vnto vs that he dothe promise his spirite which ingraueth the righteousnes of the law in our hartes We are cōmaunded therfore to aske both and in the fyrst place the petition to obtaine remissiō of sinnes is put Oure dettes M. Luke in the xi Chapter hath forgeue vs our synnes or trespasses C. Therfore our sinnes are called dettes because they bringe vs before the trybunall seat of God make vs detters vnto him yea they do wholly seperate vs from God that there is no hope to atteine peace and grace but only by pardō And so is fulfylled that whiche Paule wryteth All haue synned and are destytute of the glorye of God that all mowthes maye be stopped and that all the world may be subdued vnto god For althoughe the righteousenes of God doth partely shine in the sainctes notwithstanding so long as they are in the fleshe they lie ouerladē with sin So that there is no man founde in the whole world so pure whiche hath not nede of the mercy of God of the which if we desire to be partakers it is necessary that we féele oure owne misery But they whiche fayne to thē selues such perfectiō in this worlde that they think them selues frée frō al sin and vice do not so much neglect their sinnes as they do Christ frō whose church they banish them selues For when he cōmanded al his disciples daily to aske remissiō of their sins he excludeth al out of theyr nomber cōpany whiche thinke this remedie to be superfluous vnto thē Let vs put awaye therefore by this praier the wrath indignation of our heauenly father the iust ponishmētes whiche wee haue deserued let vs seke to please him by reconciliation For what can be more greuous then the displeasure of the father For so much as therfore our hole health consisteth in this to keepe the fauour of our heauēly father good and iuste cause we haue to put awaye his displeasure Now this remissiō which we here desire is cōtrary to satisfactiōs by the which the world seketh redēption For that credytour is not said to remit whiche beinge paid asketh the det no more but he which willingly frely departing frō his right dischargeth the debttor Neither dothe that cōmon distinction of falte ponishement here take place for there is no doubt but that dets do signifie the desert of ponishment or paine We must note also here that if we be forgeuē fréely al dispensations cōming from the Pope are in vaine For to obteine remission of oure sinnes Christ sēdeth vs to his father alone that rightly for who can forgeue the offence cōmitted against an other not againste him self Nay can any man forgeue sins beside God Wherfore Christe sent hym which had hurt his brother to go reconcile him self to his brother Therfore whē we syn against God our health saluation only cōsisting in him it is manifest that we can be forgeuen of none but of him therfore at his hāds we must aske forgeuenes according to the form of this praier Herevpon Dauid saide I saide I wil confesse my syns vnto thee lord so thou forgauest mee the wickednes of my sin For this shal euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thée in a time whē thou maiest be found Neither is this repugnāt to that authoritie which was geuen to the Apostels to remit sinnes For they did not forgeue sinnes by their own power but as ministers of Christ prechers of grace they did pronounce to the penitent faithfull that their sins were forgeuen According to the saying of the lord by the Prophete Esay I euen I am he that put away your sinnes that for my owne sake As vve forgeue our detters C. This condition was therefore added that no man should presume to aske pardon for his sinnes excepte he were free from mallice hatred Notwithstāding the pardō which we aske dependeth not vpon that which we shewe to other but by this meanes Christe exhorteth vs to forgeue all offences and dothe make our trust and confidence also of absolution pardō more fyrme and strong Furthermore it was not the purpose of Christ to note the cause but onely to teache vs of what mind we ought to be one towards an other when we desire to be reconciled vnto god And trewely if the spirite of God do raigne in our hartes all mallice euil wyl reuengement wil ceasse But for so muche as the spirite is a wytnesse vnto vs of our adoption we se that there is here a note geuen vnto vs who are the sonnes of God and who are not B. Our remission therfore is a motion of the spirite because God ruleth our affections Nowe since the case standeth thus how can they be excused whiche will not forgeue theyr neybours offences How can such presume to aske pardon of their sinnes at the handes of God Is it a triffle to lye vnto the lyuinge God and to play the Hypocrytes Yea when we say forgeue vs as we forgeue others what do we elles but call for vengeaunce at the handes of God vpon our selues if wee forgeue not oure offendours And for this cause there are many nowe a daies which rather then they wil remit forgeue they will neuer say the lordes praier But suche escape not the iudgemente of god For it shall abide for euer whiche the lord saith If ye forgeue not mē their trespases your father whiche is in heauē shall not forgeue you your trespases To this ende also parteineth the parable which he sheweth following Wherfore we may not let to forgeue our ofenders if so be that we will haue god to forgeue and forget our