vvere the bondslaues of synne and heires of eternall death It is that happy and ioyfull tidinges vvhich exempteth vs from all feare and bringeth occasioÌ„ of incredible ioye because it tolde of his comming vvhiche came to seke and to saue that vvhiche vvas lost For God so loued the vvorlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to the ende that all vvhiche beleue in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting It is that moste riche treasury vvhiche conteyneth vvhatsoeuer Moses and the Prophetes haue vvritten vvherein is opened vnto vs all the counsell of God. It is the povver of God to saluation to as many as bâ—â—â— to the Ievve first and to the Gentile It is the preaching of the crosse vvhiche vnto those â—…erishe is foolishenes but vnto vs that are saued the povver of God. It is that Myrror of the deuine glorie in vvhiche vve all beholding the glory of the Lorde vvith vncouered face are chaunged into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirite of the Lorde The doctrine also of the Gospell is so certayne and in euery pointe so absolute that although an Angell from heauen should preache any other thing but the same he ought to be counted accurssed It is the vnsearcheable misteries of Christe vvhiche in other ages vvas not knovven to the sonnes of men as it is novve reuealed to his holy Apostels and Prophetes by the spirite It is the vvoorde of lyfe vvith vvhiche all the godly must holde out in the middest of a naughty and croked nation It is also the vvorde of truthe vvhich is not onely come among vs but also doth fructefie and increase through the vvhole vvorlde in spight of the resistance of Sathan and his ministers It is that holy and true saying vvhiche is vvorthy to be receiued of all men not as the vvorde of men but as it is in dede for the vvorde of God vvhiche also vvorketh effectually and mightely in those that beleue It is the spirite of the mouth of the Lorde vvhich shal slea that vvicked sonne of perditioÌ„ Antechrist vvho shall seduce them that perishe It is that faithfull saying and vvorthy by all meanes to be receiued that Iesus Christe came into the vvorlde to saue synners This is the same Gospell vvhereby Christe the sonne of God comming into this vvorlde hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light For it teacheth hovve vvee being iustefied by the grace of God are heires according to the hope of eternall lyfe It is moreouer that immortall and incorruptible sede vvhereby he vvhiche vvas before vvicked and vnprofitable is made a nevve creature in the Lorde It is the liuely vvorde of God mighty in operation and sharper than any tvvo edged svverde and entereth through eueÌ„ vnto the deuiding a sonder of the soule and of the spirit and of the ioyntes and mary and is a discerner of the thoughtes and intentes of the harte It is that pure vvord vvhich being receiued vvith mekenes and grafted in vs is able to saue our soule It is that holy vvorde of the Lorde against vvhich almoste all the vvorlde is bente and yet it endureth for euer It is also that Scripture vvhiche is geuen by inspiration from heauen vvhich they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruerte to their ovvne destruction It is that inuiolable vvorde vvhiche vvhosoeuer kepeth in him is the vvorde of God perfecte in dede It is the doctrine vvhiche vve must only imbrace so that if there come any to preache vnto vs and bring not this he ought not to be receyued of vs no nor yet saluted It is the vvorde of saluation and veritie vvhose faithfull preachers ought courteously to be receyued Contrarivvyse the contemners and scorners of the same shal be greuously punished by Gods iust iudgement And to conclude it is the eternall Gospell vvhiche must be published vnto them that inhabitâ—… on the earth to euery nation and kynred and tongue and people Those men therefore are vnhappy which set light by this vnuiolable Gospell of Christe but farre more vnhappy are they whiche haue and persecute the ministers and fauourers thereof and moste vnhappy of all are suche as deny and reiecte frowardly that whiche otherwyse they knowe to be true of whiche sorte many are founde among the Papistes for whome it had bene better not to haue knowne the waye of righteousnes than when they haue knowen it to retourne from that whiche was set forthe by Gods commaundement But it falleth out with them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is returned to his owne vomet and the Sowe that was wasshed to wallowe in the myer I beseche you moste dearely beloued brethren in Christe â—â—e from suche as are worse than the Dogge or Serpente and reade ouer this booke whiche is offered vnto you with great dilligence you shall finde in it I trust wherewithall to confirme your myndes in Christe our Sauiour aboundauntly among so many and so great troubles of this curssed worlde To hym be glory honor and dominion for euer and euer Amen Farewell in the Lorde At Viuiacum in the Calendes of Ianuary 1559. The names of those out of whose woorkes this exposition is gathered 1 Martin Bucer B. 12 Augustine AVG. 20 Iosephus 2 Caluin C. 13 Hierome HIER 21 Aulus Gelius 3 Erasmus E. 14 Origene OR 22 Plini 4 Musculus M. 15 Cyrill CYR. 23 Budaeus 5 Philip Melanethon P. 16 Chrysostome CHR. 24 Georgius Agricola 6 Erasmus Sarcerius E. 17 Basil BA 25 Cicero 7 Brentius R. 18 Eusebius EVS. 26 Hegesippus 8 Bullinger Bu. 19 Gregory GR.   9 Zuinglius Z.      10 Vitus Theodorus V.      11 Augustine Marlorate A.      A GODLY AND CATHOLIKE EXPOSITION OF THE holy Gospell of Iesu Christe after Mathewe THE ARGVMENT THE MORE PLAINE AND EASY THOSE things are vvhich are described and set forth vnto vs in this EuaÌ„gelical history the more vve ought to seeke chiefly for vvhat purpose the Euangelistes not content vvith the office of preaching committed vnto their posteritie in vvryting the preaching of Iesu Christe vvhiche by mouthe in their tyme here and there they had published For it is certaine that they did it not vvithout a speciall meaning and intent Surely the holy Ghoste vvith the vvhich they vvere inspired did forsee that there should come many after the deathe of the Apostels by the instinct and motion of Sathan vvhiche should bring vnto men â—…o the defacing and dâ—…siling of the doctrine and faith of Christ false opinions and vayne dreames vnder the name of Christe A and vvould place and set false and fayned thinges in stede of that vvhiche is the very truthe and so vvould either extinguishe and cleane put out the true light of the Gospell or at least so obscure and darken the same vvith their thicke and mistie cloudes that scarse truthe
may keepe them also and shewe them in dede And lo I am vvith you alvvaye It was a hard office whiche hee committed vnto them to beare the whiche good were able in no pointe And it is likely that the Dysciples were not a little terrefyed by the consideration of it C. Therefore hee doth incourage them with the truste of his heauenlye ayde promisinge vnto them his presence euerye where at all times throughout the whole worlde his helpe and grace also euen to the ende and finishinge of their embassage For before hee promised that he woulde be with them hee declared that hee was the kinge both of Heauen and earth whiche with his hand and power gouerneth all things Therefore in this word I there is a great Emphasis and force contayned as if he had sayde that if the Apostles would discharge their dutye bouldly they must not haue respect what they themselues were able to do but must leaue to his inuincible power vnder whose banner they fight Bu. As if he should say So longe as you do these thinges the world wil be against you as it hath bene againste mee For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of this worlde and my doctrine is altogether contrary to their affections which loue those thinges that are of this world So that with many tumultes men will ryse againste you but there is no cause why ye should dispayre althoughe ye be not noble but simple weake and few in nomber I haue ouercome the world you by my helpe and my example shall ouercome By my power not by your owne shall yee ouercome what soeuer seemeth feareful to you in this world And although I will cary vp shortlye this body into Heauen which thinge is good for you that it be so yet not withstandinge I will neuer forsake you for after that I shall cease to be with you in body then more effectually wil I be with you in spirite C. Therefore the maner of presence which the Lord promiseth to his Dysciples ought spiritually to be vnderstode because it is not needefull that hee shoulde descende from Heauen to helpe vs because hee canne helpe vs by the grace of his spirit as it were stretching his hande from Heauen Euen vnto the ende of the vvorld These wordes do declare that this was spoken not to the Apostles onelye because the Lorde doth promise his helpe to continue not to the ende of one age onelye but also to the consumation of the worlde His wordes therefore are in effect as if hee should saye How weake soeuer the mynisters of the Gospell be and what neede soeuer of thinges necessary they suffer I wyll be their ayde and defender insomuch that they shall haue the victory ouer all the conflictes of the worlde M. The order of the Historye doth require that wee adde those thinges which the Euangeliste Luke writeth as concerning the Assencion of Christ in the latter ende of his Gospell and in the Actes of the Apostles He sayth therefore And hee led them out into Bethanye C. Because Mathewe had greatlye exalted the kingdom of Christ aboue the whole world hee maketh no mencion of his Assention into Heauen Marke maketh mencion of the Assention but where and how he assended hee speaketh nothinge at all But Luke very plainly setteth forth this matter for hee sayth that Christe led his disciples forth into Bethany that he might assende from the mounte Oliuet into his heauenly throne R. For the Euangeliste Luke saythe in an other place that when the Lorde was assended the Apostels retourned to Hierusalem from the mount Oliuet C. As hee woulde not be seene of all men after his resurrection as wytnesseth Peter so hee would not haue all men to be wytnesses of his assention into heauen because he would haue this mistery of the fayth to be knowen rather by the preaching of the Gospell thā to be seene with the eyes R. But what talke the Apostles had with Christe in the mounte S. Luke wryteth in these wordes saying Lorde wilte thou at this tyme restore the kyngdome of Israell But he said vnto them It is not for you to knowe the tymes and seasons whiche the father hathe put in his owne power It followeth in Marke and Luke So vvhen the Lorde had spokē vnto them he lifted vp his handes and blessed them C. And so he taught them that to blesse which office was committed to the priests vnder the lawe did truely and properly be long vnto him Seing therefore he