this kynde of seasonynge by the whiche onely oure putrifaction is corrected and amended but in the meane tyme let the saltours take hede that they suffer not the worlde in their foolishenes yea much more let them take hede that they infecte them not with their euell and corrupte seasoning And therefore the impudency of the Papistes is not to be borne with all who are not ashamed to adorne and decke their masking Prelates with these tytels that none myght so hardy of his eares reprehende any thing in them As though truely it were the purpose of Christe to geue vnto his disciples vnlaufull lybertie and to appoynte and make them slears of soules as tyrauntes and not rather to admonyshe them of their dutie leaste they shoulde departe from the righte lyne Christe dothe here shewe what manner of persones he would haue the teachers of his Churche to be Let therefore all vnsauory ministers pastors and teachers yea and suche specially as vaunte them selues to be the Apostels successours let suche I saye consider what a seuere commination and threatning our lorde and maister pronounceth against them that they of all men are in worse case if they be vnsauoury As plainlye we may reade in the prophecie of Malachy V. Wherefore let the preachers of the woorde take hede that they discharge their office and callynge throughlye leaste that the curse of the Lorde pronounced by the mouthe of the Prophete fall vppon them sayinge Seynge thou haste refused vnderstandynge therefore wyll I refuse the also so that thou shalt be no more my Prieste 14 You are the lighte of the worlde a cittie set on a hill cannot be hidde You are the light of the vvorlde M. He speaketh here in effect the same thing which he spake in the wordes going before sauing that he addeth a more plaine admonition Bu. Those whome before he called salte he now calleth light and where as before he called them the salte of the earth he now calleth thē the light of the world so that nowe by the worlde he vnderstandeth men liuing in the worlde Therfore as there is nothing more clere then the lighte so there is nothing more proffitable then the same He hathe very well therefore shadowed and prefigured the teachers of the church by the lighte by that meanes also the celestial euangelicall doctrine then the which as there is nothing more pure cleane so there is nothing that doth more replenishe vs with heauēly benefites thē that For the Prophete saith Thy woorde is a lanterne to my fete a light to my pathes C. For although we be all the sonnes of lighte after we be illuminated by faithe are cōmaunded to haue cādels burning in oure handes least we wāder in darkenes yea and to shewe others the way of life Notwithstandinge because the preaching of the Gospel was appointed to the apostles aboue other men also at this day is appointed to the pastors of the church Christ did specially geue this titel vnto them as if he should haue saide that for this cause they were placed in this degrée to shyne clerely vnto all men M. Finally Christe doth plainly shewe that this world without the doctrine of the kingdome of God whereof his disciples shoulde be the ministers should be oppressed quite ouer whelmed with the darke obscure cloudes of errour and finne Furthermore we see that the ministers of Christe ought to be in steade of the light lighting the darkenes of this worlde because of the doctrine of truthe whiche they shewe to the whole worlde For this is iudgement that light is come into the worlde and men loue darkenes more then lighte The doctrine of the Gospel is the light bewraying detecting and reprouing vngodlines and the ignoraunce of the true pietie of God and for this name it is muche enuied of the worlde for he which doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the lighte least his dedes should be made manifest Then after it hath put awaye the darkenes of ignoraunce it offereth the knowledge of God and true godlines to the hartes of mortall men But here it maye be demaunded how and after what sorte the disciples are the lighte of the worlde when as Iohn woulde not graunte the same to the foreronner of Christ saying He was not the lighte but he graunted that Christe was the light of the worlde And Christe speaking of him selfe saith I am the light of the worlde I aunswer Christe is the true light which receiueth not the light from any other but by his owne proper nature hath strengthe and power to illuminate His Apostels haue not so but are therefore called the lighte because they bare wytnes of the true lighte and they receyued the brightnes of the deuine knowledge of that lighte whiche saythe I haue chosen and ordayned you And agayne without me ye can do nothyng Euen so Iohn was a burnyng and shyuing lyghte but not of hym selfe for he was lyghted of this lyghte whiche is Christe Bu. The synceritie and integritie both of lyfe and manners whiche oughte to be in them is signified by this lyghte as appeareth by the woordes followynge So let youre lyghte shyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauē Hereuppon Saynt Paule saythe do all thynges without murmuringe and disputynge that ye may be suche as no mā can complayne on and vnfained sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a croked and peruerse nation amonge whome see that ye shyne as lyghtnes in the worlde A cittie buylte on a hill cannot be hid Bu. Nowe he sheweth by this parable that the heauenly doctrine and the lyfe of the teacher muste be godly holye pure perfecte and irreprehensible B. But oure lorde leafte the exposition of this collation to the intelligence of the hearers as thus As a cittie builte on a hill cannot be hid euen so ye can not be hyd neither ought ye but ye shal be made manifest vnto the whole worlde euen as a cittie set vppon an hill Wherefore by all meanes endeuour your selues that men may se that in you whiche is godly and verteous to immitate and followe 15 Neither do men lighte a candell and put it vnder a bushell but on a candelsticke that it may geue light to all that are in the house Neither do men light a candel C. He doth shew vnto thē by these wordes that they ought so to lyue as if they were set forth for all mē to be hold And certainly the more a mā doth excell the more he doth hurte by his euell example if he behaue him selfe not well Christ therfore wold haue his disciples to be more ware and circumspect to leade a godly sober lyfe then are the cōmon sort of people because al men do beholde them as candels and that they are in no wise to be borne withal except
of their wicked impietie he made thē gilty of al those murthers whiche were committed long before Therfore he dothe not denounce vnto them the reuenge of theyr presente crueltie onely but saythe also that they must geue accompte and answere for the murther of Zacharias as thoughe theyr handes were imbrewed with his bloudde For their opinion is not probable or likely whiche referre this to Zachary which exhorted the people that retourned from the exile of Babilon to builde the temple whose prophesies remaine with vs to be sene at this daye For althoughe the inscription or titell of the booke declarethe that hee was the sonne of Barachias yet notwithstandynge we reade in no place that he was kylled Furthermore it is a plaine exposition that he was kylled betwen the building of the aultare and the temple As concernyng the other Zachary the son of Ioiada the holy Scripture maketh mention that hee agreeth verye well with this place For when that after the deathe of his father by the wicked defection of the kinge and people trewe religion decayed hee was indewed with the holy ghost seuerelye to reproue open Idolatry and therefore he was slayne in the courte of the temple And it is no absurditie at all to saye that the surname of Barachias was geuen to the father of Ioiada for honours sake because seynge he was a worshipper of God and a maintayner of the same all his lyfe tyme hee oughte worthely to be counted blessed of god But whether Ioiada had two names or whether there were a falt in the word as S. Hierome estemeth of the matter trewely there is no doubte but the Chryst noted that execrable stoninge of Zacharias which is written in the place before cited Betvvene the temple and the aultare A. He dothe expresse the place that he myghte increase and amplifie the crueltie brutishe madnesse of the Iewes which were not moued by the holynesse of the place nor stayed from layinge handes violently vpon the holy prophete of God. C. Furthermore the temple is here taken for the courte as in other places also to this adioyned the aultar of burnte offerynges that the priest in the sight of the people mighte offer vp sacrifyce It appereth therfore that theyr cruelty was to tyrannicall in that neither the respect of the aultar nor the temple coulde pacifye them but they must nedes defyle the holy place with horryble murther 36 Verely I say vnto you all these thinges shall come vpon this generation Verely I say vnto you B. Bu. He addeth this earnest affirmatiō to terrefie the Iewes As if he shoulde saye There is no cause why any man should thinck that he may escape the iudgemente of god For certaynely all those euylles shall be heaped from heauen vpon that vyperouse progeny whiche the lorde dothe thretten to powre vpon those horrible murtherers And let all those thyncke also that these sayinges pertayne vnto theym whiche thincke it a godly thinge at this day to persecute the truethe of the Gospell and the professours thereof For the bloudde shall be neuer the lesse vnreuenged which cryeth vnto God for vengeaunce 37 O Hierusalem Hierusalem thou that killest the prophetes and stonest thē that are sente vnto thee howe often wolde I haue gathered thy chyldren together euen as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her and ye wolde not O Hierusalem Hierusalem C. By these wordes our sauiour Christ dothe more plainely declare howe iuste occasion he hath to be angrye because Hierusalem which God had chosen to be a holy and heauenly house as it were to him selfe did not only shew it selfe to be vnworthy of suche honor but as though it were a denne of theues it had vsed and accustomed a longe tyme to drynke the bloudde of the prophetes Christe therefore cryeth out pytifully against so monstruouse behauioure because the holye cittie of God was fallen into suche madnes that it wente about dayely to extinguishe the wholsome doctrine of God by the bloud of the prophetes B This bewaylinge therfore of Christ was a token of his great and exceding loue towardes this people It is a token of greate affection that he nameth the cittie it self and that hee dothe double the appellation or name of the same sayinge Hierusalem Hierusalē Thou vvhiche killest the Prophetes Because the Euangelist Mathewe vseth the participle of the present tēce and the wordes of Christ seeme to haue respecte vnto bothe times the dede may be taken or vnderstoode without any certaine lymitting of time as if thou shouldest say Thou killer of the prophetes which hast kylled doest kyll and wilt kyll C. Thou I saye whiche shouldest be the faithfull keper of Gods woorde the mistresse of heauenly wysedome the lyghte of the worlde the welspringe of true doctrine the place of the syncere worshyp of God and the example of faythe and obedience art the killer of the prophetes in so muche that thou haste gotten nowe a habit and custome of drinking bloudde Herby therfore it apereth that they were worthye of all kinde of reproche whiche had so filthely prophaned the sainctuarye of god E. Manye thincke that by the name of Hierusalem which was the hed of Iewry is vnderstande the whole contrey or region of the Iewes And stonest them vvhiche are sent vnto thee A. Namely to bringe thee from the error and obstinacie He saith that prophetes are sent as he dyd before saying beholde I sende vnto you Prophetes and Scribes and wise men c.. C It was also the purpose of Christ to preuent the offence whiche was nie at hande leaste the faythefull seinge hym to be slayne so vnworthely at Hierusalē shold be troubled at this newe and straunge sighte For they were admonished by these wordes that it was no meruayle if the cittie beinge accustomed in killynge and stonynge the prophetes dyd kyll also the redemer But hereby it apereth how much it is meete to attribute vnto places There was no cittie in the whole worlde truely whiche God adorned and beutyfyed with suche excellent titles or whiche he exalted to suche honour yet notwithstandinge we see howe it cast it selfe downe headlonge throughe ingratitude Nowe let the Pope compare the seate of robbery and thefte in the whiche he sytteth with that holy cittie and what shal he fynde therein worthye of the lyke honour His hiered flatterers boaste vnto vs that fayth once floryshed there The whiche thinge let vs graunte vnto them yet if it be wel knowne at this daye that the same is alienate and fallen frō Christ and filled with abhominations howe folishelye do they contende to haue the honour of the supremacy tyed to the same But let vs rather learne by this worthye example that the more any place is extolled and set aloft by the benefytes of God and exempte from the common state of other places if the same doo degenerate or decline it shall not onely be despoyled of the ornamentes appertayninge to it but also so muche the more shall it
