certain hidden Antithesis and force in it selfe whiche maketh equall the manifeste presence of God in Christe with the whole kinde and manner of presence as it was manifested to the auncient people before his coÌ„ming And truely he hathe done the office of a mediatour euen from the beginning of the worlde but because this did depende wholly of the laste reuelation he nowe comming openly forth as a priest in the sight of all men which should put away the sinnes of man by the oblation of his owne body and should reconcile them to his father by the price of his owne bloud finally when he hauing finished all the partes of mans saluation he hauing I saye as it were put on a new person worthely is nowe called Emanuel So that the deuine maiestie of Christe in this name is to be counted of vs in the first place and to be highly estemed of vs that it may haue the reuerence of vs whiche is only dewe to the eternall God but in the meane tyme the frute is not to be neglected whiche God afterwarde would haue gathered and receiued of vs For so often as we beholde and sée God and man in one persone of Christe for certaine we may beleue that we shall haue possesse the liuing God if by faith we be ioyned and linked to Christe 24 And Ioseph so sone as he awoke out of slepe did as the aungell of the lord commaunded him and he toke his wyfe vnto him C. The promptnes and redines whiche is here described and set forth maketh no les to the witnesing of the fyrme faythe of Ioseph then it doth to the prayse of his obedience For excepte all doubte and care had bene taken away and his mind very well pacified he had neuer so willingly taken his wyfe agayne with whose company a litle before he thought him selfe to be polluted Therefore some note of godlines was printed in his slepe whiche would not suffer his mynde any more to be troubled or to be caried hither and thether After this the effecte and force of faythe followed that so soone as he knewe the will of God he prepared hym selfe without delaye to obey the same B. Euen so when the lorde shal beginne to speake to oure hartes those thinges whiche séeme vnpossible to the mynde of man it is our partes not only to beleue all those thinges that are absurde and doubtfull but also to followe and imbrace them all Therefore howe obscure and doubtful so euer the woordes of the crosse of Christe do seme to oure mynde to be yea howe vntrewely soeuer the same be preached if the Lorde do teache within nothing at all shall be harde vnto vs to be beleued or done but if he teache not the hearers may seme to haue faythe and workes but they can not haue it in dede nor do those workes no although they hearde Paule or Christe hym selfe perswading them Therfore in that Ioseph did not doubt in him selfe but that the aungell of God appeared vnto him that those thinges whiche he harde were true although they were marueilous and straunge and diligently without delaye did that whiche the aungell of the Lorde had inioyned him to doo she being taken to wyfe whome he fearing a litle before to kepe determined to put away priuely it was the worke of the holy ghost guiding his minde according to the woordes of the aungell 25 And he knewe her not vntill shee had brought forthe her first begotten sonne and called his name Iesus And he knevve her not vntill C. About this place Heluidius maketh a great a do in the churche affirming that she continued a virgin no longer then till the byrth of Christe but that afterwardes she bare more children to her husbande And he proueth it thus The fyrst obiection of Heluidius HE knewe her not vntill she brought forth her fyrst begotten sonne Ergo after she had brought him forthe he knewe her Aunsvvere This worde did knowe in the sacred Scripture is vnderstoode twoo maner of wayes sometime it is taken for the carnall copulation betwene man and wyfe and sometyme pro scientia that is for knowledge or acqueintaunce Heluidius and those of his secte do vnderstande this word know for the copulation betwene man and wyfe where as it is certaineâ—… that it oughte to be referred to acquaintance and perfecte vnderstanding of any thing For although Ioseph was handefasted or bethrothed vnto Mary yet he was not acqueinted at the fyrste that shée was conceyued with the holye ghost and vntyl the almighty had by visions or dreames reuealed his will vnto hym As we hard before in this fyrst cha where the Aungell sayde Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto the Mary thy wife for that which is conceyued in her commeth of the holy ghoste And in the second likewise Arise take the chylde and his mother and fliée into Aegypt and abide there vntil I bring the worde Soo that the knowledge that Ioseph had was the sure vndoubted faith of those thinges that were reuealed vnto him from aboue And that this word know is taken pro scientia in the scripture often times it apereth by this place The chylde Iesus abode in Hierusalem and his parentes knewe not of it This worde vntyll also doth somtimes signifie the certaine and appointed time and somtyme it signifieth the tyme infinite without ende or ceassynge As in these places that followe I am I am vntyll you waxe olde I am Now in this place because he sayth vntyll they be old he wyll be theyr God wyll he therefore when they be olde ceasse or leaue of to be their God And our sauiour Christe to his Apostels Beholde I am with you euen vntyll the ende of the worlde Wyll the lorde therefore after the consummation of the worlde forsake his disciples Agayne the psalmist sayth He shall rayne vntyll he haue put all his ennemies vnder his feete Shall he therfore when his ennemies are subdued raine no longer Agayne As the eies of the mayde do wayte vppon the handes of her mistres euen so do our eies wayte vpon thee vntill thou haue mercy vpon vs. When the lord therfore hath compassion and mercie vpon vs shall we wayte no longer In the lyke sence this worde vntyll is to be taken in this place For the EuaÌ„gelist saith he knewe her not vntill shée brought forthe her sonne that we maye muche more perceiue and gather that he knewe her not after The seconde obiection of Heluidius OVr sauiour Christ was called her first begotten sonne and none can be called fyrst begotten but he that hath bretherne euen as he is called the onely begotten sonne which is the only sonne of his father Aunsvvere But that is not trew for euery onely begotten sonne is the first begotten although he haue no bretherne and therefore in the booke of NuÌ„bers the almighty God dothe define who or what is the fyrste begotten sayinge All that
kingdome of God whiche was at hande but yet to speake this of him selfe in the persone of a foreronner a proclaimer As if he should haue saide Beholde I am a proclaimer and foreronner before the face of the lord shewing vnto you the cōming of the kingdome of god But that he might bringe credite to him selfe he bringeth in the prophecie of Esay admonishing them that the same was fulfilled by his ministery whiche was spoken before in times paste by the prophete of the redēption made vnder Cyrus and Darius and also to concerne apertaine to these tymes C. For although this place of Esay ought not to be restrayned only to Iohn yet neuerthelesse he is one of them of whom the same was spoken For after that the prophete had declared the besieging of the cittie and the extreame destruction of the people he promiseth the reedifiyng of the same again the woordes are these Comforte my people O ye prophetes comforte my people saithe your God comforte Hierusalem at the hart c. For after that the temple was destroyed and the sacrifices abolished the people being led into captiuitie thinges were desperate and out of all order And because that eares were deafe and shutte at the continuall voyce of the prophetes the lorde for a time was as it were dombe Now in this sadde and dolefull silence in this heuy chere the prophete least the godly myndes should faynte or in any wyse quayle plainly openeth vnto them this comforte that there shall arise newe proclaymers setters forth of the grace of God whiche should chere vp the people to hope for the sauing health Suche wer Zachary Haggeus Malachi Esdras suche like But because the perpetuall restoring is not there promised at a moment yea rather Esaias had much respect to the redemption whiche was hoped for by the comming of Christe therefore Iohn is worthely thought to be the chief among the ministers of comforte Then it followeth in the text of the prophete The voice of a crier C. This voyce is compared to that tēporal silence of the which we spake euen now The Iewes were to be depriued of that doctrine for a tyme which wickedly they despised M. Iohn Theuāgelist whē he brought certain testimonies of this crier cōcerning Christ he said Iohn bare witnes of him self and cried saying This is he of whome I spake c. shewyng that he declared all things with a diligent crie to euery one For he being indewed with the spiritie and vertue of Elias stoutly rebuked vngodlines as Elias did the Thesbites and with diligent endeuour he sought to restore againe the true religion And certainly he is a true witnes of Christe not which without a courage faintly inconstantly and obscurely but which openly plainly and truly with force doth so witnes of Christe that none may excuse hym that he harde not the voyce of this crye Wherfore the lord by the same prophete saith Crie out and cease not exalte thy voice like a trōpet For in dede the world hath great neade to haue this crie of repentaunce and true godlines in Christe which continually refuseth to heare like vnto the deafe adder whiche stopped her eares and will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so wysely In the deserte C. The name of deserte is put metaphorically for the vaste wilde deformed raigne of the people as it was in the time of their exile and banishment For it was suche horrible destructiō that well it might be compared to a deserte So the prophete doth amplifie the grace of God as if he should haue said although the people are cast out from their countrey afarre yea and vanyshed the company of men yet for all that the voyce of God shall sounde in the deserte whiche shall bryng ioyfull consolation to those that are out of harte and quite discouraged At what tyme Iohn began to preache Hierusalem in this sence and meaninge was a deserte because all thinges were brought euery where into vaste and horrible confusion but it behoued grosse and dull men to be more moued and affected with the sighte of the visible deserte whereby they might with the greater desyre receyue to them selues being in death the promyse of saluation Nowe we sée howe truely this prophecie did appertayne vnto Iohn and howe fetely it is applied vnto hym Prepare the vvaye of the Lorde There is no doubte but the prophete spake to Syrus and the Persians of whose workes the lorde had intelligence and the sence and meaning is that the lorde would bringe to passe by his wonderful power that his people should haue way through the vnoccupied woode ouer the hilly and sharp rockes and through the barren and drye wyldernes because at his hande he shall haue ministers of his grace whiche shall take away all lettes stombling blockes from among them But this was a shadowed declaration of the redemption But when the spirituall and heauenly veritie came into the light and was manifeste Iohn was sente to remoue and take awaye all impedimentes whiche might let and hinder the same And dayly the same voyce soundeth in our eares that we might prepare the waye of the lorde that is all vices being taken away whiche do stoppe and shutte vp the waye of the lorde we maye geue frée accesse and passage to his grace M. Furthermore we amending our life by the study of repentaunce may remoue and put aparte all suche thinges as may offende the deuine maiestie of god C. It pertaineth to the same effecte whiche followeth in the woordes of the prophete Let all croked thinges be made straighte For by these woordes he doth signifie that in this worlde there is nothing but rough stony hilly and croked waies but yet he sheweth that the lorde wil make a waye through so many and harde strayghtes that by his wonderful power he may pearse through the same to the accomplishing and fulfilling of our saluation B. But in the Hebrew texte this saying In the deserte is ioyned with that whiche followeth as thus A voyce crying in the wyldernes prepare the waye of the lorde that it may agree with the clause followyng And make the pathes of our lorde straighte in the wyldernes M. Therfore Iohn the proclaymer of Christe to the Iewes by his crye stirred them vp to prepare them selues against the comming of the kyng promysed before tyme to lifte vp their mindes also to amēde their liues casting of all suche thinges as might be lothsom and odious in the eyes of his deuine maiestie that thei might be partakers of his grace with ioye 4 This Iohn had his raiment of Camels heare And a girdell of skinne about his loynes his meate was locustes and wylde hony This Iohn had his rayment C. The Euangelist reckneth not this among the chief and excellente vertues that he was addicte and giuen to a rude austere kinde of lyfe eschewinge and not regardynge the ciuyll and
To this efecte was the parable of the figge tree alleaged of our sauiour Christ in Luke saying Except ye repent ye shal al likewise perish he tolde also this similitude A certayne man had a figge tree plāted in his vyneyard he came and sought fruite therō and found none Then said he to the dresser of his vyneyarde Beholde this three yere haue I com and sought fruit of this figge tree find none cut it downe why combereth it the ground he answered and said vnto him Lord let it alone this yere also tyl I digge round about it and dounge it to see whether it wyll beare fruits and if it beare not then after that shall you cut it downe And in an other place Christ faith thus If any abyde not in mee he is caste out of the doores as a branches withereth men gather them and cast them into the fyer they burne 11. I baptise you with water vnto repentance but he that shal com after me is mightier then I whose shoote I am not worthy to beare he shall baptise you with the holy ghost with fier I baptise you vvith vvater C. The thre Euangelistes do reherse the selfe same wordes of Iohn the Baptiste In this one thynge Luke is more plentyfull because fyrste he dothe shewe for what occasion this sermon was made that is to saye because it was a doubte that the people would take away the honour of Christ by a false wrong opinion M. For he saith As the people were in a doubt al mē mused in their hartes at Iohn whether he were very Chryste Iohn answered said vnto thē all I baptise you with water c. C. Therfore that he might in time take away the occasion of the errour he doth plainely say that he is not Christ and so he doth disseuer him self frō him that he may bringe him that right which aparteined vnto him And truly he did this willingely that he myghte bringe disciples vnto Christ as the prouerbe is from hand to hand but he preuenteth it the soner least in holdinge his peace any lōger he shuld confirme the errour of the people C. His wordes therefore tend to this efect I cal al men to re pentance and hauing professed the same I signe them with the seale of Baptisme whereby they maye be assured that theyr sinnes are forgeuen thē if they beleue in him which shal come after me that is to say in Christe whiche onely forgeueth sinnes geueth the holy ghost printing a true faith in our hartes of remission of sinnes and mortifying also the affectiōs of our fleshe He vvhiche commeth after me This is spoken in the present tence The greke participle is doubtful so that thou maist vnderstand it that Christ was Iunior or younger then Iohn or elles that he shoulde succede Iohn in the office of preaching So the Euāgelist Iohn resiteth the same wordes saying After me there came a mā which went before me for he was before me Is stronger then I. C. By these wordes he dothe shewe that Christ was of a greter power dignitie in respect of whom he also was subiecte as if he should say The worke of Christ to come that is the redemption of mankind the kingdom which he receiued of God the father do require greater force power then I or any man els cā shew I am his minister he is the lord whiche hath receiued all power of his father Therfore in that Iohn doth acknowledge his own imbecillitie it is done to attrybute the glory of vertue power to Christ to saue and to destroy to saue the elect to destroy the reprobate also he doth admonish vs that there is no sainct or angel Christ only excepted that hath power to saue destroy VVhose shoose I am not vvorthy E. He said before that Christ was stronger then he to āplifie the same he saith that he is vnworthye to cary his shoose He vseth the common forme phrase of speche by the which he doth so extol the glory of Christ that aboue him he cōpareth nothing To the whiche ende this is also spoken He must increase but I must decrease He shal baptize you vvith the holy Here Iohn maketh Christ the authour of spyrituall baptisme but yet neuerthelesse a minister of the externall thing Here he dothe seme to preuent before secretly a question that might be obiected agaynst him to what ende pourpose the baptisme that he toke vnto him serued Neyther was it any small triffell to bringe a new vnwonted thinge into the churche of God and that specially to set forthe a new kind of begīning that shold be more perfecte and better then the law of God. Therfore he answereth that he hath don nothing rashly though he be a minister of the outwarde signe that yet he dothe nothing at al diminish the vertue power of god Wherfore we may easely gather that it was no parte of his meaning to distinguishe make a differēce betwene his baptisme that which Christ gaue his disciples in cōmandement to vse the vse wherof also he wold haue cōtinually establyshed in the churche Neither doth he compare the visible signe to the inuisible but cōparing the persons of the seruant lord together he doth teache what is proper apperteining to the seruant what also as due right is to be rendred to the lord And also herby is gathered a general doctrine that is to say what are the partes of men in baptisme also what is properly to the son of god For only to men is cōmitted the administratiō of the outward and visible thing but that trueth it self doth onely remaine with Christ The scripture somtime doth improperly assigne to men that whiche Iohn doth affirme onely to belong to Christe which he denieth to apperteine vnto men but thā he doth not way and consider what man hath specially by him self but simplely doth teach what is the force and profite of signes howe God doth woorke with his holy spirite by them Here is geuen a distinctiō betwene Christ and his ministers least that the world geue that vnto them which only of duetie and right perteineth vnto him as nothing is more ready and inclined then the world to beautifie adorne the creatures with the spoyles of God. We knowe what howe great outragiouse contentions haue ben in these days as concerning the vse and efficacy of the signes al the which may be taken awaye with this one word that the whole institution of the lorde doth comprehende the author hym selfe and the vertue of the spirite with the figure minister but when as the mynister is compared with the lord that he maye haue al we muste bring the other to nothing VVith the holy ghost It may be demaūded why Iohn did not say as wel that it was Christ which did washe our soules with his bloud
purenes of harte is the mother of al vertues but notwithstanding there is scant one among a hundred whiche hath not crafte and deceite in steade of excelēt vertue Hereupon it commeth that the common sort of people thinke them blessed and happy whiche are conning and practised in working deceites and which can deale craftely with such as they haue to do withall Christe therefore doth nothing at al agre to the reason of the flesh when he calleth those blessed whiche are not delighted in deceit and fraude but do walke sincerely among mē and do shewe no other thinge with their woordes and countenaunce then they thinke and pretende in their harte M. Double in harte and pure in harte are contrary Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Euen he that leadeth an vncorrupte lyfe and doth the thing whiche is righte and that speaketh the truthe from his harte And agayne who shall ascende into the hill of the lorde or who shall ryse vp in his holy place Euen he that hath cleane handes and a pure harte and that hath not lifte vp his minde vnto vanitie nor sworne to deceiue his neighbour This cleanenes or sinceritie of harte commeth not of the nature of man For mans harte as the prophete saythe is wicked and inscrutable And the thoughte of mans harte is wicked euen from his youthe Furthermore who can saye my harte is cleane or I am free from synne But this cleanes and puritie of harte is geuen to man of God from aboue wherfore Dauid saith Make a newe harte within me O God. Also this sinceritie is gotten by faythe in Christe by which faythe he purifieth the harte Therefore whosoeuer beleueth in Christe he is of a pure harte and so many as follow the study of innocencie with a true faith For although our innocēcie in al pointes is not perfect notwithstanding we are sayde to be pure and cleane because the lorde doth impute the moste perfecte cleanes of Christe vnto vs and for our faythe he doth accept and receiue vs as cleane M. Moreouer the lorde doth seme to reproue the hypocrisie of the Phariseis whose hartes as they were hollowe crafty so were they obstinate and peruerse and had a false and wronge iudgement of the doctrine of truth Blessed saith he are the pure in harte that is which ioyne them selues vnto me with a pure symple desirous minde of knowing the wyll of God and do imbrace the doctrine of truthe without hipocrisie and doublenes of harte Suche were the disciples of Christ who imbraced the doctrine of Christe so sone as it was offered vnto them Suche was Nathanaell of whom Christe sayde Beholde a true Israelite in whome there is no deceite For they shall see God. C. Because the symple are derived as fooles for that they are not circumspecte to their owne luker and proffite Christe calleth them to consider farther that if they be not circumspecte to defraude and deceiue in earthe they shall haue and enioye the syghte of God in heauen Therefore they whiche are not delighted with crafte and deceite but walke godly purely and sincerely amōg men whiche also adioyne them selues with a sincere and feruent mynde vnto Christe suche I saye shall see God that is firste they shall be endewed with the perfecte knowledge of God they shal vnderstande his wyll and mynde what affection he beareth towardes them and laste of all they shall haue euerlastynge lyfe when they shall beholde hym not in the darke speakyng of faythe but face to face with his holy aungels 9. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the sonnes of God. Blessed are the peace makers C. He vnderstādethe suche peacemakers whiche do not only study for peace and so muche as in them lieth do eschewe put away brawlinges chidinges and contentions but also which with diligence pacifie contentions whiche aryse among others they are the authours of peace among all mē they cut of the occasion of hatred and debate as commaundeth the prophete Dauid Eschewe euell and do good seke after peace and insewe it Neither is this spoken of the lorde without great consideration For seing it is a troublesome thing to pa◅ifie those whiche are at dissention among them selues moderate temperate men which study and seke by all meanes to get peace are constrayned to beare this dishonestie that they heare the reproches the complaintes and quarrels of both partes which riseth hereuppon that none would willingly haue thē to be their aduocates whiche wyll not take their parte and defende them Let vs not therfore depende vpon the fauour of men Christe biddeth vs to haue respect vnto his fathers iudgement Who for so muche as he is the God of peace taketh vs to be his sonnes so long as we seke for peace although oure study and indeuour please not men For they shal be called M. That is they shall be thought they shal be in dede and they shal be acknowledged the sonnes of God whether it be of God him selfe or of those whiche haue the spirite of god The Hebrewe texte hath this woorde call for to suppose or thynke In Isaack shall thy seede be called The which Paule expoūdeth thus Neyther are they all children straightway that are of the seede of Abraham But in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is to saye they whiche are the children of the fleshe are not the children of god But they whiche are the children of promise are counted the seede Also where as Mathewe hath My house shall be called the house of prayer Luke saith It is the house of prayer Therefore if there aryse any contention and strife among men the preachers of the worde of peace shall redresse the same And for this purpose the Magistrate is appointed of God that we may one with another liue a godly and a peaceable life And so we shal be blessed and happy For we shal be called that is we shal be the sonnes of God whiche is the God of peace and not the God of debate and stryfe Also if we be sonnes then are we heyres of his glory and true felicitie Let the Cardinalles Byshoppes heads of the church in these our dayes reade and waye these thinges dilligently For men may easely vnderstande whose sonnes they be whē that thei blowe not the trōpe of the Gospel in the courtes of princes but rather they sounde their trōpet to warres battayle 10 Blessed are they that suffer persecutiō for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are they that suffer persecution M. It is a wonted and a commen thing for the children of this worlde to persecute the godly This wicked nature is declared by an infinite number of examples from the beginning of the worlde Bu. Therfore the worlde in this life doth counte them moste vnhappy and miserable which are banished their countrie spoyled of their
Wherefore the Euangelistes are symplely to be vnderstoode who placed Peter and Andrewe or Peter Iames and Iohn in the firste place for no other consideration then because they were firste in vocatiō and calling C. Very fondly therefore the Romane byshops buylde their suppremacy vpon this place But admitte graunte that Peter was chiefest of the Apostels yet notwithstanding it followeth not that the thing whiche was of force amōg twelue shoulde extende it selfe to the whole worlde Admitte that he was first numbred yet it doth not thereupon followe that he should be chiefe or excel the reste VVhiche is called Peter A. Of this woorde Peter we haue spoken before in the fourth chapter And Andrevv his brother Howe this Andrewe came at the first vnto Christe saint Iohn playnly in his first chapter declareth Iames the sonne of Zebed E. The Gréeke texte hath onely Iames whiche was of Zebede and leueth out this woorde sonne but the olde intepretour because it was vnderstoode as appeareth by the article putteth it in We may reade of this mans death in the Actes of the Apostels And Iohn his brother This is that disciple whome Iesus loued as he hym selfe wytnesseth in the Golpel whiche he wryte 3 Philippe and Bartholomewe Thomas and Matthewe whiche was the Publicane Iames the sonne of Alphae and Lebbeus whose syrname was Thaddeus Phillippe and Bartholomevve Bu. These were twoo graue and excellent men although no mention is made of them in the holy scripture Thomas This is that Thomas Didimus whiche after the resurrection touched the perfecte body of Christe Mathevv vvhich had ben a P. A. The interpretour addeth this worde had ben to make the matter more plain M. For by this remembraunce or rehersall the Euangeliste Matthewe sheweth him selfe thankefull for the inestimable mercy of Christe towardes him whiche turned not away his face from a Publicane but vouchsafed to receiue hym to his grace Hereby we learne not to hyde and obscure the grace of Christe whiche happeneth vnto vs but to preache the same although it be to our own reproch For it pertayned to the glory of Christe that of a Publicane he was made an Apostell A. So Paule in diuers places reherseth what he was before his calling to enlarge set foorth the mercy of god M. Also note that the other Euangelistes adde not to Matthewe the name of a Publicane For it is better that a man remember his owne faulte then another do it But we in these dayes vse the contrary for we hyde our owne faultes and bewraye all that we can by other men if it touche the hurte of their good name Iames the sonne of Alphe He is called Iames the sonne of Alphe to make a difference betwene hym and Iames the sonne of Zebede Of some he is called Iames the lesse or the yōger And Lebbeus vvhose surname is Taddeus Bu. This man is sayde to haue thrée names For he was called Iudas the brother of Iames and Thaddeus and Lebbeus 4 Symon of Canaan and Iudas Iscarioth whiche also betrayed hym Symon of Canaan Bu. This Simō of Canaā was so called of Cana a towne in Gallilae as Hierom thinketh Luke saith that his sirname was Zelotes For Cana is as much to saye in Lattine Zelus which is in Englyshe zeale So that of Zelus he is called Zelotes And Iudas Iscarioth M. He is so called either of the towne where he was borne or els of the trybe whiche is called Isachar VVhiche also betrayed him A. This is spokē by a figure called Anticipation by the whiche we do commonly preuent that whiche followeth with some note or tytell as this also It was that Mary which annointed the Lord with oyntment and wyped his fete with her heare M. Here also we muste note that there is no fellowship so holy so pure and cleane but in the same there is founde some euell persone Wherefore we muste take hede that for one euell mans sake we reiecte not all the good and that for Iudas sake we reiecte not all the Apostles For the churche shall alwayes consiste of good and euell of faithefull men and Hypocrites vntill the highe Iudge come and separate the Goates from the Sheepe This lewde and fylthy persone defyled not the integritie ministerie of Sainctes howe great soeuer his transgressiō was Let vs therefore note that godly vertuous and honest men are not alwayes defiled by the company of the wicked and vngodly specially if they be ignoraunt of his wickednes neither is the doctrine of truthe and the administration of Sacramentes the worse for the vnworthynes of the minister 5 Iesus sent forth these twelue in nomber whome he commaunded saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles and enter not into the cittie of the Samaritanes Iesus sent foorth these tvvelue E. The Gréeke worde signifieth that thei were sent forth with commaundement strayght charge geuen vnto them as we shal here by and by It may be thought that the Lorde vsed this worde sente because the Prophetes make mention oftentimes of sendinge and of those that were sente And the lord him selfe expounding this woorde saythe thus Verely verely I saye vnto you the seruaunt is not aboue his maister neither is the Apostel greater then he which sente him The Apostels therfore are the messengers and Embassadours of the lorde to declare his commaundementes to those to whome they are sente Go not into the vvaye of the Gentyles C. Here more plainely appeareth that whiche we touched euen nowe that the office of the Apostels pertained to no other end then to make the Iewes to heare Christe attētiuely by putting them in mynde of the saluation whiche was at hande Therefore nowe he doth limitte thē to preache to the Iewes onely but afterwarde to sounde forth their voyce into the whole worlde The reason is this Because he was sente of his father being a minister of the circumcision for the truthe of God to confirme the promyses made vnto the fathers For God made a speciall couenaunt with the séede of Abraham So that for the promyse sake Christe would haue the firste fruites of his Gospell to be bestowed vpō the Iewes but when the fulnes of time was come thē would he haue it preached also to the Gentiles For after his resurrection he gaue theim this generall commission saying Go ye into the whole worlde and preache the Gospel to all creatures M. Saint Paule to cōfirme this saith The word of God ought firste to be preached vnto you but because ye put the same from you iudge youre selues vnworthy of euerlasting lyfe beholde we tourne to the Gentiles for so the Lorde commaunded vs I haue made thee a lighte of the Gentiles that thou be the saluation to the ende of the worlde And Christe hym selfe saythe I am not sent but to the loste shepe of the house of Israell And enter not into the cittie of
so often parables For they thought that it should haue bene his part to vse manifest and plaine words to the end hée might the more easilye be vnderstode C. And although that symilitudes doe oftentimes manifest the thinge which is handled those notwithstanding which do containe a continual metaphor are very hard darke and obscure Christ therefore propoundinge this similitude would comprehend that vnder an allegorye which without a figure might more plainly and euidently haue bene spoken But now when the exposition is added made the figured speach hath more perspecuity and plainenes then the simple that is it is not onely of more efficacy force to moue the minds of men but also more cleare and euidente to be perceyued so great a difference ther is in the speaking and vttering of things Truly if Chryst should haue sayd simplely the Gospell is preached to manye in vaine A. Hée had touched the effect of al this matter C. Notwithstandinge it woulde not haue had so great force waight as this similitude Bu. The Disciples therefore saye whye speakest thou the mysteries of the kingdome of God in such darke parables rather then in plaine and easye sentences whereby thou mayst be vnderstoode 11. Hee aunsweared and saide vnto them it is geuen vnto you to knowe the secrets of the kingdom of heauen but to thē it is not geuē Bu. The lord by his answeare manifestly declareth to whom the doctrine of the Gospell is obscure and to whom it is euident plaine also who are mete hearers of the Gospell who are not C. By that which answere of Christ we gather that the doctrine of saluation was propounded of God vnto men for diuers ends and purposes For Christ testifyeth that hée spake therfore the more obscurelye because his word should be hard and difficile vnto many mighte stryke and sound in their eares with confused ambiguous sound If any man obiecte the saying of the Prophet I haue not spoken in the secret places of the earth neither yet in darknes It is not for naught that I sayde vnto the séede of Iacob séeke mee Also Dauid acknowledgeth the words of the law to be a lāterne to his féete to geue wisedome vnto babes It may be aunswered that the woord of God by his owne nature is brighte cleare but the brightnes of the same by the darkenes of men is suffocated obscured For although the law had the vaile hanging before it yet notwithstāding the truth of God was manifest enough in the same vnlesse the eyes of mē were blinded And as cōcerning the Gospel S. Paule sayth that it is not hid vnles it be hiddē to the reprobate to such as are in darcknes whose minds Sathan hath blinded Furthermore wée must note that the force of illuminating wherof Dauid speaketh the familiar maner of preaching whereof Esay prophesyeth is properlye referred to the elect and chosē people of god This notwithstanding alwayes abydeth infallible that the woord of God is not obscure of it selfe but as it is obscured darkened with the blind mystes of the world in the meane seasō the Lord doth neuertheles contayne kepe his mysteries that the sence vnderstāding of the same cannot come to the reprobate And truly by two meanes hée doth depriue them of the light of the Gospell For sometimes hée speaketh that in parables which mighte be spokē much more plainly sometimes expressing his mind plainly without eyther tropes or figures hée doth so dul amase their sences that euen in the open manifest light they are blind To this effect pertayneth the saying of the Prophete Your Prophets rulers that should sée hath hée couered And the visions of al the prophets is become vnto you as the woords of a Booke that is sealed vp which mē delyuer to one that is learned sayinge reade thou in it And hée sayth I cannot for it is sealed Forsomuche as Christ hath so dispensed his doctrine by his deuyne coūsell that it shal profite only a few in whose mindes it shall soundlye be imprinted shall trouble and moleste the rest it followeth that this doctrine of saluation was not sente vnto men for one end purpose but by the wisedom of God to be so moderatly tempered that it should be no lesse a sauor of death vnto death to the reprobate then it is of life vnto life to the electe chosen children of god And least any mā should contend S. Paule addeth to these words that what soeuer the effect of the Gospell bée though it be a deadly sauour yet is it swete before god But to the ende wée may haue the true sence and meaning of this place wée must more nerely consider the purpose of Christ for what cause and to what end hée speaketh this First vndoubtedly the comparison pertayneth to this end that hée might amplifye the grace geuen to his Disciples because that was geuen specially vnto them whiche was not giuen in like maner to all men To you sayth hee it is giuen to know the misteries of god If any demaūde frō whēce the Apostels haue this priuiledge of dignity truly there shal no cause of worthines be found in thē for Christ in pronoūsing that it is geuen vnto them excludeth al deserte Christ pronounceth that they be certaine select chosen men vpon whom God specially bestoweth this honor to be partakers of the secret mysteries of God the other being depriued of the same Ther is no other cause of this difference found sauing that it pleaseth God to call vnto him those whom he hath chosen frelye in his mercye before the foundacion of the world was layde A. Whervpon hee calleth the rest forreners or straungers as may be gathered by the words of Marke when hee sayth but vnto them that are without all thinges happen by parables C. By the which words Christ plainly declareth that these were not of the nomber of the electe and therefore that it was not giuen vnto them 12 For whosoeuer hath to him shal be giuen and hee shall haue aboundaunce but whosoeuer hath not from him shal be taken awaye euen that whiche hee hath M. It is a cōmon prouerbe that to the rych shal be giuen but to the poore not so yea they shall haue the little takē from them be made beggers By the which our sauiour Christ would signify that it was also ful filled in his kingdome that the knowledge of life should be communicated and geuē to those only which haue the gift of election and from those that want the same shal be taken awaye that deuyne knowledge whiche they séeme to haue by the preaching of the woord because the reprobate by the contempte of the woord whiche they cannot receaue are blynded more and more til at length thou mayest see them depryued of their cōmon sence The lord toke the Disciples vnto him to the end they might more more
time paste he appointed priestes which should be as it were trimmers of his vyne But this is to be noted that when Christe saithe that the husbandemen receiued the vyne well ordered and trimmed in all points at the handes of the housholder he dothe not a littel sette forthe their falte For the more liberally that they were delte with all so muche the more hatred was their ingratitude worthy of This argumente the Apostell Paule vseth when hee goeth aboute to exhorte the pastours boldely to discharge theire office because they are chosen stewards to gouerne the house of God whiche is the piller and grounde of trueth And he vseth it well For the more excellent and honorable their cōdition is the more they are bounde vnto God dilligentlie to discharge their worke and office So that their ingratitude wickednes is most detestable which lightly regard so great liberality of God and honor also bestowed vpon them A. As concerning this worke in the vineyarde the Apostel writteth after this sorte saying M. He made some Apostels some Prophetes some Euangelistes some shepeheardes and teachers to the edifying of the saints to the worke and ministraciō euen to the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the vnity of faith knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect mā vnto the measure of the full perfecte age of Christe Excepte the vine be daily trimmed cut it can not bringe forth frute so that the Lorde hath appointed that it shall be ordered as it oughte to bee Let the faithfull therefore remember that they haue nede of his dressinge and that withoute it they can not bringe forthe frute And vvente into a straunge contrey Bu. This is spoken according to imitacion and the maners of men whiche after they haue committed their possessiōs or landes to their tenantes and fermers depart into some other place But the Lord neuer departeth but dayly worketh all in all S. By these wordes he onelye noteth the expectation which the Lord of the house hath for the frute of his vine For the Lord speaking of his vine by the mouthe of the Prophets saithe I loked that it should haue brought forth grapes and it broughte forth thornes And he declaring in the seuēth verse following what he ment by Grapes saith he looked for equity but see there is wrong 34. And when the time of the frute drewe nere he sente his seruauntes to the husbandmen that they mighte receiue the frutes of it And vvhen the time of the frute Bu Hitherto he hath made mencion of the benefits shewed vppon this people nowe it followeth how vniustly they recompenced so louing and beneficiall a Father He sente his seruantes His seruantes were the Prophetes by whome the Lorde vrged the priestes to render frut vnto god But it is merueyle why Christ compareth the Prophetes to seruants who the grape gatheringe time beinge paste are sente to requyre frute For wee knowe also that they were vinedressers and that the same office that was inioyned the Priestes belonged vnto them Wee aunswere that it was not necessarye that Christe shoulde exactly or scrupulouslye expresse what was lyke or vnlyke betwene these twoo orders The priestes certainlye in the beginninge were ordeined for this cause that they with sounde doctrine shoulde perfectlye and truelye til and instructe the Churche But when they neglected the worke cōmitted vnto them by slouthfull negligence the Prophetes were sente as extraordinary helpers to purge and take awaie al wedes that were hurtefull to the vine and supplyed the want of the Priestes Notwithstandynge in the meane tyme they did sharpelye reprehende the people they restored the decayed godlynes they wakened sleapie mindes and broughte againe the worshippe of God and a newe life And what other thinge was this than to require the yearely proffite dewe vnto God out of the vine The which thing Christ both aptly and truely applieth to his purpose 35. And the husband men caughte his seruauntes and bet one killed an other and stoned an other And the husbandmen caughte C. Here the Euangelistes Marke and Luke differ somwhat from Mathewe For our Euangeliste Mathewe saith that he sente many seruants and when those were euell intreated he maketh mencion of the sending of a greater nomber but the other twoo saye that he sente them one after an other and not two or thrée at once But we must note that althoughe the purpose of the Euangelists was all one namely that the Iewes durste deale so with the sonne as they had dealte oftentimes with the Prophetes before yet notwithstanding Mathewe doth more exprestye declare the matter it selfe namely that the Lord by sending so many Prophetes did contende with the malice of the priests Whereby it doth appeare how incurable their madnes was which by no meanes could be corrected and amended Bete one killed an other S. The priestes allowing and vpholding the false Prophetes which prophessed lyes as saithe the Prophete Ieremy killed the true Prophetes of God. Some of the Prophetes they did beate as Ieremye and Mycheas Some of them they killed as Esay and Amos some they stoned in the temple ▪ as Zacharias and Barachias 36. Againe he sente other seruauntes mo then the firste and they did vnto them lykewise Againe he sente S. They slewe also the Prophetes that came in the latter dayes amonge whome S. Iohn the Baptiste was one As concernynge these wee reade thus Moreouer all the Rulers the Priestes and the people trespassed more synning after all the abhominacions of the heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Ierusalem And the Lorde GOD of their fathers sente to them by his messengers risyng vp betimes and sending for he had compassion on his people and one his dwellinge place But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his wordes and misused his Prophetes vntill the wrathe of the Lorde arose againste this people and till there was no remedy And Christe himselfe saith Beholde I sende vnto you Prophetes and wyse men and Scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucify and some of them ye shall scourge in your Synagoges and persecute from Citty to Citty And againe he sayth Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophetes and stoniest them which are sente vnto thee 37. But last of all he sente vnto them his owne Sonne saying they will stande in awe of my sonne But last of all he sente his A. The goodnes of God as wee saide before contendeth with the malice of the Priestes For although certaine of the Iewes did not beleue yet notwithstanding their vnbelefe could not make the faithe of God of none effecte Christe was that immaculate lambe which was ordeined of God to be a sacrifice before the foundation of the worlde it was necessary therefore that he shoulde be made manifest in these latter dayes and that he should be sente into this worlde for the truth of God to
it dryueth them from euell actions by the feare of eternall punishement Furthermore Christe added this thing as coÌ„cerning the reprobate that the electe might haue consolation in trouble by hearing that thei are accurssed and not appertaining to Christe whiche do not refreshe hym when he is hungry thyrsty and suffering aduersitie And it is a moste myserable thing to be cast out of the sighte of god For the Prophete Dauid saythe The fulnes of ioye is in thy presence and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euer more We are taught therefore what a singuler thing it is to be ioyned to the sonne of God because eternall destruction and the tormente of fyer is prepared for all those whome he putteth from hym in the laste daye For then he shall commaunde the wycked to departe from hym because many hypocrites are nowe myngled with the iuste euen as though they were nere of kyn vnto Christe Departe from me ye curssed Bu. By faythe in Christe the cursse is takeÌ„ awaye and tourned into a blessing For Christe toke vpon hym the cursse euen so by vnbeliefe the curse is retaineth and abideth For saint Iohn saythe He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath euerlastinge lyfe but he whiche beleueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on hym Into euerlasting fier C. Wee haue sayde before that in the name of fier the torment of the punishmen is metaphorically shadowed whiche we are not able to comprehende Wherfore it is but superfluous and lost labour to contende with the Papistes either about the matter or forme of this fyer For then in lyke manner wee must dispute about the worme whiche the Prophete Esay ioyneth to the fyer Moreouer the same Prophete sufficiently declareth that it is a metaphoricall speache because he compareth the spirite of God to a payre of bellowes with the which the fier is kyndled Wherefore by these voyces we must conceiue that the vengeaunce of God shall fall vppon the reprobate whiche being more greuous than all tormentes shall bringe wonderfull horror of mynde vnto theÌ„ M. So that we must leane the knowledge of this fyer vnto the iudge hym selfe leaste hereafter we fele the payne thereof whyle we so curiously seke after the same C. We must note also here the continuaÌ„ce of this fyer for as the continuance of the glory before promysed to the faythfull is eternall euen so shall the payne of the reprobate be also A Contrary to their opinion whiche affirme that all the wycked and deuels themselues shal after a tyme of torment be saued VVhiche is prepared for the deuell C. Christe opposeth or setteth the deuell against hym selfe as the head of all the reprobates For although all Apostatas are the deuels Angels yet notwithstanding many places of Scripture doe referre the principallitie to one whiche gathereth vnder hym all the wycked as into one body to destruction euen as all the faithfull doe growe together vnto life vnder Christe As concerning the whiche matter reade the twelfthe chapiter before And nowe Christe fayth that helfier is prepared for the deuell least that the wycked should truste that they might escape the same when they heare that the deuell and they are adiudged to one punishment who without all doubte is caste into hell fyer without al hope of deliueraunce And his angels Although some interpretours by the Angels of the deuell doe vnderstande wycked men yet notwithstanding it is more lykely that Christe dothe speake of the deuels onely And so vnder these woordes there is contayned a secrete reproche that men being called to the hope of saluation by the Gospell had rather peryshe with Sathan and reiecting the authour of saluation do cast them selues willingly into this miserable lot Not because they are lesse ordeyned to destruction than the deuell But because in their wickednes the cause of the destruction dothe openly appeare when they reiecte the grace of callyng Although therefore the reprobate by the secrete iudgement of God are vowed geuen to death euerlastingly before they be borne yet notwithstanding so longe as life is offered vnto theÌ„ thei are not thought of vs neyther are they reckened heyres of death and fellowes of Sathan but theire destruction is bewrayed by incredulitie nowe whiche before was hyd 42 For I was an hungered and ye gaue 43 me no meate I was thirsty and ye gaue me no drinke C. As before he preferred the dutie of loue before all other thynges in the godly so also here he layeth crueltie to the charge of the wycked Charitie or loue is a token by the whiche meÌ„ declare them selues to worshyp God and therefore he maketh mencion only of loue On the contrary parte he maketh mencion onely of inhumanytie crueltie towardes our brethren although infidelitie should first of all be consydered because that by this crueltie they declare that they loue not god For so wryteth S. Iohn He whiche hath the goodes of this worlde and seeth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his compassion from hym howe dwelleth the loue of God in hym Agayne he sayeth If any man saye that he loueth God and yet hateth his brother he is a lyar For he whiche loueth not his brother whome hee seeth howe can hee loue God whome he seeth not C. Let vs note therefore that hypocrites proffite nothinge by their woordes howe holy soeuer they appeare before the worlde if they be cruel against their neighboures whiche thinge I would to God were grauen in the hartes of men 44 Then shall they also aunswere him saying Lorde when sawe we thee an hungered or a thirste c. Then shall they aunsvvere C. The same figure called Hypotyposis which is vsed before he nowe also repeateth agayne to the ende the reprobate maye knowe that the vayne and couÌ„terfayte shewes of godlines with the whiche they nowe deceiue them selues shall profite them nothing at all in the last daye For whereof commeth it that they so proudely contemne the poore but onely because they thinke that their contempte shall escape vnpunished To the end therefore the Lord might shake of from them all suche flattering perswasions hee declareth that they shall in tyme to come but to late fele that which they wyl not vouchsafe nowe to remember namely that they whiche nowe seme to be reiected are no lesse precious vnto Christe then his own members Lord vvhen savve vve the an hâ—…̄gred M. Beholde these also acknowledge Christe for the Lorde whiche is nothynge els but because they woulde seame to bee Christians and suche whiche neuer suffered Christe to hunger to thyrste so forth but were readye to doe their dutie to hym with reuerence 45 Then shall he answere them saying verely I saye vnto you in as muche as ye did it not vnto one of these ye did it not to me Bu. The Lorde nowe confuteth their foolishe Appollogy and defence and detecteth their hypocrisy A. shewing
may keepe them also and shewe them in dede And lo I am vvith you alvvaye It was a hard office whiche hee committed vnto them to beare the whiche good were able in no pointe And it is likely that the Dysciples were not a little terrefyed by the consideration of it C. Therefore hee doth incourage them with the truste of his heauenlye ayde promisinge vnto them his presence euerye where at all times throughout the whole worlde his helpe and grace also euen to the ende and finishinge of their embassage For before hee promised that he woulde be with them hee declared that hee was the kinge both of Heauen and earth whiche with his hand and power gouerneth all things Therefore in this word I there is a great Emphasis and force contayned as if he had sayde that if the Apostles would discharge their dutye bouldly they must not haue respect what they themselues were able to do but must leaue to his inuincible power vnder whose banner they fight Bu. As if he should say So longe as you do these thinges the world wil be against you as it hath bene againste mee For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of this worlde and my doctrine is altogether contrary to their affections which loue those thinges that are of this world So that with many tumultes men will ryse againste you but there is no cause why ye should dispayre althoughe ye be not noble but simple weake and few in nomber I haue ouercome the world you by my helpe and my example shall ouercome By my power not by your owne shall yee ouercome what soeuer seemeth feareful to you in this world And although I will cary vp shortlye this body into Heauen which thinge is good for you that it be so yet not withstandinge I will neuer forsake you for after that I shall cease to be with you in body then more effectually wil I be with you in spirite C. Therefore the maner of presence which the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples ought spiritually to be vnderstode because it is not needefull that hee shoulde descende from Heauen to helpe vs because hee canne helpe vs by the grace of his spirit as it were stretching his hande from Heauen Euen vnto the ende of the vvorld These wordes do declare that this was spoken not to the Apostles onelye because the Lorde doth promise his helpe to continue not to the ende of one age onelye but also to the consumation of the worlde His wordes therefore are in effect as if hee should saye How weake soeuer the mynisters of the Gospell be and what neede soeuer of thinges necessary they suffer I wyll be their ayde and defender insomuch that they shall haue the victory ouer all the conflictes of the worlde M. The order of the Historye doth require that wee adde those thinges which the Euangeliste Luke writeth as concerning the Assencion of Christ in the latter ende of his Gospell and in the Actes of the Apostles He sayth therefore And hee led them out into Bethanye C. Because Mathewe had greatlye exalted the kingdom of Christ aboue the whole world hee maketh no mencion of his Assention into Heauen Marke maketh mencion of the Assention but where and how he assended hee speaketh nothinge at all But Luke very plainly setteth forth this matter for hee sayth that Christe led his disciples forth into Bethany that he might assende from the mounte Oliuet into his heauenly throne R. For the Euangeliste Luke saythe in an other place that when the Lorde was assended the Apostels retourned to Hierusalem from the mount Oliuet C. As hee woulde not be seene of all men after his resurrection as wytnesseth Peter so hee would not haue all men to be wytnesses of his assention into heauen because he would haue this mistery of the fayth to be knowen rather by the preaching of the Gospell thā to be seene with the eyes R. But what talke the Apostles had with Christe in the mounte S. Luke wryteth in these wordes saying Lorde wilte thou at this tyme restore the kyngdome of Israell But he said vnto them It is not for you to knowe the tymes and seasons whiche the father hathe put in his owne power It followeth in Marke and Luke So vvhen the Lorde had spokē vnto them he lifted vp his handes and blessed them C. And so he taught them that to blesse which office was committed to the priests vnder the lawe did truely and properly be long vnto him Seing therefore he was the onely authour of all blessing yet to the end his grace might bee the more familiar hee would haue the priests from the beginning to blesse in his name as mediatours So Melchisedech blessed Abraham And for this matter there is a lawe geuen whiche lasteth for euer To the same ende pertaineth that which is written in the Psalmes where it is said We haue wyshed you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lorde And the Apostle saith that it is a signe of excellency to blesse others For the lesse sayth he is blessed of the greater Nowe when Christ the true Melchisedech and the euerlasting prieste declared him selfe it was necessary that the same whiche was shadowed in the figures of the lawe should be fulfilled euen as the Apostell Paule also teacheth that wee are blessed of God the father in him that we may bee ryche in all celestiall benefites Therefore he once blessed the Apostels solemly that the faythfull might come vnto hym if they desyred to be partakers of the grace of god So that he lifting vp his handes and blessing them and theyr ministery declareth by a certain signe that he wysheth vs well that we might receyue consolation by this blessing so longe as the Gospell is preached It followeth And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was taken vp an hie and a cloude receiued him out of their sight into heauē After Christe had done all those things which were appointed to him of his father and whiche pertayned to our saluation it was not nedefull that he should be any longer conuersaunt in earth He therefore being taken vp into heauen hath taken out of our sight the presence of his body not that he seasseth to be present with the faithfull whiche as yet are pylgrymes on the earth but that he might gouerne heauen earth with a more present power The heauens are sayde to be the seate of God who notwithstanding fulfilleth all thinges The heauen therefore into the with our Lord is ascended is the inuisible glory of the father where the sonne of man whiche was before so contemned and reiected of his enemies reigneth for euer in power glory hauinge all thinges subiect vnto hym and fulfilling all thinges in his electe by his holy spirit And wee obtayne two specallye fruites by this assention For in that hee ascended into heauen for oure sakes hee hath opened
pretence defraude the poore shepe of the holy foode of Gods worde and in stede of the same brought into the world certaine stinking and vayne traditions whiche they had drawen out of the filthy puddel of carnall reason and would haue them accompted suche was their arrogancy for deuine oracles Moreouer men were growen to suche madnes vnfaithful dealing that whatsoeuer pleased them the same also they did perswade the kynges rulers of the worlde whose duty it was to watche for the safetie of all the people and before all thnges to take hede that they did not degenerate from the true worship of god But in this horrible waste and confusion of thinges the celestiall father vouched safe to preserue his Churche by a certayne miraculous working not to be attained by our vnderstanding for he daily calleth backe his electe out of the bottomles pitte of ignoraunce and transposeth them into the kingdome of his welbeloued sonne that being partakers of the light of the Gospell or rather being made light it selfe in the Lorde they might walke as children of the light submitte them selues wholy vnder his obedience whiche called them out of darkenes into a wonderfull cleare light Whiche worthy and incomparable benefite is daily offered not onely to priuate men here and there dispersed but also vnto kinges rulers so often as God doth styrre vp in their Costes faithfull Pastors though neuer so cruell persecutions storme euery where Sathan with his ministers raginge do bende all the force of their strengthe to hinder the course of the Gospel either by mans authoritie or els to breake it of by the feare intollerable wayght of afflictions Therefore seing through the grace of God we haue here free libertie vnder right Christian princes to enioye the light of the Gospell wheÌ„ as many other nations of the worlde are as yet buried in the depe dungeon of ignoraunce and seing it hath pleased God of his free mercy certayne yeares paste to snatche vs out of the iawes of Antechrist that we might heare the swete voyce of Christe continually sounding in the Churche wee should bee twyse ingratefull if we should not wyshe with ardent petitions that oure brethren might obtâ—â—â—e the like grace and fauour or if we shoulde not reatche out our hande to helpe them whiche make haste to gette the same libertie But there can no waye be founde out more commodious to further their saluation then if beside our daily prayers in whiche we commende them to the Lorde we reatche as it were into their handes some thing whereby they might well fortefie them selues against their enemies and be able to reproue and conuince suche as resiste the truthe Neither do we nede any great consultation to determine what this thing should be wheÌ„ as nothing can be more profitable vnto them than the sounde syncere playne exposition of the holy Scriptures which heretofore was so obscured by the fonde commentaries preposterous interpretations of those that knewe not truely the very elementes of Christian religion so that the worde of God gaue place to prophane wryters so farre was it from retaining the force and authoritie which of right she ought to haue among men For who knoweth not that those who neglecting the authoritie of the worde of God did cite Plato Aristotel Cicero and other prophane wryters of that sorte in their pulpettes were had in great estimation and counted for chiefe deuines in comparison of those that propounded the worde of God simply and sincerety I therefore wyshing to satisfie their desier whiche long earnestly for the sounde and playne exposition of the Scriptures lefte vnto vs by the Prophetes and Apostles applied â—…y mynde before these fewe yeares to collecte and gather out of the doctours suche as might be gotten bothe olde and newe whatsoeuer semed to helpe to the exacte knowledge of the newe testament hoping hereafter if the Lorde graunt me strengthe to bestowe the like diligence in the olde testament to the ende that as the whole body of the Scripture is set forth vnto vs by diuers organes of the holy Ghoste so beinge beutified with a plaine and perfecte exposition collected out of sondry interpretours it might be redde of all the godly to the glory of God and saluation of men Neither yet do we thinke that this our labour shal be improued by any saue onely by suche as mislike all godly and deuine thinges For seing many with earnest affection desier to knowe the opinioÌ„s of suche as interprete the holy Scriptures and oftentimes it chaunceth that what by one is pretermitted that is spoken by an other and contrariwyse yea but fewe haue the multitude and varietie of bookes many also cannot enioye them without perill Who I beseche you can condemne these oure painefull studies and good intent but that also he shall seme to improue their indeuour which would profite willingly by reading or hearing sondry interpretours of the Scriptures Moreouer if their diligence be commended and not vndeseruedly whiche out of the lectures and Sermons of the preachers of Gods worde note and gather what they can and geue it to be printed to the ende the whole Churche might reape a commoditie of that whiche was spoken out of a Pulpet to a fewe in nomber why should it not be laweful to collecte and chuse whatsoeuer semeth to pertaine to the explictation of the sacred Scriptures out of their commentaries whome God hathe made ouerseers of his flocke to feede and teache them and hath enriched them with many giftes to the common edifying of his Churche And as for suche as thinke them selues so spiritual that being contente with the volume of the Bible onely do carelesly and frowardly reiecte all commentaries those men I iudge not worthy any confutation For that whiche they vaynely babble tendeth to no other ende except perhappes they knowe not them selues but vtterly to abholishe the ministery of the worde that it might be lawfull for euery one to dreame or vtter vnaduisedly what he liste of Gods high misteries when neuertheles the Lord him selfe commendeth prophecie before other thinges in so muche that the Apostell Paule doth not doubte to preferre the same before certayne other giftes of the holy Ghoste otherwyse moste excellent And in an other place he sayth Despise not prophecies trie all thinges kepe that whiche is good Solomon also doth witnes in playne wordes that where prophecying doth fayle the people must nedes bee scattered abroade Let them therefore either bring to passe that all men may speake Hebrewe and Greeke and that euery meÌ„ber may be replenished with the fulnes of the spirite whiche thing is peculiar to ChristiaÌ„s or els let them suffer the Churche to enioye the communion participation of giftes whiche Christe distributeth to eche man as semeth good vnto him selfe As touching the tittle of the booke we thought it good to call it an Ecclesiasticall exposition for a double respect first because it is gathered
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
the redemer shold spring notwithstandinge we knowe that from the defection and fall of the fyrst man he was necessary to all mē euen as he was then ordeyned appoynted to the whole world This was don by the wonderfull wisedom of God that Luke shoulde describe declare vnto vs that Christ was the sonne of Adam and that Mathewe should include him in the stock and kinred of Abraham For it should haue nothing profited vs that Christ was geuē and appoynted of the father to be the redemer and author of saluation except he had perteined generally to al men alike Furthermore the sayinge of the Apostel should not be true that he was to daye and to morrowe and for euer excepte his grace and goodnesse had ben powred out apon al ages from the creation of the worlde Let vs therfore know for a suertie that saluation by Iesus Christ is made manifest geuen to all mankind for so muche as not without cause he is called the sonne of Noe the sonne of Adam Notwithstandinge because he must be sought for in the worde of God the spirite dothe not rashely or without good consideration call vs backe by this oure Euangelist Mathewe to the holye stocke and kynred of Abraham where the treasure of euerlastinge lyfe wyth Christ was layed vp for a tyme. As touchinge the thirde difference there is not doubt but that Mathewe obserueth an other maner of order then doth Luke for the one hath Salamon the sonne of Dauid and the other hath Nathan the sonne of Dauid wherupon it euidently appereth that there are dyuerse lyniall descentes appoynted The best and most cunning interpretours do thus vnite and reconcile this shewe and apparance of discorde namely that Mathew leauinge the naturall lyne and stocke which Luke followeth doth reherse the legall genealogy or petegrewe And wee interprete that to be the legall genealogye by the whiche it was ordeyned that the right of the kingdome shoulde come to Salathiell And where as Eusebius in his fyrst booke of his Ecclesiasticall hystorie calleth the genealogy which is described of Luke a legall petegrewe it commeth all to one effecte For he meaneth nothinge elles then that the same kingedome whiche by lawful right was stablished in the person of Solomon came at the length to Salathiell But more trewly and parfectlye a great deale do they speake which saye that the legall petegrew was set forth of Mathew because he naminge Solomon streight after Dauid doth not al together by order still obserue of whō Christ cam as touching the fleshe but howe he descēded and sprange out of Solomon and other kinges that he might be the lawful successour in whose hande the eternitie of the kingdome should be stablished accordinge to the couenant and promise of god For their opinion is probable and likely which think that the stocke of Solomon ended by the death of Ochozias As touching that which many allege out of the cōmentaries of the Iewes how that it was cōmaunded of Dauid that if at any time the issue of Solomon should decay or want that thē the kingdome shulde come to the posteritie of Nathan we leaue vnspoken and we take that onely whiche is certayne namely that the successiō of the kingdome was not confounded but that the degres therof were distinct Now where as the sacred historie doth shewe that after the deathe of Ochozias the kyngedome was taken of his mother Athalia all the kinges séede destroyed it is very euident plaine that those horrible and wicked slaughters were procured of a woman ambitious and desirous of rule least shée being brought to a priuate estate and meane condition of lyfe shoulde see the kingedome remoued and taken away Therefore if the sonne of Ochozias hadde bene alyue Athalia the grandmother shoulde quietly haue raygned vnder the collour of protectiō without enuy or daūger But the reason why Ioas is sayd to be the sonne of Ochozias is this because he was the next of kinne or bloud they called him so to the end he might in dede be thought to be the trewe and naturall heire of the kingedome For if Athalia had ben the grandmother of Ioas in déede he beinge an infant shée woulde neuer wyllingly haue so muche abused his titel againe what man of indifferent iudgement wil thincke it likely that the naturall sonne of the kynge coulde be so priuyly hydden by Ioiada the priest that the grandmother by diligent care and serche shuld not finde him out But rather if a man waye all thynges wisely he shall finde that the next heyre of the kingedome was of an other stocke And that is the meaninge of the woordes of Ioiada the priest when he sayde the kinges sonne shall raigne accordinge to the couenant of the lorde with Dauid as who shuld say it was an execrable thing for a woman beinge a straunger to take by violence vnto her the which God wold haue stande in the house of Dauid Wherefore it is no absurditie if Luke bring the stocke of Christe from Nathan because it mighte be that the stock of Solomon as perteining to the succession of the kingdome myght decaye Now if any do obiect that Iesus Christ can not be known to be the Messias whiche was promised but by the posteritie of Solomon who without all doubte was a figure of Christe we answere that al though he sprāg not naturally from Solomon yet notwithstāding by the legall order he ought to be coūted thought his sonne because he tooke his originall and beginninge of kinges But so great dyuersitie in names troubleth many very muche For from Dauid to Ioseph there semeth to be no agrement at al betwene the twoo Euangelistes sauing onely betwene Zorobabell and Salathiell This difference is sayde to come because the Iewes for the most part had two names but this excuse of some is not well lyked But truely for so much as the maner order of bringing placing genealogies petegrewes is not well knowne to vs now adayes the whiche order Mathew kept and folowed it is no marueile if we be ignorant knowe not howe bothe of them do agree or differ in euerye name and yet not withstandinge it can not be doubted but that frō the tyme of the exile of Babilō they rekned certain men by diuers names and yet the selfe and same men But in Salathiel and Zorobabel bothe the names were kept still peraduenture for the altered state of the people because then the kingely throne and maiestie was cleane extinguyshed put out And that small and thyn shadowe of domination and rule being left as a remnant there apered a marueylous chāge whiche change shoulde admonishe all the faithful to hope for a more excellēt kingdome then the vysible kingdome of Salomon whiche for a short time onely florished This also is now worthy the notinge namely that it is no absurdytie for Luke in his Cataloge or rehersall to recken vp more then Mathew when
allowed whiche saye that they were vnworthy to haue place in the genology of Christe For many other also were vnworthy whom notwithstanding Mathew placeth indifferently with the godly Therefore it is more trewe that when he woulde make a Catalogue or rehersal of fourtene kinges he was not greatly curious in hauing of choyse because hée counted it sufficient to sette the order of the genealogie before the readers eyes euen from the beginning to the ende of the kyngdome But wheras in some bookes thirtene are only red it is likely that it came to passe by the false and negligence of the wryter of the booke Epiphanius in his first booke against heresies sheweth the cause namely that whereas the name of Iechonias is put twyse the vnlearned are so bould as to put it out of the second place as a thing superfluous The whiche he saith ought not to haue ben done because Ioachim the sonne of king Ioachim had the same name that his sonne Iechonias had Loke in the .iij. chap. of the .i of the Chronicles the second of the Chronicle .xxxvi. chap. 9 Ozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achaz Achaz begat Ezechias Ozias begat Ioatham M. It is wrytten that this Ioatham was good and permanent in the lawe of god A. He made the sonnes of Ammon after he had ouercome thē in battaile to be tributary vnto him As concerning the whiche reade in the .27 chap. of the second of Chronicles Ioatham begat Achas This man was euil and walked in the wayes of the kynges of Israell be made molten Images for Baalym he offered incense in the valley of the sonne of Himnon and burnte his children in fier after the abhominations of the Heathen whom the lord cast out before the children of Israell He offered also and burnt incēce in hilaultars and on mountaynes and vnder euery grene trée to be brief the true God being forsaken he liued very wickedly Here therfore we haue an example of false religion with the whiche also we haue to note howe euill and perniciouse a thing it is to the people to haue ouer thē a superstitious and wicked kyng Achas begat EZechias A. This was a godly king whose earnest zeale against the worshipping of Images is fully described and set forth in the .xviij. chap. of the second booke of kynges 10 Ezechias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begat Iosias EZechias begat Manasses M. This man was so euill and vngodly that he exceaded all his elders and kinges of Israell yea the very Heathē in malice and vngodlines at length notwithstanding being in extremitie he was moued with repentaunce tourned to the Lorde of whome he obteined mercy and grace Reade of him in the .xxxiij. chap. of the second booke of Chronicles We haue therfore in this kyng a worthy example of repentance of the diuine grace Manasses begat Amon. This man exceded his father in wickednes but he folowed not his repentaunce Amon begat Iosias This man was godly after the example of Ezechias In his time the booke of the Diuine lawe which was geuen by the hande of Moyses was founde being hidden in the temple of the Lorde whiche the king receaued in the feare of the lorde and commaunded the lorde to be intreated prayed vnto that he would tourne awaye his anger from Israel which had neglected the wordes of the Diuine lawe By the which example we sée what is in the ende to be loked for where wicked kinges reigne and are nothing touched with the worde of god For so long Israel fel from the feare of the lorde that the booke of the lawe it self was hidden of a lōg time not regarded 11 Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about that time that they were brought to Babylon Bu. This Iechonias differeth from him that came next after For this is called Ioachim Eliachim as appeareth 2. King. 23. 24. and .2 Chron. 36. But he that foloweth being the sonne of the former Iechonias and the father of Salathiel is called Ioachim and Iechonias as in .1 Paralip 3. It is not red in any place that Iosias begat any whose name was Iechonias that had brethren but it is red that Iechonias was borne to Ioachim whiche was the originall of the captiuitie of Babylon But in a certaine auncient Greke booke we reade thus Iosias begat Ioachim Ioachim begat Iechonias and rightly it may so be saide as we haue shewed before About the time that they vvere brought to Babylon C. That is when the Iewes were brought into captiuitie For the Euangelist doth shewe that then the posteritie of Dauid were of kinges made seruauntes banished men into bondage But where as this captiuitie was a certaine kynde of destructiō it was brought to passe by the wonderfull working and prouidēce of God that the Iewes should not only increase and gather together in one body but also that some remnaunt of rule principalitie kyngdome should abyde in the house of Dauid For they whiche retourned home againe did willingly submitte them selues to the rule of Zorobabel without cohertion and constrainte The remnant therfore or fragmentes as it were of the kyngly scepter indured after this sorte euen till the comming of Christ according to the prophecie of Iacob when he saide The scepter shall not departe from Iuda nor a captaine from his thigh vntill he come whiche must be sente And euen in that miserable and sorowfull discipation of the people the sparkes of the grace of God ceased not to shine A. But where as it is saide about the tyme that they were brought to Babylon It is not to be vnderstoode so that Iosias begat his sonnes in the exile of Babylon when as he sawe not the same being by death preuented but that his posteritie was brought into the same C. For the Iewes were constrained to wander out of their countrey that they might leade their lyues in an other place as pylgrymes and straungers 12 And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel C. That is after the Iewes were brought into captiuitie or els after their demigration or wandring into Babylon for euen in the very exile Iechonias begat Salathiel and his brethren M. It is sayde that he begat them after the exyle because the Euangelist semeth to reken or reherse his generation and posteritie whiche immediatly foloweth the exile Finally it is saide that Asir Salathiel Melchiram Phedaia Senneser Iechmias Hosamai and Nadabia wer the sonnes of Iechonias 13 Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliachim Eliachim begat Azor. Bu. In this thirde and laste degrée the kinges are not rehersed or nombred but the captaines and chief and as Iacob the Patriarche doth name them the lawegeuers and headmen in the common wealth of Israel But they whiche folow Salathiel in Luke are thought to be of two names according to the opinion of Philo euen vnto Simeon so that Neri whiche Luke maketh mention of
here how the aungel with this only sentence doth cast downe all the seruice of the lawe and the whole opinion of the Scribes and Phariseis when that he pronounceth that at length he shall come whiche shall deliuer his people from their sinnes His people C. No doubt the aūgell called the Iewes the people of Christ to whom he was ordayned ioyned a ruler a king but because shortly after the Gentiles were to be vnited to the stocke of Abraham this promyse of saluation is extended to all one with an other whiche growe into one body of the churche by faith A. as more plainly appeareth by the woordes of the prophete saying I will call her my people whiche was not my people her beloued which was not beloued her to haue obtained mercy whiche had not obtained mercy 22 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lorde by the prophet saying P. That is to to saye that our sauiour should be borne man of the holy virgin by the power of the holy ghost and should be called according to his office Iesus C. For Mathew comprehendeth whatsoeuer is deuine heauenly in the conception of Christe as easely may be gathered by the vniuersall note whiche he geueth 23 Beholde a maide shal be with child and shal bring forth a sonne and they shal call his name Emanuel which if a man interprete is as muche to saye as God with vs. Behold a mayde shal be This place is plain commonly knowen But the Iewes according to their wōted malice do depraue and corrupt the same yet here they do bewray and shewe forth not only their blinde folishe but also their wicked malice against Christe and his truthe With no lesse impudencie their Rabbines haue gone about to expounde this place of the prophete of Ezechias whiche was then fiftene yeares of age But what vnreasonable falshode is this to laye vp the young man againe in his mothers wombe that he might be sixtene yeares of age and all to obscure the light and to deny a manifest truthe But they are the worthy enemies of Christ whom being stricken with the spirite of madnes God will make foolishe Other somme fayne and imagin to them selues an vnknowen sonne of Achaz whom the prophete did foretelle should be borne But here it may be demaunded by what right he should be called Emanuel and how the lande was subiecte to his authoritie when he died as a priuate man without honour For the same prophete by and by saith that the same childe whatsoeuer he be shal be lorde and ruler of the earth And no lesse fondly do they babble whiche applie this prophesy to the prophetes sonne And truely in this pointe our Christian wryters haue to grosly erred in applying the prophesie in the eight chapter following to Christe There the prophete saith that he was commaunded to go to the prophetisse his wyfe by a vision and by the commaūdement of God to cal the childe that was borne vnto him a spedy robber and a hasty spoyler For there is only noted the troublesomnes of warre with the great destruction and desolation that was at hande Whereby it may easely be gathered that there were diuers causes Let vs seke therefore for the proper sence meaning of this place When king Achaz was afraide Hierusalem being besieged yea he being almoste discouraged with feare the prophete is sent vnto him whiche promiseth that God shall be the keper and defender of the citie But when this simple and vndoubted promise did nothing eleuate his troubled mynde the prophete was bydden to proffer somme signe or token whether in heauen aboue or in earth beneath When this wicked hipocrite cloking his infidelitie denied to haue any signe or token the prophete did more sharpely reproue him and at length said Notwithstanding the lord shal geue you a signe For behold a maide shal conceiue and bring forth a sonne We expounde this to be spoken of Christe in this manner All you which are of the posteritie of Dauid do indeuour so much as in you lieth to abbolishe the grace promised vnto you notwithstanding your distrust shall neuer bryng to passe but that the truthe of God shall alwayes be higher and haue the vpper hande God doth promise that the citie shal be safe and defended from the enemies if his woorde be not sufficient he is ready to geue you according to your own arbitrement a tokē to cōfirme the same You exclude the grace proffered driue the same from you yet shall God abyde firme iust in his counaunt promyse for the promised redemer shall come in whome God wyll shewe him self perfectly vnto his people The Iewes do obiecte that Esay shoulde haue done both folishly and absurdly if that he had geuen a signe to the people in those daies whiche signe was exhibited manifestly shewed vnto them eight hūdred yeres after or thereabout And here very arrogantly they triunphe because that this obiection either by the want of skill and learning or els by the carelesnes and negligence of the Christians was passed ouer with silence But truly the solution and aunswere to this obiection appertaining doth not seme hard if that we consider way that the promise of adoption was geuen to the Iewes whereupon all the reste of the benefites of God did depende and wholy consiste It was therfore a generall promise by the which God did take chose the sonnes of Abraham to be a peculiar people vnto him selfe in the whiche all other speciall promises were founded and stablished Againe the Messias was the foundation of this couenaunt and promise Now let vs note that the cause of the deliuering of the citie was for that it was the sanctuary of God and that from thence the redemer should come This respect being taken away Hierusalem had bene destroyed laide waste an hundred times Now let the godly readers way and diligently consider that when as the kinglike house had reiected the signe proffered of God vnto them whether the prophete conueniently passed to the Messias or no. As if he should haue sayd Although this people are vnworthy of the sauing health whiche I promise from the lorde Notwithstanding God being mindeful of his couenaunt shall deliuer this citie from her enemies Therefore that he might shewe forth no particuler signe for the testifiyng of his grace this might be sufficient enough that the Messias should come of the stock of Dauid Further we must note here that the prophete doth cal the vnfaithful to the general promise because they would admitte no particuler signe It is therfore nowe manifest that the prophet when no miracle might be receiued very aptly and in good time passed to shewe of Christe that the vnbeleuing might conceiue in their mindes that there was no other cause of their deliuerance then the couenaunt made with their fathers Now also resteth to confute their cauil in the
breaketh the matrixe in all fleshe whether it be of men or of beastes shal be thine Neuerthelesse the first borne of man thou shalt redeme Here the worde of the lord doth define what firste borne is that is euery one that openeth the matrixe first namely whether it be onely begotten or fyrst begotten The lorde saith not tary vntill the seconde be borne but he saith those that are to be redemed shalte thou redeme from the age of a moneth for the value of a mōthe namely for fiue sicles For if it should haue bene so that he that firste openeth the matrixe should not be called firste borne vntyll hee haue bretherne then might some man haue said I owe nothinge vnto the priest tyll that he be broughte forthe by whom he that is alredy borne be made first begotten Also in Exodus it is sayde And at mydnight the Lorde smote all the fyrst borne in the land of Aegypt both of man and beast Now if it be trewe that none are first begottē but they that haue brethern then the onely begotten although they were fyrst borne peryshed not The thirde obiection of Heluidius ANd he taught them in their synagogges in so much that they were astonied and said whence commeth this wisedom and powers vnto hym is not this the carpenters sonne ▪ is not his mother called Mary his bretherne Iames and Ioses and Symon and Iudas and are not all his systers with vs Also in the Acts of the Apostels it is said thus These all continued in prayer and supplication vvith the vvomen and Mary the mother of Iesu and vvith his bretherne And Paule in the Actes saith And I vvent vp accordinge to the reuelation and savve none but Peter and Iames the brother of our Lord. These places he bringeth to proue that shée was not a virgin because that these are called the bretherne of Christ Aunsvvere But in the scriptures a man is saide to be our brother fower maner of wayes that is to say by nature by countrey by kinred and by affection By nature bretherne are as Esau and Iacob the twelue Patriarches Andrew and Peter Iames and Iohn By countrey bretherne are saide to be as the Iewes which among them selues were called bretherne as in Deuterono If thou bye thy brother which is an Hebrewe he shall serue the syxe yeres And S. Paule I haue wysshed my selfe to be accursed from Christ for my bretherne and kynsemen accordynge to the fleshe whiche are the Israelites By kinred they are said to be brethern whiche come of one house that is when of one stock a great multitude do spring As in Genesis Abraham sayde to Lott Let there be no contention betwene thée and mée and betwene thy shepeherdes my shepeherdes because wee are al bretherne And againe Laban said to Iacob because thou art my brother thou shalte not serue me freely for nothinge Those that are bretherne by affection are deuided into twoo sortes into spirytuall and common They are spirituall bretherne whiche are Christians As in the Psal. Beholde how ioyfull a thynge it is brethern to dwel together in vnitie Commonly we are al called bretherne because we come al of one Father By this diuision it is apparant that they were saide to be the bretherne of Christ by kynrede not by nature not by countrey nor affection Therefore as Ioseph was called the father of Christ euen soo were they sayde to be his bretherne and that both in one respecte for Ioseph was thought to be the father of Iesus and so were Iames and Ioses others thoughte to be his brethern But none wil cōtend about this but such as ar to curiouse The seconde Chapter WHEN Iesus was borne at Bethleem in Iuda a Citie of Iewry in the time of Herode the king behold there came wise men from the Easte to Hierusalē VVhen Iesus vvas borne B In the first chapiter the Euangelist hath descrybed the original and stocke of Christ In this second chap. he dothe reherse what hapned vnto hym in his infancie in all thinges preachinge hym to be the Sauioure and trewe Christe For the whiche cause in this place he dothe expresse by name the place of his byrthe and the kingdome of Herode At Bethleem M. By what occasion the virgin came into Bethleem where as the aungell was sent to her in Nazareth Mathewe sheweth not but Luke very playnly declareth it in the begynning of the seconde chapter C For the spirite of God whiche prepared and appointed him self scribes or secretaries doth seeme so orderly to moderate theyr stile and manner of writynge that all of them should write on and the selfe same hystorie with most excellent agreement and yet notwithstanding diuerse wayes whereby the trueth of God should be the more vndoubted and manifest where as it is certaine that they spake not of their owne brayne but euery man did wryte seuerally that which the spirite declared and tolde one hauing no regarde to the other and that simply and fréely Iuda M. There are twoo Bethleems one in the tribe of Iuda and the other in the tribe of Zabulon of the which is mention made in the bookes of Iosua and Iudges In the tyme of Herode the king M The greke texte hath in the dayes of Herode according to the maner of the Hebrewes This is that Herode the greatter the sonne of Hircane of the beginning of whose kingdome Iosephus wryteth In this mans tyme he beinge now olde was Chryste borne Beholde there came vvyse men C. Here a hystorie worthy remembrāce is declared that God styrred vppe wyse men out of Chaldea whiche came into Iewry onely to worship Chryst where he laye in a maunger without pompe yea rather contemned Suerly this was the wonderfull wisedome of God that he wolde suffer his sonne in so base humilitie to come into the worlde and yet notwithstandynge he decked and beutified him as well with prayse and glorious tytels as with other excellent thinges least that any thinge should be wantinge to our fayth to the prouing of his deuine maiestie Notwithstanding in this shew of repugnancie and disagreinge the apt and proper harmony is to be considered and noted The Starre from heauen doth declare him to be a kynge whose state or throne is the maunger or crybbe of beastes because he was denied to haue rome or place amonge men In the Easte his maiestie did brightly shine where as in Iewry not onely there appered none at all but also it was polluted with muche ignomie and reproch But to what purpose was this Because our heauenly father wold appoynte both the starre and also the wyse menne to be our guydes whiche shoulde directe and brynge vs a righte to his sonne But in the meane tyme he toke frō him al earthly renoune and glory to the ende we mighte vnderstande that his kyngdome was a spirytuall and heauenly kingedome Wherefore this historie is not onely profitable for this cause that God
thou there vntill I bring M. This consolation and comforte the aungell bringeth vnto him least he should thynke that he should abide still in Aegipte in exile and banishement which no doubte woulde haue bene very greuous vnto him Furthermore by these woordes the aungell doth declare and shewe that God hereafter will take charge and care of the childes lyfe And to saye the truthe Ioseph had great nede of this confirmation and strengthening that he mightfully be perswaded that God was not only the guyde of his iourney but also that he would be his continual keper and defender in his banishement And by this meanes God would pacifie and aswage many cares with the whiche the harte of the godly mā might exceadingly haue bene tormented and troubled to the ende he might quietly abide in Aegipte For there was no moment in whiche he escaped at any tyme without trouble and torment for nowe againe he seeth that he was depriued not only of the enheritaunce promised of God to all sainctes but also of the temple of sacrifices and of the open profession of the faith and shold dwell among the moste wicked enemies of God in the pitte and gulfe of superstition And truly he caried with him in the persone of the infant what good thing soeuer at any time the fathers loked for or the lorde had promised vnto them but because as yet he had not sufficiētly proffited in the faithe knowledge of Christ he ought of necessitie to be staied with this commaundement Be thou there vntill I bring thée worde least it should be greuous vnto him being banished frō his countrey to languishe among the Aegiptians We are taught by this example that when we are in the middest of affliction and mysery we loke paciently for the hande of the lorde whiche will deliuer vs from the same Then that we doubte not but that the same prouidence of our heauenly father wil be with vs in tribulations whiche brought vs to the same He whiche saith go and flye doth neuer forsake those that are in flying or going according to his commaundement For it vvill come to passe C. In that the aungel doth foreshew a secrete thing and vnknowen to man it is a plaine token of the power of God and in that he biddeth Ioseph by flight and exile to saue the life of the childe it is a token also of humanitie and pertaining to the infirmitie of the fleshe vnto the which Christ as yet was subiecte M. Nothing therefore is hydden from the Lorde The wicked tyraunt deceiued the wyse men but he could not by fayning that he him selfe would come worship deceiue the liuing god who knoweth the councell of princes In what misery were the godly if that wicked hipocrites might deceiue the lorde But for certayne let vs be assured that there is no knowledge no wysdome no counsell against the lorde M. Wherefore the aungell saith not It will come to passe that Herode shall destroye the chylde but that he wil seke to destroy the childe In this example is depainted vnto vs that all the fond and vayne enterpryses of the wicked against this Christe whom whylest they would destroy in dede do nothing els but seke to destroie and in vayne for so much as he can be destroyed of none whiche at length shal deliuer al the wicked to euerlasting punishement and destruction We must thinke the like of the iust and all godly men whom the vngodly seke to destroy in vayne because they are neuer forsaken of God as the prophet saith The vngodly seeth the righteous and seketh occasion to slaye him but the lorde will not leaue him in his hande nor condemne him when he is iudged Let vs therfore cast our care vpon him because it is he that careth for vs. 14 So when he awoke he toke the child and his mother by night and departed into Aegipt And vvhen he avvoke C. That Ioseph without delay obayeth the commaundement of the aungell we may gather agayne the certaintie of the dreame For such willingnes in obeying doth plainely declare that he nothing doubted but that God was the author cause of taking his slighte Notwithstanding this might seme to be attributed to distrust that he taketh his iourney so priuily in secrete For his departure in the night was not without great feare but the excuse is easy He sawe that a base and abiecte kynde of way in sauing was appointed from aboue vnto hym he thought it good therefore priuily with feare as commonly men do in the extremitie to take his flight It is mete therefore that we temperate and measure our feare with predictiōs and forewarnings of God with the whiche if it agrée it is not contrary to faith 15 And was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lorde by the prophete saying Out of Aegipt haue I called my sonne And vvas there vnto the death A. How long the childe abode in Aegypt it is not well knowen M. There are some that write that Ioseph and Mary abode in Aegipte with the childe Iesus seuen yeares But in what place they abode in Aegipte and howe they were there accepted also whether there were any miracles cōcerning them and suche lyke because the Euangelistes make no mention of the same we ought not more curiously then they to stande about it That it might be fulfilled B. Or brought to passe For the scripture is fulfilled or brought to passe when that is done whiche it before declared or rehersed or by any kynde of meanes spake In this place we must vnderstande the scripture or that which is spoken of the lorde to be fulfilled whē that is done or brought to passe which of the same is rehersed although it be not the thing it selfe of the whiche it is properly spoken or written but hath some cōgruence and likelihode with the thing that is past and finished C. But because Mathewe doth saie that the prophesy is fulfilled many haue thought that the prophete ment nothing els but that which is expressed and thereby they cōster it thus that the Iewes did foolyshly in seking to oppresse and resiste the sonne of God because the father called him out of Aegipt And after this manner amis they do wrest the woordes of the prophete whose meanynge is to proue the Iewes gilty of ingratitude who from their infancy original haue had God the father louing and benificiall vnto them and yet with newe sinnes they seke to prouoke him to anger more and more Wherefore let vs determine without cōtrouersie that this place ought not to be referred to Christe And yet neuertheles the place is not strained into an vnpropre sence and meaning but aptly applied according to the present occasion Thus are the woordes of the prophete to be vnderstoode For so muche as the childe as yet was in Israel I brought him out of the miserable seruitude
