the fall c. and they include in a parenthesis that which we last expounded of the sword but in my iudgement it were better to referre it to the whole sentence And that woorde That is not heere properlye a causall but onelye noteth a clause folowing for when the lighte of the Gospell shineth and then persecutions arise with all are the affections of the heart opened whiche before were hid for suche are the cloakes of mannes dissimulation that without Christ they are easily hidde But Christ throughe his light wipeth awaye all their fained excuses and laieth their hypocrisie naked Therefore this office of righte is attributed vnto him that he layeth open the secreaâ—s of the heart but where the crosse foloweth the doctrine he searcheth the hearts more to the quicke For they which in outward profession doe embrace Christe they abhorre from suffering the crosse and because they see the Churche subiecte to diuers troubles they easily forsake their standing 36. There was a Prâ—phetesse one Anâ—â— Luke only maketh meÌ„tion of two by whom Christ was receiued and that for this purpose that we might learne to preferre that which is of God before all the worlde though it be but small The Scribes and the priestes had then great renowne But seeing that the spirite of God remained vpon Simeon and Anna wherof the Priestes were vtterly destitute these two only deserue more reuerence then the whole company of them which are onely lift vp in pride with vaine titles for this cause is the age of Anna expressed and shee adorned with the title of a Prophetesse Thirdly there is noted a notable testimonie of her godly holinesse of life For these are the things whiche by right gette authoritie and estimation And truely the disguised renowne and vaine pompe deceiueth none other but them which for the vanitie of their witte are addicted to fantasticall deceits It is sayde that shee liued 7. yeares with her husband from her virginitie that we might know that shee was a widow euen in the flower of her age for being a yong maide she was maried and shortly after she lost her husband And by this circumstance that shee abstained from a seconde mariage hauing as yet a lustie body encreaseth the praise of her chastitie yet that whych foloweth may be expounded two waies that she was a widowe almoste of foure score and foure yeares that is that there was so much time passed in her widowhoode or that shee had liued so long If thou accomptest foure score and foure from her widowhoode it must folow that she was aboue a hundred yeare old but I leaue this indifferent And that the spirite of prophecie did as yet shine in some fewe the doctrine of lawe and the Iewish religion was as it were by these signes approoued vntill Christ should come for that it was necessary in suche a vaste wastnesse of religion that the electe of God should be staid with these helpes least they should fall away 37. Shee went not out of the Temple It is an hyperbolical kind of speach yet the sence of it is plaine that Anna was almoste continuallye in the Temple Luke addeth that shee worshipped God with fastings continuall prayers whereof we gather that she frequented not the temple as if with this bare going thither shee woulde discharge her duetie but also that shee vsed other exercises of godlinesse But it is woorthy to be noted that one and the same rule is not heere prescibed to all neyther ought these things be drawen into a generall example whiche are heere praised in this widowe woman for it behooueth vs wisely to discerne what appertaineth to euery mannes calling for foolish emulation hathe filled the worlde with Apes while superstitious menne doe more greedily then wisely snatche vnto themselues whatsoeuer they heare praised in the Saintes as thoughe that as there are distincte degrees of orders so there were not also a choise to be had of woorkes that euery one mighte answere to his seuerall calling That whiche is heere spoken of Anna Paule doth especially restraine to widowes therefore maryed folkes shal doe very preposterously if they shoulde frame their life after an vnlike example yet there reÌ„maineth a doubte that Luke seemeth to establish part of the worship of God in fastings But it is to be noted that of those workes which belong to the worshippe of God some are required simply and as they saye are necessarye of themselues and there are others which are to be referred to this end that they might serue those former Praiers doe properly appertaine to the worshippe of God and fasting is an inferiour aide which is no otherwise approued of God but as it helpeth the endeuor and zeale of praying for the rule is to be holden that the offices of men are to be esteemed by the right and lawfull end The distinction also is to be holde that god is directly worshipped with praiers and not with fastings but in consideration of that which foloweth And it is not to be doubted but this holy woman vsed her fastinges to lament for the calamitie of the Church that then was 38. Confessed likewise Luke commendeth the holy melodie which