bloude of Zacharye the sonne of Barachias whome he slewe betwene the temple and the altar That vppon you may come B. Bu. To haue the iust bloude come vpon any man is to be gilty of bloude and to haue bloude required at his handes that is to be punished and to haue vengeance recompeÌ„ced for the bloud whiche was shed C. Christ doth not only detracte and plucke away froÌ„ the Scribes Phariseis that whiche they falselye arrogated to them selues but also teacheth that they were adorned with the Prophetes to a quight coÌ„trary ende that no age might be frée from the mischife of wicked rebellion For the pronoune you doth generally comprehende the whole people from their firste originall or beginning Obiection If anye man do obiecte and saye that it doth not agrée with the iudgemente of God that the punishementes of the fathers faltes shoulde be layed vppon the children wee maye easelye aunswere that seinge they also by wycked conspiracy wrapped them selues in the same vngodlines it oughte not to seme absurde if God punishinge euery one of them alike do laye the punishemente dewe to the fathers vppon the heades of the children Therefore iustly a count is to be made and punishment also to be had of the whole people for the continuall contempte at the lenghte in whose time or in what age soeuer it commeth Forâ—… as God by the longe continuance of his pacience did constantly contende with the malice of the whole people euen so all of them by their iuste deserte werr made giltye of the inflexible obstinacy which coÌ„tinued euen vntil the laste hower as euery age by compacte consente murthered their Prophetes euen so it is mete that they be called to common and general iudgement and all the slaughters which were coÌ„mitted by one consented to be reuenged vpon al B. Bu. The Lorde therfore doth not only threaten the reuenge of those whome they shoulde kil but also the reuenge of those whome their elders had slaine signifiyng the beseginge and vtter destruction of this people For these men did kyll Christe the heade of all Saints and his Apostles also greater than all Saintes as they whiche broughte the more perfecte knowledge of God to the world therefore they did not onely finishe but also excéede the crueltye of all their forefathers whiche had shed the innocent bloud of the Prophetes So that euen as they had the crueltye of them al finished to the full so they made themselues gylty of all the iuste bloud which they at any time had shed For as all the saints from the first to the laste are all one body hauing Christe their heade and what benefits the Lorde geueth to their posteritye he saythe that he geueth them to their fathers euen so all the wicked doe consiste of one bodye hauynge Sathan their heade wee saye that vengeance is rewarded them and that they are punished with such punishmeÌ„ts which are not felt of theÌ„ in this lyfe with the whiche they are afflicted in dede but firste of all are takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ their posterity So the Amalachites fought against Israel wheÌ„ they came out of Egipte The which thing the Lord coÌ„maunded to be written in a booke for a remembrance and to be committed to the eares of Iosue promisinge that he wolde vtterly roote oute that people in somuch that no remnaunte of theÌ„ should remayne for a memoriall But the lorde performed that thing first of al by Saule within forty yeres after or thereabout that this people the Amalachites had offeÌ„ded and so the vengeance or reuenge of that falte fell vpon them whiche neuer committed the same by externall falte Notwithstanding this God was not vniust in reuenging vpoÌ„ them that which their fathers had coÌ„mitted For these at the last had fulfylled and whollye rynyshed the wickednesse of their fathers so that the same wickednes did specially deserue to be ponished externally in them After this manner therefore the crueltie also of all those whiche haue shed at any time iust bloud and the impietie of these Iewes at the laste whiche were destroyed by Titus came to the full and fulfilled the same measure whiche deserued extreame vengeaunce It was reuenged therefore and ponished in them by right and they were iustely plagued for an example to the whole world NotwithstaÌ„dinge in the meane tyme also they which were before these men were no lesse ponished for their offence but priuatelye but they receyued the more publique and greatter ponishement whiche were destroyed by Titus This is a horrible malediction and cursse if we communicate and take parte in the wyckednesse of the vngodly we shall not onely beare the ponishemente of oure owne synnes but of their synnes also From the bloud of the righteouse Abell C. Althoughe Abell were not slayne of the Iewes yet notwithstanding Christ imputeth his deathe vnto them because euen among those there was a certain affinitie of the wickednes of Cayne otherwise it wolde not agree that he saith that the iust bloud was shedd from the begynninge of the worlde by this generation Cayne therefore is appointed the headde the prince and authour of the Iewishe people because in that they began to kill the prophetes they succeded and came into his place whose followers they were A. He calleth Abell iuste because by a lyuely fayth in the promised redemer he offered vp sacrifice acceptable to God. As concernynge the which matter reade the leuenth chapter to the Hebrewes Vntyll the bloudde of Zachary C. He nameth Zachary not as thoughe he were the laste martyr for the Iewes had not then made an ende of kyllynge the Prophetes but rather herevpon their boldenes and mad fury increased and they which came after dyd ingurge and fyl them selues with the bloudde whiche theyr fathers onelye had lycked neyther yet because his death was the more comonly known although the holye Scrypture dothe celebrate the same but there is an other cause the whiche beinge worthye to be noted was vnknowen to the interpretours Wherby also it came to passe that they were not onely deceiued but the readers also were brought into greate doubte For Christ might seme to be forgetfull when he rehersynge an olde slaughter omitteth an innumerable heape of murthers whiche were afterwarde commytted vnder Manasses For the Iewes dyd not ceasse to persecute wickedly the saintes and holye men of God euen vnto the time of transmigration or departure into Babilon yea when the affliction of the Iewes was come we knowe howe cruelly they dealt with the prophete Ieremy But trewely the Lorde didde not seeke to cast in theyr teethe those lately done murthers but he rather chose this old and ancient slaughter whiche was the beginninge and originall of mischeuouse libertie that they might afterwarde burste forthe into vnbrydled crueltie because this was more meete for his purpose For wee declared euen nowe that this was the effect of his counsell and purpose that seing that nation did not cease and leaue