synnes 13 And leade vs not into tēptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer amen And leade vs not into tempta C. Here many amisse do deuide this into two petitions when as by the matter it is euidēt to be but one not two as they imagine For the coniūctiō set betwene both coupleth both the sentēces together whiche S. Austine very wiselye examined Thus therefore ought this praier to be resolued Least vve be led into tēptation deliuer vs from euill But the sōm of this prayer is this that we knowing our own infirmities desier god to be our aide helpe that we may stāde valiantly against al the assaltes of sathā M. We are taught therfore in this petion that we are as yet set in a doubtfull dāgerous cōflict in the which we must fight against the deuil the world and the fleshe For the godly haue an other maner of fight in this worlde then haue the childrē of darknes For they haue a carelesse conscience sekinge at no time to resyste Sathan whiche worketh in them but the godly because they geeue theim selues wholly vnto God they haue Sathan the prynce of this worlde
worship and honoure and afterwarde so farre as it is conuenient we must do our dutye vnto men Accordinge to this sayinge Hée that hateth not father and mother for mee is not worthye of mee When wée haue obeyed God then shall wée rightlye haue a consideration of oure Parentes of our wife and children Now on the other parte wee haue here to note the fayth of the women For it was no small affection of loue to followe Christe euen to the Crosse and excepte they had beene endued wyth a constante fayth they woulde neuer haue bidden suche a syghte Nowe let vs be ashamed if the horror of the crosse do stay vs from followinge of Christe seinge wee also haue before our eyes the glory of the resurrection when as the women coulde see nothinge but ignomynie and shame and malediction When Iesus therefore sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued hee sayde vnto his mother woman behold thy sonne After that he said vnto the disciple Beholde thy mother As if he should haue saide to his mother After this I wyll be no more conuersant in the â—…arthe to do the duetie of a sonne vnto thee I do appoynte therefore this man in my roome to take vpon hym my duetie And this is the meanyng when he saythe vnto Iohn Beholde thye mother For by these wordes he commandeth him to count her as his mother and to care no lesse for her than if shee were his mother In that hee calleth her woman and not Mother some thynck that he did it because he woulde not thereby moue her affecttion to gréefe Othersom thincke that he dyd it to declare that the race of his humaine lyfe beinge ended he did now leaue of that condition vnder the whiche he had lyued and entered into the heauenly kingedome where hee shoulde rule bothe men and Angelles And this later coniecture is no lesse probable than the firste For wee do knowe that Christ alwaies went about to bring the faythefull from the consideration of the flesh to the spirite The which thing hee ought specially to do at his deathe And froÌ„ that howre the disciple tooke her for his owne R. That is to saye hee toke her as his mother hee reuerenced her as his mother and he was obediente to her as if he had ben her sonne so long as shee liued C. Iohn in obeyinge the commandement of Christ sheweth hym selfe a louinge Disciple to his maister Hereby also it dothe appere that the Apostelles kept theyr famelies for how could Iohn elles kepe the mother of Chryste contrary to the opinion of those whiche thincke that the Apostels lefte all when they came to Christ 38 Then were there two theues crucified with him one on the right hand and an other on the lefte Then vvere there C. This was done to put Christe to extreme shame that hee should be hanged in the middest betwene twoo theues murtherers and robbers For they appoynted vnto hym the chiefest place euen as if he had bene the captayne of theeues A. But the Greeke woord signifieth not theues but murtherers and whiche lurke in dennes by the hiewaies side to sley men for they were not wonte to crucifie theeues Therfore to the ende Christe mighte susteyne the greatter ignominie hee is placed in the middest as though he had ben the chiefe murtherer If he had bene nayled to the crosse alone his cause myght haue semed the better and to be seperated from other malefactours but nowe he is not onely placed with murtherers but also set in the chiefe roome as thoughe he had bene the moste detestable of all other And it was necessary that he shoulde be thus ordered that we might knowe howe great punishemente was due for our synnes There was no punishemeÌ„t cruel inough for oure wyckednesse whiche coulde be founde out if Christ had not dyed for vs Therfore that he might delyuer vs from the payne due for synne this kinde of satisfaction was necessary that he myghte set him selfe in our roome And here we maye perceiue howe horrible the wrathe of God is againste synnes to pacifie the whiche it was necessarye that Christe whiche is the Eternall righteousenes shoulde be counted as a moste vnrighteouse and placed in the order of murtherers For because Christ was reckened among malefactours we are counted innoceÌ„t of the father as witnesseth the prophete saying By the knowledge of him which is my righteouse