the bokes the prophet saying In the pristes lyppes shoulde be sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouthe 5 And they sayd vnto hym at Bethlem in Iewry for thus it is wrytten by the Prophete And they sayde vnto hym at Bethleem in Ievvry M. Here is to be considered the wonderfull impietie of the tyrante The twoo thinges whiche he sought as well of the chiefe priestes as of the wyse men dyd wholly consist vpon the detection and reuelation of God that whiche was demaunded of the hye priestes was of that whiche is wrytten in the prophetes that whiche was demanded of the wyse men was as concerning the heauenly sygne So that the maiestie and power of God was on bothe sydes and yet the foolysshe mad man thought he could deceyue god and coulde make all the deuine oracles and tokens as concernynge Chryste of none effecte Euen so the wicked menne in these dayes are wonte to learne the prophesies and to vsurpe the same soo farre as they do séeme to make by any meanes for theyr vngodlynesse or hypocrysie but in howe muche they myghte be withdrawne frō the same in so much with shamelesse obstinacie they doo reiecte it For so it is vvritten by the Prophete C. That the chiefe priestes and scrybes do so syncerely and truely aunswere out of the Scriptures whiche notwithstandynge afterwarde wente aboute furyousely to peruerte the same leaste they shoulde geue any estymation to Chryst was done for this ende bycause as yet Christe was not troublesome vnto them with his Gospell Euen so all the vngodly in generall beginnynges do wyllyngely subscribe and submytte theimselues vnto God but when as the truth of God dothe more neerely begynne to vrge and touche them then they shewe out theyr poysoned cankered dysobedyence Of the whiche thynge at this day we haue a manifeste and playne exaumple in oure Papistes For they wyll confesse without contention or controuersie that Chryste is the onely begotten sonne of God whiche hath taken vpon hym oure fleshe and they wyll acknowledge also one person in twoo natures of God and man but when wee come to the vertue and offyce of Chryst then begynneth the contention In fyne so longe as the wycked perceyue that they do nothynge preiudicyall or hurtefull to theym selues they wyll geeue some reuerence to God and his woorde But when Chryste shall fyghte hande to hande with Ambytion with Couetousenesse Pryde Hypocrysie and Deceyte then they forgette all modestie and become more madde then dogges Let vs be well assured therefore that wicked affections are the princypall cause of blyndenesse to the ennemyes of the trewethe whiche tourne lyght into darckenesse 6. And thou Bethleem in the lande of Iuda arte not the leaste amonge the prynces of Iuda For out of thee there shal come a captayne whiche shall feede my people Israell And thou Bethleem in the lande of Iuda M. This place is wrytten in the prophecie of Mycheas From the whyche texte the hyghe priestes and Scrybes beinge asked of the place where Chryste shoulde be borne aunswered Herode C. And no doubte they syted trewely the woordes of the texte in theyr tongue accordyng to the prophesie but Mathew thought it suffycient to note the place And because he wrytt in Gréeke he followed the readynge admytted and receiuyd For out of this place and such lyke it maye easely be gathered that he wrote not the Gospell in the Hebrewe tongue But this is alwayes to be noted that so often as the Apostelles do syte and alleage any place of scrypture althouge they reherse it not word for worde yea sometymes they much dyffer in wordes yet for all that they applye it verye agreable and aptly for the purpose Wherefore lette the readers alwayes marcke and take heede for what pourpose the Euangelystes brynge in places of the Scrypture that they stande not scrupulousely vpon euery worde but to be satisfyed and contented with this one thynge that the Scripture is at no tyme wrested of them into a contrarye sence but is properly vsed accordynge to the trewe sence and meanynge thereof But for so muche as they were appoynted to nouryshe vp infantes and nouyces in the Faythe with the dryncke of mylke whiche coulde not take fleshe as yet no religion dothe hynder but that the chyldren of God maye exactely and dyligently serche what the scrypture cōteyneth and so the taste whiche the Apostelles do geue maye brynge them to the cleere and perfect well Nowe let vs retourne to the prophesie of Mycheas it is red thus according to the words of the prophesie And thou Bethleem Ephrata art not littel amōg the thousādes of Iuda Out of thee shall come vnto mee whiche shall be the gouernour of Israell For Ephrata Mathewe hath put Iuda but in the same sence For Mycheas woulde haue Bethleem whereof he speaketh discerned as it were by this note from the other whiche was in the tribe of Zabulon of the whiche we spake before in the fyrste verse C. In the rest of the text there is much more difficultie and hardenes For the Prophete saithe that Bethleem was lyttle amonge the thousandes of Iuda Mathewe on the other syde extolleth the dignitie thereof and sayth that it is one of the chiefe And this is the cause that dyuerse interpretoures doo reade this place interrogatiuely But others much better expounde it whiche thought that Mathewe woulde cellebrate the grace of God in this mutation and chaunge because that a symple lyttle base towne shoulde be made the place of byrthe for so excellente a kynge Bu. As yf he shoulde haue sayde And thou Bethleem althoughe thou seemest a base and contemned towne if thou be compared to many other townes in the tribe of Iuda yet notwithstandinge thou arte not the leaste amonge the chiefe Cities of Iuda if that in deede we haue respecte vnto the mysterie For oute of thée shall be borne a captayne whiche shall gouerne my people Israell M. In the whiche we maye note howe God dothe choose those thinges that are humble and of no reputation in the worlde to greate and hye matters Euen so he chose Dauid beinge the leaste of his bretherne to the dignitie of a kynge Furthermore we see of howe greate pryce and estimation those thynges are whiche when they be abiectes and castawayes in the syghte of the worlde are made by the gyft of God most excellente What had that poore cytie Bethleem and the very leaste among the reste of the cities of Iuda whereby it shoulde be so muche exalted of the Prophete It hadde the byrthe of Christe and that of all byrthes the moste base and humble and yet throughe this name it was so greate in the syghte of God and the Prophete But althoughe this cytie dyd excell with such honour yet not withstanding it nothyng at all profyted them that dwelte therein so that they fell into greatter mischiefe because that the redemer of mankynde was so vnworthely receyued VVhiche shall feede my people
he vexeth and disquyeteth those that are his that they maye make that thinge poyson for them selues which by nature is the medicine and foode of euerlasting lyfe This tyrante therefore is a paterne and image of them whiche wyl seeme to honour and worship God aright when as in deede they would if they could haue him quite destroied A. But that great iudge of the world in due tyme shal disclose and openly shewe their hipocrisie 9 VVhen they had heard the kynge they departed loc the star which they saw in the Easte wente before them till it came and stode ouer the place where the childe was VVhen they had hearde the kinge C. A great shame was it to the Iewes that not one of them wold go with these wyse men to beholde their promysed kyng The chiefe priestes and scribes tolde them the waye before and playnely declared the place where he was borne and yet not one of them would once moue his foote thitherwardes Peraduenture they greatly feared the crueltie of Herode but this was a wicked ingratitude to haue no regard at all of the profered sauynge health and to lesse esteme the grace of God then the displeasure of the tyrant But al the people as we shewed before were to muche voyde of reason which rather desyred to be oppressed with the yoke and bondage of tyrannye then by the alteration and chaunge of theyr kynge to feele some discomoditie And excepte God had confyrmed the mindes of the wyse men by his holy spirite this mighte haue ben a stomblinge blocke and let in theyr iourney neuerthelesse theyr earnest desyre to the same is neuer a whitte dyminyshed but without any to beare them coÌ„panye they procede forwarde Neyther wanteth there any matter to theÌ„ to confyrme their fayth when they hearde the kyng to be renounâ—…ed and honored with deuyne oracles whiche was shewed to them by the starre They were ignorant of the mallice of Herode in so much that they credyted hym in all thynges that he spake vnto them And it is very lykely that they wolde haue retourned to the wicked tirante and so vnwisely to haue bestowed their peine and trauaile to the destroyinge of Christe And therefore as we shal here they were admonished froÌ„ aboue not to returne to Herode And beholde the starre M. The Greeke woord doth signifie so to go before as a guyde or leader of the way So God was woÌ„t to direct the way of those that are his seruauntes So he led his people by the cloudy piller in the daye and by the fyrie piller in the night VVent before them tyl it came stode ouer the place C. That the same dyd guyde the wyse men they being entered into their way to the verye place it maye easely be gathered that at the fyrst it vanished away for noo other cause but that at Hierusalem they might serch and enquire for the newe king and that to take excuse away from the Iewes whoo after they were taught as coÌ„cerning the redemer which was sent vnto theÌ„ yet notwithstanding wittingly willingly they despise hym M Nowe there are two sygnes as touching the place where Christ was borne whiche do very wel agree that is to wit the oracle of the prophete and the starre the moderatrix guyder of them in their way Euen so it is always necessary that heauenly reuelatioÌ„s agre with the scriptures The citezens of Hierusalem had the letter of the scripture the which they had alwayes in memory yet they wanted the heauenly Starre Euen so a great manye at this daye well remembrynge the letter of the scripture seke not Christ with all their harte and therefore worthely they are depryued of the guiding of the heauenly grace Therefore God is to be intreated and prayed that he wyll suffer heauenly reuelations to ioyne vnto the scryptures and the oracle of the scripture to heuenly reuelatioÌ„s In these meanes Christ is founde which is neuer founde by the wisedom of mans reason 10. And when they sawe the starre they were excedinge glad M. Not only this was brought to passe by the apperynge of the starre that they mighte be led to the place where Christe was borne and all feare beynge dryuen awaye shoulde be made gladde but also that they should haue heauenly munition and furniture agaynste this obstacle and let of humilitie and poorenes which they shoulde fynde in Christe and in his parentes Whereby it came to passe theyr faithe beinge confyrmed the childe beinge founde and with his humylitie nothinge at all staied they worshypped Euen so God is accustomed to sende the trewe lyghte of his trueth and grace to those that are his in the middest of temptation and that to this ende and purpose that they should reioyce for the dangers paste and that they are prepared and fortified against those that are to come 11. And when they were entered into the house they founde the chylde with Mary his mother and they fel downe flatte and worshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vnto hym giftes Gould FraÌ„kensence and Myrrhe And vvhen they vvere entered into the house C. This monstruous syghte myghte haue ben a newe let or obstacle vnto the wyse menne when as no one shewe or sparke of kyngelynes appered in Christ so that hée was more base and contemptiouse then any common mannes childe but because they were perswaded by the instincte of the holy ghoste that hée was appoynted a king This onely perswasion beinge fixed in theyr minde maketh them to worshyppe Christe They consider that as yet his dignitie by the wisedome of God is not reuealed And because they are fully perswaded that he shall be of an other pryce and estimation then he nowe appereth to be they staied not to geeue vnto hym that honour to a kynge apperteyning And they fell dovve flatte and vvorshipped By the prostrating of their bodies they acknowledge him to be a kyng and worshyp him accordingely This is the maner of the Persians to worshyp a kynge with fallynge downe and prostratynge them selues Euen so Sathan desyred to be worshipped of Iesus sayinge al these wyll I geue thée if thou wilt fall downe and worshyp mee The bysshop of Rome dothe not onely desyre to be worshypped that is to haue men fall downe before hym but also he wyll haue his feete kiste and that not of the meaner sorte but of suche as are of greate dignitie Hée sheweth greate fauour to others if he suffer theim but to kysse the place where his foote hath but troden So muche the successour of Peter and the viccar of Christ hath excelled bothe Peter and Chryste in honour and dignitie But I woulde to God that he wolde so followe Chryste and Peter in doctrine and lyfe as he doth so folishely craue of all men by the name of them to be worshipped They offered vnto hym giftes C The wyse men by their giftes do declare froÌ„ wheÌ„ce they came For it is no
kingdome of God whiche was at hande but yet to speake this of him selfe in the persone of a foreronner a proclaimer As if he should haue saide Beholde I am a proclaimer and foreronner before the face of the lord shewing vnto you the cōming of the kingdome of god But that he might bringe credite to him selfe he bringeth in the prophecie of Esay admonishing them that the same was fulfilled by his ministery whiche was spoken before in times paste by the prophete of the redēption made vnder Cyrus and Darius and also to concerne apertaine to these tymes C. For although this place of Esay ought not to be restrayned only to Iohn yet neuerthelesse he is one of them of whom the same was spoken For after that the prophete had declared the besieging of the cittie and the extreame destruction of the people he promiseth the reedifiyng of the same again the woordes are these Comforte my people O ye prophetes comforte my people saithe your God comforte Hierusalem at the hart c. For after that the temple was destroyed and the sacrifices abolished the people being led into captiuitie thinges were desperate and out of all order And because that eares were deafe and shutte at the continuall voyce of the prophetes the lorde for a time was as it were dombe Now in this sadde and dolefull silence in this heuy chere the prophete least the godly myndes should faynte or in any wyse quayle plainly openeth vnto them this comforte that there shall arise newe proclaymers setters forth of the grace of God whiche should chere vp the people to hope for the sauing health Suche wer Zachary Haggeus Malachi Esdras suche like But because the perpetuall restoring is not there promised at a moment yea rather Esaias had much respect to the redemption whiche was hoped for by the comming of Christe therefore Iohn is worthely thought to be the chief among the ministers of comforte Then it followeth in the text of the prophete The voice of a crier C. This voyce is compared to that tēporal silence of the which we spake euen now The Iewes were to be depriued of that doctrine for a tyme which wickedly they despised M. Iohn Theuāgelist whē he brought certain testimonies of this crier cōcerning Christ he said Iohn bare witnes of him self and cried saying This is he of whome I spake c. shewyng that he declared all things with a diligent crie to euery one For he being indewed with the spiritie and vertue of Elias stoutly rebuked vngodlines as Elias did the Thesbites and with diligent endeuour he sought to restore againe the true religion And certainly he is a true witnes of Christe not which without a courage faintly inconstantly and obscurely but which openly plainly and truly with force doth so witnes of Christe that none may excuse hym that he harde not the voyce of this crye Wherfore the lord by the same prophete saith Crie out and cease not exalte thy voice like a trōpet For in dede the world hath great neade to haue this crie of repentaunce and true godlines in Christe which continually refuseth to heare like vnto the deafe adder whiche stopped her eares and will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so wysely In the deserte C. The name of deserte is put metaphorically for the vaste wilde deformed raigne of the people as it was in the time of their exile and banishment For it was suche horrible destructiō that