of age are not able by fayth to comprehende the grace of God yet notwithstanding God speaking to their parentes dothe also comprehende them As wel may be proued by this place I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee A. By this place also many do gather that wee could not be saued without baptisme But as S. Paule sayth that the confession of the mouthe is necessary to saluation euenso Christ here speaketh of baptisme Baptisme is necessarily required because it is the pleasure of God to haue vs baptized notwithstandinge wee muste not hereby gather that wee cannot otherwise be saued Fayth also is necessarily required to vnderstande the worde For fayth commeth by hearinge Can not God for al that geue vs faith by some other meane Hee can no doubt but this is the meane whiche hee hath appointed In the name of the father C. This place teacheth that the full and perfecte knowledge of God which was onely obscurely shadowed vnder the lawe and the Prophetes sprange forth at the lengthe vnder the kingdome of Christe The fathers of oulde time truly durst neuer haue called God theyr father except they had taken this trust frō Christ their head neither was the eternall wisedome of God which is the well of light and life altogether hiddē from them But by the beginninge of the Gospell God was more plainlye reuealed vnder three personnes because then the father in the Sonne by his liuely and expresse Image manifestlye declared himselfe but Christe himselfe shyninge throughe the whole world by the brightnes of his spirite so set forth this spirite himselfe that the world might know him But mencion is not here made of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost without cause for that the force of Baptim cannot otherwise be apprehended than to begin at the free mercye of God the father which reconcileth vs to himselfe by his only begotten Sonne then we must behould Christ with the sacrifice of his death last of all wee must remember the power of the holye Ghost by whom he doth wash and regenerate vs and make vs partakers of all his benefites So that wee see God cannot be rightlye knowne except that our fayth do distinctly conceiue three personnes in one essence and that the efficacy and fruit of baptisme doth come hereof because God the father doth adopt vs in his sonne and doth bring vs vnto righteousnes beinge purged by the spirite from all the filthy spots of the fleshe Therefore to be baptised in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holye Ghoste is to enter and consecrate those which are baptised into the fayth and Religion of one God that they maye beleue the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be one God to whom alone they oughte to truste and that the Sonne and the holye Ghost are nothinge els but the very essence of God acknowledginge the father who hath adopted them The Sonne by whom they are accepted and the holye Ghoste by whom they are regenerate Furthermore hereby the godhead of the personnes is proued against all heretiques For if wee be Baptised in the name of the Sonne then the Sonne is God if in the holy Ghost thē the holy Ghost is god The Euangelist Marke addeth sayinge Hee that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but hee which beleueth not shal be damned C. This promise was added to draw all mankind to the fayth as was also the threatninge of dampnation to the vnbeleuinge to terrefye them Baptisme is ioyned with fayth of the Gospell to the ende we might know the marke of our saluation to be ingraued in the same For except it were effectuall to testifye the grace of God Christ improperly had sayde that they shal be saued which beleue and are baptised Moreouer he cannot be sanctifyed inuisiblelye whiche contemneth and regardeth not the visible Sacramentes not that they are so necessarye as wee saide before that we cannot be saued without them but because thereby wee shew our obedience to God who hath ordayned this thinge And he which beleueth not shal be damned C. Christ by this part doth declare that the obstinate in reiecting the grace offered vnto them do bringe vnto themselues the greater punishment The Lord himselfe in another place expoundeth what it is to be damned sayinge Hee that beleueth on the Sonne hath euerlastinge life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him 20 Teachinge them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you And lo I am with you alway euen vnto the ende of the world Teachinge them to obserue C. This is the other part of Christian doctrine that when wee shall beleue the Gospell and beleuing the grace of Christ and remission of sinnes shall apprehende true saluation we might obey the commaundementes of the Lorde and maye keepe those thinges whiche are taught by the Apostles as if they were commaunded of the Lorde Moreouer by these woordes Christe doth declare that he doth not wholy resigne vnto them his office as thoughe hee woulde ceasse to be the maister of his Churche For he sendeth forth his Apostles with this exception that they thruste not vnto men theyr owne inuentiōs but that they do pure lye and faithfullye dispense from hande to hande as it were that which hee himselfe hath commaunded And I would to God the Pope would submit the right which he arrogateth to himselfe to this rule For wee would easlye graunt him to be the successor of Peter or Paule if so be hee would not tyrannicallye raigne in the consciences of men But seinge the maistershippe and auctoritye of Christ beinge refused hee infecteth the Churche with his vaine trifles it doth sufficientlye hereby appeare howe farre he is from the Apostolicall office In fine let vs note that such are appointed teachers of the Church not which bring forth what seemeth vnto them good but whiche depende vppon the mouthe of their maister onlye that they may bringe Dysciples vnto him not to themselues Ye know saith the Apostle Paule what commaūdementes I haue geuen you by the Lord Iesus And S. Peter sayth If any man talke let him speake as the words of god M. But Christ speaketh not here of one or two commaundementes but of all hys doctrine which wee haue set forth vnto vs by his Apostles and Euangelistes A. Wherevppon the Apostle Paule going about to shew how faithfully he had done his duty sayth I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you all the counsaile of god M. We must also note that the Lord sayth not Teaching them to know and vnderstand but To keepe all those thinges vvhich I haue commaunded For althoughe the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ be required of the faithfull yet notwithstandinge the ende in learninge is not here prescribed to a Christian that he may only know those thinges which are good right but that he
