that thei wer altogether voyde of the loue of god For God cannot be truely loued where the members of Christe the sonne of God are carelesly despysed Wherefore let vs learne to helpe oure neady brethren al that we can being myndfull of the woordes of the Prophete which saythe O my soule thou haste sayde vnto the Lorde thou arte my God my goodes are nothing vnto thee All my delighte is vppon the sainctes that are in the earthe and vppon suche as excell in vertue 46 And these shall go into euerlastinge payne the righteous into life eternall M. Here wee see that bothe the godly and the wycked shall ryse againe A. Euen as it is sayde in an other place They that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of death or damnation M. Furthermore after that the iudge hathe pronounced the sentence no man can appeale to the tribunall of God But immediatly the execution of iudgement muste followe And although they will not of them selues go into punishement yet notwithstandinge they shal be caste into this fyer by Angels and heauenly power as we sawe before in the parable of the tares The xxvi Chapter ANd it came to pas when Iesus had finyshed all these sayinges he sayde vnto his disciples ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter and the sonne of man shal be deliuered vp to be crucified And it came to passe vvhen Iesus Bu. To all that hath bene hetherto declared a shorte summe and moste perfecte woorke of oure whole saluation is added that is to saye the sacred and moste proffitable history of the passion and redemption of Christe our Lorde in the whiche he fulfilleth al the duties as well of a preste as of a kyng and in a shorte compendium he maketh an open shewe of his power and strengthe for all mē to beholde For by all his woordes dedes he teacheth dilligently he instituteth the solemne and blessed sacramente he praieth feruently he sacrificeth for sinnes he purgeth deliuereth and hathe cōpassion on sinners and defendeth those that are his and also he treadeth vnder foote and punysheth the wycked shewyng oftentymes wonderfull humillitie and yet for all that declaring no small glorie when that all the elementes being troubled at his death shewed forth wonderfull proofes of great grief Wherefore our Euangelist Mathewe prosecuteth here all thinges in desent order with pure playne and liuely style E. For these wordes And it came to passe are a certaine manner of knitting together or passing from matter to matter and according to the manner of hystoriographers he ioyneth the thynges followyng to that whiche went before saying And it came to passe VVhen Iesus had finished all these sayinges B. Namely those whiche he had the third daye after his glorious enteraunce into Hierusalem Yee knovve that after tvvo daye shal be Easter To the ende that those things whiche followe maye bee the more easely vnderstoode we must knowe that the Hebrues began the daye at the euening as it is wrytten From euen to euen shall ye rest in your sabaoth furthermore that the day from his glorious enteraunce into the citie of Hierusalem vntyll the daye of his resurrection maye bee named fower manner of wayes as is declared by this example here vnder placed  The dayes of the Hebrues Of the Gentiles Of the Christians  The mysteries of euery daye 1 The first of the Sabaothes Sunne daye The Lordes daye VVas 1 The daye of his enteraunce into Hierusalem 2 The seconde Moone daye The seconde ferie 2 The daye in the vvhich he cursed the figge tree 3 The thirde Mars daye The thirde ferie 3 The daye of the feaste 4 The fourthe Mercuries day The fourth ferie 4 The daye in the vvhiche he vvas solde 5 The fifte Iupiters daye The fifte ferie VVas 5 The daye before the daye of svvete bread 6 The preparation of the great Sabaoth Venus daye The sixt ferie 6 The first daye of svvete bread of the holy supper of the passion and of the burial 7 The Sabaoth Saturnes daye The Sabaoth 7 The daye of reste in the sepulchar 8 The first of the Sabaoth Sunne daye The Lordes daye 8 The daye of his resurrection Notwithstandinge in the discription the last rewe saue one is vsed both of the Iewes also of the Christians because seing the Iewes called the seuenth daye the Sabaoth that is to saye reste in consideration of the creation of the worlde because God that daye hauing made an end of al his worke rested the Christians bouldly retayned the oulde name hauing no respecte of the nomber Howebeit there are some whiche thinke that it was called the Sabaoth of them in the consideration of an other thing namely because Christe the Lorde of lyfe rested all that daye in the sepulchre It semeth therefore that Christe spake these woordes After twoo dayes the thyrde daye after his kinglyke enterance as we shewed euen nowe into Hierusalem For after twoo dayes the sixt daye after his enterance into Hierusalem beginning the same daye in the euening whiche the Christians beginning the daie from midnight make the euening and parte of the night of frydaye the Lord did eate Passeouer and the night followyng that euening he was betrayed and brought to the hie priestes of the which matter he addeth saying And the sonne of man shall be deliuered vp to be crucified All men doe saye that Christe celebrated the Passeouer the same daye whiche was prescribed in the lawe being the fourthten daye of the moneth of Marche at euen and that therefore he sayde After twoo dayes shal be Easter The Euangelist Marke hath And the firste daye of swete breade when thei offered Passeouer And the Euāgelist Luke hath And the day of Passeouer came in the whiche it was necessary that passeouer should be offered And so it appereth that Christ celebrated in one day both the typicall passeouer and the true offered passeouer But what day the Iewes did eate it there are two sortes of opiniōs For some wryte that the Iewes celebrated passeouer the next daie after the Christe suffered which was vpon the Sabaoth daye Other some saye that all the Iewes offered passeouer the selfe same night that Christe did and that it was not lawful for them either to offer or to eate it on the eue of the great Sabaoth They whiche defend the first opinion wryte thus saying that it euidently appeareth by the wordes of Iohn that the same sixt daye in the whiche Christe suffered was the day of preparation for the solemnitie of the pasouer For he going about to describe the washing of the disciples feete whiche was done after supper being now the sixt daye and the solemnitie of passeouer to the lorde wryteth Before the feast of Easter that is the daye before the feast of Easter In lyke māner he speaking afterward of the Iewes saith And they went not into the iudgemēt
haule least they should be defiled but that they might eate passeouer After that he makynge mencion of the tyme in the whiche Christe was coÌ„demned wryteth thus It was the preparing day of the Easter about the sixt hower Therefore that day in the which Christ was crucified was the day of preparatioÌ„ or eue not of the Sabaoth but of Easter As may appere by the holy men whiche obserued this tyme also For Nicodemus Ioseph of Aramathia bought that daye swete odours oyntements and after that they had anoynted the body of the Lord they buried it whiche was no more lawfull for them to doe on the daye of Easter than on the Sabothe day Euen so those women which were with the Lord bought their oyntements also and prepared them euen the same daye of preparation that they mighte reste the daye followinge accordinge to lawe They did not put of or deferre these thinges to be done on the Easter day no not till the euening whiche broughte an ende to the daye because so soone as the euening came the Saboth began Wherefore excepte we wreste the wordes of S. Iohn we must graunt that the publique paseouer was celebrated of the Iewes the nexte daâ—… after that Christe suffered that is to saye on the Sabothe daye â–ª Whereuppon it was called the great day of the Saboth in the which both the solemnity of the Paschall and of the Saboth came together For in that day they celebrated the paseouer accordinge to the tradition of the fathers which some saye was appointed by Rabbi Eliezer the second house of God beinge finished after the people were retourned out of the lande of Babilon into their owne contreye and was ordeined of a certeine curiouse obseruation of dayes accordinge to the course of the moone leaste that two holy and dayes of reste should come together in the which it was not lawful to do any maner of worke the whiche thing was greuouse to so greate a people This coÌ„stitution is intreated of at large by Paulus Burgensis in his anotacion vpon this place being ioyned to the commentaris of Nicolaus de Lyra. There wante not some whiche saye that the Iewes tooke awaye the Easter contrary to order and custome for the gredy desyere that they had to kil the Lorde the which thing how they durste do we sée not seinge that so greate a multitude were wonte to come from all quarters to this feast But now they which say that all the Iewes offered Paseouer the same nighte that the Lorde did do defende their opinion after this maner Seing that our Lorde was the most faithfull