resounded in the tounges of Simeon and Anna that the faithfull mighte mutually exhort themselues with one mouth to sing the praises of God and that some should likewise aunsweare others VVhen he sayeth that Anna spake vnto all that looked for the redemption hee againe noteth the small number of the godly for the chiefe head or fouÌ„dation of faith was put in this expectation and it appeareth that there were but fewe which nourished the same in their mindes 39. They retourned into Galile I doe easily graunte that the iourney into Egypte was betweene these And that which Luke sayeth that they dwelt in their owne citie Nazareth was in order of time after the flight into Egypt which Mathew reporteth Furthermore if it be not absurde to haue that omitted by one Euangelist whiche is declared by an other there is also no let but that we may say that Luke cutting off that time whereof he had appoynted to make no mention passed ouer to the hystorie folowing but yet I assent not to their comment which faine that Ioseph Mary after they had performed the sacrifice of purgation retourned to Bethlehem that they might dwell there For they foolishly imagine that Ioseph had a dwelling place there where hee was so vnknowen that he coulde not finde a place to remaine in as a guest Neyther doeth Luke vnaduisedly call Nazareth as well his citie as Maryes whereby we gather that hee neuer dwelt in Bethlehem althoughe hee sprange or rise from thence But of the order of times I will presently speake more fully Mathewe 2. 13. After their departure beholde the Angel of the Lorde appeareth to Ioseph in a dreame saying Arise and take the babe and his mother flee into Egypt and be there till I bring thee worde for Herode will seeke the
Ezechiell maketh mention chap. 47. 9. and those waters going out from the temple doe spread themselues to the East to the west Though we do vse churches at this day for the meeting of y e holy assēblies yet it is for an other cause for since that Christ came he is not proposed vs in an outwarde and shadowish image as hee was in tymes past to the fathers vnder the lawe Furthermore it is to be noted that the Prophet by this woord prayer meaneth the whole worshippe of God For though there was at that time great aboundaunce of ceremonies yet God in few words taught the Iewes to what end al those ceremonies should be referred namely that they might spiritually worship him as it is more plainely set downe in the fiftie Psalme For there dooth God also call backe all the exercises of godlynesse to prayer But you haue made it Christe declareth that the complainte of Ieremiah belongeth also to his time wherein the Temple was no lesse defiled The Prophet rebuketh the hypocrites which strengthning themselues with the temple tooke themselues a libertie to sinne For where it was the purpose of God to instructe the Iewes by outward signes as instructions to true godlynes as it is a common matter for hypocrites to turne trueth into a lye as if it were sufficient to apply themselues to outward ceremonies they were content with the vaine pretence of the Temple But the Prophet cryeth out against them that GOD is not tied to the temple or bounde to ceremonies and therefore they boasted in vaine of the name of the temple which they had made a denne of theeues For as theeues doe more boldly sinne in their dennes beecause they hope they shall escape without punishment so the hypocrites grow to be bolde vnder a faigned pretence of godlinesse so that almost they are in hope to deceiue God Further because that the Metaphor of a denne reacheth to all corruptions Christ doth very aptly apply the place of the Prophet to this present cause Marke addeth that Christ forbadde that no man should cary any vessell through the temple that is hee would not suffer anye prophane thing to be seene there for by the word vessell the Hebrewes doe signifie all kinde of furniture for a house In summe Christ tooke away whatsoeuer hindered the reuerence and maiestie of the temple 14. The blinde and the halte came vnto him Least that authoritie which Christe hadde taken vppon him more then hee was woont shoulde bee suspected of rashnesse hee confirmed the same by miracles Therefore healed he the blinde and the halte in the Temple that it might be manifestly knowne that the right honour of the Messias belonged to him For the Prophetes doe describe and sette him forth with these markes whereby wee see agayne that which I spake of a litle beefore that it is not the parte of euerye of the people to immitate this deede of Christe leaste that vnaduisedlye that manne shoulde lyft vppe himselfe into the throane of the Messias This is to be noted that the halt and the blynd which were healed were witnesses of the diuine power of Christe as if God from heauen should sanctifie with his voyce the speach of the multitude 15. VVhen the chiefe Priestes and Scribes saw the miracles Luke declareth that the Pharises beganne to murmur now by the way The disciples then onely cryed and they would haue them commaunded to silence Christ aunswered that they laboured in vaine for God woulde rather make the stones to cry then that hee woulde suffer the kingdome of hys Sonne to be ouerwhelmed It is to be supposed that when there was no end of crying but that the children also ioyned themselues to them the Scribes and Priestes waxed more angry and then they assaulted Christe againe And they seeme to nippe him very scornefully while they caste in his teeth that he seeketh for praise of children Further it is to be noted whereof they toke their offence That they were malitious wicked and deadly contēners of God it appeareth by this that they are as much vexed at the myracles as at the happy and ioyfull cryes But now I seeke after some speciall matter what it was that should vexe them most VVe know how fiercely they fought for their estate for hottely they sought to maintaine that tyrannye which they hadde once vsurped And this had bene no small imparing of their kingdome if it shuld be lawful for the people to giue Christ the tytle of a king yea euen in the smallest matters they would haue the decrees holden for Oracles so that it shuld not be lawfull for to allow or to reiect any thing but according to theyr pleasure Therefore they thinke it an absurd and peruerse course for the people to giue title of Messias to any man whō they shal not think worthy of that degree And certeinly it was meete if they would haue done theyr duety that they should haue gone before the whole people as leaders and guydes For the Priestes were created to this end that al menne might aske for the knowledge of the law of God from their lippes and also that they might be the Aungelles and interpreters of the GOD of hostes Mal. 1. 7. But because they had wickedly extinguished the light of the trueth Christ aunswereth them very aptly that they shal preuaile nothing in seeking to suppresse the doctrine of saluation because the stones shall rather vtter it And in these wordes is contained a secrete graunt for Christ doth not deny this to be a preposterous order that the vnlearned common people and children shoulde first celebrate with their speach the comming of the Messias but because y t they do malitiouslye choake the trueth which shoulde be the approued witnesses of the same it is no meruaile if God raise vppe others and to their shame chuse children to doe it Heereby we reape no litle comfort for though the wicked labour all the wayes they can deuise to darken hide the kingdome of Christ here we heare that they labour in vaine They hope that when of that company which promote the kingdome of Christe they shal kil some and restraine others with feare that they shal obtaine theyr purpose But the Lord wil deceiue them for he wil rather giue mouthes and tongues to stones rather then the kingdom of his Sonne shall want witnesses 16. Read yee neuer The Scribes and Priests tooke occasion to quarrell at this that Christ suffered the children to call him a king as the wicked ones doe alwayes disdainfully despise the humility of Christes disciples Christ reproueth this malice with the testimony of Dauid who also maketh the very infants preachers of his glory These are the very wordes Out of the mouth of babes and sucklinges hast thou ordained strengthe Psal. 8. 3. whereby Dauid declareth that though all tongues should kepe silence God needeth not any other Rethoricians to set foorth his power then yong infantes which as yet hang vppon
tyrannie Therefore if any man shall gather out of the woordes of Christ that the Publicanes were the woorst of all men he shal argue amisse for he speaketh after the common maner of speach as if he should say they that are almost without all humanitie haue yet some kinde of mutuall loue while they seeke their owne commoditie 4â— Be yee therefore perfecte This perfection requireth not an equalitie but is only referred to a likenesse Therfore though we be far from God we are accounted to be perfecte as hee is while we bende to that marke which he proposeth to vs in himselfe If any interpreat it otherwise lette there he made no comparison here betweene God and vs but the perfection of God is called first the free and meere liberalitie whiche is done without accounte of gaine then the singular goodnesse which striueth with the malice and vnthankfulnesse of menne The which appeareth by the wordes of Luke â—e you mercifull as year heauenly father For mercy is opposed to bought loue which is tied to a priuate commoditie Mathewe 6. 