crosse found no saluation ▪ But let this aunsweare suffyce that it is not here taughte what our offyce or the Magistrates or the pastors office is A. But onelye Christ sheweth what the state and condition of the Church shal be til the ende of the world that the world can neuer be so purged purifyed and clēsed but that the wicked wil be alwayes myngled with the good C. to the ende the stombling blocke of offēce wherat the weake stumble and are troubled when they sée the Church thus confounded as it were might be taken away The reapers be the Angels C. This name must be applyed to the present cause In another place the Apostels are called reapers in respecte of the Prophetes because they entered into their laboures Also there is a commaundemente giuen to al the ministers of the woord that they bring forth frute that may euer abide to the which effect this saying of Chryst perteyneth The Corne is whyte and readye vnto the haruest Moreouer the Haruest is great but the labourers are fewe But here is another consideration to be had of the comparison because they are sayde to be planted in the field of the Lord which haue roume and place in the Churche Neyther is that contrarye to this which Iohn saithe in another place that so soone as Christ cometh forth with his Gospel hée hath his fanne in his hand wherby hée may purge his floorth For there is described the beginning of the purgation of the Church whiche purgation bee denyeth to be made in this place before the ende of the world A. For then shall appeare that most excellent king in his Maiestye and shall sit vppon the seate of his glory and all nations shal be gathered together before him and hée shall seperate thē one from another euē as the shéepeherde deuydeth the shéepe from the Goates hée shall set the shéepe on his right hand but the Goates on the left C. Moreouer althoughe then hee will set to his stronge hād by his Angels to purge his Church the same notwithstandinge hee dooth beginne to do now by his godlye teachers A. who for all that shal neuer bringe to passe that the Church shal be pure cleane in all pointes before the comminge of Christ at whose cōming a perfect purgation is looked for with the full redemption of the sonnes of God. 40. Euen as the tares therfore are gathered and brent in the fyer so shall it be in the ende of this worlde A. When hée did barely propound vnto them the parable without anye expositiō hee said suffer them to grow together vntill the Haruest and in the time of the Haruest I will say vnto the reapers gather yee first the tares and bynd them vp in bondels to borne Expounding the same now hée sayth euen as the tares are gathered and burnt in the fyer so shall it be in the ende of this world By the whiche words hée declareth sufficiently that wée must looke and wayte for the last daye of the whiche there is suche often mencion made in the scriptures that wee should be styrred vp to praye diligently 41. The sonne of man shall sende forthe his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all thinges that offende and them which do iniquitye The sonne of man C. Hée attributeth these parts of the pourging of his Church to his Angels in the last day because they shal not stand ydell or vnoccupyed before the trybunall seate of Chryst but shal be ready and at hand to fulfil his commaundementes They therefore which preposterously make hast to roote out and abolishe whatsoeuer liketh not or displeaseth thē do preuent so much as in
whyle it is calme and fayre againe yet notwithstanding by nature men do know by signes whether the day following will be fayre or soule Christ therfore demaūdeth of the Scribes and Phariseys whye they do not know the kingdome of God so openlye reuealed by euidente signes for hereby it was manifest that they were to muche adicted and giuen to earthye and momentany thinges insomuch that they made no counte of things spirituall neyther were they blinded so much by error as they were by wilfull obstinate malyce whereuppon hee geueth them that tytle whereof they were worthy sayinge 3. And in the morninge it vvilbe foule weather to daye for the skye is glouminge reade O yee hypocrites ye can descerne the outwarde appearance of the skye but can ye not discerne the signes of the times O yee hyprocrites C. Our sauiour calleth them hypocrites because they séeme and sayne to séeke that which they would not beholde being shewed vnto them Bu. As if hée should haue sayd if in these earthye and small thinges yée be suche dilligente markers of signes and are so prompte to iudge of the quallitye of tempestes why do ye not also knowe the signes of these tymes Ye know the Law and the Prophetes which haue forshewed signes of these times which ye sée before your eyes by the which ye might learne what is now done in the kingdome of god But ye haue no care to know or vnderstand any thing of the kingdome of God whereas yée aske now a signe to be giuen you from heauen it procedeth of mere hypocrisy and vnbeléefe Ye discerne the outvvard appearance A. The Latyne translation hath yée can discerne the face of the Heauen and it is so called after the maner of the Hebrew phrase as in Genesis the face of the earth the face of the déepe the face of the waters agayne it is there sayde And foules that may flée vppon the earthe in the face of the firmament of heauē In the which place he called that the face of the firmament of heauen which Christ taketh here for the ayre But can yee not discerne the Luke speaketh in the singuler nomber saying how happeneth it that ye cannot skill of this time M. the signes of the time or times in the which Christ should come were the myracles of Christe which the Scribes and Phariseys harde dailye prophesyed by the Prophetes as in the 35. Chapter of Esay Furthermore it was prophesyed of Iuda after this maner The Scepter shall not depart from Iuda and a Lawe geuer frō betwene his feete vntill hée come which must be sent But then the kingdome was taken from the Iewes for they were thē subiecte to the rule and Dominion of the Romaynes They sawe furthermore dyscorde for religion amonge the people in somuch that a house was deuided into manye partes the father arysing against the sonne and the sonne agaynst the father These signes were set before all men to behold yet notwithstandinge the ende of them was not considered of the Scribes Phariseis because they made no accompt of them being addicted to their owne glory deadly enemyes vnto Christ A. It is no maruayle therefore if hée reprehended them so sharpely when they would seeme to seke that which they desiered not C. And this reprehension pertayneth almost to the whole world for because men do wholy giue themselues apply their sences to the vse of those things that are present there is no man almost whych in this parte is not of sufficient wisedome Howe commeth it to passe then that signes be so vnsauerye vnto vs by the whiche God calleth vs vnto him but onelye by this that euery man geuinge hymselfe to voluntary slouthfulnes choketh the light offered vnto him For the callinge of Christe and the present offering of eternall saluation was manifeste vnto the Scribes as well by the Lawe and Prophetes as by his Doctrine to the which hée added myracles Manye such there are at this daye which in doubtfull thinges saye that they do iustly suspend their iudgement because a certaine definition must be loked for yea they count this a hye point of wysedome to séeke all that they can to auoyde all inquisition of the truth As though in deede they were not toto slouthfull to care for earthly and carnall things so dilligently and to neglecte the eternall saluation of the soules and that vnder the vayne pretence of grosse ignoraunce Of this place certaine vnlearned men do verye absurdlye gather that it is not lawfull by the behoulding of the Heauen to iudge and coniecture of the temperature of weather For Christ rather argueth proueth of the true order of nature that they do iustly perishe by their ingratitude which beinge wise enough in matters of this present lyfe do willingly obscure ouerwhelme with their dulnes the light of heauenly truth M. It is not euill therefore to iudge of the outward apperance of the sky but rather profitable and appertayninge to the glorye of God in his creatures But wée do not yet hereby alow that superstitious obseruation and marking of the heauenly signes by the which many take vppon them to forshewe prophesy of warres of plenty and scarcenes of sicknesses and disseases and such like The works of God haue a double condition First some of them are of a certaine course and state as the Sunne the Moone the day the night sommer wynter fyer and water Secondly some are of an vncertayne course subiect to alteration as peace plēty of vittayles the health of mortall men and such lyke the which depende vpon the secrete free prouidence of God and not vpon starres C. Marke addeth saying that Christ groned in his spirit by the which wordes hée declareth that hee toke it greuouslye and bytterly when hee sawe these men careleslye to resiste god And trulye it becommeth all those that seeke the glorye of GOD and which haue a care of the healthe of men to be so minded that nothinge shoulde more greuouslye wounde them than when they sée vnbeleuers to indeuer themselues to stop the way of beleuing against them to referre all their wit and pollicy to that end that they may obscure the brightnes of the woorde and workes of God with their cloudes B. The griefe therfore which Christ had conceyued extorted this reproch against them to be called hypocrites 4. The frowarde and aduouterous nation requireth a signe and there shall no signe be giuē vnto it but the signe of the Prophete Ionas And hee lefte them and departed The frovvarde and aduouterous A. Loke for the exposition of this verce in the twelfth Chapter goynge before E. O wicked aduouterous nation farre degenerating from the elders whose tytle they chalenge vnto themselues Subtilly it requyreth a signe from Heauen whereat to calumniate but it shal be geuen vnto it which it abhorreth and not a thing to carpe at In the meane time no signe shal be geuen them but out of
we iudge well of him with our harte but he also requyreth that we confesse hym with the mouthe He sayth not whom do ye beleue me to be but he saith whom say ye that I am when as therefore Christ ment to sende his Apostels into the world as witnesses of him to whom it was not enoughe to thincke well of him but also to teach openly that they thought wel of him this I say considered he dothe iustely require the confession of the light otherwise he was not ignorant what they wold iudge of him Bu Therfore all other thinges ouerpassed and set aparte speciallye when as to be wise after the manner of the common sorte of people is to be foolishe lette vs knowe that it is not sufficient to confesse Christe after the opinion of the cōmon multitude 16 Symon Peter aunswered and sayde Thou arte Christ the sonne of the liuynge God. Symon Peter aunsvvered B. Peter aunswereth for all the rest because as the Gospel testifieth he was alwaies more feruent ready to put forth hym selfe then the rest So in another place when Iesus sayde will yee go away Then Symon Peter in the name of all the reste aunswered and sayd Lord to whō shall wée go thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and wée beleue and are sure that thou art Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God. How Symon was called Peter reade the first Chapter of Iohn and there yée may sée Thou art Christ C. A short confession of Peter yet notwithstandinge such a confession as contayneth the whole summe of our saluation For vnder the name and tytle of Christ both the euerlasting kingdome and Priesthoode is contayned that oure sinnes beinge put awaye by the sacrifyce of his death hée might reconcyle vs vnto God and purchase vnto vs perfecte righteousnes And that wée beinge receyued into his safegarde and defence hée might inriche vs and bestowe vppon vs all kinde of blessinges The Euangeliste Marke hath thou art Christ But Luke hath thou art the Christ of God. Yet both of them spake in one sence for in times paste kinges were called the Christes of God that is to say the anoynted of god And this manner of speache Luke vseth in another place saying that Symeon had receyued an aunsweare of the holy ghost that hée should not sée death except hée first sawe the Lordes Christe For it was in deede the deuyne redemption which God offered by the hand of his sonne It was necessarye therefore for him which should be the redemer to come famous and excellente from Heauen by the annoyntinge of god Reade the .16 verce of the first Chapter goynge before This oure Euangeliste doth more plainly then the other two expresse Christ to be The sonne of the lyuinge God For although Peter as yet did not peraduenture vnderstand so distinctly how Christ shoulde be begotten of God yet notwithstanding hee did beléeue him to be of such