the institutions therfore when as they haue no respecte to the ende for the whiche they were ordeined He therfore whiche hath not a care of his neighbors health but is a straight obseruer of externall rites dothe bewray declare his own hipocrisie as these iusticiaries who reiected the Publicanes synners suffered them to perishe had not Christe called thē vnto him cured them We must so thinke therfore of sacrifices as wayes meanes to come vnto God which notwithstāding are of no force except a sounde perfect truthe be annexed vnto the same Bu. So that our Sauiour Christ did very well oppose this general sentence of religion to his aduersaries C. For vnder this worde mercy he comprehendeth all the partes and duties of humanitie whiche we owe vnto oure brethren as by the name of Sacrifice he meaneth all seremonies and externall thynges For I came not to call the righteous Bu. Nowe Christ hauing respect to that whiche he spake euen now that he came a Phisition into the worlde by a certayne illation and exposition he concludeth the whole disputation and those whome before he called whole and strong he nowe calleth righteous Not that he meaneth them to be righteous in dede but because they bosted thought them selues to bee righteous as did the Phariseis These thinking them selues to be absolute perswaded thē selues that the grace of God pertained nothing at all to their perfection and this was the cause that they did not call for the mercy of the Lorde For what nede haue the righteous of mercy So that here their offence was great in so muche that the Lorde in an other place sayde If ye were blynde then had ye no synne but nowe ye saye we see therefore your synne remayneth Again he sayde Yee are they whiche iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hartes C. Wherefore although this was spoken to refelle and confute the pryde and hypocrisie of the Scribes yet notwithstanding generally it contayneth a profitable doctrine For we are taught that the grace of Christe dothe no otherwyse proffite vs then when we acknowledging our synnes and syghing vnder the burthē of the same come humblely vnto hym for release and pardon Furthermore infirme and weake consciences are erected and lyfted vp by sure truste and confidence because we oughte not to feare that Christ wyl reiecte synners for whose saluation he descended from his heauenly glorye into this wycked worlde M. But we muste note that he sayth not I came to constrayne synners but to call synners Whereby we may gather what kynde of persones the medicine of the grace of God would haue vs to be namely suche as are desyrous of saluation and wyllyng to receiue the same for he reiecteth the vnwillyng Hereupon it is written Blessed are they that hunger and thyrste after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Neither doth Christe saye here I am come to call some or a fewe but generally all excludynge none C. But we muste note this also which followeth To repentaunce That we may know how that pardon is graunted vnto vs not to synne or offende styll but that afterwarde we may leade a godly holy and vertuous lyfe For vpon this condition he dothe reconcile vs to his father that we being redemed by his bloud may offer our selues liuely sacrifices as saynt Paule saythe The grace of God that bryngeth saluation hath appeared to all men and teacheth vs that we shoulde deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde To the whiche also agreeth the saying of Zacharias That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our lyues M. For repentaunce is nothing els but a conuersion of the mynde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the saying of the Prophetes Tourne vnto me and ye shal be safe Againe I wil not the death of a synner but that he tourne and liue Also repente and amēde that your synnes may be done away 14 Then came the disciples of Iohn vnto hym saying why do we and the Phariseis faste for the most part but thy disciples faste not Then came to him the disciples M. It is not the least among the miracles of the wisdome of God when that he dothe oftentymes manifeste and confirme his truthe by the resistaunce and gainsayinge of the wycked The whiche thinge as in all other places so in this may manifestly be sene whereupon truely no small proffite commeth vnto vs by the rebellion of the Phariseis VVhy do vve and the Phariseis faste C. Luke in his fifth chapter bringeth in the Phariseis speakinge in their owne persone and Marke semeth to ioyne thē both together Neither is there any doubt but that the Phariseis by this wycked deceite and wyle pretended to wynne and allure the disciples of Iohn on their part and to make thē contende with the disciples of Christe The cōgruitie in prayers and fastinges was a plausible prouocation and intisement of societie but the contrary opinion and reason of Christe was an occasion of discorde and priuy hatred to waywarde and curious persones being to muche addicted to their owne willes By this example we are admonished and taught wisely to take hede least by some light pretence the wycked and crafty men do sowe discorde and dissention among vs For Sathan is wonderfull busy in this practise and againe it is an easy matter for vs to bee troubled about nothyng But we ought specially to take hede leaste that the vnitie and agrement of oure faythe be cut asunder by suche externall rites and ceremonies and leste the bonde of charitie be broken With this disease many are infected in that they seke more then is necessary to stablishe the ceremonies and elementes of the worlde as Paule sayth Furthermore there commeth another euel of curiositie disdayne that is euery one seketh to bring all the worlde to his example If any thing please vs we couet straightway to haue the same a lawe that others may depend vpō our arbitrement Nowe forasmuche as we do reade that the disciples of Iohn laboured with this disease were taken with these snares of Sathan let vs learne vnderstād that sanctimony pietie is not placed in external thinges let vs learne also to brydell our selues with the byt of moderation and equitie least that we seke to bring al men to our opinion but rather let euery man haue his owne libertie M. Furthermore that the disciples of Iohn were enuious against Christe for a certaine zeale they bare vnto their maister it is euident by S. Iohn where he saith There arose a questiō betwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about the purifying And they came vnto Iohn sayde vnto hym Rabby he that was with thee beyonde Iordane to whome thou
that are dispersed vnder his Impery In this therfore Ioseph is commended that in a myserable state and subiecte to destruction hee kepte the hope of redemption whiche was promysed of God. Hereuppon also spryngeth the feare of God and a desyre to leade a godly lyfe For it cannot bee that any mā should serue God but hee whiche assureth hym selfe that hee wyll bee his delyuerer Lette vs also note that saluation in Christe beynge offered to all the Iewes alyke and his promyse commen to all men the holye Ghoste wytnesseth that it was recyued but of a fewe as wee maye reade here of Ioseph Whereby it appeareth that the inspeakeable grace of God was wyckedly despysed of all men for the most part through obliuion All men coulde talke in boastinge wyse of the commynge of Christe but the couenaunt of God was fixed in the hartes but of a fewe that they myght aryse by faythe to the spirituall renouation But I woulde to God the lyke myserable corruption were not in these dayes Howe many be there I praye you whiche wayte for the kyngdome of God Are not all mē for the moste parte so fastened to the earth as though there were no promysed resurrection But howesoeuer the greater part forgettyng them selues doe streye to and fro let vs remember that this vertue is proper to the faythfull to seke those things that are aboue and specially nowe that the grace of God hathe bryghtly shyned through the Gospell teachynge vs that wee shoulde deny vngodlynes and worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly and ryghteously and Godly in this presente worlde lookynge for that blessed hope and appearyng of the glory of the greate God. Of Aramathea Saint Luke saythe that it was a Cittie of the Iewes Some saye that it is the same whiche is called Ramatha beynge sytuate on Mounte Ephraim besyde Lydda whiche was called afterwarde Diospolis VVhiche also vvas Iesus Disciple Saynt Iohn saythe that he was a pryuie Disciple of Christe for feare of the Iewes This man althoughe hee had hearde Christe preachynge and was throughlye perswaded that hee was the Messias yet for all this hee durste not confesse hym so to bee leaste hee shoulde bee caste out of the Synagoge As concernynge the whiche reade the ninthe of Iohn 58 Hee wente to Pilate and begged the body of Iesu Then Pilate commaūded the body to be deliuered Hee vvent to Pilate C. Saint Marke hathe Hee went bouldly to Pilate Here wee see that what bouldenes so euer man hathe the same commeth altogether from god Furthermore wee see that wee oughte not to dispayre of those who although as yet they doe not openly professe the truthe of the Gospell yet notwithstandynge they doe in harte imbrace the same and are secrete disciples thereof When occasion is geuen it may happen to them by the grace of God that they shall come foorthe and openly declare that they consented not to the effusion of Innocent bloude and to the resystynge of the truthe when his Disciples whiche haue alreadye the profession of truthe shall flie for feare And begged the bodye of Iesu Hee durste not take downe the bodye of Christe by his owne authoritie or power For the bodyes of those whiche are put to deathe by the magistrate are also after deathe in the power of the magistrate Saynt Marke addeth sayinge And Pilate marueyled that hee was alreadye deade and called vnto hym the Centurion and asked of hym whether hee had bene anye whyle deade And when hee knewe the truthe of the Centurion hee gaue the bodye to Ioseph Saint Iohn hathe And Pilate gaue hym lycence But our Euangeliste hathe Then Pilate commaunded the body to be deliuered This was as it were a certain preparation to proue the truthe of Christes resurrectiō leaste the false Iewes should saye that hee fayned him selfe to be dead and that he rose from that coūterfeyt and dissembled death Therefore wytnesses are brought in that he was certaynely dead But it was done by the wounderfull permission of God that Pylate should graunte the bodie of Christe vnto Ioseph 59 And when Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane lynnen clohe And vvhen Ioseph had taken the body A. Saint Marke hathe And hee bought a lynnen clothe God truely would bury his Christe with a glorious burial although his death had nothing but ignominie It was sumptuous and done with coste because it was a certayne preparation to the glory