syster to Mary Iacobi These were sayde to be his brethren euen as Ioseph was sayde to be his father For it is wrytten in the Gospell I and thy father sought thee sorrowyng Stode vvithout A. Luke semeth to geue a reason of this matter saying His mother and brethern came vnto hym but they could not come nye hym for the prease Seking to speake C. Where as Ambrose and Chrysostome haue accused the virgin Mary of ambitiō that she should prease to her sonne to the ende the multitude might thereby know that she was his mother it is more then nedeth when as her synguler modestie godlynes is commended by testimony of scripture We deny not but that peraduenture the vehemency of carnall affections might make thē to busie thē selues more then they nede notwithstandinge we doubte not but that for some godly purpose they were moued to ioyne them selues vnto hym 47 The one sayde vnto him beholde thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speake with thee C. Where as our Euangelist Matthew reporteth this message to be broughte to Christe by no more then one Marke and Luke affirme that there were diuers of them that spake thus vnto Christ In the whiche there is no contrarietie for the cōmaundement whiche the mother gaue for the calling of her sonne being hearde of many went from one to an other tyll it came to Christe 48 But he aunswered and saide vnto him that had tolde hym who is my mo-mother And who are my brethren M. Christe here doth not so deny his mother and his brethrem as though by no meanes he woulde knowe them according to the fleshe but he resisteth their importunitie C. by that which they sought preposterously to interrupte hym in his doctrine and to make hym cease M. He was not therefore a littell offended by their importunitie as do his woordes declare and the very manner it self of speaking by interrogation saying Who is my mother He was occupied in the busynes of his father of the Gospell and in the busynes pertaining to the kyngdome of God whiche was of so greate waighte that they should not haue interupted him for the speaking with his mother and brethren A. Therefore by this his aunswere he teacheth that he muste go forwarde in the same After the same manner he sayde vnto them in an other place Wherfore did ye seke me Wiste ye not that I must go about my fathers busines 49 And he stretched foorth his hand toward his disciples and sayde Beholde my mother and brethren And he stretched foorth Bu. Least any man should conster or interprete the woordes that he spake of any other then of the faythfull hearers of the woorde of the Cittezens and inhabiters of the kyngdome of God he manifestly declared by the gesture of his body whome he mente and of whome he spake Beholde my mother and. C. Here Christe extenuating consanguinitie or the kyndred of fleshe and bloud setteth forth a very proffitable doctrine seinge that he receiueth all his disciples and faythful people into no lesse honour dignitie then if they were the chiefest of his kyndred by fleshe and bloude This sentence dependeth vpon the office of Christe for he declareth that he was not geuen for a certaine or a fewe but for all the godly which by faythe were ioyned and knyt into one bodye Furthermore there is no bonde more holy then the spirituall bonde because he oughte not to be comprehended according to the fleshe but by the power of the spirite with the which he was endued of the father to regenerate mē that they which were by nature the vncleane and curssed seede of Adā might by grace be made the holy and celestiall sonnes of God. Therefore S. Paule saythe that a man knoweth not Christe truely according to the fleshe because we must consider the redemption of the world which farre surmounteth the capacitie of men or humane power when he reformeth vs by his spirite accordinge to the image of god Wherefore this is the somme that we learne to beholde Christe with the eyes of faythe then to knowe that euery one whiche is regenerate by the spirite addicteth hym selfe to true holynes and ryghteousnes and to bee so vnited vnto Christe that he may be a true member of his body But although Christe do feme here to haue no respecte to consanguinitie yet notwithstandinge we knowe in dede that he did deuoutly reuerence the order of mankynde and did fulfyll suche lawful dueties as pertained to parentes but onely he admonysheth that spirituall consanguititie ought to be preferred before that whiche is carnall Let vs obserue the rightes of nature and yet let vs not addicte our selues to muche to fleshe and bloude And let vs so loue our parētes and kynsfolke that we alwayes and in all thynges preferre our spirituall and heauenly consanguinitie before all other 50 For whosoeuer doth the wyll of my father whiche is in heauen the same it my brother syster and mother C. He vnderstandeth those to do the wyl of the father not whiche exactely fulfyll all the righteousnes of the lawe for so this name of brother whiche he geueth vnto his disciples should pertayne vnto none but specially he cōmendeth faith whiche is the welsprynge and originall of true obedience The sentence of Christ is knowne when he saythe This is the wyll of my father that euery one whiche seeth the sonne and beleueth in him shal not peryshe but haue lyfe euerlastynge M. Also this is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Therefore to beleue in Christe the sonne of God and to heare the worde of Christ as the worde of God is to do the wyll of the father whiche is in heauen So that he whiche heareth the worde of God and doth it and beleueth in hym is the brother syster and mother of Christe And therfore in stede of this which is wrytten here and in Marke He whiche dothe the wyll of my father is written in Luke He whiche heareth the worde of God and doth the same And in an other place he saythe he that is of God heareth Gods woorde Nowe to be a kynne vnto God is to be of hym and to be of kynne is to be of that spirituall consanguiuitie with him As it is wrytten To them gaue he power to be the sonnes of God euen thē that beleued on his name whiche were borne not of bloude nor of the wyl of the fleshe nor yet of the wyll of man but of god Nowe what other thing did the disciples of Christe whome here by the stretchyng foorthe of his hande he declareth to be his brethren systers and mother Did not they beleue that whiche be spake and forsoke all and followed hym C. When Christe therefore hath aduaūced his disciples with exceading honour in so much that he counteth them for his brethren howe abhominable and horrible is oure ingratitude if we forsake not all the