and diligent obseruer of the lawe of his father no man oughte to doubte that he offered and did eate the Paseouer the fouretene daye betwene the two eueninges as it is commaunded in the lawe And euery man of the multitude of Israell shall offer him betwene the euenings The which two euenings do not signify the euening of the fyftene daye and the euening of the sixtene day as thouge the Lord had commanded the Paseouer alwayes to be offered and eaten within the fyftene daye and not to be differed vnto the sixtene daye but it is euident that those two eueninges of the beginning of the 15. day were vnderstood For it followeth in the place before recited And ye shall not leaue anye thinge therofe vntil the morning and the which is lefte therof vntil the morning shall ye burne with fyer It must nedes be therfore the two eueninges wente before the morning of the which two the first beginneth at the soone setting continueth vntil the twy light or shutting in of the day the secoÌ„d beginneth at the end of the first euening the is froÌ„ the time the the euening is shut in vntil the morning Betwene this first second euening the Paseouer was appointed to be offered For it was not lawfull to offer the same before that the soon was set as it is writen Thou shalt offer paseouer at eueniÌ„g about the going downe of the Soon But the Paseouer was appointed to be eaten in the seconde euening which is the night And the first euening continueth for the space almost of six howers the seconde almost nyne howers The Euangelist Mathew speaketh of the first euening when he saythe The first daye of swete bread the Disciples came to Iesus sayinge vnto him where wilt thou that we prepare for thée to eate the Paseouer Of the second eueninge it is writen in Exodus And they shall eate the fleshe the same night roste with fyer and with vnleauened breade The which also is gathered by the wordes of Mathew where he saith WheÌ„ the eueÌ„ was come be sate downe with the twelue And that the Iewes offered paseouer in the night of the same yeare that Christe did it may appeare by that which Marke hath sayinge The firste daye of swete breade when they offered Paseouer and the Euangeliste Luke saith Then came the daye of swete breade when of necessitye Paseouer muste be offered Yf it were necessary that Paseouer should be offered in that daye why maye not wee saye that all of necessitye also offered in that eueninge paseouer And that daye was called the preparation of the paseouer in the euening whereof the Lord did offer paseouer the which daye of preparation was in dede a festiuall and soleÌ„ne day as appeareth by the wordes of Moses which saith SeueÌ„ dayes shal ye eate vnleauened bread The firste day shal be an holye conuocation This firste daye here mencioned was the daye of preparation And in an other place it is said In the fower and twentye daye of the firste moneth at euen is the Lordes paseouer and on the fyftene daye of the same monethe is the feaste of swete breade vnto the Lord But the euening of the fourthtene moone is the beginning of the fiuetenth daye Therefore the daye of preparation in the which the Lord celebrated his Paseouer was a festiuall daye Notwithstandynge it is true that the same daye wiche followeth the nighte of the Paseouer and whiche beginneth at the morninge and endeth at the eueninge is called properly and particulerly the festiuall daye as well of the Paseouer as of the swete breade the denomination beinge geuen to the lighte as to the more principall parte of the daye As wee maye reade in the 28. chapter of Numery and in the thre and twentye of Leuiticus For the day doth comprehende both the nighte and the light as wee may reade in S. Luke where he saith Then came the daye of swete bread when of necessity Paseouer muste be offered For if it were necessary that paseouer shoulde be offered in the daye of swete breade and if the Paseouer were offered at no time sauinge betwene the twoo eueninges that is in the twy lighte before nighte then the twy light with the nighte was a parte of the daye of swete breade and also of the daye of
godlines and integritie of life be agreable to the doctrine whereof they are ministers B. In another place we reade that the lorde vsed the lyke similitude of a candel when he expoūded the parable of the sede falling in diuers places after the whiche he addeth Is the candell lighted to be put vnder a bushel or vnder a table Is it not lighted to be put on a cādelstick that those which come into the house may se the light For there is nothing so secrete that shall not be opened neither hath it bene so priuie but that it shall come abroade If any man haue eares to heare let him heare he sayd vnto thē take hede what ye here Vnto him that hath shall more be geuen And from him that hath not shal be taken away euen that whiche he hath C. The whiche similitude semeth not to be applied like vnto this For there Christe doth admonishe them that they must diligently beware least any man bearing him selfe bolde of the darkenes do take occasion and libertie to sinne 16 Let your light so shyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Let your lyght so shyne C. After that our Sauiour Christ had taught his Apostles that they were set in the state and degrée that as well their vices as their vertues were sene a farre eyther to good or euill example Nowe he byddeth them so to frame their lyfe that all that behold the same may be styrred vp to glorifie God. Let men saythe he see your good woorkes and glorifie God because as Paule wytnesseth the faythfull do make prouision for good and honest thinges not onely in the sighte of the lorde but also in the sight of men M. By this therefore we are admonyshed to apply our selues to good workes and that so dilligentlye that those men with whō we haue to do by our workes may knowe what pietie there is in oure hartes And glorifie your father vvhich is in heauē Bu. Beholde the ende of good workes As if he should haue sayde Not that men maye glorifie you or prayse you or extoll you aboue the heauens and to worshyp you as Gods offering their goodes vnto you but that they may glorifie God that they attribute all praise to God that they may onely depende vpon God that they honour hym worship hym and serue hym with their whole harte M. So Peter also saythe Se that ye haue honest conuersation amonge the Gentyles that where as they backebyte you as euell doers they may see your good workes and glorifie God in the daye of visitatiō C. Finally if the glory of good workes ought rightely to be geuen vnto God and if he be the onely authour of them it can not be without the derrogation of Gods glory that free wyll shoulde be so highly exalted as though good workes came of the same Agayne here we may see howe fauourably the lorde doth deale with vs to cal thē our good workes the prayse whereof by righte he shoulde haue ascribed to hym selfe 17 Thinke not that I came to destroye the lawe and the Prophets no I came not to destroy but to fulfill them Thinke not that I came Bu. Hetherto our sauiour Christ hath reasoned as cōcerning the true and perfecte felicitie nowe he commeth to the manifestynge and declarynge of the Lawe of God it selfe and to remoue and puryfye the same from the traditiōs of the Phariseis with the whiche they corrupted and defiled the true vse and meaning of the Lawe C. And although Christe might worthely haue boasted that he came to fulfill the Lawe with the perfection of his lyfe here notwithstandinge he entreāteth of doctrine not of his life Moreouer because he cried that the kingdome of God was come and lifted vp the myndes of men with a rare and vnwonted hope and called his disciples to baptisme it is probable that the myndes of men were suspended and doubtfull and that they dyd diligently searche to what end this newnes did appertaine Nowe Christe dothe testifie that there is suche concordaunce and agrement betwene his doctrine and the Lawe that it dothe very well agree with the Lawe and the Prophetes and that it doth not only agree but also is a fulfilling of the same For two causes he should seme to be led to testifie the agrement of the Lawe with the Gospell So sone as there ariseth any newe order or forme of teaching straightway the common people thinke that there is made an alteration of all thinges But suche was the preaching of the Gospell to put men in hope that the Church should be otherwyse appointed then it was at the firste Therefore they thought that the old and accustomed gouernemēt was abolished whiche opinion was very burtfull many wayes For the godly worshippers of God had neuer imbraced the Gospell if it had bene a decresinge or diminishing of the Lawe for some light and troublesome spirites hauing gotten occasion assayed gredely to ouerthrowe the state of religion For we knowe how proudely rashnes reioyseth in newe thynges Moreouer Christe sawe that many of the Iewes although they did professe that they did beleue the Lawe were notwithstandinge profane and vnlyke to their forefathers For the people were in suche disorder all thynges were so corrupted and defyled The Priestes with their luskishnes and malice