1. Take heede yee gaue not your almes befâ—re men to be seene of them or else yee shall haue no rewarde of your father which is in heauen 2. Therefore when thou geuest thine almes thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blowne before thee as the hypocrites doe in the Synagogues and in the streetes to be praised of men Verely I saye vnto you they haue their rewarde 3. But when thou doest thine almes lette not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth 4. That thine almes may be in secreate and thy father that seeth in secreate hee will rewarde thee openlye Marke Luke 1. Take heede Christ doeth in this place exhort his disciples to a syncere studie of good workes that is that they should studie simplie to doe wel before God and that they shoulde not boast themselues before men It is a most necessary admonition because that in vertues ambition is alwaies to be feared and there is no woorke so laudable that is not thereby often corrupted and defiled But by the figure Synecdoche vnder this one kind is there a generall doctrine deliuered For hee speaketh of almes no more then he speaketh a little after of prayers Yet in many copies the woorde Right eousnesse is vsed for almes as the olde interpreter also translated it But that is of no wayght for both wayes it sufficiently appeareth that he correcteth this disease of ambition whilest that in doing well it seeketh glory of men 2. VVhen thou geuest thine almes Heere hee reprooueth by name the faulte which was commonly vsed and in custome wherein the desire of vayneglory may not onely be seene but almoste felt with the handes For they emptied their baskets amongst the poore in the corners of the streetes in publike places where they vsed their publike meetings In that they sought the publike places that they might haue many witnesses shewed appeared manifest and vainglorious boasting and not satisfied with that they also vsed the sound of trumpettes They fained that they called the poore vnto them as they neuer want pretences yet nothing was more euident then that they sought commendation and praise Further when we serue the eyes of men we then make not God the iudge and examiner of our life Therfore Christ sayeth not without cause that they that boast themselues after this sort haue their reward now already for they cannot haue regard to God that haue their eyes possessed with such vanitie By the same reason all hypocrites are called couetous of vaine glorye For when hypocrites were called by prophane gesters which played counterfait persons vpon the stage in playes the scripture geueth thys name to men of a double and dissembling heart Althoughe there are diuers kindes of hypocrites For some though they be most guiltie to themselues yet most impudently they chalenge to be accounted for good men before the worlde and they endeuour to couer those faults whereof they are conuict in their owne conscience Others do so securely nourish vppe themselues that they dare also chaleÌ„ge vnto themselues a perfect righteousnes before God Others do wel not for a desire of righteousnesse nor for the glory of God but onely that they may get themselues a fame and opinion of holinesse Christ now noteth this later kinde and rightly calleth them hypocrites whiche while in their good woorkes they propose themselues no good end they put the persons of others vppon them that they might seeme holy and good worshippers of God 3. Let not thy left hand know The meaning of this speach is that we ought to be content that God alone is witnesse of our doings and so to bende our selues in obedience to him that we be not caried about with vanitie For it falleth often out that men doe not sacrifice so muche to God as to themselues Therefore Christes meaning is that we shoulde not be caried away with contrary thoughts but wholely bende oure selues to this that we may worship God with a pure conscience 4. That thine almes may be in secreate This sentence seemeth contrary to many places of scripture where wee are commaunded to edifie oure brethren wyth good examples But if we consider the purpose of oure sauioure we may not stretch the woordes any further He commandeth hys disciples freely and wythout all ambition to applye themselues to good woorkes That this may be done he willeth them not to looke for the beholding of menne that they maye thinke it sufficient that God alone approoue their deedes But this simplicitie taketh not away the care and diligence of profiting others by our example And a little before he doeth not precisely forbid to do good deedes before men but condemneth the vaine ostentation Thy father which seeth in secreat He couertly condemneth the folly which raigneth euery where amongst men that they thinke their labour to be lost if they haue not many witnesses of their good deedes Therefore he sayeth that God needeth not a great light to see and knowe their good deedes by for he knoweth euen those that seeme to be buried in darkenesse Therefore there is no cause why we shoulde thinke those things loste which menne see not nor can beare witnesse of because that God hathe his seate euen in the darkest dennes And hee ministreth the aptest remedye for curinge this disease of ambition while hee calleth vs to the beholding of God who maketh to vanish and vtterly blotteth all vaine glory oute of our mindes In the seconde clause which foloweth next Christ warneth vs in seeking for a reward of our good woorkes patiently to wait to the last day of the resurrection Thy father sayeth he shall rewarde thee openly VVhen euen then when the morning of the last day shal arise those things which are nowe hidden in darkenesse shall be laid open Mathewe 6. Marke Luke 5. And when thou prayest be not as the hypocrites for they loue to stande and pray in