excellencye the he had his originall and beginninge of God not as other men but that the true and liuely deytye dwelte in hys flesh M. Furthermore hee calleth him the lyuinge God because hée onelye hauinge life in himselfe quickeneth all thinges and because in hym wee lyue moue and haue our beinge C. There is therfore a difference betwene the true God and the deadde Idoles whiche are nothinge B. Peter trewly in this confession cōfesseth the father and the sonne in the knowledge of whom consisteth euerlastinge lyfe It followeth therefore 17 And Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym Happye art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloud hath not opened that vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And Iesus aunsvvered and saide vnto M. These woordes declare with what thanckefull affection our Sauiour Christe receyued the aunswere of Peter by the which also we see how greate loue he beareth towardes those that are his and how much he reioyceth ouer our felicitie He dothe not reiecte the aunswere of Peter but confirmeth it C. and pronounceth hym to be blessed in dede whiche vnfaynedly with harte and minde confesseth the like Bu. I say with harte and mind we must confesse for the deuyll also confesseth but not with his harte C. But Chryste spake not this onely to Peter but he ment to declare wherin the onely felycitie of the whole worlde consisted And to the ende all men with the more earnest affection may aspire come to the same fyrst of all we must note that all men by nature are myserable and accursed vntyll they fynde remedye at the handes of Christe Then whosoeuer hath gotten Christ nothing pertayninge to parfecte blessednesse can be wantinge to him seinge that we can wyshe for nothing better then the euerlasting glory of God to the possession of the which glory Christe bringeth vs. Happy art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas The latten texte hath Symon Bar-Iona whiche is as muche to say as Symon the sonne of Ionas or the sonne of Iohn as maye appere by this place where it is sayde Symon Iohanna loueste thou mee more then these Ionas is here put for Iohanna by contraction for in that age they dyd commonly vse the Chaldee tongue vnlesse peraduenture his father had two names Iona and Iohanna Notwithstādyng al the auncient Greeke bokes with one consente reade it Ionas sauinge one onely and here in this place of our Euāgelist and in the fyrst and .xxi. chapters of Iohn wee reade Ionas in the latten texte Iona Bar-Iona in the latten text is put in steede of the syrname the whiche the Hebrewes haue not Because fleshe and bloudde hath not opened A. As if hee shoulde haue saide Man hath not reuealed this vnto thee according to the common phrase of the Scripture where often times fleshe and bloudde is put for man As in the prophesie of Esay The glory of the lord shal appere and al fleshe shal at once se it And the Apostel Paule saith I comuned not of the matter with fleshe and bloud c. Agayne we stryue not against fleshe and bloud but against rule againste power c. Also S. Iohn saith that they which beleue in the name of Christe are not begotten of bloud or by the wyll of the fleshe but by the wyll of god C. Christ therefore in this place vnder the person of one mā admonisheth all men to aske faith of his father and to attribute vnto hym the dew praise of his grace Wherby we gather that the mindes of men do want that vnderstandinge by the whiche they mighte perceyue and knowe the misteries of heauenlye wysedome hidden in Christ yea all the sences of men do quayle in this parte vntil suche time as God dothe open oure eyes that we may see his glory in Christ Let no man therefore proudely burst forthe trustinge to his wyt and vnderstanding but let vs humbly suffer our selues to be taughte in oure hartes by the father of lightes that his spirite alone maye illuminate our
with Christ shal raigne with Christ In the glory of his father C. Christ maketh mention of the glorye of his father of the angels lest that his disciples shold iudge of his kingdome according to the present sight for as yet it lay hyd being base and contemned vnder the shew of a seruante He sheweth therfore that he shal be in an other maner of estate when he shal come to be the iudge of the worlde A. For the sonne of man shall come in his glorye all his angels with him and he shal sit vpon the seate of his glory all nations shall be gathered before him Also these thinges serue to terrifie those which delight in their wickednesse vyce which shall not be able to abide his face For although the lord toke vpon him humaine nature yet notwithstanding he abideth vnchanged in the eternall glory of his father and hath loste nothing eyther of his diuine substaunce or glory for he is of lyke substance maiestie and glory with the father All the Angelles serue him beinge the ministers of God and ordeyned to fulfill his cōmandement Whose power howe great it is maye appere in that one angell dispersed the mightye campe of the Assyrians in one night a hundred fowre score fiue thousand of them being slain But and if one angell be of such power what shall they not be able to subdue and ouerthrowe when they being altogether come with the lorde to Iudgement And then shall he revvarde euery man B. This sentence is often vsed in the scriptures the which they peruert who go about to proue that we are iustified by our workes because forsothe we are iudged according to the same when as Chryste speaketh not here of the cause of saluation They consider not that the tree is iudged according to his fruite and yet notwithstandinge that the fruite maketh not the tree but the tree the fruite When we se figges on the tree wee iudge by by the tree to be a fygge tree yet notwithstandynge the fygges are not the cause that it is a fygge tree but when it was made a figge tree then it brought forth figges Euen so in al thinges the worke iudgeth of the worker For it makethe not the worker but is broughte to passe and wrought of the worker In lyke manner good workes do declare a good man to be the sonne of God but they make him not to be the sonne of god Therefore woorkes do not iustifie that is to say they do not make vs the more acceptable vnto God the whiche workes can be nothing elles but synne condempninge if so be they be wrought before thou be purified and regenerated by the spyrite of God because that an euill tree can not bringe forthe good fruite But the lorde describynge his iudgemente saythe after the manner of men that euery man shal be iudged according to his woorkes euen as wee commonly are wonte to iudge Neyther doth he say that euery man shal receyue accordynge to his woorkes as thoughe that our workes were the fyrste cause of our saluation For the specyall cause why we obtaine euerlasting life is the voluntary free wil of God the second cause are the merites of Christ for he died for the saluation of al mankind but this also is a free gyfte of the good wil of god The thirde cause is our Fayth by the whiche we imbrace and receyue this good wyll of God and the merytes of Christe For he that beleueth hath euerlastinge lyfe but that faythe also by the whiche we do beleue is the worke gifte of God in vs for the merite of Chryste Also good woorkes may after a sorte be said to be the cause of our saluation but improperly because euery man shall be rewarded accordyng to his deedes but these also are the gyftes of Goddes good wyll the effects of Christs merites and the fruites of fayth For there is no good woorke acceptable vnto God but that whiche is done for the loue of God the whiche loue no man hath but he whiche beleueth in god And no man can beleue in God but suche as are inspired with the spirite of God whiche pertayneth onely to the sonnes of god This spirite is onely geuen vnto those whose sinnes are remitted and whom he hath chosen before the foundation of the world was layde All the partes therfore of our saluation are a gyfte and woorke of the wyllynge and free wyl of god But we must note here that Christ saide not he shall geue to euerye man accordynge to his faythe the whiche lyeth hyd and whiche euery wicked man boasteth that he hath but accordinge to his woorkes whiche can not be obscure and hid for workes are a seale of our sayth The Apostell Paule speaketh thus of this Iudgement of Christe we must al appere before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man maye receiue the woorkes of his owne body accordinge to that he hath done whether it be good or bad And in an other place the Apostell saith Thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrathe againste the daye of Iudgement when shal be opened the righteous iudgement of God whiche will rewarde euery man accordinge to his deedes that is to say prayse honoure and immortalitie to them which continue in good doinge and seke immortalitie But vnto them that are rebelles and do not obeye the trueth but follow vnrighteousenes shall come indignation wrath tribulation and anguishe vpon the soule of euery man that dothe euyll C. Let this therfore be the somme that these two do very well agree namely that we are iustified freely because wee are acceptable vnto God without oure merite and yet notwithstandinge that he accordinge to his good pleasure geueth and imputeth and vndeserued rewarde to our woorkes A. As concernynge the whiche matter reade the fyfth chapter goinge before 28 Verely I say vnto you there be standinge here whiche shall not taste of deathe till they se the sonne of man come in his kingedome Verely I say vnto you M. As touching this woorde verely rede the fifth chapter goinge before There be standinge here C. Because the disciples might dought among them selues when this day should come the lord erecteth thē with a more specyall trust saying that it shal not be long ere that he geue vnto some of them a shew of his glory as if he should haue said If you thincke the time to longe before I come I wyll come betime for before you dye that kingdome of God whiche I byd you hope for shall be set before your eies M. Some vnderstode this sentēce of the extreame and last day of iudgemēt thinking that Christ mēt here that Iohn the Euangelist shold not die vntyl the day of iudgement but the Euangelist him selfe sheweth that this opinion of him conceiued was not true Wherefore we must vnderstand that the cōming of the kingdome of God is the reuealing of the heauenly glory
tribute and many of them wold openly haue resisted the Romaines as we maye see in Iosephus and therefore it came to passe that Christ was accused of this matter before Pilate Therefore leaste there shoulde be in hym any shewe or token of a seditious minde he wold not do that which he might haue done And cast an angle C. Although we graunte that Christ had not alwaies plēty of money yet notwithstandinge wee must not thincke that neede constrained him to commande Peter to do this thing but rather that hee dyd it to the ende by a myracle he might declare him selfe to be the lorde of all and that he had not onely men but also the wilde vntamed fyshes tributory vnto hym And we reade that this was doone but once onelye because one document was sufficient And vvhen thou hast opened his mouth M. Here we must note and waye the argument proofe of Christes diuinitie in that hee knoweth the secretes of the sea and ruleth the fyshes that swymme in the depe and causeth the fyshe here mentioned to come to Peters hooke For seing that he had declared him selfe to be the kynge of all and to be the naturall sonne of God it was necessary that he should shew som token of the same to Peter by some dede or signe to the ende he might be acknowledged to be the Lorde of all thinges and of the fyshes of the sea also That take and geue vnto them for thee and mee A. Wee haue already declared that the Papistes vppon this place do very fondely gather the supremacy of Peter because that Peter is ioyned vnto Christe in payinge tribute They consider not that Peter was a cittezen of that cittie and that therfore he was constrained to paye trybute in that place The .xviii. Chapter AT the same time came the disciples vnto Iesus sayinge VVho is the greatteste in the kingdome of heauen At the same tyme. C. By the other two Euangelists whiche wrote this historye it appereth that the Disciples came not of their owne frewyll vnto Christ but when they had priuily disputed in the way their secret talk whispering was bewrayed And there is no absurditie at all in this that Matthewe makinge hast to the aunswere of Christ sheweth not the whole order of the historie but lettinge passe the beginninge briefely sheweth why Christe reproued the foolishe desyre of Supremacy in his disciples But forsomuch as Christ inquired of their secrete talke and constrayned his disciples to confesse that the thinge whiche they wisshed for was suppressed we are taughte to beware take hede of al secrete emulation and desire to excell Further we must note the circūstance of