vvere the bondslaues of synne and heires of eternall death It is that happy and ioyfull tidinges vvhich exempteth vs from all feare and bringeth occasioÌ„ of incredible ioye because it tolde of his comming vvhiche came to seke and to saue that vvhiche vvas lost For God so loued the vvorlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to the ende that all vvhiche beleue in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting It is that moste riche treasury vvhiche conteyneth vvhatsoeuer Moses and the Prophetes haue vvritten vvherein is opened vnto vs all the counsell of God. It is the povver of God to saluation to as many as bâ—â—â— to the Ievve first and to the Gentile It is the preaching of the crosse vvhiche vnto those â—…erishe is foolishenes but vnto vs that are saued the povver of God. It is that Myrror of the deuine glorie in vvhiche vve all beholding the glory of the Lorde vvith vncouered face are chaunged into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirite of the Lorde The doctrine also of the Gospell is so certayne and in euery pointe so absolute that although an Angell from heauen should preache any other thing but the same he ought to be counted accurssed It is the vnsearcheable misteries of Christe vvhiche in other ages vvas not knovven to the sonnes of men as it is novve reuealed to his holy Apostels and Prophetes by the spirite It is the vvoorde of lyfe vvith vvhiche all the godly must holde out in the middest of a naughty and croked nation It is also the vvorde of truthe vvhich is not onely come among vs but also doth fructefie and increase through the vvhole vvorlde in spight of the resistance of Sathan and his ministers It is that holy and true saying vvhiche is vvorthy to be receiued of all men not as the vvorde of men but as it is in dede for the vvorde of God vvhiche also vvorketh effectually and mightely in those that beleue It is the spirite of the mouth of the Lorde vvhich shal slea that vvicked sonne of perditioÌ„ Antechrist vvho shall seduce them that perishe It is that faithfull saying and vvorthy by all meanes to be receiued that Iesus Christe came into the vvorlde to saue synners This is the same Gospell vvhereby Christe the sonne of God comming into this vvorlde hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light For it teacheth hovve vvee being iustefied by the grace of God are heires according to the hope of eternall lyfe It is moreouer that immortall and incorruptible sede vvhereby he vvhiche vvas before vvicked and vnprofitable is made a nevve creature in the Lorde It is the liuely vvorde of God mighty in operation and sharper than any tvvo edged svverde and entereth through eueÌ„ vnto the deuiding a sonder of the soule and of the spirit and of the ioyntes and mary and is a discerner of the thoughtes and intentes of the harte It is that pure vvord vvhich being receiued vvith mekenes and grafted in vs is able to saue our soule It is that holy vvorde of the Lorde against vvhich almoste all the vvorlde is bente and yet it endureth for euer It is also that Scripture vvhiche is geuen by inspiration from heauen vvhich they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruerte to their ovvne destruction It is that inuiolable vvorde vvhiche vvhosoeuer kepeth in him is the vvorde of God perfecte in dede It is the doctrine vvhiche vve must only imbrace so that if there come any to preache vnto vs and bring not this he ought not to be receyued of vs no nor yet saluted It is the vvorde of saluation and veritie vvhose faithfull preachers ought courteously to be receyued Contrarivvyse the contemners and scorners of the same shal be greuously punished by Gods iust iudgement And to conclude it is the eternall Gospell vvhiche must be published vnto them that inhabitâ—… on the earth to euery nation and kynred and tongue and people Those men therefore are vnhappy which set light by this vnuiolable Gospell of Christe but farre more vnhappy are they whiche haue and persecute the ministers and fauourers thereof and moste vnhappy of all are suche as deny and reiecte frowardly that whiche otherwyse they knowe to be true of whiche sorte many are founde among the Papistes for whome it had bene better not to haue knowne the waye of righteousnes than when they haue knowen it to retourne from that whiche was set forthe by Gods commaundement But it falleth out with them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is returned to his owne vomet and the Sowe that was wasshed to wallowe in the myer I beseche you moste dearely beloued brethren in Christe â—â—e from suche as are worse than the Dogge or Serpente and reade ouer this booke whiche is offered vnto you with great dilligence you shall finde in it I trust wherewithall to confirme your myndes in Christe our Sauiour aboundauntly among so many and so great troubles of this curssed worlde To hym be glory honor and dominion for euer and euer Amen Farewell in the Lorde At Viuiacum in the Calendes of Ianuary 1559. The names of those out of whose woorkes this exposition is gathered 1 Martin Bucer B. 12 Augustine AVG. 20 Iosephus 2 Caluin C. 13 Hierome HIER 21 Aulus Gelius 3 Erasmus E. 14 Origene OR 22 Plini 4 Musculus M. 15 Cyrill CYR. 23 Budaeus 5 Philip Melanethon P. 16 Chrysostome CHR. 24 Georgius Agricola 6 Erasmus Sarcerius E. 17 Basil BA 25 Cicero 7 Brentius R. 18 Eusebius EVS. 26 Hegesippus 8 Bullinger Bu. 19 Gregory GR.   9 Zuinglius Z.      10 Vitus Theodorus V.      11 Augustine Marlorate A.      A GODLY AND CATHOLIKE EXPOSITION OF THE holy Gospell of Iesu Christe after Mathewe THE ARGVMENT THE MORE PLAINE AND EASY THOSE things are vvhich are described and set forth vnto vs in this EuaÌ„gelical history the more vve ought to seeke chiefly for vvhat purpose the Euangelistes not content vvith the office of preaching committed vnto their posteritie in vvryting the preaching of Iesu Christe vvhiche by mouthe in their tyme here and there they had published For it is certaine that they did it not vvithout a speciall meaning and intent Surely the holy Ghoste vvith the vvhich they vvere inspired did forsee that there should come many after the deathe of the Apostels by the instinct and motion of Sathan vvhiche should bring vnto men â—…o the defacing and dâ—…siling of the doctrine and faith of Christ false opinions and vayne dreames vnder the name of Christe A and vvould place and set false and fayned thinges in stede of that vvhiche is the very truthe and so vvould either extinguishe and cleane put out the true light of the Gospell or at least so obscure and darken the same vvith their thicke and mistie cloudes that scarse truthe
did condemne all kynde of othes without exception As the Anabaptistes who thought that Christe did admitte no man to sweare for any kinde of cause in that he forbad to swere at al. But by the text it self the meaning is best gathered For incoÌ„tineÌ„t it foloweth Neither by heauen nor by earth Who nowe seeth not that these kyndes of swearing or particulers are added expositiuely that they myght expresse the firste member by destincte enumeration The Iewes had a disordered kynde of swearing and wheÌ„ they did sweare by heauen by the earth or by the altare they did counte it as nothing Christe to the ende he might reproue this vice playnely declareth that they must not sweare at all neither by this nor by that neither by heauen nor by earthe nor by any thinge Whereby we may gather that this worde At all is not referred to the substaunce but to the forme of an othe otherwise in vayne he shold haue rehersed these particulers Wherefore the Anabaptistes bewraye their grosse ignoraunce for whyle they curiously persiste in vrging one worde they ouerpasse perceiue not the whole tenor of his talke A. Christe speaketh here of busynes and affayres and familiar talke about the whiche there is no necessitie of an othe required In necessary causes it is not onely permitted to sweare but also is commauÌ„ded of God as appeareth in the sixte of Deutronom And the Prophete Ieremy saythe that an othe is to be taken in truthe in Iudgement and righteousnes Christ did often tymes sweare Paule vsed an othe God also swore by hym selfe Therefore the effecte is this that the name of God is by other meanes taken in vayne then by swearing Therefore men must abstaine from all superfluous kynde of swearing and where iust occasion serueth there to sweare Wherefore Christe mente nothing els but this that all kynde of othes were vnlawefull which by any abuse did prophane the holy name of God to the reuerence whereof they ought to serue V. Finally he that sweareth doth twoo thinges fyrst he taketh God to witnes and sayth that he wyll fulfill his promyse to the honour of God Then he calleth vpon God as the chiefe iudge that he wil not suffer his office to be abused prayeth that he wyll defende his honour and the dignitie of his deuine iudgemeÌ„t and shewe the same vpon him whiche sweareth excepte he kepe his othe And thus he constraineth God to take veÌ„geaunce by the mention of his honour truthe and office Neither by heauen C. They are greatly deceyued whiche expounde these maner of othes to be corrected of Christ because we ought to sweare by God only For the reasons whiche he bringeth do tende more to the contrary that then we sweare by the name of God when we sweare either by heauen or by the earth because there is no part of the worlde in the whiche some special note or marke of the glory of God is not imprinted Obiection Notwithstandinge this sentence dothe not seme to agree with the commaundemeÌ„t of the Lawe where God dothe plainely coÌ„maunde to sweare by his name Moreouer it semeth to disagree with many places of holy scripture where the almighty God complayneth that we do vnto him iniury so often as we sweare by his creatures We may aunswere that corruption is adioyning to idolatry wheÌ„ that either the power of iudgement or the authoritie of approuing testimony is deferred and brought to them For the ende of an othe is to be coÌ„sidered because men called God the reuenger of falshod and the defender of truthe as we haue shewed already a litle before This honour cannot be geuen to another without the violating of his maiestie In consideration of this the Apostell saith Men verely sweare by him that is greater theÌ„ them selues and an othe to confirme the thing is to them an ende of all stryfe So that this is only proper to God to sweare by him selfe Euen so in olde tyme men did vse to sweare by Moloch or by some other Idole and so they appointed another in Gods stede to be a knower of secretes iudge of myndes by the whiche they did take away the righte appertayning to god Euen so at this daye they do no lesse offende which sweare by aungels and other dead saintes God therefore in all thinges is only to be taken for a witnes Because it is the seate of God. M. These wordes appertayne also to â—â—e Prophete when he saithe Thus saithe the lorde The heauen is my seate and the earth is my foote stoole C. The heauen therefore is called the throne or the seate of God not that he is there included and shut vp but that meÌ„ may learne to lifte vp their myndes so often as they thynke of him and that we might not imagine any earthly thing of hym A. To this effecte tendeth the begynning of the lordes prayer wherein we are commaunded to call hym our father whiche is in heauen 35 Neither by the earth because it is his footestoole Neither by Hierusalem because it is the citie of the great king Neither by the earth M. This sentence also is taken out of the foresayde place of the Prophete Esaie Christ speaketh here of a kingely maiestie to put vs in minde of a heaueÌ„ly maiestie and dignitie Great is the excellencie of a kynges throne neyther do the footestoles of kings want their honoure Let no man therefore thinke that this earth in the which we liue is without the glory maiestie and power of god C. The earthe is called the foote stoole of God that we might knowe that he is euery where and that he cannot in the space of place he comprehended Neyther by Hierusalem M. Althoughe the earthe is the lordes and all that therein is as the Prophete Dauid saythe and therefore ought reuerently to be inhabited by the grace and fauour of the deuine maiestie Yet notwithstaÌ„ding it is worthely required that those places in the which the goodnes of God is more highly extolled should be more honorable then others Suche was this cittie because of the Temple priesthoode worshippe and woorde of God and because the lorde had chosen the same to be the seate of his empyre To the probation wherof these places followyng do serue I haue appointed him my kinge vppon my holy hill of Sion Agayne Tourne thy wrath awaye I beseche thee from thy cittie HierusaleÌ„ and from thy holy hill Moreouer the deuell caried him into the holy cittie And they came into the holy cittie It is called therefore the cittie of the great kyng because there more plentifully he shewed his power and the signes of his presence not that he was therein included Nowe Hierusalem is become the whole worlde as it was spoken of before by the Prophetes God wyll be called vppon and knowne euery where M. It is not with out great cause that Christe in this place calleth God the great