to vs mercy calleth vs to the deniynge of our fleshe 18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he sawe two bretherne Simon whose syr name was Peter and Andrew his brother castinge their nettes into the sea for they were fysshers As Iesus vvalked M Here the Euangelist in fewe wordes toucheth the callinge of certaine of his disciples C. But because this history is placed by Luke after the two miracles which we shal se anon it grewe to a common opinion that the miracle which he declareth was shewed within shorte tyme after they were called by Christ to be his disciples but the reason which moueth them thus to think is of small force For it was not the Euangelistes intente and shooteanker to make by a sure distincte order of times a yerely cronicle Whereby it commeth to passe that the order of dayes beynge neglected they thought it sufficient orderly to gather the speciall actes déedes of Chryste They had a consideration of yeres that it might be apparante to the readers how Christ performed his race during three yeres from the beginning of his preachinge vntill the tyme of his deathe but those miracles that happened at that time they sette together at theyr pleasure as shal apere hereafter by more examples But nowe it is manifeste and playne by many argumentes that this same history is shewed of Marke Luke which is here declared of Mathew amōg whiche argumentes let this one suffice the contentiouse reader that these three with one consent at length do teach that Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn were made Apostelles If they were called before it shuld follow that they were Apostatas whiche forsaking theyr master and despising their calling retorne to theyr former kinde of life This is only the difference betwene Luke and the other two that he onely reciteth the myracle which they omitted But this is no vnwonted thing to the Euangelistes to touche one part of an acte and to pretermyt many of the circumstances Wherefore it is no absurditie if we say that two pretermitted the miracle whiche one reherseth And we must not be vnmindful of that which Iohn saith that among the innumerable myracles of Christe there was a speciall parte chosen which shuld serue suffice to the confirmation of our faythe and to the probation of his deuine power No maruaile at all therefore if Mathewe and Marke do not so at large shewe the calling of the foure Apostels as Luke who taketh in hande to shewe the occasion of their callinge as there at full we maye reade Symon vvhose syrname A. To this Peter Christ sayd thou shalt be called Cephas whiche by interpretation signifiethe Peter Also Marke hath whom he named Peter and Luke hath in like maner the same woordes That we might vnderstand that this Apostle had a peculiar name geuen hym of Christ to signifie vnto vs that a constant faith and confession is requisite to be in vs or ells of a rocke he obteyned his name Thou arte Peter and vppon this rocke I wyll buylde my church And Andrevv his brother Of this Andrew reade the first of Iohn Castinge theyr nettes for they vvere fysshers E. The Greeke worde doth not signifie a fysher of the fyshe but of the sea Here we may see what maner of men the lord called to the ministery of his woorde C. Dull ideotes they were trewely that he chose whiche were not onely rude of wytt but also voyde of learning whom he so garnished and renued with his holy spirite that they excelled all the wyse men of the worlde So it pleased hym to abase and beate downe the pryde of the fleshe and to geue a wonderful shewe of spirituall grace in their person that we might learn to craue and begge the light of faythe from heauen knowing that by our owne industry and labour it wyl begotten M. Wherefore Paule saithe to the Corinthes Behold your calling brethern how that not many wyse after the fleshe not many mightye not many of hye degree are called but God hath chosen the folishe thynges of the worlde to confounde the wyse because noo fleshe shoulde reioyce in his sighte Agayne in the actes When they sawe the boldenes of Peter and Iohn and vnderstoode that they were vnlearned and laye men they marueyled and they knewe them that they had ben with Iesus and beholdyng also the man that was healed they could not say agaynst it Beholde here the aduersaries of Christ beinge learned wise and mighty are amased and confounded at the doinges of symple men neyther cā they finde any thinge to gainesaye them But because when he chose those that were vnlearned and rude he did it not to leaue such behinde him alwayes we can not at this daye take it for an example to chose and ordeyne suche pastors and mynisters into the churche as muste after their election go to schole to learne to do their duetie We are not ignorant of the rule prescribed by the mouthe of Paule who commaundeth to ordeyne none but such are apt to teache Neyther trewely did Christ chose such as thoughe he dyd preferre ignorance before learninge as certain franticke and mad men perswade them selues reioysing in their ignorāce thinkinge the more ignorant that they are the liker to be to the apostells No God would in the beginnynge electe and choose contemptible and symple men to beate downe their pride which thought that heauen was not open vnto vnlearned men but he adioyned Paule a cōpanion to fisher men whiche was diligently instructed and brought vp euen from his childhode 19. And he saith vnto them followe me and I will make you fisshers of men And he sayth vnto them B. Here is the saiinge of the prophete Osee fulfilled They shall walke after the lorde And Ieremy saiyng Ye shal call me father onely and not shrinke from me And I vvyll make you fisshers M. The Apostels are not called to preache out of hand but that in trauailinge abroade with the lorde they should be herers and seers of all those thinges which he spake and did For as yet they were rude and ignorant of deuine thinges and therfore fyrst they wer to be instructed framed to the same purpose C. But althoughe it perteyne not to the purpose to make any long disputation or inquisition about the reason of the metaphor because it was taken of a thinge present notwithstanding very aptly it was aplied of our sauiour Christ to fysshing when as the matter was as concerning the preaching of the Gospel because that men being strayers wanderers in this worlde are gathered together by the Gospell as in the vaste and cōfused sea But the historie of the which Iohn maketh mention in his fyrst chapt dyffereth from this as may easelye be gathered by the order of the texte 20. And they strait wayes leauing theyr nettes followed him C. Fyrst of all here apereth the greate force
because so sone as we lifte vp our myndes to heauen there the inspeakeable ioye offereth it selfe vnto vs and taketh away all occasiō of heuines A. Whereupon Peter the apostell saith In the whiche ye reioyce though now for a season if nede require ye are in heuines through manifold temtations that the triall of your faithe being muche more precious then goulde that perisheth though it be tried with fyre might be founde vnto laude glory and honour at the appearing of Iesus Christ whome ye haue not sene and yet loue hym in whome euen nowe though ye see him not yet do you beleue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious receiuing the ende of your faythe euen the saluation of your soules For great is your revvarde Bu. As if he should haue sayde If it greue you that you suffer infamy and that you are persecuted in this worlde remember I praye you howe greatly your glory shall increase in the worlde to come For loke howe greate your affliction is in the earthe so muche the brighter shall your glory be in heauen Here the Papistes playe with this name of rewarde saying that there is speciall relation betwene the rewarde and the deserte but they erre for the promyse of the rewarde is free Furthermore if we consider howe mutilate imperfecte and vitious all good workes are what so euer they be that come euen frō the very beste we shal then well knowe that God at no tyme shall fynde anye worke worthy of rewarde There is none therefore so simple when he heareth mētion made of the rewarde that wil thinke vs when we spende oure lyues for the Gospell to deserue any thynge at the handes of God that is to do any thinge by the whiche God may become debter vnto vs We are all at the wyll and pleasure of God and he made not only vs but also all our goodes what so euer that of nothing for it is he that worketh in vs both the wyll and also the dede euē of good wyll Notwithstāding the scripture calleth that a rewarde which is geuen of God to suche as neyther do nor can deserue the same at all because they labour and worke all that they can to attayne the same Euen as the father sayth vnto his sonne go diligētly to thy booke apply thy mynde to learninge and thou shalt haue a goodly rewarde of me a new coate or some other thing as good nowe this coate is a rewarde and it is not because he obtained that rewarde not by his diligence but it happened to the child by his fathers gifte neuerthelesse not without the accomplyshinge of that diligence and study whiche he requyreth Euen so there is none that obtayneth this rewarde of the which the lorde speaketh here excepte he suffer for Christe and for this cause it is called a rewarde Also if it were possible that thou shouldest die a hundred tymes for the Gospell yet for all that thou couldest not deserue the worth of a here at the handes of God that is thou canst not constrayne and bynde hym to owe thee any thing at all for so often as thou shouldest receiue life so often thou shouldest become detter to hym againe And for this cause they are not rewardes whiche are geuen to vs of God but they are his free giftes freely geuē without any desert in vs As plainly appeareth by these testimonies of scripture Abraham I am thy defence and thy rewarde shal be exceading great that is to saye I wyll be thy defender thy gayne thy ryches and thy felicitie And the Prophete speaking of the consolation of the people vnder the person of Rachel sayth Leue of from weping and crying withholde thyne eyes from teares for thy labour shal be rewarded saith the lord And they shall come againe out of the lande of their enemies So that where he saith thy labour shal be rewarded is euen as if he had sayde The tyme wyll come that thou mayste knowe that thou hast not had chyldren in vayne for yet there remayneth a rewarde of this thy labour Moreouer in the Psalmiste it is wrytten Lo children and the fruite of thy wombe are an heritage and reward that commeth of the lorde In this place the heritage and the rewarde are taken for the free gifte of god For there the Prophete dothe recorde that not only all thinges that we desyre but also children come vnto vs by the gifte of God and through his goodnes not by our labour care By these and suche lyke places of scripture it is apparant inough that in the scriptures this worde rewarde is taken for those benefites that we receiue from the lorde In this place therefore the spirite of God would vse this woorde to shewe vs that we ought to seke for nothing so muche as for the giftes and rewardes of God the whiche he bestoweth vpon those that beleue in hym Therfore when as our sauiour by these presentes sayde that they should loke for a large rewarde in heauen whiche suffered persecution for his names sake he mente that they did an acceptable thing and of great price by bearing the burthē of the crosse layde on them for the glory of his name and that they them selues also thereby got great profite To be briefe so often as a rewarde is promised to good workes their deserte is not sayde to be the cause of rigteousnes or of saluation but only the faithfull are incouraged to do well since that they are sure that their labour shal not be in vaine Wherfore these two do very wel agree that we are freely iustified because we are acceptable vnto God without desertes and yet for al that he doth bestowe at his wyll and pleasure free rewarde vpon vs for our dedes In heauen C. Here he requireth of vs hope whiche dothe not beholde thinges present but thinges to come To this effecte pertaineth that whiche is written of the apostell saying For our tribulation whiche is momentany and lyghte prepareth an exceading and an eternall wayght of glory vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thinges whiche are sene but on the thinges whiche are not sene For the things which are sene are temporal but the thinges whiche are not sene are eternall For so persecuted they the prophetes This was added by the deuine consell of the spirite least the apostels hoping to get the victory and triumphe without ◅aboure fight should fainte in the midest of persecution For because the restoring of all thinges was promysed in the scripture vnder the kyngdome of Christ it was a venture that thei did not deceiue them selues with vayne truste not thinking on their warrefare And by other places also it doth appeare that they very fondly imagined the kyngdome of Christ to be replenished with earthly ryches pleasure Wherefore not without cause Christe doth admonishe them that they must enter into the same battayle that the prophetes did because they
this kynde of seasonynge by the whiche onely oure putrifaction is corrected and amended but in the meane tyme let the saltours take hede that they suffer not the worlde in their foolishenes yea much more let them take hede that they infecte them not with their euell and corrupte seasoning And therefore the impudency of the Papistes is not to be borne with all who are not ashamed to adorne and decke their masking Prelates with these tytels that none myght so hardy of his eares reprehende any thing in them As though truely it were the purpose of Christe to geue vnto his disciples vnlaufull lybertie and to appoynte and make them slears of soules as tyrauntes and not rather to admonyshe them of their dutie leaste they shoulde departe from the righte lyne Christe dothe here shewe what manner of persones he would haue the teachers of his Churche to be Let therefore all vnsauory ministers pastors and teachers yea and suche specially as vaunte them selues to be the Apostels successours let suche I saye consider what a seuere commination and threatning our lorde and maister pronounceth against them that they of all men are in worse case if they be vnsauoury As plainlye we may reade in the prophecie of Malachy V. Wherefore let the preachers of the woorde take hede that they discharge their office and callynge throughlye leaste that the curse of the Lorde pronounced by the mouthe of the Prophete fall vppon them sayinge Seynge thou haste refused vnderstandynge therefore wyll I refuse the also so that thou shalt be no more my Prieste 14 You are the lighte of the worlde a cittie set on a hill cannot be hidde You are the light of the vvorlde M. He speaketh here in effect the same thing which he spake in the wordes going before sauing that he addeth a more plaine admonition Bu. Those whome before he called salte he now calleth light and where as before he called them the salte of the earth he now calleth thē the light of the world so that nowe by the worlde he vnderstandeth men liuing in the worlde Therfore as there is nothing more clere then the lighte so there is nothing more proffitable then the same He hathe very well therefore shadowed and prefigured the teachers of the church by the lighte by that meanes also the celestial euangelicall doctrine then the which as there is nothing more pure cleane so there is nothing that doth more replenishe vs with heauēly benefites thē that For the Prophete saith Thy woorde is a lanterne to my fete a light to my pathes C. For although we be all the sonnes of lighte after we be illuminated by faithe are cōmaunded to haue cādels burning in oure handes least we wāder in darkenes yea and to shewe others the way of life Notwithstandinge because the preaching of the Gospel was appointed to the apostles aboue other men also at this day is appointed to the pastors of the church Christ did specially geue this titel vnto them as if he should haue saide that for this cause they were placed in this degrée to shyne clerely vnto all men M. Finally Christe doth plainly shewe that this world without the doctrine of the kingdome of God whereof his disciples shoulde be the ministers should be oppressed quite ouer whelmed with the darke obscure cloudes of errour and finne Furthermore we see that the ministers of Christe ought to be in steade of the light lighting the darkenes of this worlde because of the doctrine of truthe whiche they shewe to the whole worlde For this is iudgement that light is come into the worlde and men loue darkenes more then lighte The doctrine of the Gospel is the light bewraying detecting and reprouing vngodlines and the ignoraunce of the true pietie of God and for this name it is muche enuied of the worlde for he which doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the lighte least his dedes should be made manifest Then after it hath put awaye the darkenes of ignoraunce it offereth the knowledge of God and true godlines to the hartes of mortall men But here it maye be demaunded how and after what sorte the disciples are the lighte of the worlde when as Iohn woulde not graunte the same to the foreronner of Christ saying He was not the lighte but he graunted that Christe was the light of the worlde And Christe speaking of him selfe saith I am the light of the worlde I aunswer Christe is the true light which receiueth not the light from any other but by his owne proper nature hath strengthe and power to illuminate His Apostels haue not so but are therefore called the lighte because they bare wytnes of the true lighte and they receyued the brightnes of the deuine knowledge of that lighte whiche saythe I haue chosen and ordayned you And agayne without me ye can do nothyng Euen so Iohn was a burnyng and shyuing lyghte but not of hym selfe for he was lyghted of this lyghte whiche is Christe Bu. The synceritie and integritie both of lyfe and manners whiche oughte to be in them is signified by this lyghte as appeareth by the woordes followynge So let youre lyghte shyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauē Hereuppon Saynt Paule saythe do all thynges without murmuringe and disputynge that ye may be suche as no mā can complayne on and vnfained sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a croked and peruerse nation amonge whome see that ye shyne as lyghtnes in the worlde A cittie buylte on a hill cannot be hid Bu. Nowe he sheweth by this parable that the heauenly doctrine and the lyfe of the teacher muste be godly holye pure perfecte and irreprehensible B. But oure lorde leafte the exposition of this collation to the intelligence of the hearers as thus As a cittie builte on a hill cannot be hid euen so ye can not be hyd neither ought ye but ye shal be made manifest vnto the whole worlde euen as a cittie set vppon an hill Wherefore by all meanes endeuour your selues that men may se that in you whiche is godly and verteous to immitate and followe 15 Neither do men lighte a candell and put it vnder a bushell but on a candelsticke that it may geue light to all that are in the house Neither do men light a candel C. He doth shew vnto thē by these wordes that they ought so to lyue as if they were set forth for all mē to be hold And certainly the more a mā doth excell the more he doth hurte by his euell example if he behaue him selfe not well Christ therfore wold haue his disciples to be more ware and circumspect to leade a godly sober lyfe then are the cōmon sort of people because al men do beholde them as candels and that they are in no wise to be borne withal except
contempte of the woorde of God and that Religion myght not altogether be despysed and of no reputation amonge the vnlearned But the defence of Christ with the which he dothe purge his doctrine oughte to animate and incourage vs If we at this daye haue the lyke reproche and false accusations layde against vs. This cryme also was layde againste Paule sayinge that he was an Apostata contrary to the lawe of god Wherefore it is no marueyle if the Papistes in like sorte falsely accuse vs and rayle against vs. But by the example of Christe we must reiecte all false accusations and not regarde them notwithstanding we muste frely professe the truthe although it be subiect to false sclaunders B. But here this woorde Lavve is taken for the doctrine ordeined for the institution of lyfe by the wyll of god Wherfore immediatly the lorde dothe adde to the Lawe the Prophets also saying I am not come to destroye the Lawe and the Prophetes that so he might more plainely declare what he ment by the Lawe namely the doctrine and institution of life which the Prophetes shewed and declared also It is certaine therefore whatsoeuer thinges are written in the Lawe do appertayne to this ende namely to call the minde of man to the perfecte and true righeousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared to all good woorkes The whiche also the lorde signifieth when after the exhortation to the lighte of good workes and the necessitie of fulfillinge the lawe he addeth that therfore he came to fulfill the same And so we vnderstand by the Lawe and the Prophetes the doctrine of God comprehended in the holy scriptures by the whiche men are instructed to liue righteously and godly in this present world whiche is comprehēded in this that we trust in God that we feare and loue him with all our mynde to the whiche our elders added and appointes the Lawes of sacrifices and of other ceremonies of the tabernacle Furthermore that we loue our neighbour as our selfe to the whiche was added ciuile Lawes Laste of all that we vse those thinges cōtinently and comly with modestie which the necessitie of the body requireth to the whiche also appertaineth whatsoeuer is cōmaunded for the cleannes and comlines of bodies to the which are added certaine externall purifiynges To destroie M. The Lawe is destroyed or broken when that it is made voyde of none effecte by false expositions traditions of men or els when as men do violate and breake the preceptes thereof either by the imbecillitie weakenes of the fleshe or els by a wicked contemptuous minde But here he vnderstandeth the destroying of the Lawe after the first māner namely by false expositiōs A. To breake the Lawe and to destroy the lawe are all one as appeareth by the saying of Christe in Iohn If a man on the Saboth daye receiue circumcision without breaking of the lawe of Moyses disdayne ye at me because I haue made a man whole on the Saboth day No I came not to destroye C. God truly had promised a new league by the cōming of Christ but he had shewed also that it shoulde littell differ from the first but rather this to be the end that he would obserue kepe the league whiche he made with his euen from the beginning I wil wryte saith he my Lawes in their hartes I will forget their sinnes By these woordes he doth not so departe from his former league that he woulde deny his laste to be firme and sure when the newe succeded And this is the meaning of the woordes of Christe when he saide I came not to destroy but to fulfil the Lawe For truly he fulfilled it in quickning the dead letter with his spirite thē shewing the same in dede whiche was declared vnder figures signes Therfore in respect of doctrine we must imagine no abrogation of the Lawe in the comming of Christe For seing that it is an euerlasting rule to lyue well and godly by it must be immutable euen as there is one only permanente righteousnes of God which is cōprehended therin As touchinge ceremonies although they may be thoughte improper and not pertayning to the Lawe notwithstanding they wer only abrogated in vse but the signification abideth still Wherefore the comming of Christe did detracte nothing no not from ceremonies but rather the truthe of shadowes being declared it doth bring great cōfirmation vnto them when we beholding the true effecte do perceiue that they are not vayne and vnprofitable Let vs learne therefore to kepe this holy bonde and knot of the Lawe and the Gospell inuiolable the whiche many do breake amis and very fondly M. Christe fulfilled the Lawe and the Prophetes first by his comming in the fleshe when as he fulfilled those thinges whiche are written in the Lawe and the Prophetes as concerning his kyngdome and the redemption of mankynde promysed longe before Of the whiche Luke speaketh in his .xxiiij. chap. Therefore as saint Paule saythe Christ is the fulfilling of the Lawe to all them that beleue Do we then destroye the Lawe through faythe God forbidde but we rather mayntaine the Lawe 18 For truly I saye vnto you tyl heauen and earth passe one iot or one title of the Lawe shall not escape till all be fulfilled For truly I saye vnto you Bu. Although that whiche was spoken of before was made manifest enough yet for all that it is more strongely confirmed agayne by the mouth of the lorde For he vseth a moste vehement othe and confirmation saying For truly I saye vnto you Truly is a worde peculier to the Hebrewes confirming and wytnessing the truthe for this cause it is so often repeted of the lorde And the Apostell Paule saythe All the promyses of God by Christe are yea and are in hym amē vnto the lande of god Whiche is as if he shoulde haue sayde all the promyses of God are sure and certaine by Christe Tyll heauen and earth passe Luke in woordes somwhat differeth but in sence he very well agreeth saying It is easier for heauen and earth to perishe then for one iot or titell of the Lawe to fayle For the holy ghoste would teache by both places that there was nothing so fyrme and stable in the whole worlde as the truthe of the lawe that truly in euery pointe Some very subtilly dally with this woorde Vntill As though the vanishing of heauen and earth whiche shal be at the last daye of iudgement shoulde bringe an ende to the Lawe and the Prophetes And truly euen as then tounges shall cease and prophecies shal be taken awaye euen so we thinke that the Lawe written with the exposition of the same shall cease But because Christe spake more symply suche intisementes being set to allure this shal be sufficient for vs to note that heauen shal perishe and the whole worlde shall decaye before the stabilitie and strength of
the Lawe be once shaken For so sayth the Prophete Thus saithe the lorde If the couenaunte which I haue made with the daye and the night may be brokē Then may my couenaunt also be broken whiche I made with Dauid my seruaunt And a littell after he saythe agayne If I haue made no couenaunt with daye and nighte and geuen no statute vnto heauen and earthe then wyll I also caste awaye the seede of Iacob and Dauid my seruaunt One iot or titell of the Lavve shall not passe tyll all C. What meaneth this Question that euery iot and titell of the Lawe shall be fulfilled For we sée howe farre men are yea ando suche as are borne a newe by the spirite of God from the perfecte obseruation of the Lawe I aunswere that this fulfilling of the lawe is not referred to the life of man but to the sounde perfect truth of doctrine as if he shoulde haue sayde there is nothing vnstable in the Lawe there is nothing rashely put in the same and therfore it can not come to passe that one letter shall vanishe or passe awaye Wherefore this place here is of the certaintie and truthe of the woorde of God that we might not doubte no one tittell in the Lawe no one iot to be in the Prophetes in the whiche the vndoubted and infallible woorde of God is not declared For the woordes of the lorde are pure woordes euen as the syluer which from the earth is tried purified seuen times in the fier Bu. Tittels are the smalest thinges in wryting by the whiche also Christe dothe signifie that the smalest thynges sene and red in the Lawe shall be fulfilled V. Neyther is the lawe of God a humane and mutable constitutiō as are the preceptes of money or apparell whiche are dayly altered but as the wysdome of God his euerlasting righteousnes are immutable euen so his lawe of perpetuall and euerlasting obedience abideth for euer 19. VVhosoeuer therfore breaketh one of these least cōmaundementes and teacheth men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen But who so euer dothe and teacheth the same shal be called great in the kingdome of heauen VVhosoeuer therfore breaketh C. Here Christ speaketh particularly of the commaundementes of life or of tenne sentēces by the whiche all men that are the children of God ought to frame theyr lyues And therfore he pronounceth them to be false and peruerse teachers whiche kepe not theyr scholers vnder the obedience of the lawe and he counteth them vnworthy whatsoeuer they be that be of the church whiche diminishe the aucthoritie of the lawe in any poynct those to be honest and méete ministers of God which do allowe and commende the obseruation of the lawe as well by the example of their life as with woordes S. To breake the lawe and to fulfyll the lawe are contrary He breaketh the lawe whiche desyreth another mannes wyfe although he commit not adultery and he is in this opinion that he beleueth that the fulfyllynge of the lawe maye be forgeuen for oure imbecillitie and weakenes sake or elles that God wil not so straightly deale with vs for the fulfyllinge of the lawe One of these least commaundementes C. He calleth them the least commaundementes according to the sence meaning of men For although all are not of lyke force weyght but when we compare them together one is greater and lesse then an other Notwithstandinge we may not thincke any thynge smale of the whiche it pleaseth the heauenly lorde and lawe maker to commaunde For howe great derogation is it to the glorye of God to take any thynge disdainefully which cōmeth out of his mouthe For by this meanes his maiestie shoulde be controlled Wherefore where as Christ calleth them lyttell commaundementes it is a kinde of graunting And teacheth men so B. He doth not reiecte him onely which transgresseth some cōmaundement and despiseth the parfection of the same but also him which teacheth others so namely that so greate perfection is not requyred as the Phariseyes and Saduceyes whiche requiringe onely the externall workes and contemninge the spirite of the lawe counted it nothinge to lust after a woman and so they taught also Shall be called the leaste C He alludeth this to that whiche was spoken of a lyttell before as concernyng the comaundementes notwithstandinge the sence is manifest and playne that they shall be reiected as the outcastes of all men which make the lawe to be contemned in any one poyncte The kingdome of heauen is taken here for the renouation or renuyng of the churche or for the second state and condition of the church which arose then of the preachinge of the Gospall So Christ maketh him which is least in the kingedome of heauen greatter then Iohn This maner of speakinge is because God renuinge the worlde by hys sonne Christe made his kingdome firme and sure Therefore Christ admitteth no teachers into his churche after it is renued but such as are faythful interpretours of the lawe and apply them selues to mainteine and set forthe the wholsom doctrine therof Bu. Let such reade these thinges more diligently whiche at thys day handle the law of the lorde very negligently and slyghtly when as by these woordes of the lorde a man may plainly perceiue that there is nothinge set forth by the heauenly wysedome of God in his diuine lawe whiche requireth not onely greate and earnest study but also much estimation and credite But some men wyll here demaunde Question Are not the ceremonies amonge the preceptes and commaundementes of God and what néede haue we of them to what ende shall wee obserue them They are answered that if they weye and consider the ende purpose of the lawe maker they shall be satisfyed For althoughe God do cōmaund ceremonies that the externall vse of thē shoulde be temporall but their signification eternall yet he doth not lose take away the ceremonies whiche kepynge still theyr effecte omitt that whiche is figuratiue and shadowed Nowe when as Christe dothe banishe all those from hys kingdome whiche accustome and teache men to despise the lawe theyr senceles sence is wonderful who ar not ashamed with theyr robbinge indulgences to remit that which God moste seuerely doth require and vnder the coullour of venial synne to treade vnderfote not regarde the righteousenes of the lawe But vvho so euer dothe and teacheth the same c. M. This that is spoken here perteyneth to the ministers of the word C. He teacheth them therfore what perfectiō is required of thē namely that they expresse and declare those thynges in theyr lyfe whiche by their doctrine they declare and teache So Paule dyd chastice his bodye and brought it into subiection least whē he preached to others he hym selfe shuld be a cast awaye And writinge to Timothe Be sayth he vnto them that beleue an exsample in woord in conuersation in loue in spirite in
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
not C. Here he reproueth a nother falte in praier namely muche bablynge or liplabour He vseth two woordes for this matter but all one sence For the Greke word Batologia is a superfluouse repetition but Polylogia is vaine pratinge or bablynge with more wordes then nede M. The Euāgelist here vseth this woorde much babling to shewe that the same is as absurd in praier before God as it is in an oration or sermon before men S. Also those whiche are distrustfull and afrayde and of a colde stomake care not what they speake in their sermons vse this much bablinge and multiplication of wordes C. And they likewise whiche thincke to pray vnto God to perswade him with many wordes Neither is doctryne contrary to the continuall prayer commanded in the scripture For when as praier is conceiued with a seriouse and earnest affection the tongue then runneth not before the wit as we saye but we vtter that with the tongue whiche the harte first thinketh Furthermore we may assure our selues that the grace of God is not gottē with the vaine copy and superfluitie of wordes but rather the godlye and feruent hart sendeth his earnest affections euen like dartes which pearce the heauens So that we se how their supersticion is here condempned whiche think that God regardeth them through their long circūstances with the whiche errour the papacie is so replenished that they thynke prayer to consiste in muche bablynge with often rehersall of Auise Creedes pater nosters in laten whiche they vnderstand not for the moste part that vpon beades whereby their mind is so sore occupied in kepinge iust tale that often times they tel them selues a slepe For hee whiche hath powred oute moste woordes and moste often hath ronne ouer his praiers and said Kirleson christleson kirleson howe vnsauourly so euer the same came forthe he I say thought hym selfe happye aboue others and to haue more exactly made his prayers as thoughe with suche buzzing muttering and mumblyng the lorde were pleased As the Ethnikes do M. The Ethniks were euyll spoken of amonge the Iewes because they were Atheistes and knew not God beinge also experte of al godlynes This contempte of the Ethniks abode amonge the Iewes but the whole study of godlines whereby they wolde seeme to be contemners of the Ethnikes as wicked men ceassed longe synce Notwithstandinge Christ vseth this exaumple of the Ethnikes to the intent that he might moue their mindes So lykewise the Apostell by the example of the Gentiles calleth the christians to the true conuersation of life and dehorteth them from the filthines therof Remember saith he that ye were sometimes Gentiles in the fleshe c. And agayne That ye walke not nowe as the Gentyles walke in vanitie of their mynde For they thinke they shall be hearde for their E. By this place we see what we may thinke of those whiche vse to babble muche and to occupie their tongue with superfluouse wordes They bragge and bost that they praie much when as Christ compareth them here vnto Ethnikes But let vs consider howe Christe prayed and his apostels praied and let vs follow thē so farr as they are the followers of Christ And in any wise to beware of ostentation and vaineglory 8 Be ye not like thē therefore for your father knoweth wherof ye haue nede before ye aske of hym Be ye not like them therefore A. That is thyncke not that ye can attayne to any thynge at Gods handes by the vaine superfluitie and chewing of wordes For your father knovveth vvhereof C. This one remedy is sufficient and enoughe to take away the superstition here condemned For wherevpon shoulde this folishnes come that men shoulde thinke them selues to profit much when as they wery God with their muche bablynge excepte because they thinke him to be lyke a mortall man whiche hath nede still to be admonished and taughte But who so euer is perswaded that God hath not only a care ouer vs but also knoweth oure necessities and doth seke to preuent our requestes and our cares before he be admonished he al liplabour set asyde shal haue sufficient to do to offer his prayers so farre as it is expedient for the tryinge of his faith but to come vnto God rhetoricallye with eloquence as thoughe hee wolde enclyne to wordes I certifie thée it is absurde and folishe M. The Ethnikes because they know not God therfore worship they not the trew God but the false Goddes yea the deafe and the dombe goddes which knowe nothing also whom they thincke muste be instructed wisely with wordes that they maye knowe what is asked and that they must be moued with muche bablinge and calling on as plainly sheweth the example of the priestes of Baal But there belongeth a nother maner of prayer to Chrystians For they haue their father in heauen whiche knoweth all thinges that before they aske of him that they neede not muche to instructe him Obiection C. But if God knowe all thinges before we aske praier shoulde seeme to be in vayne and to none effect For if he of his owne good wyl be redy to helpe vs what nede we any praiers vnto hym The ende wherevnto praier is appointed answereth this obiection For the faithfull do not praye vnto God to put him in minde of thynges vnknown but rather to adresse thē selues and to make them prompt to seke him they exercise theyr faithe in pondering his promises to ease them selues in casting their cares vpon him Also we praie to testifie that al good thinges procede come from him And that which he was determined freely vnasked to geue vnto vs he promiseth notwithstanding to geue vnto vs for oure requestes and praiers Wherefore we must acknoweledge bothe that he of his owne free wil preuenteth our praiers yet that we by our praiers obtaine that which we aske 9. After this maner therefore praye ye Our father whiche art in heauen halowed be thy name After this maner therefore pray C. It is vncertaine whether Christ committed this forme of praier once or twyse to his dysciples To some this seconde doth seme more probable because Luke saith that his disciples asked him howe they should praye but Mathewe seemeth to affirme that Christ taught it vnasked This may be that Mathewe gathering the speciall pointes of doctrine omitted the occasion which Luke declareth about the whiche thinge we will not muche contende In stede therfore of Pray ye after this maner Luke hath when ye pray say c. Howebe it Christ commaundeth not his discyples with expresse woordes to praye but onely sheweth to what ende all prayers ought to be referred M. For although the petitions of this praier ar very few in them notwithstandinge is prescrybed vnto vs what we ought specially to pray for C. This praier cōsisteth of sixe potitions whereof the three first haue respect to the glory of god The
ende For it is not mete that we should be so greedy desirous of our own profite that we should preferre the same before the glory of god Therefore so often as we pray it is not meete that we forget that Notwithstandinge there is this differēce betwen these twoo kindes of praier which we haue rehersed that whā we pray as cōcerning the kingdom of god the hallowing of his name we must eleuate our minde and sences wholly vp to heauen that the regarde of our self being set aparte our praier may assende vnto God onely after that wée may descend to our selues and we maye ioyne the care of our health profyte to the first petitions whiche only parteine to god And although remission of sinnes ought to be preferred before our fode so far as the soule excelleth the body Christ notwithstanding made his beginning of breade the staies helpes of an earthly life that by such a rudiment enterance he might leade vs farther ▪ we do not aske therefore our dayly breade before we be reconciled vnto God as though we estemed our earthly body more then the health of our sowle but our mindes must assēde to heauen from the earth as it were by steppes and degrees For when as God dothe humble hym selfe to norysshe oure bodies no doubte there is then a greatter will in him to norysshe our spirituall life The greatnesse therfore of his mercy in this poynt dothe erecte our truste a greate deale hyer M. But where as we call it our breade we may not so vnderstande it as though it were oures by right and due vnto vs as debte but that it is necessary for vs and appoynted vnto vs by that prouidence of our lyfe by the whiche he feedeth all thynges of his goodnesse And geueth it vnto vs freely because wee shoulde not wante The fieldes are to be tylled and plowed wee muste sweate also in gatherynge in the fruytes of the earthe and euerye man muste laboure accordynge to his callynge and yet this letteth not but that wee are fedde by the free lyberalitie and gifte of God without the whiche man dothe but drawe water in a syue yea his laboure is in vayne But wee are taughte that what so euer semeth to be gotten of vs by oure owne laboure and industry is acceptable to hym Some wil haue this bread to be supersubstācial or superessētial as though Chryste spake not of corporall foode but theyr reason is vayne and repugnaunte to godlynes For who knoweth not that it is the order of the Scripture in many places by the taste of earthly thynges to brynge vs to the knowledge of heauenly thinges So that where as Chryste here speaketh of corporall foode we may therby gather that elles his talke were mutilate and not parfecte for in many places we are commaunded to caste all our cares vpon God and he most lyberally promiseth on the other part that we shal wante no maner of thynge Therefore in the exacte rule of prayinge it is necessary that somewhat be commaunded as concernynge the innumerable necessyties of this present lyfe This daye By this it should apere that he woulde haue vs care but from daye to daye And in dede there is no doubt but that he woulde by these wordes restrain and moderate the desire care of earthly foode with the which we are many times without al measure brought to distrust M. In this name of breade the Hebricians comprehend all kinde of foode As we may reade in the wordes of Elizeus Set breade water before thē that they may eate and drink go to their maister And he prepared a great refection for thē that is to say greate aboundaunce of meate C. But here in this place it is takē more amplely For we desire not onely foode to be geuen vnto vs by the hande of God but also what soeuer is necessary for our life So that now the sēce meaning of this praier is plaine First we are cōmanded to pray that god wil defend sustein this life which he hath geuē vs in this world and because it wanteth many aydes and helpes that he wold minister vnto vs what so euer he knoweth to be necessary Geue vs. M. When we say geue vs we cōfesse chiefely that all the sustentation of our lif cōmeth of god that it is he alone which fedeth al thinges thē we acknowledge it to be the fre gift of god in somuch that except he geue the same al the labour industry of mā is but vaine This day C. This aduerbe as we said before was added to bridell restraine the excedinge care of men because his beneficence euery moment depēdeth ouer vs So that we ought to be cōtent that he wil fede vs from one daye to a nother Notwithstanding here a questiō may be demāded Question for so muche as it is certayne that Chryste gaue this rule of praier generally in cōmon to al the godly among the whiche nomber some are very riche which haue abondance store of vittailes now howe doth Christ cōmaunde them to aske their dayly bread when they haue in store plēty of vittailes for a whole yere The answere to this obiection is easie For wee are taught by these words that except the lord do dayly fede vs the store of vittails is nothing Admit that corne wine other necessaries do abound yet except they be protected with the benediction blessyng of God sodeinely they cōsume away or at least the vse of them is taken frō vs or els the naturall force strength of noryshing is taken frō them that in the middest of our store plenty we are in miserable penury wherfore it is no meruaile if Christ cōmaunded the poore the riche alike to seke for their dayly breade norishement at the handes of god C. But no man can pray hartely but he whiche hath learned with S. Paule to be content in euery estate to below to excede to be hungrye and to haue plenty and not to deceiue hym selfe with the false truste of his aboundaunce and plenty 12 And forgeue vs our dettes as we forgeue our detters And forgeue vs. C. Here we must call to mynde that which we spake euen now that Christ in directing the praiers of his seruantes had not regarde to the order therof For when as it is writtē that our sinnes ar like vnto a stained cloth which seperate vs frō god as a cloude by the reason wherof he seeth vs not it is necessary that we begin our praiers of remission of sins because that being graūted we haue hope to procede farther But in twoo petitiōs Christ comprehended all those thynges whiche parteine to the healthe of the sowle to the spiritual life euen as these twoo are the speciall pillers of the couenaunte of God by the whiche our whole saluation doth stand that he doth offer vnto vs frée reconciliation not imputing our sinnes
the misteries of God to commit them to the scornings iestes and tauntes of the wicked and reprobate Secōdly Christ sought meanes to comforte his disciples that they should not be discouraged so seace to preache to the electe although they sawe the wicked reprobate peruersly to reiect the same Neyther cast ye your pearles M. In respecte of the preciouse price and noblenes of the woorde of God he calleth it a pearle for the which we ought to sel all that we haue as we may reade in the 13. chap. followinge C. Whereby we gather of howe greate price this holy doctrine of the gospell oughte to be vnto vs. M. He sayth your pearles to declare that it is peculiar and proper to the faithfull C. The pure vse of the doctrine of God is to féede the faithfull with the woorde of God as with their corporall meate and that the wicked should be made afraide by the iudgement of god the which if they neglecte geue not that whiche is holye to dogges nor pearles to swyne or Before hogges Bu. By hogges he vnderstādeth such as wholly drown them selues in filthy pleasure with their blasphemies do seeke to defile the doctrine of the Gospell so much as in them lyeth Least they treade them C. By this Christ doth seeme to distynguishe betwene the hogges the dogges attributing to the hogges a brutishe dulnes voide of sēce to the dogges madnes This experience trewely teacheth that there are twoo kindes of contemners As for example what so euer is in the scriptures as concerning the corrupt nature of man frée iustification and eternall election many do tourne the same either to sluggishe slouthfulnes and brutysshe behauiour or elles to the lasciuiousnesse of the fleshe suche are very aptly accorto deserte compared to hogges The other do rent teare with extreame madnes by furiouse reproche the pure doctrine the ministers thereof to the ende they might frustrate the study of wel doinge the feare of God and al care of saluation Although therefore Christ doth declare by bothe names that the aduersaries of the woord of God are incurable notwithstanding by a double similitude he doth shew briefely in what one of thē do differ from an other M. We must also note this that he saith And the other tourninge againe all to rente you For at the fyrst they do feyne modestie that they may learne the secretes of religion but whē they haue learned it they tourne sodeinly they deride they rayle byting and tearing the ministers of the woorde and all suche as are louers of the trueth Thus plaied Alexander the coppersmith Hymenaeus Iuleanus Caesar the apostata Porphirius and Lucianus with other lyke vnto these 7 Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto yon C. This is an exhortation to praye and because we are in this exercise of godlynes which ought to be our greatest care so slowe and negligent he cōmaundeth the same to be done by three manner of speakinges Neyther is it in vaine that he saith Aske seke and knocke for least his doctrine shoulde waxe colde he continueth still in stirringe vp our dulnesse And to the same ende parteineth the promises whiche he addeth ye shal haue ye shall finde it shall be opened vnto you For there is nothing that doth better incourage vs to pray then a sure and vndoubted trust hope to obtaine for they cannot praye aright whiche doubte yea prayer is a vayne and rydiculouse ceremony without faithe Christ therfore to allure vs to this parte of duety effectually dothe not onely charge vs with that whiche we ought to do but doth also promise that our praiers shal not be in vain And this also is diligentlye to be noted first that we maye vnderstande that this order of prayer was appoynted and prescribed vnto vs that we might suerly perswade our selues that God is mercyfull vnto vs and redy to here our prayers to graunte vs oure petitions Furthermore so oftē as we are prepared to pray or so often as we fele that the heate and force of prayer hath not in vs his feruent zeale and effecte we must call to mynde howe greatly the lorde inuiteth and calleth vs and howe mercyfully he promyseth that we shall taste his fatherly affections So it shal come to passe that euery man bearing him selfe boulde on the grace and fauour of Christ shal conceiue a sure trust of prayinge and shall freely call vpon god As Paule teacheth in his epistel to the Ephesians But because we are more geuen to distrust then becommeth vs Christ to correcte the same doth iterate one promise with diuers wordes Let vs therefore acknowledge oure nakednesse and imbecillitie neyther let vs dispaire but let vs boldely aske and that constantly For he saithe Aske seeke knocke A. Aske namely that whiche is lawefull and accordynge to his wyl Seeke diligently Knocke with perseuerance continually C. But he vsed the metaphor of seking because we thyncke that to be farre from vs which our nede and necessitie requireth And he vsed the metaphor of knockinge also because the carnall sence of the fleshe imagineth that those thinges are shut from vs which ar not at hande in a readines To this sentence of Christ agreeth the saying of the prophete Seeke the lorde while he may be found call vpon him while he is nie Againe I loue them which loue me and they which seke me early shal fynde mee 8 For who so euer asketh receyueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened A. To the ende we mighte be more feruent and desirouse to pray C. Chryste doth here offer vnto vs his fathers grace and fauour as if he shoulde say that god is redy of his owne free wil to heare vs if so be that we pray and that riches are offered vnto vs if that we will aske thē By the whiche woordes he dothe declare that they are iustly ponyshed which wāting necessary thinges seeke not this remedy against their nede It is most certaine when the faithful are often times a slepe the lorde watcheth for them and for their healthe and so preuenteth their praiers For there were nothynge to vs more miserable then if he shoulde looke for our prayers in this slepy and drousy sluggishenes of the fleshe but he dothe not by prouocation but of his owne free will geue vnto vs fayth whiche by order and time goeth before all prayers But because Christ in this place speaketh vnto his disciples he dothe plainely shewe howe his heauenly father woulde make vs partakers of his giftes Therefore although he doth freely bestowe vppon vs all thinges yet notwithstanding he doth commaunde vs to praye to exercise oure faithe and that he might graunt vnto vs which aske those thynges whiche onely come of his mere goodnes Bu. This vndoubted promise of God oughte to stirre and allure all men
iudge of his doctrine whether it parteyne to the glorye of God to the iustifycation and merytes of Christ to the settynge forthe also of the syncere and parfecte loue towardes oure neyghboure The whiche if it do wee maye boldely adiudge hym to be a faythfull and trewe teacher 17 Euen so euerye good tree bryngethe forth good fruites But a corrupt tre bringeth forth euill fruites C. Here is to be noted that men cannot do wel vnlesse they be first good O generation of vipers saith Christe howe can ye speake good thynges when ye youre selues are euyll For out of the aboundance of the harte the mouthe speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his harte bringeth forth good thinges And an euyl man out of the euil treasure of his harte bringeth forth euil thynges Also in the acts it is wrytten The hartes are purified by fayth For whō soeuer is regenerate by the spirite of god it is necessarye that he testifie by good woorkes that he is a good tree although his workes do tast somwhat of the natural gaale whiche is in him alwayes 18 A good tree can not bring forth euill fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruite B. As if he shoulde saye As the tree is knowen by his fruit so is the teacher if any man marke by worde and doctrine Bu. But there are certayne heretiques which haue abused this place of scripture apointing to thē selues twoo diuerse beginninges sayinge that there are twoo contrary natures betwene them selues But we ought not to referre the wordes of the lorde to any other ende then hee hath spoken them but we oughte rather to consider to what ende and for what occasion he spake them So longe trewely a good tree bryngethe forthe no euyll fruite as he abideth in his good state and an euil tree abydeth in the fruites of his sinnes so longe as he conuerteth not to the fruites of repentance For none abydynge in that whiche he was begynneth to be that which he is not 19 Euery tree whiche bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fyer Euery tree vvhiche Bu. Here by the way he sheweth the great cruell ponishement prepared for false prophetes al those which delite to persist in a vaine pretenced shew of godlines He goeth on still with the allegory signifiing that they shal be tormēted with cruel fier whiche either seduce others by false doctrine or do not expresse the true faith of the mynde by good woorkes M. Here therefore we see that it is not sufficient only to refraine frō doing of euil but also it is required of vs to do that whiche is good For this vyne whiche is Christ will not haue vnfruitfull brāches vnited vnto him in whō the fruitful are pourged that they may bring forth more fruite And in an other place they are accursed not which take away the goodes of the poore but whiche do not féede theim Moreouer in the same place the ministers are cōmāded to cast the vnprofitable seruante into vtter darkenesse yet he had not lost any of his masters money but he had this ponishment because he brought no gaine And after this maner the vnsauery salt is cast out of the dores although it do no hurt in corrupting but because it dothe not take away the corruption Is hevven dovvne and cast E. Christ sheweth not here what shal happen to euyll corrupte trees as referring it to a tyme to come but he speaketh in the presēt time that as trees that are corrupt they shall presently be hewen downe 20 Therefore by their fruites ye shall know them Bu. He repeteth again bringeth in a conclusiō necessary for vs at al times namely the false prophetes at the lēgth shal be known by their fruites B. Let vs obserue therfore this canon or rule at this day let vs counte al thē for false prophetes which speake the immagination of theyr owne hartes not by the mouth of the lord let vs take hede of thē let vs flee from suche repell them 21 Not euerye one that saithe vnto me lorde lorde shall inherite the kingedome of heauen but he which dothe the wil of my father which is in heauen Not euery one C. Christ nowe doth farther extēd his talke neither doth he onely speake of false prophetes which onely to deuoure spoyle enter into the flock but also of hierlinges which vnder the pretence of pastors do subtilly creepe in whē as notwithstāding they haue no affection of godlynes And although this doctrine doth cōprehend al kinde of hypocrites what degree or place so euer they be of notwithstanding properly he toucheth now false teachers whiche woulde seme to excel all mē Neither doth he only direct his talke vnto them that he might take away the securitie in the which they lie as it were drunken but also he doth admonishe the faithful that they attribute not to such vaine titles more then is cōueniēt necessary Finally he doth shew that so sone as the doctrine of the gospel doth begin to bring forth fruite in so muche that it hath gottē vnto it many disciples there wil not only be many of the cōmō sort of people whiche falsly through dissimulation hipocrisy wil geue their name but also among the cōpany of pastors thē selues there shal be such deceit that with their liues dedes they deny the which they professe with their mouth Therfore whosoeuer coueteth to be counted a disciple he must do his indeuour to adict geue him selfe sincerely to the meditatiō of a new life For it is not enough to professe the faith with the mouth but a good cōsciēce is also required the spirite of renouation Lorde Lorde M. He doth not only reherse the liplabour which he touched a lyttel before but also he expresseth the propertie of the hebrew worde which increseth that with doubling or multiplying whiche before it heaped together of the whiche kind also was that which the prophet hath the temple of the lord the temple of the lorde In Luke this sentēce semeth to be a general obiurgation Why do ye cal me lord lord do not those thinges which I cōmande you But because this corruption doth very much aryse of false teachers he doth expressely inuey agaynst thē Shall not enter into the. C. Here some do think that the kingdom of heauē is to be takē for the lif to come other do expounde it to be taken for the churche As if he should say he shall not be of the nōber of my disciples and of my faytheful A. Bothe these expositions may well be takē allowed But he that doth M. The wyl of the father and the sonne is al one the woordes of Christ are the woords of his father For he came to do the will of his father not his owne wil as he witnesseth in the Gosgel after
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
and he doeth it For I my selfe also am a man. M. Here the Centurion cōfirmeth by his example the confession of his faithe of the power of Christe bringing in an argument of the more to the lesse For he estemed more the deuine power whiche was in Christ then the rule and domination whiche he had ouer his souldiours and seruauntes B. As if he should saye I am nothing at all like vnto thee in power which as yet am vnder the subiection of another man where as thou haste all thinges in thy hande and yet with my woorde can I make my seruauntes to do any thing my souldiours at my commaundement are obedient and those whiche are vnder my rule grudge not to fulfill my mynde Howe muche more then canste thou do with thy worde whatsoeuer thou wilt in all thinges as in healing diseases in restoring health in putting awaye death in restoring lyfe M. Here al they haue an ensample set before them whiche are magistrates maisters ouer housholdes that they may learne by their power to acknowledge the power of God thinke vpon his deuine woorde and cōmaundement If our wordes be so muche able to preuayle among men that whatsoeuer we saie and commaunde they do and fulfill when as notwithstandinge we our selues are miserable men nothing differing from others howe muche more hath the worde of God his power in ruling all vniuersally Furthermore let them gather of their owne obedience after this sorte Beholde thou art a man set vnder the power of another and thou saiest vnto this go and he goeth to another come he commeth and to the third do this and he doeth it loking and requiring of them their due obedience Therefore if so great obediēce be shewed to thée whiche arte a man subiect to others the whiche thou also requirest to be done as a duty tell me I pray thée how thou wilt behaue thy selfe if thou be disobedient to thy lord of whom thou hast receiued that power and in whose name this obediēce is done to thée if he saye vnto thée go and thou goest not come thou comest not do this and thou doest not B. Here also we must note that all thinges that are good procede of God are done by his power according to the saying of S. Paule It is neither in the willer nor in the ronner but in the mercy of god For who wyll not muche meruaile at the great goodnes of God if he way howe littel this Centurion being an Ethnike the more prophane by reason of his affayres in the warres had heard of Christe and howe muche be beleued Let all fleshe therefore humble him selfe to the maiestie of God the whiche except he of his goodnes reuoke to life it must nedes perishe 10 VVhen Iesus hearde these woordes he meruailed and sayde to them that folowed him verely I say vnto you I haue not found so great faith in Israel VVhen Iesus hearde these vvordes C. Although admiration belong not to God because it ariseth of newe thinges vnloked for notwithstāding it might happē in Christ because he taking vpon him our fleshe was endewed with mans affections B. He meruayleth therefore in respecte of his humanitie at so wonderfull a myracle of the goodnes of God that so greate faith should be geuen to an Ethnicke Heathen man being rudely brought vp in respect of his faith in so muche that he should excell the people of God in the excellency of faithe B. Before God being knowen almoste only in Iury nowe of a prophane man he is more knowne then of many of the Iewes A newe thing truly and straunge worthy of admiration And sayde to them that follovved him B. To the ende the people which followed him might also meruaile and might haue a desire to immitate the fayth of the man he saythe thus vnto thē Verely I say vnto you I haue not founde so great faithe in Israell C. The whiche woordes are spoken as the Logicians terme it Secundum quid non simpliciter that is in respect of his faithe not simplely that he did excell in generall For if we cōsider all the partes of faith the faith of Mary excelled in this that she beleued her self to be with childe by the holy Ghoste that she might bringe forth the only begotten sonne of God furthermore because she beleued the sonne whiche shoulde be borne of her to be his owne maker and the creator redemer of the whole worlde But for two causes specially Christe did cōmend preferre the faith of this Gētile heathē man before the faith of the Iewes namely because that of so small and littell taste of his doctrine he brought forth so sodainly such gret frute Secōdly wher as the Iewes did to much depēd vpō earthly signes external this Centurion this Gētile Heathē man requireth no signe at all but dothe affirme his onely woorde to be sufficient for him Christ was cōming vnto him not because ther required any necessitie but to proue trie this faith of the mā wherfore he doth specially cōmēd this faith because it is satisfied with the word only He saith not here com lord se touch no he desireth not any corporal presēce tuchīg but he beleueth such efficacy to be included in the word that thereby he knewe the healthe of his seruaunt might be recouered And hereupō may be gathered a generall rule namely although God woulde haue our sauynge health wrought in the fleshe of Christe and doth dayly seale the same by Sacramentes Notwithstandinge we muste seke the certaintie of the same out of his woorde For excepte this authoritie be attributed to the woorde that we graunt that so sone as God hathe spoken by his ministers that our synnes are forgeuen vs and that we are restored vnto lyfe all the sure truste of saluation dothe falle awaye By this place also we vnderstande that the Centurion was no Israelite 11 I saye vnto you that many shal come from the Easte and VVeste and shal reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdome of heauen A. Now Christe takyng occasion of the faythe of the Centurion dothe in fewe woordes touche the callynge of the Gentyles and the reiecting of the Iewes C. For as Christe in the parsone of the seruaunt propounded a taste and as it were the fyrste fruytes of his grace to the Gentyles euen so he dothe teache his dominion to be a token of the callynge hereafter of the Gentyles and of the dispersyng the fayth throughout the whole worlde neyther doth he onely teache that they shall comme out of the countreys whiche are at hande but also out of all the partes of the whole worlde And although this be declared already by many of the Prophetes notwithstandinge in the beginning it semed absurde and incredible to the Iewes whiche immagined that God was bounde to the sede of Abraham Wherefore not without admiration this was heard that they which were
straungers and foriners should be of the housholde and heyres of the kingdome of heauen And not onely that but this that the couenaunt and league of saluation should by and by be publyshed that the whole worlde myght growe into one body of the churche when he saythe that the Gentyles which should come to the faythe shoulde bee partakers of the same saluation with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Bu. They reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen whiche being partakers of the promises of God which he made with the holy fathers do at the lengthe possesse the kingdome of heauen with them beinge made the sonnes of God coheyres with Christe and fellowes with the sainctes C. To be briefe this senteÌ„ce is as much as if he should haue saide they shall haue the same life Wherby certainly we may gather that the same sauing health which is exhibited vnto vs in Christ was exhibited in times paste vnto the fathers Neyther should the kingdome be common to all except there were but one faith which is the onely meane to obtaine the same The same manner of speaking the lorde vsed to his Apostles when he sayde I apointe vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye maye eate drinke at my table in the kingdome 12 But the children of the kingdom shal be cast out into vtter darkenes there shal be weping and gnashing of teeth But the children of the. M. This is the other matter which we saide Christ had here in hande namely of the reiecting of the Iewes C. But it may be demaunded how Christe calleth them the children of the kingdome whiche were nothing lesse theÌ„ the sonnes of Abraham For truely they whiche are alienate from the faythe ought not to be numbred in the flocke of Christ It may be aunswered that although they were not truly of the flock of Christ notwithstaÌ„ding because thei had a roume in the flocke or churche he grauÌ„teth this title vnto them Furthermore we muste note that the couenaunt and promyse of God was of such force so long as it stode in the sede of Abraham that properly the inheritauÌ„ce of the kingdom of heauen did pertaine vnto them at the least in respect of God him selfe then as yet they were holy braunches of the holy roote And truely that deniall or forsakinge whiche afterward folowed dothe sufficiently declare that they were then accoumpted of the housholde of god M. Therefore because the promises of the kingdome the testameÌ„t did properly pertain vnto the Iewes they ar worthely called the soÌ„nes of the kingdoÌ„ Of this matter Paul doth dispute at large in his epistle to the Romaynes C. Secondly we muste note that Christe dothe not speake of euery one but of the whole nation This truely was farre harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it mighte seme scarse tollerable for the Gentiles to be planted knytte and vnited to the same body by frée adoption with the posteritie of Abraham Notwithstanding Christe pronounceth that they shal be vnited to the end God might admitte straungers into the bosome of Abraham and denye the chyldren B. that the laste may be firste and the fyrste last M. So that it is not to be thoughte that the Lorde woulde haue all the Iewyshe chyldren of the kyngdome to be caste out but he hathe selected and chosen to hym selfe certayne of them as saynt Paule wryteth to the Romaynes Euen as we may not thinke that all the Gentiles shal be saued but that the chosen of God shal be gathered from amonge them Into vtter darkenes C. There is a secrete antithesis in this woorde vtter darkenes for Christe dothe signifie that out of his kyngdome whiche is the kyngdome of lyghte there reigneth nothynge but darkenes For the Scriptures when they make mencion of darkenes do signifie metaphorically a horrible kynde of payne whiche the tongue of man in this lyfe cannot expresse nor the harte imagine Bu. So that by these greuous threatenynges Christe went not about to dismaye the Iewes or to brynge them into dispayre but rather to drawe them out of the myre and puddell of incredulitie and to wynne the Gentiles vnto hym who came to saue bothe the Iewe and the Gentyle There shal be vvepynge M. This is a Metaphor by the whiche he compareth that vnhappy state and condition of the damned to captiues sytting in a dongeon or darke place full of horror and feare who are constrayned by an euell conscience feare of the iudgement to come to wepe wayle mourne gnashe their teethe And thus thought he good to set foorthe the tormentes of damned soules 13 And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion go thy waye and as thou beleuest â—…o shall it be vnto thee And his seruaunt was healed in the selfe same hower And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion M. Nowe the Lorde aunswerynge the Centurion graunteth him his petitioÌ„ as if he should say be of good chere and quiet thy minde For go thy waye in this place hath such signification Neyther is this a symple commaundement to go vnto his owne whiche shoulde cary with it ambition but it is an assent or agreinge to that whiche was demaunded So Dauid consentinge to the woman of Thecoa sayd go home to thy house I wyll geue a charge for thee So we reade that Christ did often tymes sende awaye the afflicted after they had obtayned consolation at his handes saying go in peace and be whole from thy plague And in another place he saythe go thy sonne lyueth And as thou beleuest so shall Bu. In fewe woordes euidently he declareth the efficacy of faythe Faythe bryngeth to passe and is the cause that we receyue that by the power operation of the holy ghoste whiche we beleue of the woorde of god The Centurion beleued that the Lorde coulde heale his seruaunte lying sycke therefore the lorde healed hym C. Hereby it appeareth howe louingly our Sauioure Christe poureth out his grace if he may haue the vessell of fayth open vnto hym For although oure Sauioure Christe speaketh vnto the Centurion notwithstanding there is no doubte but that by his example he woulde haue vs all to haue the lyke faythe Moreouer we are here taught what is the cause that God dothe oftentymes reiecte oure prayers surely our incredulitie and vnbeliefe Wherefore if in faythe we come vnto hym we maye be sure our prayers shal be harde So shall it be vnto thee M. These woordes do not onely expresse and set forth the goodnes of Christe but also his omnipotency by the whiche he hathe in his wyll and power lyfe and death healthe and syckenesse yea onely with his assente he restored this seruaunte whiche was euen nowe at the poynte of deathe to healthe and lyfe He saythe not go thy waye I wyll praye vnto my father for thee or for thy seruaunte but he saythe go thy waye be it vnto thee according to thy faythe
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
quiet vntill present daunger vrged them and then exceading feare stirred them vp and perswaded them that they shoulde not bee saued excepte they awoke Christe And this was the cause why he accused them of infidelitie 26 And he sayde vnto them why are ye fearefull O ye of litle faithe then he arose and rebuked the wyndes and the sea and there followed a greate calme VVhy are ye fearefull O ye of litle Bu. Nowe it followeth howe Christe behaued him selfe in this daunger and after what sorte he delte with his disciples being paste hope almoste Firste he blameth the imbecillite of their faith in this that he teacheth howe they ought not to quayle in perilles but cōstantly with an vndoubted mynde to hope for present helpe from the handes of the lord and sauioure Notwithstanding of this reprehension of Christe a question may be moued namely whether all feare ought to be cōdēned repugnāt to faith At the first he reprehendeth them not symplely because they feared but because they were full of feare they were out of measure afrayed Then he opposeth faithe against their feare and declareth that he speaketh of their immoderate perturbation which did not so muche exercise their faithe as it did shake their myndes Hereby it appeareth that all kinde of feare is not contrary to faythe for if we feare nothyng then there aryseth a wonderfull carelesnesse of the fleshe so that faithe languysheth synne increaseth and the remembraunce of God vanisheth away So we see that the feare whiche exerciseth faith is not of it selfe euell vntill it exceadeth the excesse consisteth in this if the tranquillitie of faythe be troubled or disquieted whiche ought to areste in the worde of God. Then he arose and rebuked A. Christ would trie his disciples but he woulde not suffer them to perishe therefore he rebuketh the wyndes and there followed a calme C. he commaunded the sea and the wynde to be quiet not that the lake had any sence or vnderstandynge but that he might shewe that the power of his voyce did pearce euen through the deafe elementes And there follovved a great calme M. This trewely bryngeth an vnspeakeable ioye and comforte to all the elect For in this place we learne that there is nothinge in this worlde so harde so cruell and desperate which Christ can not rule tame and ouercome C. Neyther doth the sea and the winde alone which are voyde of sence obeye the rule and power of God but the very wicked also for all their obstinacie are constrayned to couche To this place agreeth the sayinge of the prophete Dauid when he saith God is oure hope and strengthe a very present helpe in trouble Therefore we wyll not feare thoughe the earth be moued and though the hilles be caryed to the myddest of the sea Though the waters therof rage and swell and though the mountaines shake at the presence of the same Againe The lorde maketh warres to ceasse in all the worlde he breaketh the bowe and knappeth the speare in sonder burneth the chariots in the fyer M. It is most true therfore that the byshoppes of Rome affyrme that the ship of Christ whiche is the churche can not perishe it maye be assalted and beaten filled with waues but in the ende it wil escape and possesse a calme They speake the trueth It appereth no lesse by this place And we reioyce But let them see whether they be in the ship with Christ or no whiche perishe not then let them see whether they them selues are not they whiche trouble the churche or no which ouerwhelming the trewth replenishe and ouerlade the same with mennes traditions 27 But the men marueyled saying what maner of man is this that both windes and sea obey him C. The Euangelistes Marke and Luke attribute this saying to the apostels for after they had said that they were reprehended of Christ they adde that they cried out with feare sayinge what maner of man is this Notwithstandinge this saying did more appertayne to others to whom Christ as yet was not knowne Yet we allowe theim bothe Here nowe the fruite of the miracle appereth when the glory of Christ is celebrated For thē miracles do profyte vs when we wonder at the power of God in Christ submitte our selues wholly to his wyll Bu. Wherfore let all men learne here when they are delyuered from euyll that they haue respect to God alone to geue to hym all glory and to be thanckfull vnto hym for his benefites 28 And when he was come to the other side into the countrey of the Gergesites there met him twoo possessed with deuilles whiche came out of the graues and were out of measure fearce so that no mā might go by that way And vvhen he vvas come B. By an other excellent miracle or benefite the lorde sealeth his power and declareth it to the whole world manifestly approuing him selfe to be lord not onely of the disseases and elementes of the worlde but also to be the ruler of Sathan the prince of this world Into the countrey of the Gergesites C. We haue already a littell before confuted their erroure whiche affirme that Marke and Luke declare an other history then this For when as the region of the Gadarenites is saide to be that which lieth ouer against Galilae of all the three Euangelistes and all the circumstaunces also do agree who wil be perswaded that these thynges happened at dyuerse tymes There met hym tvvoo possessed C. This one onely difference gaue occasion of errour to the interpretours to disseuer Mathew from the rest because he nameth twoo the other Euangelistes reherse and make mention but of one only But the coniecture of Austine is probable who thinking that there was twoo saith that they made mention but of one of them whiche was more famouse then the other because of his exceading fercenesse for the whiche crueltie and fearcenes the miracle seemed more wonderfull in him And trewelye we do see that Luke and Marcke do persist in amplyfying with many woordes the cruel fearcenesse of the deuyll the whiche maketh muche with the coniecture of S. Austin Where as Luke saithe there mett with the lorde a man out of the citie it is vncertaine whether he vnderstande hym to be a citizen of the Gadarenites or whether he wente oute of the cittie to meete with Christ For when he was commanded to go home as you may reade in the story and to preache to his famelye and kinsefolke the grace and mercy of God Marcke saith that he went and preached in the tenne cities which was a regyon nye to the Gadarenites and oueragaynst Galilae wherevppon it is gathered that he was not a Gadarenite by byrth Moreouer Mathew and Marke do in no point affirme that he came out of the citie but out of the monumentes or graues and Luke declareth that he lyued in the wyldernes These woordes therefor of Luke There met hym a certayne man oute of
demaunde by what authoritie Christe toke so great a thing vppon him but they without any inquisition fayninge him to be a mortall man make haste rashely to condemne hym B. They vnderstoode not that Christe was God And yet notwithstaÌ„ding these Scribes were more holy and religiouse then a greate many namely then those whiche affirme that they can absolue froÌ„ synnes and that by indulgences they can forgeue sinnes for suche blaspheme the name of the lord Only the lorde remitteth and forgeueth synnes the minister of the lorde doth only pronounce out of the woorde and the mouthe of God that God hathe forgeuen and wyll forgeue synnes For all power is the lordes for euer the ministry the ministers onely As concerning the whiche reade the .xx. chapter of saynt Iohn 4 And when Iesus sawe their thoughtes he sayde why thinke ye euell in your hartes VVhen Iesus savve their thoughtes S. This is spoken by a Metaphor of the body to the minde for to know or vnderstande So that this sentence when he sawe their thoughtes is as much to say when he knewe their thoughtes Theophilacte vseth this woorde sawe but Chrisostome hathe in stede of the same knewe VVhy thinke ye euell C. Nowe Christe sheweth a playn tokeÌ„ of his diuinitie in that he bewraieth their thoughtes For no man knoweth what is in a man but the spirite whiche is within the man Christe taried not tyll they vttered and declared their mynde but doth preuente them before Whereupon they myght see that to be in Christ which is in God only that is to know the hartes and thoughes of man Marke therefore saithe that he knewe and perceiued in his spirite their thoughtes as if he shoulde haue sayde it coulde not be perceiued of fleshe bloud what was in the harte but Christe by his deuine spirite perced and entered into the same He saith that they thought euel in their hartes not because it greued theÌ„ to haue that transferred to a mortall maÌ„ whiche God doth only take vnto him self but because so proudely and maliciously they reiecte God so mercifully offeringe hym selfe vnto them 5 For whether is easyer to saye Thy synnes are forgeuen thee or to saye aryse and walke M. Christe proueth by these wordes that he hath power to remitte synnes and that by the moste certayne testimony of all men that is to saye of the deuine power and efficacy whiche no deceiuer or false Prophete can vsurpe vnto him selfe Whether is easier sayth he to saye and so forth C. As if he should say when it is as haâ—…de a matter to restore a dead body to lymmes as to remitte synnes it shoulde not seme straunge and wonderfull to you that I remitte synnes when I do the other M. If I had sayde to the sycke man arise and walke ye would not haue accused me of blasphemy but when I sayd thy sinnes are forgeuen thee I seme to you to be a blasphemer Wherefore Because it belongeth to God onely to remitte synnes Nowe aunswere ye whiche of these two is most easy namely not only to restore and helpe this sicke persone being incurable out of hande with a woorde but also in a moment without touching and prayer to make hym perfect and sounde or whether with a worde to forgeue him his synnes Obiection C. Notwithstanding Christ semeth not to reason very perfectly because loke how muche the soule doth excell the body so muche dothe forgeuenes of synnes excell the healthe of the body But I aunswere that Christe doth apply his talke to their capacitie who as they were sensible so they were more moued by externall signes then by all the spirituall power of Christe whiche pertayned to euerlasting lyfe and saluation So in another place he proueth that the efficacy of the Gospell is of force to quicken men because in the laste daye he shall with his woorde rayse men out of their graues This argument therefore was of force inough to refell and confute theÌ„ who estemed nothinge more then the visible miracle in so much that they coulde not deny but that lawefully he forgaue the sinnes of the sicke man when he restored his healthe and strengthe to hym againe because out of this effecte the remission of sinnes appeared 6 But that ye may know that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes in earth Then sayth he to the sycke of the palsey aryse take vp thy bed and go vnto thy house But that ye may knovve M. Christe goeth about to proue that he is no blasphemer but that he did the thing and coulde do it again by his iuste power and authoritie For he whiche dothe no more then that whiche is in his power to do doth not amis neither can he be a blasphemer The Gréeke woorde for the whiche we reade power signifieth both power and righte Christe did all thinges by his deuine righte not by any vniuste or vsurped power C. This power therefore whiche he chalengeth to hym selfe differeth farre from that whiche was committeth and geuen to the Apostles and whiche the ministers of the church at this daye vse for they do not so much remitte sinnes as they do testifie that they are remitted When they promulgate the ambassage committed vnto them A. as we haue spoken a litle before By these woordes Christe doth not onely affirme hym selfe to be a minister and a wytnes of this grace but also to be the authour of the same That the sonne of man. Z. This Periphrasis doth set forth the propertie of the thinge for he would shewe hym self in all thinges synne onely excepted to be a perfecte man and lyke vnto vs. Question C. But to what ende pertayneth the restraynte In earth For what doth it proffite vs to gette pardon here excepte the same may as well be graunted in heauen and ratified there Christ spake thus because remission of sinnes should not be sought a farre of beinge offered to the handes of men in his owne persone For we dare not presume at any time to say that God is mercifull vnto vs excepte he approching shewe hym selfe familiar vnto vs Nowe because for this ende and purpose Christe came into the earthe that he mighte offer the present grace of God vnto men he is sayde to remitte synnes in earth Because in hym and by hym the wyll of God is made manifest which before according to the sence of the flesh was hydden aboue the cloudes B. Let vs therfore consider this to th end we may wholely depende on hym which onely can saue vs from our sinnes Then he saith to the sicke of the palsey A. Nowe the lorde tourning hym selfe to the sicke man declareth of howe great power and authoritie he is When he biddeth hym to aryse take vp his bed to get him home to his owne house 7 And he arose and went home to his owne house M. Leaste any man should thinke that the wordes of Christe were voyde of force and effecte
that all thinges oughte to be asked of hym in a sounde faythe and that the faithfull do aske nothynge of hym in vayne For these aske nothynge but that whiche they are perswaded of by the holy ghost and do it to the glory of God. 30 And theyr eies were opened And Iesus charged them sayinge Se that no man knowe of it .. And theyr eies vvere opened A. Parfecte healthe followeth Faythe Althoughe a syngular benefyte is here declared to be bestowed vppon the two blynde men yet notwithstanding hereupon we may gather a generall doctryne That if wee praye alwaies in faythe wee shal neuer suffer the repoulce in oure petitions Agayne if these twoo of lyttell faythe and beynge as yet nothynge at all furnyshed in faythe obtayned that whiche they coulde desyre muche more then shall wee with oure faythe at this daye preuayle whyche are endewed verye plentifully with the spirite of adoption if we come vnto God bearing our selues boulde vpon the sacrifice of a mediatour And he charged them sayinge let no man knovve of B. This warneth and exhorteth vs from preachinge openly the glory of God by our owne intrusion rashe zeale without occasion mynistred by Goddes holye spirite that is before we be sente 31 But they when they were departed spred abroade his name in all the lād C. In that these twoo hauinge receyued their sighte publyshe by and by the benefyte whiche they receyued contrary to the commaundement they deserue blame For it is not as some fayne that Christe forbadde them to the ende they should be the more desirouse to publyshe the same abroade There is some cause why they shoulde be forbodden which is vnknowne to vs but these men beinge moued with a rashe zeale did spreade his same abroade before the time A. wherfore that whiche they did was worthye of reprehension B. although they emed to do it to the glory of Christe He which is a Christian in deede will alwaies seke to perfourme and fulfill the will of God and wyll also beware that he prefer not his owne wyl before the will of his maister beinge certaynely perswaded that Christ neuer forbiddeth any thyng to be done that is symplely good But where as the name of Chryste was neuerthelesse set forth by their disobediēce which happened to some for the best the oughte to be ascribed to the goodnes of God and not to their disobediēce C. So Paul was gladde that Chryste was preached by any occassion but yet he neuer commended those that dyd so preache M. Let vs therefore learne symplely to obey the commaundementes of God howe so euer it seemeth good in our eies too do the contrarye For it doth not become a man to seeke to be wyser then the wysedome of God it selfe whiche commandeth nothinge without speciall reason weighty matter leadynge the same We know ryghte well what happened to Saule because he dyd contrary to the commandemente of God in reseruynge parte of the praye of Ameleche Agayne we are not ignorant that the man which wolde not smite the prophete according to the woorde of the lorde was slaine of a lyon And whye woulde he not smyte the prophete Because he thought it euyll so to do The lyke did Peter when he wente about to perswade Christ that he sholde not suffer him selfe to be crucified of the Iewes Also when he woulde not permitte Christe to washe his feete 32 As they wente oute behoulde they broughte to hym a dombe man possessed of a deuyll As they vvent out Bu. The blynde men beinge scarce gon there commeth an other very myserable vnworthy of help and yet sekyng a benefyte to whom the mercifull lorde denieth nothinge For he is ryche and plentyfull to all those that call vpon his name The treasury of the Lorde is neuer emptie yea thoughe he spende and bestowe innumerable riches He is that bottomlesse well euer open to the ende men may drawe drinck and be satisfied The fathers haue tasted of this goodnesse of God from the begynnynge of the worlde and yet he hathe enoughe in store for vs and our posterytie euen to the worldes ende Behold they broughte to hym a dombe man possessed This myracle only Mathew maketh mētion of the other twoo speaking nothing of the same It is probable and likely that this man by nature was not dombe but when he was delyuered to the deuil the vse of his speche was taken awaye His ponishement was so laied vpon him that it might appere by manifest signes that his toungue was helde by the euyll spirite M. For Sathan specially at that tyme was wonte to obscure the glorye of God in the giftes of seing and speaking but specially in the vse of speaking For in him of whom mention is made here and in hym of the whiche is made mention in the twelthe of Mathewe and of an other in the seuenth of Marcke we se that Sathā toke away the vse strength of theyr speache or at leaste stayed and letted the same 33 And when the deuil was cast out the dōbe spake the people marueiled saying It was neuer so sene in Israell VVhen the deuyll vvas cast out M. Here we se that Chryste doth not onely helpe theym whiche come to seeke his helpe of theyr own free wyl but those also which were broughte by others as it were agaynste their wyll For the Euangelicall history dothe wytnesse that foure kyndes of men were healed and holpen of Chryste The fyrste kynde are those whiche came to seeke his helpe of their own free wyl as the blynde the leprouse and such like The seconde sorte are they which were brought by others as the Rulers daughter of the Synagogge of whome in the eyghtene verse we haue made mention or suche as he was intreated for they beinge not present as the seruaunt of the Centurion and the daughter of the woman of Canaan The third sorte are they whiche he came vnto and healed of his owne voluntary will beinge not called or sent for as the man whiche was sicke of the dissease thirtye yeres and the man also that was borne blinde furthermore the sonne of the wyddowe whiche was deade The fourth sorte are they whiche came not onely of their owne voluntary wyll but were also dryuen by violence compultion as was this demoniake this possessed beynge dombe whose remedy is descrybed vnto vs in this presente hystorye in the whiche is set forth vnto vs the singular goodnesse and prompte redynesse of Christe to heale the sycke to helpe the impotent and to comforte the afflicted And the people marueyled sayinge C. This miracle is wholly in it self simple good and a manyfeste token of the kyngedome of God but here we se that it is not taken and receiued in this manner for if it had then woulde the multitude haue receyued this dede of Christe then woulde the Scrybes and Pharyseyes haue imbraced not onely the dede but the doer of the same
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
those worthy onely whiche were no synners for if that were so why dyd Christe kepe company with Publicanes and synners and offered his grace vnto them Whiche also sayde I came not to call the righteous but synners to repentaunce Or we may symplely vnderstande those to be worthy whiche study integritie of lyfe and in whome the feare of God is and religion as we sayde euen nowe And there abyde C. This also pertaineth to makynge haste in theyr iourney For if they shoulde haue made any longe tarience in one towne then must they nedes haue shifted their Inne often leaste they shoulde bee ouerchargeable to one man When as Christ therfore cōmaundeth thē to abide tary at their first Iune vntill they go frō thence vnto another citie he signifieth that they must make haste that the Gospell beinge published in one cittie they may go by and by to another And that this is the meaning of Christe it appeareth more playnly by the wordes of Luke when he saythe Go not from house to house For this had bene vnsemely for the Apostels beinge Ambassadours of the heauēly kingdome so to do 12 And when ye come into an house salute the same E. Certaine old Greke bookes adde these woordes sayinge Peace be vnto this house And so hath the olde interpretours also C. Because the disciples coulde not discerne the true sincere worshippers of God frō those that were contēners despisers the lorde cōmaūdeth thē to salute frēdly euery house the thei com into For a salutation is an entraunce or beginning of talke Euen nowe they were admonished to go vnto those houses in the whiche the study of godlines was knowē to florishe but because sometime it commeth to passe that they whiche are of greate fame and are well accompted of bewraye theyr owne impietie when triall is made it was necessary that this commaundement shoulde be geuen vnto them The sence and meaninge therefore of thys place is thys Proue at your first commynge whether the goodmen of the houses to whome yee come can be content to heare you willingly or no and whosoeuer shall gladly receiue imbrace your doctrine abyde with them that your salutation may be confirmed But if any refuse or reiecte the same departe out of hande from them and withdrawe and plucke backe from them so muche as you may your salutatiō again M. This salutation semeth to bee that whiche Christ commaunded to his disciples saying In to what house so euer ye enter firste saye peace be in this house After this manner the Iewes were wōte to salute one an other Christe therefore woulde that his disciples shoulde vse this wonted beneuolence of saluting to the ende they might wynne the myndes of those whiche by the Gospell shoulde bee brought to the kyngdome And therefore he sayth firste saye For a salutation is a signe of beneuolence of frendship and of loue by the whiche we wishe well vnto those to whome we come Whereuppon Christe cōmaundeth vs to salute not only our frendes after the manner of the Gentiles but also our enemies 13 And if the house be worthy let youre peace come vpō it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you again And if the house be Bu. As if he shold haue saide by this token ye shall truely knowe who are worthy namely they whiche receiue your preaching A. Therefore if the house be worthy that is if the goodman of the house be worthy that is to saye If he receiue your salutation For Luke sayth in steade of this And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall reste vpon it that we may vnderstand that the peace which the goodmā of the house deserueth is so offered that it pertaineth to the reste of his houshold also and that it shall reste vpon the whole house if it be receiued of the good man of the house Furthermore that the dignitie of the house dothe consiste in the good man of the house it appeareth by Luke whē he saith If the sonne of peace be there And this is the special goodnes of God whiche appeared in the olde testament also because he appointed the grace of the couenaunt promise not only in the lorde of the house but also with him he toke al that were of his house as appeareth in Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and in Zacheus also whē Christ said To day peace is entred into this house because that he also is made a childe of Abraham But if it be not vvorthy M. Luke hath but if he shall not receiue you that is if he be not worthy declare it in not receiuing you Let your peace retourne M. That is get you by and by from them and so much as you may retracte your salutation again For his woordes are in effecte thus Because they for their ingratitude are vnworthy to haue the blessinge of God whiche yee wishe vnto them breake of your communication and go to some other 14 And whosoeuer shal not receiue you nor will heare your preaching when ye depart out of the house or that cittie shake of the duste of your feete And vhosoeuer M. Hetherto the lorde instructed his apostels howe they shoulde shonne and auoyde the vnworthy get them selues to those that were worthy Nowe he teacheth them what they shall do if they chaunce to come to any that be vnworthy and contemners of the grace of god He hath tolde thē how thei should behaue them selues to the worthy Now therefore he sheweth them of the vnworthy and firste of all he setteth before thē a marke or token to the which they must haue respect according to the which thei must iudge of the worthy with whō they abyde and of the vnworthy from whom they departe namely if they be receyued and hearde or not receiued not hearde that by this meanes they may very well knowe who are worthy and who not And he doth not only commaunde his disciples to departe from those whiche by ingratitude reiecte the grace offered vnto them but also to shake the oust of their feete against thē and by the same to testifie what horrible punishement shall come in time vpon such as contemne the Gospell And also by this seuere denunciation of the vengeaunce of God Christ would comforte his disciples leaste they should be dismayed and discouraged for the contempte of his doctrine and leaste the ingratitude of the worlde should let or state them in their busines And we se howe Paule bearing him selfe bolde on this consolation did boldly despyse al the contumacy of men that he myghte go through euen the middest of troubles cōstantly and bosteth him self to be a swete sauour vnto Christe although the sauor of death to them that perishe Moreouer this place teacheth howe muche the lord estemeth his Gospell and truely for so muche as it is an excellent treasure they are to vnthankefull whiche reiecte the same being
destruction of Hierusalem in the which Christ shewed him selfe to be a reuenger of their ingratitude But it rather semeth to be a consolation geuen to the Apostels specially Christe is sayde to come when he dothe remedy those thynges that were paste hope Christe therefore promysed that he would come namely by the power of his spirite to declare his kyngdome that the glorie and maiestie might appeare vnto the Apostels whiche as yet was vnto thē vnknowen 24 The disciple is not aboue his maister neither is the seruaunt aboue his lord B. Now the lorde exhorteth them according to the cōmaundement before geuē all feare of perils and daungers set aside to preache the Gospell bouldly and with a stoute courage throughout the whole prouince And firste he confirmeth them by the example of hym selfe who beynge their Lorde and mayster suffered great persecution and had greater torment to come and that whiche was moste detestable of all they called hym whiche proceaded frō God for the health of man but specially for the Iewes hym I saye they called Beelzebub ascribyng to hym the power of deuels and sayinge that he had a deuell For somuch as therfore the maister hym selfe the lorde and goodman of the house had partely experience of these thynges already and had more to come he dothe very well commaunde his disciples his seruaūtes and houshold that they with a willing minde suffer the like Truely so great is this consolation that it taketh away all sorrowe and griefe when we consider that we are of lyke state and condition with the sonne of god Our Sauiour Christe therefore propoundeth this similitude to the ende his disciples might frame them selues according to his example We are the disciples of Christe as he was troubled and suffered the same paciently so must we For it were a shame for vs to refuse that whereof oure maister thynketh no scorne To this place agréeth that in Iohn The seruaunt is not greater then his lorde if they did persecute me they wyll also persecute you 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his maister is and that the seruaunt be as his lorde is If they haue called the lorde of the house Beelzebub howe muche more shall they cal them of his housholde so C. Christe speaketh here not of perfectiō but of similitude and likenesse as if he should haue sayde there is nothing more mete then that the disciple frame hym selfe accordinge to his maisters example Therefore the Greeke participle Catertismenos in Luke doth not signifie perfecte but apte and fete If they haue called C. When as Christ calleth him selfe the lord of the house it is as muche as if he had called him self the lord of the church as the Apostell comparing him to Moyses the Prophetes calleth thē the householde seruauntes but him the sonne and heyre For althoughe he exalteth vs to suche excellent dignitie that he maketh vs his bretherne yet notwithstandynge he is the fyrst begotten and the heade of the whole body to conclude in him consisteth all rule power Wherfore there is nothinge more absurde then to desyre to be in the nomber of the faythfull and to murmur against God when as he maketh vs accordinge to the Image of his sonne whom he hath made lord ouer his householde For to what ende serue the pleasures of this life if we seeke to haue place in his house To be shorte we are to fine and nyce if we disdayne to suffer those reproches which our lord and kyng toke vpon hym without grudge Beelzebub B. In all the Greeke bookes the last sillable is altered so that it is there called Beelzebub But in Hebrewe it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baal-zebub So they called the chiefe of the fayned Goddes of the Philosophers whom the cittie Accaron worshipped the lesser goddes were called Baalim whiche at this daye in the papacy are called Patrones or aduocates But for so muche as Baal-zebub is as much to say as the captaine or patrone of flies some thinke that it was so called of the aboundance of sacrifices which were so many that the tēple did swarme wyth flies Others thincke a greate deale better that men dyd call for helpe at the Idoles hands against the flies which gretly troubled the place For whē as Ochozias soughte for an aunswere superstitiousely as concernynge his health of the immage hee called hym by the name of Baalzebub whereby it appereth that it was no name of reproche Fynally as holy and deuoute men translated this name Gehēna to hel to make the place infamouse so for the hate and detestynge of the Idole Baalzebub they called him the deuyll Whervpon we gather that the reprobate to the ende they might make Christ detestable to al men letted not to defame him with opbrobryouse woordes as if he had ben a deuyll and the greatest ennemy to religion and godlines Wherfore if it shal chaunce vs to haue the same ignominie that whiche beginneth in the head and is finished in the members ought not to seeme newe vnto vs. Bu. It is a cōmon custome now adaies for the faithful ministers of gods word to be called sediciouse schismatyques heretiques rebels churchrobbers charmers whiche reproches we must learne to suffer paciētly after the example of Christ the sonne of God. Hovve muche more shall they M. Behold how in the applicatiō of the prouerbe Christe had rather say the lord of the house the household then the master the seruantes In the which thing he sufficiētly declareth how much he wolde haue those that are his ioyned vnto him no doubte with the same affectiō with the which he saith in an other place Now I say not that ye are not seruaūtes but frendes Wherfore it can not be but that he hath a continual care of the faithefull because they are of his householde and friendes 26 Feare them not therefore For there is nothinge close that shall not be opened and nothinge hyd that shall not be knowne Feare them not M. He gathereth the thing by the equalitie afore said which he would perswade namely that those enemies are not to be feared which persecute euē to death Therfore he saith when as they dealt so maliciousely with the sonne of God which excelled al men ye ought not to be let with any feare but ought boldely to discharge your dewetie For there is nothinge close C. When the Apostelles shoulde see the Gospell so contemptyble and despysed and the smaule nomber of the faythefull also it myghte discourage and make them voyde of all hope This doubte Christe helpeth by the waye declarynge vnto theim that the Gospell muste be preached a greate deale farther and that by the same the obstynacye of menne shall at lengthe be reuealed For althoughe this sayinge Nothynge is so close that it shall not be reuealed is a prouerbiall sentence here notwithstanding it ought specially to be restrained to the doctryne of saluation which Christe affirmeth