the tyme the foreshewinge of death had made them sorrowful and heauy yet notwithstandinge they being as it were ful of toyes and drunke with the poetical Nectar do contend by and by for the principallitie Howe could it be that suche sorrowe and care should so sodeinly vanishe awaye out of their myndes if that men were not by nature too muche geuen to Ambition that forgettinge the present warre and fyghte triumphe before the victory Wherefore if the Apostels so sone forgat the sermon of Christ so lately made vnto them what shal happen vnto vs if we leauinge the meditation of the crosse geue and addict our selues to sluggishenesse to negligence and to vaine speculations VVho is the greattest in the kingdome of heauen E. The Greeke texte hath the comparatiue for the superlatiue degree as thus Who is great in the kingdome of heauē C. This disputation as concerninge the supremacy arose not hereupon the Christ for him self and Peter payde the tribute as many thincke because the same began before they came to Capernaum but because he spake vnto them of his deathe and resurrection with many wordes as they were in the waye and also comforted them they being ignorant what his resurrection was excepte it shoulde be a certaine possession and renewing of the kingdome therfore they began this disputation M. For the Apostels did not contend or dispute of the heauenly kingdome to come but of suche a kyngdome whiche they thoughte shoulde be in this shorte life according to the maner of the kingdomes of this world as concerning the whiche kyngedome they questioned with hym after his resurrection saying Lorde wilt thou at this tyme restore againe the kyngedome of Israell C. Therefore they omittyng the occasion of sorrowe and heauines drawe vnto theym selues that whiche was spoken of his resurrection wherupon amonge the secure and carelesse this contentiō arose And because they flee frō the former part of doctrine which is sower and bytter to the fleshe God suffereeh them to be seduced and to erre in his resurrection that they might dreame of that whiche should not come to passe namely that Chryste by the bare preaching of his worde sholde possesse an earthely kingedome and that they in the same shoulde be part takers of greate pleasure M. They myghte also haue ben moued to the same disputation when they heard that it was saide before vnto Peter To thée wyll I geue the keies of the kingdome of heauē A. Although this was not spoken properly to Peter alone but to al the mynisters of the word in his person as we haue shewed before M. In like maner they had seene Iames Iohn and Peter onely to be taken they beinge left behinde to the raysinge vp of the rulers daughter And also they onely went with Christ vp into the mountain C. But in this question there were twoo faltes For fyrste the Apostelles all care of the warre beinge as it were set a parte preposterously as if they had ben dismist souldiers and worne in battaile require rest to be geuen them and their pention also before their tyme Secondly in this they did offende namely where as they should haue ben of one minde and agreed together as bretherne in helping one an other they nowe beinge full of ambition seeke howe they maye peruerte one an other Wherefore to the ende our race may be acceptable vnto the lorde let vs learne paciently to beare the burthen of the crosse layed vpon vs vntill the ful tyme of the receyuing of the triumphāt crowne come then as S. Paule exhorteth vs let vs in honour go before one an other To the fyrst vice the vaine curiositie of these men at this daye is a kynne whiche leauinge the lawful race of theyr calling leape out of time aboue the heauens The Lorde in his Gospell callinge vs to his kingdome sheweth vs the waye by the whiche we maye come thyther Rashe and inconstant men nothing consideringe of Faythe of Pacience of the inuocation of God and of other exercises fall in hand to dispute as concerning that whiche is done in heauen But this is euen as if one beinge about to take a iorney inquyring where his lodging sholde be mouethe not one foote For when as the lorde cōmaundeth vs to walke in the earthe whosoeuer he
yet notwithstanding the sauce of the grace of God is so swete that their condition is more pleasaunte desiered then the delights of kinges M. For they shal be so farre from loosing the ayde helpe of kinsfolkes that they shall gette many more in my kyngdome than they had before and of greater fidellity and trust For loke how many fellowes they shall finde partakers of theyr fayth so many bretheren so many sisters so many fathers and mothers so manye children so many kinsfolkes and frends they shall finde For they are our Parēts sisters bretherene father and mother which heare the word of God and kepe it B. When hée sayth therefore An hundered foulde hee meaneth that wee shal haue a more infinite deale of pleasure in vsinge that small quantity in persecution which the Lord hath geuē vs for this present life than wee had with the abundaunce of those thinges which wee enioyed before wee knewe the Gospell For the children of God esteeme so much of the knowledge thereof that they will not chaūge the same for the whole world Furthermore because they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good and to them that séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof all thinges needefull shal be geuen although Christians are banished from their house and are lefte destitute of thinges necessary yet notwithstanding nothinge shal be wanting vnto them the vse whereof might either be profitable vnto them or necessary In the meane time they haue learned of S. Paule to be content with those thinges that they haue they knowe howe to be low and howe to excéede they know how to be full and how to be hungrye both to haue plentie and to suffer néede And shall inherite euerlasting life Bu. This truely is the greatest comfort of al to be the heyre of God and coheyre with Christ that is to be partaker of the graces of god A So in another place our Sauiour Christe doth call those that are his to the bearing of the crosse manfully by the consideration of this excéeding benefite saying Be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen 30. But many that are firste shal be last and the last shal be first But many that are first BV. This sentence teacheth vs that modestie becommeth those that are Saints Z. Because Peter very ambitiously had sayde Behold we haue forsaken all folowed thée what reward shall we haue therfore the Lord fore shewed that it woulde come to passe that many in the Church shold conceiue a great opinion of thē selues by reason of their works and merits for the which they think that eternall life is due vnto thē for the which they should glory and boast thē selues to be most acceptable vnto God Such were the Scribes Pharises in Christes time such are the Scribes and Pharises in these our dayes I mean the Papistes whom our Sauiour Christ pronounceth here to be last or farthest from the kingdome of heauen that is to say such as shal be excluded and shut out of the kingdom of heauen This sentence therefore serueth greatly to driue away the slouthfulnes of the fleshe For our Sauiour Christe here sheweth that they which are neuer so forward in their race except they go on still and continue to the ende shall not obteyne According to S. Paule which sayth that all which runne do not obteyne the game And in another place he exhorteth by his owne example to forget those thinges whiche are behinde and to séeke to gette those thinges which are before according to the marke appoynted But where as he saith And the last shal be first he taketh awai all desperation from the greatest sinner whom the goodman of the house may call into his vineyard to be a laborer when he will and geue him eternall life as to the thiefe hanging on the crosse which deserued no such thing Do we not see that the Iewes boasting them selues to be the first in the lawe to be made last and to be reiected that the Gentiles which were last are nowe become firste and most acceptable vnto God to whom he hath geuen repentaunce vnto life The whiche thing our Sauiour Christe doth more largely declare in the Chapter folowing The .xx. Chapter FOr the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a manne that is an housholder vvhich vvent out earlye in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard For the kingdome of heauen Bu. Here our Sauiour Christe according to his maner to make the matter more euident and playne taketh a parable by the which he might make manifest his sētence which went before Many that are first shal be last and the last shal be first C. But we must sée howe this similitude maye be made apt and applied to the purpose Certaine interpreters coniecture this to be the summe and effect Because the heauenly inheritaunce is not gotten by the merites of workes but is geuen fréelye that therfore the glory of all men shal be alike But truely Christ doth not here dispute of the equalitie of the heauenlye glory or of the state and condition of the godly that shal be but hée onlye sheeweth that there is no cause why they shoulde glory or boast more thē other which are first or excell by reason of time because the Lorde so often as it shall please him may call those whom hée might séeme to neglecte for a time and so eyther make them equall or preferre thē before those that were first If any man go aboute to discusse exactlye euerye parte of this parable hée shal shewe himselfe to curious Therefore wée muste searche no farther then the counsell and purpose of oure sauiour Christ But wée said a little before that hée had no other respecte than that he mighte continually styrre vp his Apostels to go forward Wée do knowe that slouthfulnes doth aryse moste commonlye of to much trust and so it commeth to passe that many as it were in the running of a race do faint and fall downe in the middest of the waye Therefore Paule commaundeth vs to forget those things that are behinde that wée consideringe what remayneth vnto vs maye with a good courage prepare oure selues to runne The kingdome of heauen is like A. To know what the kingdome of Heauen is reade the fower twentye verce of the thirtene Chapter going before C. The sence and meaninge is that the maner of the deuine callinge is euen as if a man should hyer workemen early in the morning at a certaine price to dresse his Vineyarde and afterwarde shoulde send other labourers without couenant or gréement to whom notwithstanding hée should geue the same rewarde But hée therefore maketh mencion of the kingdome of Heauen because hee compareth a spirituall kinde of life to that which is earthy and the rewarde also of eternall life to moneye by the which men doe reward those that worke for them
willinglye as if he shoulde haue sayde I am a companion in the crosse with you and you with me Also vnder the person of these two men he speaketh vnto all his seruauntes generallye For although many faythfull men do dye naturally and not a violent or blouddy death yet notwithstanding it is common to all men as S. Paule teacheth to be fashioned according to the ymage of Christe So that we are all the daye longe as shéepe appoynted to be slayne But vnder the name of Crosse the Scripture comprehendeth all kinde of sorowe and affliction as bondes prisonment scourgings banishment ignominye and such like These two disciples were not exercised in these thinges which truelye do tame the fleshe and the affections of the fleshe and doo brydle sinne also But to sit on my right hande and on my lefte is A. What hee meaneth by these woords read the one and twenty Verse goinge before Is not myne to geue C. By this aunswere our sauiour Christ derogateth nothing from himselfe but only sheweth that his father hath not enioyned vnto him this office that hée should assigne to anye man his proper seate in the kingedome of heauen Hée is come trulye to bringe all those that are his into euerlasting life but it is sufficient vnto vs and wee ought there with to be contente that the inheritance purchased with his bloud abydeth for vs For how much one shall excell another in glory it is neither our partes to seeke neyther was it the will of God that Christ should reueale the same vnto vs but woulde haue the same deferred euen vntill the last reuelation Now let vs note the purpose of Christ for he disputeth not here of his owne power but he only sheweth wherefore hee was sent of the father and what is agreable to his callinge And therefore hee maketh a difference betwene the maner of teaching committed vnto him and the secrete purpose of god Euen as when hée sayth in another place as concerning the day of Iudgemenr But of that day hower knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neyther the sonne himselfe saue the father only A very profitable admonition that wée might learne soberlye to be wyse and that wee might not go about to burst out into the secrete misteries