was the onely authour of all blessing yet to the end his grace might bee the more familiar hee would haue the priests from the beginning to blesse in his name as mediatours So Melchisedech blessed Abraham And for this matter there is a lawe geuen whiche lasteth for euer To the same ende pertaineth that which is written in the Psalmes where it is said We haue wyshed you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lorde And the Apostle saith that it is a signe of excellency to blesse others For the lesse sayth he is blessed of the greater Nowe when Christ the true Melchisedech and the euerlasting prieste declared him selfe it was necessary that the same whiche was shadowed in the figures of the lawe should be fulfilled euen as the Apostell Paule also teacheth that wee are blessed of God the father in him that we may bee ryche in all celestiall benefites Therefore he once blessed the Apostels solemly that the faythfull might come vnto hym if they desyred to be partakers of the grace of god So that he lifting vp his handes and blessing them and theyr ministery declareth by a certain signe that he wysheth vs well that we might receyue consolation by this blessing so longe as the Gospell is preached It followeth And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was taken vp an hie and a cloude receiued him out of their sight into heauē After Christe had done all those things which were appointed to him of his father and whiche pertayned to our saluation it was not nedefull that he should be any longer conuersaunt in earth He therefore being taken vp into heauen hath taken out of our sight the presence of his body not that he seasseth to be present with the faithfull whiche as yet are pylgrymes on the earth but that he might gouerne heauen earth with a more present power The heauens are sayde to be the seate of God who notwithstanding fulfilleth all thinges The heauen therefore into the with our Lord is ascended is the inuisible glory of the father where the sonne of man whiche was before so contemned and reiected of his enemies reigneth for euer in power glory hauinge all thinges subiect vnto hym and fulfilling all thinges in his electe by his holy spirit And wee obtayne two specallye fruites by this assention For in that hee ascended into heauen for oure sakes hee hath opened
awaye for vs to come thyther that the gate may stande open for vs whiche before was shut by reason of synne Furthermore he is an aduocate and intercessor with God for vs as it is said in the Epistle to the Romaynes And sitteth at the right hand of god C. This kynde of speache signifieth that he is taken vp an highe that hee might excell Angels and all other creatures that the father by his hande myghte gouerne the worlde and that before hym euerye knee might bowe C. This similitude is taken of the manner of princes which haue their counsellers and assistentes to whome they geue seuerall offices of gouernement EueÌ„ so Christe is sayde to bee receiued vp to the right hand of the father solemly to receiue possession of the administration committed vnto him and to kepe the same till his comming to iudgemeÌ„t And therfore the Apostel saith The father hath set him on his right hande in heauenly thinges aboue all rule and power and mighte and dominion and aboue euery name that is named not in this worlde only but also in the worlde to come and hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath made hym aboue all things the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnes of him whiche fylleth all in all Therefore this is as much as if he shuld be called Gods vicar whiche taketh vppon him his persone After these thinges the Euangeliste Luke declareth howe the disciples behaue them selues and what they did when the Lorde was taken from them saying And when they had worshipped hym they behelde as he was taken vp an high and a cloude receiued him vp out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly vp to heauen as he went beholde two meÌ„ stoode by them in whyte apparell which also sayde ye men of Galile why stande ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus whiche is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene him go into heauen C. This sentence consisteth of two partes The first is that Iesus is receiued vp into heauen least men any more by a foolysh desire should plucke him down into the earth The seconde is added for a consolation as concerning his seconde comming R. The summe and effecte is that although Christ be nowe taken vp into heauen and will not at this tyme reueale the publique maiestie of his kingdome in this worlde that his excelent treasures might bee perceiued and felte by humane sence yet notwithstanding he ascended not into heauen to dwell there alone and to enioye the celestiall glory alwayes him selfe inuisible and to suffer the worlde after his olde manner to passe from tyme to tyme but rather that hee myght come in his tyme into this worlde visibly with great power to set al thinges in a better order that is to geue vnto the Godly and faithfull euerlastinge felicitie and to the wycked and contemners of the Gospell perpetuall damnation And by these twoo partes ioyned together a strong argument to confute the Papistes and all others whiche affirme that the carnall presence of Christe is ioyned with the signes of bread and wyne may be gathered For when Christe is sayde to bee taken vp into heauen the distance betwene heauen and earth is manifestly noted Wee graunt truely that this worde heauen is diuersly taken some tymes for the ayre some tymes for the whole compas of the Sphere some times for the glorious kingdome of God wheÌ„ as his maiestie hath his proper seate howsoeuer it fulfilleth the worlde For the whiche cause Paule placeth Christe aboue the heauens because he is aboue the worlde and in that mansion place hath the hyghest roume of immortalitie because hee is aboue all Angels of whome he is the head But this letteth not that he should not be absent from vs and that by the name of heauens a separation from the worlde may be signified And how soeuer they cauil it is playne that heauen into the whiche Christe is taken is apposed and sette against the compas of the whole worlde Therefore if he be in heauen as no doubte he is he cannot be in the worlde But first of all we must note the purpose of the Angell that wee maye geue the better iudgement of his wordes The Angels go about to reuoke the disciples from the carnall presence And to this ende they saye that he shall not come agayne vntyll the second tyme which is at the generall iudgement But they thynke that thei haue made a good distinction wheÌ„ they saye that he shall then come in a visible forme but now daily in an inuisible forme But there is no disputation here about the forme onely the Apostels are admonished to suffer Christe to abyde in heauen vntyll the last daye appeare As Peter also admonisheth in an other place sayinge When the tyme of refreshing commeth which we shall haue at the presence of the Lorde wheÌ„ God shall sende him whiche before was preached vnto you that is to wytte Iesus Christe whiche must receiue heauen vntyll the tyme that all thinges whiche God hath spoken by the mouthe of all his holy prophetes since the worlde began he restored againe Therefore according to the commaundemene of the Angell let vs not with our fayned inuencions plucke Christe out of heauen before the tyme but let vs consider that accordinge to the presence of his spirite he is euery where and according to the presence of his fleshe at the right hande of God in heauen For this matter reade the .xxvi. chapiter going before Then retourned they to Hierusalem with great ioye from the mount Oliuete R. Although the Disciples had loste the sight of the Lorde 〈◊〉 they retourne to Hierusalem with great ioye Thei felt then that it was true whiche the Lorde had said namely that it was good for them that he shoulde departe from them in the fleshe Whyle hee was with them in the fleshe they were altogether carnall and sauored nothing but that whiche was fleshelâ—â— but when he departed as touching the fleshe was present with them in the spirite they were wonderfully affected with ioye and began to extoll and magnifie the name of god They obey the commaundement of Christe in going to Hierusalem which said vnto them before But abide ye in Hierusalem vntil ye be indewed with power from aboue It was very daungerous for them to be in Hierusalem among the middest of Christes enemies yet they obey Surely if we waye the circumstances well we shall see that they retourned all moste to present death For howe should they spare the disciples whiche so cruelly put Christ to death But the power of the spirit of Christe filled them with suche ioye and made them obedient to do their office And when they were come in thei weÌ„t vp into a parler where abode both Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrewe Philip and Thomas Bartholomewe and Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus
to Iordane to Iohn that he myght be baptised of him Then came Iesus from Galile B. The preachinge of Iohn the Baptiste being ended the Euāgelist beginneth to preach our lord Iesus the sauiour of the world personally of his own wordes and dedes And first of al he sheweth howe he was baptised not onely with water but also with the spirite was not so much celebrated and put into the flock of Goddes people which was the kingdom of heauē as he was declared by the voice of his father frō aboue to be a teacher kinge of his people kingdome M. Marke saith in those daies whē as Iohn had preached a while and a gret multitude of the people came to be baptised then was it a fyt conueniēt tyme for Christ to be reuealed the hartes of mortal men by the preching of repētance being pricked desiring thirsting after the grace of Christ That he might be baptised of him C. To what ende the son of god wold be baptised we maye somewhat gather of his aunswere folowinge 14. But Iohn forbad him saying I haue nede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to mee But Iahn forbad him M. Iohn denied his office and ministerye to Christe firste in consideration of his maiestie then in consideration of his own imbecillitie and weakenes the which he partly declared when he sayd whose shoose I am not worthye to beare He knewe that Chryste had no neede to be baptized with this baptisme of repentaunce yea rather that he had neede to be baptized of hym he thoughte it was vnworthy and vnmete that the seruant shoulde baptize the lorde and maister of all whiche had no necessitie therevnto By these reasons beinge moued he refused to baptise him I haue nede to be C. It is certaine that Christe was not onely knowne of Iohn to be an excellente prophete as many very fondly imagin but also to be the son of God otherwyse submittinge and surrendring his holy vocation to a mortal man he should haue ben iniuriouse to god But the reader may learn wherby he was knowē vnto Iohn in the first cha of Iohn This was a reasonable cause to refuse and denye seing that Christ had no nede of baptisme but in this Iohn was deceyued that he wayed not howe that Christe dyd not desire baptisme for his owne sake but for other mennes Therefore Christ beddeth hym to consyder what doth belong vnto him that hath taken vpon him the parson of a seruaunte because that willinge subiection dothe derogate nothinge of his glorye and renowne For althoughe Iohn knewe not his owne office and dewely for a tyme yet notwithstandinge his errour doth not let but that he did his duetie both lawfully and duely 15. Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym let it be so nowe For thus it becommeth vs to fulfyll all ryghteousenes Then he suffered him Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vnto E. Our sauiour Christ by these wordes doth not denie the wordes of Iohn to be true when he said I haue nede to be baptized of the. but graunteth the wordes of Iohn to be trew yet neuerthelesse he doth infringe and put away the occasyon of controuersie which arose of those wordes sayinge Let it be so novve for so it becommeth vs to fulfyll all righteousenesse C. By this aunswere of Chryste we may gather why he woulde be baptised because it becommeth vs saith he to fulfyll all righteousenes To fulfil al righteousenes in the scripture is as much to saye as to fulfyll the lawe And so wee may expounde this place that it behoued Christe which willingly submitted hym selfe to the lawe to fulfill the same in al poyntes But better it maye be vnderstande on this maner as if Christe shuld haue sayde Sease and leaue of to speake of my dignitie neyther is it my purpose at this tyme to reason whiche of vs two is the better but rather we must looke what oure vocation requireth and what God the father hath appoynted vnto vs For Chryst vsed this generall baptisme that he might in al poyntes obey the will of his father but he vsed the special baptisme that he might consecrate the same in his owne body that it mighte be common to vs with him Therfore he saith so it behoueth vs to fulfill all righteousenesse as if he shoulde say I muste in all thinges be obediente to my father Thy baptisme is apoynted of the father therefore although I am greter then thou yet it so pleased my father that I should receyue baptisme of thée and shoulde consecrate the same in my bodye that they whiche receyue mée and are in me baptyzed should acknowledge me to be their brother and fellowe heyre Then he suffered hym Here is to be noted the modestie of Iohn whiche by and by geueth place and obeyeth Chryste For he contendeth no farther but hearynge reason that so it became hym to fulfyll all ryghteousenes althoughe before it seemed verye absurde is nowe perswaded and baptizeth Christe Euen so Peter which said Thou shalt neuer washe my feete when he hearde Christ say excepte I wasshe thée thou haste no parte with me by and by he sayde Lorde not onely my fete but my handes and head M. Whereby we are taught that those that erre by ignorance when they know the trueth are easely perswaded 16. And when Iesus was baptized he ascended out of the water and behold the heauens were opened vnto hym and he sawe the spirite of God descēdinge lyke a dooue and lyghtynge vpon him And vvhen Iesus vvas baptized M Now the Euangeliste dothe shewe vnto vs howe Christ was celebrated and authorised after his baptisme And beholde the. C. The openinge of the heauens is sometymes taken for the shewing forth of the glory of the heauens But in this place it is taken for the visible seperation and diuision of the heauens so that Iohn might se somwhat hier then the starry firmamēt where the planettes were But to search farther what this opening of the heauēs meaneth or what it was neyther dothe it parteine to the matter neyther is it necessary because it is sufficiēt to know that this was a signe token of the presence of god Yet where the Euangelistes do saye that Iohn sawe the holye ghost it is lykely that the heauens were open specially for his sake Althoughe it ought not to be denied but that Christ in respect that he was mā was the more assured of his vocation And to this effect do the wordes of Luke seme to serue whiche sayth that when Christe prayed the heauens were open M. But by the openinge of the heauens here specifyed is signified that this is he whiche shulde come from heauen and shoulde teache heauenlye thynges that is he shoulde shewe the wyll of his father to heauenly men For he that is of the earthe speaketh of the earthe but he whiche came from heauen is aboue all Furthermore it is signified that this is hée whiche by his
incarnation and bloud should make agrement betwene humaine things and heauenly thinges as S. Paule wryteth to the Ephesians and Collossians Thirdly it signifieth that he is that same Christ which made vnto vs free passage and recourse to the thron of his grace the gates of heauen beinge by hym broken open To be shorte that whiche was reuealed to Ioseph in the vision of the opening of the heauens and of the ladder that from the earth reached therevnto is declared from aboue by this inauguration and celebration of Christe And he savve C. Namely Iohn because by and by yt foloweth that the spirite descended vpon Christe M. And Iohn hym selfe in an other place saithe I did not knowe hym but he that sente me to baptize with water the same sayd vnto me vpon whom thou shalt se the spirite descende and tary styl on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holye ghost And I sawe bare recorde that the same is he which is the sonne of God. Question C. It may now be demaunded how Iohn coulde se the spiryte We aunswere that for as muche as the spirite of God is dispersed euerye where and fylleth both heauen earth that the descention from heauen is very vnproperly applied vnto it the same we must iudge also as concerning the sight therof For although the holyghost be inuisible by it selfe yet notwithstanding it is said that we se it when as it sheweth any signe of his presence Iohn sawe not the essence of the spirite the which essēce or beinge can not be sene with mannes eies neyther did he se the vertue it self which cannot be comprehended with humaine sence but onely with the intelligence and vnderstandinge of fayth but he sawe the shape of a dooue vnder the which it pleased God to shewe and manifest his spirite Therfore this is a metonymical kinde of speache by the which the name of a spiritual thinge is put for a visible signe For as some very folishly and preposterously do vrge the letter that they might include the thyng in the signe euen so we must wey consider that by these meanes phrases of speaking figuratiuely is noted the coniunction of the thing with the signe Accordinge to this sence meaning the bredde of the sacred and holy supper of the lord is called the body of Christ not because it is so but because it dothe witnesse vnto vs that it is trewely geuen vs to eate Furthermore we must call to mynd that whiche we towched euen nowe that is we must not fayne and imagin the commynge downe of any notable or myralouse thynge that the holye Ghoste should be sought in a signe as though he were included in the same as in a place but we must satisfie content our selues with this that the lorde by his secrete power doth shewe forthe vnto vs by figures whatsoeuer he promysed Descending M. This comming downe of the spirite of God was made for this purpose in a visible shape to descende vpō Christe that the authoritie that he had from aboue might be declared in earth The like came vpon the Apostels when they were sent to preache the Gospell throughout the whole worlde And when the Apostles had layde handes on those that were ready to preache the Gospell the vertue and power of the holy ghoste was geuen to theim by a visible signe which before they had receiued through faith that the churche as yet being rude should be comforted and that by the singuler and visible gift of the spirite they might be appointed to the worke of the mistery and instructed and confirmed in the same Like a doue C. It may be demaunded why the holy ghoste rather appeared in the shape of a doue then in fier The solution of this question doth depende vpon the analogy or similitude of the thinge sealed with the figure We knowe what the Prophete attributeth to Christe when he sayde A broosed reede shall he not breake and the smoking flaxe shal he not quenche he shall not cry neither shall his voyce be harde Because of this gentlenes of Christe by the whiche mildely and louingly he hath brought sinners to the hope of saluation the holy ghost descended vpon him in the likenes of a doue And in this signe is offered vnto vs the manifeste pledge of swete consolation that we should not be afrayde to come vnto Christe whiche came not vnto vs in the fearefull terrible power of the spirite but in the pleasant amiable shewe of his grace M. Also by the same is shewed what Christe would worke in the hartes of the faithfull namely the very same whiche he him selfe saith Be ye innocente as doues Finally by this appearing of the holy ghoste is shewed what this heauenly kyng should be how meke and louing then what behauiour and disposition they should haue whiche should be regenerate by the baptisme of the holy ghost C. Moreouer some more curiously then profitable do seke and demaunde whether this doue were a perfecte and sounde body or only an image and figure of a Doue For although the woordes of Luke do seme to affirme that it was not the substaunce but the shape of a Doue yet notwithstanding we can not appointe any certaintie thereof And comming vpon him M. That is to say vpon Christe Question C. Here it may be demaunded why the spirite did then descēde vpon him when as before he was replenished with the same This question is aunswered with this place of the prophete The spirite of the lorde vpon me therefore he anointed me to preache to the poore he sent me For although Christ did excell in the singuler grace of the spirite euen vntill the myracle yet neuertheles he kept hym selfe at home like a priuate man vntill he was brought forth of his heauenly father Therefore nowe when the dewe time was come in the whiche he should prepare him selfe to accomplishe the office of a redemer he is indewed with the newe power of the spirite and that not for his owne cause so muche as for others For this was done by the prouidence of God that the faithfull might learne to imbrace reuerently his deuine power and that the infirmitie of the fleshe should not be contemptible and despised in him And that was also the cause why he differred his baptisme till that he was thirty yeare olde Baptisme was the beginning of the Gospell therefore he toke it when he began to preache the Gospell For Christe preparing him selfe to preache the Gospell began his office as well by baptisme as by the instruction of the holy ghost The holy ghoste therfore descending vppon Christe appeared vnto Iohn to teache that no carnall or earthly thing was to be foūde in Christ but as a diuine person to come from heauen in whom the fulnes of the spirite raigned We knowe vndoubtedly that he was God manifested in the fleshe yet notwithstanding his heauenly