well it might be compared to a deserte So the prophete doth amplifie the grace of God as if he should haue said although the people are cast out from their countrey afarre yea and vanyshed the company of men yet for all that the voyce of God shall sounde in the deserte whiche shall bryng ioyfull consolation to those that are out of harte and quite discouraged At what tyme Iohn began to preache Hierusalem in this sence and meaninge was a deserte because all thinges were brought euery where into vaste and horrible confusion but it behoued grosse and dull men to be more moued and affected with the sighte of the visible deserte whereby they might with the greater desyre receyue to them selues being in death the promyse of saluation Nowe we sée howe truely this prophecie did appertayne vnto Iohn and howe fetely it is applied vnto hym Prepare the vvaye of the Lorde There is no doubte but the prophete spake to Syrus and the Persians of whose workes the lorde had intelligence and the sence and meaning is that the lorde would bringe to passe by his wonderful power that his people should haue way through the vnoccupied woode ouer the hilly and sharp rockes and through the barren and drye wyldernes because at his hande he shall haue ministers of his grace whiche shall take away all lettes stombling blockes from among them But this was a shadowed declaration of the redemption But when the spirituall and heauenly veritie came into the light and was manifeste Iohn was sente to remoue and take awaye all impedimentes whiche might let and hinder the same And dayly the same voyce soundeth in our eares that we might prepare the waye of the lorde that is all vices being taken away whiche do stoppe and shutte vp the waye of the lorde we maye geue frée accesse and passage to his grace M. Furthermore we amending our life by the study of repentaunce may remoue and put aparte all suche thinges as may offende the deuine maiestie of god C. It pertaineth to the same effecte whiche followeth in the woordes of the prophete Let all croked thinges be made straighte For by these woordes he doth signifie that in this worlde there is nothing but rough stony hilly and croked waies but yet he sheweth that the lorde wil make a waye through so many and harde strayghtes that by his wonderful power he may pearse through the same to the accomplishing and fulfilling of our saluation B. But in the Hebrew texte this saying In the deserte is ioyned with that whiche followeth as thus A voyce crying in the wyldernes prepare the waye of the lorde that it may agree with the clause followyng And make the pathes of our lorde straighte in the wyldernes M. Therfore Iohn the proclaymer of Christe to the Iewes by his crye stirred them vp to prepare them selues against the comming of the kyng promysed before tyme to lifte vp their mindes also to amēde their liues casting of all suche thinges as might be lothsom and odious in the eyes of his deuine maiestie that thei might be partakers of his grace with ioye 4 This Iohn had his raiment of Camels heare And a girdell of skinne about his loynes his meate was locustes and wylde hony This Iohn had his rayment C. The Euangelist reckneth not this among the chief and excellente vertues that he was addicte and giuen to a rude austere kinde of lyfe eschewinge and not regardynge the ciuyll and
manner of the people As if he should haue sayd Publicans theues and robbers haue almost no humanitie yet they haue a certaine kynde of loue in sekinge their profyte M. What shall we nowe saye of Christians whiche loue not their frēdes neither do requite one good turne with another men voyde of humanitie vnthankeful They are farre worse then Publicans and sinners whiche were despised of the Iewes 47 And if ye make much of your brethrē only what singuler thing do ye Do not also the Publicanes likewyse If ye make much E. The Greke word signifieth if ye imbrace your brethren with a kisse whiche fashion was wonte to be betwene frendes when they met together not onely among the Iewes but also amōg the Grekes and Romains M. Which manner of saluting the Anabaptistes haue ridiculously vsurped contrary to the manner of the fathers as a singuler note of Christianisme Of your brethē E. All our Greeke bookes haue of youre frendes VVhat singuler thing do ye A. Or wherein do ye excell others What do ye that other mē do not As if he should haue sayd a great matter in dede ye wil salute no man vntill such time as ye be saluted of them The Publicanes do this E. In stede of Publicanes some Greke bookes haue Ethenix or Heathen The whiche Chrisostome also obserueth A. And the common edition 48 Ye shall therfore be perfecte euen as your father which is in heauen is perfecte Bu. Now at the last by a short and briefe sentence he doth conclude the whole disputation of the true and perfect meaning of the Lawe of the true righteousnes of Christiās saith that the sence proper meaning of the Lawe the wil of God tendeth only to this end that we all endeuour oure selues to come to perfection that is that euery one of vs with all our power strength should go about to expresse the image of our heauenly father in vs that as he is perfecte and hathe expressed the example of perfection in the Lawe whiche is his wyll so lykewyse euery one of vs should frame oure will to his will and image that as God is perfecte so shoulde we be perfecte also Whiche in dede is counted the true and perfect righteousnes C. But he meaneth not here that we shold be equal vnto God in perfectiō but that we shold haue a certaine similitude likenes vnto hym Therefore although we be farre vnlyke vnto God yet we are called perfect euen as he is perfecte so long as we runne at that marke whiche is set before vs Also in Luke it is sayde Be ye merciful euen as youre father whiche is in heauen is mercifull M. Therfore he would haue vs perfecte in loue and mercie euen as our father in heauen is perfecte The .vj Chapter TAKE hede that yee geue not your almes in the sight of men to the intēt that ye wold be sene of them or els ye haue no rewarde wyth youre Father whiche is in heauen Take hede that ye geue not your almes B. In the chapter going before Christe distinguisheth the true sence and meaninge of the Lawe from the false expositions of the Phariseis In this chapter he beginneth to declare their hypocritical dedes which were counted the speciall workes of religion as almes dedes prayers and fastinges Then to the ende he might make them more apte ready to good workes as to the dedes of charitie by many perswasiōs he exhorteth to committe all the care of lyfe to God whiche is nowe oure father C. Neither truely doth Christe in this place without cause exhorte his seruauntes to the study and earnest affection to good woorkes that is that they shoulde endeuour them selues simplely to do that whiche is right before God and not to boste them selues vnto men First and specially this admonitiō is necessary because ambition is alwayes to be feared in vertues neither is there any woorke so cōmendable which is not often times polluted and defiled by this vice ambitiō That ye geue not your almes before men Bu. In a certaine auncient Greeke booke for this worde almes is written righteousnes as the olde interpretour readeth Almes dedes properly is mercifulnes notwithstanding vse and custome hath broughte to passe that almes is called a gyft that of compassion and mercy is geuen to him that nedeth C. But in that diuersitie there lieth no waite or force whether the reade righteousnes or almes because it is manifest enough that by them bothe the vyce of ambition is reproued whiche in doing well loketh to haue prayse of men A. As did the Scribes and Phariseis of whom Christe speaketh thus All that they do is to be sene of men C. He forbiddeth not here to do wel in the syght of men but that we shoulde not do it to this ende to be cōmended of thē Bu. For otherwyse it is lawful for vs to geue our almes publikely so that our mynde haue respect vnto God and brotherly loue not to men and the prayse of men Or els ye haue no revvarde C. By these words he teacheth vs that oure almes pleaseth not God if it be defiled with the study of vayne glory 2 Therefore when thou geuest thyne almes let no trōpets be blowē before thee as the hypocrites do in the Synagoges and in the streates for to be praysed of men Verely I saye vnto you they haue their rewarde Therefore vvhen thou geuest thine almes C. Here he toucheth by name the vice which is receiued by vse custome in the whiche the desire of prayse is not only apparaunt manifest but also with the hādes almost palpable For in cōmon publike places whereunto many people were wonte to resorte they did distribute their doles or almes to the poore in the whiche their ostentation was manifeste because they soughte frequented places to haue many witnesses of their dedes and not contented with this they caused trōpettes to be sounded They fained truely that they called the poore together by the noyse of the trompet so that they neuer wanted a cloake to shadowe their hypocrisie when as it is for certain that they did it to haue fame renoume and prayse of men But all those that seke to serue men and to please them do denie God to be the authour and staye of lyfe So that worthely they are depriued of the rewarde As the hypocrites do E. An hypocrite is as muche to saye as a fayner or dissembler or a player whiche representeth the persone of an other man whiche semeth to be suche an one as in dede he is not Whereupō whosoeuer doth fayne glose or dissemble may well be called an hypocrite But there are diuers kyndes of Hypocrites For there are some whiche although their owne conscience bewray them yet notwithstanding they sell them selues to the worlde for good men and their vices of the whiche they are conuicte in conscience they seke to hyde
do willingly prouoke God vnto wrath and heape dampnation vnto them selues 15 But if ye forgeue not mē their trespases your father whiche is in heauen will not forgeue you your trespases B. God doth require nothinge so muche of vs as brotherly loue that the image of his goodnesse mighte shine amonge vs nowe there is nothing that letteth this so much as offēces by the which the mindes of men ar alienate and withdrawen frō goodnes He dyd specially repeate this therefore to the ende we might forgeue our neighboures For he knewe howe hardely we wolde forgeue if we wayed the greatnes and heynousnes of the offence committed A. or if we did not cal to minde those offences lykwyse whiche dayly we committ against god Therefore he dothe here threatten as it were denyinge him to haue pardon which wil not forgeue his neyghbours offence As concerning the whiche thinge the lorde sheweth an excellente parable in the .18 chap. following whiche may be a lyuely example to suche as will not forgeue 16. Moreouer when that ye faste be not sadde as the hypocrites are For they difigure their faces that they mighte be seene of men how they fast Verely I say vnto you they haue ther rewarde More ouer vvhen ye fast C. Againe Christ retourneth to his former doctrine Bu. and goeth forwarde with the same order in shewinge of fasting that he did in declaring of Almes and prayer M. For he dothe not so reprehende the fastinge of the Scribes and Phariseies as thoughe it were euyll to fast but he condēned the detestable wyckednesse of hypocrisie in them Be not sad as the hypocrites Bu. Fastyng was a certaine discipline measurable castigation or chastisement of the bodye alwaies vsed of the auncient fathers and sainctes of God vsurped to this end that the substāce of heauēly things might the more be inflamed and that the fleshly desires of the body myght the more be quēched But the Phariseies abused this fasting to gaine and to get the opinion of sāctimony holines wherby they might haue the more estimation of the ignorāt people If thei fasted therfore at any time they framed al their doynges to ostentation and vaineglory and wolde haue all men knowe that they fasted M. Wherfore they were sad being abrode they woulde mourne and wepe and anoynte their face and hange down their heades that other men might se their deuotion this vanitie Christ noted in them saying They disfygure their faces B. The Greeke woorde signifieth they obscure theyr faces as it were to make them that they cannot be deserued as they whiche vse deceytes hyde their faces Verely I say vnto you they haue their revvarde Bu. As if he shuld say they get the praise of men they haue therefore that whiche they seke for by their fastinges God rewardeth not suche arrogant fastinges A. For he respecteth not the woorke so much as he dothe the minde of man And truely the fastings of the Papistes monkes and nonnes differeth littel frō that which th Scribes and Phariseies vsed 17 But thou when thou fastest anoynte thy head and washe thy face C. In that Christe commaundeth to annoynte the head to washe the face we must note that it is an hyperbolical locution For he doth not withdrawe vs from one kinde of hipocrisie to leade vs to an other Therefore he doth not bed vs here to faine a curiouse deintenesse neyther doth he exhorte vs to the temperancye of liuyng that he wold suffer vs to be delicate in anoīting appareling our selues but simpely he exhorteth vs to kepe a meane in the which there is no newe thynge M. But Christ speaketh here according to the maner and custom of the countrey and people of the Iewes where they whiche gaue them selues to mirthe and banqueting anoynted their heades with some preciouse oyntment frō the which oyntment they that were sorrowful absteyned as we may reade of Dauid who anoynted and washed hym selfe when he arose from mournynge Moreouer of the woman of Thecoa who to the ende she might seeme to mourne and bewaile the deade was commaunded of Ioab to faine her selfe a mourner and not to anoynte her selfe with oyle Also Noemi sayde to Ruthe washe thy selfe and anoynt thée And Christ said to Symon the pharisey My head thou hast not anointed with oile Also in the house of Symon the leaper the woman powred a preciouse oyntmēt vpon the head of Christ E. So that here he doth not teache his disciples what thei ought to do as it was sayde euen now but teacheth them to beware of vainglory that the faythefull maye be deserned from hypocrites 18 That it appeare not vnto men howe that thou fastest but vnto thy father which seeth in secrete and thy father which seeth in secrete shall rewarde thee openly A. As if he should say Take hede that ye alter nothinge that is accustomed in the manner of lyfe wherby ye should couet to be sene of men only let him be a sufficient wytnes of youre faste whiche of euill and vnbeleuinge men made you good and faithfull C. Where as here there is a rewarde promysed of God to fasting it is an improper kynde of speache as it was sayde a littell before of prayer Betwene praier and fasting there is great difference For prayers are the chiefest workes of godlynes But fasting by it self is but a meane worke and not of the nomber of them whiche God dothe require and alowe as are almes dedes and such like Notwithstanding after a sorte it pleaseth hym in that it is referred to an other ende namely that it may bring vs to abstinencie and to brydell the luste of the fleshe and also that it may be a testimony of our repentaunce so often as we are vrged thervnto by the iudgement of god Therefore the meaning of the wordes of Christ is this that God in the day of iudgement wyll make openly knowne that those workes pleased him whiche were often tymes despysed of men 19 Laye not vp for your selues treasures in earthe where the ruste and mothe doth corrupt and wher theues breake through and steale Laye not vp for your selues V. Here our Sauioure maketh an excellent declaration against couetousnes a manifeste Phariseycal vice C. yea this pestiferous and pernicious disease of couetousnes raigneth euery where in the worlde No nation no people no state and degree is frée from the same V. But they make a prety excuse and cloake saying that it becommeth husbandes or houskepers to haue respecte to the calamitie to come to prouide for their house for their wyfe and for their childrē And thus the world blyndly goeth on hauing no respecte to the mischiefe that commeth thereof C. But the lorde reproueth men of foolishenes that they hauinge heaped together aboundaunce of ryches whiche they make their felicitie wyll so carelesly cōmitte it to wormes and mothes and laye it foorth as a praye for theues
