person of one that he might commend the vnitie of the Church Notwithstanding Peters successour the Pope I meane maketh exception and saith that he to whom these wordes were specially spoken to whom the foresaid power was committed was preferred before all the rest But this is as much as if they should cōtend and go about to proue that hee was a greater an Apostell then all the rest of his fellowes For the power of binding lousing cā no more be taken from the office of teaching and Apostelshyp than can the lyghte or heate be takē from the sonne But let vs graunt that Peter had a prerogatiue amōg the rest to excel the rest yet notwithstāding very folishely do the Papistes infer seke to proue that the supremacye was geuē vnto him to be the general head of the church For ther is a difference betwene dignitie empire neither is it all one to haue honor amōg a fewe to gather the whole world vnder his dominion rule And truely Christ layed no more waight on him than he was able to beare He is cōmanded to be a porter or doore keper of the kingdome of heauen he is cōmaunded to dispence bestow the grace of God in binding lousyng and to execute his iudgement in earthe namely so far as the power of a mortal man may extend it selfe Therfore what soeuer is geuē vnto him it must be restrained to the mesure of Grace with the which he is indued to the edification building of the churche Thus the huge monstrous ēpire whiche the papistes falsely arrogate to thē selues falleth down is ouerthrowne But although there were no cōtrouersie aboute Peter yet notwithstanding there commeth nothing herupon to the tyranny of the Pope For there is no man in his ryght minde that wil graūt this princelike power to the papistes whiche they take to them selues saying that it was geuē here to Peter that he might bequeth dispose the same afterwarde to his posteritie as his birthright inheritāce for he is not permitted to geue any thing to his successors wherfore the papistes make him liberall of an other mans goodes of the which pertaineth not to him To cōclude how long soeuer the succession shold cōtinue yet notwithstanding the Pope shal get nothing therby vntill he be proued the lawfull successor of Peter But how proueth hee this For because Peter died at Rome As thoughe Roome by the horrible slaughter death of the Apostel sought to get vnto it self the supremacy But they immagin that he was also byshop there howe fond this imaginatiō is littel children cā not be ignorant Furthermore although the Romaine bishop had ben the successour of Peter yet notwithstāding when he depriued him selfe of so gret honour by his falsehod disloyaltie what soeuer Christ gaue to the successors of Peter profiteth him nothing at all It is wel knowne that the Popes courte is at Roome but as for the signe of a church they shewe none at all there It is farre from the office of a pastor to be ambiciouse and to contend for lordeshyppe and Empire Trewely howe muche so euer Christ bestowed in extollinge the heyres of Peter yet notwithstanding he was not prodygall that he would geue his honour to Apostatas It is most certaine that Christ sought so much to extol and magnifie the persons as he dyd the doctrine of the Gospell and the dignitie thereof bothe to condemne the ingratitude of men towardes God his doctrine and also to incourage his disciples boldely to execute their office 20 Then charged he his Disciples that they shoulde tell no man that he was Iesus Christe Bu. Christe here forbiddeth his disciples to promulgate and publishe that whiche they had confessed the whiche myghte make a mā meruaile seing that he came to be the saluation of the Iewes and the lyght of the Gētiles M. Was not that trewe whiche Peter in his owne name and in the name of his fellowes confessed yes verely Furthermore was not this knowledge of the truth necessary to saluation yes vndoubtedly hadde not Christe also inioyned this office of preaching to his disciples before Question for to what ende were they sent but to be preachers of the redemption which depended vpon the comminge of Christ onely The answere to these questions is easie if wee remember that which was declared and expounded in the tenthe chapter before when Christ sent forth his Apostelles to preach namely that they were not made teachers to geeue a full and parfecte testimonie to Christe but to the ende they should prepare and get disciples to their maister whiche before time had ben out of the waye and to make those apte to be taught whiche were very dull and that it was a temporall cōmandement to the whiche the preaching of Christ brought an ende Nowe because the tyme of his deathe was at hande they trewely were not as yet redye or rype to testifie of the faith yea for the infirmitie and weakenesse of faythe their confession shoulde haue ben made a iest and mocking stock the lorde therefore commaundeth theim to be scilent vntyll they knewe hym to be the conquerer of deathe and vntill hee also had indued thē with new constancie M. By this and such like places we may know that the trueth must not at all times be spoken for the knowledge of the truth hath his degrees and his times out of the whiche nothinge must be broughte that is vnfruitefull Hereupon the wise man saithe there is a tyme to be scilente and a tyme to speake 21 From that time forthe began Iesus to shewe vnto his disciples how that he muste go vnto Ierusalem and suffer many thinges of the elders and hye priestes and Scribes and must be killed and be raised againe the third day From that tyme forthe Bu. Christ in euery place directeth his woordes and communication to those thinges that were most parfecte and is very dyligent to instruct his disciples parfectly least they shoulde erre any thing in the knowledge of mysteries or should want any thing in the skyll of those thinges which pertayne to the mistery of saluation and of the kingdome of god Wherefore he dothe nowe more fully instruct his disciples expoundinge vnto them the mistery of redemption that is of his passion resurrection And suffer many thinges C. He sheweth thē what he must suffer that he might make his disciples apte also to beare the crosse for the tyme of conflicte was at hande to the whiche he knew they were farre vnmeete excepte they were armed with a newe fortitude This was fyrste of all to be done namely to begynne his kingedome not with glitterynge pompe not with abondance of richesse not with the ioyful acceptance of the world but with the most shamefull kynde of deathe And truely there was nothing more hard thē to ouercome so great an offence specially if we consider what an opiniō they had alredy
he speaketh to his Apostles in secrete that they afterwardes as we shewed before might be witnesses 18. Beholde vve go vp to Hierosalē and the sonne of man shal be betrayd vnto the chiefe Priestes and vnto the Scribes and they shal condemne him to death Behold vve go vp to Hierusalem M. Here we see howe patiently he beareth the imperfection of his disciples he had twise before shewed them of these thinges and had exhorted them in all poyntes to deny them selues to the sufferance of the crosse and to the folowing of him and although he findeth them as yet carnall and weake yet notwithstanding he doeth not reiecte them or more sharpely reproue them but foretelleth them of that which should shortly come to passe saying And the sonne of man shal be C. Hereby we perceyue that Christ was armed with diuine fortitude to ouercom and vanquish the terrors of death who wittingly and willingly maketh haste to subdue the same For whye doth he take his way no man compelling him to suffer the most shameful death of the crosse but onely because the inuincible power of the spirite did subdue feare and al humain affections A. So he saith in another place The prince of this world cōmeth and hath naught in me But that the world may knowe that I loue the father And as the father gaue me a commaundement euen so do I. B. Therefore hée goeth nowe to take this punishment willingly vpon him which before he oftentimes fled because now his hower was come After this maner all the children of God behaue themselues In all thinges they followe and obey the commaundementes of God they abyde constant and their mindes do not fainte in the workes of God but they rather go forward cherefullye and boldly A. Of the which matter wée haue Paule for an example who when the brethren did beseche that he woulde not go vp to Hierusalem aunswered after this maner What do ye wéepinge and vexinge mine harte I am ready not to be bounde onelye but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesu C. The Euangelist Luke addeth sayinge And all thinges shall be fulfilled which were written by the prophetes as concerninge the sonne of man Therefore Christ did not onelye foreshew those things that were at hand but hée addeth also a lesson namelye that those thinges which the Prophets had written must be fulfilled in the sonne of man For this was an excellent remedy to ouercome temptacion to know the very markes and token in the ignominy of the Crosse by the which the Prophetes did signe the promised author of saluation Herevppon also they might knowe that nothinge came by chaunce but that all thinges were certainlye determined and appointed before of god And there is no doubt but that the Lord did also declare out of the Prophets what maner of fruite of his death they should loke for For the Prophets do not onely teach that Christ shall suffer but they adde also the cause namelye that hée might reconcile the world vnto god The Angell brought this fore warninge into the womens mindes after the resurrection when he saide Hée is risen hée is not here Remember how he spake vnto you when hée was yet in Galile sayinge that the sonne of man must be deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and be crucifyed and the thirde daye rise againe And Christ himselfe sayde vnto his Disciples These are the woordes which I spake vnto you while I was with you that all muste néedes be fulfilled which were written of mée in the Lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes 19. And shall deliuer him to the Gentiles to be mocked and to be scourged and to be crucifyed and the thirde day hee shall ryse againe And shall delliuer him to the Gentiles C. In the our sauioure doth more nerelye declare the circumstāces hée setteth forth a more plaine documente and instruction of his deity For as hée was man hee could not coniecture that after hee shoulde be condemned of the hye Priestes and Scribes hée should be deliuered to the Gentiles and be spitted vppon and reprochfullye handeled whipped and at the laste hanged on the Crosse M. And it is well knowen that the Romane power did adiudge him that punishmente and that it did appoint him that death which at that time was moste cruell and ignominious C. Wée must also note that although the Lord knewe the infirmitie of his Disciples yet notwithstandinge hee woulde not hide this greuous stomblinge blocke of offence For there could be nothinge worse at that time to strike and ouerthrow the mindes of the godly than to sée the whole order of the Churche againste Christ yet notwithstandinge hee dooth not spare by deceyuinge their infirmitye but trulye declaringe the matter it selfe hee sheeweth a meane to ouercome temptacion namely that they should certainlye looke for a resurrection for hee addeth And the third daye hee shall ryse againe But because it was necessary for death to go before hee placeth in the meane time their triumphe reioysinge in hope A. Reade the sixtene Chapter goinge before The Euangelist Luke addeth And they vnderstoode none of these thinges and this sayinge was hidden from them and they vnderstoode not what was spoken What this dulnes was not to vnderstand those thinges which were spoken plainly and familliarlye not of no misticall or secrete matter our Sauiour Christ tolde them But it shal be necessarye also also here to repete that which wee spake before namelye that they were kepte in so grosse ignorance because when they had fayned to themselues a ioyful and happy successe they did count it for a greate absurdity that Christ shold dye so opprobrious a death Wherby we gather how greatly a false imaginatiō doth be witch deceiue men Wherefore let vs beware least wee being intangled by any deceites and fayned perswasions doe waxe blinde in the cleare light Wée must also note that although those admonitions did nothinge profite the Apostles at the very instante yet notwithstanding it did profite afterward For all things being finished they began to call to minde these thinges and many other which they had heard before of their maister insomuche that at the lengthe they were not vnprofitable althoughe at the firste they did profite nothinge at all Euen so when wée profite not at the first sight in the woord of God wée must not geue ouer for the woorde maye haue his force in due time Also there are left many infirmities in saints that they may know how that saluation commeth onely from God. 20. Then came to him the mother of Zebedes children with her sonnes worshippinge him and desiringe a certaine thinge of him Then came to him the mother Bu. This historye declareth how corrupt the nature of man is and what flesh seketh in the Gospell or the kingdome of god C. It containeth certainly an euident spectacle of the vanity of mā For it
remember the olde fayth and frendeship that hathe bene betwene vs and howe haynouse and cruell a thinge it is to betraye the Sonne of man with a kysse whiche is a token of frendeship C. Thus we must learne accordinge to the example of Christe to mingle oyle vinegar together When the wycked are admonished wee muste vse this same moderation which Christ vseth here we must neither flatter theÌ„ nor vse to muche seuerity and al things muste be done vnfaynedlye otherwyse we shall not followe Christe whose admonition here described was vnfayned If the wicked do repente at our admonition we haue woon the saluation of oure neighbours but if they do not repente our good will shal be neuertheles profitable vnto vs. The same admonition did the Apostell geue to the Bushopes as appeareth in his epistell to Timothe Here also wee do euidently sée that whereof we are admonished a litell before namely that by what deceite soeuer hypocrites do couer them selues when they come in the presence of the Lord their wickednes is reuealed yea and that this doth bring great iudgemente vnto them because they beinge freÌ„dely intreated of Christe do rebell againste him Moreouer let vs vnderstaÌ„d that the Church shal be alwayes subiecte to this euell whiche Christe once in his persone sustained that is it shal nourse and bringe vp in the bosome therof trayters and false brethren And therefore it was said a litel before And the trayter which was one of the twelue came beinge spoken to this ende least we should be troubled out of measure by such exaÌ„ples because the Lord will trye our faith both wayes as when Sathan doth sett vpoÌ„ vs within the Church without by open enemys and when he goeth about our secrete destruction by hypocrits notwithstanding we are therewith taught that all wee whiche are the Disciples of Christe do imbrace sincerity with him For the defectioÌ„s and reuoltings which wee dayly beholde do stirre vs vp to the study of true piety to the feare of God as witnesseth S. Paule saying let euery one whiche calleth on the name of the Lorde departe from iniquity We are al commaunded to kysse and imbrace the sonne of God. Let euery one therefore take hede that he do it not trayterouslye Then came they and layed handes on Iesus E. The wycked multitude obserued the trayterouse signe whiche was geuen them and layed handes on Iesus â–ª and tooke hym But for this cause he was made bonde for this cause he was takeÌ„ that he might deliuer vs from the bondage of sinne and thraldome of Sathan into the gloriouse liberty of the sonnes of God and that he mighte teache the woorshippers of hym patience if they at any time being taken with violence shoulde be cast into bondes Neither is there any danger leaste the worde of God shoulde be bounde with vs also for Sainct Paule saith that the woorde of GOD was not bounde Furthermore the sonne of man is ouercome but neuertheles the eternall trueth of God abideth frée and inuincible 51. And beholde one of those whiche were with Iesus stretched oute his haÌ„de and drew his sworde strocke a seruante of the hye Priestes and smote of his eare And beholde one of them B. The Euangeliste Luke sheweth what the Disciples mindes were before that these thinges were done by Peter by these woordes When they whiche were about him saw what woulde followe they sayde vnto him Lorde shall wee smite with the swoorde It is likely that all of theÌ„ were ready to defende Christ for they had promised that they woulde rather dye with him than that they woulde denye hym They seme therfore nowe to be willinge to performe that whiche before they had promised C. Whereby againe it appeareth how much more ready bold we are to fighte than to beare the crosse Wherfore it is mete that wee alwayes wiselye consider what the Lorde coÌ„maundeth and what he requireth of euerye one of vs leaste the feruency of oure zeale doe burste forthe beyonde reason and measure And where as the Disciples are said to aske Christ they did it not with the minde to obey his will but by these wordes they declared that they were readye and prepared to resiste the force of their enemys Neither did peter looke when he shoulde haue a commaundement and leaue geuen hym to stryke but rashelye brake forth into vnlawfull violence B. This one which stoode by Christ here mencioned is said of the Euangelist S. Iohn to be Symon Peter which durste defende Christe before so many armed men when as on his side there were but two swerdes present and not one amongest them all mete for the warre C. At the first sighte truely this boldnes might seme worthy of praise that the Disciples forgetting their owne infirmity and beinge not mete to resiste ventured notwithstanding their bodyes for their master are not afrayed to put the same in hasarde of death For they rather desyered to dye with the Lord thaÌ„ they to liue se him oppressed A. Furthermore they knewe that great iniury was done vnto Christ whome they knew to be irreprehensible both in doctrine and in life And againe if Moyses defended the Hebrewe againste the Egiptian why shoulde not they be excused whiche desyer to defende their master from the multitude of wycked and mad men C. But because they do attempte more than the callinge of God wil beare or permit their rashenes is iustly condemned Wherefore let vs learne to take hede that our diligeÌ„ce may please the Lorde and that we maye depende vpon his wil that no maÌ„ moue his finger without his comaundemente And therfore specially we ought to geue our selues vnto this modestye diligently because in stede of true and iust zeale troublesom rashenes dothe very muche raigne in vs. And stroke a seruant M S. Iohn saith that this seruants name was Malchus And cut of his eare Saint Luke and Sainct Iohn saithe that it was his righte eare Furthermore S. Luke addeth that Christe saide Suffer ye thus far forthe As if he should saye God forbid that ye shoulde fight with the swerde for me but I will that ye suffer my aduersaryâ—… to take their pleasure of me so far forth as it is permitted vnto them By these wordes of S. Luke we may easely gather that not Peter only rose againste the enemys of Christe but that others also were fellows with him in the same inteÌ„perancy rashnes For Christ doth not speake only vnto one but saithe generally to all Suffer ye thus far forth 52. Then sayde Iesus vnto him put vp thy swerde into his sheath For all that take the swerde shall perishe with the swerde Then sayde Iesus vnto him Z. This is a greuouse rebuke by the which Christe teacheth that the dede or zeale of Peter was nothing els but rashe seditioÌ„ against authority contumely againste God the father arrogancy againste the maiesty of God violating of the whole Scripture so
he woulde séeke for helpe and munition to defend his life he coulde haue not only a leuen Angelles but a greate and an inuincible armye of Heauenly warriours Seing therfore he called not for Angelles to helpe him muche lesse woulde he haue hadde a rashe motion whereby no profite was to be hoped for to helpe him For the tumult of the Disciples profited no more then if a fewe frogges had made a noyse He vseth therefore this reprehension for twoo causes The firste was because it was not lawfull althoughe there were greate necessitie yet notwithstandinge it doth not excuse For wée must alwaies consider what God wil suffer to be done neither dothe this excuse profite Necessitie whiche hathe no Lawe constrained me Let vs geue eare to the admonition of Christe whiche saithe It is not lawfull because God dothe not permitte it And now for an other cause Peter is reprehended namely for that by distruste he enterprised and tooke in hande a remedie that was not lawfull as thoughe Christe had wanted power For if wée consider well wée shall finde that we doo sinne of infidelitie so often as wée doo attempte any waie or meane not permitted vnto vs. Obiection But certaine Interpreters doo trauaile here in vaine to séeke out howe Christe coulde obtaine Angelles of his Father by whose Decrée he was appointed to die For these are contrarye one to an other that God hath geuen his Sonne vnarmed as it were to die because it was so necessary once decreed and yet notwithstandinge might be perswaded and moued by Prayers to sende him helpe and ayde Answeare But the woordes of Christe are expressed with a condition that he coulde haue a meane of greatter force to deliuer his life were it not that it should be contrary to his Fathers wil. And so all contradiction or shewe of repugnancy is taken away because Christ did abstaine from praying to his Father being fully certified of his contrary Decrée Notwithstanding we may hereby gather a profitable Doctrine that they doo iniurye vnto God whiche flye vnto shamefull meanes by the pretence of necessitie as wée shewed euen nowe If any man wante lawfull ritches or helpes he is by and by carried headlong to naughty deuises and wicked practises and that because few haue regard to the secret defence of God which only ought to be sufficient to quiet content vs There hangeth danger ouer our heads now by by because wée sée not the ende thereof accordinge to the fleashe wée deuise with our selues this thing and that as though there were no Angels in heauen whom the Scripture so often pronouncethe to be set and appointed to be oure kéepers and defenders So that wée doo depriue our selues of their helpe For whosoeuer are carried with vnquietnesse and too muche care to take in hande forebidden remedies it is moste certaine that they forsake the prouidence of God. Tvvelue Legions of Angelles C. A Legion did consiste almoste of fiue thousande footemenne and fiue hundred horsemen Hereby wée perceiue what greate care the Lorde hathe for the Godlye For séeinge that Christe is geuen to the faithefull whiche beleue in hym it is certaine that this dignitie also is geuē vnto them with Christe that they maye haue the helpe and seruice of Angels The which thing was proued by a certaine Myracle in Elizeus who was compassed round aboute with a mountaine full of Horses and Chariottes of fire to defende hym from his enimies A. Therefore Christe referreth Peter here to the Decrée and Will of his Father euen as in Iohn also when he saith Wilt thou not that I shall drinke of the Cuppe whiche my Father hathe geuen me C. The which woordes doo teach that it became Christe to be doumbe and not to open his mouthe that he mighte be brought as a Lambe to the Sacrifice Notwithstanding this pertaineth to example because the lyke sufferance is required of vs all The Scripture compareth afflictions to Drinkes For euen as the goodman of the house distributeth meate and drinke to his Sonnes and seruauntes euen so dothe God deale with vs vsinge vs as it séemeth good vnto him selfe But whether he make vs mery by prosperitie or humble vs by aduersitie he is saide to geeue vnto vs either swéete or sower Drinke This Drinke was appointed vnto Christe that he mighte suffer the death of the Crosse for the reconciliation of the whole worlde He saithe therfore that he must drinke of the Cuppe which his Father had geuen and measured vnto hym In like manner wée oughte to frame oure selues to suffer the Crosse And yet notwithstanding the opinion of fanaticall and madde menne oughte not to preuaile amonge vs whiche affirme that wée may not séeke remedie for diseases maladies and other euilles leaste wée reiecte the Cuppe whiche God hathe geuen vnto vs because wée knowe that wée muste once die it is méete that wée be prepared vnto deathe but notwithstandinge because the time of deathe is knowen vnto vs the Lorde doth permit vnto vs to defende oure Lyfe by those meanes helpes that he hathe ordeined Diseases muste partely be suffered although they be greuous vnto our fleash and so longe as they are not knowen to be vnto deathe wee maye séeke for ease Onley wee must beware and take hede leaste we take any thinge in hande contrarye to the prescripte rule of his word To conclude let vs alwaies haue this in oure mindes that wee séeke to fulfill the Lordes will then doo wée not refuse the Cuppe whiche the Lorde hathe geeuen vs in séeking for deliuerance from these euilles with the whiche we are vrged 54. But howe then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled For thus muste it be But hovve then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled C. The reason why he prayed not vnto his Father is because it was necessary that the Scriptures shoulde be fulfilled which had foreshewed that Christe shoulde suffer He wanted not the Scriptures truely to proue that it was then appointed vnto hym from aboue to dye but because mortall men doo not knowe what God hathe determined vntill it be reuealed by the Woorde Christ hauing respecte vnto his Disciples dothe vppon iuste occasion openly shewe what was the testimonie of Goddes will. Wee doo know that what euils so euer do happē vnto vs they are sente from God but because we are doubtfull of the ende in séekinge for those remedies which he dothe permitte wée doo not striue againste his power but when we know his wil there remaineth nothinge then but patience and quietnesse Christe therefore nowe plaieth here a newe part he doth no more intreat neither doth he fle or feare death and althoughe he dothe feare yet neuerthelesse he goethe forewarde because he knoweth that it is his Fathers pleasure to haue it so and that therefore it muste be accomplished of necessitie By these wordes also the Scripture is commended vnto vs because this is the speciall scope thereof to shewe that Christ hathe by his Passion put
thou there vntill I bring M. This consolation and comforte the aungell bringeth vnto him least he should thynke that he should abide still in Aegipte in exile and banishement which no doubte woulde haue bene very greuous vnto him Furthermore by these woordes the aungell doth declare and shewe that God hereafter will take charge and care of the childes lyfe And to saye the truthe Ioseph had great nede of this confirmation and strengthening that he mightfully be perswaded that God was not only the guyde of his iourney but also that he would be his continual keper and defender in his banishement And by this meanes God would pacifie and aswage many cares with the whiche the harte of the godly mā might exceadingly haue bene tormented and troubled to the ende he might quietly abide in Aegipte For there was no moment in whiche he escaped at any tyme without trouble and torment for nowe againe he seeth that he was depriued not only of the enheritaunce promised of God to all sainctes but also of the temple of sacrifices and of the open profession of the faith and shold dwell among the moste wicked enemies of God in the pitte and gulfe of superstition And truly he caried with him in the persone of the infant what good thing soeuer at any time the fathers loked for or the lorde had promised vnto them but because as yet he had not sufficiētly proffited in the faithe knowledge of Christ he ought of necessitie to be staied with this commaundement Be thou there vntill I bring thée worde least it should be greuous vnto him being banished frō his countrey to languishe among the Aegiptians We are taught by this example that when we are in the middest of affliction and mysery we loke paciently for the hande of the lorde whiche will deliuer vs from the same Then that we doubte not but that the same prouidence of our heauenly father wil be with vs in tribulations whiche brought vs to the same He whiche saith go and flye doth neuer forsake those that are in flying or going according to his commaundement For it vvill come to passe C. In that the aungel doth foreshew a secrete thing and vnknowen to man it is a plaine token of the power of God and in that he biddeth Ioseph by flight and exile to saue the life of the childe it is a token also of humanitie and pertaining to the infirmitie of the fleshe vnto the which Christ as yet was subiecte M. Nothing therefore is hydden from the Lorde The wicked tyraunt deceiued the wyse men but he could not by fayning that he him selfe would come worship deceiue the liuing god who knoweth the councell of princes In what misery were the godly if that wicked hipocrites might deceiue the lorde But for certayne let vs be assured that there is no knowledge no wysdome no counsell against the lorde M. Wherefore the aungell saith not It will come to passe that Herode shall destroye the chylde but that he wil seke to destroy the childe In this example is depainted vnto vs that all the fond and vayne enterpryses of the wicked against this Christe whom whylest they would destroy in dede do nothing els but seke to destroie and in vayne for so much as he can be destroyed of none whiche at length shal deliuer al the wicked to euerlasting punishement and destruction We must thinke the like of the iust and all godly men whom the vngodly seke to destroy in vayne because they are neuer forsaken of God as the prophet saith The vngodly seeth the righteous and seketh occasion to slaye him but the lorde will not leaue him in his hande nor condemne him when he is iudged Let vs therfore cast our care vpon him because it is he that careth for vs. 14 So when he awoke he toke the child and his mother by night and departed into Aegipt And vvhen he avvoke C. That Ioseph without delay obayeth the commaundement of the aungell we may gather agayne the certaintie of the dreame For such willingnes in obeying doth plainely declare that he nothing doubted but that God was the author cause of taking his slighte Notwithstanding this might seme to be attributed to distrust that he taketh his iourney so priuily in secrete For his departure in the night was not without great feare but the excuse is easy He sawe that a base and abiecte kynde of way in sauing was appointed from aboue vnto hym he thought it good therefore priuily with feare as commonly men do in the extremitie to take his flight It is mete therefore that we temperate and measure our feare with predictiōs and forewarnings of God with the whiche if it agrée it is not contrary to faith 15 And was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lorde by the prophete saying Out of Aegipt haue I called my sonne And vvas there vnto the death A. How long the childe abode in Aegypt it is not well knowen M. There are some that write that Ioseph and Mary abode in Aegipte with the childe Iesus seuen yeares But in what place they abode in Aegipte and howe they were there accepted also whether there were any miracles cōcerning them and suche lyke because the Euangelistes make no mention of the same we ought not more curiously then they to stande about it That it might be fulfilled B. Or brought to passe For the scripture is fulfilled or brought to passe when that is done whiche it before declared or rehersed or by any kynde of meanes spake In this place we must vnderstande the scripture or that which is spoken of the lorde to be fulfilled whē that is done or brought to passe which of the same is rehersed although it be not the thing it selfe of the whiche it is properly spoken or written but hath some cōgruence and likelihode with the thing that is past and finished C. But because Mathewe doth saie that the prophesy is fulfilled many haue thought that the prophete ment nothing els but that which is expressed and thereby they cōster it thus that the Iewes did foolyshly in seking to oppresse and resiste the sonne of God because the father called him out of Aegipt And after this manner amis they do wrest the woordes of the prophete whose meanynge is to proue the Iewes gilty of ingratitude who from their infancy original haue had God the father louing and benificiall vnto them and yet with newe sinnes they seke to prouoke him to anger more and more Wherefore let vs determine without cōtrouersie that this place ought not to be referred to Christe And yet neuertheles the place is not strained into an vnpropre sence and meaning but aptly applied according to the present occasion Thus are the woordes of the prophete to be vnderstoode For so muche as the childe as yet was in Israel I brought him out of the miserable seruitude
whom all thinges lyue she was not deade but a sleepe slepynge to the glory of God loking for her resurrection So that he truely saith the maide is not dead But sleepeth not denying her to be deade in dede according to nature but so speaking as the matter was in his eies not as it appered vnto them which bewayled her deathe C. To sleepe in the scripture is taken often tymes for to die neither is it so sayde of the good only but also of the wycked It is sayde of Steuen when he had thus spoken he fel a sléepe And of Lazarouse Our fryende Lazarus is a slepe but I go that I maye awake him Moreouer it is wrytten Of the whiche some remayne as yet other some are a sléepe Also of wicked Ieroboam it is saide And Ieroboam slepte with his fathers Bothe the wicked and the godlye sleepe vnto the lorde and shall be raysed of him but this is onely beleued of the godly whiche knowe that God is not the God of the deadde but of the lyuinge and that al thinges liue vnto him Herevpon the Christians with a singular fayth called the place of buryall Coimeterion whiche is in lattine Dormitorium and as much to say in english properly a sleping place which cōmonly we nowe call a Sepulcher a Tombe or a Graue but here in this place Chryste taketh it otherwise For Chryst maketh a speciall dyfference betwene sleepe and deathe to the ende he might bringe hope of lyfe as if he shoulde haue sayde Shée is not so deade that she slepeth in death but she slepeth for a tyme it is slepe and not death for ye shal see her aryse by and by whom ye thincke to be deade And they laughed hym to scorne A. Luke addeth knowinge that shee was deade they laughed him to scorne C. It is no maruaile if the lorde were deryded of ignorante grosse and vnlearned men whiche being altogether trobled with prophane mourninge regarded not the ende of his doinges nor his purpose And this parteyned not a lyttell to the commendation of the myracle that they were so doubtfull of the maides resurrection 25 But when the people were put forth he went in and toke her by the hand and sayde damsell aryse and the dāsell arose VVhen the people vvre put A. Nowe Christe taketh the myracle in hand but not before the people were put out of the house for those causes that we declared euen nowe He vvent in and tooke her by C. There was necessitie why be shoulde take her by the hande but he did it for their sakes which were presente Outwarde signes are of no force sauinge that it pleaseth the lord to vse them All myracles depende vpon the commaundement of God onely not vpon the outwarde signe whiche is adioyned for mannes sake A. In Luke it is said that Christ cryed C. The which crie profited nothinge her naturally to the mouyng of her sences which were deade notwithstanding Christ thought good to shew the force of his voice wherby he myghte bringe men in vre to here his doctrine Herupon it apereth of what efficacie and force the voyce of Chryste is whiche pearceth euen to the deade in suche wise that it reuiueth and quickeneth in deathe Therefore Luke saythe that her spirite came into her agayne as if he shoulde haue saide that the same beinge called by the power of Christe was by and by at hande B. But Marke doth seeme more specially to gather the werdes of Christe affirmynge that he sayde Tabita cumi whiche is if a man interprete it damsell I say vnto thee aryse For this woorde Cumi is an Hebrewe woorde and is as much to say in english arise but Tabita is a Calde worde or of the Syrian tongue and signifieth maidē Base wordes trewely they were and vsed amonge the common sorte of people For it is certayne that Christe vsed the vulgar tongue whiche was moste vsed among the multitude specially when he did talke with them And the damsell arose A. Marcke saithe and shee walked M. These wordes are spoken to the amplifiyng and settinge forth of the power of Christ in that not onely he raiseth her beinge deade and contrary to the maner of the prophetes he raysethe her after a commaundinge sorte with his word not by prayer as they did but hee so raiseth her that sodeinely shee is aliue and not onely aliue but walking free from all sickenesse dissease What phisition can so raise vp any body that is sicke that hée shall arise by and by and walke Wee do reade that the prophete Elyzeus raysed vp one that was deade but farre after an other maner then Christe did here Also we reade howe that Peter raysed a woman whiche was a disciple from death but not without praier before Moreouer the maide is saide to be twelue yeres of age least any man should think her to be an infant which was not able to walke 26 And this rumour went abroade into all the lande A. The other twoo Euangelistes saye that the standers by were greately amased M. whiche serueth greatly for the commendation of the myracle Neyther were the seers of this myracle amased without a cause For it was a special argument and manifest token of the great power of god Wheras therefore it was so straunge and vnwonted a thynge it made theim amased A. In the meane season the fame of this myracle is spred throughout the whole countrey Marcke and Luke adde that Christ commaunded them to tell no man C. For althoughe Christ dyd not allowe all men to beholde this spectacle of the resurrection yet notwithstandinge the myracle coulde not be hid any longe tyme Neyther was it cōuenient to suppresse and kepe vnder the power and vertue of God by the whiche the whole worlde shoulde be prepared to lyfe Why then doth he commaunde the parentes of the maide to keepe scilence Peraduenture he would haue them scylent for a time not so much for the thing it selfe as for the order and maner of doinge of the same For we se here that he soughte oportunitie as in other places also M. Moreouer Chryste on the one side knew the curiousenes of the people on the other syde that the exceding mallice of the hye priestes against him wold haue ben stirred vp by the publishyng of these greate myracles In so muche that the common sorte of people would haue attributed vnto him some kinde of preposterouse honour and dignitie and the hye priestes wold haue ben moued more and more to seeke his destruction hearinge that he did suche wonderfull thynges when as the tyme of his glorifiyng was not yet come Of the which matter reade the twelfth sixtene and seuentene chapters followynge M. In Marcke it followeth that hée gaue commaundement that she shoulde eate This commaundemente he gaue to confirme the trueth and certaintie of her resurrection leaste that it myghte seeme but a vysion or phantasie Wherevpon he woulde not geue her any
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
sure and certaine sheewinge that it is not in the power of man not to be offended at this Crosse That in this same night Hee setteth a shorte time againste a most large promyse Before the Cocke crovve The Euangelist Marke hath Before the cocke crowe twyse For the house cocke beginneth to crowe aboute midnighte and before the breake of the daye Hee maketh mencion therefore of the Cockecrowinge to geeue him a token and to printe a certaine signe in his mind which might put him in minde the deniall which was toulde him before For it followeth in the 74. verse And immediatly the Cocke crewe And Peter remembered the wordes of Iesu which sayd vnto him before the Cocke crowe thou shalt denye mee thryse 35. Peter saide vnto him Yea thoughe I shoulde dye with thee yet will I not deny thee Likewise faide all the Disciples Yea thoughe I shoulde dye It is marueile that hee doth so wilfullye bragge that hee will not be ouercome For Marke hath But hee spake more vehementlye Hee had felt nothinge before neither had hee wayhed hys strength And how great experience soeuer hee had of the perill of deathe and howe stronge and stout soeuer hee had beene yet notwithstanding hee wanted not presumption and wonderfull rashnes in that he stroue against the wordes of Christ beinge so manifest and confirmed by the testimony of the Prophete Hereby wee are taught that we cānot learne true humillity except we haue experiēce of our owne infirmity Let vs not marueile therefore that wee fal so often for otherwyse we cannot profite in the doctrine of humility But so often as we do fall let vs remember that wee are admonished of our infirmity of the Lord. Likevvise also saide all the Disciples C. It is marueile that the rest of the Dysciples after that Peter was reprehēded burst forth notwithstandinge into the same rashnes Wherevppon it appeareth howe little acquainted they were with themselues By the which example wee are taught that we must presume to do nothinge but that wherevppon God will set his hand because there is nothinge more vaine than rashe zeale The Disciples saw that there was nothing more filthye absurde than to forsake their maister Therefore they do not without iust cause deteste this vyce but being not fullye setteled in the faith of the promise neglectinge prayer they do vndiscretely bragge boast of their constācy which was nothing Euen so al our fortitude is nothinge els but a vaine immagination which seemeth to be somewhat before the profe tryall be made 36. Then came Iesus with them vnto a farme place which is called Gethsemane and saide vnto his Disciples sit ye here while I go and pray yonder Then came Iesus vvith them C. This is in dede the exordium and beginninge of the sacrifyce by the whiche wee are reconciled vnto god For Christ begā here to offer himselfe it was meete that this shoulde be a voluntarye sacrifice If he had bene drawne against his will it had bene no true sacrifice or oblatiō He humbled himselfe beinge made obediēt to death euen to the death of the Crosse No man taketh awaye my life from mee saith hee but I geue the same of my selfe Christ therefore rightly take vpon him the partes of a mediator that by his sacrifyce hee might take away the sinnes of the world because he offered himselfe to the death willingly If wee consider the tormente payne that he suffered not this obedience also we omit the principall part Vnto a place vvhiche is This Greeke worde which the interpreter hath called a farme in this place signifyeth a place fielde Luke vseth a woorde lesse doubtful which signifyeth a place S Iohn calleth it a gardē which seemeth more specially to expresse this place Hee addeth also that Iesus oftentimes resorted thither that Iudas which betrayed him knewe the place Whereby wee gather the Christ went not asyde to hyde himselfe but wente as it were of his owne accorde and minde to the death Sit ye here vvhile I go and pray M. By these words it is declared for what cause he wente a syde into this garden namelye to pray wee may hereby gather that this was his accustomed maner whē he would pray Hee wente asyde therefore that hee mighte power out his minde wholy before God. For hee had neede of the singuler helpe of God that he might striue against death C. But leauinge the Disciples hee spared their infirmity euen as a man which being in the warre seinge greate daunger-like to happen vnto him leaueth his wife and children in a quyet place 37. And hee toke with him Peter and the two sonnes of Zebede and began to waxe sorrowfull and heauye And hee toke vvith him Peter C. Although hee woulde haue all to be oute of daunger yet notwithstandinge hee toke thre of them with him to beare him companye and hee was the chosen flower in whiche there was a sweete smellinge sauer M. The Lorde at other times also chose these thre before the reste to behoulde speciall matters as wee maye reade in the .17 Chapter goinge before and in the eight of Luke And the same three hee taketh now C. not that they were able to suffer the like violence but that they mighte be a document and patterne of the infirmitye of them all M. Marke expresseth the two sonnes of Zebede by name sayinge Iames Iohn Hee began to be sorrovvfull Or he began to waxe sad and to be greeued in minde Marke hath And hee began to waxe abasshed and to be in an agonye C. Wee haue seene before that the Lorde stroue with the feare of deathe but because the Lord now fighteth hande to hand with the feare of death it is sayd to be the beginninge of sorrowe and heauines Whereby wee gather that there is no true tryall of vertue but in a present matter For then the debillity and weakenes of the flesh sheweth it selfe which before was hid the inwarde affections power out themselues Therefore althoughe God had oftentimes before summoned his sonne to battaile exercised him with certaine skyrmishes as it were yet notwithstandinge nowe by the more approchinge sight of death he doth more greuously wound him and strike him with vnwonted feare And because this seemeth reprochfull to the glorye of Christe that hee shoulde be striken with feare and sorrowe manye interpreters haue carefully trauayled in seekinge startinge places but their labour was verye rashe and nothinge profitable For if wee be ashamed of the feare and sorrowe of Christ the redemption will soone be gone For trulye sayth S. Ambrose I do thincke him sayth hee not onelye inexcusable but also I do no where more marueyle at his piety and maiestye For hee had little profited mee excepte hee had taken on him my affection Therefore hee sorrowed for mee who had nothinge in himselfe to be sorye for and the delectacion of the eternall deuinitye beinge sequestred hee is molested with