to the ground but he saith and one of them doth not fal by the whiche he teachethe vs that God hath not onely a care for vs in generall but also particularly for euery one of vs For if he haue taken charge so of euerye sparrowe that not one of them without his prouidence and wyl falleth not to the earthe howe muche more hath he taken charge of men created and made after his owne similitude and lykenesse But this is contrarye to the opynion of some which rather philosophycally then diuinely immagine that God hathe not a care ouer euery creature in the earthe where as Chryste affyrmeth that al creatures are distinctely and pertycularlye vnder the hande and protection of God to the ende nothynge shoulde seeme to be done by chaunce For trewelye the wyll of God is contrary to Fortune chaūce and wee graunte that in the nature yt selfe of all thynges there is chaunce but wee saye that nothinge dothe happen by the tournynge whele of blynde Fortune where the wyll of God dothe gouerne or beare rule VVithoute your father C That is without the wyll of your father As if he shoulde saye he is your father and not the father of sparrowes howe then can he haue lesse care ouer you then ouer sparrowes 30 Yea euen all the heares of your head are nombered Yea euen all the heares of M. All these thynges which he hath spoken of hytherto haue a meruaylouse Emphasis and force For when he myghte haue added Howe muche more shall not ye be killed without your fathers wil that one care myghte haue aunswered an other hee dothe not soo but to the ende he myghte shewe them that not onely their lyfe but other thinges also of small reputation and counted of them superfluouse are in lyke manner vnder theyr fathers prouydence he saithe All the heares of youre headde are nombered As if he shold say Not onely your lyfe youre bodies and other thinges that are dere vnto you but also your heares how lyttel so euer they be estemed are of care charge to youre heauenly father in so much that they are nombered vnto him So that there is nothynge in you to the whiche he hath not some respecte For he saith not in vayne they Are nombered that he myght shewe forthe a singular and speciall care For all thinges that are nombered and tolde are nombered to the ende none of theym wherof we kepe tale should at any time be loste To the which effecte pertayneth this woord of the preterperfect tence or time which is alredy past which he vseth here For he saith not they shall be nombered in time to come but they are alredy nombred As if he shoulde saye euen frō the time of youre creation the Lorde hath taken and doth take charge of you C. Wherfore we must consider the prouidence of God not as vayne curyouse men do but that we may haue matter of trust and confidence and be styrred to the inuocation and callynge vpon God. 31 Feare ye not therefore For ye are of more value then many sparrowes Feare ye not M. Now he concludeth that they muste not feare and also exhorteth his discyples to lyfte vp theyr mindes B. As if he shold say if God haue so gret a care for you be not a fearde but go to and discharge your deuty with a bolde constante mynde This truely bryngeth greate consolation if a man conceiue the same in his minde with a sure vndoutted faythe For all thinges are dispensed and geuen by the handes of God without whose prouydence the least thing in the whole world can not be brought to passe Ye are muche better then C. This generally is trewe of all men for whose sake sparrows were created notwithstāding this is properly spoken of the sonnes of God who excell otherwaies then by the ryght of creation A. For they are borne a new not of mortall seede but of immortal by the woorde of God which lyueth and lasteth for euer C. But this dignitie pertaineth no other wise vnto men then by the free estimation grace of God which vouchesaueth to receiue the vnworthye as worthy Bu. Since Christe therefore saith ye are muche better to your father then sparrowes there is no cause whye ye shoulde bee afraide of men who are vnder the subiection of god Therefore leaue the care of your life and deathe vnto hym neyther be ye dismayed for any feare of the wycked because he can rerestraine their force and frustrate theyr deuyses and imaginations against you 32 Euery one therefore that confesseth me before men him will I acknoweledge also before my father whiche is in heauen M. The Greke text hath whosoeuer acknowledgeth in me I wil acknowledge in him In stede of whosoeuer acknowledgeth me I will acknowledge hym For he spake thus as the newe interpretroure thinketh accordynge to the manner of speache of the Hebrewes who often tymes vse this letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche serueth in steede of the preposition In. C. Nowe Christe amplifieth that which he spake euē now of the contēpt of deth to this present vse and purpose because we must fighte agaynste the horroure of deathe leaste that the same do calle vs from the trewe confession of the Fayth whiche God most strayghtly requyreth and the worlde refuseth Therefore it was necessary that the disciples of Christ were stronge and of a hauty stomacke to this ende that they myghte be alwais readye to martyrdome M. For here the argumente is taken for trewe equytie For what can be more ryghte and iuste then to haue that seruaunte denyed of his lorde in the tyme of his glorye and victorye whiche denyed hym in the tyme of warre Agayne what can be more pleasant then to haue the seruant acknoweledged in the tyme of the glory of his maister whiche in the tyme of humylitie and persecution claue vnto him with all force and myghte euen to the basardinge of hys lyfe C. Therefore the confession of Chryst althoughe it be neglected of the greatest part of men as a tryffel Here notwithstandynge it is accounted of as a specyall worshyp of God and a singuler exercyse of pyetie and not withoute greate cause For if that earthely kinges for the defending and mayntainyng of their glorye and renoume and for the encreasynge of theyr rychesse call theyr subiectes to armoure and appoynt them to warre why should not the faythful supporte defende and maynteine the glory of the heauenly kyng at least with their tongue Wherefore it is most sure that they extinguishe and deface the faith so much as in them lyeth whiche inwardly suppresse the same as thoughe the outewarde profession were superfluouse and vaine For Christ dothe not call vs here his witnesses in vaine by whose mouthe his name in this world is celebrated and glorified Christ I say wil haue the profession of his name set against al false religion because it is an odiouse thinge he biddeth vs to
deathe Marke addeth and for the Gospels sake Shall fynde it Marke Luke haue Shall saue it This is a singuler comforte and consolation that he whiche loseth his life for Christes sake doth coÌ„mende the same into the handes of Christe where it shal fynde euerlasting reste and felicitie A. Let vs beware therefore that none of vs be punyshed as a murtherer as a thiefe as a backbyter or as a busy bodye in other mens matters But let vs suffer afflictioÌ„ according to the wyll of God committing oure soules to hym by well doynge as vnto a faythfull creditour 40 He that receiueth you receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me M. This also is a great consolation against the trouble of excommunication and persecution whiche they should suffer of the whiche we haue spoken before Nowe being not content in tellynge the punyshementes that they should suffer which reiected the Apostels he proceadeth farther and sheweth what proffite the worthy receiuers of the Apostels haue namely suche proffite that he whiche receiueth them receyueth Christe hym selfe and his heauenly father also whiche sente hym that men myghte hereby knowe howe dere they were both to hym and to his father also C. Finally he speaketh not so much of the receiuing of the doctrine as he doth of the receiuing of the men We muste note therefore the purpose of Christe who testified that whiche he sawe was fitte to helpe their infirmities Namely that if any man receyued them frendly and gently that then it was as acceptable vnto hym as if they had liberally intreated and intertained him in their person and not only this but also that they do offer to God the sacrifice of a swete sauour C. But we muste note here to whome Christe speaketh these woordes surely to his Apostels disciples Therefore he speaketh to them that do his will not to seducers whiche preache not the worde of the lorde but their own fancies and dreames abusing these woordes of the lorde as if they were true ministers when as in dede they be false Prophetes In Iohn the lorde very plainely saythe Verely verely I saye vnto you he that receiueth whomesoeuer I sende receyueth me But these false Prophetes roÌ„ne before they be sent they speake but not of the Lordes mouthe 41 He that receiueth a Prophete in the name of a Prophete shall receiue a Prophetes rewarde And he that receiueth a iuste man in the name of a iuste man shall receiue a iuste mans rewarde Bu. Nowe he sheweth at large the rewarde whiche he wyll bestowe vpon those that receyue his messengers to this ende no doubte that his ministers might haue the more sauoure among men C. He beginneth truely with the Prophetes but at lengthe descending to the lowest degree he comprehendeth all those that are his disciples Therefore without exception he coÌ„mendeth the true worshippers of God and the louers of the Gospell But to receyue in the name of a Prophete and of a iust maÌ„ is as muche as to do them good for the honour of the doctrine and in respecte of pietie and godlines For although God hath commaunded vs generally to loue al men by the bonde of charitie notwithstanding worthely he bryngeth his to a hier degree that men might haue special care and consideration of them aboue others According to the saying of saynt Paule Let vs do good vnto all men but specially to theÌ„ of the housholde of faithe Shall receiue a Prophetes revvarde C. Diuers interpretours expounde this diuersly It semeth to some that a mutuall recoÌ„pence or satisfaction is noted here because the Prophetes of God geue againe spiritual benefites for earthly thinges But it this exposition be allowed what shal be the rewarde of the iuste Other some vnderstande it that they shall be fellowes and companions of the same rewarde whiche is layde vp for the Prophetes and the iuste because they were benefitial toward them Many referre it to the communion of Sainctes because as we by our beneficence and liberalitie do testifie that we are one body with the seruauÌ„tes of Christe euen so by this meanes we are made partakers of al good thinges which Christe doth communicate and bestowe vpon the members of his body But it rather semeth to be vnderstoode symplely the rewarde of a Prophete that is a rewarde that may aunswere the dignitie of the persone to whome the office shall be committed 42 And whosoeuer shall geue to one of these litle ones to drinke a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verely I saye vnto you he shall not lose his rewarde And vvhosoeuer shall geue C. To amplifie this he promiseth a rewarde to euery one that dothe the leaste parte of the dutie of charitie namely to geue a cup of colde water He calleth them lytle ones not only whiche are lowest in degree and basest in the churche but all his disciples also whiche are disdained of the worlde So in an other place he saythe feare not littell flocke A cup of colde vvater A. By this the lorde declareth that he doth not so muche regarde the gifte as he doth respecte the mynde of the geuer neither the worke so muche as he dothe the wyll of the worker As we may reade of the wydowe who castyng twoo mytes into the treasurie is sayde of Christe to caste in more then all the reste Verely verely I saye vnto you M. Because it semeth incredible to man that he hathe done any suche excellent thing in geuing a cup of colde water he affirmeth it with an othe saying Verely verely I saye vnto you he shall not lose his rewarde Where we muste note that he sayth not he shall receyue his rewarde but he shall not lose his rewarde to preuent our cogitation by the which we perswade oure selues that we shall receiue no rewarde for so smal benefites For so saithe the Apostell God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your worke labour the proceadeth of loue which loue ye shewe in his name which haue ministred vnto the sainctes and yet minister The .xi. Chapter AND it came to passe that wheÌ„ Iesus had made an end of coÌ„maunding his twelue disciples he departed theÌ„ce to teache and to preache in their citties And it came to passe B. Luke saith that they departed wente through the townes â—…reaching the Gospell healing euery where And Marke hath the same wordes in effect Notwithstanding Christe him selfe woulde not geue ouer his dutie as many slowe bellies and idell prelates do in these dayes which neither preache theÌ„ selues to the people nor yet prouide that others may do it for them C. So sone therefore as the lord had sent his disciples to preache in Iury he hym selfe went to preache in Galilae Of commaunding the tvvelue C. There is great force in this word of coÌ„maunding because Mathewe declareth that they had not frée liberty in their Embassage but it was prescribed
vnto thē what thei should do howe they should behaue thē selues Bu. By this place we maye gather that there is no worke so excellent as the office of teaching For the lorde him selfe whiche did exercise him selfe in the moste excellent workes of God did esteme nothing more thē the preaching of the worde neither did he any thinge more often or more feruently And by this it is manifest that ther is no worship of God more acceptable then the study of the worde of god For the lord pronoūceth them blessed which heare the worde of God kepe it He saith also to Martha as concerning Mary Mary hath chosen the better parte whiche shal not be taken frō her For she sate at the féete of the lord heard his word In their citties E. That is in those citties in the whiche they had preached before For the other Euangeliste saith that the lorde sent them by two two before hym into euery citty place whether he hym self wold come A. Wherfore it was said before ye shal not go through al the citties of Israel before the sonne of mā be come 2 VVhen Iohn being in prison hearde the workes of Christe he sent two of his disciples VVhen Iohn being in prison B. Luke wryteth that Christe before the disciples of Iohn came had restored the wydowes sonne to life which dwelte in the gate of the citie of Naym in the presence of many people wherupon they were al taken with feare glorified God saying A great Prophete is risen vp among vs and God hath visited his people For God can by no better meanes declare his fauour vnto mē then by sending vnto thē his Prophetes which may throughly instructe them in his knowledge Therfore there went forth a rumor of him through out all Iury throughout al the regions that lie rounde about And the disciples of Iohn shewed him of all these thinges In prison B. The Gréeke texte hath Iohn being in bondes He sent tvvo of his disciples C. The Euangelistes meane not that Iohn was moued to knowe the mediator by myracles But because he sawe that Christ began to waxe glorious thinking now that a cōuenient tyme was come to confirme the testimonie that he bare of hym he sent his disciples vnto hym A. Not for his owne cause but for his disciples sake who thoughte better of their maister then they did of Christe as we may reade in the third of Iohn C. Also their diuinatiō is but vayne which faine Iohn Baptiste being nowe at the pointe of death to demaunde the questions following of Christe that he might reporte it of his mouthe to the fathers that were dead But it is playne and euident that this forerūner of Christ sēt his disciples to th ende they might be confirmed in the knowlege of the Messias he him self hauīg trauailed in the same before that they mighte imbrace Christe faithfully without delay Hereby al the ministers of God are taught to send all men vnto Christ B. And what soeuer they be that teache the truthe they will acknowledge thē selues with S. Paule to be the ministers of this maister onely But it is the point of all false Apostels to make thē selues maisters to leade about with thē disciples as S. Paule declareth saying There shal aryse frō among you men speaking peruerse things to drawe disciples after thē On the contrary parte those that are true pastors directe sende their disciples vnto Christ geuing authoritie to him whiche is the maister onely C. Iohn in the beginning did acknowledge that he was not the bridegrome This I say maye be an example to all the ministers of the Gospell 3 And said vnto him Arte thou he that shall come or do we loke for an other E. The Gréeke woorde signifieth bothe tences as Art thou he that art cōming or is it thou that shalt come M. He speaketh as if he were doubtful when as notwithstāding he doubted not as sufficiētly appeareth by S. Iohn But he declareth by this that his disciples were not as yet well confirmed in the which he had taught thē C. It was a cōmen principle of piety amōg the Iewes that Christ the author of perfect helth and felicitie should come Wherfore of this matter he moueth not the question but only demaundeth whether Iesus be the promised redemer or no. For after they were persuaded of the promised redemption in the lawe Prophetes it was necessary that they should imbrace the same beinge offered in the persone of Christe 4 Iesus answered and said vnto them Go and shew Iohn what ye haue heard and sene B. Luke wryteth that Christ in the same houre cured many that were troubled with infirmities plagues of euel spirites vnto many that were blinde he gaue sight that thē he said Go your way brīg word vnto Iohn what things ye haue heard sene C. For as Iohn bare the persone or represented another man so Christ cōmaundeth to tel him that which his disciples shoulde marke moste But where as he answereth not simpely first he doth it to this end that he might as he thought it best declare the matter it self then that he might geue a more frée argumēt of teaching to his crier or forerūner 5 The blinde receiue their sight the lame walke the lepers are clēsed the deafe heare the dead are raysed vp and the poore receiue the glad tydinges of the Gospel The blynde receiue C. This place is taken out of the prophecie of Esay that the disciples of Iohn might knowe that a Prophete did witnes of the kingdome of Christ vnder the which kingdom God did promise him self so liberal beneficiall that he would bring help remedy to al mortal men And there is no doubte but that he speaketh there of the spiritual deliuerāce from all euels miseries But Christ as it was said before sheweth by externall visible signes that he came a spiritual phisition to heale the soules of men And so it came to passe that the disciples of Iohn wēt their ways fully satisfied with a perfecte answere M. Christe therfore did rather seke that the thing should declare it self thē that he him self wold beare any testimony of him self as he dothe in many other places also And the poore receiue the. The Gréeke text hath The poore are preached that is cōsolation tranquillity is declared to the afflicted sorrowful C. This second place also is taken out of the prophecy of Esay is in effect like vnto the place that went before because the same teachinge that the treasures of grace are offered to the world in Christe expresseth that Christe was sent specially to the poore afflicted Christe bringeth this prophecy partly to indue those that are his with humilitie partly that he might take away the offēce whiche the carnal sence might cōceiue by his poore base contēptible flock For
meaning of the wordes is this You went into the deserte but your readines lightnes was altogether folishe vain except your going had some certaine end purpose For truly ye sought for no worldly pompe or pastime but your purpose was to heare the word of God by the mouth of the Prophet Now therfore that ye may shewe forth the frute of your purpose let that whiche he spake abide printed in your myndes A rede that is Bu. By the rede shakē with euery blast of wynd declining bending now hither now thither is signified the vacillatiō shaking incōstancy of inconstant mē at euery light occasiō Wherby we may learne that all light inconstant men are vnmete for the ministery of the Gospel For Iohn chaūged not his minde but being in prison cōtinued in the same opinion that he was of before Wherfore they which intende to profite the churche of God to be allowed of him muste be pure simple constant in the worke and busines of the Gospell of Christe 8 Or what went ye out to se A man clothed in soft raimēt Behold they that were soft clothing are in kings houses C. They are deceiued which thinke that this is spoken to condēne costly princelyke apparel there are many other places where luxury in apparel to much pōpe is reprehēded But the sence of this place is more simple namely that there was no such thing in the desert by the whiche the people should be drawne thither For there all thinges were vntilled wylde barren whiche coulde bring nothing but werines as for those thinges that did delighte they were in the kinges courtes 9 But what wēt ye out for to se A prophete Yea I say vnto you and more then a Prophete Bu Nowe Christe commeth to the effect grounde of the cōmendation of Iohn to the which the circumstaunce of the place is referred He sayth therfore what wēt ye out for to sée a Prophete M. As if he should saye Because not without occasion ye went forth with such spede into the deserte to Iohn it must nedes be that ye went to sée some great and excellent sight Went ye forth to sée a Prophete For it muste nedes be that ye sought for some singuler thing in Iohn Truly your expectation is not deceiued For ye sawe a Prophete yea And more then a. C. By the which wordes he doth not only confirme the authoritie of Iohn but dothe also preferre his doctrine before the doctrine of the olde Prophets to th end he might bring the people to the right scope end of his ministery For because they did not consider wherfore he was sent it came hereupō to passe that they did proffite nothing at all in his doctrine Christe doth therfore extoll and place him aboue all the Prophetes to the ende they might learne and know howe that some speciall excellent thing was geuen and committed vnto him M. For whereas the reste of the Prophetes dyd prophecie of Christe a great while before that he came This Iohn did shewe that he was come already did pointe him out with the finger C. But where as he him selfe in another place denieth that he is a Prophet it is not contrary to this place For he was not a Prophete after the cōmon manner of other Prophets Whom God had made interpretours of the law and messengers of his will to his church But notwithstandinge he was more excellent thē they because he did not darkely obscurely or vnder shadowes shewe declare that time of redēption but plainly did declare that the same was already come to the whiche effecte the prophecie of Mallachie following pertaineth 10 For this is he of whome it is written beholde I sende my messenger before thy face which shal prepare thy waye before thee B. The Hebrewe texte the thréescore tēne interpretours write this same somewhat more diuersly notwithstanding in the same sence sayinge Beholde I send my messenger he shall prepare or make ready the way before my face and the lord whome ye would haue shall sone come to his temple yea euen the messenger of the couenaunt whome ye long for c. And thus do Mathew and Luke reade it Wherby we gather that it was then so redde in the cōmen Gréeke bookes the whiche they desired rather to followe then by newnes to offend those that are vnperfect and want skill In the Hebrewe texte the wordes are of Christe speaking of him selfe but the wordes of the Euangelistes are of the father speaking of the sonne The aungel here or the messenger of God is Iohn the Baptiste All one waye pertaineth to the father and to Christ his sonne by the which he cōmeth vnto vs we in like maner vnto him in true humility repētaūce with a sounde and perfecte faith M. Iohn prepared the waye being sent before the face of Christ when by the preaching of repentaunce by the testimony that he bare of Christe he sent al mē vnto him as to the sauioure him selfe The which two thinges are to be noted of vs namely the preachinge of repentaunce the faith in Christ For in these two consisteth the waye to life Bu. Such a messenger of so great thinges was Iohn the Baptist as witnesseth his father Zacharias by these wordes And thou childe shalt be called the Prophete of the hiest for thou shalt go before the face of the lorde to prepare his wayes to geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of their sinnes through the tender mercy of our God so forthe By and by after this preaching of Iohn came Christe into his tēple that is to his people which are the true temple of god According to the saying of S. Paule ye are the temple of the liuing God whiche tēple is holy This therfore is the somme of this place Iohn excelled in this that he was the crier forerunner of Christ For although the Prophetes in olde tyme dyd speake of the kyngdome of Christe yet notwithstandinge they were not placed like vnto Iohn before his face that they might shewe him presently and say Beholde the lambe of God whiche taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde 11 Verely I say vnto you among them that are borne of women arose not a greater then Iohn the Baptist Notwithstandinge he that is leaste in the kingdome of heauē is greater thē he B. That which he saith here simply there arose not a greater then Iohn is to be expounded by the other Euāgeliste where he saith Amōg womēs children is there not a greater Prophete then Iohn Baptiste For here he commendeth no other thing in him then the office that was geuen vnto him from aboue by the whiche the obstinacy of the Iewes is more sharpely reproued whiche despised the moste excelent Prophetes of all C. This excelency therefore is to be referred to the office that was geuen vnto him to
teache And Christe dothe so extolle the name of Iohn to the ende he might make the Iewes more attentiue to the Embassage that he brought He that is leste in the kingdome C. Some expounde this amys of Christe affirminge him by this place to be called the leaste in the kyngdome of heauē But the dignitie of the persone is not here handled but the excellency of his office is commended Therefore it is better to bee vnderstoode of those whiche were made the ministers of Christe in the new Testamēt that the maiestie of the Gospell myghte be aboue the law For if Iohn were therfore greater then the Prophetes whiche were before hym because he came before Christe whiche came by and by after hym or because he pointed him out with the fynger why shall not an Apostell bee greater or any other minister of Christe lesse whiche doth not onely preache that Christe came but also dothe shewe the misteries of his kingdom and declare the same to the whole worlde For Christe would haue Iohn so praised that notwithstandynge all the same commendation shoulde tende to the setting forth of the deuine grace of his kingdome that the same mighte be the better allowed and accepted As Christe therefore woulde prepare the Iewes to receiue the Gospell euen so at this daye it becōmeth vs to be stirred vp that we may heare Christe reuerently speakyng vnto vs from the highe throne of his heauenly glory least that he take vengeaunce vppon vs for our contempte with that horrible curse whiche he pronounceth to the vnbeleuinge by the mouthe of the Prophete in the same place The kyngdome of heauen and of God is takē for the new state of the church as in other places before because by the comming of Christe the instauration and repayringe of all thynges was promysed 12 From the dayes of Iohn Baptiste vntill this daye the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violente plucke it vnto them C. There is no doubte but that Christe commendeth the maiestie of the Gospell because many with feruent study desired the same For as god stirred vp Iohn to be the foreronner and proclaymer of the kyngdome of his sonne euen so he indewed his doctrine with the power and efficacy of his spirite to the ende it mighte pearce the hartes of theim and kyndell their zeale It appeareth therefore that it came from God seing that it sprange vp so sodenly after so straunge a manner is able to stirre vp so wonderfull motiōs But in the second mēber the restraint is added as appeareth And the violēt plucke it For because the greater parte was nothing the more moued thā if at any tyme no woorde had bene spoken of the Prophetes as concerning Christe he declareth that the violence whereof he speaketh was but in one certayne kynde of men The meaninge therefore of this place is this Nowe there is a great concourse of men as if they would violently rushe forth to apprehende the kyngdome of god For by one mans voyce they come on heapes neyther only gredyly but also with a snatchinge violences as it were they receyue the grace offered vnto theim Notwithstanding many rage and are no more touched than if Iohn shoulde tell them a tale in the deserte nothing at all pertaining vnto thē To this effecte the mynde of Christe in this place tendeth namely that they are in excusable which contemptuously shut their eyes and stoppe their eares at the manifest power of God whiche as well shyneth in the teacher as in the hearers B. The kyngdome of heauen is the new doctrine of the Gospell The kyngdom of heauen suffereth violence when men runne with great force to the publique preaching of the Gospell Men do violētly plucke the kyngdome of heauen vnto them when they burne as it were with an earnest desyre of the kyngdome of Christe in so much that they despise thir life all that euer they haue so that they may be partakers of the Gospell and cittezens of the kingdome of heauen Nowe by these wordes of Christ we learne what is the nature and propertie of true faith namely to harken to the woorde of God with a feruent minde with an earnest desire to be instructed in the truthe not coldly or negligently to regarde the same 13 For all the prophetes and the lawe it selfe prophesied vnto Iohn C. Nowe the lorde compareth the ministery of the Gospell with the Lawe and the Prophetes As if he should saye It is no meruaile if God do nowe so mightely worke in the mindes of the hearers because he doth not now hide him self a far of vnder darke and obscure shaddowes but dothe shewe hym selfe openly to the ende he might establishe his kyngdome Hervpon it followeth that they are lesse excusable which obstinately reiected the doctrine of Iohn then they which despysed the lawe and the prophetes M. For that which Iohn preached is the very same whereof the lawe the Prophetes spake before C. In this worde of prophesiing there is a greate Emphasis and force because the lawe and the prophetes did not set God before the eyes of men but dyd shaddowe him as one absente vnder fygures Nowe we see to what ende the comparison tēdeth namely that it is not mete that men should waxe cold and wery of that by the which God offered him selfe presente vnto them But where as Christ now doth count Iohn in the nomber of the mynisters of the gospel whom before he placed aboue the prophetes it is no absurditie because his preachynge althoughe it be parte of the Gospell yet notwithstandinge it was but a certayne rudiment and principle of the same 14 And if ye wyll receyue it this is Helias whiche was for to come C. Here he doth more certaynly declare how Iohn began to preache the kingdom of god because he was that Helias which shoulde be sente before the face of God. Chryst therefore wolde haue that manyfest and terrible comming of God which is celebrated of Malachy to be knowne now of the Iewes whē Helias which is there promised hath done the duetie as it were of a Sōner or parator M. But how Iohn was called Helias we may rede in the fyrst of Luke wher it is thus writtē of hym And he shall go before him in the spiryte power of Helias to tourne the hartes of fathers to theyr children the vnbeleuers to the wisdom of the iust men to make redy a parfecte people before the lorde C. By this exception also which he addeth sayinge if ye wyll receiue it he declareth the hardenes of their harts because they were blynde in the cleere lyghte But shal he not be Helias if he be not receyued Yes surely he shall continew in his estate styll For Christ meaneth not that the office of Iohn dydde depende vpon them but after that he had witnessed that he was Helias he reproueth them of negligēce and ingratitude excepte they geue vnto him the aucthoritie which
he deserueth 15 He that hath eares to heare lett hym heare M. Christe with his wonted exclamation stirreth vp the mindes of his hearers C. For wee knowe that he is wonte to bringe in this sentence so often as he intreateth of any seriouse matter which deserueth more then the common kynde of attention or geuinge hede Bu. As if he shoulde saye I think there nedeth not many wordes when as hitherto al truth in this matter is sufficientely declared ▪ therefore there remaineth nothing now but that he shoulde admytte the treweth which hath eares to heare the same and is not altogether voide of vnderstanding Notwithstanding he also declareth that the mysteries whereof he speaketh can not be comprehended of all men because many of the hearers are deafe and dull of hearinge But nowe because euerye mannes incredulitie and vnbelefe dothe not onely hynder theim selues but maketh other men slowe also Christ exhorteth his elect whose eares are opened to be attentiue to this secrete mysterye of God and not to be deafe with the vnbeleuers but to consider diligētly of the same 16 But wherevnto shall I lyken this generation It is lyke vnto chyldren whiche syt in the market places and call vnto theyr fellowes But vvherevnto A. Hytherto by the commendation of Iohns mynistery he perswaded the Iewes to beleue the testimonie of Iohn and to receiue Iesus Bu. beleuynge hym to be Chryst But of Luke it is added And al the people the Publicanes that hearde hym iustified God and were baptysed with the baptisme of Iohn But the Phariseys and lawyers despised the counsel of God against them selues and were not baptysed of hym Therefore the lorde dothe very sharpely inueigh agaynst their obstinacie and vnbeleefe greatly accusinge the inuincible hardnes of their harts Whervnto saith he shall I lyken this generation C. In these woordes he doth not comprehende all the men that were in his tyme but onely the Scribes and Phariseyes such as were their imitatours For he dothe brynge reproche vnto them because the lord had tried by diuers meanes to bring them vnto hym and they with inflexible contumacy despysed his grace It is lyke to chyldren C. He vseth a similytude whiche is thought to be taken from the wonted and common pastime of children For it is not vnlykely that chyldren so pyped when they daunsed together And truely Chryst semeth to endeuoure hym selfe to beate down the pride and haughtye stomackes of the Pharyseies in comparyng them to chyldren 17 And saye VVe haue pyped to youe and ye haue not daunced wee haue mourned and ye haue not wepte Bu. He saith that they are like vnto froward children who are pleased wyth no plesaunte or musicall noyse nay rather to rebelliouse and obstynate persons to whom the diligence indeuoure of theyr fellowes is neuer acceptable but the cōtrary is allowed and lyked of them If it please thē to make any mery or pleasant note then do these men crye and say we rather desire mournynge If then they make any sorowfull noyse straightway they wishe for pleasaunte tunes so inconstant and mutable are they A. This simylytude the lorde hym selfe applyeth to the Scrybes and suche lyke sayinge 18 For Iohn came neyther eatinge nor drinkinge and they say he hath a deuyll For Iohn came Bu. By an excellent Antithesis he sheweth to them al that the faith and dyligence of God hath omitted nothing of those thynges which pertayne to the workyng of theyr saluation and againe that they being at contention with God do omit nothyng that pertayne to hynder theyr sauegarde and to repel and put away the care and beneuolence of God whereby it commeth to passe that they perysshe throughe theyr owne faulte and mallice Neyther eatynge nor B. Iohn trewely dyd eate and drinke but because he had a speciall kynde of foode dyd abstaine from vsuall and common meate as it is saide before hee is sayde neyther to eate nor drynke C. This man therefore leading an austere and strayght lyfe thundered out as it were repentaunce and seuere reprehensions euen as he that singeth a sorrowful songe But the lord him selfe as one that singeth a pleasaunt and mery note more gentelly with fauour sought to bring them vnto his father But what was the cause that neyther of them bothe dyd profyte suerly theyr stony and stubborne obstinacye Moreouer this place teacheth vs why there was so greate difference of external lyfe betwene Christ and Iohn Baptiste seinge that they dyd all one thinge namely the lorde woulde by this varietie and difference the more conuince and ouerthrowe the vnbeleuinge because he framinge and transformynge hym selfe to theyr manners mighte make theim voyde of all excuse they neuerthelesse continuinge in theyr obstinacie Wherefore if they in those daies be voide of al excuse which by caucared mallice reiected the manifolde callinges of God what shall befall those mē in these dayes whose hartes wyll not be moued by no kinde of mellody I meane neyther by the threatnynges of Goddes woorde neyther yet by the swete promises of the same He hath a deuyll C. Iohn was called a demoniake or one possessed with a deuyll the whiche wee call commonly frantike or fantasticall or suche a one as is not wel in his wittes By the whiche we maye note the greate mallice of the Scribes Phariseys and lawyers who letted not to cauill against this holy and deuoute man of God being the fore ronner haruinger and preparer of the way of his sonne Christe 19 The sonne of man came eatinge and drinkinge and they saye beholde a glutton and a bibber of wyne a frend to Publicanes and synners And wisedome is iustifyed of her children The sonne of m an came C. To eate drinke in this place is to lyue after the comon maner of men Bu. The sonne of man therefore came whiche tryeth what he coulde do by an other waye because the way of Iohn toke no place this man Iesus sheweth him selfe gentill and tractable to al men he despiseth no man be vseth the common and vsuall kynde of apparel he shonneth not the feastes of publicanes and synners and yet also theye fynde somewhat in him to cauill at And they saye beholde a glotton A. This reproche of Christ was greate trewly and horrible to be spoken For he beinge an example of temperancy sobrietie and of all vertue was notwithstanding counted a ryoter a drunkerde and a vyciouse person C. Let theim therefore marke this place whiche thincke that the chiefe poynt of perfection consisteth in the outward austeritie of lyfe and do count that an Angelicall lyfe if any man be such an abstainer that he sterue his bodye with famine and pinynge honger for accordinge to this rule Iohn was more excellent then the sonne of god But wee must rather note what S. Paule saythe that bodely exercise profiteth littel wheras godlinesse is profytable to al thinges Notwithstandynge we maye not vnder this pretence geue lybertie to the fleshe to
But and if this solution be not sufficient to those that are contenciouse we answere that althoughe the remedy for the preseruation of the Sodomites was in the handes of God yet notwithstanding he shewed his iustice in destroyinge them C. It shal be nedelesse therfore to enter into those questions of predestination when as we knowe that God wolde not do neither hath he decreed any thing to be done without excellent consyderation as to whom he shoulde shewe mercy and to whom not 24 Neuerthelesse I say vnto you it shall be easyer for the lande of Sodome in the daye of iudgement then for thee For this matter reade the tenth chapiter goinge before and the fyftene verse 25 At the same tyme Iesus answered and saide I thancke thee O father lord of heauen and earthe that thou haste hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent and hast opened them vnto babes At that tyme. B. Luke saythe that Christ spake these wordes when the threscore and ten disciples were retourned and reioysed that deuylls were subdued vnto them Iesus aunsvvered C. Althoughe this worde of answeringe is very vsuall and familiar to the Hebrewes in the begynninge of some communication and matter notwithstanding in this place it hath a greate Emphasis or force Because that Christe thus toke occasion by the present matter to speake namely when the threscore and tenne retourned with ioye the which thinge the wordes of Luke confyrme a greate deale better saying that Iesus in the same hower reioysed in the spirite But whervpon cam this reidysynge but onelye because the Churche being gathered of a fewe poore and contemptible men was no lesse dere and preciouse vnto hym then if it hadde bene fornysshed with all the nobylytie power and glory in the whole worlde And the prayer of Christe beinge dyrected vnto the father was of more vehemency then if he had talked with his disciples Howe be it it is moste sure that for theyr sakes hee gaue thanckes vnto the father leaste that the base and lowe degree of the churche should offende any man For wee do all for the most parte seeke for glorye and there is nothynge seemeth lesse necessary vnto vs then the heauenly kyngdome of the sonne of god whose glory in dede consisteth in the dregs reliques and of scouringes of the world Accordynge to the sayinge of S. Paule We are become as it were the very outswepynges of the world and ofscouring of all men vnto this tyme And trewely this is the wonderfull counsell of God that he hauynge the whole worlde in his hande rather choseth to him selfe his peculyar people out of a base poore and contemptyble multitude then out of the heapes of nobles and prynces who as it myghte be thoughte shoulde better by theyr nobylitie and excellencie set forth the name of Christe then any other But Christe here sekethe to withdrawe his discyples from a proude lofty minde leaste they shoulde despyse the base and obscure state of the churche in the which he hym selfe dyd delyghte and gaue thanks vnto his heauenly father for the same Nowe what madnesse what blindnesse yea what arrogancye were there in vs if we shoulde denye gaynesay or mislike of that which our sauiour Christ hym selfe beinge our heade vouchesafeth reuerently to receyue and hyghelye to commende sayinge I thancke thee O fa. B. Or I prayse thee or I glorysie thye name For these three I prayse I gloryfye I geue thanckes are taken frome the Hebrew worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iadath which the Gretiās haue made Omulogeo that is I confesse C. Christ therfore by these wordes doth testifie that he doth quyete and rest hym selfe in the decree of his father whiche disagreeth and differeth from the reason and vnderstandinge of man. Lorde of heauen and. C. In this thing therfore he dothe affirme that he doth gloryfye his father that he beinge lorde of the whole earthe hath preferred babes and younglings before the wise of the world For it maketh no smal matter to the circumstance of the argument that he calleth the father lord of heauen and earth because by this meanes he declareth the cause of the blyndenes of the wyse to depende vppon the wyll of God and that by his wyll also the rude and ignorante are made to vnderstande his hye and secrete mysteries There are many other places also where the lord declareth that al those that com to saluation are elected chosen by him of his tender mercy frely because the earth is the lordes and al that therin is the compas of the worlde they that dwel therin Wherefore this sentence hath a double cōsideratiō First where as all men do not obey and beleue the gospel it cōmeth not so to pas by the impotencie vnablenes of god in whose power it is to subdue all creatures vnto him Secondly wheras some beleue obey other som remaine hard harted obstinate that is brought to pas by his louing free election Notwithstanding in that he choseth babes rather then the wise he hath a cōsideration of his glory For how much wold the flesh reioyce if faith mighte be gotten by the dexteritie of wyt by industry or by learnyng Wherefore God beateth downe the wisedome of man to the ende the glory of his name might not be obscured but brightly shine in makīg the foolishe thinges of this world to confound the wise C. That therefore which Christe here affirmeth seruethe muche to the confirmation of the faithful at this day and for euer in that all men ar stirred to the acknowledginge of the mercy of god for so muche as there is nothyng in vs that can prouoke him to cal vs but rather a wōderful heape of sinne wickednes to stir him to plague condemne vs wer it not that his mercy is the greater For truely the Gospell is not gotten by the wyt labour or industrie of man but onely by the illumination of the spiryte of God. Because thou hast hyd thee A. That is because thou hast not reuealed or opened these mysteries of thy kyngedome to the wyse and prudent For to hyde not to reueale open or shewe are all one So in an other place we reede The lord hyd it from mee and dyd not shew it vnto me and againe My father wyl do nothinge neyther great nor smal but that he will shewe it mee and howe shoulde he hyde this thinge from mee From the vvise and prudēt C. Here it maye be demanded who they ar whom Christ calleth wyse and babes for experyence teacheth vs that all that are vnlearned and rude come not to the perfection of faythe neyther are the learned and wise lefte in their blyndenesse Therfore they are defyned to be wyse and prudente in this place whiche beinge lifted vp with diabolical or deuelishe disdain wyl in no wyse abyde to heare the voice of Christe Paule with this pride was puffed vp but the lorde tamed his furiousenes If wee
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
thynke the lesse honour to be in Christe because he bendeth hym selfe accordyng to their weakenes gentely and of his own accorde If he should appeare in his glory as he shall for certayne whē the fulnes of tyme is expyred then we meruayled not so muche at his symplicitie before as we shal then wonder at the excellency of his glorious maiestie Yea it shall so muche excell that the bryghtnes of the same shall rauishe our sences Therefore to the ende the clemency and gentlenes of Christe mighte be reuerenced and hyghly estemed of the faythfull the Prophete Fsaye sheweth howe proffitable and necessary it is Euery man knoweth his own fragillitie and weakenes whereupon we may consyder and waye howe necessary this louing kyndnes mekenes and clemency is necessary for all men And howe necessary it is for men to be spared and fauoured at the handes of Christe We speake not here of the vnfaythfull which are altogether voyde and destitute of the sprite of grace but of suche as are called of the Lorde already vntyll hee kyndle the lyghte more clerely in them and more strongly confyrme them Are not all men lyke vnto broused Reedes and smokynge Flaxe In that Christe therefore tempereth and frameth hym selfe to oure infirmitie fragillitie and weakenes let vs attribute the same to his inspeakeable goodnes and imbrace the same Notwithstanding let no man here by flatter hym selfe in his wyckednes but let euery man endeuoure hym selfe to proffite and go forwarde in all vertue more and more Let vs not bende beynge nowe confirmed by Christe like broken Réedes with euery blast of wynd but let vs growe into perfecte strengthe and manhode that we may stande stoutly against at the assaultes of Sathan Let not oure faithe be obscure smokyng and darke and brynge foorthe small sparkes onely But let it brynge foorthe moste clere and shynyng beames After these thynges there followeth a lyttell sentence in the Prophete whiche Matthewe omitteth The woordes are these But faythfully and truely he shall geue iudgement and not be pensyue nor carefull By the whiche woordes the faythefull manner of teachyng of the Lorde is expounded C. Although saith he he do comfort and strengthen the weake yet notwithstandynge he wyll correcte vyce righteously without flattery and parciallitie He wil sharpely reproue the obstinate and contemners as maye appeare by many examples of the Scribes and Phariseys Because therefore vnder the coloure and pretence of this place as concernyng the clemencie of Christe some falsely pretende that all men without exception must be gentely delte with all We must note the difference that the Prophete did put betweene the weake and the wicked For it is mete and conuenient that the obstinacy of thē whiche are to strong and stoute shoulde be asswaged and beaten downe as it were wyth an Iron maule And that they whiche go about in all places eyther to brynge in darkenesse or els are faggottes them selues to sette on fyre shoulde haue theyr darke and mysty cloudes dryuen awaye or els theire burnynge heate extynguyshed Therefore as it is the partes of faythful and true ministers to endeuoure them selues in sparinge and bearing with the weake to cherishe encrease the grace of God in them So is it their duetie all so wysely to beware and take hede leaste that they spare theyr obstinate mallice whiche haue no affinitie with the fumynge flaxe or the raced Rede Tyll he sende forthe iudgement to victory C. According to the Hebrewe texte it is redde otherwyse namely vntyl he bryng forth iudgement in truthe Notwithstandynge the woordes of Matthewe haue a greate emphasis to the ende we maye knowe that ryghteousnes was not set in the worlde without great contention and warre against Sathan as may appeare by this woorde victory whiche is neuer obtayned without fighte The Prophete therefore by these wordes testifieth Christe to be so constaunt that he prosecuted his vocation to the vttermoste By the whiche example also all the ministers of Christe must learne to perceiuer and continue with a stoute courage and strong mynde 21 And in his name shal the Gētils truste C. The woordes of the Prophete are otherwyse as thus The Iles loke for his lawe But althoughe the Euangeliste Matthewe haue altered the woordes yet hath he not chaunged the sence namely that the grace of Christe shal be common and pertayne to the Gentyles For the promyse pertayneth to all nations to the ende all the partes of the worlde myght taste of the fruyte of the newe restitution and renouation Reade the tenthe chapter of Iohn 22 Then was brought to hym a blynde and dumbe man that was vexed with a deuell and he healed hym in somuche that the blynde and dumbe bothe spake and sawe Then vvas brought to him A. When was this done Surely when he was come into the house and the multitude come vnto hym as wytnesseth saynt Marke As touchyng the faythe of the bryngers of these blynde men there is no mention made Notwithstandinge in that they brought hym it appeareth that they perswaded them selues muche of the goodnes of Christe A blynde and dumbe man. C. Luke speakyng of the effect sayth that the dumbe man was possessed with a deuell Notwithstandinge Matthew saith that he was punished with a double plage as to be both blynde dumbe It is moste certayne sure that many were blynde and dumbe with naturall vices But it is apparaunt and euident that this man was blynde in dede corporally and wanted the vse of his tongue although in the powers perspectiue and in the naturall instrumentes of his tongue there was no defection or wante at all Therefore it is no marueyle if so greate libertie be geuen vnto Sathan to vitiate the sences of the body when by the iust iudgement of God he corrupteth and peruerteth all the faculties of the mynde And he healed hym R. Here appeareth bothe the clemency of Christe towardes suche as are miserable also his power ouer Sathan It is a token of clemency in that he taketh compassion and pittie vpon this afflicted and moste myserable creature It is a signe of his power also in that he casteth out Sathan with his woorde and so restoreth this Demoniake being both dumbe and blynde to perfecte healthe In so muche that the blynde and dumbe both spake and savve R. Although Sathan out of measure enuy and rage very furiously yet notwithstanding Christe forceth him to stoupe and to geue place Wherefore let vs beleue in Christe and Sathan shall do vnto vs no manner of harme 23 And all the people were amased and sayd Is not this that sōne of Dauid And all the people vvere amased B. There are diuers sortes of men whiche do iudge of this miracle Some wonder and are amased other some do blaspheme C. But where as all the people were amased we maye gather that it was the manifeste power of God which did so rauishe their sences that they were voide of malicious and
cruell battayle is prepared for vs And let vs not be discouraged hereby but rather let vs make ready our selues put vpon vs the armoure of light whiche S. Paule speaketh of in his Epistle to the Ephesians with the whiche weapons we shall easely confounde that enemy and al his ministers 44 Then he sayth I wyll retourne into my house from whence I came out And when he is come he findeth it empty and swepte and garnished A. Here the nature and practise of Sathan is described with the whiche he is alwayes ready to hurte Into my house The house is here taken for man allegorically For in the verse going before he sayde When the vncleane spirite goeth out of a man He fyndeth it empty He persisteth in the similitude of the man in whoÌ„ he sayth that the deuell found a place fornished and prepared after no worse manner then if one should receiue a geste C. Christe no doubte meaneth that such men are apte and mete to receiue the deuell whiche are altogether voyde of the spirite of God For the faithful in whom the fulnes of Gods spirite abydeth are so fortified and strengthened in all pointes that not one hole or gappe is open to the destructioÌ„ which Sathan seketh to bring vppon them The sence therefore and meaninge of this place is That Sathan hath neuer more conuenient tyme and place to enter into vs then when we forsake Christe and byd hym farewell For the chiefest of his delight is to fynde that voydenes or emptynes which is lefte after the swepinge awaye of the spirite of god Let vs therefore accordinge to the admonitioÌ„ of saint Paule take hede that we quenche not the spirite 45 Then goeth he and taketh vnto hym seuen other spirites worse then hym selfe and so entereth he in and dwelleth there And the ende of that man is worse then the begynning Euen so shall it be also vnto this frowarde generation C. The deuell not sekynge to haue the commoditie of the place to him self only bryngeth in many other spirites worse then hym selfe and more hurtfull For the number of seuen is here taken indefinitely for an infinite nuÌ„ber as in many other places also A. As in the booke of Samuell where it is sayde Vntill the barren woman bringe foorth seuen that is many Also in the prophecie of Esay it is sayde Seuen women shall take vnto theÌ„ one man C. By these woordes Christe doth teache vs that if we fall from his grace we shall be two folde more in subiection to Satham then we were before Wherefore leaste we should thinke that the deuell is ouercome by one battayle because he departeth froÌ„ vs Christe here putteth vs in mynde of his comminge againe Suche a continuall and mortall enemy is he that he wyll not leaue of with the foyle or repulse but if he maye haue the leaste hole that may be to put in his head be ye well assured that he wyll wrynge and wreste in the hole body We must indeuour our selues therefore wheÌ„ Christe reigneth in vs to shut out this his enemie and ours And the end of that maÌ„ A. The apostell Peter semeth to expouÌ„d this place saying Of whome a man is ouercome vnto the same he is broughte in bondage For if they after they haue escaped from the fylthynes of the worlde through the knowledge of the lorde and the Sauiour Iesu Christe are yet tangled againe therein and ouercomme theÌ„ is the latter ende worse with them then the beginning For it had bene better for them not to haue knowen the waye of righteousnes then after they haue knowen it to tourne from the holy coÌ„maundement that was geuen vnto them So shall it be to Loke in the begynning of our annotations of the three and fourty verse 46 VVhyle he yet talked with the people beholde his mother and his brethren stoode without desyringe to speake wâ—â—â— hym VVhyle he yet spake or talked Bu. Matthewe here adioyneth a history whiche in matter and all other pointes agreeth with that whiche wente before For we are taught by the example of the lorde constantly to go forwarde in the busynes of the kyngdome of God and not to geue place to our carnall affections whiche oftentymes do withdrawe vs froÌ„ the kingdome of god This lesson pertayneth to all men but speciall to the ministers of Gods word The lord spake these things before the multitude that thou mightest see that he gaue not that which was holy vnto dogges that is that he did not in vayne bestowe these thinges vppon the Phariseis but only in this respecte to coÌ„uince their impietie and to make them voyde of all excuse Beholde his mother Betwene Luke and the other two Euangelistes Matthewe and Marke there semeth herein to be muche disagremente For these two Matthewe and Marke in the order of their hystory saye that the mother and brethren of Christe came as he was reasoning of the vncleane spirit But Luke maketh mention that they came at another tyme in stede of their comming putteth in the exclamation of a certayne woman A. And declareth that which Matthewe noteth here in the eight chapter C. But because meÌ„ know well enough that the Euangelistes were not curious in noting the order of times nor in prosecuting all the sayinges and dedes of oure Sauioure Christe these thinges I saye knowne wel enough the solution and reconciliation is the more easy to be made For Luke expresseth not at what tyme the mother of Christ came But that whiche Matthewe and Marke do declare before the parable of the sower that doth he place afterward But where as he saythe that a woman of the multitude cried out it semeth to haue some affinitie or agrement with this narration for it maye bee that vpon a rashe and an vndiscrete zeale she did extoll that into the hyghest degrée which as she thought was to muche abased of Christe In this truely all do agree that Christe talkyng among the myddest of the multitude his mother and brethren came vnto hym no doubt because they were either carefull for hym or els because they had a desyre to learne somewhat at his handes For they sought not to come to hym in vayn neyther is it lykely that they whiche followed that holy mother were vnfaythfull A. But for so muche as there is mention made here and in other places of the brethren of Christe we must note that they were called his brethreÌ„ because they were of the same kynne and lyne So Lot is said to be the brother of Abraham wheÌ„ as he was Abrahams brothers sonne For Terah begat Abram Nachor and Aram and Aram begat Lot. Laban also is sayde to be the brother of Iacob who notwithstanding was Iacobs vncle So our Lorde is sayde to be the brother of Iames and Ioses and of Iudas Symon when as notwithstandinge he was but Cosyn germayne as we terme it to Iames and the sonne of Mary the virgyn whiche was
the lighte of the gospell because they were bytter and rebelliouse againste Christe Also in an other place he saith Israell hath not obtayned that whiche he seeketh but the election hath obtained it The remnaunt are blinded accordynge as it is wrytten God hath geuen them the spirite of vnquietnes eies that they shoulde not se eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto this daye In this place of Paule the Antithesis is to be noted for if the onely and free election of God hath saued som remnant of people it followeth by the secrete iust iudgemēt of god that al the rest shall perish For who are the rest whō Paule in contrary wise setteth against the elect but onely they whom God hath appoynted to euerlasting damnation The lyke reason is in Iohn For he saith that ther were many vnbeleuing because no mā beleueth but they to whō God reuealeth his arme power And by by he addeth that they coulde not beleue because it is written harden the harts of this people To the same thing hath Christ respecte when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the trueth of the gospel is not reuealed to euery one alyke but is depely hiddē in parables darke sentēces to the ende he might power nothinge but thycke darkenes into the myndes of the people We wyll alwayes truely confesse that those whome God doth blynde are founde worthy of this punishement but because there appeareth not a manifeste reason or cause in the persones of men this principal abideth sure that thei by a singuler gifte are ordeined to saluation illuminated by the spirite of God whome God hath frely chosen and that all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God geue vnto them his worde or whether he blinde their eyes stoppe their eares that they can neyther heare nor perceiue the same Now let vs note howe Christ doth applie the prophecie of the Prophete to the present cause And seing ye shall see and not perceiue C. The wordes of the Prophete are not recited as it was sayd euē now neyther maketh it any matter because it was enough for Christe to shewe that it was no newe or vnwonted example if many were amased and astonied at the worde of god It was sayde vnto the Prophete Goe and hardē the harte of this people This Matthew attributeth to the hearers that they should beare the blame of their blyndnes and obstinacy Neyther can the one be separated from the other for all they that are caste into a reprobate sence do wyllingly with an inwarde mallice blynde obdurate them selues For it can come no other wyse to passe where the spirite of God abydeth not with the whiche only the electe are gouerned Wherefore we conclude thus that they are not of a soūd and perfecte mynde whome God dothe not illuminate with his spirite of adoptiō and therefore are they blinded by the worde of God and yet notwithstāding the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blynde 15 For the harte of this people is wexed grose and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes haue they closed least at any tyme they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and shoulde vnderstande with their harte and be conuerted that I also might heale them For the harte of this people S. That is The harte is so inclosed and choked with fatte that it is not able to discharge his proper office M. Therefore when the harte is grosse it cannot be that the eares shoulde heare and that the harte it selfe shoulde vnderstande and conuerte Whereupon he sayth the harte of this people is wexed grosse And by and by he addeth Their eares are dull Therefore before all thinges the harte muste be opened and made fitte to heare the worde of god A. But who can brynge this thing to passe saue only the spirite of God. Of this matter we haue an example of Lydia the seller of purple of whome it is wrytten in the actes of the Apostels thus And the lorde opened her harte that she attended vnto the thinges whiche Paule spake And their eies haue they closed C. Christ here attributeth that to the people whiche the Prophete Esay attributeth to God It is true in either sence The people them selues are the cause of excecation blindnes for they shut their own eies stoppe their own eares We shall alwayes finde the first or speciall cause to be in mē But the secundary or least cause to be in God who blyndeth the eyes of the reprobate whiche he hath predestinate to damnatiō We cal it not the secōdary or least cause according to the Philosophers but we cal that the secundary cause whiche is hydden from the sence of men and so secrete that we ought not curiously to serche for the same But to content our selues with the first cause seing the other is not apparaunt or manifest We must also note that the doctrine is not properly neyther of it selfe neither by his owne nature the cause of blyndnes but by accidēs For as the porblynde men when they come forth to the Sunne haue their eyesighte more obscure and dimme whiche faulte is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes euen so where as the worde of God doth blinde and obdurate the reprobate because it is by their owne wickednes it is proper vnto them but accidentall to the woorde Leaste at any tyme they should see vvith C. Here the lorde might seme to be vnwilling to haue the reprobate conuerted whiche is contrary to this sentēce I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednes and lyue A. Also Peter saith The lorde is paciente to vs warde for so muche as he wold haue no man loste but wolde receiue all men to repētaunce But Peter and Ezechiell dispute not in those places as concerning the secrete pourpose of God but onely they do shewe howe God shewethe him selfe towardes vs calling vs by the preachinge of the Gospell to euerlasting life So that it is not cōtrary to the place of Esay for he calleth all by his woorde yea euen the reprobate But the reprobate are soo destitute of grace that they are nothinge at all moued by the gentyll inuitation of God no they do not mollifye theyr heartes And be conuerted that I also myghte heale hym C. By these wordes he sheweth to what ende seing and vnderstanding do profite namely that men beinge conuerted vnto God may come into fauoure with hym and might haue hym a gentyll louinge and merciful God vnto them Therfore to this ende properly he would haue his woorde preached that he renuynge the hartes and mindes of men might reconcile them vnto hym As concerninge the reprobate Esay here pronounceth the cōtrary namely least that they should obtayne mercy there remayneth vnto thē a stony hardnes and obstinacie and that the effecte of the
woorde towardes theim shall be taken away least it should mollifie their hartes to repentaunce By this woorde of healinge Matthewe and the Prophete comprehende a delyueraunce from all euyll for they do compare the people afflycted by the hand of God Metaphorically to a sick man therfore they say that health is wrought when the lord releaseth the ponishement But because this healthe dependeth vpon the remission of synnes Marke very aptly sheweth the originall and cause For wherupon commeth the mitigation of ponishementes but onely because the lorde beinge pleased with vs dothe bestowe vppon vs his benediction and peace And although somtimes our offence and wickednes being abbolished he ceasseth not to ponishe vs eyther because he wolde humble vs or els because we should afterwardes be more ware notwithstanding because he shewing signes of his fauour doth quikken and renew vs and for the most part ponishementes do ceasse with the faulte the healing is very wel ioyned with pardon forgeuenes But therby we ought not to gather that repentance is the cause of forgeuenes as thoughe God wold receiue them that conuert into his fauour through desert for the conuersion it self is a signe and token of the free fauour of God but onely the order and consequēce is noted because God dothe not forgeue synnes but only those for the which men are sory and displeased with them selues M. By this place I say we may easely vnderstande what the order meane or way is by the which men are saued Before all thynges the harte is to be opened and made apte to here the woorde of God that the same being hearde men may conuerte vnto god and repente for the preachinge wherof Christe sente his Apostelles Furthermore no man can trewely tourne and repente vnlesse his harte be made apte to vnderstande that is vnlesse it be illuminated Therfore he saithe here and vnderstande with their hart and be conuerted Thirdly the vnderstanding of the harte which is the reuelation of the trueth is not hearde but onely by the hearinge of the woorde Hereupon it commeth that the eares are so requisite to heare that is desirouse to heare So saith the Apostell faythe commeth by hearyng and hearing commeth by the woord of God Fourthly healthe and remission of sinnes followe couersion and repentaunce But the reprobate can not heare whose hartes are hardened because they are not of god And therupon it commeth that they neyther heare nor vnderstand nor be conuerted and be healed 16 But blessed are your eies because they see and your eares because they here But happy are your M. The obstinacy excecation and dampnation of the wicked and reprobate beinge declared Chryste our sauiour is rapte as it were drawen to the preaching and publyshing of theyr beatitude to whom it is geuen to haue eies of seinge and hearyng eares that he myght therewith geue a reason wherefore the misteries of the kingdom of heauen whiche being hidden from others were reuealed by hym to his Apostelles C. Luke semeth to referre this sayinge to an other tyme notwithstandinge the solution is easy that the Euangelist there heapeth many sentences together withoute any distyncte order of times But Matthew in his texte dothe more plainely expresse and shewe whervpon he toke occasion so to speake For as at the fyrst the disciples were admonished and put in minde of the synguler grace of God bestowed vppon theim in that they were by the lorde exempt from the common sorte of people admytted familiarly to the misteries of the kyngedome so nowe the same grace by an other comparison is extolled in that they do excell the olde prophetes and the holy kynges For this is much more then to be preferred before the vnbeleuing multitude But Christe here vnderstandeth not euery kinde of hearing nor the simple aspecte or sighte of the fleshe but hee pronounceth their eies to be blessed because they beholde the excellent glory of the onely begotten sonne of God in soo much that they know and acknowledge hym to be the redemer and because the lyuely Image of God shined vnto them in the whiche they perceyued sauynge health and the sounde of perfect blessednes Furthermore because the saying of the Prophetes might be fulfilled in them namely that they being fully and perfectly taught of God no man nede be taught of his neyghbour And thus is the obiection put away which might be broughte of the other part of the sentēce of Chryst when he saith that they are blessed which haue not sene and yet beleued For ther is noted a contrary kind of seyng which Thomas grossely required But the sight whereof Christe speaketh nowe in this place is common to the faythefull of all ages with the Apostels For we not seinge Christ se him and not hearing do heare hym because in the Gospell he appereth vnto vs face to face as saith saint Paule that we might be trāsformed into his Image or lykenes and the perfection of wisedome of righteousnes and of life being once offered vnto vs in him doth there continually shyne 17 Verely I say vnto you that many prophetes and righteous men haue desired to see those thinges vvhich ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges whiche yee heare and haue not hard them Verelye I saye vnto you Z. Christ shéeweth that the fathers of olde tyme were very desirouse of his comming whose corporal presence notwithstāding they might not see And righteous men C. Luke hath many Prophtes and kinges The condition of the present churche is very well said to be better then the state of the holy fathers whiche liued vnder the lawe to whom that was shewed vnder types shaddowes which now by the shynynge face of our sauiour Christ most brightly shined and appered For the vaile of the temple beinge cut we enter by faith into the heauenly sainctuarye we haue a familiar accesse vnto god For although the fathers beinge contented with their condition and state dyd quiet and pacifie their mindes yet notwithstanding this did not let or hinder but that they might haue a farther desire So Abraham sawe a farre of the day of Christe and reioysed yet notwithstanding he wished to behold it more nere and obtained not his desire For Symeon spake according to the affection of all men when he saide Lorde nowe let thy seruaunt departe in peace Nor truely could it come any otherwise to passe when as all men had an earnest desire and longing for the promised delyueraunce beinge vnder the burthen of malediction with the whiche euery one is oppressed Let vs vnderstand therfore that they longed after Christe as men that are extreame hungery and yet notwithstanding their faith was safe in so much that they murmured not againste God but paciently suspended their mindes vntyll the fulnes of the tyme came in the which they should beholde the reuelation and manifesting of the sonne of god R. But if Abraham sawe in the spirite that
preached and reioyce with great gladnes for the reuelinge of the truth For they haue some earthe althoughe not verye déepe or sufficiente enoughe they haue some goodnes and integrity and hyther to the séede beginneth to spyre and shote that is they do declare by a certayne token that they haue a credit to the Gospell and that they like very well of the Euāgelical religion but when they haue not a right fayth and of a true proporcion the roote of charity also and vitall moysture and the watering of the spirite of God in due time their faith is but momentany and their religion is of short cōtinuance that is it dureth not to the end but for a short time only M. So that the prouerbe is verefyed in thē soone come soone gon Of these kind of hearers wée sée to many at this day which at the first gréedely receyue the Gospell and imbrace the same but in a short time after they depart frō it and despyse it euen as the children of Israell lothed their Manna for the which at the first they longed so sore There is wanting in them a liuely affectiō which should confyrme them in constancye Wherfore let euery one throughly examyn themselues and take héede that the ready promptnes that is in them at the first vanishe not away like a quenched flame For vnlest the word do throughly pearce the whole hart and take déepe roote there will not be moysture enoughe for fayth to continue This promptnes truly is commendable that so soone as the worde of god is preached it shal be receyued ioyfully without delaye but notwithstanding wée must know that ther is nothing done vntill fayth hath gotten his perfect strengthe and wythereth not at the first For example sake Christ saith that such are troubled and fall at the stomblinge blocke of the crosse And truely as by the heate of the same the barrennes of the earthe is tried euen so persecution and the crosse dothe bewraye theyr vanytie whiche are lightly moued I knowe not with what desier to receiue the woorde but haue no earnest affection of godlines at all 21 Yet hath he no rote in hym selfe but dureth for a season for when tribulation or persecution happeneth because of the worde by and by he falleth Yet hath he no roote A. That is there is no depenes of earth in such hearers that myghte conteyne the woorde which they haue receiued in them selues But dureth for a season C. They whiche sodeinely at the first receiue the woorde of god and yet perseuer not in afflictiō are called of Mathew and Marke momentany fruite or suche as endure for a shorte tyme not onely because they for a time professe them selues to be the disciples of Christe and afterwardes in the tyme of tēptation decline but also because they seme to theim selues to haue the trewe fayth Therefore Christe saith as appereth in Luke that they beleue for a time Furthermore we must vnderstand that they are not truelye regenerated by the immortall seede whiche neuer decayeth as sayth S. Peter For he saith that this saying of the Prophete The woorde of the lorde endureth for euer is fulfylled in the hartes of the faithful in whom the woorde of God being once fyxed neuer decayeth but florisheth to the ende Notwithstandinge they beleue after a sorte to whom the woorde of God is amyable and with whom it obteyneth some reuerence and estimation because they differ not from the vnfaythefull whiche in no poynte beleue the woorde of God but do altogether reiecte the same Onely let vs note this that none haue the trew faith but those onelye whiche are sealed with the spirite of adoption and do call vppon God the father with al their harts Finally as the spirite is neuer extinguished euen so it is impossible that the faythe should quaile or perishe which the same spirite hath once engrauen and prynted in the hartes of the faythfull By and by he falleth A. Or as the latten translation hath hee is offended To be offended here is by feare of affliction to decline departe or fall from Christ So that affliction is as it were a stomblynge blocke in his way that he can not go forwarde in the Gospell whiche Luke sufficiently expoūdeth when for this worde offended he saith In the time of temptatiō go away M. Whosoeuer therefore can not beare all kynde of trouble pacyently yea all maner of persecution and affliction he shall neuer be apte mete and feate for the moste pure and vncorrupted seede of the Gospell 22 He also that receyued seede into the thornes is he that heareth the worde and the care of this worlde and the deceitfulnes of richesse choke vp the word so is he made vnfruitfull A. Here you may alter it better and say But the seede was sowne amonge thornes signifieth him which and so forthe In the thirde nomber he reherseth those whiche inwardly would be made apte to nourishe the seede were it not that they suffered the same to be corrupted otherwise M. For some here vnderstande and receiue the worde but they are lette frō fructifying by the cares of this world by the deceitfulnes of richesse by the plesures of this life and suche like by the whiche as by certaine thornes the seede of the Gospell is choked Suche are they whiche saide I haue boughte fiue yoake of oxen I haue boughte a ferme I haue maried a wife therfore I can not come Christ therfore compareth the pleasures of the worlde or the euyll desyres of the fleshe couetousenes and other worldly cares vnto thornes Althoughe Mathew putteth the cares of the worlde with couetousnes but in the same sence because vnder this woorde the intanglinge entisementes of pleasures of the whiche Luke maketh mention and all kinde of desyre is comprehended Because as the thornes and other hurtfull impedimentes do choake the pleasante and fruiteful corne when it shooteth and commeth an eare euen so the viciouse and wicked affections of the flesh preuaile in the harts of men and are hyer growne then faithe that they myghte ouerthrowe and presse downe the force of heauenly doctrine beinge as yet vnperfecte and not rype For although euil desires spring vp and arise and possesse the hearte before the worde of the lorde be yet grene and appere yet notwithstanding they seeme not to beare rule in the fyrst begynning but do ouercome by littell and littell after the corne is spronge vp and an eare Euerye man therefore muste endeuoure hym selfe to plucke these thornes out of their hartes excepte they will haue the woorde of god choked because there is noo man that is not replenished with these thornes and hath not as it were a thicke wood of the same in him And truely we se how few come vnto perfectiō and ripenes because scante the tenthe person occupieth hym selfe I saye not to plucke vp these thornes by the rootes but to cutte and brushe them downe And 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
by the wōderfull power of God sodaynely he rose againe from the dead to be a more sharp ennemy and reuenger of his wickednes Bu. And by the waye here we may note that tyrauntes are not free from feare tremblinge and rebuke although by all meanes they seeke to be delyuered from the same by fyer and sworde This wycked tyrante Herode had slayne Iohn the Baptist least any man shoulde reproue his incestiouse mariage but Iohn being slaine the lorde him selfe commeth with his twelue Apostels who with one consent teache the puritie of life to be obserued and condemne the vncleanes of the same Therfore truely saith the Apostel that the woord of God can not be bound The mynisters of the worde maye be taken scourged and kylled but the worde and the mynistery of the same is euerlastinge and inuincible for so sone as one by deathe or imprisonmente is put to sylence an other by and by arysethe in his place Wherefore tyrauntes shall neuer be delyuered from feare vntyll they forsake theyr tyranny and obey the woorde of God C. Marke and Luke teach that men spake diuersly of Chryste namelye that some thought him to be Elias some one of the prophetes or a Prophete For because the lord had promised by the prophete Malachy that Helias should come whiche should congregate and gather together the dispersed churche they wrested this prophesie amisse to his persone when as it was a symple comparison in this sence as followeth Leaste the comminge of the Messias should be obscure and least the people shoulde not see perceiue and vnderstand and their gracious redemption there shall suche a one go before them as was in tyme paste whiche shall restore al those thinges that are decayed and the trewe worshyppe of God which was quite ouerthrowne He shall go before them therfore with a singuler power of the spirite to set forth vnto thē that great and excellent day The Iewes accordyng to their grosse dulnes in interpreting restrain this to Helias the Thesbite as though he shoulde come againe to take vpon him the office of a prophete Notwithstandinge other some coniectured that he was eyther som one of the old Prophetes whiche was rysen or els that he was some great man whiche was as excellent and of as great power as they were But it is meruayle that none of them beinge drawne into so many sondry opinions coulde remēber that which was trewe specially when as the tyme and the consideration of the same mighte haue directed them vnto Christ God had promised vnto them a redemer whiche shoulde helpe the myserable and shyne vnto such as were in darknes and in the shaddowe of deathe The extreme necessitie in the which they were thrown did then greately require the helpe of God. A redemer is come both celebrated by the office and proclamation of Iohn and also by the testimonye that he bare of his office they are cōstrained to acknowledge some what that is deuine and heauenlye in him but beinge fallen notwithstandyng to their own immaginations they transpose chaunge him to other mens persons And thus truely by most wicked ingratitude the worlde oftentymes extinguisheth the graces of God offered vnto them As towchinge Herode hym selfe he toke not this opinion willyngly of the rysynge of Iohn agayne as wee towched a lyttel before but as euyl and gylty consciences are alwaies wauering and afearde he easely conceyued that which he feared And God doth oftentimes vexe and stir vppe the wycked by these blynde terrors by the whiche they are greately disquieted And therefore are myracles done by C. A man may much meruaile what reson led them thus to say for Iohn all the tyme of his preachinge shewed no myracle or signe A. as witnessed the multytude C. They seme therefore to wante theyr colloure or clocke because they seinge hym to be famouse by doing of myracles cōiecture him to be Iohn but they thought that myracles were done nowe by hym at the fyrst to proue his resurrection and to testify that he being the holy Prophete of God was wickedlye put to death of Herode that nowe he came agayne as a holy and vndefiled man to the ende no man myghte hereafter presume to hurte or vyolate his personage B. We se therfore hereby how men are wrapped and tangled in childishe errors when godlinesse falleth and decayeth as in that age it came to passe And the like hath often tymes synce hapened and we our selues in these dayes with to muche griefe haue experience of the same This is the blyndenes and madnesse with the which God doth strike the wicked when they hoyse vp the sayle to all wyckednes and byd God farewel of the which Moyses in the eighte and twentye chapter of Exodus speaketh 3 For Herode had taken Iohn and boūd him put him in pryson because of Herodias his brother Phillips wyfe B. The Greke texte vseth the preterperfecte tence hath taken hath bound hath put for the preterpluperfecte tence accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes M. Because the Euangeliste had made mention of Iohn by occasion he ioyneth to the history of his deathe and that by the waye For it is not a proper woorke of the Euangeliste to describe the deathe of any besyde the actes dedes of Christe Because of Herodias B. This semeth to be a name diminutiue taken of Herode Hys brother Phillips vvyfe C. The Euangelistes affirme that Iohn was taken because he openly condempned the incestiouse matrimony of Herode with Herodias which was his brother Philips wife 4 For Iohn saide vnto hym It is not laufull for thee to haue her C. Iosephus alleageth an other cause why he was put in prisō namely because by his doctrine to the whiche the people wonderfully resorted be broughte hym selfe in suspition with Herode of the mouinge of some newe attempt or vnwonted matter But it myghte be that the wicked tyrant toke this as a cloake to couer his cruell murtherynge of Iohn Or it might be that this wicked rumor was spredde abroade of hym for vniust vyolence and crueltie is neuer withoute dyuerse accusatiōs But the Euangelistes shew the very cause in dede namely that Herode was an ennemy to the holy man because he was sharpely reprehended of hym For Iosephus is deceyued whiche thoughte that Herodias was not taken from Phillip the brother of Herode but from Herode the kynge of Chalcis his fathers brother For at what tyme the Euangelistes wryt the remembraunce of this wicked dede was not onely new but also common in the eies of all men And wheras Iosephus in an other place saythe that Phillip was of a soft wyt in consideratiō and hope wherof there is no doubt but that Herode was the more boulde to accomplishe his wyll to abuse the modestie of Phillip not fearing any ponishment Here is also an other probable cōiecture that Herodias was rather geuen in matrimony to Phillip her fathers brother than
spoyleth men of their sences it blindeth or obscureth the eye sight it dulleth the eare and it drowneth memorye The darkenes of the night might helpe to excuse the Apostels notwithstanding in that they thought Christ to be a spirite it is to be attributed to their ingratitude vnbeleefe as it is sayd before C. So oftentimes it happeneth vnto vs A For how commeth it to passe that wee know not God to be nere vnto vs surelye because wée know not but forget the benefits that hée bestoweth vppon vs Who féeleth not the power of GOD which by so manye wayes and meanes hée hath reuealed If wée were so thanckefull as wée oughte to be wée should haue a thousand buckelers against the temptacions of Sathan But because wée remember not the mercye of God this thing that Mathew speaketh of hapeneth vnto vs that is to say wée perswade our selues wée sée spirits whereas God goeth about to blesse vs with his benefits Wée should neuer be quayled or ouerthrowne by anye temptacion if wée would remember euery hower the benefyts which God bestoweth vpon vs But wée in the manifest light refuse to sée And they cryed out for feare A. By this outcrye they manifestly declare and testifye that they are beset with vehement terror and grieuous feare 27. But strayghte waye Iesus spake vnto them saying be of good cheare it is I be not a frayde But strayght vvaye Iesus spake C. Because Christ is not acknowledged to be a delyuerer whē in déede hée offereth himselfe hée calleth vnto his Dysciples by woorde of mouthe to the ende they might knowe him whose ingratitude and vnbeléefe he forgeueth for hée comforteth them sayinge Be of good cheere A. That is to saye doubt not but beléeue that I your Lorde and Mayster speake vnto you Be not a frayde C. As if hée should haue sayd after that they knew him to be present with them they had good occasion to hope well but because terror had nowe possessed theyr mindes hée reproueth the same least it should hynder and stay their trust not that they could be quight voyde of feare and haue nothing but mere ioye and gladnes but because it was necessarye to mittigate and asswage the feare least that thereby theyr trust should quight be ouerwhelmed And although the voyce of the Sonne of God is a deadly voyce his presence terrible to the reprobate yet notwithstāding to the Godly it worketh another manner of effecte For in them it worketh peace of conscience and a sure trust and confidence by the which wee ouercome fleshly terrors and feares But hereby it commeth to passe that blind tumults and hurlye burlyes do molest and trouble vs because wée being vnthanckfull and vngodly do not set before vs the buckeler of the infinite benefits of God bestowed vppon vs the which being well wayed cōsidered are sufficiēt to gard defēd vs This voyce of Christ was familiar knowne to his Dysciples because they were daily cōuersant with him The like words hée spake vnto them after his resurrectiō saying it is I be not afrayde And now althoughe it were hye time to helpe whē Christ appeared yet notwithstandinge the tempest ceassed not by and by vntill the Dysciples were better come vnto themselues bothe to desyer helpe also to hope for his grace and sauoure And here wée muste note that the Lorde doth oftentimes vppon good consideratiō differre the healthfull helpe which hee hath alwayes in his hand 28. Peter answered hym and sayde Lord if it be thou bid mee come vnto thee on the water Peter ansvvered him A. Such was the rashe zeale alwayes of Peter Hee desyreth to be with Christ nothing regarding the imbecillity of his fayth Lord if it be thou C. The condition which Peter addeth here plainly declareth that his faith is not yet rype Lord if it be thou sayth hee byd mée come vnto thee on the water Why doth Peter speake so doubtfullye when hee hard the voyce of Christ and knew by his voyce that it was hee Surely in so small and weake a fayth the feruent desyer of a rashe mynde bursteth forth For hée should haue measured himself according to his measure and should rather haue desyered of Christ the encrease of his fayth the which being graunted he might at the lengthe haue gone ouer sea and mountaynes but now withoute the winges of faith hée rashly desyreth to flee and hauinge small credit to the voyce of Christ hée desyereth to walke vppon the water as vppon the hard ground Notwithstanding there is no doubt but that this affectiō sprange of a good beginning but because it slyded into a vicious excesse and wicked extremity it hath loste the praise of goodnes And herevppon it came to passe that Peter receyued the iust recompence of his rashnes Wherefore the faythfull are taught by this example to beware of to much hast If the Lord call vs to any thinge it is our parts to runne bouldly but hée which runneth beyond that marke and passeth his race shall féele at the lengthe by euill successe what it is to go beyonde his boundes M It had bene good for Peter that hée had had experience of the imbecillity of his faythe and of the present power of the Lorde that he had learned to thinke modestly of himself not in extollinge himselfe aboue others as though hée had played the man and done some notable acte Trulye his desyer séemeth very preposterous hée would rūne beyonde the Marke when as hée had not well wayed his imbecillitye and imperfection Wée must not desyer more then wée oughte neyther must wee take those things in hand which excede our strēgth specially when there is no néede but euerye mā must counte with him selfe what and howe muche hée hath receyued of the Lord. 29. And hee sayde come And when Peter vvas come downe out of the ship he vvalked on the water to go to Iesus Question And hee sayde come C. It may here be demaunded why the Lord graunted to Peters request for by this meanes hee séemeth to allow it This question may easely be answered that the Lord sometimes doth verye well forese in denyinge those thinges which wee aske and sometimes for the beste hée doth graunt our requeste though it be not expediēt that wée hauing experience and tryall of our owne folly may yelde our selues vnto him So in time hee frameth his faythfull seruantes to sobrietye and modestye in yelding vnto them more then is necessarye Furthermore in that this profited Peter and the rest it doth profite vs also at this daye The power of Christe dothe more brightly shyne in the person of Peter in that hée followed Christ vpon the water then if Christ had walked alone vpon the same For Peter beinge come vppon the sea and seinge his owne infirmitye was cōtrayned to acknowledge the power of God and to call vnto the Lord for helpe So that Christ notwithstanding his infirmity most gently stayed
him would not suffer him to be drowned The like happeneth daylye vnto vs for as Peter began to syncke so soone as hee was possessed with feare euen so the flowinge and vayne cogitacions of the fleshe herevppon bring to passe that wee syncke euen in the midest of our busines Notwithstanding the Lord beareth with our weaknes and reacheth foorth his hande that the water mighte not altogether ouerwhelme vs. Hee vvalked on the vvater to go to Iesus M. This place confuteth the Maniches and suche like heretiques which denyed the truth of the humaine nature of Christe saying that his body was not a true body but a phantasticall body Thus they reasoned to vphoulde their error it pertayneth not to a true and perfect body to walke on the sea but Christ walked vppon the sea therefore hee had no true or reeall bodye but a phantasticall body These men consider nothinge more to be in Christe then in a bare man as thoughe it were impossible to God to helpe a humaine body from sinking in the sea But what say they vnto this that Peter at the commaundemente of Christ walked vppon the sea Why do they not consider that hee whiche caused Peter to walke vppon the sea with a humaine body can much more easlye hymselfe do the like They should way the power of Christe if not in his owne deede yet at least by the deede of Peter 30. But vvhen hee sawe a mighty wynde hee was afrayde and when hee began to sincke hee cryed sayinge Lorde saue mee But vvhen hee savve a mightye B. In that Peter walked vppon the water it is to be attributed vnto his fayth to the which al thinges are possible but now that he beginneth to drowne his distrust is suffiētlye bewrayed For as by fayth wee ouercome all daungers so by distrust we faint and sincke in the smalest perill wee come vnto The beginning therefore of Peters synckinge was his distruste which had more regarde to the boysterousnes of the wind then to the force of Chrystes word by the which he said come Furthermore this sinking of Peter was a punishment of his vnlawfull petition Lord saue mee C. Peter seing the euill successe of his rashnes hée appealeth to the mercye of Christ Wherefore let vs although wée are worthely punished come vnto Christ that hee may haue mercye vppon vs and helpe vs howe little soeuer wée deserue the same 31. And immediatly Iesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said vnto him O thou of lyttle fayth wherefore diddest thou doubt And immediatelye Iesus M. Here wee haue an example of the helpe of God how readye the same is to delyuer from perill all such as call vppon him That which happened vnto Peter happeneth oftentimes vnto vs for when soeuer wée are deliuered from perill and daunger and from affliction what other thing is done thē this that wée read of here Thus sayd the Prophete Dauid hée shall sende downe from the heyght to fetch mée and shall take me out of many waters The Lord doth alwayes beare with our infirmity when wée fly vnto him how soeuer we deserue to be forsaken O thou of lyttle fayth Iesus teacheth Peter that the daunger which hee feared came not of the waues or of the wind but of the weakenes of his fayth therefore putting out his hande to helpe him hée rebuketh him and sayth O thou of little fayth why diddest thou doubt For it is not sufficiente to haue a vehemente fayth for a time but wée must haue a constant and continuall fayth neyther must we haue only respecte to the greatnes of the daunger what wée are able to do but wée must haue respect what wée are able to bring to passe by constant fayth in Christ C. Wherfore Christ saueth Peter so gentlye that notwithstanding hee winketh not at his fault for hée openlye condemneth the weaknes of his fayth Notwithstanding it may be demaunded whether euerye feare doth argue and betoken a defecte or wante of fayth for the woordes of Christe seeme to proue that there is no doubting or feare where faith rayneth It maye be aunswered that doubting which is directlye contrarye to faith is here reprehended by Christ It maye be that a man may doubt and not offend namely when the word of God is not agaynst him by the which he mighte be perswaded But the cace of Peter was otherwyse who beinge instructed by the commaundement of Christ and hauing all ready experience of his power swerued notwithstandinge from that double foundacion and grounde to vayne and peruerse feare M. Wée are taught therfore by this that wée haue neede of constant fayth in the middest of the raginge flouds of this world which threaten destruction vnto vs when wée make hast to com vnto Christ Peter toke this iorney in hand being daungerous with a greate fayth and feruente heate but before hee came halfe waye hee was cooled hée continued not as hée began A. Wherefore let vs pray vnto the Lord to geeue vnto vs not onely the earnestnes of fayth but also a constancye and perseuerance to continue in the same to the ende 32. And vvhen they vvere come into the ship the vvind ceassed B. That is to saye when the Lord Iesus and Peter were come into the shippe By the woordes of Iohn which saythe Then woulde they haue receyued hym into the Ship and immediatlye the Ship was at the Lande whyther they wente it might seeme to be gathered that Iesus went not into the Ship at all were it not for Mathewe and Marke which by expresse wordes affyrme the same A. Thus therefore the wordes of Iohn and the other Euangelystes maye be vnited as if they should haue sayde Then would they haue receyued him into the ship and hee went into the Ship to them and when Christe and his Disciples were in the Ship together the wind ceassed M. Here wee learne that there is no storme or wynde so boysterous but that Christe is able to quyet and calme the same For it is hée alone which can send and mayntayne aswell the externall as the internall peace of his Church the which hée hath declared oftentimes 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him sayinge of a truth thou arte the sonne of God. Then they that vvere in the A. Nowe it followeth what came to passe after the finishing of this excellent myracle They that were in the ship seing the power of Christe and the present helpe which hee broughte in so great trouble came and worshipped him saying Of a truth thou art the sonne of God C. This was spoken not onelye of the Disciples but also of the Marriners and others that were in the ship They therefore which as yet had not giuen sufficient credit vnto him now at a sodaine confesse him to be the sonne of God by the whych voyce they attribute vnto him the honor of the Messias For althoughe this highe misterye was not commonlye
because they are alwayes caried hedlonge into destruction Wherefore we must vnderstand those to be planted by the hande of God which by his fre adoption are graffed into the tree of life And in the prophets we shall oftentimes fynde these wordes planted of the lorde when they meane that the lord hath chosen some to be his people So the father hath plāted into the kingdome of heauen whom he geueth to the sonne to iustifie These being planted vpon the trewe lande of Israell shall neuer be pluked vp But these reprobate outcaste Phariseyes were neuer of this nomber but being externally of the vine of the lorde were in a shorte tyme cut of as vnfruitefull branches therefore they beinge nowe incurable and ordayned to destruction Christ pertayneth not vnto them C. And in this sence also the prophete calleth the Church renewed by the grace of Christe a flower planted by the lorde Finally because election commeth onely of the lorde the reprobate muste nedes perysshe howe so euer it come to passe not that God destroyeth the good innocent but because they by their own mallice tourne all thinges be they neuer so holsome and profytable for theim to theyr owne destruction And so it commeth to passe that the Gospell is the sauoure of death vnto deathe to them as witnesseth S. Paule For although the Gospell be set forthe for the saluation of all men yet notwithstāding it bryngeth not forth the fruite of saluation but onely in the elects B. Wherefore these wordes and examples of Chryste oughte to confyrme and strengthē so many as shal offend the euill and wicked by worde or dede when they following the word of God set forth nothinge but the glorye thereof and the fayth of our lord sauiour Iesus Christ Let theim onely beware that they neyther do nor say any thing of them selues without good aucthoritie and that theye sowe the seede of the worde of God with great reuerence and feare and also that they euer pray for the dyrection of godds spirite If they thus doinge offende any man let them remember these woordes of Christ namely that euery plant whiche the heauenly father hath not planted must be plucked vp by the rootes that is to saye it is ordained by the wyll of god that all they shoulde perishe whiche are not predestinate by the father to eternall life and that therfore of necessitie it must nedes come to passe that in al good thinges some shall be offended But as wée saide before it is our partes verye dilygently to beware and take heede leaste that they se or here any thynge by vs whereby they may iustly be offended but that they may haue al the cause of offēce in them selues although they wold seme to take the same by our good demeanour C. To be short a faythfull and good teacher wyll so temper moderate guyde what so euer hee publisheth that it shall proffite all men but so often as it commeth otherwise to passe let him comfort hym selfe with the aunswere of Christe Christ verye well and aptely put forthe this similitude to proue that the cause of destruction is not in the doctrine but that the reprobate which haue no rote in god worke their owne destruction and damnation who when the doctrine of Christ is set before them powre out their secret poyson and thus they accelerate and hasten deathe to theim selues Moreouer Chryste by this similitude towcheth Hypocrites whiche seeme for a season to be lyke vnto good trees that are planted Suche were the Scribes and Phariseis which sprang vp and grew in the church of God muche lyke to the Cedar trees in Lybanus to the ende their defection and withering away might seeme the more absurde Therfore in the church of Christ pure and sincere doctrine shal be alwaies preached Wherfore let the teachers cōsider and way what the capacitie of men doth require If any after their doctrine rage and waxe mad let the ministers of Christ suffer them For althoughe they seme to stande very well in the Church yet neuerthelesse they shal be plucked vp by the rootes at the length because they are not planted of the lorde And wher as Christe might very well haue saide that they shal perishe which carelesly and disdainefully reiecte saluation offered vnto them he procedeth farther and saith that none shal stand for euer but such whose saluation is firme sure in the electiō of God. By the which woordes he plainely sheweth that the first oryginall and beginning of our saluation commeth of the grace by the whiche God chose vs to be his sonnes before we were created before the foundation of the earth was layde 14 Let them alone they be the blind leaders of the blind If the blind leade the blynd both shall fal into the ditche Let them alone C. He meaneth that we should not set so much by men that their offence shoulde greately moue vs Notwithstanding a iudgement and discression is nedeful to be had For when they are offended by theyr owne wyckednes and not by ignorance we muste not regarde them but passe euen through the myddest of them Hereuppon came that olde distynction of auoydynge offences namely that we beware leaste we geue the offence to the weake but if any wicked obstinate and maliciouse person take the offence it is no matter to vs we nede not care For it is necessary the christ which is the rocke of offence shold be buryed if we wyll satisfie the obstinacy of all men Therefore it shall behoue vs to discerne betwene the weake whiche are offended throughe ignorance and are by and by conformable and the proude and obstinate whiche take offence to theim selues leaste any weake person be molested and troubled throughe our defalte But when the wicked obstinatelye kicke against vs let vs go voyde of care euen through the middest of theyr offences For he which doth not spare geue place to his weake bretherne is churlishe and dothe treade those as it were vnder his fete to whom he ought to reache out his helpinge hande But to care for others it is no parte of our bewetie seinge they must of necessitie fall into offence if we go forward in our calling and discharge our duety Furthermore when it shall come to passe that they are alienate and fallen from Christ by the collour cloke of offence let vs let theim alone leaste they drawe vs with thē also The cause why the Phariseies were offended was arrogancie disdaine they contemned greatly despysed the doctrine of Christe notwithstanding that it came from God the father In their hartes they bare the cause of offence wherfore Christ cōmandeth to let them alone They be the blind leaders of the blynd E. Or they be the blynde guides of the blinde according to the nature of the Greeke worde C. In this sentence there is a great Emphasis or force by the which Christ sheweth that the
Phariseies were rather offēded by pride then through infirmitie because they were to wise in their owne opinions soughte to rule all men according to theyr wyl For when they stomble in the plaine way it is euidēt that they are wilfully blinde Now to what ende should a man suffer him selfe to be led by thē vnlesse he wold fal into the same pit of blindenes wherunto they are caryed hedlōg For Christ the son of righteousenesse which shineth vnto vs which doth not onely shewe vs the true waye by the light of his Gospel but will haue the same also preferred of vs dothe very well reuoke his disciples frō that sluggishenes and wilful blindenes least they shold fal into the same state that they were in For he addeth If the blind leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditche C. A sentēce worthy to be noted by the whiche the lord sheweth howe prerilouse and daungerouse a thynge it is for men to be ruled by those that are blynde namely that it wyll at the lengthe come to passe that by obeyinge theym and by walkyng with them in darckenesse wee shall come into the lyke destruction Hereby we gather that all men are inexcusable which vnder the coullour of simplicitie modestie suffer them selues to be deceyued and snared with errours as they whiche at this day beyng in errour and blyndnesse say that they were so taughte by their teachers and pastors vnder whom they oughte to be gouerned and say also that their errour shall be imputed to the Byshoppes But Christ here plainely affirmeth that those blynde also shall fall into destruction whiche followed their blynde guides No man therfore in his right wittes wil harken and obey these blinde Phariseis for none can please theym but suche as shut theyr eyes agaynste the sonne As for exaumple Those whiche beare great rule amonge the aduersaries of oure sauioure Chryst are captaynes how shal we please them if we beholde the lyghte and the Gospell If wee bende our selues to beholde the lyghte that is to followe Chryste by and by wee kyndell theyr furyouse rage agaynste vs No man dydde euer beare more with the weake and suffer theyr infyrmities then dyd the Apostel Paule Notwithstandynge when he sawe suche kynd of men which wold bring mennes consciences into bondage hee stoutelye bente hym selfe agaynste them in noo wyse geuinge tyme or place vnto theim for hee woulde not be blynde and haue blynd guydes to leade hym The Euangelist Luke in rehearsing this sentence noteth no circumstaunce but saith that Christ vsed this similitude generally euen as in rehersinge many of the sermōs of Christ he sheweth no cause why they were made It may be that Christ repeated this selfe same sentence often times A. As in dyuerse places we maye finde that he hath repeated many other 15 Then answered Peter and saide vnto him Declare vnto vs this parable C. To answere in this place according to the maner of the Hebrewes is as much to say as to speake as thus Then spake Peter and said vnto him c. For Marke hath And when he came into the house away from the people his disciples asked hym of the symilitude But in this place Peter being as it were the mouth of the rest saith Declare vnto vs this parable 16 Iesus sayde are ye also yet withoute vnderstandinge C. Because the Disciples doo bewraye their intollerable rudenesse Christ doth iustely reprehende theim and rebuketh them because as yet they wante vnderstandinge yet notwithstanding hee letteth not to teache and instructe them 17 Do not ye yet vnderstande that whatsoeuer entereth in at the mouth goth into the belly and is cast out into the draughte C. The sume and effecte of Christs wordes in this place is to declare that men are not polluted with meates but that they haue spottes and dregges of vyces included within them whiche openlye burst out in workes M. This is more playnely expressed in Marcke where we reade thus There is nothynge without a man that can defile him when it entereth into him but the thinges which procede out of a man those are they that do defile the mā Therfore the cleanenes or vncleanenes of a mā consisteth in the qualitie of the hart not in the qualitie of the belly C. If any man obiect say that the intēperature of meate drynke is a pollution defiling of a man we may easely answere that Christ speketh not here but of the naturall lawfull vse of those thinges which the lord hath geuen vs. To eate drinke of it selfe is a free thing indifferēt if there come any corruptiō it cōmeth of mā him self therfore it ought to be thought internall not externall 18 But those thinges which procede out of the mouth come forthe from the harte and they defile the man. A. For this matter reade the exposition of the eleuenth verse 19 For oute of the harte procede euyll thoughtes murthers breakinge of wedlocke whoredomes theftes false witnes blasphemies C. Hereby we gather the which before we noted namely that Christ at the first spake of the mouthe for the circumstāce of the present place for now he maketh no mētiō of the mouth but sayth that al viciouse thinges that do defile pollute come frō the hart of man onely In this Marke differeth from our Euāgelist Mathew namely that he reckeneth vp more vices then the other dothe And although these wordes of our sauyour Christ are spoken after an improper maner yet it is sufficient for vs if we therby may gather his meaning namely that al vices do procede frō the euil corrupt affectiōs of the hart It is an improper kind of speache to say that an euil eie procedeth from the hart yet in dede ther is no absurditie or ambiguitie in so sayinge because an impure vncleane hart doth defile the eyes and maketh theym mynisters and instrumentes of euill desires Notwithstanding Christ doth not restraine all that is euyll in the man to manifest sinnes but to th ende he myght more playnely declare the harte of man to be the seate and receptacle of all euyll he sayth that there remaine testimonies and fruites euen in the synnes 20 These are the thinges whiche defile a man But to take meate with vnwasshen handes defyleth not a man. A. The Greke text hath These are the thinges which make a man cōmon But common defiled vncleane are all one as may appere by the wordes of Peter That which the lord hath purified count not thou common The whiche wordes were an aunswere to this I dyd neuer eate any thinge cōmon or vncleane The Iewes did cal those things cōmon which the Gentiles vsed commonly and therefore impure prophane And that which the Gréeke phrase calleth cōmon the Hebrew phrase calleth vncleane or defiled 21 And Iesus went thence and departed into the coastes of Tyre and Sydon And Iesus vvent thence M. This hystorye is very plentyfull
such greuouse occasiōs ar set before her that vnlesse she had receyued a sounde perfect faith she might haue forsakē Christ spokē euyl of the gospel of the kingdome C. Therfore the Euangelists for diuerse causes do commende the faith of this woman as now for her inuincible constancie for seing that the sylence of Christe was a certaine kind of repulse it is meruaile that she was not caste downe dyscouraged by this temptation but her continuall prayer was a sufficient testimonie and witnesse of her perseueraunce Notwithstanding this shoulde seeme to be contrary to the nature of fayth and inuocation as sainct Paule describeth the same sayinge that no man can praye arighte without he haue firste hearde the woorde of god Who therefore wyl say that this woman had fayth who Christe holding his peace gathereth and conceiueth a trust of her own selfe But for so much as Christe speaketh two maner of waies yet holdeth his peace we muste note that although hee did then kepe sylence yet notwithstandinge he spake to the mynde of the woman and so this secret instinction of his spirite was in stede of the external preaching Thus the lorde oftentimes speaketh to his faithfull seruauntes and yet holdeth his peace for they bearing them selues bolde vpon the comfortable testimonies of Scrypture where they heare him speakinge doubte not but that he wyl be merciful vnto thē and yet notwithstandynge hee dothe not by and by accomplishe their desires and graūte their petitions but semeth rather as though he dyd not heare We se therfore to what ende Christ helde his peace not to extinguyshe the fayth of the woman but rather to kyndell her feruente fayth and to inflame her to be more earneste Wherefore if so small a seede of doctrine in the womā of Canaan brought forthe suche plentifull fruite it were to to much shame if we shoulde faynt and quayle when he differreth vs and satisfieth not our request And his disciples came and besought The dyscyples beyng wery and anoyed with the importunate suite and crying of the womā came vnto Christe and besoughte him to sende her away saying Sende her avvay E. That is to saye dispatche her eyther by granting to her her petition or els by satisfying her by some other meane C. The disciples trewly craue nothing in the womans behalfe at the handes of Christe but because of her importunate suite they desire to haue her sent awaye Bu. For they them selues shew the cause why they would haue her sent away sayinge For shee crieth after vs. as if they shold haue sayde She weryeth vs excedinglye and aboue measure with cryinge with her complaintes she is irkesome vnto vs in so muche that it is a reproch to vs all if she thus follow vs thou neyther rebukinge her nor grauntyng her petition whereby we maye be in quiet C. But what a foolishe imagination and deuyse of the Papistes was it by this place to teache to pray vnto the dead saintes For lett vs graunte that this woman craued some helpe or fauour at the disciples handes whiche can not be gathered by the texte yet notwithstanding there is a difference betwene the dead and the liuing Bu. It is moste sure and certayne that the sayncts which are alyue on the earth do pray for such as are in trouble affliction and mysery but it is most vncertaine that the saintes in heauen do pray for vs yea it is most sure that they are ignorāt of our cogitations and desyres 24. But he aunswered and saide I am not sent but to the lost shepe of the house of Israell C. Here he sheweth the cause why he doth not heare answere the woman of Canaan because he wolde geue him selfe wholly to the Iewes to whom he was appointed a minister of the grace of god Therefore he argueth of the vocation cōmandement of his father that no helpe muste be shewed to straungers and forreners Not that the power of Christ was alwaies shut and included in such straite bondes but hecause the time dyd so require that he begynninge at the Iewes might for the tyme kepe him selfe whollye vnto them but after his resurrectiō the tyme came that he should preach peace vnto the Gētiles which were alienate frō the kingedome of God. For this cause Christ at the first commanded his Aposteles to kepe thē selues or to preach onely to the Iewes and not to come into the waye of the Gentiles The Apostell Paule also to this effecte callethe Christ the minister of the circumsition He doth therefore truely denie hym selfe to be sente sauing onely to the lost shepe of the house of Israell that is to saye to the Iewes vntil the fulnes of time came in the which the Gentiles shold succede Bu. Hereby let vs learne how greatly the lorde estemed the people of Israell in graunting to thē such a prerogatiue that the sonne of God him self should say that he was specially sent vnto them Whervpon the trueth of goddes promise maye be gathered in that all thinges that God by the prophetes had spoken promysed are now offered and perfourmed to this people Furthermore he dothe not onely call the elect and chosen the lost shepe of the house of Israell but also all suche as came of the stocke of the holy fathers because God comprehēded all vnder the couenaunte and because the redemer was promised to all without exception euen as without exception hee reuealed and offered hym selfe to al men This also is worthy to be noted that he pronounceth him selfe to be geuen to the loste sheepe euen as in an other place he saith that he came to saue that which was loste 25 Then came she and worshipped him saying Lorde helpe mee Then came shee B. This woman hadde a wonderfull trust when that neyther the silence of Christ nor the answere which he made to the disciples by the which he might seme to deny to shewe to her any fauour at all could any whit discourage her but began so much the more earnestly to praye for sayth the Euangelist she came and worshipped hym saying Lord helpe mee The more sharpely shee was repoulsed the more vehemētly she prayed and craued helpe C. Shee semethe therfore obstinatly to contend as though she coulde extorte somwhat from hym by violence But without al doubt the goodnesse whiche by faith she had conceiued of the Messias dyd thus imbolden and encourage her And whereas Christe precisely denying that this her request pertayned to his office she was not dyscouraged neither lefte of her suite it must needes so come to passe as we sayde before by the fyrme and constante faythe whiche shee had conceyued And this is a trewe probation and trial of our fayth when we wyll neuer suffer the generall principle of our saluation which is founded vpon the woorde of God to be taken frō vs. Lorde helpe me A. As if she sholde haue saide I do not perceyue that I am
shoulde féede and satisfy them according to the order prescribed vnto him by his heauenly father shée onelye maketh her peticion to haue the crommes that fall from her masters table And truly God did neuer so include and tye his grace to the Iewes but that hée would suffer the Gentiles to haue some tast therof though it were but small So that nothing could be more aptly and dulye spoken by our sauioure to expresse the dispensation of the grace of God whiche then florished than this And the similitude which he bringeth is most fit as if a man should haue a greate summe of money in his handes which hée meaneth to giue vnto some other and in geuing the same to the party to whom hée ment it it commeth to passe that a péece falleth from him the which péece hée suffereth to be taken and caryed away of one to whom hee ment it not neyther was it due euen so our Lord and sauiour Christ had his hādfull of mercies the which were due by promise made to Abraham to the Iewes notwithstanding it came to passe that in paying the same some crommes of mercy were taken vp by the Gentiles which hee let fall vnto them M. By this place we learne so to perseuer continue in faith that wée leaue not of to craue that which wée woulde obtayne To this effect also pertayneth the example of the importunate widdow and the vniust Iudge Furthermore wée learne that oure rude and base estate ought not to stay vs in comming to Christ but that wée ought rather to take occasion thereby more boldly to come and to craue those things at his hands wherof wée haue néede What is more vyle then a whelpe and yet notwithstanding because it belongeth to the Lorde of the house although it eate not of the childrēs bread yet notwithstanding it is allowed to eate of the crommes that fall from the Table without checke 28. Then Iesus aunsweared and said vnto her O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto thee euen as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole euē at that same time Then Iesus aunsvvered Bu. Hytherto the Euangelyste hath described the true nature and quality of faythe and nowe hee addeth the effecte that commeth of fayth First of all Christ commendeth the fayth of the woman then hee gyueth vnto her that which shée requyred and also declareth that shee hath obtayned it by fayth For the greatnes of her fayth declared it selfe in this that shée hauing but a small sparke of Doctrine did not onely know the proper offyce of Christe and attributed vnto him heauenly power but also constantly went forwarde by such narrowe strayts and soore lets and suffered herself to be abased and compared to a dogge so that shée mighte retayne the helpe of Christ of the which shee was fully perswaded to be shorte shée so tempered her trust with humillity that shée arrogated nothing rashly to her selfe and yet notwithstanding by the féeling of her owne vnworthines shée shut not vp the well of the grace of Christ against herselfe B. By this fayth trulye nothing shal be impenitrable or impossible to him that prayeth But by the tytle of this prophane womā the ingratitude of this people which boasted themselues to be holy and acceptable vnto God is condemned Neuerthelesse how this woman is truly sayd to beléeue which is not onelye destitute of the promyse of Christ but by the words also of his owne mouthe is repelled and put away wée haue declared before For althoughe hee doth sharpelye as it mighte seeme refuse her prayers yet notwithstanding she being throughly perswaded of the Messias promised from aboue ceaseth not to hope well and therefore shee feeleth the gate shut against her not that shée is altogether driuē away and quight shut out of place but to the end she might with a more serious endeuour of faythe pearce euen through the small chinckes cleftes of the gate Be it vnto thee euen as thou B. This voyce of Christ contayneth a profitable doctrine C. For wée are taught that wée obtayne all thinges at the handes of the Lorde by fayth yea euen those things which séeme impossible vnto vs because God alwayes estemeth so much of fayth that hee is alwayes readye in matters expediente to graunt vs our desyer The Euangeliste Marke bringeth in the wordes of Christ thus and hée sayde vnto her for this saying go thy way the deuill is gone oute of thy daughter And her daughter vvas made vvhole euen at the C. The Lorde doth neuer deceaue or disapoint vs of his word but perfourmeth the which hée promiseth euen in due time Marke addeth these woords saying and when shee was come home to her house shee found that the Deuill was departed and her daughter lying on the bed 29. And Iesus went awaye from thence and came nye vnto the Sea of Gallilae and went vppe into a mountaine and sat downe there And Iesus vvent avvaye from thence Eu. Christ our sauioure was muche more enclyned in the time of his flesh or whilest hee was on earth towards his people then he was to straungers Amonge the Gentiles hee bestowed at once but one benefite onely as vppon this woman of Canaan and the almost constrayned but by and by among the Iewes hée distributeth manye benefits and to the most parte being neyther prouoked by the thanckefulnes nor by the fayth of the Iewes but of his owne free wil. For hee healeth all those that are sick and disseased with diuers kyndes of disseases being brought vnto him yea were they neuer so incurable without money fréely And Iesus vvent avvaye from thence M. Namelye from the partes of Tyre and Sydon C. Mathewe and Marke declaring the retourne of Christe from the partes of Tyre and Sydon do seme to disagrée very much But where as our Euangeliste Mathewe sayth that hée came into the partes of Magdala and Marke into the partes of Dalmanutha it is nothinge for when as there were diuers bordering Cities scituate beyond the lake of Genascreth toward the mount Thabor it is no marueile if a double name were attributed to the middell region There appeareth more difference in this that Mathew sayth hee healed many being diuerslye disseased and Marke doth make mencion but of the healinge of one deafe man Yet notwithstanding this may easly be resolued Marke chose the celebratinge of that myracle to hymselfe which our sauioure Christ shewed in the way and the fame wherof being dispersed styrred vp the inhabitaunts of that countrey by little and little to bring their sicke persons to him to be healed For wee knowe that the Euangelistes do not curiouslye note euerye thing that Christ did but do wryte so sparingly as concerning myracles that they toutche but fewe onelye and that for examples sake Agayne Marke thought it sufficiente to set before vs one proofe of the power of God in the which his Maiestye appeareth as myraculous as if hée had rehersed many more of the
the earth because al their endeuors shal be frustrate whē they shall sée him reuyued whom they thoughte to be extinguished buryed That séemeth wonderfull vnto them which happened to Ionas the Prophete the like signe wonder shal be giuen to them but more wonderfull By this darke sentence the Lord Iesus signifyed that hée should be slayne and buryed of them and by by by his deuyne power ryse agayne C. The summe therefore and effecte of these wordes is that the Iewes were satisfyed by no signes but were tickeled styrred vp to tempte God by a wicked desyer For hée doth not simplelye call them an aduouterous nation because they requyred some signe the which the Lord oftentimes graunted to his seruauntes but because of a set purpose they prouoked God he so calleth them and compareth himselfe to Ionas Marke maketh no mencion of Ionas yet notwithstandinge the meaninge of the two Euangelistes is all one And hee left them and departed M. The Euangelist hath not rashly or in vaine described the diuers sundry iorneys perigrinations of our sauiour Christ for they were not taken in hand without good cause Hée wente oftentimes from one place to another for their sakes whom hee wente to call as appeareth by this place I must go and Preache to other Citties Sometimes hee departed because of their vnbeleefe and mallyce from whom hee wente and suche was the cause whiche wee here reade of For the Euangeliste sayth not simplely And hée departed But hée lefte them and departed to the ende hée might shew that Christ beinge offended at the mallyce of the Phariseys and Saduces departed because he would leaue them in their blindnes to teache his Dysciples that the doctrine of the kingdome of God did nothinge at all profite amonge these kinde of men These things are to be noted that wee maye learne to whom the doctrine of the Gospell doothe appertayne and to whom it doth not appertayne B. Moreouer whyther Christ departed the Euāgelist Marke sheweth by these woordes And hée lefte them and went into the shippe agayne and departed ouer the water 5. And when his Dysciples were come to the other syde of the vvater they had forgotten to take bread with them B. This historye the Euangelist Marke toucheth also who in stéede of that which our Euangelist hath here they had forgotten to take bread with them sayth and they had but one loafe in the shippe Peraduenture Christe departed sooner then the Dysciples looked for and therefore they forgot to take breade C. Christ therefore by the occasion offered exhorteth his Dysciples to beware of all corruption which mighte defyle and pollute syncere pietye and godlynes The Phariseys came a lyttle before who shewed them selues to be infected with poysoned obstinacye and the Saduces came to beare them company on the other part stoode Herode that pestilente aduersarye and corrupter of sound doctrine amonge these daungers it was necessary that the Dysciples shoulde be admonished to take héede vnto themselues For seing the disposition of man is naturallye inclyned to vanitye and errors when wée are beset with peruerse fayned inuencions wyth false doctrine and with suche like pestifferous daungers there is nothinge more prompte and readye to swerue from the true and proper puritye of the woorde of God than the same And if it come to passe that wée be once intangled it neuer lightlye happeneth that true Religion hath perfecte rule in vs but that this may appeare more euidient vnto vs let vs way the woordes of Christ 6. Then Iesus sayd vnto them take hede and bevvare of the leuen of the Phariseis and of the Saduces Take heede and bevvare S. Our sauioure Christ here vseth a serious admonition forewarninge by the which hée declareth that it is not geuen to euerye one to discerne and iudge of false doctrine to beware of the same Of the leuen of the Phariseys C. In stéede of the Saduces which are here ioyned to the Phariseys Marke placeth Herode Luke onely maketh mencion of the Phariseys Howbeit it is vncertayne whether Luke reherseth the same Sermon of Christ for hée defyneth the leuen to be hypocrisye and briefely passeth ouer these wordes as thoughe there were no ambiguity or doubt at all in the same And although the metaphor of the leuen which is here compared to false doctrine might in another place be referred to the hypocrisye of life and maners Yet notwithstanding it shall not be absurde if we saye that those thinges which Marke and Mathewe accordinge to the order of the history do handell at large are more sparinglye set downe of Luke and that out of order and place so that in deede there is no discrepance or disagréemente at all betwene them howsoeuer in words there may séeme to be And if it may be lawfull to follow this coniecture hypocrisye will note vnto vs somwhat more thā a fayned counterfeyte shew of wisedome namely it will declare it to be the wellspringe and originall it selfe of vaine pompe and glorye which bearinge some greate outward shewe before men is of no pryce or estimation with God. For as the eyes of the Lord as sayth Ieremye do behould the truth so by his word hée frameth the faythfull to sounde perfecte godlynes that they may cleane vnto righteousnes with a sound perfect hart according to the saying of the Lorde And now Israell what doth the Lorde thy God requyre of thée but to feare the Lorde thy God to walke in hys wayes to loue him and to serue him with all thy hart and with all thy soule But contrarywise the traditions of men spirituall worship layde a part bringe in deceytfull coullers as thoughe God mighte be taken by such flickeringe intisements For althoughe outwarde ceremonyes do excell and haue a beutifull shew yet notwithstanding before God they are as childishe toyes and tryfels sauinge onely that by their supportacion and ayde wée are exercised and brought to true pietye and godlynes Nowe let vs note and sée why the Euangelist Luke hath put hypocrisy in stede of false doctrine and by this name comprehendeth the leuen of men which only puffeth vp but contayneth nothing that is sounde before God yea rather which bringeth the mindes of men from the righte studye of Godlynes to vayne rytes and ceremonyes of no force But because the exposition of our Euangelist Mathewe is more euidente and playne wee will stande vppon the same When the Disciples were reprehended of the Lord they knewe at the lengthe that they were commaunded to beware and to take hede of Doctrine it is most certayne that this was the meaninge of Christe to the ende hee mighte fortifye them againste the presente corruption with the whiche they were beset on euery syde and therefore hée spake of the Phariseys and Saduces because those two sectes did rayne tyrannically in the Church and by theyr wicked opinions did oppressed and kéepe
and incourage the disciples to constancie namely that although their faith was obscure and base yet notwithstandinge they were chosen of the Lord as the fyrste fruites that at the lengthe of that contemptible and base beginning a newe Church might spring and aryse which church shold be a conquerer euen against hel gates as we shal here an on I vvyll buyld my congregation M. The latten translation hathe Ecclesiam meam my Churche whiche is a Gréeke worde and signifieth a congregation or conuocatiō of people The which word the threscore ten interpretours vsed so often as in the olde testamente they red this woorde Cahal or Edah which two wordes signifie a congregation flocke or multitude As in the .xxii. Psalme In the myddeste of the congregation wyl I prayse thee And in the fyftene chapter of the boke of nombers there is mention made of this woorde congregation thre tymes at the leaste And in Deutronomye it is sayde Into the congregation of the lorde c. Moreouer in Exodus the foure and thirtie chapter we haue this woord congregation and in the seuenth Psalme The whiche woorde the threscore and ten interpretours sometime cal by the name of Synagogge and somtime by the name of Churche But in this place Christ calleth euery congregation flocke corporation and societie of faythefull men hys churche whom God hath chosen to euerlastinge life in the same saithe hope and loue of the spirite in what place of the world soeuer they be This Church was at all tymes as in the tyme of Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Moyses Dauid and in the tyme of al the Prophetes although it were but small There was a Churche of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and there is a Churche or congregation as yet at this day of the faythfull which beleue the same saluation and remission of synnes by Christ althoughe hee was made man and suffered There hath bene alwaies but one Churche the headde whereof is Christ as the Apostel Paule teachethe in his epistell to the Ephesians Oftentimes the Church is taken for the Seniors of the Church as in this place If he beare not them tell the Church if he heare not the Churche let let him be vnto thee as an Ethnike or a Publicane M. Let them therefore see which at this day boast and glorye in the title of the Churche beinge in dede ennemies of the Church what head they haue and of whose congregation they are mēbers The woulfe loueth the shepefoldes but not as a shepe not as the pastor but as a wulfe We must also note this that Christe saide not to Peter I will builde thy Churche but my Churche that we may know the church to belōg to Christ and not to Peter For Peter is not lorde of the Churche but Christ Christ saithe that his shepe are euery where And the Apostels call those that are Christiās the flocke of the lord not their owne flocke they acknowledge them selues to be mynisters and not lordes Herupon the Apostell exhorted the byshops to raigne ouer their flocke not as lordes but as geuers of good insaumple to their flocke The church therfore belongeth to Christ not vnto any one man It is geuen to him of the father of whom as a sonne he hath receiued al thinges with ful power And then beyonde the right of the fyrste begotten be redemed his Church or inheritance with a greate price euen with his own preciouse bloud And in an other place it is saide Ye are boughte with a great price be not therefore the seruantes of men Also in an other place Christ dyed for all men that they whiche lyue might not liue vnto thē selues but vnto hym which died for them And again No man liueth to him selfe and no man dyeth vnto him self for whether we liue or die we are the lordes for Christe dyed rose againe that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and the deade They greatly erre therefore whiche seke for rule in the flocke and congregation of the lorde and also whiche refusynge to submytte them selues to the power and domynion of Chryst laye their heades vnder the feete of men And the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Z. The gates of Citties for the moste parte are very stronge and haue percullices to set before them C. Therfore by the name of Gates all kynd of force and munition is noted Z. and by hel Gates all Satanicall and deuelishe power is to be vnderstode These promises are great and moste firme whiche do pacifie and comforte the consciences of the faythful when they consider them selues to be so setteled and graunted that they knowe for a suertie howe they are able to resist all the power of Sathan Accordynge to the saying of saincte Paule There is no condemnatiō to those that are in Christe Iesu And If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs howe then should he not with hym geue vs all thinges Who shall saye any thynge to the charge of Goddes electe c. C. Althoughe the pronoune it may be referred eyther to the rocke to fayth or to the Churche yet notwithstandynge the latter sence doth better agree namely that the firme state of the Church shal stande immoueable and inuincible against all the power of Sathan and that because the treweth of God shall for euer indure Also to this sentence agreeth the saying of Iohn This is the victory whiche ouercommeth the worlde euen oure faythe M. Christians therefore holde them faste by the trewe rocke beinge so firmely buylded vpon the same that nothinge can ouerthrowe them For this is a most sure and certaine promise that they which are vnited in Christ and acknowledge hym to be theyr mediatoure shall euen to the worldes ende be defended frō all harme For that which is spoken of the body of the Church pertaineth to euery particuler member of the same in that they be one in Christ A. According to the saying of our sauiour Christ I knowe my shepe they followe me I geue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shal neuer perishe neyther shal any mā plucke them out of my hande Notwithstandyng we are here taught that so lōg as the churche is vpon the earthe it shall neuer be quiete but styll subiecte to reproche and ignominie For in that the Church is sayd to haue the preemynence ouer Sathan it is euident that Sathan shall stil seke to destroy it But let vs by this comfortable voyce of Christe glorye and tryumphe ouer him voyde of all feare and care seynge that Christ is our captayne and conquerer 19 And I wyll geue vnto thee the keies of the kyngedome of heauen and what so euer thou byndest in earthe shall be bounde in heauen and what so euer thou lousest in earthe shal be loused in heauen And I vvyll geue vnto thee
the keyes C. Here our sauiour Christe beginneth nowe to intreate of the publike office or of the Apostelship the dignitie whereof is adorned with a double tytle for Christ sayth that the mynisters of the Gospell are as it were porters of the kingdome of heauen because they carry the keyes of the same and that is the fyrst Then he saith that they haue power to binde and louse not only in earth but also in heauen and this is the seconde This similitude of the keyes pertayneth very aptelye to the office of teachinge B. The Metaphor is herupon taken because the chiefe power of the house and of the cittie is in his power and rule whiche hath the chiefe custody vse of the keyes for that he maye let into the house or cittie whom he wil and seclude and kepe out whom he list Hereupon the lorde when he promysed to Eliakim the sonne of Helkia the seruaunte of kinge Ezechias the chiefe power in the kinges courte in Hierusalem he spake thus by the Prophete Esay The keye of the house of Dauid wyl I lay vppon his shulder so that he shall open and no man shall shut He shall shut no mā shal open For there he prophesied of this Eliakim speakinge of Sobna which was the chiefe gouernour of the kinges house thus In that day shall I cal my seruant Eliakim the sonne of Helkia And with thy garmentes wyll I clothe him with thy girdell will I strengthen hym thy power wil I commit into his hande and he shal be a father of such as dwel in Hierusalem in the house of Iuda The same metaphor the lord vsed in an other place saying Woo vnto you Lawyers for ye haue taken away the keie of knowledge ye entered not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad that is to say ye withstode the doctrine of the kingedome of God lest it shoulde be broughte out to thē that they mighte be partakers of the same C. Christ therefore sayth that the Scribes Phariseies which were interpretours of the law had the keye of knowledge or the key of the kingdome of heauen for we know that the gate of lyfe is opened no otherwise vnto vs then by the worde of God. Whereupon it followeth that the key is geuen into the hāde of the ministers therof Notwithstādinge it is demaūded why the lord promised that he wold geue that vnto Peter which he semed to haue geuē before at the making of the Apostels But this questiō is answered before where we said that the twelue were but forerunners for the time so that when they returned vnto Christe againe they had finished the race ende of their calling But after that Christe rose againe from death then they were apointed ordinary teachers of the church in this respecte this honor pertained vnto thē euer after Bu. Therfore he saith here I wil geue not I haue geuen He promiseth that he will geue the keies he geueth them not But after his resurrecttion he sayd vnto them Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euē so send I you also And whē he had said these woordes he breathed on them and saith vnto thē receyue ye the holy ghoste Who so euers synnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them And who so euers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned In the which wordes As my father sente me c. there is a cōparison not an equalitie For Christ was sent that he might be the redemption of the whole world the Apostels were not so sent but onely to preach But as Christ was sent of the father for the saluatiō of the whole world so the Apostels were sent to prech this saluation that they which beleue their preachinge might be saued as if he had heard Christ him selfe as he saith in another place He which heareth you heareth me Moreouer he saith not They shal be geuē but I will geue by the which words Christe challengeth all this power of the kingdome of heauen to him selfe as lord in so much that he might cōmyt the same to whom it pleased hym For here it maketh no great matter not only who receiueth but of whom any thing is receiued And vvhat so euer thou bindest in earthe C The seconde metaphor or symilitude pertayneth properlye to note the remyssion of synnes For Christe delyueringe vs by his Gospell from the euerlastinge paine of deathe louseth the snares and fetters of maledyction with the whiche we were held bounde Therfore he declareth that the doctrine of the Gospell was ordeyned to louse our bandes that being loused in earthe by the voice and testimony of mē we mighte also in deede be loused in heauen B. But this metaphor is taken of this that the Prophetes do preache that the office of christ is to louse peculiarly those that are bound So Christ him selfe speaketh vnto Paule sayinge I wyll sende thée to the Gentiles to open theyr eyes that they may be tourned from darkenes to lighte and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they maye receyue forgeuenesse of synnes and inheritance amonge those which are sanctified by faith Where he expoundeth that to be the power of the keyes which consisteth in the remission and retayninge of synnes Bu. The Apostelles did neuer after any other maner louse or binde As for example Repent you saith the Apostell Peter of your sinnes and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of synnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy ghoste Thus Peter vsed the keies that were cōmitted vnto hym thus he loused in earth promissynge remission of synnes by the woord of Christ to them that beleue Yea and Chryste ratified and confirmed this message and preachinge of Peter for to them that confessed theyr synne and trusted to his mercie he remytted as Peter had promysed Also the Iayler of the pryson sayde to Paule and Sylas Syrs what muste I do to be saued and they saide beleeue on the Lorde Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and all thy houssholde Beholde the Apostelles do louse him that is bounde forgeuyng hym his synnes and that by the keyes by the preachynge of the Gospell the whiche preachynge because he beleued the lord pronounceth him to be loused in heauen C. But because a greate many doo not onely wickedly reiecte the delyueraunce offered vnto them but also by theyr obstinacie do bryng more greuouse iudgemente to them selues the power of bindynge also and the commaundemente of the Gospell is geuen to the ministers Of the whiche matter we haue an example in the Actes of the Apostelles Bu. The Iewes saith sainct Luke were full of indignation and spake agaynste those thynges whiche were spoken of Paule raylinge on it Then Paule and Barnabas waxed bolde and said It was meete that the worde of God should first haue ben preached to you But seinge ye put it from you and
for the woord of abhorringe or forbidding is more peculiar to the Hebrewes Abraham sayde vnto God be it farre from thée that thou shouldest do this thinge and shouldest kill the iust with the wicked And in another place be it farre from thy seruauntes that they should do so the Hebrew word is Talila which signifyeth prohibition as if thou wouldest saye staye thy selfe or it is not good for thée so that whereas the Greke text hath onlye propitius tibi peraduenture sit Deus is better vnderstoode thē sis as if we should say God forbid this to happen to thee This shall not happen Bu. These woords do shew how Peter abhorred that which Christ sayd should happen to him as if hee should haue sayde no man wyth indifferente eares could abyde to heare that the sonne of God muste be crucifyed for death happeneth not to the liuely sonne of the lyuinge God which rayseth other frō the dead and hath declared by so many inuincible arguments that hée is the Lord of life and deathe Therefore that by no meanes shall come to passe which thou sayest shall happen vnto thee that thou shouldest suffer many things of the elders and Scribes in that Cittye in the which wée hope to rayne with thee in excellente glorye for euer 23. But hee turned him aboute and sayde vnto Peter go after me Sathan thou hinderest mee for thou sauerest not the thinges that be of God but those that be of men But hee turned him about and sayde to Peter M. Because that Peter wente about to withdrawe Christe from obeyinge his fathers will hee is sharpely reproued of him C. But some verye fondlye make much a do about this worde come backe as thoughe Peter were commaunded to follow and not to go before For the Deuill also had the repoulse at the handes of the Lord by the same wordes as wée haue allready declared And the Gréeke worde Hupage signifyeth to auoyde or depart whereof the latyne woorde apage is deryued Christ therefore putteth his Dysciple from him and maketh him stande a loofe because hée playeth the parte of Sathan by his preposterous and vndiscrete zeale Neyther doth hee simplely call him an aduersary but hée giueth him the name of the Deuill in token of great disdayne Bu. As if he had said auoyde with this thy counsell I ought to haue more regarde to fulfill my fathers will althoughe it be neuer so hard to the flesh thou which art inoued with more knowledge of the father than any of the rest and which oughtest to be a helper vnto mée and a faythful companion that I mighte fulfill my fathers commaundemente doest dehorte diswade mée so much as lyeth in thée frō the same and that not lightlye but in reprouinge mée auoyde with this thy wisedome for thou shewest thy selfe to mée to be Sathan an open ennemy and a most wicked conspirer As concerninge this word Sathan we haue spoken before in the 4. Chapter The Euangelist Marke hath these words but hée tourned aboute and looked on his Disciples and rebuked Peter sayinge go after mée Sathan Christ therefore spake these woordes to the rest of his Dysciples for hée knewe that they were of the same minde also Wherefore for the example and erudition of others hée rebuketh Peter the more sharpely but for our sake also C. For théeues adulterers and suche like are ashamed to excuse their filthynes but a good intencion is obstinately defended and maintayned of all men Wherefore the Lorde vseth more seuerity in correctinge this wicked zeale of Peter than if hée had committed any other cryme Thou hynderest mee E. The Gréeke texte hath thou offendest mée C. Peter was in déede an offence vnto Christ when hee dehorted him from his callinge For by and by it followeth Because thou sauerest not those thinges that be of God Hereby it appeareth howe greatly men are deceyued in their vngodly zeale For when Peter wente aboute to hinder hys Maisters office hée did not onely séeke to depriue himselfe but all mankinde also of euerlasting saluation yet ignorantly Here therfore we are taught in one word howe muche wée oughte to abhorre those thinges which do withdraw vs from the obedience of Gods will. And there is no doubte but that Sathan doth vse men as instrumentes when they allure vs and withdraw vs from oure dutye towardes God Peter coulde not staye Christ from his purpose But Christ geeueth vs here an example to beware of that frendship be it neuer so pleasaunt which doth call vs from the obedience of Gods will and doth bid vs sparinge our selues to sauer those thinges which are of men and not the thinges that are of god For otherwyse our fleshe is so inclyned that wée shoulde spare oure selues and neglecte the commaundementes of god But if Christ so sharply reprehended the frendship of Peter to whom it was not so daungerous what shall wée do which are easlye seduced But those thinges vvhich are of men C. Here Christ openeth euen the very wellspring of the whole euill when hée sayth that Peter sauoreth onely those things which are of men Therefore least the Heauenly iudge sende vs away and our practises hedlonge to the deuill let vs learne not to be adicted to our owne sence but obedientlye to embrace that which the Lorde commaundeth and alloweth B. If wee sauor those thinges that are of men then are we enemyes vnto God and Sathans friendes Therefore whatsoeuer proceadeth of our selues it is here by the words of Christ condemned Whereuppon S. Paule sayth that the wysedome and vnderstanding of the fleshe is death and enmitye against god What then shall wée arrogate vnto our selues where is frée will become where is the iudgemente of reason but where is the Church built vppon Peter who nowe is called by the name of Sathan the Deuill Nowe let the Papistes goe and extoll their fonde imaginations to the Heauen they shall feele at the lengthe when they appeare before the trybunall seate of God what boastinge doothe preuayle which Christe here pronounceth to be Satanicall and deuelishe But wee accepte wee meane willinglye to stoppe the waye agaynste our selues which leadeth to euerlastinge life may learne out of the mouth of Christ to sauore those thinges which are of God. 24. Then sayde Iesus to hys Disciples if any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and followe mee Then sayde Iesus to his Disciples C. Marke sayth when hee had called the people to him with his Dysciples also hee said vnto them c. But Luke sayth hée sayd vnto them all Because that Christe perceiued that Peter the rest of his fellowes did abhorre the Crosse and affliction hee taketh occasion to speake generally of pacience sufferaunce of the same neither doth hée onely exhorte the twelue but all those that are godly to the same The like sentence allmost wee had in the sentence goinge before in the eyghte and twentye verce of the tenthe
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
whiche Christ began at his resurrection afterward more fully reuealed the same by sending his holy spyrite and by working miracles B. Therfore to see Christ comminge in his kyngdome is nothing els in this place then the which Marke and Luke haue To see the kingdome of God that is the glory good successe of the kingdome of god The Euangelist Marke expressely saith Vntyll they haue sene the kingdome of God come with power The kingdome of god was com before wherupon he cōmanded to preach that the kingdome of God was at hande And in an other place he sayde vnto the Phariseis If I by the spirite of God cast out deuyls then is the kingdome of God come vpon you But because the kyngedome of God was not yet so gloriouse as it should be in all the worlde after his resurrection he truely saith Vntyll they haue sene the kingdome of God come Of this kingdome the apostel Paule writeth thus whē he speaketh of the Gospel Whiche is come vnto you euen as it is into all the worlde and is fruitefull and groweth c. But more largely in an other place whē he saith I haue therfore whereof I may reioyce through Christe Iesu in those thinges which pertayne to god For I dare not speke of any of these thinges which Christ hath not wrought by mee to make the Gentiles obediente with woorde and dede in mighty signes and wonders by the power of the spirite of God so that from Hierusalem and the coastes rounde aboute vnto Illiricum I haue filled all countreys with the Gospel of Christe This gloriouse power of the kingedome of Christ did chiefely declare it selfe within .xx. yeres or theraboutes after his passion vntyll the whiche time no doubte many of those to whome the lord presently spake were aliue But to what ende doth Christ speake this Surely to the ende he might learne them some comfort against the tyme of the crosse affliction because shortely the kingdome power of God should be declared and reuealed So are we comforted by the holy ghost so often as we heare it saide The lorde is nigh and wyll not be flacke The cōming of Christe truely semeth to be far hence but doth he not in the meane time shewe vnto vs his power Some vnderstande this place to be spokē of the transefiguration of Christ in the mount which is declared in the chapter followinge as though that Christ by these wordes shold promise that there were som disciples in the cōpany to whom he wolde shew his glory in the earth so far as the eies of mortall men might perceiue the same A. But we haue shewed alredy the true proper sence and meaning of Christes wordes VVhich shal not tast of death Bu. That is they shal not die The like phrase of speche we haue in the .viii. chapter of s Iohn in the secōd of s Paules epistel to the Hebrues The .xvii. Chapter AND after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and bringeth them vp into an high mountaine A. This history is declared by three of the Euangelist namely by this our Euangelist Mathewe and Marke and Luke C. In the which hystory we must fyrst of al se to what ende and purpose Christ wolde put vpon hym his heuenly glory for so short a time and wolde take onely three of his disciples to be witnesses of this sight Some thincke that he did it to the ende he mighte arme his disciples against the temptation whiche was at hande by reason of his deathe but that is verye vnlikely For why dyd he depriue others of the same remedye Yea why dothe he plainely forbyd them to publishe that which they had sene vntyl after his resurrectiō vnlesse the fruit of the vision had ben after his time There is no doubte therefore but that Christ ment to declare that hee was not deliuered vnto death against his wil but that he came vnto it willingelye to offer the sacrifice of obedience vnto his father This kingedome came not into the mindes of the disciples vntill Christe rose agayne neyther was it necessary at that tyme to conceyue the deuyne power of Christe which they knewe to be the vanquisher and ouercōmer in the crosse and affliction but they were taught agaynste an other tyme as wel for them selues as for vs least that the infirmitie of Christe shoulde offende any man as thoughe he had suffered by necessitie and force for it is euident that it was no more hard vnto Christ to exempte and deliuer his bodye from death than to adorne the same with heauenly glory We are taught therfore that he was subiectte vnto death because he woulde and that hee was crucyfied because he offered hym selfe For the same fleshe which honge vpon the crosse and laye in the sepulchre seinge before it was partaker of the heauenly glorye might haue bene free from death and the graue But we are taught that Christ so longe as he bare the forme of a seruante in the worlde his maiestie hidden vnder the infirmitie of his fleshe there was nothing detracted or taken from him because he did abase hym selfe of his owne free wyll but now his resurrection toke a way that vaile by the which his power for a tyme was couered And the Lorde thoughte it sufficient to chose vnto hym three witnesses because this nōber was prescribed by the lawe to testifie proue any matter And after syxe dayes B. As cōcerninge the nomber of the daies Marke agreeth with Mathew But Luke hath And it fortuned that about an eight daies after these sayinges But this oughte to offende no man C. For Marcke and Matthewe nomber sixe whole dayes which came betwene the tyme the Christe spake the woordes goinge before in the xvi chapter and the tyme in the whiche he was transfigured but Luke faithe it was done within eyght daies after comprehending as well the day in the which Christ spake as also the day in the which he was transfigured Wee se therefore howe well diuerse wordes comprehende one sence and meaning And bringeth them vp into Luke saithe that the lord went vp into the moūtaine to pray no doubt to pray vnto the father that he wold manifest reueale his glory to his disciples for the which cause he brought them vp into the mountaine By the which example of Christe we are taught to be likewise affectioned to the glorye of Christes kingdome towardes those also to whom as yet it hath not apered So Paule prayed as it appereth by his epistels But Christ him self hath taught vs to pray saying Hallowed be thy name 2 And was transfigured before them his face did shine as the sonne and his clothes were as white as the lighte And vvas transfygured before them S. That is to say he put on a newe figure or forme full of all glory and excellent brightnes and dyd not appere as the sonne of man
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
his proper Angell the which in déede is playne repugnante to the doctrine of holy Scripture which testifyeth that the Angels do cōpasse the faythfull about and not that any one Angell is peculiarly belonginge to anye one man M. C. And the Prophete Daniell when hée bringeth in the Angell of the Gréekes the Angell of the Persians séemeth to affirme that certaine Angels are set ouer kingdomes prouinces as Princes But whereas some maye obiecte that which is written in the Actes of the Apostels of those that said it is his Angell It may be answered that they so thought by a cōmon conceite imagining that euery faithfull mā had an Angell appointed vnto him to be his guide Or it maye be answered that they called the his Angell simplely which was appointed by God vnto Peter to be a minister of saluatiō a kéeper Whereby the opinion of certaine cānot be gathered namely that eueryone hath his proper Angell tēding on him C. Let that foolish imagination therefore ceasse as concerninge the good euill Angell let vs holde it sufficient to beleue the Angels haue a care cōmitted to them of the whole Churche that they helpe euerye particuler member of the same as occasion and necessity requireth M. Wheras therefore certaine Christians worshippe their Angels they are moued thereunto by a double error By the one because it is not certayne that euery man hath his proper Angell for it is a greate presumption and rashenes to holde any opinion withoute the warrante of Goddes woorde By the other because that althoughe euery man had his proper Aungell belonginge vnto him yet notwithstanding Angels ought not to be worshipped but the Lorde of Angelles onely 11 For the sonne of man is come to saue that whiche was lost For the sonne of man. M. This is the other argument of the prouidence and louinge kindenesse of God towardes his faythful taken from the cause of Christes cōming into this worlde by the whiche argumēt he doth withdrawe vs from the cogitacion whiche mighte bringe vs to the contempte of oure bretherne when we see some falte in them whereby we thincke that we haue iust occasion to despise thē As if he should saye I am come to saue the whiche was lost to receiue that which was abiecte of the whiche there is no accompte made in this worlde despise not and destroy not therefore those whom I am com to saue This is a most profitable admonition to teache vs that we oughte not to disdayne any synner C. For it is to bad that they shoulde be reiected by our disdaine whō the sonne of God so greatly estemeth And althoughe the weake haue faltes remayning in theim whiche may deserue contempt yet is not our disdaine thereby excusable because they are not to be esteemed for their vertewes so muche as for Christes sake after whose exāple whosoeuer frameth not him selfe shal declare gret pryde to remaine in him To saue that vvhiche vvas lost A. He thought it better to saye that he came to saue that which was lost then that whiche was littell to the ende he might the more effectually by his example exhorte vs to haue the weake and abiected bretherne in good estimation because he came not onely to saue them and to redeme them but such also as perished in deathe 12 Howe thincke ye If a man haue an 13 hundred sheepe and one of them be gone astray dothe he not leaue ninty and nine in the mountaines and goeth and seketh it that was gone astray Hovve thinke ye M. He thought good to adde this pleasant similitude to make the matter more plaine C. Howbeit Luke sheweth a farther occasion of this parable namely that the Phariseis dyd murmur against the lord because he was daily conuersaunte with synners Christe therefore goeth aboute to declare that a good teacher must seeke no lesse to recouer and saue that whiche is lost than to preserue kepe that whiche is vnder his hand and custodie Yet as it should appere by our Euangelist Mathew our sauiour Christ by his similitude procedeth farther namely that the disciples of Christ are not onely friendely to be borne withal but also that their faltes are to be suffered to the ende we might bringe those that wander into the right waye For although it commeth often tymes to passe that they do wāder and go astray yet notwithstandynge because they are sheepe ouer whom God hathe made his sonne Christe the shepeherde they muste be brought from dispersing reduced from error into the right way For to this ende pertayne his woordes that we must take hede that we destroy not that which God will haue saued 14 Euen so it is not the wyll of youre father in heauen that one of these littel ones shoulde perishe M. This is the application of the similitude by the which Christe declareth that the faythful are cared fore of God the father howe abiecte so euer they be in the worlde in so muche that he stayed not to sende his onely sonne into the worlde to saue them Here are two thinges therfore to be considered the one is that God is so affectionated towards those that are his that he wyl not suffer one of them to perishe no not the very leaste by the other we are admonysshed to beware that we despise not one of the least althoughe he erre and seeme in oure Iudgemente to perishe 15 Moreouer if thye brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his falt betwene thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast won thy brother If thy brother trespasse against thee C. Because our sauioure Christe had preached and spokē before as concerning the hearinge with the infirmitie of oure bretherne he nowe sheweth more plainly how wherfore and to what ende they must be borne withall For otherwise a man mighte easely obiecte and saye that there is no other way to beware of offences than for euery one to winke at other mennes faltes and so to beare with euil Christ therfore prescribeth a meane whiche shal neyther to much offend the weake and yet notwithstandinge shall be verye meete and apte to cure theyr disseases For seueritie is profitable and worthy of greate praise being framed according to the nature of medycine To be shorte Christe doth commaunde his disciples so to forgeeue one an other that neuerthelesse they seke to reproue correct faltes The which thing ought wisely to be considered because there is nothinge more harde than in sparinge and forbearinge men to reprehende theim notwithstandinge freely for their faltes All men for the moste parte do seeke to cloake one an others falte and to deceyue them selues with mortall flatteries or elles they doo hate those without all measure whō they ought to beare withal But Christ doth commend vnto his disciples mutual loue which should be farre from flattery Onely he cōmandeth them to season their admonitions and reprehensions with moderation and reason
right that pertaineth vnto him to his father but rather to the ende he might bringe the greatter maiestie to his woorde For as in the syxtene chapter goinge before hee went not about to stablishe euery doctrine but that onelye whiche came out of his mouth Euen so in this place he saith not that al iudgemēt shall be firme and stable but that iudgemente onely whiche procedeth from his members whereof he is the headde Wherupon it followeth that men are in no poynte preiudiciall vnto God when they pronounce nothing but that whiche commeth out of his mouthe and do onely seeke to execute that faithfully whiche he commaundeth For althoughe Christ be the onelye iudge of the whole worlde yet notwithstanding he wyl haue the ministers of his woorde to be proclaymers of his Iustice and the Churche also to set forth his iudgement And so it commeth to passe that he derogateth nothing from hym selfe in vsyng the ministery of mē but byndethe and lowseth him selfe notwithstandinge Bu. Herby it is euident howe vnorderly yea howe falsely many gather of this place that the Church can do al thinges specially that it can make lawes as concernyng religion the which whosoeuer despiseth despiseth the lawes of god But truely Christ speaketh not here as concernynge the power to make deuine lawes but as concernyng Christian and brotherly admonition as concernyng exhortation reprehention correction taking away offences A. and of the Iudgement of the Church that which ought to followe the woorde of God in al thinges that it may be not only humane but deuine Iudgement Question C. Notwithstandinge here ariseth a question That seinge the Church doth suffer many Hypocrites and dothe absolue also manye whiche do but fayne repentance whether suche are absolued in heauen or no Answere We must answere that Christe doth not pronounce absolution to any but to such as vnfaynedly and truely reconcile them selues to the Churche For he sekinge to comforte the weake and trembling consciences and to take away all feare pronounceth that whosoeuer haue synned are receyued agayne into the fauoure of the Churche are delyuered from al gilte and absolued before God. For he appoynted this vnto vs as a pledge of his heauēly grace whiche pertayneth in no pointe vnto Hypocrites which peruert the pure vse of reconciliation This bryngeth no small comforte to the godlye to the increasynge of theyr hope when that they heare their synnes to be put away before God and his angelles so soone as they haue obtayned pardone at the handes of the Churche In the other parte the minde of Christ is nothing ambiguouse and doubtfull For Christe to the ende he might abate the pride of obstinate persons which deny them selues to be vnder the rule of men and alwayes appeale to the tribunall seate of God pronounceth that the dampnation pronounced of those whom they so despyse is ratifyed before God and his angels in heauen In the meane time he encourageth his mynisters to execute Iust seuerytie least they be discouraged at their wicked obstinacie whiche contemne and reiecte discipline Whereby wee maye beholde and see howe that the iurisdiction of the spirituall Churche whiche ponisheth syn by the woorde of the lorde is moste excellente and a reamedy against corruption a preseruatiue of health the foundation of order and the bonde of vnitie Therefore when the Churche dothe excommunicate manifest and open adulterers whoremasters theeues murtherers sediciouse persons periurers false-witnesse bearers obstinate persons and suche like whiche beinge admonished of their faltes do make a ieste at God his Iudgemēt they vsurpe nothing to them selues without authoritie but vse their power and rule cōmytted vnto theim by god Finally least any man shoulde despise this iudgemente of the Churche or make small accompt that they are depriued the company of faythefull men the lorde openlye declareth that their iudgemente is nothinge elles but the settinge forthe of his Iudgement that the same is established and confirmed in heauen whiche they do in earthe For they haue the worde of the lorde by the which they may condēne the peruerse and obstinate they haue the woorde of the lorde by the which they may receiue the penitent into fauour againe And they cannot erre nor swarue from the iudgement of God because they iudge not but by the law of God whiche is not vncertayne or any earthly opinion but the holy wyl of God and a deuine oracle Herby also we may sée how folyshely the Papistes wrest this presente place to maintaine theyr counterfaite authoritie whiche was nothing els but tiranny It is most sure and certayne that authoritie to excommunicate was committed to the Church but whether any one mā not called by the church but created by the horned and monstruouse beast whiche sendethe forthe at hys owne wyll and pleasure vayne blastes of excommunication whether any such I say haue any aucthoritie by the word of God there is no doubt for he hath not For it is euident that the lawful gouernment of the Church was committed not onely to the Clergye or ministers of the woorde but also to certaine of the layty as to maiestrates which should be iudges of the manners of the people Yet notwithstandinge they being not contented with this impudēcie go about farther to proue out of this place as we towched before that what burthens so euer they lay vpon mennes shoulders they oughte to beare it We wyll not say that they beinge mortall ennemies of the Church vsurpe and take vnto them selues by vyolence the power authoritie permytted vnto the Church onely we say that they abuse this place of Scripture not vnderstandinge the meaninge of our sauioure Christ With no lesse madnes and foolishnes also they go aboute by this place to defende their Auriculer confession But so vaine and friuolouse are their resons that they deserue not in this place any confutation 19 Agayne I say vnto you that if two of you agree in earthe vpon any manner of thing whatsoeuer they desire they shall haue it of my father whiche is in heauen Agayne I say vnto you M. Some olde Greeke bookes haue Agayne verely I saye vnto you In this woorde Agayne there is a confirmatiō if wee adde vnto it Verely it wyll be a double confirmation as if he should haue sayd It shal not be onely confirmed and ratified in heauen if ye excōmunicate any man but moreouer I say vnto you if ye pray for a sinner vnto God he wil heare you not onelye the vniuersall Churche but also twoo if they with one consente praye faythfully C. Furthermore hee teacheth that God wyll not onely geeue his spirite of counsel wisedome to those that aske it but also wyl brynge to passe that whatsoeuer they shal do by his word shall want neyther power nor effecte But he ioynyng consent and agremente with prayer teacheth howe soberly and reuerently the faythful ought to behaue them selues in publique assemblies The synner
Euangelist addeth this worde expressely For Christe woulde not that this multitude shoulde followe him into Iewery least he shoulde geue an occasion to the backebitinges and slaunderouse reproches of the Scribes and Phariscies He knewe that except he had thus done be should haue ben accused of seditiō vnto Pylate and that this sedition shoulde be moued from Galile from whence hee came euen to Iewry He did not auoide this slaunder yet wolde he not geue any occasion therof We are therefore admonished that because we cannot escape the slanders of the wicked yet must we take hede of this that by our falte wee mynister no occasiō vnto them to speake euill 3 The Phariseis came also to him temtinge him and sayinge vnto him Is it lawfull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for any maner of cause The Phariseies also came to hym Bu. The lorde dyd good vnto all men and therefore the reporte of his glory was spred abrode far and nere But the ennemies of the truth do enuy the glory of the lorde and are agreued because the people forsakyng the priestes and the Scribes cleaued vnto the lorde The Phariseis therefore are come on a heape together C. And althoughe they do laye wayte to deceyue Christe and assalte him subtillye to the ende they mighte intrappe him yet this theyr wyckednesse tourned to oure commoditie euen as the lorde knoweth how to conuerte wonderfully into the proffyt of his what so euer the wicked do deuise for the subuersion of his trewe doctrine For by this meanes a doubte whiche the libertie of diuorsement did ingender is dissolued and a sure lawe of the holy and inseperable knot of wedlocke set forthe The occasion of this captiouse question is taken hereof because howsoeuer hee answered as they thought it coulde not be but odiouse Is it lavvfull for a man. saye they for euerye cause to put awaye his wife Nowe if Christ had denied it then wold they quickely haue cryed and made exclamation that hee had abolyshed the lawe if he had affirmed that it was lawfull then wolde they haue reported him to be a bande rather then a Prophete of God whiche so lightly wolde geue place and consent to the wanton and voluptuouse lustes of men This Dilemma and subtyll question they had conceyued in their mindes but the sonne of God who knowethe howe to subuerte the wyse in their owne folly dothe disapointe theim resistinge seuerelye their vnlawefull diuorces and yet shewynge also that hee saide nothing but that whiche was agreable to their lawe For he concludeth the matter in two principall poyntes namely that the order of our creation ought to be as a lawe that the man shoulde maintayne his promise made in matrimonye all his lyfe and that dyuorses were permitted not because they were lawefull but because they that graunted them had to do with a froward stifnecked people 4 He aunswered and saide vnto theim Haue ye not red how that hee whiche made man at the begynninge made the man and woman Haue ye not red C. Christ doth not directly aunswere to the question of the Phariscies when as neuertheles he did very well satisfie it in declaringe that the first ordinaunce must be kepte and that wee ought to be contente with the doctrine of God whiche is a most sure foundation But he aunswereth that it is not lawefull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for euery cause and he answereth so that he sendeth theim vnto the Scriptures by whose wordes he teacheth that the order of matrimony was ordeyned by God and that no man oughte to departe from the prescript rule of the Scriptures Euen as if a man being asked now of the Masse shoulde faithfully declare the mystery of the lordes holye supper and in the ende shoulde affirme that they were Sacrilegers and forgers whiche dare presume to dyminishe or to adde any thyng to the pure institution of the lorde might confounde after this sorte the fained sacrifice of the Masse M. But because the question was moued by the Phariseis who boasted and bragged amonge the people of their skil and knowledge in the Scriptures He saythe haue ye not red As if he shoulde haue saide Why aske you me ye Hypocrites you haue the Scripture in the whiche ye reade and therefore ignorance can not excuse you He that made man from the begynning E. This woorde Man in the latten bokes of the olde interpretation is not red but is left onely to be vnderstode C. Christ taketh this Axioma or generall proposition From the begynninge God ioyned man vnto the woman that two might make a whole and parfect man therefore he that putteth away his wyfe putteth away as it were from hym selfe the one halfe of his body but nature cannot abide that any man should deuide him selfe or teare his body in peces S. Therefore Christe dothe so moderate and temper his aunswere that he mighte neyther hurte the aucthoritie of Moyses nor recante hys owne doctrine whiche he had vowched in the fyfth chapter goinge before and that he might stoppe the mouthes of the Phariseies and lawyers by the auctoritie of the lawe C. For this is the sence and meanyng of the woordes of Christ That God the creatour of mankinde made mā and woman that euery man beinge content with one wyfe shoulde desire no other For he standeth vpon this nomber of two As also the Prophete Malachias when he inueyeth against the hauing of manye wyues hee bringeth in the same reason namely that God in whō the spyrite was more aboundant so that it was in his wyll to create more yet he made one man euen after this sorte as hee is here described by Christ Bu. He saythe not he made man woman but he made them man and woman C. Therefore by the order of oure creation the inseperable societie of the husebande with one wife is proued Yf any man wyll obiecte and say that by this meanes it is not laufull the fyrst wyfe beinge deade to marry an other we maye easely aunswere not onely that the band is loused by death but also that the seconde wyfe is substytute and placed in stede of the firste as if shee were one and the same 5 And saide for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twaine shall be one fleshe For this cause shall a man. C. He addeth an other argument a Minori ad manus that is from that whiche semeth lesse to that which semeth the more rather to be The bande of wedlocke is more holy then that whiche ioynethe chyldren vnto their parentes but truely godlines byndeth the children vnto their parentes with an inseperable knot much lesse therfore may the housebande renounce and forsake his wyfe Here vppon it followeth that the deuine bonde is broken if the husband be diuorsed from the wyfe Furthermore it is to be douted whether Moyses do bring in Adam or
touche his wife infected wyth the Elephantine leprosy so it is not permitted that hee by and by put her awaye If anye man will obiecte that they which cannot liue chaste had neede of some remedy that they be not set on fyer with cōcupiscence wée aunswere that it is no remedy which is soughte for without the limits of the word of God and moreouer wee say that the gifte of continency shall neuer be lackinge vnto them if they giue themselues ouer to the Lordes gouernmēt because they followe that which hée hath prescribed Some mā doth loth his wife so that hee will not voutchsafe to company with her shall this euill be remedied by hauing many wiues An other mans wyfe is taken with the Palsey or falling sicknes or is greeued with some other incurable disease shall the husband vnder the cooller of incontinency tourne her away Wée know that those which walke in the wayes of the holy ghoste are neuer destitute of his helpe The Apostell Paule sayth for the auoyding of fornication let euery man marye a wife Hée that hath done this although all thinges come not to passe accordinge to his desyer yet hath hée discharged his dutye Therefore if any thing be lacking it shal be by the assistance of Gods holye spirit repayred to go anye further is nothing els but to tempte god But whereas S. Paule noteth another cause that is when it so chaunceth that in despite of godlines the wyues are reiected of the vnbeleuinge husbandes that the deuoute brother or sister is not then bonde it is not contrary to the meaninge of our sauioure Christ For hée doth not there dispute of the iust cause of deuorce but onelye whether the woman doth remaine bonde vnto the vnbeleuinge husbande after that shée beinge reiected wickedly in despite of God can by no meanes els retourne into fauor with her husband againe but by denyinge god Wherfore it is no marueile if S Paule referre the disagreement with man before the alienation from God of the which thing we will speake more hereafter Obiection But this exception that Christe bringeth in here séemeth superfluous For if the adulterous wife deserueth to be punished by deathe what néede hée speake of diuorse Surelye because it was the husbandes parte to pursue vnto iudgement the adulterye of the wife that hée might pourge his house of this wickednes howsoeuer the matter should fall out Christ absolueth that mā that conuinceth his wife of vncleanes from the bandes made in Matrimonye And it might be that amongest that corrupte and degeneratinge people a great negligence in punishing of that wickednes might raine As at this day the peruerse indulgence and fauor of the Magistrates causeth that many husbandes are enforced to put awaye vnchaste wiues because adultery is vnpunished And that maryeth her that is diuorsed This part hath bene very euill expounded of many interpretors For they supposed that generally and vniuersally singlenes was commaunded so often as a diuorce was made so that if the husbande did caste of his adulterous wife either of them was vrged with the necessity of singlenes As though this were the libertye of diuorce only to lye a part from his wife and as if Christ did not permit manifestly in this case that which the Iewes after their owne fansies were wonte to vse without all cōsideration in euery small tryfell Therefore that was to grosse an error For when Christ condemneth him of adultery that marieth the wife which is diuorsed it is certaine that he restrayneth this vnto vnlawfull and friuolous deuorses The Apostell S. Paule therfore biddeth such to tarrye vnmarryed or to be reconciled vnto their husbandes which are so put away because truly wedlocke is not abolished by chidinge and dissention As wée may gather by Marke wher by name the wife is expressed that departeth from her husbande his woordes are these And if a woman forsake her husbande and is maryed to another shee cōmitteth adulterye not because it was frée for the wyues to geue their husbandes a bill of deuorcemente sauinge so far forthe as the Iewes had declined to forrein customes but Marke ment to note and set downe that the abuse which was then euerye wheare common was reprehēded of the Lord because after voluntary deuorce either party entered a new into mariage so that hée maketh no mencion of adultery Therefore hée that marieth her that is deuorced not for fornicatiō but for some other cause dooth not marrye his owne wife but the wife of another man and therefore hee doth not contracte matrimony but cōmitteth adultery although Moyses to such a one as is deuorced hath permitted to marrye another by the same lawe that hée suffered the husband to put her away A. This is the true and perfecte sence of the wordes of Christ which I woulde they had retained which haue followed other cōtrary interpretacions C. For here the aduersaries of the Gospell did exercise a marueilous tyranye permitting deuorces yet denying secōd mariages to the honeste husbande But what libertye hath that man that is constrayned to liue in singlenes Surelye his liberty is mere bondage 10 Then saide his Disciples vnto him if the case be so betwene man and wife then is it not good to marrye Then saide his Disciples C. Muche like as if the condition of men were not indifferent if they were so tyed vnto their wyues that so long as they continue chaste they should be constrayned to endure all other things rather then to departe from them this the Disciples do gather that it is better to haue no wiues than so to be snared being moued thereunto by the aunswere of Christ M. If this say they be the state and condition of husbandes that they may not be desolued frō their wiues if the wife displease them it were much more commodious not to contracte matrimony The Iewes vntil this time had vsed great liberty in deuorcing their wiues the which being taken away as vnlawfull the Apostells thoughte it much better not to marry C. But why do they not in like maner consider how hard the seruitude bondage of the wiues is but only because carnall reason forceseth those that are adicted to themselues their owne cōmodities to neglect other men to haue only a consideration of themselues In the meane time wicked ingratitude bewrayeth it selfe because by the feare and tediousnes of one discommoditye they doe reiecte the singuler gifte of god Accordinge to their iudgemente it is better to auoyde matrimony than to tye themselues with the knot of perpetuall society but truly if God ordayned Matrimonye for the health and profite of all mankind although it bringe many sharpe and vnpleasaunte thinges with it yet is it not therefore to be despised Let vs learne therefore if any thinge be not pleasaunt vnto vs amonge the benefits of God not to be so diuers and waywarde but that wée maye reuerently vse them but speciallye wée muste
yet notwithstanding the sauce of the grace of God is so swete that their condition is more pleasaunte desiered then the delights of kinges M. For they shal be so farre from loosing the ayde helpe of kinsfolkes that they shall gette many more in my kyngdome than they had before and of greater fidellity and trust For loke how many fellowes they shall finde partakers of theyr fayth so many bretheren so many sisters so many fathers and mothers so manye children so many kinsfolkes and frends they shall finde For they are our Parēts sisters bretherene father and mother which heare the word of God and kepe it B. When hée sayth therefore An hundered foulde hee meaneth that wee shal haue a more infinite deale of pleasure in vsinge that small quantity in persecution which the Lord hath geuē vs for this present life than wee had with the abundaunce of those thinges which wee enioyed before wee knewe the Gospell For the children of God esteeme so much of the knowledge thereof that they will not chaūge the same for the whole world Furthermore because they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good and to them that séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof all thinges needefull shal be geuen although Christians are banished from their house and are lefte destitute of thinges necessary yet notwithstanding nothinge shal be wanting vnto them the vse whereof might either be profitable vnto them or necessary In the meane time they haue learned of S. Paule to be content with those thinges that they haue they knowe howe to be low and howe to excéede they know how to be full and how to be hungrye both to haue plentie and to suffer néede And shall inherite euerlasting life Bu. This truely is the greatest comfort of al to be the heyre of God and coheyre with Christ that is to be partaker of the graces of god A So in another place our Sauiour Christe doth call those that are his to the bearing of the crosse manfully by the consideration of this excéeding benefite saying Be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen 30. But many that are firste shal be last and the last shal be first But many that are first BV. This sentence teacheth vs that modestie becommeth those that are Saints Z. Because Peter very ambitiously had sayde Behold we haue forsaken all folowed thée what reward shall we haue therfore the Lord fore shewed that it woulde come to passe that many in the Church shold conceiue a great opinion of thē selues by reason of their works and merits for the which they think that eternall life is due vnto thē for the which they should glory and boast thē selues to be most acceptable vnto God Such were the Scribes Pharises in Christes time such are the Scribes and Pharises in these our dayes I mean the Papistes whom our Sauiour Christ pronounceth here to be last or farthest from the kingdome of heauen that is to say such as shal be excluded and shut out of the kingdom of heauen This sentence therefore serueth greatly to driue away the slouthfulnes of the fleshe For our Sauiour Christe here sheweth that they which are neuer so forward in their race except they go on still and continue to the ende shall not obteyne According to S. Paule which sayth that all which runne do not obteyne the game And in another place he exhorteth by his owne example to forget those thinges whiche are behinde and to séeke to gette those thinges which are before according to the marke appoynted But where as he saith And the last shal be first he taketh awai all desperation from the greatest sinner whom the goodman of the house may call into his vineyard to be a laborer when he will and geue him eternall life as to the thiefe hanging on the crosse which deserued no such thing Do we not see that the Iewes boasting them selues to be the first in the lawe to be made last and to be reiected that the Gentiles which were last are nowe become firste and most acceptable vnto God to whom he hath geuen repentaunce vnto life The whiche thing our Sauiour Christe doth more largely declare in the Chapter folowing The .xx. Chapter FOr the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a manne that is an housholder vvhich vvent out earlye in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard For the kingdome of heauen Bu. Here our Sauiour Christe according to his maner to make the matter more euident and playne taketh a parable by the which he might make manifest his sētence which went before Many that are first shal be last and the last shal be first C. But we must sée howe this similitude maye be made apt and applied to the purpose Certaine interpreters coniecture this to be the summe and effect Because the heauenly inheritaunce is not gotten by the merites of workes but is geuen fréelye that therfore the glory of all men shal be alike But truely Christ doth not here dispute of the equalitie of the heauenlye glory or of the state and condition of the godly that shal be but hée onlye sheeweth that there is no cause why they shoulde glory or boast more thē other which are first or excell by reason of time because the Lorde so often as it shall please him may call those whom hée might séeme to neglecte for a time and so eyther make them equall or preferre thē before those that were first If any man go aboute to discusse exactlye euerye parte of this parable hée shal shewe himselfe to curious Therefore wée muste searche no farther then the counsell and purpose of oure sauiour Christ But wée said a little before that hée had no other respecte than that he mighte continually styrre vp his Apostels to go forward Wée do knowe that slouthfulnes doth aryse moste commonlye of to much trust and so it commeth to passe that many as it were in the running of a race do faint and fall downe in the middest of the waye Therefore Paule commaundeth vs to forget those things that are behinde that wée consideringe what remayneth vnto vs maye with a good courage prepare oure selues to runne The kingdome of heauen is like A. To know what the kingdome of Heauen is reade the fower twentye verce of the thirtene Chapter going before C. The sence and meaninge is that the maner of the deuine callinge is euen as if a man should hyer workemen early in the morning at a certaine price to dresse his Vineyarde and afterwarde shoulde send other labourers without couenant or gréement to whom notwithstanding hée should geue the same rewarde But hée therefore maketh mencion of the kingdome of Heauen because hee compareth a spirituall kinde of life to that which is earthy and the rewarde also of eternall life to moneye by the which men doe reward those that worke for them
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
his handes Thou sonne of Dauid C. In this the fayth of the blynd men doth appeare that they acknowledge Iesus to be the Messias for the Iewes knew that the Messias should come of Dauid They flée therfore for helpe vnto Christ not only as to a Prophete but as to the only author of helth which was promised of god Euen so ought we to thinke of Christ to iudge of hym accordyng to the Scriptures and not according to our owne Imaginatiōs 31. And the people rebuked them because they should hold their peace But they cried the more saying haue mercy on vs O Lorde thou sonne of Dauid And the people rebuked them C. The people rebuked the blinde men eyther because they thought it vnsemelye for beggers to set Christ a worke as though it were againste his glory to haue to doe with men of so base estate ether because they thought that they woulde craue an almes at the handes of Christ which they counted very filthy other because they sawe that Iesus had no respecte to their crye to geue any answer thinking theyr exclamation to be troublesom vnto hym when as he rather of purpose fained as though he had no regarde to their crye because ye might haue the more tryall of their fayth perseuerance in prayer or els because som among the people were offended for that they called hym Christ the sonne of Dauid by the which wordes they cōfessed hym to be the Messias promised in the Prophets But it is here to be merueyled at that the Disciples of Christ which followed him for deuty and reuerence sake would suffer these miserable ones to be driuen from the grace and fauore of Christ would seke them selues also so muche as in them laye to stoppe the waye passage whereby his vertue might appeare But this commeth oftentimes to passe that the greater parte of men whiche professe the name of Christe do rather staye vs from comming to Christ than call vs to hym If Sathan went about by godly and simple men whome zeale and religion persuaded to followe Christ to stoppe the waye against these blinde men of comming to Christe howe much more will he bringe that thinge to passe by hipocrits and vngodly men if we take not great hede vnto our selues We haue nede therefore of constancy whiche may put awaye all impediments Yea the more stomblinge blockes that Sathan dothe caste in oure waye the more we haue occasiō to praye euen as wee sée that the blinde men the more they were stayed the more they cryed For it followeth But they cried the more saying C. They perseuere and abyde howsoeuer the multitude forbid them they had therfore a cōstante faith whiche neuer quayleth in tēptations Yea when they knewe that theire wordes were odiouse in the eares of some yet notwithstanding a feruent desyre ouercame feare in somuche that they cryed with the greater vehemencye Thou son of Dauid haue mercy on vs Euē so we must striue against all stayes and lets and manfully resist them neyther muste we make an ende vntill wee haue ouercome them B. So shal euery mā thē also by trew earnest prayer cal for the mercy of the Lord when he being oppressed with the like necessitye feeleth howe much he standeth in nede of helpe 32. And Iesus stoode stil and called them and said what will ye that I shall doe to you And Iesus stoode still A. The Euangeliste Marke speakinge of one of them only wrighteth thus And Iesus stoode still and commaunded him to be called and they called hym that was blind sayinge vnto him Arise be of good chere he calleth thee and he threwe awaye his cloake and arose and came to Iesus Therefore the Apostles do obey the commaundement of the Lorde they cal him that was blinde and incourage him to hope well saiyng Be of good chere aryse Iesus calleth thee whose helpe thou crauest with so loude a voyce By the which woordes the blinde man conceyued such a hope that he casting asyde his cloake by the which he was defended from coulde ran to Iesus In the which wee must consider the cherefulnes of this blinde man and diligently note the same So often as wee are called vnto Christe wee neyther cast of oure cloake neyther do we leape for Ioye nor runne to him but doe rather tourne our backes differ the time stande still make excuse wallowe still in darkenes and hadde rather in oure fylthy cloake to begge an Almes of this worlde then to receyue the blessed light of Iesus whiche comprehendeth the whole state of felicity If he cast awaye his clocke for Ioye of his corporall sight what oughte wee not to caste of to receyue possesse Christe the moste comfortable and blessed lighte VVhat vvill ye that I shall do M. Christe was not ignoraunte of their demaunde but because it was not knowen vnto the people that they craued so greate a thynge somuche excellinge humaine power thinkinge rather that they desired som almes at his handes he therfore asketh them what they would haue to the ende they mighte make open declaration of the same that is howe greate faythe and truste they hadde in hym whose helpe they desyered wyth so greate a crye For in the qualitye and largenes of the petition the qualitye and largenes of theire faythe appered also C. He doth therefore verye frendlye and courteouslye demaunde what they desyere to haue donne vnto them because he was determined to graunt they re petitions For there is no doubte but that by the speciall motion of the spirite they made their petitions vnto hym because as the Lorde will not haue all men to escape theire corporall diseases so also he will not suffer them to praye There is a rule prescribed vnto vs what howe and to what ende wee shoulde craue anye thynge at the handes of God from the which rule we maye not decline except the Lord by the secrete motion of his spirite doe make vs to wishe for some speciall thinge which commeth verye syldome to passe But Christe as it was sayde euen nowe asketh them what they would haue not so muche for theyr own sakes as for the people that stood by For we doe see howe the worlde deuoureth the benefites of God without sence excepte they bee styrred vp by prouocations Therefore Christe by his voyce maketh the people standinge by to geue hede vnto the miracle euen as hereafter he did by a visible signe when by touchinge he opened their eyes 33. They sayd vnto hym Lord that our eyes may be opened A. The Euāgelist Marke saith that Bartimaeus made answer saying Lord that I may receiue my sighte Vsynge the Chalde woorde Rabboni for the whiche the Hebrewes haue Rab. or Rabbi that is to say Lorde 34. So Iesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and immediatlye their eyes receiued sight And they followed hym Iesus had compassion on them A. These blind men craued the mercy of Christ to helpe