doctrine is shewed in the lawe prophetes but he vnderstandeth that what soeuer is there commaunded of charitie what so euer lawes and exhortations there be for the imbracinge of equitie oughte to be referred to this ende The sence therfore of his woordes is that the second table is fulfilled if so be that wee do vnto others as we woulde they should do vnvs Accordinge to the whiche S. Paule saith He whiche loueth an other fulfylleth the lawe Againe he saythe All the law is cōprehended in one worde namely in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 13 Enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destructiō and many there be whiche go in thereat Enter in at the strayte gate M. Because this doctrine seemed to the disciples new and vnwonted as it was heauenly so the same semed incomprehensible to the wisdome of the fleshe specially in respecte of that whervnto they were accustomed Christ therfore added this admonishing his disciples to prepare thē selues as it were to a strayte and thorny way or to a troublesome iorney Broade is the vvaye M. By the way the scripture vnderstandeth the lyfe of man because it tendeth as a waye eyther to a comming to lyfe or deathe And many there be vvhiche go in thereat C. He sayth that many go the broade way because mē do destroy one an other by their peruerse ensamples For wherevpon cōmeth that euery man willingly and carelesly casteth hym selfe to destruction but because they thincke they perysshe not when in dede in the middest of the route they perishe And on the contrary parte the small nomber of the faythful maketh many altogether bent to wickednes for we are not easely broughte to renounce the worlde and to frame our selues and our lyfe to the manners of fewe for we thincke it an absurde thing to be brought from the multitude or greatest nomber as though we were not part of mākinde And although the doctrine of Christ doth constraine vs as bonde doth bryng our lyfe into a straite iorney and dothe seperate vs from the multitude and ioine vs to a few yet notwithstanding this precisenes ought not to lett vs to aspire and come to life immortall 14 For strayte is the gate and narrowe is the waye whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that fynde it For strayte is the gate Bu. The sence of this place is that there is a certaine institution of life which is vneasy hard sharpe and therefore it doth abhorre the myndes of the people but this soure and vnsauery lyfe hath most pleasant fruites which bringeth to euerlasting lyfe But where as the waye is narrowe that commethe by our corrupt nature and imperfection in that we can not make our lyfe subiect to the yoke There is no cause therefore why we should complayne but we must ascribe the same to our wicked inclination Laste of all we muste note here the twoo endes of man whiche are here put of Christe to one of the whiche we must ronne at the lengthe that is to saye eyther to lyfe or perdition 15 Beware of false Prophetes whiche come to you in shepes clothinge but inwardely they are rauening wolues Bevvare C. This is a moste profytable admonition declaring that is more easy to be deceiued then to obeye and harken to wholsome counsaile for of our owne free wil we encline to falsehode and deceyte yea and althoughe there were no deceiuer yet we seduce and beguyle our selues By these wordes therfore our sauioure Christ doth teache that alwayes his churche is subiecte to dyuerse seducinges so to be daungerouse for some to fall from the faithe excepte they be vigilant diligent to beware The Iewes for the most part did hope that they shold haue a happy state vnder the kingedome of Christ and to be exempt from al strife and trouble Therefore he admonysheth his disciples to persiste and contynue if they couet to prepare theim selues to auoyde the deceytes of Sathan For the lorde will haue his church exercised with a continual warfare in this world wherfore that we may shewe our selues to be his disciples to the very end docillitie is not only sufficiēt as to suffer our selues to be gouerned with his woorde but also our faythe must be armed because often times it is assalted of sathan This trewly is the greatest thing if we suffer our selues to be ruled by the godly and faithfull ministers of Christe But because false teachers do arise excepte we watch diligently and be armed with cōstancy we may easely be withdrawen from the flocke To the which perteyneth the sayinge of Christ that the sheepe do here the voice of the shepeherd and not to regarde the voyce of a straunger but to flye from him Whereby we may gather that there is no cause why the faythefull shoulde be discouraged or troubled when wolues do crepe into the sheepefoulde of Christ when false prophetes go about to deface the trewe faith but rather ought to be of good chere and to watche For it is not without cause that Christ biddeth theym beware Wherefore if our owne slouthfulnesse ◅o not trouble vs we shall easely eschewe all trappes and snares and truely without this trust we could not be bolde enough to beware Now when as we knowe that the lorde will not frustrate oure expectation by any of the assaltes of sathā let vs go on without feare cra◅inge of him the spirite of discretion whiche sealeth our hartes with faythe of his treweth and bewrayeth the wyles deceytes of Sathan least we shoulde be begyled Of false prophetes C. A prophete is taken for the teacher shewyng forthe the pure woorde of God to the whiche ā false prophete is contrary which pretendinge the name of God hath a shewe of a prophete There shal arise saith Christ false Christes and false prophetes and shall do greate miracles and wonders in so much that if it were possible the very electe shoulde be deceyuod VVhiche come to you M. That is whiche ioyne theim selues vnto you and fayne thē selues to be on your side being neyther called nor sente Of the whiche prophetes the lorde complayneth in the olde testament sayinge I sent not prophetes and yet they wente In sheepes clothinge C. Here he noteth their falsehod and hipocrisie They faine sayth he them selues to be sheepe when as they are nothinge lesse Christ sheweth that deceyuers wante not their coullered cloke But invvardly they are M. These false prophetes Paule also doth depaynt I knowe saith S. Paule that after my departure there shall come wulues among you not sparing the flock Moreouer of your own selues shal men arise speaking peruerse thinges to drawe disciples after them And in an other place I beseeche you brethern marke them which cause deuission geue occasions of euyl contrary to the docttrine whiche ye haue learned and auoyde them for they that are such serue not
what followed They besought him to departe Than this what coulde be worse They theim selues were scattered sheepe the shephearde commeth to gather them together yea God by his sonne reached out his armes that by his imbracing he mighte carry them vp to heauen which were ouerwhelmed with the shadowe of deathe They did rather couet and desire to be depryued of the saluation offered then any lenger to haue the presence of Chryste They seeme to be offended because of the losse of their hogs But Luke noteth a farther cause that theye were greatly afraide and trewely they beinge mad angry by the losse dyd not pray him but dyd more sharpely compell expulse him But where as they reuerenced him as the mynister of God and yet notwithstanding wished him farther from them we se that they were touched in no point with the grace of god And trewely althoughe all the wicked do worshyp God and do greatly indeuour theim selues to please hym yet notwithstanding if they mighte haue their desire they woulde be farre enough from him because his coūtenaunce semeth terryble vnto them so longe as they thyncke hym to be a iudge rather then a father Herevpon it commeth to passe that the doctrine of the gospell then the whiche nothynge can be more pleasaunte seemeth so sharpe and sower vnto them Euen so at this daye when men publikely and priuately go aboute to measure the kingedome of God with theyr commodyties and proffytes they canne haue no taste of the grace of god This was an euyl sygne and token in the Gadarenes that they were more afraide by the losse of theyr hogges then they were comforted and made glad by the saluation of their sowles Wherevpon Christe affirmeth that he can not be his disciple which forsaketh not al and followeth hym The .ix. Chapter HE ENTERED also into a shyppe and passed ouer and came into his owne cittie And he entred into a ship M. Because the saluation of mankynde dothe onely consiste in the knowledge of the Sonne of God and because Chryste came to wyn the worlde he coulde do no lesse in deede then declare hym selfe to the world And although this were done by the myracles that wente before yet notwithstandinge because it coulde not be done sufficientelye he thoughte good to geue vnto this people a proof or tryall of his power Wherfore in this wonderfull healing of the man disseased with the palseye we must note and marke the declaratiō of the power of God to whom all thinges are constrained to obey And came into his ovvne Cittie C. This place dothe teache vs that the cittie of Caparnaum was the place where Chryste was borne because he didde often times frequente the same For there is no doubt but that this same history is declared of the three Euangelystes althoughe one of them more subtilly then an other doth bringe in the circumstaunces Luke saythe that the Scrybes came oute of dyuerse partes of Iudea in the presence of whome Chryste healed the man sycke of the palsey notwithstandinge he sheweth afterwardes that manye by the mercy of Christe were healed For before he commethe to speake of the man disseased of the palseye he speakynge in the plurall nomber saithe The power of the lorde was presente to heale them But there parteyned no smale fame and prayse to this myracle that a manne taken in all the partes of his bodye beyng lett downe with ropes he lyinge in his bedde shoulde soddeynely aryse whole sownde and in parfecte healthe Notwithstanding there is another more specyall reason whye the Euangelistes do so long persiste in this then in the others namely because the Scrybes toke disdaine at Chryste that he shoulde take vpon hym aucthoritie and power to forgeue synnes but because it shoulde appere so vnto them for certaine he wolde haue his aucthoritie sealed and ratified with a visible signe 2 And beholde theye broughte vnto hym a man sycke of the palseye lyinge in a bedde And when Iesus sawe the faythe of them he sayde vnto the sycke of the palsey sonne be of good chere thy synnes be forgeuen thee And beholde they brought Bu. The Euangeliste Marcke dothe descrybe the maner of his brynginge more at large sayinge And they came vnto him bringynge one sycke of the palseye whiche was borne of fowre men And when they could not come nyghe vnto hym for the prease they vncouered the roofe of the howse whiche he was in And when they had broken vppe the roofe they dydde with cordes lette downe the bedde wherin the sycke man of the palseye laye By the whiche we muste note the syngular dyligence and moste feruent loue of them whiche caryed the sycke man the which trewely they declared in so easely vncouerynge the roofe of the house And vvhen Iesus savve the faythe of them God trewely is the onely knower of Faythe and sercher of secretes but yet they shewed a token of the same by their diligente labour industry because thei wolde neuer haue takē vpon thē so many troubles neyther woulde they haue assayed what they might preuaile so manye lettes beinge agaynste theim excepte that a sure truste had fully perswaded their myndes of good successe so that the fruite of their faith appered in this that al meanes and waies of commynge to Chryste beynge shutte and stopped they were not for all this weryed or voyde of hope For where as some thincke that Chryst was priuie to theyr faythe whiche was hydden theyr opinion seemeth to be too stricte and precyse M. In the meane season notwithstandinge we must note that Chryste dothe in these cariers of the man sycke of the palseye note a speciall faythe Whereby we maye see that in all kynde of woorkes Christe hathe respect vnto Fayth For the Euangelyste sayth not here when he sawe theyr workes but when he sawe their faith Sonne be of good chere M. This bringeth greate consolation to the conscyences of synners that God wyll vouchesafe to receiue synners as his sonnes Furthermore by this worde be of good chere he requyreth faith of the sycke parson also encourageth him comforteth hym as phisitiōs do oftentymes theyr pacientes C. Nowe when as Christe by the faith of the bearars healed the man sycke of the palseye it is demaunded of some in this place what one mannes faythe doth profyte an other Fyrst of all we knowe for certayne that the faythe of Abraham dyd profyte his posterytie when as he imbraced the couenaunte and promyse made to hym and his seede The lyke wee oughte to iudge in all the faythefull because by their faythe they spreade out the grace of god to their children and posteritie yea and that before they be borne And also the same taketh place in chyldren and younge infantes who for want of age are not apt to haue fayth But they which are ripe of yeres whose owne faythe is insufficyent whether they be straungers or of the fame lyne or kynred an other mannes faythe