simili M. As in the parable going before our sauiour Christ declared that we must not loke that al the hearers of the gospel shoulde be bringers forth fruit of the same because the greater parte sholde here the same in vain that those which bring forth fruit sholde not be alike in fertillitie euē so in this parable all are admonished lest that the mindes of the godly by tediouse ircksomnes sholde quaile fainte when they beholde a cōfused mixture with the good the euil For although Christ purifyed made clene his church with his blud so preciouse that it might be without spot or wrincle yet notwithstandinge he suffereth it to haue many vyces Wee speake not here of the infirmities which remain in the fleshe to the whiche euerye one of the faythefull are subiecte after that they be regenerate by the spyrite of God but so soone as Chryste hath congregated and gathered to hym selfe his small flocke many Hypocrites insinuate them selues many peruerse men crepe in and many wycked personnes intrude theim selues and so it commeth to passe that this holy company and flocke of Christe whiche he hath segregated to hym selfe is defyled and stayned with many spotts But this seemeth absurde to many that vngodlye prophane and wycked men shoulde be nourysshed as it were in the bosome of the Churche There are some whiche vnder the coullour of zeale being more waywarde curiouse and frowarde then nedeth excepte all thynges be framed accordynge to theyr mynde which because absolute and perfecte puritie appereth no wheare eyther troublelousy departe from the Churche orelles do ouerthrow and destroy the same with importunate rygoure Wherefore this is the symple scope and meaning of the parable that loke howe longe the churche of God hath his abode and contynuaunce in earthe soo longe shall good and syncere men be myngled with wicked ones and hypocrytes to the ende the chyldren of God myghte arme them selues with paciēce might holde fast the constancie of faith among so many stombling blocks and offences with the which they myght be troubled The kingedome of heauen is lyke vnto a man. A. That is to say The heauenly kyng and Messias is like vnto him which sowed good seede in his fyelde Or thus The like happened to the Messias which some tymes happeneth to the husebande man when he soweth his seede Some thincke it a greate deale better that the Gospell be called the kingedome of heauen as if he shoulde saye The like happeneth to the preacher of the Gospell whiche some times happened to him that sowed good seede 25 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares amonge the wheate and went his way But vvhile men slepte B. Christ in this parable hath rehearsed certaine thinges whiche in his exposition in the .37 verse and in the other folowinge he hath not repeated at all as this whyle men slepte the seruauntes asked the master of the house Diddest thou not sow good seede in thy field wilt thou that we go and wede them vp and suche like that herby they myght be taught exhorted which preache and publyshe the wordes of Chryst vnto others that they wolde not be more subtil curiouse then Christ both in other places of Scripture and specially in parables but to count it sufficient for them to bestowe and cōmit that to their herers which they se Christ wold haue cōmitted and let such so handell parables that they onelye take that thing for the which they are broughte The which thing Chrisostome also more vnderstoode then he shewed and in dede declared Such truely are al the parables of Christ that if thou wilt geue to euery part his exposition thou shalt do nothing els by that thy subtill curiositie but omyt let passe both that whych Chryste specially wolde haue obserued and also bring thy selfe to mere triffels curiositie confoundinge it selfe As shal in the xx and .xxv. chapters herafter following more plainely apere but specially in certaine parables of Luke But because the fathers haue handled those thynges whiche were not expressed of Christ the aduersaries of the truth also haue vsurped those thinges to defend theyr errours as expressing the sentences of Christ somthinge shall be spoken here not without cause for to profyte the busines woorke of the trueth His ennemy came C. The deuyl is saide to sowe when we be a slepe to the ende he mighte craftely corrupte spoile our labours that if any com in the night he might not be sene but may depart no mā knowing what he hath done The deuyll also is not knowne when as he doth transforme him selfe into an angell of lyght M. By this kynde of speaking therfore the crafts deceites of sathan are signified with the whiche by a collour of Hypocrisie he dothe so obscure and hyde the sowing of his tares that ye cannot perceiue any one print of his fote steps so warely doth he work his deceit C. Notwithstanding wee must here se what Christ vnderstandeth by the wheat and what he meaneth by the tares This can not be expoūded of the doctrine as if he should haue said when the Gospell is sowne it is strayght way corrupted by wicked inuentions imaginatiōs for Christ wold neuer haue forbidden to be diligent in purging such corruption For we maye not suffer those wicked errours which do infect the puritie of faith so or in such wise as those vices whiche concerne pertayne to the manners of men and can not be corrected are to be borne withall Furthermore Christ saying by name that the children of the wicked are tares taketh away all doubte Notwithstanding we must note farther that this can not simplely be vnderstoode of the persons of men as thoughe God in his creation dyd sowe good men and the deuyll euyll men The which thinge we therefore admonishe you of because by this place the Maniches were abused But truely we knowe that what faulte so euer it be that is as well in the deuill as in men it is the corruption of nature nothing elles As God therfore maketh not his elect whiche are infected with originall synne good seede by creation but regenerateth thē by the grace of his spirite So the deuill doth not create euyll men but beinge created of God he depraueth them and soweth them in the fielde of the lord to corrupt vitiate and defile the pure seede 26 But when the blade was spronge vp and had brought forthe fruite there appered the tares also M. Here we are taught that in the beginnynge of the sowing of the Gospell and the tares that is of the electe the reprobate the puritie goodnes of the field is not by and by knowne because the difference betwene the chyldren of God the wicked is not known vntil they be somwhat sprong vp grown For the reprobate according to the maner of tares are not much vnlike in the beginning to the elect at the first sight