manner of the people As if he should haue sayd Publicans theues and robbers haue almost no humanitie yet they haue a certaine kynde of loue in sekinge their profyte M. What shall we nowe saye of Christians whiche loue not their frēdes neither do requite one good turne with another men voyde of humanitie vnthankeful They are farre worse then Publicans and sinners whiche were despised of the Iewes 47 And if ye make much of your brethrē only what singuler thing do ye Do not also the Publicanes likewyse If ye make much E. The Greke word signifieth if ye imbrace your brethren with a kisse whiche fashion was wonte to be betwene frendes when they met together not onely among the Iewes but also amōg the Grekes and Romains M. Which manner of saluting the Anabaptistes haue ridiculously vsurped contrary to the manner of the fathers as a singuler note of Christianisme Of your brethē E. All our Greeke bookes haue of youre frendes VVhat singuler thing do ye A. Or wherein do ye excell others What do ye that other mē do not As if he should haue sayd a great matter in dede ye wil salute no man vntill such time as ye be saluted of them The Publicanes do this E. In stede of Publicanes some Greke bookes haue Ethenix or Heathen The whiche Chrisostome also obserueth A. And the common edition 48 Ye shall therfore be perfecte euen as your father which is in heauen is perfecte Bu. Now at the last by a short and briefe sentence he doth conclude the whole disputation of the true and perfect meaning of the Lawe of the true righteousnes of Christiās saith that the sence proper meaning of the Lawe the wil of God tendeth only to this end that we all endeuour oure selues to come to perfection that is that euery one of vs with all our power strength should go about to expresse the image of our heauenly father in vs that as he is perfecte and hathe expressed the example of perfection in the Lawe whiche is his wyll so lykewyse euery one of vs should frame oure will to his will and image that as God is perfecte so shoulde we be perfecte also Whiche in dede is counted the true and perfect righteousnes C. But he meaneth not here that we shold be equal vnto God in perfectiō but that we shold haue a certaine similitude likenes vnto hym Therefore although we be farre vnlyke vnto God yet we are called perfect euen as he is perfecte so long as we runne at that marke whiche is set before vs Also in Luke it is sayde Be ye merciful euen as youre father whiche is in heauen is mercifull M. Therfore he would haue vs perfecte in loue and mercie euen as our father in heauen is perfecte The .vj Chapter TAKE hede that yee geue not your almes in the sight of men to the intēt that ye wold be sene of them or els ye haue no rewarde wyth youre Father whiche is in heauen Take hede that ye geue not your almes B. In the chapter going before Christe distinguisheth the true sence and meaninge of the Lawe from the false expositions of the Phariseis In this chapter he beginneth to declare their hypocritical dedes which were counted the speciall workes of religion as almes dedes prayers and fastinges Then to the ende he might make them more apte ready to good workes as to the dedes of charitie by many perswasiōs he exhorteth to committe all the care of lyfe to God whiche is nowe oure father C. Neither truely doth Christe in this place without cause exhorte his seruauntes to the study and earnest affection to good woorkes that is that they shoulde endeuour them selues simplely to do that whiche is right before God and not to boste them selues vnto men First and specially this admonitiō is necessary because ambition is alwayes to be feared in vertues neither is there any woorke so cōmendable which is not often times polluted and defiled by this vice ambitiō That ye geue not your almes before men Bu. In a certaine auncient Greeke booke for this worde almes is written righteousnes as the olde interpretour readeth Almes dedes properly is mercifulnes notwithstanding vse and custome hath broughte to passe that almes is called a gyft that of compassion and mercy is geuen to him that nedeth C. But in that diuersitie there lieth no waite or force whether the reade righteousnes or almes because it is manifest enough that by them bothe the vyce of ambition is reproued whiche in doing well loketh to haue prayse of men A. As did the Scribes and Phariseis of whom Christe speaketh thus All that they do is to be sene of men C. He forbiddeth not here to do wel in the syght of men but that we shoulde not do it to this ende to be cōmended of thē Bu. For otherwyse it is lawful for vs to geue our almes publikely so that our mynde haue respect vnto God and brotherly loue not to men and the prayse of men Or els ye haue no revvarde C. By these words he teacheth vs that oure almes pleaseth not God if it be defiled with the study of vayne glory 2 Therefore when thou geuest thyne almes let no trōpets be blowē before thee as the hypocrites do in the Synagoges and in the streates for to be praysed of men Verely I saye vnto you they haue their rewarde Therefore vvhen thou geuest thine almes C. Here he toucheth by name the vice which is receiued by vse custome in the whiche the desire of prayse is not only apparaunt manifest but also with the hādes almost palpable For in cōmon publike places whereunto many people were wonte to resorte they did distribute their doles or almes to the poore in the whiche their ostentation was manifeste because they soughte frequented places to haue many witnesses of their dedes and not contented with this they caused trōpettes to be sounded They fained truely that they called the poore together by the noyse of the trompet so that they neuer wanted a cloake to shadowe their hypocrisie when as it is for certain that they did it to haue fame renoume and prayse of men But all those that seke to serue men and to please them do denie God to be the authour and staye of lyfe So that worthely they are depriued of the rewarde As the hypocrites do E. An hypocrite is as muche to saye as a fayner or dissembler or a player whiche representeth the persone of an other man whiche semeth to be suche an one as in dede he is not Whereupō whosoeuer doth fayne glose or dissemble may well be called an hypocrite But there are diuers kyndes of Hypocrites For there are some whiche although their owne conscience bewray them yet notwithstanding they sell them selues to the worlde for good men and their vices of the whiche they are conuicte in conscience they seke to hyde