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
out of those wrytinges whiche were employed and consecrate to the Churche it selfe by holy men whiche bestowed all their labour and study to enlarge the true faith and for that cause they may well be termed Ecclesiasticall wryters Secondly because it appertayneth of dutie to the Churche to knowe the familiar voyce of their spouse who speaketh vnto her sitting in the heauens and that by the helpe of his seruauntes to wytte faithfull ministers who for that same cause are called in the Scriptures the interpretours of Gods wyll and the messengers whiche bryng fidinges of the reconciliation betwene God and man. But we call it Catholike that is vniuersall because it is gathered vniuersally out of all the most appro◅ed deuines And for because welbeloued brethren in Christe you whiche yet grone vnder the yoake o◅◅ntechriste dispersed here and there you desier with ardent affectiōs to knowe those things whiche may guyde you to the perfect vnitie and certaintie of faythe I moste earnestly request you that as the Churches restored to their integritie enioye the sacred sermons lectures communication and publique conference of the selfe same men whiche haue enriched this woorke with their labours so you also vse gladly and cherefully this exposition of the newe Testament that your fayth may haue the better successe and Christes spirite by the reading of the Scriptures may in suche wyse mortefie whatsoeuer concupiscence of the fleshe is remayning in you that we may all speake thinke and vnderstande one thyng being one whole body Flie therefore all peregrine straunge doctrines and geue attentiue eare to the moste swete voyce of that great shepehearde of the shepe Christe Iesus who by his Apostels and Euangelistes teacheth you moste playnly the way to saluation Despise with a stoute courage the forged tales and traditiōs of men by whiche your consciences are snared and imbrace the libertie achieued by Christe and worthely set forth in this newe Testament whereof you haue here an exposition no lesse sounde than playne and euident Not that this interpretation is so perfect absolute in euery point that nothinge may be added thereto pertayning to doctrine and edification for who can examine or interprete any one place of Scripture so happely and dilligently that no man shal be able to expresse the same more playnely or obserue in it somewhat more helping either to teache exhorte or reconcile other places Neither was it my intente to vrge the studentes in holy Scriptures to kepe silence but rather not onely to exhorte all the Godly but also to desier them for Gods sake that if they haue attayned anye thing either by reuelation of the spirite or by the commentaries of other whome we haue not sene to brynge it and make it commen so that it be briefe and fitte to edefie whiche howe necessary it is in serious matters there is none but wyll confesse For ouer and besides the newe bookes whiche come forth dayly whereby this worke might bee enlarged I am fully perswaded that the authours them selues out of whose wrytinges I haue taken this exposition are so farre from ambition and emulation that they desier nothing more than that they to whome the gifte of prophecie is graunted shoulde not defraude the Churche thereof for whose sake they haue receiued that whiche they haue I sought therefore to profite them onely whiche with vpright conscience seke the symple and peculiar sence of the Scriptures leauing vnto the Church whom God endeweth euery day with marueilous giftes libertie to adde according to tyme and place what semeth to belonge to the common edifyinge of the godly as is wont to be done in the holy assembles and metinge where the Godly communing of diuine matters haue libertie to bringe forth or alleage in the middest of the company that whiche they haue receiued of the father of lightes so that if it be reuealed to an other sitting by the firste doth willingly kepe silence as the Apostell commaundeth Nowe as concerning the authours out of whose commentaries or annotation vppon the Gospell after Mathewe this exposition is collected we haue declared their names in the next leafe following And leaste the often repetition of their whole names should trouble the readers we haue signified thē by their first letters although that thing semed once vnto me not greatly necessary if this one admonition of my frēdes had not prouoked me thereto who tolde me that it would fall out that some would reproue me of a lye for because this woorke being intituled a Catholyke exposition collected out of sondrye interpretours should neuertheles appeare to be one discourse neither would they beleue any other except we did note by letters euery particuler mans woordes But where I my selfe did incline to that parte not to discrie the authours names by letters I was led hereby because I feared the disposition of some who being addicted to men do for the moste part measure approue and reiect the interpretations according to the authoritie and estimation of the man rather considering the men than what the holy Ghoste pronounced by them to the common erudition of the Churche Moreouer the readers peraduenture will marueyle that I note so fewe woordes out of some authours but let them vnderstande this that when I finde one that sayth the same that almoste all the reste do whether it be in fewe woordes or many so it be in more playne woordes his woordes I haue chosen yet as it were weauing to or vniting out of other that whiche he had either omitted or lefte vnspoken for one man can not speake of all thinges for want of memory neither is occasion offered If at any tyme a diuers or contrary exposition happen to be founde among the authours I haue so described the same that I haue noted what the reader should followe Neither shall there be founde in this booke a hotche potche of opinions if wee maye so terme it whereby the Reader myght bee troubled not edefied but sounde and true doctrine and the same throughout the whole booke guyding vs to the father and Iesus Christe his sonne Therefore good brethren accepte and according to goodnes and equitie allowe his dilligence whiche together with you wysheth before all thinges the increase of Christes kyngdome and the destruction of Antechriste Do you also your endeuour with earnest ardent zeale to professe Christes Gospell neither as some falsely termed Christians do be you ashamed of it by constant confession whereof the glorious sentence of Christe is onely to be hoped for who shall approue the same before his heauenly father and electe Angels And verely no man is able worthely to commende the excellency and frute of the eternall wysdome of God whiche is opened in the Gospell For the Gospell is The light vvhiche the people that vvalked in darkenes did see and vvhiche sprang vp to them vvhich sate in the region of the shadovve of death It is the kyngdome of God vvhich approched to vs vvhich
might bee discerned from falsehode and lyes For the crafty vvylines of false Apostels is vvell enough knovven vvho being deceitful and subtile vvorkers taking vpon them the name of the Apostels of Christe do easely begyle the simple and suche as take no hede of them as the Apostell Paule in his epistell to the Corinthians declareth M. Therefore to the ende a certainâ—… doctrine as concerning Christ should persiste and continue in the Churche or congregation the holy Ghoste brought to passe that firste of all the natiuitie of Christe his life doctrine death buriall resurrection and assention into heauen beside these the sending forth of the embassage of the Gospell into the vvhole vvorlde the going forvvarde and good successe of the doctrine of the Gospell and Christian faithe the declaration and confirmation of the same by faithful vvitnesses that is to saye holy Euangelistes should in maner of an history beÌ„ coÌ„mitted to vvriting by them vvhiche Euangelistes heard and savve all thinges them selues before their face vvhiche also hauing authoritie and povver of God vvere the first vvhiche vvere sent and appointed to the preaching of the Gospell throughout the vvhole vvorlde To this vse ende and purpose the foure Euangelistes haue vvrytten the history of Christe among vvhome C onely Luke maketh a preface to his Gospell vvhiche he vvryteth briefely shevvyng the cause vvhiche moued him to vvryte as euidently you may see if you reade the same B. As touching the interpretation of this vvorde Gospell it being taken from the Greeke vvorde signifieth good or glad tidinges The vvhiche vvorde the three score and tenne interpretours vsed so often as they founde the Hebrevve vvorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bisser vvhiche signifieth to tell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besora tidinges being the deriuatiue of the same and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meuasser telling The Apostels and Euangelistes vsed this vvoorde very muche after them The Euangeliste Luke citing the place of the Prophete Esaye vsed this vvoorde To preache the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me Therefore the Gospell shal be vnto vs a publique or open setting foorth and preaching of the grace and redemptioÌ„ purchased and gotten by Christe as concerning the vvhiche redemption there are infinite testimonies of holy Scripture C Or els the Gospell is a history conteining the glad tidinges of the comming of Christe in the fleshe being sent of the Father accordinge to his promises in the lavve Prophetes and Psalmes In the vvhiche history the lyfe specially of Christe his doctrine death resurrection and assention is declared beside these the fruite of his comming is therein declared namely that by him vve are deliuered from the Deuell sinne and death and that vve are sanctified and assured of euerlasting lyfe B. As therefore the Gospell in the Scripture is properly a declaration of the long loked for saluation and at the lengthe reuealed and offered by Christe euen so our Euangeliste Mathevve as the reste Marke Luke and Iohn hath very cunningly and artificially vvritten in his Gospell the history of the Lorde by the vvhiche he declareth both his vvoordes and dedes in order A. But vvho this Mathevve vvas vvhose vvorke in the nevve TestameÌ„t hath the first rome M and from vvhat state of life he vvas called of Christe and aduaunced by him to the dignitie of an Apostle he of himselfe as vve shall heare hereafter declareth In the meane tyme vve must thinke and assure