we must knowe that a sicle was a pece of money in value worthe fouer grotes equiualent with that whiche is called Stater wherefore the halfe parte of this sicle is two grotes that is to say the fifth part of a frenche crowne as they went in Fraunce as very exactely declareth the learned maister VVilliam Budeus in his booke de Asse Because therefore euery man was leuied and ceassed at twoo grotes the receyuers of the same asked Peter whether his master payed the same sayinge Dothe your master pay tribute M. C It is lykely that these exactours of trybute did aske the disciple as concernyng his master for some subtill deceit and euyl intente to see if they coulde fyshe out that matter whiche the Scribes and Phariseies angled for in the .xxii. chapter followinge namely whether he wolde deny the aucthoritie of Cesar Christ therefore was here sharply reproued by the exactours of trybute as thoughe he had denied the cōmon right But as those kind of men were contumeliouse so opprobriously they execute their office For Christ hauinge no certaine restinge place they come vnto him and demanded whether he wyll answere to the lawes he goinge from place to place as an vncertayne gueste for euery man was appoynted to pay tribute in his owne Cittie But the answere of Peter very modestly excuseth the matter to please and contente them 25 He saide yea And when he was com into the house Iesus preuented him saying VVhat thinkest thou Symō of whom do the kinges of the earthe take tribute or tolle of their children or of strangers He sayde yea C. Hee paieth and wil pay sayth Peter Wherby we may gather that Christ before accordinge to the maner and custome payed tribute because Peter promyseth the same as a thinge vndoubted A. And it is lykely that Christe came to Capernaum as to his owne cittie to pay tribute as it is sayde before to declare his volūtary submission C. But wheras they demaunde it of Peter rather thā of any other of the disciples wee Iudge that it was done because Christ dwelte with him for if they hadde ben all of one house the exaction had ben comō to them all The Papistes therefore very fondely vppon this place affirme that Peter was equall in dignitie with Christ Hee chose him say they to be his viccar and gaue him due honoure whom in payinge tribute he made equal to him selfe Trewly by this reason they make all the vycars of Christe to be swineherdes and all swyneheardes to be Christes vycars for they payed trybute as well as Peter or Christe But if the dignitie and supremacie of Peter appered in payinge tribute how commeth it to passe that the Pope being Peters successour refuseth to pay tribute and why dothe hee make Cesar to paye trybute vnto hym Thus trewely dothe their foolishenes declare it selfe whiche according to their owne affections depraue the Scriptures And vvhen he vvas come into the house M. Som thyncke that this howse belonged vnto Christ whose opinion is refuted by the wordes of Christ him self saying Foxes haue holes the foules of the ayre haue neastes but the sonne of man hathe not where to rest his heade It is more credible therfore that this was Peters house For it is euident by the eight chapter goinge before that Peter had a house with Andrew his brother in this Citie Capernaum Iesus preuented him sayinge It is lyke that Peter was about to speake vnto Iesu as concerninge this matter but hee not taryinge for Peters talke preuenteth hym C. In the whiche Christ shewed a playne token of his diuinitie declaringe that nothinge was hidden from him Of their chyldren or of strangers E. Christe putteth not this worde Children for subiecttes least he shoulde saye in vayne Then are the children free by the whiche wordes he teacheth that he is a kinges sonne 26 Peter saith vnto him of Strangers Iesus saith vnto him Then are the children free Of Strangers A. That is of those which pertaine not to the honour of the kynges maiestie or which are not so nere of bloudde to kinges Then are the children free C. To what ende do the woords of Christ here tende Doth he speake this to the ende he might make hym and his free from subiection of the law So some do expounde it that christians are free by ryght but notwithstādinge to be subiecte to common politike gouernment because otherwise humane societie cā not be maintained But there is yet an other more symple meaninge of this place For because it was daungerouse least the disciples should thinke that Christ came in vaine because in paiinge of trybute he did after a sort take awaye the hope of delyueraunce he dothe symplelye affyrme that he doth therefore paye trybute because he wolde willingly abstayne from his owne right and power Whereby it may be gathered that nothinge of his kingedome was diminyshed Bu. For thus he semeth to argue All kinges sonnes are free from paying of trybutes But I am a kinges sonne my father beinge the heauenly kynge of kinges accordinge to my deuine nature and according to my humain nature the sonne of Dauid the gloriouse kynge Therefore I am free from the tributes of kinges Question But why doth he not openly chalenge that which is his owne seing that his maiestie was vnknowen to the demaunders of trybute For although his kingedome were spirituall and hee the sonne of God yet notwithstandinge hee was the heyre of the whole world vnder whose feete al thinges were put It may be answered That kynges were not set in authoritie neyther lawes ordeined by God that he which is the sonne of God should be in the same bondage that other men are in notwithstandinge he of hys owne free will tyl the glory of his kingdome was reuealed became as a seruant and was obediente in all thinges This place hath the Pope very folishly abused to the ende he might make his clergy frée frō the lawes As though truely the shauinge of their crownes made theim the sonnes of God and free from tribute and tolle But truely the purpose of Christe was nothinge elles than to challenge to him selfe the honour of a kynges sonne to the ende he might be priuileged free from the common lawe Wherefore the Anabaptistes also very ignorātly wreste these woordes of our Sauiour to take awaye pollitike order and gouernement 27 Notwithstanding least we should offende them go thou to the sea and caste an angle and take the fishe that first commeth vp and whē thou hast opened his mouthe thou shalte finde a pece of twenty pence that take and geue vnto them for me and thee Notvvithstandinge least vve offend M. It may be demaunded in what thinge they shold offende Question Surely leaste they shoulde geue occasion of suspition of rebellion and sedition and be as it were the authours of troubling the kingdome For otherwise the Iewes woulde not willingely haue borne that seruitude of