order or regarde caste here and there C. By the whiche woordes we may gather how greate the securitie and slouthfulnesse of the hyghe priestes was who beinge appoynted to set forthe the doctryne of God became idell and slowe bellies They beinge arrogant and proude boasted theim selues to be the heades of the people but Christ notwithstandynge acknowlegeth neuer a one of them to be a pastore Wee maye at this daye beholde the lyke arrogancye in the Papacy which is replenished with titels and names of pastors and curates but in deede they are worse then the rauenynge wolues There are an innumerable sorte of them which vnder this titell and pretence destroy and deuoure the people To be shorte when as they are dombe dogges they are not ashamed to bragge and boaste of theyr pryncipalitie and gouernance But we must here what Christe sayth that no idell and negligent parsons are sheepeherbes and that those are wanderynge and straying sheepe whiche are not gathered into the sheepefoulde of God by the doctryne of the Gospell 37 Then saythe he to his disciples the haruest trewely is plenteouse but the labourers are fewe Bu. He meaneth that there are very many of the people desyrouse of the doctrine of the Gospell but fewe mynisters apre and meete to instructe the people to godlynesse and to labour in the mynisterie of goddes kyngedome He vseth here an Allegorye taken of a rusticall matter B. For by the plentifull haruest he vnderstandeth the greate multitude of people prone and redye bente to here the woorde of God those also whiche thyrsted after the trewthe of the Gospell C. For although the greater nomber dyd reiecte by filthye ingratitude the proffered sauinge health yet dyd God esteme the smal handfull of his elect more thē the whole world besydes But the labourers are fevve Althoughe there were many that intruded theym selues yet because there were few that behaued them selues faythfully he counteth them not amonge the workemen Paule whē he complained of the euyll labourers he had respecte vnto theyr boastinge M. When as Chryste therefore calleth them labourars whiche are mynysters of his Churche he meaneth that the ministery and dispensation of the Gospell is not accomplyshed and fynysshed with idelnesse but with labour with woorke and trauayle This was the cause that Paule so often tymes sayde I feare me least I laboure in vayne agayne Helpe the women whiche laboure with mee in the Gospell also And whiche speciallye laboure in the worde and doctrine 38 Praye ye therefore the Lorde of the haruest that he wil send labourers into the haruest Pray ye therfore the lord B. By these woordes our sauiour Christ sufficientely declareth that it is not in mannes power and strengthe to sende labourars into the harueste but that he muste praye the Lorde of the harueste namely the father that he woulde sende woorkemen or reapers into the haruest Wherevppon Paule wrytynge of this thynge saythe Suche truste haue wee throughe Chryste to Godwarde not that we are sufficyent of our selues to thinck any thynge as of oure selues but if we be able to any thyng the same commeth of God whiche hath made vs able to minyster the newe testamente And hee speaketh of his mynysterye towarde the Corynthyans whom he made by his preachynge the epistel of Chryst wrytten by the spyryte in theyr hartes that is trewe Chrystians For God by his holy spiritie worketh all in all When as then no mā at any tyme shal be a sincere fitt minister of Christes Gospell neither shall any teache as they ought excepte the lorde styrre them vp indue them with the giftes of his holy spirite so often as we see nede of good ministers it is necessary that we lift vp our eyes vnto him and craue the remedy at his handes And truely if we loke about vs circumspectly we shal finde that there was neuer more nede of faythful haruest men then there is at this daye That he vvill sende labourers E. The oulde Gréeke translatiō signifieth that he wold cast out labourers And so haue many very auncient Lattin bookes also But the new interpretour thought good to tourne it thus that he would thrust out that we might vnderstand that they must be sent very shortly or els that they muste bee thruste out with violence against their willes into the worke of god The which thing Hierome noted citing this place B. We must praye therefore vnto God that by his holy spirite he woulde make preachers and sende them out into the whole worlde without the whiche there can be no preachers in dede Saint Paule therefore sayth very well Howe can they preache without they be sente As if he should haue sayde It is not possible that any man shoulde preache the Gospell truely excepte he be appointed and called to the same by god Bu. Neither shal the prayers of the faythfull be vnproffitable or in vayne as wycked men immagin whiche thinke that the omnipotency of God doth rule guyde and gouerne all thynges without our prayers But the wycked worthely peryshe which preferre with all their might wycked and vngodly pastors and flatterers and tourning awaye their eares from the truthe are turned to fables The .x. Chapter AND VVHEN his twelue disciples were called vnto hym he gaue them power against vncleane spirites to cast them out and to heale all manner of sycknes and all manner of diseases And vvhen his tvvelue M. This chapter agreeth with the whiche went before For Christ taking occasion of the compassion mercy whiche he had on the people by his office for he is the good and true shepeherde he beginneth nowe to consider the people and to sende them true shepeherdes C. Here therefore the vocation and calling of the Apostels is described vnto vs not as it was before when the lorde prepared them to their office and chose them into his fellowship For nowe they are called to the present function they are commaunded to prepare them selues to the worke cōmaundementes are geuen vnto them and leaste they should wante authoritie they are replenyshed with the power of the holy ghoste At the first therfore they were chosen in hope of the labour to com But nowe Christe telleth them that the houre is come in the whiche they muste set their handes to the worke Notwithstanding we must note that as yet Christ speaketh not of the continuall Apostelship but only of the temporal preaching by the whiche the myndes of men might be stirred and lifted vp that they mighte be the more attentiue to heare the words of Christe Nowe then they are sent that they maye declare in Iury that the tyme of their visitation and sauing health is at hande Afterwarde Christe appointeth ordayneth them to preache the Gospell throughout the whole worlde Here only he taketh them vnto hym as helpers to get vnto him audience whiche his voyce alone could not bryng to passe afterward he sendeth them as I
and may be taken for either of them But as touching the matter God to the ende he might bynde vs as it were to his wyll doth shewe euen as with his finger him whome he wyll sende and to this ende pertayneth this worde of demonstration beholde The lyke reason is in the Epithetes or tytels followyng in the whiche he calleth hym his seruaunt and his chosen in whome his soule delighteth For whereupon cōmeth it to passe that men dare presume to measure Christe by their reason and sence but only because they consider not that their redemption dependeth vppon the mere grace of god But this is to wicked and grosse a libertie That whē God offereth vnto vs his incomparable treasure we esteme and make pryce of the same according to our fleshely skyll Also he is called a seruaunt by excellency not as one among a common multitude or as cōmon seruauntes are but as suche a one to whome God hathe committed the charge of his churche or congregatiō and the redemption of mankynde And because no man which vsurpeth honour to hym selfe is worthy of honour but he whiche is truely called to the same God pronounceth that his sonne Christe is thereunto called and chosen by his heauēly and euerlasting decrée and councell Therefore he saythe VVhome I haue chosen Whereupon it followeth that it is not mete for men to reiecte hym whom God hath chosē And truely it were to absurde and voyde of all reason that the holy and inuiolable vocation of God should be frustrate and of none effecte at our will and pleasure M. He sayde therefore to be the elect and chosen of God not in respecte that he is a sonne but a seruaunt sente into this worlde for our redemption Therefore the Prophetes vsed to call Christe the electe and chosen of god And the hyghe priestes mockynge hym sayde if he be Christe the chosen of God let hym saue hym selfe Also saynt Peter saythe If so be that ye haue tasted howe gracious the lorde is to whome ye come as a liuinge stone disalowed of men but chosen of God. My beloued This is not redde in the Hebrewe texte In vvhome my soule delighteth C. Where as God addeth that the pleasure of his soule resteth in Christe it cōtayneth more matter in it then can well be perceiued at the firste sighte For although the vocation and calling of vs all dothe sprynge from the frée fauoure and grace of God as from a lyuelye well Notwithstandynge this is synguler in Christe because in his persone God the father comprehendeth the whole churche with his loue For in that we are al enemies vnto God by nature his loue can neuer come vnto vs except it beginne first at the heade as shal be declared in the seuententh chapter followyng M. There is no firme sure and perfect loue to be founde in no creature no not in the Aungels in heauen but in Christe him selfe alone I vvyll put my spirite vpon hym M. Christe in respecte of his humanitie was appointed and cōsecrated with the grace of the holy ghoste before he executed the office for the whiche he was sent Bu. He being baptized sawe the spirite of God descending and resting vpon him of the which Iohn the Baptist was warned before by these wordes He whiche sente me to baptize with water sayde vnto me vpon whome soeuer thou sest the spirite of God descending and restinge the same is he whiche baptizeth wyth the holy Ghoste So were Moyses Samuel and Dauid consecrated So were Elias and Elizeus the Prophetes consecrated also There is all so yet another reason for the which Christ is sayd to be endewed with the holy ghost as we wyll declare anone And he shall shevve iudgement to the Gentyles C. The Prophete here sheweth briefely the office of Christ which was to declare iudgement to the Gentyles But by the name of iudgement is comprehēded the state of the Iewes where equitie right florished Therefore these wordes are in effect as if the Prophete should haue sayd that he shall come which shall restore the righteousnes that is decaied that he shal be the moderator guyde not of one people only but shall bring also the Gētiles vnder the rule gouernemēt of God amōg whome before there was nothinge but vaste rude ignoraunt behauiour And this truly was the office of Christ to spread the kingdome of God which was shut vp in a corner of Iury throughtout the whole worlde as it is said in another place The lorde shall sende the rodde of thy power out of Syon A. In this place therefore the calling of the Gētyles is prophecied Also the manner howe iudgement shall be declared is expressed because God hath endewed Christe with his holy spirite whiche spirite Christe receiued of his father to powre vppon all those that are his For he teacheth vs not by a voyce or by wrytinge onely but by the grace of his holy spirite he frameth the hartes of men inwardly to the obseruing and keping the true and perfecte rule of righteousnes And without the operation of the same spirite in our hartes we are not able to performe any thing that is good 19 He shall not stryue nor crye neyther shall any man heare his voyce in the streates M. This is spoken of the mekenes and modestie of Christe the whiche he kepte vnto the ende and with the whiche he ouercame all his enemies C. For there shal be no suche māner of shouting cries and tumultes about his kingdome as is in the worlde Neyther shall his kyngdome consiste of pompe and violence but it shall be humble and base in the sighte of the worlde Yea by this place the Euāgeliste sheweth that Christe shoulde not reigne violently constrayninge men with force to be subiecte vnto hym but rather mekely with longe sufferaunce forbearing all men 20 A broused Reede shall he not breake and smokynge Flaxe shall hee not quenche till he sende foorthe iudgement vnto victory A broused Reede M. By these twoo sayings the Euāgelist declareth that Christ shall rather helpe our infirmitie then reiecte our weakenes and imbecillitie The Prophete also by these woordes setteth foorthe the wonderfull clemency and mekenes of the Lorde in that hee brake not the afflycted beynge as broused quilles or Reedes but rather comforted erected and strengthened them Also the smookynge Flaxe whiche was almoste extinguyshed he put not oute but kyndeled and gaue more lyghte vnto the same that it myght clerely burne He despysed not the Publicanes and sinners but soughte rather by all meanes to saue them There was nothynge so weake so broused and so muche quenched that hee strengthened not that hee made not whole that hee kyndeled not agayne with his holy spirite M. All the whiche thynges tende to this ende that the mekenes and clemency of Christe might be amiable vnto vs which is despysed in the worlde And truely the foolishenes of men is to be meruailed at that they
deuils all maner of miracles do nothing at al profite those that haue thē neither ought we to thinke thē holy beloued of god or aperteining to his kīgdome because in this place we here that many suche shal be reiected of Christe in the day of iudgement We must not beleue therfore euery one that is a worker of miracles as we may reade in Moyses and in Matthew followinge 23 And then wyll I knowledge vnto thē I neuer knew you Departe from me ye that work iniquitie And thē vvil I C. that is I wyll make manifeste vnto them I will openly shewe or declare I neuer knevve you C. By these wordes he doth vtterly deny reiect thē affirminge that he neuer counted them amonge the nomber of his although they boasted thē selues to be heads pillers of his church And therfore he biddeth thē depart which by a false title haue stolne a false profession for a tyme saying Depart from me Paule doth seme to haue takē that which he writeth out of this sentēce of Christ whē he saith The lord knoweth who are his Let him depart frō iniquitie what soeuer he be that calleth on the name of the lord For the first parte tēdeth to this ende that the weake shold not be troubled by the defection or fall of some whose name was great of fame For he denieth thē to be known of the lord although they seme gloriouse in the sight of men In the second parte the Apostel exhorteth all those which wil be coūted the disciples of Christ that they in time departe frō iniquitie least Christ forbid them his presence when he shal deuide the sheepe from the goates VVhich vvorke iniquitie M. Here he calleth those that wrought miracles workers of iniquitie because they did good with an euil minde ful of craft subtiltie hipocrisie Suche were the scribes phariseis in their fastinges praiers and almes dedes of the whiche we haue spoken before Neyther must we vnderstād here the christ speketh of adulterers murtherers vserers drūkerdes such like but of suche as beare a shewe of holines would seme aboue all mē to parteine to the kingdom of god So Paule calleth the false apostells subtile and crafty workers M. Wherfore let vs consider by what spirite they are led which after the maner of the Iewes at this daye aske signes as though that they woulde beleeue the treweth if they might see signes 24 VVhosoeuer therfore heareth of me these woordes and dothe the same I wyl liken him vnto a wise man which buylte his house vpon a rocke M. These wordes do seeme to be the cōclusion of that which went before in the 21. verse He that doth the wyl of my father and so forthe And that also is euydent in Luke which saith Why do ye cal me lorde lorde and do not those thinges whiche I commaunde you Who so euer commeth vnto me and heareth my wordes and so forthe To here in this place is taken to vnderstande as in manye other places also And dothe them Bu. By these woordes he teachethe that it is not inough to here the woord of God excepte thou endeuour thy selfe to do that which he commaundeth in the same According to this place Blessed are they that heare the woorde of God and keepe it Also S. Iames saithe See that ye be doers of the woorde and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues For if any manne heare the worde and declareth not the same by his workes he is like vnto a man beholding