their miserye as appeareth in the thirty verse going before and now the Euangelist sheweth that Christ was not only led by his free grace goodnes to heale them but also by the compassion that he had of their misery As concerning this coÌ„passion reade the ninth chapter going before And touched their eyes A. Marke saith that Christe added farther sayinge Get thee hence thy faith hath made thee safe And Luke hath receiue thy syghte thy faith hath saued thée C. Where by the name of fayth not only the sure trust of the recoueringe of their sighte is vnderstood but also a farther persuasion namely that Iesus was the Messias promised of god For the blynde man did not rashely or without good coÌ„sideration adde vnto Christe the name of the sonne of Dauid Christ ascribeth the receiuing of the syghte to the faythe of the blynde men because although the power glory of Christ doth pearce eueÌ„ to the vnbeleuing somtimes yet notwithstandinge no man doth truely and profitably enioy his benefits but he which by Faythe apprehendeth the same yea to the vnbeleuing the vse of Gods gyftes is so farre froÌ„ doing them good that it is very hurteful vnto them Wherfore the health of the Christ speaketh here is not restrained to the externall health but it comprehendeth a whole and safe mynde also as if Christ should haue saide that the blind man obtained by fayth his desyere at the merciful handes of God. Wherefore if God bestoed his grace vppon the blynde man for his fayth it followeth that Iustification commeth by fayth And by and by they receyued theire sighte Bu. In that that they receiue their sight so soone the power and great verte we of Christe is declared And they follovved him C. This is a signe of greate thankefulnes that the blinde men woulde wayte vppon Christe And although it be vncertayne whether they continued with him anye long time or no yet notwithstandyng it was a great argument of their thankefulnes that they followed Christ to sett forth his grace and power thoughe but for a time The Euangelist Luke hath And they followed hym glorifying God For to this ende we are illuminated of Christ that wee should followe him the true lighte and the author of the same A. And certainly so many as haue truly â—…elâ—…e the redemption of Christe they can not chose but followe their Sauior and glorify God in all thinges which by his only grace hath brought them therevnto C. Luke also addeth that the people gaue the glory vnto God which maketh not a littel to proue the certainty of the miracle The xxi Chapter AND when they drewe nie to HierusaleÌ„ and were com to Bethphage vnto mount Oliuete then sent Iesus twoo of his Disciples And vvhen they drevv nye to Hierusalem Bu. Hytherto oure Euangeliste Matthewe hath described What the Lorde dyd in Galilee and in his Iorneye coÌ„myng from Galile to Hierusalem and now he declareth what he did in that holye and kingly City it self And the nerer that he approched to his death crosse the more liuelye he declareth his power vertue and strengthe For nowe he entring into that holy Citty with a newe and ease kynde of pompe declareth him selfe to be the promised king and deliuerer which the Israelits had long looked for C. Oure sauiour Christe therfore dothe not sende his Disciples for an Asse because he was werye of his Iorney but to an other ende and purpose For seynge the tyme of his deathe was at hande he mente to shewe after a solemne maner what the nature of hys Kyngdome was The whiche thynge treuly he begane to doe euen from the tyme of his Baptisme but this shewe remaineth for hym to sette for the euen in the ende of his callynge and if a man mighte so speake it was the laste pageante he hadde to playe For why did he hetherto abstayne from the name of a Kynge and nowe geueth libertye to haue hymselfe proclaymed a Kynge but onely because he was not farre from the ende of his race Therefore when his Assention into heauen was at hande he woulde haue his Kyngdome openly proclaymed in earthe This hadde bene a foolishe kynde of pompe and verye ridiculouse hadde it not bene that Zachary hadde before Prophesyed of the same To the ende Christe mighte take vnto hym selfe the honor of a Kynge he entereth into Hierusalem rydynge vppon an Asse a worthye pompe in deede to declare a Kynge Moreouer the beaste which he rode vppon was not so rude and base as the forniture that belongeth vnto it was For the Disciples for wante of a saddell were fayne to laye they re clothes vppon the Asses backe which was a token of greate pouertye and nedines We graunt that he wanted no waytinge men for a greate multitude followed hym But what surely suche as came oute of poore villages in the waye as he wente Ioyfull shoutes and cryes are made but of whome surelye of poore men and the contemned sorte of the people Therfore he might seme to do all that he could to make hymselfe a Iestinge stocke to all men But because there were twoo thinges adioyned vnto hym to bee done namely to shew som document or example of his kyngdome and to teache that it was not like vnto terrene or earthlye Empyres he vsed this base estat in ryding to Hierusalem Howbeit this also mighte peraduenture seeme vnsauory and without reason were it not that God had longe before witnessed the same by his Prophete namely that his Kynge which shoulde come to restore saluation to his people shoulde ryde after the maner that oure Euangelist maketh mencion here Therefore leaste the contemptible and base estate of Christe doe hinder vs from the beholding in this spectacle the spirituall Kingdome of Christe let vs laye before oure eyes the worde of the Lorde by the mouth of his Prophete by the which God vnder that deformitye of a beggar doth more beautify his son than if he should shyne in all the maiesticall robes of a king Without this sauce this history will neuer be sauory or pleasuant vnto vs Wherefore the woordes of our Euangelist Mathewe are of great force when he saith that in this the saying of the Prophete is fulfilled because he seing that men which are to much addicted vnto pompe and glorious shewes could not by the naturall sence and vnderstanding of the fleshe gather any profit by the history bringeth them from the bare beholding of the thing to the consideratioÌ„ of the Prophesy as we shal heare anon And vvere come to Beth. M. This Bethphage was a litle village at the bottome or foote of the mounte of Oliues which was nere to the Citty of Hierusalem being distant from the same not aboue two myles as we may reade in the first chapter of the Actes He sent tvvo of his Disciples A. What the names of these twoo Disciples were none of the Euangelistes make mencioÌ„ 2. Saying vnto them Go into the
this woorde Hosiah-na is as muche to saye as helpe now or saue and prosper althinges that this man taketh in hande B. And when they added to the sonne of Dauid it was as muche as if they shoulde haue sayed Helpe Lorde wee beseeche thée and prosper all things that belonge to this sonne of Dauid that his kingdome maye prosper luckely and take good successe prosper him thou wée say which dwellest in the hyest This crye of the people semeth to agrée with that whereof mencion is made in the tenthe Chapter of the firste booke of Kinges where the people sayde God saue kinge Saule and in the first Chapter of the thirde booke of kinges where the people cryed God saue kinge Solomon A. Therefore the Disciples and the multitude beinge moued by the instincte of the spirite prayed for the felicitye of the king for the prosperous successe also of his kingdome C. And truly as the spirit of God did then appoint that people to pray dailye for the kingdome of Christe euen so also hee doth nowe prescribe the same rule vnto vs And seing that God wil raigne by no other meanes than by the power of his sonne wée ought daylye to wishe and praye for his kingdome according as wee are taught Thy kingdome come vnder the which sentence the same is noted which more plainely in the Psalme is expressed Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde C. The Hebrewe woorde Berach in the Psalme out of the which these were taken signifyeth to prayse and to encrease one with goodes whervppon commeth the Hebrewe participle Baruch that is praysed blessed or increasee with goodes By this voyce therefore they wish vnto Christ the encrease of all goodnes and the prosperous successe of all thinges For repetitioÌ„ seemeth to be a familiar thinge to the Hebrewes and oftentimes vsed of them For that which before they wished in these woordes Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid or God prosper the sonne of Dauid they nowe wishe againe in sayinge Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord as if they should haue sayde Hitherto wee haue beene oppressed with diuers tyrannies but nowe oure kinge comminge all thinges shal prosper well and hee shal be happye which commeth vnto vs in the name of the Lord or beinge sente or annointed of God saue prosper and blesse thou him therfore which dwellest in the hyest The Euangelist sayth expresly in the name of the Lorde because the Messias should come as one sent and not as one that thrusteth in himselfe but should be sent of the father For hee is said to come in the name of the Lorde which intrudeth not himselfe but taketh the kingdome at the will and commaundement of god The which thinge maye more certainly be gathered by the woordes of Marke when hee sayth Blessed be the kingdome that commeth in the name of him that is the Lorde of oure father Dauid For they spake after this maner in respecte of the promises because the Lord had promised that he woulde at the lengthe be the deliuerer of that people and had appointed a meane namely the renuinge and restoringe of the kingdome of Dauid B. The like and the very selfe same meaninge almost had those prayers of the seruauntes of Solomon when they sayd As God hath bene with my Lorde the kinge euen so be hee with Solomon also and make his seate greatter than the seate of my lord kyng Dauids hath bene C. We do see therefore that the honour of a mediatour of whom all good thinges and the benefite of saluation was hoped for is attributed vnto Christ But seing they were rude and ignorante people which called the kingdome of Christ the kingdome of Dauid we may hereby learne that this doctrine was comon and well knowne to the vulgar sorte which doctrine semeth to some at this daye very harde because they are not exercised in the Scriptures Hosanna in the hiest B. This repetition dothe declare a greate feruencye to be in the people which hartely and vnfainedly receyued Christe to be their kinge as if they shoulde haue saide Thou O God whiche dwellest in the heauens saue the kynge whiche thou hast sente vnto vs C. and delyuer vs by Christ whiche in thy name is come vnto vs C. The Euangelist Luke addeth somewhat more saying peace in heauen and glory in the hiest In the whiche there were no obscuritie if it were agreable to the songe of the Angell in the seconde of Luke For there the Angelles assigne glorye to God in Heauen and peace to men in earthe but here bothe peace and glory are referred to god In sence notwithstandinge there is no disagreement for althoughe the Angelles do more distinctely shewe the cause why it was necessarye that the glory and prayse shoulde be yelded vnto God namely because by his mercy men inioy peace in this worlde yet notwithstandinge it meaneth the same thinge that the multitude in this place proclaymeth namely that there is peace in heauen because we knowe that myserable consciences in this worlde are no other waies pacified then by the reconciliation of God to them from heauen 10 And when he was come to Hierusalem all the cittie was moued saying VVho is this And vvhen he vvas come Bu. It was necessary that the glory of the kynge Chryste shoulde not be obscure or hidden but euidente and manifest and therefore by the ordinance of God al the cittezens of Hierusalem are moued at this vnwonted â—…ight that we might know that the comminge of Christe in this order and apperance was not vnfruitefull and voyde of profyte C. The matter was not done in huggermugger or by stealth in secret without the knowledge of the hye priestes and Scribes but openly all the people beholdinge the same Wherefore in that contemptible state of the fleshe the maiestie of the spirite was euidente for howe coulde al men haue suffered without their greate peryll that Christ shold be brought into the Cittie with kinglike pompe excepte they had bene amased at the sighte A. This sighte therefore mighte haue seemed a laughinge game had not the power of God ben presente C. This therefore is the somme that the enteraunce of Christe into the cittie was neyther secrete nor his ennemies quiet because they contempned hym but rather that they were staied by secret feare because God had stricken theym so that they durste not attempte any thynge In the meane time the carelesse securytie of the cittie is reprehended and the zeale and religion of straungers is commended For when the cittezens by reason of the noyse make enquirye who it was they plainly declare them selues to be none of the disciples of Christ Finally these woordes ought to be extended to all those thinges whiche pertayne to the kyngedome of Chryst the whiche kingdome semeth to the worlde contemptyble and base and the mynisters and seruauntes of this kingdome do feme vnto them to be madde and out of their witts but
in the meane time God blesseth their laboure and finisheth his woorke begon contrary to the expectation of all men Bu. All the worlde is stricken and amased at the preachinge of Chryste as the Actes of the Apostelles do testifie but neuerthelesse the kinge of kinges is receyued of the fainctes howe so euer the worlde dothe rage And here specially the power of God is perceiued in weakenesse VVho is this M. This is marueylouse that this princelike and excellente cittie in the whiche the worshyp of God dyd dwell and in the whiche the authorytie of the priestes was greate was so ignorante of Christ promised in the prophetes and declared by so many miracles that nowe at the last it asketh who this is whom the cittie seeth to enter with so greate honoure of the moultitude and with suche publyque consente So vnknowne likewise is the trueth of Christ at this day and that in those places where the saynctuary of the worlde and priestly obstinacie do dwell rayne that they say euen as these dyd at the herynge of the worde of Christe what doctrine is this 11 And the people saide this is Iesus a prophet of Nazareth a citie of Galile And the people saide S. Oure Euangelist saythe here that the multitude made answere to the demaunde This confession is the effect of the word of God wonderfully working in the multitude it is also the effecte of faythe whiche is not offended at the basenesse of the person This is Iesus a Prophete S. By this woorde Iesus the people make a dyfference betwene hym and the other prophetes For all other proclaymers and preachers of the worde among the Iewes were prophetes but not Iesuses that is to say sauiours Moreouer by this worde Iesus the multitude confesse the bothe that the promised Messias was now present and also his proper office which is to saue M. The people therfore vnderstand that prophete of whom Moyses wright thus sayinge A prophete shal the lorde your God rayse vp vnto you of your brethern lyke vnto mee hym shall you heare The which place Peter and Steuen both do interprete of Chryste of Nazareth a Cittie of Galile A. Where Christe was nourished and brought vp 12 And Iesus wente into the Temple of God and cast out all them that solde and bought in the temple and ouerthrewe the tables of the money changers and the seates of them that solde dooues And Iesus vvent into the temple Bu. It was the manner of kynges in olde tyme beinge receiued of the people to restore and amend those thinges which were deprauid and corrupted eyther by the neclygence orels by the mallice of other princes For so Dauid beinge setled and establyshed in the kingedome exercised and restored iudegement and righteousenes whiche had bene neglected in the time of Saules gouernement After the same manner therefore oure kynge and lorde Iesus Christ being receyued of the people and acknowleged to be theyr kynge wente straight waye into the temple A to the ende he mighte correcte and amende the greate abuse which was there admitted B. And trewly these thinges were done euen the selfe same day vpon the whiche he entered into Hierusalem ryding on an Asse and the people shoutinge vnto hym as playnely may be gathered both by our Euangelist Mathew and Luke also althoughe Marke seeme to wryte otherwise C. For he saythe simplely that Christ the same daye of his enterance into the citie behelde al thinges and that hee caste the byers and sellers out of the temple the day following But thus these places may be recōciled Marke hauynge not spoken of the purginge of the temple bringethe in the same at the last but out of order place He declareth that the fyrst daye hee came into the temple there behelde al thinges But to what ende dyd hee thus behoulde theym but onely to correcte that whiche was amisse For seinge that hee had oftē times before beheld and viewed the temple it cannot be thought that he was moued by the newenes of the sight But when Marke should haue by order added by and by that they which bought and soulde were caste out of the temple he then sayth that Christ went out of the cittie But that whiche he omitted worthy of mention he rehearseth afterward Peraduenture some man wyll saye that Marke obserued that tyme whiche was neglected of the other two but this whiche we haue already noted is more probable a greate deale For it is lykely that this shewe of Christes power was sette forthe in the presence of the people But who so euer dothe dyligently marke and consider howe lyttell the Euangelystes obserued the notynge of tymes this dyuersitie of wrytinge shall not offende And cast out all them that soulde Bu. Here we must acknowledge the office of Chryste that he was the hye priest of the temple hauynge power in the temple Furthermore we must acknowledge hym to be a kynge but spirituall yea the trewthe of the temple being endewed with great power to take away offences and stombling blockes C. But for all this hee oftentimes comminge into the temple and seinge these abuses before his face dydde but twise onely moue his hande to correcte theim once in the begynnynge of his imbassage and nowe agayne in the ende of the same But seinge there was then an vtter confusion of all thynges and the temple with the sacryfices thereof beinge brought to vtter decaye Christe thoughte it sufficiente openly to reprehende the same twise onely When that therefore he had declared hym selfe to be a teacher and a prophet sent of God to styrre vp the Iewes and to make thē more attentiue he toke in hand to purge the temple And the Euangeliste Iohn onely in his second chapter toucheth this former history But nowe towarde the ende of his rase he takyng the same power againe to hym selfe admonyshethe the Iewes as concernyng the pollutyng defyling the temple and dothe also shew that there is a new reformation at hand In the meane tyme notwithstandynge there is no doubte but that hee testifyed hym selfe to be bothe a kynge and also a hyghe priest as wee towched euen now and the chiefe gouernour of the worship of the temple But this pertayneth not to euery pryuate personne but the zeale with the which Chryst was moued to do these thynges belongeth to all the godly For leaste any man rashely rushe oute beyonde his boundes vnder the pretence of Imitation he must fyrst se how farre his vocation will extend it selfe If there be any abuses crepte into the Churche of God it becommeth all the sonnes of God to be greued But because God hath not geuen power aucthoritie to euery man those whiche are priuate personnes let them sighe vntill suche tyme as it shall please God to sende a remedy We grāte certainely that they are worse than incēsible blockes whiche are nothynge moued and not displeased at the defylynge of the temple neither is it sufficient
the people to attrybute the name of a kynge to Chryste yea in the smalleste thynges they woulde haue their decrees to be counted for dyuine oracles that it myghte not be lawefull to allowe or to reiecte any thynge excepte it had passed by theyr consente So that they counte it an absurde and peruerse thynge to haue any man extolled with the tytle of the Messias by the people whome they with theyr consente hadde not aduaunced thereunto by somme decree And trewelye it had bene meete if that they had discharged their offyce and calling that they shoulde haue gone before al the people as authors and captaynes For the priestes were created and apointed that all men myghte seeke for the knowledge of the lawe at their lyppes and that they mighte be the angelles and interpreters of the Lorde of hostes But because they had falsely extinguished the lighte of the trueth Christe dothe verye aptely aunswere that they profyte nothinge at all whileste they go about to suppresse the doctryne of saluation because rather then they shall brynge that to passe it shall by violence burste out of the stones Notwithstanding vnder this there is conteyned a secrete grauntinge for Christ dothe not deny but that this is a preposterouse order that the vnlerned multitude and children should be the first that with their voyce and crye should cellebrate the comminge of the Messias but because they do maliciouslye choake the truethe whiche oughte to be the lawfull witnesses thereof he saithe it is no meruaile if God stirre vp others and do chose children in their steede to theyr greate ignominie and shame Hereby there cōmeth to vs no small consolation For althoughe the wicked wyll not a little seke to couer and obscure the kyngedome of Christe yet notwithstandinge here wee heare that all their laboures and deuyses are in vaine They hope when they haue destroyed somme and stayed other some throughe feare from helpinge forwarde the kingedome of Christ that they haue obteyned their purpose But trewly the lorde will frustrate their expectation because he wyll rather geue mouthes and tongues to stones than the kingedome of his sonne shold want witnesses C. The priestes and scribes speake in contempt saying Doste thou heare what these say As if they should say Thou sekest praise of these children which knowe not what they say But Iesus saithe vnto them vvhy not Bu. That is to saye I heare them well enoughe The whiche answere doth constantely meintaine it all doubte beinge wholly taken away but it semeth to signifie somwhat more as if he should haue saide The voice whiche you your selues ought to vtter these children do expresse Haue ye neuer redde Out of the mouthe of babes C. The priestes and Scribes take occasion to calumniate of that that he suffereth him selfe to be called a kyng of chyldren according to the manner of the wicked which alwaies prowdely despise humillitie in the disciples of Christ This mallice Christ confuteth by the testimonie of the Prophete Dauid whiche maketh infantes also to be proclaymers of the glory of God A. This place whiche our sauiour Christ alleageth is takē out of the .viii. Psalme C where as towchinge the letter is thus written Out of the mouth of very babes sucklings hast thou ordayned strength By the whiche wordes the prophet meaneth that although tongues holde their peace yet God hath no nede of other retoritians or eloquente personnes to set forthe his power than yonge infantes whiche as yet hange on their mothers brestes They trewly are many but the wonderfull prouydence of God whiche shyneth in them is like vnto the sounde of greate eloquence A. as if the Prophete Dauid shoulde haue sayde Thy wonderfull workes O Lorde which thou shewest in infants whom thou wonderfully preseruest do declare that thou arte suche a one which haste a care for mankinde by whose prouidence all things are gouerned There is no great néede of eloquence to extoll set forthe thy power the very infantes which sucke their mothers teates doe preache the same C. For they whiche waye and consider with them selues how the childe is begotten in the wombe of his mother howe the same is nourished there for the space of nyne moneths how the same at length is wonderfully borne and how it fyndeth foode to nourishe it so soone as it commeth into the worlde he must of necessitie not only fele confesse that God is the creator of the world but also he shal wonder merueyl at the same Euen so the Sonne and the Moone although they be dombe creatures yet not withstanding they are saide to preache set forthe the prayses of god Yea treuly whatsoeuer is in heauen whatsoeuer is in the earth although it wāt a tonge yet notwithstanding it setteth forth the praise of god To be shorte seing in the tonge of infants the glory of God dothe sounde Christe doth hereby gather that it is no absurditye at all if he receiue the prayse of Infants whiche are endewed with the vse of speaking As if he should saye If Infants do preache the power of God to all men why do ye counte it an vnsemelye thing that children should yelde prayses vnto me at this daye For these of the twayne are more fete therevnto because they haue their tonges By these woordes but couertly he proueth hym selfe to be god M. There are certaine which saye that the Lorde vsurped this place not accordinge to the letter seinge that they were neyther sucklinges nor infants which cried Hosanna in the temple but children of more riper age then those of whom the Prophet maketh mencion in the Psalmes but accordinge to the spirite of the Prophete whome they saye had not respecte in this place to infants and suckelinges in age but to children in spirite and estimation Because the lyttel children did geue testimonye in the temple to the power of God whome the Scribes and Phariseis beinge enemies to God and desierouse of reuenge and bloudy men did most obstinatly resiste therefore they thinke that this verse was obiected vnto thē of Christ But the former exposition is more apte and agreable to the sence M. Moreouer by this example we are taughte not to be children in vnderstanding but in malice that we may deliuer out of our mouthes the praise of God to the confusion of wisedome and the power of this worlde and that wee maye instructe oure children with a singuler study to the praise of God all hypocrisy and dissimulation being set aparte 17. And he lefte them and went out of the Citty vnto Bethany and had his abiding there And the lefte them M. The Euangeliste Marke hath And when he had looked rounde about vppon all thinges and now the euen tyde was come he wente oute vnto Bethany with the twelue Many shewe a reason why our Sauiour Christe did so namely because he would not before the time geue occasion to his enemys to laye handes on hym Vnto Bethany Where he had raised
true yet notwithstandinge thou oughtest not to presume to teache without thou be licenced thereunto by oure authoritie C. This truely was a special cooler for seinge it became no man eyther to intrude hym selfe into the honor of the priestehoode or into the office of a Prophete but shoulde wayte for the calling of God much lesse was it mete for any mā to take vnto him the name of the Messias vnlesse he were certainlye knowne to be chosen by God because it was necessary that he shoulde not only be appointed by the voyce of god but also by an othe as it is written in the Psalme where it is saide The Lorde sware and will not repente thou arte a prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech But they deale wickedly and peruersely seing that the diuine maiesty of Christe by so many wonders and signes was declared to aske as though they wer the most ignorant of al men frō whence he came For what can be more absurde than whan they see the hande and power of God to be openly declared as by making the lame to walke and the blind to sée to doubte whether any priuate man can rashely take vnto him this liberty or no But in deede they could not but cōfesse that Christe was sente from heauen and that God was the author of the workes that he did They stande therefore vpon this that he is not the lawfull minister of God whome they by they re authorite doe not licence as though the power hereunto belonginge did wholly rest in them But truely although they were the lawful gouerners of the Churche yet notwithstanding it was a monstrouse thinge in them to beare themselues against God. Nowe let vs note why Christe doth not directly aunswer vnto them surely because the thing which they demanded of him without shame was most manifest plain The chefe priestes and elders came vnto him A. The Euangelist Marke saith that as he walked in the temple there came to him the hie priestes and the Scribes and the elders and saide vnto hym by what authority doest thou these things And vvho gaue thee this authority Repeticion is often times vsed in the Scriptures 24. Iesus aunswered an saide vnto thē I also wil aske of you a certaine thing which if ye tel me I likewise wel tel you by what authority I do these thinges Iesus ansvvered and sayde M. The Lorde vnderstanding their crafte and subtiltye doth not simplely aunswere to their demaunde because they did not demaūde this questiō simplely to learne but to in trappe the answerer but setteth one question againste an other that he mighte take and confounde the crafty in theire wylines Therefore he saith I also vvill aske of you a certaine thinge Oure Sauiour Christe mighte seme here to geue an euell example in denyinge to geue a reason of his callinge But it is not so For in this question there was contained a full and perfecte aunswere by the which he did satisfye the aduersarys For when S. Ihon had witnessed that Iesus was the sonne of GOD the Phariseis no doubte beinge taughte of him oughte to haue acknowledged Iesus to be the messenger of God whereby they coulde not doubte by what authoritie he did both preache and shewe forthe miracles For they helde S. Ihon as the Prophete of God sente of God to whom they gaue great credit The Lorde also by his demaunde would euidently declare howe wicked and maliciouse the hye priestes and Phariseys were not onely for resisting hym but also because they had shewed the lyke malice towardes others namely towardes S. Ihon the Baptiste in whome when they coulde fynde no falte they reiected his doctrine and ministration of Baptisme that it mighte be no meruayle if they did the like here to hym For when as all the people beleued Ihon the Baptiste to be a Prophete sente of God and therfore receiued his Baptisme and the hye priestes Scribes and elders of the people contemned the same as we may reade in the seuenth of Luke where they are saide to cōtemne the counsel of God Our Sauiour Christe going aboute to call to minde this their former obstinacye obiecteth vnto them this question to the ende he mighte detecte and vncouer their deceite by the which they woulde seeme to be led by a certeine zeale of defendinge the people leaste by a contrary and false doctrine they should be seduced by those whiche had receiued no power of God. 25. The baptisme of Ihon whence was it frō heauen or of men And they thoughte amonge them selues saying if we saye from heauen he will say vnto vs VVhy did ye not beleue him The baptisme of Ihon. C. He dothe aske them of the baptisme of S. Ihon not only that he mighte shewe that they were vnworthy of al authority because they had despised the holy Prophete of God but also that he might reproue them by their owne aunswere that they imprudentlye fayned ignoraunce in a matter so well and euidentlye knowne S. Ihon was sente to be the fore roonner of Christe that he mighte prepare the waie before him he had pointed out Christe with the finger and had witnessed that he was the onely sonne of god Wherupon therfore will the Scribes nowe proue vnto them selues the newe authority of Christe when as S. Ihon by his preaching had brought sufficient credit to the same Therefore that whereof we spake euen now semeth to be true namely that Christ did not vse any subtilty to escape but did soūdely in all points satisfye the question obiected againste hym For Ihon could not be acknoweledged to be the seruaunte of God except the Lorde him selfe were acknowledged also So that he did not imbolden and encourage troublesom and peruerse personnes which rashely without the commaundement of God vsurpe vnto them selues publike authority neither did he also by his example teache any man subtilly to hyde and conceale the truethe as many crafty personnes falsely Imagine him to bee the author It is certainlye true that we must not alwayes answer alike when the wicked craftely go about to deceiue vs but we must so wysely be ware and take héed of their malice that the trueth maye alwayes haue her dewe defence By the Baptisme of S Ihon he vnderstandeth all that pertained to the office of S. Ihon yea his doctrine also For by and by it followeth that the hye priestes gathered of the woordes of the Lorde thus If we saye from heauen he wil say vnto vs why do ye not beleue it But we beleue his doctrine For he taughte that Iesus was the sonne of God and that the father had geuen vnto him all power And it shall not be amisse if by this worde Baptisme we vnderstād the Sacrament of Baptisme For Ihon Baptised with the Baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they should beleue on him which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus C. To be shorte Baptisme in this place is takē for the
vnto him when as neuerthelesse they woulde seeme to be the sonnes of God and the doers of his wil. And this is the Scope of the parable as he himselfe expoūdeth in the two thirty verse following In that expositiō to the ende he might expresse their malice and obstinacy he vseth a collation comparinge them not to their equalls but to their inferiours for what was more inferior to the hye Pristes Scribes and Phariseys then publicans and harlots 29. He answered and said I will not but afterward he repented and wente C. Here he setteth forth the type of publicanes and harlots whose lyfe saythe nothing lesse than we wil not do the wil of god Suche were Mathewe Zache and the synfull woman of whome sainct Luke maketh mencion in the vij chapt 30. Then came he to the seconde and sayde lykewyse And he aunswered and said I will syr and wente not Then came he to the second E. Oure Sauiour Christe goeth forwarde with the parable bringinge in here the aunswere of the other which saide I vvill syr These wordes are read in al Gréekes bookes in the olde Latin interpretor It is a kinde of speache declaringe a man to be ready and at hande to do any thinge C. Specially belonging to the Hehrewes For when the Hebrewes go aboute to offer their endeuour and declare that they are in a redynes to fulfyll any thynge they speake after this maner Beholde I am here Lorde Euen so the childe Samuell when he thouhgte that he was called of Heli saide I am here For the whiche the Lattines haue I am readye or at hande M. This sonne did represente the hye Priestes Scribes and Phariseys who in woordes and profession said Beholde Lorde wee are here and are readye to do what soeuer thou commaundest but in dede they did nothinge lesse C. It is a vertue deseruing greate praise to fulfill with all diligence the will of God so soone as by his woorde he hath commaunded the same But as oure Sauiour Christe doth not here commende the promisinge of that which wee fulfill not so he doth not allow negligence or starknes in the Lords busines for to promise and boaste of that whiche wee doe not is mere hypocsyire an a vice lesse tollerable a greate deale 31. VVhether of them twayne did the will of the father And they saide vnto him the firste Iesus saith vnto them verely I saye vnto you the publicans and harlotes goe into the kingdome of God before you VVhether of them M. To do the wyll of the father is as it followeth by and by to repente and beleue the Gospel whiche is to enter into the kyngdome of God. And they sayd vnto him M. Here our Sauiour Christe dothe by force wreste oute of their mouthes their owne Iudgemēt against thē selues euen as Nathan caused Dauid to do Bu They could not saye before the people wee know not to this question without to greate impudencye but they are constrained by reason of the manifeste verity to aunswere that which was true The publicanes and harlots When he had hearde theyr aunswere he declareth to what end he propounded the parable namelye that he mighte declare that they by their impenitency and hardnes of harte depriued them selues of the kyngdome of God the which they did not now onely shewe but also before when Iohn came Go into the kingdome of God before you By those woordes oure Sauiour Christe meaneth that the publicanes and harlots were more ready to repente them and to beleue the Gospel than were the hye Priestes Scribes and Phariseys For thus doth the verse followinge teache vs to expounde it But we muste not vnderstande this woorde go before as thoughe the hye Priestes Scribes elders should followe the Publicanes and harlots into the kingdome of heauen For the wordes following do deny that where it is said And ye when ye had sene it wer not moued afterward with repētance that ye might haue beleued him Moreouer the parable following doth sufficiently declare how greatly they were hardened in their malice For although som of them as we maye reade in the Actes were afterward conuerted to the faith yet notwithstandyng this priestlye corporation or state of the hye priests here Scribes and elders of the people abode in their vnbelefe Also we se here howe hard a thing it is to bringe them to repentance which being moste vngodly yet hypocritically boaste them selues to be the true worshipers of god Yea this is so harde a thinge that it is more easy to bringe the vilest synners to a newe and reformed life Wherefore it is no merueyle if these kynde of hypocrits in oure time can by no meanes be broughte to repentance There is no doubte but that the Phariseys tooke it greuouslye at the last to be compared to publicanes and synners of most wicked name when as they thought scorne to haue the holyest sorte of men compared vnto them C. Now let vs note the purpose of Christe He dothe not onely reprehende the Scribes and Phariseys because they obstinatlye resisted GOD and because they repented not beinge so often admonished but he spoyleth and taketh from them that honor wherof they were vnworthy because theyr impiety was more abhominable than the lasciuiouse wyckednes of harlotes For the one was hypocrisye the other whoredome Of the whiche euells the fyrste is most abhominable in the sight of God. 32. For Iohn came vnto you by the waye of righteousnes and ye beleued hym not but publicanes and harlotes beleued him And ye when ye had sene it were not moued afterwarde to repentance that ye mighte haue beleued him For Iohn came C. Seinge that Iohn was the faythefull minister of GOD whatsoeuer he taughte Christe attributeth it to the personne of GOD himselfe It had been a more perfecte speache to haue sayde GOD came shewinge the waye of righteousnes by the mouth of Sainct Iohn but because S. Iohn dyd not speake in the name of GOD as a priuate man he is iustlye as a substitute set in the place of God. Also this place bryngeth no smale authoritye to the preachyng of the worde when they are sayde to bee rebells againste the same whiche despyse the Godly admonitions of the teachers A. Whereuppon oure Sauiour Christ sayd not in vayne to hys Aposteles he whiche heareth you heareth me he whiche despiseth you despiseth me And in an other place Whosoeuer receaueth whome I sende receaueth me and he that receaueth me receyueth him that sente me C. There are some which more subtilly expounde the name of righteousnes but here it seemeth to signifye nothynge ells than that the doctrine of Saincte Iohn was pure and true as if he shoulde haue sayde there was no cause why they shoulde reiecte the same For whosoeuer receyueth not the true minister of GOD he is a rebell to god He sayth therefore that they haue no excuse to laye for them selues And ye beleued hym not Namelye when he
the mariage in dede is prepared but they which were bidden were not worthy The mariage in dede is prepared Bu. This sentence sheweth that the vnbeleuynge Iewes perysshed throughe theyr owne faulte For beinge called they wold not aunswere they beinge bydden refused to come and they malyciously despysed the grace of God offered vnto them therfore they made them selues vnworthy of celestial benefytes M. Euen as Paule also casteth them in the teethe sayinge It was mete that the kyngdome of God shoulde fyrste be preached vnto you but because ye put the same from you and counte your selues vnworthye of euerlastynge lyfe beholde wee go vnto the Gentiles As concernynge those that were vnworthy reade the tenthe chapter goinge before 9 Go ye therfore out into the hiewaies and as many as ye finde bid theim to the mariage Go ye therefore out M. After that the Iewes despysed the Gospell the Apostelles were sente to the Gentyles For God in any wyse woulde haue this maryage fulfylled Wherefore if any refuse to receyue the grace of God he doth iustely forsake them and passe to other Into the hye vvaies M. That is to saye into publike and common places where passengers and straungers vse to walke As if hee shoulde haue sayde gette you forthe to all foote pathes and hiewayes Get you out into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to euery creature And as many as yefynde C. Here the callynge of the Gentiles is described whiche maketh the Iewes to be Gelouse euen as it is sayde in the Canticle or song of Moyses They haue angered me with that whiche is no God and prouoked me with their vanities And I also wyl prouoke them with those which are no people I wyll anger theim with a foolishe nation Because they were chosen before all other nations they immagined and perswaded thē selues that his grace was tyed vnto them and that hee could not wante theim And howe prowdely they despysed all other nations it is wel enoughe knowne Therefore he compareth the Gentiles to beggars to blynde and to lame men A. Accordinge as it sayd in Luke Go out quickely into the streetes and quarters of the cittie and brynge in hither the poore the feble and the lame and the blynde C. He saythe that these are called oute of the streetes and hye wayes as straungers and vnknowen men notwithstandinge in the meane tyme hee affyrmethe that they muste be putt in the place whiche was neglected of the frendes and famyliar sorte And so he plainly expresseth that whiche was obscurelye preached of the Prophetes And truely this wickednes of the Iewes brought to passe that God heaped his vengeaunce vpon them and cut them of and planted the wild Oliue braunches into the true Olyue tree and they beinge banished he receyued the fylthye and polluted Gentiles into his house Wherefore if he did not then spare the naturall braunches he will no more spare vs at this daye but will shew the lyke vengeance vppon vs if wee answere not our callinge But the Supper shal not be loste that is prepared for vs For if we come not God wil prepare other gestes for the same Bu. He shall alwaies finde where to bestow his grace Yea and he shall be founde true in his promises Byd them to the mariage M. This is that generall calling by the which through the externall preachinge of the worde God calleth all men at once vnto hym A. The Euangeliste Luke addeth that the seruaunt made aunswer to his maister saying Lord it is done as thou hast commāded there is yet roome And the Lorde said to the seruaunte Go out vnto the hye wayes and hedges and compel them to come that my house may be filled By the which wordes our Sauiour Christ declareth that God will rather scrape together all the refuse and of scouring of the worlde than he will admit suche vnthankefull personnes hereafter to his table Notwithstandinge he dothe seme to applye it to the maner of of the callyng of the Gospel because the grace of God is not simplelye sett forthe vnto vs but with doctrine exhortations are adioyned In the which we may beholde the wonderfull goodnes of God who when he seeth vs beinge called to waxe negligente he dothe séeke to driue awaye oure sluggishnes and that not only by exhortacion but also by threateninges he forceth vs to come vnto hym This constrainte therfore is spirituall and the violence by the whiche the seruants of Christe do constraine their auditory to come to the feaste of the Gospel is the preachinge of the lawe and the declaringe of sinnes whereby it commeth to passe that mens consciences beinge terrefyed with the feare of damnation are constrained to looke for the true saluation in Christe So Iohn the Baptist foreced his hearers to repentance that is to seke Christe when he said Nowe is the axe layed vnto the roote of the trée Euery trée which bringeth not forth good frute is hewen downe and caste into the fyer And the Apostell Paule writtyng to Timothe sayth thus Preache thou the worde be feruent in season and out of season Improue rebuke exhorte with all longe suffringe and doctrine 10. And the seruauntes wente oute into the hye wayes and gathered together all as many as they coulde finde both good and bad and the wedding was fornished with ghestes And the seruantes vvente A. As concerninge the sending forth of the Apostles we read thus And they wente and preached euery where And this was the gathering together of al such as they found in the hye wayes Both good and bad M. That is they gathered without respecte of persones euery one refusinge none but the harde harted and suche as were scorners Oure Sauiour Christe here semeth to speake of the same which he did in the parable of the tares and of the net caste into the Sea. E. There are some which by the good vnderstande the Iewes who euen at this daye thinke themselues the good and by the euel the Gentils and that Christe spake by the affection of the Iewes when as bothe of them were euell But he speaketh here of the calling of the Gentils onely before of the calling of Iewes And the vvedding vvas fornished vvith ghestes E. To come vnto the mariage is to receiue the Gospel without any respecte yea though all men do despise the same notwithstāding to geue our name to Christ and to desire to be coūted of his Church But this profession belongeth also to hypocrites And therfore it followeth 11. Thē the king came ī to see the ghests and when he spyed there a man which had not on a wedding garmente he sayde vnto him Frend howe camest thou in hither not hauinge a wedding garment And he was euen speacheles Then the king came in M. Now followeth the Iudgement of these men which are mingled amonge the Christians without deserte not as Christians in déede but in name only For he doth
oure duety vnto men we do also oure duety towardes God. But Christe applying his wordes to the capascity of the people thought it sufficiente to make a difference betwene the spirituall kingdome of God and pollitique order and the state of this presente lyfe Wherefore this difference must be had that seinge the Lorde wil be the only ruler and lawmaker to gouern the soules of mē we must not seke for a rule of worshipping him frō any other thing than frō his worde we must abide in the only pure worship which he hath there prescribed that the power of the swerde lawes iudgements do hinder nothing at all but that the worship of God maye remaine whole and sounde amongest vs M. Therfore that whiche partaineth to the earth belongeth as righte vnto Cesar and that which pertaineth to religiō belongeth vnto god In earth wee haue the image of Cesar in money which teacheth what we owe vnto Cesar Againe in our minde we beare the seale of Christ of the holy ghost beinge sealed by baptisme and ingraued also by the name of Christ whereby wee are taughte what we owe vnto god God doth not cōmande vs to withholde from Cesar those things that are dewe to Cesar it were amost wicked vngodly acte if Cesar woulde not suffer those thinges to be geuen to God which are dewe vnto him but take them to him selfe C Nowe this doctrine may serue for a general admonition that euery man accordinge to his calling may geue that deuty which is dewe to all men as the children honor to their parents seruants submission to their masters subiectes obedience to the hyer powers that all men may liue according to the rule of charity and that God may haue that which belongeth vnto him Therfore the somme of this place is because they are rebells vnto God which despise pollitique order gouernment we muste note that obedience towardes princes magistrates is ioyned with the worship and feare of God but againe if princes vsurpe vnto them selues the righte which belongeth vnto God we must not obey them but submit our neckes rather to the blocke Bu. Wherefore if a heathē wicked magistrate must not be resisted muche lesse ought we to resist a godly Christiā magistrate Let therefore all wicked Anabaptistes take héede al such also which ouerthrowe pollitike gouernment what they teache and go about 22. VVhen they had heard these words they merueiled and lefte him and wente their waye VVhen they had heard these vvordes they merueiled B. The enemies of the trueth do here merueyle at the great wisedome and experience of Christ but they are nothing at all moued to tourne themselues vnto God by faith And lefte hym and vvent their vvaye C Here also it appereth howe God doth frustrate bring to naughte the wicked practises and deuises of his enemis neither doth he onelye deceiue their expectation and hope but dothe also geue them the repulse with shame It commeth to passe some times that the wicked althoughe they be ouercome yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to make exclamation but althoughe their wantonnes bee vnbrideled whiche resiste the worde of God yet for all that God hath so many victories in his hand that he will triumphe ouer them and ouer Sathan their heade also But in this answer Christe goeth about specially to manifest and set forthe his glory when he constrained his enemis to departe with ignominy shame A. Let vs therfore acknowledge this sentence of Solomon to bee moste true when he saith There is no wisdome nor prudence nor counsel against the Lord 23. The same daye came to him the Saduceis which saye that there is no resurrection and asked him sayinge The same daye came to him C. Wee do see here how Sathan gathereth together al the wicked whiche els are at contenciō among themselues to resist the trueth of god For although there were dedly disagréement betwene these two sectes yet notwithstanding they conspire together against Christ that it might not displease the Pharises to haue their doctrine resisted in the persone of Christ Euenso at this daye we sée all the armys of Sathan although at all other times they be one cōtrary to an other yet notwithstāding to arise on euery syde against Christ And the Papistes also do burne with such mortal hatred against Christ his Gospell that they wil willingly suffer Libertines Epicures such kinde of monstrouse Heretiques so that to destroye the Gospell they may vse their helpes To be shorte we sée that they wente out on euery side such as sought to bēde their force against Christ they did this because euery one of the hated the lighte of sounde perfecte doctrine But the Saduces propounde a questiō vnto Christ that by the shewe of absurdity thei might either make him partaker of the error or els that if he did disagrée they might defame him make him a mocking stocke among the rude vnlearned multitude And it may be truly that they were wonte with the same cauill to vexe and moleste the Pharises but nowe they laye the same grinne or snare for Christe M After therfore that the Phariseys had done nothinge againste Christe the Saduces come to assaye if they coulde bring that to passe which the Scribes and Phariseis before them had sought for VVhich say that there is no resurrection A. As concerning this secte of Saduces reade the chapter going before C. But the Euangeliste Luke witnesseth that they denyed not onely the last resurrection of the fleshe but the immortalitye also of the soule And certainly if the doctrine of the Scripture be wel wayed the lyfe of the soule without the hope of resurrection is but a mere dreame God dothe not so pronounce the soules to be frée from death as thoughe alredye they were in possession of the presente glorye and beatitude but he suspendeth theyr hope vntill the last daye We graunte truely that the Philosophers to whome the resurrection of the fleshe was vnknowne disputed muche about the immortal essence of the soule but they speake so rashly and vnaduisedly of the state of the lyfe to come that their writtings are of no waighte But seinge the holy scripture doth declare that the spiritual life doth depende vpon the hope of the resurrection and that the soules being dissolued from the bodies do thyther departe whosoeuer taketh away the resurrectiō he doth also spoile the soules of immortallity Moreouer hereby we maye perceaue the horrible cōfusion of the Iewish Church in that the chefe heades and professors of religion toke awaye the hope of the life to come that men after the death of the bodye differ nothinge from brute beasts They did not for al this deny but the men ought to liue iustly godly neither were they so prophane and heathenishe that they accounted the worship of God to be prophane superfluouse but they rather affirmed that God was
of Scripture in one cause And yet for al that Chryst toke not this place before others without cause but hee chose it with an excelleÌ„t iudgement althoughe at a blushe it might seeme more obscure because fyrst of all it was mete that this place shoulde be known aboue al others amonge the Iewes namelye that they were redemed of the Lord because they were the chyldren of AbrahaÌ„ For there God doth pronouÌ„ce that he came to helpe the afflicted people and addeth also that he dothe acknowledge that people for his owne in respecte of the adoption for the couenant that hee made with Abraham Howe commeth it to passe that God hath more respecte to the lyuinge than to the dead but onely because hee attrybuteth the fyrst degree of honour to the fathers with whom hee made his couenaunte And how shoulde they excel if they were extinguished by deathe This also is very well expressed by the relation For as no man can be saide to be a father without children neyther a kynge withoute-people euen so the lorde cannot properly be called God excepte he be the God of such as lyue Howebeit Christ doth not reason so muche of the common order of speach as hée doth of the promise which is included in these wordes For the Lord doth offer himselfe vnto vs to be our God vppon this condition that hée mighte in like maner make vs to be his people the which one thing is sufficient to the trust of full and perfect beatitude Wherevppon the Churche cryed after this maner as appeareth by the Prophete Thou arte our God from the beginninge wee shall not dye Seing therefore hee promiseth saluation to all those whose God hée sayth hee is and seing hee publisheth the same of Abraham Isaac Iacob after their death it followeth that ther is hope of life left to those that be dead B. Wee sée therefore how conningly our sauiour Christ hath gathered this that to whom soeuer the Lord is a God to him also hee is a sauiour and quickener for euer the which hée cannot be altogether to the dead that is to those from whom all hope of life is taken away For to whom soeuer God is a God him he blesseth that is hee declareth himselfe to him to be a God. But if the dead were wholy voyde of life as the Saduces thoughte and should neuer retourne to the same howe shoulde God blesse them or bestow any benefites vppon them The saintes therefore are not voyde of participation of life And least the Saduces should saye no man denyeth God to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob hee therefore addeth God is not the God of the deade But AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob were deade It is true they were are But to God they were not dead they are onely dead to the world to the fleshe and liue vnto god For all liue vnto him as sayth the Euangeliste Luke C. The which saying in the Scriptures is taken diuersly M. For wée liue vnto God when wée liue vnto him and not to the fleshe Wée are said also to liue vnto God when oure life dependeth vppon his power and not of our selues C. But oure sauiour Christe meaneth here that the faithful after they dye vnto the worlde liue a heauenlye life with God according to that which the Apostle Paule writeth saying that Christ after hee was receyued into the heauenly glorye liueth vnto God because hee was exempte from the infirmities and troubles of this transitory life But our sauiour Christ doth here with good aduisement declare that we ought not to iudge of the life of the Godly according to fleshly sence because it is layed vp in the secrete power of god For if they be almost like vnto deade men while they walke in the world much lesse any shew of life shall appeare in them after the death of the fleshe But God is faythfull and will preserue them aliue before him beyonde the reason of man If any man do obiecte and saye that the soules maye remaine aliue without any resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh Wee answered them alittle before where wée saide that these two were so knit and linked together that there could not be any seperation because the soules do aspyre and come to the heritage layed vp for them that as yet they mighte not obtaine their state M. After these thinges the Euangelist Marke writeth that Christ said againe you therefore greatly erre And the Euangelist Luke addeth saying Then certaine of the Phariseis answered and said Master thou hast well saide C. When as it is probable that al of them were euill affectioned God by his secrete power did as it were eitorte wringe this confession out of their mouthes Peraduenture it might be that although the Phariseis wished that Christ might be ouerthrowne and put to silence in this conflict with the Saduces yet notwithstanding because they sée that they are armed by his aunswere againste the contrary faction of the Saduces their ennemyes ambition brought to passe that they yelde the victory vnto Christ PerchauÌ„ce also they were inflamed with enuye least the Saduces should bringe that to passe namely by putting Christ to syleÌ„ce which they nor other for them could do But howe soeuer it was it came to passe by the prouidence of God that the most deadly ennemyes that he had subscribed and yelded also to his doctrine 33. And wheÌ„ the people heard this they were astonyed at his doctrine And vvhen the people hâ—â—rde this Bu. The people are iustly amazed at the answeres of God so excellent and full of wisedome For in them all there is wholesome profite and a certaine deuyne maiestye C. Notwithstanding wée must note the the doctrine of Godlynes was at the time so infected with so many wicked and false coÌ„ments that it was not without cause counted as a myracle to haue the hope of the resurrection so trulye and aptly proued out of the law The people therefore are amazed at the wonderfull grace but obstinacy is mad and neuer in quiet and impiety is led by furious violence specially when the power of God appeareth 34. But when the Phariseis had hearde that he had put the Saduces to sileÌ„ce they came together M. Here againe the nature and propertye of mallice appeareth For although the Phariseis had bene twise before put to sylence and made ashamed yet notwithstanding they assaye againe They came together Because the Saduces were inferiour in learning to the Phariseis as our sauioure Christ obiected against them the Phariseis thought it no marueile if they could preuaile nothinge at all against Christ Therefore they themselues boastinge of the knowledge of the Law do determine once againe more bouldlye to set vppon Christ They do now therefore suborne and coollerablelye set forth a Doctour of the Law whom Marke calleth a Scribe which might obiect a question of the law not to learne but rather to tempte 35. And one of them which was a Doctor of
lawe asked him a question temptinge him and sayinge C. This lawyer was a pickte and chosen fellow amonge the whole sects as it is saide before which seemed to excell others in witte and learninge This good fellow beinge sufficiently instructed before came vnto Christ saying 36. Master which is the greatest coÌ„maundement in the Lawe C. Because this man was an interpretor of the Lawe hee is offended at the doctrine of the Gospell by the which hee thoughte that the auctoritye of Moyses was demynished Howbeit hée is not so muche affected throughe the zeale of the law as hee taketh disdaine the any thinge shoulde departe from the honour of his Mastership Christ thefore demaundeth of him whether hee would professe anye thinge more perfecte then the lawe For although the lawyer do not expresse this in words yet notwithstanding his question is very captions seekinge thereby to make Christ hated of the people The greatest commaundement B. The Euangelist Marke hath which is the first of all the commaundementes The greatest first chiefest signify all one thing as that to the which all the reste maye be referred 37. Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Thou shal s loue thy Lorde Bu. The Lorde aunswereth to the question euen out of the profoundnes and depthe of the Law that by these few wordes all men might gather know that the Lord was moste skilfull and cunninge in the Lawe Mâ—… Notwithstandinge the Euangelist Marke sayth that Christe spake more woordes namely these followinge The first of all the coÌ„maundements is Heare O Israell The Lorde our God is Lorde onely and thou shalt loue thy Lorde thy God with all thy harte c. C. By the which wordes God getteth auctoritye to his lawe for two causes For this also ought to be vnto vs a most sharpe pricke and prouocation to the worship of God when that we are certainly perswaded the wee worship the true creator of heauen and earth because doubtinge doth naturally ingender sluggishnes a pleasaunt intisement also to loue him seing that hee hath adopted vs freely to be his sonnes Therfore least the Iewes should be afrayde as comonly men are in doubtful matters they beare a true rule of life prescribed vnto them by the true only god And lest distrust should stay them God commeth familliarlye vnto them comitteth vnto them his free couenauÌ„t In the meane time notwithstandinge there is no doubt but that he seperateth himselfe from all Idoles least the Iewes should be led amisse but might kepe themselues in the true worshippe of him onlye Now trulye if vncertainty and doubting do stay nothing at all the miserable worshippers of Idoles from being caryed by folish zeale to the loue of them what excuse is lefte to the hearers of the lawe if they forsake God M. Further â–ª more by these woordes The Lorde our God is one God hee doth not onely go aboute to proue the Lorde to be one onely God but also to haue vs so to estéeme beleue of him But truly to beleue that ther is one God it doth profit vs nothing but to accompt him for one onlye God for oure God is saluation and life and the fulnes of all the commaundementes Euen so sayd the holy patriarcke Iacob the Lord shal be my God as thoughe bee were not his God before but he meaneth that hee doth fully determyne with true worshippe to accompt the Lord onely for his god Hée sayth therefore that wee must accompt the Lord our God for one God onelye and no mo that is that wee ought not to worshippe him with diuers worshippes inuented of vs but with the onelye worship which hee himselfe hath appointed And this is done by faith For no man can haue one God except hee depende onely vppon him and beleue onely in him otherwise hee shal be earyed into the variety of workes and shall faine vnto him selfe diuers Goddes C. That which followeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde is the epitome or briefe compendium of the lawe the which is also to be seene in the sixtene Chapter of Deutronomye For seinge the law is deuided in two tables whereof the firste is referred to the worshippe of God and the other to loue Moyses did very well and wisely gather this short somme that the Iewes might know what God required in euery commaundement Moreouer although it be méete that we loue God farre otherwise than men yet notwithstaÌ„ding God doth not without cause required of vs loue for his honour and worship because by this meanes hee declareth that no worship is so acceptable vnto him as that which is voluntarye For hee doth trulye at the lengthe geue himselfe to the obedience of God which loueth him But because the vitious and wicked affections of the fleshe do withdrawe vs from the righte way Moyses sheweth that our way and life is framed aright if that all our sences be replenished with the loue of god Let vs therefore learne that the beginninge of godlines is the loue of God because God reiecteth the coacted and constrayned obedience of men and will be worshipped liberally and willingly And by the waye let vs learne that the reuerence whiche is due vnto him is noted vnder the loue of god In the Booke of Moyses this word mind is not added but onely mencion is made of the harte minde and strengthe And althoughe that the participacion of these sower meÌ„bers is more full and perfect yet notwithstaÌ„ding it altereth not the sence For Moyses goinge about brefely to teache the God oughte to haue oure loue in whole and summe hee thought it sufficient to adde strength to the soule and harte least hee should leaue any parte of man voyde of the loue of god B. As if hee should haue said thou shalte so vnfaynedlye loue thy God that the loue of him shal inuade and possesse thy whole nature and sences euery one whatsoeuer is in thee applye it to the loue of him let thy minde alwayes thincke vppon him let thy will delight in him before all thinges and let all thy strengthe and endeuoures be to the fulfilling of his pleasure The which loue is the first fruite of faith C. Furthermore wée muste note that the Hebrewes vnder this word harte do sometymes note the minde specially where it is ioyned to the minde For what doth the minde differ from the harte in this place surely nothing but in this that it séemeth to signifye a more hye seate of reason from whence all counsayles and cogitacions do springe B. C. Moreouer these thinges are not so spoken as though wéé ought to loue no other thing but God onelye when as all the thinges that hee made are excedinge good and to be beloued but because nothinge ought to be made equall in loue with him or to be preferred before the loue of God C. Also it doth appeare by this
should denie thē to profite any thing at al without the permission of god Least that the Scribes should obiecte some such thyng Christ foresheweth that the psalme was not made of the persō of Dauid but that he was inspired with the spirite of Prophesie to describe the kyngdome of Christe to come euen as also we may gather easely by the text that those thinges which are there red do neither belonge to Dauid nor to no earthly king els For there it bringeth in Dauid the kynge to be adorned with a new priesthode by the whiche it was necessary that the old figures and shadowes of the law shuld be abrogated Nowe we must se how hee proueth that Christ shuld be of more excelencie thā if he sprang only of the sede of Dauid namely because hee calleth hym selfe the lorde which was the king head of the people Wherupō it followeth that there was in him somwhat more thā in a man notwithstanding it semeth to be a weke slender reason because it maye be obiected that when he gaue the psalme to the peple to be song not hauing respecte to his person be attributed the rule gouernemente to Christ ouer others but we answere on the contrary part that seing he was one of the members of the churche there was nothing more vnmete thā that he should depriue him selfe of the comon doctryne Here he commandeth al the sonnes of the God of heauē and of the inuincible king to glory as it were and reioyce with one voyce that they by his helpe and ayde are in safegarde If he be seperated from the body of the church he shal not be partaker of the promised saluatiō in Christ if this were the voyce of a fewe the rule and lordship of Christ would not extende it selfe euen till Dauid But now neyther he nor any other can make himselfe free from his subiection but he must fall from the hope of eternal saluatiō Therfore seing there was nothinge better to the prophete Dauid than to be comprehended in the Churche hee applyed this Psalme no lesse to him selfe than to the rest of the people In fyne by this titell Christ is made the chiefe and only king by the whiche he maye excell amonge the faithfull Neither oughte there any exception to be admitted but so sone as the redemer is made head of the churche all mē ought to submit thē selues vnto him Wherfore there is no doubt but that Dauid submitteth him selfe to his domination and rule that he might be reckened among the people of god But here another questiō may be demanded whether god could not extol some one man which should be the redemer to be Dauids lord although he were his son For here the substancial name of God is not put but the name of lord only which oftentimes pertaineth to men also We answere that Christ taketh this for a graunt that hee which is taken frō among men and is so exalted to honor that he is the head of the Church is not a meere man but indued also with the maiestie of God. For the eternal God which challengeth this thing to him selfe with an othe that euery kne shulde bowe before him doth also swere that he wil not geue his glory to another But trewly as the Apostell Paule witnesseth when Christe was ascended into heauen established in the kingdome he had a name geuē to him aboue al names that before him euery knee should bowe And althoughe Paule had neuer spoken this yet notwithstandynge the matter standeth so that Christe was therefore made Dauids lord and the head of other kinges also because he excelleth angels the which thing cannot belong to a mortall man except the same were God manifested in the fleshe We graunt truely that his diuine essence is not here expressed accordinge to the woorde but a man may easely thereuppon gather that the same is God whiche is exalted aboue all other creatures M. Whereuppon we may note that there are twoo natures in Christe Iesus For he is perfecte God perfect man as he is God he is like vnto the father and equall vnto him in all thinges and as he is man hee is inferyour to the father He which iudgeth not of Christ according to bothe natures affirmethe hym eyther to be God onely or man onely the whiche many heretiques do and haue done 44 The lord said vnto my lord sit thou on my right hande till I make thine ennemies thy footestoole The Lorde saide to my lorde B. The Hebrew texte for this worde Lorde in the firste place hath Iehouah and for Lorde in the seconde place Adonai As if it had bene sayde The eternall God sayde vnto my Christe Our sauiour Christe woulde be knowne to be more excellente than Dauid in this that Dauid him selfe calleth him his Lorde For the father wolde not haue called the sonne Lorde excepte hee had knowne him to be greater than him selfe C. Therefore here the holy ghost hath set downe and commytted to all the children of God a verse of tryumph that they might boldly scorne at Sathan and all his mynisters and deryde theyr furor because they go aboute to cast downe Christe from his throne Least therefore men beholdinge great busines and trouble in the earthe shoulde quake feare they are commaunded to set againste all the practises of men the holy and inuiolable decrée of god The sence therfore and meaninge of the place is this That althoughe men do rage and swell yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer they shall take in hand to destroy the kingdom of Christ shal be voide because the same being erected set vp by the power of God and not by the will of man is stayed and vpholden of hym for euer So often therefore as we se this kingdome assalted with violence let vs remember this heauenly diuine sentēce of the holy ghost For certainely this promise was putte into the handes of Christe that all the faithefull might applye the same to their vse For God is neither inconstant nor deceitfull that he shuld alter the thing that is gone out of his lyppes Sit thou on my right hand C. The sittinge at the right hand of God is here taken metaphorically for the seconde or next degree which belongeth to the vicar of god Wherefore it is euen as much as to obtaine his rule and power in the name of God euen as we know the God cōmitted to his only begotten son his partes and portions that by his hand he might gouerne his Church B. Therfore to sit at the right hande of God is to raigne in his name so that hee myght be thought iustly to holde the same power that wherefore so euer he did raigne hee might be thought to sustaine the power of god For as the legate and embassadoure doth represent and sustain the person of the kinge euen so God gouerneth all thinges by the handes of his Chryste C. So that this manner of speakynge doth
not apointe any certain place but it doth rather include heaueÌ„ earth vnder the rule gouernmeÌ„t of Christ A. How Christ doth sit at the right hande of God reade in the first chapter of s Paules epistell to the Ephesians in the first chapter of his epistell to the Hebrewes Vntill I make thine ennemies C. This woorde vntil doth not signifie somwhat to come or not to come but it signifieth the tyme which goeth before B. We muste also note the Christ vseth the testimony of this psalme to declare that he is not only Dauids lord but also to set forth the inuincible power victorye of his kingdome against his enemies As if he should haue said ye shal be so far froÌ„ resisting me that ere it be long my father wil set me at his right hande and geue me full possession of all power the which power I wyl exercise vntyll suche tyme as you and all my ennemies are made my footestoole C. The holy ghost therefore dothe pronounce that Christe shall sytte vntyll his enemies are laide prostrate and brought into subiection that we myghte knowe that his kingedome shall euer remayne inuincible not because his enemies beinge ouercome his power shall be taken from hym agayne but because all the rable of his ennemies being ouerthrowen it shal stande whole and sounde for euer In the meane season the state and condition of his kingdome at this day is noted vnto vs to the ende it shoulde not be greuouse vnto vs when we se the same resisted on all handes For it wyll come to passe that whosoeuer rashely rysethe to rebel against the kyngdome of Christ shall vtterly be destroied and cast downe As concernynge the which matter reade the fyftene chapter of the fyrst epistell of S. Paule to the Corinthians Thy foote stoole B. M. By these woordes hee vnderstandeth absolute subiection euen suche subiection as that whiche the Apostell Paule speakethe of when hee saythe that in the name of Iesu euerye knee shall bowe These woordes do contayne seuere threateninges againste the ennemies of Christe The holy martyre S Steuen had the like meanynge also when he said Beholde I sethe heauens open and the sonne of man standynge at the right hande of the power of God. 45 If Dauid then called him lorde how is he then his sonne A. Our sauiour Christ concludeth with greate boldenesse that there shoulde be somewhat more in the Messias than the Humanitie M. Yet notwithstandinge hee dothe not this to proue that hee is the sonne of Dauid but to reproue the ignorance and blindenesse of the hie priestes scribes and Phariseyes by the whiche they iudged nothynge elles of Chryste than that whiche mighte also appertayne to the sonne of a man A. They dyd so assigne vnto him the terrene and transytorye kyngdome that they neuer remeÌ„bred the heauenly and euerlasting power with the whiche the father endewed his sonne Hee seeketh therefore to brynge theim to the consyderation of this heauenly kingedome 46 And no man was able to answere him any thinge neither durste any man from that daye forthe aske him any mo questions C. They dyd perceiue the power of God in his aunsweres the whiche they were not able to resiste excepte they shoulde seeme to contend and striue against God and that in vayne M. These woordes are added of the Euangelistes partely to declare the lighte of the trewthe whyche cannot be extinguished and partelye to declare howe hardely the mallyce of the wicked maye be ouerthrowne For although they be not able to make any answere nor dare any more aske hym questions to proue him yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to hate But this profyte commeth by the confusion of the ennemies of the trewthe namely that theyr impudencie is reuealed And this is the cause that the Apostel Paule commaunded Tytus to reproue sharpely the obstinate with wholesome doctrine The xxiii Chapter THEN spake Iesus to the people and to his disciples sayinge The Scribes and the Phariseis syt in Moyses seate Then spake Iesus to the. Bu. When our sauiour Christ had tried and assaied all the waies and meanes hée coulde and seynge there was nowe no hope left to conuert the hie priestes and rulers of the people at any time vnto the lorde for they were fully determined to perseuer in their errours and obstinatly to peryshe in their synnes leaste they should bring the people with them selues into the same ruine and destruction hee teacheth them at the laste to beware and take hede C. This admonition aboue al other was necessary profitable that amonge the discordes dissentions burliburlies in matters troblesome confused in the dissipatioÌ„ of the right lawfull order the autoritie notwithstanding of the word of God shuld remaine safe sound For to this ende did the purpose of Christ tende leaste the people beynge offended at the wickednes of the Scribes shoulde cast from theÌ„ the reuerence of the lawe For we knowe howe easely the myndes of men are inclyned to disdaine the same speciallye when the lyfe of the pastor or teacher is dissolute and louse and not agreable to his doctrine For then al men for the moste parte by theyr exaumple thincke that they maye do the lyke without daunger of ponishement The lyke yea a greate deale worse coÌ„meth to passe by discorde discention and strife For the greater parte the yoake beinge caste of geue them selues to pleasure burste forthe into extreame contempte But at that tyme the Scribes were excedynge couetouse they swelled with pryde and ambition and theyr rapyne gredynesse and terrible crueltie was so wel known with the corruption of theyr manners that they myghte seeme to haue conspyred the vtter destruction of the lawe Besyde this they had peruerted the true and naturall sence of the law with their false commentes and interpretations in so muche that Chryste was constrayned sharpely to contende with them because that a wonderful outragious madnesse caryed theim headlonge to extynguyshe the lyghte of the trewthe Therefore because it was daungerouse leaste that manye partely by suche corruptions and partely by the tumulte of contentions shoulde wholly contempne and despyse trewe godlynesse Chryste in good tyme meeteth with the same and pronounceth it to be done amisse if that trewe religion and reuerence of the lawe runne into contempte throughe the wyckednesse of menne Seinge the Scrybes were altogether obstynate ennemies of the trewthe because through theyr tyrannye they helde the Churche in oppression Chryste was constrayned to deâ—…ecte and dysclose theyr wyckednes For excepte that good and simple menne had bene drawne from theyr seruytude and hoâ—…dage the passage and waye had bene shutte and stopt against the Gospel There was also an other reason namely because the people thought that to be lawefull for them whiche they saw their guides and ringeleaders do and fayned vnto them selues a lawe of theyr vicious and corrupte manners Moreouer leste any man should misconstrue that which he
was aboute to speake he foresheweth that what soeuer the teachers be yet not withstandyng it is mete eyther by their fylthynesse to defyle the worde of God or by theyr wycked examples to take lybertie to synne And this wyse consyderation must diligently be noted for many when they gett this one thynge that they maye hate and defame the wycked and vngodlye they do myngle and confounde all thinges with theyr rashe and vnaduysed zeale For all discipline is cōtempned shame troden vnder foote to be shorte there remayneth no regarde of honestie yea many thereby waxe bould and seeke by all meanes to bewraye the synnes of the priestes that they theym selues vnder that collour may haue more lybertie to synne But Christe dothe so inuey againste the scrybes that fyrste of all he bringeth the law of God from contempte Wee therefore muste vse the same caution and dyligence if we desire to haue our reprehentions profyte Agayne it shall be profytable for vs to note that for all this Chryste was not terrefyed by feare of the offendynge of any whereby he myghte be stayed from reprehendynge these wicked teachers accordynge to theyr desertes Hee onely obserued this moderation leaste the doctryne of God shoulde waxe vyle for the wyckednesse of men The Euangelyste Marcke saythe that hee spake vnto them in his doctryne to the ende wee myghte heare that hee preached against vyce and not to brede enuy towardes any person Howe be it the Euangelist Luke semeth to restrayne it to the dysciples but it is more probable that hee spake withoute exception to the whole multytude as more playnely appereth by the woordes of this oure Euangelyste and the matter it selfe requyred also that Chryste should haue respecte to all in generall In Moyses seate 1 M. Because the lorde Iesus wente aboute to reprehende those thynges for the moste parte whyche dyd make and appertaine bothe to error by false doctrine and also to seducinge of people by false immitation he goeth about before all other thinges to bringe to passe that they shoulde not reiecte that good whiche they had with that whiche was euill They did good in that they administred Moyses chaier or seate that is because they taught the people the lawe and the prophetes C. He exhorteth therfore the faithfull seinge the Scribes lyued so vngodly not to frame their liues after their manners but to lyue rather accordinge to the rule of the lawe which they heare out of the Scribes mouthes For it was necessary for hym as we shewed euen nowe to reprehend many corruptions in them leaste they shoulde infecte the whole multitude Therfore lest their wicked abhominatiōs the doctrine wherof they were ministers preachers should be brought into contempt he commaundeth the faythfull to geue eare vnto theyr wordes and not to haue regarde vnto their workes as if he had said that there was no cause why the wicked examples of the pastors should staye the faithfull from leadinge a godly life M. Christe also taketh away that suspytion by the whiche he was thought to be an ennemie vnto the lawe of Moyses because he dyd so earnestly inueye againste the priestes as thoughe he were by and by an ennemie vnto the lawe of God whiche reprehended the ministers of the lawe Scribes and hie priestes in any matter For as at this day also they are counted for aduersaries ennemies vnto Christ and of the Church which do speke against the wickednes of the priestes of religion of the churche euen so at that time they which vnderstode not the purpose and scope of Christe did easelye fall into this suspitiō the they thoughto this that Iesus did impugne resist the hie pristes scribes and Phariseis because he hated the lawe of Moyses To take away therfore this error he doth firste geeue them an admonition by the whiche he goethe about to establishe in them the authorytie of Moyses lawe that men myghte knowe that he did not resist or gainesaye the mynistery of Moyses lawe but those thynges onely whiche they loued and taughte agaynste Moyses Sit the Scribes and the Phariseies C. By the name of Scribes wee maye note well enoughe the doctours interpreters of the lawe and that by the Hebrewe phrase The which the Euangelist Luke calleth Lawyers But the Lorde doth specyally towche the Phariseyes whiche were of the nomber of the Scrybes because then this secte hadd the prerogatiue and preheminence in the gouernment of the Church and in the interpretation of the Scripture What the Scrybes Saduces and Phariseies were we haue shewed before B The Chaire of the which our Sauioure Chryste maketh mention here dothe not signifie the authoritie of Moyses which the Scribes abused but it signifieth the place out of the whiche they purely redde and interpreted the lawe of Moyses C To syt therefore in Moyses Chaire is nothynge elles than to shewe out of the lawe of God howe men ought to lyue And althoughe it be not certaine out of what place thei did speke or preach yet notwithstanding their coniecture is probable whiche referre it to the pulpet whiche Esras made to haue the lawe taught in He therefore sitteth in Moyses Chaire which preacheth not of his owne brayne but by the authoritie and woorde of god E. G. The Scribes and Phariseies were wont to reade and interpret the lawe of Moyses the prophetes also on the Saboth daies Wherupon the Euangelist Luke hath these wordes After the lecture of the lawe and the prophetes the rulers of the sinagogges sent vnto thē c 3 All therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but do not ye after their woorkes for they saie and do not All therefore vvhatsoeuer C. This sentence oughte thus to be vnderstoode The phariseies and reste of the Scrybes or the Scribes amonge whom the Phariseyes do moste excell when theye speake vnto you are good maisters and teachers of an honeste and godly life but they leade you farre wyde by theyr wicked workes Wherefore se that ye haue more regarde to their woordes than to theyr handes B. For I wil not that any man contēne and despise the sacred and holy ministery and office of teachynge for the corrupte maners of the Scribes C. Nowe here it maye be demaunded whether that all whatsoeuer the doctors do commaunde ought to be followed without exception For it is well inoughe knowne that the Scribes of that age did wickedlye corrupte the lawe with their owne inuencions that they oppressed the miserable consciences of men wyth vniust lawes and that they polluted the seruice and worshipp of God with manye superstitions But truely Christe woulde haue their doctrine obserued and kepte althoughe it were not lawfull to resiste their tyranny The answere may easely be made that all kynde of doctrine is not simplely compared with the lyfe but that this was the purpose of Christe to put a difference betwene the holy lawe of God and their prophane woorkes For to sitt in
awaye the honor and reuerence dewe to the elders and superiors but he only reproueth ambition and the affection of vaine glory Therfore he saythe not they are placed in the vppermoste seates at feastes counsels but he saith they loue to syt in the vppermost seates the which thinge pertaineth onely to the proude After the same maner also the admonition which Christe gaue in the fourtene chapter of Luke is to be vnderstande For there he reproueth the same that he doth in this place And as it is not of it selfe euell to sytt in the hiest roome euen so it is not good of it selfe to sytt in the hindemost seate For it may be that a man beinge sette in the hyghest place maye be of a modest and humble minde that an other being placed in the lowest seate may be of a proude lofty stomacke And gretings in the market M. The Scribes and the Pharises did not onely loue to be saluted but to be saluted before all others and that in the market that is in a publike place where many shold beholde it And to be called of men Rabbi By this name Iudas saluted oure Sauiour whē he betraied him saying Rabbi Rabbi E. In alll our Gréeke bookes this woorde is doubled as Rabbi Rabbi For the doublinge of this worde semeth to haue some honor amōg the Hebreues A. Wheruppon our Sauioure Christe expressing this maner saith Not euery one that saith vnto me Lorde Lord shall inherit the kingdome of heauen This worde Rabbi is a Chalde worde which signifieth master the which worde oure Sauiour Christ as it were expounding when he saithe Be not ye called of men Rabbi addeth by and by for ye haue one master Christe therefore dothe condemne this thinge specially in the Scribes because they desired to be called masters For although this worde Rabbi of it selfe signifieth excelency as we sayed before yet notwithstandinge suche was the custome amonge the Iewes that they so called the masters and doctors of the lawe But Christ denyeth this honor to appertaine to any man sauing to hym selfe only whereupon it followeth that the same cannot be attributed vnto men withoute iniurye done vnto hym For thus he saith 8. But be not ye called Rabbi For one is your master euen Christ and all ye are brethren But be not ye called Rabbi C. This saying at the firste sighte semeth to harde and absurde that they should be depriued of the titell of honor to whome Christe hathe geuen and enioyned his office and hath made and ordeined them to be oure masters he himselfe hauinge lefte of anye more to teache vs in his owne personne yea when he was conuersante in earthe he appointed Apostels whiche shoulde take vppon them the office of teachynge in his name But and if the matter be as concerninge the tytel Paule truely woulde not glorye with the iniurye of Christe in any vsurped honor when he affirmed himselfe to bée a teacher of the Gentils But because our Sauiour Christe wente about nothinge els than to bringe all men from the hyeste to the loest into subiection that his owne righte mighte remaine whole to himselfe there is no cause why any man should curiously stande vpon the worde Christe therfore dothe not care by what tytell or name they are called whiche haue the office of teachinge committed vnto them But he seketh to kepe them within their Iuste limittes and boundes leaste they shoulde rule the faith and raigne in the cōscience of their brethren For we muste alwayes holde this distinction that Christe only ought to be obeyed because the voice of the father did concerne hym onelye when it sounded from heauen heare hym But that the teachers are his ministers so that he in them oughte to be hearde and that they are maisters vnder hym in that they take vppon them his person C. But in the Pharisaical ambitiō this falte was founde that they tooke vnto them selues the thing that appertained vnto Christ by ryghte For they would so be called Rabbi or masters that they mighte be thoughte to teache of them selues as though the Scriptures were in theyr handes to expounde and vnderstande as they thoughte good whiche thynge belongeth onelye vnto Christe whome the father hath appointed vnto vs to be oure onely teacher in that respecte For what good and wholesome thinges soeuer are taught of men they procéede from his spirit So many therfore as teach the people ought to be subiecte vnto this and of hym alone they ought to receiue their doctrine and it is mete for them to teach the same doctrine that he taught euē as though they were sente of him and to shewe nothing vnto the people contrary vnto that whiche he hathe prescribed This Christe alone shoulde the Scribes and Pharises haue preached to the people of Israel to be the Sauiour shadowed in that ceremonies at the time promised in the lawe Prophets psalmes to that which thing it was necessary that they were led and taughte by the spirite of Christe with the whiche spirite they beinge inspired had neuer propounded and set forthe to the people their owne dreames and traditions in stede of the woorde of God by the which they boasted them selues as though they had béene masters alone not taught by the spirite of God but of them selues Hereupon they beinge proude and ambitiouse woulde be called Rabbi But they which are led and guided by the spirit of God they acknowledge thēselues to be his ministers and they attribute al thinges vnto him whiche sayth thus For one is your master euen Christe As if he shoulde haue said Seke not to persuade men to call you masters because I sende you forth to preache my Gospell and to teache all nacions as though the wordes of doctrine proceded from you and from youre spirite and so waxe proude as rulers in the inheritāce of god C. Christ is the heade that his authority mighte remaine whole vnto him selfe and that no mortall man mighte diminishe anye parte of the same After this maner he his the onelye pastor but notwithstanding he suffereth manye shepeherdes to be vnder hym so that he maye be aboue them all and maye onelye by them gouerne his Churche A. Euen as he alone bought the same with his preciouse bloude And all ye are brethren C. This member or parte whiche is opposed or set againste the other muste be noted For because wee are brethren no man desyreth to be a master ouer others whereuppon it followeth that mastership by the whiche the brotherlye communicatiō and fellowship of the godly is not broken is not condemned And truelye seinge wee haue one father and are all brethren amonge whome Christe is the firste begotten it is méete that there be so greate concorde among vs that no man preferre and exalte himselfe aboue an other although he be endewed of God with greate gyftes for the vse and proffite of his brethren C. To be shorte there is nothynge els here
othe to the which that which followeth by and by is quight contrary when it is sayde hee is gilty that is hee offendeth againste the commaundemente of swearinge And Christ himselfe in the twentye verce followinge expoundeth it sayinge Hee the sweareth by the Altar sweareth by it and by all thinges that are thereon C. Wherefore by this particle or clause it is nothinge Christ meaneth not that all honor is abrogated from the temple but hee speaketh cōparatiuelye For when the oblations were hyperbolically or out of measure extolled for their reuerence the common sort of mē were so rauished that the maiesty of the tēple and the Altar waxed vile and of no reputacion amonge them and to violate the same with periury was lesse religion than to haue sworne with lesse reuerence by the holy oblations But vvhosoeuer svveareth A. Hee calleth that the gould of the temple which was added to the temple to beutify the same and fell to the priestes gaine also moneye is vnderstoode by the name of goulde It was a wonderfull madnes truly to count it a greater matter to sweare by the goulde of the temple than by the temple and Altar it selfe Into the which superstition they therefore had broughte the people that the more the people estemed of the giftes and oblations as more holy and acceptable vnto God then the temple and Altar it selfe the more they might brynge them into the temple by the which the couetousnes of the Scribes was the more increased So also for gaynes sake they taughte that the gifte offered to the temple was greater than the dutie towardes the parentes Couetousnes alwayes found out wayes by the which it might helpe and sustaine it selfe And wheras some do take this woorde to sweare in this place for to appoint somewhat by an othe to the temple we are taught that it ought not to be so taken by the wordes of Christ which hee addeth in the two and twēty verce following And he which sweareth by heauen c. For in swearing by Heauen nothing could be appointed to the temple yet notwithstanding Christ maketh it all one to sweare by the temple and by the gould of the temple or by the Alter or the gift on the Altar But wee muste note that Christe by these wordes went about to withdrawe the people from the admiration of the Phariseis and from the false opinion which they had conceyued of them els what should the doctrine of Christ haue profyted Wee muste shewe therefore what the ennemies of the truth be leaste they be an impediment and hinderance to others For the people wyll alwayes depende vppon suche Idoles except the counterfeite shew be taken awaye frō them Hee is giltye E. The Greeke hath Hee is a dettar that is to saye hee is gilty or a deseruer of punishment sinne as is sayde before M. Our sauiour Christ correcteth this error and false interpretacion of the lawe in the fift Chapter goinge before The which place maye easlye be vnderstoode by this 17. Ye fooles and blinde for whether is 18. greater the goulde or the temple that 19. sanctifyeth the goulde Ye fooles nnd blinde for vvhether is greater Bu. Hee calleth them so both for their wante of Iudgement and ignorance of Scriptures and also for their couetousnes and exceding mallice Or the temple that sanctifyeth the golde That which is excellent and seperated frō other thinges is saide to be holye and that is sayde to sanctifye which is holy and seperated from prophane vses to a holy vse So that the temple doth sanctifye and the Altar doth sanctifye not by touching it selfe but by the vse For he speaketh of that outwarde holynes which was set in this that these things being brought into the temple of God were consecrated to deuine vses according to the word of god For at that time also that externall worship florished 20. VVhoso therfore sweareth by the Altar sweareth by it and by all thinges that are thereon VVhoso therfore svveareth C. The Lorde doth that thinge which oughte to be done in correctinge and reprouinge errors whē hee calleth vs to the welspringe and teacheth of the nature it selfe of an othe that the temple doth farre excell the giftes of the temple Hee taketh therefore this beginninge that it is not meete to sweare but by the name of God onely Wherevppon it followeth that what maner and forme of othes soeuer men take to sweare by the honoure due vnto God must be kept B. Because therefore they did teache that they did not sinne against the commaundemente of swearinge which sware by the temple Altar and Heauen because the name of God was not mencioned or put betweene hee teacheth them that they sweare by God not onely which sware by the gyfte of the Altar the which they counted more holye being as superstiouse as their teachers but they also which sware by the Altar it selfe For when men sweare by any thing the othe doth pertaine to all those thinges which are ioyned or consecrated vnto it as if any man do rashely or falsely sweare by any thinge let hym knowe and vnderstande that hee offēdeth and dishonoureth God to whom the thinge that hee sweareth by is dedicated and appointed 21. And whoso sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein And vvhoso svveareth C. By that which goeth before it may also be gathered howe and to what ende a man may sweare by the temple namelye because it is the seate and sanctuary of god euen as also by Heauen because there the brightnes of Gods glory shyneth For God doth suffer himselfe to be called vppon for a witnes and iudge in such externall shewes of his presence so that hee may lose none of his right For to tye that deity to the heauen is heauēly Idolatry Now by how much the more the Lord doth set forth a more manifest shew of his glory in the temple than in oblations by so much the more the name of the temple deserueth reuerence holynes Now therfore let vs note in what sence Christ sayth that a man sweareth by him that dwelleth in the temple when hee sweareth by the temple namely to the ende hee might directe al kinde of others to their lawfull ende and scope Svvereth by him that dvvelleth in the temple B. It ought to offende no man that the Lord here seemeth to graunte that God dwelleth in the temple For God did truly dwell in the temple of Hierusalem before that the hower came that hee woulde be worshipped neyther in it nor in any other place but in spirite and truth For he would be specially called vppon there and worshipped geue aunsweare of his grace as hee promised to Salomon But this proueth nothing that our Churches should haue Images in thē wee our selues must be the temple of God For this dwellinge of God was nothynge els than his singuler grace by the which hee chose the people to himselfe whose God hee was and that