our selues that the holy Ghoste vvas and is the true authour of this history and that Mathevv vvas only the instrumeÌ„t or secretary to the same vvho leauing his pouling kinde of lyfe is become not onely a companion and disciple but also an Apostell and Euangeliste of Christe from vvhome all thinges in the vvorlde that are good do flovve as from the lyuely and celestiall vvell of grace A GODLY AND CATHOLIKE EXPOSITION OF THE HOLY Gospell of Iesu Christ after Mathevv The fyrst Chapiter The booke of the generation of Iesu Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham The booke of the generation C. IN VAYNE do certaine interpretours trauel about this titel or inscription to make excuse because the Euangelist Mathew doth name the whole history of the halfe of one chapter For this titel is not exteÌ„ded to the whole booke but the name of the booke is put for a Cataloge or rehersall as if it had ben saide here foloweth the order of the generation of Christ B. Euen as we maye reade in Genesis This is the boke of the generatioÌ„ of meÌ„ In the which place the Hebrew worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sepher which coÌ„meth of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saphar that is he hath nombred rehersed or declared For there foloweth the Cataloge or rehersal of men from Adam vntyll Noah with a discription of whoÌ„ and what tyme euery one had his ofspringe and originall Or els the booke of the generation signifieth that in the which somwhat is rehersed or nombred M. whervpon we reade that the booke of the Iust the booke of God in the whiche the Iust are written is so called B. This name therfore perteineth properly to the Cataloge and to the history A. And although the Euangelist goeth about to shew that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the true Messias promised long before in the lawe and Prophetes and loked for of the fathers B. Yet notwithstanding he wolde begyn the Gospell of Christ with the basenes of his generation sekinge to bring in all the sorrowes traueiles and paines of his life euen till the power glory and maiestie of his resurrection and kingdome in the which he sittinge at the right hande of God gouerneth all thinges that as Christ suffered many thynges and so entered into the glory of his kingdome and as he dyd fyrst abase hym selfe and became man a seruant also and humbled him selfe to the death of the crosse euen so he myght preache Christ vnto vs to be a mortal maÌ„ and crucified before that he was mortal and rayned gloriously in his kyngdome and so by the folishenes of preachinge to bringe saluation to the faythfull A The Euangelist Iohn more plainly euen at the fyrst preacheth the maiestie of Christ B. teaching him to be the eternall worde of the father and that deuine power and vertue by the which all thynges were made lyue moue consist feele vnderstand But our Euangelist Mathewe thought it sufficient to shewe briefely as it were in one word the diuinitie of Christe wrytinge thus The booke of the generation of Chryste And where as he calleth Iesus whiche was thought to be a carpenter and the sonne of a carpenter Chryst being that king which was long loked for promysed to the fathers he hath already shewed a sufficient cause and reason of so doinge to those that knowe the force of this name The sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham C. He calleth Chryst the son of Dauid and AbrahaÌ„ in respecte of
Edom is called a wyldernes where as it is well knowen that it was in those dayes muche inhabited Also certayne wryters haue sayde that Heluetia was barren without people dwelling therin and that the whole land was called the desert of the HeluetiaÌ„s otherwise Swisers Furthermore th inheritaÌ„ce of the tribe of Iuda is said to haue sixe cities and their villages in the wyldernes Wherfore we may not thinke that Iohn gat him quite out of the coÌ„pany of men as the Heremites seme to do in these dais who dwel leade their liues in solitary woodes but for so muche as his fathers house was in the mouÌ„taines of Iury peraduenture he went a litle into the desert that is through the woodes towards Iordan 2 And saying Repent the kingdome of heauen is at hand And saying repent In this our EuaÌ„gelist differeth here froÌ„ thother two Marke Luke that he in the persone of Iohn sheweth the some of his doctrine but they with their own wordes Although Marke hath more then Luke by one word for he saith he came baptizing preaching the baptim of repentauÌ„ce But in the very thing it selfe they agrée very well in one because all men do ioyne repentaunce with remissio of sinnes as we shal sée by by The wordes of Iohn coÌ„siste of two partes For first he teacheth what we must do theÌ„ he sheweth the reasone why it ought to be done He biddeth repent because the kingdom of heuen is at hande E. The Greke woorde for the which we reade repent is said of vnderstanding the thing which followeth wheÌ„ as one hauing offended doth marke and waye his offence Wherefore the Greke worde MetanoiÌ„a or repentaunce is not only referred to the mind of man but to the worke amendement of life to the whole coÌ„uersioÌ„ of maÌ„ which Peter plainly declareth when he saith Repent you conuert that your sinnes may be done away For that whiche followeth is a declaration of that whiche went before For the kingdoÌ„ of heauen is at hand A. We haue shewed the remissioÌ„ of sinnes is ioyned with repentaunce in the preaching of Iohn that which this reasoÌ„ following doth approue C. For the kingdome of heauen among men is nothing els but a restoring to the blessed happy life so it is the true and euerlasting felicitie Therefore when Iohn sayd the kingdom of heauen drewe neare he ment that those men that were alienate from the righteousnes of God were banished from the kingdom of heauen that they were again to be gathered vnto God that they might liue vnder his haÌ„d But frée adoptioÌ„ forgeuenes of sinnes bringeth this thing to passe by the which he doth recoÌ„cile those that are vnworthy to him self To be shâ—â— the kingdom of heauen is nothing els but a neâ—…nes of life by the which God doth restore vnto vs a hope of euerlasting blessednes For he doth chaleÌ„ge vs to him self being taken froÌ„ the bondage seruitude of sin death that we being pilgrimes vpoÌ„ earth may possesse at length by faith a celestial and heaueÌ„ly life And although we be like vnto dead men yet we knowe are assured that our life is in safetie so long as it is hid in Christ From hence as from the fountaine the exhortation to repentance is brought Neither doth Iohn say repeÌ„t and so by this meanes the kingdome of God shal approche straight way but first he doth propounde set before them the grace of God then be doth exhorte men to repeÌ„t Wherby it doth appere that the foundation of repentaunce is the mercy of God by the which he doth restore those that are lost Neither doth Marke Luke say that he preached remission of sinnes in any other sence For repentauÌ„ce is not placed first as some very ignoraÌ„tly fain as though that were the cause of the remission of sinnes or that it should preueÌ„t God that he might be fauorable vnto vs but men are coÌ„maunded to repente that they may taste of the grace profered vnto them the reconciliation also But as by order the frée loue of God doth go before by the which he doth receiue imbrace vnto him miserable men not imputing their sinnes vnto them euen so we must note that we haue remission of sinnes in Christ not the God doth by his suffraÌ„ce allowe theÌ„ but rather that he may cure deliuer vs from sinne Neither truly can any man taste of the grace of God without he hate abhorre sinne vice But it is conuenient to waye coÌ„sider so much as pertaineth to the sence meaning of this present place that the whole Gospel doth coÌ„sist of two partes of remission of sinnes repentaunce But for so much as Math. did note signifie the first part by the kingdom of heauen we may therby gather that there is deadly warre and contentioÌ„ betwene God maÌ„ that we are quite banished out of the kingdom of heauen vntil he receyue vs againe into his grace fauour B. Therefore very shorte are the woordes of Iohn yet they conteyne the somme of the whole preaching of the Gospell Wherefore both Christ and his apostles haue begonne their Gospell in these woordes And although Iohn propounding the grace of God doth exhorte men to repentaunce yet for all that we must waye and note that this grace is no lesse the gifte of God than is the heritage of euerlasting lyfe For as he doth frely forgeue vs our synnes and doth by his mercy and goodnes deliuer vs from the gulffe and pitte of euerlasting death so he doth make and fashion vs like vnto him selfe that we may lyue to righteousnes euen as he doth adopte vs to be his sonnes euen so he doth regenerate vs with his holy spirite that our life may testifie and witnesse howe that not in vayne we call him father And no lesse doth Christe quicken vs to righteousnes if that we crucifie our olde man vtterly abolishe the whole body of sinne lurking in our fleshe then he doth put away our sinnes by his bloud appeaseth the wrath of his father by the sacrifice of his death Notwithstanding this is the somme of the Gospel that our sinnes being wiped away God doth imbrace vs in his sonne Christe that we denying our selues and our owne nature may leade a godly and holy life and so in earth haue our mindes altogether fixed in heauen 3 For this is he of whome the prophete Esay spake saiyng The voyce of a crier in the wyldernes prepare ye the waye of the lord and make his pathes straighte For this is he of vvhom the prophet M. The auncient latine wrytings haue VVhiche is called by Esaie and so hath the Greke texte also But by Marke and Luke they seeme to be the woordes of the EuaÌ„gelistes M. Some notwithstaÌ„ding referre it to Iohn him self geuing a reason of that whiche he spake of the