of God and speciallye that wée should not be to curious in searching out the state of the life to come for it hath not yet appeared what wée shal be neither shall it appeare vntill suche time as God hath made vs like vnto himselfe But it shall chaunce vnto them that it is M. These two presumed to take the prerogatiue of glory vnto them selues because they were a kin vnto Christ but Christ teacheth that it was not meete the the glorye of the kingdome of Heauen shoulde be geuen for that cause Hée teacheth therefore that the glory of the lyfe to come muste be loked for by the onlye grace of the merciful God which choseth his electe without any respect of workes or merits Wherefore in the daye of Iudgement hee shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And the Apostell Paule sayth Euen as hee chose vs in himselfe before the foundation of the world was layed So that we must note that there is not an equalitie appoynted amōge the sōnes of God after that they are receiued into the heauenly glorye but that degree of honor is promised to euery man to the which they are ordeyned by the eternall counsell and purpose of God. 24. And vvhen the ten hearde this they disdayned at the tvvo brethren And vvhen the ten heard this BV. Truely sayth the holy Prophete of God that the heart of man is wicked and inscrutable For we may see euen in the disciples a certayne bottomlesse pit of errors and that when one vice is cut of another is in his place yea and euen those things which we thought cut of to florishe againe For euen nowe the Lorde had stayed the ambition of his two disciples and by and by he is constrayned to driue the same out of the other ten disciples brestes and not only that but the pestilent disease of enuye also M. For whereas the other ten are saide to disdaine the twoo disciples which were brethren it was not because they did hate this ambition A. but because they them selues also being led by ambition did séeke to excell in the kingdome of Christ M. So that this disdain did arise of the ambition which lay secret in their harts C. The Euāgelist Luke doeth séeme to referre this contention of the disciples vnto another time But whosoeuer doth wisely consider that two and twenty Chapter of Luke shall finde that the words which were spoken at diuers times the order being neglected wer knit together Therefore the contention for the superiority wherof Luke maketh mention had his originall hereupon because the sonnes of Zebede did couet to haue the chiefe seates in the kingdom of Christ And yet notwithstanding the indignation and disdaine of the other ten was not to be allowed for séeing the ambition in the two brethren was greuously reprehended insomuch that they went away from Christ with shame what did it hurt the other ten that they had foolishly desired that which they had not gotten But the Lorde went about by this occasion to haue the disease which lurked in them to be reuealed for there was not one of thē which willingly woulde geue place to another but euery man in his heart hoped to excell the rest so it came to passe that one of them enuyed another and contended one with another Wherfore if this vice were in rusticall rude and base men and if it bursted forth in them vpon a light or almoste vppon no occasion howe muche more ought we to take héede when there is sufficient matter to kindle the secrete fyre We doo sée by experience howe ambition doeth burne in the greatnes of power and honour and it casteth out flames farre and wide were it not that the modestie of the spirite did restrayne from heauen the naturall pride which cleaueth vnto man M. We doo sée howe great ambition and pride remayned in the sonnes of Iacob the twelue patriarkes and how greuouslye they toke it to haue their brother Iosephe preferred before them A. Let vs therefore so much as wée may tourne our selues awaye from this pestilent disease ambition 25. But Iesus called them vnto him and saide ye know that the Princes of the nations haue dominion ouer them And they that are great men exercise authority vppon them But Iesus called them vnto him M. Christ cā in no wise abyde the discord and disagréement of those that are his therefore hee calling his Apostles vnto him cutteth of againe the roote and occasion of the euill seekinge to make them all of one minde C. In that hee calleth them vnto him to the ende hée mighte
them both For wée haue declared already that Christ sate vppon the coulte onely And the Euangelist Marke hath these woordes And they brought the coulte to Iesus and layde their garmentes vppon him and he sate theron B. Our sauiour Christ thought good to make this shew of his kingdome vnto the people before he should suffer that thereby hée might confirme the good in the faythe towardes him and mighte make the wicked voyde of excuse It was a great pompe therefore very kinglye if wée haue respect to the desier of the people and to their reioysinge and to the vertue and power also by the which hée cast the byers and sellers out of the temple and made himselfe to be feared of his cruell ennemies C. Furthermore the Iewes themselues are constrayned to expound the Prophesy of Zacharye which was then fulfilled of the Messias notwithstanding they deride vs iudginge vs to be deluded vnder the shadowe of the Asse because wee attribute the honor of the Messias to the sonne of Mary But our fayth is not only grounded vppon this place of the Prophete but vpon far greater testimonies Moreouer wheÌ„ we say affirme that Iesus is Christe wée take not the grâ—…unde ther of vpon this that he entered into Hierusalem rydinge vppon an Asse But herevppon wée ground the same because hee made the blind to sée the deafe to here the lame to walke and the dead to rise out of their graues because he raysed himself to life being put to death the third daye Yet notwithstanding this confirmation of the base enterance of Christ into HierusaleÌ„ must not be despised because the almighty did foreshew by the mouth of the Prophete Zachary the same thinge that men might knowe that the kingdome of his sonne was disagréeing with the pompe glory power of this world and that it was also rather spirituall 8. And many of the people spred their garmentes in the waye Other cutte downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the waye And many of the people C. Here the EuaÌ„gelistes do declare that Christ was knowen of the people to be a king M. Surely the counsel and purpose of God in this was wonderfull that hee vseth the rude simple and abiecte sort of people and not the great Cittizenes of Hierusalem the Scribes Phariseis and hye Priestes to receiue his sonne and to set forth the beginning of his kingdome and so styrreth vp their minds and maketh them so ioyfull that setting all feare asyde of the hyer powers and of excommunication they proclaime him with open crye to be their kinge and the Lordes annointed and so condemned their elders And that these men were not Cittizenes of Hierusalem but suche as came from farre by reason of the feast daye wée maye gather by the woordes of Iohn who sayth On the next daye much people that were come to the feast when they heard that Iesus should come to Hierusalem toke braunches of Palme trees and wente forthe to méete him and cryed It might séeme truly a Maygame or iesting matter for the rude multitude cuttinge downe bowes and spreading their garments in the way to geue vnto Christ the vaine title of a king notwithstanding as they did this in good earnest and did faithfullye declare their mindes euen so Christe thoughte them méete and worthye proclaymers of his kingdome Neither is there any cause why we should maruaile at any such beginning when as he sitting at this daye at the right hand of his father doth sende obscure and base men from his heauenly throne of whom his maiesty is cellebrated in a most contemptible maner Other cut dovvne braunches C. Manye coniecture that the cutting of the braunches of the Palme trees came of an auncient and solemne custome of the day as concerninge the which matter we may read much in the thrée and twenty Chapter of Leuiticus but it is a greate deale more probable that this honor was geuen vnto Christe at a sodaine by the motion of the spirit first in the Disciples who had premeditated of no suche thinge than in the multitude which was set one by the Disciples as may be gathered by the wordes of Luke where hee sayth And when hée was nowe come nye to the goinge downe of mount Oliuet the whole multitude of the Disciples began to reioyce and to praise God with a loude voyce for all the myracles that they had séene sayinge Blessed be the kinge that commeth in the name of the Lord. 9. Moreouer the people that wente before and they that came after cryed saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde Hosanna in the hyest Moreouer the people B. This acclamation and crye is taken out of the hundreth and eightene Psalme wher other thinges properly aunswering and agreeing to the presente pompe of the Lorde it is thus red The same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone in the corner This was the Lords doing it is marueilous in our eyes This is the day which the Lord hath made wee will reioyce and be glad in it Helpe nowe O Lord O Lord sende vs now prosperity Blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the Lord c. This verce Helpe now O Lord O Lorde sende vs nowe prosperitye was applyed of them vnto Christ whereby it is euidente that the Psalmes were then vsed C. Also the Euangelist Mathew doth not withoute good cause resite the Hebrewe wordes that we might know that these acclamations and ioyful cryes were not rashely geuen vnto Christe and that the petitions and woordes of the Disciples were not spokeÌ„ without consideration but that they reuerentlye followed the order of prayer which the holye ghost had committed to the whole Churche by the mouthe of the Prophete For although hee do there speake as concerninge the kingedome yet notwithstandinge there is no doubte but that hee himselfe hath speciallye respecte and would that others also shoulde haue regarde to the eternall and euerlastinge succession which the Lorde had promised vnto him For hée framed gaue vnto the Church a perpetuall law of praying which notwithstanding that the riches of the kingdom were decayed was in vse And so the custome preuayled and grew that oftentimes they made their prayers as concerning the promised redemption in these woordes Also it was the purpose of Mathewe as wee touched euen now to recite the verse in Hebrewe to the ende hée might teache the Christ was knowen to the people to be the Messias and redemer E. This shoute therefore of the people was a wisshinge of prosperity and a prosperous crye eueÌ„ as wée in these dayes when anye Maiestrate is newlye chosen into his office shoute and wishe him good successe After the same maner this people was affectioned towards Christ they thought now that his corporall kingdome should begin and prosper therefore they prayed and wished that all things might happen vnto him luckelye For