Lorde And so by all meanes men are alienate and drawen awaye from God vntyll he gather them vnto hym agayne Wee muste also note the circumstaunce that the disciples being so sharpely reprehended fell strayghtwaye a sleape agayne But this is not spoken of all the disciples but of those three onely whiche the Lorde chose to beare hym company What shall become then of the commoÌ„ sorte when this happened in the flower M. Truely there is nothing spoken here of the infirmitie and slouggishenes of the disciples whiche happeneth not dayly vnto vs For howe often are wee admonished and howe often do we fall for all that Wee haue nede therefore of Christe whiche may styrre vs vp wee haue nede also of his sufferaÌ„ce that he may beare with our forgetfulnes least we by by be caste of according to our deseruing 44 And he luâ—…te them and went agayne and prayed the thyrde tyme sayinge the same woordes And he lefte them C. Hee seinge that the eyes of his disciples were heauy and that his former reprehencion had profited little with them lefte them and wente to prayer agayne And prayed the thirde tyme. M. The affection of nature abhorring the crosse caused hym to do this For although there were not in hym suche a wrestlynge of the fleshe and of the spirite as there is in vs yet notwithstanding because he tooke vpon him our infirmities it was mete that he should be like vnto vs in somewhat that feare might haue his course to come again though it were once or twyse ouercome Saying the same vvordes C. The itteration or repetition of one thing was not lippe labour whiche Christe condemned in hipocrites whiche thinke that they shall obtaine that with their vayne babling whiche they aske not sincerely or with the harte but Christe taught by his example that it becommeth vs not to bee discouraged nor weary in praying if we obtayne not by and by our desiers This therefore is not a superfluous repetition of woordes if the temptation of repulse or deniall of our requestes do not extinguyshe the desyer of praying but doe continue askyng the same thing the thirde and fourth tyme whiche the Lorde before seamed to haue denied M. The Euangeliste Luke addeth saying And his sweate was like droppes of bloud trickling down to the grounde â–ª The which wordes are not so to be taken as though he would say that these droppes were but lyke dropes of bloude and not bloud in dede but we must vnderstande them that his sweate ranne down with droppes of bloud And the Greke worde here doth not onely signifie likenes but also the shewe of truthe as when it is sayde And we sawe his glory as it had ben the glory of the only begotteÌ„ sonne of God. that bloudy sweate truely was a token of great paine torment very miraculous 45 Then coÌ„meth he to his disciples and saith vnto them sleape on nowe and take your reste beholde the howre is at hande and the sonne of man is betraied into the handes of synners Then commeth he â—…o his disciples Bu. His prayers being ended and his whole cause being committed vnto God and his mynde being framed and confirmed to suffer death to abyde all kynde of tormentes the Lord retourneth to his disciples whome he founde nothing the more vigilante and saithe Slepe on novv and take your rest C. It may appere euidently enough the Christ speaketh here Ironice but yet let vs see to what end this figuratiue speache dothe appertaine For because Christe had profited nothing in admonishing his disciples hee dothe not onely touche their sluggishnes but also denounceth that although they woulde bee slouthful they should haue no leasure The sence therefore is this Because I haue hytherto spoken vnto you in vayne I wyll nowe ceasse to exhorte you any more But howe soeuer ye haue lybertie to sleape through me yet notwithstaÌ„ding your enemies wyll not suffer it but wyl constrayne you to watche against your willes Bu. For nowe both my payne and your great daunger also is at hande And therfore in Marke it is added It is enough as if hee shoulde haue sayde It is not nowe tyme to sleape And after this manner the Lorde dothe oftentymes chasten the sluggishnes of men that they which are deafe to heare wordes may at the lengthe be constrayned by euels to watche Wherefore let vs learne by the wordes of the Lorde to geue eare in dewe tyme least that necessitie plucke that from vs by violence to late whiche hee by fayre meanes wold haue gotteÌ„ at our haÌ„ds in due tyme Beholde the hovver is at hande M. He maketh mencion of his hower to the ende they might vnderstande that nowe there is nothing lesse thaÌ„ the tyme of sleape to be taken as if he should saye It is nowe the hower in the whiche I must be taken my enemies are present that must laye handes vpon me and yet ye sleape this hower requireth an other matter nowe can yâ—… not sleape any more aryse and so forth And we must note that he calleth that tyme of his taking his hower that is the certain appointed tyme Euen as it is sayd in another place They sought therefore to take him but no man layde handes on him because his hower was not yet come We are therfore here admonished that euery man hath a certayne and appointed tyme either of lyfe or death whiche he can not passe And the sâ—…n of maÌ„ 〈◊〉 and into the haÌ„ds of sinners M. By the name of sinners in this place as in many other also all mortal men are not vnderstoode whiche by nature are synfull but the wicked only and such as haue no feare of God before their eyes Whereupon S. Peter also saith thus Hym haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous persones after he was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne hym To bee betrayed into the hands of synners is to be deliuered into all their power and to bee geuen to be vsed at their pleasure When he sayeth that he must be geuen to synners he meaneth that he being innocente must be delyuered vp and sheweth also that they were wycked and vniust ministers of his deathe although he shoulde bee delyuered into their handes by the deuine counsell of the father Hereby we perceyue that the deuine dispensation vseth the reprobate to the chastisement of his sonnes yea and the ministery of Sathan also as we haue often tymes declared before 46 Ryse let vs be goinge beholde he is at hande that doth betraye me Rise let vs be going C. By these woordes he declareth that so soone as he had praied he was armed with newe weapons Ar the fyrste truely hee was wyllynge â—…nough to dye but in the very instante he had a sharpe battayle with the fleshe in so much that willingly he would haue deliuered hym selfe from death if so be he might haue done it with the good will of
am Christe or no that hereafter yée shal sée the Sonne of Man whome nowe yée despise as an abiecte to sitte at the Righte Hande of Power indewed with Diuine Maiesty to raigne for euer and to comme at the lengthe in the Cloudes of Heauen to iudge the reprobate These thinges I say after this shall yée sée what so euer yée iudge of me nowe To this effecte also it doothe pertaine that he doothe not onely saye Yee shall see the Sonne of Manne on the Righte hande of God but On the righte hande of Goddes Power that he mighte oppose or sette the power of God agaynste the base Fourme and shewe of Seruitude whiche he then hadde on and for the whiche he was despised Wée reade not here At the righte hande of Goddes Power but On the Righte hande of Power Yet notwithstanding wee muste in sence adde this woorde God as appearethe by the woordes of Luke C. The summe and effecte of his Woorde is that they are greately deceiued if they iudge of hym accordinge to the presente state and outwarde appearance because he muste be humbled and broughte as it were to nothinge before hys comminge whiche shoulde be with greate maiestye and power For this woorde After this doothe put a difference betwéene his Firste and Secone Comminge and doothe ioyne with it also twoo places of Scripture For as concerninge hys sittinge at the righte Hande of the Father the Prophete Dauid speaketh thus The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sitte thou on my Righte Hande vntill I make thyne Enimyes thy Foote Stoole And the Prophete Daniell prophesiethe thus of his commynge I sawe in a Vision by nighte and behoulde there came One in the Clowdes of Heauen lyke the Sonne of Man which went vnto the Oulde Aged before whom they brought him Then gaue he hym power and dignitie Regall that all the people Tribes and Tongues shoulde serue hym Hys Power is an euerlastinge Power whiche shall neuer be put downe and his Kingdome endurethe vncorrupte Al the wiche thinges the Angel Gabriel witnessed to belonge vnto Christe M. To sitte at the Righte Hande of the Power of God is to haue all power C. Christe therefore is sayde to sitte at the Righte Hande of the Father because he beeinge made the Kinge of all Kinges gouerneth the whole worlde in his name euen as if he receiued of hym the Seconde Seate of Honour and Dignitie Christe therefore sittethe at the Righte Hande of the Father because he is hys Vicare and he is therefore called thys Righte Hande of Power because God doth not now declare hys Power but by the hand of his Sonne wil also by him comme to Iudgemente in the Laste day In the Clovvdes of the skie M. Reade the foure and twentye Chapter goynge before C. Here wee maye gather a very profitable Doctrine whiche is generall For whereof commeth it that the wicked are so readye to rebell but onely because Christe Iesus Crucified is of no Price or estimation with theim Therefore they muste be put in minde of the horrible Iudgemente because they will not foresake theire insensible dulnesse and carelesse negligence and althoughe they doo make a ieste as of a Fable of that whiche is spoken of the Comminge of Christe that shall be yet notwithstandinge the Iudge doothe not calle theim to hys Tribunall Seate in vayne by his Gospell for thereby they are made voyde of all excuse 65. Then the Hye Prieste rente his clouthes saieinge He hathe spoken Blasphemye what neede wee of any moe VVitnesses Behoulde nowe ye haue hearde his Blasphemye Then the Hie Prieste rente his cloathes Bu. The Hye Prieste hauynge gotten that whiche he soughte for rose out of hys Chayre not so muche for the loue of Godlinesse as for ioye that he had gotten his praye and to the ende he might make the faulte of Christe more heynous he rente hys Garmentes vnder a pretence of singulare zeale M. Feininge that he coulde not hence thys Blasphemye for verye griâ—…fe of harte This was a common manner amonge the Iewes as well to the Godly as to Hypocrites As concernynge that whiche Hypocrites vsed the Prophete Ioell saithe Rente your hartes and not your Garmentes As concerninge that whiche the Godly vsed S. Luke maketh mention speakynge of Barnabas and Paule Wee reade also that Dauid rente his clothes And also we reede that the Prophete Elizeus did the like and diuers others Although therefore there was a commaundemente geuen that the hye prieste shoulde not rente his clothes yet notwithstaÌ„ding this hipocrite would do it to aggrauate the cause of Christe as thoughe it were some greuouse matter that caused the hye Prieste to teare his clothes whereby men might thinke that Christe had coÌ„mitted som notable offeÌ„ce He hath spoken blasphemy They cryed that he had blasphemed the name of God because he reported himselfe to be Christe and that therfore he oughte to dye according to the lawe VVhat nede vve of any mo C Hereby we perceiue that the miracles by the which Christ declared his power had profited these wycked ones nothinge at al. But it is no merueile that the sone of God was contemned vnder the base forme of a seruante by them who were toutched with no care of the promised saluation For except they had ben altogether voyde of the sence and felinge of godlines they would in so lamentable estate haue had careful regarde to the redemer But nowe omitting all inquisition and séeking after the same being offered vnto them do they not so muche as in theÌ„ is extinguishe al the promises of God And first of al truely the hye priste pronounceth Christ to be a blasphemer then the reste subscribe to the same And also the tearing of his garmeÌ„ts doth plainly declare howe boldely and impudently the prophane contemners of God do pretende a false zeale Behold novv haue ye heard of his Blasphemy Bu. As if he should haue said Hytherto we haue bestowed much time in hering testimonys and in the examininge of witneses to what ende nowe shoulde thereby mo witneses He himself shal serue for many witneses al ye haue heard a blasphemous coÌ„fession of his owne mouth What ther fore remaineth now but iuste iudgemeÌ„t 66. VVhat thinke ye They aunswered and said he is worthy to dye M. Now he séeketh to get the fauour of the people He asketh other what they thinke as though he gaue them liberty when he himselfe already had pronounced the sentence or as though they were mete to iudge right whiche had already fully determined in their hartes to put him to death He is vvorthy to dye S. Marke hath And they all condemned him to be woorthy to death 67. Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him with fistes And other smote him on his face Then did they spit in his face C. Eyther the order in S. Luke is quight disordered or els the Lorde suffered twyse so many reproches The whiche latter semeth more
haue tould you C. By this kind of speach the Angell doth affirme that it is true which he said B. as if hee should say Go your way take experience of that which I haue saide if ye distruste it is your owne fault as for me I haue declared that vnto you which I know to be true C. This the Angell speaketh not of himselfe although he were the first author but subscribeth to the promise of Christe and therefore in Marke hee doth onelye put him in minde of the wordes of Christ Luke sayth that they remēbered the words of the Lord By the which wee are taught that althoughe they did profite very little in the doctrine of Christ yet notwithstāding the same did not perishe but was choked vntill it began to growe in due time A. Euenso the Disciples saw many thinges in Christ and heard those things of him which they vnderstode not by and by but after that hee was rysen againe from death 8. And they departed quickly from the Sepulcher with feare and great ioye and did runne to bringe his Dysciples worde And as they wente to tell his Disciples And they departed quickelye C. This ought to be vnderstoode of the second returne into the Citty in the which Mary Magdalene and the reste of her fellowes tould the Disciples that Christe was risen whiche they had learned as well by the testimony of the Angell as by the sight of Christ himselfe But before Christ sheewed himselfe they ran to the Dysciples as they were cōmaunded of the Angell And as they were goinge they were cōfirmed againe Christ makinge him selfe manifest vnto them as it shal be said in the next verce following The womē therefore runne to the Disciples VVith feare great ioye C. By these woordes Mathewe meaneth that the womē were greatly comforted at the voice of the Angell yet notwithstandinge that they were striken with feare that they burne betwene ioy sorrow M. So that we do see two affections almost contrarye one to the other to be mixed together namely ioye feare But spirituall ioye is such that we cannot truly reioyce in the Lord except the fleshe be caste downe humbled Wee must mortify the flesh otherwise wee cannot be partakers of the immortall spiritual ioy Herevpon it commeth that so often as God appeareth geueth some feeling of his presence we are made afraide almost discouraged They went therfore with ioy for the resurrectiō of Christ which they had learned of the Angell and with feare for the straungenes of the vision greatnes of the myracle They were not as yet fullye certifyed in minde of the resurrection of Christ and yet notwithstandinge they receiued no small ioy and comfort by the wordes of the Angel. For if they had had a sound and perfecte faith it would haue put away feare greatly quieted them but nowe feare mingled with ioy plainlye declareth that they were not satisfyed by the testimonye of the Angell For they beinge in the middest of sorrow and hearinge this tydinges which they neuer looked for of the Angell they could not beleue for the great ioy The like we reade of the Dysciples in Luke that they could not beleeue for very ioye that is for the desier of the Lord and for the straungenes of the myracle C. Here therefore Christ did wōderfully declare his mercy in taking awaye the doubte and feare whiche was a great let to the fayth of these women 9. Behoulde Iesus met them sayinge All haile And they came and helde him by the feete and worshipped him Behoulde Iesus met them M. The Lord had a consideration of his Disciples insomuch that hee woulde not haue his resurrection sheewed to his Dysciples by these women vppon the report only of the Angell but offereth himselfe also to be seene that nowe not only the testimonye of the eares but also of the eyes might certify them And for the certainty of his resurrectiō hee would haue the same declared not only of the Angels to the women of the womē to the Disciples but also offer himselfe both to that the women to the disciples to be seene felt Saying all Haile M. Or reioyce and be glad There is no doubt but that he spake in Hebrew accordinge to the maner of the coūtrey said Salom that is to say Peace Here the manner of salutacion is cōmended vnto vs the words thereof beinge common both to the godly wicked also notwithstandinge in deede and effecte proper only to the godly He is not a true frend which loueth not truly in God. Therfore S. Iohn exhorteth vs to loue one another not in word only but in deede and verity And they came and helde him by the feete C. This thinge seemeth not to agree with the wordes of Iohn where hee sayth that Mary was forbidden to toutch Christ But these two places may be easelye reconciled that the Lord seinge Mary to be to busye in embrasing and kissinge his feete commaūded her to go from him because it was meete that superstition shoulde be corrected and the ende of his resurrection also declared from the which partly earthly grose affection and partly folishe zeale did withdrawe her But the Lorde at his firste meeting suffered them to toutche his feete least anye thinge shoulde be wantinge that might certifye them of his resurrection Therefore by and by Mathewe addeth And vvorshipped This was a signe of certaine knowledge Wee reade not that they said any thinge A sauinge that S. Iohn saith that Mary sayde Rabboni But this their deede is as muche as Thomas expressed afterward in a word sayinge My Lord and my god This worship was a signe of reuerence whiche they gaue vnto the maiestye of Christ Hereby we may learne what our duty is namely to prostrate our selues before the lord And as for the resurrection of Christ it oughte to make vs acknowledge his power whiche in deede oughte to styrre vs vp to reuerence him 10. Then saide Iesus vnto them be not afraide Go tell my bretheren that they go into Galile and there shall they see mee Then saide Iesus vnto them C. Wee gather that feare was euill because Christ deliuereth the women from the same againe For although it came of admiracion yet notwithstandinge it was contrary to a quiet truste Therefore to the ende they mighte lift vppe themselues to Christe the Conqueroure of deathe they are commaunded to be of good cheere But by the same woordes wee are tought that wee do then trulye knowe the resurrection of the Lord if with an vndouted faith wee haue bouldnes to boaste that wee are made partakers of the same life Christe therefore taketh from them feare not ioye For his resurrection bringeth not any occasion of feare to the beleuing but of true perpetuall ioy These wordes therefore bringe great consolation to a fearefull conscience Go and tell He geeueth them the same commaundement that the Angell did C. And
as it was vsuall to put more in nomber in the natural generation thē in the legall Moreouer it cōmeth to this purpose that Mathew deuiding the genealogy of Christ into three degrées or partes and attributynge to euery degrée fowertene heades or pryncipalles gaue to hym selfe lybertie to pretermytte certaine names whiche Luke could not omyt because he had not tyed him selfe to that lawe or order Thus farre as concernynge the genealogy of Christ Nowe it resteth to declare wherefore Mathew hath comprehended the whole generation of Chryste in three speciall heades and pyllers as it wer and hath attrybuted to euery head fowertene generations Suerly hée dyd it not onely to helpe the memory of the readers but also to note the trypell estate and condition of the people of the whiche Chryste was promysed to Abraham to come euen vntyl the fulnesse of tyme came in the whiche he shoulde be reuealed in the fleshe For althoughe the trybe of Iuda vntyll the tyme of Dauid dyd excell the rest yet not withstandynge it kept not the principalitie In Dauid the kingly authoritie contrary to all mennes expectation issued out whiche abode vntyll the tyme of Iechonias From that tyme there remayned some dignitie and gouernement in the tribe of Iuda which chered vp and comforted the myndes of the godly vntyll the comminge of the Messias 2 Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and his bretherne Abraham begat Isaac M. Moyses doth shewe that Abraham dyd not only beget Isaac but also Ismaell But to the generation of Christ the carnall propagation was not sufficient but the deuine election was also required Wherefore God sayde to Abraham In Isaac shall thy seede be called A. Whiche sainct Paule also alleageth when that he maketh a distinction betweene the carnall sonnes of Abraham and the spirituall M And to this Isaac although he ware inferiour bothe by byrthe and condition dyd God promyse the blessed seede In thy seede sayth hée shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And trewely this miraculous and wonderfull byrth of Isaac beinge begotten by a man that was an hundred yeres olde and beinge borne of a woman that was also fowerscore and tenne and barren dyd foreshewe the miraculouse natiuitie of Christ euen as did also the natiuitie of Iohn the Baptist Beside this the wonderful obedience of Isaac which he shewed first to God then to his father when he shuld be offered bare the Image of Christe which was obedient to his father euen to the death Isaac begat Iacob M. He begat Esau also which two were borne at one birth But Christ came not of Esau Iacob was chosen to this dignitie althoughe he were inferioure to his brother Esau both in age and also in cōdition of life For so God saith by his prophete Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated And S. Paule also repeteth the same woordes To this Iacob also the promyse was made In thée and in thye séede shall all the nations of the earthe be blessed Iacob begat Iudas and his bretherne M. Neyther was he the fyrste begotten but the fowrth neyther of Rachell which was so wel beloued of her husbād but of Lea he was borne And yet the Patriarche Iacob dyd prophesie that Christe shuld spryng of him saying The scepter shall not depart from Iuda For so much as the Euangelist maketh no mention of Ismael the first begotten sonne of Abraham neither of Esau whiche by order of nature was aboue his brother Iacob he did not vnaduisedly place the .xii. Patriarkes in the genealogy when as God hath geuen the adoption of his grace to all men alike It signifieth therefore vnto vs that the blessednes promysed in Christ doth not onely belong to the tribe of Iuda but to all the children of Iacob also whom God hath gathered into hys churche where as Ismaell and Esau are made aliantes M. And although Christ came only of Iuda yet not withstanding all those fathers perteyned to the rest of the tribes of whom Christ came 3 Iudas begat Phares and Zarā of Thamar Phares begat Esrom Esrom begat Aram. Iudas begat Phares Many thynges are to be reprehended in Iudas First because he went from his bretherne because hée agreed to the Chananeās and maryed with a woman of the same countrey because he begyled his daughter in lawe of the maryage of his sonne being promised to her because he committed fylthines so that of this mā was Phares begotten out of wedlocke by whoredome which Phares is nombred among the fathers and elders of Christ This was truely a foreshewinge of the basenes and lowlines of Christe of the whiche Paule speaketh The sonne of god could haue kept by his prouidence his seede his stocke from al filthines note of infamie but he came into the worlde to abase him selfe and to take vpon him the forme of a seruaunte that he might be a worme no man opprobry and iestinge stocke of men and the outcast of the people that at length he might take vpon him the cursed death of the crosse This reproche hée refused not in his stock that out of the incestious bed might come one that shuld be among his anceters For although Thamar did not couete to lye with her father in lawe being by lust prouoked yet not withstāding she sought by an vnlawful meanes to reuenge her iniurie for Iudas whē he wolde haue cōmitted filthines by chance happened on his daughter in lawe But certainely the inspeakeable loue goodnes of god stroue with the sinne of them bothe that this vncleane séede should neuerthelesse obteyne the septer M Furthermore it was so conuenient and necessarie that he whiche should dye for sinners and should take fleshe of our synfull fleshe should also take his generation by synfull fathers sinful fleshe Phares begat Esrom A. For so hath the sacred hystorie The sonnes of Phares are Esrom and Hamul Esrom begat Aram. Loke in the booke of Ruth chap. 4. 18. 4 Aram begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begat Salmon The order of these is plainely set forth in the hystorie of Ruth the. 4 Chapter 5 Salmon begat Booz of Rahab Booz begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse Salmon begat Booz of Rahab B This Rahab is rehersed by name that in her we may se the cause why Christ came which was to delyuer that which was lost wholly subiect to death and not onely to delyuer it from destruction and death but also to beutifie and decke the same with dignitie and worship For this woman was one of the citizens of Ihericho whom the lord had made to be accursed the chyldren of Israell being commaunded wholly to destroy them and to burne the Citie and al thinges therein with fyer yet notwithstanding he did exempt this woman beinge scant good as men thought for she was a tauerner and perhappes a harlot for the hebrew word signifieth bothe not
kingdome of God whiche was at hande but yet to speake this of him selfe in the persone of a foreronner a proclaimer As if he should haue saide Beholde I am a proclaimer and foreronner before the face of the lord shewing vnto you the cōming of the kingdome of god But that he might bringe credite to him selfe he bringeth in the prophecie of Esay admonishing them that the same was fulfilled by his ministery whiche was spoken before in times paste by the prophete of the redēption made vnder Cyrus and Darius and also to concerne apertaine to these tymes C. For although this place of Esay ought not to be restrayned only to Iohn yet neuerthelesse he is one of them of whom the same was spoken For after that the prophete had declared the besieging of the cittie and the extreame destruction of the people he promiseth the reedifiyng of the same again the woordes are these Comforte my people O ye prophetes comforte my people saithe your God comforte Hierusalem at the hart c. For after that the temple was destroyed and the sacrifices abolished the people being led into captiuitie thinges were desperate and out of all order And because that eares were deafe and shutte at the continuall voyce of the prophetes the lorde for a time was as it were dombe Now in this sadde and dolefull silence in this heuy chere the prophete least the godly myndes should faynte or in any wyse quayle plainly openeth vnto them this comforte that there shall arise newe proclaymers setters forth of the grace of God whiche should chere vp the people to hope for the sauing health Suche wer Zachary Haggeus Malachi Esdras suche like But because the perpetuall restoring is not there promised at a moment yea rather Esaias had much respect to the redemption whiche was hoped for by the comming of Christe therefore Iohn is worthely thought to be the chief among the ministers of comforte Then it followeth in the text of the prophete The voice of a crier C. This voyce is compared to that tēporal silence of the which we spake euen now The Iewes were to be depriued of that doctrine for a tyme which wickedly they despised M. Iohn Theuāgelist whē he brought certain testimonies of this crier cōcerning Christ he said Iohn bare witnes of him self and cried saying This is he of whome I spake c. shewyng that he declared all things with a diligent crie to euery one For he being indewed with the spiritie and vertue of Elias stoutly rebuked vngodlines as Elias did the Thesbites and with diligent endeuour he sought to restore againe the true religion And certainly he is a true witnes of Christe not which without a courage faintly inconstantly and obscurely but which openly plainly and truly with force doth so witnes of Christe that none may excuse hym that he harde not the voyce of this crye Wherfore the lord by the same prophete saith Crie out and cease not exalte thy voice like a trōpet For in dede the world hath great neade to haue this crie of repentaunce and true godlines in Christe which continually refuseth to heare like vnto the deafe adder whiche stopped her eares and will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so wysely In the deserte C. The name of deserte is put metaphorically for the vaste wilde deformed raigne of the people as it was in the time of their exile and banishment For it was suche horrible destructiō that well it might be compared to a deserte So the prophete doth amplifie the grace of God as if he should haue said although the people are cast out from their countrey afarre yea and vanyshed the company of men yet for all that the voyce of God shall sounde in the deserte whiche shall bryng ioyfull consolation to those that are out of harte and quite discouraged At what tyme Iohn began to preache Hierusalem in this sence and meaninge was a deserte because all thinges were brought euery where into vaste and horrible confusion but it behoued grosse and dull men to be more moued and affected with the sighte of the visible deserte whereby they might with the greater desyre receyue to them selues being in death the promyse of saluation Nowe we sée howe truely this prophecie did appertayne vnto Iohn and howe fetely it is applied vnto hym Prepare the vvaye of the Lorde There is no doubte but the prophete spake to Syrus and the Persians of whose workes the lorde had intelligence and the sence and meaning is that the lorde would bringe to passe by his wonderful power that his people should haue way through the vnoccupied woode ouer the hilly and sharp rockes and through the barren and drye wyldernes because at his hande he shall haue ministers of his grace whiche shall take away all lettes stombling blockes from among them But this was a shadowed declaration of the redemption But when the spirituall and heauenly veritie came into the light and was manifeste Iohn was sente to remoue and take awaye all impedimentes whiche might let and hinder the same And dayly the same voyce soundeth in our eares that we might prepare the waye of the lorde that is all vices being taken away whiche do stoppe and shutte vp the waye of the lorde we maye geue frée accesse and passage to his grace M. Furthermore we amending our life by the study of repentaunce may remoue and put aparte all suche thinges as may offende the deuine maiestie of god C. It pertaineth to the same effecte whiche followeth in the woordes of the prophete Let all croked thinges be made straighte For by these woordes he doth signifie that in this worlde there is nothing but rough stony hilly and croked waies but yet he sheweth that the lorde wil make a waye through so many and harde strayghtes that by his wonderful power he may pearse through the same to the accomplishing and fulfilling of our saluation B. But in the Hebrew texte this saying In the deserte is ioyned with that whiche followeth as thus A voyce crying in the wyldernes prepare the waye of the lorde that it may agree with the clause followyng And make the pathes of our lorde straighte in the wyldernes M. Therfore Iohn the proclaymer of Christe to the Iewes by his crye stirred them vp to prepare them selues against the comming of the kyng promysed before tyme to lifte vp their mindes also to amēde their liues casting of all suche thinges as might be lothsom and odious in the eyes of his deuine maiestie that thei might be partakers of his grace with ioye 4 This Iohn had his raiment of Camels heare And a girdell of skinne about his loynes his meate was locustes and wylde hony This Iohn had his rayment C. The Euangelist reckneth not this among the chief and excellente vertues that he was addicte and giuen to a rude austere kinde of lyfe eschewinge and not regardynge the ciuyll and
fayth in purenes And to Titus he saythe In all thynges shew thy selfe an example of good works in the doctrine with honestie with gra uitie and with the wholsome woorde which can not be rebuked that he which with standeth may be ashamed hauynge no euill to saye of you The lyke wordes hath S Peter in effecte 20 For I saye vnto you excepte youre righteousnesse exceede the ryghteousenes of the scrybes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kyngdome of heauen For I say vnto you excepte C. Now he towcheth the scribes which wente aboute to blott the doctrine of the Gospel as thoughe it were a destroying of the lawe Of this matter he reasoneth not at large but briefely shewethe that there is nothing in their mind lesse then the zeale of the law As if he should haue saide they fained thē selues to be against me because thei wil not violate or breke the lawe but by theyr lyfe it apperethe howe colde they be in reuerenceinge the lawe yea howe careleslye they mocke with God when they boast them selues to men with theyr false fayned righteousenes The lyke do manye interpretours But beholde and se if that they do not deceyue the people euen as the scribes Phariseyes dyd For when as they restrayned the lawe of God to externall offices onely they fasshioned their discyples as apes to hypocrisie We denie not trewely but that they led their liues as muche amis yea rather worse then they taughte therefore we ioyne vayne ostentation of ryghteousenes with peruerse doctryne Notwithstanding it is manifest wherfore Christ dothe inuaye against this righteousenes in the wordes following where he purginge the lawe from theyr wicked inuētions restoreth it to his proper puritye To be shorte he turneth that vppon the Scribes whiche wickedly and vniustly they obiectted againste hym Behoulde saithe he howe parfect and cunning interpretours of the lawe they be for they faine and inuent vnto thē selues righteousenesse whiche shutteth the gates of heauē against them And therfore Christ mente not to adde here any perfection to the lawe neyther woulde he teache the Gospell to be more parfect then the law but onely how our righteousenes ought to excede the righteousenes of the scribes and phariseyes which was false and fayned A. by the whiche they greatly seduced the people C. He ioyneth the phariseys to the scribes to amplifie because that secte were counted muche more holy then others And here they are deceyued whiche thincke theim to be so called because they beynge separated from the company of the common sorte of people chalenged to them selues a proper state and degree of the whiche we haue spoken before Into the kingedome of heauen C. Here the kyngdome of heauen dothe signifie the immortalitie eternall lyfe and euerlasting felicitie to the sonnes of God promised 21. Ye haue harde that it was sayd to thē of olde tyme Thou shalte not kyll VVho so euer killeth shal be in danger of iudgement Ye haue harde that it vvas sayde Bu. For so muche as euery errour as concernynge trew righteousenes sprange of the false construinge and vnderstandinge of the lawe the lorde to the ende true righteousenes might be obserued doth restore the trewe and proper sence and meaning of the lawe and dothe pourge the same from the inuentions and additions of the phariseyes shewynge by the lawe that spirite and faythe loue and the very affection of loue is required of God which he plainly sheweth by exāples taken out of the lawe C. Wherefore this sentēce and others following do agre with that whiche was laste spoken of before For Christ dothe shewe more largely by particulars howe ccokedly the Phariseyes did depraue the lawe that their ryghteousenes might be nothyng elles but the reffuse and abiecte of all But manye of our elders wer deceiued which thought that this was the correction mendinge of the lawe and that Christ did extoll his disciples to a higher degree of parfection than coulde Moyses the dull and carnall people which were scarse apte to learne the externall elementes and signes So did many men beleue that the beginning of righteousenes was geuen in the lawe but parfection to be taughte onely in the Gospel But Christ ment nothing lesse then to alter chaunge or renewe any thinge of the lawe or the preceptes thereof For there God dyd once ratifye the rule maner of liuyng of the which he neuer repented him Whervpon Moses promised lyfe vnto them that kept the lawe in the whiche there ought to haue ben parfection or elles he did sette before them that whiche was false The same rule of lyuing wel was from the beginninge whiche is at this daye And God required the same parfectiō and integritie of Abraham whiche at this day he requireth of his seruantes For the whole scope of the lawe is that we worshyppe and loue God with our whole harte And what hath the Gospell more A. Trewly he whiche hath suche loue that he loueth God with all his hart and his neghboure as hym selfe wanteth nothinge to the chiefe parfection C. Therefore the law as touching the preceptes of a godly lyfe leadeth men to the parfection of righteousenesse Therefore Paule doth not make the lawe weake in it selfe but in our fleshe And Moses sayd I take heauen earth to witnesse that I shewe you to daye the waye of lyfe and deathe the whiche witnessinge had ben vayne if the lawe had bene imparfecte Moreouer he saithe And nowe Israell what dothe the lorde thy God require more of thee but that thou cleaue onely vnto hym This were a vayne promyse also yf the lawe were to none effect when he saith he that dothe these thynges shall lyue in them But it is euidente by many other places that Christe went not aboute to correct any thinge in these commaundementes For they whiche will enter into lyfe by good workes are commaunded of hym to kepe and do exactly all the cōmaundementes Neyther doth Chryste nor his apostelles alleage the commandementes of a godly and holy lyfe for any other intent and trewly they are very iniuriouse to God the aucthour of the law which imagin only the eies hādes and feete to be disposed ordered there to a false fayned shewe of good workes and that in the Gospell onelye as they fayne God is taught to be beloued wyth the whole harte Therefore lett that errour seace namely that the defection of the lawe is corrected by Christ Neyther muste we immagin Christe to be a newe lawemaker which wolde adde any thing to the euerlastinge righteousenes of his father but we must here him as a faithfull interpretoure that we may knowe what the law is to what vse it serueth Nowe it resteth to see what Christe condempneth in the Phar. and what his interpretation differeth frō their cōments It is certaine that they broughte the doctrine of the law to a pollitike order that it might suffice to perfourme the same
thyng himselfe to eate but commaunded her parentes to geeue it her So after that Lazarouse was raysed from deathe he caused a feaste to be made Peter also by this argumente confyrmeth the resurrection of Christe because he dyd eate and dryncke with the lorde after his deathe 27 And when Iesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And vvhen Iesus departed Bu. By a newe proofe and a newe benefyte he declareth to the whole world that there is no dyssease so incurable whiche the lorde is not able to heale Tvvo blynde men follovved C. The other twoo Euangelistes omytt this myracle because as sayncte Iohn saythe they determyned not to set forthe all the deedes of Chryste but gatherynge the chyefest amonge a greate maynye go aboute to proue hym to be the Messias Matthewe saythe here that twoo blynde men had theyr syghte restored vnto thē but not so soone as Chryste was wonte to helpe others that were dysseased afflicted troubled For hee geueth these two no answere they crying styll after hym as he wente but as it were faynynge that he harde theim not suffered theym to followe hym to his lodgynge and there at the last he asketh thē what they thyncke or beleue of his power Therefore bothe in dede and wordes he taketh a tryall and iust examination of theyr faythe and pacience in sufferyng them to crye as thoug he regarded them not M. There is no doubte but that by the occasyon of the other myracle goynge before and by the fame of his benefytes whiche was spredde throughoute the whole worlde they were moued to followe after Chryste sayinge Haue mercy on vs. C. They expresse not theyr suite for it is enoughe for vs to call vpon God for our mysery M. Furthermore they callynge for mercye require not that whiche is vaine or without effecte but suche mercye as dyd not onely consyst in the affection of the hart but also whiche in deede dyd helpe theyr mysery which was beyng blynde to be restored to theyr sight Thou son of Dauid C. They call hym the sonne of Dauyd because the promyse whiche was made vnto Dauid was commonly in the mouthes of the Iewes They counted him not therfore as a prophete but they estemed him euen as he was to be Chryst the redemer of the whole worlde B. And it is lykely that Iesus was then commonlye thoughte to be the Messias promysed before in the lawe and prophetes For all the people at that tyme loked for Chryste In so muche that they tooke Iohn to be the Messias Whereby wee maye see howe inexcusable the obstynacye of the Pharyseys was which wolde not acknowledge the tyme of theyr visytation being admonyshed of the same by so many signes and tokens M. Moreouer it appereth howe lyttell fayth thynketh vpon daunger For it was decreed amonge the chiefe Rulars of the Iewes that euerye one that confessed this Iesus to bee Chryste the sonne of Dauyd shoulde bee caste oute of the Synagogge Notwithstandinge these blynde men were nothynge afrayde of this commaundement For their crye dothe sufficiently declare howe sounde in faythe they were 28 And whē he was come into the house the blynde came vnto hym And Iesus saythe vnto theim Beleue ye that I am able to do this They saye vnto hym Lorde we beleue And vvhen he vas come into the hovvse B. The lord suffereth these blinde men to cry after him til he came to his lodging wherby he myghte make them more earneste and try them and make their faythe an exaumple for vs to followe The blinde came to hym A. That is they wente into the howse into the whiche Chryste was entered before theim M which is a syngular exaumple of the stedfaste faythe whiche ceasethe not to hope although at the firste time the petition be not graunted but continuethe mutable till the purpose be obteyned Suche was the faythe of the woman of Syrophenesia Beleue ye that I am able to do this B. He asketh them if they beleeue teachinge that faith is required to the obteininge of the power of Chryste and the wyll of God and that the same faithe by the which we beleue in Christ can heale and saue of his owne proper nature and force without the benefyte of prayer For he saithe not do you beleue that I can obtaine this at the hands of God but do you beleue that I can do this By the which wordes wholely such a faith is required by the which we attribute the dyuine power vnto Christ to obtayne any benefite at his handes Question But here it maye be demaunded whether it be sufficiente to make a faythful man to be perswaded of the power of God and of Chryste For so it maye be gathered by the woordes of Chryst Do ye beleue that I can do this And by many other places of the Scrypture it is manifest that the acknowledgynge of the diuine power is but vaine vnlesse wee be certaynelye perswaded of his wyll Notwithstandynge Chryste beynge contente with theyr aunswere doth commende the same as parfecte in all poynctes Wee aunswere when at the fyrste they had confessed hym to be the sonne of Dauid they were perswaded somewhat of his grace For by this tytell they declare hym to be the redeemer of theyr countreye and the aucthor of all good thynges Faythe therefore comprehendeth the mercy of God his fatherly loue his omnipotencie the good wyll of Chryste also towardes man with his power and strengthe But because men do commonlye attrybute lesse to the power of God and vertue of Chryste then they oughte this question is not withoute reason moued to the blynde whether they beleeue that Chryste can doe that whiche they professe with the mouthe And for this cause theyr faythe is commended because they beleeue hym to be the sonne of Dauyd beyng in so humble and base estate Lorde vve beleue A. Hym whom before they called the Sonne of Dauid they nowe call Lorde attrybutynge vnto hym no doubte the honoure of a Messias 29 Then towched he theyr eies saying accordinge to your faythe be it vnto you Then tovvched he their eies M. It is not necessary that Christ shold toutche theyr eies for he coulde helpe theim with his woorde onelye but for the blynde mennes sakes onely namely that hereby their faythe myght be much holpen Euen so we counte the couching of such as we thincke to be saynctes and holy men of greate force Chryste therefore waying the imbecillitie of mākind to the ende he myght helpe the faythe of the blynd toucheth theyr eyes the which no doubte confyrmed muche the truste and hope of these blynde men to receyue their syghte Hereby we see the nature and goodnesse of Christe who alwayes indeuoureth hym selfe to helpe our imbecillitie in those thynges which require a constante faythe Sayinge accordynge to your faythe be it vnto you E. By this shorte sentence the lord teacheth vs