is wrytten thou shalte not tempte thy lorde thy God. Iesus sayde to him M. Here our sauioure Christe doth very well set and compare Scripture to Scripture not to deny the Scripture whiche Sathan broughte as though it were false but rather to reiect the whiche he falsely applied out of the scripture saying Throwe thy selfe downe Although the Greke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so placed that it may be referred to both He sayde agayne or againe it is wrytten Furthermore sometime it signifieth an itteration sometyme a contrarietie If it be referred to this woorde sayde it signifieth an itteration for he aunswered before once but if it be referred to this woorde it is wrytten it signifieth then a contrarietie As if he should haue sayde on the contrary parte it is wrytten that he might set scripture against his scripture not that he woulde deny the same as it was sayde euen now but that he might resiste the temptation of Sathan by the testimony of scripture Thou shalt not tempte B. This place is in the booke of Deutronomie where as Moyses doth warne the Israelites not to tempte the lorde as they did in that place whiche was called Massa and Meriba that is temptation For there when they thyrsted thei would proue whether there were a God amōg them or no saying Is there a God amonge vs or not C. Moste aptly therefore dothe Christe aunswere that the helpe whiche God promysed there is no otherwyse to be hoped for then if the faythfull modestly committe them selues to hym to be gouerned For we can no otherwyse assaye the promyses of God then if we obeye his commaundementes But for so muche as God is tempted by many kyndes of meanes in this place he is sayde to be tempted when we forsake the ordinary meanes whiche are before oure eyes And they whiche forsakinge the meanes that God dothe commende wyll trye the power and strength of God do euen as if one should cut of a mans armes and his handes and after bedde hym set them on agayne and go worke Or as if a man hauing his limmes should lye styll in the ditche and yet desyre God to helpe hym out To be shorte whosoeuer seketh to trie the deuine power whereas there is no necessitie he tempteth God makyng his promyses to none effecte M. So the Iewes tempted Christe saying What signe doest thou showe that we may sée and beleue thée What workest thou Our fathers did eate Manna c. And in an other place when as somme of them tempting hym required a signe from heauē But this place which our sauiour Christe alleageth was spoken of Moyses plurally as thus see that ye tempte not the lorde your God as ye did in the temptatiō Yet he toke no more then that which should serue for his purpose leauing out that whiche followed as ye tempted in the temptation because that did appertayne to the chyldren of Israell 8 Agayne the deuell toke him vp into an exceading hyghe mountayne and shewed hym all the kyngdomes of the worlde and the glory thereof Againe the deuell toke him M. By the two former temptatiōs the tempter nothing preuayled For Christe neyther gaue place to the honger nor to the subtill wresting of the Scripture amisse Therefore nowe the enemy taketh another kynde of temptation in hande And shevved him all the kingdomes of the vvorld C. This truly was a vision yet we must note that it was not made by the imbicillitie and weakenes of the nature of Christe that Sathan shoulde staye his eyes but rather by voluntary dispensation and sufferaunce Furthermore his sences were so pleasauntly touched and styrred with the kyngdomes of the worlde set before him that his mynde was nothyng at all therwith touched When as the lustes of the fleshe as wylde and vntamed beastes are caried headlong to those things that seme pleasaunt vnto vs For Christe had the lyke sence and felinge that we haue but not his desyers and appetite so vnruly and out of square Nothing therefore is saide here to be vnworthy of Christe although he were God nor nothing secrete vnto hym For it was necessary that his diuinitie for a tyme shold be hidde that he myghte bee subiecte to temptations 9 And he sayth vnto him all these wyll I geue thee if thou wylt fall downe and worship me And he sayde vnto him all these C. The order of this temptation was that Christe should seke for the enheritaunce whiche God had promysed to his sonnes from some other then of God hym selfe then being delighted with the pompe of the worlde might submitte him selfe to Sathan with the whiche temptations we are daily assalted And here the theuishe boldenes of Sathan in stealing of holy thinges doth shewe it selfe in that he vsurpeth the kingdom of the earth to him selfe whiche pertaineth vnto god A. As more plainly by the wordes of Luke appereth where he saith I wyll geue thee all this power and the glory thereof because they are geuen vnto me to whom I wyll I geue them C. And we with the same deceite must haue no lesse contention daily the whiche all the faithfull do fele in them selues and is more plainly perceiued in the whole life of the wicked For although we repose all oure strength and defence all our riches and proffit in the blessing of God yet neuerthelesse our sences do prouoke and allure vs to seke for the helpes of Sathan as though God alone were not sufficient For the chiefe parte of the world taking away from God the empyre and rule of the earth do perswade them selues that Sathan is the geuer of all good thinges Whereby it commeth to passe that they are addicte and geuen to euell practyses to rapyne and to all kynde of deceites Thei truly with their mouth desier God to geue them their dayly breade but no farther then with their mouthe because they make Sathan the chiefe in distributing the ryches of the whole worlde M. Moreouer the byshop of Rome doth immitate this lie of Sathan which saith that the power and empire both of heauen and earth is geuen vnto him that also he hath by ryght the dispensation of kyngdomes and that by his liberalitie it came to passe that the empire came to the Germanes If thou vvilt fall dovvne and vvorship C. This is the spirite whiche frō that time requireth to haue deuine honor of mortal mē in the which because of his pride he was cast downe from heauen into the inferior partes He prescribeth this condition to his subiectes to whō he promiseth earthly power and glory that they may worship him And this was the chiefest cause of worshiping of deuels that therby they were promysed to haue the kingdome rule of this worlde 10 Then sayde Iesus vnto him auoyde Sathan for it is wrytten thou shalt worship the lord thy God and hym only shalt thou serue Then saide Iesus vnto him B. As in the former temptations so euen
to vs mercy calleth vs to the deniynge of our fleshe 18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he sawe two bretherne Simon whose syr name was Peter and Andrew his brother castinge their nettes into the sea for they were fysshers As Iesus vvalked M Here the Euangelist in fewe wordes toucheth the callinge of certaine of his disciples C. But because this history is placed by Luke after the two miracles which we shal se anon it grewe to a common opinion that the miracle which he declareth was shewed within shorte tyme after they were called by Christ to be his disciples but the reason which moueth them thus to think is of small force For it was not the Euangelistes intente and shooteanker to make by a sure distincte order of times a yerely cronicle Whereby it commeth to passe that the order of dayes beynge neglected they thought it sufficient orderly to gather the speciall actes déedes of Chryste They had a consideration of yeres that it might be apparante to the readers how Christ performed his race during three yeres from the beginning of his preachinge vntill the tyme of his deathe but those miracles that happened at that time they sette together at theyr pleasure as shal apere hereafter by more examples But nowe it is manifeste and playne by many argumentes that this same history is shewed of Marke Luke which is here declared of Mathew amōg whiche argumentes let this one suffice the contentiouse reader that these three with one consent at length do teach that Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn were made Apostelles If they were called before it shuld follow that they were Apostatas whiche forsaking theyr master and despising their calling retorne to theyr former kinde of life This is only the difference betwene Luke and the other two that he onely reciteth the myracle which they omitted But this is no vnwonted thing to the Euangelistes to touche one part of an acte and to pretermyt many of the circumstances Wherefore it is no absurditie if we say that two pretermitted the miracle whiche one reherseth And we must not be vnmindful of that which Iohn saith that among the innumerable myracles of Christe there was a speciall parte chosen which shuld serue suffice to the confirmation of our faythe and to the probation of his deuine power No maruaile at all therefore if Mathewe and Marke do not so at large shewe the calling of the foure Apostels as Luke who taketh in hande to shewe the occasion of their callinge as there at full we maye reade Symon vvhose syrname A. To this Peter Christ sayd thou shalt be called Cephas whiche by interpretation signifiethe Peter Also Marke hath whom he named Peter and Luke hath in like maner the same woordes That we might vnderstand that this Apostle had a peculiar name geuen hym of Christ to signifie vnto vs that a constant faith and confession is requisite to be in vs or ells of a rocke he obteyned his name Thou arte Peter and vppon this rocke I wyll buylde my church And Andrevv his brother Of this Andrew reade the first of Iohn Castinge theyr nettes for they vvere fysshers E. The Greeke worde doth not signifie a fysher of the fyshe but of the sea Here we may see what maner of men the lord called to the ministery of his woorde C. Dull ideotes they were trewely that he chose whiche were not onely rude of wytt but also voyde of learning whom he so garnished and renued with his holy spirite that they excelled all the wyse men of the worlde So it pleased hym to abase and beate downe the pryde of the fleshe and to geue a wonderful shewe of spirituall grace in their person that we might learn to craue and begge the light of faythe from heauen knowing that by our owne industry and labour it wyl begotten M. Wherefore Paule saithe to the Corinthes Behold your calling brethern how that not many wyse after the fleshe not many mightye not many of hye degree are called but God hath chosen the folishe thynges of the worlde to confounde the wyse because noo fleshe shoulde reioyce in his sighte Agayne in the actes When they sawe the boldenes of Peter and Iohn and vnderstoode that they were vnlearned and laye men they marueyled and they knewe them that they had ben with Iesus and beholdyng also the man that was healed they could not say agaynst it Beholde here the aduersaries of Christ beinge learned wise and mighty are amased and confounded at the doinges of symple men neyther cā they finde any thinge to gainesaye them But because when he chose those that were vnlearned and rude he did it not to leaue such behinde him alwayes we can not at this daye take it for an example to chose and ordeyne suche pastors and mynisters into the churche as muste after their election go to schole to learne to do their duetie We are not ignorant of the rule prescribed by the mouthe of Paule who commaundeth to ordeyne none but such are apt to teache Neyther trewely did Christ chose such as thoughe he dyd preferre ignorance before learninge as certain franticke and mad men perswade them selues reioysing in their ignorāce thinkinge the more ignorant that they are the liker to be to the apostells No God would in the beginnynge electe and choose contemptible and symple men to beate downe their pride which thought that heauen was not open vnto vnlearned men but he adioyned Paule a cōpanion to fisher men whiche was diligently instructed and brought vp euen from his childhode 19. And he saith vnto them followe me and I will make you fisshers of men And he sayth vnto them B. Here is the saiinge of the prophete Osee fulfilled They shall walke after the lorde And Ieremy saiyng Ye shal call me father onely and not shrinke from me And I vvyll make you fisshers M. The Apostels are not called to preache out of hand but that in trauailinge abroade with the lorde they should be herers and seers of all those thinges which he spake and did For as yet they were rude and ignorant of deuine thinges and therfore fyrst they wer to be instructed framed to the same purpose C. But althoughe it perteyne not to the purpose to make any long disputation or inquisition about the reason of the metaphor because it was taken of a thinge present notwithstanding very aptly it was aplied of our sauiour Christ to fysshing when as the matter was as concerning the preaching of the Gospel because that men being strayers wanderers in this worlde are gathered together by the Gospell as in the vaste and cōfused sea But the historie of the which Iohn maketh mention in his fyrst chapt dyffereth from this as may easelye be gathered by the order of the texte 20. And they strait wayes leauing theyr nettes followed him C. Fyrst of all here apereth the greate force