of the resurrection And therefore the dead ought to be buried with some honest preparation to couer theire bodies into the whiche they are put vntyll the daye of resurrection The Iewes had many ceremonies in burying their deade to whome so greate lyght dyd not shyne This onely belongeth vnto vs as well as to them not to leaue the dead carcases vpon the grounde for byrdes and beastes but to bury them in the earth where they may be kepte vntyll the daye of Christes comming He vvrapped it in a cleane lynnen cloth In that the body of Christ was wrapped in a cleane lynnen clothe and layde vp in a newe Sepulchre it was thereby declared that some newe thynge was done whiche was not hearde of before For Christe ought not to haue bene layde with other deade men because he went to opē the way to a newe life The buriall of Christe also doth admonish vs of our dutie Of the whiche the Apostle wryteth saying All we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christe are baptised to dye with hym where hee teacheth at large what it is to bee buried with Christe and also to ryse with hym agayne Saint Iohn also maketh mention of a certayne disciple of Christe whose name was Nicodemus whiche dyd helpe Ioseph in the buriall of Christe his woordes are these And there came also Nicodemus whiche at the beginninge came to Iesus by nyghte and brought of Myrre and Aloes myngled together aboute an houndred pounde wayghte Then tooke they the body of Iesus and wounde it in lynnen clothes with the odoures By the example of these men is prescribed vnto vs what wee owe vnto Christe For bothe of them to make a playne declaration of their faythe tooke Christe from the Crosse but not without great daunger and brought hym to the Sepulchre Greatly therefore is oure negligence to bee blamed if wee defraude hym of the confession of oure faythe nowe that hee raigneth in heauenly glory Saint Iohn hathe As the manner of the Iewes is to bury C. That the Iewes buryed the bodyes of the deade with swete odoures and spyces we may gather of the buriall of Iacob of the whiche it is sayde And Ioseph commaunded his seruauntes the Phisitions to imbaume his father and the Phisitians embawmed Israell fourty dayes longe for so long dothe the embawmyng laste These Balmes and odoures were vsed to kepe the carcas for a tyme frō corruption and stynke After therefore Christe had suffered moste shamefull ignominie vppon the Crosse God woulde haue his buriall to be honourable that
hym as the most excellent kinge Neyther dyd they thinck more of him thā that he was endewed with a singuler power dygnitie wherby he might make all peple to haue him in worthy admiration and reuerēce It may be also that they came vnto him before the tyme to obteyne his fauoure wherby he might be fauourable and ientle vnto theym if by chaunce it came to passe that he myght gette the dominion of the East parte vnto him 3. VVhen Herode the kinge had harde these thinges he was troubled and all Hierusalem with him VVhē Herode had heard these thinges B. It was no marueyle if the kynge were pricked and troubled in conscience when that he heard that a king was born to the Iewes The forewarninges of the Prophetes were not vnknowne to Herode by the whiche a kynge was promised to the Iewes whiche shoulde restore those that were afflicted and ouerwhelmed into a blessed and happy state For he was brought vp of a child in that coūtrey had lerned those things familiarly Admitte that this rumour was publyshed a broade by little and lyttle that the people dwellyng there aboutes myghte knowe it Notwithstanding he is troubled as with some newe and vnwonted thing And that because hée abrogating Faith from God his promises thought that a redemer was looked for in vayne specially when as he had perswaded him selfe with foolishe trust and confidence as lofty and proude men are wōt to do that his kyngdome was stablyshed for euer to him and his posteritie But wheras at the fyrste he beinge druncke as it were and ouercom with his felicitie and happy state did carelesly despise the prophetes is nowe made sodeinely afraide with the remembraunce of them Neyther wolde he haue ben so greatly moued with the symple talke of the wyse men excepte the deuine oracles had come into his minde whiche before seemed ridiculous vnto him and of no force Euen so the lord after he hath suffered the vnfaithfull for a time to sleepe dothe at a soden wake them and stirre them vp from the same M. Also in this place we muste note howe that this kinge Christ came to geue heauenly kingdoms to the faithfull not to take awaye from those that rayne in this world their earthly kingdomes very rashely therefore was Herode troubled about this rumour of him that should be borne king of the Iewes For he was troubled with the sinister wronge opinion that he had of Christe After the very same maner is the truthe of God despysed in this worlde of those that are mighty and beare rule because they are afrayde that theyr kingedomes shal be taken from them when as his doctrine doth not take away the rule of this worlde but dothe confyrme them by the word of God and doth direct them to the glory of god Peraduenture also the seditiouse braine of the Iewes gaue great occasion to Herode to be troubled But thereby his impietie and vngodlinesse is not excused whiche he shewed towardes Christ beinge borne For howe seditiouse so euer this people had ben notwithstandinge all thinges being attempted he was fayne to go vnder the yoke and to submit him selfe in the whiche thing sufficiently the wyll of the lorde is declared because he wold in no wise moue and helpe forwarde the seditiouse pretence of the Iewes Whereby he myghte easely haue taken occasion to putte awaye this feare if he had had any reason or vnderstandinge of the iudgementes workes of God. In lyke maner the prynces and maiestrates in our tymes can not be excused whiche go about to opresse the doctrine of the truethe as if it were a seditiouse doctrine For although not a few seditiouse spirites haue gonne about to trouble the state of the common wealth yet neuerthelesse it is euidently enough declared that the prouidēce of God doth not fauour their indeuoures which hath made al their doings hitherto voyde and of none effect that they myghte haue no iust occasion of resistinge the doctrine of the trueth And all Hierusalem vvith hym C. This maye be expounded twoo maner of wayes eyther that the citezens were troublously as it were with a tumulte styrred by the suddeyne noueltie of the matter although willingly they receyued the glad tydinges of the kynge that was borne vnto them or elles because they beinge accustomed to euill kinges for their longe pacience the sore being ouerlayed they feared a chaunge leaste that afterward ther should come a greater destruction and calamytie For they were so worne weried with continuall warres and almost consumed that myserable and cruell seruitude ioyned to them with peace was not onely tollerable but also of them desyred and wished for Whereby it is euidente howe euyll they profited vnder the correctiō of god For they were made so dul with abashement and vnsensiblenes that euen now the promised redemption and health after a sorte stancke and was odiouse vnto thē And it is not to be doubted but that Mathew goeth about to note their ingratitude because they beinge discouraged with the tediousenesse of euyll men dyd caste from them all hope and desier of the grace whiche was promysed vnto them Very few that beleued were at that time at Hierusalem so that almost all of them did rather couet a worldly peace and quietnesse whiche dureth but a tyme then the euerlastinge tranquillitie and kingdome of Chryste they were so troubled so sone as they hearde that a newe kynge was borne vnto them And so of that whereof they should haue most reioyced they most lamented and sorowed 4. And when he had gathered all the chiefe pristes and scribes of the people together he demaunded of them where Christ should be borne C. We haue hearde the trouble of Herode nowe let vs here his crafte and hypocrisie Althoughe there was greate silence small talke of Christ in the kings courte yet notwithstandynge a rumour of the kynge was spred abroade by the wyse men whiche made the prophesies to be remembred where as before they were quite forgotten Wherfore Herode dyd by and by coniecture that the kynge wherof the wise men made inquiry was the Messias which long before was promised And hereby agayne it appereth that Herode was afraide in good earnest since that so carefully he inquireth no maruaile For so muche as all tyrantes are afrayde and their owne crueltie and tyranny bringeth more feare vnto them then it doth to any other Herode coulde not chose but be more afrayde then any other whiche knewe that he raigned agaynst the will of God. All the chiefe priestes E. These chiefe pristes weare the chiefe prelates amonge the priestes both for their holy lyfe and wysedome and also for their skyll in other matters whiche were of great power before that Herode bare rule wherby they were as yet in greate authorytie among the common people And scribes Bu. S. Luke calleth these scrybes lawyers These gaue aunsweres out of
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
sée here what an excellent rule of beneficence and liberality the holy ghoste geueth First therefore let vs here note that Christe chiefly exhorted his disciples to be liberall and beneficiall B. But Christe meaneth not here that we shoulde geue to euery one that asketh of vs we care not howe for so we might be deceiued by scoffynge and fained beggers and by other idell persones whiche are vnprofitable members of the common wealthe Therfore Paule saythe It is not my mynde that other be set at case and ye brought into comberaunce but that thereby egalnes now at this tyme and that youre aboundaunce may succour their lacke and that theire aboundaūce may supply your lacke that there may be equalitie agreinge to that whiche is wryten he that had muche had not the more aboundaunce and he that had littell had neuerthelesse A. But this exhortation of Christe doth agree very well with the sayinge of S. Paule where he saythe Let vs not be wery of well doyng And whyle we haue tyme let vs do good vnto al men but specially to them of the housholde of faythe C. Furthermore least any man shoulde gather occasion to cauill by the woordes of Mathewe let vs consider what Luke saythe Christe doth denie that we fulfill the wyll of God if in lendinge we looke for rewarde So he doth distinguish charitie from carnall frendshyp For prophane men and such as are of this world loue one an other why surely because of ryches because of gaine and rewarde But Christe requireth of those that are his frendly loue and perfecte amitie as to seke to helpe the poore the nedy the straunger the fatherlesse the wydowe and all suche as are oppressed of whome no rewarde or