their maister For Christe taketh their cause in hande and confirmeth them as you shall here anon But first marke howe they which by the iudgement of men did excell all others in the knowledge of the Lawe holines of lyfe howe they I saye set them selues aboue all other againste Christe By this thou mayest vnderstande that it is moste true whiche is spoken by the mouthe of the lorde saying That whiche is highly estemed among men is abhominable in the sight of god Moreouer these Scribes and Phariseis do all thinges by crafte subtilty and deceite For they obiecte nothing against the lord him selfe knowing that he was not without sufficient vnderstanding but they bende their subtile force against the disciples to beate down them being altogether vnapointed and vnarmed Bu. A good man accuseth him to his face whome he would haue amended and corrected but the spitefull calūniator the reprochefull sclaunderer and shameles bacbiter priuily accuseth not that he may redresse and reforme any thynge that is amis but to the ende be may satisfy and accomplishe his desyre and malicious stomack 12 But when Iesus harde that he sayde vnto them They that be strōg nede not the Phisition but they that are sycke But vvhen Iesus harde that M. Our Sauiour Christe being not asked maketh answere although he knew that thei thereby would be neuer the better yet notwithstanding for his disciples sake he aunswereth and geueth a reason of his doinges both to auoyde the offence and also to styll the murmuringe of the Phariseys By the whiche we are admonished to aunswere al the calumniations of the aduersaries so oftē as nede shal require for the herers sakes yea although we knowe before that they will persiste and abyde in their foolishe opinion but specially suche as are caried by the spirite of enuy against the truthe They that be strong nede not C. By this aunswere of Christe it appeareth that the Scribes and Phariseis synned two māner of wayes First for that they did not regarde the office of Christe Secondly because they did proudly despyse al men neglecting their owne faultes Whiche was a common disease amonge them all For Hypocrites being full and dronke as it were with the vayne truste of their own righteousnes haue no regarde neither do they consider for what end Christ came into the earth No they knowe not how depely mankynde is drowned in the whirle poole of all euell They knowe not howe that the horrible wrathe and malediction of God dependeth vppon all men and howe they are pressed downe in the confused synke of all vice synne And so it commeth to passe that they being amased at the miseries of men neuer thinke vpon the remedy These iusticiaries these hipocrites standing in their owne conceites wil neuer be restrained but take great disdayne to bee counted among synners This seconde errour Christe toucheth when he aunswereth saying that the strong haue no nede of a Phisition By this aunswere our Sauiour Christ doth teache them that they are offended at the sight of synners because they arrogate to them selues righteousnes Because you are whole saythe he the sycke are displeasaūt in your eies you are ashamed of them you lothe the sight of them but the Phisition may not do so And so by this generall and prouerbiall sentēce Christ defendeth his doing in that he went into synners C. Afterwarde he sheweth that he must take vppon him the office of a Phisition because he was sent of his father to call sinners For although our Sauiour Christe began with obiurgation yet if we couet to proffite in his doctrine let vs chiefly note that whiche he put in the seconde place that is to say that he came to quicken the dead to iustifie the gilty and condemned to washe the vncleane to bringe the dāned out of hell to couer the naked with his glory and to renouate those with blessed immortalitie whiche before perished in the corruption of fleshe If we consider and finde this to be his office and that this was the ende of his cōming If we remēber that for this cause he toke vppon hym our fleshe shed his precious bloud did suffer the moste cruel death of the crosse and descēded into hell it shall neuer seme absurde vnto vs that he seketh to saue the moste wicked synners in the whole worlde He semeth vnworthy to thee of the grace of Christe whome thou abhorrest Why was Christ then made a sacrifice and cursse if he myght not reache out his mercifull hand to synners Nowe if disdayne crepe into our myndes that the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper of the lorde do ioyne vs to fylthy and synfull men in so muche that their societie and company might seme to defyle vs then by and by we muste descende into oure owne consciences and iudge our selues arighte without parciallitie And this examination wyll brynge to passe that we shall willingly suffer the impure vncleane to washe in and at the same well with vs without respect of persones that we reiecte not that righteousnes whiche he offereth to all the wycked that lyfe whiche he offereth to the dead and that saluatiō whiche he offereth to the loste sheepe of the house of Israell 13 Go ye rather and learne what that meaneth I wil haue mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repētaunce Go ye rather and learne A. By these wordes our sauiour doth reiecte the Scribes and the Phariseis commaunding them to go and learne seing they wyll not learne of hym C. He seeth that they are vnapte to learne and not tractable therefore he sendeth them awaye Bu. Beside that he casteth in their teethe their ignoraunce in the scriptures in the which they were counted studious and skylfull C. Or els truely he declareth that they are at controuersy with God the Prophete whiche being cruel through pride disdaine to helpe the miserable to bring medicine to the sicke I vvill haue mercy Bu. This sentence is taken out of the .vi. chapter of the Prophete Osee where the Prophet preacheth of the vengeaunce of God against the Iewes because they worshipped God with outward sacrifice their myndes being voyde of pietie and their manners alienate frō integritie righteousnes A. This woorde not is here taken for rather as the sentence following in the same chapter declareth saying and the knowledge of God rather then sacrifice or burnt offeringes C. For the Prophet cōdēneth not sacrifice although afterward they should be takē away but he would haue mercy to be preferred before sacrifice and doth teache that the lord doth not regarde outwarde holynes nor the righteousnes whiche consisteth in sacrifices but true godlines and charitie vnfayned For those thinges whiche God hathe appointed in his churche he hathe appointed for this ende that we might be the more exercised in the knowledge of God and in shewynge compassion towardes our neighbour But men do very muche abuse