those worthy onely whiche were no synners for if that were so why dyd Christe kepe company with Publicanes and synners and offered his grace vnto them Whiche also sayde I came not to call the righteous but synners to repentaunce Or we may symplely vnderstande those to be worthy whiche study integritie of lyfe and in whome the feare of God is and religion as we sayde euen nowe And there abyde C. This also pertaineth to makynge haste in theyr iourney For if they shoulde haue made any longe tarience in one towne then must they nedes haue shifted their Inne often leaste they shoulde bee ouerchargeable to one man When as Christ therfore cōmaundeth thē to abide tary at their first Iune vntill they go frō thence vnto another citie he signifieth that they must make haste that the Gospell beinge published in one cittie they may go by and by to another And that this is the meaning of Christe it appeareth more playnly by the wordes of Luke when he saythe Go not from house to house For this had bene vnsemely for the Apostels beinge Ambassadours of the heauēly kingdome so to do 12 And when ye come into an house salute the same E. Certaine old Greke bookes adde these woordes sayinge Peace be vnto this house And so hath the olde interpretours also C. Because the disciples coulde not discerne the true sincere worshippers of God frō those that were contēners despisers the lorde cōmaūdeth thē to salute frēdly euery house the thei com into For a salutation is an entraunce or beginning of talke Euen nowe they were admonished to go vnto those houses in the whiche the study of godlines was knowē to florishe but because sometime it commeth to passe that they whiche are of greate fame and are well accompted of bewraye theyr owne impietie when triall is made it was necessary that this commaundement shoulde be geuen vnto them The sence and meaninge therefore of thys place is thys Proue at your first commynge whether the goodmen of the houses to whome yee come can be content to heare you willingly or no and whosoeuer shall gladly receiue imbrace your doctrine abyde with them that your salutation may be confirmed But if any refuse or reiecte the same departe out of hande from them and withdrawe and plucke backe from them so muche as you may your salutatiō again M. This salutation semeth to bee that whiche Christ commaunded to his disciples saying In to what house so euer ye enter firste saye peace be in this house After this manner the Iewes were wōte to salute one an other Christe therefore woulde that his disciples shoulde vse this wonted beneuolence of saluting to the ende they might wynne the myndes of those whiche by the Gospell shoulde bee brought to the kyngdome And therefore he sayth firste saye For a salutation is a signe of beneuolence of frendship and of loue by the whiche we wishe well vnto those to whome we come Whereuppon Christe cōmaundeth vs to salute not only our frendes after the manner of the Gentiles but also our enemies 13 And if the house be worthy let youre peace come vpō it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you again And if the house be Bu. As if he shold haue saide by this token ye shall truely knowe who are worthy namely they whiche receiue your preaching A. Therefore if the house be worthy that is if the goodman of the house be worthy that is to saye If he receiue your salutation For Luke sayth in steade of this And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall reste vpon it that we may vnderstand that the peace which the goodmā of the house deserueth is so offered that it pertaineth to the reste of his houshold also and that it shall reste vpon the whole house if it be receiued of the good man of the house Furthermore that the dignitie of the house dothe consiste in the good man of the house it appeareth by Luke whē he saith If the sonne of peace be there And this is the special goodnes of God whiche appeared in the olde testament also because he appointed the grace of the couenaunt promise not only in the lorde of the house but also with him he toke al that were of his house as appeareth in Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and in Zacheus also whē Christ said To day peace is entred into this house because that he also is made a childe of Abraham But if it be not vvorthy M. Luke hath but if he shall not receiue you that is if he be not worthy declare it in not receiuing you Let your peace retourne M. That is get you by and by from them and so much as you may retracte your salutation again For his woordes are in effecte thus Because they for their ingratitude are vnworthy to haue the blessinge of God whiche yee wishe vnto them breake of your communication and go to some other 14 And whosoeuer shal not receiue you nor will heare your preaching when ye depart out of the house or that cittie shake of the duste of your feete And vhosoeuer M. Hetherto the lorde instructed his apostels howe they shoulde shonne and auoyde the vnworthy get them selues to those that were worthy Nowe he teacheth them what they shall do if they chaunce to come to any that be vnworthy and contemners of the grace of god He hath tolde thē how thei should behaue them selues to the worthy Now therefore he sheweth them of the vnworthy and firste of all he setteth before thē a marke or token to the which they must haue respect according to the which thei must iudge of the worthy with whō they abyde and of the vnworthy from whom they departe namely if they be receyued and hearde or not receiued not hearde that by this meanes they may very well knowe who are worthy and who not And he doth not only commaunde his disciples to departe from those whiche by ingratitude reiecte the grace offered vnto them but also to shake the oust of their feete against thē and by the same to testifie what horrible punishement shall come in time vpon such as contemne the Gospell And also by this seuere denunciation of the vengeaunce of God Christ would comforte his disciples leaste they should be dismayed and discouraged for the contempte of his doctrine and leaste the ingratitude of the worlde should let or state them in their busines And we se howe Paule bearing him selfe bolde on this consolation did boldly despyse al the contumacy of men that he myghte go through euen the middest of troubles cōstantly and bosteth him self to be a swete sauour vnto Christe although the sauor of death to them that perishe Moreouer this place teacheth howe muche the lord estemeth his Gospell and truely for so muche as it is an excellent treasure they are to vnthankefull whiche reiecte the same being
shamefastnes also dothe oftentimes abashe and beate downe the myndes of good men What then if prynces in a rage and angrye mode burst forthe and do thonder at it were Christe notwithstanding would not haue his disciples to be careful because the holy ghost shal put in their mouthes what to speake For the more a man knowing his imbecillitie distrusteth him selfe the more he feareth excepte he knowe from whence to haue helpe And we do see that many do therefore faynte and quaile because they measure the successe of those things which they take in hand by their strēgth whiche in deede is eyther very small or none at all Christe therefore forbyddeth his dysciples to haue respecte what theye are able to do or what they may brynge to passe by their owne myght and commaundeth them to depende onely vppon the truste of goddes grace and myghte B. For he promyseth theim healthe and victory not that therby their life shoulde be in sauegarde but because the glory of the gospell shoulde triumphe and stande irremoueable As this is much more dere vnto Christians then the other so theye cannot liue amisse when the glory of the Gospell florisheth Take ye no thought E. Or be not carefull The greke worde signifieth to thincke carefully or pensiuely C. Then Christ would not haue his Appostells voyde of all care because it was profitable to haue them somwhat careful to th ende they myght aske with an earnest minde by prayer the spirite which Christ promiseth vnto thē but pensiueful care with the which men do to much trouble them selues he taketh awaye For while they consyder with thē selues what shall come to passe if they do this or that and reste not theim selues in the prouidence of God they are myserablely disquieted And trewely they are worthy of suche disquietnes and vexation which do not attrybute this honoure to the prouidence of God whiche in deede is able to helpe and deliuer them from all tourmente in due time 20 For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you For it is not ye that speake A. As if he shoulde saye ye ought not to measure constancie by your owne strengthe whiche in deede is moste necessary in the presence of kings Geue this glory therfore vnto God and doubt not but that he wyll geue it vnto you althoughe youre own strength fayle you ye must beleue that there is nothinge so harde but that be in you is able to ouercome the same C. Neither do I speake here of your facultie and power but of the power of the holy ghost which directeth the tongues of the faythfull to the pure confession of Faythe And least they shoulde be terryfied by their present imperfection lacke he promyseth vnto them that they shall receiue helpe and ayde euen in a momēt For often times the lorde doth leaue the faithfull destitute and without the gyfte of eloquence so longe as he requireth no testimonie of them but when necessitye requireth he maketh those which before were as dombe men passing eloquente Euen so in our time we haue sene diuers martyrs whiche when they were rude beinge called to the confessyng and publishinge of their faythe haue wonderfully excelled in the gifte of eloquence and apte speakinge M. Therefore Chryste more playnely in an other place saithe Take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answere or what ye shal speake For the holy ghost shall teach you in the same houre what ye ought to saye But the spirite of your father M. This sayth he oughte to satifie you that the spiryte of God shall be present with you For wisedome fortitude is requisite whiche thinges he wyll bestowe plentifully vppon you Consider you that you are vnhable to do this of youre selues but the lorde by his holy spirite wyll helpe you M. This place teacheth vs of what authoritie credite and estimation the wrytynges of the Apostelles oughte to be amongeste vs. For if the spirite of God spake in the Apostelles why shoulde we not esteeme of theyr woordes as of the wordes that procede out of the mouth of god Seing they haue this testimony of Christe we can not be deceyued in obeyinge their godly doctrine But we maye erre if we followe credite them whiche boast of the succession of the Apostelles in whom no sparke of the spirite of God neyther by life nor doctrine doth appere That grosse dulnes and obstinate blyndnes of the woorlde is to be lamented by the whiche it hath ben broughte to passe that those in whome the spirite of God spake haue ben slayne The Prophetes and Apostelles spake boldelye and constantly preached the Gospell by the feruentnesse of the spyrite of God and yet notwithstandinge they were counted as seducers and were slayne and that of the people of god This so great obstinacye therefore of the worlde is to be left to the iust iudgement of God. 21 The brother shall delyuer vp the brother vnto deathe and the father the sonne and the children shall aryse against their fathers and mothers and shall put them to death B. Hee doth greatly expresse the danger to the end hee might giue them forewarninges and also strengthen and comfort them For nothinge in the whole worlde can be safe sure and certaine vnto them which will publish and set forth the Gospell no in this cace they may scant trust theyr owne brethren theyr children or theyr parents For the word of Chryst abydeth for euer when he sayth he that is not with mee is against mee and hee that gathereth not with mee scattereth abroade Sathan wyth all his kingdome and power houldeth continuall warre agaynste Christe and hys kingdome the whyche furor and outragious rebellion no force of nature is able to wythstande For he hath the wicked as bond and captyue at his will and pleasure Therfore it is in his hand to styrre and set brother against brother the sonne agaynste the father and the father against the sonne yea to set all men one agaynst another C. Notwithstanding they are deceaued which thinke that this doth only happen to the faythfull to be deliuered of theyr bretherne to deathe For it maye be that the father persecute the sonne of a good zeale if he perceiue him to be an Apostata and one that declyneth from the sincere worshyping of god yea the Lord in this case byddeth vs to forget fleshe and bloud and to reuenge defend the glory of his name Neyther truly do all men spare theyr kinsmen where the feare of God and relygion doth floryshe but had rather that all should perishe if necessity did so requyre then that the kingdome of Christ should decay in any one pointe that the Doctrine of saluation should bee extinguished and the true worshippe of God abolished Wherefore if wee were godly minded this one thing were a iust occasion of hatred the which although it seeme contrarye to nature that one
brother should hate another yet doth our sauioure Christe here affirme that it shall come to passe for his names sake that it may be fulfylled which hee sayth in another place I am not come into the world to bringe peace but a sworde 22 And yee shal be hated of all men for my names sake but hee that continueth to the end shal be safe and ye shal be hated Heare oure sauioure Christe foresheweth that his Disciples shal be hated of all men that is of all euyl men for many be called but few are chosen For my sake That is for me as is shewed before Here wee must note that it is the part of Christians so to liue so to behaue theymselues and so to suffer all thinges that Christe onely maye be the cause of the hatred and persecutiō which they suffer This therefore is ought to be a comfort vnto vs that if we suffer for Christ thē are we his then are we chosē out of the world then shall we say with the apostel Paule We labour and suffer rebuke because we haue a stedfast hope in the lyuinge God whiche is the sauioure of all men specially of those that beleue But he that continueth B. This promyse of healthe is a greate consolation and comforte in so much that howe greate so euer the dangers be if faith be presente it is able to lift vp a discouraged faint hart For he that only continueth to the ende committinge him selfe vnder the tuition and protection of the Lorde hee I saye at the length shall be safe although he be deliuered to the death hated of al men This safetie health is promysed not by resistinge but by sufferynge as the lord more plainly in another place declareth saying In pacience possesse your soules This truely is a wonderful consolation They which fight vnder princes ar doutful of the victory but Christ here promiseth victory without al doubt to thē that fight to the ende A. Let vs not therfore feare or doubte to fighte for the glory of God although the whole world rise against vs because a happy and prosperous ende is promised vnto vs of the sonne of God whiche is a faithfull keper of our saluation if we continue To the ende This teacheth vs that it is not trewe pacience which continueth not to the ende Many men saye Is it possible for any man to suffer these things continually Trewly whatsoeuer he be that suffereth the trouble that is laide vppon hym for Christes sake may continue without yrkesomnes to the last cast yea to the very ende We must not therefore call to mynde howe longe but we muste haue respecte vnto the ende Herevpon the Apostell saythe So ronne that ye maye obtayne Also Stretche forthe the handes that were let downe and the weake knees And in an other place Let vs ronne with pacience vnto the battaile that is set before vs lokinge vnto Iesus the capitayne and fynisher of our faith and so forthe What doth it proffite a man to labour in the siluer myne and to sainte before he attaine the syghte of the syluer Dothe he not lose all his labour and trauayle yes vndoubtedly What dothe it proffe the ronner to ronne if he faynte in the myddest of the race shall he haue the game or rewarde No vndoubtedly Not withoute cause therefore dothe the Scripture in so many places exhorte vs to pacience and perseueraunce Let vs not therefore be weake or feble but followers of theym which receiue by faith paciēce the inheritaunce of promise which is euerlasting life after the trauaile paine of this life 23 But when they persecute you in this cittie flee ye into an other For verely I saye vnto you ye shall not goo through all the citties of Israell til the sonne of man be come VVhen they persecute Question C. By these wordes Christe preuenteth that whiche myghte be obiected thus If we muste beare the hatred of all men in the worlde when shal there be an ende Chist aunswereth Althoughe ye can be no where in peace and sauegarde yet must ye not dispayre but when you are caste out of one place you muste proue and trye whether your worke and labour maye take place in an other But certayne interpretours are deceyued whiche thyncke here that this is a bare permission or sufferaunce whē as Christ rather cōmanded his Apostels to do that which he wold haue done For he which hath suffered one persecution wolde willingly geue ouer by by lyke vnto an olde beaten souldiour which beinge once maymed in the warres goeth no more to the same but lyueth on his pētion at home in peace But Christ here geueth no such vacatiō and ease to his soldiours but wil haue them without ceassing to passe throughe to the ende To be short the apostels are cōmaunded so sone as one battell is done to begin a newe not to think them selues absolued or dismist for fightinge twoo or three fieldes Neyther are they permytted to flee into caues dens wher they may lie ydel but although their labor com not to good succes in one place the lord exhorteth thē to go forward M. that if the gospel of his kingdome will not be admytted in one place they preach the same in an other without delay C. But vnder the cōmaundement there is also some libertie graunted For we must thus thinke of flying persecution All that flye persecution are not presysely to be condemned neyther is flyeing in all pointes without exception lawefull Many of the aunciente fathers in time paste were to earnest in this point whiche condemned flight in persecution no lesse then a certaine kynde of denying Christe For if this were true some part of ignominie shoulde redounde to Christ and his Apostels Agayne if it were lawefull to flye without difference or exception there should be no difference in persecution betwene the good shepeherd and the hiered seruaunt We muste obserue therefore the meane whiche saynt Augustin prescribeth to Honoratus least any man forsaking his abode or hould for feare should either betray his flocke into the handes of the enemy or els geue a cowardly example and yet notwithstāding sayth he let no man rashely daunger him selfe If any vrgent matter require it is necessary that the Pastor venter his life for the flocke but if there be no great necessitie it may bee that his absence may proffite the churche of God more Verely I saye vnto you C. This can not bee referred to the first sending out of the disciples but oughte rather to be referred to the whole Apostelship Notwithstanding in this there is some hardnes what the comming of the sonne of man here signifieth Some expounde it to be suche good successe of the Gospell that all men shoulde acknowledge the kyngdome of Christe and should loke for the renuing of the kingdome of Dauid at his handes And some referre it to the
the lighte of the gospell because they were bytter and rebelliouse againste Christe Also in an other place he saith Israell hath not obtayned that whiche he seeketh but the election hath obtained it The remnaunt are blinded accordynge as it is wrytten God hath geuen them the spirite of vnquietnes eies that they shoulde not se eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto this daye In this place of Paule the Antithesis is to be noted for if the onely and free election of God hath saued som remnant of people it followeth by the secrete iust iudgemēt of god that al the rest shall perish For who are the rest whō Paule in contrary wise setteth against the elect but onely they whom God hath appoynted to euerlasting damnation The lyke reason is in Iohn For he saith that ther were many vnbeleuing because no mā beleueth but they to whō God reuealeth his arme power And by by he addeth that they coulde not beleue because it is written harden the harts of this people To the same thing hath Christ respecte when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the trueth of the gospel is not reuealed to euery one alyke but is depely hiddē in parables darke sentēces to the ende he might power nothinge but thycke darkenes into the myndes of the people We wyll alwayes truely confesse that those whome God doth blynde are founde worthy of this punishement but because there appeareth not a manifeste reason or cause in the persones of men this principal abideth sure that thei by a singuler gifte are ordeined to saluation illuminated by the spirite of God whome God hath frely chosen and that all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God geue vnto them his worde or whether he blinde their eyes stoppe their eares that they can neyther heare nor perceiue the same Now let vs note howe Christ doth applie the prophecie of the Prophete to the present cause And seing ye shall see and not perceiue C. The wordes of the Prophete are not recited as it was sayd euē now neyther maketh it any matter because it was enough for Christe to shewe that it was no newe or vnwonted example if many were amased and astonied at the worde of god It was sayde vnto the Prophete Goe and hardē the harte of this people This Matthew attributeth to the hearers that they should beare the blame of their blyndnes and obstinacy Neyther can the one be separated from the other for all they that are caste into a reprobate sence do wyllingly with an inwarde mallice blynde obdurate them selues For it can come no other wyse to passe where the spirite of God abydeth not with the whiche only the electe are gouerned Wherefore we conclude thus that they are not of a soūd and perfecte mynde whome God dothe not illuminate with his spirite of adoptiō and therefore are they blinded by the worde of God and yet notwithstāding the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blynde 15 For the harte of this people is wexed grose and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes haue they closed least at any tyme they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and shoulde vnderstande with their harte and be conuerted that I also might heale them For the harte of this people S. That is The harte is so inclosed and choked with fatte that it is not able to discharge his proper office M. Therefore when the harte is grosse it cannot be that the eares shoulde heare and that the harte it selfe shoulde vnderstande and conuerte Whereupon he sayth the harte of this people is wexed grosse And by and by he addeth Their eares are dull Therefore before all thinges the harte muste be opened and made fitte to heare the worde of god A. But who can brynge this thing to passe saue only the spirite of God. Of this matter we haue an example of Lydia the seller of purple of whome it is wrytten in the actes of the Apostels thus And the lorde opened her harte that she attended vnto the thinges whiche Paule spake And their eies haue they closed C. Christ here attributeth that to the people whiche the Prophete Esay attributeth to God It is true in either sence The people them selues are the cause of excecation blindnes for they shut their own eies stoppe their own eares We shall alwayes finde the first or speciall cause to be in mē But the secundary or least cause to be in God who blyndeth the eyes of the reprobate whiche he hath predestinate to damnatiō We cal it not the secōdary or least cause according to the Philosophers but we cal that the secundary cause whiche is hydden from the sence of men and so secrete that we ought not curiously to serche for the same But to content our selues with the first cause seing the other is not apparaunt or manifest We must also note that the doctrine is not properly neyther of it selfe neither by his owne nature the cause of blyndnes but by accidēs For as the porblynde men when they come forth to the Sunne haue their eyesighte more obscure and dimme whiche faulte is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes euen so where as the worde of God doth blinde and obdurate the reprobate because it is by their owne wickednes it is proper vnto them but accidentall to the woorde Leaste at any tyme they should see vvith C. Here the lorde might seme to be vnwilling to haue the reprobate conuerted whiche is contrary to this sentēce I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednes and lyue A. Also Peter saith The lorde is paciente to vs warde for so muche as he wold haue no man loste but wolde receiue all men to repētaunce But Peter and Ezechiell dispute not in those places as concerning the secrete pourpose of God but onely they do shewe howe God shewethe him selfe towardes vs calling vs by the preachinge of the Gospell to euerlasting life So that it is not cōtrary to the place of Esay for he calleth all by his woorde yea euen the reprobate But the reprobate are soo destitute of grace that they are nothinge at all moued by the gentyll inuitation of God no they do not mollifye theyr heartes And be conuerted that I also myghte heale hym C. By these wordes he sheweth to what ende seing and vnderstanding do profite namely that men beinge conuerted vnto God may come into fauoure with hym and might haue hym a gentyll louinge and merciful God vnto them Therfore to this ende properly he would haue his woorde preached that he renuynge the hartes and mindes of men might reconcile them vnto hym As concerninge the reprobate Esay here pronounceth the cōtrary namely least that they should obtayne mercy there remayneth vnto thē a stony hardnes and obstinacie and that the effecte of the
least any mā should eate meate vnwares being vncleane but truly the Lord was contented and well pleased if men did pourge those spots that were knowne For these cautions had no ende or meane because men coulde scarce moue their finger but some newe blot or other should be found but this corruption was much more the worse because it was cast into mens consciences as a religon that hée was giltye of pollutiō which did not oftentimes wash his body with water In the comon sort of people peraduenture they woulde haue borne the neglecting of this seremonye but because they had cōceyued such excellency of Christ his Disciples they disdayned that the rits ordeyned by their elders the vse wherof was holy among the Scribes should be broken and not obserued by them Those Papists are deceyued which compare their holy water to the wasshing which the Iewes vsed and affirme it to be necessary to wasshe away sinne But and if this theyr holy water were lawful and voyde of such corruptions yet notwithstanding the necessity which they alwayes vrge is to be condemned but thus men willingly put the snare vppon themselues For the Diuill woulde neuer haue thus snared their consciences vnlesse men thē selues of their owne accord had compelled him to put the snare vppon them As for example men are fallen to such superstitiō that euery fryday vpon their owne frée will they abstaine from flesh now there is come a lawe by the whiche they haue bounde themselues as to a thing of necessitye 3 But hee answered and said vnto them why do ye also trangresse the cōmaundement of God because of your owne tradition Bu. Christ putteth his aduersaries to scilence and maketh them blanke by a contrary question or by a figure called Antistrephō making that to rebound againste themselues which they darted at him C. But this answeare consisteth of two partes The first part is as as wee call it to the person the seconde part contayneth the definition of the matter and the cause The Euāgelist Marke bringeth in this matter after an inuerse preposterous order for hée placeth fyrst the sermon of Christ and thē the theame and proposition vppon the which he toke occasion to make this Sermon as followeth more orderlye in our Euangelyste Mathewe whom wee haue in hand When the Lord in like manner demaundeth of the Scribes Pharises why they did violate transgresse the lawe of God for their traditions hee dooth not as yet plainly cleare his disciples of the fault obiected against them but doth only admonish how vniust preposterous their curious cauillation is They take it disdainfully that the precepts of men are not exactly kept but how much more greuously should they haue taken the matter seing that the lawe of God was lesse estemed than the traditions of men to the obseruation of the which they wholy endeuoured themselues It appeareth therefore the they are rather ambitiously offended then vpon any true zeale when they go about to preferre men before god A. Therfore when Christ could not abyde the glory of his father to be transferred vnto mē nay rather to haue God lesse regarded then men E. hée repelleth so malicious a cauil in a thing of no force with a more sharpe and nipping reprehension saying whye do ye also transgresse the comaundemēt of God for the traditions of men B. To transgresse the cōmaundemente of God for the traditions of mē is to debillitate and frustrate the lawes of God by teaching somewhat whereby men maye be withdrawne and hindered from obseruinge kéeping the lawes of god And wee must vnderstande those to be mens traditions which are ioyned to the Lawe of God as though God had not prescribed vnto vs a certayne and perfect rule before For pollitique lawes ought not to be counted traditions for here in this Chapter menciō is made only of the worship of god Theris no Antithesis betwene the lawes of god and pollitique lawes Furthermore the Church hath néede of some discipline but those lawes are taken out of the woord of God neyther do they tye the consciences of men It cannot be therefore but that the cōmaundements of God must be violated and brokē by mens traditions yea that the decrees of mē should be preferred before the ordinaunces of god Haue wee not had experience of this matter among the aduersaryes of Christe with whom abhominable whoredome is but a tryfell counted but to eate flesh vppon a fryday is a haynous offence 4 For God commaundeth saying honour father and mother and hee that curseth father or mother let him dye the death For God commaundeth M. Because they should not thincke him to be an vniust accuser hée bringeth in euident prose of that which hée had spokē Honor father and mother B. God cōmaundeth the the children should helpe the parents being eyther impotent by age or in pouerty or in any other affliction the which thing Christ sufficiētly declared as may appeare by the words of Marke wher it is said and so ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother for the which words this our Euangelist Mathew hath in his 6. verce following these words And so shal hee not honour his father mother After the same maner S Paule sayth honor those widowes which are wydowes in déede And againe the elders the rule well are worthy of double honor Bu. Honor therefore in this place rather pertayneth to helpe according to the nature of the Hebrewe worde then to saluacion and that ciuyll dutye of life C. In what sence therefore Christ saith the the Phariseis do trāsgresse the cōmaundements of God it may easely be gathered by this text They did not openly or manifestly abolish the cōmaūdements of God as to imagin that which hée had forbiddē to be lawfull but couertly they did transgresse in suffering the cōmaundements of God careleslye to be omitted It is a manifest and familiar example which Christ bringeth it is the cōmaundement of God sayth hée that childrē should honor their parents Because the holy oblations redounded to the profit of the priestes they required the same so straytly that they counted him a more greuous offender whiche willinglye offered not sumwhat then hée which dishonored his parents and defrauded them of their due right Finally that which by the lawe of God was voluntary frée accordinge to the iudgement of the Scribes Pharises was of more weight then anye of the commaundements of god Therfore so often as we are so bente to obserue the lawes of men that wée haue no regarde or care to kepe the law of God we are thought and iudged to transgresse the same Hereafter following he saith that the Scribes Phar. made the comaundement of God of none effecte because of their own traditions because they hadde the people in suche awe and so bounde to their wyll that they might haue no leysure to reade and studie in
we iudge well of him with our harte but he also requyreth that we confesse hym with the mouthe He sayth not whom do ye beleue me to be but he saith whom say ye that I am when as therefore Christ ment to sende his Apostels into the world as witnesses of him to whom it was not enoughe to thincke well of him but also to teach openly that they thought wel of him this I say considered he dothe iustely require the confession of the light otherwise he was not ignorant what they wold iudge of him Bu Therfore all other thinges ouerpassed and set aparte speciallye when as to be wise after the manner of the common sorte of people is to be foolishe lette vs knowe that it is not sufficient to confesse Christe after the opinion of the cōmon multitude 16 Symon Peter aunswered and sayde Thou arte Christ the sonne of the liuynge God. Symon Peter aunsvvered B. Peter aunswereth for all the rest because as the Gospel testifieth he was alwaies more feruent ready to put forth hym selfe then the rest So in another place when Iesus sayde will yee go away Then Symon Peter in the name of all the reste aunswered and sayd Lord to whō shall wée go thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and wée beleue and are sure that thou art Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God. How Symon was called Peter reade the first Chapter of Iohn and there yée may sée Thou art Christ C. A short confession of Peter yet notwithstandinge such a confession as contayneth the whole summe of our saluation For vnder the name and tytle of Christ both the euerlasting kingdome and Priesthoode is contayned that oure sinnes beinge put awaye by the sacrifyce of his death hée might reconcyle vs vnto God and purchase vnto vs perfecte righteousnes And that wée beinge receyued into his safegarde and defence hée might inriche vs and bestowe vppon vs all kinde of blessinges The Euangeliste Marke hath thou art Christ But Luke hath thou art the Christ of God. Yet both of them spake in one sence for in times paste kinges were called the Christes of God that is to say the anoynted of god And this manner of speache Luke vseth in another place saying that Symeon had receyued an aunsweare of the holy ghost that hée should not sée death except hée first sawe the Lordes Christe For it was in deede the deuyne redemption which God offered by the hand of his sonne It was necessarye therefore for him which should be the redemer to come famous and excellente from Heauen by the annoyntinge of god Reade the .16 verce of the first Chapter goynge before This oure Euangeliste doth more plainly then the other two expresse Christ to be The sonne of the lyuinge God For although Peter as yet did not peraduenture vnderstand so distinctly how Christ shoulde be begotten of God yet notwithstanding hee did beléeue him to be of such excellencye the he had his originall and beginninge of God not as other men but that the true and liuely deytye dwelte in hys flesh M. Furthermore hee calleth him the lyuinge God because hée onelye hauinge life in himselfe quickeneth all thinges and because in hym wee lyue moue and haue our beinge C. There is therfore a difference betwene the true God and the deadde Idoles whiche are nothinge B. Peter trewly in this confession cōfesseth the father and the sonne in the knowledge of whom consisteth euerlastinge lyfe It followeth therefore 17 And Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym Happye art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloud hath not opened that vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And Iesus aunsvvered and saide vnto M. These woordes declare with what thanckefull affection our Sauiour Christe receyued the aunswere of Peter by the which also we see how greate loue he beareth towardes those that are his and how much he reioyceth ouer our felicitie He dothe not reiecte the aunswere of Peter but confirmeth it C. and pronounceth hym to be blessed in dede whiche vnfaynedly with harte and minde confesseth the like Bu. I say with harte and mind we must confesse for the deuyll also confesseth but not with his harte C. But Chryste spake not this onely to Peter but he ment to declare wherin the onely felycitie of the whole worlde consisted And to the ende all men with the more earnest affection may aspire come to the same fyrst of all we must note that all men by nature are myserable and accursed vntyll they fynde remedye at the handes of Christe Then whosoeuer hath gotten Christ nothing pertayninge to parfecte blessednesse can be wantinge to him seinge that we can wyshe for nothing better then the euerlasting glory of God to the possession of the which glory Christe bringeth vs. Happy art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas The latten texte hath Symon Bar-Iona whiche is as muche to say as Symon the sonne of Ionas or the sonne of Iohn as maye appere by this place where it is sayde Symon Iohanna loueste thou mee more then these Ionas is here put for Iohanna by contraction for in that age they dyd commonly vse the Chaldee tongue vnlesse peraduenture his father had two names Iona and Iohanna Notwithstādyng al the auncient Greeke bokes with one consente reade it Ionas sauinge one onely and here in this place of our Euāgelist and in the fyrst and .xxi. chapters of Iohn wee reade Ionas in the latten texte Iona Bar-Iona in the latten text is put in steede of the syrname the whiche the Hebrewes haue not Because fleshe and bloudde hath not opened A. As if hee shoulde haue saide Man hath not reuealed this vnto thee according to the common phrase of the Scripture where often times fleshe and bloudde is put for man As in the prophesie of Esay The glory of the lord shal appere and al fleshe shal at once se it And the Apostel Paule saith I comuned not of the matter with fleshe and bloud c. Agayne we stryue not against fleshe and bloud but against rule againste power c. Also S. Iohn saith that they which beleue in the name of Christe are not begotten of bloud or by the wyll of the fleshe but by the wyll of god C. Christ therefore in this place vnder the person of one mā admonisheth all men to aske faith of his father and to attribute vnto hym the dew praise of his grace Wherby we gather that the mindes of men do want that vnderstandinge by the whiche they mighte perceyue and knowe the misteries of heauenlye wysedome hidden in Christ yea all the sences of men do quayle in this parte vntil suche time as God dothe open oure eyes that we may see his glory in Christ Let no man therefore proudely burst forthe trustinge to his wyt and vnderstanding but let vs humbly suffer our selues to be taughte in oure hartes by the father of lightes that his spirite alone maye illuminate our
cōceiued of their master For they imagined that he should be the aucthor of earthly felicitie They were led therfore with a vaine hope gredely gaping for the time in the whiche he should reueale the glorye of his kingdome They wayed so littel in their mindes the ignominy and shame of the crosse that they thoughte it impossible that any thinge not honorable should happen vnto hym For this was a greuouse sayinge and circumstance that he should be reiected of the hye priestes Scribes in whose power the rule of the Church consisted Whereby we may gather how necessary this admonition was The Euangeliste Luke saythe And hee warned and commaunded them that they shoulde tell no man that thinge sayinge The sonne of mā must suffer many thinges and be reproued of the Elders and of the bye Priestes Scribes and be slaine c. Hée woulde not therefore at that time bee published to be Christe because hee should be crucifyed and reiected Of the seniors C. When wee heare that the elders and Scribes were the chiefe ennemyes of Christ wee maye sée howe great the discipation of the Church of Ierusalem was For the sacrifycers did not onlye sacrifyce but also teache therefore of the Prophete Mallachy they are called Angels or messengers These were then the ennemyes of Christ which coulde in no wyse abyde his Doctrine But and if this were spoken of the Priestes of Egipt or of the sacrifycinge Priestes and teachers of other Nations it had beene no maruayle but this is spoken of those Priestes which bare the chiefe rule of the Church of God in earth The which thing oughte to be an example vnto vs that wee suffer not our selues to be seduced and deceyued wyth counterfeytes whiche doe not their dutye truly and as they ought Let vs alwaye remember that Christ is the heade corner stone which the builders reiected as hée himselfe sayth to Phariseys in the one and twenty Chapter And be raysed agayne the thirde daye C. Because it coulde not be but that the onely mencion of the Crosse should trouble the infirme and weake mindes of the Dysciples Christ by and by séeketh to salue this sore saying that hée must ryse agayne frō death the .iii. day And truly whē as in his Crosse onlye the infirmitye of the fleshe appeareth our fayth shall finde nothinge to staye and lift vp it selfe vntill we haue respecte vnto his resurrection in the which the power of the holy ghost most brightly shyneth Therefore the Mynisters and Preachers of the woorde of God muste wysely way and consider this that when they couet to edify and to teach with profite they must alwayes ioyne the glorye of the resurrection with the death of Christ Let vs consider therefore that the absolution of true fayth and confession doth pertayne to this ende namely that wee beleue and confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes roose againe for our iustification For the which reade in S. Paules Epistell to the Romaynes 22. And vvhen Peter had taken him a syde he began to rebuke him saying maister fauour thy selfe this shall not happen vnto thee And vvhen Peter had taken him C. It was a greate signe of moderate boldenes for Peter after this sorte to take his Maister a syde howbeit hée might seeme to haue a consideration of the reuerence due vnto him when hée toke him asyde because hée durst not be boulde to reprehende before witnesses notwithstanding Peter exceded the boldnes of modestye to admonishe him to fauour himselfe as though Christ had not bene in his right minde Hee began to rebuke him M. Peter trulye loued Christ more then any one of the Apostels but his loue was to carnall as yet and not accordinge to knowledge therefore hée vseth more libertye in speaking to Christ as wee may see in manye other places So also here when hee thought that this thinge which hée hearde shoulde be a shame to Christ the sonne of God that it mighte be auoyded and did thincke that Christ was inflamed with a certaine impotent zeale and that hée was bent againste the wickednes of the elders Scribes and hye Priestes of Ierusalem whereuppon hee knew that hée should be afflicted yea killed by them being ignonoraunt of the mystery of redemption of the necessity of the Crosse of the will of the father of the end of Christes comminge for this cause hée taking Christ a syde rebuked him and goeth about to wythdraw him from his purpose Hée beinge affected with a preposterous zeale cōsidereth not what hée doth hee goeth about to hinder Christ from the worke of our redemption and from the fulfylling of the will of his father C. But such is the force of rashe and vndiscreete zeale and to this issue it dryueth men and so carryeth them hedlonge that they are not afrayde to take vppon them to teache God what hee hath to do Peter iudgeth it an absurde thinge that the sonne of God should be crucifyed of the Elders which came to be the redeemer of the people and that hee shoulde be put to death which was the Lord of lyfe And hereby wée are taught how our good intencions are accepted before God. So great pryde truly is naturally ingraffed in men that they thincke great iniury is done vnto them and do murmure if that please not God whiche they iudge to be right and good So that we sée with how greate pertinacye the Papistes do boaste and vaunt of their deuocions For trulye whē they do so arrogātly reioyce in them selues God doothe not onelye reiecte that which they iudge worthye of so greate praise but doth also condemne it as mere madnes If truly sence carnall iudgement mighte preuayle the intencion of Peter was godlye or at least tollerable But Christe so sharplye reproued him that hée could not put him to greater reproch For what meaneth so seuere a reprehension Question whereas hée shewed alwayes such gentlenes that hée brake not the broosed réede why then doth hée now so cruellye thonder against his electe chosen Dysciple The reason trulye is manifest namely because in the person of one mā hée woulde pacifye and staye all the rest least they shoulde séeme to alow their vndiscrete zeale For although the lustes of the fleshe in vnrulelynes are like vnto brute beastes yet notwithstanding there is no beaste more furious and vnrulye then the wysedome of the fleshe Therefore Christ so sharpely inueyeth against the same and doth as it were suppresse it with an yron mallet that wée learne onlye to seeke for wysedome out of the word of God to iudge that onely to be righte which the word of God doth alowe Fauor thy selfe The Lattine text is Propitius tibi sis the Gréeke text hath onlye Propitius tibi so that wée muste vnderstande esto or sis and the omittinge of the verbe maketh muche for the affection of Peter declaring that his minde did greatly abhorre the same
for the woord of abhorringe or forbidding is more peculiar to the Hebrewes Abraham sayde vnto God be it farre from thée that thou shouldest do this thinge and shouldest kill the iust with the wicked And in another place be it farre from thy seruauntes that they should do so the Hebrew word is Talila which signifyeth prohibition as if thou wouldest saye staye thy selfe or it is not good for thée so that whereas the Greke text hath onlye propitius tibi peraduenture sit Deus is better vnderstoode thē sis as if we should say God forbid this to happen to thee This shall not happen Bu. These woords do shew how Peter abhorred that which Christ sayd should happen to him as if hee should haue sayde no man wyth indifferente eares could abyde to heare that the sonne of God muste be crucifyed for death happeneth not to the liuely sonne of the lyuinge God which rayseth other frō the dead and hath declared by so many inuincible arguments that hée is the Lord of life and deathe Therefore that by no meanes shall come to passe which thou sayest shall happen vnto thee that thou shouldest suffer many things of the elders and Scribes in that Cittye in the which wée hope to rayne with thee in excellente glorye for euer 23. But hee turned him aboute and sayde vnto Peter go after me Sathan thou hinderest mee for thou sauerest not the thinges that be of God but those that be of men But hee turned him about and sayde to Peter M. Because that Peter wente about to withdrawe Christe from obeyinge his fathers will hee is sharpely reproued of him C. But some verye fondlye make much a do about this worde come backe as thoughe Peter were commaunded to follow and not to go before For the Deuill also had the repoulse at the handes of the Lord by the same wordes as wée haue allready declared And the Gréeke worde Hupage signifyeth to auoyde or depart whereof the latyne woorde apage is deryued Christ therefore putteth his Dysciple from him and maketh him stande a loofe because hée playeth the parte of Sathan by his preposterous and vndiscrete zeale Neyther doth hee simplely call him an aduersary but hée giueth him the name of the Deuill in token of great disdayne Bu. As if he had said auoyde with this thy counsell I ought to haue more regarde to fulfill my fathers will althoughe it be neuer so hard to the flesh thou which art inoued with more knowledge of the father than any of the rest and which oughtest to be a helper vnto mée and a faythful companion that I mighte fulfill my fathers commaundemente doest dehorte diswade mée so much as lyeth in thée frō the same and that not lightlye but in reprouinge mée auoyde with this thy wisedome for thou shewest thy selfe to mée to be Sathan an open ennemy and a most wicked conspirer As concerninge this word Sathan we haue spoken before in the 4. Chapter The Euangelist Marke hath these words but hée tourned aboute and looked on his Disciples and rebuked Peter sayinge go after mée Sathan Christ therefore spake these woordes to the rest of his Dysciples for hée knewe that they were of the same minde also Wherefore for the example and erudition of others hée rebuketh Peter the more sharpely but for our sake also C. For théeues adulterers and suche like are ashamed to excuse their filthynes but a good intencion is obstinately defended and maintayned of all men Wherefore the Lorde vseth more seuerity in correctinge this wicked zeale of Peter than if hée had committed any other cryme Thou hynderest mee E. The Gréeke texte hath thou offendest mée C. Peter was in déede an offence vnto Christ when hee dehorted him from his callinge For by and by it followeth Because thou sauerest not those thinges that be of God Hereby it appeareth howe greatly men are deceyued in their vngodly zeale For when Peter wente aboute to hinder hys Maisters office hée did not onely séeke to depriue himselfe but all mankinde also of euerlasting saluation yet ignorantly Here therfore we are taught in one word howe muche wée oughte to abhorre those thinges which do withdraw vs from the obedience of Gods will. And there is no doubte but that Sathan doth vse men as instrumentes when they allure vs and withdraw vs from oure dutye towardes God Peter coulde not staye Christ from his purpose But Christ geeueth vs here an example to beware of that frendship be it neuer so pleasaunt which doth call vs from the obedience of Gods will and doth bid vs sparinge our selues to sauer those thinges which are of men and not the thinges that are of god For otherwyse our fleshe is so inclyned that wée shoulde spare oure selues and neglecte the commaundementes of god But if Christ so sharply reprehended the frendship of Peter to whom it was not so daungerous what shall wée do which are easlye seduced But those thinges vvhich are of men C. Here Christ openeth euen the very wellspring of the whole euill when hée sayth that Peter sauoreth onely those things which are of men Therefore least the Heauenly iudge sende vs away and our practises hedlonge to the deuill let vs learne not to be adicted to our owne sence but obedientlye to embrace that which the Lorde commaundeth and alloweth B. If wee sauor those thinges that are of men then are we enemyes vnto God and Sathans friendes Therefore whatsoeuer proceadeth of our selues it is here by the words of Christ condemned Whereuppon S. Paule sayth that the wysedome and vnderstanding of the fleshe is death and enmitye against god What then shall wée arrogate vnto our selues where is frée will become where is the iudgemente of reason but where is the Church built vppon Peter who nowe is called by the name of Sathan the Deuill Nowe let the Papistes goe and extoll their fonde imaginations to the Heauen they shall feele at the lengthe when they appeare before the trybunall seate of God what boastinge doothe preuayle which Christe here pronounceth to be Satanicall and deuelishe But wee accepte wee meane willinglye to stoppe the waye agaynste our selues which leadeth to euerlastinge life may learne out of the mouth of Christ to sauore those thinges which are of God. 24. Then sayde Iesus to hys Disciples if any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and followe mee Then sayde Iesus to his Disciples C. Marke sayth when hee had called the people to him with his Dysciples also hee said vnto them c. But Luke sayth hée sayd vnto them all Because that Christe perceiued that Peter the rest of his fellowes did abhorre the Crosse and affliction hee taketh occasion to speake generally of pacience sufferaunce of the same neither doth hée onely exhorte the twelue but all those that are godly to the same The like sentence allmost wee had in the sentence goinge before in the eyghte and twentye verce of the tenthe
wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen 25. For whoso will saue his life shall lose it Againe whoso doth lose his life for my sake shall finde it A. A most excellent comforte is this that whosoeuer looseth his life willinglye for Christes sake doth get life vnto himselfe For the Euangelist Marke plainly prescribeth this cause of dyinge to the faythfull therfore it is vnderstode in the wordes of Mathewe For it commeth oftentimes to passe that ambition or desperation dryueth prophane men to contemne and to despyse this life yet notwithstandinge they go bouldlye to their deathe in vayne Bu. Therefore to loose the lyfe in this place signifyeth to despyse the life of this worlde for Christes sake and to treade those thinges vnder foote in the which the world setteth life the chiefe felicity That truly is nothing els but to deny our selues to renounce our selues and to beare patiently such calamitye as is layed vppon vs whereby wée maye brydell all fleshlye affections C. The threatninge which is here set on the contrary part serueth very much to the dryuing away of the sluggishnes of the flesh which admonisheth vs that such as desyer greatly this lyfe purchase to themselues the losse of this life And there is an Antithesis betweene temporall and eternall lyfe as wee haue shewed before in the tenthe Chapter 26. For what doth it profite a man if hee winne all the whole worlde and loose his owne soule Or what shall a man geue to redeme his soule againe withall For vvhat doth it profite C. Here hée confirmeth the former sentence namelye that wée ought not to be vnwilling to forsake this lyfe For what is all the worlde in respect of mans lyfe for it is immortall And lose his ovvne soule Here our sauioure Christ admonisheth that the soule of man is not created to the ende hée might haue the same for a short tyme in this worlde but to the ende hée may liue immortall in heauen as if hée should haue sayd What negligence is this and what beastly incensible dulnes that men are such bondslaues vnto the worlde that they haue no consideration wherfore they were borne and that they are ignoraunt how that an immortall soule is giuen vnto them that the race of this lyfe beinge ended they maye liue perpetuallye in heauen And truly all men will confesse that the soule is more worthe than all the ryches and pleasures in this world but in the meane time the sence of the fleshe blindeth them that will they nill they theyr soules are caryed to destruction and euerlastinge perdition Therefore least the worlde by his intysing allurements do bewitche vs let vs alwayes call to mynde the excellēcye of oure soule the which if it be well wayed will easlye driue awaye all the vaine imaginations of earthly felicitye The Euangeliste Luke hath and looseth himselfe Or vvhat shall a man Bu. B. What exchaunge shall a man geue for his owne soule The Gréeke woord signifyeth that by the which anye thinge is redeemed Bu. Wherefore let euery one of vs endeuor our selues to despyse corruptible momentanye thinges and to holde faste those thinges that are eternall the which wee shall easly do if so be wée mortify all carnall thinges and retayne only Christ the lyfe 27. For the sonne of man shall come in the glorye of his father with his Angels and then shall hee rewarde euery man accordinge to his dedes For the sonne of man shall come C. To the ende his former doctrine might the better sincke into their mindes hée setteth before their eyes the Iudgement to come For it is necessarye to the despysinge of this lyfe that wée be touched with the féelinge of a heauenly life But the flownes of our minds hath néede of a helpe to loke vp towardes heauen Therefore Christ calleth the faythfull to his trybunall seate to the end they maye continuallye remember that they liue to no other ende than to aspyre and come to that blessed redemption which at that time shal be reuealed But to this ende the admonition tendeth that wee may know that they cōtend not in vaine to whom the confession of sayth is more precious and déere than theyr owne life as if Christ had sayd cōmit to my charge and custodye without all feare your soules for I will come at the lengthe a reuenger which wil restore you to perfection allthough you séeme for a time to perishe B. That therefore which hée speaketh here must be referred to the sentēce goinge before when hée sayde The one should finde his life and the other should loose it namely when the sonne of man commeth to Iudgement and shall geue to euery one accordinge to his deseruing But Christ exhorteth all those that desire to séeme followers of him and his Dysciples by thrée reasons to denye themselues to take vp his Crosse and to followe him Of the which the first is that hee shall loose his life which woulde saue the same and that hée shall saue it which looseth it the seconde is that to him which appeared a mortall man for a time in the fleshe all Iudgement is giuen and that therefore hée shall come in the glorye of his father with his Angels that hée maye giue to euerye man accordinge to hys deedes to the denyers of him hell fyer to the professors of him the kingdome of his father For as Marke in his eyghte Chapter and Luke in his nynth Chapter declare hée repeateth here to his Dysciples the same thinge that hée spake of before in the tenthe Chapter Whosoeuer shall deny mee before men him will I also deny before my father which is heauē And as Luke sayth and Marke whosoeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my wordes in this aduouterouse and sinfull generation of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holye angels Then he shal say vnto thē I neuer knew you Depart frō me ye that worke iniquitie Then shal they receyue according to theyr life and dedes What thing can be so heauy and greuouse vnto vs in this life that we shoulde not rather do beare the same then we shoulde offende this general iudge of all men and cause him to pronounce this bitter sentence against vs saying Go ye cursed of my father into Hell fyer A. It is better therfore to denie our selues and to cōtemne this lyf for Christes sake then to be depriued for euer of euerlasting life B. The thirde reason which bringeth a wonderfull consolation with it is that he saithe the time is not very long in the which he shall come with great power that som of them which were present should se the same What is he now the will not follow him for his sake deny him selfe take vp his crosse whō he knoweth shal raine very shortly gloriously in diuine power and that he him selfe shal raine with him For whosoeuer suffereth
with Christ shal raigne with Christ In the glory of his father C. Christ maketh mention of the glorye of his father of the angels lest that his disciples shold iudge of his kingdome according to the present sight for as yet it lay hyd being base and contemned vnder the shew of a seruante He sheweth therfore that he shal be in an other maner of estate when he shal come to be the iudge of the worlde A. For the sonne of man shall come in his glorye all his angels with him and he shal sit vpon the seate of his glory all nations shall be gathered before him Also these thinges serue to terrifie those which delight in their wickednesse vyce which shall not be able to abide his face For although the lord toke vpon him humaine nature yet notwithstanding he abideth vnchanged in the eternall glory of his father and hath loste nothing eyther of his diuine substaunce or glory for he is of lyke substance maiestie and glory with the father All the Angelles serue him beinge the ministers of God and ordeyned to fulfill his cōmandement Whose power howe great it is maye appere in that one angell dispersed the mightye campe of the Assyrians in one night a hundred fowre score fiue thousand of them being slain But and if one angell be of such power what shall they not be able to subdue and ouerthrowe when they being altogether come with the lorde to Iudgement And then shall he revvarde euery man B. This sentence is often vsed in the scriptures the which they peruert who go about to proue that we are iustified by our workes because forsothe we are iudged according to the same when as Chryste speaketh not here of the cause of saluation They consider not that the tree is iudged according to his fruite and yet notwithstandinge that the fruite maketh not the tree but the tree the fruite When we se figges on the tree wee iudge by by the tree to be a fygge tree yet notwithstandynge the fygges are not the cause that it is a fygge tree but when it was made a figge tree then it brought forth figges Euen so in al thinges the worke iudgeth of the worker For it makethe not the worker but is broughte to passe and wrought of the worker In lyke manner good workes do declare a good man to be the sonne of God but they make him not to be the sonne of god Therefore woorkes do not iustifie that is to say they do not make vs the more acceptable vnto God the whiche workes can be nothing elles but synne condempninge if so be they be wrought before thou be purified and regenerated by the spyrite of God because that an euill tree can not bringe forthe good fruite But the lorde describynge his iudgemente saythe after the manner of men that euery man shal be iudged according to his woorkes euen as wee commonly are wonte to iudge Neyther doth he say that euery man shal receyue accordynge to his woorkes as thoughe that our workes were the fyrste cause of our saluation For the specyall cause why we obtaine euerlasting life is the voluntary free wil of God the second cause are the merites of Christ for he died for the saluation of al mankind but this also is a free gyfte of the good wil of god The thirde cause is our Fayth by the whiche we imbrace and receyue this good wyll of God and the merytes of Christe For he that beleueth hath euerlastinge lyfe but that faythe also by the whiche we do beleue is the worke gifte of God in vs for the merite of Chryste Also good woorkes may after a sorte be said to be the cause of our saluation but improperly because euery man shall be rewarded accordyng to his deedes but these also are the gyftes of Goddes good wyll the effects of Christs merites and the fruites of fayth For there is no good woorke acceptable vnto God but that whiche is done for the loue of God the whiche loue no man hath but he whiche beleueth in god And no man can beleue in God but suche as are inspired with the spirite of God whiche pertayneth onely to the sonnes of god This spirite is onely geuen vnto those whose sinnes are remitted and whom he hath chosen before the foundation of the world was layde All the partes therfore of our saluation are a gyfte and woorke of the wyllynge and free wyl of god But we must note here that Christ saide not he shall geue to euerye man accordynge to his faythe the whiche lyeth hyd and whiche euery wicked man boasteth that he hath but accordinge to his woorkes whiche can not be obscure and hid for workes are a seale of our sayth The Apostell Paule speaketh thus of this Iudgement of Christe we must al appere before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man maye receiue the woorkes of his owne body accordinge to that he hath done whether it be good or bad And in an other place the Apostell saith Thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrathe againste the daye of Iudgement when shal be opened the righteous iudgement of God whiche will rewarde euery man accordinge to his deedes that is to say prayse honoure and immortalitie to them which continue in good doinge and seke immortalitie But vnto them that are rebelles and do not obeye the trueth but follow vnrighteousenes shall come indignation wrath tribulation and anguishe vpon the soule of euery man that dothe euyll C. Let this therfore be the somme that these two do very well agree namely that we are iustified freely because wee are acceptable vnto God without oure merite and yet notwithstandinge that he accordinge to his good pleasure geueth and imputeth and vndeserued rewarde to our woorkes A. As concernynge the whiche matter reade the fyfth chapter goinge before 28 Verely I say vnto you there be standinge here whiche shall not taste of deathe till they se the sonne of man come in his kingedome Verely I say vnto you M. As touching this woorde verely rede the fifth chapter goinge before There be standinge here C. Because the disciples might dought among them selues when this day should come the lord erecteth thē with a more specyall trust saying that it shal not be long ere that he geue vnto some of them a shew of his glory as if he should haue said If you thincke the time to longe before I come I wyll come betime for before you dye that kingdome of God whiche I byd you hope for shall be set before your eies M. Some vnderstode this sentēce of the extreame and last day of iudgemēt thinking that Christ mēt here that Iohn the Euangelist shold not die vntyl the day of iudgement but the Euangelist him selfe sheweth that this opinion of him conceiued was not true Wherefore we must vnderstand that the cōming of the kingdome of God is the reuealing of the heauenly glory
an other place his deathe is called a going out of this worlde to the father C. But this talke ought not to be restrained to the priuate personnes of Moyses and Helias but rather to the imbassage whiche longe before was inioyned committed to them For althoughe they were lately deade and had finished the race of their callynge yet notwithstandinge the lorde wolde that they by their voyce once againe should confirme that which in their life they had taught to the ende we might know that the saluation set forthe in the sacrifice of Christ pertaineth vnto vs as well as to the fathers M. Therefore the woorde ende whiche Luke vseth doth pertaine to the Prophetes and truethe of God that the same whiche God promysed by the Prophetes as concerninge the departure or endinge or death of his sonne mighte be fulfylled C. Nowe when the Prophetes prophesied of the deathe of Chryst he sate whiche is the eternall wisedome of God in the secrete throne of his glory Wherevpon it followeth that he beynge man was not subiecte vnto death but so farre as he willingly submitted him self M. Therfore they talked about the crosse and resurrection to the ende the Apostels might vnderstande that it was the wyll of God that hee shoulde be slaine at Hierusalem and rise againe euen as it was foreshewed by the law and the prophetes Wherupon Christ him selfe after his resurrection expounded vnto thē the lawe and the Prophetes teachinge that it soo behoued Christe to suffer and to ryse agayne from deathe 4 Then answered Peter and sayd vnto Iesus Lorde here is good beinge for vs If thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and an other for Elias Then aunsvvered Peter M. The Euangelist abuseth this woorde aunswered accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes when as nothinge went before whereto aunswere might be made But the Euāgeliste Luke more playnely rehearseth these woordes sayinge But Peter and they that were with hym were heauy with sleepe And when they awoke they saw his maiestie and two men stāding with him Beholde here how that three of the chiefe Apostels whiche were with Christ ar a slepe when he praieth So they slept againe in the gardein when Christ was redye to be taken This was their infirmitie and yet theye were not reiected of Christe but are borne withall tyll they were by little and littell confirmed that they might be the more perfecte By the which example we must learne to beare with the weake and not by and by to cast them of Luke addeth further sayinge And Peter sayde vnto Iesus Master it is good beinge here for vs C. These woordes saith the Euangelist he spake when Moyses and Helias were gone Whereby we gather that Peter was afraide least that by their departure that swete and gloriouse sight should vanishe away And althoughe it be no meruaile that Peter was so rauished with the swetenesse of that sight that all other thinges despised the sight therof and the fruition of the same onely coulde suffice him as it is saide in the Psalme in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye and at thy righte hande there is pleasure for euermore Yet notwithstandinge his wishe and desier was preposterouse because he knew no ende of the vision secondely he verye foolishely made an equalitie betwene the lorde and his seruantes thirdely he erred because he wolde haue builte earthly tabernacles vnto men whiche were receyued into heauenly glory We saye that the ende of the visiō was not known vnto Peter For when he hearde oute of the mouthe of Moyses and Helias that Christe muste shortely dye he as a man voyde of sence immagineth that temporall shewe of glory to be eternall What kingdome of Christ should this haue ben included and compassed within the space of twenty or thirty foote What should haue become of the redēptiō of the whole Churche and where shoulde haue bene the fellowship of euerlasting saluation Therefore the two Euangelystes do very well note that he knewe not what hee sayde Marcke addeth the cause namely for that they were afraid God truely did not seke to make the Apostels haue anye farther profite in vnderstandinge than in this that they should haue a féeling as it were at one sighte and in a momente of the deitie of his sonne Afterward in processe of time he shewed vnto them the fruite and corrected the wante of iudgemente that was in them Marke therefore meaneth that Peter was as a man in a traunce and amased that he spake accordingely In lyke maner we do not knowe oftentimes to what ende the lord declareth his power vnto vs but he correcteth our ignorāce and infirmitie and in continuance of time teacheth vs what his pourpose was 5 VVhile he yet spake behold a bright cloude shadowed them And beholde there came a voyce out of the cloude which saide This is my beloued son in whom I delight heare hym VVhile he yet spake beholde a bright cloude shado C. When the lord meaneth to shewe vnto vs a signe of his presence he commonly setteth before vs a cloude to the ende he might bryng vs to humillitie lest we shoulde rashely burst forthe into secrete matters whiche our sence and reason is not able to comprehende and leaste we shoulde be to wise forsakinge sobrietie For we can not be sober except God put the bridell in our mouthe and restraine our pride and follye The imbecillitie of mannes witte and vnderstandinge can not conceiue the glory of god therefore the cloude is set as a courtaine betwene God and vs whereby he may bridell our natural folly for we are to bolde and curiouse Euē so now to the ende he might bringe his disciples to humillitie he hydeth his heauenly glory from their eyes A. The whiche thinge also ought to profyte vs that we acknowledging the imbecillitie of our mindes may auoyde all curiositie in sekinge the workes of god for he dwelleth in the lighte whiche no man can attayne If men knewe what Cloudes do signifie and to what end they are set forthe they wolde restrayne and brydell that fonde and vayne delighte in settinge vp Immages and Idoles to represent the person of god For he being inuisible with what boldenes dare they set him vppe to be seene as visible This cloude as it was saide beinge set before the disciples eyes had a type of the presence and grace of god For so God was wonte to shewe his presence in his people vnder Moyses and Aaron specially in the tabernacle of wytnesse also in the departinge of Israel out of Egipte Herupon the Prophet Dauid ascribeth vnto God that he maketh the cloudes his chariote and rydeth vpon the winges of the wynd And Christ assended into the heauens in a cloude And he shall com again at the daye of iudgement in a cloude And S Paule saith that we shal be taken vp in the cloudes to mete Christ in the ayre
least in beinge too sharpe seuere they quighte discourage the infirme and weaker sorte And to this ende he putteth downe vnto vs thre sondery degrees of brotherly admonition or correction The fyrste is that we admonishe him which offendeth priuately and in secrete The second is that if he which hath offended shew hym selfe stobborne and obstinate that then wée admonishe him agayne before certayne witnesses The thirde is that if we can proffyte nothinge at al by these meanes with the offendoure that then we delyuer hym to the publique and open iudgement of the church and congregation The ende why these thre degrees are set downe vnto vs is as we saide before that we should not vnder the pretēce of a feruēt zeale breke the bonde of Charitie And because most men are led by ambition seking to publishe and reueale the faltes of their bretherne Christ very orderly and in good tyme preuēteth that vice geuing a plain commandement that we seeke to hide so much as in vs lyeth the faltes of our bretherne For it is most certayne that they whiche are delighted with the shame and infamie of theyr bretherne are led thervnto by hatred and euill wyll because yf loue remayned in them they wolde seke to maytaine their honestie and to couer the shame of their bretherne Notwithstandyng it may be demaunded whether this rule oughte to be extended to euerye synne without exception although it be neuer so haynouse For there are manye whiche wyll admitte no publique iudgemente vntyll that the offendour be pryuately admonished And truely there is a manifeste restraynte in the woordes of Christe But it maye be aunswered that Christ doth not symplely and without exception geue cōmaundement that euery one whiche offendeth should be admonished or reproued priueily or without witnesse but hee woulde haue vs to vse and proue this waye of pryuate admonition when that we are priuately offended Neyther dothe our sauioure Christe intreate here symplely of paciente sufferynge of iniurie but generally hee teacheth that we oughte to be corteouse and louinge one towardes an other least in dealinge too sharply with the weake we destroy those which shoulde be saued Therefore these woordes agaynst thee do not signifie vnto vs the iniurie doone vnto any man but it maketh a distinction or difference betwene secrete and manifeste faultes For if any man synne or offende agaynst the whole congregation he must be openly reproued thoughe he be an elder or senior according to saincte Paules doctrine to Tymothe where he sayth Them that synne rebuke openly that others may stand in feare And truly it were a ridiculouse and foolishe matter that he whiche hath openly offended in so muche that his falte is known to euery one shoulde be of euery one admonyshed because if a thousande knewe of it he must then be amonished and reproued for the same offēce a thousand times Wherefore the distinction which is here alleaged of our sauioure Christe muste here be noted least that any man in publishynge secrete faltes rashely withoute necessitie defame his brother Go and tell him his falte M. He sayth not blame thy brother but Goe and tell hym hys fault Or admonish hym and that Betvvene thee and hym alone C. Our sauiour Christe by these woordes goeth about to temper and myttigate our excedinge seueritie and sharpenesse which doth gretly hynder vs vnder the pretence of zeale in so muche that thereby wee violate and breake the knot of brotherly loue Zeale oughte so to moue vs that the ende therof be loue and that speciallye when that the good estate of our brother dependeth vppon the same Let vs not therefore be to hasty but vse a meane in correctynge our brothers faltes If he heare thee C. Christ here confirmeth his doctrine by the vtilitie proffite that should come thereby For it is noo smalle matter to bringe that soule vnto God whiche was the mantion and resting place of Sathā But whervpon commeth it to passe that they do syldome tymes repente whiche fall but onely because they beinge enuiousely vexed do harden theym selues in obstinacie Therefore there is nothing more mete for Christians than brotherly loue and frendely admonition which reconcileth those vnto God whiche before were fallen from hym But whosoeuer intemperately without reason rusheth forth into a foolishe heate and feruency dothe willingely cast away and lose the healthe of his brother whiche he hadde in his hande M. Fynally to heare in this place is taken for the admittinge wyllinge receyuinge of the brotherly admonition and correction for the acknowleginge the faulte with repentaunce and for the desire of a recōciliation For thus it is written in Luke If thy brother trespase against thee rebuke hym and if he repente forgeue hym C. In the which place our sauiour Christe commaundeth vs to be contente with priuate reprehention if that oure brother be broughte to repentaunce Hereby we may gather also how necessary the mutuall libertye of reprehencions is amonge the faythfull For seing that euery man doth more oftē sinne daily it is to to cruell to betraye by our sylence and dissimulation theyr good estate whom frendly reprehenciō might saue from destruction For although this way do not at all times prosper and take effecte yet notwithstandinge hee is in great fault which neglecteth the remedy prescribed of the Lord in helping and defending oure brother Therefore if thy brother which hath trespassed receiue thy gentle admonition and repente there is no cause why he should be brought into obloqui and defamed Let him that is the admonisher or corrector holde himselfe contented with this that he by his secrete admonition hath broughte his brother which erred into the righte waye by the which meanes hée hath deliuered his brothers soule from death accordinge to the saying of S. Iames where hée saythe Brethren if anye of you do erre from the truth and another conuerte him ▪ let the same know that hée which conuerteth the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a foule from death and shall hyde the multitude of sinnes C. This also is worthy to be noted that the Lorde to the ende wée may be the more stronge bould to do oure dutie ascribeth that honour appertayning to him selfe vnto vs For it pertayneth vnto none to conuerte any man but vnto God onelye yet notwithstandinge it pleaseth hym to adorne vs with this power namelye to win and recouer our lost brother A. The same maner of speache vseth the Apostell Paule wrytinge to Tymothe where hee saithe thus Take hede to thy selfe and to thy Doctrine continue therein for if thou shalt so do thou shalte saue thy selfe and them that heare thée Thou hast vvon thy brother A. Hée expresseth the name of brother agayne both to the end hée might encourage mē to seeke for the prosperitye of theyr brethren and also to declare that this discipline oughte to be amonge brethren that is to
Christe to the ende hee mighte reprehende ambition and reclayme his Disciples frō a wicked desire setteth before them the crosse and all kinde of calamitie which all the children of God must suffer as if he shoulde haue saide ▪ haue ye so much ease are ye so free from the present warre that ye prouide already for the glorye of the triumphe For if they had bene seriouslye busyed and occupied about the exercises of thier calling they should neuer haue had this fond ymagination come in their mindes Wherfore by this sentence our Sauioure Christe commaundeth them which triumph before the victorye to be occupied in the exercise and busynes of godlynes And certainlye by this bridle ambitiō is very wel stayed because such is our condition so longe as we are pilgrims in this worlde that it ought to shake of all vayne delightes We are beset on euery side with a thousand daūgers one while the enemy by subtill and craftye meanes setteth vpon vs another while he setteth vpon vs by open warre Is not he worse then mad which among so many deathes carelesly pleaseth and delighteth him selfe in depainting out the victory The Lorde commaundeth his Disciples to be certarne and sure of the victorye and to triumph in the middest of death because otherwise they should not be hold ynough to fight manfully boldlye but it is one thing to prepare them selues to fight cheerefully and to endeuour them selues wholly therunto vpon hope of the rewarde set before them and it is another thinge to be vnmindfull of the warre to forsake the enemy to neglect all daunger ▪ and to triumph before the victory the which should not be loked for before the battaile wer fought Moreouer this vntimely making of hast doth very much drawe men from their vocation For euē as the more cowardly that a mā is in the warre the more he seketh for the pray and spoyle euen so in the kingdome of Christ none desire more the superioritie then they which séeke to auoyd all laboure and payne Our Sauiour Christe therefore dooth not withoute good cause appoynte those souldiers their statiō and abiding place which they shall not passe whose mindes are eleuated and puffed vp with vayne glory But this is the summe of his wordes that none hath the crowne prepared for him but he which fighteth lawfully and that none shal be partaker of the life and kingdome of Christe but he which is a partaker of his passion and death M. Christ therfore asketh them if they could suffer the crosse and punishment which he shoulde suffer For so he meaneth by the drinking of the cup which he should drinke of and by the baptising of the baptime wherewith hee shoulde be baptized C For we knowe that by Baptisme the faythfull enter into the denying of thē selues to the crucifying of the old man to the bering of the crosse But it is to be doubted whether the Lord do draw this word cup to the mistery of his supper or no but because his suppper was not then instituted in vse it is better to take it more simply for the measure of afflictions which the Lord appointeth to euery mā For because it pertaineth vnto him to lay vpō euery man his burthen as it semeth him best euē as the goodman of the house deuideth equal portions amongst those that ar his therfore he is saide to geue the cup to drinke A. Wherupō our sauiour Christ saith in another place O my father if this cuppe may not passe frō me except I drink of the same thy wil be don Also he saith to Peter in another place Shall I not drinke of the cup which my father hath geuē me B. He calleth the same also Baptisme as we haue shewed alredy for it was euen as a washing away of death a purging to euerlasting life The same Metaphor he vsed also in another place as when he said I must be baptised with a Baptime and howe am I payned till it be ended B. But the metaphor of the cuppe in the Scriptures is often times taken in both partes For certainly God hath measured to euery man both aduersitie and prosperitie and he shal drinke his portion whether he will or no. It is taken in euill part as when it is said storme and tempest shal be their portion to drinke It is taken in good part as when it is sayde The Lorde is my portion and my cup. C. Moreouer in the wordes of Christe there is not a litle consolation to mittigate and asswage the sharpenes of the crosse when as Christe in the same ioyneth him selfe vnto vs For what can be more excellent then for vs to haue all thinges common with the sonne of God for so it commeth to passe that those thinges which seme deadly vnto vs do turn to our saluation and life But he whiche desireth to be altogether frée from the Crosse howe shall he be counted among the disciples of Christ which refuseth to be subiect to his Baptisme for this is nothing els then to refuse to be instructed in the first principles But nowe let vs learne so often as we heare mentiō made of Baptisme to remember that we are baptised vpon this condition and to this ende that we should willingly beare the crosse A. For all they which will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution They say vnto him vve are C. In that Iames and Iohn do so careleslye boaste that they are able and ready to drinke of the cup their carnall confidence is perceiued for when we are out of daunger we thinke we can do all thinges These two disciples perswade them selues that they are able to do muche by their owne strength and that without God forgetting their owne imbecilitie But at the length it came to passe that their rashnes was bewrayed For when they sawe that the Lorde was apprehended in the garden all fled awaye and lefte him alone Notwithstanding this was commendable in them that they offered them selues readyly to beare the crosse 23. He saide vnto them ye shall drinke in deede of my cup and be baptised vvith the Baptime that I am baptised vvith But to sit on my righte hande and on my lefte is not mine to geue but it shall chaunce vnto them that it is prepared for of my father He saide vnto them ye shall drinke C. Nowe he openeth vnto them and to all other the state and condition of his kingdome and sheweth what shall come to passe as concerning the same that they mighte arme them selues with patience because by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen For this is the kingdome of Christ and he which is the head in this kingdome testifyeth by his example that the same is necessary He sayth my cup as if he shoulde saye By my example suffer persecution Or els he sayth my cup to bring a consolation to them to beare the crosse
willinglye as if he shoulde haue sayde I am a companion in the crosse with you and you with me Also vnder the person of these two men he speaketh vnto all his seruauntes generallye For although many faythfull men do dye naturally and not a violent or blouddy death yet notwithstanding it is common to all men as S. Paule teacheth to be fashioned according to the ymage of Christe So that we are all the daye longe as shéepe appoynted to be slayne But vnder the name of Crosse the Scripture comprehendeth all kinde of sorowe and affliction as bondes prisonment scourgings banishment ignominye and such like These two disciples were not exercised in these thinges which truelye do tame the fleshe and the affections of the fleshe and doo brydle sinne also But to sit on my right hande and on my lefte is A. What hee meaneth by these woords read the one and twenty Verse goinge before Is not myne to geue C. By this aunswere our sauiour Christ derogateth nothing from himselfe but only sheweth that his father hath not enioyned vnto him this office that hée should assigne to anye man his proper seate in the kingedome of heauen Hée is come trulye to bringe all those that are his into euerlasting life but it is sufficient vnto vs and wee ought there with to be contente that the inheritance purchased with his bloud abydeth for vs For how much one shall excell another in glory it is neither our partes to seeke neyther was it the will of God that Christ should reueale the same vnto vs but woulde haue the same deferred euen vntill the last reuelation Now let vs note the purpose of Christ for he disputeth not here of his owne power but he only sheweth wherefore hee was sent of the father and what is agreable to his callinge And therefore hee maketh a difference betwene the maner of teaching committed vnto him and the secrete purpose of god Euen as when hée sayth in another place as concerning the day of Iudgemenr But of that day hower knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neyther the sonne himselfe saue the father only A very profitable admonition that wée might learne soberlye to be wyse and that wee might not go about to burst out into the secrete misteries of God and speciallye that wée should not be to curious in searching out the state of the life to come for it hath not yet appeared what wée shal be neither shall it appeare vntill suche time as God hath made vs like vnto himselfe But it shall chaunce vnto them that it is M. These two presumed to take the prerogatiue of glory vnto them selues because they were a kin vnto Christ but Christ teacheth that it was not meete the the glorye of the kingdome of Heauen shoulde be geuen for that cause Hée teacheth therefore that the glory of the lyfe to come muste be loked for by the onlye grace of the merciful God which choseth his electe without any respect of workes or merits Wherefore in the daye of Iudgement hee shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And the Apostell Paule sayth Euen as hee chose vs in himselfe before the foundation of the world was layed So that we must note that there is not an equalitie appoynted amōge the sōnes of God after that they are receiued into the heauenly glorye but that degree of honor is promised to euery man to the which they are ordeyned by the eternall counsell and purpose of God. 24. And vvhen the ten hearde this they disdayned at the tvvo brethren And vvhen the ten heard this BV. Truely sayth the holy Prophete of God that the heart of man is wicked and inscrutable For we may see euen in the disciples a certayne bottomlesse pit of errors and that when one vice is cut of another is in his place yea and euen those things which we thought cut of to florishe againe For euen nowe the Lorde had stayed the ambition of his two disciples and by and by he is constrayned to driue the same out of the other ten disciples brestes and not only that but the pestilent disease of enuye also M. For whereas the other ten are saide to disdaine the twoo disciples which were brethren it was not because they did hate this ambition A. but because they them selues also being led by ambition did séeke to excell in the kingdome of Christ M. So that this disdain did arise of the ambition which lay secret in their harts C. The Euāgelist Luke doeth séeme to referre this contention of the disciples vnto another time But whosoeuer doth wisely consider that two and twenty Chapter of Luke shall finde that the words which were spoken at diuers times the order being neglected wer knit together Therefore the contention for the superiority wherof Luke maketh mention had his originall hereupon because the sonnes of Zebede did couet to haue the chiefe seates in the kingdom of Christ And yet notwithstanding the indignation and disdaine of the other ten was not to be allowed for séeing the ambition in the two brethren was greuously reprehended insomuch that they went away from Christ with shame what did it hurt the other ten that they had foolishly desired that which they had not gotten But the Lorde went about by this occasion to haue the disease which lurked in them to be reuealed for there was not one of thē which willingly woulde geue place to another but euery man in his heart hoped to excell the rest so it came to passe that one of them enuyed another and contended one with another Wherfore if this vice were in rusticall rude and base men and if it bursted forth in them vpon a light or almoste vppon no occasion howe muche more ought we to take héede when there is sufficient matter to kindle the secrete fyre We doo sée by experience howe ambition doeth burne in the greatnes of power and honour and it casteth out flames farre and wide were it not that the modestie of the spirite did restrayne from heauen the naturall pride which cleaueth vnto man M. We doo sée howe great ambition and pride remayned in the sonnes of Iacob the twelue patriarkes and how greuouslye they toke it to haue their brother Iosephe preferred before them A. Let vs therefore so much as wée may tourne our selues awaye from this pestilent disease ambition 25. But Iesus called them vnto him and saide ye know that the Princes of the nations haue dominion ouer them And they that are great men exercise authority vppon them But Iesus called them vnto him M. Christ cā in no wise abyde the discord and disagréement of those that are his therefore hee calling his Apostles vnto him cutteth of againe the roote and occasion of the euill seekinge to make them all of one minde C. In that hee calleth them vnto him to the ende hée mighte
is no doubt but that Christ here toucheth the foolish imagination by the which he saw his Apostles to be deceiued You do foolishly sayth hee and amisse faine vnto your selues a kingdome the which I abhorre If therefore yee seeke to do mee faithfull seruice yee must meditate and study vppon another manner of matter namely to serue and loue one another VVhosoeuer vvill be great amonge you M. Our sauiour Christe mighte séeme here to graunt vnto his Apostles superiority C. But hee speaketh improperlye commaundinge him to be a minister which would be greate For ambition will not suffer that any man should submit himselfe to his brethren Wée graunt truly that they flatter after a seruile manner which aspyre vnto honor but their intēt is nothing lesse than to serue But the meaninge and purpose of Christ is not obscure for because euery man is geuē to loue himselfe hee pronounceth that the affection must be otherwyse transposed as if hee should haue sayd Let this onely be your greatnes excellency and dignitye to submitte your selues vnto your brethren let this also be your superioritye to be the seruauntes of all men M. For the greatest honor in the Church of Christ is that euery man shoulde mynister and serue Therefore hée which is called in the Churche to be a Pastor and gouernor of the Church must know that hée hath not obtaynde a Lordship but the office of a minister or seruaunt Therefore the Apostle Peter prescribing to ministers the duties of life sayth Raigne not as Lordes ouer the parishes but see that yée be an ensample to the flocke And the Apostle Paule Let a man thus wise estéeme vs as the mynisters of Christe and dispensators of the mysteries of god They therefore which are chosen to a Bishopricke haue gotten the mynistery and office of a seruante not of Lordship not of superiority not of principallity Therefore Peter speaking of Iudas sayth Hée was numbred with vs and had obtayned fellowship in this ministration 27. And whosoeuer will be chiefe among you let him be your seruaunt And vvhoso vvill be chiefe amonge you A. This is all one in effect with the sentence goinge before By these woordes it is euidente and manifest that the bishop of Rome is not of Christ but of the world of the deuill the Prince of this world It is a counterfeyte humilitye which they faine calling thēselues seruaunts of seruaūtes for indéede they testify that they couet to be worshipped as the kinges of all kings but they haue the Lord their iudge 28. Euen as the sonne of man came not to be mynistred vnto but to minister and to geue his life a redemptiō for manye Euen as the sonne of man Bu. The Lord to his commaundement addeth his example to the ende hee might the more mightely perswade Wee must alwayes remēber that the seruaunt is not greater thā his maister neither the disciple aboue his teacher Christ speaketh here as concerninge the time of his abasinge of the which S. Paule writeth thus When he was in the shape of God hee thoughte it not robbery to be equall with god Neuerthelesse hee made himselfe of no reputacion takinge on him the shape of a seruaunte and became like vnto men was found in his apparell as a man Hée humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen to the death of the Crosse Who will refuse this condition seinge that wée haue the example of our Lorde and maister Hée behaued himselfe no otherwise then it became a seruaunte yea a seruaunte of men for hee was made the mynister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises Neyther did he only declare himselfe to be a minister and seruaunt in death but in the whole race of his life also And to geue his life also a redemption for manye C. To the ende hée might more plainlye proue how farre hée was frō a hye estate he putteth them in remembraunce of his death as if hee shoulde saye Because I haue chosen you to be nexte vnto mée in honour a wicked ambition doth inflame your hartes to rule but I to whose example yee oughte to frame your lyues came not to extoll my selfe or to vsurpe vnto mée any kingly maiestye but I rather tooke vppon mée the ignomynye of the Crosse with the base and contēned forme of the fleshe also Bu. I am truly the onely sonne of the liuing God by whom all thinges were made your Lord and maister the Prince of lyfe and the conquerour of deathe and the power of Sathans kingdome yet notwithstādinge I arrogate and take vnto mee no dignity For I came for the commodity of all men and that I mighte geue my lyfe for sinners Let therefore all your counsayles and studies tend to this ende ▪ that you seeke the healthe and profite of all men and that you abase your selues to the lowest degrée C. If anye man do obiecte that Christ was therfore exalted that before him euery knée should bowe Wée may easly aunswere that the thinge which hée now speaketh is referred to the time of his abaseing as wee shewed a little before And therefore the Euangelist Luke addeth that hee was so conuersaunt among them as though he had bene a minister Not that hée was inferiour vnto them either in forme in name or in deede for hée woulde be alwayes acknowledged of them their Lord and master but because he descended frō the throne of the heauenly glory to so base an estate to take their infirmities vppon him not only theires but the infirmities of all men Moreouer wée must remember that there is here a comparison made of the more and of the lesse as wée maye read in Iohn where hée sayth thus If I your Lord and master washe your féete ye ought also to wash one anothers féete A redemption for many E. The Gréeke word signifyeth properly a price or raunsome by the which captiues are deliuered C. But the mencion of deathe as wee saide before was made to the ende the Disciples mighte be broughte from the false imagination of an earthye kingdome Notwithstandinge the force and fruit of the same is very aptly expressed when that hee affirmeth that his life is a price of our redemption Whervppon it followeth that wee are fréelye reconsiled into the fauoure of God onlye by the raunsome of Christes death E. The Apostle Paule declareth what that redēption is namely the remission of sinnes In whom sayth hee wée haue redemption by his bloud euen the remission of our sinnes And in another place By whom wee haue a redemption by hys bloud euen the remission of our sinnes And the Apostell Peter sayth for somuch as ye know how that ye were not redemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersatiō which ye receiued by the tradition of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled C.