reiected because he knoweth himselfe vnworthy to come before God doth insinâ—ate himselfe fearefully by confessing his owne vnworthynes in his prayer and Christ reiecting the Pharisee saith that the praiers of the Publican were acceptable before God Agayn there are also noted two causes why the Pharise was reiected to wit because he trusting in his own righteousnes extold himsefe with condemning others Yet he is not reprehended because he lyfted vp himselfe in the forces of free will but because he trusted that he had reconciled God to him by the deserts of his works For this giuing of thankes which he vseth testifieth that hee glorieth not in his owne strength as if he should obtaine righteousnes of himselfe or should deserue any thing by his owne industrie but he rather ascrybeth it to the grace of God that he is righteous But though he giuing thaÌ„ks to God confesseth what good works soeuer he hath to be the meere benefit of God yet because he putteth his trust in workes and preferreth himselfe before others he with his prayer is reiected whereby wee gather that menne are not rightly and perfectly humbled though they account that they canne do nothing of themselues except they also distrusting the merites of theyr workes doe learne to place theyr saluation in the free goodnes of GOD so that theyr whole trust and confidence be grounded there A notable place for to some it seemeth sufficient if they take from manne the glory of good workes because they are the gyftes of the holy Ghost and so they interprete it that wee are iustified freely because God found no righteousnes in vs but that which he brought But Christ goeth further not onely assigninge the power of well doing to the grace of the spirit but he taketh from vs all truste in workes For the Pharisee is not therefore reproued because he challengeth that to himselfe which was proper to God but because he trusteth in his owne merites so that he would haue GOD mercifull vnto him because he hadde so deserued it Therefore let vs knowe though any manne ascribe the prayse of good workes to GOD yet if hee imagine the righteousnes of them to be the cause of his saluation or trusteth in the same he is condemned of peruerse arrogancye And note here is not reproued the vaine ambition wherein men otherwise guiltie with them selues do glory amongst men but the secrete hypocrisie for it is not said that he was a setter forth of his owne prayses but that he praide secretly with himselfe But though hee sette not forth the same of his owne righteousnes with a lowd voice yet the inward pride was abhominable to God His glorying was in two thinges for first he freeth himselfe from the common guyltinesse of menne then he setteth foorth his owne prayses Hee sayeth that hee is not as one of the common sorte because he is free from the sinnes which reigne euery where in the worlde And that hee boasteth that hee fasted twise euery weeke and gaue tythes of all hys goodes is as much as if hee shoulde haue sayde that hee perfourmed more then the law required Euen as the Monkes in Poperie doe preache the workes of supererogation as though it were a smal thing for them to fulfil the law of God But though euery man for the measure of the vertues which God hathe bestowed vppon him is the more bound to giue thankes to the authour and this is a godly meditation to consider howe much euery manne hath receiued least he ouerwhelme the blessings of God in vnthankfulnesse yet two things are to be obserued least we be lifted vp in any confideÌ„ce as if we had satisfied God then that we become not insolent with despising the brethren The Pharisie sinneth in both for he falsly chalenging a righteousnesse to himselfe leaueth nothing to the mercy of God then he despiseth all others in respecte of himselfe And Christ woulde not haue reproued this thankes giuinge if it had not bene polluted with these two sinnes but because the proude hypocrite winking at his owne sinnes opposed the imagination of his sound and perfect righteousnesse before the iudgement of God it was necessary that hee shoulde fall with his wicked and sacrilegious boldnesse For the only hope of the godly so long as they labour vnder the infirmitie of the flesh is when they acknowledge the good things they haue to flee to the only mercy of God and to set their saluation in the obtaining of forgiuenesse But it is demaunded howe he should haue so great holinesse who was blinded with such wicked pride for so great perfection cannot come any other way but from the spirite of God which we are assured doth not raigne in hypocrites I answer he trusted only in an outwarde shew as if the secreat and inward vncleannes of the heart shuld not come to account VVherfore thogh he was full within of wicked concupiscences yet he preteÌ„deth an innocency because he carelesly iudgeth only by the outward shew The Lord reproueth him not of vanitie because he falsly chalengeth that to