good tourne is to be hoped for agayne For to what ende tendeth the exhortation of Christe els whē he saythe When thou makest a dynner or a supper call not thy frendes nor thy brethren neyther thy kinsmen nor thy neyghbours leaste they also bydde thee agayne and a recompence be made thee But when thou makest a feaste call the poore the feble the lame and the blynde and thou shalt be happy for they cannot recompence thee C. Nowe we se what it is to geue to them that aske namely to be liberal to all men whiche haue nede of our helpe and whiche cannot requite agayne M. This therefore is required of Christians that they be good gentle humble pacient louing mercifull and louers of vnitie and peace so that it pertayne to heauenly thinges Whosoeuer is not of this mynde he is a despyser of this sentence of Christe and no true Christian 43 Ye haue harde howe it is sayde thou shalt loue thy neyghbour and hate thyne enemy Ye haue hearde Bu. This Lawe dependeth vpon that which went before plainly teaching that we must hurte no man but rather do good to all men yea euen to our enemies M. Thus it is written in the booke of Leuiticus I am the lorde Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne harte but shalte in any wyse rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare not sinne for his sake Thou shalt not auenge thy selfe nor be myndefull of wronge againste the children of my people but thou shalt loue thy neighbour euen as thy selfe Nowe the Scribes and Phariseis were so blinded that they vnderstode those to be their neighboures which were louing and beneficiall vnto them when as notwithstāding it is moste certayne that God by the name of neighboure comprehendeth all mankinde For because euery man is addicted to him self so often as their priuate commodite and profite doth separate one from another mutuall amitie and frendship is forsaken God therefore to staye kepe vs in the bonde of brotherly loue doth affirme that all men are our neighbours and brethren because nature knitteth vs vnto them For so often as one man loketh vpon an other because they be al of one bone and one fleshe he beholdeth him selfe as it were in a glasse The whiche thinge the lorde him selfe dothe more plainly touche when he telleth of the man which fel into the hands of theues And hate thine enemy Bu. Let no mā so vnderstand this as though the lawe of God geuen by Moyses commaundeth to hate any man C. But this was a Phariseycall addition by the whiche they thought that they only ought to loue their frēdes according to the Lawe and to hate their enemies and so they taught M. By the which assertiō they brought to passe that the force of the Lawe being weakened hatred might increase betwene mā mā 44 But I saye vnto you loue your enemies Blesse them that curse you Do good to thē which hurt you pray for thē that hate you and persecute you But I say vnto you Bu. Christe being the renewer and cōsummation of the lawe that he mighte restore the commaundement of the lawe as concerning the loue of our neighbour to his integritie full perfection he teacheth by the woorde neighbour that not only our frendes but also our enemies ought of vs to be loued C. But this one thing doth conteine all the former doctrine for whosoeuer can finde in his harte to loue his enemies them that hate him shall easely temper and refraine him selfe from all reuengement yea he shall be paciente to beare al euell and ready to helpe the poore and afflicted To be shorte Christe sheweth here the meane and the way to fulfil this commaundement loue thy neighboure as thy selfe For there is none that can fulfyll this commaundemente but he whiche not regarding selfe loue but rather denying hym selfe dothe loue those which hate and despyse hym Of this perfecte loue we haue an example and liuely paterne in the only begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ which praied to his father for thē whiche crucified him saying Father forgeue them for they knowe not what they do And in Steuen lykewyse who prayed for them whiche stoned him saying O lord laie not this sinne to their tharge Blesse them that curse you C. By the whiche woordes we may learne how far vengaunce ought to be from the faithful the which vengeaunce they are not only forbiddē to aske of God but also they are cōmaūded so to remyt the same that they rather prepare their mindes to craue at the handes of God that vengeaunce come not vppon their enemies although they haue deserued the same And let thē cōmit their cause vnto God vntill it shal please him to take vengeaūce on the reprobate Do good to them that hate you Bu. The lyke wordes writeth Paule after this sorte If thine enemy honger fede him if he thirst geue him drinke in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpō his head C. This truly is a very harde thing contrary to the flesh to do good against euel but yet we may not excuse oure selues by oure faltes infirmitie but rather simply we must seke what
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
dyd trewely and vnfainedly beleue in mee ye would confesse that I haue cast out deuils by the power of god and ye woulde also for so greate a benefyte be thanckefull to god Now seing you wyll not do this ye oughte to ioyne your selues to the other part which doth calumniate speake euyll of that which I haue done ascribyng it to the deuyll But because ye dissemble it is a sure and certayne signe that ye are not neyther that ye gather not with me but rather that yee scatter abroade for ye cleaue vnto theim that calumniate howesoeuer ye dissemble Let al our newters and Luke ware men our Ambodexters I saye in these our daies marke this lesson of our Sauiour Christe Let also all idell and slowebellied byshops and prelates which gather not the kingdom of God be admonished by this place they are not with Christ therfore they are aduersaries dispersers and cōfounders of the kingdom of God. 31 VVherefore I say vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemie shall be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphemie againste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men VVherefore I say vnto Bu. Nowe Chryste plainely sheweth howe greuousely they offende whiche blaspheme the woorkes of the lorde and the doctrine of treweth and do obstinately and continually resist the same C. But this is an illation or bringinge in which oughte not to be restrayned to the sentence goinge before because it depēdeth vpon the whole text For after that Chryste had taughte that the Scribes coulde not disproue that hee caste out deuylles but that they soughte onely to resyst the kingdome of God he concludeth at the length that it was no lighte or tollerable saying but a wicked and detestable cryme in that wyttingly and willingly they letted not in reprochfull wyse to gainesay and resist the spyrite of god For we declared before that Christ dyd not vtter these wordes by occasion of wordes but rather by the occasion of their wicked thoughtes All maner of synne and blasphemy E. The latten worde is Conuitium which signyfieth reproche For this word blasphemy is as much to say as slanderouse wordes and reproche by the which the fame and good reporte of a man is impayred C. But because our sauiour Christ saith here that blasphemy againste the spirite is greatter then any other synne it shal be necessary to way and consider what he meaneth therby They which define this blasphemy to be impenitency ought not in any poynt to be refelled or disalowed for then Christ should in vayne haue denied remission of the same in this world Furthermore the name of blasphemye can not confusedly be extended to euery kynde of synne withoute exception But by the comparison which Christ bringeth we may easely gather the definition Question Why is he saide to cōmit the more haynouse offence which blasphemeth the spirite thē he whiche speaketh blasphemy agaynst Christe Truely there is a greate dyffeerence For seinge the fulnes of the diuinitie raigneth in Christe whosoeuer is contumeliouse againste hym or a blasphemer of hym he dothe abbolyshe and ouerthrowe so muche as in hym lieth al the glory of god But nowe howe can Christ be seperated and deuided from his spirite that he whiche blasphemethe the one dothe not in lyke maner blaspheme and impaire the glory of the other Now hereby we begyn to gather that the blasphemy against the spirite is not greater then any other synne because the spirite is more excellēt then Christ but because the power of God beinge made manifest declared they are not excusable by the pretenced cloke of ignoraunce whiche sporne and kycke against the same Besyde this we must note that that which is spoken here of blasphemy is not simplely referred to the essence of the spirite but to the grace with the whiche we are indewed For they which are depriued of the lyght of the spirite how much so euer they take away of the glory of the same yet notwithstandinge they are not made gylty of this crime and faulte Now let vs note that they do blaspheme the spyrite of God whiche with pretenced mallyce and spyghte do resyst his grace and power and knowinge the same to be in them go about by all meanes possible to extinguishe the same And this is the reason why they ar rather said to blaspheme the spyrite then the father or the sonne namely because in detracting and slaundering the grace and power of God wee doo plainely blaspheme the spirite from the which they procede and come and appere vnto vs Euery vnbeleuing person speaketh euell of God euen as if a blynde man should ronne against a gate But no man blasphemeth or speaketh euyll of the spirite but he whiche being illuminated of the same wyllyngly rebelleth against it Neyther is this distinction superfluous or vayne that all other blasphemies shal be forgeuen sauing this alone whiche is againste the spirite If any man symplely vtter blasphemy against god he is not denied hope of pardon but god is not said to be fauorable to him which is cōtumeliouse agaynste the spirite that is which speaketh euil of the giftes graces of the spirite contrary to his own cōsciēce E. They therfore whose cōsceince beareth thē witnesse that it is the word of God against the which they resist striue and yet notwithstāding cease not to impugn the same are truely said to blaspheme the spirite of God because they striue against the light which is the worke of the holy ghost Of these sorte of men there were many amōg the Iewes which when they could not resist the spirite that spake by Steuen yet notwithstanding they sought al that they might to resist There is no doubt but that many of thē were forced as it were to do it through the zeale of the lawe but it is euidēt that there were others which with maliciouse impietie dyd frette and fume agaynst God hym selfe Suche were the Phariseies against whom the lorde doth inuey who to the ende they myghte obscure the power of the holy ghoste did infame the same with the name of Beelzebub Hereup therefore ariseth blasphemy when men bouldely burst fyrste into the reproche of the name of God. C. Notwithstanding here ariseth a question Whether men are of such boulde madnes that wyttingly with good wyll they dare presume to rushe so rashely as it were in raging wise againste god I answere that this boldenes doth procede of a frenlike blindenes in the which not withstanding mallyce and poysoned fury beareth the sway Neither is it without cause that S. Paule saith that when he was a blasphemer he obtained mercy because he dyd it ignorantly in his vnbelefe for by this sayinge he putteth a difference betwene his synne and voluntary contumacy In this place also their errour is confuted whiche thincke that euery voluntary kinde of synne which is cōmitted against the conscience is voide of remission For truely Paule doth