his bodely face in a glasse so forth For there are diuerse men at this daye hath ben alwaies which thinke that relygion consisteth in often hearing the woorde of God in disputing of the same at cōmon metings But our lord Iesus Christ here pronounceth that trewe pietie doth not cōsiste in knowledge and talking but in the action and conuersation VVhiche buylded his house To buylde is to make erecte or sette vp some spirytuall workemanship The same allegory vseth Peter sayinge If so be that ye haue tasted how graciouse the lorde is to whom ye come as vnto a liuynge stone disallowed of men but chosen of god and preciouse and ye as liuing stones are made a spiritual house Vpon a rocke The rock is Christ and true and parfect godlines I meane Faythe workinge by Loue. And so treweth it selfe is the foundation by the firme and immoueable power of Christe the house is the worke whiche is done and all the conuersation of the whole lyfe 25 And a shower of rayne descended the flouddes came and the wyndes blewe and beate vpō that house and it fel not because it was grounded on the rocke A shovver of rayne Bu. The shower of rayne the flouddes the wind do signifie the sundry and manifold dangers temptations persecutions disseases and suche lyke wherewith men are vexed troubled B. For all these thinges do plainely shewe and manifest whether we be buylded vpon the rocke Christe or no. C. For then trewely we do receyue the doctrine of Christe when we can resiste al the assaultes of Sathan The like sayinge hath S. Paule to the Corinthyans And it fell not A. That is no temptation is able to ouerthrowe the house of this wise man B. for the fayth and sure trust of the Godly fully knyt vnto Christ can not be confounded neyther can the gates of hell and all the power of sathan how so euer he cause a tempest preuaile agaynst this For greater is he that is in them than he that is in the worlde And they which trust in the lord shall be euen as the mount Syon whiche maye not be remoued but standeth faste for euer 26 And euerye one that heareth of mē these wordes and doth them not shall be like vnto a folish man which builte his house vpon a sande And euery one vvhiche heareth Bu. Nowe the lord sheweth the contrary part of the parable to the ende it maye appere more plaine the more stirre vp the hearers The sēce of this must be gathered by the former parte euery part being repeated set one against an other C. For seyng it is harde to discerne the true professors of the Gospell from the false by such parables our sauiour Christ doth shewe in what thing they do chiefly differ For he cōpareth the false professiō of the Gospel to an imperfecte building which stādeth for a time beynge at euerye storme and tempeste in daunger of destruction because it wanteth a sure foundation These vvordes C. This rellatiue These dothe not note one kinde of talke but the whole some of doctrine For the Gospel excepte it be fully fixed in mennes myndes it is lyke vnto a thyn waule whiche is erected on hye withoute any staye or stronge fondation His woordes therefore are in effecte as if he shoulde haue saide that the same is a trew faith which is deepely rooted in the harte and is so
whiche in dede signifieth his authoritie power either to graunt or deny vs our petitiōs And his seruaunt vvas healed A. Because the Centurion beleued that Christe was able to restore his seruaunt to healthe he reaped the frute of his faythe namely the healthe of his seruaunte In the selfe same hovvre M. By this we see that Christe promyseth nothing falsely or in vayne for he healed his seruaunte in the same houre or at the same tyme. But this doth not alwayes happen vnto vs by and by for it is not our parte to appoynte God a tyme or to lymyt hym but to tarry his leasure A. Let it suffise vs that he hathe a care ouer vs if so be that we abyde in hym by a fyrme and constant faythe For faith obtayneth all thynges at the handes of god Whereuppon they speake truely whiche saye that a Christian fayth dothe iustifie pourge saue and remit sinnes pacifie and make a quiet conscience that it maketh the sonnes of God that it openeth a waye to God the father that it bryngeth to passe that we are hearde of God that it ouercommeth the world and all the lustes of the fleshe that it worketh charitie pacience and all vertue in the hartes of the faythfull and that faythe maketh all thynges possible vnto vs. These and many other are the fruytes of faythe 14 And when Iesus was come into Peters house he sawe his wyfes mother lying in bedde and sycke of a feuer And vvhen Iesus vvas come C. The Euangeliste Matthewe bryngeth not in this story orderlye as wee maye gather by Marke who nameth onely fower disciples whiche wayted on Christe after the callyng of the whiche disciples he saythe he went into the Synagoge and from thence he saythe that he went strayghtwaye to Peters house Whereby we may gather that Matthewe did not exactly obserue the tyme The Euangelistes do seme to set forth this as a speciall miracle not that it was more excellent then others or more worthy of remēbraunce but because Christe offered to his disciples a domesticall and familiar shewe or token of his grace and because the healinge of one woman might geue and minister occasion to many to come to hym to be healed and to receiue their healthe Into Peters house B. The apostels did not so forsake all thinges that they woulde neuer vse them agayne they gaue them selues and all that they had yea they cōmitted their soule and lyfe into the hādes of the lorde beinge ready for his sake to forgo all these if necessitie and occasion should require But in the meane tyme they vsed those thinges so farre as it was lawefull and so long as their ministerie and office woulde geue them leaue not rashely forsakyng their parentes their wyses their children and family but caring for them so faithfully and diligently as they could the whiche thinge this history sufficiently proueth which wytnesseth that Peter beinge called to the ministery of the woorde had a house a great whyle after and a necessary care for the same Also when Christe was dead Peter sayde vnto Thomas to Nathanaell to the two sonnes of Zebed and to two other of his disciples I wyll go a fishing they sayde vnto him we also will go with thee So truely they forsoke all thinges that thei gaue them selues wholely to his wyll and calling firste seking to fulfill that which pertaineth to the same He savve his vvyfes mother M. Marke saythe that some whiche came with Christe into the house of Symon tolde hym of the womans sickenes And Luke sayeth they prayed for her In the whiche there is expressed an example of faithe and loue of faith in the power and goodnes of Christ For except they had beleued that Christ by his deuine power could haue deliuered the woman from her feuer to what ende shoulde they tell hym of her and praye for her It was enoughe for them to beleue that Christe woulde and coulde do it wyllyngly That is that he was able and good to do that whiche they prayed for Secondly we maye see the example of loue in this that because they shewe an other bodies disease vnto the lorde praying hym to heale the same And sycke of a feuer C. C. Luke sayth that this woman was taken with a great feuer briefly setting forth the power which Christ by this myracle declared For it was a sure and certayne declaration of the power of God to take away so great and greuous a disease out of hande only by touching with his finger 15 And he touched her hande and the feuar lefte her and she arose and ministred vnto them And he touched her hande C. Although Christe with his becke onely coulde restore health vnto this woman notwithstanding he touched her hande either to declare his affection or els because he thought this outwarde signe to be proffitable For we know that outward signes were vsed commonly accordynge to the manner of the tyme. B. Furthermore he ioyned woordes to his touching to teache vs that healthe came from his woorde and yet not to be loked for without the sacrifice of his fleshe And the feuer lefte her C. Luke saythe that he rebuked the feuer The whiche kynde of speakinge although it seme harde to the reader not sufficiently exercised in the scriptures yet it is not voyde of reason For the feuer and all other kynde of diseases as hōger pestilence and such like are the somners and messengers of God by whome he executeth his iudgementes Therfore as by his commaundement and becke he is sayde to sende out such messengers so he doth restrayne and reuoke them as it semeth to him beste And she arose A. So sone as this woman receiued her perfect health she arose And ministred vnto thē M. That is she prepared meate other things pertaining to the bodely refectiō By this place we are admonished to vse the giftes of God to his seruice and glory because we haue receiued them at his handes according to the saying of saynt Paule What hast thou O man that thou haste not receiued 16 VVhen the euen drewe on they brought vnto hym many that were possessed with deuels And he cast out the spirites with a woorde and healed all that were sycke VVhen the euen drevve Bu. Hetherto Matthewe hath rehersed certayne particuler or speciall benefites nowe generally he comprehendeth an infinite sorte wherby he may sufficiently and plainly proue the lorde Iesus to be omnipotent and louing towardes those that are his He receiueth therfore al those mercifully whiche were offered vnto hym and healeth thē without delay Many that vvere possessed vvith deuels C. Not all that are vexed with the deuel as was Iob are Demoniakes or possessed But they are suche in whome Sathan doth raigne whose myndes he ruleth at his wyll and pleasure There is no doubte but that there were many amōg the Iewes whiche were possessed with vncleane spirites in the time of Christe and Sathan because of
thyng himselfe to eate but commaunded her parentes to geeue it her So after that Lazarouse was raysed from deathe he caused a feaste to be made Peter also by this argumente confyrmeth the resurrection of Christe because he dyd eate and dryncke with the lorde after his deathe 27 And when Iesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And vvhen Iesus departed Bu. By a newe proofe and a newe benefyte he declareth to the whole world that there is no dyssease so incurable whiche the lorde is not able to heale Tvvo blynde men follovved C. The other twoo Euangelistes omytt this myracle because as sayncte Iohn saythe they determyned not to set forthe all the deedes of Chryste but gatherynge the chyefest amonge a greate maynye go aboute to proue hym to be the Messias Matthewe saythe here that twoo blynde men had theyr syghte restored vnto thē but not so soone as Chryste was wonte to helpe others that were dysseased afflicted troubled For hee geueth these two no answere they crying styll after hym as he wente but as it were faynynge that he harde theim not suffered theym to followe hym to his lodgynge and there at the last he asketh thē what they thyncke or beleue of his power Therefore bothe in dede and wordes he taketh a tryall and iust examination of theyr faythe and pacience in sufferyng them to crye as thoug he regarded them not M. There is no doubte but that by the occasyon of the other myracle goynge before and by the fame of his benefytes whiche was spredde throughoute the whole worlde they were moued to followe after Chryste sayinge Haue mercy on vs. C. They expresse not theyr suite for it is enoughe for vs to call vpon God for our mysery M. Furthermore they callynge for mercye require not that whiche is vaine or without effecte but suche mercye as dyd not onely consyst in the affection of the hart but also whiche in deede dyd helpe theyr mysery which was beyng blynde to be restored to theyr sight Thou son of Dauid C. They call hym the sonne of Dauyd because the promyse whiche was made vnto Dauid was commonly in the mouthes of the Iewes They counted him not therfore as a prophete but they estemed him euen as he was to be Chryst the redemer of the whole worlde B. And it is lykely that Iesus was then commonlye thoughte to be the Messias promysed before in the lawe and prophetes For all the people at that tyme loked for Chryste In so muche that they tooke Iohn to be the Messias Whereby wee maye see howe inexcusable the obstynacye of the Pharyseys was which wolde not acknowledge the tyme of theyr visytation being admonyshed of the same by so many signes and tokens M. Moreouer it appereth howe lyttell fayth thynketh vpon daunger For it was decreed amonge the chiefe Rulars of the Iewes that euerye one that confessed this Iesus to bee Chryste the sonne of Dauyd shoulde bee caste oute of the Synagogge Notwithstandinge these blynde men were nothynge afrayde of this commaundement For their crye dothe sufficiently declare howe sounde in faythe they were 28 And whē he was come into the house the blynde came vnto hym And Iesus saythe vnto theim Beleue ye that I am able to do this They saye vnto hym Lorde we beleue And vvhen he vas come into the hovvse B. The lord suffereth these blinde men to cry after him til he came to his lodging wherby he myghte make them more earneste and try them and make their faythe an exaumple for vs to followe The blinde came to hym A. That is they wente into the howse into the whiche Chryste was entered before theim M which is a syngular exaumple of the stedfaste faythe whiche ceasethe not to hope although at the firste time the petition be not graunted but continuethe mutable till the purpose be obteyned Suche was the faythe of the woman of Syrophenesia Beleue ye that I am able to do this B. He asketh them if they beleeue teachinge that faith is required to the obteininge of the power of Chryste and the wyll of God and that the same faithe by the which we beleue in Christ can heale and saue of his owne proper nature and force without the benefyte of prayer For he saithe not do you beleue that I can obtaine this at the hands of God but do you beleue that I can do this By the which wordes wholely such a faith is required by the which we attribute the dyuine power vnto Christ to obtayne any benefite at his handes Question But here it maye be demaunded whether it be sufficiente to make a faythful man to be perswaded of the power of God and of Chryste For so it maye be gathered by the woordes of Chryst Do ye beleue that I can do this And by many other places of the Scrypture it is manifest that the acknowledgynge of the diuine power is but vaine vnlesse wee be certaynelye perswaded of his wyll Notwithstandynge Chryste beynge contente with theyr aunswere doth commende the same as parfecte in all poynctes Wee aunswere when at the fyrste they had confessed hym to be the sonne of Dauid they were perswaded somewhat of his grace For by this tytell they declare hym to be the redeemer of theyr countreye and the aucthor of all good thynges Faythe therefore comprehendeth the mercy of God his fatherly loue his omnipotencie the good wyll of Chryste also towardes man with his power and strengthe But because men do commonlye attrybute lesse to the power of God and vertue of Chryste then they oughte this question is not withoute reason moued to the blynde whether they beleeue that Chryste can doe that whiche they professe with the mouthe And for this cause theyr faythe is commended because they beleeue hym to be the sonne of Dauyd beyng in so humble and base estate Lorde vve beleue A. Hym whom before they called the Sonne of Dauid they nowe call Lorde attrybutynge vnto hym no doubte the honoure of a Messias 29 Then towched he theyr eies saying accordinge to your faythe be it vnto you Then tovvched he their eies M. It is not necessary that Christ shold toutche theyr eies for he coulde helpe theim with his woorde onelye but for the blynde mennes sakes onely namely that hereby their faythe myght be much holpen Euen so we counte the couching of such as we thincke to be saynctes and holy men of greate force Chryste therefore waying the imbecillitie of mākind to the ende he myght helpe the faythe of the blynd toucheth theyr eyes the which no doubte confyrmed muche the truste and hope of these blynde men to receyue their syghte Hereby we see the nature and goodnesse of Christe who alwayes indeuoureth hym selfe to helpe our imbecillitie in those thynges which require a constante faythe Sayinge accordynge to your faythe be it vnto you E. By this shorte sentence the lord teacheth vs