haste sayde Then Iudas vvhich M. Wee sée here the wonderfull impudency of Iudas which doth not only dissemble the wycked dede but also with a brasen face offereth himselfe and denyeth the dede Because all the reste had demaunded of Christe and sayde Is it I leastâ—… he shoulde seme to be gyltye he bursteth forth also in lyke maner saying â–ª Master is it I He doth not aske this question to knowe the truethe neither because he was soâ—…y as the reste were but leaste he should be had in suspicion of the reste if he shoulde holde his peaâ—…e C. Althoughe wee see often tymes those that are gilty in conscience to tremble for feare yet notwithstanding they are so wrapped in feare in brutishe sencelesnes and in blindenes that that they boldelye stande to the denyall but at the length they secretlye bewraye their mischiefe Euen so Iudas hauinge his owne conscience accusing him could not kepe silence so cruellye did that tormenter within his breste disquiete hym with feare and care Thou haste saide Christ by his answere crossely reprhending the boldenes of Iudas stirreth him vp to consider his wicked facte whiche he sought to hide M. As if he shoulde saye I say not that thou goest about to betray me I do not reueale thy wickednes but thou thy selfe sayst it Take hede therefore what thou doeste Beholde here the wonderful mekenes of Christe he dothe not chyde him he casteth not his benefits in his teeth he driueth him not froÌ„ the communion of the table he holdeth him contented that he hathe striken his conscience and that he hath well prouided for the faith of the reste in shewinge that these thinges happened vnto hym accordinge to the Scriptures C. But nowe the minde of Iudas beinge possessed with deuelishe madnes he coulde not conceyue any suche meaninge Moreouer let vs learne by this example that the wycked in excusing their sinne do nothing els but bring the iudgement of God more spedely vppon them selues M After these thinges Saint Luke addeth that he sayd thus I haue inwardly desiered to eate this Paseouer with you before that I suffer For I saye vnto you henceforth I wil not eate of it any more vntill it be fulfilled in the kyngedome of god And he tooke the cup and gaue thankes and sayde Take this and deuide it amonge you For I saye vnto you I will not drinke of the frute of the vyne vntill the kyngdome of God come A. The which sentence we will expouÌ„de in the .29 verse followinge M. But Mathew hitherto declareth that Christ was not ignorant of the counsell and purpose of his betrayer of the which he maketh mencion not with a disdainefull minde neither to the ende he mighte bewray the wyckednes of Iudas or contende with him but hee rather did it to fortify the reste of his Disciples Of the whiche thinge truely this is an euident argument that he leauinge the trayter commendeth and instituteth to his Disciples the proffite memory of his death by the sacrament of his body and bloud Before the whichh institution it is euident that he did and spake these things by the wordes of Luke before rehersed by the whiche he declared that the Paseouer of the Iewes was not onely a remeÌ„brance of the deliueraÌ„ce out of Egipt but also a type of the deliueraÌ„ce to come which euen nowe was ready to be fulfilled weereof he himselfe shoulde the author C. But because Luke maketh meÌ„cion that Christe tooke the cup twyse in his hande wee muste firste of all se whether it be a repetition for sometimes the Euangelist do repeate one thing twise or whether Christe after he had tasted of the cup did the lyke againe the seconde time Surelye it is like that he tasted of the cup twyse For we knowe that the solemne rite of supping in the sacrifyces was obserued of the holy fathers where uppon it is writen I will receiue the cup of saluation and will call vppon the name of the lord So that we doubt not but that Christe did syp according to the olde custome in the holy feast the which coulde not otherwise be rightlye accomplished The which thing S. Luke plainly declareth before that he cometh to the narratioÌ„ of the new mistery the order wherof was distinguished from the Paschall lambe This also was done according to the accustomed and solemne vse in that he is expresely sayde to geue thaÌ„kes wheÌ„ he tooke the cuppe For in the beginninge of Supper no doubte he prayed euen as at no time he came to the table without inuocation of God But nowe also again he vsed the same seruice least he should omitte the ceremony whiche we sayde eueen now was annexed to the holy Sypping B. For the good man of the house if he had a domestical sacrifice began firste if it were the sacrifice of the whole people or multitude the kyng began firste Christe truelye woulde not despise that commen maner or custome For there was nothing mixed in the Paseouer of superstition Thankes therefore being geuen for the solemne assemblye he set before them the cup that euerye one might taste or syppe therof in doing wherof they declared that they woulde geue thaÌ„kes with the same minde eueÌ„ as if they should haue sayde Amen This Ceremony was nothing els than a testimony of agréement Nowe let vs come vnto the Supper for that fyrste sypping was only a geuing of thankes 26. VVhen they were eating Iesus tooke bread and when he had geuen thankes he breake it and gaue it to the Disciples and sayde take eate this is my body VVhen they vvere eating C. These woordes are not so to be vnderstoode as though this newe far more excellent supper were ioyned to the Paseouer but rather that the firste supper was then ended The whiche thing also is more plainelye expressed of S. Luke when he saith that Christe after supper tooke the cupe and gaue it For it had ben an absurde thing that one the selfe same mistery shoulde be cut of by the distance of time Wherefore there is no doubte but that orderly so soone as he had geueÌ„ bread he gaue the cupe also And that whick S Luke speaketh particulerly of the cup wee extende to the bread also Therfore as they were eatinge Christ tooke bread that he might cal them to the participation of the new supper The geuing of thankes was a certaine preparation and pasing to consider the misterye Thus supper beinge ended they tasted of the holy breade and wyne because firste their security was stirred vp that they might wholely geue them selues to so hye a mistery And reason doth thus require that this euident testimony of life spiritual should haue a difference from the olde shadowe But in that Christe instituted the Sacrament of his body and bloud when supper was ended he mente not thereby to make a law that the faithfull should take their Supper before they celebrated the mistical supper how beit that was the