seruant he shall iustefy the multitude for he shal beare away their sinnes The EuaÌ„gelist Maâ—…ke addeth And the scripture is fulfilled whiche saith He was couÌ„ted among the wicked That place is red in the prophsie of Esay thus Therfore wil I geue him the multitude for his part he shal deuide the spoile with the strongest because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened amonge the transgressours whiche neuertheles hath taken away the sinnes of the multitude and made intercession for the misdoers The Prophete therfore playnely speakethe this as concernynge Christe that he shall delyuer his people from deathe not by any greate pompe but by sufferyng the punishement whiche was dewe for theyr wickednesse The Euangeliste saythe as it was also foreshewed in the place of the Prophete before mentioned that Chryste prayed for his enemyes sayinge Forgeue theÌ„ for they wotte not what they doe The Lorde had taughte before sayinge Doe good vnto those that hate you and praye for theim whiche hurte you This his doctryne hee approueth in deede and by this his prayer hee prouyd hym selfe to be the lambe moste meeke and gentell whiche shoulde be sâ—…ayne in sacrifyce for the synnes of the worlde And after this manner the faythfull oughte to temper theyr affections in sufferynge euylles namely to wyshe well vnto their persecuters and yet for all that not to doubte but that God wyll defend and saue their lyfe But it is lykely that Chryst did not praye for all in generall without exception but onely for the myserable people whiche were caryed by a rashe zeale not by obstinate impietie For there was no hope lefte of the chiefe priestes and Scribes so that hee shoulde haue prayed for them in vayne For they sinned against the holy Ghoste because theyr own conscience did heare them wytnesse that Iesus was Chryste promised in the lawe and prophetes whom neuerthelesse they persecuted Whereby wee learne that wee oughte not to praye for those with whom wylfull mallice preuaylethe and are caried with obstinate blindnes sinnynge againste the holy Ghoste if so be they maye be discerned to be suche And there is no doubt but that this praier of Chryste was hearde of the Heauenlye Father and that hereuppon it came to passe that manye of the people which had shedde the bloudde of Christe afterwarde drancke the same by faythe 39 They that passed by reuyled hym wagging theyr heades They that passed by Bu. Nowe commeth the fulnesse of all iniurye doone vnto Christe crucyfyed They had fyrst mocked hym pryuatelye in the Courte of
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
their ennemie most vigilant and crafty agaynst them and because they haue their cōuersation in heauen they are as yet subiecte to the hate mischife of the worlde and because they obey the spirite the fleshe is disobedient vnto them draweth thē to wicked things so that not without cause we are taught here to pray And leade vs not into temptatiō but delyuer vs frō euil C But this word tēptation is in the scriptures often times taken generally for euery kinde of tryall probation In the which sence Abrahā is said to be temted of God when his faith was tried So we are oftē times tried as wel in aduersitie as prosperitie because by this occasion the affections of men are manifest which before were not known But here is noted the internal temptation whiche may wel be called the deuils bellowes to kindel our cōcupiscēce for it were an absurd thing to aske of God to pray hym that we may be frée from al documentes instructions of our faith Therefore all wicked motiōs which cause vs to sinne are comprehēded vnder the name of tēptation Although it cannot be but that we must féele such prickes motions in our minde because al our life time we haue a cōtinual battel with the flesh notwithstanding we desire of god that he wil not suffer vs to be subiect or leade vs to tēptation And to the ende Christ might the better expresse to how great fall ruyne we are subiecte except god of his mercy stay vs with his hand he vsed this maner of speach And leade vs not into temptation For it is certain that euery man is tempted of his own concupiscence as S. Iames saith but because God dothe not onely geue sathan libertie to kindell in vs the fier of concupiscēce but also vseth him as a minister of his Ire so often as he purposeth to destroy men he him self also by his own meanes leadeth to tēptation In the which sence the euill spirite of God is saide to come vpon Saule and to the same effect do many places of scripture tende yet notwithstāding we may not cal God the aucthour of euyl because although he geue ouer men into a reprobate sence yet he vseth not vpon thē tyranny but his iust secrete iudgement But deliuer vs from euyl C. By this name of euill whether we vnderstād the deuil or sinne it maketh no matter Sathā truely is that enemie which seketh cōtinually whom he may deuour the armoure wherwith he is prepared to destroy vs is sin The ende therefore of our prayer is that we be not ouercome with temptatiōs but that we may stand by the power of the lorde agaynst al the force of Sathan and that we beinge protected and gouerned vnder the shadow of his wings may tryumphe ouer sinne deathe hel gates and al the kingdome of the deuyl which is to be deliuered from euyll For thine