in them is mad and rageth against the name of Christe so sone as the doctrine of the Gospell is published their impietie whiche before laye a slepe is nowe awaked and styrred vp So that Christe whiche properly is the authour of peace for the malice of mē is made the cause of tumulte Whereupon Christe saithe here thynke not that I am come to sende peace but a swerde Bu. As if he should say I would not haue any of myne to thinke that I came into the worlde to brynge suche peace as the worlde loketh for and desyreth namely a secure voluptuous and luxurious peace For Christe is not the authour of sinne or the fautor and mainteiner of vyce and wickednes No I came not to sende peace Bu. Christ truly is the prince of peace and his kyngdome is the kyngdome of peace For he geueth peace vnto those that are his and he leaueth to them peace but that peace which the worlde can not geue yea that peace whiche the worlde can not abyde but hateth For the peace of Christe passeth all vnderstanding and is the peace of consciences by the whiche we agree with God whose wrathe we beleue to be appeased for Christes sake and therefore we walke in his commaundemētes and we auoyde the cōcupiscences of the flesh we agree with al good men and we contende against all euel and peruerse men The mundane peace hath respecte to nothyng but to that whiche pertayneth to the worlde S. This therefore is the conditition of the Gospell to stirre vp discorde among men although not by his owne nature but because that is the doctrine of the Gospell whiche the deuell hateth that is Christe whose heele the Serpent seketh to hurte Moreouer because the Gospell reproueth the worlde and the wickednes thereof therefore it is hated and euell spoken of accordinge to the saying of Christe in an other place The worlde loueth darkenes more then lyghte because their dedes are euel And for this cause the Gospell is called a swerd that is an instrument of warre by occasion C. Hereby let vs learne how wycked we are by nature whiche do not only despyse so precious a gifte and iewel but also impute to it all kynde of euell Whē as in dede it is the right waye the straight pathe and ordinary meane to brynge vs to all vertue to all quietnes and to direct our steppes to the euerlasting life in heauē 35 For I am come to set a mā at variaūce against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in lawe against the mother in lawe For I am come to set E. The Gréeke woorde for the whiche the olde interpretour hath seperate signifieth to deuide that into two whiche before was vnited and ioyned in one The which thing Chrisostom also noteth wryting vppon this place Furthermore in this place man is put for sonne accordinge to the Hebrewe phrase for he saythe a man againste his father M. To the ende Christe mighte expresse and declare that this discorde should not be after the common manner or wonted sorte he bringeth in the degrees of consanguinitie and nature affirming that he wyll separate them with the swerde whiche he came to sende into the worlde For among those persones there were chiefly wonte to aryse for the wordes sake bitter and cruel contentiōs For the more the persones by nature are ioyned together the greater and more sharpe is the contention betwene them When the Gospell is preached and receiued of the sonne but reiected of the father by and by mutuall discorde dothe aryse which in dede doth properly spring of the dissimilitude and varietie of the myndes not of the Gospell or lorde hym selfe For this happeneth through the faulte of the wycked as we sayde euen nowe contrary to the nature of the Gospell That whiche the Prophet Malachy teacheth of Iohn the Baptiste belongeth to all the ministers of Christe namely that they are sente to this ende to tourne the hartes of fathers to their chyldren the hartes of chyldren towardes their fathers And truely the malice of the wycked bryngeth to passe that they which before were ioyned together are so sone as they heare the voyce of Christe separated and deuided into contrary partes A. To cōclude Curssed be that peace whose bonde is not the only truthe of Christe 36 And a mans enemyes shal be they of his own houshold Bu. This doth the Gospell in these dayes brynge to passe that they whiche were in tyme paste of the housholde that is speciall frendes and acquaintaunce shal be afterwarde enemies and straungers one to an other So that Christe foresheweth that they in the worlde shal come to suche confusion that the lawe of nature shall not be regarded and all humanitie quite banished For when the Prophet Micheas doth bewayle the case of those whose enemies shal be of their own house he declareth the destruction and cōfusion to come The lyke our Sauiour Christe affirmeth shall come to passe whē his Gospell is preached which at an other tyme had bene incredyble Bu. But here the godly haue great nede of wysdome and warines being conuersaunt among them with whome there is nothing in safegarde to the ende they may seke for helpe at the handes of god C. Neither doth Christe meane that this shall endure alwayes that they of one housholde shall haue dissention styll among them selues for the Gospel as certayne curious men imagin who thynke that they cānot be the disciples of Christ without they be banyshed from their parentes from their wyfe chyldren and housholde But rather all lawefull coniunction is fulfilled and accomplished in the vnitie of fayth Christe only admonisheth his disciples that they be not troubled so often as suche debate and discorde happeneth but rather to consyder the sayinges of the Prophetes by the whiche they may comforte them selues agayne 37 He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me He that loueth father or mother C. Because this is very straighte and sharpe for amā to make those his enemies which should by nature be moste nere vnto hym therfore Christe saythe nowe that without it come so to passe we cannot be his disciples He hiddeth vs not put from vs humane affections naturall inclination or mutuall loue but onely he goeth aboute to restrayne all that is of suche mutuall loue among men that godlines and true religion can not haue the preheminence Let the husband therefore loue the wyfe the father his sonne and the sonne his father but so that their humane loue withdrawe them not from the spirituall loue of Christe whiche is to obserue and kepe that whiche he commaundeth Bu. All thinges therefore that are in the worlde be they neuer so precious neuer so dere vnto vs ought to be despysed for Christes sake and the truthe of the Gospel For the
lord nameth a most straight bonde in the whiche he comprehendeth al thinges that are dere vnto vs as glory fame honours ryches frendes parētes wyfe chyldren goodes landes and all thinges that God hath lente vnto vs Yea and in Luke he vseth a more seuere saying If any man come vnto me and hateth not or forsaketh not father and mother wyfe and chyldren syster and brother yea and his owne soule he cannot be my disciple But all in one sence R. For Christe teacheth vs that we must not seke for the terreine and corporall felicitie of this worlde in his kyngdome And to hate in that place of Luke is not taken in euell parte as to enuy the parentes the wyfe and chyldren or in malice to vexe and trouble them But thou must haue suche an affection towardes them that thou loue the sonne of God neuerthelesse aboue all thinges Of this holy and deuoute hatred we haue a worthy example in Abraham who had rather be cruell towardes his only sonne euen to the death then he woulde in any point shewe hym selfe disobedient vnto god C. To be shorte if the loue of our frēdes hynder vs in followyng Christ we must boldely resiste the same as did S. Paule who accoumpted those thinges that were vauntage vnto hym losse for Christes sake Is not vvorthy of me In stede of this Luke hath he cannot be my disciple M. If a man knewe what honour it is to be in the number of Christes disciples he woulde seke by all meanes to brydell and ouercoue his affections 38 And he whiche taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of me C. This our Sauiour addeth that we might know that we can not be his disciples by no other meanes then by suffering troubles and persecutions for the Gospels sake If we be troubled and vexed because there is discorde for the Gospels sake betwene vs and our parentes and our chyldren our frends then let vs call to mynde the condition that Christe doth laye the crosse vpon all his Apostels and disciples B. For truely the kyngdome of God cannot be preached in the worlde without crosse persecution Wherefore he is more sure of nothing then of the crosse whiche earnestly followeth Christe preaching him and bearing testimony to the world that the workes thereof are euell For the saying of the Apostell is moste sure All those that wyll lyue godly in Christe Iesus must suffer persecution C. But vnder this crosse let vs consider that we are the fellowes of Christe which shal bring great consolation to our myndes for he saith And follovveth me Here let vs learne two thinges firste that the faithful must take vp the crosse and followe their maister that is thei must frame them selues according to his example The second is they must for all the crosse and trouble for all the bytternes of the same neuer forsake hym but with a sure fayth follow his foote steppes euen to the ende The souldiour being in the warres wyll styll haue an eye vnto his captayne euen so we must alwaye loke on our Captayne Iesus Christe Whereupon the Apostell saythe loking vnto Iesus the captayne and finisher of our faythe whiche for the ioye that was set before hym abode the crosse and despysed the shame and is set downe at the righte hande of the throne of god And S. Peter also sayth Se that ye followe his footesteppes But it should appeare by the wordes of Luke that this ought not to be done ones alone but dayly For he saythe If any man wyll folow me let hym deny him selfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow me B. Euery man hathe this crosse when he suffereth for the Gospel either by prysonment banyshement losse of goodes fier or swerd and suche lyke with the whiche the wycked ones of this world from time to time cease not to vexe and moleste the chyldrē of god The crosse is not that kynde of castigation or punishment which many haue in tymes paste layde vppon them selues willingly by whypping or cruell beating of them selues or by abstayninge frō meate drinke or by going barefoote whiche foolyshe superstitious actes were obserued of the Monkes and Fryers but that is the crosse of Christe whereof we haue tolde you already 39 He that fyndeth his lyfe shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall fynde it He that fyndeth his lyfe E. That is he that hathe respecte to his lyfe in suche wyse that he wyll not aduenture the same for my sake he truely shall lose his lyfe C. Therefore leaste that the former doctrine whiche is very harde and greuous to the fleshe should by it selfe haue small effecte Christe in this sentence cōfirmeth it by two wayes For he pronounceth that suche as are to ware and circumspecte when they thinke that they haue very well defended their lymmes they shall be disapointed of the same and lose it And agayne those whiche neglected their life nothing at all regarding death shall haue no losse because they shal saue it E. We knowe that there is nothyng more precious and dere vnto vs then our lyfe For the lyfes sake we do and vndo all thinges C. so great loue haue we to the same Wherefore it was necessary that Christe shoulde bothe promyse and threathen to the ende he myght animate his disciples to the contempte of deathe To fynde the lyfe in this place signifieth to possesse the same as in a sure hauen To those that are so desirous of this earthly lyfe that they wyll suffer no daunger but flatter them selues with the vayne truste in prosperitie and thinke alwayes that they are in good case when they suffer no trouble to suche worldlynges I saye death is a perpetuall destruction Contrariwyse to the faithfull whiche willingly offer them selues to the death coūting all thinges that are in the world as vaine for Christes sake to these I say and saint Paule saith with me also death is a great aduauntage for they are restored to a better lyfe Bu. They whiche escape prysonment and death by denying Christe and his Gospell seme in the face of the worlde to saue their lyues but in dede they haue loste them and haue prouoked the euerlasting wrath of God damnation vpō them vnles in time they repente On the contrary parte he that manly stādeth to the fier loseth his goods forsaketh his wyfe and chyldren and all that he hath semeth to the world to haue loste his lyfe when as he in dede hathe gotten euerlasting life with a crowne of glory for euer For my sake C. He saythe for my sake because ther are many which dye oftentymes rashely for ambitions sake for murthers sake and some wyll seme to dye for the truthes sake when they maynteine heresy Therefore I say Christe addeth very well for my sake shewyng vnto vs for what cause only we ought willingly to suffer violent