Christ therefore in this place went not subtilly about to intreat of all the partes of righteousnes or of their order but hee taughte simplelye so farre as the common capassity of men would beare that the lawe is then kepte when mē deale iustly gently and truly one with another because in so doinge they declare that they loue God that they reuerence him yea they shewe foorth a lawfull and meete testimonye of syncere godlynes not that it is sufficient to do our duty towardes men except first of all God haue his righte geuen vnto him but because it is necessary that he be a true worshipper of Godwhich frameth his life according to his prescript lawe Yet notwithstandinge the obiection is not fully answered for the tenthes which Christ setteth after equity and mercy were a part of the worship of God and some part thereof was wont to be distributed to the poore And so they cōtayned in themselues a double sacrifice Wee aunswere that tenthes are not simplelye compared here with almes deedes fayth and Iudgement but the fayned holines of the Scribes is conferred with sincere perfect loue For why were they so willing and ready to paye their tenthes but only that they mighte please God with the least expence and grefe For they were not so readye to the whole and therefore it ought not to be nombered amonge the duties of loue because they soughte to deceiue both God and men with small trifles of little price These things ought ye to haue done This is a figure in Rhetorique called occupatio by the which Christ preuenteth the cauill of his aduersaries For they might haue cauilled and construed his woordes amisse as though he had made no accompte of that which was written in the law of god Hee graunteth therefore that whatsoeuer God hath commaunded oughte to be kepte and nothing thereof to be omitted but yet that the loue of the whole lawe doth not let men to stand vppon the speciall pointes thereof Wherevpon he gathereth that they do amisse preposterously which busye themselues in the smalest things when as they should rather begin at the greatest matters Christ therefore denyeth it to be his purpose to derogate euen the least thinge from any of the comaundements although hee commende and require an order in the obseruation of the lawe Let therefore the vniuersall lawe abide sound and whole which can be broken in no part without the contempt of the author For he which forbad to commit adultery to kill and to steale the same condemned also all concupiscence Wherby wee gather that all the commaundementes are so linked and knit together that it is not meete to disseauer them one from another Wherefore it is also written Cursed be euery one which doth not those thinges that are written By the which wordes the vniuersall righteousnes of the law is ratifyed withoute exception but this reuerence as wee said before taketh not awaye the difference betwene the commaundements neither yet the scope of the law to the which the true embracers therof directe their minde least they should onelye beare an outwarde shewe B. Therefore the Scribes Phariseis are not blamed of our sauiour Christ because they gaue exactly tyeth of all their fruite for this was meete also to be done but because they dide neglect those greater thinges without the which there coulde no piety at all consist Herevppon certaine do boast that the righte of tithe is confirmed of the Lorde when as wee must put a greater difference betwene those of our time which receiue tithes and those to whom tythes were due by the lawe The whole tribe of Leuy receiued no possessions in the lande of Chanaan because the Lord had appointed the same to the ministery of the tabernacle wherfore he appointed also that tythes should be payed vnto them by the rest of the Isralites as appeareth in Numerye and Deutronomye Therefore so longe as the mynisterye of these men and externall worship of the tabarnacle continued the Isralites ought to haue payed their tithes according to the lawe but the priesthode being remoued the law is remoued also Christ is our hye priest and that in heauenlye thinges to whō it is not nedefull that we geue parte of our oblations and tithes but it is meete that wee offer our selues wholy vnto him for the continuall meditacion of a heauenly life Notwithstāding wee must geue those thinges that are necessary to such as stande in nede of them yea those ministers also are worthye of double honoure which rule well and labour truly in word and doctrine But whether wee do these thinges in geuinge of tythe or by anye other portion of substance with the which the Lorde hath blessed vs it shal be all one before God if so be wee seeke not thereby vaine glorye but geue the same with a pure affection to those that be in neede 24. Ye blinde guides which straine out a gnat and swallow a Camell Yee blinde guides A. Againe he calleth these ypocrites blinde guides to the ende hee might the more moue the people to forsake them For if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditche VVhich strayne out a gnat svvallovv C. This is a prouerbiall sentence by the whiche the precise care of ypocrites in small trifles is noted for they are so horribly affrayed at the least offēces as though one only transgressiō should be more sharpe vnto them than a hundred deathes but in the most greuous sinnes they swetelye lull themselues and others a sleepe They do therefore euen as if a man shoulde straine at a small crumme of bread and swallow a whole loafe Wee knowe that a gnat is a small creature and a Camell a huge beast there is nothinge therefore more rydiculous than to strayne in wyne and water least in swallowinge a gnat thou hurte thy Iawes but careleslye to suppe vp a Camell But truly it is euident that ypocrites do this dallye because they lettinge passe Iudgement mercy and faithe are to seuere and strayte in matters of no great importaunce A. Moreouer in this place the participle of the present-tence is put for the indicatiue moode As if hee should say ye are like vnto them who if it chaunce vnto them to haue a gnat fall into their wyne they sucke and strayne in their wyne hardely through theyr lippes teethe least in swallowinge the little gnat they should be strangled in the meane time they do not onelye eate a Camell beinge a monsterous beast but also swallowe hym downe without feare all you Scribes and Phariseis ye ypocrites are like to these I say who will not omit the smallest point of the lawe but those thinges whiche are the waightiest pointes of the Lawe ye altogether neglecte withoute anye pricke of conscience Suche manner of men are they which are diligent abstayners from fleshe obseruers of confession and suche like trifels but in charity in a good conscience they
that doctrine which semeth to diminish the study and force of honestie And truly where the Gospel is preached loue with the whiche all mens hartes oughte to be possessed and inflamed dothe rather waxe colde then whote and feruent But the welspring of this euell must be noted namely that many doe waxe therefore weary because by reason of their infirmity they fainte and sinke in the floude of iniquitie whiche by little and little ouerfloweth all B. Paule also playnely sheweth that loue waxed colde in his tyme. Surely in that all men withstode Paule in Asia it was a token that iniquitie should abounde and that loue waxed colde 13 But he that indureth to the ende the same shal be safe C. By constancy perseuerance in faythe howe many crewell persecutiōs soeuer are exercised against vs what greuous offences soeuer are obiected against vs by them that fall although the deceitfull errour of false Prophetes doe resiste oure faithe yet notwithstanding at the lengthe wee shall receyue the saluation of our soules whiche is the ende of our faithe Christe therefore requireth this fortitude of those that are his that they persiste and abyde stoutly in fight against all impedimēts of their faythe Thus also Paule commaūdeth vs to do least wee be weary of wel doynge And in an other place he saythe that no man is crowned excepte he stryue lawefully Weerefore we must beare all thynges with a boulde mynde and stoute courage whiche the Lorde shall laye vp-vpon vs Reade of this selfe and same sentence in the tenth chapiter going before and in the two and twenty verse of the chapter 14 And this Gospell of the kyngdome shal be preached in all the worlde for a witnes vnto all nations and then shall the ende come And this Gospell of the kingdome Bu. By these woordes our Sauiour dothe preuente an obiection Obiection whiche some man mighte obiecte thus To what ende is their nede of such diligence and perseuerance when as in so many troubles errours seducinges seditions contenciōs no Gospell can bee preached The Lorde aunswered Your labour and dilligence shall not wante his fruite For althoughe the worlde be madde and what soeuer Sathan goeth about and howe many troubles soeuer he bryngeth in yet notwithstanding the Gospell wyll haue an issue vntyll it bee preached throughout the whole worlde So that in effecte his wordes briefly sound thus muche Although all thinges be troubled yet notwithstandinge this Gospell shal be preached For he thought it good to adde to this laste signe a cōsolation that they might fight the more boldly in knowyng that they should be conquerers Feare discourageth men but we are vnder the banner of Christ without all daunger because wee knowe that he is farre more stronge than the deuel and the whole worlde This Gospell of the kingdome A. Why it is called the Gospell of the kyngdome reade the fourth chapiter goynge before Shal be preached in all the vvorlde A. The Euangeliste Marke hath And the Gospell must firste be publyshed among all nations C. By the whiche woordes Christe declareth that the Gospell muste bee preached throughout the whole worlde And although this were incredible yet notwithstandinge it behoued the Apostles to hope well where no hope was because theire maister had geuen testimonie that it should be so and in the meane tyme to endeuoure them selues to discharge their office A. This that Christe speaketh of here beganne in the Apostels tyme. Whereuppon the Apostell Paule also wryteth that the Gospell at that tyme dyd fructifie in the whole worlde And when it is sayde that it shall bee preached to all nations it is mente that it shal be preached to the greatest parte of nations For howe farre the Apostle Paule onely preached the same it may be sene by his epistle that he writeth to the Romains where he sayeth that he wente from Hierusalem and preached the Gospell to all the Regions that laye there rounde euen to Illyricum And in an other place he saythe God was manifested in the fleshe iustified in the spirite seene of the Aungels and preached to the Gentyles and was beleued on in the worlde And where as some do obeicte the Antipodas or other sortes of people whiche are very farre to whome no parte of the fame of Christe hath hytherto come wee aunswere thus Christ doth not meane in this place specially euery particuler parte and corner of the whole earth neither dothe he prefixe or appointe any certain time but only affirmeth that the Gospell which shortly shoulde be banished out of Iewry the proper place thereof as men thoughte should be spred and published euē to the farthest parts of the earth before his cōming at the last daye to Iudgement accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophete their sounde wente forth into the whole lande and their woordes to the vtmoste partes of the earth Therefore it shall be preached in the whole worlde that is as well amonge the Gentiles as among the Iewes For the whole worlde is diuided into these twoo peoples all are either Iewes or Gentiles in some repecte But there is a fygure vsed here called Synechdoche vsed also in manye other places of the Scripture as when a parte is put for the whole For a vvitnes to all nations C. By these wordes he noteth the ende of preaching For although God neuer lefte him selfe without witnes but after a speciall maner testified of himselfe to the Iewes Notwithstanding this was a speciall testimony aboue all others and worthy to be noted when God reuealed himselfe in his sonne Christ and therefore Paule saith that he shoulde be testifyed at his time because this was the dewe time of callinge the whole worlde vnto god Let vs learne therefore so often as the Gospel is preached that it is euē as if God should come himselfe in the midest of men and should call vs after a solem and lawfull maner leaste as vncertaine we shoulde wander in darkenes but those whiche refuse to obeye are made inexcusable B. That this worde testimony or witnes is often times taken in the Scripture for the lawe and doctrine of God it doth sufficientlye appeare by the Psalmes as in the hōdered and ninetene Psalme in the three score and eightene Psalme where it is sayde He made a testimony or couenant with Iacob and gaue Israell a lawe in the whiche place testimonye and lawe signifye all one thing As therfore a law was geuen to the Iewes and diuers ceremonys belonginge to the same by the which God declared his will admonished the of their deuty euen so afterward it was necessary that the Gospell shoulde be preached to all nations that they also might haue testimony of God by the which they might know his goodnes and haue also a faith in him and a desyer of godlines Amonge the electe therefore of the Gentiles the Gospell hath ben is preached at this daye for a
when he so afflicteth the visible Church that it might seme vtterly to be destroyed yet notwithstanding to saue some sede he doth wōderfully deliuer his elecct being fewe in nōber from destruction that they might withoute all hope arise oute of the gulphe of death For so the hypocrites are terrefyed and made affrayed leaste they bearing them selues bolde vppon the titell shewe of the Church do faine vnto thē selues a vaine hope of escaping vnpunished because God will deuise a meane by the whiche he may deliuer his Churche they being geuen ouer to destruction But a wonderfull consolation is here committed to the mindes of the Godlye because God will neuer geue so muche place to his wrathe but he will haue regarde to their safety So in punishinge the Iewes he was horriblelye inflamed yet notwithstāding contrary to the hope and expectation of men he did moderate himselfe leaste any of the electe shoulde perishe And thus gaue greate occasion to woonder that when saluation should spring oute of Iewry God made floudes to issue and flowe oute of small droppes of a dryed well whiche shoulde water the whole worlde For so sone as they had broughte vppon them selues the hatred of all people it coulde not come otherwise to passe but that theye muste nedes haue bene tormented at a soden in euery place Neyther is there any doubt seing that many sought to haue thē thus destroyed but that Titus was stayed by the power of god least the soldiours and others which were to greedy to execute this matter shoulde at his apointement arme them selues This therefore was a shortenynge to preserue some seede in that the Romaine emperoure dyd keepe vnder and staye at that time the last misery and destruction of the whole nation In the meane tyme this is to be noted that for the electes sake he stayed the vyolence of his wrathe least he should ouerwhelme them al. For why wold he haue a fewe to remayne of so greate a multytude and what cause had hee why hee shoulde preferre these before other Suerlye the reason was this namelye because his grace rested vpon the people whom he had adopted and least his couenaunte shoulde be of none effecte certain were elected and appoynted by his eternal purpose and decree to saluation And therfore S. Paule doth assigne the cause to the free election of God that of so gret a people the remnaunt are sauid Lette therfore the merites of men cease when wee are called backe to the meere good pleasure of God least there depende any other difference betwene these and them sauinge this that they must of necessitie be saued whiche are elected The whiche thinge Marke seking more plainely and expressely to set forthe addeth these wordes sayinge But for the electes sake whom he hath chosen he hath shortened those dayes The participle truely might haue serued but onely that he wente aboute expressely to affirme that God was not moued by any forrayne causes to be more fauourable to the one than to the other but because it pleased hym to elect those whom hee woulde saue that hee myghte stablyshe the secrete pourpose of his free grace in theyr saluation Notwithstanding it maie be demaunded howe God dyd moderate the destruction and miserye for the electes sake that hee vtterly destroied not al the Iewes when as many desperate and reprobate persōs were sauid We maye easely aunswere that parte of the nation was deliuered that hee mighte the chaffe beinge put aparte bring and saue his elect therfrom whiche were mingled euen as seede Althoughe therefore a temporal saluation did happen as well to the reprobate as to the electe yet notwithstanding because it profited not them it is iustely ascribed vnto these alone euen as it was directed for theyr sakes by the wonderfull prouidence of god M. We se by this place how peruerse the iudgemēt of the worlde is as concerninge the iuste Where such afflictions do fall by and by all the falt is ascribed to those that feare God when as notwithstandinge for theyr sakes God dothe moderate and temper the deserued vengence 23 Then if any saye vnto you lo here is Christe or there beleue it not Then if any say vnto you C. Nowe he repeteth that agayne whiche he had spoken before as concernynge seducers and deceyuers and not in vayne for a greater daunger by reason of this temptation was at hande least myserable men beinge deceiued by a deceitfull and false title in affliction and desperation shoulde seke for counterfayte and fayned shewes in steede of Christe and shoulde imbrace the delusions of Sathan in steede of the helpe of god For when the Iewes beinge so hardely oppressed for contemning and despysinge the redemption shuld be brought from their vnfaithfulnes at lest by vyolent remedies Sathan craftelye obiected vnto theim newe hopes whiche shoulde seduce them farther from god And truely there is nothynge more deadly than to be deceyued vnder the pretence of the name of God by lyes when we are voide of councell in aduersitie the which lies bothe stop vp the gate of repentance against vs and also do increase the darknesse of infidelitie and at the length being confoūded with desperation do bring to madnesse Wherefore in so great danger this repetition was nothynge at all superfluouse A. as if Christe shoulde haue sayde See that ye be seduced by no meanes M. because if any saye vnto you in that desolate dissipation or scatterynge Beholde here is Christ or there is Christe that is if they shal shew you some carnall sauiour beleue them not I am the onely sauioure of all men and the eternall Chryst whiche euen nowe by humilitie am conuersant in the world and wyll shortely forsake the same in the fleshe vntyll I come agayne in greater glorye For I foreshewe vnto you that false Christes shall arise and that theye also shal haue their false prophetes whiche shall allure men to them not onelye by woordes but by signes also and great wonders in so muche that many shal be deceyued by them B Thus symplely these thinges muste be vnderstoode and taken For it is certaine that the lorde in this place went about to answere his disciples what they ought to thincke of the comminge of Christes kyngdome which they had alwaies hearde should be restored by Christe Neyther is there any doubt but that they alwaies dreamed of a carnall kingedome and externall felycitie and that therefore the lorde wente about to brynge them from that erroure as he did at other tymes also Wherfore it can not be denied but that they were false Christes whiche by promisyng externall felycitie seducede manye of the Iewes So that this was the scope and ende of the aunswere of Christe in this place to perswade the disciples that the kingedome of Christ should not be restored with externall felycitie and glory in this present lyfe but in spirite and faith and that with the greate afflictions and temptations of the citezens of
must knowe these manner of men and eschewe theym as false prophetes but to whō the trueth is not shewed of the father it is no meruayle if they be seduced by Antechristes and false prophetes C. Moreouer seing the Lorde dothe here pronounce that Antechristes false prophetes do brynge with them myracles and signes there is no cause why the Papistes should so greatly bragge of myracles or why we sholde stande in doubte of them By myracles they do confirm their superstitions that is to say by those by whiche the sonne of God foreshewed that the fayth of many shoulde be destroyed Wherefore they oughte not to haue suche force amonge wyse men that of them selues they shold be sufficiente to proue this or that kinde of doctrine But if they obiecte and saye that by this meanes Obiection myracles are ouerthrowne and brought to nothinge by the whiche as well the authoritie of the lawe as of the Gospell is confyrmed we answere that they had a sure and certayne marke ingraued in them which shoulde take awaye all doubt and feare of erring from the faithefull For so often as God shewed forthe his power to confyrme his seruaūts he did not worke so cōfusedly but that there might be a trewe distinction and all together free from deceyte Moreouer myracles do in such wise seale doctrine that the same also dothe shine in like manner and doth dryue away al the clowdes of darkenesse by the which Sathan doth obscure the symple myndes of men Finally if we seeke to beware of deceytes let vs alwaies kepe the inseperable coniunction of signes and doctrine It is not therefore good to beleue euery signe because it doth not followe by and by that they haue the truth which worke signes Myracles were done by Chryste by his Apostelles and successours by the power of the spiryte of GOD that their woorde mighte be confirmed and that it might be proued trewe which they preached namely that Christe was the sonne of God whiche was promised and sente in whom whosoeuer beleued shoulde be saued And they were so ioyned and linked to the word of God that they might not be without it But the myracles of false Christes and false prophetes by the whiche the vnbeleuing were ledde from Christ our sauiour are done by the spyrite of Sathan and without the word of god Suche myracles are they that are done by the Papacie of the whiche Paule speakinge of Antechrist hym selfe sayth And then shall the wycked be vttered whom the Lorde shall consume with the spirite of his mouthe and shall destroye with the apparance of his comminge euen him whose coming is after the workynge of Sathan with all lyinge power signes and wonders and with all disceyuablenesse of vnryghteousnes amonge them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of the trewethe that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them straunge delusion that they should beleue lies that all they myghte be damned whiche beleue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousenes In so muche that if it vvere possible the very electe This was added to terrefie that the faithfull might be more dyligent and careful to take heede For when false prophetes do brynge their pourpose to passe by vnbridled lycence and that they haue such greate power graunted vnto them to deceyue it were an easie matter to intrap and snare the secure and carelesse with their deceytes Christe therefore exhorteth and stirreth vp his disciples to watchynge then also hee admonissheth that there is no cause why they should be trobled at the newenesse of the things if so be they se many often times to be drawn into error Moreouer as he soughte to bringe a care to his disciples leaste Sathan they beinge as it were a slepe shold circumuent them euen so againe he geueth theym large and greate occasion of truste in the whiche they maye quietly rest them selues when he promiseth that they shall be safe by the helpe and preseruation of God agaynste all the deceites and snares of Sathan Although therefore the state and condition of the Godlye be fraile and slippery yet notwithstandinge here is shewed vnto theym a sure staye vppon the whiche they maye reste thēselues because it is not possible that they shoulde fall from saluation whiche haue the sonne of God to be theyr preseruer and keper For they are not so strong of them selues that they can resist the assaltes of Sathan but because they are the sheepe of Christe whom no manne can take out of his hande therefore they are stronge It maye be therefore that the electe may be moued and tempted by errors and signes but this is impossible that they should be altogether seduced frō the trueth from Christ their sauioure Notwithstanding we must watch carefully and not be slouthfull but consider our imbecillitie and weaknesse and commit oure selues vnto God least we suffer our selues to be ouercom and destroied C. For we must note this that the strengthe and assurance of our saluatyon is not sett and placed in oure selues but in the secret election of god For althoughe our saluation be kepte and preserued by faythe as the Apostell Peter teacheth yet notwithstanding we must assende hyer namely that we are therfore in safetie because the father hath geuen and committed vs to his sonne and the sonne hym selfe affirmeth that nothyng of that shall perishe which is committed vnto hym 25 Beholde I haue tolde you before C. The Euangeliste Marke dothe more fully set forthe the mynde of our sauiour Christe sayinge But take ye hede beholde I haue shewed you all thinges before By the which wordes we ar taught that they are worthye of no excuse who are made afrayde by the offences foreshewed of Christ For seing the wil of God oughte to be a rule vnto vs it suffisethe that we are admonished in tyme that he is so pleased Furthermore seynge he is sayde to be faythefull and wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that whiche we are able to beare we shal neuer wāt power to resist if so be that feare negligence do not increase our infyrmitie M. Therefore althoughe the electe can not perishe yet neuerthelesse they haue nede to take hede least they be deceiued So that the wicked ones do foolishly obiecte and saye If I be one of the electe I cannot be dampned But it is the part of those that are the elect children of God to be hedefull and diligente For in that they cannot be deceiued it commeth not of them selues but by the deuine prouydence and grace of God whiche oughte not to make them rashe and negligente but rather dyligent and studious Otherwise what nede was there of these seryouse diligent often repeted admoniōs 26 VVherefore if they saye vnto you beholde he is in the deserte go not ye forthe behold he is in the secret places beleue it not If they say vnto you beholde he is C. Because this place throughe ignorance is
to be drawne awaye from Christ and to geue their faith vnto a theefe robbing God of his honour Where as the Papistes theym selues do take this place for the societie of those which professe one fayth and do expoūde the Eagles altegorically for those which are of sharpe wyt and occulate it is to folyshe seing that it is euidente that the pourpose of Christ was nothing els thā to call vnto him to retaine in him selfe the sonnes of God wheresoeuer they be dispersed Neyther is the body putt here simply but the carcas And Chryste attributeth nothinge to the Egles sauyng that which might agre with our crowes or rauens accordyng to the nature of the region in the which we inhabite Moreouer theyr reason is nothing sure or effectual which vpon this place say that the deathe of Christe was so effectuall that it allured the electe and chosen of God. For it was rather the pourpose of Christ to bringe an argument of the lesse to the more as thus If there be such wit in birdes that many of thē wil com from far to one carcas it is a great shame to the faithfull not to be gathered to the author of lyfe by whom onely they are truely fed 29 Immediatly after the trybulations of those dayes shall the sonne be darkened and the moone shall not geeue her lyghte and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be moued Immediately after the trybulations M. Nowe Christe maketh answere to his disciples as concerning his comming the ende of the worlde C. and promiseth ▪ that after they haue bene vexed troubled with so many euylles the redemption in his tyme shall come For by his aunswere he wente chiefely aboute to stabishe his disciples in a good hope least they sholde faynte for the confused motions Therefore he dothe not simply speake of his cōming but vsurpeth propheticall maners of speache to the whiche the more that euery one was bente geuen the more sharpe battaile of temptations of the contrary euente and successe it was necessary he shoulde haue For what coulde be more absurde than to beholde the kingdome of Chryste to be not onely contemtible and base but also oppressed with the crosse couered with many reproches and ouerwhelmed with all kynde of affliction of the whiche kingedome the prophetes preched so magnificently Could not that maiestie be required which mighte bringe darckenesse to the Sonne to the Moone and to the starres which might stryke the whole foūdation of the earth and chaunge the cōmon order of nature These tēptations our sauiour christ now seketh to preuent pronouncing that allthoughe these prophesies be not by and by fulfylled yet notwithstandinge that they shall be approued to be trewe by the euente and ende it selfe The sence and meanynge therefore of this place is that those thynges whiche were foreshewed in tyme paste as concernynge the miraculouse and wonderfull stryking as well of the Heauen as of earthe oughte not to be restrayned to the begynnynge of the redemption because the prophetes comprehended the whole race and course vntyll suche tyme as theye came to the marcke M. Moreouer the Lorde wold haue his discyples prepared at all times to departe hence and therefore he would not shewe the tyme of his comming and yet notwithstandinge would haue them loke for hym euery houre And therefore he woulde haue it preached as well by his owne sermones as by those that the Apostelles made that this daye was not farre of So the Apostell Peter sayde The ende of all thinges is at hande And saincte Paule saithe We are they vpon whom the endes of the worlde are come And therefore our sauiour Christe saith in this place immediately after the trybulations of those dayes But neuerthelesse he mente not by this to declare any certayne tyme of his comminge From the whiche opinion saincte Paule dehorteth the Thessalonians with great dyligence wrytynge vnto theym after this manner I beseche you brethern that ye be not sodaynely moued from your mind nor be troubled neyther be spryte neither by woordes nor yet by letter which shold seme to come from vs as thoughe the day of Christ were at hande Lett no man deceiue you by any meanes for the lorde shall not come except there come a departynge fyrst Wherfore this woord immediately which wee reade here signifyeth no more than that whiche wée reade in Marke where he sayth Moreouer in those dayes c. As if hee shoulde say After the trybulation of those daies in the whiche the whole worlde shall be ouerthrowne immediately howbeit in an vncertayne tyme when men thynke leaste of it shall the ende of the worlde come with the full reuealynge of mye glory and the perfecte redemption of my electe and chosen M. to the great horroure and feare of those men which haue not beleeued in mee I say that the ende of the worlde shall come then immedyately because afterwarde there shall no greate thynge be shewed I wyll take no suche open and manyfest vengeaunce on the impietie of mortall men vntyll that daye come in the whiche I wyl retourne to iudge all fleshe the which day with the Lorde is not farre for one daye with hym is as a thousande yere and a thousande yere as one daye Shall the sunne be darckened M. These are those signes in the Sonne Moone and starres whereof Luke maketh mention B. The whiche woordes of the Euangelist Luke are not so to be taken as thoughe those signes must go before the daye of the Lorde but signes are taken here for myracles and thinges not commonly sene whiche shall not so much betoken the very daye of the lorde as they shall bringe the present wrath of GOD vpon the wycked As concernynge the darkenynge of the sonne and the reste there are dyuerse opynions of interpreters yea of the auncienter sorte but it seemethe that the symplicitie and playnnesse of Christe his wordes oughte to be retayned and kept He saith that the son shal be darkened that the mone shal loose her light and that the starres shall fall from heuen and so forth We must now beleeue that it shall so come to passe But how the sonne shal be darkned we know not at this day neither can we coniecture but the euent of the same wyll declare And the starres shall fall from heauen He meaneth not that the starres shal fall in dede but that men shall thyncke them to fall And therfore Luke onelye sheweth that there shal be signes in the sonne mone and starres The meanynge therefore of his wordes is that the strikinge and shaking of the foundatiō of the heauen shall be so greate that the very starres shal be thought to fall The Euangeliste Luke speaketh moreouer as concerning the terryble motion of the sea that men shall fainte throughe very feare and sorrowe But the whole somme is that all creatures bothe aboue and beneathe shall be as it were cryers in sityng of men
nie at hande euen so ye c. C. By the whiche woordes Chryste dothe not onely meane that the perturbation and trouble before mentyoned is as certayne a signe of his commynge as the grenenesse and buddynge of the tree is a sure token that sommer is at hande but doth also note a further matter For as the tree beinge stayed and bounde a longe whyle by the harde and byndinge rigour of the frost beginneth neuerthelesse in his tyme to budde and brynge forthe fruite euen soo his Church although it be bonde and staied for a season by the sharpe and cruell stormes of persecution yet notwithstaÌ„dynge in dewe tyme it shall bring forthe his fruite to the glory of god For as the internall sappe and moysture whiche is in euery parte of the floryshinge tree by his force doth mollifie renouate restore and reuiue that whiche was before dead and decayed euen so the Lorde by the internall and secrete woorkynge of his holy spirite maketh the corruption of man to beare and brynge forthe that fruite whiche he coulde not elles beare Wherfore the somme of Christes wordes is that we shoulde not be dismayed at the weake estate and externall shewe of the Churche but rather that we shold hope for the glorye whiche the Lorde by the crosse and trybulation hath prepared For that whiche Paule affirmeth of euery partycular member must be fulfylled in the whole body for thoughe our outwarde man perishe yet is the inwarde man renewed day by day c. 33 Euen so ye when ye se these thynges come to passe vnderstande that he is nye euen at the doores Euen so ye vvhen ye see these thinges Bu. As sommer is not come by and by so sone as we see the buddes of the fygge tree but fyrst the bud cometh then the blossome then the leafe then the figge and last of all the rypenesse of the same euen so wée muste vnderstande that all those thynges whereof Christe hathe spoken shall not come at the fyrste but by degrees in order that when we se the beginning we doubte not but that the middest wyll come shortely after and when the midst is come that we thyncke it not long vntyll the ende by fynished Euenso when the disciples of Christ sawe that manye at the fyrst exalted them selues for Christes seduced many they knew streight way that warres and rumors of warres wold followe yet notwithstandyng that Hierusalem shoulde not be destroyed immediately but that they shoulde fyrste suffer many persecutions and the Gospell be preached euery where And then they looked for the desolation of the holy citie and after that that many false prophetes and false Christes shoulde preuaile and so orderly they knewe that the ende of the worlde should come In like manner when we knowe that manye of those thinges whereof the lorde hath spoken here come to passe we ought to acknowledge that the kyngedome of god and the day of the lord is eueÌ„ at the dozes and therefore to be loked for by framing oure selues with diligence to godlynesse and vertue For if wee followe the estymation of God as in these thynges wée muste a thousande yeres with vs are before hym as one daye yea as a watche in the nyghte Vnderstande that he is nye euen at the doores C. That which Mathewe here speaketh obscurely the Euangeliste Luke more plainlye expoundeth sayinge that the kingdome of god is nie eueÌ„ at the dores And this place the kingdome of God as often times in other places is so called not of his beginniÌ„g but of his perfectioÌ„ and that accordinge to their vnderstandinge whome Christe taughte For they did not apprehende the kyngdome of God in the Gospel in the peace ioye of faith in spirituall righteousnes but they sought for that blessed reste and glorye which is hyd vnder hope vntill the laste daye Bu. It is sayd to be at the dores by an allegory because it is at hand A. So S. Iames saith Beholde the Iudge standeth before the gate 34. Verely I saye vnto you this generation shall not passe tyll all these thinges be done Verely I say vnto you Bu. Leaste any man shoulde doubte in anye pointe of these thinges or esteme them as vaine threateninges and therefore to be despysed he dothe confirme that whiche went before as coÌ„cerning the calamities to come like a Prophete with an oathe sayinge Verely I saye vnto you This generation shall not passe C. Although oure Sauioure Christe vseth a vniuersall note yet notwithstandinge he dothe not speake generally of all the miseries of the Churche but doth simplely teache that before one age or generation be â—…oon out whatsoeuer he had spoken as concerning the destruciton of the temple should be proued by the euente and successe For within fyfty yeares after the Citty was beseged the temple destroyed the whole contrye wasted and spoyled the worlde shewed it selfe obstinate against God cruel madnes also waxed whote to take awaye the doctrine of saluatioÌ„ there arose false teachers whiche peruerted the syncere Gospell with their lyes Religion by wonderfull meanes shaken all the company of the godly was miserablely vexed and molested And althoughe a longe time after the same mischiefes continued in like order continuallye yet notwithstanding it was truely saide of Christe that before one generation was ended the faithful should perceiue in very dede and by plaine experience how truely he had prophesyed of these thinges for the Apostels suffered the like that the blessed martyrs and saints suffer at this day For it was not the purpose of Christe to promise to his Disciples the ende of calamitys to be within a shorte time because if he had so done he shoulde haue beene contrary to himselfe for that he had told theÌ„ before that the end was not yet come But he rather sekinge to confirme them in sufferance and pacience plainely telleth them that it pertayneth to the generation of their time The sence and meaning therefore of the place is this as if he should haue saide This prophesy is not of those euels whiche are a farre of the which the posterity shall sée that commeth long after but it is of those plages which are now at hande and that in one heape in so much that this age shal waÌ„te no parte thereof Therfore the Lorde heapinge all kinde of plages vppon one age did not exempte their posterity froÌ„ the same but onelye commaundeth his Disciples to be prepared constantlye to suffer all thinges 35 Heauen and earthe shal passe but my wordes shall not passe Heauen and earth shall passe A. This sentence is diuersly expounded B. Some will haue it an Hebrewe comparison as if a man should saye heauen and earthe shall sooner perishe than my woordes M. Other some referre the passing away of heauen and earth to the last daye in the whiche their transitory state shal be abolished A. Of the whiche the Apostel Paule writteth in many places C. But because ther is no doubt but that Christ
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
three dayes warninge to prepare them selues to mete Christe M. Watche therefore saithe our Sauiour Christe for ye knowe not what hower the sonne of man will come this hee speaketh in an other place also 43 Of this yet be ye sure that if the good man of the house knewe what hower the thief would come he would surely watche and not suffer his house to be broken vp Of this yet be ye sure C. The EuaÌ„gelist Luke doth not recite these words in the same place that Mathew doth no marueile For in the .xii. chap. he seking diuersiy to gather a summe out of diuerse sermons doth put in amoÌ„g the rest this parable also Beside this in that chapiter there is put a generall preface that the disciples hauinge their loynes girded and candels burning in their handes should wayte for their Lorde To the whiche sentence the parable of the wyse and foolyshe virgins in the chapiter following agreeth very well VVhat houre the thief vvould come M. By this similitude we are taught howe sodayne and vnloked for the comming of Christe shal be For the speciall desire of theues is that thei may steale vpon men vnloked for and therfore they woorke their feates in the nighte when they thinke the whole housholde to be in their depe sleape By the good man of the house he meaneth euery one of vs and by the thiefe he vnderstandeth the last day Therefore seing it shall come vnloked for as a thief in the night at what time we knowe not it behoueth vs to watche continually leaste it oppresse vs sleaping C. If any maÌ„ here the theues to breake in in the nighte feare and suspicion will not suffer him to slepe Oure slouthfulnes therefore shall haue no excuse if we being so ofteÌ„ times admonished of the comming of Christe which shall come stealing on vs do slepe stil voyde of care E. The Greeke texte hath in what watche For thei of olde time did deuide the night into fower watches of the whiche we may reade in the fourtene chapter goinge before And not suffer his house to be broken vp The Apostel Paule sayth ye your selues knowe perfectly that the daye of the Lorde shall come euen as a thiefe in the night And saint Peter hath the same woordes 44 Therfore be ye also ready for in such an hower as ye thinke not wyll the sonne of man come A. Now he sheweth what he ment by watchinge namely that we should be ready for that daye C. seing that here we must not only feare the bursting open of the gates and the losse of oure goodes but also the deadly wounde to the destructioÌ„ of our soule except we take hede The wordes of Christe therefore teÌ„de to this ende that by this admonition he might awake vs out of sleape because although the last iudgement be differred a long tyme yet notwithstanding we may looke for it euery moment it were great folly therefor to fall a sleape hauing suspicion of this approching tyme and daunger M. Wherefore if euer it were nedeful to geue regarde vnto the light of Gods worde it is truely nedefull in these dayes that we casting of the sluggishnes of carnall affections may stande before the tribunall seate of the iudge 45 VVho is a faithful and wise seruaunt whome his lorde hath made ruler ouer his houshold to geue theÌ„ meate in due season C. This place is more set forth by the EuaÌ„gelist Luke where the demauÌ„de of Peter is added whiche gaue occasion to a new parable But to this end the answer of Christe tendeth that if it be mete that euery one of the coÌ„moÌ„ sorte do watche much more it is mete for the Apostles to watche Wherefore as at the first Christe exhorted the whole faâ—â—ily to watche for his comming so nowe he requireth a speciall care of the chiefe seruauntes whiche are therefore pointed the rulers of the reste that by their example thei may shewe the waye of sobrietie and temperance By these woordes he declareth that they are not set in idell dignitie to liue carelesly in pleasure but that the hier they are set in honor the more diligently they ought to labour in their calling Therefore he teacheth that they must specially declare them selues to be faythfull and wyse M. He is faythfull whiche faythfully dispenceth that whiche is committed vnto hym for hys maisters proffite not his owne gayne or priuate commoditie A wyse seruaunt is hee whiche doth bestowe that whiche is committed vnto him in due tyme or whiche constantly perseuereth in his office vntil the comming of the Lorde The Euangeliste Luke calleth hym a Stewarde whome Mathewe here calleth a seruaunt And who are stewardes saint Paule sheweth saying Let a man thus wyse esteme vs as stewards and dispensators of the misteries of God it is requyred of Stewardes that a man be founde faythfull This faith comprehendeth other vertues also with the whiche he that is a minister or seruauÌ„t ought to be endued Reade the thirde chapiter of the first epistle of S. Paule to Timothe VVhome his Lorde hath made ruler He must be called and sent of the Lorde For they which ronne being not sent of God are theues robbers Ouer his housholde He meaneth that he is chief ouer his family seruauÌ„tes To geue them meate in due season He speaketh according to the common manner for this was the duty of the chife seruaunt to distribute to euery one his foode in due tyme they wer not appointed to be lordes ouer others Here therefore we may beholde the louinge kyndnes of God towardes his housholde He will not haue those that are his to perish with hunger nay he wyll not haue them fedde negligently What is the ministery of the worde but a stewardship to nourishe and fede the housholde of the Lorde The Gospel is the meate with the which men are fedde and nourished to euerlasting life 46 Blessed is that seruaunt whome his lorde when he commeth shall fynde him so doing Blessed is that seruaunt M. He sheweth in these woordes that ministers shall not bee faythfull and wyse in vayne whiche shall wysely gouerne the family of the Lorde For although a faithfull stewarde be not greatly accepted of the family because it hath very small consideration of the Lorde yet notwithstanding of the Lorde to whome he is a faithfull seruaunt he shal be blessed A. and shal receiue a large rewarde As the Apostell Peter testifieth in these woordes saying And when the chiefe shepehearde shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of Glory VVhom vvheÌ„ his lord coÌ„meth Christe is nowe absent from vs by his carnall presence but hee shall come to iudgement as it shal be declared anone in the fiue and twenty chapter Shall finde so doinge M. The happynes of the minister of Christ doth not consiste in this that he appeareth faithfull to the eyes of men but in this that he is founde faithfull of Christe So
that one may helpe another and to make that serue for the generall propfite of al men whiche one mā particulerly enioyeth after this maner the holy connexion knitting together of the members in the Church is maintayned But Christ here noteth the time in the which vnprofitable cariages being taken away all men shal be called by him to his tribunall seate that euery man maye receiue accordynge to his deedes whether they be good or euill C. Hee doth therefore rightly compare that part of grace which euery man hath receyued to that necessarye cariage which euerye one that traueleth hath because it will not suffice manye Wherefore this that followeth Go ye rarher by is not an admonitiō but rather a reproch as in this sence There was tyme anoughe before now to bye which shoulde not haue bene neglected of you For then there was oyle to sell which now can begottē neither for money nor loue But the Papistes do herevppon folishly bring in that the gifte of perseuerance is gotten by oure vertues or els by our industry For in this word bye there is no price noted euen as wee maye plainlye gather by the wordes of the Prophete Esay where the Lorde callinge vs to bye requyreth no price but sayth that hee hath wyne and milke at hande which hee will geue freely Therefore there is no other waye to gette this than to receiue by fayth that which is offered vnto vs. M. So that the meaninge of this place is not that the iuste in the ende of the worlde shall sende the foolishe to some place to bye this oyle but the meaning thereof is that there shall be no remedy then by the which they reforme and amende their negligence in the comminge of Christ For these thinges as it is sayd before ought to he vnderstode by a figure called Ironia or els by a certaine exprobration or reprochinge 10. And while they went to bye the bridegrome came and they that were ready went in with him to the mariage and the gate was shut A. Al they which are ready enter into the euerlastinge ioye but the reste are excluded and shut out 11. Afterwarde came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to vs. Aftervvarde came also the other Vir. C. Christ here affirmeth that the gate of his Heauenly kingdome shal be shut vp against those that are not wel prouided because they faynted in the middest of the race For wee must not here scrupulously demaunde howe Christe sayth that the foolishe Virgins went to bye oyle because hee meaneth nothing els but that all those shal be driuen from the enterance of the kingdome of Heauen whiche are not in a redines euen in a moment Lorde Lorde A. This repetition or doubleinge of the name Lorde doth declare howe greatlye they shal be vexed which are contemners of the grace of God when they knowe to late that the hope of euerlastinge saluation is taken from them 12. But hee aunswered and sayde Verely I saye vnto you I knowe you not But hee aunsvvered and said A. This is the rewarde of vnbeleefe The Lord promised trulye that hee woulde here those that call vppon him yet notwithstanding the folishe Virgins are not here hearde because they call vppon him without trust of his mercye and promises Hypocrites shall make lamentacion in vaine that all helpe is taken frō thē And this is that which the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes saying That there be no fornicator or vncleane person as Esau which for one messe of pottage sould his byrth right For ye know howe that afterwarde when hee woulde by inheritaunce haue receyued blessing hee was put by for hee founde no place of repentance thoughe hee sought it with teares Hee did not pray in fayth but did rather murmure agaynst god Such are the complaintes of all the reprobate which know that they are excluded and yet cannot crye from the affection of the hart I knovve you not That is to saye I neuer counted you amonge the nomber of myne 13. VVatch therefore for ye know neyther the day nor yet the houre wherin the sonne of man shall come M. Wee ought dyligently to note the cōclusion of this parable watch sayth hee Wherefore Because the gate shal be opened to them that are readye shut against the rest When shall this be Euen in that day when the bridegrome shall come whose comminge no man knoweth 14. For as a certaine man readye to take his iorney to a straunge countrey called his seruauntes and deliuerd vnto them his goodes For as a certaine man M. In the parable goinge before Christe admonished vs to watche because the day of his comminge is not knowen but by this parable hee sheeweth what shall come to passe in his comminge speciallye to those that are his seruauntes and mynisters to whom it belongeth to dispence and bestowe those gyftes faythfully according to the person and condition of euerye one to the profite and augmenting of the kingdome of god M. For by the similitude of the trauelinge man hee doth secretlye preuente the opinion of his Disciples which they had conceaued of the present reuealing of his kingdome shewing that hee muste depart out of this life and that hee will retourne not by and by but after a longe time to manifest and reueale the glorye of the kingdome of God. Of the whiche matter wee haue a manifeste place in the nyntene of Luke where this parable also is put downe vnto vs M. Howbeit there seemeth to be some difference betwene this our Euangelist Mathewe and Luke in the narratiō of this parable C. For Mathew touchinge one onely part Luke comprehēdeth two This part both of them haue that Christ is like vnto a certayne Lorde which to get a kingdome went into a farre countrey and left his goodes with his seruauntes to occupye and so forthe as followeth But Luke hath this more then Mathewe that the Cittizens beinge abused in the absence of the noble man moued a tumulte that they mighte be no longer subiecte vnder him Christ had respecte to both these partes that the Disciples were greatly deceaued which thoughte that the kingdome was now established and that hee came nowe to Hierusalem that he might set vp the happy state thereof out of hande So that Christe seekinge to take awaye the hope of the present kingdome exhorteth them to pacience For hee saith that they must labor diligently a longe time before that they enioye that glorye the which they so greedely desyered without traueile Readye to take his iourney C. Seinge the Dysciples thought that Christ wente then to take possession of the kingdome hee doth firste of all correcte this error because hee must go a great waye of to get him a kingdome And as touching this farre coūtrey Christ thereby mente to note nothinge els than his longe absence from the tyme of his death vntill the last comminge For althoughe hee sittinge at the righte hande of God
their merits and desertes For although the olde interpreter hath To euerye one accordinge to his vertue yet notwithstāding by this word vertue hee ment not that men are blessed of God and endued with grace from aboue accordinge to their behauiour and as they haue gotten prayse of vertue but onely accordinge as the Lorde of the house thinketh them meete And wee knowe that there is no man founde meete of God vntil he haue made him meete And the Greeke worde Dhunamis which Christe vsed for this word abillity wanteth all ambiguity M. The Euangelist Luke addeth sayinge Occupy till I come By the which wordes hee committed to the Apostles and Preachers their office and mynisterye of Preachinge the Gospell For by that as the Churche is builded so are the goodes of Christe encreased whiche goodes or treasure are men obtayninge saluation by fayth in Christ Therefore these wordes of Luke Occupy till I come is as much as this Go ye throughout the whole world and preach the Gospell to euerye creature A. For I haue chosē you and ordayned you to go and bringe forth fruite and that your fruite should remaine And straight vvay departed Read the exposition of the 14. verse before 16. Then hee that had receiued the fiue talentes went and occupyed with the same and wan other fiue talentes Then hee that had receiued M. These wordes do verye well set forth vnto vs the mynistery of the worde speciallye the Apostleship This word went hath relacion to Go ye and to this also And they wente and preached euery where Howbeit this ought not to be restrayned onlye to the mynisters of the word as we sayd euen now but also to all those which being endued of God with diuers giftes ought to promote his glory And occupyed vvith the same C. They are sayd to occupy which profitablely bestowe whatsoeuer God hath committed vnto thē Bu. For to occupye is to exercyse themselues in the giftes of God committed vnto them to geeue all glorye vnto God to prayse God to liue honestlye to exhorte all men to goodnes to do good vnto all men and by such like godly labour to wyn many vnto god C. For the life of the godly is verye aptlye compared to occupyinge because they ought mutually to occupye amonge themselues to maintaine fellowship loue and concorde And vvan other fiue talentes The gaine and fruite here mencioned is nothinge els than the common profite which setteth forth the glory of god For although God doth not enriche or in encrease our laboures yet notwithstanding as euery man doth most profite his brethren and doth profitablelye vse those giftes to their profite which hee hath receiued at the handes of God so hee is said to bringe gaine and fruite vnto god For so acceptable is the saluation of men to our Heauenlye father that what soeuer is bestowed vppon the same he will haue put in the accomptes God therefore taketh fruit of vs because by oure woorke hee will set forth his glorye Wee are vnworthy truly but hee maketh vs worthy by that grace that hee vsed the Apostleship of Paule to preach the Gospell throughoute diuers Nations which made himselfe a seruaunt to all men that hee mighte win the more vnto Christ 17. Likewyse also hee that receiued two gayned other two Bu. The seruaunt that receyued fiue talentes signifyeth those which because they haue receyued greate grace therefore they shewe forth the greatest workes But this man whiche receiued two talentes onlye doth denote vnto vs the meaner sorte who also accordinge to the measure of the grace which they haue receyued do labour faithfully and not in vaine All these occupye profitablely and do gayne to the Lord not seeking those things that pertaine to themselues but the Lordes 18 But hee that receiued that one went and digged in the earth and hyd his Lordes money M. This fellowe representeth those which discharge not their office according to their abillity which they haue of God but do abstaine from occupyinge from labour from trouble and from the daungers of Preachinge the Gospel seeking onely their ease and quietnes There were manye of this sort in the time of Paule which forsakinge the function of the Gospell gaue themselues to the world They thincke it sufficient if they keepe their talente hauinge no care for the gayne in the meane time they wonderfully dissemble and hyde the gift receyued This kinde of men because they thought that they could not be blamed for that they hinder not other men from doing their dutye is condemned of oure sauiour Christ as vntrusty and reprobate to the ende hee mighte thereby admonishe his Dysciples diligentlye and faythfullye to dyscharge their dutye 19. After a longe season the Lorde of these seruauntes came and reckened with them After a longe season M. Althoughe it be longe ere Christe come yet for all that hee will come at the length to Iudgemēt least any man should behaue himselfe the more negligently because of the longe comming thereof And reckened vvith them He sheeweth that whatsoeuer wee haue receyued of the Lorde is not geuen vnto vs simplely but vppon this condition that wee shoulde geue accompt of the same as wee haue said before But wee are therefore oftentimes voyde of care and do not shew our selues so dilligente in the obedience of God because wee thincke those things that wee haue receiued to be our owne insomuche that hee which hath goodes if hee throughe negligence leese any part thereof hee thinketh the hee leeseth nothinge but that whiche is hys owne not consideringe with himselfe that hee shall make an accompt for the losse but hee whiche occupyeth another mans substance and hath the ouersight of the same careth for the vtmost farthing knowing that he must geue accompte 20. And so hee that had receiued fyue talentes came and brought other fiue talentes sayinge Sir thou deliuerest vnto me fiue talentes behould I haue gayned with them siue mo M. Wee haue sayd already that wee may not stande scrupulously vppon euerye point of the parable Because hee made mencion of an accompt therefore hee declareth simplely what thinges are commonlye spoken in making of an accompt For in the latter Iudgement the good shall not declare what and howe muche good they haue done and how great vantage they haue brought to the kingdome of god Neither shal they know how much gayne they haue brought to the kingdome of Christ by their ministery but shall saye Lord when did wee see thee hungrye and fed thee c. But the Lord himselfe to whom all things are bare and open shal be ignoraunt of none of those things which are wrought in fayth and truth C. Therefore that wee should not be wearye of well doinge Christe pronounceth that their laboure shall not be in vaine whiche shall exercise themselues faythfully in their vocation 21. His Lorde saide vnto him vvell thou good and faithfull seruaunte Thou hast beene faithfull in fewe thinges I will
make the ruler ouer many thinges Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lorde VVell thou good and faithfull seruaunte This is a kinde of speache vsed in the prayse and cōmendacion of him which hath done his dutye Christe commendeth in this man two things namely goodnes and faithfulnes which are the speciall thinges in a steward Thou hast bene faythfull ouer fevve thinges The Euangeliste Luke hath Thou hast beene faythfull in the least Hee calleth those his goodes few the least which hee gaue to his mynisters to occupye and bestowe beinge suche and so great that withoute it we cannot be saued the which the Apostle calleth the power of God and the wysedome of God hee calleth it also a treasure and the vnsearcheable ryches of God and Christe himselfe compareth it to precious stones his goodes I say beinge so greate and precious hee calleth them few and the least in respect of those thinges which wee shall receiue after this life Hereby wee are admonished howe greate the ioyes of the life to come shal be First of all hee prayseth this that the seruaunt declareth his faith trust accordinge to the substance and pryce of the thinge committed vnto him For marke this prouerbe Hee that in small thinges wil be vniust In matters of price deserueth no trust I vvill make the ruler ouer many thinges C. The Euangelist Luke hath I wil make the ruler ouer fyue Citties speakinge of him whiche had gayned fyue poundes by the which wordes he declareth that there shal be another maner glory of kingdome in his last comminge than now appeareth For now wee do but laboriouslye discharge the busines of one that is absent but then hee shall haue plentye and great aboundance of riches at his hande with the which he may largelye enriche vs But our Euangeliste speaketh more simplelye sayinge Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lorde C. By the which he declareth that faythfull seruauntes whose offices hee hath allowed shal be partakers with him of the blessed store of al good thinges Bu. To this effect pertayneth that which the Apostle writeth The afflictions of this life are nothing in respect of the glory that shal be sheewed vppon vs Inspeakeable benefites therfore shal be bestowed vppon the faithfull seruaunts of the Lorde 22. Hee also that had receiued two talentes came and said sir thou deliueredst vnto me two talentes behoulde I haue won two other talentes with them Bu. Here is set forth the other faythfull seruaunt who according to his meane gift declared a wonderfull trust towardes God wherevppon hee also bringeth forth fruite not to be repented Let no man therefore be greued with himselfe in that hee seeth his neighbour to be endued with larger gifts to flerishe with manye vertues neither let him enuye the glorye of one that excelleth him let all men pray rather to the Lord for the encrease of giftes and vertues 23. His Lorde saide vnto him vvell good and faythfull seruaunte Thou hast bene faithfull ouer fewe things I will make the ruler ouer manye thinges Enter thou into the ioy of the Lorde VVell good and faithfull seruaunt A. The duty of this seruāt also which had receiued lesse giftes of the Lorde is allowed his fayth praysed and rewarded of the Lorde The Lord sayth vnto him as he sayde to the first Enter thou into the ioye of M. Both of them are said to be good and faithful are receiued into the Lords ioy Let no man therefore thīke that he is despysed of the Lord if he haue a meane dispensation if so be that he faythfully discharge his duty For it is not considered how much thou art of ability how hard an office thou hast but the question is how faithful thou hast bene toward the Lord. 24. Then hee which had receiued the one talent came and said Sir I knew thee that thou art a harde man reapinge where thou hast not sowē and gatheringe where thou hast not strawed Then hee vvhich had receiued the one talent Bu. Nowe is depainted vnto vs the most wicked corrupte desposition aboue all others of this slouthful and sleapy seruaunt And this fellowe doth verye well set forthe the blasphemous words of all the wicked ones the vngodly vaine excuses of al hipocrites The wicked crye it is a hard and dangerous thinge to serue the Lord hee requireth of vs greate thinges to performe the which he hath geuen vs small ability least therefore anye of his giftes perishe here through my lacke of wisedome that which hee gaue mee vntilled I will leaue vntouched when I depart An other sayth Why shall I geue my minde to righteousnes and holynes If I be one of the electe I shal be saued without all doubt how sinfull soeuer I be againe if I be one of the reprobates I shall vndoubtedly be damned how much soeuer I vex my selfe and afflicte my bodye with chastisement and pray for fayth for I shall praye in vaine because election is not obtayned by prayer Therfore least I offēde I content my selfe and commit me to the election of God that I may be saued by none of my merits but by the free election and grace of God. A. As though in deede this were not the ende of our election that wee should be holy vnblameable before god Bu. Furthermore a man shall finde at this day not vnlearned and vnskilful men who when they are called eyther to office of teachinge or to the office of a Magistrate obiect and say It is a heauy and troublesome vocation whervnto I am called althoughe God hath bestowed vppon mee certaine giftes yet notwithstandinge I knowe that they are not so greate as are requyred least therefore I should offende I will liue a priuate man. A. But wee shall heare by and by what the Lord will say to these carelesse fellowes when hee shall come to recken with them for those giftes Sir I knevve thee that thou art a hard man C. This hardnes doth pertaine nothing at all to the summe of this parable and they are of a folish opinion which dispute here how straitly and hardly the Lorde dealeth with those that are his For the purpose of Christe was no more to note suche rygor than to commende vsurye when hee sayth that the Lord of the house requyred to haue his money deliuered with aduantage Christ onely meaneth that their slouthfulnes shal be inexcusable whiche both suppresse the giftes of God and also spende their time in idlenes 25. And therefore was I afrayde and wēt and hid thy talente in the earthe Lo there thou hast that thine is A. The wicked and the ypocrites feare where no feare is and when they shoulde feare then are they voyde of all care This wicked seruaunt should rather haue stoode in feare least he should despise his maisters commaundemente by the which hee charged him to worke till he came 26. His Lorde aunswered and saide vnto him Thou euill and
that thei wer altogether voyde of the loue of god For God cannot be truely loued where the members of Christe the sonne of God are carelesly despysed Wherefore let vs learne to helpe oure neady brethren al that we can being myndfull of the woordes of the Prophete which saythe O my soule thou haste sayde vnto the Lorde thou arte my God my goodes are nothing vnto thee All my delighte is vppon the sainctes that are in the earthe and vppon suche as excell in vertue 46 And these shall go into euerlastinge payne the righteous into life eternall M. Here wee see that bothe the godly and the wycked shall ryse againe A. Euen as it is sayde in an other place They that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of death or damnation M. Furthermore after that the iudge hathe pronounced the sentence no man can appeale to the tribunall of God But immediatly the execution of iudgement muste followe And although they will not of them selues go into punishement yet notwithstandinge they shal be caste into this fyer by Angels and heauenly power as we sawe before in the parable of the tares The xxvi Chapter ANd it came to pas when Iesus had finyshed all these sayinges he sayde vnto his disciples ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter and the sonne of man shal be deliuered vp to be crucified And it came to passe vvhen Iesus Bu. To all that hath bene hetherto declared a shorte summe and moste perfecte woorke of oure whole saluation is added that is to saye the sacred and moste proffitable history of the passion and redemption of Christe our Lorde in the whiche he fulfilleth al the duties as well of a preste as of a kyng and in a shorte compendium he maketh an open shewe of his power and strengthe for all mē to beholde For by all his woordes dedes he teacheth dilligently he instituteth the solemne and blessed sacramente he praieth feruently he sacrificeth for sinnes he purgeth deliuereth and hathe cōpassion on sinners and defendeth those that are his and also he treadeth vnder foote and punysheth the wycked shewyng oftentymes wonderfull humillitie and yet for all that declaring no small glorie when that all the elementes being troubled at his death shewed forth wonderfull proofes of great grief Wherefore our Euangelist Mathewe prosecuteth here all thinges in desent order with pure playne and liuely style E. For these wordes And it came to passe are a certaine manner of knitting together or passing from matter to matter and according to the manner of hystoriographers he ioyneth the thynges followyng to that whiche went before saying And it came to passe VVhen Iesus had finished all these sayinges B. Namely those whiche he had the third daye after his glorious enteraunce into Hierusalem Yee knovve that after tvvo daye shal be Easter To the ende that those things whiche followe maye bee the more easely vnderstoode we must knowe that the Hebrues began the daye at the euening as it is wrytten From euen to euen shall ye rest in your sabaoth furthermore that the day from his glorious enteraunce into the citie of Hierusalem vntyll the daye of his resurrection maye bee named fower manner of wayes as is declared by this example here vnder placed  The dayes of the Hebrues Of the Gentiles Of the Christians  The mysteries of euery daye 1 The first of the Sabaothes Sunne daye The Lordes daye VVas 1 The daye of his enteraunce into Hierusalem 2 The seconde Moone daye The seconde ferie 2 The daye in the vvhich he cursed the figge tree 3 The thirde Mars daye The thirde ferie 3 The daye of the feaste 4 The fourthe Mercuries day The fourth ferie 4 The daye in the vvhiche he vvas solde 5 The fifte Iupiters daye The fifte ferie VVas 5 The daye before the daye of svvete bread 6 The preparation of the great Sabaoth Venus daye The sixt ferie 6 The first daye of svvete bread of the holy supper of the passion and of the burial 7 The Sabaoth Saturnes daye The Sabaoth 7 The daye of reste in the sepulchar 8 The first of the Sabaoth Sunne daye The Lordes daye 8 The daye of his resurrection Notwithstandinge in the discription the last rewe saue one is vsed both of the Iewes also of the Christians because seing the Iewes called the seuenth daye the Sabaoth that is to saye reste in consideration of the creation of the worlde because God that daye hauing made an end of al his worke rested the Christians bouldly retayned the oulde name hauing no respecte of the nomber Howebeit there are some whiche thinke that it was called the Sabaoth of them in the consideration of an other thing namely because Christe the Lorde of lyfe rested all that daye in the sepulchre It semeth therefore that Christe spake these woordes After twoo dayes the thyrde daye after his kinglyke enterance as we shewed euen nowe into Hierusalem For after twoo dayes the sixt daye after his enterance into Hierusalem beginning the same daye in the euening whiche the Christians beginning the daie from midnight make the euening and parte of the night of frydaye the Lord did eate Passeouer and the night followyng that euening he was betrayed and brought to the hie priestes of the which matter he addeth saying And the sonne of man shall be deliuered vp to be crucified All men doe saye that Christe celebrated the Passeouer the same daye whiche was prescribed in the lawe being the fourthten daye of the moneth of Marche at euen and that therefore he sayde After twoo dayes shal be Easter The Euangelist Marke hath And the firste daye of swete breade when thei offered Passeouer And the Euāgelist Luke hath And the day of Passeouer came in the whiche it was necessary that passeouer should be offered And so it appereth that Christ celebrated in one day both the typicall passeouer and the true offered passeouer But what day the Iewes did eate it there are two sortes of opiniōs For some wryte that the Iewes celebrated passeouer the next daie after the Christe suffered which was vpon the Sabaoth daye Other some saye that all the Iewes offered passeouer the selfe same night that Christe did and that it was not lawful for them either to offer or to eate it on the eue of the great Sabaoth They whiche defend the first opinion wryte thus saying that it euidently appeareth by the wordes of Iohn that the same sixt daye in the whiche Christe suffered was the day of preparation for the solemnitie of the pasouer For he going about to describe the washing of the disciples feete whiche was done after supper being now the sixt daye and the solemnitie of passeouer to the lorde wryteth Before the feast of Easter that is the daye before the feast of Easter In lyke māner he speaking afterward of the Iewes saith And they went not into the iudgemēt
haule least they should be defiled but that they might eate passeouer After that he makynge mencion of the tyme in the whiche Christe was coÌ„demned wryteth thus It was the preparing day of the Easter about the sixt hower Therefore that day in the which Christ was crucified was the day of preparatioÌ„ or eue not of the Sabaoth but of Easter As may appere by the holy men whiche obserued this tyme also For Nicodemus Ioseph of Aramathia bought that daye swete odours oyntements and after that they had anoynted the body of the Lord they buried it whiche was no more lawfull for them to doe on the daye of Easter than on the Sabothe day Euen so those women which were with the Lord bought their oyntements also and prepared them euen the same daye of preparation that they mighte reste the daye followinge accordinge to lawe They did not put of or deferre these thinges to be done on the Easter day no not till the euening whiche broughte an ende to the daye because so soone as the euening came the Saboth began Wherefore excepte we wreste the wordes of S. Iohn we must graunt that the publique paseouer was celebrated of the Iewes the nexte daâ—… after that Christe suffered that is to saye on the Sabothe daye â–ª Whereuppon it was called the great day of the Saboth in the which both the solemnity of the Paschall and of the Saboth came together For in that day they celebrated the paseouer accordinge to the tradition of the fathers which some saye was appointed by Rabbi Eliezer the second house of God beinge finished after the people were retourned out of the lande of Babilon into their owne contreye and was ordeined of a certeine curiouse obseruation of dayes accordinge to the course of the moone leaste that two holy and dayes of reste should come together in the which it was not lawful to do any maner of worke the whiche thing was greuouse to so greate a people This coÌ„stitution is intreated of at large by Paulus Burgensis in his anotacion vpon this place being ioyned to the commentaris of Nicolaus de Lyra. There wante not some whiche saye that the Iewes tooke awaye the Easter contrary to order and custome for the gredy desyere that they had to kil the Lorde the which thing how they durste do we sée not seinge that so greate a multitude were wonte to come from all quarters to this feast But now they which say that all the Iewes offered Paseouer the same nighte that the Lorde did do defende their opinion after this maner Seing that our Lorde was the most faithfull and diligent obseruer of the lawe of his father no man oughte to doubte that he offered and did eate the Paseouer the fouretene daye betwene the two eueninges as it is commaunded in the lawe And euery man of the multitude of Israell shall offer him betwene the euenings The which two euenings do not signify the euening of the fyftene daye and the euening of the sixtene day as thouge the Lord had commanded the Paseouer alwayes to be offered and eaten within the fyftene daye and not to be differed vnto the sixtene daye but it is euident that those two eueninges of the beginning of the 15. day were vnderstood For it followeth in the place before recited And ye shall not leaue anye thinge therofe vntil the morning and the which is lefte therof vntil the morning shall ye burne with fyer It must nedes be therfore the two eueninges wente before the morning of the which two the first beginneth at the soone setting continueth vntil the twy light or shutting in of the day the secoÌ„d beginneth at the end of the first euening the is froÌ„ the time the the euening is shut in vntil the morning Betwene this first second euening the Paseouer was appointed to be offered For it was not lawfull to offer the same before that the soon was set as it is writen Thou shalt offer paseouer at eueniÌ„g about the going downe of the Soon But the Paseouer was appointed to be eaten in the seconde euening which is the night And the first euening continueth for the space almost of six howers the seconde almost nyne howers The Euangelist Mathew speaketh of the first euening when he saythe The first daye of swete bread the Disciples came to Iesus sayinge vnto him where wilt thou that we prepare for thée to eate the Paseouer Of the second eueninge it is writen in Exodus And they shall eate the fleshe the same night roste with fyer and with vnleauened breade The which also is gathered by the wordes of Mathew where he saith WheÌ„ the eueÌ„ was come be sate downe with the twelue And that the Iewes offered paseouer in the night of the same yeare that Christe did it may appeare by that which Marke hath sayinge The firste daye of swete breade when they offered Paseouer and the Euangeliste Luke saith Then came the daye of swete breade when of necessitye Paseouer muste be offered Yf it were necessary that Paseouer should be offered in that daye why maye not wee saye that all of necessitye also offered in that eueninge paseouer And that daye was called the preparation of the paseouer in the euening whereof the Lord did offer paseouer the which daye of preparation was in dede a festiuall and soleÌ„ne day as appeareth by the wordes of Moses which saith SeueÌ„ dayes shal ye eate vnleauened bread The firste day shal be an holye conuocation This firste daye here mencioned was the daye of preparation And in an other place it is said In the fower and twentye daye of the firste moneth at euen is the Lordes paseouer and on the fyftene daye of the same monethe is the feaste of swete breade vnto the Lord But the euening of the fourthtene moone is the beginning of the fiuetenth daye Therefore the daye of preparation in the which the Lord celebrated his Paseouer was a festiuall daye Notwithstandynge it is true that the same daye wiche followeth the nighte of the Paseouer and whiche beginneth at the morninge and endeth at the eueninge is called properly and particulerly the festiuall daye as well of the Paseouer as of the swete breade the denomination beinge geuen to the lighte as to the more principall parte of the daye As wee maye reade in the 28. chapter of Numery and in the thre and twentye of Leuiticus For the day doth comprehende both the nighte and the light as wee may reade in S. Luke where he saith Then came the daye of swete bread when of necessity Paseouer muste be offered For if it were necessary that paseouer shoulde be offered in the daye of swete breade and if the Paseouer were offered at no time sauinge betwene the twoo eueninges that is in the twy lighte before nighte then the twy light with the nighte was a parte of the daye of swete breade and also of the daye of
Disciples that he was the true Lorde to whom it belonged to commaunde all menne who commaundinge all oughte to obeye and that he hathe also the hartes of menne in his handes in so muche that he can dispose and constraine them to obeye him Suche a one he nameth him selfe and suche a one in déede he proueth him selfe when he commaundethe the Fole to be loosed and broughte vnto him as appeareth in the 21. Chapter before And saithe he if any shall saie vnto you why doo you loose him say yée The Lord hathe néede of them â–ª And by and by he will lette them goe Marke and Luke adde sayinge And while they were loosinge the Coulte the owners thereof saide vnto them Wherefore doo yée loose the Coulte And they saide Because the Lorde hathe néede thereof And they suffered them But in an other place also he dothe most plainely call him selfe a maister as when he saith Yée call me maister and Lorde yée say wel for so I am My time is at hand C. Althoughe he did rightely celebrate Paseouer accordinge to the commaundemente of the Lawe yet notwithstandinge he séemeth not without consideration to allege this that he mighte put away the fault of moroâ—â—tie and waywardnesse He saithe therefore that he hathe cause to make haste that he might apply him selfe to euery vsuall Custome because he is called to a greater Sacrifice In the meane time notwithstandinge as we saide in the seconde verse before he dothe renewe nothinge in the Ceremonie B. Neither dothe he saye My deathe but My time is at hande that he mighte declare that his deathe was for certaine appointed of God and also to teache vs by his example to be ready and willinge when the time shall comme whiche is appointed to euery one C. Christe dothe so often therfore inculcate that the time of his death is at hand that the Disciples mighte knowe that willingely he made haste to obeye the Decree and Will of his Father I vvill keepe my Easter by thee B. Behould with how great confidence and authoritie he commauÌ„deth this man to geue him roume place in the which he might keepe his Easter Marcke and Luke adde that he saide Where is the gheastchamber that I maie eate Paseouer with my Disciples And he shall shewe vnto you a greate Parloure paued and prepared there prouide make ready for vs And his Disciples wente and came into the Cittie and founde as he had saide vnto them The Euangelistes saie that they founde as the Lorde had sayde by the whiche we are taughte that he will neuer frustrate our hope if we geue credite vnto his woordes For he cannot deceiue C. But in that he ioyned the shadowed sacrifice to that which is trewe he thereby exhorted the faithefull that they woulde compare that with the Olde Figures whiche he fulfilled in déede For this Comparison settethe foorthe no small force and effecte of his deathe For Paseouer was not enioyned to the Iewes to this ende onely that they shoulde be mindefull of the Oulde Deliuerance but also that they shoulde hope for the more speciall Deliuerance that shoulde come by Christe To this effect pertaineth this sentence of Paule Christe our Paseouer is offered vp for vs. 19. And the Disciples did as Iesus had appointed them and they made ready the Paseouer And the disciples did C. Here the Apostles declare how much they beleued the wordes of Christe and howe obedient they were in the whiche we muste note theire godly docilitie and aptnesse to be taughte For they mighte haue doubted seing they folowed an vnknowne man whether they shoulde obtaine that of the goodman of the house whiche theire maister by theire message required seinge they knewe that he was contemned and hated of the most parte But truely they doo not carefully inquire of the euent and ende but quietly they obey his commaundemente M and doo simply finishe the thinge they were commaunded C. And we muste obserue this rule if we desire to proue our faithe that beinge content with the only commaundemente wée maye goe forwarde to that whiche God commaundeth and that we hopinge for the successe whiche he promiseth maie put away all carefulnes For if we be to inquisitiue it is a signe of distrust of distruste foloweth rebellion and obstinacy whiche seperateth vs from the grace of God. 20. VVhen the euen was comme he sate down with the twelue VVhen the eueÌ„ C. Not that he mighte eate Paseouer the which should be done standing euen as men that haue haste of their iourney beinge shodde and eate their meate with the staffe in their hande but the solemne rite beinge done it is mente that he sate downe to supper Therfore the Euangelistes saie the euen being come because in the firste euen they did kill the lambe and did eate the fleshe thereof rosted He sate dovvne vvith the tvvelue M. Greate was the impudency of Iudas that after the bargaine made with the hie priestes he durste sitte downe with the rest at the Lordes table beinge nothing afrayde of his maisters conscience For peraduenture he thoughte that he was ignorante of his pourpose or at least that he would not bewray it by reason of the méekenes of his minde whereof he had oftentimes experience before 21. And as they did eate he saide verily I saie vnto you that one of you shal betray me And as they did eate Bu. Christe was not ignorante of the practises counselles and conspiracies of his enimies therfore easily he could haue deceiued them if he would but he rather soughte by the foreshewinge of them to fortifie the weake against the stumbling blocke of the Crosse euen as he saide vnto them I haue toulde you these thinges before they comme to passe that when they come yée might beleue A. And â—…ecause the wicked treason of Iudas semed to excel al the rest he thought good to shew that the same was not hidden from him saying One of you shall betray me M. By these obscure darke woordes the Lorde went about to proue the mind of Iudas secretely to pricke his conscience that none of those thinges might be omitted which did pertaine to his repentance For although Christe knewe the blindenes of the trayter to be such that he should be admonished in vaine yet notwithstaÌ„ding it was not without consideratioÌ„ to strike his coÌ„science that hereafter he might be voide of all excuse neither that any of those thinges might be omitted whiche concerne the duety of a good man The EuaÌ„gelist Marke hath One of you which eateth with me C. For to the end he might make the treasoÌ„ of Iudas the more detestable by this circonstance he increaseth his vnworthines because he sittinge at the holy Table went about treason For if a stranger had don this it had ben more tollerable but for one of the housholde to worke suche mischiefe and then vnder the coller of frendship to ioyne himselfe to the holy supper was to monsterouse a
some very childishly and peruersely expounde it who may easely be confuted by the place of S. Paule where he teacheth the Corinthians the true vse of the supper speaking to men womē without exception to the whole body of the churche testifieth that he deliuered the same to them as he had receiued it from the lord But he distributed bread to the Apostles that all generally might eate that euery one should so take his portion that there might be an equall participation among all For hee saythe Take eate C. In that he cōmaundeth vs to take he meaneth that it belōgeth vnto vs whereas he commaundeth to eate he meaneth that it is made one substance with vs For he did so institute all these thinges that the disciples might cōmunicate this supper among them selues Whereupon it followeth that it was a deuelishe inuencion that one man seperating him selfe from the residue of the congregation shoulde priuately celebrate the supper For what is more vnsemely than to haue the bread distributed in the presence of the people then to be eatē vp in a corner of one alone Although therfore the Papistes do boaste that they haue the substāce of the lordes supper in their masses yet for al that in dede it is playne that so many priuate masses as they haue celebrated so many conquestes hath Sathan erected to ouerthrowe the supper of the lord Neither is it true whiche they saye that it is a sacrifice offered in the name of the whole churche For Christ did not cōmaūde that one mā shuld eate it in the name of all the reste but that euery one should take and eate thē selues By the same woordes we are taught what oblatiō was offered of Christ in the supper He commaundeth his disciples to take He it is therfore that offereth Where as therfore the Papistes fayne that Christ offereth him selfe in the Supper it cōmeth of the cōtrary authour namely of the deuell not of Christe And truely this is a wonderfull inuersion and preposterous dealing that a mortall man whē he is cōmaunded to take the body of Christ should take vnto him selfe his office of offering and so making him self a prieste offereth vnto God his sonne We go not about here to declare howe full of sacriledge and execrable abhomination their fayned oblation is it is sufficient for vs to proue that it hath so little affinite with the institution of Christe that it dothe rather directly impugne the same This is my body Christ calleth the bread his body For the relatiue This doth expresse the bread and not the body For by and by it followeth This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud the which are figuratiue sayinges as we shall see anone But where as they saye that the bread was consecrated by these wordes that it might bee an outwarde signe of Christes fleshe we doe not dislike if so be that this woorde signe be rightly and truely taken Christe therefore chose the breade whiche was appointed to nourishe the body and sanctifieth it to another vse that it may now beginne to be spirituall foode And this is that conuersion whereof the aunciēt wryters of the church haue made mencion But for all this wee must note that the bread is not consecrated by whyspering and breathing ouer it but by the pure doctrine of faithe And truely it is a magicall sorcery when the consecration is directed to a dead element because the bread is not made a signe of the body of Christe for it selfe but for vs To be shorte Consecration is nothing els than a solēne testimony by the whiche the Lorde dothe geue vnto vs a terrestriall and corruptible signe to a spirituall vse The whiche thing cannot be done excepte the cōmaundement promise do plainly sounde forth to the building of faith Whereby it is euident againe that the Papistes do wickedly prophane the holy mistery with their obscure muttering and breathing But it Christe do cōsecrate the bread when he testifieth vnto vs that it is his body we must not imagin the alteration of the substāce but we must marke the newnes of the vse And except the craftines of the deuel had so bewitched the worlde that being once caried by the vayne imaginatiō of transsubstantiation it will at this daye admit no true interpretatiō in these words it should be superfluous in vayne to spend any long time in sekinge out the sence and meaning Christ pronoūceth that the bread is his body and he intreateth of the sacrament And we must nedes cōfesse that a sacrament dothe consiste of a visible signe to the whiche the thinge signified is ioyned whiche is his truthe This also hath bene euer a general rule that the name of the thing signified is trāsferred to the signe Wherefore no man that hath but indifferently traueled in the scriptures wyll deny but that a sacramentall speache must be taken denominatiuely We let passe generall tropes figures which are in diuers places of the scripture This onely we saye that so often as the externall signe is sayd to be that which it signifieth all men wyll confesse that it is done by a figure called Metonymia or Denomination If Baptisme be called the lauer of regeneration if Christe bee called the Rocke from whiche water flowed to the peopled that were in the deserte If the holy ghoste be called a doue no man nede to doubte but that the name of those thynges is attributed to signes whiche they figure Howe commeth it to passe then that they whiche so muche reuerence the woordes of the Lord cannot abide to haue that ioyned to the supper whiche is cōmon to all sacramentes The simple litterall sence doth please thē why then shal not the same rule preuayle in al other sacraments Truly vnles they graunt the Christe was a rocke substantially the reproche with the which thei oppresse vs is vnsauery stinketh If we expounde the bread to be called the body of Christ because it was a signe outwarde token of his body they pretēde falsely alleage by by that the whole doctrine of the scripture is ouerthrowen and made frustrate For wee haue not of late tyme inuented this rule of speakyng but all men haue receiued the same beinge set downe to vs by S. Augustine out of the authoritie of the auncient fathers that the names of spirituall thinges are improperly ascribed vnto signes and that all places of Scripture ought so to be expounded whē mencion is made of Sacramentes But to what purpose do we take an Axioma and sentence alwayes receiued and approued to moue great cries and shoutes as it were in a new and vnwonted thing But let mad men crye whyle them liste this shall preuayle with modest men and suche as are in their wyttes that there is in these woordes of Christe a sacramentall manner of speache Whereupon it followeth that the breade because it is a signe of Christes body is called
his body But there are two kyndes of men whiche contende with vs in this matter The Papistes being deluded with their transsubstantiation do deny the bread to be sene because the shewe therof doth only remayne without the subiecte but S. Paule confuteth their fantasy affirming that the bread whiche we breake is the communication of Christes body Furthermore the very nature it selfe of a Sacrament dothe abhorre their fonde imaginatioÌ„ the which can not stande perfecte except the outward signe be true For whereby shall we learne that our soules are fedde with the fleshe of Christe if the true bread bee not set before our eyes but a vayne phantasy For the body of Christe is not here geuen vnto vs simplely but to eate the colour of bread doth not nourishe but the substance Moreouer what will they say as coÌ„cerning the other signe For Christ saith not This is my bloud but This cuppe Therefore according to their fantasy not only the wyne but the matter also whereof the cuppe was made must of necessitie be transsubstantiated into bloud Nowe where as our EuaÌ„geliste hathe I wyll not drynke hereafter of this frute of the vyne he plainly thereby declareth that it was wyne whiche Christe gaue to drynke and not his bloud Therefore euery waye the grose ignorance of the Papistes is confuted M. And where as they saie that they gathered this their traÌ„ssubstantiation out of the wrytinges of the fathers peraduenture it is true that they gathered it but if thei did so it was by false interpretatioÌ„ miscoÌ„struing of their works that they did it For the fathers in some of their wrytinges saye that the breade with great admiration wonder is chaunged in to the body the wyne into the bloude of Christe Now these gatherers vnderstoode theÌ„ of the mutacion chaunging of the substance whereas the fathers touched not the same but vnderstode that the terrestrial coÌ„dition vse of bread was so chauÌ„ged into a heauenly that it was now to the faithful man not terrene or earthly bread neither in that vse that earthly bread remaineth but that it passeth into the body of Christe into celestiall nourishement The which chaunge might be called conditionall not substantiall And because it is a thing wonderfull in dede they sayd truely that the bread and wyne after a woÌ„derfull manner was chauÌ„ged into the body and bloud of Christe For who would not marueile that the terrene bread shoulde be taken and chaunged into suche dignytie that it maye bee called the body of Christe Who would not meruaile that the grosse elemeÌ„t of water should be chaunged into the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ and that it is geuen in washing the body to haue the purifying of the soule the wyping away of sinne A. And this is that coÌ„secration of the which we spake before C. And there are other some whiche reiecte the figure and lyke mad men receyue the same by and by againe The bread accordinge to their iudgement is truely and properly called the body Neither do they lyke of transsubstantiatioÌ„ because it is altogether voide of reason But when they are asked if the bread and wyne he Christe they aunswere that the bread is therefore called his body because it is receiued vnder the breade and with the bread in the Supper But truely by this aunswere we maye gather that the name of body is improperly transferred to the bread whereof it is the signe And it is marueile seing that these men can say that Christe spake thus in respect of the Sacramentall vnion that they marke not what they say For what is the sacramental vnioÌ„ of the thing of the signe Is it not so called because the lord fulfilleth that which he promiseth by the secrete power of his holy spirit Wherefore these maisters of learning are no lesse ridiculous thaÌ„ the Papists Hetherto we haue expouÌ„ded the wordes of the Lorde Now let vs se how the body of Christ is geuen vnto vs Some declare that it is geueÌ„ vnto vs wheÌ„ we are made partakers of all the blessinges which Christ hath gotten vnto vs as in his body wheÌ„ by faith we imbrace Christ crucified raysed froÌ„ death for vs and that by that meanes we are made partakers effectually of all his blessinges Other some much better say that we do then receiue the blessing benefites of Christes when we obtaine Christe him selfe For we do obtaine him not onely when we beleue that he was made a sacrifice for vs but also wheÌ„ he dwelleth in vs when he is one with vs when we are his members of his fleshe of his bones when we growe if we may so speake into life substance with him Furthermore we heare what the woordes may signifie for Christe doth not only offer vnto vs the benefite of his resurrection but his very body in the whiche he suffered rose againe Therfore the body of Christ is truly geuen vnto vs in the supper that it may be the foode of life vnto our soules that is to saye our soules are fed with the substaunce of Christes body that we may truly be made one with him or els whiche is as muche in effecte the quickening force out of the flesh of Christ is powred into vs by the spirite although it be farre from vs not mixed with vs Therefore a voyde or vayne signe is not set before vs but they are truly made partakers of the fleshe bloud of the Lord whiche by faith receiue this promise For the Lorde should commaunde his disciples to eate bread in vaine affirming it to be his body except the effecte were added to the figure Neither is this questioÌ„ haÌ„dled amoÌ„g vs whether Christe doe geue vnto vs hym selfe truely or figuratiuely onely For although we beholde there nothinge but the bread yet notwithstanding he doth not frustrate or mocke vs which taketh vpon him to fede our soules with his fleshe The true eatynge therefore of the fleshe of Christ is not set forth by a signe onely but also is offered in very dede But it is good for vs here to obserue throâ—… thinges namely that the spirituall matter be not ioyned amisse with the signe SecoÌ„dly that Christe be not sought in earth or vnder earthly elemeÌ„tes Thirdly that no other eatiâ—â— be inuenâ—…ed or imagined thaÌ„ that which by the secrete power of Christe inspireth life into vs because we doe not obtaine him but by faithe only First of all as we sayde let there remayne a difference betwene the signe the thing signified except we will peruerte all thinges For there shall remaine no profite of the sacrameÌ„t except it leade vs from the beholding the earthly element to the heauenly mistery Whefore whosoeuer doth not discerne the bodye of Christe from the bread and the wyne from the bloud he shal neuer vnderstaÌ„d what the supper meaneth or wherefore the faithfull doe vse these outwarde signes Secondly let vs followe the lawefull