is the kingdome C. It is meruayle that this clause so wel agreing with the rest was pretermitted of the Latines Neyther was this therefore added onely that he might kyndel our hartes to desire the glorye of God and to shewe vs what the scope and ende of our prayers oughte to be but also to teache vs that the praiers which are here declared vnto vs ar groūded vpon none other then God onely lest we woulde truste to our owne merytes For although nowe we be most miserable although we be of al creatures most vnworthy and althoughe we be voide of al commendation yet for al that we shal neuer want occasion to pray oure faith cannot decrease because all kingedome dominion power and glory perteyneth vnto hym and can neuer be taken from hym M. Firste therefore we attribute this vnto God that his is the kingdome By this woorde kingdome is vnderstode al right and power of raigning of rulinge of gouerninge protectynge and defendinge The povver This is added that we should not thinke the kyngdome of God to be weake and voyde of force and mighte and that we shuld not thynke it to be for wante of power that he dothe not reuenge hym selfe of theim whiche acknowledge not his kingdome What power therefore so euer there be in any place it parteyneth not vnto the creature but vnto God. And the glory That is magnificence and the honour of al things The which if any man vnderstande of the dewe praise glory of god it shal be al one to say thou only art to be honored praysed and glorified For euer and euer M. This is added that we might acknowledge the kingdom of god our father to be perpetual his power infinite and his glorye euerlastinge The which things the prophete comprehēdeth after this sorte sayinge All thy workes praise thée O lord thy saintes geue thākes vnto thée They shewe the glory of thy kingdome talke of thy power that thy power thy glory mightines of thy kingdome mighte be known vnto men Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kyngdome thy dominion indureth throughout al ages Amen C. By this word the feruente desier to obteine those thynges which we aske of God is expressed our hope is confirmed that those thinges which we aske are granted vnto vs because of the promyses of God whiche can not be broken M. This is an Hebrew word hauing a signification of a certaintie and truth And this word is vsed two maner of waies First to expresse the affection desire of him that praieth And here is required the consent of the minde that which consent truely they haue not which pray without the minde or marke not the which is spoken of others As concernynge the which reade the. 14. of S. Paule in his 1. epis to the Corin. The other is that we declare that we do not only wishe that the thing may com to passe which is spokē but also that we know certainly that it will come to passe In this sence a sure vndoubted Faith is required Thus Christ him selfe oftē times said ▪ Amen Amē dico vobis Verely verelye I saye vnto you This word amen being said our conscience is pacified and so we ende our prayer 14. For if ye forgeue men their trespasses your heauenly father shall also Bu. By a certaine repetition or relation here he retourneth to the whiche he spake euen now saying And forgeue vs oure debtes as we forgeue our debters C. And doth teach vs that god wil not be intreated of vs except we likewyse do forgeue thē which by any meanes do hurte vs And surely except we be harder then stele or stony flint this exhortatiō ought to mollifie vs to make vs tractable to remit our offenders Except God should forgeue the manifold sinns that we daily cōmit we know that we shold perishe many waies truely god dothe forgeue vs vpon no other conditiō then that we likewyse forgeue our brethren in whatsoeuer they offended vs They therefore which wil not forgeue
in respecte of the eternal saluation of the sowle dothe nothinge proffyte theym but onelye mediate As thus Praiers are not without proffite by the whiche we desyre of God that he wil tourne the hartes of the vnbeleuyng to repentance herevpon it is plaine that our faithe doth proffite them notwithstandyng so farre that they shal not obtayne saluation vntyll they haue obtayned the vnitie of that faythe But where as there is a mutuall condesente and agreement of faythe it is wel enough knowen that there is a mutuall helpe that is there in lyke maner one mannes saluation is holpen by an other this is also without controuersye that the vnbeleuing are indued and blessed with benefytes for the electes sake As touching this presēt place althoughe Chryste is saide to be moued by the faith of other men yet notwithstandinge the man disseased with the palseye coulde not obtayne remission of his synnes but by his owne proper faythe Chryste dyd restore healthe oftentymes to vnworthy parsonnes euen as God dothe dayly suffer the Sonne to ryse bothe vppon the good and euyll but he reconcileth vs to hym selfe by no other meanes then by faythe onely Wherefore in this woorde Of them there is a figure called Synecdoche because Chryste had not so muche respecte vnto them that caryed the man sicke of the palsey but that he behelde his faythe also Bu. If any man therfore beleueth intreateth or prayeth for thee and thou denie the woorde of God theyr faythe intreatie and prayer dothe nothinge at all proffite thee