this woorde Hosiah-na is as muche to saye as helpe now or saue and prosper althinges that this man taketh in hande B. And when they added to the sonne of Dauid it was as muche as if they shoulde haue sayed Helpe Lorde wee beseeche thée and prosper all things that belonge to this sonne of Dauid that his kingdome maye prosper luckely and take good successe prosper him thou wée say which dwellest in the hyest This crye of the people semeth to agrée with that whereof mencion is made in the tenthe Chapter of the firste booke of Kinges where the people sayde God saue kinge Saule and in the first Chapter of the thirde booke of kinges where the people cryed God saue kinge Solomon A. Therefore the Disciples and the multitude beinge moued by the instincte of the spirite prayed for the felicitye of the king for the prosperous successe also of his kingdome C. And truly as the spirit of God did then appoint that people to pray dailye for the kingdome of Christe euen so also hee doth nowe prescribe the same rule vnto vs And seing that God wil raigne by no other meanes than by the power of his sonne wée ought daylye to wishe and praye for his kingdome according as wee are taught Thy kingdome come vnder the which sentence the same is noted which more plainely in the Psalme is expressed Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde C. The Hebrewe woorde Berach in the Psalme out of the which these were taken signifyeth to prayse and to encrease one with goodes whervppon commeth the Hebrewe participle Baruch that is praysed blessed or increasee with goodes By this voyce therefore they wish vnto Christ the encrease of all goodnes and the prosperous successe of all thinges For repetitioÌ„ seemeth to be a familiar thinge to the Hebrewes and oftentimes vsed of them For that which before they wished in these woordes Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid or God prosper the sonne of Dauid they nowe wishe againe in sayinge Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord as if they should haue sayde Hitherto wee haue beene oppressed with diuers tyrannies but nowe oure kinge comminge all thinges shal prosper well and hee shal be happye which commeth vnto vs in the name of the Lord or beinge sente or annointed of God saue prosper and blesse thou him therfore which dwellest in the hyest The Euangelist sayth expresly in the name of the Lorde because the Messias should come as one sent and not as one that thrusteth in himselfe but should be sent of the father For hee is said to come in the name of the Lorde which intrudeth not himselfe but taketh the kingdome at the will and commaundement of god The which thinge maye more certainly be gathered by the woordes of Marke when hee sayth Blessed be the kingdome that commeth in the name of him that is the Lorde of oure father Dauid For they spake after this maner in respecte of the promises because the Lord had promised that he woulde at the lengthe be the deliuerer of that people and had appointed a meane namely the renuinge and restoringe of the kingdome of Dauid B. The like and the very selfe same meaninge almost had those prayers of the seruauntes of Solomon when they sayd As God hath bene with my Lorde the kinge euen so be hee with Solomon also and make his seate greatter than the seate of my lord kyng Dauids hath bene C. We do see therefore that the honour of a mediatour of whom all good thinges and the benefite of saluation was hoped for is attributed vnto Christ But seing they were rude and ignorante people which called the kingdome of Christ the kingdome of Dauid we may hereby learne that this doctrine was comon and well knowne to the vulgar sorte which doctrine semeth to some at this daye very harde because they are not exercised in the Scriptures Hosanna in the hiest B. This repetition dothe declare a greate feruencye to be in the people which hartely and vnfainedly receyued Christe to be their kinge as if they shoulde haue saide Thou O God whiche dwellest in the heauens saue the kynge whiche thou hast sente vnto vs C. and delyuer vs by Christ whiche in thy name is come vnto vs C. The Euangelist Luke addeth somewhat more saying peace in heauen and glory in the hiest In the whiche there were no obscuritie if it were agreable to the songe of the Angell in the seconde of Luke For there the Angelles assigne glorye to God in Heauen and peace to men in earthe but here bothe peace and glory are referred to god In sence notwithstandinge there is no disagreement for althoughe the Angelles do more distinctely shewe the cause why it was necessarye that the glory and prayse shoulde be yelded vnto God namely because by his mercy men inioy peace in this worlde yet notwithstandinge it meaneth the same thinge that the multitude in this place proclaymeth namely that there is peace in heauen because we knowe that myserable consciences in this worlde are no other waies pacified then by the reconciliation of God to them from heauen 10 And when he was come to Hierusalem all the cittie was moued saying VVho is this And vvhen he vvas come Bu. It was necessary that the glory of the kynge Chryste shoulde not be obscure or hidden but euidente and manifest and therefore by the ordinance of God al the cittezens of Hierusalem are moued at this vnwonted â—…ight that we might know that the comminge of Christe in this order and apperance was not vnfruitefull and voyde of profyte C. The matter was not done in huggermugger or by stealth in secret without the knowledge of the hye priestes and Scribes but openly all the people beholdinge the same Wherefore in that contemptible state of the fleshe the maiestie of the spirite was euidente for howe coulde al men haue suffered without their greate peryll that Christ shold be brought into the Cittie with kinglike pompe excepte they had bene amased at the sighte A. This sighte therefore mighte haue seemed a laughinge game had not the power of God ben presente C. This therefore is the somme that the enteraunce of Christe into the cittie was neyther secrete nor his ennemies quiet because they contempned hym but rather that they were staied by secret feare because God had stricken theym so that they durste not attempte any thynge In the meane time the carelesse securytie of the cittie is reprehended and the zeale and religion of straungers is commended For when the cittezens by reason of the noyse make enquirye who it was they plainly declare them selues to be none of the disciples of Christ Finally these woordes ought to be extended to all those thinges whiche pertayne to the kyngedome of Chryst the whiche kingdome semeth to the worlde contemptyble and base and the mynisters and seruauntes of this kingdome do feme vnto them to be madde and out of their witts but
vnto him when as neuerthelesse they woulde seeme to be the sonnes of God and the doers of his wil. And this is the Scope of the parable as he himselfe expoūdeth in the two thirty verse following In that expositiō to the ende he might expresse their malice and obstinacy he vseth a collation comparinge them not to their equalls but to their inferiours for what was more inferior to the hye Pristes Scribes and Phariseys then publicans and harlots 29. He answered and said I will not but afterward he repented and wente C. Here he setteth forth the type of publicanes and harlots whose lyfe saythe nothing lesse than we wil not do the wil of god Suche were Mathewe Zache and the synfull woman of whome sainct Luke maketh mencion in the vij chapt 30. Then came he to the seconde and sayde lykewyse And he aunswered and said I will syr and wente not Then came he to the second E. Oure Sauiour Christe goeth forwarde with the parable bringinge in here the aunswere of the other which saide I vvill syr These wordes are read in al Gréekes bookes in the olde Latin interpretor It is a kinde of speache declaringe a man to be ready and at hande to do any thinge C. Specially belonging to the Hehrewes For when the Hebrewes go aboute to offer their endeuour and declare that they are in a redynes to fulfyll any thynge they speake after this maner Beholde I am here Lorde Euen so the childe Samuell when he thouhgte that he was called of Heli saide I am here For the whiche the Lattines haue I am readye or at hande M. This sonne did represente the hye Priestes Scribes and Phariseys who in woordes and profession said Beholde Lorde wee are here and are readye to do what soeuer thou commaundest but in dede they did nothinge lesse C. It is a vertue deseruing greate praise to fulfill with all diligence the will of God so soone as by his woorde he hath commaunded the same But as oure Sauiour Christe doth not here commende the promisinge of that which wee fulfill not so he doth not allow negligence or starknes in the Lords busines for to promise and boaste of that whiche wee doe not is mere hypocsyire an a vice lesse tollerable a greate deale 31. VVhether of them twayne did the will of the father And they saide vnto him the firste Iesus saith vnto them verely I saye vnto you the publicans and harlotes goe into the kingdome of God before you VVhether of them M. To do the wyll of the father is as it followeth by and by to repente and beleue the Gospel whiche is to enter into the kyngdome of God. And they sayd vnto him M. Here our Sauiour Christe dothe by force wreste oute of their mouthes their owne Iudgemēt against thē selues euen as Nathan caused Dauid to do Bu They could not saye before the people wee know not to this question without to greate impudencye but they are constrained by reason of the manifeste verity to aunswere that which was true The publicanes and harlots When he had hearde theyr aunswere he declareth to what end he propounded the parable namelye that he mighte declare that they by their impenitency and hardnes of harte depriued them selues of the kyngdome of God the which they did not now onely shewe but also before when Iohn came Go into the kingdome of God before you By those woordes oure Sauiour Christe meaneth that the publicanes and harlots were more ready to repente them and to beleue the Gospel than were the hye Priestes Scribes and Phariseys For thus doth the verse followinge teache vs to expounde it But we muste not vnderstande this woorde go before as thoughe the hye Priestes Scribes elders should followe the Publicanes and harlots into the kingdome of heauen For the wordes following do deny that where it is said And ye when ye had sene it wer not moued afterward with repētance that ye might haue beleued him Moreouer the parable following doth sufficiently declare how greatly they were hardened in their malice For although som of them as we maye reade in the Actes were afterward conuerted to the faith yet notwithstandyng this priestlye corporation or state of the hye priests here Scribes and elders of the people abode in their vnbelefe Also we se here howe hard a thing it is to bringe them to repentance which being moste vngodly yet hypocritically boaste them selues to be the true worshipers of god Yea this is so harde a thinge that it is more easy to bringe the vilest synners to a newe and reformed life Wherefore it is no merueyle if these kynde of hypocrits in oure time can by no meanes be broughte to repentance There is no doubte but that the Phariseys tooke it greuouslye at the last to be compared to publicanes and synners of most wicked name when as they thought scorne to haue the holyest sorte of men compared vnto them C. Now let vs note the purpose of Christe He dothe not onely reprehende the Scribes and Phariseys because they obstinatlye resisted GOD and because they repented not beinge so often admonished but he spoyleth and taketh from them that honor wherof they were vnworthy because theyr impiety was more abhominable than the lasciuiouse wyckednes of harlotes For the one was hypocrisye the other whoredome Of the whiche euells the fyrste is most abhominable in the sight of God. 32. For Iohn came vnto you by the waye of righteousnes and ye beleued hym not but publicanes and harlotes beleued him And ye when ye had sene it were not moued afterwarde to repentance that ye mighte haue beleued him For Iohn came C. Seinge that Iohn was the faythefull minister of GOD whatsoeuer he taughte Christe attributeth it to the personne of GOD himselfe It had been a more perfecte speache to haue sayde GOD came shewinge the waye of righteousnes by the mouth of Sainct Iohn but because S. Iohn dyd not speake in the name of GOD as a priuate man he is iustlye as a substitute set in the place of God. Also this place bryngeth no smale authoritye to the preachyng of the worde when they are sayde to bee rebells againste the same whiche despyse the Godly admonitions of the teachers A. Whereuppon oure Sauiour Christ sayd not in vayne to hys Aposteles he whiche heareth you heareth me he whiche despiseth you despiseth me And in an other place Whosoeuer receaueth whome I sende receaueth me and he that receaueth me receyueth him that sente me C. There are some which more subtilly expounde the name of righteousnes but here it seemeth to signifye nothynge ells than that the doctrine of Saincte Iohn was pure and true as if he shoulde haue sayde there was no cause why they shoulde reiecte the same For whosoeuer receyueth not the true minister of GOD he is a rebell to god He sayth therefore that they haue no excuse to laye for them selues And ye beleued hym not Namelye when he