cōfirme the promises made vnto the fathers Moreouer God in times paste diuersly and manye wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes but in these laste dayes he hath spoken to vs by his owne Sonne whome he hath made heyre of al thinges They vvil stande in avve of my Sonne E. The Euangelist Luke hath Peraduenture they will stande in awe of my Sonne But this peraduenture is not founde neither in the Gréeke bookes nether in the olde Lattine bookes C. The which cogitatiō truely doth not properly belonge vnto god For he knew what woulde come to passe without all peraduenture so that he was not deceiued by hope of better chance But in parables we do often times sée that humaine affections are attributed vnto hym Notwithstandinge this sentence was not without cause added of our Sauiour Christe because he woulde thereby declare as in a glasse how farre passe all recouerye their wickednes was growen the which they to euidently declared in risynge with deuelishe fury againste the sonne of God whiche came to bring them to perfecte health 38. But when the husbandmen sawe the sonne they said among them selues this is the heyre come let vs kil him and let vs inioye his inheritaunce But vvhen the husbandmen A. Nowe he declareth how his sonne was receiued of them They sayde among them selues E. The Gréeke woorde is somwhat doubtefull whether it signify within themselues or amōg thē selues howbeit the most fete sēce is amōg them selues that thereby we may vnderstande that they had secrete talke among them selues of this conspiracye But they spake these wordes within thē selues when in spight of their téeth they were constrained to thinke him to be the Messias and when they sayd If we let him escape thus all men will beleue in him the Romanes shall come and take awaye bothe our roome and the people Come let vs kil him They spake this when Cayphas sayde It is expedient for you that one man dye for the people not that all the people perishe Also awaye with him crucify hym And let vs inioye his inheritaunce Bu. As if they shoulde haue said This man challengeth the vineyarde for his inheritāce makinge hym selfe the Kyng of the people of God He arrogateth to hymselfe equal with the Father come hyther therfore let vs kill this blasphemouse personne whereby wee maye in safety enioye his inheritance The inheritance of the Lord is the power of all thinges the people of God the holy Citty the dignity of the priestehode and the gouernement amonge saincts To the ende therefore saye they it maye be lawfull for vs to retayne and kepe the dignitye of the priestehode and the gouernement ouer the people let vs kill hym leaste peraduenture the Romaines hearynge that a kynge and sauioure is come vnto vs set vpon vs with battaile spoyle our cittie leade our people into captiuitie and burne oure temple A. This was the wicked madnes of the priestes C For as they by theyr cruell murther of the prophetes dyd thruste and depriue God so muche as in them laye from his inheritaunce euen so this was the heape of all mischiefes to kyll the sonne that they might raygne as in an house without an heyre For this was the cause that the aduersaries did so rage against Christ leaste they shoulde forgo and loose theyr tyranny as a praie For he it is by whom God the father wyll rule and to whom he hath geuen all empire Therfore the ambition and couetousnes of the prestes is noted which wente aboute to vsurpe vnto them selues the gouernemente of the vyneyarde they them selues beynge but seruauntes This is an exaumple worthy to be noted of the ministers of the Churche to the ende they maye remember that they are Goddes seruantes and howe that they ought not challenge and take to them selues his authoritie rule but so to laboure in the vyneyarde that the fruite thereof may remayne to God and that they may onely seke for his glory A. For so the lorde sayde vnto his Apostelles I haue chosen you and ordeined you to go and brynge forthe fruite and that your fruite shoulde remayne 39 And they caught him and thrust him out of the vineyarde and slewe him And they caught him A. That wicked and cruell decree of the Phariseies agaynste the professours of Christ is well enough knowne by the whiche they conspired that if any confessed hym to be Christ hee shoulde be caste out of the synagogge Moreouer when they rated the blind mā they saide Be thou his disciple for wee are Moyses disciples And slevve him Bu. For the Lorde Iesus beinge taken and beinge condemned as ablasphemer and an excommunicate person was deliuered to Pilate to be crucifyed But the rulers of the people were in this poynte chiefely to be blamed whiche perswaded foolishe and common people that they shoulde aske to haue Christ geuen them to be crucified and Barrabas to be loused 40 VVhen the lord therfore of the vineyarde commeth what wyll he do vnto those husbande men Bu. Here the Iudgement of God is shewed whiche is prepared for all rebellyouse obstinate and vnthanckefull personnes For God the father cannot leaue suche horrible and crewell contempte of his onely begotten sonne vnpunyshed A. For he had also spoken to them by Moyses sayinge Whosoeuer wyll not harken vnto the woordes of the prophete which he shall speake in my name I wil require it of hym But those men durste not onely reiecte the sonne of God teachinge and speakinge vnto them but also they presumed with vyolence to put him to death yea euen to the most shamefull deathe of the crosse Wherefore they beinge worthy of the crewell vengeance of God haue felte at the length the hande of the lorde and the iust punishmentes of theyr rebellion 41 They saide vnto him For as much as they be euill he will trewely destroie them and will let out his vineyarde to other husbandemen whiche shall deliuer him the fruite in dew seasons He vvyll truely destroye them Bu. Our sauioure Christ by his former question caused the vnwise to confesse the truth For they are constrayned openly with theyr owne mouthes to grante that whiche he wolde hym selfe C. Notwithstanding the Euangelystes do here varry and dyffer a lyttell Our Euangelist Matthew saith that they were forced to cōfesse this them selues Marke saith that Christ did symplelye pronounce what the ponishement of suche wycked seruantes shoulde be And Luke more euidētly as it might seeme dysagreeth from them bothe for when Christ had pronounced the ponishment against these wycked seruauntes they dyd dislike of it saying God forbid But if wee do more depely way serche for the sence and meaning we shal finde no repugnance or disagrement at all For these priestes not perceyuing at the fyrste that this parable pertayneth vnto them but thinkinge that Christe spake in dede of suche wicked and vnthanckfull housebandemen they by and by sayde Suche
Wherfore most greuous punishment doth hange ouer the heades of suche deceiuers excepte they conuert and forsake their sinnes And it is not to be omitted that the Euangelist Luke doth rather vse this woord of deuouringe than of eatinge For so hee noted the excessiue and insatiable desyer of these hypocrites to the ende all men might beware of the like deuouringe 15. VVo be vnto you Scribes and Phariseis ye ypocrites for ye compasse sea and lande to make one proselyte and when he is become one ye make him two foulde more the childe of hell then ye your selues are VVo be vnto you M. Here our sauioure Christ toucheth another kinde of ypocrits C. For by this zeale also the Scribes had got vnto themselues fauoure by the which they sought to bringe forreners and the vncircumcised to the Iewishe Religion Therfore if they had deceiued anye man by their intisementes or by anye other deceite they triumphed wonderfullye as thoughe theyr Churche had bene increased Herevppon also it came to passe that the common sorte of people did so highly esteeme of them namelye bycause by their industry vertue they did inserte ioyne straungers to the Church of god But Christ on the contrarye parte pronounceth that the same their studye and industry ought so litle to be attributed vnto them for theyr prayse that they rather thereby prouoke the wrath of God because they are drawen into more greeuous destruction which geeue themselues to theyr secte For wee must note how corrupte the state of thinges was then and how religiō was dissipated and decayed For as it was a godly and excellent worke to bringe Disciples vnto God euen so to allure and intice the Gentiles to the Iewishe worship which was then corrupted and fylled with wicked prophanacions was nothinge els then to bringe them from Scilla and to carye them to Charibdis or to bringe them from one mischiefe and to cast them into a greater Christe therefore doth not condemne the studye and diligence in drawinge of straungers but hee declareth by the ende it selfe that they do not the same vppō a good affection seinge they made those worse by two foulde than they themselues were For when the Ethnike or heathen man was led vppon hoope of learninge religion they made him suche a one by theyr superstitious doctrine and corrupt maners that he shoulde not onelye forsake the pure and true worshippe of God and the inheritaunce of Heauen but also that hee shoulde be a more wicked Iewe than hee was an Ethnicke and in more daunger also of hell fyer than the Iewes themselues were For it commeth almost to passe that the Dysciples doe ouercome their euill maisters in mallyce Ye compasse sea and lande E. The latayne texte hath the sea and drye callinge the lande drye after the maner of the Hebrewes To make one proselyte The Greeke woorde signifyeth a straunger They whiche came from Ethnicisme to Iudaisme that is which hauinge denyed and forsaken the religion of the Gentiles receyued the religion appertayninge to the Iewes and were circumcised these were called proselytes and straungers And vvhen hee is become one yee make him the child This is spoken in the Hebrewe phrase accordinge to that whiche is written in the twenty Chapter of the first Booke of Samuell where Saule calleth Dauid the child of death for the man deseruinge deathe or worthy to dye So hee calleth that man the childe of hell which deserued to be caste into hell and to dye withe euerlastynge deathe Tvvo foulde more then ye your selues are The Greeke texte hath yee make them more double the children of hell then ye your selues are as thoughe both of them were two foulde the children of hell but in this place the straungers are said to be in greater perill of damption than they For by the wicked abuse of Gods name they prouoked greater vengeaunce vppon themselues seing that Religion gaue vnto them a more groose liberty to sinne The like example at this day wee may behoulde in the Monkes for they gather from all places proselites but such as they make of wicked mē wikced deuils For such is the corruption of these ydle bellyes and filthye lechers that they depraue euen the Angels of Heauen Notwithstanding their monkishe apparell is a most fit veale to couer all kinde of wickednes 16. VVo be vnto you ye blinde guides for ye saye whosoeuer doth sweare by the temple it is nothing but whosoeuer sweareth by the gould of the temple hee is gilty VVo be vnto you ye blinde guides C. Euen as ambition is alwayes almost ioyned to hypocrisye so the couetousnes and greedy raking of the pastors doth commonly suffer maintaine the superstition of the people The worlde trulye of his owne accorde falleth into errors and doth as it were of purpose bringe vnto it selfe deceits and al kinde of seduringes but then at the laste they obtaine wicked worshippings whē the chiefe guides themselues do confirme them but trulye oftentimes it commeth to passe that they which are the chiefe do not only by theyr winking suffer errors because they see that they are gainfull vnto them but also by their meanes they do more increase them So we see in the Papacy that superstitions were increased by infinite practises when the Sacrifycers inhaunced the preye who also daily deuise many things by the which they may the more deceiue the folishe multitude For when mens mindes are once darkened by the inchauntmentes and delucions of Sathā there is nothing so absurde or monsterous but they will receiue it Herevpon it came to passe that the Iewes gaue more reuerence to the gould of the temple and to the holy oblations than to the tēple and to the altare But truly the holines of the oblations did depende vppon the tēple and the Altar Also it is credible that this error came from the Scribes and hye Priestes because it was an apte and fit hūtinge to get preyes but this error was no lesse pernicious than folishe because it led the people to groose inuentions There is nothinge more proue and inclyned to fall from the pure worship of God than men it was therefore the purpose of Sathan by this veale to drawe those a farre of from the beholdinge of God which already leaned to much to foolishe imaginations This is the reason why Christe so sharpelye reprehendeth this error And yet notwithstandinge the Papistes are not ashamed to set forth the holy name of God to a more filthy ieste For they make more accompte to toutche a peece of filthy carreyen than the holy volume of the Bible or to lift vp their handes to Heauen And by this meanes the carnal worship of God is brought in which by litle little defaceth the true ende scope thereof Yee blinde guides for ye saye vvhosoeuer A. In the fiftene Chapter also going before hee calleth them blinde guides It is nothinge That is to saye hee doth not offende against the commaundement of an
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
in the houses wherin ye are And whē I sée the bloud I will pase ouer you and the plage shall not be vpon you to destroe you when I smite the lande of Egipte And this day shal be vnto you a remembrance and ye shall keepe it holy daye vnto the Lorde for euer M. Christ saith not here simplely after two dayes the sonne of man shal be deliuered vp c But he saith After two dayes shal be Easter the soone of man c To the ende he might declare that the time of Easter was the appointed time in the which he should be crucified Furthermore that he mighte declare that he was the true Paseouer which must be offered for the redemption of the world the tipe figure wherof was the Paseouer which the Iewes celebrated euery yere The Euangeliste Marke in stede of Ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter write After two daies was Easter and the dayes of swete breade that is according to the wordes of S. Luke The feaste of swete breade drewe nye whiche is called Easter that is to say the eating of the Paschall lambe and the vnleauened bread For in the fore said chapter of Exodus where it was commanded as concerning the celebration of paseouer it is strayght waye added Seuen dayes shall ye eate vnleauened breade And the Sonne of man C. Nowe Christe confirmeth that againe which wee haue hearde him so often foreshewed vnto his Disciples but this laste forewarnynge doth more plainly shewe how willing he was to offer him selfe to the death and it was necessary because God could not be pleased but by the Sacrifice of obediēce He ment also to preuent the offēce least the Disciples thinkinge that he was cōstrained by necessitye to be deliuered to death shoulde quayle and faynte in the faythe And so the vse of this sentence was twoo maner of wayes Firste that it mighte be declared that the Sonne of God of his owne accorde deliuered hym selfe to death that he mighte reconcile the worlde to his Father because otherwise he coulde not satisfye for the gylte of synne or purchase vnto vs righteousnes Secondly that he was not oppressed to dye as by a violent death whiche he coulde not auoyde but because he did wilingly offer himselfe to the death He dothe therefore here openlye declare that he commeth to Hierusalem with good aduisement that he might there suffer death For he hauing liberty to go backe againe and in quiete retourne to ouerpasse that time yet notwithstandinge euen in the very moment and tyme conuenient he goeth with good aduisement and deliberation into the midest of his enemys And although it did then nothynge profite the Disciples to be admonished of the obedience whiche he shewed towardes his Father yet notwithstandinge afterwarde their faythe was not a lyttel builded by this doctrine Euen as also at this daye wee receyue no small profite thereby because as it were in a lyuelye glasse the willinge sacrifice is set forth vnto vs by the which all the transgressions of the worlde are wypped awaye and wee do beholde and see the Sonne of God in goinge boldlye and withoute feare to his deathe to bee nowe the conquerer of death Shal be deliuered vp to be crucifyed Bu. Namely by Iudas to the hye Priestes of these he shal be deliuered to Pontius Pilate and of hym to the tormenters to be crucifyed In this shorte sentence he comprehendeth manye thinges Reade the twenty chapter goinge before 3. Then assembled together the chiefe priestes and the Scribes and the elders of the people vnto the palace of the hye prieste which was called Cayphas Then assembled together the C. The Euangeliste Mathewe meaneth not that they were gathered together euen in the second daye or within the compas of two dayes but he bringeth in this history to shewe that Christe as he was a manne was not able to appointe anye certaine time of his death For what might moue him thus to coniecture when as his enemies were fullye determined to differre the tyme The sence and meaninge therefore is this that he spake by the spirit of prophesy of his death seing that no man coulde suspecte that it was so nye at hande M. For althoughe the deathe of Christe was ordained by God and depended vppon the secrete counsell and purpose of God and not of men yet neuertheles the narration of the history did require that it shoulde be described by what and whose practises the same was wrought to the ende we may know that there is no one sorte of men more hurteful to the kingdome of Christ than they which raigne and exercise tyranny against the people of god vnder the shew of Godlines But note who they be whiche are sayd here to come together they truelye whiche had the name of the Churche what one innocente woulde haue beene afrayed of the assemblely of these men Vnto the pallace of the hye Prieste M. Here was the heade of the priestely kyngdome the matter was now about the authoritye hereof They had all one scope namely to defende and preserue that priestely kingedome VVhiche vvas called Cayphas B. This Cayphas had also to name Iosephus whiche succeded in the priesthoode the sonne of Symon Canithus beinge made hie priest of Gratus then presidente whom Pilate succeded Hee was also remoued againe from the priesthoode by Vitellius the proconsull of Syria Ionathas the sonne of Anna being placed in his steede Reade Iosephus for this matter For al thinges yea deuyne offices throughe couetousenesse and ambition of the priestes were bestowed amis by the Romaines Bu. This Cayphas was a man corrupted with couetousenes with luste with pryde and one that swelled with ambition beinge called by no lawfull ordinance to the dignity of the hye priesthode but for bribes and fauoure of the wicked presidentes which were Ethnixes was taken from the fylthy puddell and set in the dignitie of the hie priest Behold this chiefetaine in the counsell of the prestes 4 And helde a counsel that they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kyll him And helde a counsell Bu. The Euangelist sayth here that they helde a counsell that they might take Iesus by subtiltie or deceyte that is not openlye neyther by force but by some pretence the whiche Iudas brought to passe whiche fayning friendeshippe betraied him with a kisse What this counsel was S. Iohn describeth at large saying Then gathered the hie priestes and Pharisetes a counsayle and saide What do we For this man doth many miracles If we let him scape thus all men wyll beleeue on hym and the Romaines shall come and take away bothe our rome and the people And one of them named Cayphas beinge the hye preeste the same yere saide vnto theym Ye perceyue nothinge at all nor consyder that it is expediente for vs that one man dye for the people and not that all the people peryshe 5 But they saide not on the holy daye least there be
the disposinge of the inheritance and are then at the last confirmed and in full strengthe when the testators or will makers are desceased In like maner Christ being dead the Heauenly graces are exhibited and geuen to vs euen as oute of a Testamente or will. The Greeke interpreters of the Byble haue translated the Greeke word Dhiatheken to signify a Testament the whiche word our Euangelist Mathewe vseth also Howbeit S. Hierom hath translated it to signifye a league or couenant Of the which woord when the Scripture maketh mencion namely that God entered into a league whether it were by the olde or newe with his people it meaneth that couenaunte and promise by the whiche God promised that hee would be the God of his people and by the which his people promised likewise that thei would take him for their God for their father and sauiour and that they woulde geue themselues wholly to the wil of God. The oulde leage and Testamente therefore is that by the which God chose Abraham and his seede After that hee did renue with all the people by Moyses in the mounte Sion This was also confirmed agayne in Iosue as we may reade in the fower and twētye Chapter of his Booke The newe leage and Testamente is that by the which God chose all Nations to be his people by the Gospell of the which Testament the Prophetes foreshewed many thinges as Esay Ieremye and others This Testamente is described by remission of sinnes and in destributinge the amplenes of the spirite to all the electe that they maye knowe the Lorde from the smallest to the greatest hauinge the lawe written in their hartes The holye fathers of olde time also were partakers of this leage and Testament but not so clerely in such mightynes of spirite as now that Christ is exalted For truly there is but one mediator of God and mā neither was there any man which was able to please God at anye tyme but the same had his sinnes remitted and the lawe of God by some meanes written in his hart The bloud of Christ is one price of redemption to all the saints But as the more full and perfect reuelation of the old Testament was confirmed by the same bloude of Christ but vnder the type notwithstandinge of the bloude of a yonge bullocke euen so the new was sealed by no other bloude then by the preciouse harte bloud of Christ himselfe For immediatlye after the death resurrection of the Lord the Gospell begā to be preached to all creatures and a new people to be gathered Herevppon the Lord sayth that he geeueth his bloud of the newe Testament that is by the which this new Testament was sealed and the Testamente it selfe confirmed with this bloude For this cause truly wee acknowledge and worship God the father and are partakers in deede of the true spirite and of the grace of the new Testamēt because Christ liueth in vs and because we are flesh of his flesh C. But two things are here worthy to be noted For wee gather by this worde Testamente or leage that there is a promise included in the holy Supper By that which their error is confuted which deny that fayth is holpen cherished stayed vp and increased by Sacramentes For betwene the Testament of God and the faith of men there is alwayes mutuall relation Whervppon it followeth that they are not onely amonge men externall signes of profession but also inwarde helpes of fayth Furthermore by this word Newe Christ went about to teache that old figures haue nowe an ende that they might geeue place to the firme and eternall couenant There is therefore here a crosse opposition or comparison betweene this mystery and the shadowes of the Lawe whereby it appeareth how much our condition is better than the fathers which after the sacrifyce finished on the Crosse do enioye the sounde and perfect truth That is shed for manye Luke declareth that he said also For you Christ doth here depaint and set forth himselfe as thoughe hee were hanginge on the Crosse and imbrewed with bloude For hee sayth which is shed and not which was shed And when he sayth For you in Luke hee declareth his owne innocencye which was not subiecte to deathe for so muche as the Prince of this world which had rule ouer death had nothing in him because he was free from sinne wherevppon it was not needefull that hee should offer for his owne sinnes first accordinge to the maner of the hye priestes because he is holy vndefiled voyde of all sinne Hee teacheth also howe great his loue is toward vs that when hee ought nothinge vnto death he would suffer the same for vs Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestow his life for his frends But whereas this our Euangelist Mathewe sayth that Christe sayde For manye some man might marueile seinge the Apostle sayth Christe dyed for all that they which liue shoulde not henceforth liue vnto themselues And seinge it is saide in another place that Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole worlde The aunswere to this doubt is That our sauiour Christe vnder the name of manye doth meane not onely a part of the world but all mankinde also For hee opposeth or setteth many against one as if he shoulde saye that hee is the redeemer not of one man onelye but that hee suffereth deathe to deliuer many from the gilt of sinne and cursse Euen so in the fifte to the Romaynes S. Paule taketh manye for all men by a comparison betwene one and many Neither is there any doubt but that Christe speakinge here to a few ment to make the doctrine cōmon to more Notwithstandinge wee must also note that in Luke he speakinge to his Disciples by name exhorteth all the faithfull to apply the effusiō of his bloud to their vse Thereforefore when we come to the holye Table let not onelye this generall cogitacion come into our minde that the worlde is redemed by the bloude of Christ but also let euerye man thincke with himselfe that Christ hath satisfyed for his sinnes M. For the death of Christ is a vniuersall redemption for that cause he is called the sauioure of the world and the preachinge of the Gospell was sent into the whole world that all men might be called to the fayth of Christ But because the elect onely do receiue this grace he is specially said to be the sauioure of the electe and faithfull who in comparison of the reprobate are fewe yet in them selues are many For the remission of sinnes C. That whereof Mathewe and Marke made no mencion in the signe of bread they nowe expresse in the Cuppe namelye that his bloud shoulde be shed for the remission of sinnes But this note ought to be referred to both partes Therefore to the ende wee may eate the fleshe of Christ aright wee must behould his offeringe because it was
necessar that hee shoulde be geuen once for oure saluation that hee might be daily geuen to vs Let vs know then that by these woordes we are directed to the sacrifyce of Christ his death without the rememberaunce whereof the Supper shall neuer be rightly celebyated Neither trulye can the mindes of the faithfull be otherwise filled but by this that they know God to be fauourable to them M. But this is diligently to be noted that hee sayd in the plurall nomber Of sinnes not of one sinne againste the opinion of those which wickedly say that the death of Christ hath made satisfaction for Originall sinne but not for actuall sinne and for those sinnes also which were cōmitted before Baptisme and not after for the which they appoint a proper satisfaction Against whom S. Iohn also writeth thus My little children these thinges writ I vnto you that ye sinne not but if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous hee is the propitiacion for our sinnes Hee writ no doubt to the Christians which were already baptized and therfore hee teacheth also that the sinnes of those that are baptised are forgeuen by the propitiation of Iesus Christe To these woordes of Christe S. Paule addeth this Do this so often as yee shall drincke it in the remembraunce of mee And then what that remēbraunce is hee declareth in the words followinge For so often as yee shall eate this breade drincke this Cuppe ye shall shew forth the Lordes death till his comminge Therfore the Supper is ◅ certaine memoriall which ought continuallye to abyde in the Churche euen till the last comming of Christe beinge instituted to this ende that Christ mighte admonishe vs of the benefite of his deathe and that wee might acknowledge the same before men wherevppon it is also called Eucharistia that is a thanckes geuinge 29. But I say vnto you I will not drincke henceforthe of this fruite of the vine tree vntil that day whē I shall drinke it newe with you in my fathers kingedome But I saye vnto you C. By this sentence the Dysciples were admonished as well of the death of their master which was at hād as of the newe and Heauenlye life For the more neere that the houre of his death approched the more they were to be confirmed least they should altogether quaile Hee sheeweth also that his Disciples shall in a short time haue the truth of this signe As if he should say I do not apoint a signe the truth of the which is farre of no it is at hand Hee commendeth vnto them his supper for this cōsideratiō because they shold not alwayes haue him present with them While hee was presente they were confirmed by his Sermones and now that he must be absent they had neede of another confirmatiō Great therfore is the force of the supper which supplyeth the presence of Christ and setteth him before vs But because it was sorrowfull tydinges when hee affirmed that he must now go out of the world there is by and by added a consolation that there is no cause why they shoulde abhorre death after which there shall followe a better life as if hee had sayd ▪ Now truly do I make hast vnto death but to this ende that I may thereby passe to blessed immortality not to liue alone in the kingdome of God by my selfe but that I may haue you partakers of the same life So we see that hee lifteth vs hys Dysciples to the hope of the resurrection after hee had ledde them by the hande as it were to the Crosse And as it was meete that they should be directed to the death of Christ that by that ladder they might assende into Heauen euen so now Christ hauinge tasted of death and beinge receiued vp into Heauen it is meete that wee be broughte from the behouldinge of the Crosse to the lifting vp of our mindes to Heauen that death and the repayringe of life may agree together And that they shal be partakers of the same glory with him it may euidentlye appeare by his wordes VVhen I shall drincke it nevve vvith you in my fathers kingdome Bu. As if hee should say I beinge now made immortall and translated into the glory of my father or els I beinge now in Heauenly glorye in eternall ioye For Luke hath almost the like wordes when he sayth And I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed vnto mee that yee may eate drincke at my table in the kingdome C. But whereas some do obiecte that meate and drincke doth not appertaine to the kingdome of God it is a friuolous and vaine obiection because Christe meaneth nothinge els but that his Dysciples should shortly want his presence insomuche that after this hee shoulde eate with them no more till that they enioyed the Heauenly kingdome together Againe the eatinge and drinkinge mencioned in Luke is spoken of our sauiour Christ allegorically To be shorte Christe here commendeth vnto vs the frute and effect of the redemption which he got by his death Whereas some thincke that this was fulfilled so often as the Lord did eate with his Dysciples it is contrary to his minde and nothinge so For seinge hee was the mydle state betweene the course of mortall life the goale or ende of Heauenly life the kingdome of God was not then as yet reuealed and therefore hee sayd vnto Mary Toutch mee not for I am not yet assended to my father Moreouer the Dysciples were not as yet entered into the kingdome of God that they might drincke new wyne with Christ and be partakers of the same glorye But whereas wee reade that Christ drancke after his resurrection when as notwithstādinge he had denyed to do it till such tyme as hee had gathered his Dysciples into the kingdome of Heauen that shewe of repugnancye may easlye be put awaye For hee speaketh not precisely of meate and drincke but of the custome of this present life And wee knowe that Christe did not therefore drincke eyther because hee was a thrist or because hee woulde retaine his Dysciples in his meate and drincke but onely that his resurrection beinge thereby approued of the which they were as yet doubtfull he might lift vp their mindes to Heauē Let vs therfore contente our selues with this true and proper meaning of the place that the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples the fellowship of the blessed and immortall life with him seing they had the fellowship of his mortall humanity in earth 30. And when they had saide grace they went out vnto mount Oliuet And vvhen they had saide grace C. The first three Euangelistes omit those deuine Sermones which S. Iohn sayth the Lord made as wel in the house as by the way that they wente For their purpose was to comprehende and set forthe the Historye of thinges done more than doctrine This onely they toutche that hee wente of his owne accorde to the place whether Iudas was
determined to come to the ende wee mighte knowe that he so disposed the seasons of that â—â—â—e that voluntarily hee might meete with his betrayer E. The lattine translatioÌ„ hath And when they had songe a Hymne or Psalme Wherevppon Paulâ—…s burgensis affyrmeth that it was an auncient tradition and custome amonge the Iewes wheÌ„ they had eaten the Paschall lambe to begin this Psalme Prayse the Lorde ye seruauntes And to singe foorthe till they came to this Psalme Blessed are all those that be vndefyled in the waye and walke in the Lorde And he thinketh this to be the Hymne which Christ songe with his Dysciples Hereby trulye it appeareth that they were wont of common custome to singe a Hymne so ofteÌ„ as thei celebrated Paseouer Notwithstanding it is vncertaine with what words they praysed God here and whether they songe this prayse or spake it simplely The Greke word in this place signifyeth that they gaue the praise due vnto God but it dothe not therevppon followe that they did singe it It cannot be affyrmed whether Christ vsed those wordes which the Iewes did in the feaste of Paseouer It is credible that hee spake to his Dysciples at this speciall feast of Easter by some newe Hymne whiche shoulde not so muche put them in minde of their deliuerance out of Egipt as it should celebrate and commende the mystery of the kingdome of God which was theÌ„ in hand that they mighte geeue the more dilligente heede to accepte his woordes All the wordes and deedes of Christ in this day of Pasouer do expresse and declare a singuler affection What matter is it if wee beleeue that this grace or Hymne was agreeable to the matter which was then in hande They vvent out vnto mounte Oliuet M. It seemeth to some that grace beinge sayde the Lorde roose from supper and wasshed hys Dysciples feete and that afterward he had that longe talke wherof S. Iohn maketh mencion partly in the house and partly in their iorney to the mouÌ„te of Oliues Other some thincke that the supper beinge prepared hee wasshed his Dysciples feete that afterward hee did eate Passeouer and then that he instituted the misticall supper and last of all that grace being sayd he went out taught his Dysciples those thinges whereof S. Iohn writeth from his .15 Chapter vnto the 18. Chapter in the which hee sayth thus When Iesus had spoken these wordes he went foorth with his Dysciples ouer the broke Cedron to mounte Oliuet as he was wont as sayth Luke B. This was not the first time that the Lord went out to mount Oliuet but as it was sayde euen now out of Luke he went often thither For as the same Luke also sayth in those dayes hee was wont from the time that hee entered so king like into Hierusalem to teache in the daye time in the Temple in the night time to abyde in the mounte of Oliues And herevppon Iudas toke occasion and oportunitye to betray him without tumult the whiche oportunitye the Lorde knowinge whereabout he went willingly gaue him wheras oftentimes before hee fled awaye because his hower was not yet come Seinge then he wente forth at this time to that accustomed place whiche was knowen to Iudas the trayter it is a manifest tokeÌ„ that he suffered not his passion against his will. 31. Then saide Iesus vnto them all yee shal be offended because of mee this nighte For it is written I will smite the shepehearde and the shepe of the flocke shal be scattered abroade All ye shal be offended C. That which Mathewe and Marke extende to all the Dysciples in generall Luke sayth it was spoken to Peter onely For although hee spake to all yet notwithstandinge it maye be that Christe spake vnto them in the person of one whiche was to be admonished before all other and had neede of singuler consolation least after the denyinge of Christe desperation should vtterly ouerthrow him M. But there were two causes whye Christe forewarned his Dysciples for first they might be more ware if they had any minde at all Secondlye it serued to humble them when they should see their fall notwithstandinge that they were forewarned To be offended in this place signifyeth as muche as to be troubled As the ship is driuen oute of her course into another way through a tempest euen so Sathan deuiseth all meanes possible to trouble vs in our race that hee maye draw vs into a coÌ„trary way Because of mee sayth hee or for my sake that is I will be vnto you an occasion of trouble For when hee was taken all fled awaye therefore the person of Christe was vnto them the stomblinge blocke of offence For it is vvritten B. Hereby wee are admonished that all things are dispenced and ordered accordinge to the will of God and that the death of Christ was of such estimation with the father that all things almost which hee suffered were foreshewed of him by the Prophetes I vvill smite the Shepeherde C. By this prophesye hee exhorteth them to ouercome offence and to put away trouble of minde because God will not let to acknowledge those for his sheepe whiche are compelled to scatter and straye from place to place for a time For after the Prophete had spoken of the restoringe of the Church leaste that the extreame myseries whiche were now at hand should ouerwhelme the mindes of the godly throughe dispayre hee pronounceth that gouernment beinge confounded and ouerthrowne there shal be a sorrowfull and myserable dispertion but yet for all this that the grace of God shall ouercome B. These are the wordes of the Prophete Aryse O thou sworde vpon my Shepehearde and vppon the Prince of my people sayth the Lorde of hostes Smyte the sheepeherde and the sheepe shal be scattered abroade C. But although all interpreters for the most parte do restrayne this place of the Prophete to the person of Christ onely yet notwithstandinge it maye be more largely extended as if it had beene sayde that there shal be no more gouernemente with the which the people were defended because the sheepeherdes shal be destroyed For there is no doubte but that the purpose of the Lord was to comprehende al that whole time in the whiche after the tyrannye of Antiochus the Church was left naked and despoyled of good pastors and brought into vaste desolation For theÌ„ God suffered the sword to walke horribly a long time which extinguishing the pastors woÌ„derfully troubled the state of the people Yet for all that this dispersion and scatteringe did not let and stay the Lord but that at the length hee gathered his sheepe together with an outstretched arme But althoughe the Prophete doth generallye declare that the Churche shoulde bee depriued of her shepeheardes yet for all that the Prophesy is truly and properly applyed vnto Christe For seinge hee was the heade chiefe of al Pastors of whom onely the saluation of the Churche did depende hee beinge once deade all