brother should hate another yet doth our sauioure Christe here affirme that it shall come to passe for his names sake that it may be fulfylled which hee sayth in another place I am not come into the world to bringe peace but a sworde 22 And yee shal be hated of all men for my names sake but hee that continueth to the end shal be safe and ye shal be hated Heare oure sauioure Christe foresheweth that his Disciples shal be hated of all men that is of all euyl men for many be called but few are chosen For my sake That is for me as is shewed before Here wee must note that it is the part of Christians so to liue so to behaue theymselues and so to suffer all thinges that Christe onely maye be the cause of the hatred and persecutiō which they suffer This therefore is ought to be a comfort vnto vs that if we suffer for Christ thē are we his then are we chosē out of the world then shall we say with the apostel Paule We labour and suffer rebuke because we haue a stedfast hope in the lyuinge God whiche is the sauioure of all men specially of those that beleue But he that continueth B. This promyse of healthe is a greate consolation and comforte in so much that howe greate so euer the dangers be if faith be presente it is able to lift vp a discouraged faint hart For he that only continueth to the ende committinge him selfe vnder the tuition and protection of the Lorde hee I saye at the length shall be safe although he be deliuered to the death hated of al men This safetie health is promysed not by resistinge but by sufferynge as the lord more plainly in another place declareth saying In pacience possesse your soules This truely is a wonderful consolation They which fight vnder princes ar doutful of the victory but Christ here promiseth victory without al doubt to thē that fight to the ende A. Let vs not therfore feare or doubte to fighte for the glory of God although the whole world rise against vs because a happy and prosperous ende is promised vnto vs of the sonne of God whiche is a faithfull keper of our saluation if we continue To the ende This teacheth vs that it is not trewe pacience which continueth not to the ende Many men saye Is it possible for any man to suffer these things continually Trewly whatsoeuer he be that suffereth the trouble that is laide vppon hym for Christes sake may continue without yrkesomnes to the last cast yea to the very ende We must not therefore call to mynde howe longe but we muste haue respecte vnto the ende Herevpon the Apostell saythe So ronne that ye maye obtayne Also Stretche forthe the handes that were let downe and the weake knees And in an other place Let vs ronne with pacience vnto the battaile that is set before vs lokinge vnto Iesus the capitayne and fynisher of our faith and so forthe What doth it proffite a man to labour in the siluer myne and to sainte before he attaine the syghte of the syluer Dothe he not lose all his labour and trauayle yes vndoubtedly What dothe it proffe the ronner to ronne if he faynte in the myddest of the race shall he haue the game or rewarde No vndoubtedly Not withoute cause therefore dothe the Scripture in so many places exhorte vs to pacience and perseueraunce Let vs not therefore be weake or feble but followers of theym which receiue by faith paciēce the inheritaunce of promise which is euerlasting life after the trauaile paine of this life 23 But when they persecute you in this cittie flee ye into an other For verely I saye vnto you ye shall not goo through all the citties of Israell til the sonne of man be come VVhen they persecute Question C. By these wordes Christe preuenteth that whiche myghte be obiected thus If we muste beare the hatred of all men in the worlde when shal there be an ende Chist aunswereth Althoughe ye can be no where in peace and sauegarde yet must ye not dispayre but when you are caste out of one place you muste proue and trye whether your worke and labour maye take place in an other But certayne interpretours are deceyued whiche thyncke here that this is a bare permission or sufferaunce whē as Christ rather cōmanded his Apostels to do that which he wold haue done For he which hath suffered one persecution wolde willingly geue ouer by by lyke vnto an olde beaten souldiour which beinge once maymed in the warres goeth no more to the same but lyueth on his pētion at home in peace But Christ here geueth no such vacatiō and ease to his soldiours but wil haue them without ceassing to passe throughe to the ende To be short the apostels are cōmaunded so sone as one battell is done to begin a newe not to think them selues absolued or dismist for fightinge twoo or three fieldes Neyther are they permytted to flee into caues dens wher they may lie ydel but although their labor com not to good succes in one place the lord exhorteth thē to go forward M. that if the gospel of his kingdome will not be admytted in one place they preach the same in an other without delay C. But vnder the cōmaundement there is also some libertie graunted For we must thus thinke of flying persecution All that flye persecution are not presysely to be condemned neyther is flyeing in all pointes without exception lawefull Many of the aunciente fathers in time paste were to earnest in this point whiche condemned flight in persecution no lesse then a certaine kynde of denying Christe For if this were true some part of ignominie shoulde redounde to Christ and his Apostels Agayne if it were lawefull to flye without difference or exception there should be no difference in persecution betwene the good shepeherd and the hiered seruaunt We muste obserue therefore the meane whiche saynt Augustin prescribeth to Honoratus least any man forsaking his abode or hould for feare should either betray his flocke into the handes of the enemy or els geue a cowardly example and yet notwithstāding sayth he let no man rashely daunger him selfe If any vrgent matter require it is necessary that the Pastor venter his life for the flocke but if there be no great necessitie it may bee that his absence may proffite the churche of God more Verely I saye vnto you C. This can not bee referred to the first sending out of the disciples but oughte rather to be referred to the whole Apostelship Notwithstanding in this there is some hardnes what the comming of the sonne of man here signifieth Some expounde it to be suche good successe of the Gospell that all men shoulde acknowledge the kyngdome of Christe and should loke for the renuing of the kingdome of Dauid at his handes And some referre it to the
and to séeke with great care and dilygence for the precious stoone of the Gospell of the lord and hauing found it to embrace the same to preferre it before all the Iewels in the world and to sel all that euer wée haue to get the same This cometh to passe whē wée hauing denyed our selues and trodē the worlde vnder our féete withall oure hart and a true fayth receyue Christ and his truth and cleaue to the same as to the chiefe felicity leauing and forsakinge all that might withdraw vs from the euangelicall pietye cleauing only to Christ our reedemer Dauid of the most excellēt and pure mysteries of Gods worde speaketh thus they are more to be desired thē gold yea then muche fyne gold they are swéeter then the hony the hony combe Againe hée sayth I haue loued the commaundementes aboue golde and precious stoones 47. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a net that was caste into the sea and gathered of all kind of fishes Againe the kingdome of C. Christ here teacheth no newe thinge but confirmeth that wherof hée spake before with another similitude namelye that the Churche of God so longe as it is in the earthe must haue the good among the euil and the euill among the good and that it shal neuer be pure from blots and spots vntil the ende of the world when as there shall be made a full and perfecte seperation Notwithstanding peraduenture the ende of this parable is otherwise namelye that Christ might not onely take awaye the offence which troubleth many of the weake because such purity as ought to be is not found in the world but also that hée might kepe his Disciples in feare and modesty least they should flatter and please themselues with a vaine tytle and bare profession of fayth We receyue therefore both of them willinglye first in the Christ doth teach that wee must pacientlye suffer the mixture of the good and euill tyll the ende of the worlde because before that time the Churche shall not be perfectlye restored Secondlye in that hee admonisheth vs that it is not sufficient for vs to be gathered into the sheepefould vnlesse wee be the true and chosen sheepe to the which effect pertayneth the woords of S. Paule when hee sayth the Lorde knoweth those that are his let all those therefore depart from iniquity which cal vpon the name of the Lorde Is like vnto a net C. Our sauiour Christ dothe very well compare the preaching of the Gospel to a net drowned vnder the water to the end wee might knowe the presente state and condition of the Churche to be confuse For although our God as hee is the God of order and not of dissipation cōmēdeth and delyuereth vnto vs his disciplyne notwithstanding for a time hee suffereth hypocrits to haue their being among the faithfull vntill the reforming of his kingdome in the last day Let vs therfore endeuoure our selues so much as wée maye to correcte all maner of vyce and let vs be seuere in purginge awaye all filthye spots yet notwithstanding the Church shall not be frée from al spots and blemisshes before that Christ come to seperate the shéepe from the Goates 48. VVhich vvhen it was ful men drew it to lande and sate downe and gathered the good into Vessels but cast awaye the bad C. The effecte and sum of this sentence is that the Church can neuer be purged from hypocrits vntill wée be broughte to land or shore that is vntill wée be brought to the day of iudgement 49. So shal it be in the ende of the world The Angels shall come and seuer the bad from amonge the good A. For this sentence reade the exposition of the forty verce going before 50. And shall cast them into a fornace of fyer there shal be waylinge and gnas 51. shing of teeth Iesus sayeth vnto thē haue yee vnderstand all these thinges they sayde vnto him yea Lorde C. Hée calleth the punishment which the wicked shall suffer after the Iudgement a fornace of fyer Esaye the Prophete calleth it a worme which neuer dyeth Read the two and forty verce of this Chapter There shal be vvaylinge C. The scripture cannot sufficiently expresse the punishmēt which remayneth for the wicked Héere hee goeth about to expresse the horror and payne of the effecte for as wée cannot expresse the glorye and happye estate of the godlye and blessed so wée are not able to vtter the punishment of the wicked Iesus sayth vnto them M. The Lord sought by all meanes to instructe and bring hys Disciples to the knowledge of the kingdome of god And therefore being not cōtented that hée had alledged so many parables of the kingdome of heauen hée demaundeth of them whether they vnderstande all these thinges or no. But wée must remember that which wée saw before how that all parables were priuatelye expounded to the Disciples After the therefore the Lord had so gentlye and familiarlye instructed them hée dothe also admonish and declare that hée did not bestowe so great dilligence in teachinge of them that they shoulde be onlye wyse to them selues but also that they should bestowe and participate that to others publikely which they themselues priuatelye had receyued 52. Then sayd hee vnto them therefore euery scribe vvhiche is taughte vnto the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a mā that is a househoulder which bringeth foorthe oute of his treasurie thinges newe and olde A. Wée muste presuppose that some other saying of our sauioure Christ went before as this I asked you because a minister of the word of God must be like vnto a husband man And after this sort hée doothe the more encourage styrre them vp to learne Therfore euery scribe that is taught C. A Scribe by the Hebrewes is not called a Scriueuer or writer but they call him a Scribe which is expert in the scriptures and the Lawe suche a one was Esdras And hée whom Mathewe calleth a Scribe Luke calleth a doctor of the law But here a Scribe signifieth a teacher one sufficientlye learned to set forthe the kingdome of God and to preach the Gospell of saluation Is like vnto a man that is an househoulder C. A wyse and prouident househoulder in gouerning his house doth not prouide for a day onelye but hath store layde vp to the ende hée may fetche forth from his store-house both olde and newe thinges abundantly By this man hée shéeweth that he which is sufficiently learned instructed by the spirite of the Lord to Preach must teach copiouslye and plentifully whatsoeuer pertayneth to the purpose and is necessarye to bring the knowledge of saluation euen as if a lyberall househoulder should fetche out of his storehouse all maner of daynty and dellicate dishes as well old as new so that nothing should be wātinge to the feast This lyberality trulye Christ both here and in manye other places also most plentifully shewed in bringinge
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