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
decende to the rude multitude wee shall fynde that as the poisoned and cankered mallice of the greatter parte doth apere euen so they are left to destruction with the heades and greate men We graunt trewly that all the vnfaythfull do swell with a wronge and wicked trust in them selues whether it be throughe wisdome or the same of honestie or whether they be encouraged by theyr honoures or rychesse or at leaste by some greate porte that they beare in this worlde notwithstandynge let vs note that Chryst here without the naminge of vyce doth comprehende all whiche excell in wytt and learnynge Euen as also hee countethe it not a vertue to be a babe or a chylde For althoughe Chryste be the mayster of the humble and geueth this rudiment and instruction of Faythe Let no man be wyse in his owne conceyte yet notwithstandynge in this place he speaketh of that babyshe and chyldishe behauyour whiche is voluntarye but Chryste by this meanes amplyfieth the grace of his father in that he doothe voutchesafe to extende his mercye to the loweste sorte and lyfte the poore out of the dounghyll But here aryseth a question that seynge wysedome is the gyft of God how commeth it to passe that the same shoulde be a let and a hynderaunce vnto vs that we can not perceyue the lyghte of the Gospell Wee must remember that which we sayde euen nowe that the vnfaythefull do defyle and abuse the wysedome geuen vnto theim and therefore excellente wyttes are often tymes hyndered because they can not suffer theim selues to be taughte But as towchynge this place we aunswere that althoughe the wysedome of the wyse do hynder theym nothynge at all yet maye they be depryued of the lyght of the Gospell Furthermore the wysedome of this world is folyshenesse before God. Also wee maye gather that the saying of Chryst in this place is not general when he sayth that the mysteries of the Gospell are hydden from the wyse For if of fyue wise men sower reiect the Gospell and one imbraceth the same and of so many rude and ignoraunte men also twoo or three become the dyscyples of Chryste then is the sayinge of Chryste here fulfylled because God dothe not banyshe all those from his kingdome that are noble wise and myghty but onely he sheweth that the nomber of those kynde of men which shall be called is but smal So that wisedome is not here condempned in respecte that it is the gifte of God but Chryst only pronounceth that it is of no effecte to obtayne faythe Neyther is ignoraunce here so commended as thoughe it were the mother of vertue but hee shewethe that the same can not staye his mercye loue and compassion towards them that are ignorante by the whiche they maye be made wyse Wherefore by this place we may gather that none by theyr own wyt but onely by the secrete illumynation of the holy ghoste can attayne to the perfection of faith As S. Paule plainely teacheth in the tenth to the Romaines 26 Trewely Father soo it was thy good pleasure E. Or So O father it was done because it pleased thee hauinge poynted the same before by thy euerlasting counsell M. Here wee are admonysshed that the counselles of God in his woorkes and iudgementes ought not to be dyscussed but rather to be praised and commended onely contentinge oure selues with this sayinge It is thy good pleasure C. For trewely God requireth no harder thinge of vs then that his wyll be vnto vs in stede of excellent reason and iustice He doth often tymes inculcate and beate into our heades that his iudgementes are a profounde depthe and bottomlesse sea and yet notwithstandynge wee rashelye caste our selues headlong into the same and if any thinge seme vnpleasaunt vnto vs we frett and murmure by and by agaynst the same yea and many burste out into open blasphemies But the lord prescribeth vnto vs this rule that wee shoulde thyncke all thynges that please God to be well 27 Al thinges are geuen vnto me of my father and no man knoweth the son but the father neyther knoweth any man the father saue the sonne and he to whom the sonne will shew him C. There are som interpretours which do amis in knitting this sentence to that whiche goeth before whiche thincke that Christ onely spake the same to confirme and strengthen his disciples with greatter fayth to the preaching of the Gospel Where as truely Christ semeth to speke it for on other cause and to an other end For as before hee shewed that the church was gathered together by Goddes fre election euen so nowe he sheweth howe he came vnto men throughe the grace of saluation For when many heare that there are no other heyres of euerlastyng lyfe but suche as were chosen before the foundation of the worlde by and by they enquyre howe they knowe the secrete counsell of god And so they cast theym selues in a whirle poole out of the which they come not easely agayne but Christ aryghte byddeth men to come vnto hym to the ende they may receiue the certeintie seale of theyr saluation The sence therefore of this place is that lyfe is declared made manifest vnto vs in christ and therfore none can be partaker of the same but he whiche entereth in by the gate of faythe Nowe wee se how he ioyneth faith with the euerlasting predestination of God whiche wicked men count contrary one to an other For althoughe our saluation were alwais hid with god yet notwithstanding Christ was the waterpipe by the which he did flow vnto vs is receiued of vs by faith by the whiche it might be firme ratified in our harts Wherfore it is not good that we swarue from Christe vnlesse we meane to for go our saluation And no man kovvethe the sonne He speaketh this because men shold not haue a wronge opinion and iudgemente of his maiestie The sence therefore of this place is that if we wyll know what Chryst is we must go to the testimonye of his father who alone cā iudge of hym aryght and knoweth very wel what appertaynethe vnto hym For if we iudge and immagyne of him accordyng to our owne mynde we shall robbe and despoile hym of a greate part of hys power therfore he is not trewly knowne but by the voyce and testymony of his father Allthoughe a voyce alone should not suffice without the dyrection of Goddes spiryte For the power of Chryste is hygher and more secrete then men can attayne and reache vnto vntyl they are illuminated from aboue of the father Therefore vnderstande that he knoweth not the father for hym selfe but for vs Obiection to the ende hee myghte reueale hym vnto vs Notwithstandynge this sentence semeth not to be parfect because twoo partes of the same seeme to be dysagreable one wyth the other As concernynge the sonne it is sayde that no man knoweth the father sauinge he alone and to whom the sonne wyll reueale hym And