contempte of the woorde of God and that Religion myght not altogether be despysed and of no reputation amonge the vnlearned But the defence of Christ with the which he dothe purge his doctrine oughte to animate and incourage vs If we at this daye haue the lyke reproche and false accusations layde against vs. This cryme also was layde againste Paule sayinge that he was an Apostata contrary to the lawe of god Wherefore it is no marueyle if the Papistes in like sorte falsely accuse vs and rayle against vs. But by the example of Christe we must reiecte all false accusations and not regarde them notwithstanding we muste frely professe the truthe although it be subiect to false sclaunders B. But here this woorde Lavve is taken for the doctrine ordeined for the institution of lyfe by the wyll of god Wherfore immediatly the lorde dothe adde to the Lawe the Prophets also saying I am not come to destroye the Lawe and the Prophetes that so he might more plainely declare what he ment by the Lawe namely the doctrine and institution of life which the Prophetes shewed and declared also It is certaine therefore whatsoeuer thinges are written in the Lawe do appertayne to this ende namely to call the minde of man to the perfecte and true righeousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared to all good woorkes The whiche also the lorde signifieth when after the exhortation to the lighte of good workes and the necessitie of fulfillinge the lawe he addeth that therfore he came to fulfill the same And so we vnderstand by the Lawe and the Prophetes the doctrine of God comprehended in the holy scriptures by the whiche men are instructed to liue righteously and godly in this present world whiche is comprehēded in this that we trust in God that we feare and loue him with all our mynde to the whiche our elders added and appointes the Lawes of sacrifices and of other ceremonies of the tabernacle Furthermore that we loue our neighbour as our selfe to the whiche was added ciuile Lawes Laste of all that we vse those thinges cōtinently and comly with modestie which the necessitie of the body requireth to the whiche also appertaineth whatsoeuer is cōmaunded for the cleannes and comlines of bodies to the which are added certaine externall purifiynges To destroie M. The Lawe is destroyed or broken when that it is made voyde of none effecte by false expositions traditions of men or els when as men do violate and breake the preceptes thereof either by the imbecillitie weakenes of the fleshe or els by a wicked contemptuous minde But here he vnderstandeth the destroying of the Lawe after the first māner namely by false expositiōs A. To breake the Lawe and to destroy the lawe are all one as appeareth by the saying of Christe in Iohn If a man on the Saboth daye receiue circumcision without breaking of the lawe of Moyses disdayne ye at me because I haue made a man whole on the Saboth day No I came not to destroye C. God truly had promised a new league by the cōming of Christ but he had shewed also that it shoulde littell differ from the first but rather this to be the end that he would obserue kepe the league whiche he made with his euen from the beginning I wil wryte saith he my Lawes in their hartes I will forget their sinnes By these woordes he doth not so departe from his former league that he woulde deny his laste to be firme and sure when the newe succeded And this is the meaning of the woordes of Christe when he saide I came not to destroy but to fulfil the Lawe For truly he fulfilled it in quickning the dead letter with his spirite thē shewing the same in dede whiche was declared vnder figures signes Therfore in respect of doctrine we must imagine no abrogation of the Lawe in the comming of Christe For seing that it is an euerlasting rule to lyue well and godly by it must be immutable euen as there is one only permanente righteousnes of God which is cōprehended therin As touchinge ceremonies although they may be thoughte improper and not pertayning to the Lawe notwithstanding they wer only abrogated in vse but the signification abideth still Wherefore the comming of Christe did detracte nothing no not from ceremonies but rather the truthe of shadowes being declared it doth bring great cōfirmation vnto them when we beholding the true effecte do perceiue that they are not vayne and vnprofitable Let vs learne therefore to kepe this holy bonde and knot of the Lawe and the Gospell inuiolable the whiche many do breake amis and very fondly M. Christe fulfilled the Lawe and the Prophetes first by his comming in the fleshe when as he fulfilled those thinges whiche are written in the Lawe and the Prophetes as concerning his kyngdome and the redemption of mankynde promysed longe before Of the whiche Luke speaketh in his .xxiiij. chap. Therefore as saint Paule saythe Christ is the fulfilling of the Lawe to all them that beleue Do we then destroye the Lawe through faythe God forbidde but we rather mayntaine the Lawe 18 For truly I saye vnto you tyl heauen and earth passe one iot or one title of the Lawe shall not escape till all be fulfilled For truly I saye vnto you Bu. Although that whiche was spoken of before was made manifest enough yet for all that it is more strongely confirmed agayne by the mouth of the lorde For he vseth a moste vehement othe and confirmation saying For truly I saye vnto you Truly is a worde peculier to the Hebrewes confirming and wytnessing the truthe for this cause it is so often repeted of the lorde And the Apostell Paule saythe All the promyses of God by Christe are yea and are in hym amē vnto the lande of god Whiche is as if he shoulde haue sayde all the promyses of God are sure and certaine by Christe Tyll heauen and earth passe Luke in woordes somwhat differeth but in sence he very well agreeth saying It is easier for heauen and earth to perishe then for one iot or titell of the Lawe to fayle For the holy ghoste would teache by both places that there was nothing so fyrme and stable in the whole worlde as the truthe of the lawe that truly in euery pointe Some very subtilly dally with this woorde Vntill As though the vanishing of heauen and earth whiche shal be at the last daye of iudgement shoulde bringe an ende to the Lawe and the Prophetes And truly euen as then tounges shall cease and prophecies shal be taken awaye euen so we thinke that the Lawe written with the exposition of the same shall cease But because Christe spake more symply suche intisementes being set to allure this shal be sufficient for vs to note that heauen shal perishe and the whole worlde shall decaye before the stabilitie and strength of
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
the lawe of charitie dothe require that we being strengthened by the power of the holy ghoste may in strining ouercome all affectiōs that are cōtrary against vs Christ here doth set forth vnto vs certaine degrées to obserue namely to loue with our harte to blesse with our mouth and to do good with our dedes These thinges he requireth of vs but to what ende namely 45 That ye may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his Sunne to arise on the euell and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniuste That ye may be C. When as Christ doth plainly pronounce that none can be the sonnes of God but they which loue their enemies who dare saye that we nede not of necessitie obserue this doctrine For his wordes are thus in effecte Whosoeuer will be a Christian let him loue his enemies And yet for all this suche horrible libertie haue our Monkes geuē to the people that they durste boldely saye that this was the counsell of Christe not his commaundement M. Christe saith not your enemies are worthy which ye loue For thei proue you for your proffite and they are the instrumentes of God prouing your faith and pacience For here the fleshe might drawe backe persuade vs that they are euell which trie vs and that they do it of hatred and that therefore they are worthy to be hated agayne What saythe Christe therefore That ye may be saythe he the sonnes of your father C. By the whiche wordes he doth set God before vs as ensample to followe as though that whiche he doth became vs also For he striketh and punisheth the vnthankefull and often tymes doth roote the wycked and vngodly out of the worlde in the which pointe he doth not set him before vs to followe and immitate because the iudgemente of the worlde doth not belonge vnto vs whiche is only proper to him but he would haue vs followers of his fatherly goodnes and liberalitie The whiche thing not onely the prophane Philosophers sawe but also certaine wicked and vngodlye men whiche were despisers of godlines could confesse and saye We are in nothinge more like vnto God then in weldoynge In fine Christe doth here shewe a note token of our adoption if we be good and beneficiall to vnworthy and euell persones M. Not that he meaneth that we by doing these thinges are the sonnes of God C. But because the same spirite whiche is a witnes a seale and earneste of our adoption doth correcte the euell affections of the fleshe whiche resiste charitie Christ of the effecte proueth that no other are the sonnes of God but they whiche declare the same seale and token by gentlenes mekenes pacience and liberalitie M. As if he should haue sayd by doing these thinges ye shal shew and declare your selues to be the sonnes of the highest As Luke saith This therfore is the accustomed maner of speaking in the scripture to put in the place and stede of a reward the free mercies of