did so extinguyshe the pure lighte of the doctrine that there was no more any great reuerence of the Lawe But if any newe manner of doctrine had bene brought in which had abrogated faythe from the Lawe and the Prophetes then had Religion bene miserably shaken This semeth to be the fyrste reason why Christe denieth that he came not to destroye the lawe Whiche also may be gathered by the texte For by and by in steade of confyrmation he addeth that not one tyttel of the Lawe shall perishe and he curseth those teachers whiche haue not laboured to preferre the authoritie of the same The second reason was that he might put awaye the wycked calumniation of the people who sayde that he came to destroye the Lawe But we must note that this was the counsell of Christe so to call and exhorte the Iewes to receiue the Gospell that he mighte staye them notwithstanding in the obedience of the Lawe Then he dothe refelle and put awaye the vndeserued reproches sclaunders by the whiche the enemies wente about to defame and discredite his preachinge For if a man purpose and determine to restore thinges decayed and dispersed into a better order then this wysdome and moderation is alwayes to bee had that the people maye knowe that the euerlastynge woorde of god is not for that cause displaced neyther newnes brought in whiche is contrary to scripture leaste any suspition of contrarietie shoulde take awaye the faythe of the godly and least rashe men should be presumptuous by the colour of newnes Finally that there might be a remedy against the prophane
deuils all maner of miracles do nothing at al profite those that haue thē neither ought we to thinke thē holy beloued of god or aperteining to his kīgdome because in this place we here that many suche shal be reiected of Christe in the day of iudgement We must not beleue therfore euery one that is a worker of miracles as we may reade in Moyses and in Matthew followinge 23 And then wyll I knowledge vnto thē I neuer knew you Departe from me ye that work iniquitie And thē vvil I C. that is I wyll make manifeste vnto them I will openly shewe or declare I neuer knevve you C. By these wordes he doth vtterly deny reiect thē affirminge that he neuer counted them amonge the nomber of his although they boasted thē selues to be heads pillers of his church And therfore he biddeth thē depart which by a false title haue stolne a false profession for a tyme saying Depart from me Paule doth seme to haue takē that which he writeth out of this sentēce of Christ whē he saith The lord knoweth who are his Let him depart frō iniquitie what soeuer he be that calleth on the name of the lord For the first parte tēdeth to this ende that the weake shold not be troubled by the defection or fall of some whose name was great of fame For he denieth thē to be known of the lord although they seme gloriouse in the sight of men In the second parte the Apostel exhorteth all those which wil be coūted the disciples of Christ that they in time departe frō iniquitie least Christ forbid them his presence when he shal deuide the sheepe from the goates VVhich vvorke iniquitie M. Here he calleth those that wrought miracles workers of iniquitie because they did good with an euil minde ful of craft subtiltie hipocrisie Suche were the scribes phariseis in their fastinges praiers and almes dedes of the whiche we haue spoken before Neyther must we vnderstād here the christ speketh of adulterers murtherers vserers drūkerdes such like but of suche as beare a shewe of holines would seme aboue all mē to parteine to the kingdom of god So Paule calleth the false apostells subtile and crafty workers M. Wherfore let vs consider by what spirite they are led which after the maner of the Iewes at this daye aske signes as though that they woulde beleeue the treweth if they might see signes 24 VVhosoeuer therfore heareth of me these woordes and dothe the same I wyl liken him vnto a wise man which buylte his house vpon a rocke M. These wordes do seeme to be the cōclusion of that which went before in the 21. verse He that doth the wyl of my father and so forthe And that also is euydent in Luke which saith Why do ye cal me lorde lorde and do not those thinges whiche I commaunde you Who so euer commeth vnto me and heareth my wordes and so forthe To here in this place is taken to vnderstande as in manye other places also And dothe them Bu. By these woordes he teachethe that it is not inough to here the woord of God excepte thou endeuour thy selfe to do that which he commaundeth in the same According to this place Blessed are they that heare the woorde of God and keepe it Also S. Iames saithe See that ye be doers of the woorde and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues For if any manne heare the worde and declareth not the same by his workes he is like vnto a man beholding his bodely face in a glasse so forth For there are diuerse men at this daye hath ben alwaies which thinke that relygion consisteth in often hearing the woorde of God in disputing of the same at cōmon metings But our lord Iesus Christ here pronounceth that trewe pietie doth not cōsiste in knowledge and talking but in the action and conuersation VVhiche buylded his house To buylde is to make erecte or sette vp some spirytuall workemanship The same allegory vseth Peter sayinge If so be that ye haue tasted how graciouse the lorde is to whom ye come as vnto a liuynge stone disallowed of men but chosen of god and preciouse and ye as liuing stones are made a spiritual house Vpon a rocke The rock is Christ and true and parfect godlines I meane Faythe workinge by Loue. And so treweth it selfe is the foundation by the firme and immoueable power of Christe the house is the worke whiche is done and all the conuersation of the whole lyfe 25 And a shower of rayne descended the flouddes came and the wyndes blewe and beate vpō that house and it fel not because it was grounded on the rocke A shovver of rayne Bu. The shower of rayne the flouddes the wind do signifie the sundry and manifold dangers temptations persecutions disseases and suche lyke wherewith men are vexed troubled B. For all these thinges do plainely shewe and manifest whether we be buylded vpon the rocke Christe or no. C. For then trewely we do receyue the doctrine of Christe when we can resiste al the assaultes of Sathan The like sayinge hath S. Paule to the Corinthyans And it fell not A. That is no temptation is able to ouerthrowe the house of this wise man B. for the fayth and sure trust of the Godly fully knyt vnto Christ can not be confounded neyther can the gates of hell and all the power of sathan how so euer he cause a tempest preuaile agaynst this For greater is he that is in them than he that is in the worlde And they which trust in the lord shall be euen as the mount Syon whiche maye not be remoued but standeth faste for euer 26 And euerye one that heareth of mē these wordes and doth them not shall be like vnto a folish man which builte his house vpon a sande And euery one vvhiche heareth Bu. Nowe the lord sheweth the contrary part of the parable to the ende it maye appere more plaine the more stirre vp the hearers The sēce of this must be gathered by the former parte euery part being repeated set one against an other C. For seyng it is harde to discerne the true professors of the Gospell from the false by such parables our sauiour Christ doth shewe in what thing they do chiefly differ For he cōpareth the false professiō of the Gospel to an imperfecte building which stādeth for a time beynge at euerye storme and tempeste in daunger of destruction because it wanteth a sure foundation These vvordes C. This rellatiue These dothe not note one kinde of talke but the whole some of doctrine For the Gospel excepte it be fully fixed in mennes myndes it is lyke vnto a thyn waule whiche is erected on hye withoute any staye or stronge fondation His woordes therefore are in effecte as if he shoulde haue saide that the same is a trew faith which is deepely rooted in the harte and is so