pleasant fruites smellinge preciousely with a most acceptable odour before god men The tares are the chil M. Here we se to whō the wicked ones in the churche were ascribed But he speaketh not here of theues murtherers suche like but of those speciallye which haue not a sincere faith in Christ but are rather hypocrits fayning an outwarde shewe of holines Bu. We see therefore what the state of Christ his church is here in this worlde It was neuer without hypocrites Vntill the time of iudgement therfore there shal be traytours destroiers corrupters and theues euen in the middest of the church Of the vvicked M. He calleth the deuyll wycked not by nature but for his malliciouse practise Hee was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the way of trueth because there is no trueth in him When he speaketh of a lye hee speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father of the same thing 39 The ennemy that soweth them is the deuill The haruest is the ende of the worlde the reapers be the Angelles The ennemie that sovveth M. Whom before he called wicked he calleth nowe the ennemie All wee therefore whiche are the children of the kyngdome and sowne of Christ and cleaue vnto him haue the deuill a continuall ennemie vnto vs. A. But how the rebrobate are sowne in the field of the lord by the deuyl we haue shewed before in the fiue twenty verse The haruest is the ende of the vvorld C. This trulye is a troublesome state and a greuous burthen yea almost intollerable that the Churche shal be burthened with the reprobate to the end of the world notwithstanding Christ therfore prescribeth vnto vs this time to patiēce least wée shold nourishe flatter oure selues with vaine hope wheras now the certaine time of a purgation is prefixed It behoueth the pastors therefore to endeuour them selues with all diligence to purge the Churche in this part all the godlye ought to set to their helping hands so far as their vocation will beare the same but when all the godly with hartye consente do theyr good will and true intente yet shall they neuer bring it about to purge the Churche from euery spot Wherfore let vs consider that our sauiour Christ mēt nothing lesse then to nourishe such filthy spots in his Church by to much sufferaunce onely his meaning and purpose was to comfort and exhort his faythfull seruauntes not to bee dismayed or drawne backe because they are constrayned to suffer wicked ones in their felloship and fraternity and also to brydel and moderate their zeale whiche thincke it not méete to haue any felloship but with suche as are pure and the sayntes of god The Anabaptistes therfore are greatly abused in séekinge by this place to dryue and put awaye the vse of the sword frō the church And they are easely aunsweared For sythens they do admitte excommunication which doth roote out and expoulse the wicked and reprobate at the least for a time why shoulde not the godlye Magistrates vse the sword against the wicked and vngodly ones so oft as néede requireth They affyrme that there is place geuen to repentaunce where there is no deadly punishment As though truly the théefe vppon the crosse found no saluation ▪ But let this aunsweare suffyce that it is not here taughte what our offyce or the Magistrates or the pastors office is A. But onelye Christ sheweth what the state and condition of the Church shal be til the ende of the world that the world can neuer be so purged purifyed and clēsed but that the wicked wil be alwayes myngled with the good C. to the ende the stombling blocke of offēce wherat the weake stumble and are troubled when they sée the Church thus confounded as it were might be taken away The reapers be the Angels C. This name must be applyed to the present cause In another place the Apostels are called reapers in respecte of the Prophetes because they entered into their laboures Also there is a commaundemente giuen to al the ministers of the woord that they bring forth frute that may euer abide to the which effect this saying of Chryst perteyneth The Corne is whyte and readye vnto the haruest Moreouer the Haruest is great but the labourers are fewe But here is another consideration to be had of the comparison because they are sayde to be planted in the field of the Lord which haue roume and place in the Churche Neyther is that contrarye to this which Iohn saithe in another place that so soone as Christ cometh forth with his Gospel hée hath his fanne in his hand wherby hée may purge his floorth For there is described the beginning of the purgation of the Church whiche purgation bee denyeth to be made in this place before the ende of the world A. For then shall appeare that most excellent king in his Maiestye and shall sit vppon the seate of his glory and all nations shal be gathered together before him and hée shall seperate thē one from another euē as the shéepeherde deuydeth the shéepe from the Goates hée shall set the shéepe on his right hand but the Goates on the left C. Moreouer althoughe then hee will set to his stronge hād by his Angels to purge his Church the same notwithstandinge hee dooth beginne to do now by his godlye teachers A. who for all that shal neuer bringe to passe that the Church shal be pure cleane in all pointes before the comminge of Christ at whose cōming a perfect purgation is looked for with the full redemption of the sonnes of God. 40. Euen as the tares therfore are gathered and brent in the fyer so shall it be in the ende of this worlde A. When hée did barely propound vnto them the parable without anye expositiō hee said suffer them to grow together vntill the Haruest and in the time of the Haruest I will say vnto the reapers gather yee first the tares and bynd them vp in bondels to borne Expounding the same now hée sayth euen as the tares are gathered and burnt in the fyer so shall it be in the ende of this world By the whiche words hée declareth sufficiently that wée must looke and wayte for the last daye of the whiche there is suche often mencion made in the scriptures that wee should be styrred vp to praye diligently 41. The sonne of man shall sende forthe his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all thinges that offende and them which do iniquitye The sonne of man C. Hée attributeth these parts of the pourging of his Church to his Angels in the last day because they shal not stand ydell or vnoccupyed before the trybunall seate of Chryst but shal be ready and at hand to fulfil his commaundementes They therefore which preposterously make hast to roote out and abolishe whatsoeuer liketh not or displeaseth thē do preuent so much as in
and to séeke with great care and dilygence for the precious stoone of the Gospell of the lord and hauing found it to embrace the same to preferre it before all the Iewels in the world and to sel all that euer wée haue to get the same This cometh to passe whē wée hauing denyed our selues and trodē the worlde vnder our féete withall oure hart and a true fayth receyue Christ and his truth and cleaue to the same as to the chiefe felicity leauing and forsakinge all that might withdraw vs from the euangelicall pietye cleauing only to Christ our reedemer Dauid of the most excellēt and pure mysteries of Gods worde speaketh thus they are more to be desired thē gold yea then muche fyne gold they are swéeter then the hony the hony combe Againe hée sayth I haue loued the commaundementes aboue golde and precious stoones 47. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a net that was caste into the sea and gathered of all kind of fishes Againe the kingdome of C. Christ here teacheth no newe thinge but confirmeth that wherof hée spake before with another similitude namelye that the Churche of God so longe as it is in the earthe must haue the good among the euil and the euill among the good and that it shal neuer be pure from blots and spots vntil the ende of the world when as there shall be made a full and perfecte seperation Notwithstanding peraduenture the ende of this parable is otherwise namelye that Christ might not onely take awaye the offence which troubleth many of the weake because such purity as ought to be is not found in the world but also that hée might kepe his Disciples in feare and modesty least they should flatter and please themselues with a vaine tytle and bare profession of fayth We receyue therefore both of them willinglye first in the Christ doth teach that wee must pacientlye suffer the mixture of the good and euill tyll the ende of the worlde because before that time the Churche shall not be perfectlye restored Secondlye in that hee admonisheth vs that it is not sufficient for vs to be gathered into the sheepefould vnlesse wee be the true and chosen sheepe to the which effect pertayneth the woords of S. Paule when hee sayth the Lorde knoweth those that are his let all those therefore depart from iniquity which cal vpon the name of the Lorde Is like vnto a net C. Our sauiour Christ dothe very well compare the preaching of the Gospel to a net drowned vnder the water to the end wee might knowe the presente state and condition of the Churche to be confuse For although our God as hee is the God of order and not of dissipation cōmēdeth and delyuereth vnto vs his disciplyne notwithstanding for a time hee suffereth hypocrits to haue their being among the faithfull vntill the reforming of his kingdome in the last day Let vs therfore endeuoure our selues so much as wée maye to correcte all maner of vyce and let vs be seuere in purginge awaye all filthye spots yet notwithstanding the Church shall not be frée from al spots and blemisshes before that Christ come to seperate the shéepe from the Goates 48. VVhich vvhen it was ful men drew it to lande and sate downe and gathered the good into Vessels but cast awaye the bad C. The effecte and sum of this sentence is that the Church can neuer be purged from hypocrits vntill wée be broughte to land or shore that is vntill wée be brought to the day of iudgement 49. So shal it be in the ende of