But and if this solution be not sufficient to those that are contenciouse we answere that althoughe the remedy for the preseruation of the Sodomites was in the handes of God yet notwithstanding he shewed his iustice in destroyinge them C. It shal be nedelesse therfore to enter into those questions of predestination when as we knowe that God wolde not do neither hath he decreed any thing to be done without excellent consyderation as to whom he shoulde shewe mercy and to whom not 24 Neuerthelesse I say vnto you it shall be easyer for the lande of Sodome in the daye of iudgement then for thee For this matter reade the tenth chapiter goinge before and the fyftene verse 25 At the same tyme Iesus answered and saide I thancke thee O father lord of heauen and earthe that thou haste hid these thynges from the wyse and prudent and hast opened them vnto babes At that tyme. B. Luke saythe that Christ spake these wordes when the threscore and ten disciples were retourned and reioysed that deuylls were subdued vnto them Iesus aunsvvered C. Althoughe this worde of answeringe is very vsuall and familiar to the Hebrewes in the begynninge of some communication and matter notwithstanding in this place it hath a greate Emphasis or force Because that Christe thus toke occasion by the present matter to speake namely when the threscore and tenne retourned with ioye the which thinge the wordes of Luke confyrme a greate deale better saying that Iesus in the same hower reioysed in the spirite But whervpon cam this reidysynge but onelye because the Churche being gathered of a fewe poore and contemptible men was no lesse dere and preciouse vnto hym then if it hadde bene fornysshed with all the nobylytie power and glory in the whole worlde And the prayer of Christe beinge dyrected vnto the father was of more vehemency then if he had talked with his disciples Howe be it it is moste sure that for theyr sakes hee gaue thanckes vnto the father leaste that the base and lowe degree of the churche should offende any man For wee do all for the most parte seeke for glorye and there is nothynge seemeth lesse necessary vnto vs then the heauenly kyngdome of the sonne of god whose glory in dede consisteth in the dregs reliques and of scouringes of the world Accordynge to the sayinge of S. Paule We are become as it were the very outswepynges of the world and ofscouring of all men vnto this tyme And trewely this is the wonderfull counsell of God that he hauynge the whole worlde in his hande rather choseth to him selfe his peculyar people out of a base poore and contemptyble multitude then out of the heapes of nobles and prynces who as it myghte be thoughte shoulde better by theyr nobylitie and excellencie set forth the name of Christe then any other But Christe here sekethe to withdrawe his discyples from a proude lofty minde leaste they shoulde despyse the base and obscure state of the churche in the which he hym selfe dyd delyghte and gaue thanks vnto his heauenly father for the same Nowe what madnesse what blindnesse yea what arrogancye were there in vs if we shoulde denye gaynesay or mislike of that which our sauiour Christ hym selfe beinge our heade vouchesafeth reuerently to receyue and hyghelye to commende sayinge I thancke thee O fa. B. Or I prayse thee or I glorysie thye name For these three I prayse I gloryfye I geue thanckes are taken frome the Hebrew worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iadath which the Gretiās haue made Omulogeo that is I confesse C. Christ therfore by these wordes doth testifie that he doth quyete and rest hym selfe in the decree of his father whiche disagreeth and differeth from the reason and vnderstandinge of man. Lorde of heauen and. C. In this thing therfore he dothe affirme that he doth gloryfye his father that he beinge lorde of the whole earthe hath preferred babes and younglings before the wise of the world For it maketh no smal matter to the circumstance of the argument that he calleth the father lord of heauen and earth because by this meanes he declareth the cause of the blyndenes of the wyse to depende vppon the wyll of God and that by his wyll also the rude and ignorante are made to vnderstande his hye and secrete mysteries There are many other places also where the lord declareth that al those that com to saluation are elected chosen by him of his tender mercy frely because the earth is the lordes and al that therin is the compas of the worlde they that dwel therin Wherefore this sentence hath a double cōsideratiō First where as all men do not obey and beleue the gospel it cōmeth not so to pas by the impotencie vnablenes of god in whose power it is to subdue all creatures vnto him Secondly wheras some beleue obey other som remaine hard harted obstinate that is brought to pas by his louing free election Notwithstanding in that he choseth babes rather then the wise he hath a cōsideration of his glory For how much wold the flesh reioyce if faith mighte be gotten by the dexteritie of wyt by industry or by learnyng Wherefore God beateth downe the wisedome of man to the ende the glory of his name might not be obscured but brightly shine in makīg the foolishe thinges of this world to confound the wise C. That therefore which Christe here affirmeth seruethe muche to the confirmation of the faithful at this day and for euer in that all men ar stirred to the acknowledginge of the mercy of god for so muche as there is nothyng in vs that can prouoke him to cal vs but rather a wōderful heape of sinne wickednes to stir him to plague condemne vs wer it not that his mercy is the greater For truely the Gospell is not gotten by the wyt labour or industrie of man but onely by the illumination of the spiryte of God. Because thou hast hyd thee A. That is because thou hast not reuealed or opened these mysteries of thy kyngedome to the wyse and prudent For to hyde not to reueale open or shewe are all one So in an other place we reede The lord hyd it from mee and dyd not shew it vnto me and againe My father wyl do nothinge neyther great nor smal but that he will shewe it mee and howe shoulde he hyde this thinge from mee From the vvise and prudēt C. Here it maye be demanded who they ar whom Christ calleth wyse and babes for experyence teacheth vs that all that are vnlearned and rude come not to the perfection of faythe neyther are the learned and wise lefte in their blyndenesse Therfore they are defyned to be wyse and prudente in this place whiche beinge lifted vp with diabolical or deuelishe disdain wyl in no wyse abyde to heare the voice of Christe Paule with this pride was puffed vp but the lorde tamed his furiousenes If wee
as concernynge the father this alone is spoken that he alone knoweth the sonne no mention of reuelatiō being made We answere that it was superfluous to repete the which was spokē alredy before for what doth that former geuing of thanks cōtaine but only that the father reueled the sonne to whō yf pleased him Where as now therfore it is added that the son is knowē of the father only it is as it were the shewinge of the cause for this thought might arise What nede was ther that the sonne should be reueled of the father which offered himselfe to be seene openly of all men Now let vs note vpō what occasion it was said that the sonne was knowen of the father alone It followeth Neyther knovveth any man the father saue the sonne This knowledge differeth from that whiche wente before For the sonne is not said to know the father because hee reuealeth him by hys spyrite but he is sayd to know him in as muche as hee being the liuely Image of the father dothe after a sort in his owne person shewe him visiblye So that wee exclude not the spiryte but wee referre the reuelacion of the whych mencion is made here to the maner of knowledge and so very well this text is vnited in it selfe For Christ confirmeth that whiche hee spake before that al things were geuen to him of his father to the ende wee might know that the fulnes of the deyty consisteth in him This therefore is the some of this text It is the gyft of the father that the sonne is knowne bycause by his holy spyrite hee openeth the eyes of our mynds by the which wee beholde the glory of Chryst whiche otherwyse is hydden from vs But the father whyche dwelleth in the mydest of light being in himselfe incomprihensible is reueled vnto vs by the Sonne which is the patterne and liuely Image of him to the ende that hee should be sought for in no other A. Wherupon the Lorde aunswered Philip which requested that the father mighte bee sheewed to him and to the rest of the Apostells Philippe hee that seeth mee seeth the father also Last of al this place sufficiētly declareth that neither the vnbeleuing Iewes neyther the Turkes nor the Papistes whiche reiecte the doctrine of Christe doe knowe the father when none but Christe can shewe and declare hym vnto vs. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that laboure and are heauye laden and I wyll ease you Come vnto mee all yee B. He doth verye well inuyte and call all men vnto hym after that hee hath declared that all things are giuen vnto him of his father and that it is hee onelye that geueth the knowledge of his father C. By this so gentle and louing a calling hee witnesseth and declareth that hee is ready to entertaine and receiue all men if so bee that they come to be his Disciples For although hee be ready to shew his father vnto all men yet notwithstandinge the greatest parte neglecte to come because they feele not their owne necessity Hypocrites regard not Christ because they being dronke as it were with their owne righteousnesse do neyther honger nor thyrst after his grace They whiche are adicted giuen to the world also esteme the heauenly lyfe as nothing Therfore Christ in vaine shold call those two sorts of men vnto him so that he turneth him rather about to those that are myserable afflicted That labour and are laden C. Hee calleth those laborers and laden whiche feele the burthen of their sinnes sighe vnder the waight of the same and which trauaile for the quietinge of their conscience and which continue poore in spirit God truly dothe humble his electe and chosen by dyuers meanes but because there are manye which beinge oppressed with miseryes do remaine neuertheles obstinate and stubborne Christ calleth those laborers laden whiche haue their consciences afflicted with the punishmēt of eternal death and are inwardly so vrged with their sinnes that they are ready euen to dispayre the which sorrow inward griefe in deede maketh vs moste apte to retaine the grace of Christ Wherfore let vs suffer the proude iusticiaries to seeke for health by their owne merites let vs suffer also the worldlings to flatter themselues with the felicity and prosperous estate of this worlde but let vs suffer our selues by the sting of conscience to be broughte vnto Christ And because Chryst wyll admit no other into the fellowshippe and fruition of his rest and quyetnes but suche as faynte and beginne to quayle vnder the burthen of sinne let vs vnderstande that there can be no poyson more pestiferous and pernicious then that negligence whych that false and deceytfull opinion of earthly felicitye and oure owne ryghteousnesse bredeth and ingendreth in vs. Therefore let euery man dayly awake stir vp him selfe and first of all let hym shake of frō him the vaine delightes and pleasures of this world then let him put away cleane wholly al peruerse trust confidence in his owne righteousenes But we must note that no mā can aspire and come to this repentance by his own power because it is the gift of God Neither doth Christe here go about to teache what man may do of him selfe but onely he declareth with what affectiō they oughte to com vnto him A. For this saying of Christ is most true No man cōmeth to me except my heuenly father draw him C. But they which go about to restrayn this burthen labour to the legall ceremonies do to much stretch the meaning of Christe We graunte truely that the burthen of the lawe is intollerable and that it doth discourage the mindes of mē but we must be mindefull of that whiche was said that Christ doth reache out the hāde of his mercy to al those that are afflicted to the ende he mighte make a dyfference betwene his disciples the contemners of his gospell Also we muste note that he maketh here a generall calling leaste that any man should doubte that hee had not fre accesse and comming vnto Christ Bu. He calleth not therfore this man or that he calleth not the Iewes alone he calleth not the learned the noble or riche onely but he calleth all olde and young Iewe or gentyll learned or vnlearned riche or poore ye so generall is this his inuitatiō that he refuseth none of what state or condition so euer they be of C. And yet notwithstanding they whith come are few in nomber because amōge a great multitude that perishe there are fewe that fele theyr destruction And I vvyll ease you B. Or I wyll refreshe you This refreshinge is not to bee referred to meate or drynke but to the remedy of werines As if he should haue saide I wyll make you rest and breathe your selues C. Notwithstandinge this refocillation or refreshynge whiche hee speaketh of and promyseth here consysteth in the remission and forgeuenes of our synnes whiche alone
Sathan be violentely expelled to the ende God might stablishe his kingdome amonge men Wherefore this sentence is nothinge elles but a confyrmation of that whiche wente before But to the ende we maye the better remēber the meaninge of Christ it shall be necessary to call to minde that Analogy which Mathew placed amonge the visible and spirituall graces of Christe What so euer Christe therfore did vnto the bodies hee would haue the same referred to the soules so when he delyuered the corporall and bodely sences of men from the tyranny of the deuil he declareth that he was sent of the father to be a reuenger which shoulde abolyshe and put awaye the spirytuall tyrannye whiche hee shewed to mennes sowles Nowe let vs retourne to his wordes He affirmeth that the rule and power can not be taken away from a strong and valiaunt tyrant vntil he be despoyled of his armoure and weapons because vnlesse he be constrayned with greatter force he wyll neuer yelde To what ende is this spoken First wee knowe that the deuyll in many places is called the prince of this worlde And the tyranny whiche he vseth is garded and made strong with aides of great force frō all places For there are innumerable snares to entrap and entangle men Yea there are innumerable and infynyte kyndes of daungers and harmes with the which he kepeth those myserably that are oppressed vnder his feete To conclude there is nothinge that setteth hym to raygne in the worlde like a tyrant not that he can do any thinge against the wil of the workeman hym selfe but because Adam when he alienated hym self from the impery and kyngedome of God dyd bringe all his posterytie vnder the subiection and yoke of this forraine power But althoughe the deuyll raineth supernaturally and men by the iust iudgemēt of God for synne are subiecte to his tyranny notwithstanding he hath a peaceable and quiet possession of the kingdom in so muche that he may tryumphe ouer vs vnponished vntyl a stronger then he ryse vp againste him But this stronger man coulde not be founde here in earthe when that no abillitie and strength was lefte vnto menne to helpe them selues therefore a redemer was promysed from heauen Nowe Christ sheweth that this way and maner of redemption is necessary to wreste and take away that from the deuyll with stronge hande which els he wyll neuer let go and departe from By the which wordes he declareth that men hope for theyr deliuerance in vaine vntil Sathan be ouercome and vanquyshed by violent conflicte M. He saythe therefore when ye se the ieweles of Sathan taken away how then can it be but manifest that a strōger is present which hath ouerthrowne Sathan that stronge prynce of the world and bounde him otherwise he wolde not haue suffered his Iewelles to be taken away C. But although Christ reproued the folishenesse of the Scribes because they were ignorante of the principles of the kyngdome of God yet notwithstanding this obiurgation and reprehention dothe belonge generally to all suche as are of lyke foolyshenes There is no man which wyll not boast in wordes that he desyreth the kyngedome of God and yet he wyll not suffer Christ to fyght valiantly as nede requireth that he may delyuer vs out of the hande of the tyrante and our mortal ennemie Euen as if one beinge sycke shoulde call for the helpe of a physition and yet dothe refuse all Phisicke medycine and remedy Nowe let vs note for what pourpose Christe brought this parable namelye that hee mighte shewe that the Scribes are aduersaries to the kingdome of God the beginning wherof they maliciouslye withstoode Notwithstandynge let vs learne because wee are all subiecte to Sathan that God doth no otherwyse bestow his kingdome vppon vs then to deliuer vs frome that vnhappie sorowful and seruyle bondage by the valiaunte and victoryous hande of Christ 30. Hee that is not with mee is agaynst mee and hee that gathereth not with mee scattereth abroade Hee that is not