also The common sorte of people were of a symple affection beinge nothyng vaine-gloryouse nor of a malyciouse spyrite Wherefore with pure eyes they coulde beholde the dede of Chryst and with an indyfferent iudgement symplely iudge that whiche was trewe Thus coulde not the Pharyseies do It vvas neuer so seene in Israell C. This exclamation of the people semeth to excede to much For God had declared his glorye and power to that people in tyme paste by greater miracles But paraduenture they haue respecte to the ende of the myracle that then all men hoped for the cōminge of the Messias Wee muste note that this voice was not premeditated but burste forthe at suddein by a certaine admiration which they had at the miracle 34 But the Phariseies said he casteth out deuills through the prince of diuills M. These Phariseies these hypocrites coulde not denie but that this dede was deuine and done by the power of God yet they calumniate raile vpon Christ Euen so at this daye the enemies of the treweth can not deny but that the Gospell is preached and yet neuerthelesse they raile they speake euyll and persecute the same C. But hereby we se how furiouse and mad the Pharyseys were whiche were not afrayde to speake against the excellent worke of God with open reprochefull mouthes For wee muste note the Antithesis betweene the prayse of the people and the blasphemye of the Pharyseis For where as they say it was neuer so seene in Israell they confesse the glory of God by the whyche confession the madnes of these dogges the better apperethe whiche dare blaspheme God euen to his face M. And althoughe they can not denie the dede it selfe or affirme it to be euyll or that it was of no force or the others had done the like yet notwithstandinge they can not suffer the people for this cause to geue glory vnto the dede of Chryste but craftely transport the same from hym to an other seking to alyenate counterfaite the glory of Chryst and to robbe God of his honour And not contented with this they seeke to brynge vnto the miracle al ignominie reproche when they ascribe all to the deuyll as thoughe Chryste had done all that he dyd by the power ayde and assistaunce of the deuyll Wherefore we are taughte by this place when pietie commeth to the extreme poyncte of blindenes there is no woorke of God so manifest whiche it wyll not peruerte But this is a monstruouse and execrable thynge for mortall men to ryse against theyr maker but let suche be sure that they shall not escape the ponishment and wrathe of God for hee reuengeth hym selfe vppon the wicked after longe sufferaunce As concernynge the prynce of the deuylles reade the twelfth chapter of Mathewe 35 And Iesus wente about all citties and townes teachynge in their Synagoges and preachynge the glad tydinges of the kyngedome and healynge euery sickenesse and euery dissease amonge the people And Iesus vvent about M Nowe Mathew reherseth that agayne whiche was already declared in his fourth chapter C. But this is spoken to the ende wee maye knowe howe that all the mynysterye and office of Christe is not orderlye descrybed because he was continuallye occupyed in his function namelye that he myghte publishe the doctrine of saluation then that he might ratifye and confyrme the same with myracles adioyned to it M. Therfore that earnest desyer and wonderful diligence of Christ in prosecutinge and fulfyllynge the offyce whiche he had taken in hande that is to teache and heale is to be noted Whose diligente care and study is to be noted in this that hee is not one whytt stayed or hindered by the wicked reproch of the Phariseyes aforesayde Whereby the mynisters of Chryste are admonyshed to followe his example and not to suffer them selues to be moued by the slaunderouse reproches of the wicked and to forsake the people of God but to prosecute and followe dylygently theyr office and callyng And preaching the gospell M. He sayth not speakinge the Gospell of the kyngedome but preachinge that we might knowe what affection what minde and what spiryte oughte to be in hym whiche preachethe the Gospell of god To preache according to the Greke woorde signifieth to praise to celebrate and to commende some thinge to many or to all men Therefore where as Mathewe saith that Chryste went aboute and preached the Gospell of the kyngedome of God hee meaneth that with a good wyll and boulde spyrite hee praised celebrated and commended the grace of Goddes kyngedome whiche was then offered the reconcillyation of mankind and the restauration and renewynge of all thynges It is called the Gospell of the kyngedome of the effecte because by this meanes God gathered the people which were myserably dyspersed to him selfe that they myght raygne with hym in all felycitie and ioye and peace Notwithstandynge let vs remember that we submytt oure selues vnto God that we maye be caried vppe of hym into his heauenly glory Healynge euery dissease among Reade for this matter in the fourth chapter of Matthewe and that whiche is noted there 36 But when he sawe the people he was moued with compassion on theym because they were destitute and scattered abroade euen as sheepe hauynge no shepehearde But vvhen he savve the people he vvas moued M. The Euangeliste beynge not contente with his discription of the circuyte of Christe of his doctryne and healynge of infyrmities he nowe sheweth how he consydered in this cyrcuite the state and condition of the people in so muche that he taketh compassion vppon theim and expressethe his mynde and affection towardes them He vvas moued vvith compassiō C. The Greke word signifieth the bowelles of mercye and the Hebrewes call the bowelles of mercy a vehemente and godly affection Wherevpon Zacharias sayth For the remission of their synnes throughe the tender mercy of our God. C. Therefore the euangeliste saith that Christe was verely greued in mynd and that his affections were moued vpon the dissipation and scatterynge abroade of the myserable people of whome there was no counte made of those whose offyce was speciallye to gather to gether and to feede the people of God. He also declareth and proueth hym selfe therfore to be a faythful mynyster of his Father in carynge for the healthe of his people for whose sake hee toke oure fleshe vppon hym And although he be now receiued vp into heauē yet hath he a care for his church still and a respecte to his sheepefould in somuch that he defendeth the silly flocke of his poore shepe from cruel rauening and blouddy wulues Because they vvere destitute as sheepe E. There is no beaste more destitute and that nedethe more the helpe of a shepehearde or guide then sheepe haue The olde interpretation and Hierrom Hillary and Chrisostome haue beinge vexed And scattered abroade E. The Greke word signifyeth cast of or dispersed which cōmonly is spoken of suche thinges as are negligentlye without
purpose According to the prouerbe Necessitie hath no lawe M. For always extreame hunger hath a prerogatiue As saithe the common prouerbe Hunger breaketh through stone walles The lord therefore here aunswered the churlishe and full bellies whiche will beare and cōsider nothing of their neighbours necessitie For so it cōmonly commeth to passe that he whiche neuer feleth the violence and necessitie of hūger can not take pitty vpon suche as are hungery the whiche we commonly sée in many that are riche The ryche man whereof Luke maketh mention was altogether ignoraunte of the hunger that Lazarus suffered 5 Or haue ye not redde in the Lawe howe that the priestes in the Temple breake the Sabaoth and yet are blamelesse Or haue ye not redde C. This is the seconde argument by the whiche Christe proueth the violation of the Sabaoth of the which the Iewes so muche cōplayne to be without faulte because it was lawefull on the Sabaoth dayes to offer sacrifice to circumcise infantes and to doo all other thynges whiche pertaine to the worship of god Whereby it followeth that the duties of godlines are not contrary one to the other Nowe if the Temple sanctifie handlabourers in sacrifices and externall worshyp then muste the holines of the true and spirituall Temple purge the worshippers that pertayne to hym from all vyce synce they labour in the offices of godlynes And in this worke of godlines were the disciples greatly occupied for thei offered their soules being consecrated throughe the Gospell vnto god This argument Matthewe onely toucheth That the priestes in the temple breake the Sabaoth C. This is an improper kynde of speache by the whiche Christe frameth hym selfe to the hearers For the lawe when it byddeth men to abstayne from their workes prohibiteth them not to do those thynges that are holy So that Christ counteth it sufficient if the labours concerning the Temple offende not God. 6 But I say vnto you that here is one in this place greater then the Temple M. They thoughte peraduenture that the thyng whiche the priestes did worke in the temple on the Sabaoth daye dyd pertayne to the worship of God whiche was fulfilled by sacrifice and that they were excused by the Temple of god To these cogitations Christe aunswereth that if the holynes of the Temple did not onely excuse but also require the worke to be done by the priestes on the Sabaoth daye the same holines ought much more to excuse these my disciples whiche are chosē to the ministery For they offer not vp carnall offeringes oblations with the externall swerde but with the spirituall swerde of the Gospell they consecrate and offer vp vnto God the soules of the faithfull Whereas therefore he saith here that there is a greater then the Tēple in this place it oughte to be vnderstoode of the healthe of men the whiche seing it is better in the sight of God then the Temple and sacrifices it doth better excuse a great deale the dede of the Apostels than the doinges of the priestes 7 But if ye wiste what this were I wyll haue mercy and not sacrifice ye wold not haue condemned innocentes But if ye knevve C. Matthewe onely maketh mention of this thirde argumente also In the which Christe reproueth the Phariseis because they do not consider for what cause the ceremonies were cōmaunded and to what ende they did pertayne And truely this hath bene a common vyce alwayes Therefore the Prophete Osee rebuketh and reproueth the men in his tyme