manner of seking Christe that is let not our myndes reste in the earthe but let them ascende vpwarde to the heauenly glory in the which he dwelleth For the body of Christe doth not put on an incorruptible life that it might laye asyde his proper nature Whereupon it followeth that it is ended But nowe he is ascendeth aboue the heauens least any grosse imaginatiō should tie vs to the earth And certainly if this mistery be heauēly there is nothing more out of order than to bring downe Christe into the earth whiche doth rather call vs vp vnto him If a man aske a Papiste whether he worship the bread or the shewe and colour of bread he wyll strongly deny that he doth not worship the bread but notwithstāding when they go about to worship Christ they tourne them selues to the bread thei tourne them selues I saye vnto it not with the eies only and the whole body but with the cogitation of the mynde also But what other thinges in this than mere Idolatry For truly this partaking of the body of the Lorde whiche is offered vnto vs in the supper doth require neither the locall presēce neither the cōming down of Christ neither his infinite being in euery place neither any such thing For seing the supper is a heauēly actiō it is no absurditie to say the Christ abiding in heauē is receiued of vs Because in that he geueth him self vnto vs it is done by the secrete power of the holy ghoste the which power cannot only gather together thinges far a sonder by distance of places but also brynge them into one The bunde therefore of this coniunctions is the spirite of the Lorde by the knitting together wherof we are coupled is as it were a conducte pype by the which whatsoeuer Christe hath is deriued and brought vnto vs For if we see that the Sunne shining with his beames vpon the earth doth strike and pearce through the same and after a sorte cōneieth his substāce vnto it to bring forth to nourishe quickē the creatures therof why should the shining beames of the spirit of Christe be inferior to conueye the communion of his fleshe and bloud into vs Wherefore the Scripture speaking of our participation with Christe dothe referre the whole force thereof vnto the spirit notwithstanding let this place of S. Paule among many suffice to proue that Christe dwelleth no otherwyse in vs than by his spirite when he saith But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you By the which notwithstanding he doth not take awaye that communion of the bodye and bloud of the which mencion is now made but teacheth that it commeth by the spirit only that we possesse and haue Christe within vs. To the ende therefore we may be capeable of this communiō we must lifte vp our myndes to heauen Here therefore he helpeth our faithe after that all our fleshly sences fayle When mencion is here made of faythe we must not vnderstande it to be euery opinion grounded vpon the inuenciōs of men as many very fondly doe What thē Thou seest bread but nothing els but thou hearest that it is a token pledge of the body of Christe doubt not but that the same whiche the wordes do sounde shal be fulfilled of the Lorde namely that the body whiche thou seest not shal be vnto thee spirituall nourishement Thirdly as we said before we must note the kinde of eating for we must not dreame or immagin that there is a naturall passing made of his substance into our soules but his fleshe is eaten of vs when we receaue life of him For we muste note the analogy or similitude of the bread with the fleshe by the which we are taught that our soules are no lesse fed with the very fleshe of Christ than our bodies are nourished with the vigore and strēgth of bread Therefore the fleshe of Christ is a spirituall foode because it quickeneth vs And it doth therefore quicken because the holy ghoste doth power the lyfe into vs whiche resteth in the same And although it be one thinge to eate the fleshe of Christe and an other thing to beleue in him yet notwithstāding we must knowe that we can eate Christe no otherwyse than by fayth because the very eating is the effecte of faythe M. This semeth incredible that we should be fed with the fleshe of Christe which is so farre from vs But let vs remember that the woorke of the holy ghoste is secrete and wonderful in so muche that the capacitie and vnderstanding of man is not able to measure or comprehende the same and in the meane tyme let vs put away al grosse immaginations whiche staye vs in the bread Leaue vnto Christe the true nature of his fleshe neither extende thou his body by false imagination through heauen and earthe as though it were infinite racke him not with thy fained inuēcions neither worship thou him in this or that place accordinge to thy carnall vnderstanding suffer his glory to abyde in heauen and ascende thou thyther that thereby he may participate hym selfe vnto thee These fewe wordes will satisfie the discrete and modest as for the curious let them seke els where to fulfill their gredy desier S. Luke S. Paule adde these wordes VVhiche is geuen for you Doe this in remembraunce of me C. But Mathewe and Marke omitte it which not withstāding was not superfluous For therfore the fleshe of Christe is nowe bread vnto vs because in it saluation was once gotten for vs And as the crucified fleshe of Christe doth profite no man but suche as eate the same by faithe euen so in lyke manner the eating should be colde of no waighte but only in respect of the sacrifice once offered Therefore whosoeuer desireth to haue the the fleshe of Christ nourishemēt vnto him let him consider the same offered vppon the crosse howe that it was the price of our reconciliation payde vnto god For the Supper is a glasse whiche setteth Christe crucified before our eyes in so muche that no mā can receiue the supper profitably with frute but he which imbraceth Christe crucified But the saying before mencioned Do this in remembraunce of me doth pertayne to both partes that is to say to the bread and to the cup. For he woulde haue the whole action of the Supper to be a remembraūce of hym to helpe our infirmitie Otherwyse if we coulde remember sufficiently the death of Christe sacramentes were to no purpose for they are helpes of our infirmitie But what remēbrāce Christ would haue celebrated in his supper wee may reade in the foremencioned S. Paule And whereas many doe gather hereupon that Christe is therfore absent from the supper because it is onely a memory of one that is absent they do very well gather rightly For Christe is not sene visibly with the eyes as the signe is whiche in figuring him stirreth vp our