infirmity I do therefore bouldlye call it sorrowe and heauines that he suffered because I preach the Crosse For hee toke not vppon him oure fleshe in cooller and shewe but in deede Hee ought therefore to suffer griefe that hee myghte ouercome sorrowe not that hee mighte exclude it Neyther haue they so muche prayse of fortitude whiche beinge wounded feele not the same as they that suffer the griefe of the wounde Thus farre S. Ambrose They truly which Immagine the sonne of God to be free from these passions they do not acknowledge him to be a man trulye and effectuallye Yea when it is sayde that the deuyne power of Christe beinge hid as it were rested for a time that hee mighte fullfill the partes of a mediator in sufferinge it is so farre from absurditye that otherwyse hee coulde not fulfill the misterye of oure saluation Yet notwithstandinge the infirmitye whiche Christe toke vppon him oughte to be distinguished from oure infirmitye because it is farre differinge from that whiche is in vs. For in vs affection is not voyde of fault because all of them do exceede a meane and righte temperature But Christ was so troubled wyth sorrowe and feare that notwithstandinge hee murmered not agaynst God but sayde Father if it be possible let this Cuppe passe from mee Neuerthelesse not that I will but that thou wilt be done So that hee framed himselfe accordinge to the true rule of temperaunce For it is no marueyle hee beinge pure and holy free from all spotte if that pure affections flowed from him althoughe they were witnesses of humaine infirmitye and if from the nature of man there dothe sprynge nothinge but that which is filthye and full of puddle Let vs therefore note this difference that Christe in feare and sorrow was weake without anye spot of sinne and that all oure affections because they gushe and burste forth in excesse are vicious B. Wee muste acknowledge then that he was true and perfecte man and that hee did saye by a cooller that hee was sorrye and troubled C. But nowe wee muste note the kinde of affections with the which Christe was tempted Mathewe sayeth that hee was affected with sorrowe and heauynes Luke sayth that hee was in an agonye and Marke sayth that hee was abasshed But howe came it to passe that hee was sorrowfull heauye fearefull and abasshed but onely because in his death hee conceyued some thinge more sorrowfull horrible than the seperation of the soule and bodye And trulye hee suffered death not onely that hee mighte assende from the earth into Heauen but rather that hee taking vpon himselfe the curse to the which we were subiecte mighte delyuer vs from the same Hee feared not death therefore simplelye as it is a departure oute of this world but because hee had before his eyes the fearefull Iudgemente of GOD the Iudge himselfe beinge armed with incomprehensible vengeance and the huge heape of our sinnes which were layed vpon him oppressinge him Wherefore it is no maruayle if the horrible gulphe of destruction do sharpelye vexe him with feare and sorrowe M. Here therefore is set before vs a hye preste whiche can haue compassion vppon our infirmities which was tempted in all pointes like as wee are but yet without sinne to whom let vs go bouldly as vnto the seate of grace that wee may obtayne mercye and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This place also bringeth consolation vnto vs teachinge vs not to thincke that wee displease God when wee are throwne downe with the feare of death Christ doubted not to complaine of the horror of death which he suffered in praying to the father The which thinge also we may reade in the Psalmes to be done oftentimes of Dauid Wee are also forbidden that wee doe not iudge by and by or contemne those whiche are discouraged by the feare of deathe as though they had euill consciences and that also wee do not iustify those which dye with a boulde courage 38. Then saide Iesus vnto them My soule is heauy vnto the death Tarrye ye here and watche with mee My soule is heauy vnto the death M. Christe was full of sorrowe before hee did praye C. But hee maketh these three Dysciples priuy of his death that they mighte be partakers of the same passiō not because their weakenes was hiddē from him but because they might afterward be the more ashamed of their dulnes in vnderstandinge And this kinde of speach doth expresse a deadly woūd of sorrow as if he had sayd that throughe sorrow hee was out of hart and halfe dead So Ionas aunswered the Lord and sayd I am angery euen vnto the death Wee therfore geeue this note ▪ because certaine of the olde wryters handelinge this place folishly affyrme that the soule of Christ was not heauy in the death but to the death Againe this so greate sorrowe and heauines of the minde was not contrarye to the will of the father for the father woulde not haue hym suffer without sorrowe and griefe It was the wyll of the father that Hierusalem shoulde be besieged yet notwithstandinge Christ bewayled the same insomuche that hee wepte Tarrye ye here and vvatche vvith mee M. Such is the disposition of the wicked that they desyer to haue those whom they take to be their frendes to mourne and sorrowe with them euen as if thou wouldest not beare a heauy burthen alone but wouldest lay part thereof vpon other mens shoulders which in deede is some helpe to the afflicted It should seeme that Christ beinge thus affected desyered to haue these three Dysciples before anye other to watche with him that is in prayinge and sighinge to labour wyth him And least any man shoulde thincke the Christ was voyde of this affection let him note this thing which the Prophete sayth I loked for some to haue pittye on mee but there was no man neither founde I any to comforte mee This was yet a farther declaration and more euident argument of the humaine infirmity that was in Christe As if he should haue sayd Lend me your hand Althoughe hee were oute of daunger yet it behoued him to sustayne these thinges Wherefore seinge wee see these thinges in Christ let vs not despyse the prayers of our brethren hee hath vndoubted victory ouer death yet notwithstandinge hee sayth Watche with mee How be it wee may gather that Christe did not require these Dysciples to watche with him so much for himselfe as for their owne sakes as if they had bene in the like daunger that they mighte not be ouercome with the temptacion to come Luke sayth that hee added And pray least ye enter into temptacion that which wee will expounde in the one and fortye verse followinge 39. And hee wente a little farther and fell flat on his face and prayed saying O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from mee neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And hee vvente a little farther M. Hee went asyde as
Christe into the house of Anna vntill the Hie Priest called a Councell The Hie Priestes C. Althoughe the greater iurisdiction were takē awaye from the Iewes yet notwithstandinge there remained parte of that Iudgemente whiche the Lawe geuethe vnto the Hie Prieste So that a litle chastisinge was leafte thoughe the méere and sole Gouernemente were gonne Hereuppon it came to passe that Christe was leadde vnto the Hye Prieste to be examined not that he shoulde there receiue his laste Iudgement or Sentence of Deathe at the Tribunall Seate but that he beynge fyrste pressed with hys Iudgemente mighte afterwarde be broughte before the Deputye by the Priestes Cayphas was also called Iosephus who as Iosephus the Hystoriographer saithe was made Hye Prieste by Valerius Gratus Lieuetenant or Deputie of Iudea when as Simon the sonne of Canithus was displaced from that Honoure But the Syrname is onely put of the Euangelistes because peraduenture it was then more commonlye knowen then any other And where as Iohn saithe that Caiphas was his priest the same yéere he meaneth not that the Office of the Hie Prieste was but from yéere to yéere whiche many falsely supposed but that Cayphas was the Hye Prieste at that tyme the whiche ways euidently appeare by Iosephus It was a Perpetual honoure by the Commaundemente of the Lawe that it mighte not be endued but by deathe but Ambition and Discordes broughte to passe that the Romane Maiestrates would depriue one Hye Prieste of his Office and sette vp an other either for Money or for Fauoure at theire pleasure Euen so Vitellus depriued Caiphas whome Ionathas the Sonne of Anna succéeded VVhere the Scribes and the Elders vvere assembled M. Althoughe Caiphas were no true Hye Prieste whiche boughte his Office for money agaynste the Lawe of God yet notwithstandinge because like will to like he was allowed and reuerenced of the Scribes and Senioures of the people of whome he shoulde haue bene reiected The Hye Prieste was a mortall enimye vnto Christe because he feared the losse of his Office whiche coste him a greate Summe of money The reste were partetakers of the Priestes gaynes Therefore as thinges were corrupted in thys Iewishe Priestehoode euen so all menne conspired againste Christe and gathered a Councell howe they mighte destroye hym and all to preserue the Priestely Kingedome and for this pourpose Christe beeinge taken they came togeather to the Hye Prieste Here trewely is sette before oure eyes a fearefull and horrible spectacle For at that time neither the Temple of God neither the Lawfull Woorshippe nor the Face or Image of the Churche was any where els sauinge at Ierusalem the Hye Prieste was a Type and Figure of the onely Mediatoure betwéene God and Man They whiche were gathered togeather at thys Councell did represente the whole Churche of God yet notwithstandinge they all conspired togeather to destroye Christe the onely hope of Saluation But because it was foreshewed by the Testimonie of Dauid that the Stoane whiche was caste aside of the Builders should be neuerthelesse the heade stoane of the Corner and because in like manner it was prophesied by Esay that the Lorde shoulde be a Stoane of Defence at the whiche the people of Israel should stomble it was verye well prouided for of the Lorde leaste sutche Impietye of menne should trouble the mindes of the Faithefull 58. But Peter followed hym a farre of vnto the Pallaice of the Hie Prieste and wente in and sate with the Seruauntes to see the end But Peter follovved a farre of M Here the Euangeliste maketh a way to speake of the Deniall whiche Peter made of his maister By the feruente zeale and loue whiche he bare to the Lorde he followed hym when the reste fleadde but a farre of for he was afrayde For the earneste affection of the minde towarde Christe and the feare of daunger are oftentymes ioyned togeather in a Godly man. Vnto the Pallaice of the Hye Prieste Howe hee came into the Pallaice S. Iohn shewethe by theise woordes And Simon Peter followed Iesus and so did an other Disciple that Disciple was knowen vnto the Hie Prieste and went in with Iesus into the Pallaice of the Hie Prieste But Peter stoode at the Doore without Then wente out that other Disciple whiche was knowen vnto the Hye Prieste and spake to the Damsell that kept the doore and brought in Peter Somme were deceiued by a lighte coniecture whiche thoughte that this Disciple was Iohn because he alwayes in his Gospell speakethe of him selfe omittinge his name But howe shoulde Iohn comme to be acquainted with the prowde hie Priest whiche was a poore Fisher And howe coulde he frequente the House of the Hie Prieste when he was alwayes in the companye of Christe It is more likely that he was none of the Twelue but was called a Disciple because he imbraced the Doctrine of the Sonne of god And S. Iohn is not curious in disposinge and compactinge the Historye because he thoughte it sufficiente to gather a briefe summe For after he hathe declared howe Peter denied Christe once he bryngethe in certayne other thinges and after that he retournethe to the other twoo Denyalles And hereuppon it came to passe that the negligente Reader gathered that the Fyrste Denyall was in the House of Anna But the woordes geeue no suche occasion but doo rather plainely expresse that it was the Damsell of the Hye Prieste whiche vrged Peter to denye Christe Wee muste note therefore that when Christe was broughte vnto the Hye Prieste all menne were not admitted to comme in but that Disciple whiche was knowen obtayned leaue for Peter Nowe there is no doubte but that they bothe of a godly loue followed Christe But séeinge Christe affyrmed that he woulde spare Peter and the reste it had bene mutche more profitable for them to sighe and praye in somme secrete corner then to comme forthe in the open sighte of menne seinge they were of no better strengthe But Peter aboue the reste mighte haue absented hym selfe as better shall appeare For nowe he taketh that vpon hym of the whiche Christe before hadde discharged hym But he failethe in the Confession of the Faithe in the whiche as he saide before he woulde stande to the Deathe C. Wherefore he did rashely when he came into the Pallace of the Hie Priest A. seinge the Lorde hadde sayde before Whither I goe thou canste not followe mée nowe but thou shalte followe mée hereafter And thus it commethe oftentimes to passe that the Faithful caste theim selues into Temptation by the shewe of Vertue Wherefore we must praye vnto the Lorde that he will staye vs with the bridle of hys Spirite leaste wée passinge oure boundes he pounished for the same Wée muste also praye vnto him so often as wée take any thing in hande leaste he suffer vs to falle in the middeste of oure enterprise or in the beginninge of our woorke but that he will geue vs strengthe and abilitie from heauen to the ende The
fealynge of oure infirmitye oughte not to staye vs from taking that in hand whereunto the Lorde doothe calle vs but it oughte rather to restrayne oure rashenesse leaste wée goe beyonde oure callinge It shoulde also stirre vs vp to Prayer that God whiche gaue vs power to beginne wel wil also geue grace to perseuere and goe forewarde And sate vvith the Seruauntes to see the ende A. Luke saithe that he sate with them by the fire as appeareth by these wordes And when they hadde kindeled a fire in the middest of the Pallaice and were sette downe togeather Peter also sate downe amonge them To see the ende Bee oulde here the Ende why Peter followed Christe namely that he mighte sée what woulde becomme of hym This Narration as concerninge Peter which oure Euangelist Mathew hath here begonne is ended in the thrée score and nienth verse folowinge In the meane tyme he writethe what was donne vnto Christe by Caiphas 59 The Chiefe Priestes and the Elders and all the Councell soughte False witnesse againste Iesus for to putte hym to Deathe The Chiefe Priestes and the Elders M. Mathewe sayde before that the Scribes and Elders of the people were gathered togeather in the House of Cayphas Nowe he describethe wherefore they were gathered togeather namely to consulte by a common Councell aboute the Deathe of Christe Soughte False vvitnes C. By theise woordes the Euangelistes doo note that the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people wente aboute nothinge les then to enquire of the cause that the mater beeinge founde out they mighte minister vnto him iustice for thei had fully determined before to destroy Christ and nowe onely they seeke howe to oppresse him And it cannot be that equity shall take any place when the cause is not firste knowen Theire False and wicked Crueltye bewraiethe it selfe in that they seeke for False Witnesses A. S. Iohn saithe that Christe was demaunded as concernynge hys Disciples and his Doctrine by the hie Priest the which the other thrée haue omitted 60. But they founde none yea when many False VVitnesses came yet founde they none At the laste came twoo False VVitnesses and saide But they founde none B They did not gather a Councell that the cause of Christe might be knowen and that truth mighte take place but only to condemne him by False Testimonie and to deliuer him vp to Pilate to be slaine C. In the whiche they doo notably declare their Crueltye And where as they beeinge disappointed of theire hope doo persiste notwithstandinge in their wicked pourpose wée maye the better perceiue theire blinde obstinacie Therfore in that blind madnesse the Innocencie of the Sonne of God did shine notwithstanding that the Diuels them selues might know that an Innocent was put to death B. For the Lorde was so cleare not onely from all euill but also from all shewe of Euill that the whole coūsaile could finde no false witnesse to come in agaynst hym that they might haue any likelihoode or shew of Truthe Chiefely wee muste note this Innocencie of Christe not so mutche in this presente Publique Action as in that also whiche Pilate did as hereafter followethe I saye wée muste note this as the speciall Heade of oure Saluation and principall place and fruite of the Lordes Passion For it was méete that wee shoulde haue suche a Hye Prieste which is Holy Harmelesse Vndefiled and seperated from Sinnes that wée through him mighte be made the Rightuousnes whiche is allowed of god S. Marke hathe Many bare False Witnesse againste him but theire witnesses agreed not togeather At the laste came in tvvoo False A. False Testimonyes of other here mentioned by Mathewe are not spoken of by the other Euangelistes but are simply condemned of Falsehoode and vanity and the Testimonye of these menne is therefore brought foorthe because it hath somme shewe of Truthe 61. This Fellowe saide I am able to destroye the Temple of God and to builde it againe in three daies This Fellovve saide Howe are theise called False Witnesses seeinge wée reade that they saide nothinge but that whiche Christe spake C. But wee muste note that they are called False Witnesses not only which bringe foorthe a Lie made of nothynge but also whiche doo cauellingly peruerte those thinges whiche were trewely spoken and wreste them to a Faulte Of the which mater wée haue here an example as concernynge the Ruine and Newe Buildinge againe of the Temple Christe truely saide that when they had destroyed the Temple of hys Bodye he woulde rayse it agayne in thrée Dayes So that nowe the False Witnesses doo not deuise a newe Lye but doo depraue and misconstrue his woordes as though he woulde haue vsed somme Legierdumaine or craftie conueiance in building the Temple For he saide not I can destroye or I will destroye but Christe saide Destroye yée or if yee doo destroye attributing the destruction of the Temple vnto them not to him selfe Furthermore he said not This Temple made with handes but they beinge superstitious diuised it estéeminge the Temple made of Stoane to be more excellente and Holy then the Spirituall Temple whiche is a faithfull Soule And of that superstition spronge that Iewishe crueltie whiche not onely Christe fealt but the Prophetes also and S Steuen The same Superstition also raigneth at this daye To conclude he coulde not by righte be called the Destroyer of the Temple of God whiche destroyed not the Temple to the ende it mighte lie waste but that it mighte be better then it was before If thei did not beleue that he could make it better why did they beleue that he coulde destroie it in thrée daies seinge the same also was impossible to man Wherefore Marke saithe But yet their Witnesses agreed not togeather 62. And the Chiefe Priest arose and said vnto him Answearest thou nothing VVhy doo these beare VVitnesse againste thee And the Chiefe Prieste arose M. Although this Testimonye was not sufficiente to bringe Condemnation yet notwithstandinge the Hie Prieste for too mutche desire that he hadde to kille Christe coulde not pretermitte this with silence but risinge in hys Authoritie goeth aboute to exaggerate the matter and to make it more hainous C. But it is certayne that Christe helde hys peace when False Witnesses pressed hym not only because they were vnwoorthy of Confutation but also because he did not nowe séeke to be loused knowinge that hys houre was comme Notwithstandynge Cayphas tryumphethe because of hys silence as thoughe he helde his peace because he was ouercomme euen as they doo whose Consciences accuse them But the wickedness of Caiphas was the more in that he dissemblethe Christe not to be without faulte because false Witnesses doo stande againste him For that is the meaninge of this question VVhy doo these beare vvitnesse against thee As if he had saide Howe commeth it to passe that these menne comme agaynste thée but only that Conscience causeth them Neither are they thine enimies without a cause M. What notable wickednesse
common waye that hee mighte be neyther in the pallace nor in the porche C. But it is lykelye that Peter wente forthe for feare because he durste not weepe before witnesses in the whiche his infyrmity dothe farther bewraye it selfe Whereby wee gather tht he deserued not remission and pardone by satisfaction But obtayned the same throughe the fatherlye goodnes and mercye of GOD. And by this example we are taughte that althought our repentaunce do haulte yet notwithstanding wee must hope well because the Lorde doth not despyse the weake repentaunce so that it be syncere Notwithstanding the secret teares of Peter did wytnesse his trewe repentance before God and his Angels For being out of the sight of men he setteth before his eyes God and the Angels and therefore these teares flowe euen from the bottome of his harte The whiche thyng is therefore to be noted because we see that many powre our teares plentifully so long as they are loked vpon but beinge out of syghte their eyes waxe drye by and by agayne And there is no doubte but that those teares whiche are no teares in the iudgement of God do bringe foorthe ambition and hypocrisie Whereas this weaping of Peter is a signe of repentaunce for where the synne and offence is greate it is necessary that there be teares and griefe And let vs vnderstande that we are neuer truely conuerted excepte we bee earnestly sorrowe neyther must we onely testifie our repentaunce before God but also before men Euen so S. Paule teacheth the Corinthians For godly sorrowe causeth repentaunce vnto saluation not to bee repented of Notwithstanding it may bee demaunded whether trewe repentaunce requireth weaping Wee aunswere that the faythfull doe often tymes syghe vnfayneedly with drye eyes and doe confesse vnto to the Lorde their faulte to obtayne pardon but we saye that they are to incensible and dull whiche in great synnes are wounded with no sorrow griefe and are not brought vnto teares Therefore the Scripture after it hath accused the gylty exhorteth them to Sackcloth and asshes The xxvii Chapter WHen the morning was come all the chiefe priestes and elders of the people helde a counsel againste Iesus to put him to deathe VVen the morninge Bu. The Euangeliste Mathewe nowe descendeth to the description of those thinges whiche were done with our Lorde in the iudgement haule vnder Pontius Pilate that Iudge C. For when at the first the hyghe prieste with his coūsel had examined Iesus in the vntimely season of the nighte at the lengthe about the Sunne rising thei determine to bring him before the deputie And in this they obserue kepe the trew forme of iudgement least their haste should be suspected if they ran as commonly it is the manner in a tumulte before the tyme vnto Pilate Notwithstanding it is probable that Christ being led away from their sessions they gathered by and by a counsell that they decreed without any longer delaye what they would do For before it was shewed what tyme Christe after he was departed from them came into the remembraunce of Peter namely after the Cocke crowyng and when the daye breake was at hande Wherefore the Euangelistes do not meane that they were remoued from the place but to onely shewe that they adiudged Christe to death early in the morning and that they ceassed not one momēt in finishing their mischiefous purpose But wheras Luke saith that they were gathered together in the morning it ought not to be expounded of the very beginning but of the last action whiche is afterwarde added as if he should haue sayd that they as soone as it was day pronoūced their iudgemēt of his death because he confessed him self to be the sonne of god But if they might haue certainly knowen his death they would all in their fury haue runne vpon him at once with violent hād But because Pilate was apointed chief iudge of life death thei bring him before his tribunal seate vsing their own iudgement before only to intrap tangle him For the stoning of Steuen was done by a tumulte seditiously the people running vppon hym but it was mete that the sonne of God should be condemned by a solemne order of the earthly iudge that he might blot out the gilte of our transgression in heauē And elders of the people A. S. Luke addeth the Scribes To put him to death Bu. The priestes truely in their counsell had adiudged Christe vnto death as we haue shewed in the .xxvi. chapter going before Whome also as if he had bene condemned by lawe they misused the moste parte of the nighte moste vilanously by iniury vyle reproche yet notwithstanding they did not kyl hym because that power was reserued to the Romaines So soone therefore as it waxed daye they deuised howe they mighte propounde their cause whiche they thought was not very good to the deputie and by what argumentes they mighte vrge hym if he should stande against them and also howe they might induce and perswade him to committe this horrible murther of an innocente 2. And brought him bounde and deliuered him to Pontius Pilate the deputie And brought him bounde C. And anone saith S. Marke and S. Luke the whole multitude of them arose or theire whole counsell when they had bounde Iesus and led him away and deliuered hym to Pilate This is that matter wherof they cōsulted in their coūsel helde in the morning To P. Pilate being deputie Bu. Of this man Iosephus wryteth He succeded Valerius Gratus vnder Tiberius and was deputie of Iudea ten yeares About the eight yeare of his gouernement he crucified Christe And twoo yeares after that being expired he was put out of his office by Vitellius deputie of Syria for the innocēt Samaritanes that were slayne an other being put in his place and he constrained to go to Rome to pourge him selfe in the iudgement of Caesar against the accusation of the Samaritanes But before he came to Rome Tiberius was dead and Caius appointed in his roume Vnder this Caius as Eusebius maketh mention in his ecclesiasticall hystory Pilate flewe hym selfe He was a man as appeareth by his actes that bare no great good wyll to the nation of the Iewes because he suspected that they bare but a false harte and fayned mynde towarde Caesar This man doe the highe priestes thynke to bee very fytte for their purpose as one that woulde not suffer Iesus whiche ambitiously desyred the kyngdome to escape vnpunyshed 3 Then Iudas whiche had betrayed him seing that he was condemned repented him self and brought again the thirry plates of siluer to the chief priestes and elders Then Iudas vvhiche had betrayed him Bu. Before the Euangelist Matthewe describeth those thinges that were done in the iudgement haule he incerteth and putteth in the history of the false repentaunce and horrible destruction of Iudas the traytour For as in Peter we had a tipe of true repentāce euen so in Iudas
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
Herode and from Herode againe to Pilate who more and more setteth forth and proclaymeth the innocensye of Christ bringinge Herode also for a witnes Therefore the Lorde bringeth the Counsayle of the Heathen to naughte and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effecte and casteth oute the counsayle of Princes But the Coūsayle of the Lord shall endure for euer That whiche the Lorde hath determined cannot be vndone Because there is no wysedome no vnderstandinge nor Counsayle agaynste the Lorde 15. At that feaste the Deputye was wont to deliuer to the people a prysoner whom they woulde desier At that feaste M. The Euangeliste Luke in steede of VVas vvonte hath of necessitye Pylate soughte by all meanes occasion by the which hee mighte deliuer the Lorde that was not giltye but innocente whom hee knewe to be deliuered of enuye For this cause hee takinge occasion of the presente feaste tryeth what hee may do For hee hoped that the common sorte of people were so incensed with hatred against Barrabas that they would graunt to anye thinge rather than that hee should liue than whose deathe they desyered nothinge more R. But it appeareth that this custome of lousinge a prisoner at the feaste of Easter grewe rather of ambition and superstition amonge the Iewes than of any lawfull cause and true godlines For if the heathen rulers broughte in this custome of their owne minde they seeme not to haue done it for anye other purpose than thereby to gette the fauour of the Iewishe people that they mighte seeme to reuerence the Lawe of Moyses as concerninge the cellebration of Passeouer But it is the parte of a good magistrate to get and keepe the loue of subiectes not by neglectinge theyr offyce but by dylligente administration of publique and commen lawes amonge the whiche this also is contayned that the malefactors should seuerelye be punished to the ende others mighte feare and that honest men mighte liue in safetye And the reuerence of Moyses law should haue bene declared by another meane than by the lousinge of those which were openlye knowne to be malefactors and whom the verye Lawe of Moyses commaundeth to be put to deathe But and if this custome were brought in as it is most likelye by the Iewes themselues it doth appeare that the same was vsed speciallye for this cause that it might be a monument of the deliueraunce oute of Egipte Euen so men are commonlye wonte to worshippe God euen with euill deedes and wee do see what came by this vaine custome namely that Christe beinge an innocente should be condemned to death S. Iohn wryteth that Pilate saide But yee haue a custome that I should let one louse vnto you at Easter Mathewe sayth here VVhom they vvoulde Marke hath VVhom they had demaunded 16. Hee had then a notable prisoner called Barrabas C. What this Barrabas the prisonner was the Euangeliste Marke dothe more plainly describe sayinge And there was one that was named Barrabas whiche laye bounde wyth theim that made insurrection and that had committed murther Luke more plainlye sayth Which for an insurrection made in the Cittye for murther was cast into prison And S. Iohn in one word sayth that hee was a theefe 17. Therefore when they were gathered together Pilate said vnto them whether will yee that I geeue louse vnto you Barrabas or Iesus which is called Christe Therefore vvhen they vvere gathered together C. Here both the extreame crueltye of the Priestes and also the furious obstinacye of the people is described vs to vs. For it must needes be that they were farre oute of their wittes which thoughte it not sufficiente to conspyre the death of an innocent but they must louse also a theefe in despite of him Sathan doth so carrye the wicked hedlonge after they begin once to fall that they do abhorre no vyce be it neuer so detestable but beinge blinded do heape one sinne vppon another There is no doubt but that Pilate seekinge to make them yelde for shame chose oute the most wicked man that Christ beinge compared with him might be loused And the verye haynousnes of the faulte of the which Barrabas was gilty ought worthely to deserue the hatred of the people that Christ by this comparison at the least wyse mighte be deliuered But truly neither the Priestes nor the multitude are terrefyed wyth shame but do requyre that a seditious person a murther maye bee committed vnto them Yet by the way wee must note the purpose of God by the whiche it came to passe that Christe as the worst of all men was geuen to the Crosse The Iewes trulye rage againste him with blinde furor and madnes but because God had appointed him to be the sacrifyce for the sinnes of the whole world hee suffered him to be counted inferior to a theefe and murtherer But hereby there is no small occasion of bouldnes sure truste offered vnto vs because Christ was therefore cast into such shamefull ignominye and reproche that hee might make vs by his abasinge to assende into the Heauenly glory Therefore hee was counted woorse than a theefe that hee mighte ioyne vs to the Angels of god This fruite if it be rightlye wayed shal be sufficient to put awaye the offence of the Crosse 18. For hee knew that for enuye they had deliuered him M. This must be vnderstande by the Priestes as it maye appeare by the woordes of Marke They knewe sayeth hee that for enuye they had deliuered him These two tokens of a wycked minde are geeuen and noted in the writings of the Euangelistes to be in the Priestes Scribes and Phariseis First that they bare enuye against Christe as wee maye see here in this place Secondly that they hated him as we may reade in the fiftene of Iohn 19. VVhen hee was set downe to geeue Iudgemente his wyfe sent vnto him sayinge haue thou nothinge to do with that iust man For I haue suffered manye thinges this daye in my sleape because of him VVhen hee vvas set dovvne to geeue Iudgemente M. Onlye Mathewe maketh mencion of this thinge concerninge the wife of Pilate which was done when Pilate was sittinge downe on his tribunal seate to geue Iudgemente of death against the Lord. Haue thou nothinge to do vvith that iuste man As touchinge the Greeke texte it is sayde Thou hast nothinge to do with that iuste man. But the Hebrewe text hath Haue thou nothinge to do with that iuste man. Behould and note here how the innocency of Christ deserued testimonye of euery one namelye of Iudas of Pilate of Pilates wyfe of Anna of the false witnesses of the theefe of the wise men of the Chananites of the Samaritanes of the Centurione lastly of the theefe hanginge on the Crosse For I haue suffered manye thinges C. Although the meditacion and studye in the day time mighte be the occasion of this dreame yet notwythstandinge it is withoute all doubt that the wyfe of Pylate suffered
it selfe throughe the whole world and pearce euen to the very Heauen 34. And thei gaue him viniger to drink mingled with Galle and when he had tasted thereof he woulde not dâ—…inke And they gaue him viniger C. Althoughe the Euangelistes haue not so curiousely placed all thinges in their order that the seasons of tymes maye be certainely noted yet notwithstandinge wée maie coniecture by a probable reason that before the Lord was crucified a Cuppe of mingled Drinke accordinge to the manner was geuen vnto him the Compoundes whereof as somme thinke were these namely Myrre Viniger and Galle All Interpreters for the moste parte doo houlde opinion that this drinke was not the same which is mentioned in the 19 of S Iohn of the whiche also mention shal be made anon This only we adde that it séemeth to vs that the Cuppe was offered to the Lorde when he was ready to be crucified But after that the Crosse was lifted vp a Sponge was wrapped aboute a Réede by the whiche they did reache Viniger vnto him But wée will not curiously dispute what time he called for Drinke Notwithstandinge if wée compare and conferre al thinges togeather it shall not be vnreasonable to saie that after he had refused that bitter confection it was geuen vnto him againe in mockerie For Mathewe hereafter addeth that the souldiers before they gaue him drinke with a Sponge mocked him and saide that he coulde not deliuer him selfe from deathe This drinke was geuen vnto Christe to hasten his Deathe But truely he for his part patiently suffered all kinde of tormente in so muche that he desired not for the paines sake to haue his death shortened For this was a part of his sacrifice of his obedience to abide the prolonginge of paine euen to the vtmoste But they are deceiued whiche count the bitter gall that Christ dronke to be one of his cruell tormentes that he suffered Their coniecture is more probable which thinke that this kinde of Drinke was apte to expell the bloude and that therefore it was woonte to be geuen to Malefactours to the ende their deathe mighte be the more spéedie And vvhen he had tasted thereof Christe refused to drinke of this not so mutche because he was offended at the bitternesse thereof as to shewe that he wente quietly to his Deathe accordinge to the wil of his Father Neither is that contrarye to this whiche S. Iohn saithe namelye that the Scripture was fulfilled whiche saide When I was thirsty they gaue me Viniger to drinke For it dothe bothe wayes agrée very well that a remedye was geuen vnto him to ende the tormentes of the slowe Deathe and yet notwithstanding that Christ was sharply afflicted by all meanes in so mutche that the verye Remedye was a parte of the griefe The order of the Storie requireth that those thinges which folowe in the eighte and thirtie verse shoulde be readde consequently after this verse but our Euangeliste sheweth betwéene this and that of the partinge of Christes garmentes 35. VVhen they had crucified him they parted his Garmentes and did caste Lottes That it mighte be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the Prophete They parted my Garmentes among them and vpon my Vesture did they caste Lottes VVhen they had crucified him C. Sainte Marke saith in his fiuetiene chapter that he was crucified the thirde houre For in this seconde parte of the daye whiche was nowe almoste ended the Sentence of Deathe was geuen against the lord Those thinges whiche Mathewe goethe aboute to shewe were donne after that the Théeues were nayled to the Crosse of the whiche he speakethe afterwarde in the eighte and thirtie verse They parted his Garmentes S. Marke hathe They parted his Garmentes castinge Lottes vppon them what euerye man should take Marke did not distinguishe the Garmentes by the name of Garmentes comprehending the Coate vppon the whiche only they cast Lottes as more plainely may be gathered by the woordes of Iohn saying Then the Souldiers when they hadde crucified Iesus they tooke his Garmentes made foure partes to euerye Souldier a parte and also his Coate the Coate was without Seame wroughte vpon throughout They saide therefore amonge them selues let vs not diuide it but caste Lottes for it who shall haue it That agreethe to the place of Scripture which he bringeth afterwarde as concerninge Dauid But it is certaine that the Souldiers did this accordinge to the Custome because they parted the spoyle of him that was condemned amonge them selues And althoughe nothinge happened to Christ in this behalfe but that whiche condemned menne suffered yet notwithstandinge this Narration is woorthye to be noted with greate diligence For the Euangelistes doo set Christ the Sonne of God before vs despoyled of his Cloathes to the ende wée mighte knowe that Riches are purchased vnto vs by this nakednesse whiche doo decke and bewtifie vs in the sighte of god It was the wil of God therefore to haue his Sonne vncloathed that wée being apparelled with his rightuousenesse and all his graces may boldly appeare before him with the Angelles Christ him selfe suffered his Garmentes to be taken from him like apraie that he mighte enritche vs with the treasures of his Victorie That it might be fulfilled vvhiche vvas spoken hy the M. S. Iohn hathe onely That the Scripture mighte be fulfilled But oure Euangeliste Mathewe nameth the Prophete Dauid because of his excellencie who also expressethe the manner of the Crucifiynge whiche the Euangelistes pretermit with silence His wordes are these They pearced my handes and my féete I maie tell all my boanes they stande staringe and lookinge on me They parte my garmentes among them and caste Lottes vppon my Vesture The Prophete coulde not more plainely expresse the very Historie which shoulde be so many yéeres after But althoughe the Euangelistes doo make no mention of the nayles with the which Christ was fastened to the Crosse yet notwithstandinge they declare in the Historie of his Resurrection that he shewed his handes and féete to his Disciples that is as S Iohn writethe the â—…rinte of the nayles in his handes féete They parted my garmentes amonge them This thing whiche Dauid metaphorically and vnder a figure complayned to be done to him selfe was fulfylled in very déede in Christe For Dauid vnder the name of garmentes vnderstandethe his goodes and honoures as if he should haue saide that he beinge alyue was a praye to his ennemies whiche entered his house by violence and made so lyttell spare of his goodes that they toke away his wyfe This crueltie he dothe amplifie by a metaphore wrytinge that his garmentes were deuided by lott But seing he was a shadowe and Image of Christe he foreshewed by the spirite of prophesie what Christe shoulde suffer Wherefore this also was notable in his persone that the souldiours made a praye of his garmentes because hereby we do se the markes and signes with the which he was noted longe before And also the offence is taken awaye whiche otherwise myghte