because they beyng addicted to ceremonies regarded not the duties of charitie And truly God him selfe crieth that he estemeth more of mercy then of sacrifice Signifying vnder this woorde mercy the dueties of charitie by a figure called Synecdoche euen as the external worshyp of the lawe is comprehended vnder sacrifice The same sentēce Christe applieth to his tyme and accuseth the Phariseis because they wreste the Lawe of God amisse into a wronge sence because also they reiectinge the seconde table set their whole affiance vpon ceremonies Bu. As if he shoulde saie Where as you iudge of the Sabaoth and all other thinges pertayning to religion amisse it commeth hereby so to passe because alwayes ye cleaue to much to externall thynges to the whiche ye attribute more then true godlynes wyll beare and in the meane tyme ye pretermite internall and true pietie that is to saye faythe in God the feare of God charitie and mercy than which thinges nothing can be more necessary One place of the Prophete Esaye if that you were curable might reduce you into the way and rightly informe your mindes wherby ye might more rightly and more truely iudge of religion and the obseruation of the Sabaoth Then should ye not so ignorauntly haue cōdemned my disciples whiche haue offended nothynge neither against God neither against the faythe nor against charitie Yea then you wold haue vnderstoode that that lawe as concerning the Sabaoth had not been violated and broken for plucking vp one eare of corne Question C. Notwithstanding some mā may demaunde here why God saythe in this place of the Prophete that he regardeth not sacrifice when he hath cōmaunded the same in the lawe It may be aunswered that external rytes of thē selues haue no force neither are they required of God but only in respecte of their ende to the whiche they are made and directed Furthermore the lorde doth not reiecte them but comparing them to the workes of charitie he teacheth that they are of lesse estimation in his sighte then these A. As wee haue declared before in the nynthe chapter C. Neither doth this let but that the worship of God may be placed in the hiest degree in the perfection of righteousnes then that the duties of mē shoulde be set in the seconde place nexte vnto the same Ye vvould not haue condemned C. By the testimony of the Prophete Christ plainely concludeth that his Apostels were without blame because God exercising his people in the rudimentes of the lawe woulde not haue miserable men to die with hunger M. In effecte Christe blameth the Phariseis in twoo thinges Firste of ignoraunce whiche greued thē much they challenging to thē selues the keyes of knowledge Secōdly of iniustice because they condemned innocentes 8 For the sonne of man is lorde euen ouer the Sabaoth C. Some knitte this sentence with that whiche goeth before that there is one present greater then the Temple but it semeth rather to differ from the same For at the first Christe alluding it to the temple affirmed that whatsoeuer was ioyned with his holynes was not the trasgressiō of the lawe But here he saith that he hath power to deliuer his apostels from the necessitie of the obseruing of the Sabaoth The sonne of man sayth he by his power may vse the Sabaoth as other ceremonies of the lawe And truely the obseruaunce of the lawe without Christ is miserable from the whiche he onely doth deliuer by indewing vs with the
fre spirite of adoption A. This therefore is the fourth argument taken of the power of Christe Marke addeth The Sabaoth was made for man and not man for the Sabaoth C. The effecte of the fifte argumēt is that he doth amis which turneth the Sabaoth to the destruction of man for whose sake God ordayned the Sabaoth The Phariseis sawe that the disciples of Christe were godly occupied they sawe that they were wery with the laboure of their iourney also that they were oppressed with hunger and yet not withstandinge they grudge that these poore weried and hungry men should sustayne and nouryshe their feble bodies with a fewe graynes of corne They therefore whiche thynke that the obseruation of the Sabaoth is abrogated by this place are deceyued for as muche as Christe onely declareth what the right true vse of the same is For although he a littell before affirmeth that he is the lorde of the Sabaoth Yet not withstanding the full tyme of the abrogation was not as yet come because the veale of the temple was not cut or rente away 9 And he departed thence and wente into their Synagoge Bu. To the same effecte ende and purpose this story must be broughte to the whiche the other going before was referred C. Namely that the Scribes were malitiously bente to calumniate and cauill at all the doinges of Christ and therfore it was no marueile if his enemies were so dyuerse to please when theyr mindes were so infected with mischiefe But we se that this is a custome among hypocrites only to followe the shadowed righteousnes of the lawe and to stande rather vpon the forme then in the substaunce of a thing First of all therefore let vs learne here to bring with vs pure myndes and voyde of al euell affections when we go to learne or to iudge of any matter For if hatred if disdayne if ambition or any suche vyce raigne in oure myndes we shall not be onely iniurious vnto men but also cōtumelious against God tourning his light into darkenes No man voyde of mallice woulde haue condēned the worke of God whiche these doctours let not to do Whereupon came this furor and madnes but onely vppon this that they bare a tyrannous hate against Christe Moreouer we are admonished to beware that we attribute not more vnto ceremonies then is mete and conuenient and pretermit to the chiefest poyntes of the lawe And vvent into their Synagoge M. Into their Synagoge whiche euen nowe condemned the disciples as breakers and defilers of the Sabaoth In the whiche we maye note the truste of a good conscience in Christe and his exceadinge goodnes towarde the people For he neyther feared to go into the Synagoge of the wicked Phariseis and there to shew him selfe openly neither did he withdrawe his benefites from the people for the malice of the Iewes neither did he let to reprehende and reproue the blyndnes of the Phariseis A. By the which example al those ought to arme them selues whiche are called of God to the ministery of the woorde 10 And beholde there was a man which had his hand dried vp and they asked him saying is it lawfull to heale on the Sabaoth daye because they might accuse hym And beholde there vvas a man. B. Whē Christ had not sufficiētly perswaded the Iewes as concerning the keping of the Sabaoth he toke a myracle in hande or the testimony of his father whereby he mighte make them beleue that he taughte that whiche was godly and righte M. The Euangelist therefore sheweth that there was fitte and cōuenient occasion offered to them bothe namely to Christe and to his aduersaries as if he should haue said So sone as he was entered into the Synagoge there was fitte and apte occasiō offered wherby both the power of Christ and also the obstinate blyndnes of the Phariseis might be declared B. Let vs also note here that God dothe dispose all thynges by the sure rules of his prouidence And they asked him C. Marke and Luke saye that they onely marked hym whether he woulde heale him on the Sabaothe daye Matthewe doothe more playnelye expresse that he was asked a question by worde of mouthe But it is likely that there were healeed diuers others before vppon the Sabaoth dayes Here therefore they taking occasion demaunde whether he thought it lawefull to do againe or reiterate that whiche he had done before But truely it became them to waye and consider whether it were a deuine or humane woorke to make a hande wythered and dryed vp to haue his palpable sence and motion only with a woorde or by touchinge the same For God appointing the Sabaoth made not a lawe for hym selfe neither did he thereby bynde hym selfe to any seruitude or bondage but that he myghte exercise his wyll and pleasure as well vppon the Sabaoth dayes as on other dayes It was to muche madnes therefore to moue this question as though they might restraine the doinges of God and appointe hym an order for his workes Because they myght accuse him B. Note here the Scribes and Phariseis who semed to excell all men in wysedome and holynes of lyfe and yet notwithstāding they seke occasion to intrappe Christe to the ende they might accuse and destroy hym 11 But he sayde vnto them whiche of you is it if he hath a shepe fallen into a pitte vpon the Sabaoth daye that would not take him and lift him out C. Christe sheweth here agayne what is the true obseruation of the Sabaoth and reproueth thē also for their captiousnes in that they go about to cauill at his doinges For if any mans shepe had fallen into a pitte no man woulde haue bene against the plucking of hym out againe But loke howe muche more a man doth excell a beaste so muche the more lawful it is to helpe hym It is manifest therefore that if a man do helpe the necessitie of his brother he doth not breake the rest commaunded of the lord though it be on the Sabaoth daye This similitude is not made mention of neither in Marke nor in Luke onely they saye that Christe did demaunde whether it were lawfull to do good or euell on the Sabaoth daye For he whiche looseth a mans lyfe is gilty of euell and he differeth not from a murtherer whiche helpeth not his brother being in peryll of his lyfe if he maye Christe therefore reproueth them which vnder the colour of holy reste will constrayne men to do that whiche is euell because they do not onely offende as it was sayde before whiche do any thinge contrary to the lawe but also whiche neglecte their dutie Here also we see that Christe vsed not alwayes one manner of reasons to repell the calumniation of the Iewes because here he disputeth not of his deuinitie as he doth in another place as may appeare in the fifte chap of Iohn 12 And howe muche is a man better thē a shepe Therefore it is lawfull to do good on