he wyll breake theim in their hardenes and so their destruction shal be more manifeste He did perceyue greate stubbernenesse to be in the Iewes it was necessary therefore that this kynde of ponishement and vengeance shoulde seuerely be sette before them that they myghte not so securelye kycke againste the same This doctrine doth partely teache vs to commytte our selues quietly to be tamed of Christ with a gentle and flexible harte partelye also he confirmeth the godly againste the obstinacie and furiouse madnes of the wicked for whom there remaineth horryble destruction M. To fall vpbn the stone and to stomble at the stone Chryst signifieth all one thynge namely to reiecte Chryste and not to beleeue hym C. Therefore they are sayde to fal vpon Chryste whiche rushe vppon hym to oppresse hym not that they clyme aboue hym but because their madnesse doth so bewitche and carye theim an ende that they go aboute to throwe downe Christ as it were from an hye But hee teacheth that this is onely their gaine euen in the middeste of the conflicte to be broken and brused But when they do so prowdely exalte them selues he sheweth that an other thynge shall befall theim that is to saye they shall be broken vnder the stoone vpon the whiche they so boldely rushed Bu. These men do as they whiche in climynge plucke from a lofte some greate stone or other vppon theyr owne heades by the whiche they are broken to peces For whē they think that they haue ouercome the followers of Chryste and that they haue broughte theyr purpose to passe and that they are in safetie voyde of all daunger then are they moste neere to destruction and sodayne vengeaunce hangeth ouer theyr heades A. These thynges are more plentifully declared by the Apostelles And namely by the Apostel Peter when he saith Vnto you therefore whiche beleue he is preciouse but vnto thē which beleue not the stone which the buylders refused the same is begon to be the head of the corner and a stone that men stomble at and a rocke wherat they be offended which stombled at the worde and beleue not that whereon they were sette Also the Apostel Paule saith Beholde I put in Syon a stone to stomble at and a rock that men shal be offended at And who so euer beleueth on him shall not be confounded 45 And when the chiefe priests and Phariseies had hearde his parables theye perceiued that he spake of them And vvhen the chiefe priestes C. The Euangelist sheweth how littell Christ profyted leaste we shoulde meruayle that the doctrine of the gospel at this day constraineth not al mē to obey god They know saith the Euangelist that they spake of him M. For their conscience was an interpreter to theim of the parables of Christ For they knewe who they were how they were affectioned what they went about Euen so at this day when the ministers of the word do speke against hypocrits against fornicators against ydolators againste Simoniakes against false teachers by by the Pope the bishop the sacrificing priestes and the monkes thinke that they are spoken of And howe cōmeth this to passe Surely euery one of them knowe their owne dedes 46 And they went about to laye handes on him but they feared the people because they toke him as a prophete And they vvent aboute to laye handes Bu. They being ouercom by the scriptures perfect reason geue not place to the trueth and although they had herd the deuine iudgement of God yet notwithstandinge they feare nothinge but goinge forwarde in their wonted mallice and enuy they go about and take counsell how they might destroy the lord Iesus C. Let vs therefore learne that it cannot otherwise com to passe but that threatenynges shoulde more more kendell the outragiousnes of the wicked For as God doth seale our hartes by his word so also he doth woūd wicked consciences with his whos iron whereby it cometh to passe that wickednes doth the more increase Wee muste pray therefore that he will vouchsafe to bring vs to a voluntary feare least that the bare knowledge of vēgeance do more exasperate vs and prouoke vs to wrathe But they feared the people M. Bu. Here the Scribes and Pharyseyes accordynge to theyr manner are more and more inflamed agaynste Chryste but because his honoure was not yet come they are able to do nothinge being striken once agayne with vayne feare Herevppon wee haue a synguler comforte and consolation namelye that the Lorde wyll take and delyuer those that are hys euen frome the mouthes and chawes of the Lyons For hee restrayneth his enemies euen as it were with a brydell in so muche that they are able to do nothynge withoute hee graunte them leaue to the ende he myght proue theyr pacience Because they take hym as a Prophete M. The multitude and common sorte of people thyncke a greate deale better of Chryst than the wyse holy and chiefe heades of the people The lyke whereof also we see at this daye A. For as towchynge those thynges that pertayne to the exacte knoweledge of the kingedome of God God hathe hidden them from the wyse and prudent of this worlde and hath reuealed them to babes to base and symple men The xxii Chapter ANd Iesus answered and spake vnto theim agayne by parables and sayd The kingdom of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a king which made a maryage for his sonne And Iesus aunsvvered and spake agayne A. The Euangelyste Luke rehearseth the same parable the whiche as it maye seeme was propounded of oure Sauioure not by and by after the parable going before but before when hee satte at the table of a certayne Pharyseye as it appereth by the woordes of Luke C. But because it was the purpose of Matthewe to shewe for what cause the Scrybes were so prouoked to madnes hee putte this sermon also in conuenyente tyme and vnited it to the terte neglectynge the order of tyme amongeste his sermones that were so hated and detested of the Scrybes and Phariseyes And wee muste note the narration of Luke that when one of the gestes hadde sayde that theye were blessed whiche eare breade in the kyngedome of heauen Chryste therevppon toke occasion to caste the ingratitude of the Iewes in theyr teethe And althoughe it be scarse credyble that the geste and friende of the Pharyseye burste forthe into these woordes by an earneste affection of godlynesse yet notwithstandynge he sholde not seeme to scoffe or mocke by these woordes but as men of a meane faithe and not openlye knowne to be wycked do in the middest of theyr cuppes prate and talke of euerlastynge lyfe euen soo it is lykely that this manne caste forthe these woordes to the ende that hee in lyke case myghte haue some talke with Christ And his woordes do declare that hee mente nothynge but that whiche was grosse and terrestriall for hee dyd not speake of eatynge breadde metaphorically for the
that doctrine which semeth to diminish the study and force of honestie And truly where the Gospel is preached loue with the whiche all mens hartes oughte to be possessed and inflamed dothe rather waxe colde then whote and feruent But the welspring of this euell must be noted namely that many doe waxe therefore weary because by reason of their infirmity they fainte and sinke in the floude of iniquitie whiche by little and little ouerfloweth all B. Paule also playnely sheweth that loue waxed colde in his tyme. Surely in that all men withstode Paule in Asia it was a token that iniquitie should abounde and that loue waxed colde 13 But he that indureth to the ende the same shal be safe C. By constancy perseuerance in faythe howe many crewell persecutiōs soeuer are exercised against vs what greuous offences soeuer are obiected against vs by them that fall although the deceitfull errour of false Prophetes doe resiste oure faithe yet notwithstanding at the lengthe wee shall receyue the saluation of our soules whiche is the ende of our faithe Christe therefore requireth this fortitude of those that are his that they persiste and abyde stoutly in fight against all impedimēts of their faythe Thus also Paule commaūdeth vs to do least wee be weary of wel doynge And in an other place he saythe that no man is crowned excepte he stryue lawefully Weerefore we must beare all thynges with a boulde mynde and stoute courage whiche the Lorde shall laye vp-vpon vs Reade of this selfe and same sentence in the tenth chapiter going before and in the two and twenty verse of the chapter 14 And this Gospell of the kyngdome shal be preached in all the worlde for a witnes vnto all nations and then shall the ende come And this Gospell of the kingdome Bu. By these woordes our Sauiour dothe preuente an obiection Obiection whiche some man mighte obiecte thus To what ende is their nede of such diligence and perseuerance when as in so many troubles errours seducinges seditions contenciōs no Gospell can bee preached The Lorde aunswered Your labour and dilligence shall not wante his fruite For althoughe the worlde be madde and what soeuer Sathan goeth about and howe many troubles soeuer he bryngeth in yet notwithstanding the Gospell wyll haue an issue vntyll it bee preached throughout the whole worlde So that in effecte his wordes briefly sound thus muche Although all thinges be troubled yet notwithstandinge this Gospell shal be preached For he thought it good to adde to this laste signe a cōsolation that they might fight the more boldly in knowyng that they should be conquerers Feare discourageth men but we are vnder the banner of Christ without all daunger because wee knowe that he is farre more stronge than the deuel and the whole worlde This Gospell of the kingdome A. Why it is called the Gospell of the kyngdome reade the fourth chapiter goynge before Shal be preached in all the vvorlde A. The Euangeliste Marke hath And the Gospell must firste be publyshed among all nations C. By the whiche woordes Christe declareth that the Gospell muste bee preached throughout the whole worlde And although this were incredible yet notwithstandinge it behoued the Apostles to hope well where no hope was because theire maister had geuen testimonie that it should be so and in the meane tyme to endeuoure them selues to discharge their office A. This that Christe speaketh of here beganne in the Apostels tyme. Whereuppon the Apostell Paule also wryteth that the Gospell at that tyme dyd fructifie in the whole worlde And when it is sayde that it shall bee preached to all nations it is mente that it shal be preached to the greatest parte of nations For howe farre the Apostle Paule onely preached the same it may be sene by his epistle that he writeth to the Romains where he sayeth that he wente from Hierusalem and preached the Gospell to all the Regions that laye there rounde euen to Illyricum And in an other place he saythe God was manifested in the fleshe iustified in the spirite seene of the Aungels and preached to the Gentyles and was beleued on in the worlde And where as some do obeicte the Antipodas or other sortes of people whiche are very farre to whome no parte of the fame of Christe hath hytherto come wee aunswere thus Christ doth not meane in this place specially euery particuler parte and corner of the whole earth neither dothe he prefixe or appointe any certain time but only affirmeth that the Gospell which shortly shoulde be banished out of Iewry the proper place thereof as men thoughte should be spred and published euē to the farthest parts of the earth before his cōming at the last daye to Iudgement accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophete their sounde wente forth into the whole lande and their woordes to the vtmoste partes of the earth Therefore it shall be preached in the whole worlde that is as well amonge the Gentiles as among the Iewes For the whole worlde is diuided into these twoo peoples all are either Iewes or Gentiles in some repecte But there is a fygure vsed here called Synechdoche vsed also in manye other places of the Scripture as when a parte is put for the whole For a vvitnes to all nations C. By these wordes he noteth the ende of preaching For although God neuer lefte him selfe without witnes but after a speciall maner testified of himselfe to the Iewes Notwithstanding this was a speciall testimony aboue all others and worthy to be noted when God reuealed himselfe in his sonne Christ and therefore Paule saith that he shoulde be testifyed at his time because this was the dewe time of callinge the whole worlde vnto god Let vs learne therefore so often as the Gospel is preached that it is euē as if God should come himselfe in the midest of men and should call vs after a solem and lawfull maner leaste as vncertaine we shoulde wander in darkenes but those whiche refuse to obeye are made inexcusable B. That this worde testimony or witnes is often times taken in the Scripture for the lawe and doctrine of God it doth sufficientlye appeare by the Psalmes as in the hōdered and ninetene Psalme in the three score and eightene Psalme where it is sayde He made a testimony or couenant with Iacob and gaue Israell a lawe in the whiche place testimonye and lawe signifye all one thing As therfore a law was geuen to the Iewes and diuers ceremonys belonginge to the same by the which God declared his will admonished the of their deuty euen so afterward it was necessary that the Gospell shoulde be preached to all nations that they also might haue testimony of God by the which they might know his goodnes and haue also a faith in him and a desyer of godlines Amonge the electe therefore of the Gentiles the Gospell hath ben is preached at this daye for a