the world The Angels shall come and seuer the bad from amonge the good A. For this sentence reade the exposition of the forty verce going before 50. And shall cast them into a fornace of fyer there shal be waylinge and gnas 51. shing of teeth Iesus sayeth vnto thē haue yee vnderstand all these thinges they sayde vnto him yea Lorde C. Hée calleth the punishment which the wicked shall suffer after the Iudgement a fornace of fyer Esaye the Prophete calleth it a worme which neuer dyeth Read the two and forty verce of this Chapter There shal be vvaylinge C. The scripture cannot sufficiently expresse the punishmēt which remayneth for the wicked Héere hee goeth about to expresse the horror and payne of the effecte for as wée cannot expresse the glorye and happye estate of the godlye and blessed so wée are not able to vtter the punishment of the wicked Iesus sayth vnto them M. The Lord sought by all meanes to instructe and bring hys Disciples to the knowledge of the kingdome of god And therefore being not cōtented that hée had alledged so many parables of the kingdome of heauen hée demaundeth of them whether they vnderstande all these thinges or no. But wée must remember that which wée saw before how that all parables were priuatelye expounded to the Disciples After the therefore the Lord had so gentlye and familiarlye instructed them hée dothe also admonish and declare that hée did not bestowe so great dilligence in teachinge of them that they shoulde be onlye wyse to them selues but also that they should bestowe and participate that to others publikely which they themselues priuatelye had receyued 52. Then sayd hee vnto them therefore euery scribe vvhiche is taughte vnto the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a mā that is a househoulder which bringeth foorthe oute of his treasurie thinges newe and olde A. Wée muste presuppose that some other saying of our sauioure Christ went before as this I asked you because a minister of the word of God must be like vnto a husband man And after this sort hée doothe the more encourage styrre them vp to learne Therfore euery scribe that is taught C. A Scribe by the Hebrewes is not called a Scriueuer or writer but they call him a Scribe which is expert in the scriptures and the Lawe suche a one was Esdras And hée whom Mathewe calleth a Scribe Luke calleth a doctor of the law But here a Scribe signifieth a teacher one sufficientlye learned to set forthe the kingdome of God and to preach the Gospell of saluation Is like vnto a man that is an househoulder C. A wyse and prouident househoulder in gouerning his house doth not prouide for a day onelye but hath store layde vp to the ende hée may fetche forth from his store-house both olde and newe thinges abundantly By this man hée shéeweth that he which is sufficiently learned instructed by the spirite of the Lord to Preach must teach copiouslye and plentifully whatsoeuer pertayneth to the purpose and is necessarye to bring the knowledge of saluation euen as if a lyberall househoulder should fetche out of his storehouse all maner of daynty and dellicate dishes as well old as new so that nothing should be wātinge to the feast This lyberality trulye Christ both here and in manye other places also most plentifully shewed in bringinge
them to the poore our sauioure Christe adioyneth this vtillity and profite to the commaundemente But hée speaketh by immitacion as if hee shoulde saye Thou thinkest that thou hast treasure because thou arte riche and dost couetouslye embrace the same not meaninge lightlye to forsake it but and if thou wilte harken vnto me thou shalt rather seeke to haue treasure in heauen and to be rich in heauenlye thinges then in earthly things Reade te sixt Chapter going before C. Moreouer Christ vrgeth him with the mortification of the fleshe when he saith And come and follovv me For he doth not commaund him onely to geue his name but to submit his shoulders to the bearing of the crosse as the Euangelist Mark more plainly declareth A. Come saith he and folow me take the crosse vpō thy shoulders And certainly it was necessary that he should be pricked forward with this spur because he always liuing at home in ease and quietnes had neuer anye taste to knowe what it was to crucifye the olde man and to tame the desires of the flesh M. Therefore perfectiō consisteth in this not in selling all that we haue and geuing to the poore onely but in folowing Christ in bearing his crosse and in mortifying the peruerse and croked disposition of the fleshe A. We ought alwayes therefore to beare in minde this saying of our Sauiour Christe If anye man will folowe me let him denye him selfe and take vp his crosse and folowe me But the moonkes shewe them selues very foolish when that vnder the collour of this place they arrogate vnto thē selues the state of perfection Firste of all we maye gather that all men are not commaunded without frée choyse to sell all that they haue for the husbande man should offend which liueth commonly by his labor and thereby also feedeth his family if he should sell away his farme being constrayned thereunto by no necessitie To kéepe therefore in our hande that which God hath geuen vnto vs to the bringing vp of our familye sparingly to geue part vnto the poore is a greater vertue then to consume al that we haue or to sell it A. Abraham who receiued a commaundent to be perfect before the Lorde did not sell all that he had to geue vnto the poore Neither did Noe whiche was counted a iust man sell all that he had and geue vnto the poore Therefore this commaundement which Christ geueth as concerning the selling of goodes and riches was but temporall and particuler not generall and necessarye for all men But that place which we cited euē nowe as concerning the denying of a mans selfe and the bearing of the crosse is generall The which thing whosoeuer doth although he possesse the substance of this worlde with Abraham and Noe yet notwithstanding they are ready to forsake them at the Lordes pleesure whensoeuer néede shall require and not onely their earthly substaunce but life it selfe So hath the Euangelist Luke Except a man forsake all that he hath he cannot be my disciple C. But what excellent selling is that which the Moonkes boaste of when that they come from pouertie for the moste part to a monasterye of great plentie And being once there euery one of them slouthfully eateth his breade by the sweate of other mens browes A notable permutation and chaunge in déede that whē they are commaunded to distribute that which they iustly possesse vnto the poore they being not contented with their owne take away that which is other mens Marke addeth Iesus beheld him fauored him By the which place the Papistes gather that all morall good works or good works pertayning vnto maners which come not by the instinct of the holye ghost but go before regeneration do deserue but this is to childishly gathered For if merite or desert be brought in and grounded of the loue of God then maye we say that frogges lice and fleas do deserue because God loueth all his creatures without exception It is néedefull therefore that we distinguish and make a difference of the degréesse of loue As touching this present place it shal be sufficient briefely to note that God doth loue none with his fatherly loue but his sons onely whom he hath begotten with the spirite of adoption and that by this loue it commeth to passe that they are accepted before his tribunall seate According to this sence to be beloued of God and to be iustifyed before him are all one But somtimes God is sayde to loue those whom he neither accepteth nor iustifyeth For because the preseruatiō of mankind which consisteth of righteousnes equitie moderation wisdome faith and temperancy is acceptable vnto him he is sayde to loue morall vertues not that they do deserue saluation or grace but because they belong to an acceptable end In this sēce according to diuers respectes hée loued hated Aristides Fabritius For in respect that hee beutifyed them with externall righteousnes he loued his worke in thē Notwithstanding because the hart was vncleane the externall shew of righteousnes did profit thē nothing at al to get righteousnes For we know that the hartes are purged by faithe only and that the spirit of truth is only geuen to the mēbers of Christ But it maybe here demaūded how Christ could loue a man that was proud an hypocrite when as ther is nothing more odious vnto God then these ii vices Surely it is no absurditye to saye that the good séede which God hath sowē in some natures is loued of hym yet notwithstanding so that he reiecteth the persons their woorkes for the corruption that is in them 22. But when the yonge man heard that saying he went away sory For he had great possessions But vvhen the M. Here it appeareth in what thing the yong mā was not perfect he had said before Al these things haue I kept frō my youth vp A. as though nothing had bene wāting in him C. But at the length the end declareth how far he was frō that perfection to the which our sauiour Christ called him For how cōmeth it to passe that hee withdraweth himselfe from the schoole of Christ saue only because it was greuous vnto him to be depriued of his riches But truly except wee be prepared to pouerty to suffer honger it is manifest the concupiscence will haue his rule in vs And this is the which we said in the beginning that the cōmaundement of Christ to sell all was not an addition to the law but a probation triall of the secret sore with laye hid in the mā for as euery mā is infected with this vyce or that euen so by the reprehencion of the same it is chiefly reuealed M. Marke Luke haue But he was discomforted because of the sayinge went away mourning That is to say hee being ouercome in his cōscience as concerning his imperfectiō which hée knew not before the answere of Christ