and requireth greate dylygence to be consydered of C. For it teacheth howe the grace of Christe beganne to appere to the Gentiles For although the ful time was not come in the whiche Chryste shoulde publyshe and reueale him self to the whole world notwithstanding he thoughte it good to geue certayne forewarninges of his cōmon and generall mercy whiche at the lengthe after his resurrection was offered bothe to the Iewes and also to the Gentiles And departed into the coastes of Tyre B. The Euangelist Marcke addeth sayinge And he entered into a house and would that no man should haue known but he coulde not be hyd signifying that Christe wente not directely to Tyre and Sydon but abode in that corner for a time as thoughe hee had ben a pryuate man. But Marke speaketh accordinge to oure fleshely sence and vnderstandyng For although Christ foresawe by his dyuine spirite what should come to passe yet notwithstanding in that that he was the minister messenger of the father he kept him selfe within the limits boūds of the office callinge which was enioyned him therfore the Euangelist Mark saith that he could not be hyd meaning as he was man B. For it is necessary that he shold play the Apostell of circūsition sent specially to the Iewes According to the saying of S. Paule This I say that Iesus Christ was made a minister of the Circumsition for the trewth of God to confyrme the promyses made vnto the fathers Whereupon our sauiour gaue his disciples charge that they shold not come into the way of the Gētiles But because the time was at hande that the Gentiles should receiue Chryst beinge reiected of the Iewes the father wold not haue him altogether hidden from the Gentyles 22 And beholde a woman of Chanaan which came out of the same coastes cryed vnto him sayinge haue mercy on me O Lord thou sonne of Dauid My daughter is pitiously vexed with a deuil And beholde a vvoman C. An excellent Image of faith is depaynted vnto vs in this strange woman that a comparison being made we may know that the Iewes whose impietie was horrible were worthely iustly depriued of the promised redemption For when Christ dyd brynge vnto them openlye the promysed redemption and offered the same with a loude voyce and by doynge of myracles before their eyes they were blynde and deafe When as notwithstandyng they boasted theym selues to be the heyres of Goddes couenant his chosen and peculiar people his priestly kingedome but this woman who had no fellowshyppe with the sonnes of Abraham and to whō the couenaunt as it mighte seeme pertayned not beinge called by no voyce or signe came running vnto Chryst of her owne accorde and voluntary wyll Of Chanaan B. The Euangelist Marke sayth that this woman was a Greke out of the nation of Syrophaenitia Notwithstandinge betwene Matthew Marcke there is no contrarietie for wee knowe that it was a cōmon vse maner among the Iewes to call all forrayne nations Grekes and therfore the Apostel Paule vseth that Antithesis ofte times but specially in his epistell to the Romaines But seinge she came out of the partes of Tyre and Sydon it is no meruaile if she were sayde to be of Syrophenitia when as the Region or countrey is called Syria whiche was a parte of Phaenitia also But the Iewes despitefully called al the inhabitauntes of that countrey Cananaeans And it is likely that they for the most parte take theyr oryginall and begynninge of the people of Canaan who beinge banished out of theyr countrey fled thyther as to the next place of exile In this both the Euangelistes do agree that the woman was of a prophane nacion not brought vppe vnder the lawe of Moyses and that she came vnto Chryste of her owne voluntary wyll humblye to craue helpe at his hands Bu Notwithstanding it pleaseth some to thincke that shee was a Cananeaan so called of the coūtrey Cana which Cana is written without the letter H. This Cana is a greate cittie of Phaenitia borderyng vppon the tribe of Asser of the whiche wee maye reade in the .xix. chapter of Iosua But that Cana is written with the Hebrewe leter P. K. And as concerninge that Chanaan whiche our Euangeliste Matthew hath it is written in all aunciente Greke bokes that I haue sene with this letter χ ch Cryed vnto hym M. For Marcke saythe that shee hearde of hym Faythe therefore commeth by hearynge as saith saincte Paule in the tenth to the Romaines Haue mercy on mee M. Shee calleth vpon and craueth his mercye in whom she beleueth she crieth not to the Apostels but vnto Christ Neyther had she thus desired his helpe vnles she had hoped certainely to obtaine the same O Lorde C. She calleth Christ lorde by the cōmon vse of her speche Thou sonne of Although this woman were a stray and forren ar from the flocke of Christe yet notwithstandinge she had receyued som taste of godlynesse for withoute some knowledge of the promyses she had not called Chryste the sonne of Dauyd For althoughe the Iewes erred and swarued from the pure and perfect doctrine of the lawe yet notwithstandinge the fame of the promysed redemption was ryfe amonge them And because the restoring of the churche did depend vpon the kingdome of Dauid when so euer mention was made of the Messias the name of the sonne of Dauid was by by in theyr mouthes and truely this confession was common to euery man But when the true fayth decayed amongst them by the wōderful inspeakeable goodnes of god it came to passe that the odour and swete smel of the promises came to the Gētiles theraboutes Although therfore this woman was not familiarly taughte and instructed by any maister yet notwithstādinge she did not rashely fayne or immagin a faith as concernyng Christe vnto her selfe but conceiued the same by the lawe and the Prophetes Wherfore very wickedly that dogge Seruetus to the end he mighte despoyle Fayth of her promyses hath very muche abused this example Accordynge to this sence we do not denis but that there may be some detayned faythe at sometime to the which the parfect and distinct knowledge of sounde doctrine is not known this alwayes noted that faythe euer procedeth from the woorde of God and hath his beginning of true rudimētes instructions that it may alwaies be annexed to some light of knowledge My daughter is pitiously vexed C. The Euangelist Mark saith that this womā came fell down at the fete of Iesu prayed him to cast out a deuil of her daughter A. By the which wordes he declareth the she conceiued some greate excellēt thing of Christ in that she attributeth to hym power to cast out a deuyll 23 But he aunswered her nothing at all and his disciples came and besought him sayinge sende her away for she crieth after vs. But he ansvvered nothing Bu. Wonderful lettes and impediments are here obiected against the woman and