himselfe which he had not yet it is to be noted that no man is free from rapine vnrighteousnesse lust other vices except he be gouerned by the spirite of God He vseth thys woorde Sabboth in this place as ofte times otherwhere for a weeke But God doeth not commaunde any where in the lawe that his seruants shuld fast euery weeke wherefore this fasting and tenthes were voluntary exercises without the prescript commaundement of the law 13. The Publicane standing a farre off Christ deliuereth not here a generall rule as if it should be necessary to looke to the ground as oft as we pray but he onely noteth the signes of humilitie which he commendeth to his disciples Further humilitie is placed in this if they spare not their owne sinnes but by condemning themselues they doe preuent the iudgements of God and they doe simply confesse their owne guiltinesse that they might be reconciled to God And hether belongeth that shame which is alwaies companion with repentance for the Lorde certainly doeth especially stande vppon this that the Publicane earnestly acknowledging his owne misery and wretched estate onely fleeth to the mercy of God for though he was a sinner yet by obtaining free forgiuenesse he hopeth that God wil become fauorable vnto him In sum that he might obtain fauor he confesseth himselfe to be vnwoorthy of the same And certainly sith forgiuenesse of sinnes doeth onely reconcile vs to God it is necessary that we shoulde beginne there if we desire to haue our prayers acceptable to him Furrher he which before confessed himselfe guiltie and conuicte yet desireth to be pardoned banisheth himselfe from al confidence in works and that was the purpose of Christ to shew that God would not be entreated of any but of them which do fearfully flie to his onely mercy 14. This man departed to his house iustified This is an improper comparison for they were not both
that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to the pastours as I haue shewed more at large in the sixteenth Chapter And this definition must be remembered which is more plainly deliuered in Lukes woordes where Christe vpbraideth the Lawyers because they tooke away the key of knowledge Namelye because that they being the keepers of the lawe of God defrauded the people of the true vnderstanding of the same Therefore as at this daye the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed to the pastours that they shoulde admitte the faithfull into eternall lyfe and should driue the vnfaithfull from all hope of the same so in times past was the same office committed to the Priests and Scribes vnder the lawe Further by the woorde knowledge we doe gather howe foolishly the Papistes doe make theyr fantasticall keyes as if it were a certaine magicall power without the woorde of GOD. For Christ sayeth that none canne vse these keyes but they whiche are minysters of the woorde If any manne wil obiecte that the Pharisies though they were corrupt interpreaters of the lawe hadde yet the keyes I answeare thoughe they were committed vnto them in respecte of their office yet they were so ouerwhelmed with malice deceit that there remained no vse of them Therefore Christe sayeth that they had taken away or stolne away the key of knowledge wherewith they should haue opened the gate of heauen As at this day heauen is shut vp in Popery against the miserable people while the porters at the least they to whome this charge was cōmitted doe by their tyranny hinder the opening of the same So that vnlesse we were very blocks we would not willingly giue our hands to vngodly tyrants who do cruelly hinder vs from entring into life 14. For ye deuoure Nowe he proceedeth further For he doth not only lay open their sinnes which were woorthy of hatred and detestation but also he discouereth their fained and dissembled vertues wherewith they deceiued the people If any man wold say that it was not nedeful to reprooue those thinges the example whereof were not hurtfull it must be remembred that the saluation of them coulde not otherwise be prouided for which were intangled in the errours of the Scribes except they shuld altogither depart from them This cause therefore compelled Christe to speake against their vaine shewe of holinesse which was the nursse of superstitions Therefore he sayeth in summe that euen there where they seemed to doe well they did wickedly abuse the pretence of religion There was some signe of rare godlines in their long prayers for the holier a man is the more he is giuen to the exercise of prayer But Christe sayeth that the Scribes and Pharisies are so wicked that they coulde not vse the chiefe part of religion without sinne for their custome to pray was for filthy gaine sake For they solde their prayers as hired labourers doe their daies workes VVhereof we doe also gather that he doeth not precisely forbidde long prayers as if the thing it selfe were sinfull especially sith it behoueth the pastours of the church to be much bent to praier but this corruption is cōdemned that a thing which of it self is commendable should be turned to a wicked ende For where as gaine is gotten by setting prayers out to hire the more feruent as they say and deuout they seeme to be the more is the name of God prophaned But because the mindes of the people had bene wrongfully perswaded a longe time Christ doth therfore threaten them the sharplier For the pollution of so holy a thing could not be any small fault And it is no maruell that they especially went about to entrap widowes for sith simple women were bent to superstition it was alwaies a common matter for lewd men to make their gaine of them So Paule obiecteth against the false teachers of his time that they ledde captiue simple women laden wyth sinnes 2. Tim. 3. 