wont to be layde vp was called in Hebrewe Corban or of the Chalde woorde Corbana This Corban the Grecians call Gazophulakion that is to saye a boxe or cheste in the whiche the treasure was layde vp The vse of this boxe was in the temple that it might bee had to fetche out of the same all thinges necessary to repaire the tēple For the which matter reade the .xii. chap. of the fourth booke of Kings That whiche these hypocrites iudge here is not false For althoughe these thinges whiche were cast into Corban did rather pertaine vnto the vse of man than to Gods vse yet notwithstanding because thei were offered vnto God it was mete that they should be suche thinges as mighte please god Those thinges could not neither can please God which are by any meanes defiled with iniquitie or whiche are forbidden by his worde These peces of siluer therefore were not lawefull because they were the pryce of bloud that is to saye the price or somme which Iudas had taken to betraye Christe to be slayn Because it is the price of bloud or the price of murther or by the whiche the murther of a man is bought 7 And they toke counsell and bought with them a potters fielde to burrye straungers in And they toke counsell Hereby it euidently appeareth that hypocrites followyng onely an outward shewe do grosely mocke with god They fayne perswade thē selues to be pure in all other thinges if so be that they doe not prophane and defile their Corban neither are they careful for the wicked bargaine by the which they prouoked the wrath of God to fal vpon them as well as Iudas did But if it were not lawefull to put the pryce of bloud into the holy treasury why is it then more lawfull to take it out of the same For that whiche made them ryche came of the offeringes of the temple and that also whiche they refuse as a polluted thinge to put into the treasury was taken out of the treasury Wherof came then the pollucion but of them selues But the more the wycked go about to hide their faultes the more the Lorde doth seke to disclose them make them knowen They hoped that their fault should be couered with an honest cloke if thei bought a barren fielde to bury straungers in But truely the wonderfull prouidence of God maketh this fall out farre otherwyse so that the same fielde shal be an euerlasting remembraunce of that treason whiche was before obscure hyd For they gaue no name to the place but after that the mattter was commonly knowen that field was called by publique consent the bloudy field euen as though God had cōmaunded their reproche to be blased abroade by the tongues of al mē They wēt about to make God partaker of their wickednes thinking that they did a godly worke if thereby they might redeme their wickednes but God hateth such manner of oblatiōs Notwithstanding to prouide buriall for such straungers as comming vp to Hierusalem to offer sacrifice from farre should there happē to die was a plausible acceptable worke But because parte hereof was prouided for the Gentiles by this signe also hope of saluation was geuen to the Gentiles because they were included in the pryce of Christes death They bought the Potters fielde because it was best cheape being barreyne and no more fytte for the vse of the Potter 8 VVherefore that fielde is called Haceldema that is to saye the fielde of bloude vnto this daye C. The hypocrites goinge about to make a shewe of godlines doe make a perpetuall memory of their wyckednes Not that they gaue this name vnto the fielde as wee saide euen nowe but because the common sorte of people by the instincte and of the holy ghoste not knowynge what they sayde made that fielde a memoriall by this token in so muche that when it shoulde haue bene named the fielde buriall place of straungers it was called the fielde of bloude that is to saye a fielde bought with that money with the whiche the death of a man was bought the money beyng geuen to betraye Christe vnto death in so muche that the same whiche had a shewe of godlynes and was ordayned by hypocrisie myght geue place to the truthe and might be a memoriall of innocent bloude bought by the priestes whiche thinge wyllingly they woulde haue hyd 9 Then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by the prophete Ieremy saying And they tooke thirty syluer plates the price of him that was valewed whom they bought of the children of Israell Then vvas fulfilled A. Now the Euāgelist sheweth that the wicked haue serued to fulfill the prouidence of God although they soughte the accomplishing of their owne wyll For as they crucifying Christe and adiudging him to the most shamefull death of the crosse fulfilled vnwittingly the scriptures and woordes of God euen so they beynge ignoraunt fulfilled this place of the Prophete VVhich vvas spoken by Ieremye C. Wheras Ieremye is here put for Zacharye some thincke that it was done because the Euangelist ment it of Ieremy who maketh mencion of the bying of a fielde in his 32. Chapter but that place cā in no wise agree with this Wherefore it is certaine that the name of Ieremye throughe error is here put for Zachary because we reade of no such thing in Ieremye And they toke thirtye siluer plates M. The wordes of the Prophete are these If ye thincke it good bring hither my price if no then leaue So they wayed downe thirtye siluer pence the valewe that I was prised at And the Lord said vnto mee Cast it vnto the potter a goodlye price for me to be valewed at of them And I toke the thirty siluer pence and caste them to the potter in the house of the lord C. The which place excepte it be rightly applyed it may seeme to be fasely wrested into a contrarye sence but if we obserue that rule which the Apostles followed in cytinge Scriptures it shall easlye be knowne that these wordes of the Prophete are aptly applied vnto Christe After the Lorde complayned that so longe as hee had done the duty of a Sheepeherde in gouerning his people he lost his labour hee sayth that hee is constrayned with wearynes and griefe to forsake his labour His sheepestaffe therefore beinge broken he sayth hee will be no more a sheepeherde afterward hee addeth that when hee required a rewarde there were geuen vnto him thirtye siluer pence By the which wordes hee declareth that hee was counted no lesse vile than if hee had bene some rude and abiecte labourer For he compareth the ceremonies and vaine shewes with the which the Iewes did counterpeise and waye his benefites to the thirty pence as to an vnworthy and slender hyer of some drudge or carter and therefore hee commaundeth this summe to be cast to the potter in the tēple as if hee should saye This their excellente gift which shoulde be no lesse reprochefull for me to