deuyll And at the lengthe Herode cut of his head if not by their procurement yet at the least by their consente and willinge mindes M. Christ saith not here They dyd as they ought to do or they did what so euer the lord commaunded to be done but he saythe they dyd what theye wolde or lust to do The lyke saith hee shall they do to the sonne of man And as they dyd nothinge to the sonne of man so did they nothinge to Iohn the Baptiste without the wyll and sufferance of God But they for theyr partes hadde not respecte or regarde vnto the wil of God but rather to the fulfilling of their own wils and maliciouse myndes this God vsed to the executing fynishinge of his worke The lorde therefore suffereth the wicked to do vnto saynctes what so euer theye wyll as towchinge their bodies and vseth their mynistery to the glory of those that are his Wherefore if the lyke happen vnto vs at this day let vs not thinke that we are reiected and caste out of God or that he hath forsaken vs. In lykevvise also shall the sonne of man suffer C. He teacheth that it ought not to seme a new or vnwonted thing if they reiect the master as they dyd the seruante before And least any man shoulde be troubled by the newenes of the thing the lorde saith that mention was made before of this in the Scripture namely that as well the redemer of the world as Helias his forerunner should suffer the repulse at the hādes of false and wicked teachers For Marke addeth They dyd vnto him what so euer they shoulde as it is written of hym 13 Then the disciples vnderstode that he spake vnto thē of Iohn the Baptist A. Because not onely in this place but also in an other place mention was made of Helias where Christe had spoken of Iohn the Baptist by name by this aunswere of Christe the disciples easely vnderstode what he mente 14 And when they were com to the people there came to him a certaine man kneling downe to him B. Luke saith that this came to passe the next daye as they came downe the hill Marke declareth that the Scribes were disputing with the disciples C. For the Lunatike child being brought amongest thē in the absence of Christ the Scribes thought that they had gotten good occasion to inueigh and speake euyl and therfore prosecuting the same they were very earnest with the disciples vrged thē that if they hadde any power to heale the childe they should shew it It is likely that the disciples tried what they could do but in vaine so that the Scribes as conquerers triūphed neither do they onely deride mocke the disciples but also proudely they inuey against Christ as thoughe in the persō of his disciples his power wer abased But this their wicked dealynge ioyned with ingratitude exceded maliciously to suppresse so many myracles by the which they had lerned of what power habilitie Christ was For of set purpose they sought to extinguishe the light sette before theyr eies 15 And sayinge Master haue mercy on my son for he is Lunatike and sore vexed for ofte times hee falleth into the fier and ofte into the water Master haue mercy on my son B. The father had a feruent desire greate care for the health of his son because as Luke sayth he was his only son whō in stede of haue mercy on my son hath behold my sonne For he is lunatike C. The Euāgelist Mark speaketh of an other kinde of dissease saying that this mā was dumbe Yet notwithstandinge these two very well agre betwene thē selues that he was dūbe at certaine times mad also For they are called lunatikes which vnder the wane of the Mene haue eyther the falling sicknes or els are tormēted with a giddines in the brayne It is a very vaine opiniō which som fain saying that this name was inuented by the craft subtiltie of Sathā that he myght defame the good creatures of God for cōmon experience teacheth that those disseases do increase decrease accordinge to the course of the mone yet notwithstādinge nothinge staieth but that Sathā may ad his violent force to naturall meanes It is very probable that this man was neither deaffe nor dombe by nature but that his tongue eares were possessed of Sathā then whē the debillitie weaknes of the braine finnewes made him subiecte to the fallinge sickenes a worse euill was added of sathā Hereupon it came to passe that he sought his owne destructiō that hee wolde lie rent torne and that he wolde fall down like a dead mā For oft he falleth C. Let vs here note the nature of Sathā He is a murtherer ready to destroy hath many waies to hurte were it not that he were staied let by the power of god Loke how many infirmities of the fleshe and minde there are which we feele and know to be innumerable so many dartes hath he alwaies to hurt vs We ar worse than mad if our myserable estate conditiō moue vs not to prayer And in this apereth the inspeakeable goodnes of God namely that where as we are subiecte to so many dāgers he doth vouchsafe to defende vs specially if we consider with how great a desire the deuil our enemie is inflamed to hurt vs But this consolation also ought to come into our mindes that Christ came to bridel so restrain his furiouse rage that therfore we in so many dangers abide in safetie because the heuenly medicine far surmounteth all our euils M. Here therfore the care prouidence of God appereth in that the child is saued and preserued so often times beinge cast by the euill spirite into the fyer water to be destroied for god saued him suffered not the euill spyrite to destroy him This is a great comforte and consolation to the godly 16 And I broughte him to thy disciples and they coulde not heale him A. Why the disciples coulde not cast out the deuill we shall see by and by 17 Iesus answered and said O faithlesse and croked nation how longe shall I be with you Howe longe shall I suffer you bringe him hither vnto mee Iesus ansvvered A. Our Euāgelist Mathew pretermitteth many thinges which are added by Marke Luke O faythlesse C. Although our sauiour Christ seme to direct his speache against the father of the Lunatike sonne yet notwithstandynge there is no doubt but that he had respecte vnto the Scribes For it is certain that the rude and weake are not here reprehēded but such as beinge obstinately wrapped in mallice do resist god Therfore Christ saith that suche are vnworthy to be forborne any longer saith that he will shortly make a dyuorce seperation betwene him them There are some which thinck it better to directe these wordes to the Apostels onely and that because of the woordes following