the inheritaunce as doth the Prophet Dauid also in his Psalmes where he sayth The Lorde hym selfe is the porcion of myne inheritaunce he sayth that they shal be ioyned vnto hypocrites that is they shal be punyshed with the same punyshment that hypocrits are And they are sayd to be hypocrites because they acknowledge the Lorde with the mouthe and make them selues the ministers of God and the seruauntes of the seruauntes of God when as they are in the Churche nothinge elles but idle bellies not seking the Lorde but them selues Bu. In steade of that which he saith here And geue him his porcion with hypocrites He sayde in an other place And caste him into vtter darkenes Ioyninge that there whiche nowe followeth There shal be vveaping and gnashing of teethe The whiche truly he added least any man should be ignoraunt of the inheritaunce prepared for hypocrites For it is wrytten in the holy Scripture No hypocrite shall come in his sighte To cast therefore the wicked into vtter darkenes and to geue them their portion with hypocrites is to cast them euerlastingly into helfler of the which reade the fift chap. going before The xxv Chapter THen shall the kyngdome of heauen bee like vnto tenne virgins which toke their lampes and wente to mete the bridegrome Then shall the kingdome M. This parable pertaineth to the same effecte that the other following doth to the whiche also the similitudes going before do belonge also namely to this ende that we should watche and kepe our selues ready to mete with the Lorde because the hower of his comming is vncertaine and vnknowne leaste if when he come for our vnreadines we be shut out Notwithstanding this parable is properly added that the faithfull might be confirmed and brought to perseuerance The Lorde knewe well enough how prone the nature of men is to ease and that it cōmeth often tymes to passe that they do not only faynte by reason of the prolonginge of the tyme but also perishe with a sodaine lotheing and yrckesomenes To remedy and cure this disease he teacheth that his disciples are not well prepared excepte they bee armed with sufferance for a long tyme The scope and end of this parable being knowē we shall not nede to stande about friuolous and triffeling reasons which serue nothing to the purpose and meaninge of Christe There are some whiche greately trouble them selues about the lyghtes about the vesselles land about the oyle where as the simple proper somme of these thinges is that a diligent endeuour for a small tyme is not sufficiēt except perseuerance and perpetuall constancy be ioyned therewith And this thing Christe expresseth by a moste apte similitude As appeareth by the woordes of S. Luke he exhorted the disciples seing thei shoulde trauayle through troublesome and darke places to take lightes with thē But because except oyle be put vnto it the weke of the candell wyll waxe drye and loose his lyghte Nowe Christe sayth that the faithfull haue nede of the helpe of vertue which increaseth the lyghte beynge kyndeled in their hartes Otherwyse that it woulde come to passe that before halfe were ended their diligence would decaye M. we must also note that it is not shadowed in this parable what shoulde happen to the vnbeleuing at the comminge of the lorde for they are iudged already but to those whiche are thought to be Christians and are called cittezins of the kyngdome of heauen As if he should saye Then shal that happen to those that feme to pertayne to the kyngdome of heauen whiche happened to the foolyshe vyrgins C. By the name of the kyngdome of heauen the state of the Churche to come is vnderstode whiche was to bee gathered by the woorke of the Messias And he vseth so excellent a tytle least the faithfull should deceiue them selues by the false immagination of blessed perfection Z. Christe tooke possession of this kyngdome by the preaching of the Gospell and specially after his resurrection when the disciples were sente throughout the whole worlde to preache the Gospell as it is sayd before VVhiche toke their lampes C. Christe taketh his similitude of the cōmon custome of men Very chyldishe was the speculatiō of Hierome and suche others which stretched this parable to the prayse of virginity seyng the purpose of Christe was nothinge els than to myttigate the griefe of tediousnes whiche the faithfull might haue by the delaye of his comming He sayth therefore that he doth requyre nothing of vs but that whiche one frende commonly sheweth to an other in the solemne right of mariage It was a common custome in the mariages of the people of the Iewes that the brydegrome should not come vnto the bryde vntil midnight and when he came a company of Iewyshe damsels hauinge torches mette him by the waye and brought hym to the brydge who came not once forthe without the bridegromes pleasure but sate at home waighting for the bridegrome According to this cōmon manner order of the Iewish mariage Christe speaketh here But the somme of the parable tendeth to this ende that it is not sufficiēt for any that they were once prepared and ready to doe their dutie except they continue to the ende And vvente to mete the bridegrome M. It is very corruptly added of the old interpretour in that hee saythe To mete the bridegrome and the bride Seing that it is founde in none of the Greke bookes And as for Chrysostom Hillarius and Theophilacte they make no mention of the bryde For Christe is the bridegrome and the whole parable tēdeth to this end that he nowe cōming we should go forth to mete him No part of the parable pertaineth to bryde nay they which can mete the brydegrome in good time euē they I say are the bride S. Austen expounding this place in a sermon whiche he made of the wordes of Christe out of the .xxii. chap. of Mathewe neither readeth nor maketh any mention of this worde bryde 2 But fiue of them were foolishe and fiue wer wise But fiue of thē vvere foolish M. He speaketh not here of vnfaithfull as it was said euen now but of foolishe and negligent Christiās We will not reason here of the virginitie neither of the number of tenne neither yet of this that so many are sayd to be foolish and so wyse For here we haue to shew who are true or false Cristiās Whose profession is to wayte for the Lorde to come and to make them selues ready to mete him A. and to perseuere in the study of a godly lyfe to the ende Bu. But they are mingled together without difference in this life and are ioyned together with one title of profession all are called Christians all are baptised al do professe the faith in Christ and the loking for his comming with euerlasting life but when the lorde shall come it shal be manifest who are sincere who not who are prepared and who not who shall be admitted and who
slouthfull seruaunte thou knewest that I reape where I sowed not and gather where I haue not strawed His Lord aunsvvered Bu. Here the iust iudgement of God against ypocrites is plentifully declared besyde the sharpe reprehension of the wicked facte and equall ponishment Thou euil and slouthful seruaunt M. In that he calleth him euill and slouthfull he sheeweth that he ceased from worke not so muche by the feare of his seueritye as by his owne slouthfulnes and negligence 27. Thou oughtest therefore to haue deliuered my moneye to the exchaungers and then at my cōminge should I haue receiued my owne wyth vauntage Bu. The Euangeliste Luke bringeth in before these woords Of thine owne mouthe will I condemne thee Hee is cōdemned of his owne mouth by turning that against him which he alleaged for his excuse As if he should saye Thou knewest that I was a straite requyrer of gaine why then diddest thou not for feare of my seueritye geue my money to the exchangers I which seeke for gaine there where I bestowed no cost should shortlye come require my money with vantage that is to say that I would reape there where I sowed not The stocke and chaūce therof was mine not thine thou diddest owe the duty of a seruant to the Lord. 28 Take therefore the talent from him and geue it vnto him which hath ten talentes Question It may be demaunded what maner of sayinge is this For then all workinge shall cease Wee aunsweare that we must remember that which wee sayde before that they do erre which scrupulouslye stande vppon euery word of parables But the true and natural sence hereof is this the although now slouthfull and vnprofitable seruantes haue the giftes of the spirite yet notwithstanding at the lengthe they shall be stripped out of all that their nakednes and reprochfull neede may turne to the glory of the good Christe sayth that these are slouthfull or that they do digge their talent or pounde vnder the earthe because they seeking altogether for ease and pleasure will suffer no trouble at all euen as we see very many while they are whollye addicted to their priuate commodities do let passe all the duties of charitye and haue no regarde of the common buildinge So that wee may easlye gather by this parable that there is no kinde of life more acceptable before God than that by the whiche there commeth some profite to the society of men 29. For vnto euery one that hath shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundance But hee that hath not from him shal be taken awaye euen that which hee hath C. Hee sayth to him that hath shal be geuē For they do truly possesse the giftes of God which do rightly vse them The couetouse men are rather possessed of theyr money because they know not the right vse of possessing Euen so of spirituall giftes hee which according to his abillity promoteth the glorye of God is rightlye sayd to haue Hee meaneth thereof that God doth requight rewarde the righte vse of the giftes of the godly with the latter graces but notwithstandinge wee must acknowledge him to be the geuer and author of these thinges both of that wee receiue and also of the righte vse of those thinges that wee do receiue For the rewarde is suche that it commeth freely For hee oweth nothing vnto vs nay wee are rather detters vnto him A. Insomuche that when wee haue done all that euer wee can yet ought wee to say that wee remayne vnprofitable seruauntes and that wee haue not done that which was our dutye to do C. This is also a great consolation to the faithfull when they here God to be so beneficiall vnto them hitherto that hee will still enriche them with newe treasure And this promise ought to kindle earnest study and diligence in the godly that so muche as they can they seeke to bringe profite not to themselues but to the Lorde As touching the reste which pertayneth to the exposition of this verse read the 13. goinge before 30. And cast the vnprofitable seruaunte into vtter darkenes there shal be weepinge and gnashinge of teeth And cast the vnprofitable seruaunt M. This is to be noted that hee is not onely an vnprofitable seruaunt which wasteth his maisters goodes and tourneth them to his owne vse but hee also whiche hydeth his maysters goodes in a corner whiche hee receiued to occupye Euen as that is not called an euill tree onlye which bringeth forth euill frute but that also which bringeth forth no frute Into vtter darkenes Reade the eight Chapter going before C. For there we taught that vtter darkenes was set agaynste the Domesticall light Christe meaneth here that they whiche are caste oute of the kingdome of GOD are caste into extreame darkenes 31. VVhen the sonne of man commeth in his glorye and all the Angels with him then shall hee sit vppon the seate of his glorye VVhen the sonne of man commeth B. The Euangelist Mathew procedeth on still in expoundinge the question as concerninge the consumation and ende of the worlde and of the Iudge and Iudgemente to come For hither by the occasion thereof Christ exhorted by some parables to watching and perseuerance C. That therefore whiche before hee described in parables hee nowe plainlye declareth withoute figures The summe and effecte is that the faythfull shoulde prepare themselues to the studye of a holye and godlye life in hauinge respecte with the eyes of fayth to the Heauenly lyfe whiche beinge now hidde shal be at the last reuealed in the comminge of Christe For in sayinge that hee shall then sit in the seate of hys glorye when hee shall come wythe Angelles hee opposeth or setteth this laste reuelation against the confused vnperfect cogitacions of the earthly warre ▪ as if hee should haue sayde that hee did not therefore appeare that hee should straighte way establishe his kingdome and therefore hee sheweth that hope and pacience is nedefull least the longe delaye should make his Dysciples weake Whereuppon we gather that this was also added that the Disciples beinge exempte from the error of the present and sodaine felicity might suspend their mindes vntill the seconde comminge of Christ in the meane time that they should not faint or fall away through his absence and therefore hee sayth that at that time he shal be glorious by the name of a kinge For althoughe hee began his kingdome in earthe and sitteth now at the righte hande of the father that hee might gouerne both Heauen and earth with greate power yet notwithstandinge that seate is not yet erected and set vp in the sight of men whereby wee may note that his deuyne maiestye shall much more brightlye shine in the laste daye than nowe For then wee shall see the perfecte effect of that glorye of the whiche wee haue now but a taste onelye Christe therefore nowe sitteth in hys Heauenlye throne because it is necessarye that hee raigne to bridle his ennemyes and to