whiche we beleue the promises of God apprehende the mercy grace of God in Christ Iesu this faith is said to be a iustifing faith The third is that by the which a man doth firmely beleue that there is nothinge impossible vnto God the minde caried by a certain inspiration of the spirite to do meruailouse thinges this is called the faithe of myracles The fyrste kinde of faith is most general in so much that it pertaineth euē to the wicked with the which faith also Sathan is indued as appereth by the woordes of the Apostell Thou beleuest that there is one God thou doest wel the deuils also beleue and tremble The second kinde of faith pertayneth onely to the elect chosen of God as witnesseth the Apostell Paule in his epistell to Titus by the whiche faithe we are made mēbers of Christes bodye are saued of this faith Christ speketh not here neither do al they that haue the same worke myracles straighte waye The thirde kinde of faith pertaineth to certaine Christians that not at al times but it hath a certaine time and a certaine consideration also A. This faith may also be called a particuler or special faith And it is no doubte a singular gift of the holy ghost as s Paule teacheth sayinge To some faythe is geuen by the same spirite the which truely can not be saide of the iustifying faith which pertaineth not to a certaine only but to all the electe and chosen of God. This faith saueth no man neyther doth it chaunge the hartes of men and therfore it is suche a faithe as is geuen also to the wicked M. And therefore we haue already heard in the .vii. chapter goynge before how the wicked at the day of iudgement shall say vnto Christ Lorde Lord haue not we prophesied in thy name and by thy name caste out deuilles and done many miracles throughe thy name To whom it shal be answered I neuer knew you depart frō me ye that worke iniquitie C. And in an other place the Apostel Paull sayth If I haue all faythe so that I can remoue mountaines and haue no loue it is nothing Of this fayth Chryst speaketh here when he sayth If ye haue fayth lyke a graine of mustarde seede Ye shall say vnto this mountaine B. By the remouinge of mountaines he vnderstandeth euery hard thing yea such thinges as are impossible to nature not because the faithful must therfore remoue mountaines although in dede they could do it or any other thing more impossible to the force of nature if so be the same did pertaine to the settinge forth of the glory of god For the faithefull are so addicted to the glory of God to the profyte of theyr neighbours that they can wishe for nothing but as those two thinges do moue thē wherefore they wil neyther remoue mountaines nor do any other thing of the which they are not certain that it wil make to the proffite of mē to the glory of god Paule also as we shewed a littel before brought in the remouing of mountaines for the greatteste myracle C. It is certaine therfore that this is a Hyperbollycal kinde of speaking whē Christ saithe that by faith a man maye remoue mountaines trees Notwithstanding this is the effecte and somme of his wordes that God wil neuer faile vs if so be that wee open the gate geue passage to his grace And yet he meaneth not that God wyll geue what soeuer cōmeth rashly into our mind or mouth whē as there is nothing more contrary to faith then to follow the folishe rashe desires of the flesh for who soeuer is indued with a true faithe desyereth wissheth nothinge contrary to the wyll of god This modestie and sobrietie therfore must alwaies be kepte that we desire no more then that which is promised vnto vs and that also we directe our prayers according to the rule geuen vnto vs If any man do obiect say that the disciples knewe not whether it was the lordes pleasure to heale the lunatike person we answere that their ignorance came through their owne falte For Christ as it was said before speaketh here of a speciall faith the whiche fayth as matter occasion seruid had his secret and inward instructions And this is that faith which Paule speakethe of in that place whiche we haue twise cited before How cōmeth it to passe then that the Apostels wante the power of the holy ghoste which they had receyued before to do myracles but onely because by their owne negligence they hadde extinguished the same But where as Christe spake of the particuler fayth according to the circūstance of the place it is extended to the comon faithe of the whole churche 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by praier fasting Hovvbeit this kinde Chr. Some vnderstand this to be spokē vniuersally of al maner of euyll spirites M. Othersom vnderstand it onely of the chiefe spirites which are not cast out but by fasting prayer A. This later opynion is more firme true then the fyrst C. because when Sathā hath taken sure holde ful possession and rangeth at his pleasure the victory and conquest wil be more difficulte and harde and therefore we must fight with all our strengthe But by prayer and fastinge C. We must here diligently note that the disciples askinge why the deuill gaue not place vnto them he answereth saying that he wold not because of their vnbelefe to the ende we might knowe that al force power is attributed vnto fayth and not vnto fasting prayer For when this fayth praieth earnestly it requireth fastyng accordyng to the nature of trew prayer that is to saye a ceassynge from all worldely and fleshely busynes Wheruppon the Lorde in effecte maketh this aunswere to his disciples You being young coniurers dare presume to encounter with the deuill without a firme and constant faith ye go to ioyne with him as with a tryffelinge and dallyinge fighte but truelye ye haue to do with a puissante Antagonista and stronge ennemie who can not lightly be ouercom but with great fortitude Therfore your fayth should haue ben stirred vp by prayer and because ye are slowe and colde to praie ye shoulde haue taken fasting vn to you as an ayde and helpe thereunto Hereby it is euident howe ridiculous the Papistes grounde their remedy and medicine in fasting to expell deuylles whē as the lorde referreth it to no other ende than to kyndell the heate of prayer But the worlde here hath euer erred and bene deceyued For men haue thoughte that fastinge hath ben a worke meritoriouse and that of longe tyme For this is the sayinge of Hipocrites as may appere by the wordes of the Prophete Wherfore fast wee saye they and thou seest it not we put our liues in straightnesse thou regardest it not Their errour therfore is doubble because they thinke theyr
true yet notwithstandinge thou oughtest not to presume to teache without thou be licenced thereunto by oure authoritie C. This truely was a special cooler for seinge it became no man eyther to intrude hym selfe into the honor of the priestehoode or into the office of a Prophete but shoulde wayte for the calling of God much lesse was it mete for any mā to take vnto him the name of the Messias vnlesse he were certainlye knowne to be chosen by God because it was necessary that he shoulde not only be appointed by the voyce of god but also by an othe as it is written in the Psalme where it is saide The Lorde sware and will not repente thou arte a prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech But they deale wickedly and peruersely seing that the diuine maiesty of Christe by so many wonders and signes was declared to aske as though they wer the most ignorant of al men frō whence he came For what can be more absurde than whan they see the hande and power of God to be openly declared as by making the lame to walke and the blind to sée to doubte whether any priuate man can rashely take vnto him this liberty or no But in deede they could not but cōfesse that Christe was sente from heauen and that God was the author of the workes that he did They stande therefore vpon this that he is not the lawfull minister of God whome they by they re authorite doe not licence as though the power hereunto belonginge did wholly rest in them But truely although they were the lawful gouerners of the Churche yet notwithstanding it was a monstrouse thinge in them to beare themselues against God. Nowe let vs note why Christe doth not directly aunswer vnto them surely because the thing which they demanded of him without shame was most manifest