in the .xx verse for your vnbelefes sake c. But the former exposition doth better agree that we may knowe that the Scribes hereby were reprehended C. For they went about as it was said before to extinguishe the light set before their eies Again Christ doth deale more fauourably with those that are his And croked nation E. That is to say peruerse froward and alwaies bending from the trueth and so obstinate that they could not be perswaded in the trueth neyther coulde abide or suffer thē selues to be taught or perswaded to any thinge that was profitable for thē Such dyd the Israelites shew them selues to be in so often murmuringe against God in so often rebelling against Moyses and Aaron whō neyther those meruailouse signes and wonders which were done for their sauegarde healthe neither so horrible feareful punishmēts of their rebellion neither the inspeakeable clemencie gentilnes of Moyses his infinite labour and dayly care for thē coulde make to do their duetie towardes him These with whom Christe had to do shewe forthe no lesse obstinacie crooked frowardnesse then they C. Wherefore not without cause doth our sauiour make exclamation against thē sayinge that they are no longer to be borne withall that he calleth them a faithles and croked nation For they bringe taught by so many exāples before should haue learned thus muche not to backebite and slaunder Hovv long shal I be vvith you The wordes goinge before were verye sharpe but these are much more sharper for what greater euil can happē vnto vs then to be forsakē of Christ to be left to dispayre Here the lord Iesus after a sorte cōtendeth with him selfe for by his goodnes he greatly coueteth to ouercome the mallice of the Scribes of al the people beside yet neuertheles he reprehendeth thē as they deserued He went about to bryng thē vnto God but they were winding euery way croked as serpētes reiected the grace of their visitation with a proud careles minde Hereby we see that men must be handeled according to their disposition nature for Christ delte not with thē alwais after one maner of fashiō For he allured those that were tractable with great humanitie lifted vp the weake moderatly also pricked forward the flow negligēt and spared not the windinge croked serpentes whō he saw to be incurable They are very vnwise therfore which haue not cōsideration temperature Al scripture geuen by deuine inspiratiō is profitable to teache to improue to correcte to amende as saith S. Paule that the man of God may be perfect geuen to all good works Yet notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the minde of Christ retayned still one kinde of moderation These are thūderyng wordes against the vnbeleuing yet neuertheles he was sory for their wickednesse Bringe him hither A. Although the Scribes which stode by were vnworthy to beholde see so wonderfull a miracle yet notwithstandynge our sauiour Christ suche was his clemēcie commaundeth hym that was afflicted with so greuous a dissease to be brought vnto hym before them all 18 And Iesus rebuked the deuill and hee departed out of him and the child was healed euen that same tyme. And Iesus rebuked M. That is to say he cōmaunded him according to the whiche we rede in the 8 chapter going before Whervpon the Euāgelist Mark more at large expounding this saith that Christ after this maner spake vnto the spirite Thou dombe and deafe spirite I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him This reprehension declareth a certaine indignation and anger of Christ against the vncleane spirite that iustly For how shold not he which came to saue al men be angry with the spirite of perdition the enemie of mākinde For the more the loue of Christ was toward mākind the greter was his hate against those spirites which were the ennemies of the health of mankinde And he departed out of A. At the power of Christ it must nedes be that the power of Sathan be brought to nothinge The deuilles althoughe againste their wylles are cōpelled to obey Christ What shall they do then whiche neuer ceasse to resiste his power Shal they be stronger then hee And the childe vvas healed A. Beholde now the obstinacy and peruerse dealing of the Scribes is ouercome by the which they proudely triumphed as thoughe the power of Christ were aswaged 19 Then came the Disciples to Iesus secretely said VVhy could not wee cast him out C. The disciples meruaile that the power is takē frō them with the which they were endued before as we may reade in the .x. chapter of Matthew when as by their own salt they had depriued thē selues of the same for it followeth 20 Iesus saide vnto thē Because of your vnbelefe For verely I say vnto you If ye haue faith like a graine of mustarde seede ye shall saie vnto this mountain remoue hence to yonder place and it shall remoue neyther shall any thing be impossible vnto you Because of your vnbelefe Bu. Againe incredulitie hardenes of hart is condemned moreouer faith and the great force of the same is cōmended vnto vs. And whereas our actions come not to good ende our matters haue not good successe it cōmeth by the want defect of faith Christ therfore assigneth imputeth this wante to the incredulitie of the disciples M. Hee saith not for the vnbelefe of the father of the Lunatike child but for your vnbelef A. to the ende he might stirre vp his disciples to aske the increase of faythe If ye haue fayth M. By the similitude which he bringeth of the grain of mustard seed he sheweth the liuelines efficacye of fayth For that being the least among seedes doth in short time springe shote vp aboue all other herbes euē so if faithe be liuely it dothe earnestly shewe forth it selfe nothing shal be impossible vnto it it shal ouercome al thinges for it seketh to do nothing but that which pertaineth to the glory of God what soeuer it taketh in hāde it is certainely perswaded that the lorde wyll finishe it for the which it praieth continually But lest any man sholde by by gather as certaine peruerse men do that whosoeuer hath faith as a graine of mustarde sede may remoue mountains and do al thinges els and say we beleue therfore we are able to do all thinges yea if nede be to remoue mountaines also to cast out euyl spirites we must note of what faith the lord speaketh here Let vs vnderstād therfore that there are thre kindes of faith The first is that by the which certaine thinges are beleued to be suche as they are declared to be in the Scriptures as in Scripture we here that ther is one God being omnipotēt the creator of all thinges this faith is called an hystoricall faith The seconde is that by the
detters vnto him Finally how lyght are the offences of our bretherne committed againste vs if our obligation and somme whiche we owe vnto God be wayed Howe vnworthy therfore is he to drinke of the well of Goddes mercies which will geue no one drop of mercy to his brother The kingdome of heauen C. Here Christ maketh mention of the spirituall condition of the Churche as if he should haue said The matter standethe so betwene God men as it standeth betwen the soule and the spirituall lyfe betwene the mayster which is a cittezen and an earthly master and his seruauntes betwene money and the busines of this present lyfe B. The kyngedome of heauen saith he is lyke when as notwithstanding he bringeth in the example of the vnfaythfull seruaunt But he ment not to propounde a similytude which shoulde holde or agree in all pointes for parables doe not agree in euery respecte This was onely his meanyng Wyll ye haue God to be merciful to you be ye then in lyke maner mercyfull to your bretherne 24 And when hee had begon to recken one was broughte vnto hym whiche ought him ten thousande talentes And vvhen he had begon to recken M In that he maketh mention of ten thousande talentes and of a hundred pence also wee are admonished that wee owe more vnto God then our bretherne owe vnto vs. For we do more greuously and more oftē synne against God then any one of oure bretherne do or can synne againste vs. When as therefore we praye dayly to be forgeuen of God howe wicked a thinge is it not to forgeue our brother lesse faltes which dayly craueth pardon and forgeuensse at our handes Ten thousande talentes Bu. To the ende our sauiour Christe might set forthe vnto vs the ample and plentiful mercy of God he nameth tenne thousande talentes for the greatest debte and somme impossible to be payed For he sayth 25 But for as much as he was not able to paye his lorde commaunded hym to be solde and his wife and children and all that he had and paiemente to be made But forasmuche as he vvas not able Bu. There is no man able to satisfie for his synne For moste false and blasphemouse is the doctrine of Monkes whiche say that satisfaction may be made for our synnes The Prophete trewely and christianlye saith that all our synnes are heaped vppon Christe and he hath satisfyed for vs all A. Therefore all we being detters are constrayned to flee vnto the mercy of the lorde that we may obtayne remission of so greate dette His lorde commanded him to be solde C. To discusse here narowely vpon euery point were but in vayne For God dothe not shewe rigour alwayes at the begynning vntyll we beinge broughte by compultion to make intreatye do aske pardon at his handes nay hee dothe of his mercye and goodnesse oftentymes preuente vs but he onely teacheth that if God shoulde deale extreamely with vs and according to Iustice wee shoulde be broughte to naught Furthermore if he shold require of vs that which is due how great occasion haue we then to flee vnto praier because that is the onely refuge that remaineth to synners Bu. Wherevpon the Prophet Dauid being oppressed with the burthen of synne saide Enter not into Iudgement with thy seruante O lorde for no man luying shal be iustified in thy sight And his vvife and children Christ speaketh here according to the manner of the countrey For it was an olde lawe that he which was not able to pay should be a bondmā to the creditour shoulde be punished by the body for that which he was not able to pay in money As concerning the which matter Gelius in the first chapter of his twentieth boke writeth A. In the sacred histories also wee reade that a certaine woman of the wiues of the Prophetes cryed vnto Elisa sayinge thy seruaunte my husbande is deade and thou knowest that thy seruante dyd feare the lorde And the creditour is come to fette my twoo sonnes to be his bondmen 26 The seruant fel downe and besought his sayinge haue pacience with me and I will paie thee all Z. In this that he promiseth here to pay al the similitude doth not hold For a faythful minde dare not presume thus to saye neither can it haue trust to his own righteousenes for Christ alone hath satisfied 27 Then had the lorde pittie on that seruaunte and lowsed him and forgaue him the dette Then had the lorde pittie M. Here the proper nature and office of the Gospell is depaynted and sett forthe vnto vs Here also is declared howe the lorde dealeth with vs who despyseth not an humble contrite hearte as sayth the Prophet And forgaue him the dette This also is to be noted that synnes are forgeuē by the mercye of God onely and not for mannes merytes 28 So the same seruaunte went out and foūd one of his fellowes which ought him an hundred pence and he laide handes on him and toke him by the throte saying paie that thou owest 29 And his fellow sel down besought him sayinge haue pacience with me and I will paie thee all So the seruant vvent out Bu. The manners and behauiour of wicked persons ar here described who hauinge receyued a generall quittaunce of infinite sommes of det at the handes of God wyll not for al this remit forgeue a smal trifell and a farthinge in comparison of the other sōme VVhiche ought him an hundred pence C. Wee must alwayes note the greate difference betwene the two sōmes for when as one talente is more than an hundred pence what is then to som or value of a hūdred pence in respect of ten thousand talētes Bu. Budeus Plinius Iudge one of these pence to be in value estimatiō as much as one of our grotes Howbeit Georgeus Agricola in his 4. booke of Romaine weightes maketh a differēce betwen thē 30 And he wold not but wēt cast him into prison til he should paye the det Bu. Here more largelye is described the cruell sharpe and cutthrote dealyng of some towardes their bretherne for tryfelles when as God wōderfully hath blessed thē in all that their harte can desier 31 So when his fellowes sawe what was done they were verye sory and came and tolde vnto their lorde al that hap pened So vvhen his fellovves savve Bu. Here is set forth vnto vs the iust anger of the iudge the punishemēt which is laid vpō al such wicked vngodly personnes as will not gentelly forgeue the faltes and offences of theyr bretherne They vvere very sory C. Although in these wordes no misery is to be sought for yet notwithstanding because they contayne nothing but that which nature describeth we must know vnderstand that we shal haue so manye wytnesses aduersaries against vs before God as there be men liuing amongest vs because it can not be but that the crueltie which we shewe