Christ is so lyttell disswaded from that which he had spoken by the obiection of Peter that he plainely affyrmeth that there oughte to be no ende of forgeuing For he wolde not prescribe any certayne nomber but rather geue commandement that we ought neuer to be wery But seuenty times seuen tymes M. Here the certayne nomber for the vncertayne and the finite for the infinite is put by the which our sauioure Christ declareth that we must forgeue our brother so often as he cōuerteth For as God is alwaies ready to forgeue euen so wee must followe his clemency vnlesse wee will be bastardes and degenerate from our heauenly father For conuertion or repentance is the worke of God the wōderfull power of his spirite and a newe creation The which if we reiect we are greately iniuriouse vnto god C. Luke the Euangelist semeth not a littel to disagree from Matthewe because hee simplely bringeth in the commaundemente of Christe namely that wee shoulde be ready to forgeue seuen tymes For hee writeth thus If thy brother sinne seuen times a day against thee seuen tymes in a day tourneth him vnto thee saying it repenteth me forgeue him Yet notwithstanding the sence is all one that we sholde not forgeue once or twise onely but that we shold receiue the offender into our fauoure so often as he submitteth him self vnto vs This is onelye the dyfference that out Euangelist Matthewe maketh mention that the lorde reprehended Peter because he was to straite and seuere and that Hiperbolically he increaseth the nōber the which nōber is sufficient to set forth vnto vs at full the meaning of our sauiour Christe Neyther did Peter demaunde whether he shoulde forgeue his brother seuen tymes as though he ment any certayne nomber but he made this demaunde to the ende he settinge forthe a greate shewe of absurditie might withdrawe Christe from his purpose as wee shewed a lyttell before Therefore hee which shal be redy to forgeue seuē times will also be contente to forgeue seuenty tymes Moreouer in the woordes of Luke there ariseth an other question because Christe doth not commaunde vs to forgeue excepte the synner by conuertinge and submittinge hym self vnto vs declare his repentaunce for by this hée semeth to graunt liberty to his disciples to deny pardō forgeuenes to the wicked We aunswere that synnes are remitted twoo manner of wayes If any man do vnto thee iniury and thou laying away all desyre of reuenge ceassest not to loue him styll but doste in steede of reuengement bestowe good tournes on hym althoughe nowe thou haue an euyll iudgemente of hym as hee deserueth yet notwithstandinge thou shalte be saide to remytte and forgeue hym For althoughe God dothe commaunde vs to wyshe well to oure ennemies yet neuerthelesse hee dothe not require of vs that wee shoulde allowe that in them whiche he him selfe condemneth but onely that we seeke to pourge our minde of all hatred and mallice The seconde kynde of remittynge is when wee so receiue our brother into fauour that wee haue a good opinion of him and are certainly perswaded that the remembrance of his synne is cleane put out before the lord And this is that which we spake of before that Christ doth not onely here speake of iniuries doone vnto vs but of al maner of offences also For he woulde haue those that are fallen to be lifted vp againe by our mercye and compassion The which doctrine is therfore very necessarye because wee are all for the most parte by nature out of measure waywarde and peruerse And Sathan vnder the pretence of seuerytie bryngeth vs to fearce and cruell rigour whiche makethe those men to whom we deny pardon most miserable and ouerwhelleth them with heauynes dispaire Againe Question it may be here demaunded whether we ought to beleue the offender so sone as he hath with the mouth professed repentaunce For what shall become of discretion and iudgement if euerye one maye mocke deceiue Answere and offende vs vntyll the hundreth time Fyrste we aunswere that Christ speaketh here of dayly offences in the whiche the very best hath nede of pardon and forgeuenes Seynge therfore we haue so slippery a iourney in so greate infirmitie and weakenes of the flesh so many deceites and intisementes what shall become of vs if al hope of pardone shoulde be taken from vs at the first seconde or thirde falle Secondly we may answere and say that Christ doth not depriue the faythfull of iudgement discretion that they might foolishely and rashely beleue euery worde but that hée goeth about onely to make them indifferente and mercifull that they may reach out theyr hande to those that repent if by any meanes we may perceyue that they are displeased with thē selues for their offēce and that vnfaynedly For repentance is a holy acceptable thinge and therefore it hath nede of a ripe examination trial but so often as the offender shall shewe a probable and likely signe of repentance Christ wold haue vs to admyt hym to reconciliation least by repelling shaking him of he fall into dispayre Thirdely we must note that whē a man hath brought him selfe into suspition by his lightnes inconstancie wee maye so forgeue hym that asketh pardon that euer after wee maye note and obserue his maners least he make a iest skoffe at our sufferaunce and gentylnesse whiche commeth by the spirite of god For wee must marke the purpose of the lorde in this place namely that they ought to be holpē vp which are fallen according to the exāple of our heauēly father who calleth sinners beinge far of that he may bringe them to saluation 23 Therfore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine man that was a king whiche wold take accomptes of his seruauntes Therefore is the kingdome M. What he meaneth by this parable it is euidente by that whiche he addeth in the ende of the chapter sayinge So likewise shall my heauenly father do also vnto you if ye from youre hartes forgeue not euery one his brother their trespasses C. For because it is a harde matter to bring vs to mercy and that specially when we must suffer and beare many sinnes of our brethern the lord very aptly with this parable confirmeth the doctrine goinge before teaching that they which will not yelde to forgeue the offēces of their brethern are to hard seuere and cruell by the which they do not only hurt their brethern but also them selues prouokinge the almighty to be likewyse cruell towardes them not to be intreated For this similitude consisteth specyally of three partes The lorde is opposed or set against the seruante A great som is compared with a small value And inspeakeable compassiō and mercy is set agaynst extreame cruelty These three being wel considered noted we may easely gather the meaninge of oure Sauiour Christ For what are we if wee be compared vnto God Whiche of vs are not