of Scripture in one cause And yet for al that Chryst toke not this place before others without cause but hee chose it with an excelleÌ„t iudgement althoughe at a blushe it might seeme more obscure because fyrst of all it was mete that this place shoulde be known aboue al others amonge the Iewes namelye that they were redemed of the Lord because they were the chyldren of AbrahaÌ„ For there God doth pronouÌ„ce that he came to helpe the afflicted people and addeth also that he dothe acknowledge that people for his owne in respecte of the adoption for the couenant that hee made with Abraham Howe commeth it to passe that God hath more respecte to the lyuinge than to the dead but onely because hee attrybuteth the fyrst degree of honour to the fathers with whom hee made his couenaunte And how shoulde they excel if they were extinguished by deathe This also is very well expressed by the relation For as no man can be saide to be a father without children neyther a kynge withoute-people euen so the lorde cannot properly be called God excepte he be the God of such as lyue Howebeit Christ doth not reason so muche of the common order of speach as hée doth of the promise which is included in these wordes For the Lord doth offer himselfe vnto vs to be our God vppon this condition that hée mighte in like maner make vs to be his people the which one thing is sufficient to the trust of full and perfect beatitude Wherevppon the Churche cryed after this maner as appeareth by the Prophete Thou arte our God from the beginninge wee shall not dye Seing therefore hee promiseth saluation to all those whose God hée sayth hee is and seing hee publisheth the same of Abraham Isaac Iacob after their death it followeth that ther is hope of life left to those that be dead B. Wee sée therefore how conningly our sauiour Christ hath gathered this that to whom soeuer the Lord is a God to him also hee is a sauiour and quickener for euer the which hée cannot be altogether to the dead that is to those from whom all hope of life is taken away For to whom soeuer God is a God him he blesseth that is hee declareth himselfe to him to be a God. But if the dead were wholy voyde of life as the Saduces thoughte and should neuer retourne to the same howe shoulde God blesse them or bestow any benefites vppon them The saintes therefore are not voyde of participation of life And least the Saduces should saye no man denyeth God to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob hee therefore addeth God is not the God of the deade But AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob were deade It is true they were are But to God they were not dead they are onely dead to the world to the fleshe and liue vnto god For all liue vnto him as sayth the Euangeliste Luke C. The which saying in the Scriptures is taken diuersly M. For wée liue vnto God when wée liue vnto him and not to the fleshe Wée are said also to liue vnto God when oure life dependeth vppon his power and not of our selues C. But oure sauiour Christe meaneth here that the faithful after they dye vnto the worlde liue a heauenlye life with God according to that which the Apostle Paule writeth saying that Christ after hee was receyued into the heauenly glorye liueth vnto God because hee was exempte from the infirmities and troubles of this transitory life But our sauiour Christ doth here with good aduisement declare that we ought not to iudge of the life of the Godly according to fleshly sence because it is layed vp in the secrete power of god For if they be almost like vnto deade men while they walke in the world much lesse any shew of life shall appeare in them after the death of the fleshe But God is faythfull and will preserue them aliue before him beyonde the reason of man If any man do obiecte and saye that the soules maye remaine aliue without any resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh Wee answered them alittle before where wée saide that these two were so knit and linked together that there could not be any seperation because the soules do aspyre and come to the heritage layed vp for them that as yet they mighte not obtaine their state M. After these thinges the Euangelist Marke writeth that Christ said againe you therefore greatly erre And the Euangelist Luke addeth saying Then certaine of the Phariseis answered and said Master thou hast well saide C. When as it is probable that al of them were euill affectioned God by his secrete power did as it were eitorte wringe this confession out of their mouthes Peraduenture it might be that although the Phariseis wished that Christ might be ouerthrowne and put to silence in this conflict with the Saduces yet notwithstanding because they sée that they are armed by his aunswere againste the contrary faction of the Saduces their ennemyes ambition brought to passe that they yelde the victory vnto Christ PerchauÌ„ce also they were inflamed with enuye least the Saduces should bringe that to passe namely by putting Christ to syleÌ„ce which they nor other for them could do But howe soeuer it was it came to passe by the prouidence of God that the most deadly ennemyes that he had subscribed and yelded also to his doctrine 33. And wheÌ„ the people heard this they were astonyed at his doctrine And vvhen the people hâ—â—rde this Bu. The people are iustly amazed at the answeres of God so excellent and full of wisedome For in them all there is wholesome profite and a certaine deuyne maiestye C. Notwithstanding wée must note the the doctrine of Godlynes was at the time so infected with so many wicked and false coÌ„ments that it was not without cause counted as a myracle to haue the hope of the resurrection so trulye and aptly proued out of the law The people therefore are amazed at the wonderfull grace but obstinacy is mad and neuer in quiet and impiety is led by furious violence specially when the power of God appeareth 34. But when the Phariseis had hearde that he had put the Saduces to sileÌ„ce they came together M. Here againe the nature and propertye of mallice appeareth For although the Phariseis had bene twise before put to sylence and made ashamed yet notwithstanding they assaye againe They came together Because the Saduces were inferiour in learning to the Phariseis as our sauioure Christ obiected against them the Phariseis thought it no marueile if they could preuaile nothinge at all against Christ Therefore they themselues boastinge of the knowledge of the Law do determine once againe more bouldlye to set vppon Christ They do now therefore suborne and coollerablelye set forth a Doctour of the Law whom Marke calleth a Scribe which might obiect a question of the law not to learne but rather to tempte 35. And one of them which was a Doctor of
the Phariseies were gathered together Iesus asked them sayinge VVhile the Phariseis vvere gathered together M. The Phariseies were nowe gathered together to suborne and craftelye to set forthe some one whiche by puttynge forthe a question mighte tempte and intangle Christe the whiche thinge they went about a littell before to brynge to passe by the Lawyer of whom we spake euen now but in vayne When as therfore the Phariseies were gathered together whiche tooke vnto them selues the knoweledge of the lawe and the prophetes and yet were ignorante of the comminge of Christe because they dyd not greately desyer the same neyther vnderstode his maiestie and glory it is not without cause yf Chryste demaunde of them sayinge 42 VVhat think ye of Christ VVhose sonne is hee They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid VVhat think ye of Christ B. This is thought to be the laste talke that our Sauyoure Christ had with the Phariseies and his aduersaries by the whiche he wente about to prouoke them to knowe him except those thinges whiche he aunswered them to when he was taken of them By these wordes therefore he wente about to stirre vp theyr mindes and to admonishe them of his kingedome if so be that there were any amongest them which were curable the they might loke for Chryst to be greater than the carnall kinge yea and more excellente than Dauid his father For those that were carnal hoped for nothing but carnal things VVhose son is he C. The Euangelistes Marke Luke do more plainely expresse why Christ demaunded this question namely because a wicked opinion preuayleth among the Scribes that the promised redemer sholde be one of the sonnes successors of Dauid which shold bring nothing with him more excelent than the humaine nature For by by at the beginning Sathan by all meanes possible wente about to supplante some false fayned Christ whiche shoulde not be the true mediatour of God and man And because God had so often times promised that Christ should come of the séede and sprynge out of the loynes of Dauid this perswasion was so depely rooted in the hartes of al men among the Iewes that they coulde in no wise abide to haue him depriued of the humaine nature Sathan therfore suffered Christ to be acknowledged to be a trew man and the sonne of Dauid because he sholde in vaine haue gone about to take away this part of fayth being so euident common amōg al men but that which was worse he spoyled him of his deitie as though he should be some one of the sonnes of Adā And after this sorte the hope of the euerlasting life to come spiritual righteousnes was abolished But so sone as Christ was declared vnto the worlde the Heretiques went about by many subtil meanes deceites to ouerthrowe one while his humaine nature an other while his diuine nature least that he should either haue full power to saue vs or elles least we shold haue familiar accesse vnto him But because the houre of his deathe was at hande the lorde hym selfe thoughte good to make his deitie Godhed known that the trust of al the godly might be reposed in him without all feare or doubting For if he were onely a man it were neither lawefull for vs to glory in hym nor yet to hope for saluatiō by him Now let vs note that his purpose and intente was not so much for his owne sake to declare him selfe to be the sonne of God as it was to ground our faith vpon his heauenly power For as the infirmitie of the fleshe by the whiche hee made him selfe nere of kynne vnto vs dothe incourage vs that we should not doubt to come vnto him euen so if we sholde haue onely respect vnto the same we shall be rather filled with feare and desperation than with any god trust and confidence Notwithstanding we must note that the Scribes are not reprehēded because they did teach Christ to be the sonne of Dauid but because they immagined him to be a mere man which should come from heauen to put vpon him the nature and person of a man Neither doth the Lord altogether speake of himselfe but simplely sheweth that the Scribes do wickedlye erre in that they loked that the redemer should come onely of the earth and humaine progeny And althoughe it was an olde opinion amonge them yet notwithstandinge wee gather by this our Euangelist Mathewe that they were asked before the people what they thought They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid Bu. It was euident by many promises of Scripture that Christ should come of the seede of Dauid A. but they which dayly redde these promises and interpreted them to the people loked for nothinge to be more in the person of Christ then a man Therefore they make aunswere vnto Christe whiche was most common and vsuall amongest them namely that the Messias was the sonne of Dauid 43 Hee saide vnto them howe then doth Dauid in spirite call him Lorde sayinge Hovve then doth Dauid M. Christ our sauiour doth not reprehende the Phariseis as we said euē now because they cōfessed him to be the sonne of Dauid but because men commonlye denied him whiche shoulde be the Messias to be nothyng elles but an earthlye kinge which should bringe the people of God into a certaine earthly libertye and that he should so inlarge the tereene and transitory kingdome that it should extēd it selfe euen to the endes of the worlde that hee shoulde be of the tribe of Dauid for this cause I say he thought good in the presence of some to geue them occasiō to haue a farther cōsideration of his glory maiesty namely that he was not the sonne of Dauid according to the flesh but also the sonne of Dauid Dauids lord For in respect that he toke fleshe of the virgin Mary his is the sonne of Dauid in respecte that hee was conceiued by the holye ghoste he is the sonne of God and Dauids lord Therfore this is no new or late inuented error For this impietie raigned among the phariseis long before be came into the worlde So that the deuill hath soughte frō the beginning as it is saide already to take awaye the deitie godheade from Christ that by that meanes al the saluation of mankind might be vtterly quite ouerthrowen In spirite The Euangelist Marke hath Inspired with the holye ghoste And the Euāgelist Luke in stede of both these hath In his boke of Psalmes C. But Christ declareth that Dauiddyd speake in the spirit expresly with great emphasis and force For he opposeth and setteth the prophesie of the thing to com against the testimony of the thing presēt And the cauill by the which the Iewes at this day excuse thē selues is this They say that by this prophesye the kingedome of Dauid is celebrated as though he apointing God to be the author of his raygne wolde rise against the mad enterprises beastly practises of his enemies