plain The chefe priestes and elders came vnto him A. The Euangelist Marke saith that as he walked in the temple there came to him the hie priestes and the Scribes and the elders and saide vnto hym by what authority doest thou these things And vvho gaue thee this authority Repeticion is often times vsed in the Scriptures 24. Iesus aunswered an saide vnto thē I also wil aske of you a certaine thing which if ye tel me I likewise wel tel you by what authority I do these thinges Iesus ansvvered and sayde M. The Lorde vnderstanding their crafte and subtiltye doth not simplely aunswere to their demaunde because they did not demaūde this questiō simplely to learne but to in trappe the answerer but setteth one question againste an other that he mighte take and confounde the crafty in theire wylines Therefore he saith I also vvill aske of you a certaine thinge Oure Sauiour Christe mighte seme here to geue an euell example in denyinge to geue a reason of his callinge But it is not so For in this question there was contained a full and perfecte aunswere by the which he did satisfye the aduersarys For when S. Ihon had witnessed that Iesus was the sonne of GOD the Phariseis no doubte beinge taughte of him oughte to haue acknowledged Iesus to be the messenger of God whereby they coulde not doubte by what authoritie he did both preache and shewe forthe miracles For they helde S. Ihon as the Prophete of God sente of God to whom they gaue great credit The Lorde also by his demaunde would euidently declare howe wicked and maliciouse the hye priestes and Phariseys were not onely for resisting hym but also because they had shewed the lyke malice towardes others namely towardes S. Ihon the Baptiste in whome when they coulde fynde no falte they reiected his doctrine and ministration of Baptisme that it mighte be no meruayle if they did the like here to hym For when as all the people beleued Ihon the Baptiste to be a Prophete sente of God and therfore receiued his Baptisme and the hye priestes Scribes and elders of the people contemned the same as we may reade in the seuenth of Luke where they are saide to cōtemne the counsel of God Our Sauiour Christe going aboute to call to minde this their former obstinacye obiecteth vnto them this question to the ende he mighte detecte and vncouer their deceite by the which they woulde seeme to be led by a certeine zeale of defendinge the people leaste by a contrary and false doctrine they should be seduced by those whiche had receiued no power of God. 25. The baptisme of Ihon whence was it frō heauen or of men And they thoughte amonge them selues saying if we saye from heauen he will say vnto vs VVhy did ye not beleue him The baptisme of Ihon. C. He dothe aske them of the baptisme of S. Ihon not only that he mighte shewe that they were vnworthy of al authority because they had despised the holy Prophete of God but also that he might reproue them by their owne aunswere that they imprudentlye fayned ignoraunce in a matter so well and euidentlye knowne S. Ihon was sente to be the fore roonner of Christe that he mighte prepare the waie before him he had pointed out Christe with the finger and had witnessed that he was the onely sonne of god Wherupon therfore will the Scribes nowe proue vnto them selues the newe authority of Christe when as S. Ihon by his preaching had brought sufficient credit to the same Therefore that whereof we spake euen now semeth to be true namely that Christ did not vse any subtilty to escape but did soūdely in all points satisfye the question obiected againste hym For Ihon could not be acknoweledged to be the seruaunte of God except the Lorde him selfe were acknowledged also So that he did not imbolden and encourage troublesom and peruerse personnes which rashely without the commaundement of God vsurpe vnto them selues publike authority neither did he also by his example teache any man subtilly to hyde and conceale the truethe as many crafty personnes falsely Imagine him to bee the author It is certainlye true that we must not alwayes answer alike when the wicked craftely go about to deceiue vs but we must so wysely be ware and take héed of their malice that the trueth maye alwayes haue her dewe defence By the Baptisme of S Ihon he vnderstandeth all that pertained to the office of S. Ihon yea his doctrine also For by and by it followeth that the hye priestes gathered of the woordes of the Lorde thus If we saye from heauen he wil say vnto vs why do ye not beleue it But we beleue his doctrine For he taughte that Iesus was the sonne of God and that the father had geuen vnto him all power And it shall not be amisse if by this worde Baptisme we vnderstād the Sacrament of Baptisme For Ihon Baptised with the Baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they should beleue on him which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus C. To be shorte Baptisme in this place is takē for the
this kingdome And that there shoulde be manye false Christes whiche shoulde promyse outwarde and worldelye happinesse but falsely and therby also shold turne their followers from the spirytuall and euerlastinge felicitie and that therfore they ought to take hede of all those which promise the externall kyngedome of God in this world or do tye the same to any certaine place whiche because it is deuine spirituall can not be tyed These thinges also are more manifest to be seene in Luke by the aunswere of our sauioure Christ geuen to the Phariseies For they demaunding of hym when the kingdome of God should come we reade that Christ answered there thus The kingdome of God shall not come with waitynge for neyther shall they saye Lo here or Lo there for beholde the kingedome of God is within you What other thing is this than to saye The kyngedome of God is not carnal as you thincke that it might be shewed in any certayne place For either it is comprehended in fayth and is neuer seene and althoughe it bryngeth forthe plentifully his fruites wheresoeuer it be yet notwithstandyng it is with greate persecution and afflyction of the fleshe Or elles it wyll be so manifestlye presente to the whole worlde that it shal not nede to be wayted for or marked or that men shoulde saye Lo here is Christ or lo he is there For he is nowe among you you haue the kynge of that kyngedome present already ye haue the trewe cittezens thereof namely my disciples But these thynges whiche appertayne vnto vs seme vnto you contrary and disagreing with the kyngdome of God and glory of the Messias yet notwithstanding it is so ordained of God that I must fyrste suffer many thynges and be reiected of this nation before that I shall raygne in glory Hereuppon commethe that my humillitie and base shewe of glory whiche so greatly offendeth you Let the reader way diligently the wordes of Luke Hereby nowe it is euident who are properly noted by the true christ to be false Christs what they were whō we mentioned before with many others which all had their false Prophetes their signes and wonders But we must diligently note that a false christ is one an Antechrist is an other There haue ben many Antechristes from the beginning of Christes kyngedome vnto this daye namely all they whiche haue taughte at any tyme any thinge whereby menne might be seduced from Christ and from the faythe of our lorde Iesus leaste they shoulde be perswaded that by his onely deathe they haue euerlastynge lyfe of this reade in the seconde chapter of the fyrst epistell of S Iohn But they were properly false Christes whiche boasted them selues to be Christ as some which came to the Iewes Others which were the authors of errors are more rightely called false prophetes than false Christs Where as some do nowe bringe in this place against the seducing doctrine of the Papistes and Mahomett they do verye well because when Christe testified in this place that the kingdome of God doth consist in him by fayth and that it is not adicted to any certain place in this world these notwithstandinge haue taughte to seeke the kingedome of God in externall thinges But yet no man maye trewely teach that Christ in this place did speake of these men There are other places as concerninge these as the first chapter of sainte Paule in his second epistell to the Thessalonians and the third of the secōde to Tymothe the fyrste and thirde also of the seconde of Peter For the Pope dyd neuer saye that he was Christ that is to say that restorer of lybertie and all felycitie whiche wolde exhibite and offer in this present life al those thinges that the Prophetes had foreshewed as touchinge the Messias But Mahomett came more neere to this abhomination 24 For there shal arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shew great myracles and wonders In so muche that if it were possible the very electe shoulde be deceiued For there shall arise false Christes A. Euen as the trewe Christ had his preachers of the truethe namely the Apostelles other disciples which may be called prophetes that is faithful interpreters of holy thinges euen so the false Christes wil haue their false prophetes that is to saye the masters of lies whiche maye leade men from the sincere