in whō onely they ought to trust A. For as God is onely good so hée is onelye faithfull and true and euery man a lyar But and if thou vvilt enter into life C. Many of the fathers haue expounded this place amis whom the Papistes haue followed as though Christ should haue sayde that wée may deserue euerlastinge life by the obseruation of the law But truly Christ had not respecte what man could do but hée maketh aunswere to the propounded question what the righteousnes of workes is namely that which the lawe defineth And certainly wée must thus make accompt that God hath comprehended the order and maner of a holy and iust life in his law in the which law righteousnes is cōtayned Neyther did Moyses speake thus in vaine hée that doth these things shall liue in them Also I call heauen earth to witnes this day that I haue shewed vnto you life It cannot therefore be denyed but that the obseruation of the law is righteousnes by the which he getteth eternall lyfe which is a perfecte obseruer of the lawe But because wee are all destitute of the glorye of God there shall nothinge be founde in the Law but a curse so that wée haue no other refuge then to flye to the frée gifte of righteousnes And therefore Paule the Apostell appointed two kindes of righteousnes namely the righteousnes of the Lawe the righteousnes that commeth of fayth hée placeth the first in workes and the second in the mere grace of Christ Wherby wée gather the this aunswere of Christ is legall or pertayninge to the Law because the yonge man séeking for the righteousnes of woorkes oughte firste to be taught that no man can be counted iuste before the Lorde but hée onely which satisfyeth and fulfilleth the law the which thing being impossible to be done might be a meane to make him acknowledge his infirmitye and to flée to the refuge anker hould of fayth Therefore the person of the speaker and the question it selfe moued the Lord thus to aunswere and to sende the yonge man to the consideration of the law in the which is the perfect glasse of righteousnes the which must be fulfilled if wée will haue the reward of eternall life But who now shall fullfill the same For howe shoulde they flee vnto Christ excepte they acknowledge themselues to be fallen from the waye of lyfe into the pit of destruction And how shold they haue wandered and swarued from the waye of life excepte they first knowe what the way of life is Therefore they are admonished and taught that then the sanctuary of recouering of saluaciō shal be in Christe when they behoulde howe much difference and disagrement of their life there is wyth the ryghteousnes of God which is contayned in the obseruation of the laws To be briefe this is the somme if saluatiō be sought for in workes the commaundementes muste be kept by the which wée are guided to perfect righteousnes but wée must not here staye excepte wée will fainte in the middest of the race For none of vs are able to fulfill the commaundementes And when wee had done all that euer wée cā yet wée remaine vnprofitable seruaūts Because therefore wee are excluded by the righteousnes of the law wée must of necessitye seeke another staye namely the fayth in Christ Wherefore as the Lorde here called the yonge man to the consideration of the lawe whom hee knewe to swell with a vaine confidence of hys workes whereby hee mighte know himselfe to be a sinner and subiecte to iudgement euen so hee comforteth those that are nowe humbled by this knowledge of themselues by the promise of his grace sayinge Come vnto mée all ye that trauaile and are heauye laden and I wyll ease you yée shall finde rest vnto your soules Wee graunt therefore because God hath promised the rewarde of euerlastinge lyfe vnto the obseruers of the law that this way were to be followed kepte were it not the the infirmitye of the fleshe did staye and hinder vs but the Scripture teacheth vs that it is come to passe by our fault that the same muste be geuen vnto vs freely which wee cannot obtaine by oure merits If anye man do obiecte and saye that righteousnes in the lawe is propounded vnto vs in vaine Obiection of the which no man can be pertaker Answere Wee aunswere that seinge it is a rule by the which wee are brought to the righteousnes of faith it is neither superfluous nor vaine Therefore S. Paule when hee said that the doers of the Lawe are iustifyed by the righteousnes of the law excludeth all men A. The which thing the Prophete Dauid acknowledginge saith that all fleshe shall not be iustifyed in the sight of the lord C. To conclude this place abolisheth all the tryflinge inuencions of the Papistes which they made vnto themselues to get saluation Therfore whosoeuer will frame his lyfe to the will of Christ let him wholy apply himselfe to obserue so neere as hee can the commaundementes of the Lawe 18. Hee saithe vnto him which Iesus saide Thou shalt not commit manslaughter Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shat not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnes Hee saieth vnto him vvhich A. This questiō betokeneth is a manifest signe of foolishe confidence Thou shalt not commit manslaughter M. Here it may be demaunded why Christe forsakinge the commaundementes of the first table Question bringeth in onlye those thinges which are of the second table Wee aunswere that it was done because it maye the better be discerned what euery mās minde is by the duties of charitye For the truth of the first table is not so well perceiued in men the obedience of the which table was for the most part either in the affection of the hart or ells in ceremonies the affection of the harte did not appeare hypocrits dailye gaue themselues to ceremonies but the woorkes of charity are such that thereby wee testifye and declare true and perfecte righteousnes And let no man thincke because Christ aunswereth out of the second table that therefore the same is more excellente than the first when as hée speaketh not here of the estimation and excellency but of the knowledge of righteousnes which cannot be taken by so certaine an obseruation of the first as of the seconde C. Let vs vnderstand therefore that those commaundements were chosen of Christe in the which there is a testimony of true righteousnes notwithstanding by a figure called Synecdoche hée vnderstandeth the whole by parte M. Some write that Christe propounded here the common commaundementes which were best knowē not because those principalles in the firste table pertayned not vnto this matter but because these commaundementes of the seconde table were counted cōmon of the Iewes of the which euery man almost thought himselfe a diligente obseruer when as notwithstanding there were none of thē almost which did kepe the same euen as
Christe to the ende hee mighte reprehende ambition and reclayme his Disciples frō a wicked desire setteth before them the crosse and all kinde of calamitie which all the children of God must suffer as if he shoulde haue saide ▪ haue ye so much ease are ye so free from the present warre that ye prouide already for the glorye of the triumphe For if they had bene seriouslye busyed and occupied about the exercises of thier calling they should neuer haue had this fond ymagination come in their mindes Wherfore by this sentence our Sauioure Christe commaundeth them which triumph before the victorye to be occupied in the exercise and busynes of godlynes And certainlye by this bridle ambitiō is very wel stayed because such is our condition so longe as we are pilgrims in this worlde that it ought to shake of all vayne delightes We are beset on euery side with a thousand daūgers one while the enemy by subtill and craftye meanes setteth vpon vs another while he setteth vpon vs by open warre Is not he worse then mad which among so many deathes carelesly pleaseth and delighteth him selfe in depainting out the victory The Lorde commaundeth his Disciples to be certarne and sure of the victorye and to triumph in the middest of death because otherwise they should not be hold ynough to fight manfully boldlye but it is one thing to prepare them selues to fight cheerefully and to endeuour them selues wholly therunto vpon hope of the rewarde set before them and it is another thinge to be vnmindfull of the warre to forsake the enemy to neglect all daunger ▪ and to triumph before the victory the which should not be loked for before the battaile wer fought Moreouer this vntimely making of hast doth very much drawe men from their vocation For euē as the more cowardly that a mā is in the warre the more he seketh for the pray and spoyle euen so in the kingdome of Christ none desire more the superioritie then they which séeke to auoyd all laboure and payne Our Sauiour Christe therefore dooth not withoute good cause appoynte those souldiers their statiō and abiding place which they shall not passe whose mindes are eleuated and puffed vp with vayne glory But this is the summe of his wordes that none hath the crowne prepared for him but he which fighteth lawfully and that none shal be partaker of the life and kingdome of Christe but he which is a partaker of his passion and death M. Christ therfore asketh them if they could suffer the crosse and punishment which he shoulde suffer For so he meaneth by the drinking of the cup which he should drinke of and by the baptising of the baptime wherewith hee shoulde be baptized C For we knowe that by Baptisme the faythfull enter into the denying of thē selues to the crucifying of the old man to the bering of the crosse But it is to be doubted whether the Lord do draw this word cup to the mistery of his supper or no but because his suppper was not then instituted in vse it is better to take it more simply for the measure of afflictions which the Lord appointeth to euery mā For because it pertaineth vnto him to lay vpō euery man his burthen as it semeth him best euē as the goodman of the house deuideth equal portions amongst those that ar his therfore he is saide to geue the cup to drinke A. Wherupō our sauiour Christ saith in another place O my father if this cuppe may not passe frō me except I drink of the same thy wil be don Also he saith to Peter in another place Shall I not drinke of the cup which my father hath geuē me B. He calleth the same also Baptisme as we haue shewed alredy for it was euen as a washing away of death a purging to euerlasting life The same Metaphor he vsed also in another place as when he said I must be baptised with a Baptime and howe am I payned till it be ended B. But the metaphor of the cuppe in the Scriptures is often times taken in both partes For certainly God hath measured to euery man both aduersitie and prosperitie and he shal drinke his portion whether he will or no. It is taken in euill part as when it is said storme and tempest shal be their portion to drinke It is taken in good part as when it is sayde The Lorde is my portion and my cup. C. Moreouer in the wordes of Christe there is not a litle consolation to mittigate and asswage the sharpenes of the crosse when as Christe in the same ioyneth him selfe vnto vs For what can be more excellent then for vs to haue all thinges common with the sonne of God for so it commeth to passe that those thinges which seme deadly vnto vs do turn to our saluation and life But he whiche desireth to be altogether frée from the Crosse howe shall he be counted among the disciples of Christ which refuseth to be subiect to his Baptisme for this is nothing els then to refuse to be instructed in the first principles But nowe let vs learne so often as we heare mentiō made of Baptisme to remember that we are baptised vpon this condition and to this ende that we should willingly beare the crosse A. For all they which will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution They say vnto him vve are C. In that Iames and Iohn do so careleslye boaste that they are able and ready to drinke of the cup their carnall confidence is perceiued for when we are out of daunger we thinke we can do all thinges These two disciples perswade them selues that they are able to do muche by their owne strength and that without God forgetting their owne imbecilitie But at the length it came to passe that their rashnes was bewrayed For when they sawe that the Lorde was apprehended in the garden all fled awaye and lefte him alone Notwithstanding this was commendable in them that they offered them selues readyly to beare the crosse 23. He saide vnto them ye shall drinke in deede of my cup and be baptised vvith the Baptime that I am baptised vvith But to sit on my righte hande and on my lefte is not mine to geue but it shall chaunce vnto them that it is prepared for of my father He saide vnto them ye shall drinke C. Nowe he openeth vnto them and to all other the state and condition of his kingdome and sheweth what shall come to passe as concerning the same that they mighte arme them selues with patience because by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen For this is the kingdome of Christ and he which is the head in this kingdome testifyeth by his example that the same is necessary He sayth my cup as if he shoulde saye By my example suffer persecution Or els he sayth my cup to bring a consolation to them to beare the crosse
foale of an Asse For these wordes of the Euangeliste Tell ye the daughter of Sion are not in Zachary as touching the very worde yet notwithstandinge the Euangeliste verye conninglye and aptly transferreth that to all the godly teachers which God commanded one Prophete onely to testify For this was the onelye hope by the which the sonnes of God ought to erecte and conforte themselues namelye that the Redemer at the lenghte shoulde com And therefore the Prophete teacheth that full and sufficient matter of Ioye is brought vnto the faythful by the comminge of Christe For seing that God canne no otherwyse be fauorable vnto them than by the meane of a Mediator who delyuereth those that are his from all euell What thynge can there be without hym whiche can exhillerate and make glad the harts of men who are drowned in theire synnes and oppressed with manye miseries And euen as it is necessarie Christe beinge absent that wee bee sorowfull and heauy euen so againe the Prophete admonisheth the faythfull that there is good cause why they shoulde reioyce when a Redemer is com vnto them C This therefore is an exhortation to Prophetes Preachers to declare these glad tydings to the Churche of Israell for by the name of sonnes the Prophets did call as well the Cittyes them selues as the Cittizenes that dwelte in them For so often as wee heare the Lorde speakynge let all Prophetes Apostels and Pastors knowe that they are commaunded to speake in the name of the Lorde and to declare theire Imbassage Tell ye sayth he the daughter of Sion He commaundeth therefore his Ministers to speake vnto the congregation of Saincts and to the Churche of Hierusalem and to declare vnto them the commynge of they re Christ The daughter of Sion and the daughter of Hierusalem are bothe putt for the Churche whiche was at Hierusalem For Syon was a parte of the Cittye The Euangeliste beinge contentâ—… that he had shewed the place of the Prophete exhorteth the Ministers of the Churche to declare that the Prophesy of the Prophete as concernynge the Messias is fulfylled when they sée Iesus syttynge on an Asse to enter into Hierusalem as it was Prophesyed before Beholde E. By this woorde he goeth about as one hauynge som greate and waightye matter to speake of to awake vs from sleepe and infydellitye to the ende wee mighte with the greater Ioye receyue this Ioyfull tydynges The Kynge commeth L. That is to saye whiche was promised vnto thee whose peculiar people thou arte who onelye ought to gouerne thee all other sette asyde but in spirite not in externall rule and Empire of whome thou shalte and arte so gouerned that beinge delyuered from synnes from Deuells from Hellegates from the fleshe from the world mayest most pleasantly be broughte vp gouerned of him in grace in spirit in lyfe in heauen in God the which thinge commeth to thee onelye by Fayth by the which thou doest beleue him to be suche a King and that he doth vse no other gouernmeÌ„t that he came to no other end For if thou do not beleue these things of him thou shalt neuer attaine theÌ„ by any other thing nor by thine owne labor and industry For suche a one as thou doste deme and esteme thou hast whatsoeuer thou doest persuade and promise thy selfe to be in him that same shalte thou finde in him and in all thinges as thou beleuest so shall it be vnto thee he for euer abyding all one and immutable which is the Kyng of life of grace of felicitye whether ye be so tought or no. Commeth vnto thee He it is that commeth For it is not thou the coÌ„mest bringing thy selfe vnto hym his dwellynge is so hye and so farre hence that thou canste not com vnto him by thy riches by thy worke or by thy labor that thou mightest haue nothing to boaste that thou by thine own merite or deserte hadest purchased hym vnto thee He commeth also because he foreshewed the same in the Prophetes and