6. 15. For yee compasse sea and lande The Scribes had gotten them fauour by this their zeale for that they labored to bring strangers and the vncircūcised to the Iewish religion And so if they had gotten any man by theyr swete perswasions or any other subtilty they triumphed wonderfully as though the church were encreased For this cause also had they much allowance of the cōmon people for that by their industry the power of God they had brought strangers to the Church But Christ sayeth to the contrary that they are so far from being worthy of praise for their labor that they rather prouoke the vengeance of God thereby more and more against themselues for they draw them which ioyne themselues to theyr secte into a greater destruction For it must be noted how corrupt the estate and howe confused religion was at that time for as it was a notable woorke and a godly to bring disciples to God so to bring the Gentiles to the Iewish religion which was at that time degenerate and stuffed full of wicked prophanations was nothinge else but to drawe them out of Scylla into Charybdis Furthermore by their sacrilegious abusing of the name of God they prouoked the greater vengeance against themselues for that by reason of religion they tooke the greater libertie to sinne The like example may be seene at this day amongest the Monkes for they doe busily scrape togither Proselites from all places but suche as of wantons and of men of a wicked life they do make very deuils For such is the corruption of those dennes wherein they keepe their Bacchus bankets as woulde corrupt euen the Angels of heauen Yet euery kinde of the Monkes apparrell is a fit couer for their sinnes Mathew 23. Marke Luke 16. VVoe be to you blinde guides which say whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple it is nothinge but who soeuer sweareth by the golde of the temple hee offendeth 17. Ye fooles and blinde whither is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the golde 18. And who soeuer sweareth by the altar it is nothing but who soeuer sweareth by the offering that is vppon it offendeth 19. Yee fooles and blinde whether is greater the offering or the altar which sanctifieth the offering 20. VVho soeuer therefore sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by all things thereon 21. And whosoeuer sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein 22. And hee that sweareth by heauen sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon   16. VVoe be to you blinde guides As ambition is almoste alwayes ioyned with hypocrisie so the couetousnesse and extortion of the pastours is woont to nourish the superstitions of the people The world doeth willingly runne into errours yea it doeth as it were procure it selfe to be deceiued and beguiled euery way but then doe false and corrupt woorshippings take place amongest them when the chiefe maisters of religion doe confirme them And it commeth to passe for the most parte that the
a fire in the mids of the hal and were set down together Peter also sat downe among them 56. And a certeine maid beheld him aâ— be sate by the fire and hauinge wel looked on him said this man was also with him 57. But hee denied him saying woman I know him 〈◊〉 58. And after a litle while another maÌ„ saw him said thou art also of them but Peter said man I am not 59. And about the space of an houre after a certeine other affirmed saying verely euen this man was with him for he is also a Galilean 60. And Peter said may I knowe not what thou saiâ— And immediately while hee yet spake the cocke crew 61. Then the Lorde turned backe looked vpon Peter and Peter remembred the word of the Lorde howe hee had said vnto him before the cocke crowe then shalt deny me thrise 62. And Peter wente 〈◊〉 and wept bitterly The fall of Peter which is here set down is a notable spectacle of our infirmity Againe in his repentance there is set beefore vs an example of the goodnes and mercy of God worthy to be remembred And so the history which is reported of this one containeth doctrine common to the whole Church and that very profitable partly to teach them which stand carefully to feare partly to raise vp them that are falne with the hope of forgiuenes And here is first to be noted how vnaduisedly Peter did when he entred into the hie priestes hall It was a point of pietie to follow his maister but