arise by his nakednesse because hee suffered nothinge whiche the spirite of God pronounceth not to belonge trewely to the persone of a redemer 36 And they sat and watched him there M. They go not their waye but sit styll by the crosse as kepers or markers what he woulde do leaste peraduenture eyther the Disciples should come and take him aliue from the crosse or leaste hee shoulde come downe from the same by a myracle 37 And sett vp ouer his heade the cause of his deathe written thus This is Iesus the kinge of the Iewes And they sett vp ouer his heade C. The foure Euangelistes do declare that Pilate dyd set the titell of the Lord vpon the crosse Our Euangelist Matthew writeth somwhat obscurelye in this verse when as the Gréeke woorde which the interpreter calleth the cause dothe signifie bothe the cause and also the accusation or the falte S. Iohn speaketh more playnely sayinge And Pilate wrote a tytell and put it on the crosse Hee calleth that a tytell whiche our Euangeliste calleth the cause and Marke and Luke a superscription of the cause For thereby the cause of the death is briefly shewed when malefactours are led to theyr ponyshement S. Luke saith that this titell was written in Gréeke Lattine and Hebrewe And it conteyned thus muche as maye be gathered by the fower Euangelistes This is Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Ievves C. Peraduenture it was a common custome amonge the Iewes to set tytelles ouer the heades of those malefactoures that were putt to deathe But trewely this was extraordinary in Christ that the titell should be set ouer him without ignominie For it was the pourpose of Pilate that he might be reuenged of the Iewes who by their obstinacy caused an innocent vniustly to be put to deathe to condemne the whole nation in the person of Christ so that he set no inscriptiō of any falte that belonged vnto Christ ouer his heade But the prouidence of God whiche gouerned Pilates stile had respecte to a farther matter It was not the meaning and pourpose of Pilate to celebrate Christ as the aucthour of saluation the Nazarite of God and the king of the chosen people yet notwithstandinge God did so guide his minde that not knowing his proclamation of the gospell he sholde set it forthe By the same secrete impulsion of the spirite it came to passe that he should publishe the titell in thre seuerall tongues But this was no lawefull or ordinary preachinge of the Gospell because Pilate was vnworthy to beare any witnesse to the sonne of God but that whiche shoulde be done by trewe mynisters was shadowed in Pilate To be shorte he maye be thought suche a preacher of Christe as Caiphas was a prophete M. But because this tytell dyd set forthe the mallice of the people of the Iewes which had killed the heyre of the vineyarde their lorde and king the hye priestes of the Iewes after a sorte smellinge the same requested of Pilate that he woulde change the same titell that he had set ouer the heade of Christe as S. Iohn declareth by these woordes This tytell redde many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucifyed was nighe to the cittie And it was wrytten in Hebrewe Gréeke and Lattine Then saide the highe priestes of the Iewes to Pilate wryte not Kinge of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes C. They féele them selues to be towched as it was saide euen now and therfore they desyred to haue the title altered and suche a one set vp whiche might burthen Christe without infamy of the nation But in the meane time they declare how greately they were infected with the hatred of the truethe whiche coulde not abyde any one sparke thereof Euenso alwaies Sathan stirreth vp his mynisters whiche so sone as any lighte of Goddes woorde dothe appere go about by and by to extinguysshe the same or at leaste to choke it Pilate answereth That which I haue written I haue wrytten The cause of Pilatee constancie was the prouidence of god for there is no doubte but that they wente aboute to alter his minde by diuerse meanes Let vs know therfore that his minde was helde inflexible by the power of God whiche caused him to saye That whiche I haue wrytten I haue written M. For at other tymes he followed the will of the Iewes in all thinges because they dydde those thinges whiche pertayned to the executinge of the pourpose of God but those thinges whiche they nowe aske they desired to this ende that they mighte remoue the ignomynie of the crosse from theym selues vnto Christe and to put away that reproche that they had crucyfied theyr kynge that hee mighte not be counted the trewe Messias but a wicked fellowe whiche boasted hym selfe to bee the Messias of the Iewes But as this was false and full of reproche to the heauenlye kinge so it pertayned not to the pourpose of god Therfore by the instinct of the holy ghost Pilate answereth so constantly That which I haue wrytten I haue written As if he shoulde say I wil not change the tytell You wolde nedes haue me crucifie your kyng I haue crucifyed hym It shall be your shame hereafter whiche constrayned me to do this thinge B. Furthermore by these fewe woordes Iesus kinge of the Iewes the trewe Gospel of Christe was conteyned For by them hee was preached to be that trewe and vndoubted Messias whiche was sente a kinge vnto the Iewes And so in the midest of the death of the crosse Christe began to triumphe as sayth S. Paule in the seconde Chapter to the Colossians Now the Crosse of Christ begā to chaūge his conditiō and to be in steede of reproche a kingely tribunall muche more excellent than all other thrones or chayres of estate Furthermore this title was written in Hebrewe Greeke Lattine to declare that this kinge should raigne not only ouer the Iewes but also ouer the Gentiles As cōcerninge the which matter reade the seconde Psalme and the 49. of Esay The Euangeliste Luke declareth that the people stoude by lokinge on him And S. Iohn writing of the mother of Christe which stoode by also sayth There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary the wyfe of Cleophas and Marye Magdalene C. Christ did so obey God the father that hee neglected not the dutye of humaine pietye towardes his mother Hée forgate himselfe truly and all thinges els in respecte of his obedience that hée oughte to the father but this beinge done hee would not omit the dutye whiche hee did owe to his mother And here wee must learne so to do our dutye vnto men that we may neuerthelesse be obedient vnto god It commeth oftentimes to passe that when God calleth vs to any thinge oure parentes our wyfe and our children do call vs to the contrarye insomuche that wee cannot satisfye bothe at once But wee muste first preferre the commaundementes of God his
worship and honoure and afterwarde so farre as it is conuenient we must do our dutye vnto men Accordinge to this sayinge Hée that hateth not father and mother for mee is not worthye of mee When wée haue obeyed God then shall wée rightlye haue a consideration of oure Parentes of our wife and children Now on the other parte wee haue here to note the fayth of the women For it was no small affection of loue to followe Christe euen to the Crosse and excepte they had beene endued wyth a constante fayth they woulde neuer haue bidden suche a syghte Nowe let vs be ashamed if the horror of the crosse do stay vs from followinge of Christe seinge wee also haue before our eyes the glory of the resurrection when as the women coulde see nothinge but ignomynie and shame and malediction When Iesus therefore sawe his mother and the disciple whom he loued hee sayde vnto his mother woman behold thy sonne After that he said vnto the disciple Beholde thy mother As if he should haue saide to his mother After this I wyll be no more conuersant in the â—…arthe to do the duetie of a sonne vnto thee I do appoynte therefore this man in my roome to take vpon hym my duetie And this is the meanyng when he saythe vnto Iohn Beholde thye mother For by these wordes he commandeth him to count her as his mother and to care no lesse for her than if shee were his mother In that hee calleth her woman and not Mother some thynck that he did it because he woulde not thereby moue her affecttion to gréefe Othersom thincke that he dyd it to declare that the race of his humaine lyfe beinge ended he did now leaue of that condition vnder the whiche he had lyued and entered into the heauenly kingedome where hee shoulde rule bothe men and Angelles And this later coniecture is no lesse probable than the firste For wee do knowe that Christ alwaies went about to bring the faythefull from the consideration of the flesh to the spirite The which thing hee ought specially to do at his deathe And froÌ„ that howre the disciple tooke her for his owne R. That is to saye hee toke her as his mother hee reuerenced her as his mother and he was obediente to her as if he had ben her sonne so long as shee liued C. Iohn in obeyinge the commandement of Christ sheweth hym selfe a louinge Disciple to his maister Hereby also it dothe appere that the Apostelles kept theyr famelies for how could Iohn elles kepe the mother of Chryste contrary to the opinion of those whiche thincke that the Apostels lefte all when they came to Christ 38 Then were there two theues crucified with him one on the right hand and an other on the lefte Then vvere there C. This was done to put Christe to extreme shame that hee should be hanged in the middest betwene twoo theues murtherers and robbers For they appoynted vnto hym the chiefest place euen as if he had bene the captayne of theeues A. But the Greeke woord signifieth not theues but murtherers and whiche lurke in dennes by the hiewaies side to sley men for they were not wonte to crucifie theeues Therfore to the ende Christe mighte susteyne the greatter ignominie hee is placed in the middest as though he had ben the chiefe murtherer If he had bene nayled to the crosse alone his cause myght haue semed the better and to be seperated from other malefactours but nowe he is not onely placed with murtherers but also set in the chiefe roome as thoughe he had bene the moste detestable of all other And it was necessary that he shoulde be thus ordered that we might knowe howe great punishemente was due for our synnes There was no punishemeÌ„t cruel inough for oure wyckednesse whiche coulde be founde out if Christ had not dyed for vs Therfore that he might delyuer vs from the payne due for synne this kinde of satisfaction was necessary that he myghte set him selfe in our roome And here we maye perceiue howe horrible the wrathe of God is againste synnes to pacifie the whiche it was necessarye that Christe whiche is the Eternall righteousenes shoulde be counted as a moste vnrighteouse and placed in the order of murtherers For because Christ was reckened among malefactours we are counted innoceÌ„t of the father as witnesseth the prophete saying By the knowledge of him which is my righteouse seruant he shall iustefy the multitude for he shal beare away their sinnes The EuaÌ„gelist Maâ—…ke addeth And the scripture is fulfilled whiche saith He was couÌ„ted among the wicked That place is red in the prophsie of Esay thus Therfore wil I geue him the multitude for his part he shal deuide the spoile with the strongest because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened amonge the transgressours whiche neuertheles hath taken away the sinnes of the multitude and made intercession for the misdoers The Prophete therfore playnely speakethe this as concernynge Christe that he shall delyuer his people from deathe not by any greate pompe but by sufferyng the punishement whiche was dewe for theyr wickednesse The Euangeliste saythe as it was also foreshewed in the place of the Prophete before mentioned that Chryste prayed for his enemyes sayinge Forgeue theÌ„ for they wotte not what they doe The Lorde had taughte before sayinge Doe good vnto those that hate you and praye for theim whiche hurte you This his doctryne hee approueth in deede and by this his prayer hee prouyd hym selfe to be the lambe moste meeke and gentell whiche shoulde be sâ—…ayne in sacrifyce for the synnes of the worlde And after this manner the faythfull oughte to temper theyr affections in sufferynge euylles namely to wyshe well vnto their persecuters and yet for all that not to doubte but that God wyll defend and saue their lyfe But it is lykely that Chryst did not praye for all in generall without exception but onely for the myserable people whiche were caryed by a rashe zeale not by obstinate impietie For there was no hope lefte of the chiefe priestes and Scribes so that hee shoulde haue prayed for them in vayne For they sinned against the holy Ghoste because theyr own conscience did heare them wytnesse that Iesus was Chryste promised in the lawe and prophetes whom neuerthelesse they persecuted Whereby wee learne that wee oughte not to praye for those with whom wylfull mallice preuaylethe and are caried with obstinate blindnes sinnynge againste the holy Ghoste if so be they maye be discerned to be suche And there is no doubt but that this praier of Chryste was hearde of the Heauenlye Father and that hereuppon it came to passe that manye of the people which had shedde the bloudde of Christe afterwarde drancke the same by faythe 39 They that passed by reuyled hym wagging theyr heades They that passed by Bu. Nowe commeth the fulnesse of all iniurye doone vnto Christe crucyfyed They had fyrst mocked hym pryuatelye in the Courte of
nowe also suffered deathe B. And so hereby he hathe geuen vs an example of true obedience that it might not bee greuouse vnto vs to liue accordinge to the good pleasure of GOD althoughe it be to languishe in greate sorowe and grefe 49. Other sayde let vs see whether Helias will come and deliuer him Other sayde let vs see A. Sainct Marke saythe that he spake these wordes which offered the sponge vnto Christe wyth vineager whiche place semeth to be corrupted so that it muste bee redde thus Other sayde lette bee or suffer thou in the singuler nomber as certeyne Gréeke bookes haue and not suffer ye For he did not lette other to geue hym drinke when hee hymselfe gaue it And Sainct Mathewe plainely writeth that other woulde not suffer hym to geue it VVill come and deliuer hym Sainct Iohn addeth to these woordes sayinge When Iesus therefore hadde tasted of the vineager he saythe it is finished A. Christe woulde not drinke of the vineager which was offered at the first because hee would tary the tyme whiche the father hath appointed but when all thinges were ended he receiued it and sayde it is finished By the whiche sayinge wee are taughte that the whole summe of our saluation is contayned in his deathe We haue sayde before that his resurrection muste not bee seperated from his deathe onelye the purpose of Christe is to grounde oure faythe vppon hym alone that it swerue not oute of the waye There is also in these woordes contayned a secrete antithesis or comparison because Christe setteth his deathe against all olde sacrifices and figures as if he shoulde saye Whatsoeuer was vsed in the lawe was of it selfe of no force to putte awaye sinne to pacifye the wrathe of GOD and to gette righteousnes But nowe at the lengthe Saluation is declared and offered To this doctrine the abrogation of all the rytes of the lawe is annexed It is fynished therefore because hee brought all thinges to passe by his crosse and deathe in so muche that there remayneth nothynge nowe but that wee shoulde enter into euerlastynge lyfe and felicitye by his deathe Why then shoulde we feare All thynges I saye is finished satisfaction is made for synne the wrathe of GOD is pacifyed deathe is swallowed vp in victorye the Kingedome of God is purchased heauen opened to be shorte all thynges necessary for our saluation are obtayned A. Euen as therefore sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death euenso the deathe of Christe beinge ended hath brought foorth lyfe For it became hym for whome are all thynges and by whome are all things after that he had broughte manye sonnes vnto glory that he shoulde make the Lorde of their saluation perfecte throughe afflictions 50. Iesus when he hadde cryed againe wyth a loude voyce yelded vppe the ghoste Iesus vvhen he had cryed againe C. The Euangeliste Sainct Luke whiche made no mencion of the former crye and complaynte rehearseth the woordes of this seconde crye whiche Sainct Mathewe and Sainct Marke prefermitte For he saythe that hee cryed Father into thy handes I will commende my spirit R. This woorde spirite is here putt for the immortall essence of the soule C. By this crye Christ declared that althoughe hee were very sore assalted and shaken with violente temptations yet notwithstandynge his faythe was not shaken but alwayes abode in his place inuincible For there coulde be no more euidente a triumphe than that Christe dothe boaste that God is the keeper of his soule whiche all men thoughte to be destroyed And because hee thoughte hee shoulde speake vnto those that woulde not here he did very well tourne hym selfe vnto GOD and layed downe the testimony of his truste before hym He woulde that menne shoulde heare that whiche hee spake But althoughe hee did profite nothynge with men he was contente to haue God onelye a witnes And althoughe he semeth to take this forme of prayer oute of the thirde Psalme yet notwithstandynge there is no doubte but that accordynge to the present circonstance of the tyme hee made it serue his present tourne As if he hadde sayde I see verelye Father that I by the consente of all menne am appointed to dye and that my mynde after a sorte is caryed hyther and thyther In the meane tyme I féele no helpe to come from thee accordynge to the fleshe Yet neuertheles this shal be no let vnto me whereby I shoulde the lesse committ my spirite into thy handes and quietly reste my selfe in the secrete custody of thy goodnes Notwithstandyng wee muste note that Christe did not commende his soule into his fathers handes for the priuate respecte that hee hadde to hymselfe but that hee comprehended all the soules of his faythfull as it were in one that they might be saued and kepte with his And he speaketh in the future tence or time to come saying I will commende as if he shoulde saye Father I do willinglye committe my soule into thy handes because thou shalte bee the keeper thereof This crye dothe shewe againe the vehemency of the affection For there is no doubte but that Christe at the lengthe burste forthe into this voyce oute of the extremitye of temptations wyth the whiche he was helde not without great occasion C. Hereby therefore lette them receyue consolation whiche are vniustly putte to death of the wycked because when the wycked are suffered to do al that euer they can to the Godlye yet notwithstandynge they are constrayned whether they wyll or no to leaue they re soules vntoutthed that they may committe them wyth reste into the handes of God what soeuer happen to they re bodyes So Christ sayde Feare not them which kill the body but can not kyll the soule A. And the Apostell Peter saythe Lette them that are troubled accordinge to the wyll of GOD committe they re soules to hym wyth well doinge as vnto a faythfull creator This was the cause that the blessed martyr Saint Steuen cryed saying at his deathe Lorde Iesu receyue my spirite For this is the difference betwene the deathe of the children of GOD and the reprobate that the one dothe dispayre and the other committe theire soules to the tuition of GOD as a preciouse Iewell to bee kepte vntill the daye of resurrection Yelde vp the ghoste C. The Euangeliste Sainct Luke hathe And when hee had spoken these things he bowed down the heade saithe Saint Iohn and gaue vp the Ghoste â–ª namely to the father All the Euangelistes do diligentlye sett foorthe the deathe of Christe And not without cause For hereupon commethe the hope of eternall lyfe and hereuppon commeth reioycinge ouer death because the Son of God hath suffered the same for oure sakes and fyghtynge therewith hath gotten the victory A. Wherefore althoughe these thynges are touâ—…ched in fewe woordes yet notwithstandynge they are not negligently to be pretermitted because hereby wee maye perceyue the whole summe of our saluation All the Patriarkes by faythe had respecte vnto this hower To
that is to say the first daye after the Sabothe in the weeke followinge The whiche hee so calleth because the Iewes accordinge to the manner of the Scripture beganne the day from the eueninge accordinge to this saying of Moyses And the eueninge and the morninge was made one daye The Euangeliste Marke hath Early in the morninge the first daye of the Sabothe S. Luke hath But vppon the first day of the Sabothes very earlye in the morninge when it was yet darke These three do sufficientlye declare what the eueninge of the Sabothes is euen as if one shoulde saye In that nighte the morninge whereof was the beginning of the first day of the weeke All the Euangelistes therefore do meane that the Saboth beinge ended the women consulted to meete betymes in the morninge to see the Sepulcher Came Mary Magdalene c. Mathewe sayth here that there came onlye two of the Maryes to see the Sepulcher Marke ioyninge the thirde sayth that they boughte sweete odoures to anoynt the bodye And by the wordes of Luke it may be gathered that there came not onelye two or three but manye But this is verye vsuall amonge sacrede writers amonge manye to expresse a fewe To see the Sepulcher C. These ment when they had found the body of Christ to anoint it with oyntmentes and sweete spyces as Iosephe and Nicodemus had done Notwithstandinge it may be demaunded howe this dilligence of the women mingled with superstition pleased god But there is no doubte but that they takinge the maner of anoynting the dead frō the fathers did apply it to this ende that they might get consolation in the sorrowe of death by the hope of the life to come Therefore they sinned in this that they remembred not the whiche their Lorde had sayd before as concerninge his resurrection but sought the lyuinge amonge the deade 2. And behould there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lorde descended from Heauen and rolled awaye the stone frō the dore and sate vppon it And behoulde there vvas a great earthquake C. The earthquake was made before the women came to the Sepulcher but truly not without the counsayle of god For it was meete that there shoulde be some testimonye of the resurrection of Christe Euen as if a kinge shoulde anoynte his sonne before the people euen so God declared by the resurrection and consecrated his sonne a kinge This earthquake therefore was a token of deuine power it was also a type of the earthquake to come with the whiche the earthe shal be striken when it shall geue vp the bodies of the deade Moreouer this wōderfull signe was necessary to styrre vp the mindes of the women that they should not conceyue any humaine or terestrial thinge but shoulde lift vp their mindes to the new worke of God and vnloked for For the Angell of the Lord descended C. The cause of the earthquake was the comminge downe of the Angell from Heauen If the force of an Angell be suche that his descendinge from Heauen should shake the earth what shall wee loke for at the comminge of Christ to Iudgement And rolled avvay the stone The Angell came not because of Christ as though hee coulde not come oute of the Sepulcher withoute his helpe but to the ende the women and the Apostles mighte beleeue that Christe was rysen that the Sepulcher was opened by the Angell that it might be shewed to be emptie But it is certaine that hee arose went out of the Sepulcher the stone lyinge still in the mouthe of the same Howbeit there are some whiche saye that Christ arose and went forth of the Sepulcher without anye myracle by the worke of the Angell But hee whiche was able by his owne power to rayse himselfe in the Sepulcher was able also by the same power to go out of the Sepulcher the dore thereof beinge shut with a great stone that hee might be myraculouslye raised without any worke of the Angel. 3. His coūtenance was like lighteninge and his rayment white as snowe His countenaunce vvas like lighteninge A. As in the earthquake a certaine heauenly power of Christe was declared euenso also in the apparell and forme of the Angell the brightnes of the dietye as it were by beames shewed forthe it selfe to the ende the women mighte knowe that hee was not a mortall man whiche beinge nye vnto them seemed like a man For althoughe neither the brightnes of the lighte nor the whitenes of the snowe is nothinge to the glory of God in comparison yet notwithstandinge hee teachinge himselfe to be nere by externall tokens doth call vs vnto him accordinge to the weakenes of our capascitye This one thinge onely we must know that visible signes of his presence are offered vnto vs that our mindes may apprehende him being inuisible and that vnder corporall formes a tast of his spirituall essence is offered vnto vs that wee may seeke him spiritually Notwithstandinge there is no doubte but that a certaine internall efficacye was ioyned to the externall signes whiche did printe in the harts of the women the feelinge of the dietye For althoughe they were made afrayde in the beginninge yet notwithstandinge by the order of the texte it shall appeare that they beinge incouraged againe were so taught by little and little that they felte the present hande of god M. But there are manye appearinges of Angels mencioned in the Scriptures in the whiche such excellente brightnes and forme as is here described is not to be founde because there is a difference betwene this that was done in them and that whiche was done in the resurrection of Christ Moreouer as they in respect of theyr nature are not corporall euenso vnto men they are inuisible of themselues but to the ende they maye be seene and perceiued of men they take vnto themselues externall formes accordinge to the commoditye and fitnes of the presente busynes or matter in hande and they do take them not to kepe them cōtinually but for a time vntill they haue discharged their ministery in this world for the which they were sent So Angels appeared to Abraham and to Lot in the forme of wayfayringe men C. This is the onely difference betweene the two Euangelistes that Mathewe and Marke make mencion but of one Angell onely when as Luke and Iohn make mencion of two But this shew of repugnancye is easlye put awaye because wee know how oftentimes the figure Synecdochen is vsed in the Scripture Two Angels therefore were seene first of Marye after that of her fellowes But because the other which did speake did specially turne their mindes vnto him Mathewe and Marke thoughte it sufficient to make mēcion of his imbassage Moreouer where as Mathew in the verse going before sayth that the Angell sate vppon the stone it is husteron protaeron or at least the order of the history is neglected because the Angel appeared not at the first vntill the newnes of the thinge caused the women to be
and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames These al continewed with one accord in prayer and supplication with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren It is like that the Apostles gathered theÌ„ selues together into this parloure and securite place that they might there abyde vntyll they had receiued the holy Ghoste But fonde and foolishe are the Papistes whiche go about to proue the supremacy of Peter because in this place hee is named first among the reste of the Apostles And if so bee we should graunte that hee was the chief of all the Apostles yet it doth not followe that he was chief of the whole world But if he be therefore chiefe of the Apostels because in the cataloge or rehersall of names he is put in the firste place we wyll also by the same reason conclude that the mother of Christe was inferior to all other women because she is named in the lowest roume The whiche thing â–ª I am sure they wyll in no wise admitte and if they would it were to absurde Wherefore except they meane to make all men laughe and ieste at their Popishe supremacy let them cease to proue it by suche sclender and childishe reasons But to retourne to our purpose The Euangeliste Luke sayth that all the Apostels of Christe were assembled together in prayer R. Continuall prayer truly was necessary for them for at that tyme they were sette in the middest of many and greuous temptations partely because the holy Ghoste came not presently vpon them after they came from the mount Oliuet and partly because they might loke euery moment when the armed souldiers should beset the house in the whiche they were C. They praye therefore that Christe woulde sende his spirite vpon them as hee had promysed Whereby we gather that the same is a trewe faith which doth moue vs and styrre vs vp to call vppon the name of God. And were continually in the Temple lauding and praysing God. C. The Euangeliste Luke meaneth that the Apostels for exceading ioye burst forth openly into the prayse of God and were dayly in the temple The Apostels at the firste for feare pryuely kepte them selues in secrete but nowe with bouldnes and ioye they come abroade And whyle they thus wayghted for the comminge of the holye Ghoste they chose Mathias in steade of Iudas Iscariothe as Luke declareth in the Actes At the length when the fifty dayes or Pentecost was ended that is to saye seuen wekes after the resurrection the holy Ghoste was sente vppon them as wytnesseth Saynt Luke sayinge When the fifty dayes were come to an ende they were altogether with one accorde in one place And sodainly there came a sounde froÌ„ heauen as it had bene the comming of a mighty wynde and filled all the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues and so foorthe vntill the thirtene verse They being therefore baptized and confirmed by the holy Ghoste and thereby being made more strong prepared theÌ„ selues by and by to discharge their office as the Euangeliste Marke declareth by these woords And they went foorthe and preached euery where the Lord working with them and confirming the woorde with miracles followyng Wherefore let vs by the example of the Apostels glorifie the name of God whiche plentifully hath powred his holye spirite vpon vs whiche hath sanctified vs by the same spirite geuen vnto vs free remission of our sinnes by the death of his sonne Iesus Christe whome he raysed agayne from death and hath exalted to the ryght hande of his glory in heauen that he hauing takeÌ„ possession thereof 〈◊〉 wee hereafter might be partakeâ—…s of the same In the meane tyme The God of peace that brought agayne from death our Lorde Iesus the great shepehearde of the Shepe through the bloud of the euerlasting testament make vs 〈◊〉 all good workes to â—â— his wyll and bring to passâ—… that the thing whiche we do may be pleasaunt 〈◊〉 his â—â—ghtâ—… through Iesus Christe our lord To whome â—…e prayse foreuer wâ—… 〈…〉 Amen FINIS Matth. 13 â—…a 10. â—…r 1. â—…s 9. 〈◊〉 3. â—…h 28. 〈◊〉 4. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 14. Pro. 29. â—…he reason of â—…e Title 2. Cor. 5. 1. Corint 1. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 10. Math. 4. Mar. 1. Luke 2. Iohn 3. Act. 20. Rom. 1. 1. Corint 1. 2. Cor. 3. Gal. 1. Ephe. 3. Phil. 2. Colos 1. Thes 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 1. Titus 3. Phile. Heb. 4. Iam. 1. 1. Petr. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Iohn 3. Iohn Inde Apoca. 14. 1. Corint 11 Chap. 4. Esay 64. Mat. â—… Gene. 5. Exod. 32 Iosua 10. Philip. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1â—… Gene. 21. and .22 Psalm 89. Math. 21. Matth. 22. Roman i. Nume 36. Iudg. 21. Luke 1. 2. Par. 22. â—…oma 15. â—â—on 4. Hebre. 15. 4. King. 11. 1. para 22. 2. Para. 23. Gene. 16. Gene 21. Roman 9. Gene. 26. Luke â—… Gene. 22. Philip. 2. Gene. 25. Malac. 1. Roman 9. Gene. 29. Gene 49. Roma 9. Phillip 2. a Psalm 42. Gene. 38. A comfortable saying 1. Parli 2. Iosua â—… Ruth â—… â—… Sam. 8. 2. Sam. 20. 2. Sam. 7. 1 Pet. 17. Psalm 89. 132. Mans merites are condemned 1. Reg. 12 2. Para. 12. 2. Para. 12. 2. para 10. 1. Reg. 2â—… para 1â—… 2. para 14. 2. po 15. 2. para 16. Ezech. 33. 2. Par. 21. Epiphanius in his booke against heresie False religioÌ„ The reuerent â—…steming of gods worde â—… Para. 34 â—… King. 24 Gene. 49. 1 Paralip 3. Gene. 49. The signification of the woorde of Christi Dan. 9. Psalm 45. Iohn 3. â—â—e 6. â—…th 13. â—…o 6. Luke 1. Luke 1. The honest zeale of Ioseph Deutro 22. Iustice modestie merâ—… and anger must be had punishing vâ—… The cause why Mary maried 1. Cor. 20. Nume 12 Dreames suâ—â—rnaturall â—â—d naturall â—…he cause of â—â—turall â—â—ames Gene 28. Gods prouidence shewed in dreames The malice of the Rabbines Philip. 2 There is no vertue included in the bare woorde Iesus Esay 49 Act 4. b. Saluation by Christ only Roma 3 Two partes of deliueraÌ„ce Christ is not our sauiour without we beleue The coÌ„ming of Christ hatâ—… abolished the awe Osee 3. Roman 9 Esay 7 Esay 8. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. Gene. 24. c Exod. 2. b Prouerb 31. Esay 59. The nere affiâ—…tie betwene God and vs â—…y his sonne Christe â—…phe 2. Deut. 7. Psal. 147. Collos 2. Christ a lawfull mediator Iohn 1. Hebr. 2. Collos 1. 1. Tim. 2. Hebr. 4. 2. Pet. 1. The obedieÌ„ce and faith of Ioseph Without the lorde by his holy spirite in struct the hart all externall preaching is in vayne â—â—ed by the â—…slatour 〈◊〉 of HieroÌ„ â—…ath 1. Nume 18. Exod. 12. Math. 13 Actes 1. Luke 2. a The notable agrement of the Euangelistes â—…a 19. â—…ges 12. 〈◊〉 li. anti â—…ic 14. 〈◊〉 18. â—…he ende of â—…apering of 〈◊〉 starre Psalm 72. The fond immagination of
punishment is not persecution 82. Ire is the roote of murther 94. Iustification commeth by fayth 457. K. Kingdome of Heauen what it is 40. Kingdome of Christe 459. Kingdome of Heauen may be shut vp two wayes 530 Kinges ought to be liberall 451. L. Lawe abolished by Christes comminge 14. Liberallity 108. Liberty preached by Papish monkes 110. Liberallity pertayneth to kinges 451. Lyes staye vs from repentaunce 570. Loue is the fulfillinge of the Lawe 96. Loue of our neighbour 109. 514. Loue was and is more plentifull in the heathen than in ChristiaÌ„s 110. Loue is a token of adoption 110. Loue not guided by reason 367. Loue pertayneth to Christians 403. Lorship pertayneth not to pastors 451. 452. Luxurye 43. Lunatikes 385. M. Mans merits are condemned 7. Mans life consisteth not in bread 61. Mans felicitye consisteth not in meate and drincke 61. Mans merits are nothing 82. 83. Mans vnsauerye nature muste be seasoned by Gods word 84. Mans naturall affections resiste God 120. Mans labour without gods blessinge is nothinge 121. Mans afections muste be guided by gods spirite 129. Man must tarrye the Lordes leysure 160. Mans mysery 170. 273. Mans minde is blind 322. Mans life is a continuall warrefare 347. Mans soule is immortall 372. Mans merits deserue dampnation 440. Man hath a certayne time appointed eyther of life or death 659. Manicheis 324. Magistrates offyce 80. 589 Magistrates are vnder the power of God 157. Magistrates eyther spirituall or temporall maye haue the name of Lordes 528. Martyers 227. Mary the mother of Christ ought not to be worshipped 276. Masse contrarye to the institution of Christ 636. Matrimony 416 Matrimonye cannot be broken at mans pleasure 420. Matrimony oughte not to be broken but by fornication 420. Matrimony is a necessary remedy against sinne 423. Meanes not lawfull 665. Mercifull princes make the subiectes to dwell without peril 37. Mercy 78. 536. Merits bringe vs not to euerlastinge life 427. 442. 604. Meekenes 77. Mekenes consisteth in sufferance 462. Men see not their owne falts 137. Meates defyle not a man 338. Misconstruinge of the place of the Prophetes 33. Mynisters must be deligent 72. Mynisters of Gods word are the light of the worlde 86. Mynisters of Christ ought not to be discouraged by reproch 197. Mynisters of Christ are faythfull labourers 198. Mynisters of Christ 450. 486. Mynisters of the woorde are steewardes 589. 751. Mynisters of Christ must be called 596. Mysteries of God pertayne not to the reprobate 138. Myracles 148. Myracles serue to set forth Gods glorye 327. ModeratioÌ„ must be vsed in reprehention 663 Modesty in Iohn the Baptist 53. Modesty 152. Moyses chaire 521. Moonkes fryers go in sheepes clothinge 143. Monkes and fryers crucify them selues in vaine 227. Monkishe perfection 432. Moonkes maintayned in ydlenes 432. Monkes are makers of proâ—…elits 533. Murther is committed by haired 94. Murther hath thre steppes 94. 95. Murmuringe is not in the faythfull 443. N. Necessary care 131. Necessity hath no law 248. Nectarius bishoppe of Constantinople toke awaye auriculer confession 154. Negligence in stewardes of gods househoulde 301. Newters 263. Newe thinges please men be they neuer so bad 304. O. Obedience and fayth in Ioseph 18. Obedience is acceptable to God. 32. Obedience due to Maiestrates 505. Obedience is a tryal of gods promises 64. Obedience 157. 178. Obstinacy in the reprobate 237. Obstinate â—â—â—denes 302. Obseruation of the Sabothe 246. Occasions of euill oughte to be auoyded 320. 415. Offences 231. 335. Offences of two sortes 337 Offences of diuers kinds 397. Offences Actiue and Pâ—…e 398 Oppressors of the truthe are inexcusable 23. Oppression of Gods spirite surmounteth mans reasoÌ„ 29. Opinions must haue Gods word for their warrante 401. Ordinarye meanes must be vsed 64. Othes 103. P. Patience is blessed â–ª 75. Patience is in the godly 107. Patience perseuereth to the ende 21â—… Patience 289 Papistes confesse Christe with the mouthe and in deede denye him 25. Papistes take froÌ„ vs Gods word 61. Papistes saye that the Scripture is doubtful 63. Papistes denye God onelye to be worshipped 66. Papistes saye that concupiscence is no sinne 100. Papistes worship God with outwarde shewes onlye 623. Papistes alleadge traditions 328 Papistes geue the glory of God to saintes 540. Papisticall repentance 47 â–ª Parrables haue theyr vse 277. Parables do not in all pointes agree 412. Passeouer of the Iewes a type of Christes supper 616. â—…ersian worship 29. â—…eace makers 79. â—â—ace is in Christes truthe 225. Persecution 80 Persecution for righteousnes 81. Persecution may lawfully be fled 216. 567. Perfection consisteth not in straitnes of life 237. Perfection 432. Perseuerance and constancy 563. 215. 258. 325. 440. Perseueraunce proueth oure election 501. Peter denyeth Christ 681. Peters successor muste be a preacher 752. Peters infirmity is common to al men 324. Peter was the mouth of the Apostles 357. Peter signyfyeth a stone 359. Peter dyed at Rome 395. Peter was called Sathan 368. Peters infirmitye 378. Phariseys 44. Pilate slewe himselfe 685. Pope woulde be worshipped 29. Popishe pride 48. Pope and Sathan in ambition lyinge are alike 65 Popes excommunication is not to be feared 81. Pope is a raueninge woâ—â—e 145. Popishe â—…ast 59. Pore in spirite 7â—… Punishmentes prepared for the wicked 300. Pouertye is appointed to exercise charity 624. Potentates of this world are ennemyes to God 212. Plagues are Gods messengers 161. Prayer 115. 139. 423. Prayer is the exercise of our faith 116. 117. 118. 119. Prayer is but a vaine ceremonyâ—… without fayth 139. Prayer must haue constancy 140. Prayer in secrete 320. Prayer must be vsed in all places 321. 409. Prayer to saintes 341. Prayer helpeth fayth 389 Prayer is the onlye refuge of sinners 413. Prayer in time of neede 455. Preachinge is in vaine withoute the internall worde of the spirite 18. Preachers must teach with consideration 44. Preachers must abound in knowledge 301. Preachers of Gods word must auoyde flattery 309. Predestination 336. Prouidence of God in Dreames 13. Prodigaâ—â—tye 108. Pryde by nature in man 204. Pride is the mother of reproche 399. Presumption and excessiue care are ioyned together 133. Presumption 64. Purenes of hart is the mother of all vertue 78. Purgatory of the Papistes 99. Publicans 111. 179. Purgatory pedlers 266. Purgatory 414. R. Rashe Iudgemente ought to be auoyded 500. Rashe Iudgemente commeth of lighte credite 620. Rashe Iudgement 136. Rashe zeale 46. Rabbines 14. Repentaunce 40. 47. 182. Repentance is not the cause of remission of sinnes 283. Repentance is declared by remission of sinne 44. Repentance hath her fruite 47. Repentance Papistical 47. Repentance is the worke of God. 410. Repentance is a holy thinge 411. Repentance confesseth sinnes 724. Repentaunce commeth not by the motion of the fleshe 723. Reprehension is bitter to the wicked 25. Reprehension doth not profite the obstinate 625. Reprobates are captiues to Sathan 28. Reprobates are chaste 51. Reprobates shal be tormented 296. Reprobates repentâ—… not from the bottome of the