and that wee coulde not be deliuered from the same except Christ should haue bene made giltye in earthe wee will neuer be ashamed to glorye and reioyce in bondes Moreouer so often as we heare that Christ stode in sorrowfull and base forme before Pilate let vs thereby gather occasion to beleeue the bearing our selues bould of the intercessor wee maye come into the presence of God with cherefulnes To the same ende also it pertayneth which followeth by and by as concerninge his sylence Christ helde his peace when the hye Priestes vrged him on euerye syde that by his sylence hee might open our mouthes For herevppon commeth that power vnto vs whereby wee crye Abba father And the Debitye asked him saying Art thou the kinge of the Iewes Howbeit it is probable that there were manye things spoken on both sides whereof the Euangelistes make no mencion not withstandinge all other thinges set a part Pilate chieflye standeth vpon the matter of seditiō because if he had founde Christe in any point to be a troubler of the common state hee woulde haue condemned him without delaye This is the cause why hee asked if he were a kinge M. S. Iohn sayth Then Pilate entered into the Iudgement haule againe and called Iesus and sayd vnto him Arte thou the kinge of the Iewes Nothinge coulde be done withoute tumulte because they were seditiouslye bente Hee entereth therefore into the Iudgement haule And truly his purpose is to absolue set Christe at liberty but Christ himselfe that he mighte obey his father offereth himselfe to be condemned and this is the cause that hee aunswereth so sparinglye For seinge hee had a Iudge so gentle an fauourable and whiche hearde him willingly it was an easye matter for him to defende his cause but he considereth to what ende hee came into the worlde and wherefore hee is now called of the father Therefore hee willinglye houldeth his peace least he should escape death And as concerninge this question whiche Pilate demaunded here of Christ namelye whether hee were a kinge it was done by the procurement of the Iewes who burthened him with the same faulte But he did make this demaunde as concerninge the kyngdome of Christ because if hee coulde cleare himselfe of that matter hee would set him at libertye Iesus sayth vnto him thou sayest In S. Iohns Gospell Christ maketh this aunsweare Speakest thou this of thy selfe or hath some other toulde it thee of mee The which aunsweee tendeth to this ende that there is no cooller in that accusation So that it contayneth an ouerthwarte refutacion as if hee shoulde saye This faulte is vndescretely obiected to mee seing there is no likelyhoode thereof whereby I might iustlye he suspected But Pilate seemeth not to take it well that Christe shoulde demaunde why hee suspected him And therefore in displeasure and reproche hee sayth that if any thinge were amisse it was longe of his owne nation I saith he sit a Iudge straungers do not accuse thee but thine owne country men there is no cause therefore why thou shouldest make me partaker of your discorde and contencion By mee and the Romaines ye mighte liue quietlye but ye wearye and trouble your selues yet I accordinge to my office which I am cōstrayned to take muste see that peace and quietnes be maintained Thy hye Priestes accuse thee what hast thou done A. A horrible sighte to behoulde Christe standeth bounde before the Iudge beinge striken with fistes spitted vppon lookinge for nothinge but the sentence of death and yet notwithstanding what hee had done it was not knowne Whereby wee leane that there was nothinge true or had any likelyhoode of truthe that coulde be layed to Christes charge and yet for all that the vniuste and most wicked sentence of death was pronoūced against him Iesus aunswereth My kingdome is not of this worlde By these woordes hee confesseth that hee is a kinge but he putteth awaye and pourgeth the reproche so muche as was sufficient to proue his innocensye For he affirmeth that his kingedome doth not withstande pollitique order as if hee should saye I am falselye accused to be a troubler of thinges and to renue matters in the publique state I preached of the kingdome of God but that is spirituall therefore there is no cause why yee shoulde haue mee in suspicion of desieringe a kingdome But this defence of Christ was before Pilate but the same is a profitable doctrine to all the godlye to the ende of the world For if the kingdome of Christ were earthly it shoulde be vnstable and transitory because the fashion of this world passeth away but now seinge it is sayde to be Heauenly it proueth that the same shall abyde for euer Euenso if it shoulde come to passe that the whole worlde should be destroyed and that there shoulde be before oure eyes horrible motions and earthquakes yet let our mindes hauinge respect vnto the kingdome of Christ abyde firme and stable If wee be cruelly vexed of the wicked yet notwithstandinge there abydeth for vs perfect saluation in the kingdome of Christ which is not subiecte to the pleasure of men Furthermore wee are taughte what the nature of this kingdome is For if it shoulde make vs blessed accordinge to the fleshe and shoulde bringe vnto vs riches pleasures and whatsoeuer could be wished for the vse of this present life it woulde be but earthly and of this worlde which hath but a time but now although to loke vnto oure estate be myserable yet notwithstandinge our perfect felicitye doth abyde for euer Hereby also wee learne who they are which pertaine vnto this kingdome namelye they whiche are renued by the spirite of God and do meditate a heauenly life in holynes and righteousnes Howbeit we must also note that it is not denyed but that the kingdome of Christ is in this world For wee know that it hath the proper abydinge place in our minds euen as Christ also sheweth in another place The kingdome of God is within you But to speake properlye the kingdome of God dwellinge in vs passeth throughoute the whole worlde because the conditiō thereof is altogether diuers Christ addeth If my kingdome were of this worlde then woulde my mynisters surely fight that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes but now is my kingdome not from hence Hee proueth that hee desyereth not an earthlye kingdome because no man made any tumulte nor toke any weapon in hande For if any priuate man vsurpe vnto himselfe a kingdome it is necessary that hee get power and force by factious men In the kingdome of Christe there is no suche thinge it followeth therefore that he is no earthly kinge Question But it may be demaunded in this place whether it be not lawful to defende the kingdome of Christe with weapons For when the Princes are commaunded to kisse the sonne of God they are not onelye commaunded to submit themselues priuately to his imperye and power but also to bende all theyr force to defende
oure duety vnto men we do also oure duety towardes God. But Christe applying his wordes to the capascity of the people thought it sufficiente to make a difference betwene the spirituall kingdome of God and pollitique order and the state of this presente lyfe Wherefore this difference must be had that seinge the Lorde wil be the only ruler and lawmaker to gouern the soules of mē we must not seke for a rule of worshipping him frō any other thing than frō his worde we must abide in the only pure worship which he hath there prescribed that the power of the swerde lawes iudgements do hinder nothing at all but that the worship of God maye remaine whole and sounde amongest vs M. Therfore that whiche partaineth to the earth belongeth as righte vnto Cesar and that which pertaineth to religiō belongeth vnto god In earth wee haue the image of Cesar in money which teacheth what we owe vnto Cesar Againe in our minde we beare the seale of Christ of the holy ghost beinge sealed by baptisme and ingraued also by the name of Christ whereby wee are taughte what we owe vnto god God doth not cōmande vs to withholde from Cesar those things that are dewe to Cesar it were amost wicked vngodly acte if Cesar woulde not suffer those thinges to be geuen to God which are dewe vnto him but take them to him selfe C Nowe this doctrine may serue for a general admonition that euery man accordinge to his calling may geue that deuty which is dewe to all men as the children honor to their parents seruants submission to their masters subiectes obedience to the hyer powers that all men may liue according to the rule of charity and that God may haue that which belongeth vnto him Therfore the somme of this place is because they are rebells vnto God which despise pollitique order gouernment we muste note that obedience towardes princes magistrates is ioyned with the worship and feare of God but againe if princes vsurpe vnto them selues the righte which belongeth vnto God we must not obey them but submit our neckes rather to the blocke Bu. Wherefore if a heathē wicked magistrate must not be resisted muche lesse ought we to resist a godly Christiā magistrate Let therefore all wicked Anabaptistes take héede al such also which ouerthrowe pollitike gouernment what they teache and go about 22. VVhen they had heard these words they merueiled and lefte him and wente their waye VVhen they had heard these vvordes they merueiled B. The enemies of the trueth do here merueyle at the great wisedome and experience of Christ but they are nothing at all moued to tourne themselues vnto God by faith And