promised that he woulde com So that nowe he hath faythfully performed his promises and is com Bu. Thou haste looked for hym a longe tyme O Sion and haste weryed they selfe wyth wayting where and when thou shouldest beholde that Kynge whiche in all ages was promised to com into the worlde Nowe therfore he commeth there is no cause why thou shouldest wayte for his comminge anye more And he commeth treuly to thee that is to thy vse for thy proffite not for any matter of his owne as commonly Kinges do but to saue thee to lyfte vp thee and to make thee happy B. He came also to make thee his peculiar people For Christe thought it not sufficiente to make vs free from tyrannye from the rule of sinne deathe and hell and to bee oure Kyng but also to geue hym selfe wholely vnto vs that whatsoeuer pertayned vnto hym mighte be our owne Of the which saincte Paule wrighteth saying God spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all howe then with him shoulde he not geue vs all thinges And againe hee saythe Christe is made vnto vs of God Sanctification righteousnes wisedome and redemption In this therefore that he commeth vnto thee thou haste a greate benefyte aboue all other namelye that thou mightest haue power ouer those thinges that belonge vnto him Euen as the wyfe taketh those things for her owne which pertaine to her husbande namelye the apparell with the which he adorned and beautifyed her so we take those thinges which pertaine to Christ as oure owne Besyde these woordes of the Euangelist we may reade in the Prophete more namely wheÌ„ he saith that he is righteouse and a sauiour Christ is here saide to be righteouse because of the righteousnes wherewith he is saide to Iustify vs and not of that whereby he iudgeth vs. For all those thinges which the Scripture attributeth to God and Crist our sauiour ought to be referred vnto vs He came therfore righteouse vnto thée that is he came to iustify thée by his grace only beinge not ignorant of thy vnrighteousnes And that thou mightest be made righteouse thou haddest no nede of anye thinge that pertained vnto thee but of his grace of his goodnes and liberalitie that thou mightest by hym alone obtaine righteousnes In this sence the Apostel Paule vseth these wordes when he sayth Christ is the obteyner of mercy through faith by the meanes of his bloud to declare his righteousnes in that he forgeueth the synnes that are paste whiche God did suffer to shewe at this tyme his righteousnes that he might be counted iuste and the Iustifyer of hym which beleueth in Iesus For he should not haue com a Sauiour to euerye one if he had come with his seuere strayte and Iudgeinge iustice but rather a condemner to all menne Forsomuche as all men are vniuste and synners But now hee commeth not onelye to make vs Godlye and Iust but also to saue so many as
It was better by this déede to admonish the Disciples what the power of faith was that they mighte craue the same than to expounde what this déede did signify mistically But these wordes which we reade here are as muche in effecte as if Christ should haue said Meruayle not without reason at that which was done but knowe and vnderstāde ye whereby it was done namely by the power of God but and if ye woulde haue the same to appere vnto you haue confidence in God as saith the Euangeliste Marke We are saide to haue confidence in God when we haue respecte to God alone C. And do promise vnto our selues loke for those things at the handes of God whereof wee haue nede Faythe therefore is not a confused opinion of God but a certaine persuasion as cōcerning the promises of God. And doubt not E. The Euangeliste Marke hath And doubteth not in his harte And as it were declaring what it is to doubte he addeth by and by sayinge But shall beleue that those thinges which he saithe shall come to passe whatsoeuer he saythe he shall haue Where doubtinge is there faythe is wantyng And there is no accesse vnto God without fayth when wee do certainlye determine to haue our prayers hearde of God and do doubte nothynge of this matter But if ye shall say to this mountaine C. Christ dothe not here teache that hilles maye be remoued but sheweth onelye the certainety of faith They which cleaue vnto the Lorde by a sure and vndoubted faith are able the Lorde when he séeth good aydinge them to do that which semeth impossible to fleshe A. Reade the seuentene chapter goinge before where Christ teacheth the self same thing 22. And all things that ye aske in praier if ye beleue ye shall receiue them And all thinges that ye shall aske in prayer C. Because faith if there be any at all bursteth forth into prayers and pearceth euen to the treasurs of the grace of God which are declared by the worde to enioye them therefore Christe ioyneth prayer to faith For if he shoulde haue saide that we shall haue whatsoeuer we wishe for faithe mighte seeme to some imperiouse or to secure Wherefore Christ doth shewe that they do treuly beleue which bearing them selues bolde of his goodnes and promises do humblely flee vnto him A. Therefore the Euangeliste Marke as it were expounding what it is to beleue wrote saying and shal not doubte in his harte but shal beleue that those thinges which he saith shall come to passe whatsoeuer he sayth he shall haue Therefore I say vnto you what thinges soeuer ye desyre when ye praye beleue that ye receyue them and ye shall haue them C. This place serueth very well to expresse and set forthe the force and nature of faythe namely because the certainty and assurance resteth in the goodnes of GOD whiche putteth awaye all doubte For Christ doth not acknowledge any to beleue but those whiche do vndoubtedlye persuade them selues that God is fauorable vnto them and doubte not but that he will graunte whatsoeuer they aske Whereby we may see howe diuelishelye Papistes were bewitched whiche affirme that we ought to doubte of oure saluation yea they saye that it is foolishe presumption if we persuading oure selues of the fauore of God towardes vs dare presente oure selues before hym And yet treuly the Apostell Paule dothe speciallye commende this benefite of Christe because by fayth in hym we haue bouldnes and confidence to come vnto god Furthermore this place teacheth that the true example of faith is contayned in prayers If anye man do obiecte these petitions were neuer hearde of that mountaines shoulde caste themselues into the sea we may easely aunswer that Christe did not geue liberty to the fonde and vnlawfull requestes of men when he ioyneth prayers to the rule of fayth For so it is necessary that the spirite of God do bringe into obedience all our affectiōs being bridled by the word of god Oure sauiour Christ doth require and vndoubted faith trust of praier with out wauering But how shall the mind of manne conceiue the same but by the worde of god We se therfore now that our Sauiour Christe dothe promise nothing to his Disciples excepte they kepe them selues within the limits of his diuine will. A. Hereupon the Apostell Saint Ihon saith This is the trust that we haue to Godwardes that if we aske any thinge of him according to his wyll he heareth vs. 23. And when he was come into the tēple the chefe Priestes and elders of the people came vnto him as he was teachinge and saide By what authority doeste thou these thinges and who gaue thee this authority And vvhen he vvas come into the Temple Bu. Christe oure Sauiour before as he bare the office of a Kinge expulsed and caste oute of the Temple all those that bought and soulde in the same and now according to his priestly office also he teacheth the people in the Temple fulfilling both the office of a priest and a king together This thing did greatly burne and vexe the mindes of the chefe priestes and elders M. For these men sawe the greate glory of his miracle and the feruente affection of the people towarde Christ they felte and perceiued a certaine authoritie of the teacher of hym which purged the temple by all the which thinges they looked for nothinge but for the contempte of his authoritye and power and the obscuration of his wanted glorye C. But because their other counsells and deuises had not prospered and taken effecte and their practises by the whiche they wente aboute to resiste hym beinge manifeste nowe they go about to proue if peraduēture they might put him from the office of teachinge They seme not to doubte of the doctrine it selfe whether it were true or false the proofe wherof they had oftē times alreadye in vaine attempted neyther durste they reprehende the glorye of the miracles because he alwayes set forth the diuine power of God but by an other way they go about to reproche him namelye by mouinge a controuersy or doubte as concerninge his callinge and commandemente M. They sawe that he hadde neyther any principall or priestly forme or shewe of power as touchinge this worlde which did these great wajghty matters the which if any man do without authoritye he is worthelye counted rashe and seditiouse They come therefore with a greate apparance and oftentation of power demaundinge by what authoritye he dothe that which he dothe For they thoughte by this question they mighte conuince hym eyther as a blasphemer if he saide that he did these thindes by the power of God seing he was a man or els as a seditiouse personne if he aunswered that he vsed his owne authority They dispute not therfore as concerning his doctrine as we sayd euē nowe but as concerning formalitye as we terme it as if they should haue saide Although thy doctrine be
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
wente aboute all that he coulde to lyfte vp the mindes of his Disciples that they mighte haue no regarde to the worlde he semeth rather to note the dayly inclinations whiche are sene in the worlde as if he shoulde forbid vs to iudge of his sainges according to the instable varietye of the worlde For wee know when matters are tossed in the worlde howe easy a matter it is for our mindes therew t to be drawne awaye Therfore Christ forbiddeth his Disciples to haue regarde vnto the world but rather to beleeue that those thinges whiche he had foreshewed shoulde come to passe by the diuine prouidence of god We haue also oute of this place a profitable doctrine namely that our saluation because it is grounded vppon the promises of God is not caryed by the instable motions of the worlde but standeth faste if so be that oure fayth do reache aboue heauen and earth euen vnto Christe M. This place truelye is verye necessary to proue the certeinty of the wordes of Christe to the ende wee mighte doubte of no parte of them A. as certeyne prophane Epicures do who deride and make a ieste at all those thynges whiche the capacity of man is not able to comprehende of whome Peter writteth plentifullye in the thyrde chapter of his seconde epistell But my vvordes shall not passe Bu. What these wordes signify the Lorde hymselfe in an other place declareth saying One Iot or one tytill of the lawe shall not faile vntill all thynges be fulfilled So that his woordes are in effecte as if he shoulde haue saide Nothynge of that whiche I haue spoken shall passe till it be fulfilled 36. But of that day and hower knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaueÌ„ sauinge my father onely But of that daye and time C. By this sentence our Sauiour Christ went aboute to holde the mindes of the faythefull in suspence least they shoulde by false Imagination appointe any certaine time of the laste redemption For it commeth to passe by the greate curiosity of men that they neglecte those thinges whiche are necessarye to be knowne and do curiously desyer to knowe those thinges whiche God hath not voutchsafed to reueale vnto them With this disease of curiosity the Apostels were infected as we may reade in the first chapter of the Actes where theire curiouse question was thus answere by the Lordes owne mouth It is not for you to knowe the tymes and seasons whiche the father hat set in his owne power To the ende therefore he mighte bringe his Disciples from this curiosity and myghte take awaye from them all occasion of questioninge and doubtinge after he hadde spoken of his comminge and of those things that should be in the same he addeth straite waye Of that day and hovver knovveth no man. C. For he would haue the daye of his comming so hoped for and desyered that no manne for all that shoulde presume to enquire when he wyll come Furthermore he woulde haue his Disciples so to go forwarde in the light of faith that beinge vncertaine of the times they may waite paciently for the redemption We must therefore be ware leaste wee searche farther for the times and seasons than the Lorde will permitte For the speciall pointe of our wysdome consisteth in this if wee keepe oure selues soberly within the boundes of Gods worde B. Wherevppon the Apostell Paule when he had spoken certaine thinges as concernyng the laste tymes the comming of Christ for consolations sake he addeth by and by againste this curiosity sayinge As concerninge the tymes and seasons it is not nedefull that I writte vnto you No not the Angels of heauen C. Because men shoulde not take it greuously that this daye was hydden from them Christ maketh the Angells partakers of the same ignorance For it were a token of to muche pryde and wicked desyere for vs to couet more whiche crepe vppon the earth than is graunted to the heauenly Angells M. Let vs therefore wyllinglye holde oure selues contente to be ignoraâ—â—â— of that of the whiche GOD wyll haue vs ignoraunt Hereby wee sée that Angels knowe not all thinges howe much so euer they beholde the face of god Wherefore lette no manne geue credit to the reuelations of Angels contrary to those thynges whiche concerne oure saluation and are comprehended in holy Scriptures Therefore the Apostell Paule sayth Wee beseche you brethren that ye be not sodenly moued from your minde nor be troubled neither by spirite neyther by wordes nor yet by letter The Euangeliste S. Marke addeth neither the soon him selfe C. Wherefore he were to farre oute of his wits whiche woulde not willingelye submit hymselfe to be ignorant of those thinges when as the Sonne of GOD hymselfe for oure sakes is contente to be ignorante But because manye thoughte that this was a reproche vnto Christe they wente about by false interpretation to mittigate the hardenes of this sentence And to defend this theyr error peraduenture the heresy of the Arrians was their refuge whiche by this place wente aboute to proue that Christe was not the true and onelye god Therefore accordynge to theyr opinion Christe knewe not the latter daye because he woulde not make it knowne to others But seinge it is manifeste that ignorance is attributed to Christe as well as to the Aungells wee muste séeke a more proper sence the whiche before wee bringe foorthe let vs brefelye put awaye theire obiections which thinke it a reproche to the Sonne of GOD to saye that there remayneth anye ignorance in hym Firste of all whereas they do obiecte that there is nothynge vnknowne to the Sonne of God wee may easelye aunswere For wee doe knowe that there were twoo natures in Christe so ioyned together in one persone that bothe of them retayned theyr propertye but speciallye the diuinitye rested it selfe and did not shewe it selfe foorthe so often as it was mete for the humane nature to worke that aparte whiche belonged thereunto to the fulfillynge of the office of a Mediator Wherefore it is no absurdity to saye that Christe whiche knewe all thinges as he was manne to be ignorante of somewhat For otherwise he coulde not bee lyke vnto vs in beinge subiecte to sorow to anguishe of the minde to other affections But where as some obiecte that ignorance dothe not agrée with Christe because it is the punishemente for sinne it is to absurde Firste of all they shewe them selues very ignoraunte in sayinge that ignorance whiche is attributed to Angells should come of synne but they are no lesse blinde in the other in that they doe not acknowledge that Christe hathe there fore taken vppon hym oure fleshe that he might also receiue the punishementes that were dewe for synne And in that Christ accordinge to his humanity knewe not the latter daye that dothe no more derogate from his deuine nature than the takynge vppon hym oure fleshe But there is no doubte but that he hathe