lord nameth a most straight bonde in the whiche he comprehendeth al thinges that are dere vnto vs as glory fame honours ryches frendes parētes wyfe chyldren goodes landes and all thinges that God hath lente vnto vs Yea and in Luke he vseth a more seuere saying If any man come vnto me and hateth not or forsaketh not father and mother wyfe and chyldren syster and brother yea and his owne soule he cannot be my disciple But all in one sence R. For Christe teacheth vs that we must not seke for the terreine and corporall felicitie of this worlde in his kyngdome And to hate in that place of Luke is not taken in euell parte as to enuy the parentes the wyfe and chyldren or in malice to vexe and trouble them But thou must haue suche an affection towardes them that thou loue the sonne of God neuerthelesse aboue all thinges Of this holy and deuoute hatred we haue a worthy example in Abraham who had rather be cruell towardes his only sonne euen to the death then he woulde in any point shewe hym selfe disobedient vnto god C. To be shorte if the loue of our frēdes hynder vs in followyng Christ we must boldely resiste the same as did S. Paule who accoumpted those thinges that were vauntage vnto hym losse for Christes sake Is not vvorthy of me In stede of this Luke hath he cannot be my disciple M. If a man knewe what honour it is to be in the number of Christes disciples he woulde seke by all meanes to brydell and ouercoue his affections 38 And he whiche taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of me C. This our Sauiour addeth that we might know that we can not be his disciples by no other meanes then by suffering troubles and persecutions for the Gospels sake If we be troubled and vexed because there is discorde for the Gospels sake betwene vs and our parentes and our chyldren our frends then let vs call to mynde the condition that Christe doth laye the crosse vpon all his Apostels and disciples B. For truely the kyngdome of God cannot be preached in the worlde without crosse persecution Wherefore he is more sure of nothing then of the crosse whiche earnestly followeth Christe preaching him and bearing testimony to the world that the workes thereof are euell For the saying of the Apostell is moste sure All those that wyll lyue godly in Christe Iesus must suffer persecution C. But vnder this crosse let vs consider that we are the fellowes of Christe which shal bring great consolation to our myndes for he saith And follovveth me Here let vs learne two thinges firste that the faithful must take vp the crosse and followe their maister that is thei must frame them selues according to his example The second is they must for all the crosse and trouble for all the bytternes of the same neuer forsake hym but with a sure fayth follow his foote steppes euen to the ende The souldiour being in the warres wyll styll haue an eye vnto his captayne euen so we must alwaye loke on our Captayne Iesus Christe Whereupon the Apostell saythe loking vnto Iesus the captayne and finisher of our faythe whiche for the ioye that was set before hym abode the crosse and despysed the shame and is set downe at the righte hande of the throne of god And S. Peter also sayth Se that ye followe his footesteppes But it should appeare by the wordes of Luke that this ought not to be done ones alone but dayly For he saythe If any man wyll folow me let hym deny him selfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow me B. Euery man hathe this crosse when he suffereth for the Gospel either by prysonment banyshement losse of goodes fier or swerd and suche lyke with the whiche the wycked ones of this world from time to time cease not to vexe and moleste the chyldrē of god The crosse is not that kynde of castigation or punishment which many haue in tymes paste layde vppon them selues willingly by whypping or cruell beating of them selues or by abstayninge frō meate drinke or by going barefoote whiche foolyshe superstitious actes were obserued of the Monkes and Fryers but that is the crosse of Christe whereof we haue tolde you already 39 He that fyndeth his lyfe shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall fynde it He that fyndeth his lyfe E. That is he that hathe respecte to his lyfe in suche wyse that he wyll not aduenture the same for my sake he truely shall lose his lyfe C. Therefore leaste that the former doctrine whiche is very harde and greuous to the fleshe should by it selfe haue small effecte Christe in this sentence cōfirmeth it by two wayes For he pronounceth that suche as are to ware and circumspecte when they thinke that they haue very well defended their lymmes they shall be disapointed of the same and lose it And agayne those whiche neglected their life nothing at all regarding death shall haue no losse because they shal saue it E. We knowe that there is nothyng more precious and dere vnto vs then our lyfe For the lyfes sake we do and vndo all thinges C. so great loue haue we to the same Wherefore it was necessary that Christe shoulde bothe promyse and threathen to the ende he myght animate his disciples to the contempte of deathe To fynde the lyfe in this place signifieth to possesse the same as in a sure hauen To those that are so desirous of this earthly lyfe that they wyll suffer no daunger but flatter them selues with the vayne truste in prosperitie and thinke alwayes that they are in good case when they suffer no trouble to suche worldlynges I saye death is a perpetuall destruction Contrariwyse to the faithfull whiche willingly offer them selues to the death coūting all thinges that are in the world as vaine for Christes sake to these I say and saint Paule saith with me also death is a great aduauntage for they are restored to a better lyfe Bu. They whiche escape prysonment and death by denying Christe and his Gospell seme in the face of the worlde to saue their lyues but in dede they haue loste them and haue prouoked the euerlasting wrath of God damnation vpō them vnles in time they repente On the contrary parte he that manly stādeth to the fier loseth his goods forsaketh his wyfe and chyldren and all that he hath semeth to the world to haue loste his lyfe when as he in dede hathe gotten euerlasting life with a crowne of glory for euer For my sake C. He saythe for my sake because ther are many which dye oftentymes rashely for ambitions sake for murthers sake and some wyll seme to dye for the truthes sake when they maynteine heresy Therefore I say Christe addeth very well for my sake shewyng vnto vs for what cause only we ought willingly to suffer violent
deathe Marke addeth and for the Gospels sake Shall fynde it Marke Luke haue Shall saue it This is a singuler comforte and consolation that he whiche loseth his life for Christes sake doth coÌ„mende the same into the handes of Christe where it shal fynde euerlasting reste and felicitie A. Let vs beware therefore that none of vs be punyshed as a murtherer as a thiefe as a backbyter or as a busy bodye in other mens matters But let vs suffer afflictioÌ„ according to the wyll of God committing oure soules to hym by well doynge as vnto a faythfull creditour 40 He that receiueth you receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me M. This also is a great consolation against the trouble of excommunication and persecution whiche they should suffer of the whiche we haue spoken before Nowe being not content in tellynge the punyshementes that they should suffer which reiected the Apostels he proceadeth farther and sheweth what proffite the worthy receiuers of the Apostels haue namely suche proffite that he whiche receiueth them receyueth Christe hym selfe and his heauenly father also whiche sente hym that men myghte hereby knowe howe dere they were both to hym and to his father also C. Finally he speaketh not so much of the receiuing of the doctrine as he doth of the receiuing of the men We muste note therefore the purpose of Christe who testified that whiche he sawe was fitte to helpe their infirmities Namely that if any man receyued them frendly and gently that then it was as acceptable vnto hym as if they had liberally intreated and intertained him in their person and not only this but also that they do offer to God the sacrifice of a swete sauour C. But we muste note here to whome Christe speaketh these woordes surely to his Apostels disciples Therefore he speaketh to them that do his will not to seducers whiche preache not the worde of the lorde but their own fancies and dreames abusing these woordes of the lorde as if they were true ministers when as in dede they be false Prophetes In Iohn the lorde very plainely saythe Verely verely I saye vnto you he that receiueth whomesoeuer I sende receyueth me But these false Prophetes roÌ„ne before they be sent they speake but not of the Lordes mouthe 41 He that receiueth a Prophete in the name of a Prophete shall receiue a Prophetes rewarde And he that receiueth a iuste man in the name of a iuste man shall receiue a iuste mans rewarde Bu. Nowe he sheweth at large the rewarde whiche he wyll bestowe vpon those that receyue his messengers to this ende no doubte that his ministers might haue the more sauoure among men C. He beginneth truely with the Prophetes but at lengthe descending to the lowest degree he comprehendeth all those that are his disciples Therefore without exception he coÌ„mendeth the true worshippers of God and the louers of the Gospell But to receyue in the name of a Prophete and of a iust maÌ„ is as muche as to do them good for the honour of the doctrine and in respecte of pietie and godlines For although God hath commaunded vs generally to loue al men by the bonde of charitie notwithstanding worthely he bryngeth his to a hier degree that men might haue special care and consideration of them aboue others According to the saying of saynt Paule Let vs do good vnto all men but specially to theÌ„ of the housholde of faithe Shall receiue a Prophetes revvarde C. Diuers interpretours expounde this diuersly It semeth to some that a mutuall recoÌ„pence or satisfaction is noted here because the Prophetes of God geue againe spiritual benefites for earthly thinges But it this exposition be allowed what shal be the rewarde of the iuste Other some vnderstande it that they shall be fellowes and companions of the same rewarde whiche is layde vp for the Prophetes and the iuste because they were benefitial toward them Many referre it to the communion of Sainctes because as we by our beneficence and liberalitie do testifie that we are one body with the seruauÌ„tes of Christe euen so by this meanes we are made partakers of al good thinges which Christe doth communicate and bestowe vpon the members of his body But it rather semeth to be vnderstoode symplely the rewarde of a Prophete that is a rewarde that may aunswere the dignitie of the persone to whome the office shall be committed 42 And whosoeuer shall geue to one of these litle ones to drinke a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verely I saye vnto you he shall not lose his rewarde And vvhosoeuer shall geue C. To amplifie this he promiseth a rewarde to euery one that dothe the leaste parte of the dutie of charitie namely to geue a cup of colde water He calleth them lytle ones not only whiche are lowest in degree and basest in the churche but all his disciples also whiche are disdained of the worlde So in an other place he saythe feare not littell flocke A cup of colde vvater A. By this the lorde declareth that he doth not so muche regarde the gifte as he doth respecte the mynde of the geuer neither the worke so muche as he dothe the wyll of the worker As we may reade of the wydowe who castyng twoo mytes into the treasurie is sayde of Christe to caste in more then all the reste Verely verely I saye vnto you M. Because it semeth incredible to man that he hathe done any suche excellent thing in geuing a cup of colde water he affirmeth it with an othe saying Verely verely I saye vnto you he shall not lose his rewarde Where we muste note that he sayth not he shall receyue his rewarde but he shall not lose his rewarde to preuent our cogitation by the which we perswade oure selues that we shall receiue no rewarde for so smal benefites For so saithe the Apostell God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your worke labour the proceadeth of loue which loue ye shewe in his name which haue ministred vnto the sainctes and yet minister The .xi. Chapter AND it came to passe that wheÌ„ Iesus had made an end of coÌ„maunding his twelue disciples he departed theÌ„ce to teache and to preache in their citties And it came to passe B. Luke saith that they departed wente through the townes â—…reaching the Gospell healing euery where And Marke hath the same wordes in effect Notwithstanding Christe him selfe woulde not geue ouer his dutie as many slowe bellies and idell prelates do in these dayes which neither preache theÌ„ selues to the people nor yet prouide that others may do it for them C. So sone therefore as the lord had sent his disciples to preache in Iury he hym selfe went to preache in Galilae Of commaunding the tvvelue C. There is great force in this word of coÌ„maunding because Mathewe declareth that they had not frée liberty in their Embassage but it was prescribed
lesse then a greuouse torment M. Furthermore in this Herodias we see the nature and cruell practyse of an adoulterouse woman For this is the propertie of all whores and strompettes to desire to haue al those dispatched out of the way whom they thincke to be wytnesses and aduersaries to their fylthy pleasure Here also wee haue an example of those whiche seeke to blot and put out one syn with an other But they do no lesse then hee which goinge about to quenche a fier bloweth to the same That incestiouse fylthy pleasure of Herode and Herodias in the ende was knowne throughout the whole worlde the which if they had not kylled the holy and iust man had peraduenture in continuance of time ben forgotten Euen so the vngodly rushe out of one sinne into an other ouerwhelm them selues in the deepe prouoking the wrath of God against them but the godly by faithe and trewe repentaunce obtaine pardon and remission of their synnes at the handes of God. Geue me here Iohn Baptist headde Marke more expressely sayth And she commynge in straightway with haste vnto the kinge asked sayinge I wyll that thou geue me by and by the head of Iohn Baptist in a charger M. In this daunsing damsell we haue an example of the euyll instructinge and bringing vp of youthe howe greate a matter the good or euyll behauioure of the parentes is The wycked lasciuiouse adulterouse and cruell mother is not contented with her owne rashenesse and vngodly behauiour but shee seekethe also to frame the chylde or younge impe after her owne bente and disposition that by the daughter a man may knowe what the mother is And truely the damsell sheweth her selfe to apte and ready to be taught in followinge and fulfillinge the fonde mynde of her frantike mother 9 And the kynge was sory Neuerthelesse for the othes sake and theym whiche sate also at the table he commaunded it to be geuen her And the kynge vvas sory C. Religion godlynes and conscience is quite vanyshed away from him as we saide before but because he forseeth howe odiouse a crime he shoulde committe he feareth infamy and losse herevpon it came to passe that he repented hym of his rashe lyghtnesse Yet notwithstandinge he dare not denye the daunsynge mayde her petition least he should sustaine the ignominie and reproche of inconstancie as though it were more fylthy to retracte that which he had rashely and foolishely promised then to persist and abyde in the finishing of a horryble and monstruouse cryme But because accordinge to the wonted vanytie of kynges he woulde not haue it voyde and frustrate whiche he had once spoken and promised he commandeth the prophete to be slayne out of hande Neuerthelesse for the othes M. In the righte maner of swearing or making vowes there are two thynges to be considered the one is that it be rightely done and the other is that it be rightly kepte In these two poyntes Herode offended for without necessitie or cōstraint in a thing very foolishe and ridiculouse he vseth an othe and that daungerously promysing to the one halfe of his kingdome For he oughte to haue feared leaste the damsell shoulde haue asked any thinge contrarye to the wyll of God. Then he offended in the other pointe also that being not contente that he had sworne folishely fulfilleth that wickedly whiche wickedly hee had promised and was demaunded A. We must also note that whiche the Euangeliste addeth sayinge that the kynge was sory not onely for his othes sake but also for Their sakes vvhiche sat at Whereby we maye gather that if he had sworne an hundred tymes without any witnesse he would not notwithstanding haue fulfylled his othe and promise For he might easely haue reiected and denyed the vnreasonable vnlaufull requeste of the impudent daunsing damsell when he perceyued whereunto it tended but he was ashamed to refracte and recante that which before so many witnesses he had promised Therfore an inward zeale or pure conscience bounde not Herode to perfourme his vowe but mere ambition because he counted if a great poynte of dishonestie not to stand to his promise But althoughe the righte of an othe only and not manly shame was before the eyes of Herode yet notwithstanding he more greuouslye offended in executynge that whiche he foolishely promised then if he had broken the righte of swearinge for what is more wicked in the sighte of God then to sheade the bloud of his saintes Hereby we haue iust occasion to reprehende the monasticall vowes to the whiche there is open and manifest impietie conioyned the which vowes also do no more bynde the conscience then magicall exorcismes because that God will not haue his holy name vsed to the confirmation of synne and wyckednesse This place notwithstandinge teacheth euerye man to take hede least that he promyse any thinge rashelye or vnaduisedly then that he ioyne not contumacie with lyght rashenesse Also here we do see to what ende they rushe hedlonge into rashenes whiche beinge vaynegloriouse and desyrouse of prayse seeke rather to get fame and name amonge men then to kepe a pure conscience before god In the banquet of Herode also is depaynted and set forthe vnto vs the maner and nature of courtiers For amonge all the ghestes there is not one founde whiche wente about to staye the kynge from his wicked dede It is a true prouerbe therfore such lyppes suche lettice 10 And he sente and beheaded Iohn in the pryson E. The Greeke texte hath And he sendinge cut of the headde of Iohn Some translations haue And he sent tormentours and beheaded Iohn Marcke hath And immediately the king sent the hangman and commaunded his heade to be brought in The whiche sayinges are in effecte all one By this exaumple let vs learne to be paciente in affliction if at any tyme it come to passe that we are ponished vnworthely of peruerse and frowarde men God sometymes sufferethe his seruauntes to be a laughing stocke to the wicked but let vs for all that wholly depende vpon this consolation that before the lorde right dere and preciouse is the death of his saints In pryson It had ben lesse griefe to haue ben put to death opēly and to haue hadde a lyttell lybertie to make a declaration of his conscience and innocency and to set forthe the impietie of the Tyrant But all these thynges are denyed to so holy a man he is murthered in the pryson without publike sentence or iudgement no man beinge presente no man comforting him no man bewailynge his case C. Wee gather by this place that Herode dyd then suppe in the castell of Macheron in the whiche Iosephus sayth that Iohn was bounde 11 And his head was brought in a platter and geuen to the damsel and she brought it to her mother C. This also is a parte of the haynouse and cruell dede that the head of the holy man after his death shold be made a mockinge and
iestinge stocke But the lorde sometimes doth make his seruantes subiecte to the pride of the wicked vntyll he may at the length declare that right preciouse is the bloude of his sainctes in his sighte And she brough it to her C. Herodias reioyseth that she hath obtayned her purpose cruelly tryūpheth ouer her iudge and controller but afterwarde she being depriued of all her rychesse not only banished from the honour of the kingdome but also from her natiue land and contrey and all other helpes shee I saye at the length leadynge a myserable lyfe in exile and banishment was an excellent spectacle to aungelles saintes and to al good men to beholde Bu. God truely is long sufferynge merciful and of great goodnesse grauntinge euen to those that are most wicked a long time of repentaunce But and if they go forward cōtynue in theyr wickednesse styll hee lettethe not to ponnishe and plague them Euen as the hystoryes make mention and testyfie of the adulterouse kyng adultresse But for as much as men are constrayned to pollute and defyle theyr eyes by the beholdyng of the abhomynable pompe and ghestes and suche as are bydden to feastes we maye gather that suche as sit at the tables of prynces are oftentymes intangled with diuerse and sundry myschieues For althoughe no blouddy or cruell deede dothe vyolate or defyle the table yet notwithstandinge all thinges are so replenished with all kynd of wyckednes that at the leaste wyse suche as come thyther must be adicted and geuen to wantonnesse 12 And his disciples came and toke vppe his body and buried it and went and told Iesus M. How it was laufull forthe disciples of Iohn to take away his body which was slaine it may wel be demaunded because Iosephus saith that he was beheaded in the castell of Macheron Some answere that the disciples had accesse or libertie to come to the castell as apereth in the .xi. chapter before when Iohn as yet lay bound in pryson wherby it may be gathered that they were not prohibyted But forsomuch as this dyd pertaine to the crueltie of the woman that the body of the holy man should lie vnburied it is probable for somuch as the disciples toke vpō thē to bury it that it was cast out by souldiours of the tyrant And although the honour or pompe of buriall profiteth nothing those that are dead yet notwithstanding it is the lordes wyll to haue the same reuerenced of vs M. And truely it were farre from humanitie to suffer the deadde to lie vnburied like the carcaces of bruit beastes For what sight can be more sorrowfull ougly or horrible then to se a dead mans body vnburied Furthermore buryall is a figure of the resurrection to come Wherfore this diligence of the disciples of Iohn in comming to bury the body of their master was acceptable vnto god Moreouer this serueth much to cōfirme their godly minds ernest loue which they bare to their master whē he was aliue for by this menes they professed that the doctryne of the holy man Iohn remayned yet in their hartes This cōfession therfore was laudable deserued no smal cōmēdation seing it was done with danger greate aduenture of perill because they coulde do no honour to their master being put to death without prouoking great displeasure outragyouse reuenge of the tirant against them Bu. Here we are taughte what we owe to the dead bodies of saintes namely burial not Papisticall canonization or false worship which hath ben vsed with great abuse And vvent and. C. Iohn had so instructed som of his disciples that afterwarde they wēt to the schole of Christ as apereth by Andrew the brother of Simon Peter 13 VVhē Iesus heard of that he departed thēce in a ship vnto a desert place out of the way And when the people had heard therof they followed him on fote and left the Citties VVhen Iesus heard of that C. The Euangeliste Iohn makynge mention of the same historye sheweth not for what purpose Iesus wente on the other side of the water Marke Luke also differ very muche from Matthewe For they say that hee tooke vppon hym this iourney because he would geue rest vnto his disciples after that they were retorned againe from their imbassage But in that there is no discorde or disagrement because it maye be that Christe woulde segregate his Apostels into a desert place to the ende hee mighte the better frame them to greater thynges and vnder the same tyme a newe occasion by the death of Iohn offered it selfe for the death of Iohn myght easly haue terrefyed weake mindes because that lamentable chance of the man of God Iohn dyd declare vnto them that they were in like state and condition and subiecte to the lyke peryll and aduenture And as it is wrytten Iohn beinge taken Chryste went out of the domynion or iurisdiction of Herode to the ende he myghte escape the present furor and madnesse euen so wee maye nowe gather that Chryste to the ende hee myht delyuer his Apostelles beinge as yet but fearefull from inflamation and burnynge thoughtes wente into a deserte place But as concerninge the tyme which the Apostelles spente in theyr imbassage when they were firste sente forthe for to preache the Gospel we can say nothing because it is not certainely knowne For the order of the tymes was eyther neglected of the Euangelistes or elles not curiouslye obserued but it is more probable and lykely that they were not onlye sente once to publishe and proclaime the kyngedome of Christe but also as occasion serued they dyd eyther iterate the same in certayne places or elles after a lyttell whyle they wente into dyuerse places Nowe therefore wee gather that theye were come together to wayte euer afterwarde dayly and hourely vppon Chryste whiche before sente them foorthe as if it had bene saide that they wente not so from theyr maister that euerye one of them myght take vppon hym selfe the ordynary office of teachynge but that they hauinge fulfylled and ended theyr temporall imbassage shoulde retourne agayne to the schole to the ende they myghte growe to a more rypenesse and perfection And vvhen the people had hearde thereof A. Nowe Chryst when he had declared and proued him selfe by certaine signes and his wonderfull doctryne to be a teacher sente from God the people followed him into a deserte place C. And although Chryste whiche by his diuyne knoweledge foresawe all thynges was not ignorant what should come to passe yet notwithstandynge hee woulde haue regarde to his disciples as he was man to the ende he might declare that in very dede he had a speciall care ouer them Bu. And that also he myghte geue vnto vs an exaumple to eschewe and auoyde rashe delyuerynge ouer our selues into the ennemies hande or into any kinde of danger because all men perseuer not in the same constancie in the whiche at the fyrst they offer them selues to be tried For this
ministers of Christe neither let him thinke that for the impietie of one man the Ministerye of the reste oughte to be layde aparte Bu. In the meane season let vs learne that fayned friendes are more pernitious and pestilente then open enimies Vnto the chiefe Priestes Iudas knewe that the hie Priestes were the seruaâ—…ntes of the deuill tyrantes yet notwithstandinge he byeth him apase vnto them that he maie sel his master because he thei were led by one spirit namely the deuil 15. And saide vnto them what will yee geue mee â–ª and I will deliuer him vnto you And they appointed vnto him thirtie peeces of syluer And saede vnto them vvhat vvill yee A. O sâ—…amelesse and wicked man M. He dothe not aske what matter they hadde againste Christe or what they would doo with him but simply he enquireth after the money hauinge no care what they woulde doo with his maister Christe Hereby we maie perceiue howe trewely Paule writte when he saide Couetousnesse is the roote of all euill and they whiche will be ritche falle into diuers temptations and snares Bu. This vnhappy Iudas and woe begonne will recompence the losse whiche he thoughte he had by the powringe out of the oyntmente with the price of his maister Yet for all that he dothe not require any certeine summe least it mighte séeme to be a money Treason but deliueringe him as a vile bondslaue he put the price into the Byers handes to knowe what they woulde geue And they appointed vnto him thirty peeces of syluer A. Marke and Luke saie that the Hie Priestes hearinge Iudas were glad in the whiche we haue an example sette before our eies of obstinate blindnesse they were glad vpon hope of bringing that to passe whereof they had consulted 16. And from that time forth he sought oportunitie to betraye him And from that time foorthe Bu. Luke saithe that he commoned with the hie Priestes and Elders howe he mighte deliuer him vnto them The oportunitye whiche he sought for to betray the Lorde was that he mighte deliuer him without the tumult of the people as S. Luke declareth in the sixt verse of the chapter laste mentioned He hauing takeÌ„ therfore the most vnhappy money that euer was receiued séeketh by and by with great diligence a conuenient time in the which he mighte deliuer him vnto them without any troble of the people So nimble diligente quicke doo Bribers make the Receiuers Christ ment by this image to declare that there shoulde come suche whiche beinge corrupted with the loue of money should betraye the Doctrine of the Gospell and that this mischefe should specially come of those whiche beinge the heades and pillers as it were of Ecclesiasticall Religion séeme to knowe the secretes of theire Lorde with whom they are so familiare that they doo betraye his Doctrine to the wicked and Heathen Magistrates by false interpretation thereof séekinge for nothing els then the destruction of the truth of the Gospell 17. The first day of sweete breade the Disciples came to Iesus sayinge vnto him where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the Paseouer The first daie of svveetebreade Question C. It may be demaunded why that is called the daie of Swéetebreade whiche wente before the offeringe of the Lambe For the Lawe commaunded that they shoulde lay away their Leuen til they did eate the Lambe But this question maie be easily answered namely that this obseruation is referred to the day folowinge as may sufficiently appeare by the other two Euangelistes A. For S Marke hathe The firste day of swéetebreade when they offered Paseouer And Luke hathe The feaste of swéetebreade drewe nie whiche is called Easter C. When therfore the daye to kill and eate the Pascall Lambe was at hande which begannne at the euenynge the Disciples asked Christe where he woulde eate Paseouer The Disciples came to Iesus A. Wée reade in Luke that Christe firste sente Peter and Iohn to prepare the Paseouer and that then they demaunded of the Lorde where they shoulde prepare a place to eate it He sente saithe he Peter and Iohn sayinge Goe and prepare vnto vs the Paseouer that we maie eate They saide vnto him Where wilte thou that wee prepare In that they aske of hym where he woulde eate Paseouer it is a signe that they were wandringe and vnstable hauinge no certaine place theire entrance into the Cittye coulde not be without greate daunger For they had there mortall enimies whiche soughte occasion to take theim But behoulde howe Christe neglected nothinge whiche pertained to the common rule of the godly Fore he woulde be subiecte to the Law that he might redeme vs from the Cursse of the Law as witnesseth S. Paule he would not therfore pretermit the Paseouer no more theÌ„ he did the other rites 18. And he saide goe into the Cittie to suche a man and saie vnto hym the maister saithe my time is at hande I will keepe Easter by thee with my Disciples And he saide goe into the cittie E. In the Gréeke texte as touching the woorde it is readde To him After the which manner the Grecians do speake when thei meane a certaine man whom notwithstandinge they doo not name C. Whereby it appeareth that S. Mathewe nameth here a certaine man But the other twoo doo shewe that the Disciples were sente as to one vnknowen because a token was geuen vnto them of a man carryinge a Pitcher of water But this discrepance and varietie may easily be reconciled because Mathewe pretermittinge the myracle noteth that man which was then knowen to the Disciples For there is no doubte but that after they were come home to the house they founde some one of theire familiare frendes For Christe accordinge to his righte commaundeth that he prepare roume for him and his naming him selfe the maister and he without delaye fulfilled his commaundemente Moreouer althoughe he coulde expresse the man by his name yet notwithstanding he rather soughte to directe his Disciples vnto him by a myracle that when they should sée him a litle after to be abased yet their Faithe mighte be stayed vp by his Documente For this was no small confirmation that a fewe houres before he was carryed to his deathe he shoulde by a manifest token declare him selfe to be God to the ende they mighte knowe that he was not constrayned by necessitie to suffer deathe but that he tooke it on him selfe of his owne frée wil And although in the very momente of perturbation it did nothinge at all peraduenture profite them yet notwithstandinge the remembraunce thereof afterwarde was very profitable Euen as at this daye also to auoide the stombling blocke of the crosse it pertaineth vnto vs to knowe this that the glorye of the Deitie as well as the infirmitie of the Fleashe appeared in Christe a litle before the tyme of his deathe The maister saithe A. By theise woordes althoughe he were coumpted a vile and abiecte personne he taught his
Disciples that he was the true Lorde to whom it belonged to commaunde all menne who commaundinge all oughte to obeye and that he hathe also the hartes of menne in his handes in so muche that he can dispose and constraine them to obeye him Suche a one he nameth him selfe and suche a one in déede he proueth him selfe when he commaundethe the Fole to be loosed and broughte vnto him as appeareth in the 21. Chapter before And saithe he if any shall saie vnto you why doo you loose him say yée The Lord hathe néede of them â–ª And by and by he will lette them goe Marke and Luke adde sayinge And while they were loosinge the Coulte the owners thereof saide vnto them Wherefore doo yée loose the Coulte And they saide Because the Lorde hathe néede thereof And they suffered them But in an other place also he dothe most plainely call him selfe a maister as when he saith Yée call me maister and Lorde yée say wel for so I am My time is at hand C. Althoughe he did rightely celebrate Paseouer accordinge to the commaundemente of the Lawe yet notwithstandinge he séemeth not without consideration to allege this that he mighte put away the fault of moroâ—â—tie and waywardnesse He saithe therefore that he hathe cause to make haste that he might apply him selfe to euery vsuall Custome because he is called to a greater Sacrifice In the meane time notwithstandinge as we saide in the seconde verse before he dothe renewe nothinge in the Ceremonie B. Neither dothe he saye My deathe but My time is at hande that he mighte declare that his deathe was for certaine appointed of God and also to teache vs by his example to be ready and willinge when the time shall comme whiche is appointed to euery one C. Christe dothe so often therfore inculcate that the time of his death is at hand that the Disciples mighte knowe that willingely he made haste to obeye the Decree and Will of his Father I vvill keepe my Easter by thee B. Behould with how great confidence and authoritie he commauÌ„deth this man to geue him roume place in the which he might keepe his Easter Marcke and Luke adde that he saide Where is the gheastchamber that I maie eate Paseouer with my Disciples And he shall shewe vnto you a greate Parloure paued and prepared there prouide make ready for vs And his Disciples wente and came into the Cittie and founde as he had saide vnto them The Euangelistes saie that they founde as the Lorde had sayde by the whiche we are taughte that he will neuer frustrate our hope if we geue credite vnto his woordes For he cannot deceiue C. But in that he ioyned the shadowed sacrifice to that which is trewe he thereby exhorted the faithefull that they woulde compare that with the Olde Figures whiche he fulfilled in déede For this Comparison settethe foorthe no small force and effecte of his deathe For Paseouer was not enioyned to the Iewes to this ende onely that they shoulde be mindefull of the Oulde Deliuerance but also that they shoulde hope for the more speciall Deliuerance that shoulde come by Christe To this effect pertaineth this sentence of Paule Christe our Paseouer is offered vp for vs. 19. And the Disciples did as Iesus had appointed them and they made ready the Paseouer And the disciples did C. Here the Apostles declare how much they beleued the wordes of Christe and howe obedient they were in the whiche we muste note theire godly docilitie and aptnesse to be taughte For they mighte haue doubted seing they folowed an vnknowne man whether they shoulde obtaine that of the goodman of the house whiche theire maister by theire message required seinge they knewe that he was contemned and hated of the most parte But truely they doo not carefully inquire of the euent and ende but quietly they obey his commaundemente M and doo simply finishe the thinge they were commaunded C. And we muste obserue this rule if we desire to proue our faithe that beinge content with the only commaundemente wée maye goe forwarde to that whiche God commaundeth and that we hopinge for the successe whiche he promiseth maie put away all carefulnes For if we be to inquisitiue it is a signe of distrust of distruste foloweth rebellion and obstinacy whiche seperateth vs from the grace of God. 20. VVhen the euen was comme he sate down with the twelue VVhen the eueÌ„ C. Not that he mighte eate Paseouer the which should be done standing euen as men that haue haste of their iourney beinge shodde and eate their meate with the staffe in their hande but the solemne rite beinge done it is mente that he sate downe to supper Therfore the Euangelistes saie the euen being come because in the firste euen they did kill the lambe and did eate the fleshe thereof rosted He sate dovvne vvith the tvvelue M. Greate was the impudency of Iudas that after the bargaine made with the hie priestes he durste sitte downe with the rest at the Lordes table beinge nothing afrayde of his maisters conscience For peraduenture he thoughte that he was ignorante of his pourpose or at least that he would not bewray it by reason of the méekenes of his minde whereof he had oftentimes experience before 21. And as they did eate he saide verily I saie vnto you that one of you shal betray me And as they did eate Bu. Christe was not ignorante of the practises counselles and conspiracies of his enimies therfore easily he could haue deceiued them if he would but he rather soughte by the foreshewinge of them to fortifie the weake against the stumbling blocke of the Crosse euen as he saide vnto them I haue toulde you these thinges before they comme to passe that when they come yée might beleue A. And â—…ecause the wicked treason of Iudas semed to excel al the rest he thought good to shew that the same was not hidden from him saying One of you shall betray me M. By these obscure darke woordes the Lorde went about to proue the mind of Iudas secretely to pricke his conscience that none of those thinges might be omitted which did pertaine to his repentance For although Christe knewe the blindenes of the trayter to be such that he should be admonished in vaine yet notwithstaÌ„ding it was not without consideratioÌ„ to strike his coÌ„science that hereafter he might be voide of all excuse neither that any of those thinges might be omitted whiche concerne the duety of a good man The EuaÌ„gelist Marke hath One of you which eateth with me C. For to the end he might make the treasoÌ„ of Iudas the more detestable by this circonstance he increaseth his vnworthines because he sittinge at the holy Table went about treason For if a stranger had don this it had ben more tollerable but for one of the housholde to worke suche mischiefe and then vnder the coller of frendship to ioyne himselfe to the holy supper was to monsterouse a