For the Prophete most manifestly saythe that the ryghteousenesse of the fathers can not delyuer the chyldren from the euyll whiche hangeth ouer them And the same Prophete doth teache that euerye one shall lyue by his owne ryghteousenesse and dye by his owne vnryghteousenesse Thy synnes are forgeuen thee C. Here Christ dothe seeme to promyse to the man sicke of the palseye an other maner of thynge then he soughte but synce he intended to restore vnto hym the healthe of the bodye he begynnethe fyrste to take awaye the cause of the dyssease and dothe also admonysshe the man what the cause of this dissease was and howe he should obtayne his desyre For because men for the moste parte do not count the griefes whiche they suffer to be the scourge of God they desyre only ease in the flesshe and are altogether carelesse of theyr synnes euen as if the sycke man shoulde seeke for remedye of the griefe presente neglectynge the dissease it selfe which was the very cause of the griefe and payne But trewelye the onely delyueraunce from all kynde of euyll is to haue God fauourable louing mercifull vnto vs Sometimes it commeth to passe that the wicked vngodly escape out of many euilles God beynge neuerthelesse as yet agaynst theim but whyle they thincke them selues to haue escaped all by and by the same come vppon them or elles greater ouerwhelme them which plainely declareth that ther is no waye nor ende to be had tyll the wrathe of God be appeased as he hym selfe dothe witnesse by the mouthe of the prophete sayinge If he escape the lyon the beare shall meete with hym when he commeth into the howse and layethe his hande vppon the wall the serpente shall byte him This therfore is an olde order of speakynge in the scriptures to promyse remission of synnes when the mittigation of payne or ponishmente is soughte Herevppon also wee haue an order in praier descrybed vnto vs that we beinge admonished of our synnes by feelynge of affections shoulde fyrste be carefull to obteyne pardon that God beinge reconciled vnto vs may withdrawe his hande from ponishynge A. But to approue that the dysseases of the body come of synne reade the eighte and twēty of Deutronomy the fifth of Iohn and the eleuenth of the fyrste epistell to the Corinthes M. We must note also that Christe sayde not here thou hast nowe satisfyed or go and make satisfaction for thy synnes but he sayde thy sinnes are forgeuen thee A. signifiinge that remission of sinnes commeth freely M. And that is the preaching of the gospell whiche setteth forthe this grace to the whole worlde the whiche the couetouse false and hypocryticall priestes haue alwayes resysted and do at this day no lesse stryue repugne and most spitefully gainesaye the same They can in no wise abyde the same And why surely because it bryngeth no gayne And herevpon it cometh to passe that Christe at no tyme dyd teache his disciples to satysfie for synnes but dyd teache theim to praye for the remission of synnes As appereth in the lordes praier forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. 3 And beholde certayne of the Scribes sayde within them selues this manne blasphemeth And beholde certaine of the Scrybes B. That thynge is gaule to the spyder whiche to the Bée is hony euen so nothynge can be so well done or spoken whiche to the euyl and wycked shal not be iudged euil There was a great multitude of people whiche in so greate a myracle gloryfyed God but the Scrybes and Pharyseyes founde out somwhat to discommend and dispraise So the fyrste are laste and the laste fyrst and euery tree bringeth forth his fruite Sayde vvithin them selues E. The Greeke woorde is doubtfull in so muche that wee maye vnderstande it that they murmured amonge theim selues But it is better that we vnderstand it that they spake thus secretely in their mindes for because it followeth Iesus knowynge theyr thoughtes B. This woorde sayde within them selues therefore is taken for the thoughte as wee maye reade in the psalmes and many other places of the Scrypture as this in the tenthe psalme I sayde in my harte and so forthe for I thoughte This man blasphemeth C. Here the Scrybes accuse Chryste of Sacryledge and blasphemie because he vsurpeth that to hym selfe as they saye whiche is proper to god The other twoo Euangelystes adde sayinge who can forgeue sinnes saue God onelye But there is no doubte but that a slaunderouse mynde forced them to this synister and wronge iudgemente If they had thought any thynge worthy reprehension whye dyd they not enquyre and reason of it Furthermore where as the saying was ambiguouse and doubtfull and Christ spake no other then the Prophetes were wont before when they were witnesses of the grace of God whye do they take that in the euyll parte whiche myghte be taken in the best parte Firste therefore it is euidente that they were full of malice and spighte which so gredely take a light occasion to condēne Christe and his doinges They thoughte euell in their hartes to the intent they might priuely speake euel of hym to such as they them selues were behynde his backe They sayd well truely when they attributed the authoritie and power of remission of synnes to God onely but they thought amisse when they imagined the same not to pertayne vnto Christe being God manifested in the fleshe It became them to