manner of seking Christe that is let not our myndes reste in the earthe but let them ascende vpwarde to the heauenly glory in the which he dwelleth For the body of Christe doth not put on an incorruptible life that it might laye asyde his proper nature Whereupon it followeth that it is ended But nowe he is ascendeth aboue the heauens least any grosse imaginatiō should tie vs to the earth And certainly if this mistery be heauēly there is nothing more out of order than to bring downe Christe into the earth whiche doth rather call vs vp vnto him If a man aske a Papiste whether he worship the bread or the shewe and colour of bread he wyll strongly deny that he doth not worship the bread but notwithstāding when they go about to worship Christ they tourne them selues to the bread thei tourne them selues I saye vnto it not with the eies only and the whole body but with the cogitation of the mynde also But what other thinges in this than mere Idolatry For truly this partaking of the body of the Lorde whiche is offered vnto vs in the supper doth require neither the locall presēce neither the cōming down of Christ neither his infinite being in euery place neither any such thing For seing the supper is a heauēly actiō it is no absurditie to say the Christ abiding in heauē is receiued of vs Because in that he geueth him self vnto vs it is done by the secrete power of the holy ghoste the which power cannot only gather together thinges far a sonder by distance of places but also brynge them into one The bunde therefore of this coniunctions is the spirite of the Lorde by the knitting together wherof we are coupled is as it were a conducte pype by the which whatsoeuer Christe hath is deriued and brought vnto vs For if we see that the Sunne shining with his beames vpon the earth doth strike and pearce through the same and after a sorte cōneieth his substāce vnto it to bring forth to nourishe quickē the creatures therof why should the shining beames of the spirit of Christe be inferior to conueye the communion of his fleshe and bloud into vs Wherefore the Scripture speaking of our participation with Christe dothe referre the whole force thereof vnto the spirit notwithstanding let this place of S. Paule among many suffice to proue that Christe dwelleth no otherwyse in vs than by his spirite when he saith But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you By the which notwithstanding he doth not take awaye that communion of the bodye and bloud of the which mencion is now made but teacheth that it commeth by the spirit only that we possesse and haue Christe within vs. To the ende therefore we may be capeable of this communiō we must lifte vp our myndes to heauen Here therefore he helpeth our faithe after that all our fleshly sences fayle When mencion is here made of faythe we must not vnderstande it to be euery opinion grounded vpon the inuenciōs of men as many very fondly doe What thē Thou seest bread but nothing els but thou hearest that it is a token pledge of the body of Christe doubt not but that the same whiche the wordes do sounde shal be fulfilled of the Lorde namely that the body whiche thou seest not shal be vnto thee spirituall nourishement Thirdly as we said before we must note the kinde of eating for we must not dreame or immagin that there is a naturall passing made of his substance into our soules but his fleshe is eaten of vs when we receaue life of him For we muste note the analogy or similitude of the bread with the fleshe by the which we are taught that our soules are no lesse fed with the very fleshe of Christ than our bodies are nourished with the vigore and strēgth of bread Therefore the fleshe of Christ is a spirituall foode because it quickeneth vs And it doth therefore quicken because the holy ghoste doth power the lyfe into vs whiche resteth in the same And although it be one thinge to eate the fleshe of Christe and an other thing to beleue in him yet notwithstāding we must knowe that we can eate Christe no otherwyse than by fayth because the very eating is the effecte of faythe M. This semeth incredible that we should be fed with the fleshe of Christe which is so farre from vs But let vs remember that the woorke of the holy ghoste is secrete and wonderful in so muche that the capacitie and vnderstanding of man is not able to measure or comprehende the same and in the meane tyme let vs put away al grosse immaginations whiche staye vs in the bread Leaue vnto Christe the true nature of his fleshe neither extende thou his body by false imagination through heauen and earthe as though it were infinite racke him not with thy fained inuēcions neither worship thou him in this or that place accordinge to thy carnall vnderstanding suffer his glory to abyde in heauen and ascende thou thyther that thereby he may participate hym selfe vnto thee These fewe wordes will satisfie the discrete and modest as for the curious let them seke els where to fulfill their gredy desier S. Luke S. Paule adde these wordes VVhiche is geuen for you Doe this in remembraunce of me C. But Mathewe and Marke omitte it which not withstāding was not superfluous For therfore the fleshe of Christe is nowe bread vnto vs because in it saluation was once gotten for vs And as the crucified fleshe of Christe doth profite no man but suche as eate the same by faithe euen so in lyke manner the eating should be colde of no waighte but only in respect of the sacrifice once offered Therefore whosoeuer desireth to haue the the fleshe of Christ nourishemēt vnto him let him consider the same offered vppon the crosse howe that it was the price of our reconciliation payde vnto god For the Supper is a glasse whiche setteth Christe crucified before our eyes in so muche that no mā can receiue the supper profitably with frute but he which imbraceth Christe crucified But the saying before mencioned Do this in remembraunce of me doth pertayne to both partes that is to say to the bread and to the cup. For he woulde haue the whole action of the Supper to be a remembraūce of hym to helpe our infirmitie Otherwyse if we coulde remember sufficiently the death of Christe sacramentes were to no purpose for they are helpes of our infirmitie But what remēbrāce Christ would haue celebrated in his supper wee may reade in the foremencioned S. Paule And whereas many doe gather hereupon that Christe is therfore absent from the supper because it is onely a memory of one that is absent they do very well gather rightly For Christe is not sene visibly with the eyes as the signe is whiche in figuring him stirreth vp our
remembraunce to thinke vppon him But although he be absent yet in power he is present and will be to the ende of the worlde 27 And he toke the cup and thāked and gaue it to them saying Drinke ye all of this And he toke the cup. E. The Euangelist Luke addeth so doth Paule saying when he had supped because he gaue the cup twyse firste according to the auncient custome and supper being ended he is nowe sayd to geue it againe that wee might knowe the matters to bee dyuers Drinke ye all of this C. Because it was the purpose of Christ to direct our whole faith to him selfe least we should seke any thinge without him he testified that our lyfe was included in him by two signes This body standeth in nede of meate and drinke to susteine it and kepe it aliue Therefore Christ seking to teache vs that he only is sufficient for vs to geue vnto vs all thinges necessary for health geueth or attributeth the course of meate and drinke to him self By the which his wonderfull sufferaunce appeareth because he seking to helpe our faythe doth in this wyse frame hym selfe to the rudenes of our fleshe Whereby it appeareth the more howe detestable the wycked bouldenes of the Pope is by the whiche he is not afraide to breake this holy knot We heare that the sonne of God wytnessed and declared by twoo signes at once the fulnes of lyfe whiche he geueth to those that are his By what righte is it lawefull for a mortall man to pull a sonder those thynges whiche God hath ioyned together We must alwayes remember this that Christe doth first commaunde vs what wee shall do and then addeth a promyse if wee fulfill not his commaundement we loke for the promise in vayne For he beginneth with a commaundement and commaundeth all of them to drinke of this cup. Therfore if the enemies of the Gospell do boaste that thei haue the bloud of Christe without the communiō let vs assure our selues that it is moste false For the promise is awaye where the cōmaundemēt is not kept Why Christ doth rather here than in that which went before adde this generall word All this semeth to be the reason namely that he might preuēt the deuelishe inuentiō which afterward crept into the church the which because he foresawe he thought good opēly to condemne As concerning the bread we reade that he willed them simpely to take but why doth he expressely commaunde all to drinke and why doth Marke saye playnly that all dranke but onely because the faithful should learne to beware of new inuencion And yet for all this seuere prohibition the Pope was not one whit afrayd but durste take vppon hym to chaunge and violate the lawe whiche the Lorde so firmely made For he kept al the people from the vse of the cuppe and to excuse hym selfe he saith that one kinde is sufficient because the bloud is included in the fleshe As though truely the whole Sacrament might not be abbolished by that pretence because Christ can if it pleased him make vs partakers of him selfe as well without either of bothe signes Furthermore the Papistes say that it was daungerous least the bloud shoulde be shed For they thought that it was wyne no more but pure and true bloud and they woulde be wyser than the sonne of God to auoyde that daunger whereof he tooke no hede But their impietie is nothing at all furthered by these chyldishe cauils because there is nothing more absurde than to depriue the faythfull wyllingly of those helpes whiche the Lorde hath geuen vnto them and therefore nothing is lesse tollerable than this wicked tearing of the mistery Seing therefore one error bringeth forthe an other the institution of Christe whiche is the wysdome of his father must be kepte sounde and perfect and he only ought to be preferred before all men and forsaking all other we ought to cleaue to his authoritie 28 For this is my bloud whiche is of the newe Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes For this is my bloud Saint Luke describeth these wordes thus This cup is the newe Testament in my bloude And S. Paule hath the like wordes No man truly neede to doubt but that Luke and Paule keping the same sence and meaninge altered the wordes which Mathewe and Marke haue sayinge This is my bloude of the newe Testament In eyther forme of words this is most euident that the Lorde by this Cup doth offer and set forth two thinges namely his bloud and the newe Testament For the newe Testament is the fruite of Christes bloude whiche was shed on the Crosse and abydeth in vs and for that cause the ende summe in this misticall exhibition Herevppon S. Luke and the Apostle Paule expressed that in the former place but because wee haue a couenaunte and league by the bloud of Christ they added sayinge In my bloude The sence and meaninge therefore of the wordes of the Lorde is as Luke and Paule expressed them Take and vnderstande by this Cuppe the newe couenaunt of grace beinge confirmed vnto you by this my bloude which take ye also here of mee and drincke Although this exhibition of the bloud of Christ to be dronke be not so plainlye expressed in the wordes of the Lorde by Luke and Paule yet notwithstanding it is most euidently gathered by the woordes of Mathewe and Marke which say Take ye and drinke ye all of this And he saide vnto them this is my bloude of the newe Testamente Which wordes what do they signifye els than this Take ye with this Cuppe and drincke my bloud by the which my newe couenant is confirmed and geuen vnto you C. For this couenaunt is sealed by nothinge els than by the spirituall drinking of the bloud of Christ that it maye be strong and of efficacy But hereby we may gather how folishly the Papistes and suche others are superstitious whiche byte and choppe the wordes For although they make a noyse and talke yet for all that this exposition of the holy ghost cannot be reiected that the Cuppe is called bloud because it is the Testament in bloude And trulye the like consideration is to be had of the bread whervppon it followeth that it is called the body because it is a Testamente in the bodye There is now no cause whye they shoulde contende and saye that wee muste beleeue the simple wordes of Christ and that we muste shut our eares to al other forreine interpretacions It is Christ himselfe whiche speaketh whom they wil not deny to be a meete interpreter of his owne woordes But truly hee manifestly declareth that hee called the bread his body vppon no other consideration but because hee made his euerlastinge couenaunt with vs that the sacrifyce beinge offered wee mighte eate and drincke spiritually Of the nevve Testament B. The Epistle to the Hebrewes intreatinge of the newe Testamente alludeth to the order of Testamentes which are made onely for
necessar that hee shoulde be geuen once for oure saluation that hee might be daily geuen to vs Let vs know then that by these woordes we are directed to the sacrifyce of Christ his death without the rememberaunce whereof the Supper shall neuer be rightly celebyated Neither trulye can the mindes of the faithfull be otherwise filled but by this that they know God to be fauourable to them M. But this is diligently to be noted that hee sayd in the plurall nomber Of sinnes not of one sinne againste the opinion of those which wickedly say that the death of Christ hath made satisfaction for Originall sinne but not for actuall sinne and for those sinnes also which were cōmitted before Baptisme and not after for the which they appoint a proper satisfaction Against whom S. Iohn also writeth thus My little children these thinges writ I vnto you that ye sinne not but if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous hee is the propitiacion for our sinnes Hee writ no doubt to the Christians which were already baptized and therfore hee teacheth also that the sinnes of those that are baptised are forgeuen by the propitiation of Iesus Christe To these woordes of Christe S. Paule addeth this Do this so often as yee shall drincke it in the remembraunce of mee And then what that remēbraunce is hee declareth in the words followinge For so often as yee shall eate this breade drincke this Cuppe ye shall shew forth the Lordes death till his comminge Therfore the Supper is ◅ certaine memoriall which ought continuallye to abyde in the Churche euen till the last comming of Christe beinge instituted to this ende that Christ mighte admonishe vs of the benefite of his deathe and that wee might acknowledge the same before men wherevppon it is also called Eucharistia that is a thanckes geuinge 29. But I say vnto you I will not drincke henceforthe of this fruite of the vine tree vntil that day whē I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kingedome But I saye vnto you C. By this sentence the Dysciples were admonished as well of the death of their master which was at hād as of the newe and Heauenlye life For the more neere that the houre of his death approched the more they were to be confirmed least they should altogether quaile Hee sheeweth also that his Disciples shall in a short time haue the truth of this signe As if he should say I do not apoint a signe the truth of the which is farre of no it is at hand Hee commendeth vnto them his supper for this cōsideratiō because they shold not alwayes haue him present with them While hee was presente they were confirmed by his Sermones and now that he must be absent they had neede of another confirmatiō Great therfore is the force of the supper which supplyeth the presence of Christ and setteth him before vs But because it was sorrowfull tydinges when hee affirmed that he must now go out of the world there is by and by added a consolation that there is no cause why they shoulde abhorre death after which there shall followe a better life as if hee had sayd ▪ Now truly do I make hast vnto death but to this ende that I may thereby passe to blessed immortality not to liue alone in the kingdome of God by my selfe but that I may haue you partakers of the same life So we see that hee lifteth vs hys Dysciples to the hope of the resurrection after hee had ledde them by the hande as it were to the Crosse And as it was meete that they should be directed to the death of Christ that by that ladder they might assende into Heauen euen so now Christ hauinge tasted of death and beinge receiued vp into Heauen it is meete that wee be broughte from the behouldinge of the Crosse to the lifting vp of our mindes to Heauen that death and the repayringe of life may agree together And that they shal be partakers of the same glory with him it may euidentlye appeare by his wordes VVhen I shall drincke it nevve vvith you in my fathers kingdome Bu. As if hee should say I beinge now made immortall and translated into the glory of my father or els I beinge now in Heauenly glorye in eternall ioye For Luke hath almost the like wordes when he sayth And I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed vnto mee that yee may eate drincke at my table in the kingdome C. But whereas some do obiecte that meate and drincke doth not appertaine to the kingdome of God it is a friuolous and vaine obiection because Christe meaneth nothinge els but that his Dysciples should shortly want his presence insomuche that after this hee shoulde eate with them no more till that they enioyed the Heauenly kingdome together Againe the eatinge and drinkinge mencioned in Luke is spoken of our sauiour Christ allegorically To be shorte Christe here commendeth vnto vs the frute and effect of the redemption which he got by his death Whereas some thincke that this was fulfilled so often as the Lord did eate with his Dysciples it is contrary to his minde and nothinge so For seinge hee was the mydle state betweene the course of mortall life the goale or ende of Heauenly life the kingdome of God was not then as yet reuealed and therefore hee sayd vnto Mary Toutch mee not for I am not yet assended to my father Moreouer the Dysciples were not as yet entered into the kingdome of God that they might drincke new wyne with Christ and be partakers of the same glorye But whereas wee reade that Christ drancke after his resurrection when as notwithstādinge he had denyed to do it till such tyme as hee had gathered his Dysciples into the kingdome of Heauen that shewe of repugnancye may easlye be put awaye For hee speaketh not precisely of meate and drincke but of the custome of this present life And wee knowe that Christe did not therefore drincke eyther because hee was a thrist or because hee woulde retaine his Dysciples in his meate and drincke but onely that his resurrection beinge thereby approued of the which they were as yet doubtfull he might lift vp their mindes to Heauē Let vs therfore contente our selues with this true and proper meaning of the place that the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples the fellowship of the blessed and immortall life with him seing they had the fellowship of his mortall humanity in earth 30. And when they had saide grace they went out vnto mount Oliuet And vvhen they had saide grace C. The first three Euangelistes omit those deuine Sermones which S. Iohn sayth the Lord made as wel in the house as by the way that they wente For their purpose was to comprehende and set forthe the Historye of thinges done more than doctrine This onely they toutche that hee wente of his owne accorde to the place whether Iudas was
determined to come to the ende wee mighte knowe that he so disposed the seasons of that â—â—â—e that voluntarily hee might meete with his betrayer E. The lattine translatioÌ„ hath And when they had songe a Hymne or Psalme Wherevppon Paulâ—…s burgensis affyrmeth that it was an auncient tradition and custome amonge the Iewes wheÌ„ they had eaten the Paschall lambe to begin this Psalme Prayse the Lorde ye seruauntes And to singe foorthe till they came to this Psalme Blessed are all those that be vndefyled in the waye and walke in the Lorde And he thinketh this to be the Hymne which Christ songe with his Dysciples Hereby trulye it appeareth that they were wont of common custome to singe a Hymne so ofteÌ„ as thei celebrated Paseouer Notwithstanding it is vncertaine with what words they praysed God here and whether they songe this prayse or spake it simplely The Greke word in this place signifyeth that they gaue the praise due vnto God but it dothe not therevppon followe that they did singe it It cannot be affyrmed whether Christ vsed those wordes which the Iewes did in the feaste of Paseouer It is credible that hee spake to his Dysciples at this speciall feast of Easter by some newe Hymne whiche shoulde not so muche put them in minde of their deliuerance out of Egipt as it should celebrate and commende the mystery of the kingdome of God which was theÌ„ in hand that they mighte geeue the more dilligente heede to accepte his woordes All the wordes and deedes of Christ in this day of Pasouer do expresse and declare a singuler affection What matter is it if wee beleeue that this grace or Hymne was agreeable to the matter which was then in hande They vvent out vnto mounte Oliuet M. It seemeth to some that grace beinge sayde the Lorde roose from supper and wasshed hys Dysciples feete and that afterward he had that longe talke wherof S. Iohn maketh mencion partly in the house and partly in their iorney to the mouÌ„te of Oliues Other some thincke that the supper beinge prepared hee wasshed his Dysciples feete that afterward hee did eate Passeouer and then that he instituted the misticall supper and last of all that grace being sayd he went out taught his Dysciples those thinges whereof S. Iohn writeth from his .15 Chapter vnto the 18. Chapter in the which hee sayth thus When Iesus had spoken these wordes he went foorth with his Dysciples ouer the broke Cedron to mounte Oliuet as he was wont as sayth Luke B. This was not the first time that the Lord went out to mount Oliuet but as it was sayde euen now out of Luke he went often thither For as the same Luke also sayth in those dayes hee was wont from the time that hee entered so king like into Hierusalem to teache in the daye time in the Temple in the night time to abyde in the mounte of Oliues And herevppon Iudas toke occasion and oportunitye to betray him without tumult the whiche oportunitye the Lorde knowinge whereabout he went willingly gaue him wheras oftentimes before hee fled awaye because his hower was not yet come Seinge then he wente forth at this time to that accustomed place whiche was knowen to Iudas the trayter it is a manifest tokeÌ„ that he suffered not his passion against his will. 31. Then saide Iesus vnto them all yee shal be offended because of mee this nighte For it is written I will smite the shepehearde and the shepe of the flocke shal be scattered abroade All ye shal be offended C. That which Mathewe and Marke extende to all the Dysciples in generall Luke sayth it was spoken to Peter onely For although hee spake to all yet notwithstandinge it maye be that Christe spake vnto them in the person of one whiche was to be admonished before all other and had neede of singuler consolation least after the denyinge of Christe desperation should vtterly ouerthrow him M. But there were two causes whye Christe forewarned his Dysciples for first they might be more ware if they had any minde at all Secondlye it serued to humble them when they should see their fall notwithstandinge that they were forewarned To be offended in this place signifyeth as muche as to be troubled As the ship is driuen oute of her course into another way through a tempest euen so Sathan deuiseth all meanes possible to trouble vs in our race that hee maye draw vs into a coÌ„trary way Because of mee sayth hee or for my sake that is I will be vnto you an occasion of trouble For when hee was taken all fled awaye therefore the person of Christe was vnto them the stomblinge blocke of offence For it is vvritten B. Hereby wee are admonished that all things are dispenced and ordered accordinge to the will of God and that the death of Christ was of such estimation with the father that all things almost which hee suffered were foreshewed of him by the Prophetes I vvill smite the Shepeherde C. By this prophesye hee exhorteth them to ouercome offence and to put away trouble of minde because God will not let to acknowledge those for his sheepe whiche are compelled to scatter and straye from place to place for a time For after the Prophete had spoken of the restoringe of the Church leaste that the extreame myseries whiche were now at hand should ouerwhelme the mindes of the godly throughe dispayre hee pronounceth that gouernment beinge confounded and ouerthrowne there shal be a sorrowfull and myserable dispertion but yet for all this that the grace of God shall ouercome B. These are the wordes of the Prophete Aryse O thou sworde vpon my Shepehearde and vppon the Prince of my people sayth the Lorde of hostes Smyte the sheepeherde and the sheepe shal be scattered abroade C. But although all interpreters for the most parte do restrayne this place of the Prophete to the person of Christ onely yet notwithstandinge it maye be more largely extended as if it had beene sayde that there shal be no more gouernemente with the which the people were defended because the sheepeherdes shal be destroyed For there is no doubte but that the purpose of the Lord was to comprehende al that whole time in the whiche after the tyrannye of Antiochus the Church was left naked and despoyled of good pastors and brought into vaste desolation For theÌ„ God suffered the sword to walke horribly a long time which extinguishing the pastors woÌ„derfully troubled the state of the people Yet for all that this dispersion and scatteringe did not let and stay the Lord but that at the length hee gathered his sheepe together with an outstretched arme But althoughe the Prophete doth generallye declare that the Churche shoulde bee depriued of her shepeheardes yet for all that the Prophesy is truly and properly applyed vnto Christe For seinge hee was the heade chiefe of al Pastors of whom onely the saluation of the Churche did depende hee beinge once deade all
Lorde And so by all meanes men are alienate and drawen awaye from God vntyll he gather them vnto hym agayne Wee muste also note the circumstaunce that the disciples being so sharpely reprehended fell strayghtwaye a sleape agayne But this is not spoken of all the disciples but of those three onely whiche the Lorde chose to beare hym company What shall become then of the commoÌ„ sorte when this happened in the flower M. Truely there is nothing spoken here of the infirmitie and slouggishenes of the disciples whiche happeneth not dayly vnto vs For howe often are wee admonished and howe often do we fall for all that Wee haue nede therefore of Christe whiche may styrre vs vp wee haue nede also of his sufferaÌ„ce that he may beare with our forgetfulnes least we by by be caste of according to our deseruing 44 And he luâ—…te them and went agayne and prayed the thyrde tyme sayinge the same woordes And he lefte them C. Hee seinge that the eyes of his disciples were heauy and that his former reprehencion had profited little with them lefte them and wente to prayer agayne And prayed the thirde tyme. M. The affection of nature abhorring the crosse caused hym to do this For although there were not in hym suche a wrestlynge of the fleshe and of the spirite as there is in vs yet notwithstanding because he tooke vpon him our infirmities it was mete that he should be like vnto vs in somewhat that feare might haue his course to come again though it were once or twyse ouercome Saying the same vvordes C. The itteration or repetition of one thing was not lippe labour whiche Christe condemned in hipocrites whiche thinke that they shall obtaine that with their vayne babling whiche they aske not sincerely or with the harte but Christe taught by his example that it becommeth vs not to bee discouraged nor weary in praying if we obtayne not by and by our desiers This therefore is not a superfluous repetition of woordes if the temptation of repulse or deniall of our requestes do not extinguyshe the desyer of praying but doe continue askyng the same thing the thirde and fourth tyme whiche the Lorde before seamed to haue denied M. The Euangeliste Luke addeth saying And his sweate was like droppes of bloud trickling down to the grounde â–ª The which wordes are not so to be taken as though he would say that these droppes were but lyke dropes of bloude and not bloud in dede but we must vnderstande them that his sweate ranne down with droppes of bloud And the Greke worde here doth not onely signifie likenes but also the shewe of truthe as when it is sayde And we sawe his glory as it had ben the glory of the only begotteÌ„ sonne of God. that bloudy sweate truely was a token of great paine torment very miraculous 45 Then coÌ„meth he to his disciples and saith vnto them sleape on nowe and take your reste beholde the howre is at hande and the sonne of man is betraied into the handes of synners Then commeth he â—…o his disciples Bu. His prayers being ended and his whole cause being committed vnto God and his mynde being framed and confirmed to suffer death to abyde all kynde of tormentes the Lord retourneth to his disciples whome he founde nothing the more vigilante and saithe Slepe on novv and take your rest C. It may appere euidently enough the Christ speaketh here Ironice but yet let vs see to what end this figuratiue speache dothe appertaine For because Christe had profited nothing in admonishing his disciples hee dothe not onely touche their sluggishnes but also denounceth that although they woulde bee slouthful they should haue no leasure The sence therefore is this Because I haue hytherto spoken vnto you in vayne I wyll nowe ceasse to exhorte you any more But howe soeuer ye haue lybertie to sleape through me yet notwithstaÌ„ding your enemies wyll not suffer it but wyl constrayne you to watche against your willes Bu. For nowe both my payne and your great daunger also is at hande And therfore in Marke it is added It is enough as if hee shoulde haue sayde It is not nowe tyme to sleape And after this manner the Lorde dothe oftentymes chasten the sluggishnes of men that they which are deafe to heare wordes may at the lengthe be constrayned by euels to watche Wherefore let vs learne by the wordes of the Lorde to geue eare in dewe tyme least that necessitie plucke that from vs by violence to late whiche hee by fayre meanes wold haue gotteÌ„ at our haÌ„ds in due tyme Beholde the hovver is at hande M. He maketh mencion of his hower to the ende they might vnderstande that nowe there is nothing lesse thaÌ„ the tyme of sleape to be taken as if he should saye It is nowe the hower in the whiche I must be taken my enemies are present that must laye handes vpon me and yet ye sleape this hower requireth an other matter nowe can yâ—… not sleape any more aryse and so forth And we must note that he calleth that tyme of his taking his hower that is the certain appointed tyme Euen as it is sayd in another place They sought therefore to take him but no man layde handes on him because his hower was not yet come We are therfore here admonished that euery man hath a certayne and appointed tyme either of lyfe or death whiche he can not passe And the sâ—…n of maÌ„ 〈◊〉 and into the haÌ„ds of sinners M. By the name of sinners in this place as in many other also all mortal men are not vnderstoode whiche by nature are synfull but the wicked only and such as haue no feare of God before their eyes Whereupon S. Peter also saith thus Hym haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persones after he was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne hym To bee betrayed into the hands of synners is to be deliuered into all their power and to bee geuen to be vsed at their pleasure When he sayeth that he must be geuen to synners he meaneth that he being innocente must be delyuered vp and sheweth also that they were wycked and vniust ministers of his deathe although he shoulde bee delyuered into their handes by the deuine counsell of the father Hereby we perceyue that the deuine dispensation vseth the reprobate to the chastisement of his sonnes yea and the ministery of Sathan also as we haue often tymes declared before 46 Ryse let vs be goinge beholde he is at hande that doth betraye me Rise let vs be going C. By these woordes he declareth that so soone as he had praied he was armed with newe weapons Ar the fyrste truely hee was wyllynge â—…nough to dye but in the very instante he had a sharpe battayle with the fleshe in so much that willingly he would haue deliuered hym selfe from death if so be he might haue done it with the good will of
his father He obtayned therefore by teares from heauen newe power Not that hee euer stoode in lacke or wanted the same but because vnder the infyrmitie of the fleshe whiche heeÌ„ tooke vppon hym of his owne accorde hee woulde paynefully trauayle with grief hard labour that in his owne persone he myght get vnto vs the victory And nowe the tremblynge beynge asswaged and feare subdewed to the ende hee myght agayne offer a voluntary sacrifice to the father hee doth not onely stand to his purpose constantly but goeth wyllyngly to the deathe A. He saithe not Rise let vs flie away but aryse 〈◊〉 vs 〈◊〉 them M. Whereuppon â—… Iohn wryteth thus And Iesus knowing all thynges that should come on hym wente foorthe and sayde vnto them whome seke ye Beholde he is at hande that dothe betraye me M. He rather maketh mention of the traytour than of any other because there was more faulte in hym than in any other of the souldiours that came with hym He sayde not Iudas is at hande for then they should haue vnderstode what daunger ther might be by the coÌ„ming of Iudas which was their fellowe disciple but hee saithe He is at hande whiche dothe betraye me that being thereby moued they might start vp with spede as if he should saye He is come of whom I said vnto you at the Supper One of you shal betray me Now ye sée that I spake vnto you the trueth C. For the EuaÌ„gelistes do declare with great diligeÌ„ce that the Lord foresawe whatsoeuer he spake Wheruppon it might certeinly be gathered that he was not drawne vnto death by external violence but in respect of this that the wicked executed the secret counsell of god Although therfore a sorowful fearefull sighte was by by set before the disciples yet notwithstaÌ„ding an argumeÌ„t coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of their faith was therwith offered whereby they might erecte conforte them selues seing the matter it selfe did declare that nothing was don by chaunce the fore warning of Christ directed theÌ„ to behold the glory of his deity 47. VVhile he yet spake lo Iudas one of the twelue came and with him a great multitude with swordes and staues sente from the chiefe pristes and elders of the people VVhile he yet spake M. S. Iohn writeth saying Iudas then after he had receyued a bond of men ministers of the hye priestes Phariseis came thyther with lanterns and fyerbrands and weapens after these things the wordes which our Euangeliste writeth followe namely VVhile he yet spake The weapens meÌ„cioned by s. Iohn are called by Mathew Marke Luke swordes and staues And because the Lord had said to his sleapy Disciples Behold he is at hande which doth betray me now the Euangeliste doth coÌ„sequently describe howe it was don saying VVhile he yet spake lo M. The Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn beinge a sleape Iudas sleapte not but watched diligently that he might bringe the worke of his treason to an ende The whiche is an exaÌ„ple of the wycked disposition of maÌ„ by the which it coÌ„meth to passe that the reprobate are more vigilaÌ„t to do euel than the electe are to do good One of the nomber C. A horrible exaÌ„ple truely that Christe should be betrayed of one of his Apostels which he had choseÌ„ himself It was mete it shoulde be so leaste peraduenture wee should be troubled with dayly treasons wheÌ„ we see that such betrayers of the woorde should come of the noÌ„ber of the ministers therof That must be fulfilled iâ—… the church which was begon in the head thereof the which is neuer more greuously afflicted thaÌ„ of those which seme to be the meÌ„bers therof And vvith him a great multitude M. He saith not And behold a great multitude and Iudas with them but speaking of the captaine of this multitude he saith Iudas came with him a great multitude So hath Luke And he which was called Iudas one of the twelue weÌ„te before theÌ„ So that the enemis of Christ which came against Christ were coÌ„ducted vnder the baÌ„ner of Iudas the Disciple of Christe A. And as the firste AdaÌ„ was takeÌ„ by the subtilty deceite of the SerpeÌ„t eueÌ„ so the secoÌ„d AdaÌ„ was betrayed by the wickednes of Iudas the son of the deuell but Adam coÌ„sented to sinne wheras Christ beinge altogether heaueÌ„ly got vnto vs al â–ª by his obedieÌ„ce euerlasting life But let vs behold coÌ„sider the hainousnes of the matter Iudas was therfore an Apostel of Christ that he might bring the multitude of people to beleue on Christe by the Gospel the worde of eternal saluatioÌ„ and to obtaine euerlasting life of him For the Gospel is the power of God to saluatioÌ„ to al that beleue the same But behold the reprobate wretche bringeth the multitude to destroye Christ and to get them perpetual daÌ„nation for somuche as the rewarde of sinne is death The hye priests Scribes Pharises the elders of the people were ordained to this purpose that they should shadowe prefigure Christ with their sacrifices for it was impossible the sinnee shoulde be put awaye by the bloud of beastes that they should administer pollitique ciuil gouernmeÌ„t to preserue the promises made as coÌ„cerniÌ„g christ but behold O vilsanouse dede they seÌ„de forth a traiter with a multitude of soldiers vtterly to destroy christ VVith svvordes M. S. Iohn calleth these swordes staues weapeÌ„s which the enemies of Christe vsed either leaste the Disciples or multitude should rescue defende Christe or els that the custome coÌ„mon maner might be obserued in takynge of Christe as of a seditiouse persone Wherefore not all the multitude but they only which were sente of the hye Pristes Scribes and Phariseis wente forth with the trayter hauing receiued a company or bande of soldiers of the Romaine captaine C. Whereby also it appeareth that the hye pristes and Scribes were stricken vexed with an euel coÌ„science in somuch that they did all thinges with feare For to what ende shoulde such preparation be to take Christ whome they knewe to be altogether vnarmed Hereuppon therfore came such careful prouisioÌ„ because the diuine power of Christe which they were constraineth by many documents to fels did vexe and trouble them within But of the other parte their moÌ„strouse madnes burst forth in that they bearing them selues boulde vppon the force of weapons dare presume to rebel against god A. And we must note that there were some of all estates which did helpe and geue their consent to take Christ Of the Apostels Iudas was one who sometimes tooke swete counsel of the Lord and walked with the Lorde as a frende yet for all that nowe he betrayeth him Of the soldiers ther was the chefe captaine with his wycked company as S. Iohn declareth at large Of the hye priestes Scribes Phariseis their ministers Of the elders of the people their seruaÌ„ts that no man might haue excuse 48. But he that
remember the olde fayth and frendeship that hathe bene betwene vs and howe haynouse and cruell a thinge it is to betraye the Sonne of man with a kysse whiche is a token of frendeship C. Thus we must learne accordinge to the example of Christe to mingle oyle vinegar together When the wycked are admonished wee muste vse this same moderation which Christ vseth here we must neither flatter theÌ„ nor vse to muche seuerity and al things muste be done vnfaynedlye otherwyse we shall not followe Christe whose admonition here described was vnfayned If the wicked do repente at our admonition we haue woon the saluation of oure neighbours but if they do not repente our good will shal be neuertheles profitable vnto vs. The same admonition did the Apostell geue to the Bushopes as appeareth in his epistell to Timothe Here also wee do euidently sée that whereof we are admonished a litell before namely that by what deceite soeuer hypocrites do couer them selues when they come in the presence of the Lord their wickednes is reuealed yea and that this doth bring great iudgemente vnto them because they beinge freÌ„dely intreated of Christe do rebell againste him Moreouer let vs vnderstaÌ„d that the Church shal be alwayes subiecte to this euell whiche Christe once in his persone sustained that is it shal nourse and bringe vp in the bosome therof trayters and false brethren And therefore it was said a litel before And the trayter which was one of the twelue came beinge spoken to this ende least we should be troubled out of measure by such exaÌ„ples because the Lord will trye our faith both wayes as when Sathan doth sett vpoÌ„ vs within the Church without by open enemys and when he goeth about our secrete destruction by hypocrits notwithstanding we are therewith taught that all wee whiche are the Disciples of Christe do imbrace sincerity with him For the defectioÌ„s and reuoltings which wee dayly beholde do stirre vs vp to the study of true piety to the feare of God as witnesseth S. Paule saying let euery one whiche calleth on the name of the Lorde departe from iniquity We are al commaunded to kysse and imbrace the sonne of God. Let euery one therefore take hede that he do it not trayterouslye Then came they and layed handes on Iesus E. The wycked multitude obserued the trayterouse signe whiche was geuen them and layed handes on Iesus â–ª and tooke hym But for this cause he was made bonde for this cause he was takeÌ„ that he might deliuer vs from the bondage of sinne and thraldome of Sathan into the gloriouse liberty of the sonnes of God and that he mighte teache the woorshippers of hym patience if they at any time being taken with violence shoulde be cast into bondes Neither is there any danger leaste the worde of God shoulde be bounde with vs also for Sainct Paule saith that the woorde of GOD was not bounde Furthermore the sonne of man is ouercome but neuertheles the eternall trueth of God abideth frée and inuincible 51. And beholde one of those whiche were with Iesus stretched oute his haÌ„de and drew his sworde strocke a seruante of the hye Priestes and smote of his eare And beholde one of them B. The Euangeliste Luke sheweth what the Disciples mindes were before that these thinges were done by Peter by these woordes When they whiche were about him saw what woulde followe they sayde vnto him Lorde shall wee smite with the swoorde It is likely that all of theÌ„ were ready to defende Christ for they had promised that they woulde rather dye with him than that they woulde denye hym They seme therfore nowe to be willinge to performe that whiche before they had promised C. Whereby againe it appeareth how much more ready bold we are to fighte than to beare the crosse Wherfore it is mete that wee alwayes wiselye consider what the Lorde coÌ„maundeth and what he requireth of euerye one of vs leaste the feruency of oure zeale doe burste forthe beyonde reason and measure And where as the Disciples are said to aske Christ they did it not with the minde to obey his will but by these wordes they declared that they were readye and prepared to resiste the force of their enemys Neither did peter looke when he shoulde haue a commaundement and leaue geuen hym to stryke but rashelye brake forth into vnlawfull violence B. This one which stoode by Christ here mencioned is said of the Euangelist S. Iohn to be Symon Peter which durste defende Christe before so many armed men when as on his side there were but two swerdes present and not one amongest them all mete for the warre C. At the first sighte truely this boldnes might seme worthy of praise that the Disciples forgetting their owne infirmity and beinge not mete to resiste ventured notwithstanding their bodyes for their master are not afrayed to put the same in hasarde of death For they rather desyered to dye with the Lord thaÌ„ they to liue se him oppressed A. Furthermore they knewe that great iniury was done vnto Christ whome they knew to be irreprehensible both in doctrine and in life And againe if Moyses defended the Hebrewe againste the Egiptian why shoulde not they be excused whiche desyer to defende their master from the multitude of wycked and mad men C. But because they do attempte more than the callinge of God wil beare or permit their rashenes is iustly condemned Wherefore let vs learne to take hede that our diligeÌ„ce may please the Lorde and that we maye depende vpon his wil that no maÌ„ moue his finger without his comaundemente And therfore specially we ought to geue our selues vnto this modestye diligently because in stede of true and iust zeale troublesom rashenes dothe very muche raigne in vs. And stroke a seruant M S. Iohn saith that this seruants name was Malchus And cut of his eare Saint Luke and Sainct Iohn saithe that it was his righte eare Furthermore S. Luke addeth that Christe saide Suffer ye thus far forthe As if he should saye God forbid that ye shoulde fight with the swerde for me but I will that ye suffer my aduersaryâ—… to take their pleasure of me so far forth as it is permitted vnto them By these wordes of S. Luke we may easely gather that not Peter only rose againste the enemys of Christe but that others also were fellows with him in the same inteÌ„perancy rashnes For Christ doth not speake only vnto one but saithe generally to all Suffer ye thus far forth 52. Then sayde Iesus vnto him put vp thy swerde into his sheath For all that take the swerde shall perishe with the swerde Then sayde Iesus vnto him Z. This is a greuouse rebuke by the which Christe teacheth that the dede or zeale of Peter was nothing els but rashe seditioÌ„ against authority contumely againste God the father arrogancy againste the maiesty of God violating of the whole Scripture so
he woulde séeke for helpe and munition to defend his life he coulde haue not only a leuen Angelles but a greate and an inuincible armye of Heauenly warriours Seing therfore he called not for Angelles to helpe him muche lesse woulde he haue hadde a rashe motion whereby no profite was to be hoped for to helpe him For the tumult of the Disciples profited no more then if a fewe frogges had made a noyse He vseth therefore this reprehension for twoo causes The firste was because it was not lawfull althoughe there were greate necessitie yet notwithstandinge it doth not excuse For wée must alwaies consider what God wil suffer to be done neither dothe this excuse profite Necessitie whiche hathe no Lawe constrained me Let vs geue eare to the admonition of Christe whiche saithe It is not lawfull because God dothe not permitte it And now for an other cause Peter is reprehended namely for that by distruste he enterprised and tooke in hande a remedie that was not lawfull as thoughe Christe had wanted power For if wée consider well wée shall finde that we doo sinne of infidelitie so often as wée doo attempte any waie or meane not permitted vnto vs. Obiection But certaine Interpreters doo trauaile here in vaine to séeke out howe Christe coulde obtaine Angelles of his Father by whose Decrée he was appointed to die For these are contrarye one to an other that God hath geuen his Sonne vnarmed as it were to die because it was so necessary once decreed and yet notwithstandinge might be perswaded and moued by Prayers to sende him helpe and ayde Answeare But the woordes of Christe are expressed with a condition that he coulde haue a meane of greatter force to deliuer his life were it not that it should be contrary to his Fathers wil. And so all contradiction or shewe of repugnancy is taken away because Christ did abstaine from praying to his Father being fully certified of his contrary Decrée Notwithstanding we may hereby gather a profitable Doctrine that they doo iniurye vnto God whiche flye vnto shamefull meanes by the pretence of necessitie as wée shewed euen nowe If any man wante lawfull ritches or helpes he is by and by carried headlong to naughty deuises and wicked practises and that because few haue regard to the secret defence of God which only ought to be sufficient to quiet content vs There hangeth danger ouer our heads now by by because wée sée not the ende thereof accordinge to the fleashe wée deuise with our selues this thing and that as though there were no Angels in heauen whom the Scripture so often pronouncethe to be set and appointed to be oure kéepers and defenders So that wée doo depriue our selues of their helpe For whosoeuer are carried with vnquietnesse and too muche care to take in hande forebidden remedies it is moste certaine that they forsake the prouidence of God. Tvvelue Legions of Angelles C. A Legion did consiste almoste of fiue thousande footemenne and fiue hundred horsemen Hereby wée perceiue what greate care the Lorde hathe for the Godlye For séeinge that Christe is geuen to the faithefull whiche beleue in hym it is certaine that this dignitie also is geuē vnto them with Christe that they maye haue the helpe and seruice of Angels The which thing was proued by a certaine Myracle in Elizeus who was compassed round aboute with a mountaine full of Horses and Chariottes of fire to defende hym from his enimies A. Therefore Christe referreth Peter here to the Decrée and Will of his Father euen as in Iohn also when he saith Wilt thou not that I shall drinke of the Cuppe whiche my Father hathe geuen me C. The which woordes doo teach that it became Christe to be doumbe and not to open his mouthe that he mighte be brought as a Lambe to the Sacrifice Notwithstanding this pertaineth to example because the lyke sufferance is required of vs all The Scripture compareth afflictions to Drinkes For euen as the goodman of the house distributeth meate and drinke to his Sonnes and seruauntes euen so dothe God deale with vs vsinge vs as it séemeth good vnto him selfe But whether he make vs mery by prosperitie or humble vs by aduersitie he is saide to geeue vnto vs either swéete or sower Drinke This Drinke was appointed vnto Christe that he mighte suffer the death of the Crosse for the reconciliation of the whole worlde He saithe therfore that he must drinke of the Cuppe which his Father had geuen and measured vnto hym In like manner wée oughte to frame oure selues to suffer the Crosse And yet notwithstanding the opinion of fanaticall and madde menne oughte not to preuaile amonge vs whiche affirme that wée may not séeke remedie for diseases maladies and other euilles leaste wée reiecte the Cuppe whiche God hathe geuen vnto vs because wée knowe that wée muste once die it is méete that wée be prepared vnto deathe but notwithstandinge because the time of deathe is knowen vnto vs the Lorde doth permit vnto vs to defende oure Lyfe by those meanes helpes that he hathe ordeined Diseases muste partely be suffered although they be greuous vnto our fleash and so longe as they are not knowen to be vnto deathe wee maye séeke for ease Onley wee must beware and take hede leaste we take any thinge in hande contrarye to the prescripte rule of his word To conclude let vs alwaies haue this in oure mindes that wee séeke to fulfill the Lordes will then doo wée not refuse the Cuppe whiche the Lorde hathe geeuen vs in séeking for deliuerance from these euilles with the whiche we are vrged 54. But howe then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled For thus muste it be But hovve then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled C. The reason why he prayed not vnto his Father is because it was necessary that the Scriptures shoulde be fulfilled which had foreshewed that Christe shoulde suffer He wanted not the Scriptures truely to proue that it was then appointed vnto hym from aboue to dye but because mortall men doo not knowe what God hathe determined vntill it be reuealed by the Woorde Christ hauing respecte vnto his Disciples dothe vppon iuste occasion openly shewe what was the testimonie of Goddes will. Wee doo know that what euils so euer do happē vnto vs they are sente from God but because we are doubtfull of the ende in séekinge for those remedies which he dothe permitte wée doo not striue againste his power but when we know his wil there remaineth nothinge then but patience and quietnesse Christe therefore nowe plaieth here a newe part he doth no more intreat neither doth he fle or feare death and althoughe he dothe feare yet neuerthelesse he goethe forewarde because he knoweth that it is his Fathers pleasure to haue it so and that therefore it muste be accomplished of necessitie By these wordes also the Scripture is commended vnto vs because this is the speciall scope thereof to shewe that Christ hathe by his Passion put
am Christe or no that hereafter yée shal sée the Sonne of Man whome nowe yée despise as an abiecte to sitte at the Righte Hande of Power indewed with Diuine Maiesty to raigne for euer and to comme at the lengthe in the Cloudes of Heauen to iudge the reprobate These thinges I say after this shall yée sée what so euer yée iudge of me nowe To this effecte also it doothe pertaine that he doothe not onely saye Yee shall see the Sonne of Manne on the Righte hande of God but On the righte hande of Goddes Power that he mighte oppose or sette the power of God agaynste the base Fourme and shewe of Seruitude whiche he then hadde on and for the whiche he was despised Wée reade not here At the righte hande of Goddes Power but On the Righte hande of Power Yet notwithstanding wee muste in sence adde this woorde God as appearethe by the woordes of Luke C. The summe and effecte of his Woorde is that they are greately deceiued if they iudge of hym accordinge to the presente state and outwarde appearance because he muste be humbled and broughte as it were to nothinge before hys comminge whiche shoulde be with greate maiestye and power For this woorde After this doothe put a difference betwéene his Firste and Secone Comminge and doothe ioyne with it also twoo places of Scripture For as concerninge hys sittinge at the righte Hande of the Father the Prophete Dauid speaketh thus The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sitte thou on my Righte Hande vntill I make thyne Enimyes thy Foote Stoole And the Prophete Daniell prophesiethe thus of his commynge I sawe in a Vision by nighte and behoulde there came One in the Clowdes of Heauen lyke the Sonne of Man which went vnto the Oulde Aged before whom they brought him Then gaue he hym power and dignitie Regall that all the people Tribes and Tongues shoulde serue hym Hys Power is an euerlastinge Power whiche shall neuer be put downe and his Kingdome endurethe vncorrupte Al the wiche thinges the Angel Gabriel witnessed to belonge vnto Christe M. To sitte at the Righte Hande of the Power of God is to haue all power C. Christe therefore is sayde to sitte at the Righte Hande of the Father because he beeinge made the Kinge of all Kinges gouerneth the whole worlde in his name euen as if he receiued of hym the Seconde Seate of Honour and Dignitie Christe therefore sittethe at the Righte Hande of the Father because he is hys Vicare and he is therefore called thys Righte Hande of Power because God doth not now declare hys Power but by the hand of his Sonne wil also by him comme to Iudgemente in the Laste day In the Clovvdes of the skie M. Reade the foure and twentye Chapter goynge before C. Here wee maye gather a very profitable Doctrine whiche is generall For whereof commeth it that the wicked are so readye to rebell but onely because Christe Iesus Crucified is of no Price or estimation with theim Therefore they muste be put in minde of the horrible Iudgemente because they will not foresake theire insensible dulnesse and carelesse negligence and althoughe they doo make a ieste as of a Fable of that whiche is spoken of the Comminge of Christe that shall be yet notwithstandinge the Iudge doothe not calle theim to hys Tribunall Seate in vayne by his Gospell for thereby they are made voyde of all excuse 65. Then the Hye Prieste rente his clouthes saieinge He hathe spoken Blasphemye what neede wee of any moe VVitnesses Behoulde nowe ye haue hearde his Blasphemye Then the Hie Prieste rente his cloathes Bu. The Hye Prieste hauynge gotten that whiche he soughte for rose out of hys Chayre not so muche for the loue of Godlinesse as for ioye that he had gotten his praye and to the ende he might make the faulte of Christe more heynous he rente hys Garmentes vnder a pretence of singulare zeale M. Feininge that he coulde not hence thys Blasphemye for verye griâ—…fe of harte This was a common manner amonge the Iewes as well to the Godly as to Hypocrites As concernynge that whiche Hypocrites vsed the Prophete Ioell saithe Rente your hartes and not your Garmentes As concerninge that whiche the Godly vsed S. Luke maketh mention speakynge of Barnabas and Paule Wee reade also that Dauid rente his clothes And also we reede that the Prophete Elizeus did the like and diuers others Although therefore there was a commaundemente geuen that the hye prieste shoulde not rente his clothes yet notwithstaÌ„ding this hipocrite would do it to aggrauate the cause of Christe as thoughe it were some greuouse matter that caused the hye Prieste to teare his clothes whereby men might thinke that Christe had coÌ„mitted som notable offeÌ„ce He hath spoken blasphemy They cryed that he had blasphemed the name of God because he reported himselfe to be Christe and that therfore he oughte to dye according to the lawe VVhat nede vve of any mo C Hereby we perceiue that the miracles by the which Christ declared his power had profited these wycked ones nothinge at al. But it is no merueile that the sone of God was contemned vnder the base forme of a seruante by them who were toutched with no care of the promised saluation For except they had ben altogether voyde of the sence and felinge of godlines they would in so lamentable estate haue had careful regarde to the redemer But nowe omitting all inquisition and séeking after the same being offered vnto them do they not so muche as in theÌ„ is extinguishe al the promises of God And first of al truely the hye priste pronounceth Christ to be a blasphemer then the reste subscribe to the same And also the tearing of his garmeÌ„ts doth plainly declare howe boldely and impudently the prophane contemners of God do pretende a false zeale Behold novv haue ye heard of his Blasphemy Bu. As if he should haue said Hytherto we haue bestowed much time in hering testimonys and in the examininge of witneses to what ende nowe shoulde thereby mo witneses He himself shal serue for many witneses al ye haue heard a blasphemous coÌ„fession of his owne mouth What ther fore remaineth now but iuste iudgemeÌ„t 66. VVhat thinke ye They aunswered and said he is worthy to dye M. Now he séeketh to get the fauour of the people He asketh other what they thinke as though he gaue them liberty when he himselfe already had pronounced the sentence or as though they were mete to iudge right whiche had already fully determined in their hartes to put him to death He is vvorthy to dye S. Marke hath And they all condemned him to be woorthy to death 67. Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him with fistes And other smote him on his face Then did they spit in his face C. Eyther the order in S. Luke is quight disordered or els the Lorde suffered twyse so many reproches The whiche latter semeth more
probable Notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the ministers did deuise howe they mighte more despightfully strike him and spit in his face after they sawe that he was appointed to dye by the fore iudgement of the counsell It was wonderful madnes truely in the priestes who handeled Christe with so great cruelty forgetting that they were Iudges He is thus shamfully intreated for the iudgement that they gaue for they thought that he whome so greate a potentate as the hie priste pronounced to be a blasphemer and an enemy vnto God was worthy of all reproche and ignominy But thus oughte the Scripture of the Prophete be fulfilled when it is saide I offer my backe vnto the smiters my chikes to the nippers I tourne not my face froÌ„ shame and spitting But let vs note that he suffered these thinges for oure sakes For what are we before God so often as we beholde our lyfe and consider what we wante If God call vs to iudgement with howe muche and howe manye reproches shal we be couered But Christ toke away this ignominy and reproche that there might appere no blott or spot in vs Nowe for a time he executeth not the office of a teacher but of a redemer When he was sente to teache he faithfully discharged his duety and nowe diligently he fulfilleth the office of a rededemer that as a lambe he mighte be led to be slaine The Almighty God truelye pronouÌ„ced this voyce from heauen saying heare him but if we coÌ„pare the office of the redemption with that wee shall finde it muche more excelent Last of al we are admonished by the example of the Lorde in this place howe many euels we must suffer of the wicked and hypocrits if we will followe our master 68. Sayinge tell vs thou Christe who is he that smote thee M. The Euangelist sainct Marke saith that they did firste couer his face The gyfte of Prophesy in Christe so necessary for mortal men is derided made a ieste Therefore the miserable Iewes are not withoute iust cause lefte altogether destitute of Prophetes They had also before time vnreuerently handeled the worde of prophesy as Ieremy complaineth saying And they caste the woorde of the Lorde in my téeth and take me euer to the worste C. But to this ende al their mockes and iestes did teÌ„de namely that there was nothinge more vnmete than that he shoulde be the chiefe of all Prophetes which hauinge his face couered coulde not arede and gesse who it was that gaue him a blowe on his face But truely the prouidence of God did tourne this dalliaÌ„ce vnto an other ende because the face of Christ being striken with the fiste and defyled with spettell God did repayre and restore in vs that Image whiche was corrupted and blotted oute through synne 69. But Peter sate without in the pallace And a damsell came to him saying Thou also wast with Iesus of Galile But Peter sate vvithout C. Nowe the EuaÌ„geliste goeth forwarde with the narration of Peter which he had begon before in the 58. verse after he had declared what was done vnto his Lord by Cayphas and his ministers And the fall of Peter whiche is here described is a manifeste example of oure infirmity Moreouer in his repentaÌ„ce wee haue a liuely patterne of the goodnes and mercy of God sette before vs So that the history whiche is here declared of one manne dothe containe a generall doctrine and very profitable for the whole Churche bothe to bringe a careful feare to those that staÌ„de and also to lifte vp those that fal by the hope and truste of pardone VVythout in the pallace A. That is to say not within the vppermoste and inward parte of the house where Caiphas examined Christe but in the lower parte namely in the pallace S. Marke hath And as Peter was beneath in the pallace And a damsell came to him Sainct Marke saithe that this damsell belonged to the hye Priste and Sainct Iohn saith that she was the dorekeper and peraduenture the same that let him in C. Here therefore wee sée that there is no nede of any greate conflicte neyther of greate armis or preparation to ouercome a manne For whosoeuer is not stayed and helde vp with the hande of God falleth by and by at a small pufte of winde or at the falling of a leafe Peter truelye was no lesse couragiouse and bolde than one of vs and euen now declared no small token of sloute minde howbeit with preposterouse rashenes yet notwithstandynge hee looketh not when he shoulde be broughte before the the tribunal seate of the Iudge or when his enemys shoulde séeke his deathe but being terrifyed at the voyce of a woman he denyeth his master straite way wheras before he thought hymselfe such a stoute soldier that he coulde not See ouercome by death Let vs remember therefore that we are so weake to sustaine greate force that in the onely shadowe of fight wee fall In peace and tranquillity wee are more bragge and bold then nedeth But when wee come to the tryall wee shewe oure selues to be nothing but proud boâ—…sters yea when Sathan goeth not aboute to hurte vs euen then also wee imagine through vayne feâ—…re before the time that wee are in greate daunger Saying A. S. Marke S. Luke haue When she sawe Peter warminge hymselfe she looketh â—…n hym and saythe Thou also vvast not Iesus of Galilae S. Marke hath VVast not thou also with Iesus of Nazareth And S Iohn hath VVast not thou also one of this manes Disciples 70. But he denyed before them all sayinge I wot nos what thou sayest But he denyed The Euangeliste Luke hath But he denyed him C. Peter had bosted before that he woulde stande as an inuincible wrasteler in his masters cause euen to the death but nowe at the voyce of a poore wentche he is terrifyed in so muche that he geueth ouer in the plaine felde Beholde here a plaine proofe and tryall of mans strengthe It is but a smoke truely what strengthe soeuer appereth in man whiche wyth a blast of winde is by and by driuen away A man here fylled not with vertue but with winde promiseth to hym selfe that he will easelye get the vyctory againste the whole worlde But truely seing only the shadowe of his enemy he is made afrayed by and by C. So that God doth iustlye recompence our distrust when he doth despoyle vs of al his power vertue that wee mighte be afrayde of nothinge after wee haue caste awaye his feare For if Peter had had in his harte the sounde and perfecte feare of GOD it shoulde haue bene vnto him a stronge and inuincible bulwarke whereas now he beinge naked and withoute all defence is very muche afearde of no danger Wherefore let vs learne that wee are at no tyme nor in no place stronge without the Lorde Before them all C. This circonstance dothe make the falte more haynouse because Peter in denyinge his master feareh
tymes in a moment Whereby wee haue to learne howe slyppery and ready wee are to fall so often as Sathan dryueth vs forewarde and that continuallye excepte the Lorde doe houlde vs vp with his hande After that the force of the spirite of Grace was extinguished in Peter if he hadde beene asked of Christe a hondered tymes he was ready a hondered tymes do deny hym And althoughe it was a foule thinge in hym to fall thryse yet notwithstanding the Lorde spared hym restraynynge the tonges of the enemys leaste they shoulde moue any more occasion Euenso it is necessaryd that he brydell Sathan dayly least he ouerwhelme vs with an innumerable sorte of teÌ„ptatioÌ„s For seinge he ceasseth not by many practises to assalte vs excepte the Lord hauinge regarde to oure infirmity do brydell the force of his rage wee shoulde striue with a huge heape of temptations So that in this pointe wee muste extoll and magnifye the mercy of God because hee suffereth not the hondereth parte of oure enemys rage to fall vppon vs. 73. And after a whyle came they that stoode by and sayd vnto Peter surelye thou arte euen one of them for thy speache bewrayeth thee And after a vvhile A. Sainct Luke expoundeth this After a whyle sayinge And aboute the space of an hower after C. This is the thyrde denyall by the the whiche the vnfaythfulnes of Peter towarde his maister burste foorth to the full For beinge not contented wyth an oathe he falleth to curssinge and bannynge by the whiche he geueth his bodye and soule to destruction For he wisheth the curse of GOD to fall vppon him if he he knewe Christ Came they that stoode by A. Sainct Luke maketh mencion but of one onelye sayinge And an other affirmed sayinge Verely this fellowe was with hym And Sainct Iohn saithe that one of the seruaunts of the hye Prieste his cosine whose eare Peter smote of sayde vnto hym did not I see thee in the Garden wyth hym All these seme with one consente to caste Peter in the téeth that he was one of Christes company and to make exclamation of it that they might oppresse him For thy speache bevvrayeth thee Namelye that thou arte of Galile as was this Iesus also For Sainct Luke saithe that some of them sayde vnto hym Verely this fellowe was with him for he his of Galile And the Damsell had sayde Wast not thou with Iesus of Galile Saint Marke hath And thy speache agreeth thereto 74. Than beganne he to curse and to sweare that he knewe not the man And immediatly the cocke crewe Then began he to curse and to svvear C. Peter beinge ouercome with so manye acclamations and outcryes againste him beganne to curse and to sweare that he knewe not the man The whiche cursse was as muche as if he hod sayd God destroye me if I knowe him Wherefore so muche the more the goodnes of God is to be wondered at whiche lifted vp and healed the Disciple froÌ„ suche mortall destruction But the Lorde thought good in so excellent a persone to sett forthe an excellent documente or lesson that it mighte be the more excellent and better estemed in the Churche No forte vrged Peter so to forswere hymselfe sauinge that he was forsaken of the Lorde and Sathan also on the contrary parte ceassed not by his indeuoure to helpe hym forewarde Halas howe lytell or nothinge is oure strengthe Let vs therfore hereby learne to promise nothynge vnto oure selues but wholely to depende vppon God. Moreouer this place teacheth that it is not by and by blapsemye againste the spirite if any man falling throughe the infirmitye of the fleshe deny the truethe which he knoweth Peter trulye hadde hearde out of the mouth of the Lord how detestable falsehoode was to denye hym before men And what horrible vengeance remayneth for them before God and his Aungels whiche for the cowardly feare of the crosse do forsake the confession of the faithe Nowe therefore he beinge before admonished and knowing these thinges casteth hymselfe hedlong into mischefe yet notwithstaÌ„ding afterwarde obtayned pardone whereuppon it followeth that he rather sinned of infirmity than by incurable wyckednes For he woulde willinglye haue shewed the duety of a Disciple towarde Christe had not the sparkes of true affection ben extinguished through feare And immediatly the tocke crevve A. Marke and Luke haue And immediatlye whily he yet spake the cocke crew For so soone as he was gone oute into the porche the cocke crewe S. Iohn hathe Peter therfore denyed againe and by and by the cocke crewe And the Euangelistes do therfore make mencion of the crowing of the Cocke to the ende we mighte knowe that Peter was admonished from aboue euen in the very moment And therefore oure Euangeliste addeth sayinge 75. And Peter remembered the woorde of Iesus whiche saide vnto hym before the cocke crewe thou shalte deny me thryse And he wente out and wepte bitterly And Peter remembred C. When the cocke crewe Christ also looked vppon Peter as witnesseth Sainct Luke sayinge And the Lorde turned backe and looked vppon Peter Aed Peter remembered the woorde of the Lorde c. For at the first be regarded not the crowinge of the cocke as we maye see in S. Marke It was necessraye therefore that Christe should looke vppon him that he mighte retourne vnto him againe Euenso whosoeuer hath once begon to fall and perishe he shal be reclaymed by no voyce by no signe nor by anye admonition vntill the Lorde caste vppon hym the eyes of his mercy This thinge euery one of vs féele in our selues by experience For whiche of vs dothe not paseouer and preâ—…ermit wyth deafe eares as it were the manifold and sondry singinges of byrdes â—â—hich notwithstandinge do stirre vs vp to glorify GOD but also the voyce of God it selfe which plainelye and distinctly soundeth in the doctrine of the lawe and Gospell Neither doth this brutish insensiblenes possesse our mindes for one daye onely but it is perpetuall vntill suche time as he voutchesafeth to looke vpon vs which alone hath the harts of men in his haÌ„des to tourne them which waye hym lysteth Notwithstanding it is worthy to be noted that this lookynge was not after the common maner of mennne because so he hadde looked vppon Iudas before who for all that was neuer the better But in beholdynge Peter he Ioyned the secrete woorkinge of his spirite to his eyes and so pearced his harte with the brighte beames of his grace that it tooke effecte Wherefore lette vs knowe so often as any manne falleth he hath no beginning of repentance but from the countenance of the Lorde For wee are all voyde of sence and sedlynge in oure sinnes vntill the Lorde after a sorte styre vp oure hartes with his countenadâ—â—e and dothe make vs remember bothe hym and oure selues when he toutcheth oure hartes wyth his spirite in so muche that wee maye remember those things that we thought not of before And he vvente oute M. That is to saye into the
wont to be layde vp was called in Hebrewe Corban or of the Chalde woorde Corbana This Corban the Grecians call Gazophulakion that is to saye a boxe or cheste in the whiche the treasure was layde vp The vse of this boxe was in the temple that it might bee had to fetche out of the same all thinges necessary to repaire the tēple For the which matter reade the .xii. chap. of the fourth booke of Kings That whiche these hypocrites iudge here is not false For althoughe these thinges whiche were cast into Corban did rather pertaine vnto the vse of man than to Gods vse yet notwithstanding because thei were offered vnto God it was mete that they should be suche thinges as mighte please god Those thinges could not neither can please God which are by any meanes defiled with iniquitie or whiche are forbidden by his worde These peces of siluer therefore were not lawefull because they were the pryce of bloud that is to saye the price or somme which Iudas had taken to betraye Christe to be slayn Because it is the price of bloud or the price of murther or by the whiche the murther of a man is bought 7 And they toke counsell and bought with them a potters fielde to burrye straungers in And they toke counsell Hereby it euidently appeareth that hypocrites followyng onely an outward shewe do grosely mocke with god They fayne perswade thē selues to be pure in all other thinges if so be that they doe not prophane and defile their Corban neither are they careful for the wicked bargaine by the which they prouoked the wrath of God to fal vpon them as well as Iudas did But if it were not lawefull to put the pryce of bloud into the holy treasury why is it then more lawfull to take it out of the same For that whiche made them ryche came of the offeringes of the temple and that also whiche they refuse as a polluted thinge to put into the treasury was taken out of the treasury Wherof came then the pollucion but of them selues But the more the wycked go about to hide their faultes the more the Lorde doth seke to disclose them make them knowen They hoped that their fault should be couered with an honest cloke if thei bought a barren fielde to bury straungers in But truely the wonderfull prouidence of God maketh this fall out farre otherwyse so that the same fielde shal be an euerlasting remembraunce of that treason whiche was before obscure hyd For they gaue no name to the place but after that the mattter was commonly knowen that field was called by publique consent the bloudy field euen as though God had cōmaunded their reproche to be blased abroade by the tongues of al mē They wēt about to make God partaker of their wickednes thinking that they did a godly worke if thereby they might redeme their wickednes but God hateth such manner of oblatiōs Notwithstanding to prouide buriall for such straungers as comming vp to Hierusalem to offer sacrifice from farre should there happē to die was a plausible acceptable worke But because parte hereof was prouided for the Gentiles by this signe also hope of saluation was geuen to the Gentiles because they were included in the pryce of Christes death They bought the Potters fielde because it was best cheape being barreyne and no more fytte for the vse of the Potter 8 VVherefore that fielde is called Haceldema that is to saye the fielde of bloude vnto this daye C. The hypocrites goinge about to make a shewe of godlines doe make a perpetuall memory of their wyckednes Not that they gaue this name vnto the fielde as wee saide euen nowe but because the common sorte of people by the instincte and of the holy ghoste not knowynge what they sayde made that fielde a memoriall by this token in so muche that when it shoulde haue bene named the fielde buriall place of straungers it was called the fielde of bloude that is to saye a fielde bought with that money with the whiche the death of a man was bought the money beyng geuen to betraye Christe vnto death in so muche that the same whiche had a shewe of godlynes and was ordayned by hypocrisie myght geue place to the truthe and might be a memoriall of innocent bloude bought by the priestes whiche thinge wyllingly they woulde haue hyd 9 Then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by the prophete Ieremy saying And they tooke thirty syluer plates the price of him that was valewed whom they bought of the children of Israell Then vvas fulfilled A. Now the Euāgelist sheweth that the wicked haue serued to fulfill the prouidence of God although they soughte the accomplishing of their owne wyll For as they crucifying Christe and adiudging him to the most shamefull death of the crosse fulfilled vnwittingly the scriptures and woordes of God euen so they beynge ignoraunt fulfilled this place of the Prophete VVhich vvas spoken by Ieremye C. Wheras Ieremye is here put for Zacharye some thincke that it was done because the Euangelist ment it of Ieremy who maketh mencion of the bying of a fielde in his 32. Chapter but that place cā in no wise agree with this Wherefore it is certaine that the name of Ieremye throughe error is here put for Zachary because we reade of no such thing in Ieremye And they toke thirtye siluer plates M. The wordes of the Prophete are these If ye thincke it good bring hither my price if no then leaue So they wayed downe thirtye siluer pence the valewe that I was prised at And the Lord said vnto mee Cast it vnto the potter a goodlye price for me to be valewed at of them And I toke the thirty siluer pence and caste them to the potter in the house of the lord C. The which place excepte it be rightly applyed it may seeme to be fasely wrested into a contrarye sence but if we obserue that rule which the Apostles followed in cytinge Scriptures it shall easlye be knowne that these wordes of the Prophete are aptly applied vnto Christe After the Lorde complayned that so longe as hee had done the duty of a Sheepeherde in gouerning his people he lost his labour hee sayth that hee is constrayned with wearynes and griefe to forsake his labour His sheepestaffe therefore beinge broken he sayth hee will be no more a sheepeherde afterward hee addeth that when hee required a rewarde there were geuen vnto him thirtye siluer pence By the which wordes hee declareth that hee was counted no lesse vile than if hee had bene some rude and abiecte labourer For he compareth the ceremonies and vaine shewes with the which the Iewes did counterpeise and waye his benefites to the thirty pence as to an vnworthy and slender hyer of some drudge or carter and therefore hee commaundeth this summe to be cast to the potter in the tēple as if hee should saye This their excellente gift which shoulde be no lesse reprochefull for me to
receiue than for them to offer let them bestow in gods name vppon tyles and brickes by the which they may repayre the ruine of the Temple Now to the ende it might more certainlye appeare that Christ is the God of hostes towardes whom the people euen from the beginninge had bene euill disposed and vnthanckefull when he was manifested in the flesh it was necessary that the same which at the first was spoken figuratiuely should be fulfilled in deede and by a visible meane in his person Therfore when hee beinge constrayned by theyr mallyce forsoke them and withdrewe his labour and trauaile from them beinge vnworthy of it they valewed him at the price of thirtye pence that is they gaue him that for his rewarde And this contempte of the sonne of God was euen the fulnes of their impietye The price of him that vvas valevved Mathew doth not repeate the very wordes of the Prophete Zacharye because hee alludeth to the metaphor vnder the whiche the Lord doth there complaine of the ingratitude of the people Notwithstanding the summe and effect is all one that seinge the Iewes did owe themselues and all that euer they had as det vnto the Lorde they coulde not recompence him with a bondemans rewarde without great contumelye and reproche as thoughe hee had deserued at their handes nothinge more for gouerning them so many ages than a Cowheard which is hiered but for a yeare He complayneth therefore that hee is valewed at so vile a price when that hee is inestimable so precious that nothing may counteruaile him But whereas in the ende hee sayth VVhom they bought of the children of Israell It is an obscure and intricate kinde of speach For Iudas bargayned wyth the priestes which bare the name person of the whole people 10. And gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lorde appointed m◅e And gaue them for the potters fielde A. The Euangelist Mathewe seemeth to go about rather to expounde the sence of the Prophete Zacharye than to alleage him woorde for worde As the Lorde appointed mee C. By these woordes of the Prophete Mathewe proueth that this was done not withoute the prouidence of God because their purpose tendinge to another ende vnawares they fulfil the deuine oracle For how could it come to passe that they should remember to bye the potters fielde excepte the Lorde had framed their error to the execution fulfillinge of his decree 11. Iesus stoode before the debitye and the debity asked him saying art thou the kinge of the Iewes Iesus sayeth vnto him Thou sayest Iesus stoode before the debitye M. The Euāgelist retourneth to the Historye of those thinges which were done before Pilate But the order of these thinges cannot be seene excepte wee ascribe the wordes of the reste of the Euangelistes to euerye place that there may be as it were one text of fower For many thinges must be taken out of the other Euangelistes and be put into this Verse And first of all the Euangelistes Luke and Iohn write as concerninge this place thus And the whole multitude of them arose and ledde him vnto Pilate from Caiphas into the haule of Iudgement It was in the morninge and they themselues wente not into the Iudgemente least they should be defyled but that they might eate Passeouer C. The Romaines called as well the house of the debity as the tribunal seate where Iudgemēt was vsed the iudgement haule In that the Iewes do abstaine from al kinde of pollusion that they might eate the Passeouer of the Lorde accordinge to the commaundement of the Lawe their zeale is to be allowed but yet there remayneth two faultes in them and both of them to grose first because they thincke not that they carye more pollution and filthe within themselues than they may draw vnto them by their enteraunce althoughe into a prophane place Secondlye because they are to diligent in triflinge matters and negligente in the principall Nothinge sayth S. Paule is cleane to the vnbeleuers and vncleane because their mindes are defyled But these hypocrites flowinge with mallice ambition deceites crueltye and with couetousnes with their stincke and corruption did almoste infecte both Heauen and earth and yet for all that they onely stand in feare of defilinge themselues with externall pollucions Therefore this is a foolish fancye not tollerable that they seeke to please God by abstayning from the externall touchinge of vncleane thinges onelye and forget the true puritye which is internall and of the minde Hipocrisy hath another fault because carefully in obseruinge and keping Ceremonies it careleslye omitteth the greatest matters For God did not cōmit those rightes and Ceremonies contayned in the Lawe to the Iewes to any other ende than this that they shoulde vse and accustome themselues to the study and loue of true holines Moreouer it was forbidden in no place of the Law to enter into the house of a man that was a Gentile but there was a caution or prouiso geeuen of the fathers namelye that no man throughe follye or rashnes shoulde bringe anye corruption or filthe out of an vncleane house But these are good interpreters of the Lawe whiche straine out a gnat and swallowe a Camell And this is ordinary and common to hypocrites to thincke it a more haynous matter to kill a flea than to murther a man To the which vice the other hath some congruance and affinitye namelye that they preferred humaine traditions before the holye commaundementes of god Therefore that they might eate Passeouer aright they seeke to keepe themselues cleane But they include and shut vncleanenes within the gates of the Iudgemēt haule and are not afrayd Heauen and earthe bearinge testimonye that they put an innocent to death To be short they solemnise and celebrate the shadowed Passeouer with a counterfeite and false reuerence but they do not onelye violate the true Passeouer with hands defiled with sacriledge but also go about so much as they may to ouerthrowe the same with eternall destruction A. Seinge therefore they would not come in as S. Iohn writeth Pilate went forth to them and sayd What accusation doo yee bringe agaynste this man This heathen man Pilate doth willynglye suffer theyr superstition whiche hee derideth and contemneth but in the ground and very issue of the matter he playeth the parte of a good Iudge commaundinge them if they haue anye accusation against the man to bringe it forth For hee would not cōdemne Christ beinge brought vnto him before he hearde the accusations They aunsweared and fayde If hee were not an euill doer wee woulde not haue brought him vnto thee The chiefe priestes as thoughe they had full authoritye to condemne whom they made giltye aunswere nothinge at all but that hee must stande to their fore iudgemente for they do croselye murmere against Pilate because hee doth not geeue sufficient credit to their honest faithfull dealinge Why shoulde not thou say they willingly perswade thy selfe that hee is worthye to dye whom wee
first Commaunde therefore that the Sepulcher C. There is no doubt but that this cogitacion came into their myndes by the instincte of the holy ghoste not onely because the Lord would take iust vengeaūce of their wickednes but also because hee mente to brydle their vncleane tonges And by the way we maye also see howe greatlye the wicked are blinded when they are bewitched of Sathan They call him a deceyuer whose deuine power and glory brightly shyned a little before by so manye myracles By such examples wee are taughte that wee ought to consider the glory of God betimes with godlye modestye and diligence when it declareth it selfe least that brutish and horrible blindnes follow our obstinacy Least his Dysciples come Bu. Behould here the care of the wicked and the disquietnes of their consciences whiche feare leaste the great stone should be rolled awaye and the body of Christ taken out of the Sepulcher by those men which were so farre from this bouldnes that they rather stoode in feare of them and which so hardly beleeued after the resurrection that Christe was rysen againe that for this cause Christe reprehended the hardnes of their hartes And saye vnto the people hee is rysen These hypocrites would seeme to haue a greate care for the simple people when as in deede they went about nothing but to prouide for their owne kingdome mockinge the people in their hartes as if they shoulde saye Wee feare least the people shoulde be seduced And the last error shal be vvorse than the firste This they adde to moue the minde of the Iudge as if they should saye This also belongeth to the publique peace For except thou do this thinge the laste error will be worse than the first to bringe trouble They call the truth of the Gospell and the kingdome of God error and the cause of trouble and that falselye 65. Pilate saide vnto them yee haue the watche go your waye and make it as sure as ye can C. Pilate by these wordes declareth that hee geeueth them leaue accordinge to their requeste to sette souldiours to watche the Sepulcher Pilate mighte haue beene iustlye angerye wyth these hypocrites and haue denyed them theyr pitition but it was broughte to passe by the secrete counsayle and purpose of God that hee shoulde not hinder that whiche they went about For it did greatly serue to the manifestinge and settinge forth of the Lordes resurrection 66. So they wente and made the Sepulcher sure with watchemen and sealed the stone Bu. The Iewes toke a great manye souldiours made a very stronge watche compassed the Sepulcher rounde about shutte the dore of the Sepulcher with the greate stone so close as mighte be and sealed the same least there might be some deceite also in the keepers M. All things were done with greate diligence that Christe mighte be kepte in the Sepulcher Wyth the like diligence manye go about at this daye to keepe the truth in secrete But as this keepinge of the bodye of Christe appointed by the ennemyes with the more dyligence it was done the more it confirmed the certaintye and glorye of Christes resurrection euen so theyr violence also which go about at this day to kepe the truth hidden in darkenes the greater that it is and the more it is confirmed with the power of the Magistrate the more a greate deale it setteth forth the power and glory of the truth C. By all these thinges trulye which the Iewes obtayned at the handes of Pilate they were the more bound that they might not excuse them selues by any cauilles For althoughe they durste rage and rayle at Christe without all shame after his resurrection yet notwithstanding they sealed theyr owne mouthes faster a greate deale with the signet of Pilate than they did the Sepulcher And thus far as concerning the Passion and sumptuous buriall of Christe The xxviii Chapter VPpon an eueninge of the Sabothes whiche dawneth the first day of the Sabothes came Marye Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulcher Vppon the eueninge of the Sabothes C. Now we be come to the cōclusion of our redemption For herevppon commeth the liuelye trust of our reconsiliatiō with God because Christ is the conquerour of death and hell that hee might declare the power of a newe life to be in his handes Wherefore rightly sayth the Apostle Paule that there shal be no Gospell and that the hope of saluation is vaine excepte wee beleue that Christe is rysen from the deade For so at the laste righteousnes was purchased vnto vs and the enteraunce into Heauē made open furthermore oure adoption was confirmed when Christe in rysinge agayne and declaringe the power of his spirite hath proued himselfe to be the sonne of god And althoughe hee manifested his resurrection otherwyse than our fleshlye sence and reason would requyre yet notwithstandinge this order maner which pleaseth him oughte to seeme best of all in our eyes Hee wente out of the Sepulcher without witnes that the voyde and emptye place mighte be the first token then he thought it good to shew the women by the Angels that hee was aliue after that hee appeared to them and at the lengthe to the Apostles and that oftentimes And so hee brought his Apostles by little and little accordinge to their capascity to more full and perfecte vnderstanding But whereas hee began first with the woman and did not onely shewe himselfe vnto them but enioyned vnto them also the preachinge of the Gospell to the Apostles that they might be as it were their maisters he doth it to correcte the sluggishnes of the Apostles which throughe feare laye allmoste out of hart when as the women diligently made hast to the Sepulcher who for their dilligence receyued no small rewarde For although their deuise to anoynt Christ was not without fault because they thought him to be as yet dead yet notwithstanding hee forgeuinge their infirmity did greatly aduaunce them to honor resigninge vnto them the Apostolicall office for a time which was forsaken of the men And so hee sheewed that to be true which the Apostle Paule wryteth sayinge God hath chosen the folishe and weake thinges of this worlde to confounde the wyse and mightye Vppon an eueninge of the Sabothes C. The Hebrewes call the whole night the eueninge And whereas it is sayde of the Sabothes wee muste note that the plurall nomber is here put for the singuler Furthermore this word Sabothe signifyeth that day whiche was consecrated of the Lorde it signifyeth the whole weeke also that holy daye onely excepted wherefore the day followynge is called the first of the Sabothes Whervppon the proude Pharisey said I fast twyse in the Sabothe accordinge to the lattine translation or weeke Hee calleth therefore the eueninge of the Sabothes whiche dawneth or beginneth his light the first of the Sabothes the morninge or dawninge of that day in the which Christ arose the which hee calleth here the first of the Sabothes
carefull and to marueile 4. And for feare of him the kepers were astonied and became as deade men And for feare of him M. This matter came farre otherwyse to passe than the hye Priestes loked for They got watchmen to fraye the poore and fearefull Dysciples from the body of the lord But behould the contrarye for they which were set to make other afrayde and to kepe the body of the Lorde are so vnable to hinder the resurrection of the Lorde that they are wonderfully terrefyed at the appearinge of an Angell The whiche thinge ought to be a great consolation and comfort vnto vs And wee muste note the difference betwene the two kindes of feare which Mathewe compareth together The souldiers were made afrayde beinge vsed to tumulte and so were ouercome with feare that they fell downe as it were halfe deade but beinge caste downe no power did lifte them vp The feare of the women was like vnto this but the consolation whiche by and by followed did restore their courage agayne whiche almoste quailed that they mighte haue a better hope And it is meete that the maiesty of God shoulde bringe a feare and horror as well to the godlye as to the reprobate that all fleshe mighte fall downe at his presence But when God himselfe hath humbled his electe and broughte them vnder hee doth straighte waye mittigate their feare leaste they should faynt beinge oppressed and not only that but by the swetenes of his grace also hee healed the wounde that is geeuen but as for the reprobate he doth either exanimate them with a sodaine feare or els he suffereth them to languishe vnder longe tormentes But our Euangeliste Matthewe leauinge of to make mencion of the watchmē goeth forwarde with the narration which he had begon of the women comminge to the Sepulcher which founde not the watchmen For they beinge afearde ranne while the women were a comminge to tell the hye priestes what had happened And to the end all things which are written of so blessed and wholesome resurrection by the Euangelistes may be the more easely vnderstode wee will bringe in and expounde what soeuer any man doth speake of the same in that order in the whiche the most diligente and best interpreters thincke all things to be done And firste of all what the women thought while they were in their iorneye it maye be gathered by Marke which sayth And they sayd amonge themselues Who shall rolle awaye the stone for vs from the dore of the Sepulcher And when they had loked they saw that the stone was rolled away for it was a great one C. This doubt Marke onely expresseth but seing the other thre do shewe that the Angell rolled away the stone it may easelye be gathered that they stode in a doubte not knowinge what to do vntill they were certifyed by the power of god But hereby we may learne that they beinge caryed by theyr zeale came thither not certaine of their purpose They saw before that the Sepulcher was shutte with a great stone which kept all men from comminge therein whye did they not consider this hauinge leysure at home but onlye because reason memory failed them through great feare But because in a godly zeale they were blinded God dothe not impute this fault vnto them After these wordes it followeth in Luke and Marke And they entered into the Sepulcher and found not as sayth Luke the body of the Lord Iesu And it came to passe when they were abasshed at this thinge they saw as sayth S. Marke a yonge man sittinge on the right syde clothed in a longe white garment and they were afrayde B. The Euangeliste sayth that he was a yonge man not because Angels are men but because they appeare vnto vs in the likenes of men beinge otherwise inuisible wherefore they haue oftentimes the names of men geuen vnto them But the women beinge made afearde are comforted by the Angell with these words Be not afrayde Yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucifyed He is rysen he is not here Beholde where they had put him But go your waye tell his Disciples and Peter that hee goeth before you into Galile there shal ye see him as he said vnto you And they went out quickely fled from the Sepulcher for they trembled were amased neither said they any thinge to any mā for they were afraide A. These thinges for the most parte are expounded in the 5. 6. and 7. verses of this Chapter of Mathewe But in that Christ here by his Angell commaundeth the womē to shew his resurrection to Peter by name he seemeth therfore to do it because Peter thoughte himselfe vnworthy to haue any thinge to do with the Lord for that he had denied him a deede truly which made him worthye to be reiected for euer To recreate comforte him therefore in this perplexity hee thoughte good to expresse his name to the ende he might be fully certifyed that as yet he was reckened in the nomber of his Disciples And where hee sayth hee shal go before you into Galile we must not vnderstande that hee went by by before them after his resurrection for as it appeareth in Iohn the Dyscipses were eight dayes at the least in Hierusalē And in the last Chap. it is red that the Lord was seene of thē as they were a fishing And he would go before them into Galile shew himselfe there vnto his Disciples either because he would bring his disciples these womē also backe againe into Galile frō whence they folowed him to Hierusalē or els to instruct confirme them beinge as yet rude in the knowledge of the kingdome of God in Galile because he might do it there more freelye safely than in Hierusalē wher he might be in daunger of the Phariseis hye priestes C. But now the first thre Euangelistes do pretermit that which S. Iohn declareth of Mary Magdalene namely that she hauing not as yet seene the Angels came againe into the Citty complayned weepinge that the body of Christ was taken away The which as sone as the two Disciples Peter Iohn heard they ran to the Sepulcher into the which Peter entered and then that other Disciple Notwithstāding both of them returned home againe with doubtfull suspended minds as yet Mary standeth still at the Sepulcher weepinge And although S. Iohn doth make mencion of Mary Magdalene only yet for all that it is likely that other women also of the which the other thre Euāgelistes make mencion that were with her At the first therefore they came to the Sepulcher the which whē they found voide they tell the Dysciples saying They haue takē the Lord out of the Sepulcher wee knowe not where they haue layed him After that she returned to the Sepulcher with the other women whom Peter Iohn followed who seinge the Sepulcher to be emptye returned home with suspended minds But Mary the other women abydinge there stil