vvith mee C. This place may be expounded two manner of wayes Some affirme it to be an argument of the contraries as if Christ should haue said I can not raigne withoute the power of Sathan be destroyed because hee wholly indeuoureth him selfe and seketh by al meanes to scatter that abrode whiche I gather together And trewely we se euidently enough how strongly and with what might that ennemy seketh the dyssipation of the kyngedome of Christe Notwithstanding their opinion iudgement is rather to be allowed whiche affyrme the Scribes to be doble ennemies to the kyngedome of God because they hindered so muche as in theim laye the good successe of Chryst This therfore is the sence and meanynge of the texte It was your partes to ayde helpe and assiste me in erectinge and lyfting vp the kyngdome of God for hee is a hynderar after a sorte that is not a helper and he in some respecte plucketh downe that in tyme of nede recheth not forth his hande to helpe What are you therefore and what do ye whom outragiouse and furiouse madnes hath driuen to open contētion M. To be with Christ is to gather with him to the kyngedome of God. Chryst and his faythfull seruauntes doo gather when with their doctryne theye reape the haruest congregate the same into the barne of theyr father to euerlastynge lyfe This is a Metaphore taken of the tyme of the haruest when euerye one maketh all hast that possiblely can be made to gather and bring in the haruest least the same might take any harme by tempest and vnseasonable weather Sathan whiche is a very woulfe deuoureth and disperseth from the shepefould the flocke of Christ and when any parte of the Gospell is sowen in theyr hartes throughe preachinge he taketh the same awaye leaste in beleuing they should be saued Therfore by this sentence it maye playnely appere howe truely Chryste doth now say that whosoeuer gathereth not with hym scattereth because such is the promptnes of our nature vnto euill that the righteousenesse of God hath noo abydinge in theim whiche apply theim selues to late and seke when all time is spente to get the same Also this doctrine is more large and dothe yet farther extende it selfe namely that they are vnworthy to be coūted in the flock of Christ which do not bestow and referre al their studies and laboures vnto hym because by theyr negligence slouthe it commeth to passe that the kingdome of God goeth backewarde and prospereth not for the furtherance whereof we are all called Christe therfore leaueth not the meane for we must eyther gather with hym or els we must disperse and scatter abroade with Sathan So that by these wordes he semeth to speake to certayne Hypocrites which dissembled or fained hym to be the Messias As if he shoulde saye There are many of you which dissemble al thinges cleauinge to neyther parte but holdynge of euery side But if ye were my disciples in dede if ye
that they be sorrowfull in mynde except they withdrawe them selues from the corruption and abuse and testysie with theyr tongue that they desyre a reformation so often as occasion shall serue but lett them whiche haue not aucthoritie publyke seke to amende those abuses with their tongue whiche they cannot remedy with theyr hande C. and lette them praye vnto the lorde that he wyll eyther pourge his Churche him selfe orels suffer those to pourge it to whom hee hath committed power and authoritie Question Notwithstanding some demaunde here why Christ dyd correcte this small and tollerable abuse when he sawe the temple to be replenished with grosse superstitions whiche he let alone We aunswere that it was neyther the purpose of Christe to restore all the sacrede ceremonyes into their former vse neyther that he had any consideration which faltes were greter and whiche lesse but that he had onlye this regarde that vnder one vysible signe he might teache that the partes of the temple were committed vnto him of God to be purged and also that he might shewe that the worship of God was corrupted with palpable sensible abuse Notwithstandinge this market of bying and selling in the temple wanted not a cloke for they sayde that it was an ease to the people least they shoulde be troubled to feke their sacrifyces a farre of and then that euery man whiche mente to offer mighte haue money at hand But these choppers and changers dyd not sit in the temple but in the courte or yarde of the temple which place is oftentymes in the scriptures called the temple But because there was nothing more vnsemely for the maiestie of the tēple then to haue a faire or market erected so nere the same this profanatiō was not tollerable And our sauiour Christ did the more earnestly inuey against the same because it was opēly known that this abuse was brought in by the couetousenesse of the pristes to receyue their fylthy luker For as a man enteringe into a shoppe or bowth in the which diuerse fine and pleasante thinges are to be soulde is intysed and allured by the glittering shewe therof to buie somewhat where as at the first enterance into the same hee had no such affection euen so the priestes of the temple layde their entisynge snares that by crafte and subtiltie they might drawe vnto them some gayne by oblations of euery one M. God trewely had commanded to offer but yet he woulde not haue his institution to serue for the mayntenaunce of the couetousenes of men furthermore he coulde not abide to haue his holy temple so prophaned For what face or shewe of the temple was this Christ therefore heinge entered into the temple fyrste of all purgeth this fowle spotte and blemishe to declare how gretlye they dyd displease howe vntollerable they were in the Churche which vnder the shewe pretence of pietie sought after nothynge but gayne There were many other wicked abuses in the temple whiche he lefte vntowched to teache vs that those euylles whiche do moste nerely concerne the glory of God ought first of all to be pourged and that there is wickednesse more abhominable in the syghte of God then Hypocrisie And where as he dothe not onelye by his worde but also by his dede abolishe those thinges out of the temple of God whiche dyd displease hym althoughe hee knewe that in shorte tyme bothe the cittie and temple shoulde be destroyed theye are taughte whiche haue receyued power from God in the Church that they ought not onelye by their woorde but also by theyr deede pourge the congregations of Chryste althoughe theye knowe that their corruption superstition and Idolatrye shall fyrmelye abyde styll in the hartes of the reprobate A. For by this meanes God hath geuen theim power to seeke chiefely and fyrste of all for the settyng forthe of his diuyne worshyppe 13 It is written my house shall be called the howse of prayer But ye haue made it a denne of theeues It is vvritten B. Our sauiour Chryste here sheweth a reason of his doing bringynge in the ende and vse of the howse of God. My house is the house of prayer C. This place is taken oute of the prophesie of Esay whiche verye well agreed with the circumstance of the tyme For there is foreshewed the callynge of the Gentiles Esayas therefore promisethe that God wyll bringe to passe not onely that the temple shal recouer the excellencie that it was wonte to haue but also that all nations rounde about shall come thither and that all the worlde shal come into trewe and syncere godlynes It is certayne trewely that he speaketh metaphorically for the prophetes do shaddowe by figures of the lawe the spirituall worship of God which should be vnder the kingedome of Christ This certaynely was neuer fulfilled that al people came to Hierusalem to worshippe When as therefore he pronounceth that the temple should be a place of prayer for all nations it is as muche as if he sholde haue saide that the Gentiles shoulde be gathered together into the church of God that with one mouthe and consente together they might call vpon the true God with the sonnes of Abraham But because he maketh mention of the temple in respect that it was then the visible and publike place of pyetie Christ dothe not without good cause cast the Iewes in the teethe that they haue brought the same to an other vse than at the fyrste it was appoynted for The sence and meaninge therfore is this namely that God wold haue the temple stand hytherto as a signe to the whiche all the worshippers of hym myghte be tyed Howe vnworthely and wyckedly therefore do they conuert it to a prophane markette Moreouer in the tyme or age of Christe this temple was in dede the house of prayer that is to say so longe as the lawe with the shaddowes thereof florished For it began to bethe house of praier to all nations so soone as the doctrine of the Gospell sounded by the whiche the whole worlde grewe into one consente of fayth And although it were afterwarde quyghte ouerthrowne yet notwithstandynge the effect of this prophesye appereth as yet vnto this daye For because the lawe went out of Sion it is necessary that all they which seke to praie aright haue respecte to that beginnynge Wee graunte truely that there is no dyfference of places because the lorde wyll be called vpon in euery place but as the faithfull ar said to speake with the tongue of Canaan whiche professe that they worshyp the God of Israell euen so they are said to come into the temple because from thence trewe religion came and there was the selfe same beginning of waters which in a short space did wonderfully increase and flowe and geue lyfe to the drinkers therof as testifieth the prophete Ezechiel In like maner also those waters of lyfe had their beginninge whiche ranne the halfe parte of them towarde the east sea
to suche blindenes and madnes Wherefore the purpose of Christe was otherwyse By this deceite the Scribes got fauore to them selues amonge the vnlearned multitude yea amonge all the Iewes because they did reuerently imbrace the memory of the Prophetes For they faining by this meanes that they allowed and maintained their doctrine euery man thought that they were faithful imitators and the best folowers of the worship of god The matter therfore at the first sighte was plausible and commendable to builde the monuments of the Prophetes because by this meanes religion rose as it were out of darknes that it might stād in her dew honor But truelye they minded nothinge lesse thā to restore doctrine which might seme to be extinguished by the death of the Prophetes But when as they themselues were not only alienate from the propheticall doctrine but also most dedly enemis therof yet for al that they adorned the dead Prophets with sepulchres as thoughe they were in all points agreing with the Prophets And this is alwayes the maner of hypocrite to honor the ministers of God and true teachers after their death whome they could in no wise abide whē they were aliue Neither commeth this onely to passe by a common faite but because the dead ashes are no more greuouse troublesome by sharpe and seuere reprehencions they do not thinke it much to set forth a vaine shadowe of religiō in worshipping of thē whose liuely voices they could neuer abide to heare but wer thereby prouoked to madnes For this fained shewe costeth and standeth them not in much to professe and shewe reuerence towardes those that are dombbe Euenso all the Prophetes amonge the Iewes in their time were cōtumeliously reiected and vexed yea often tymes they were cruelly kylled and the posterity which were littel better nay rather worse than their fathers didde rather reuerence their shadowed memory than imbrace their doctrine for somuche as they also were as dedly ennemis to their teachers also in their age For as the worlde because it dare not altogether despise God or at leaste openlye resiste him it inuenteth this practise namelye to worship the shadowe of God for God euen so in the Prophets it exerciseth the like valliance of the whiche matter we haue to euident an exāple in the papecy For they being not contented with the lawfull worshipping of the Apostels and martyrs do worship them with deuine worship and in what maner and how much soeuer they honor them they thinke that they excede not howbeit in raging against the faithfull they declare what their piety shal be towardes the Apostels and martirs if they which are alyue at this daye mighte haue the same office and autority that they had in tyme paste For why are they so mad fearce againste vs but only because we desyre to haue that doctrine florishe and receyued which the Apostels martyrs haue scaled with their bloude And seinge that the same doctrine was more preciouse to the seruantes of God then their owne liues thinke you that they should spare this whiche so cruelly persecute the same Let them therfore honor the Images of saints with scankensence with candels with flowers and other kindes of pompe at their pleasure if Peter were now aliue they wold teare hym in peeces if Paule they woulde stone him yea if Christ himselfe were in the worlde they woulde torment him in the flaminge fyer But because the Lorde sawe that the Scribes and sacrificers of his tyme soughte to get praise herebye because they were godly honorers of the Prophetes he reproueth them of deceitful hypocrisy because they woulde not onely reiecte the Prophets if they were present with thē sent vnto them but also cruelly afflicte them For in this their hypocrisy grosse impudency be wrayeth it selfe that they desyred to some religiouse in the worshipping of the dead when as they went aboute to extinguishe and vtterly to destroy them when they were alyue A. Christ therefore detecteth this hypocrisye in this place leaste they shoulde please thē selues any longer in the vanity 30. Yf vve had bene in the dayes of oure fathers Vve woulde not haue beene partners with them in the bloud of the Prophetes Yf vvee had bene in the dayes B. Because they boasted themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham Christ by their owne wordes ouercometh them and proueth that they are not the sonnes of Abraham but rather the sonnes of murtherers which slewe the Prophetes tourning the glory which they so desyred into ignominy and reproche For naturall children doe commonly resemble their parents VVee vvoulde not haue bene partners Accordinge to the sence of the Hebrewe it is thus Wee woulde not haue agreed to their death 31. And so ye be witnesses vnto youre selues that ye are the children of them whiche killed the Prophetes And so ye be vvitneses Althoughe he dothe not accuse them in the persone of theire fathers and dothe not principallye laye it to theyr charge and putte them in the falte because they are the children of murtherers yet notwithstandynge by the waye he toutcheth their foolishe boasting because they were wont to bragge and glory in their stocke and of springe who notwithstannynge were the progeny of the bloudy enemis of GOD. Thus muche therefore his wordes signify in effecte The worship which ye geue to the deade Prophetes is thought to be a certaine satisfaction of your parte for your fathers iniquity Now therfore ye must nedes graunte me this that ye doe in vaine bragge of your holy stocke seing that ye take your original of wicked and vngodly parents Go ye now pretende their piety with your own wickednes whose hands ye graunt were poluted with innocent bloud But truely a farre greater faire approcheth because ye followe imitate the execrable furor and madnes of your fathers which ye condemne in the sepulchres of the dead in the slaughter of the liuing Wherfore at the length he concludeth that they doe not degenerat frō their fathers as if he should haue saide This is not the firste beginning of the cruelty of this natiō against the Prophetes of God for this is the ancient and wonted discipline this was the custome of your fathers finally this maner of behauiour is as it were naturall in you A. The same wordes almost in effecte the blessed martir s. Steuen vttered when his deathe approched saying Ye styfnecked and vncircomsised hertes and eares ye haue alwayes resisted the holy ghost as your fathers did so do ye which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted And they haue slaine them whiche shewed before of the comminge of the Iust whome ye haue nowe betrayed and murthered B. In the Gospell after Sainct Luke wee reade that the Lorde sayde vnto them Truly ye bare witnes that ye allowe the dedes of your fathers for they killed thē ye build their sepulchres As if he should say You in building the sepulchres of the Prophets would seme to worship