lefte hym and vvent their vvaye C Here also it appereth howe God doth frustrate bring to naughte the wicked practises and deuises of his enemis neither doth he onelye deceiue their expectation and hope but dothe also geue them the repulse with shame It commeth to passe some times that the wicked althoughe they be ouercome yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to make exclamation but althoughe their wantonnes bee vnbrideled whiche resiste the worde of God yet for all that God hath so many victories in his hand that he will triumphe ouer them and ouer Sathan their heade also But in this answer Christe goeth about specially to manifest and set forthe his glory when he constrained his enemis to departe with ignominy shame A. Let vs therfore acknowledge this sentence of Solomon to bee moste true when he saith There is no wisdome nor prudence nor counsel against the Lord 23. The same daye came to him the Saduceis which saye that there is no resurrection and asked him sayinge The same daye came to him C. Wee do see here how Sathan gathereth together al the wicked whiche els are at contenciō among themselues to resist the trueth of god For although there were dedly disagréement betwene these two sectes yet notwithstanding they conspire together against Christ that it might not displease the Pharises to haue their doctrine resisted in the persone of Christ Euenso at this daye we sée all the armys of Sathan although at all other times they be one cōtrary to an other yet notwithstāding to arise on euery syde against Christ And the Papistes also do burne with such mortal hatred against Christ his Gospell that they wil willingly suffer Libertines Epicures such kinde of monstrouse Heretiques so that to destroye the Gospell they may vse their helpes To be shorte we sée that they wente out on euery side such as sought to bēde their force against Christ they did this because euery one of the hated the lighte of sounde perfecte doctrine But the Saduces propounde a questiō vnto Christ that by the shewe of absurdity thei might either make him partaker of the error or els that if he did disagrée they might defame him make him a mocking stocke among the rude vnlearned multitude And it may be truly that they were wonte with the same cauill to vexe and moleste the Pharises but nowe they laye the same grinne or snare for Christe M After therfore that the Phariseys had done nothinge againste Christe the Saduces come to assaye if they coulde bring that to passe which the Scribes and Phariseis before them had sought for VVhich say that there is no resurrection A. As concerning this secte of Saduces reade the chapter going before C. But the Euangeliste Luke witnesseth that they denyed not onely the last resurrection of the fleshe but the immortalitye also of the soule And certainly if the doctrine of the Scripture be wel wayed the lyfe of the soule without the hope of resurrection is but a mere dreame God dothe not so pronounce the soules to be frée from death as thoughe alredye they were in possession of the presente glorye and beatitude but he suspendeth theyr hope vntill the last daye We graunte truely that the Philosophers to whome the resurrection of the fleshe was vnknowne disputed muche about the immortal essence of the soule but they speake so rashly and vnaduisedly of the state of the lyfe to come that their writtings are of no waighte But seinge the holy scripture doth declare that the spiritual life doth depende vpon the hope of the resurrection and that the soules being dissolued from the bodies do thyther departe whosoeuer taketh away the resurrectiō he doth also spoile the soules of immortallity Moreouer hereby we maye perceaue the horrible cōfusion of the Iewish Church in that the chefe heades and professors of religion toke awaye the hope of the life to come that men after the death of the bodye differ nothinge from brute beasts They did not for al this deny but the men ought to liue iustly godly neither were they so prophane and heathenishe that they accounted the worship of God to be prophane superfluouse but they rather affirmed that God was
the iudge of the whole worlde and that humane things were gouerned by his power but seinge they did restraine as well the rewarde of the godlye as the condigne punishmentes dewe to the wicked althoughe they had sayde trueth that euerye man nowe in this life is delte with all accordinge to vs desert yet notwithstanding this was to preposterouse and out of order to include the promises of God into so straight boundes Nowe experience dothe declare euidentlye that there dulnes and incensiblenes was to grosse seing that it is manifest that the reward which is layed vp in store for the godly is suspended vntil the life to come that the wicked haue not their punishmeÌ„t in this life To coÌ„clude there is nothing to be imagined more absurde than this error the men being created after the Image likenes of God should be extinguished cleane put out by death eueÌ„ as the brute beastes But how filthye monstrouse was this opinioÌ„ wheÌ„ as ther was no nacion whether they were heathenish or prophane Idolaters or wrapped in blind ignoraÌ„ce which had not some hope of the life to come whereas this séede of godlines was quight abolished among the Iewes being the peculiar people of god But first of al this there reward was iust whiche diuided the Churche of God into sectes Moreouer by this meanes God was reuenged of the wicked contempte of his doctrine 24. Maister Moses said that if a maÌ„ die hauinge no child his brother shoulde mary his wife and raise vp seede vnto his brother Master Moses sayde A. By the same subtility deceite they cal Christ master which the Disciples of the Phariseis Herodians vsed before All these made a ieste and mocke at the doctrine of Christ yet notwithstaÌ„ding they fayned them selues to be very desyrouse to learne C. The Saduces do here propounde a question vnto Christe that by the shew of absurdity they might coÌ„deÌ„ne the doctrine of the resurrection That yf a man dye hauing no children C. Seing that it was sufficient to propound the matter without any circoÌ„stance why do they begin after this maner Surely thei do craftly alleage for theÌ„selues the name of Moses to the ende they mighte â—…roue those mariages to be lawful which were contracted not by the will and pleasure of men but by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and ordinaunce of GOD himselfe For it was necessary that he should agrée with hymselfe Therefore the snare whiche they layed for hym was suche if God shall gather in tyme to come the faythfull into his Kyngdome he will also restore vnto them that which he gaue vnto them in the worlde What shall then become of the woman whiche God gaue vnto seuen men After this maner al wicked ones and heretiques do calumniate and quarell to the ende they might depraue the true doctrine of Godlines and make the seruauntes of Christ ashamed yea the Papistes are let by no shame openlye to ieste at God and his worde when they go about to intangle vs. Therfore the Apostell Paule not without cause woulde haue the teacher sufficiently appointed with weapons by the which he may repel and put to flight the aduersaris of the trueth As touchinge the lawe by the which God commanded that the kinsmen should succede the deade in matrimony whiche were nexte of bloud if the firste departed without children this was the reason that the womaÌ„ which maried into any stocke or kinred shoulde thereby receyue sede But and if children were brought forth in the firste state of wedlocke it was incestiouse wedlocke whiche was betwene the degrées forbidden by the law His brother shoulde mary his vvise M. In the name of brother other degrees also more nere are contayned as the cosyne germanes and suche lyke of the same kynred And rayse vp sede vnto his brother B. This law was made as all other pollitique lawes were for publique tranquillitys sake the which was not a littel established if the inheritaÌ„ces abode with oute mixture and euery stocke kinred possessed his owne inheritance Wherefore the Lorde did diligently prouide as well by other lawes as by this whiche the Saduces obiected for the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce and perpetuity of stockes and kinredes and for the lawfull succession of inheritaÌ„ces th t one brother being dead without sede the other brother by maryinge his wife should go about to stirre vp his posterity and should make the firste begotten sonne of his brothers wife to possesse the name and inheritance euen as thoughe he were adopted to the deade brother 25. There were with vs seuen brethren and the firste maried a wyfe and disceassed withoute issue and lefte his 26. wyfe to hir brother Lykewise the second and the third vnto the se 27. uenth Last of all the woman dyed also A. This example they bring in to make their minde and meaninge more playne and euidente being agreable to the law 28. Therfore in the resurrection whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Therfore in the resurrection M. That is to saye in the euerlastinge lyfe to come whiche we shall enioye after the resurrection froÌ„ death They thoughte if there were any resurrection to come that the state of that worlde wherunto they rose shoulde be lyke vnto this which is now but hereof there came an infinite sorte of absurdities and thinges incredible 29. Iesus answered and said vnto them ye do erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. ye do erre M. He sayth that they erre generally because they denyed the resurrection Not knovving the scriptures C. Although our Sauiour Christ doth onely touche the Saduces yet notwithstaÌ„ding this repreheÌ„cion doth beloÌ„g generally to al the inuentors of false opinioÌ„s For seing that God dothe brightly shine vnto vs in the scriptures it must nedes be that the ignorance of them is the welspring and cause of all error M. As more plainly appereth by the wordes of Marke where it is thus written Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God They erred therfore because they knew not the scripture wresting the sence therof amis C. But this is no smal consolation to the godly in that they shal be safe froÌ„ the danger of erringe so long as by humble and modest docillity they do seke search for that which is right true out of the Scriptures For the worde of God is a lighte vnto oure feete and a lanterne to oure pathes and it shyneth in this worlde as a candell in the darkenes Wherevpon the Apostel Paule sayth Al Scripture geuen by diuine inspiracion is profitable to teache to improue to correcte and to amende that the man of God maye be perfecte and geuen to all good workes Neyther the povver of God. C. Whereas Christ ioyneth the power of God to the worde it is referred to the circomstance of the present cause For because the resurrection dothe farre excéede the capacitye of humane sence