Moses seate as it was said before signifieth to teache out of the law of God howe men ought to frame theire liues Here also is noted the lawful callinge because Christe therefore commandeth the Scribes to bee hearde because they were the publique teachers of the Church The Papistes counte it sufficiente to haue a titell and to occupy the place of such as should execute the lawe For to this effecte they wrest the words of Christe as though it were necessary obediētly to receiue whatsoeuer the ordinary gouerners of the Churche do commaunde But truely this their cauil is sufficiently confuted by the other edicte of Christe where he commandeth to beware of the leuen of the Pharises If it be not onely lawfull before GOD as oure Sauioure Christ saith but also necessarye to reiecte whatsoeuer the Scribes of their owne braine do mingle with the lawe it shal not be mete truely without greate choyse deliberation and iudgemente to receiue whatsoeuer it shall please them to commaunde Furthermore if Christe shoulde here tie the consciences of those that are his to the preceptes of men he should falselye saye in an other place that they worship God in vaine with the commaundementes of men C. G By these it appeareth that Christ doth not here speake generally But so longe as they sate in Moses seate and continued in the pure and simple interpretation of the lawe teaching those thinges whiche the Lord had commaunded Moses to be done he woulde haue the people to heare them and those thynges kepte also which they commaunded and taught in the name of god For Sainct Augustine very well and accordinge to the minde of Christe expoundeth that the Scribes sytting vppon Moses seate taughte the lawe of God and that therfore the shepe oughte to heare the shepeherds voyce by them as by hyerelings To the whiche wordes he addeth by and by sayinge God therefore teacheth by them But if they go aboute to teache their owne inuencions neither here them nor follow them To the which sentēce agréeth that which the same father hath in his fourth booke De doctrina Christiana saying Because the good and faithfull doe not heare euerye man but obediently heare God himself therfore they are hearde proffitablelye which also lyue not proffitablely Therfore the seate not of the Scribes but of Moses constrained them to teache that whiche was good although they did not that which was good For in their lyse they did what them lyste but the seate being none of theirs suffered them not to teach what them lysted That obserue and do A. For blessed are they which heare the worde of God and kepe it And Sainct Iames saith be ye doers of the worde and not hearers only deceyuing your selues But do not ye after their vvorkes M He therfore vttered these wordes because he knewe that the lyfe of the teachers was more followed thā their doctrine obeied But he speaketh specially of their hypocrisy by the which they did contaminate and destroye all their woorkes yea euen those which were good Whervppon he addeth as hereafter followeth sayinge All that they do is to be sene of men For they saye and do not They said or taught truely out of Moyses that all thinges shoulde be done by a true faith and iuste feare of the Lorde that trueth and equitye shoulde be imbraced that euery man shoulde so doe vnto his neighbour as he woulde be done vnto that they shoulde haue a stedfast harte geuē to the glory of God in the ceremonies of the lawe that they would at no time follow their owne will and such lyke These thinges they spake but these things thei obserued not For whether they gaue almes prayed or fasted or fulfilled any of the ceremonys they did it to be sene of men not to be accepted of God as it is sayde before They soughte euerye wheare for their owne but in the meane time they wanted mercy and compassion iudgement and faith euen as the Lord him selfe as followeth casteth in their teeth But to worke do after this maner is as auayleable with God as to do nothing at all And this is the cause that our Sauiour Christ saith They saye and do not 4. Yee they binde together heauy burthens and greuouse to be borne and laye them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not heaue at thē with one of their fingars Yee they bynde together heauy burthens C. Our Sauiour Christe doth not here accuse the Scribes as thoughe they dyd tyrannically oppresse mens minds with vniuste lawes For although they had brought in many superfluouse rites as maye appeare by other places yet notwithstanding Christ doth not now touch that falte because he doth compare the true doctrine with a wicked and dissolut lyfe So that the greuouse burthens and hard to be borne which being bound together they layd on mens shoulders were the liuely and expresse commaundements of God the which as Peter also witnesseth neither they nor their fathers coulde beare For who euer at any time was endewed with that spirit that he was able to obserue without any trāsgression so many rytes and ceremonies as the lawe prescribeth Who also fulfilled at any time those thinges whiche properly are cōtained in the law Christe onely excepted C. It is no merueile therefore if the lawe be called a burthen heauy and greuouse to be borne and specially in respecte of our infirmitye But althoughe the Scribes did require nothinge more than that which was commaunded of God yet notwithstandinge Christe dothe here reproue that whiche was to straight and austere an order of teachinge which was common to these proude ypocrits namely in that they imperiously exacted and cruelly demaunded of others whatsoeuer was dewe vnto God and were inexorable and seuere in vrginge and requiringe of deuties wheras they fauored thēselues in those things which they so seuerely enioyned to others In the whiche sence the prophete reprocheth them when he sayth that they ruled the people of God cruelly and churlishly For they which feare GOD in dede althoughe they study to frame disciples according to his wil yet notwithstanding because they are more seuere towarde thēselues than towards others they are not such seuere exactors and vrgers of deutie Furthermore because they knowe their owne infirmitie they do willingly beare with the weake But there is nothinge more bolde and cruell to commaunde then the wicked contemners of God because they haue no regarde to the difficultie from the which they exempte themselues Wherfore there is no man that shall moderately commaunde others but hee which is first a maister to himselfe But they themselues vvil not heaue at them vvith one of their fingars M. G. The Euangeliste Luke hath these woordes Ye lade men with burthens whiche they are not able to beare and ye your selues toutche not the packes with one of youre fingars But by those commaundements of the lawe and by those harde preceptes of the rites and
ceremonys thereof the Lorde woulde haue his people made humble and constrained as it were to craue and seke for his mercy by the which onely saluation happeneth to men 5. All these workes do they for the intente that they maye be sene of men They set abroade their philateries and make large the borders of their garmentes All these vvorkes do they to be sene of men C He saide alitell before that the Scribes taught farre otherwise than they lyued and now he addeth that if they haue any shewe of goodnes it is fayned hipocritical and vaine because they did séeke for nothing els but to please men and to shewe forthe themselues Bu. C The Phariseis therfore did either transgresse the lawe of God openlye or els they so fained dissembled that they might seme honest when as in dede they were otherwise He detected also their ambitiō before as appeareth in the sixte chapter C. But here the painted shewe of their workes which onely serued to ostentation is opposed and set againste the true study of piety and godlines of lyfe For the true and sound worshiper of god shall neuer be geuen to these vaine gloriouse shewes with the which hypocrits are puffed vp So that ambition in the Scribes and Phariseis is not onely reprehended but also when the Lorde had condemned the transgression and contempte of the deuine law in their whole life leaste they shoulde defende themselues with their fained sanctimony as with a buckeler he answereth by occupation that is by a subtil preuenting that they are but friuolouse vaine trifels and not to be accounted of in the whiche they boaste them selues because there raigned among them nothing but mere ostentation They set abroade their Philateries He nameth here one particuler order of their pride by the which such ambition might be easely knowne E. This worde Phylatery is a Gréeke woorde taken of Phylacterion which signifieth a preseruatiue because in them the remembrance of the lawe was kepte Phylacteries also were if S Hierome be to bee credited parchement skinnes in that which the ten commaundementes of the lawe was writtē the which they foulded and ware vppon their heades in maner of a crowne to the ende they might alwayes be sene of men And the same S Hierom witnesseth that this maner and custome continued euen vntill his tyme throughe out all Iudaea Persia Babilon and that he whiche had this thing vppon his heade was counted religiouse But some thinke that this maner was taken out of Moses for he writteth thus Let these wordes whiche I commaunde the be in thy hart c. And thou shalt bynde them for a signe to thy hande and they shal be a remembrance betwene thyne eyes thou shalte writte them also vpon the postes of thy houses and vppon thy dores C. For because fleshe and bloude will easely forget the lawe the Lorde hereby wente aboute to bringe his people in remembrance of him For therefore also such sentences were commanded to be written out of the lawe vppon the postes of their houses that on which syde soeuer they should looke they might by and by beholde some godlye admonition But what did the Scribes Surely they to the ende they mighte differ from the reste of the people caried the commandements of God more beautifullye written on their garments But in this vaine shewe their filthye ambition bewrayed it selfe For they also whiche woulde seme amonge the Scribes and Phariseis to excell the reste in the diligent obseruinge of the law were wonte to make their Philacteries most broade to the ende they mighte haue more sentences of the lawe than others written therein And make large the borders of their gar M. The makinge large of the borders of theire garments and the settinge abroade their Philacteries were done to one ende For the more that they did extende the borders of their garmentes the more religiouse were they counted amonge the superstitiouse and simple As concerninge the borders and gardes of garmentes there is a commaundemente in Moyses where it is saide And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses sayinge Speake vnto the children of Israell and bid thē that they make thē gardes in the quarters of theire garmentes throughoute their generations and put vppon the garde of the quarters a rybande of yellowe silke And the garde shal be vnto to you to looke vppon that ye maye remember all the commaundementes of the Lorde and doe them and be holy vnto to youre god C. Let vs also hereby learne how ready wise men be to mingle vaine toyes with the commaūdementes of GOD that they may couer their vices and wickednes vnder some cooller cloake of vertue when as in dede they wreste the exercises of Godlynes whiche God hath commaunded to their owne hypocrisy There was nothinge more profitable than to exercise all the sences in the meditacion of the lawe neyther was the same also commaunded of the Lorde in vaine But they were so farre frome profitynge in these rudymentes and rules that they placinge perfecte righteousnes in apparel despise the law all their life tyme For the lawe of the Lorde coulde not be more contumeliously decided and contemned than by this that they fayned the same to be kepte by wearinge a maskyng and playing kinde of apparell M. Here also we may take occasion to condemne the superstition of certaine women whiche weare aboute their neckes certaine shorte sentences of the Gospell and the signe of the crosse whē as indede they are altogether ignorante of the force of the Gospell Yea truely the Priestes and monkes thē selues haue followed many triffells lyke vnto these all the whiche thinges are nothinge els but a hawkinge after the estimation of men and therefore they are here seuerely condemned of Christe who specially requireth the integrity of the harte and a minde voyde of all dissimulation 6. And loue the vppermoste seates at feastes and to syt in the chefe place of counsels and gretings in the market and to be called of men Rabbi And loue the vppermost seates M. These thinges do declare what the hypocrites do seke for by their ostentation and bragging The ende of their bragginge is to obtaine glory and praise of men For it is a gloriouse thing in all places to haue the superiority C. But to seke for the vppermoste seates and hyest places pertaineth onely to those who rather desyer to be exalted amonge men than to be allowed of God. At feastes A. For so signifieth the Gréeke word so hath our cōmon English translation but the Lattin texte hath At suppers And to sit in the chefe place of councels M. Or synagoges for so hath the Lattine translation that is to saye Ecclesiastical metings But what of this Is it not lawful for some to sytt in the hyest seates at feastes and counselles Is it not mete that they which excell others in vertue shoulde also haue honour amonge men Yes truely for Christ goeth not aboute to take