worship and honoure and afterwarde so farre as it is conuenient we must do our dutye vnto men Accordinge to this sayinge Hée that hateth not father and mother for mee is not worthye of mee When wée haue obeyed God then shall wée rightlye haue a consideration of oure Parentes of our wife and children Now on the other parte wee haue here to note the fayth of the women For it was no small affection of loue to followe Christe euen to the Crosse and excepte they had beene endued wyth a constante fayth they woulde neuer haue bidden suche a syghte Nowe let vs be ashamed if the horror of the crosse do stay vs from followinge of Christe seinge wee also haue before our eyes the glory of the resurrection when as the women coulde see nothinge but ignomynie and shame and malediction When Iesus therefore sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued hee sayde vnto his mother woman behold thy sonne After that he said vnto the disciple Beholde thy mother As if he should haue saide to his mother After this I wyll be no more conuersant in the â—…arthe to do the duetie of a sonne vnto thee I do appoynte therefore this man in my roome to take vpon hym my duetie And this is the meanyng when he saythe vnto Iohn Beholde thye mother For by these wordes he commandeth him to count her as his mother and to care no lesse for her than if shee were his mother In that hee calleth her woman and not Mother some thynck that he did it because he woulde not thereby moue her affecttion to gréefe Othersom thincke that he dyd it to declare that the race of his humaine lyfe beinge ended he did now leaue of that condition vnder the whiche he had lyued and entered into the heauenly kingedome where hee shoulde rule bothe men and Angelles And this later coniecture is no lesse probable than the firste For wee do knowe that Christ alwaies went about to bring the faythefull from the consideration of the flesh to the spirite The which thing hee ought specially to do at his deathe And froÌ„ that howre the disciple tooke her for his owne R. That is to saye hee toke her as his mother hee reuerenced her as his mother and he was obediente to her as if he had ben her sonne so long as shee liued C. Iohn in obeyinge the commandement of Christ sheweth hym selfe a louinge Disciple to his maister Hereby also it dothe appere that the Apostelles kept theyr famelies for how could Iohn elles kepe the mother of Chryste contrary to the opinion of those whiche thincke that the Apostels lefte all when they came to Christ 38 Then were there two theues crucified with him one on the right hand and an other on the lefte Then vvere there C. This was done to put Christe to extreme shame that hee should be hanged in the middest betwene twoo theues murtherers and robbers For they appoynted vnto hym the chiefest place euen as if he had bene the captayne of theeues A. But the Greeke woord signifieth not theues but murtherers and whiche lurke in dennes by the hiewaies side to sley men for they were not wonte to crucifie theeues Therfore to the ende Christe mighte susteyne the greatter ignominie hee is placed in the middest as though he had ben the chiefe murtherer If he had bene nayled to the crosse alone his cause myght haue semed the better and to be seperated from other malefactours but nowe he is not onely placed with murtherers but also set in the chiefe roome as thoughe he had bene the moste detestable of all other And it was necessary that he shoulde be thus ordered that we might knowe howe great punishemente was due for our synnes There was no punishemeÌ„t cruel inough for oure wyckednesse whiche coulde be founde out if Christ had not dyed for vs Therfore that he might delyuer vs from the payne due for synne this kinde of satisfaction was necessary that he myghte set him selfe in our roome And here we maye perceiue howe horrible the wrathe of God is againste synnes to pacifie the whiche it was necessarye that Christe whiche is the Eternall righteousenes shoulde be counted as a moste vnrighteouse and placed in the order of murtherers For because Christ was reckened among malefactours we are counted innoceÌ„t of the father as witnesseth the prophete saying By the knowledge of him which is my righteouse seruant he shall iustefy the multitude for he shal beare away their sinnes The EuaÌ„gelist Maâ—…ke addeth And the scripture is fulfilled whiche saith He was couÌ„ted among the wicked That place is red in the prophsie of Esay thus Therfore wil I geue him the multitude for his part he shal deuide the spoile with the strongest because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened amonge the transgressours whiche neuertheles hath taken away the sinnes of the multitude and made intercession for the misdoers The Prophete therfore playnely speakethe this as concernynge Christe that he shall delyuer his people from deathe not by any greate pompe but by sufferyng the punishement whiche was dewe for theyr wickednesse The Euangeliste saythe as it was also foreshewed in the place of the Prophete before mentioned that Chryste prayed for his enemyes sayinge Forgeue theÌ„ for they wotte not what they doe The Lorde had taughte before sayinge Doe good vnto those that hate you and praye for theim whiche hurte you This his doctryne hee approueth in deede and by this his prayer hee prouyd hym selfe to be the lambe moste meeke and gentell whiche shoulde be sâ—…ayne in sacrifyce for the synnes of the worlde And after this manner the faythfull oughte to temper theyr affections in sufferynge euylles namely to wyshe well vnto their persecuters and yet for all that not to doubte but that God wyll defend and saue their lyfe But it is lykely that Chryst did not praye for all in generall without exception but onely for the myserable people whiche were caryed by a rashe zeale not by obstinate impietie For there was no hope lefte of the chiefe priestes and Scribes so that hee shoulde haue prayed for them in vayne For they sinned against the holy Ghoste because theyr own conscience did heare them wytnesse that Iesus was Chryste promised in the lawe and prophetes whom neuerthelesse they persecuted Whereby wee learne that wee oughte not to praye for those with whom wylfull mallice preuaylethe and are caried with obstinate blindnes sinnynge againste the holy Ghoste if so be they maye be discerned to be suche And there is no doubt but that this praier of Chryste was hearde of the Heauenlye Father and that hereuppon it came to passe that manye of the people which had shedde the bloudde of Christe afterwarde drancke the same by faythe 39 They that passed by reuyled hym wagging theyr heades They that passed by Bu. Nowe commeth the fulnesse of all iniurye doone vnto Christe crucyfyed They had fyrst mocked hym pryuatelye in the Courte of
papistes Gene. 1. Aunswere what thâ—… starre 〈◊〉 The diligâ—… of these heâ—… is to be prâ—…ferred betâ—… the slouthâ—… neglectynâ—… Christianâ—… Luke 2. Aunswere â—…cause the star â—…ed 〈◊〉 wise meÌ„ 〈◊〉 not to â—…ship christ 〈◊〉 spirituâ—…â—…orshyp â—…e wilfull â—…dnes of â—…rode The slepinge onbeleuers are nowe and then wakned worldelinges at the comyng of Christe feare the losse of promotion The oppressours of the truth in those dayes are inexcusable The blindnes of the Iewes Tyrantâ—… more afrâ—… then othâ—… Luke 7 and 11â—… Malacâ—… â—…he wycked â—…ade the scripâ—â—â—rs to vsurp â—…e same 〈◊〉 Papists â—…e to conâ—… Chryste â—…n deede 〈◊〉 deny him wickid â—…ot abide â—…hention Miche 5 Miche 5. 1. Samu. 16. Luke 19. â—…ote herethe â—…icked preâ—â—ace of hypoâ—â—sie â—â—sedom and â—…licie can 〈◊〉 withstaÌ„d â—â—od â—…erse 16. The worship of hypocrites The reprobates are captiues to Sathan Exod. 13. â—…eauenly reâ—…elations do â—…waies agre â—…ith the scripâ—…res â—…od neuer â—…leth those â—…t are his The operatioÌ„ of Gods spyrite surmouÌ„teth mannes reason The maner of the Persians in worshippinge Math. 4. The Romish byshop euen as sathan did desyreth to be worshipped Gene. 43 1. King. 10 Two things to be studied of euery christian Roma 12. The simplicitie of Godlinesse The dedes of the godly are often tymes peruerted by â—…he wycked A singuler comforte Psalm 9â—… â—…estion â—…nswere â—…erse 23. â—…amu 27. â—…ene 41 King. 17 King. 10 The folishnes of Christes crosse excelleth all wisdome of the worlde Ioseph in the persone of Christ caried the redemptioÌ„ of mankinde God neuer forsaketh those that obey his will. Psalm 33. Prouerb 21 The wicked cannot destroy in dede how much so euer they seke to destroy Psalm 37 1. Pet. 5. â—…iscoÌ„struing of the place of â—â—e prophetes The true vnâ—…erstaÌ„ding of â—…e place of â—…e prophetes Esay 6. Marke 4. Actes 28 Roma 11. Two kyndes of anger Macro li. 2. Saturnaliorum â—…it 12. â—…my 31 Iosua 18. Iud. 4. 19 The voyce of Gods childreÌ„ pearceth the heauens Lib. anti 17 cap. 10. Psalm 37 God spareth the wicked for a time but at length he plageth theÌ„ for al 2. Cor. 4. â—…entle and â—…rcifull â—â—nce maketh 〈◊〉 subiect to 〈◊〉 without â—â—nger Christ was exercised with â—…he crosse eueÌ„â—…rom his childhoode The ende of Christes crosse Luke 4 Luke 2 Nume 6. Sampson was only a figure of Christ Gene. 4â—… Deut. 33. The humâ—… of Christ â—…eth from â—…eprobateâ—… diuinitie Iohn 1. Iohn 17. Verse 1 â—…ap 3. Christ was the bright son of righteousnes What time is most apt to receiue the word of God. Why Iohn he Baptiste was called Luke 3 Luke 1 3 King. 2. 4. King. 3. Iosue 15. The custome of Heremites The sermon of Iohn consisteth of two partes Repentaunce Act. 3 That the kingdome of heauen is Ephe. 1 Coloss 3 The foundation of repentance Repentance is not the cauâ—… of remission of sinnes Who they 〈◊〉 that taste oâ—… Gods graâ—… The Goâ—… consisteth 〈◊〉 two parteâ—… Math. 4. â—…ohn the fore-â—…nner of â—…hriste Esay 40. a Iohn 1. A trewe witnes bearer of Christe Esay 58. Sinne stopped the way to gods graâ—… The austere â—…fe of Iohn â—…e Baptist â—…arefoted friâ—… the deuils â—…keis 4. King. 1. 1. Sam. 14. Leuit. 11. Plin li. 11. chap. 29. Temperance Luxury Mat. 11. Luke 7. Math. 11 Chap. 19. The true sine of repenâ—…ance is confession of our sinnes Auriculer confession Actes 19. A considerâ—…tion to be hâ—… in preachyâ—… Phariseyâ—… 〈◊〉 de Anti. â—…ap 17. â—…t 23. â—…duceies â—…eyes The terrour of hipocrites Chap. 3. 1. Timo. 2. The constancie of Iohn 2. Cor. 10. Rashe zealâ—… prohibited The naturâ—… of a viper Act. 28. Math. 12. â—…ma 4. â—…ap 23. â—…4 â—…e 21. The fruites of repeÌ„tance Papisticall repentaunce Repentance Hipocrites are secure Iohn 8. Gene. 17. Chap. 7. The pryâ—â— Papistes The health of the godly and the destruction of the wicked come together for two causes Luke 13. Iohn 15 Luke 3. Chap. 1. No Aungell hath power to saue Iohn 3. Occupatiâ—… Baptismâ—… 〈◊〉 difference â—…twene â—…hriste his â—…nisters â—…n 3. â—…ke 24. â—…t 1. 11. The Gospell is a fanne The reprobate are compared to chaff Aunswere The fruite of Hope Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Math. 25. Chap. 1. A conuenâ—… time wheâ—… word of 〈◊〉 should be â—…ched Generall and speciall Baâ—…time The modesty of Iohn Iohn 13. Errour by ignorance is easely put awaye Chap. 3. Iohn 3. Ephe. 1. Collo 1. Iohn 1. Aunswere The spirite God can not be seene Metonymiâ—… â—…s a fygureâ—…â—…ed denomination as when Bacchus is put for wyne 〈◊〉 Venus for â—…chery â—…es 2. â—…estion â—â—nswere â—…ay 42. Luke â—… Aunswere Esay 61. Luke 4. Baptisme was the beginning of the Gospell Ephe. 1. Coloss â—… Coloss â—… 2. Pet. 1. Math. 17 Math. 11. Math. 16. Iohn 6. Verse 1 Marke 1. â—â—rist went 〈◊〉 the wylâ—…nes for 〈◊〉 causes â—…od 24 â—… Cor. 3. â—…arke 1. The force of the spirite Sathan the enemy of maÌ„kinde Christe suffered him self to be tempted willingly Hebr. 2 TemptatioÌ„s come not vnto vs by chaunce Aunswere So many affections in maÌ„ so many temptations also Apoca. 1â—… Iob. 1. b Zacha 32 Psal. 99 Apoca. 1â—… 2. King. 1â—… Math. 16 â—…he superstiâ—…us faste in â—…nte King. 19. â—…e deuoute â—…e of Paâ—…es The miraculous faste of Christe 1. Thes 3. 1. Cor. 7. Euel temptations come from Sathan Genesis 3 1. Iohn 3. Deut. 18. Sathan seketh to makâ—… vs to distâ—â— Gods proâ—…fes â—…iste our â—…uerer â—…s woord â—…r weapoÌ„â—…ate down â—…han â—…c 6. 〈◊〉 Papists 〈◊〉 from vs â—…s worde Mans lifes consisteth not in breade God geueth life to man to sustayne lyfe in him Hebr. 1. Bread is but the ordinary meane of life Mans felicitie consisteth not in meate and drinke Vnlaufull meanes ought to be auoyded Gene. 3. 2. Thes 3. 1. Tim. 5 Luke 4 Why Hieâ—…lem was câ—…led holy Daniel â—… We must â—…ther dispâ—… nor preâ—… Aunswere Gods prouiâ—…ence The subtiltie of Sathan Sathan canâ—…ot lay hands â—…olently on â—…e children of â—…od The Papists saye the scripture is doubtfull The worde of God is a sufficient weapon to driue away Sathan The aungels are Gods ministers to kepe vs. The ordinary meanes must be vsed Deut. 6. Exod. 17 Obedience is a trial of gods promises Presumptiâ—… Iohn 6. Luke 11. The Pope Sathan in ambiton and lying ar alike Sathan signifieth an aduersary Math. 16. Deut. 6. The Papists deny only God to be worshipped Idolatry Why God must be only worshipped Deut. 6. TemptatioÌ„s are but a trial for a time 1. Pet. 5. 1. Cor. 13. Iames. 4 â—…p 3. â—…p 4. Iohn 3. Thinges familiar vnto vs are not estemed Math. 11. Aunswere Chap. 2 verse 15. Esay 9 4. King 4. King 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 is our â—…na 13. â—…ing 9. â—…ct 6. Ephe 2. Iohn 8.9 and .12 Iohn 1. Chap. â—… Chap. 4 Chap. 3. Math. 10. Luke 9. Luke 10. Luke 24. Mark. 6. Actes 2. Actes 3. Actes 20. Luke 5. â—…rke 1 â—…ke 5. â—…n 20. â—…n 1. â—…ke 5. â—…e 6. Math.