that condition and state of the faithfull shoulde not be to greuous vnto them if they be now constrayned to liue with the goates yea if they suffer of them sharpe stripes with their hornes and that they might take hede least their stinking smell infect them Thyrdly that they maye knowe that they loose not their laboure in leadinge a godly and innocente life because a difference shall at the lengthe appeare This place also serueth against their enterprise which go aboute in this life to seperate the goates frō the shepe the which thinge none can do but Christe at that time 33. And shall set the sheepe on his righte hand the goates on the left Thē shal the kinge say to them that be on the 34. right hande Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginninge of the worlde And hee shall set the sheepe Bu. The right hand is a place of felicitye and dignitye the left hande a place of vnhappines and miserye Wherevppon the auncient writers in steede of the right hand haue set downe vnto vs euerlastinge life and for the left hand perpetuall damnation And then shall the king saye C. Wee do see here that it is the office of Christe onelye which in this place calleth himselfe a kīg to seperate the good from the euill but not before the last day In the meane time the mynisters must labor diligētly to seperate the wolues the goates and the sicke shepe from the sheepe that are sounde for to this ende Ecclesiasticall discipline is ordayned the which oughte not to ve wantinge in the Church Yet notwithstandinge when they haue done their dutye to the vtmost there shall remaine still a mixture euen vntil the ende of the world because Christ only chalengeth this to himselfe to make a cleane purgation of his Churche and this purgation hee putteth of vntill the last day Come ye blessed of my father M. This boyce doth note the affection of a singuler fauore and of the loue of a frende The which affection Christ declared when hee was also in the worlde as when hee said Come vnto mee all ye that trauaile and are heauye laden I will refreshe you But who should come vnto this Iudge of the lyuinge and the dead except hee himselfe of his owne good will shoulde indue our mindes with a trust of comminge to him Ye blessed of my father That is to say ye beloued of my father being in my fathers grace and fauoure To to this is contrary Ye cursed of my father that is caste out of Gods fauoure and subiecte to his wrath C. But let vs note here the purpose of Christe for hee woulde haue his Dysciples to be nowe contented with hope that they might loke for the fruition of the Heauenly kingdome patientlye and with quiet mindes then hee woulde haue them carnestly occupyed and not to be weryed in the right race To this latter parte is referred this that hee promiseth the inheritance of Heauen to no other but to those which by good woorkes striue for the Palme and to the ende of the supernall callinge But before he speaketh of the rewarde of good woorkes hee sheeweth by the waye that the beginninge of saluation doth issue from a hyer springe For in callinge them the blessed of hys father he declareth that their saluation commeth by the free mercye of god For the blessed of God with the Hebrewes is as muche as the beloued of god Moreouer not onely the faithfull haue vsed this kinde of speache to set forthe the grace of God in men but they also whiche swerued from true godlines as Laban who saide to the seruaūt of Abraham Come in thou blessed of the lord Wee do see that these men had learned to geeue God the praise of all good thinges Wherefore there is no doubte but that Christ describinge the saluation of the godlye began at the free mercy of God by the whiche they are predestinate to lyfe who by the guidinge of the spirite in thys life aspyre to righteousnes To that effect also pertayneth that whiche hee sayth by and by Inherite the kingdome prepared for you Allthough a man might obiect and saye that a rewarde was layed vppe in store for the merits of those to come yet notwithstandinge if we waye the wordes without contencion wee shal graunt that there is a secrete commendation of the grace and mercye of god For Christ doth not simplely inuite the faithfull to possesse the kingdome as thoughe they should gette the same by their merits but doth plainly expresse that the same shal be geuen at the lengthe to the heyres Possesse sayth hee or as heyres possesse If it be an inheritaunce it falleth vnto vs because wee are the sonnes of God not by nature not by merits but by free adoption Saluation therefore commeth of free mercye not by merits or worthines Yet notwithstandinge the other ende is to be noted to the which the Lord had respect For althoughe the life of the godlye be nothinge els than a myserable and sorowfull exile in so muche that the earthe can scarce sustayne them in the time of persecution and althoughe they be in neede and suffer reproche and griefe yet notwithstandinge the Lorde sayth that there is a kingdome prepared for thē in another place that they mighte be of a good courage to ouercome all lettes and stayes This is no small exhortaciō and incouragement to pacience when men are certainlye perswaded that they labour not in vaine Therefore least the pride of the vngodly in the which they now reioyce should discourage vs leaste also our owne mynisters shoulde debilitate and quaile our hope let vs alwayes remember the inheritaunce which is prepared for vs in Heauē because it standeth not in hazarde but was appointed vnto vs by God before wee were borne Moreouer whereas it is here saide that the kingdome was prepared from the beginning of the world and in another place before the creation of Heauē and earth there is no absurdity in that at all For Christ doth not appoint here anye certaine time in the which the inheritaunce of euerlastinge life was geuen to the children of God but doth onely put vs in minde of the fatherlye care that God had for vs by the whiche hee embraced vs before wee were borne and dothe hereby also confirme the certaintye of our hope because all the troubles that we sustaine are not able to ouerthrow our life Some do cauil here saying that the kingdome was appointed of God to those whom he forsawe to be worthy But what could God forsee in vs but sinne onely Hee chose vs truly that wee shoulde be sanctifyed not because hee did foresee vs to be sanctifyed 35. For I was an hongered and yee gaue mee meate I was thirstye and ye gaue mee drincke I was harborles and ye toke mee in B. Because the workes of loue are here added the Papistes beinge defenders of superstions