sith that he was warned how he shuld fal away he shuld rather lye hid in some corner least that he should cast himselfe into daunger of sinning So it doth befal oft tymes that the faithfull vnder the colour of vertue do cast themselues into temptations VVherefore let vs pray to the Lord that he would keepe vs in with the brydle of his spirit least that we going out of our calling should presentlye bee punished VVe must also pray vnto him so oft as we do enterprise to do any thing that he would not suffer vs to fainte in the midst of our labours or in the beginning of our work but that he would strengthen vs froÌ„ heauen vnto the end The feeling of our infirmity shuld be no cause to make vs slothful but it shuld restrain our rashnes from atteÌ„pting any thing aboue our calling and also to stir vs vp to praiers that God who hath giuen the gift to begin wel wold also giue the grace of perseuereÌ„ce 69. A maid came to him Here we see that there is no neede of any great conflict nor of many bands of men or deuises to ouerthrow a man for whosoeuer is not vpholden by the hand of God shall by and by fal at euery smal blast or at the noise of the falling of a leafe Certeinlye Peter had as great courage as any of vs and euen now he had shewed a strang token of a stout mind though in a preposterous boldnes yet he tarrieth not vntil he shuld be drawn before the iudgment seat of the hie priest or vntil the enemies by force shuld threten death but feared with the voice of a daÌ„sel he forth w t denieth his master And but late he seemed to him self to be a soldiour inuincible euen to death Therfore let vs remember that our forces are so far from being able to bear that they fal away at the only shadow of a battel But so the lord doth pay a iust reward for our faithlesnes wheÌ„ he vnarmeth vs weakeneth vs so that we shall be afraid of nothing after we haue cast away his feare For if the perfecte feare of god had flourished in the hart of Peter he had bene a fortres inuincible but now he being naked vnarmed feareth wheÌ„ he is yet far froÌ„ daunger 70. He denied before them al. This circuÌ„stance maketh the fault the greater that Peter was not afraid to deny his master before so great a company of witnesses And the holy Ghost wold of purpose note this that the verye light of men might encourage vs to holde the confession of fayth For if we deny Christ before weakelinges because they beeing shaken by our example doe wax faint we doe asmuch as in vs lyeth destroy so manye soules but if before the wicked contemners of God and enemyes of the Gospel we defraude Christe of the testimonye due vnto him we do make his holy name to be scorned of all men To be short as a bold and free confession dooth strengthen all the godlye and maketh all vnbeleeuers ashamed so the falling away draweth with it a publyk ruine to faith and a reproach to sound doctrine in the Church Therefore the hygher place that anye manne is in the more diligentlye hee must take heede to himself for he cannot fall from his estate but that he shal do the more harme Further the maner of denyall which is here set down doth euideÌ„tly declare that y e miserable sophisters do auail nothing by their ambiguous and shifting answeres if they bee at any time called to yeeld a reckoning of their faith Peter dooth not expresly abiure the whole doctrine of the Gospel he only denieth that he knew the manne but because that he doth indirectly burye the light of redemption offered vnder the person of Christ hee is condemned of vile and filthy treachery He had heard the Lorde say but a little beefore that confession of fayth was a sacrifice acceptable to GOD. Therefore the denial cannot be excused which defraudeth God of his lawefull worshippe and Christe of his honour Therefore lette vs learne that the leauing of the simple and free confession of faith is a defrauding him of his lawful testimony 71. An other maide saw him By Marks words it may rather be gathered that it was the same maid he doth not certeinly expresse any other besids the former yet there is no repugnaÌ„cy in it for it is probable that that which one had spoken â—lew abroade through all their mouthes so that as the first shuld speak of it to many oft so others withal came forth to coÌ„firme that iudgement and to spread it further And Iohn reporteth that the question was not demaunded the seconde time by a maide but of a multitude of men VVherby it appeareth that the speach which came froÌ„ the damsel was taken vp by the men which stood by and they assaulted Peter There is another difference betweene Mark the other three for he maketh mention of the crowing of the cock twise but the other doe say that the cock then crew when that Peter had denied the Lord thrise But the vnlosing of this knot is not hard for Marke reporteth nothing contrary to the hystory of the others but that that which they doe passe ouer in silence he deliuereth more plainly I do think when Christ saide to Peter before the cock crow that he meant such a crowing as contained many courses doubled in it For the