haste sayde Then Iudas vvhich M. Wee sée here the wonderfull impudency of Iudas which doth not only dissemble the wycked dede but also with a brasen face offereth himselfe and denyeth the dede Because all the reste had demaunded of Christe and sayde Is it I leastâ—… he shoulde seme to be gyltye he bursteth forth also in lyke maner saying â–ª Master is it I He doth not aske this question to knowe the truethe neither because he was soâ—…y as the reste were but leaste he should be had in suspicion of the reste if he shoulde holde his peaâ—…e C. Althoughe wee see often tymes those that are gilty in conscience to tremble for feare yet notwithstanding they are so wrapped in feare in brutishe sencelesnes and in blindenes that that they boldelye stande to the denyall but at the length they secretlye bewraye their mischiefe Euen so Iudas hauinge his owne conscience accusing him could not kepe silence so cruellye did that tormenter within his breste disquiete hym with feare and care Thou haste saide Christ by his answere crossely reprhending the boldenes of Iudas stirreth him vp to consider his wicked facte whiche he sought to hide M. As if he shoulde saye I say not that thou goest about to betray me I do not reueale thy wickednes but thou thy selfe sayst it Take hede therefore what thou doeste Beholde here the wonderful mekenes of Christe he dothe not chyde him he casteth not his benefits in his teeth he driueth him not froÌ„ the communion of the table he holdeth him contented that he hathe striken his conscience and that he hath well prouided for the faith of the reste in shewinge that these thinges happened vnto hym accordinge to the Scriptures C. But nowe the minde of Iudas beinge possessed with deuelishe madnes he coulde not conceyue any suche meaninge Moreouer let vs learne by this example that the wycked in excusing their sinne do nothing els but bring the iudgement of God more spedely vppon them selues M After these thinges Saint Luke addeth that he sayd thus I haue inwardly desiered to eate this Paseouer with you before that I suffer For I saye vnto you henceforth I wil not eate of it any more vntill it be fulfilled in the kyngedome of god And he tooke the cup and gaue thankes and sayde Take this and deuide it amonge you For I saye vnto you I will not drinke of the frute of the vyne vntill the kyngdome of God come A. The which sentence we will expouÌ„de in the .29 verse followinge M. But Mathew hitherto declareth that Christ was not ignorant of the counsell and purpose of his betrayer of the which he maketh mencion not with a disdainefull minde neither to the ende he mighte bewray the wyckednes of Iudas or contende with him but hee rather did it to fortify the reste of his Disciples Of the whiche thinge truely this is an euident argument that he leauinge the trayter commendeth and instituteth to his Disciples the proffite memory of his death by the sacrament of his body and bloud Before the whichh institution it is euident that he did and spake these things by the wordes of Luke before rehersed by the whiche he declared that the Paseouer of the Iewes was not onely a remeÌ„brance of the deliueraÌ„ce out of Egipt but also a type of the deliueraÌ„ce to come which euen nowe was ready to be fulfilled weereof he himselfe shoulde the author C. But because Luke maketh meÌ„cion that Christe tooke the cup twyse in his hande wee muste firste of all se whether it be a repetition for sometimes the Euangelist do repeate one thing twise or whether Christe after he had tasted of the cup did the lyke againe the seconde time Surelye it is like that he tasted of the cup twyse For we knowe that the solemne rite of supping in the sacrifyces was obserued of the holy fathers where uppon it is writen I will receiue the cup of saluation and will call vppon the name of the lord So that we doubt not but that Christe did syp according to the olde custome in the holy feast the which coulde not otherwise be rightlye accomplished The which thing S. Luke plainly declareth before that he cometh to the narratioÌ„ of the new mistery the order wherof was distinguished from the Paschall lambe This also was done according to the accustomed and solemne vse in that he is expresely sayde to geue thaÌ„kes wheÌ„ he tooke the cuppe For in the beginninge of Supper no doubte he prayed euen as at no time he came to the table without inuocation of God But nowe also again he vsed the same seruice least he should omitte the ceremony whiche we sayde eueen now was annexed to the holy Sypping B. For the good man of the house if he had a domestical sacrifice began firste if it were the sacrifice of the whole people or multitude the kyng began firste Christe truelye woulde not despise that commen maner or custome For there was nothing mixed in the Paseouer of superstition Thankes therefore being geuen for the solemne assemblye he set before them the cup that euerye one might taste or syppe therof in doing wherof they declared that they woulde geue thaÌ„kes with the same minde eueÌ„ as if they should haue sayde Amen This Ceremony was nothing els than a testimony of agréement Nowe let vs come vnto the Supper for that fyrste sypping was only a geuing of thankes 26. VVhen they were eating Iesus tooke bread and when he had geuen thankes he breake it and gaue it to the Disciples and sayde take eate this is my body VVhen they vvere eating C. These woordes are not so to be vnderstoode as though this newe far more excellent supper were ioyned to the Paseouer but rather that the firste supper was then ended The whiche thing also is more plainelye expressed of S. Luke when he saith that Christe after supper tooke the cupe and gaue it For it had ben an absurde thing that one the selfe same mistery shoulde be cut of by the distance of time Wherefore there is no doubte but that orderly so soone as he had geueÌ„ bread he gaue the cupe also And that whick S Luke speaketh particulerly of the cup wee extende to the bread also Therfore as they were eatinge Christ tooke bread that he might cal them to the participation of the new supper The geuing of thankes was a certaine preparation and pasing to consider the misterye Thus supper beinge ended they tasted of the holy breade and wyne because firste their security was stirred vp that they might wholely geue them selues to so hye a mistery And reason doth thus require that this euident testimony of life spiritual should haue a difference from the olde shadowe But in that Christe instituted the Sacrament of his body and bloud when supper was ended he mente not thereby to make a law that the faithfull should take their Supper before they celebrated the mistical supper how beit that was the
For they shewe that the declaration of the resurrection in Christe was of such estimation to the Apostels and faythfull that thereby they were moued to worship him as the God Lord. For he is declared to bee the sonne of God by the power of the resurrection But some doubted M. It is marueile that some here should doubt as yet hauing so often times before sene Christe But it ought not to seme absurde vnto vs if the reliques of feare whiche remayned behinde caused some of them to doubte and wauer a newe For we knowe that so often as Christe appeared they were afearde and amased vntill they had better remēbred them selues and bene a whyle conuersaunt with hym Wherefore the meaning is that certayne in the beginning doubted vntill suche tyme as Christe had bene more nere and familiar with them but when hee was certainly knowen vnto them they worshipped hym because in dede the brightnes of his glory was manifest vnto them These thinges being ended they retourned to Hierusalem where the Lorde commaunded them to abyde as wytnesseth S. Luke saying And beholde I wyll sende the promyse of my father vpon you But tary ye in the cittie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee indewed with power from an highe 18 And Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is geuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Ann Iesus came and spake vnto them C. There is no doubte but that Christe by this sentence toke all doubte from them Sayinge All povver is geuen to me Before the Euangeliste doth shewe howe the office of teaching was inioyned by Christe to the disciples he sayth that Christe began to speake of his power and not without cause For he had nede to haue no small authoritie but great and deuine power whiche should cōmaunde eternall lyfe to be promysed in his name the whole worlde to bee brought vnder his gouernement and a doctrine to be publyshed whiche pluckyng downe all pryde of fleshe should humble mankynde And certainly by this beginning Christ did not onely erecte his Apostles to the bolde truste of executinge their office but also stablyshed the faythe of his Gospell throughout al Ages The Apostels truly would neuer haue bene perswaded to take in hande so harde an office excepte they had knowen that their reuenger dyd syt in heauen to whome all power was committed For without suche defence it was impossible to profite any thing at all But truely when they heare that he is Lorde of heauen and earth for whome they woorke by this one thyng they are sufficiently armed to ouercomme all lettes But and if the condition of those whiche preache the Gospell seme base and cōtemptible to the hearers let them learne to lyfte vp their eyes to the authour thereof by whose power the maiestie of the Gospel ought to be wayed And so it wyll come to passe that they dare not despyse hym speakyng by his ministers Therefore that the Apostels might knowe that they are not sente of man but of hym which hath ful power he sayth Al power is geuen to me In heauen and in earthe Christe dothe here playnely make hym self bothe Lorde and kynge as well of heauen as earth because he makyng men subiecte vnto hym by the preaching of the Gospell appointeth the seate of his kyngdome in earth and regenerating those that are his into a newe lyfe and inuitinge them to the hope of saluation openeth the heauēs that he may take them vp into blessed immortalitie with the Aungels whiche before were drowned in death And we must remember that Christe being equall with the father was neuer destitute of power so that it was geuen vnto hym nowe in our fleshe or in the persone of a mediatour For hee speaketh not here of the power whiche he had before the creatiō of the worlde but of that whiche he nowe receyued being made the iudge of the worlde B. Of this therefore hee admonisheth his disciples to the ende they myght the more wyllingly take in hande the preachinge of the Gospell when they should knowe them selues to bee his imbassadours whiche had power of all thinges 19. Go yee therefore and teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye Ghoste Go ye therefore and teache A. Marke as it were expoundinge these wordes sayth Go ye into the whole world Bu. By that which woordes Christe doth set forth and expresse the boūdes and lymits of his kingdome excludinge no nation The summe of these wordes is that by publishinge the Gospell euerye where they maye bringe all nacions to the obedience of the faithe and that they may seale and confirme their doctrine with the seale of the Gospell M. By the force of this worde it came to passe that this embassage of the Apostles pearced throughoute the whole world and preuailed againste all tyran◅es For such is the power of the worde of Christ that being once spoken it setteth it selfe againste all the deceites of Sathan and the worlde Otherwise howe was it possible for this new and straunge doctrine to be brought into the whole worlde of symple men and of no power and the impietye of the whole worlde to be reuealed and condemned except his vertue and power had ayded this imbassage And teache The Euangeliste Marke expresseth what they shoulde teache sayinge The Gospell And a little hereafter in our Euangeliste there is added a restrainte namely that they should teache to obserue those thinges which the Lord had cōmaunded A. Neither is it sayd onely to Peter whom the Papistes would make the head of the Churche Christes vicar Preache ye and teache yee but to all the Apostles a like therefore all the mynisters of the worlde ought to preache and teache And this office was appointed and commaunded of Christ himselfe What the Gospell is wee haue shewed in the firste Chapter goinge before Neither doth Christe commaunde anye other thinge to be taughte than that whiche hee had already preached as we maye see in the fourth Chapter goinge before And in another place hee saith Christ went about all Citties and Townes teachinge in their Sinagoges and preachinge the Gospell of the kingdome Also hee affyrmeth that hee is sente to this ende when he sayth I must preache the Gospell of the kingdome to other Citties for this cause was I sent And to this ende he sendeth his seruaunts C. Whereby wee gather that the Apostleship is not a vaine title but a laborious offyce therefore there can be nothinge more absurde than for men to liue idlely and to reiecte this office of teachinge whiche vsurpe vnto themselues this honour The Pope of Rome and his rable proudly boast of this succession as though hee were equal with Peter and his fellowes But they haue no more care to teache than had the priestes of Pan Bacchus or Venus But with what face can they presume to come into their place whom they heare to be ordayned