behoulding the Sepulcher againe two Angels appeare vnto her of whom wee haue spoken already and do testifye vnto them that Christ is rysen do commaūde them to tell it vnto the Disciples but namely vnto Peter whiche euen now entered into the Sepulcher perceiued that Christ was risen At the length when these women returned into the Citty to tell these thinges vnto the Disciples they were confirmed againe as they went that they might the more bouldly affyrme the Lorde to be risen for Christe appeareth vnto them saluteth them Howbeit Iohn maketh mēcion of Mary Magdalene only And Marke doth not say that Christ met with them but sayth only that he appeared to Mary Magdalene betymes in the morninge But Luke maketh no mencion of this visiō at all but this pretermission oughte not to seeme absurde vnto vs seing that the Euāgelistes do oftētimes vse the same As touchinge the difference betweene Mathewe Marke this is to be considered that Mathew by a figure called Synecdochen dothe extend that vnto al which was proper to one This Marye Magdalene was of Galile was not the sister of Martha Lazarus as some folishly haue thought For Mary the sister of Martha was not syrnamed Magdalene but is alwayes called in the Scripture Mary the sister of Martha that there might be a difference betweene her the other Maries Of this Mary Magdalene Luke writeth thus And also certaine womē which were healed of euil spirits infirmities Mary which is called Magdalene out of whō went seuen deuils Wherby we may behould the great goodnes mercy of God who respecteth no persons but geueth most honor where most vnworthines is to beate downe the pride of fleshe 5. The Angell answered and saide vnto the women feare ye not For I know that ye seke Iesus which was crucified he is not here The Angell ansvvered A. To answere here is put for to speake according to the maner of the Hebrewes for they demaūded no questiō wherby answere should be said to be made He maketh mencion of one Angel only because but one and no mo spake vnto the womē Luke speaketh of two as appeareth by these wordes Behold two men stode beside thē in bright garments And as they were afraide bowed downe their faces to the earth they said vnto them Feare ye not M. It was the office of the Angel to geue testimony of the resurrectiō of Christ But goinge thereabout he doth before all other thinges cōfort the women that were afraid but he had made the wicked watchmen afraid For the resurrection of Christ is a terror to the wicked and to the godly a great cōsolation Whervpō he sayth Feare ye not As if he should say Be not ye afraide as those watchmen were which are gone away For I knovv This is the reasō why they ought not to feare as if he had sayd I know that ye are frends such as beleeue in Iesus I knowe that for the loue of Iesus ye are come hither wherfore there is no cause why ye shoulde be afraide of mee for I am here not an ennemye but your frende C. In Luke there seemeth a sharpe reprehensiō to be added thus Why seeke ye the liuinge amonge the dead 6. He is not here he is rysen as hee said Come see the place where the Lorde was layed Hee is not here M Now the Angell by plaine words beareth testimony to the resurrection of the lord Bu. As if he should say the body of Christ which was crucifyed buried is not now in the Sepulcher As he said C. He putteth them in minde of the wordes of Christe Bu. as if he shoulde haue saide Christ is the truth The truth cannot lye And he said that he would rise again Therfore he is rysen in deede C. We do se here that the Angels are sent to confirme the doctrine of Christ A. And that Christe had foreshewed his resurrection the Euangelistes do testify in diuers places Come se the Bu. To the ende they might be the more fully certifyed of all thinges he willeth them to haue experience to see with their eyes For he sheweth them the empty monumēt VVhere the Lorde vvas layed C. Behoulde how the Angels here call Christ the lord A. Euenso in another place it is said A sauiour is borne vnto you this daye which is Christ the Lord in the Citty of Dauid S. Luke addeth sayinge Remember how hee spake vnto you when he was yet in Galile saying that the sonne of mā must be deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and be crucifyed the third day ryse againe 7. And go quickly and tel his Disciples that he is rysen againe from the dead And behoulde hee goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see him Lo I haue toulde you And go quickely C. Here God doth adorne the women by the Angel with extraordinary honor because he committeth vnto them the charge embassage of the speciall part of our saluation Notwithstandinge this office was accidentall extraordinarye and enioyned to them but for a time They are commaunded to tell that vnto the Apostles which they afterward according to the office enioyned them preached to the whole world but they do not this as Apostles Therefore they do amisse gather a lawe by this commaundement of the Angel which do permit to women the office of baptizing Let vs be contented with this the Christe in them set forth the treasures of his grace in that hee made them once to be the teachers of the Apostles notwithstandinge so that hee woulde not haue that to be drawne into example which was done by a singuler priuiledge If any man obiecte and say that there was no cause why women shoulde be preferred before the Apostles whiche were no lesse carnall incensible than they wee aunswere that it is not in vs but in the will pleasure of the Iudge to put a difference betweene these them Furthermore wee say that they deserued to be more sharpelye reprehended which were not only taughte before other mē but also were ordayned to be teachers of the Church throughoute the whole worlde being called the light of the world the sault of the earth so foully did they fall The women therefore were sente to the Disciples to their reproche because they were so slow to beleue And behould hee goeth before you into Galile C. In that the Angell calleth the Disciples into Galile it semeth therfore to be done that Christ might make himselfe knowne to many For wee know that he was longe conuersaūt in Galile And hee thought it good to geue space vnto his Dysciples that euen in the very departure they might better remēber themselues Furthermore the custome vsinge of the places helped them to know their master For it was meete that they should be cōfirmed by all meanes least they should wante any thinge whith pertayned to the assuraūce of their faith Lo I
haue tould you C. By this kind of speach the Angell doth affirme that it is true which he said B. as if hee should say Go your way take experience of that which I haue saide if ye distruste it is your owne fault as for me I haue declared that vnto you which I know to be true C. This the Angell speaketh not of himselfe although he were the first author but subscribeth to the promise of Christe and therefore in Marke hee doth onelye put him in minde of the wordes of Christ Luke sayth that they remēbered the words of the Lord By the which wee are taught that althoughe they did profite very little in the doctrine of Christ yet notwithstāding the same did not perishe but was choked vntill it began to growe in due time A. Euenso the Disciples saw many thinges in Christ and heard those things of him which they vnderstode not by and by but after that hee was rysen againe from death 8. And they departed quickly from the Sepulcher with feare and great ioye and did runne to bringe his Dysciples worde And as they wente to tell his Disciples And they departed quickelye C. This ought to be vnderstoode of the second returne into the Citty in the which Mary Magdalene and the reste of her fellowes tould the Disciples that Christe was risen whiche they had learned as well by the testimony of the Angell as by the sight of Christ himselfe But before Christ sheewed himselfe they ran to the Dysciples as they were cōmaunded of the Angell And as they were goinge they were cōfirmed againe Christ makinge him selfe manifest vnto them as it shal be said in the next verce following The womē therefore runne to the Disciples VVith feare great ioye C. By these woordes Mathewe meaneth that the womē were greatly comforted at the voice of the Angell yet notwithstandinge that they were striken with feare that they burne betwene ioy sorrow M. So that we do see two affections almost contrarye one to the other to be mixed together namely ioye feare But spirituall ioye is such that we cannot truly reioyce in the Lord except the fleshe be caste downe humbled Wee must mortify the flesh otherwise wee cannot be partakers of the immortall spiritual ioy Herevpon it commeth that so often as God appeareth geueth some feeling of his presence we are made afraide almost discouraged They went therfore with ioy for the resurrectiō of Christ which they had learned of the Angell and with feare for the straungenes of the vision greatnes of the myracle They were not as yet fullye certifyed in minde of the resurrection of Christ and yet notwithstandinge they receiued no small ioy and comfort by the wordes of the Angel. For if they had had a sound and perfecte faith it would haue put away feare greatly quieted them but nowe feare mingled with ioy plainlye declareth that they were not satisfyed by the testimonye of the Angell For they beinge in the middest of sorrow and hearinge this tydinges which they neuer looked for of the Angell they could not beleue for the great ioy The like we reade of the Dysciples in Luke that they could not beleeue for very ioye that is for the desier of the Lord and for the straungenes of the myracle C. Here therefore Christ did wōderfully declare his mercy in taking awaye the doubte and feare whiche was a great let to the fayth of these women 9. Behoulde Iesus met them sayinge All haile And they came and helde him by the feete and worshipped him Behoulde Iesus met them M. The Lord had a consideration of his Disciples insomuch that hee woulde not haue his resurrection sheewed to his Dysciples by these women vppon the report only of the Angell but offereth himselfe also to be seene that nowe not only the testimonye of the eares but also of the eyes might certify them And for the certainty of his resurrectiō hee would haue the same declared not only of the Angels to the women of the womē to the Disciples but also offer himselfe both to that the women to the disciples to be seene felt Saying all Haile M. Or reioyce and be glad There is no doubt but that he spake in Hebrew accordinge to the maner of the coūtrey said Salom that is to say Peace Here the manner of salutacion is cōmended vnto vs the words thereof beinge common both to the godly wicked also notwithstandinge in deede and effecte proper only to the godly He is not a true frend which loueth not truly in God. Therfore S. Iohn exhorteth vs to loue one another not in word only but in deede and verity And they came and helde him by the feete C. This thinge seemeth not to agree with the wordes of Iohn where hee sayth that Mary was forbidden to toutch Christ But these two places may be easelye reconciled that the Lord seinge Mary to be to busye in embrasing and kissinge his feete commaūded her to go from him because it was meete that superstition shoulde be corrected and the ende of his resurrection also declared from the which partly earthly grose affection and partly folishe zeale did withdrawe her But the Lorde at his firste meeting suffered them to toutche his feete least anye thinge shoulde be wantinge that might certifye them of his resurrection Therefore by and by Mathewe addeth And vvorshipped This was a signe of certaine knowledge Wee reade not that they said any thinge A sauinge that S. Iohn saith that Mary sayde Rabboni But this their deede is as muche as Thomas expressed afterward in a word sayinge My Lord and my god This worship was a signe of reuerence whiche they gaue vnto the maiestye of Christ Hereby we may learne what our duty is namely to prostrate our selues before the lord And as for the resurrection of Christ it oughte to make vs acknowledge his power whiche in deede oughte to styrre vs vp to reuerence him 10. Then saide Iesus vnto them be not afraide Go tell my bretheren that they go into Galile and there shall they see mee Then saide Iesus vnto them C. Wee gather that feare was euill because Christ deliuereth the women from the same againe For although it came of admiracion yet notwithstandinge it was contrary to a quiet truste Therefore to the ende they mighte lift vppe themselues to Christe the Conqueroure of deathe they are commaunded to be of good cheere But by the same woordes wee are tought that wee do then trulye knowe the resurrection of the Lord if with an vndouted faith wee haue bouldnes to boaste that wee are made partakers of the same life Christe therefore taketh from them feare not ioye For his resurrection bringeth not any occasion of feare to the beleuing but of true perpetuall ioy These wordes therefore bringe great consolation to a fearefull conscience Go and tell He geeueth them the same commaundement that the Angell did C. And
and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames These al continewed with one accord in prayer and supplication with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren It is like that the Apostles gathered theÌ„ selues together into this parloure and securite place that they might there abyde vntyll they had receiued the holy Ghoste But fonde and foolishe are the Papistes whiche go about to proue the supremacy of Peter because in this place hee is named first among the reste of the Apostles And if so bee we should graunte that hee was the chief of all the Apostles yet it doth not followe that he was chief of the whole world But if he be therefore chiefe of the Apostels because in the cataloge or rehersall of names he is put in the firste place we wyll also by the same reason conclude that the mother of Christe was inferior to all other women because she is named in the lowest roume The whiche thing â–ª I am sure they wyll in no wise admitte and if they would it were to absurde Wherefore except they meane to make all men laughe and ieste at their Popishe supremacy let them cease to proue it by suche sclender and childishe reasons But to retourne to our purpose The Euangeliste Luke sayth that all the Apostels of Christe were assembled together in prayer R. Continuall prayer truly was necessary for them for at that tyme they were sette in the middest of many and greuous temptations partely because the holy Ghoste came not presently vpon them after they came from the mount Oliuet and partly because they might loke euery moment when the armed souldiers should beset the house in the whiche they were C. They praye therefore that Christe woulde sende his spirite vpon them as hee had promysed Whereby we gather that the same is a trewe faith which doth moue vs and styrre vs vp to call vppon the name of God. And were continually in the Temple lauding and praysing God. C. The Euangeliste Luke meaneth that the Apostels for exceading ioye burst forth openly into the prayse of God and were dayly in the temple The Apostels at the firste for feare pryuely kepte them selues in secrete but nowe with bouldnes and ioye they come abroade And whyle they thus wayghted for the comminge of the holye Ghoste they chose Mathias in steade of Iudas Iscariothe as Luke declareth in the Actes At the length when the fifty dayes or Pentecost was ended that is to saye seuen wekes after the resurrection the holy Ghoste was sente vppon them as wytnesseth Saynt Luke sayinge When the fifty dayes were come to an ende they were altogether with one accorde in one place And sodainly there came a sounde froÌ„ heauen as it had bene the comming of a mighty wynde and filled all the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues and so foorthe vntill the thirtene verse They being therefore baptized and confirmed by the holy Ghoste and thereby being made more strong prepared theÌ„ selues by and by to discharge their office as the Euangeliste Marke declareth by these woords And they went foorthe and preached euery where the Lord working with them and confirming the woorde with miracles followyng Wherefore let vs by the example of the Apostels glorifie the name of God whiche plentifully hath powred his holye spirite vpon vs whiche hath sanctified vs by the same spirite geuen vnto vs free remission of our sinnes by the death of his sonne Iesus Christe whome he raysed agayne from death and hath exalted to the ryght hande of his glory in heauen that he hauing takeÌ„ possession thereof 〈◊〉 wee hereafter might be partakeâ—…s of the same In the meane tyme The God of peace that brought agayne from death our Lorde Iesus the great shepehearde of the Shepe through the bloud of the euerlasting testament make vs 〈◊〉 all good workes to â—â— his wyll and bring to passâ—… that the thing whiche we do may be pleasaunt 〈◊〉 his â—â—ghtâ—… through Iesus Christe our lord To whome â—…e prayse foreuer wâ—… 〈…〉 Amen FINIS Matth. 13 â—…a 10. â—…r 1. â—…s 9. 〈◊〉 3. â—…h 28. 〈◊〉 4. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 14. Pro. 29. â—…he reason of â—…e Title 2. Cor. 5. 1. Corint 1. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 10. Math. 4. Mar. 1. Luke 2. Iohn 3. Act. 20. Rom. 1. 1. Corint 1. 2. Cor. 3. Gal. 1. Ephe. 3. Phil. 2. Colos 1. Thes 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Titus 3. Phile. Heb. 4. Iam. 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Iohn 3. Iohn Inde Apoca. 14. 1. Corint 11 Chap. 4. Esay 64. Mat. â—… Gene. 5. Exod. 32 Iosua 10. Philip. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1â—… Gene. 21. and .22 Psalm 89. Math. 21. Matth. 22. Roman i. Nume 36. Iudg. 21. Luke 1. 2. Par. 22. â—…oma 15. â—â—on 4. Hebre. 15. 4. King. 11. 1. para 22. 2. Para. 23. Gene. 16. Gene 21. Roman 9. Gene. 26. Luke â—… Gene. 22. Philip. 2. Gene. 25. Malac. 1. Roman 9. Gene. 29. Gene 49. Roma 9. Phillip 2. a Psalm 42. Gene. 38. A comfortable saying 1. Parli 2. Iosua â—… Ruth â—… â—… Sam. 8. 2. Sam. 20. 2. Sam. 7. 1 Pet. 17. Psalm 89. 132. Mans merites are condemned 1. Reg. 12 2. Para. 12. 2. Para. 12. 2. para 10. 1. Reg. 2â—… para 1â—… 2. para 14. 2. po 15. 2. para 16. Ezech. 33. 2. Par. 21. Epiphanius in his booke against heresie False religioÌ„ The reuerent â—…steming of gods worde â—… Para. 34 â—… King. 24 Gene. 49. 1 Paralip 3. Gene. 49. The signification of the woorde of Christi Dan. 9. Psalm 45. Iohn 3. â—â—e 6. â—…th 13. â—…o 6. Luke 1. Luke 1. The honest zeale of Ioseph Deutro 22. Iustice modestie merâ—… and anger must be had punishing vâ—… The cause why Mary maried 1. Cor. 20. Nume 12 Dreames suâ—â—rnaturall â—â—d naturall â—…he cause of â—â—turall â—â—ames Gene 28. Gods prouidence shewed in dreames The malice of the Rabbines Philip. 2 There is no vertue included in the bare woorde Iesus Esay 49 Act 4. b. Saluation by Christ only Roma 3 Two partes of deliueraÌ„ce Christ is not our sauiour without we beleue The coÌ„ming of Christ hatâ—… abolished the awe Osee 3. Roman 9 Esay 7 Esay 8. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. Gene. 24. c Exod. 2. b Prouerb 31. Esay 59. The nere affiâ—…tie betwene God and vs â—…y his sonne Christe â—…phe 2. Deut. 7. Psal. 147. Collos 2. Christ a lawfull mediator Iohn 1. Hebr. 2. Collos 1. 1. Tim. 2. Hebr. 4. 2. Pet. 1. The obedieÌ„ce and faith of Ioseph Without the lorde by his holy spirite in struct the hart all externall preaching is in vayne â—â—ed by the â—…slatour 〈◊〉 of HieroÌ„ â—…ath 1. Nume 18. Exod. 12. Math. 13 Actes 1. Luke 2. a The notable agrement of the Euangelistes â—…a 19. â—…ges 12. 〈◊〉 li. anti â—…ic 14. 〈◊〉 18. â—…he ende of â—…apering of 〈◊〉 starre Psalm 72. The fond immagination of
Faâ—◠〈◊〉 is the â—…to obâ—…ur purâ—… the 〈◊〉 of God â—…on â—…were â—…ithe of â—…rntes â—…th inâ—… Math. 5. Ezech. 14. 18. Sinne is the cause of corporall disseases Amos. 5. Deut. 28. Iohn 5. 1. Cor. 11. Psalâ—… â—…y forâ—…â—…innes 〈◊〉 man. â—…0 〈…〉 Aunswere Iohn 5. Christ did remitte sinnes in dede his ministers do but pronouÌ„ce remission of synnes Aunswere Thâ—… Châ—◠〈◊〉 merâ—â—d An example of humilitie 1. Tim. 1. Note here two thinges Obedience Gene. 12. a Hebr. 11. b Ryches are a let vnto vs. Luke 18. Lukâ—… Esay â—… Lukâ—… 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—…s The godly couet to haue more in their fellowship The nature of an Hypocrite Luke 16. Backbiting Châ—… Pâ—â— syâ—… â—…rs â—…not to â—…ysed Iohn 9. Luke 16. The mercy of God is the medicine of the soule Math. 5. Tit. 2. Luke â—… Repâ—… Esay â—… Ezecâ—… Acteâ—… Lukâ—… Maâ—… â—…os 2. â—…ositie â—…es conâ—… not in â—…de â—…s 〈…〉 3. Hypocriticall holines Iohn 3. Luke 22. Two things are here to be noted Fasâ—… be vsâ—… voluâ—… wyll 〈◊〉 by coâ—… 〈…〉 〈◊〉 1. Christe hath power to call all men to repentaunce Affliction maketh vs to come vnto Christe Math. 8. Iohn â—… 4. Kiâ—… Iohn â—… Iohn â—… â—…e dothe â—…cte vs â—…hstanâ—…â—…ur inâ—…e â—…se â—…ole â—…auen â—…on 〈◊〉 5. Superstition in imitation of saynctes Feare is contrary to faith Roma 10. Sickenesses and disseases are plagues for synne Aunsâ—… Maâ—â— Lukâ—…â—… and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. â—…race 〈◊〉 toâ—… the 〈◊〉 salâ—… 〈◊〉 2. By faith only we obtaine remission of our sinnes Marke 5 Symon Luke 7 Faith maketh all thinges possible vnto vs. Mark 9. Luâ—… lib. â—… Luâ—… Hoâ—â—â—…gethâ—…â—…tion 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 10. â—…ion â—…were Death is compared to slepe Acte 7. Iohn 11. 1. Cor. 15. 3. King. 14. Outewarde sygnes are of no force It is more true to reade it Calita with L. and not with B. 4. King. 4. Acteâ—… Iohn â—… Mathâ—… 17 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—…0 〈…〉 â—…en â—…h 〈◊〉 Luke 3. Faithe doubteth no peryll in coÌ„minge to Christe Iohn 9. The lorde doth not at the first here our petitions to the ende hee might make vs the more feruent in prayer Matth. 15 Aunswere 〈◊〉 Fâ—… â—…eale 〈◊〉 1. â—â—d in â—…o ofâ—… disâ—…â—…od 〈◊〉 15. 3. King. 20. Math. 16. Iohn 13. The lorde is ryche in mercye Iohn 5. Iohn 9. Luke 7. Goâ—…â—…mies Anâ—… a 〈◊〉 or châ—… Bâ—… raâ—…â—…teth wâ—◠〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 christ 〈◊〉 to â—…aâ—…e reâ—…the 〈◊〉 The Gospell Math. 4. Christ beinge iâ—… heauen careth for his churche The securitie of the hyghe priestes The Papacy is replenished with rauening wulues 2. Coâ—… Phillipâ—… Gala. â—… Phillâ—… 1. Tiâ—… The â—…ters 〈◊〉 are fâ—… laboâ—â— 1. Câ—… 〈◊〉 10. â—…o 4. The sendinge foorth of the Apostels to preache A mistery coÌ„teined in the number of twelue Psal. 110. 1. Cor. â—… Gala. â—… ep Phâ—… Luke â—… Luke â—… The 〈◊〉 of the â—…stels 〈◊〉 firste Doctâ—… withâ—… thorâ—â— small 〈◊〉 â—…wefull â—…yraâ—… 〈◊〉 5. â—…lip 15 Gala. 2. The Romish supremacy is very fondly buylte vpon this place Iohn 1. Actes 12. Iohn 13 19. and .21 Iohn 20. The modestie of Mathewe 1. Timo. 1 Actes 26. 1. Cor. 15. Luke 6. Actes 1. Iohn â—… No feâ—…ship oâ—… founâ—… but 〈◊〉 before vngod sone Math â—… Iohn â—… The 〈◊〉 an Apoâ—… 〈◊〉 15. 〈◊〉 17. 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 16. 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 5. â—…g 17 〈◊〉 4. Math. 8. The ende of Christes coÌ„ming The 〈◊〉 prydeâ—… in 〈◊〉 Esay â—… We 〈◊〉 to bycâ—â— the 〈◊〉 God. 4. Kiâ—… Acteâ—… Math. â—… Iohn â—… The 〈◊〉 are Pâ—… â—…eading â—…here â—…en 〈◊〉 9. â—…e 6. 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Gene. 32. Exod. 14. 4. King. 4. Luke 10. 1. Cor. 9. Gala. 6. Aunswere Luke â—… Wortâ—â—â—…uers 〈◊〉 Gospâ—… Mathâ—… Lukâ—… Sâ—… 〈…〉 All the houshold family is blessed for the good man of the house sake Luke 19. 2. Cor. 2. The Gospell is of great pryce vnto the lorde A mete man to preache the Gospell Chap. â—… Luke â—… Actâ—… Actâ—… Thâ—… thâ—… hâ—â— thâ—â— Gâ—â— coâ—… hâ—… Luâ—◠〈◊〉 Iude. â—…odoâ—…â—…albe â—…ntly 〈◊〉 at of iudâ—… then â—…fers â—…ospel The publique wealth consisteth in imbracing the Gospell Ezech. 16. ForewarniÌ„g of daungers is profitale Luke 10. The prâ—…chers oâ—… Gospeâ—… ofteÌ„â—…shepe 〈◊〉 to the â—…ter Wolâ—… this 〈◊〉 â—…ome and â—…ency is â—…ed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 4. Aunswere Securitie must be auoided The subtiltie of tyrantes Marke 14 Luke 22. Actes 4.5.6.7 The pâ—…tes of 〈◊〉 worldâ—…â—…nemies Sathâ—…â—…deth 〈◊〉 of tuâ—… Iohn â—… Math â—… Mathâ—… Lukâ—… â—…rouâ—…â—…ught â—…d vpâ—… only Immoderate care is here condempned Helpe commeth from the lorde in time of neede The credit aucthoritye of the Apostles writinges Math. 12. Sathâ—… dothâ—… alwaâ—…â—…gainâ—… 2. Tiâ—… Deuâ—… Mathâ—… Mathâ—… â—â—n is â—â—e of a 〈◊〉 man. â—…o 4 â—â—rance â—…de 〈◊〉 1. â—…arde â—…eâ—… 〈◊〉 perâ—… to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 12. a. Hebr. 6 Aunswere The souldyers of Christ must fight in the battaile of this life to the ende Persecution may be eschewed August ad Honor. â—…ebr 3. â—…are the â—…herne of â—â—ste â—…ng 1. Blasphemy Ignomy and reproch is alwaies coÌ„mon to the chyldreÌ„ of God. Iohn 15. Trueth at the lengthe ouercommeth Mark. 14. Luke 8. Luke 12. 1. Cor. â—… Deut. â—… Iudgâ—… 〈◊〉 earthly â—…aine The wicked is desperate Iohn 9. The wicked perswade theÌ„ selues that they haue power to do what they lyste Luke 12. Tyrantes haue no power ouer the soule of man. Luke 12. 1. Cor. 9. Goddâ—…â—…uidencâ—… A 〈◊〉 confâ—… â—…cle of â—…tune â—…uâ—… The care of the lorde for his children 1. Petr. 1. Theâ—… on 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 Fâ—… beâ—… wrâ—… mâ—… 1. Pâ—… 〈◊〉 26. â—…ers of â—â—te He that confesseth not Christe outhe dishonoure Christe Marke 8. Luke 9. Aunswere Chrisâ—…â—…swerâ—â— wyckâ—â— Iohn â—… Chriâ—… peaceâ—… godly Geneâ—… â—…pâ—…â—…ture â—…se of 〈◊〉 4. â—…eâ—…s â—â—ed â—…e â—…hriâ—…e Miche 7. Humane loue ought not to withdrawe vs from the spiritual loue of Christe Luke 4. Gene. 22. Philip. 3. Theâ—… and â—…tionâ—…â—…ther Iohn â—… 2. Tâ—… Hebâ—… 1. Peâ—… Lukâ—… Thâ—… â—â—kes â—â—ruâ—â—n â—…vain 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 deâ—…â—…o â—…en Trewe matters 1. Petr. 4. We are theâ—… members of Chrystes misticall body Seducers preache not the worde of the lorde Iere. 23. Gala. 6. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Iâ—… â—…6 〈…〉 â—…6 â—…e of â—…excel â—â—her Luke 10. Iohn 3. All men must be sent vnto Christe 1 Cor. 4. Actes 20. Iohn 3. d Iohn 1. Chap. 7. Esaâ—… Iohâ—… Esâ—◠〈◊〉 are a â—…yndeâ—… to reâ—…â—…e Goâ—… 〈…〉 â—…o Offences Christe is a stombling block to the wicked Luke 7. 2. Kâ—â— Inâ—… 〈◊〉 1. â—â—hi 1. Luke 1. Luke 7. Malachi 4. The 〈◊〉 came frâ—… The 〈◊〉 of a trâ—… Luke 7. Chaâ—… Ioâ—â— theâ—… neâ—â— â—â—ion coÌ„â—…ot in â—…tnes â—…o 4. â—…stinaâ—… reâ—… Ironia is a fygure in speakinge when a man dissembleth in spech that which he thinketh not as in scoffing callinge that foule whiche is fayre or that sweete whiche is sower Roma 6. â—…ustice â—…ence â—…all reâ—… must â—…ded Ioel. 2â—… The coÌ„tempt of Goddes word can not escape vnponyshed Chap 4. Math Româ—… Lukâ—… 〈◊〉
punishment is not persecution 82. Ire is the roote of murther 94. Iustification commeth by fayth 457. K. Kingdome of Heauen what it is 40. Kingdome of Christe 459. Kingdome of Heauen may be shut vp two wayes 530 Kinges ought to be liberall 451. L. Lawe abolished by Christes comminge 14. Liberallity 108. Liberty preached by Papish monkes 110. Liberallity pertayneth to kinges 451. Lyes staye vs from repentaunce 570. Loue is the fulfillinge of the Lawe 96. Loue of our neighbour 109. 514. Loue was and is more plentifull in the heathen than in ChristiaÌ„s 110. Loue is a token of adoption 110. Loue not guided by reason 367. Loue pertayneth to Christians 403. Lorship pertayneth not to pastors 451. 452. Luxurye 43. Lunatikes 385. M. Mans merits are condemned 7. Mans life consisteth not in bread 61. Mans felicitye consisteth not in meate and drincke 61. Mans merits are nothing 82. 83. Mans vnsauerye nature muste be seasoned by Gods word 84. Mans naturall affections resiste God 120. Mans labour without gods blessinge is nothinge 121. Mans afections muste be guided by gods spirite 129. Man must tarrye the Lordes leysure 160. Mans mysery 170. 273. Mans minde is blind 322. Mans life is a continuall warrefare 347. Mans soule is immortall 372. Mans merits deserue dampnation 440. Man hath a certayne time appointed eyther of life or death 659. Manicheis 324. Magistrates offyce 80. 589 Magistrates are vnder the power of God 157. Magistrates eyther spirituall or temporall maye haue the name of Lordes 528. Martyers 227. Mary the mother of Christ ought not to be worshipped 276. Masse contrarye to the institution of Christ 636. Matrimony 416 Matrimonye cannot be broken at mans pleasure 420. Matrimony oughte not to be broken but by fornication 420. Matrimony is a necessary remedy against sinne 423. Meanes not lawfull 665. Mercifull princes make the subiectes to dwell without peril 37. Mercy 78. 536. Merits bringe vs not to euerlastinge life 427. 442. 604. Meekenes 77. Mekenes consisteth in sufferance 462. Men see not their owne falts 137. Meates defyle not a man 338. Misconstruinge of the place of the Prophetes 33. Mynisters must be deligent 72. Mynisters of Gods word are the light of the worlde 86. Mynisters of Christ ought not to be discouraged by reproch 197. Mynisters of Christ are faythfull labourers 198. Mynisters of Christ 450. 486. Mynisters of the woorde are steewardes 589. 751. Mynisters of Christ must be called 596. Mysteries of God pertayne not to the reprobate 138. Myracles 148. Myracles serue to set forth Gods glorye 327. ModeratioÌ„ must be vsed in reprehention 663 Modesty in Iohn the Baptist 53. Modesty 152. Moyses chaire 521. Moonkes fryers go in sheepes clothinge 143. Monkes and fryers crucify them selues in vaine 227. Monkishe perfection 432. Moonkes maintayned in ydlenes 432. Monkes are makers of proâ—…elits 533. Murther is committed by haired 94. Murther hath thre steppes 94. 95. Murmuringe is not in the faythfull 443. N. Necessary care 131. Necessity hath no law 248. Nectarius bishoppe of Constantinople toke awaye auriculer confession 154. Negligence in stewardes of gods househoulde 301. Newters 263. Newe thinges please men be they neuer so bad 304. O. Obedience and fayth in Ioseph 18. Obedience is acceptable to God. 32. Obedience due to Maiestrates 505. Obedience is a tryal of gods promises 64. Obedience 157. 178. Obstinacy in the reprobate 237. Obstinate â—â—â—denes 302. Obseruation of the Sabothe 246. Occasions of euill oughte to be auoyded 320. 415. Offences 231. 335. Offences of two sortes 337 Offences of diuers kinds 397. Offences Actiue and Pâ—…e 398 Oppressors of the truthe are inexcusable 23. Oppression of Gods spirite surmounteth mans reasoÌ„ 29. Opinions must haue Gods word for their warrante 401. Ordinarye meanes must be vsed 64. Othes 103. P. Patience is blessed â–ª 75. Patience is in the godly 107. Patience perseuereth to the ende 21â—… Patience 289 Papistes confesse Christe with the mouthe and in deede denye him 25. Papistes take froÌ„ vs Gods word 61. Papistes saye that the Scripture is doubtful 63. Papistes denye God onelye to be worshipped 66. Papistes saye that concupiscence is no sinne 100. Papistes worship God with outwarde shewes onlye 623. Papistes alleadge traditions 328 Papistes geue the glory of God to saintes 540. Papisticall repentance 47 â–ª Parrables haue theyr vse 277. Parables do not in all pointes agree 412. Passeouer of the Iewes a type of Christes supper 616. â—…ersian worship 29. â—…eace makers 79. â—â—ace is in Christes truthe 225. Persecution 80 Persecution for righteousnes 81. Persecution may lawfully be fled 216. 567. Perfection consisteth not in straitnes of life 237. Perfection 432. Perseuerance and constancy 563. 215. 258. 325. 440. Perseueraunce proueth oure election 501. Peter denyeth Christ 681. Peters successor muste be a preacher 752. Peters infirmity is common to al men 324. Peter was the mouth of the Apostles 357. Peter signyfyeth a stone 359. Peter dyed at Rome 395. Peter was called Sathan 368. Peters infirmitye 378. Phariseys 44. Pilate slewe himselfe 685. Pope woulde be worshipped 29. Popishe pride 48. Pope and Sathan in ambition lyinge are alike 65 Popes excommunication is not to be feared 81. Pope is a raueninge woâ—â—e 145. Popishe â—…ast 59. Pore in spirite 7â—… Punishmentes prepared for the wicked 300. Pouertye is appointed to exercise charity 624. Potentates of this world are ennemyes to God 212. Plagues are Gods messengers 161. Prayer 115. 139. 423. Prayer is the exercise of our faith 116. 117. 118. 119. Prayer is but a vaine ceremonyâ—… without fayth 139. Prayer must haue constancy 140. Prayer in secrete 320. Prayer must be vsed in all places 321. 409. Prayer to saintes 341. Prayer helpeth fayth 389 Prayer is the onlye refuge of sinners 413. Prayer in time of neede 455. Preachinge is in vaine withoute the internall worde of the spirite 18. Preachers must teach with consideration 44. Preachers must abound in knowledge 301. Preachers of Gods word must auoyde flattery 309. Predestination 336. Prouidence of God in Dreames 13. Prodigaâ—â—tye 108. Pryde by nature in man 204. Pride is the mother of reproche 399. Presumption and excessiue care are ioyned together 133. Presumption 64. Purenes of hart is the mother of all vertue 78. Purgatory of the Papistes 99. Publicans 111. 179. Purgatory pedlers 266. Purgatory 414. R. Rashe Iudgemente ought to be auoyded 500. Rashe Iudgemente commeth of lighte credite 620. Rashe Iudgement 136. Rashe zeale 46. Rabbines 14. Repentaunce 40. 47. 182. Repentance is not the cause of remission of sinnes 283. Repentance is declared by remission of sinne 44. Repentance hath her fruite 47. Repentance Papistical 47. Repentance is the worke of God. 410. Repentance is a holy thinge 411. Repentance confesseth sinnes 724. Repentaunce commeth not by the motion of the fleshe 723. Reprehension is bitter to the wicked 25. Reprehension doth not profite the obstinate 625. Reprobates are captiues to Sathan 28. Reprobates are chaste 51. Reprobates shal be tormented 296. Reprobates repentâ—… not from the bottome of the
hart 595. Reconcilliation 97. Redemption could not be without the destruction of Sathan 262. Regeneration of two kinds 437. Religion is the keye of the kingdome of Heauen 530. RemissioÌ„ taketh away the punishment of the falte 725. Remission of sinnes putteth away satisfactions 123. Remission of sinnes by the Gospel 363. Remedies against contencion 98. Reuelation that is heauenly agreeth with the Scriptures 29. Reuerence pertayneth to Gods word 9. Rewarde 83. Resurrection of Christ 749 Riches are subiect to rust 127. Riches are a let vnto vs 178. 231. 298. Riches kepe vs from Christ 433. Riches of themselues are good 434. Rytches not vsed to the glory of God are abused 735 Righteousnes of two sortes 428 Robbery houldeth vp the Popes seate 548 S. Sabothes haue their vse 248 Sabothes ought ought rather to be broken than the rule of Charitie 255 Sacrament a visible signe 637 SacrameÌ„tes must not be despised Saduceis 45 Saluation by Christe only 14 Saluation commeth onely by the free mency of God. 604 Salutation 206 Sampson a figure of Christe 38 Sathan and the Pope desyer to be worshiped of Christ 29 Sathan the enemy of maÌ„kynde 57 Sathan is the cause of euell temptations 60 Sathan maketh vs to distruste Gods promises 60. 722 SathaÌ„ can not hurte without God suffer 63. 170 Sathan signifieth an aduersary 65 Sathan is a tyraunte 168 Sathan his kyngdome are subiecte to Christe 169 Sathan hateth no creature but man â—â—â— SathaÌ„ coÌ„tinually warreth against Christe 214 Sathan is an vncleane spirite 272. SathaÌ„ entereth not into the faithfull 273 Sathan is an ennemy to Gods worde 286 Sathan is the head of the vngodly 545. 609 Sathan possesseth the reprobate 626. Sathan woulde haue Christe to peryshe 707 SatisfactioÌ„ cannot be made by vs for synne 412 Satisfaction for all synnes made by Christe 644 Saintes may not be sought vnto for helpe 211 Scriptures are redde amis by the wycked 25 Scribes 327 Securitie 211 Seducers preache not the woorde of the Lorde 228 Sedition is ascribed to the worde of God ofteÌ„times by the wycked 693. Seueritie 402 Symplicitie of Godlynes â—…0 Sycknesses are plagues for sinne 188. Synne stopped the waye to Gods grace â—…2 Synne maketh vs detters vnto God. 122 Sinne is the cause of corâ—…orall diseases 173 Sinnes are not forgueÌ„ by maÌ„ 175 Synners ought not to be despised 181. Synnes are remitted two manner of wayes 411 Synnes are put away by the mercy of God. 413 Sinnes are put away by the sacrifice of Christe 617 Sinagoges 73. 113 Spirit of God cannot be sene 54 Spirites good and euell 322 Spirituall ioye 746 Slouthfumes dothe aryse of to muche truste 441 Sufferance 106 Subiectes must obey their prince 506. Supremacy of Rome 201 Superstition in immitation of sainctes 187 Superstitious wearing the Gospell about the necke 525 Superstition hath his originall of the fleshe 572 SuperstitioÌ„ in the faste of lent 59 Suspicion of rebellion must be auoyded 3â—…2 Streying shepe are not reiected of the Lorde 646 T Teares of repentance 684 Teares of oypocrites 684 Temperance 43 TeÌ„ptatioÌ„s come not by chauÌ„ce 58 Temptations proceade from the affections of man. 58 Temptations are a triall for a tyme. 66 Temptations that are euell come of Sathan 60 Temptations of Sathan kyndell our affections 124 Three causes of our saluation Threateninges make the wycked to rage more and more TribulatioÌ„ ought to bring vs vnto Christe â–ª 155 Tribute 390 Traditions thrust in by men 327 Traditions of three sortes 328 Traditions of men tye the consciences of Gods people 330 Tradition defenders are pernicious enemies 332 Traditions of men bryng in hypocrisie 352 Transubstantiation 638 Trouble trieth our faythe â—…66 Two partes of deliuerance 14 Two thinges to be studied of euery Christian 30. Two kyndes of anger 34 Two thinges were specially done by Christe 73 Two sortes of contemners 139 Two endes of mans lyfe 142 Two manner of frutes 144 Two things ought to be in a preacher 308 Truthe at all tymes maye not bee spoken 366 Truthe must alwayes bee defended 478 Truthe obteyneth no mercy 707 Truthe ought to be preferred before custome 94 Truthe ought to bee vsed in bargening 105 Truthe at the length ouercoÌ„meth True faythe 150 True followers of Christe 165 Tyrantes feare more than other men do 24 Tyrantes are subtill 212 Tyrantes haue no power ouer the soule of man. 219 Tyrantes that are enemies one to an other become frendes to destroye Christe 253 Tyrantes euer stande in feare 307 Tyranny in Papistes 421 Tyme to receyue the woorde of God. 39 Tythes 537 Tythes a parte of Gods worship 537. V Vaine glory in geuing almes must be put away 112 Vayne is this lyfe 219 Vayne trust 430 Vengeaunce commeth at the laste to the wycked 36 VengeauÌ„ce ought not to be required by the faithfull 109 Vertue is not included in the word Iesus 14 Vyce must be punished with iustice modesty mercy and anger 12 Vngodly men are blynded in the lighte 279 Vnfayned remission 415 Vnitie in mariage 417 Vnitie 410 576 Vnlawefull manes ought to bee auoyded 62 Vntymely heaers 286 Voyce of God chyldren pearceth the heauens 36 Vowes rasheâ—… made 312 Vowes monaâ—…ticall 313 Vowes madâ—â—y Papistes 425 Voluntary seuice is moste acceptable to Go. 513 Vsury 102 VV Watching 587 Watchinge without prayer profite nothinâ—… 656 Wedlocke â–ª a necessary remedy against sine 423 Wedlocke 102. 417 Whoredom dissolueth the knotte of matrimony 420 Whisperers must be auoided 620 Wisdome caÌ„not withstaÌ„d God. 27 Wisdome coÌ„meth not by our own industry 71 Wisdome and innocency ought to be in vs. 211 Witnesses ought to be had in matters of wayght 404 Worldlinges at the comminge of Christe feare the losse of promotion 23 Worldly wysdome is not comparable to the foolishnes of the crosse 31 Worldly felicitie 75 Wordlinges loke for gayne 108 Worldly men forsake heauen 129 Wordly wysdome 242 Worldly cares are a let to fructifie 287 Worldlynges 291 Worldly pleasure is obscure in respecte of the glory to come 297 Worldly sightes bewitche oure sences 289 Worthy receiuers of the gospel 206 Workes do not iustifie 269 Wolues of this worlde 210 Z Zeale that is rashe 46. 195. 367. 324. 667. Zeale of the godly 80 Zeale without knowledge 153 Zeale according to knowledge 252 Zeale pertayneth to the godly 468 Zeale oughte to bee guided by the woorde of God. 665 Thâ—… meaning of all those figures whiche are before in the exposition added for the better vnderstanding of the Reader wheresoeuer he fyndeth them MEtoymia is a figure called denominatioÌ„ as when Bacchus is or wyne or Venus for lechery Antithesi is a comparison or contrarietie Fol. 196 Irotia is a figure in speaking wheÌ„ a man dissembleth in speache that which hee thinketh not as in scoffing calling that foule whiche is fayrâ—… or that swete whiche is sower Hyperboâ—… is excesse in aduauÌ„cing or depressing A Metaphor is a transferring of woordes from their proper signification Prosopopaeia is a figure vsed wheras personages are supposed or fayned to speake as one man to an other Synecdoche is a figure when parte is vsed for the whole or the whole for parte 462 Hypotyposis is a figure called illustratioÌ„ by the which the forme of thinges is so sette foorthe in wordes that it semeth rather to be seene with the eyes than hearde with the eares Hysteron proteron is a figure vsed when any thing is declared out of order preposterously A Paradox is a sentence straunge contrary to the opinion of moste men Hypothesis is as argument so called FINIS ¶ Faultes escaped in printing Leafe 15 collum 1. for ioyned reade ordyned Leafe 49. â—…l 2. line 6. reade and because thingratitude Leafe 50. cl 2. for properly reade proper Leafe 67. coâ—… 1. line last saue one reade must wayes Leafe 67. col for reproue them reade reproâ—…d them Le. 68. co 1. Gâ—…nefar rea Genesar Le. 68. col 2. â—…oth the ways reade both wayes Leaf 137. co 1 â—…ine 1. reade which shall punishe Leaf 140. col 2 â—…ine 10. reade that he wyll heare it Leaf 140. col 2. â—…rent re pareÌ„tes Leaf 142. col 2. line last reade declaring that it is Leaf 144. co 2. line 33. there reade therefore Leaf 153. col 1. lin 20. for mistery reade ministery and office Leaf 154. col 1. li. 13. the read they Leaf 160. col 2. line 31. his disciples the disciples Le. 163. col 1. li. 5. same re Sunne Leafe 164. col 1. lin 2. salt re falte Leaf 169. col li. 11. exhorted reade extorted Le. 177. co 1. li. 17. saith re faythe Leafe 258. col 1. these blynde men reade this blyndeman Fol. 263. col 2. lin 4. before the end for Luke ware reade luke warme Fol. 263. col 2. line last for Crisse reade Christe Fol. 327. col 1. line last saue foure for greater reade great Fol. 335. col 2. for Israelles reade Israelites Fol. 352. col 1. for did oppressed reade did oppresse Fol. 504. leaue out the first line for it is twyse printed Fol. 675. col 2. for endued but by death reade ended but by deathe Fol. 659. for they should haue vnderstoode reade they should not haue vndrrstoode Fol. 689. co 2. reade by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghoste
Forsothe because the washing is done by the vertue power of the spirite also he thought it sufficient onely in the name of the spirite to expresse the whole effect of baptisme The meaning truely is plaine that we must geue vnto Christ what grace soeuer baptisme doth figurate or signifie because that he doth sprincle the consciences of men with his bloud he also doth mortifie the old man and he doth geue vnto it his spirite of regeneration And vvith fyer Bu. Fyer is a signe of purging loue C. But the name of fyer is applied to the spirite because he doth purge away our filthines euen as golde is purified in the fyer He is called fier metaphorically as he is called water Therfore he shal baptyse you with the holy ghost and with fier that is he shal ad vnto it his holy spirite which hath the propertie nature of fier he shal regenerate renouate and make cleane your hartes shal consecrate you into the adoptiō of the sonnes of God. To be baptised with the holy ghoste to be indewed with the power of the hiest to receiue the holy ghost and to haue the power or vertue of the spirite commynge vpon any man signifieth all one thinge 12. VVhose fanne is in his hand and he wil pourge his floure and gather his wheate into his barne but will burne the chaffe with vnquenchable fier VVhose fanne is in his hand B. Hitherto Iohn hath preached the lord Iesus to be the sauiour because he affyrmed that he was the giuer of the spirite of iustification C. That the Iewes mighte offer them selues to be renewed of him now he resoneth of iudgement sheweth the Christ is the generall iudge of all men that he might make the contēners afraide For because many hipocrites alwaies proudly reiect the grace of Christ proffered vnto them it is necessary also that the vengeance which hāgeth ouer their heades be declared vnto thē For this cause Iohn doth here describe Christe to be a seuere iudge against the harde harted vnbeleuing We must note here also this order of teaching that hipocrites may knowe that they shal not escape vnpunished because they reiect Christ being awaked frō their sluggishnes shal begin to feare the reuenger whom being the authour of health they despised But no doubte the purpose of Iohn was to teache what Christ woulde bring to passe by his gospell Therefore the preaching of the gospel is a fan because before the lord dothe shake sift vs all the worlde is wrapped with cōfusion euery mā flattereth with him self the good and euil are mingled together and it is enough for vs to swel increase with the chaff But whē Christ cōmeth among thē with his gospel whē he pearceth their consciēces citeth thē before his tribunal seate the chaf is winnoed or fanned frō the wheate which before cōbred a gret rome For although al men ar fāned by the gospel frō the chaff yet notwithstāding here Iohn doth compare the reprobate to chafte the elect childrē of God to wheat Wherfore the flouerth is not takē for the world as som deme but for the church For we must cōsider to whom Iohn speaketh For the Iewes wer only puffed vp with a name or title so that Iohn doth tel them that they are proude in vaine since that but for a time they occupy the roome of the churche of God frō the which euen by and by they shall be reiected and banyshed euen as chaffe is seperated and deuyded from the flouerth By this meanes be doth touch the state of the churche at that tyme corrupted because it was full of chaffe darnel cockle and reffuse but strayte way with the freshe wind of the Gospell to be purged Question But howe is Chryst said to seperate the chaffe from the wheate when as nothinge can be founde in men but meere chaffe It may easely be aunswered that the elect are fourmed made into wheat that beynge exempted from the chaffe they maye be gathered into the barne Christe began and perfourmeth this purgynge dayely notwithstandinge the effecte of the same shall not be vntyll the laste daye therefore Iohn calleth vs thither But let vs remember that euen at this daye the faythfull enter by hope into the barne of God that in the ende in dede they maye haue a place there and the reprobate do feele according to their deserte the heate and burnynge of that fyer which shal be in the last day Therfore before the Gospell was preached in Iewery the reprobate were not onelye ioyned with the elect but also they were so couered with the brightnesse of the ceremoniall lawe that they were counted for trewe Israelites But when the preachynge of the Gospell came which is the sounde and perfect fanne there was such a seperation made that easelye the one mighte be deserued from the other yea the very secretes of theyr hartes were opened Christe him selfe sayinge He that is of God heareth Goddes woorde therefore you do not here because you are not of god And againe You beleue not because you are none of my sheepe euen as I sayde vnto you my sheepe heere my voyce and I knowe theim and they followe mee The lyke seperation also is in these our dayes VVith vnquenchable fyer In these fewe woordes is thretened the ponishment of euerlastinge damnation which neuer shall haue ende appointed for this purpose that more sharply they shuld be moued to repētaunce This ponishement doth not onely apperteyne to chaffe to be seperated from the wheate but also to be caste into the fier burnte euen as vnfruiteful braunches are not onely cut of but gathered and caste into the fier The like ponishemēt doth Christ threaten to counterfait false Christiās telling them before what a terrible sentence he will pronounce against thē sayinge Go ye cursed into euerlasting fier prepared for the deuyl and his angelles About this fyer there hath ben great disputatiō But we may gather out of scripture that it is a metaphoricall kynde of speche For if we maye determyne and iudge it to be a materiall and reall fyer as they terme it thē we must adde vnto it also wodde brimstone and breathe to kendel it as Esay in his .30 chap. maketh mention Neyther is there any further meaning in the fier then there is in the worme For if al men do agree and consent that there is in the name of worme a metaphorical sence and meaning they must then confesse that the lyke is in the fyer Wherefore all speculation and lokinges omitted with the whiche vayne men do wery them selues without profyte let vs be satisfyed with this that those maners formes of speakinge for the rudenesse of our capacitie do note vnto vs horrible torment yea and so terrible and painful that neyther the mind of man can comprehende it nor yet the toungue with wordes expresse the same 13 Then came Iesus from Galile
to Iordane to Iohn that he myght be baptised of him Then came Iesus from Galile B. The preachinge of Iohn the Baptiste being ended the Euāgelist beginneth to preach our lord Iesus the sauiour of the world personally of his own wordes and dedes And first of al he sheweth howe he was baptised not onely with water but also with the spirite was not so much celebrated and put into the flock of Goddes people which was the kingdom of heauē as he was declared by the voice of his father frō aboue to be a teacher kinge of his people kingdome M. Marke saith in those daies whē as Iohn had preached a while and a gret multitude of the people came to be baptised then was it a fyt conueniēt tyme for Christ to be reuealed the hartes of mortal men by the preching of repētance being pricked desiring thirsting after the grace of Christ That he might be baptised of him C. To what ende the son of god wold be baptised we maye somewhat gather of his aunswere folowinge 14. But Iohn forbad him saying I haue nede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to mee But Iahn forbad him M. Iohn denied his office and ministerye to Christe firste in consideration of his maiestie then in consideration of his own imbecillitie and weakenes the which he partly declared when he sayd whose shoose I am not worthye to beare He knewe that Chryste had no neede to be baptized with this baptisme of repentaunce yea rather that he had neede to be baptized of hym he thoughte it was vnworthy and vnmete that the seruant shoulde baptize the lorde and maister of all whiche had no necessitie therevnto By these reasons beinge moued he refused to baptise him I haue nede to be C. It is certaine that Christe was not onely knowne of Iohn to be an excellente prophete as many very fondly imagin but also to be the son of God otherwyse submittinge and surrendring his holy vocation to a mortal man he should haue ben iniuriouse to god But the reader may learn wherby he was knowē vnto Iohn in the first cha of Iohn This was a reasonable cause to refuse and denye seing that Christ had no nede of baptisme but in this Iohn was deceyued that he wayed not howe that Christe dyd not desire baptisme for his owne sake but for other mennes Therefore Christ beddeth hym to consyder what doth belong vnto him that hath taken vpon him the parson of a seruaunte because that willinge subiection dothe derogate nothinge of his glorye and renowne For althoughe Iohn knewe not his owne office and dewely for a tyme yet notwithstandinge his errour doth not let but that he did his duetie both lawfully and duely 15. Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym let it be so nowe For thus it becommeth vs to fulfyll all ryghteousenes Then he suffered him Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vnto E. Our sauiour Christ by these wordes doth not denie the wordes of Iohn to be true when he said I haue nede to be baptized of the. but graunteth the wordes of Iohn to be trew yet neuerthelesse he doth infringe and put away the occasyon of controuersie which arose of those wordes sayinge Let it be so novve for so it becommeth vs to fulfyll all righteousenesse C. By this aunswere of Chryste we may gather why he woulde be baptised because it becommeth vs saith he to fulfyll all righteousenes To fulfil al righteousenes in the scripture is as much to saye as to fulfyll the lawe And so wee may expounde this place that it behoued Christe which willingly submitted hym selfe to the lawe to fulfill the same in al poyntes But better it maye be vnderstande on this maner as if Christe shuld haue sayde Sease and leaue of to speake of my dignitie neyther is it my purpose at this tyme to reason whiche of vs two is the better but rather we must looke what oure vocation requireth and what God the father hath appoynted vnto vs For Chryst vsed this generall baptisme that he might in al poyntes obey the will of his father but he vsed the special baptisme that he might consecrate the same in his owne body that it mighte be common to vs with him Therfore he saith so it behoueth vs to fulfill all righteousenesse as if he shoulde say I muste in all thinges be obediente to my father Thy baptisme is apoynted of the father therefore although I am greter then thou yet it so pleased my father that I should receyue baptisme of thée and shoulde consecrate the same in my bodye that they whiche receyue mée and are in me baptyzed should acknowledge me to be their brother and fellowe heyre Then he suffered hym Here is to be noted the modestie of Iohn whiche by and by geueth place and obeyeth Chryste For he contendeth no farther but hearynge reason that so it became hym to fulfyll all ryghteousenes althoughe before it seemed verye absurde is nowe perswaded and baptizeth Christe Euen so Peter which said Thou shalt neuer washe my feete when he hearde Christ say excepte I wasshe thée thou haste no parte with me by and by he sayde Lorde not onely my fete but my handes and head M. Whereby we are taught that those that erre by ignorance when they know the trueth are easely perswaded 16. And when Iesus was baptized he ascended out of the water and behold the heauens were opened vnto hym and he sawe the spirite of God descēdinge lyke a dooue and lyghtynge vpon him And vvhen Iesus vvas baptized M Now the Euangeliste dothe shewe vnto vs howe Christ was celebrated and authorised after his baptisme And beholde the. C. The openinge of the heauens is sometymes taken for the shewing forth of the glory of the heauens But in this place it is taken for the visible seperation and diuision of the heauens so that Iohn might se somwhat hier then the starry firmamēt where the planettes were But to search farther what this opening of the heauēs meaneth or what it was neyther dothe it parteine to the matter neyther is it necessary because it is sufficiēt to know that this was a signe token of the presence of god Yet where the Euangelistes do saye that Iohn sawe the holye ghost it is lykely that the heauens were open specially for his sake Althoughe it ought not to be denied but that Christ in respect that he was mā was the more assured of his vocation And to this effect do the wordes of Luke seme to serue whiche sayth that when Christe prayed the heauens were open M. But by the openinge of the heauens here specifyed is signified that this is he whiche shulde come from heauen and shoulde teache heauenlye thynges that is he shoulde shewe the wyll of his father to heauenly men For he that is of the earthe speaketh of the earthe but he whiche came from heauen is aboue all Furthermore it is signified that this is hée whiche by his
Iohn He therfore that dothe the will of the father doth the will of Christe B. To do the wyll of the lord is to expresse the same to endeuour our selues with all our mindes to that which he cōmaundeth although we be vnable to performe the same For the lorde in this life doth not require of vs to performe fulfil his cōmandements but to do thē whervpon in the lawe he saith Here O Israel take hede the thou do therafter For he knoweth howe sore we are molested with this sinful fleshe that we can not fulfil al thinges that we cannot be cleane voide of sin Wherfore S. Iohn saith If we say that we haue no syn we deceiue our selues the trueth is not in vs And yet the same S. Iohn saith if we say that we haue felloship with him walk in darckenes we lie do not the trueth Again Euery one that is borne of god sinneth not and he cannot sin because he is borne of god A godly man therefore can not syn because he is not willingly geuē to syn wickednes as the wicked are but alwaies hath a delight in the lawe of the lord yet notwithstāding because he hath no good thinge in his fleshe he cōmitteth many thinges which he hateth which ar sinful whervpon Paule saith The good which I wold do I not but the euil which I wold not that do I. If I do that which I wold not then is it not I that doth it but sinne that dwelleth in me But because the inward mā is not delighted with sin but is wholly geuen vnto Christ god imputeth not syn vnto him Wherfore they ar no sinnes no more thē they are deltes which the creditour hath forgeuē thoughe duely thou owe the same do not paye C. Furthermore to do the will of the father doth not only philosophically signifie the life maners of men to be framed according to the rule of vertu but also to beleue in Christ as it is said in Iohn By these wordes therfore fayth is not excluded but is pointed as it wer a beginning frō whence the rest doth ensue A. Herevpō S. Iohn saith This is his cōmandement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christe and loue one an other as he commaunded vs. 22 Many wyll say vnto me in that daye lorde lorde haue we not prophesied through thy name And throughe thi name haue cast out deuils done many myracles through thy name Many vvyl say Bu. Here he reherseth one thing twise doth inculcate that whiche he spake before C For he cyteth hypocrisie to his tribunal seate For loke how lōge they haue place in the churche they bothe flatter them selues and deceiue others also He saith therfore that there shal com a day in the which he wil pourge his florth clēse the chaff dust frō the pure wheate In that day B. He vnderstādeth the day of iudgemēt in the which the good shal be seperated frō the euyl the sheepe from the goates whē al secretes shal be reuealed Haue vve not prophesied in thy name E. To prophesie in the name of Christ is to teach vnder the autoritie of Christ as whē it is sayd Blessed is he that cōmeth in the name of the lord Or as som others do expoūde it in thy name that is in thy power strēgth For alwais these speches by thy name or in thy name or for thye name to the hebrewes from whom they com signify no more thē if thou sholdest say by thee Euen so whē Christ saith to his father I haue declared thi name vnto men it is as if he had said I haue declared thée Also wheras it is said in that scripture oftē times deliuer vs for thy name sake it is in efecte thus Delyuer vs for thy selfe The like maners of speach also ar these I beseche your grace your maiestie your honour it may please your lordship suche like The whiche are nothing els thē I pray you it shall please you Therefore to prophesy in the name of Christ in this place doth properly signify to do the office of teaching by his authorite This word prophesy in this place is takē very largely as in the .14 of the 1. to the Corin. He mighte truely haue vsed more simplely this woord preachinge but not without cause he put the which was more honorable whereby he mighet the better expresse the external professiō was nothing how gloriouse so euer it semed vnto mē Bu. Many will boste saith he that they haue shewed them selues excellente teachers interpretours of the scriptures in the church And haue cast out deuills A. He reherseth one kynde of miracles for exāples sake then generally he addethe And done many miracles C. To do miracles in the name of Christ is nothing els then to worke wōders by his power aide and gouernment for although the name of miracles is restrained to one kinde of miracles yet notwithstanding in this place in many other it doth signifie al kinde of wōders M. Here we se the God lendethe his power to euil ministers sometimes As to Baalā to Saule whervpō this prouerbe came Is Saule also among the prophetes To Iudas the traitor also who receiued power of Christ to cast out deuils to heale the sicke to do al thinges as the other Apostels dyd Furthermore we do reade the many claue vnto Paule which afterwarde fel frō him whervpon he complaineth saiyng All men do seeke theyr own not that whiche is Christes The which no doubt for the maner of the tyme did wōders cast out deuils prophecied We must not thinke therfore that they are happy streightway blessed truely aperteining to Christ which do miracles signes wonders in this worlde by the name of Christ Wherfore we reade that Christ answered the three score and ten which were returned bosting of the myracles which thei had done thus Reioyce not in this that deuils are subdued vnto you but reioice in that your names are written in the booke of life And Paule reprouing the foolishenes of the Corinthiās which they conceiued by miracles the same being set apart he requireth loue at their handes We must note also farther what Paule teacheth that the deuil by his subtiltie craft can trāseforme him self into an angell of lighte shewe miracles by his ministers to corrupt the truth of the gospel that which cōmeth to passe by the permission of God because men loue not the trueth As Paule in an other place wryteth He shall destroy the aperance of his cōming euen him whose commynge is after the working of sathan with al lying power signes wonders with all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes amōg thē that perishe Euen as it happened to the Iewes also in the old testament Finally we se by this place the prophesie casting out of
in all Hee that hath eares to heare Bu. By this addition hee doth admonishe the hearers to way and consyder diligētly of those thinges which hee spake namelye that they rather oughte to chose the studye of righteousnes the rewarde wherof is saluation and euerlasting glory then the studye of impietie and hypocrisie the end wherof is destruction and perpetuall shame 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto treasure hyd in the field the which a man hath founde and hydde and for ioy thereof hee goeth and selleth all that hee hath and byeth the fielde Againe the kingdome Bu. The other two parables following tende to the same effect and purpose that this doth Hitherto Christ hath spoken of the Gospell of the kingdome of God and of the word of life comparing the same to thinges of small valew but now hee compareth it to thinges of great pryce C. To this ende speciallye that the faythfull might learne to preferre the kingdome of God before the whole worlde and therefore to renounce and forsake them selues and all the desyres of the fleshe least they should be let or hindered to obtayne and enioy so singuler a benefyte For this admonition is verye necessarye for vs both because the inticementes and prouocations of the world do so bewitch vs that euerlasting life doth vanishe awaye from vs and also because wee are carnall the spirituall heauenly graces of God are little esteemed of vs Chryst therefore verye worthely doth so farre extoll the excellency of the grace that it oughte not to be greuous vnto vs for the desier of the same to leaue forsake what soeuer is precious deare vnto vs. To treasure hyd in the fyelde C. First he saith that the kingdome of God is like vnto treasure hid in the field For wee do magnify and extoll very muche those thinges which do appeare and are manifest before our eyes and therfore the new and spiritual life which is set forth in the Gospell is vyle and contemptible vnto vs because it lyeth secretly included vnder hope Therfore the comparison of the treasure here is very apte whose pryce estimation nothing decayeth although it appeareth not to the eyes of men beinge buryed and layed vp in the earth By the which words we are taught that the spiritual ryches of the grace of God are not to be esteemed and valued accordinge to our carnal eye or after the externall shewe and appearaunce but we must esteeme and iudge of it as of treasure whych although it be hyd yet notwithstandinge it is preferred before speciall ryches The vvhich a man hath founde C. All things in parables are not alwayes to be considered by them selues as it is sheewed already before in the 44 verse For if any man wyl be very curious here in the hyding of the treasure wee oughte not to hyde the Gospelll but to call others into the societie and fellowshippe of the same Bu. Vnles paraduenture wee may saye that that is of so greate force as if thou shouldest say hee dissembled hee did not make the seller priuye vnto it because the treasure which was buryed in the fielde laye hid and was not knowne to the seller And selleth all that hee hath C. By these wordes hee teacheth that they are apte meete to receyue and vnderstand the grace of the Gospel which all other desyers set apart endeuour them selues wholly and studye by all meanes to enioy the same Notwithstandinge some man will demaunde whether all our goodes muste be forsaken to the ende wee maye obtayne euerlasting life But hee may brieflye be aunswered that this is the simple true meaning of the words of Christ namely that wee doo not honoure the Gospell aright except wee make more accoumpte of the same more highly esteme it than all the pleasures honours delights in the world for they must be free from al impediments which will aspyre to the ioyfull blisse of heauen Therefore to sell all thinges for the gospell is to be Prest readye to relinquishe and forsake all that maye let hynder or staye vs from oure purpose so that the whole world shoulde be nothinge vnto vs in comparison of this precious Iewell and treasure For wee must alwaye destinguishe and put a differēce betwene the helping meanes the staying lets Ryches are some times aydes and helpes and sometimes letts impedimentes so are all those thinges which are of great pryce by the iudgemēt of men In one respecte Abrahā possessed ryches being ready to forsake all that euer hee had if the Lord had commaunded In another respecte Moyses refused the ryches of the Egiptians which could not be both the daughters sonne of Pharao the seruaunte of the Lorde S. Paule speaketh of him selfe thus the thinges that were vauntage vnto mee those I counted losse so Christs sake Yea I thinke al things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lorde For whom I haue counted al thing losse and do iudge them but vyle that I maye wynne Christ And byeth the fielde C. No man can dye the kingdom of God wherfore we may not argue here in this point of the parable of bying and selling For Christ doth not meane by the word of bying that any man can bye for anye price eternall life for we do know vpon what condition God calleth his faythfull vnto him by the Prophete saying Come vnto the waters all ye that be thyrsty and yee that haue no moneye come bye that ye maye haue to eate come bye wyne and mylke withoute any moneye or moneye worth But althoughe the heauenly and euerlasting life and whatsoeuer pertayneth therto is the free gift of God notwithstanding wée are said to redéeme the same when willinglye wée depriue our selues and cleane put away from vs all the desires of the fleshe least that anye thinge should hinder vs in obtayning the same This treasure is not manifest to euerye one but is hyd in the field to the end wée might with great care and diligence seke for the same 45. Againe the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a marchante man seekinge goodly Pearles A. This parable and the other goinge before pertaine to one effecte Sekinge goodlye Pearles M. The Greeke woorde signifyeth good Pearles In these precious stones the beautye and excelencye of them is the cause of the pryce and valew Hée seemeth here to put a particuler thing for that which is more generall as the Pearle for all other kinde of precious stoones as the Emerande the Saphyre and the Diamonde Plynie wryteth of precious stoones at large in his 9. Booke and thirde Chapiter 46. VVhich vvhen hee had founde one precious Pearle vvent and soulde all that hee had and bought it Bu. The sence and meaning of this place is this As marchaunt men séeke carefullye with great labour and perill for precious stoones so it behoueth euery one to be desirous of the woorde of God
thincke your selues vnworthye of euerlastynge lyfe lo wee tourne to the Gentiles for so hathe the Lorde commaunded vs Agayne when the same Paule had playnelye preached to the Iewes remyssion of synnes by faythe in Iesus Chryste they hauynge saide contrary and blasphemed he shoke his rayment and sayde vnto them your bloudde be vpon your own heades from henceforthe wyll I go blamelesse to the Gentiles By the whiche meanes truely he bounde the vnfaythful the worde of God was fulfylled For so long as the Iewes persisted in theyr obstynate and rebelliouse beleefe the bondes of theyr synnes were not loused In lyke maner in an other place Peter bounde Symon Magus with these woordes Thy money peryshe with thée because that thou hast thought the gift of God might be bought with money thou haste neyther parte nor fellowshippe in this busines for thy harte is not ryghte before God. By these examples we see howe the Apostels dyd bynde and louse remyt and retaine sinnes C. Howe be it we must note that to binde and retaine sinnes is a thinge accidentall to the Gospel and as it were contrary to nature as Paule also teacheth when he speaketh of vengeance the which he saith he is ready to take on al disobedience by and by he addeth when your obedience is fulfilled For vnlesse the reprobate by their owne faulte shoulde tourne theyr lyfe to deathe and destruction the Gospell should be to euerye one the power of God to saluation yet notwithanding because the same beinge heard the impietie of many openly bursting forthe dothe more prouoke the wrath of God to such it must nedes be a deadly sauoure To be shorte the entent and purpose of Christ was to certify his disciples of the saluation promysed vnto them in his Gospell that they myghte haue no more doubt to seke for the same than if he hym selfe shoulde come a witnesse from heauen Agayne he mente to bringe a terrour and feare to the mindes of the wicked and contemners lest they shoulde thincke to mocke and despyse the mynisters of his woorde vnponished the which two thinges were very necessary For because the incomparable treasure of life is set before vs in earthen vesselles vnlesse the authoritie of the external doctrine were after this manner stablished and confirmed euery momente almoste the fayth and credite therof wolde fayle and vanishe away Againe the wicked do thus bouldly dally and scoffe because they thyncke that they haue onelye to do with men Christ therfore pronounceth that by the preachinge of the Gospell in earthe it is reuealed what the celestiall iudgement of God shall he and that frō no other thynge we oughte to fetche the certaintie of lyfe or deathe Here appereth great honour that we are the interpretours of God to testifie saluation to the worlde An excellent maiestie is it of the Gospell that there is an imbassage sayde to be betwene God and men of mutuall reconciliation To be shorte a wōderfull consolation and comforte is it to the myndes of the Godly that the message of saluation brought vnto them by a mortall man is confirmed and ratified before god In the meane tyme let the wicked and vngodly scoffe and deryde at their pleasure the doctryne whiche is preached by the cōmaundement of God at the length they shall feele howe truely and seryousely God threatened theim by the mouthe of men Many trewelye do despyse blaspheme and rayle at the Gospel but when this power of binding is geuen to the mynisters of his woorde let not ieringe scorners thynke that they shall be suffered to deryde the woorde of God without ponishement Wherefore let all Godly teachers being armed with this trust confidence promise without all doubt this liuely grace of God to thē selues and to others let them no lesse boldely thunder against all impudent contemners of their doctrine Christ truely wēt not about to flatter Peter but to comfort him to shew that a newe reuelation muste not be looked for from heauen but that we must be sure certain of the doctrine which is taken out of the Gospell Hitherto we haue plainly expounded the proper true sence of the woordes in such wise that nothyng can be wanting vnles that Romishe Antechrist seking to bring in a cloake for his tyranny dare take vpon him wickedlye falsely to peruert the trewe meanyng of this place And although the light it selfe of true interpretation whiche we haue broughte be sufficient to pourge his obscure darknes yet notwithstanding lest any thing should stay or hinder the godly readers we will with a brefe confutatiō wipe away his stinkynge and vnsauery calumniations First of all he fayneth immagineth Peter to be the foundatiō of the Churche But what man is hee so blinde that seeth not that to be spokē of the faith of Peter whiche he referreth to the person of man Wee graunte that in Greeke Peter Petra a stone do signifie al one thinge as is shewed before sauing that Peter is Nomen Atticum and Petra a name of the common speche but this varietie was not without cause noted of Matthew for the kinde is altered to note some other matter And there is no doubt but that Christ with his owne woordes dyd note some difference Very wisely therefore doth S. Austine teache vs that Petra a stone is not so called of Peter but Peter of Petra euē as we are called christians of Christ But we will not be tediouse seing the saying of Paule is most certain an infallible truth whē he saith that the churche of Christ can be founded builded vpon nothing sauing vpō Christ only The Pope can not bring in an other foūdatiō without blasphemy without he robbe Christ of his honour And truly how much we ought to detest and abhorre the tyranny of the Pope and papacye I can not with woordes expresse sufficiētly because by the meanes of him his the foūdation of the church is takē away insomuch that the opē mouth goulfe of hell swalloweth vp miserable sowles Moreouer this parte as it was saide before pertaineth not as yet to the publike office of Peter but only one speciall place among the rest amid the holye stones of the temple is geuen vnto him Those glorious titels which followe do pertaine to the office of the Apostelship whereupon it followeth that nothinge was spoken to Peter which pertaineth not to the rest of the Apostels also For if the dignitye of the Apostelshippe be cōmon among them then must all thinges elles be common which are annexed and knit to the same But Christe speaketh only to Peter by name For as one in the name of all confessed Christ to be the son of God so in like maner Christ speaketh to one whose woordes notwithstanding pertaine indifferently to all the reste Neyther is that reason of Cipprian and others to be reiected when he sayth that Christe spake to all in the
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
Paule sayth that he careth not for mans iudgemēt but that his onely care is to be founde faithfull of the Lorde M. These thinges may be more playnly vnderstode if they be cōferred with that whiche followeth of the euell seruaunte 47 Verely I saye vnto you that he shall make him ruler ouer all his goodes M. By this parte of the similitude he only goeth about to shewe that the minister of Christe whiche is faithfull shall haue great honour and be made equall almost with his Lorde For when Ioseph was made ruler ouer all the kinges treasure in Aegipte he was reuerenced aboue all the kyng excepted And the Lorde hym selfe saythe I appointe vnto you a kyngdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drynke at my table in the kyngdome and syt on seates iudgeing the twelue tribes of Israell And the Apostle Paule speaketh thus of hym selfe I haue fought a good fighte I haue rōne my race I haue kept the faith and there is laide vp for me a crown of righteousnes which the lorde being aiust iudge shall geue to me at that daye And what the happynes of this faythfull seruaunt shal be the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard neyther hath it entred into the harte of mā C. Therefore let all those hereby learne whiche are called to an honourable office that the greater their office is the more thei are bounde with all their study and industry to discharge the same For seing it is the dutie of the common sorte of seruauntes to finishe the woorke committed vnto them stewardes must bee muche more dilligent to whome it pertaineth to haue a care of the whole housholde Otherwise Christe reproueth thē of ingratitude because they being chosen before al others frame not thē selues according to their honour For to what ende should the Lorde preferre thē before others but only because they should excel all others in faithe and wysdome A dilligent and sober attention is inioyned to all men alyke but yet for all that negligence and slouth is more vnsemely and lesse excusable in pastors and gouernours of the people Furthermore the hope also of the rewarde ought to kyndell a dilligence in them A. For they ought to be certainly perswaded that their paineful trauaile in their calling is moste acceptable vnto the Lorde and that he wyll requyte the same with a large rewarde 48 But and if that euell seruaunt saye in his harte my lorde wil be long a comming But and if the euell seruaunt saye Bu. Nowe of the contrary part he threateneth destruction to those ministers and others whiche being aduaunced to some degree of honour do not consider that they are made rulers ouer their fellowe seruauntes and that they must geue accompte vnto Christ but first of all do consume their Lordes substaunce and afterwarde shewe tyrannye against them In his harte M. This is spoken according to the māner of the Hebrues For a certaine secrete perswasiō of that minde So it is sayde in the Psalme The vngodly hath sayd in his harte there is no God that is he is fully perswaded that it is but vayne whiche is spoken of god C. Therefore Christe teacheth in these woordes howe it commeth to passe that the euell seruauntes are so secure or careles surely because they bearing themselues bolde vpon his long tariance do imagine that the daye will neuer come in the which they shall geue accompt M. Of suche the Apostell semeth to speake saying This firste vnderstande that there shall come in the last dayes mockers in deceitfulnes whiche wyll walke after their own lustes say where is the promise of his cōming for since the fathers died al things continue in the same estate that they were in the beginning Wherfore vnder the pretēce of Christes absence they promyse to them selues that they shall escape vnpunished For it can not bee but that the looking for him so often as it commeth in our myndes must put away all slouthfulnes restraine the fleshly affections least we be wickedly caried So that there can be no exhortacion more sharpe and of greater force to pricke vs forwarde than when we be put in minde of that tribunall seate whiche no man can auoyde Wherfore that euery one of vs may watche and seke to discharge oure duties and that we maye dilligently and modestly kepe our selues within our boundes let vs call to mynde that sodayne comming of our Lorde from aboue the whiche the reprobate wickedly contemne 49 And so beginne to smite his fellowes yea and to eate and drinke with the dronken M. This is the frute of the euell seruaunte whiche he bryngeth forthe by the false perswasion of the slackenes of his Lordes comming He dothe all thynges at his pleasure without feare Christe therfore by the waye sheweth howe easy a thing it is for bouldnes to increase when a man hauing once loused the raynes geueth hym selfe to synne Neither dothe Christe onely here make mēcion of a dissolute and wicked seruaunte but also of suche a one whiche obstinately seketh to disturbe the whole house and peruersely abuseth the power committed vnto hym exerciseth crueltie towardes his fellowe seruauntes and riotously speadeth his maisters goodes to his reproche This is the image and picture of a secure and careles seruaunte To the whiche if you compare the Pope the Cardinalles the Bishops Abbottes Priors Clarkes with the reste of the clergy and layitie also whiche serue Antechriste you wyll say that they are moste lyke of all other to that sluggishe careles seruaunt For these had rather syt to eate drinke with the dronken thā to repente at the preaching of the Gospell But thīke you that thei shal so do vnpunished no truly For harken to what followeth 50 The same seruauntes Lorde shal come in a day when he loketh not for him and in an hower that he is not ware of The same seruauntes Lorde shall come A. Beholde the payne and punishement of the wycked seruaunt Bu. Firste of all he shal be deceiued of his hope and expectation For when he saythe my lorde wylbe longe a comming the lorde shall come in a daye when he looketh not for hym and so the sodayne comminge of his maister shall bryng the greater terrour and feare A. And then shall followe greuous punishement For it followeth 51 And shall hewe him in pieces and geue hym his porcion with hypocrites there shall be weapynge and gnasshing of teethe And hevve hym in peeces Bu. It was the manner of those of oulde tyme to cutte the bodyes of them in pieces whiche had broken faythe and couenaunt with them Of the whiche matter we maye reade a long discourse in Aulus Gellius C. Here therfore a horrible punishement is added to terrifie the wicked seruaunt because suche vnbrydeled wyckednes deserueth the greater vengeaunce And geue him his portion vvith hypocrites B. He vsurpeth this worde portion or parte for
the inheritaunce as doth the Prophet Dauid also in his Psalmes where he sayth The Lorde hym selfe is the porcion of myne inheritaunce he sayth that they shal be ioyned vnto hypocrites that is they shal be punyshed with the same punyshment that hypocrits are And they are sayd to be hypocrites because they acknowledge the Lorde with the mouthe and make them selues the ministers of God and the seruauntes of the seruauntes of God when as they are in the Churche nothinge elles but idle bellies not seking the Lorde but them selues Bu. In steade of that which he saith here And geue him his porcion with hypocrites He sayde in an other place And caste him into vtter darkenes Ioyninge that there whiche nowe followeth There shal be vveaping and gnashing of teethe The whiche truly he added least any man should be ignoraunt of the inheritaunce prepared for hypocrites For it is wrytten in the holy Scripture No hypocrite shall come in his sighte To cast therefore the wicked into vtter darkenes and to geue them their portion with hypocrites is to cast them euerlastingly into helfler of the which reade the fift chap. going before The xxv Chapter THen shall the kyngdome of heauen bee like vnto tenne virgins which toke their lampes and wente to mete the bridegrome Then shall the kingdome M. This parable pertaineth to the same effecte that the other following doth to the whiche also the similitudes going before do belonge also namely to this ende that we should watche and kepe our selues ready to mete with the Lorde because the hower of his comming is vncertaine and vnknowne leaste if when he come for our vnreadines we be shut out Notwithstanding this parable is properly added that the faithfull might be confirmed and brought to perseuerance The Lorde knewe well enough how prone the nature of men is to ease and that it cōmeth often tymes to passe that they do not only faynte by reason of the prolonginge of the tyme but also perishe with a sodaine lotheing and yrckesomenes To remedy and cure this disease he teacheth that his disciples are not well prepared excepte they bee armed with sufferance for a long tyme The scope and end of this parable being knowē we shall not nede to stande about friuolous and triffeling reasons which serue nothing to the purpose and meaninge of Christe There are some whiche greately trouble them selues about the lyghtes about the vesselles land about the oyle where as the simple proper somme of these thinges is that a diligent endeuour for a small tyme is not sufficiēt except perseuerance and perpetuall constancy be ioyned therewith And this thing Christe expresseth by a moste apte similitude As appeareth by the woordes of S. Luke he exhorted the disciples seing thei shoulde trauayle through troublesome and darke places to take lightes with thē But because except oyle be put vnto it the weke of the candell wyll waxe drye and loose his lyghte Nowe Christe sayth that the faithfull haue nede of the helpe of vertue which increaseth the lyghte beynge kyndeled in their hartes Otherwyse that it woulde come to passe that before halfe were ended their diligence would decaye M. we must also note that it is not shadowed in this parable what shoulde happen to the vnbeleuing at the comminge of the lorde for they are iudged already but to those whiche are thought to be Christians and are called cittezins of the kyngdome of heauen As if he should saye Then shal that happen to those that feme to pertayne to the kyngdome of heauen whiche happened to the foolyshe vyrgins C. By the name of the kyngdome of heauen the state of the Churche to come is vnderstode whiche was to bee gathered by the woorke of the Messias And he vseth so excellent a tytle least the faithfull should deceiue them selues by the false immagination of blessed perfection Z. Christe tooke possession of this kyngdome by the preaching of the Gospell and specially after his resurrection when the disciples were sente throughout the whole worlde to preache the Gospell as it is sayd before VVhiche toke their lampes C. Christe taketh his similitude of the cōmon custome of men Very chyldishe was the speculatiō of Hierome and suche others which stretched this parable to the prayse of virginity seyng the purpose of Christe was nothinge els than to myttigate the griefe of tediousnes whiche the faithfull might haue by the delaye of his comming He sayth therefore that he doth requyre nothing of vs but that whiche one frende commonly sheweth to an other in the solemne right of mariage It was a common custome in the mariages of the people of the Iewes that the brydegrome should not come vnto the bryde vntil midnight and when he came a company of Iewyshe damsels hauinge torches mette him by the waye and brought hym to the brydge who came not once forthe without the bridegromes pleasure but sate at home waighting for the bridegrome According to this cōmon manner order of the Iewish mariage Christe speaketh here But the somme of the parable tendeth to this ende that it is not sufficiēt for any that they were once prepared and ready to doe their dutie except they continue to the ende And vvente to mete the bridegrome M. It is very corruptly added of the old interpretour in that hee saythe To mete the bridegrome and the bride Seing that it is founde in none of the Greke bookes And as for Chrysostom Hillarius and Theophilacte they make no mention of the bryde For Christe is the bridegrome and the whole parable tēdeth to this end that he nowe cōming we should go forth to mete him No part of the parable pertaineth to bryde nay they which can mete the brydegrome in good time euē they I say are the bride S. Austen expounding this place in a sermon whiche he made of the wordes of Christe out of the .xxii. chap. of Mathewe neither readeth nor maketh any mention of this worde bryde 2 But fiue of them were foolishe and fiue wer wise But fiue of thē vvere foolish M. He speaketh not here of vnfaithfull as it was said euen now but of foolishe and negligent Christiās We will not reason here of the virginitie neither of the number of tenne neither yet of this that so many are sayd to be foolish and so wyse For here we haue to shew who are true or false Cristiās Whose profession is to wayte for the Lorde to come and to make them selues ready to mete him A. and to perseuere in the study of a godly lyfe to the ende Bu. But they are mingled together without difference in this life and are ioyned together with one title of profession all are called Christians all are baptised al do professe the faith in Christ and the loking for his comming with euerlasting life but when the lorde shall come it shal be manifest who are sincere who not who are prepared and who not who shall be admitted and who
ministers of Christe neither let him thinke that for the impietie of one man the Ministerye of the reste oughte to be layde aparte Bu. In the meane season let vs learne that fayned friendes are more pernitious and pestilente then open enimies Vnto the chiefe Priestes Iudas knewe that the hie Priestes were the seruaâ—…ntes of the deuill tyrantes yet notwithstandinge he byeth him apase vnto them that he maie sel his master because he thei were led by one spirit namely the deuil 15. And saide vnto them what will yee geue mee â–ª and I will deliuer him vnto you And they appointed vnto him thirtie peeces of syluer And saede vnto them vvhat vvill yee A. O sâ—…amelesse and wicked man M. He dothe not aske what matter they hadde againste Christe or what they would doo with him but simply he enquireth after the money hauinge no care what they woulde doo with his maister Christe Hereby we maie perceiue howe trewely Paule writte when he saide Couetousnesse is the roote of all euill and they whiche will be ritche falle into diuers temptations and snares Bu. This vnhappy Iudas and woe begonne will recompence the losse whiche he thoughte he had by the powringe out of the oyntmente with the price of his maister Yet for all that he dothe not require any certeine summe least it mighte séeme to be a money Treason but deliueringe him as a vile bondslaue he put the price into the Byers handes to knowe what they woulde geue And they appointed vnto him thirty peeces of syluer A. Marke and Luke saie that the Hie Priestes hearinge Iudas were glad in the whiche we haue an example sette before our eies of obstinate blindnesse they were glad vpon hope of bringing that to passe whereof they had consulted 16. And from that time forth he sought oportunitie to betraye him And from that time foorthe Bu. Luke saithe that he commoned with the hie Priestes and Elders howe he mighte deliuer him vnto them The oportunitye whiche he sought for to betray the Lorde was that he mighte deliuer him without the tumult of the people as S. Luke declareth in the sixt verse of the chapter laste mentioned He hauing takeÌ„ therfore the most vnhappy money that euer was receiued séeketh by and by with great diligence a conuenient time in the which he mighte deliuer him vnto them without any troble of the people So nimble diligente quicke doo Bribers make the Receiuers Christ ment by this image to declare that there shoulde come suche whiche beinge corrupted with the loue of money should betraye the Doctrine of the Gospell and that this mischefe should specially come of those whiche beinge the heades and pillers as it were of Ecclesiasticall Religion séeme to knowe the secretes of theire Lorde with whom they are so familiare that they doo betraye his Doctrine to the wicked and Heathen Magistrates by false interpretation thereof séekinge for nothing els then the destruction of the truth of the Gospell 17. The first day of sweete breade the Disciples came to Iesus sayinge vnto him where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the Paseouer The first daie of svveetebreade Question C. It may be demaunded why that is called the daie of Swéetebreade whiche wente before the offeringe of the Lambe For the Lawe commaunded that they shoulde lay away their Leuen til they did eate the Lambe But this question maie be easily answered namely that this obseruation is referred to the day folowinge as may sufficiently appeare by the other two Euangelistes A. For S Marke hathe The firste day of swéetebreade when they offered Paseouer And Luke hathe The feaste of swéetebreade drewe nie whiche is called Easter C. When therfore the daye to kill and eate the Pascall Lambe was at hande which begannne at the euenynge the Disciples asked Christe where he woulde eate Paseouer The Disciples came to Iesus A. Wée reade in Luke that Christe firste sente Peter and Iohn to prepare the Paseouer and that then they demaunded of the Lorde where they shoulde prepare a place to eate it He sente saithe he Peter and Iohn sayinge Goe and prepare vnto vs the Paseouer that we maie eate They saide vnto him Where wilte thou that wee prepare In that they aske of hym where he woulde eate Paseouer it is a signe that they were wandringe and vnstable hauinge no certaine place theire entrance into the Cittye coulde not be without greate daunger For they had there mortall enimies whiche soughte occasion to take theim But behoulde howe Christe neglected nothinge whiche pertained to the common rule of the godly Fore he woulde be subiecte to the Law that he might redeme vs from the Cursse of the Law as witnesseth S. Paule he would not therfore pretermit the Paseouer no more theÌ„ he did the other rites 18. And he saide goe into the Cittie to suche a man and saie vnto hym the maister saithe my time is at hande I will keepe Easter by thee with my Disciples And he saide goe into the cittie E. In the Gréeke texte as touching the woorde it is readde To him After the which manner the Grecians do speake when thei meane a certaine man whom notwithstandinge they doo not name C. Whereby it appeareth that S. Mathewe nameth here a certaine man But the other twoo doo shewe that the Disciples were sente as to one vnknowen because a token was geuen vnto them of a man carryinge a Pitcher of water But this discrepance and varietie may easily be reconciled because Mathewe pretermittinge the myracle noteth that man which was then knowen to the Disciples For there is no doubte but that after they were come home to the house they founde some one of theire familiare frendes For Christe accordinge to his righte commaundeth that he prepare roume for him and his naming him selfe the maister and he without delaye fulfilled his commaundemente Moreouer althoughe he coulde expresse the man by his name yet notwithstanding he rather soughte to directe his Disciples vnto him by a myracle that when they should sée him a litle after to be abased yet their Faithe mighte be stayed vp by his Documente For this was no small confirmation that a fewe houres before he was carryed to his deathe he shoulde by a manifest token declare him selfe to be God to the ende they mighte knowe that he was not constrayned by necessitie to suffer deathe but that he tooke it on him selfe of his owne frée wil And although in the very momente of perturbation it did nothinge at all peraduenture profite them yet notwithstandinge the remembraunce thereof afterwarde was very profitable Euen as at this daye also to auoide the stombling blocke of the crosse it pertaineth vnto vs to knowe this that the glorye of the Deitie as well as the infirmitie of the Fleashe appeared in Christe a litle before the tyme of his deathe The maister saithe A. By theise woordes althoughe he were coumpted a vile and abiecte personne he taught his
4. 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 perâ—…th God is lorde of the whole earthe God hath power to make blynde and to make see Faythe is not gotten by the wisedome of man. There is nothinge in vs to deserue Goddes election 4 King. 4. 1. King. 20. Actes 9. Quâ—… Auâ—… Wâ—…doâ—â— I gaâ—… notâ—… therâ—…â—…tion Roâ—… â—…es counâ—…d pourâ—…n not â—…red Aunswere Christe is the Image of the the father Iohn 14. The Papists know not the father Hyâ—â—â— notâ—… Chriâ—… Affliâ—â—â—…taynâ—… menâ—… Chriâ—… â—…h not â—…l to â—…to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. â—…offeâ—… scife â—…m Christ alone is our helpe in trouble The Papists reiect the yoke of Chryst The yoake of Chryste is sweete 1. epist. 5. Lukâ—… Thâ—… tiâ—â—â—â—â—…bothâ—… 〈◊〉 3. â—…es â—…t a â—…d â—…r a 〈◊〉 Iohn 6. 2. Cor. 11. The vse of the Sabaoth 1. King. 21. Exoâ—… Leâ—… Nâ—… hathâ—… Lukâ—… 〈◊〉 2. â—…ent â—…e to 〈◊〉 Osee 6. Aunswere Maâ—… â—…ght not â—…rre ceâ—…es beâ—… word 〈◊〉 â—…rouâ—… We ought rather to breake the Sabaoth daye than the rule of charitie Iohn 5. Luke 6. Maâ—… A 〈◊〉 zeale Wâ—â— anâ—… omâ—… â—â—er â—…oâ—… â—…de â—…rde â—…to 〈◊〉 Tyrauntes that are enemies one to an other becoÌ„ frendes to destroy Christe Ephe. 2. Iohn 7. Philip. 2. Iohn 7. Theiâ—… in seâ—… scureâ—…â—…ry of 〈◊〉 forthâ—… â—…p 2 〈◊〉 2 Christe is become a seruaunt for vs. Luke 23. 1. Pet. 2. There is no perfect loue in any creature sauing Christ alone Math. 3. Iohn 1. Psal. 110. â—…e comâ—… brouâ—…des Perseuerance pertaineth to the ministers of Christe Iohn 110. Mark. 3. Luke 11. Thâ—… and 〈◊〉 God. 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 hath â—…d the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Dissention strife is a dedly thinge Esay 3. Iosep li. 6. cap. 13. Math. 24. Actâ—… â—…s 8. Gene. 3. Math. 8. Thâ—… reâ—… witâ—… destâ—… Sâ—… 〈◊〉 3. Iohn 10. Luke 8 Neweters Ambo dexters lukewarme men are here reprehended Blasphemye Blasphemye is to die with out repentaÌ„ce Auâ—… Bâ—â—â—â— of thâ—… â—…phemye â—…rocedeth â—…orance â—…misible â—…s 7. â—…riginal â—…phemy â—…ion â—…were â—…o 1. â—…nes ar â—…auing â—…thâ—…ataÌ„ce I manifeste signe of a reprobate Math. 3. Purgatory pedlers Aunswere Origenâ—…â—…rour Hypâ—… Lukâ—… â—…ection â—…swere Math. 23. Math. 3. Flatterye begileth simplicitie The tongue bewrayeth the secrets of the hart Math. 15. Idellâ—… Coloâ—… Iudâ—… doth â—…throâ—…â—…sionâ—…â—…nes Epheâ—… Papists â—…er vpon place inâ—…ation by â—…kes 〈◊〉 16. â—…e 8. Iohn 6. Actes 7. Iud 6. Esay 38. Esay 7. Aunswere 1. Cor. 1. Lukeâ—… Ionaâ—… and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 22. 2. Cor. 6. Gods election God is no respecter of persones Roma 3. Verse 39. 〈…〉 â—…sery â—…uer â—…o do Ephe 6. Sathan entereth not into the faythfull 1. Sam. 2. Esay 4. 2. Pet. 2. Luâ—… 〈…〉 Luke 2 Faithfull meÌ„ are the brethreÌ„ of Christ 2. Cor. 5. We ought not to forsake Christe for our parentes Iohn 6. Matth. 17. To beleue in Christe is the fulfilling of Gods will. Lâ—… Ioâ—… 〈◊〉 tâ—… oâ—… 〈◊〉 Lâ—… 〈…〉 vse Marke 4. 1. Peter 1. The Gospell is the frutfull seede of life Psalm 40. â—…tion 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 9. â—…were 〈◊〉 4. â—…inâ—… wicâ—…e 〈◊〉 9. 2. Cor. 2. God calleth the electe by his Gospell Marke 4. Psal. 138. Lukâ—… Nâ—… reâ—… theâ—â— Esay 6. Actes 28. Rom. 11. Iohn 12. Actâ—â— Thâ—… cauâ—… secâ—â— causâ—… elecâ—â— Ezâ—… â—…ri 3 â—…nde of â—â—s poâ—â—ntes Repentaunce is not the cause of remission of sinnes Repentaunce is the ordinary way to saluation Roma 10. Luke 10 Iohn 20. 2. Cor. 3. Luke â—… Abrahaâ—… Christeâ—… faythe 〈◊〉 4 Sathan is an ennemy to the seede of Gods word Iames. 1. The Gospell hath power to fructifye Vntâ—… hearerâ—… Carâ—… pellâ—â— â—…anye 〈◊〉 1. 〈…〉 Affliction is a stomblinge blocke Worldely cares are a let to fructifie Luke 14. Luke 6.12 and .16 1. Timo. 6. Iames. 5. Math. 19. Obâ—… Anâ—… Mâ—â— otâ—… naâ—… 〈◊〉 seede 〈◊〉 forth â—…urall 〈…〉 â—…o 3 â—â—nde 〈◊〉 true â—…ccepâ—… God. Math. 25. Ephe. 5. The church of Christe in earth is defiled with many hipocrites 1. Gâ—… â—…proâ—… the â—…e minâ—…â—…ther Worldlinges Math. 16. 1. Cor. 5. The apostels are compared to leauen Ioseâ—… de aâ—… cap. 〈◊〉 The lorde is easy to be intreated Ephe. 2. 1. Petriâ—… Iames â—… Iohn â—… Veâ—â— â—…urch â—…e in â—…lde â—…er be 〈◊〉 â—…tistes 〈◊〉 23. Iohn 4. Iohn 15. Iohn 4. Iohn 9. Math. 3. Math. 25. Verse 3â—… Vngodly meÌ„ are stumbling blockes Maâ—… Maâ—… Maâ—… Lukâ—… Corâ—… mayâ—… reprâ—… â—…repaâ—…â—…he â—…s 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 15. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 12. Worldly pleasure is obscure darke in respect of the glorye to com Luke 17. 1. Cor. 15. Worldlye sightes do bewitche oure sences Present thinges are esteemed more theÌ„ the thynges that are inuisible Aâ—â— Altâ—â— vileâ—… of the 〈◊〉 Richâ—… coÌ„mâ—… 〈◊〉 3. â—…ll life 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 55. Psalm 19. Psalm 109. A time of seperation will come 2. Timo. 2. Math. 25. Esaye 66. Punishmente prepared for the wicked 1. Esâ—… Lukâ—… â—…hers â—…bounde â—…wledge 〈◊〉 20. â—…unce 〈◊〉 not to â—…aâ—… â—…ence â—…ardes 〈◊〉 housâ—… Math. 24. Marke 6. Luke 4. Luke 1. Matth. 2. Luke 2. Math. 2. Marke 6 Luke 4. Diligence ought to be vsed in hearing Gods word Tiâ—… toâ—… diuâ—… Chriâ—… Obâ—â— blindâ—… Chapâ—… 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 12. New things please men be they neuer so badde Chaâ—… Faithâ—… fideliâ—… parcâ—â— theâ—… Luke 23. Lib. 5. Chap. 18. chap. 9. chap. 6. chap. 9. Tyrantes euer feare 2. Timâ—… chaâ—… â—â—iences â—â—e gylty â—…es acâ—…m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1â—… â—…nes beâ—…â—…nished 〈◊〉 is inâ—…d Exod 28. Iosep li. 18. de antiqui cap. 10. Boâ—â—â— oughâ—… a prâ—â— Godâ—… Twâ—… to beâ—… in reâ—…tion 〈◊〉 fered â—…ohn â—…e Preachers of Gods worde must auoyde flattery Feare alwais commeth to the wicked Math. 21. Feastynge is not without many euilles Marke 6 Iob. â—… Dâ—â— notâ—… dabiâ—… 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 conâ—… euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are â—…ous â—…hat 〈◊〉 them The euyl maners of parentes do often times corrupt their children Two thyngs ought to be obserued in swearynge Rashe vowes Vowes monasticall Psaâ—… 〈◊〉 patiâ—…â—â—rder â—…on â—…were Burial is to be reuerenced Buriall pertaineth to sainctes Iohn 1. Maâ—… Chapâ—… 〈◊〉 6 Luke 9. Christ careth both for soule and bodye Iohn 6. chap. 6. chap. 6. Chaâ—… Mattâ—… God 〈◊〉 the haâ—… â—…wer â—…iste â—…es geâ—… vnto 1. Thes 4. Titus 1. Luke 24. Esay 58. 1. Cor. 10 1. Cor. 11. Chap. 29. 2. cor 9. God blesseth the labours of his seruantes 〈◊〉 gâ—â—◠〈◊〉 chapâ—… Pleâ—â— richâ—… blesâ—… lorde 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 5. Deut. 6. Myracles are not wonderfull vnto vs because wee see them daylye Occasions of euill ought to be avoyded Chriâ—… and 〈◊〉 Thâ—… of pâ—â— Scâ—â— prayeâ—… 1. Tâ—◠〈◊〉 maye â—…d in all 〈◊〉 â—â—on â—…were Exod 14. God oftentymes tyreth his seruants to the vtmost Mans minde is blinde Deâ—… Sâ—… anâ—… Lukâ—… Fâ—â— timâ—… awâ—…â—…ces 〈◊〉 â—…itude 〈◊〉 vs to 〈◊〉 God. â—…tâ—…â—…e Luke 24. Rashe zeale Aunswere Peters infirmity is commoÌ„ to al men Thâ—… of 〈◊〉 â—…chies Fâ—â—â—…rethâ—…â—…ger Dâ—… geâ—â— daâ—◠〈◊〉 18. â—…firmiâ—… borne 〈◊〉 at the 〈◊〉 god â—…tion Aunswere Perseuerance and constancy must be