should be a greater reproche vnto them and worke them greater destruction because in dede the purpose of God was otherwise than they imagined For hee ment thereby to make them the more inexcusable and also to bringe their wicked malice euen to the full As if he had sayde althoughe heauenly Propheres were sente vnto you of God and ordained for you only yet do ye folishly alleage for your selues and bragge of this honor For God by his secrete counsell and iudgemente determined an other matter namely that by continual and gentel inuitacion and callinge he might openly detecte and bewraye your wycked obstinacy the whiche beinge conuicte and ouercome he mighte bringe both vppon the fathers and the children a like horrible destruction I sende vnto you Prophetes Bu. Hereby it appeareth that ministers of saluation come not excepte they be sente of God. Howe shal they preache saith S. Paule excepte they be sente Whereuppon our Sauioure Christe also sayde Praye ye the Lorde of the haruest that he woulde thruste out laborers into his haruest It declareth also the fatherlye affection of God in sendynge Prophetes to saue Israell And vvyse men and Scribes C. In that he reckeneth wysemen and Scribes with the Prophetes he doth it to amplify the grace of God whereby their ingratitude doth the more appeare because although the Lorde omitted nothinge to teache them by yet notwithstandinge they did not proffite at all M. in so muche that they cruelly slewe the Prophetes and wyse men that were sente vnto them for their saluation C. In stede of wyse men and Scribes the Euangeliste Luke putteth downe Apostels in the same sence B. These are they which by the instincte and motion of gods spirit brought preached to the whole worlde the woorde of lyfe the true wysedome of God and the proper naturall sence of the Scriptures 〈…〉 This place pertaineth to the trueth of the gyftes of the spirit among which not only the prophesis shewing of things to come and declaring the wil of God and also the wisedome of those which speake by the spirit of God without the knowledge of the Scriptures haue place but also the knowledge of the Scriptures which the Scribes haue Of whom read the second chapter going before And some of them ye shal kil and crucify M. Here the wonderful malice of the Scribes and Phariseis is described It is a smal matter not to receiue a minister of grace if it be cōpared to this cruelty by the which he is contumeliously handeled afflicted scourged and killed This crueltye pertaineth to those that swel and are puffed vp by the name of holines and righteousnes which can not abide the preaching of the trueth but do resiste the same all that they can with fyer and swerde and do persecute it as though it were heresi But they perish not vnto the Lord whiche are slaine and the founde shéepe are brought vnto the pastor and all excuse is taken from the wicked when that theire malice which otherwyse would lye hid is made manifeste to all men Euen so in an other place he sayth For a testimony vnto them and the Gentiles C. So that this place teacheth that God dothe not worke the saluatiō of men alwaies so often as he sendeth vnto thē his word but that he woulde haue the same some times declared vnto the reprobate who he knoweth notwithstanding will be obstinate that it may be vnto them the sauore of death vnto death The woorde of God certeinlye of his owne nature is of power to saue and calleth all men without exception to the hope of euerlastinge lyfe but because al men are not inwardlye drawne because God doth not open their eares and because all men are not renewed to repentance or framed to obediēce whosoeuer do reiecte the woorde of GOD do make the same to be vnto them selues death and destruction Seinge therefore God knewe that this shoulde come to passe that the reprobate shoulde be drawne into greater damnation hee by his secrete counsell sente vnto them his Prophets as more plainly the Prophete Esay declareth Wee graunte truelye that this is farre contrarye to carnall sence and reason euen as wee sée the impure and vnreuerent contemners of God to take hereby speciall occasion to barke and murmure againste the secrete counsels of God because that lyke a tyraunte as they say he delighteth in the greater punishemente and destruction of men whome he doth more and more indurate make blinde in their synnes withoute all hope of profite But God by such documentes as these doth exercise and trye the modesty of the faithfull Let this therefore bee oure sobriety namely to reuerence that with tremblynge feare whiche excedeth our reason and capassity They whiche saye that the foreknowledge of God is no let at all wherebye the vnbeleuinge shoulde not be saued do by vaine defēce foolishly excuse God himselfe We graūt certainly that the reprobat do not therefore bringe death vnto them selues because God hath so prouided that it shall come to passe and therefore it can not be ascribed to his foreknowledge that they perishe but wee deny the righteousnes of God to be lawfullye and truelye defended by this cauill because a man may straite waye obiecte that it is in Godes power to staye them from repentance because the gyfte of faythe and repentance is in his handes This also maye be obiected Obiection What meaneth this that God by his sure determinate counsell appointeth the lighte of his woorde to blynde and dasell the eyes of men Why wil God beinge not contente with the simple falle and destruction of suche as are accursed and ordeyned to euerlastynge death haue them to taste of the fyrste seconde and thyrde death Wherefore this onelye resteth that wee geue this glorye to the Iudmentes of GOD and to crye wyth Sainct Paule and saye O the déepenes of the ryches both of the wysedome and knowledge of GOD howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements his wayes past findinge oute For who hathe knowne the mind of the lorde But it maye be demaunded howe the Lord pronounceth by his Prophete Esay that the Prophesies should tourne to the destruction of the Iewes Question seing that his adoption did alwayes effectuallye take place flourishe in that nation It may be answered that seing a very littel and smale portion only receiued imbraced the worde by faith mencion is made here of the greater nomber as of the vniuersal body Euen as Esayas who when he preached the common destruction of the people was commaunded to seale the law of god with his disciples Let vs vnderstāde therfore that so often as the Scripture doth adiudge the Iewes to euerlastinge death the remnaunts are excepted in whome the Lorde preserueth some sede for his frée elections sake 35. That vpō you may come all the righteouse bloud which hath beene shed vpon the earthe from the bloude of righteouse Abel vnto the