doctrine of the trewthe to a lye And shall shevve greate myracles C. Christe admonysheth that suche deceyuers shall bringe with them no small deceites to deceyue withall but greate signes and wonders which shal astonishe the myndes of suche as are weake and make them amased For seinge that God dothe testifie and declare the presence of his power by miracles and that therfore they maye be seales as it were of trewe doctrine it is no meruaile if they bring reuerence and credite to deceiuers And by suche kynde of illusion dothe God reuenge ponishe the ingratitude of men that they may beleue lies whiche haue reiected the trueth and that they maye be more and more in darknesse which haue shut their eies against the trueth lighte offered vnto them Howbeit he doth therwith exercise the constancie of those that are his whiche doth more playnely shew forthe it selfe when they geue place to no deceites B. And as deceitfull doctryne hath alwaies her signes and wonders by the whiche they that woulde not beleeue the trueth might be seduced to beleue a lie and as no age wanteth his false prophetes agayne as all superstition hath his originall and beginning of the flesh and dothe frame and applie it selfe to the commodity and profite of the fleshe euen so there is nothing of those things wherof Christe hath spoken which accordyng to their maner do not offer them selues vnto vs Whereuppon trewly all men oughte dilygentelye to waye these forewarninges of the Lorde and to keepe them in mynde For althoughe there be none at this daye whiche doo openlye professe them selues to be Christes yet notwithstandinge there are manye false Prophetes and Antechristes who go about to drawe the mindes of men frō the true and only Christ to their workes to their Masses to their dirges and trentals to their owne fastings and choyse of meates and of apparell and to such kind of nedeful elements and necessary creatures of the worlde and also to the merits and intercessions of saints being in this pointe like vnto false Prophets and false Christes of whome Christ properly in this place forewarned his Disciples that they do seduce men frō the trueth to a lye and do falsely promise a Carnal Christe a carnall worhsip and external felicity For they do teache men to seeke for saluation by other meanes than by a lyuely faith in Christ and do suffer men to liue after their owne pleasure promisinge furthemore by theyr Masses and other lyes of the like leuen that men shal haue remission of theyr sinnes and recōcilliation betwene God and them Hereby therfore we
defende his Churche but then hee shall openlye sit vppon his tribunall seate that hee maye stablishe perfect order in Heauen and in earthe that hee maye prostrate his ennemyes vnder his feete and that he maye gather his faithful into the society of the Heauenlye and blessed life yea then it shall appeare in deede wherefore the kingdome of Heauen is committed vnto hym of the father In his glorye M. Hee doth so discribe the quality of his seconde comminge that hee declareth the same to be farre vnlike the first in the which hee was then In the first comminge hee appeared base in the forme of a seruaunte In the seconde hee shall appeare glorious in the forme of the kinge of all kinges and iudges In the first comminge hee was subiect to reproche and ignominye in the latter comminge hee shal appeare in glorye In the first comminge hee appeared weake In the latter comminge hee shal appeare with Heauenly power In the first comminge hee was subiect to the Iudgemente and condemnation of wicked men In the latter comminge hee shall geeue Iudgement vppon al reprobates So that hee calleth that his glorye in this place which in another place he attributeth to his father in the same sence for hee meaneth simplelye the deuyne glorye which then shyned in the father onelye forsomuch as it was hid in him M. The glorifyinge of Christes bodye maketh verye muche for this glorye some sighte whereof the Apostles had It is also well approued by the companye of all the Angells whiche shall waite vppon him and by the power of Iudginge also And all his Angels vvith him As if he should saye I which nowe seeme to be base and of smal reputacion by your contemptible seruice and waytinge will then appeare wyth a trayne of Heauenlye souldiours and Angels For hee goeth about to expresse with what vertue and power hee shall come And the Apostle describinge the glorious comminge of Christ to the terror of the wicked and consolation of the godlye calleth the Angels that shall come with Christe the Angels of power when hee sayth It is verely a righteous thinge with God that hee recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall shewe himselfe from Heauen wi◅h the Angels of his power with flaminge fyer which shall render vengeaunce to them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of oure Lord Iesus Christe which shal be punished with euerlastinge dampnation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when hee shall come to be glorifyed in hys saintes Howe great the power of Angels is wee may see by that one Angell which sleyinge .185000 troubled all the host of the Assyrians And how great a multitude shall come with Christe wee are toulde in this that hee saythe And all his Angels with him And the Prophete Daniell describinge the comminge of Christe sayth A thousande times a thousande serued him ten thousande times ten thousand stoode before him that we mighte know that the nomber of Angels comming with him shal be infinite Then shall hee sit vppon the seate of his glorye M. Those thinges that are spoken toward the latter ende of this Chapter seeme to be spoken by the similitude of a sessions haule But what this seate of Iudgement shal be let no curious person in so serious a matter seeke This is certaine that hee shall come corporally and visiblelye in the cloudes to be seene of all the wicked Hee shall so come sayd the Angels as ye see him go into Heauen And Christ of himselfe sayd Then shall they see the Sonne of man comminge in the cloudes of Heauen with power and greate glorye Howe terrible this seate shal be to the wicked the Prophete Daniell declareth when hee sayth that the throne of Christe shal be like to a flaminge fyer Also accordinge to the maner of the Scriptures the Lord is said to sit as Iudge when by iust Iudgement he deliuereth the innocent and punisheth the wicked So the Prophete Dauid saide Thou haste maintayned my righte and my cause thou arte set in the throne that iudgest righte The which truly is not so to be vnderstoode as though Christ also at this day sitteth not on the seate of his kyngdome gouernynge all thinges but that then he wil call all things openly to iudgemente and will declare his glorye 32. And before him shal be gathered all Nations And hee shall seperate them one from another as a shepeherd deuideth the sheepe from the goates And before him shal be gathered C. With large and magnifycent titles hee extolleth his kingdome that the Dysciples mighte learne to hope for another felicity than that whiche they had conceiued in their mindes For they thoughte this sufficiente to haue their counterye deliuered from myseries with the whiche at that time they were oppressed that it mighte appeare that God had not made his couenaunt in vaine wyth Abraham and his posteritye But Christe doth farther extende the fruite of the redēption which hee brought because hee should be the Iudge of the whole worlde and to the ende hee might exhorte the faythfull to a godly life hee denyeth that the same shall belonge to the good and bad alike because hee shoulde bringe with him the rewarde which is layed vp for them both And the summe of his woordes is that the state of his kingdome shal be then profited when the iuste haue obtayned the crowne of glorye and when the rewarde which the wicked haue deserued is payed vnto them Al Nations sayth hee shal be gathered before him Bu. namelye from all partes of the worlde when hee sitteth on his trybunall seate By al Nations hee meaneth al those that are deade and those also which shal be founde then at that day lyuing as teacheth the Apostle Paule in the fourthe Chapter of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians And in another place hee sayth Wee must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the workes of his body accordinge to that hee hath done whether it be good or bad And hee shall seperate them M. This seperation also is noted before by certaine similitudes as by the fanninge and pourginge his flower by the similitude of the tares by the net cast into the sea But in that this seperation of the sheepe and goates is differred vntill that daye hee declareth that the wicked and reprobate are nowe mixt with the godly and electe that both of them may liue together in one flocke of god And the Prophete Ezechiell seemeth to vse this cōparison wher the Lord complayneth thus I will put a difference amonge the sheepe amonge the weathers and the goates Was it not anoughe for you to eate vp the good pasture but ye must treade downe the residue with your feete Wherefore the wordes of Christ tende to this ende that