God when he seaketh to animate and incourage vs to do wel And the reason is this because he hath respecte to what ende we were called namely that the Image of God beinge repayred in vs we shoulde leade a holy and a godly lyfe VVhiche is in heauen This is not added in vaine For thereby he sheweth that this earthly natiuitie by the which we are in the fleshe must be denied and the eies of our mindes must be erected and lifted vp to heauenly thynges in the whiche we haue suche parte and fellowship that we should neuer forget to be of an heauenly nature For he maketh his Sunne to arise M. Some reade it thus Whiche suffereth his Sūne to arise but a great deale better they reade it whiche saie He maketh his Sunne to arise For it is more imperfect to saie he suffereth his Sunne because it fulfilleth not the deuine prouidence and goodnes whiche Christ setteth before vs here But Christ here reherseth two testimonies of the benefites of God whiche are not onely well knowen vnto vs but also commen to all men As the sunne whiche shineth vpon all the world as the rayne which falleth vpon the face of the whole earth as lyfe also which he geueth as well to beastes as to men as well to the good as to the wicked Let therefore the exāple of your father saith he moue you whiche is mercifull to all men He is no iudge now but in the fulnes of tyme he wyll iudge the whole world Now his benefites and giftes are extēded both to the godly vngodly this he dothe to allure all men to goodnes to the cōsideratiō of his merciful liberalitie To the godly all thynges happen for the beste but the wycked in prosperitie are hardened thinke them selues in their wickednes to be acceptable vnto God. 46 For if ye loue those which loue you what rewarde haue ye Do not the publicanes euen so also For if ye loue Bu. Now by a comparison Christe sheweth playnely that men do not according to their dignitie and profession if they loue them only of whome they are beloued and do good only to thē of whome they receiue benefite agayne VVhat revvarde haue ye M. The Iewes hoped for a great rewarde in keping the lawe But the Phariseis did so expounde this that thei thought no loue to be commaunded but the loue of their frendes Of this fonde imagination and doctrine what absurditie followeth Christ by this place plainly declareth If so be saithe he that you wil only loue your frendes that is to saye those which loue you what rewarde can ye hope for For he whiche loueth his frēde or louer doth bestowe loue for loue good tourne for good tourne According to the prouerbe Manus manum fricat one good tourn requireth another Which in dede deserueth neither thanke prayse nor rewarde before God. Do not the publicans euen so C. In the same sence Luke putteth sinners that is wicked vngodly persons not that the office it selfe is damnable For the Publicanes were receiuers of custome or tribute for as princes of their authoritie right appointe tribute to be payde so is it lawful for others whom they shall appointe to require it But because this kind of men was wont to be couetous yea gredy and cruel Further they were cōdemned because they were coūted of the Iewes vniust ministers of tyranny Bu. To be short they were euell spoken of amonge the people neither were they counted or regarded among honest citizens but rather were called common troublers the wormes mothes of the people and robbers and poulers Whereupon Iohn the Baptiste when they came to his baptime sayde Require no more then that whiche is appointed vnto you For if any man gather by the wordes of Christ that Publicanes are the worste sorte of men they are deceiued because he speaketh after the
their ennemie most vigilant and crafty agaynst them and because they haue their cōuersation in heauen they are as yet subiecte to the hate mischife of the worlde and because they obey the spirite the fleshe is disobedient vnto them draweth thē to wicked things so that not without cause we are taught here to pray And leade vs not into temptatiō but delyuer vs frō euil C But this word tēptation is in the scriptures often times taken generally for euery kinde of tryall probation In the which sence Abrahā is said to be temted of God when his faith was tried So we are oftē times tried as wel in aduersitie as prosperitie because by this occasion the affections of men are manifest which before were not known But here is noted the internal temptation whiche may wel be called the deuils bellowes to kindel our cōcupiscēce for it were an absurd thing to aske of God to pray hym that we may be frée from al documentes instructions of our faith Therefore all wicked motiōs which cause vs to sinne are comprehēded vnder the name of tēptation Although it cannot be but that we must féele such prickes motions in our minde because al our life time we haue a cōtinual battel with the flesh notwithstanding we desire of god that he wil not suffer vs to be subiect or leade vs to tēptation And to the ende Christ might the better expresse to how great fall ruyne we are subiecte except god of his mercy stay vs with his hand he vsed this maner of speach And leade vs not into temptation For it is certain that euery man is tempted of his own concupiscence as S. Iames saith but because God dothe not onely geue sathan libertie to kindell in vs the fier of concupiscēce but also vseth him as a minister of his Ire so often as he purposeth to destroy men he him self also by his own meanes leadeth to tēptation In the which sence the euill spirite of God is saide to come vpon Saule and to the same effect do many places of scripture tende yet notwithstāding we may not cal God the aucthour of euyl because although he geue ouer men into a reprobate sence yet he vseth not vpon thē tyranny but his iust secrete iudgement But deliuer vs from euyl C. By this name of euill whether we vnderstād the deuil or sinne it maketh no matter Sathā truely is that enemie which seketh cōtinually whom he may deuour the armoure wherwith he is prepared to destroy vs is sin The ende therefore of our prayer is that we be not ouercome with temptatiōs but that we may stand by the power of the lorde agaynst al the force of Sathan and that we beinge protected and gouerned vnder the shadow of his wings may tryumphe ouer sinne deathe hel gates and al the kingdome of the deuyl which is to be deliuered from euyll For thine is the kingdome C. It is meruayle that this clause so wel agreing with the rest was pretermitted of the Latines Neyther was this therefore added onely that he might kyndel our hartes to desire the glorye of God and to shewe vs what the scope and ende of our prayers oughte to be but also to teache vs that the praiers which are here declared vnto vs ar groūded vpon none other then God onely lest we woulde truste to our owne merytes For although nowe we be most miserable although we be of al creatures most vnworthy and althoughe we be voide of al commendation yet for al that we shal neuer want occasion to pray oure faith cannot decrease because all kingedome dominion power and glory perteyneth vnto hym and can neuer be taken from hym M. Firste therefore we attribute this vnto God that his is the kingdome By this woorde kingdome is vnderstode al right and power of raigning of rulinge of gouerninge protectynge and defendinge The povver This is added that we should not thinke the kyngdome of God to be weake and voyde of force and mighte and that we shuld not thynke it to be for wante of power that he dothe not reuenge hym selfe of theim whiche acknowledge not his kingdome What power therefore so euer there be in any place it parteyneth not vnto the creature but vnto God. And the glory That is magnificence and the honour of al things The which if any man vnderstande of the dewe praise glory of god it shal be al one to say thou only art to be honored praysed and glorified For euer and euer M. This is added that we might acknowledge the kingdom of god our father to be perpetual his power infinite and his glorye euerlastinge The which things the prophete comprehēdeth after this sorte sayinge All thy workes praise thée O lord thy saintes geue thākes vnto thée They shewe the glory of thy kingdome talke of thy power that thy power thy glory mightines of thy kingdome mighte be known vnto men Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kyngdome thy dominion indureth throughout al ages Amen C. By this word the feruente desier to obteine those thynges which we aske of God is expressed our hope is confirmed that those thinges which we aske are granted vnto vs because of the promyses of God whiche can not be broken M. This is an Hebrew word hauing a signification of a certaintie and truth And this word is vsed two maner of waies First to expresse the affection desire of him that praieth And here is required the consent of the minde that which consent truely they haue not which pray without the minde or marke not the which is spoken of others As concernynge the which reade the. 14. of S. Paule in his 1. epis to the Corin. The other is that we declare that we do not only wishe that the thing may com to passe which is spokē but also that we know certainly that it will come to passe In this sence a sure vndoubted Faith is required Thus Christ him selfe oftē times said ▪ Amen Amē dico vobis Verely verelye I saye vnto you This word amen being said our conscience is pacified and so we ende our prayer 14. For if ye forgeue men their trespasses your heauenly father shall also Bu. By a certaine repetition or relation here he retourneth to the whiche he spake euen now saying And forgeue vs oure debtes as we forgeue our debters C. And doth teach vs that god wil not be intreated of vs except we likewyse do forgeue thē which by any meanes do hurte vs And surely except we be harder then stele or stony flint this exhortatiō ought to mollifie vs to make vs tractable to remit our offenders Except God should forgeue the manifold sinns that we daily cōmit we know that we shold perishe many waies truely god dothe forgeue vs vpon no other conditiō then that we likewyse forgeue our brethren in whatsoeuer they offended vs They therefore which wil not forgeue
men As this he that speaketh what he will shall heare that which he wold not Also the saying of Homere As thou speakest so art thou spokē to againe Christe addeth also another prouerbe And vvith vvhat measure ye meate E. As if he shoulde saye if you backebyte many and do iniury thou shalt be sure to haue reproche of many to be iniuried againe 3 VVhy seest thou a moate in thy brothers eie and perceiuest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Bu. Here by an allegory he doth more plainly expresse his mynde C. And dothe nominate the vice with the which hypocrites are commonly polluted For when as like vnto hawkes they can prie and beholde other mens faultes and that not only seuerely but also tragically they can amplifie and depainte them they reiecte their owne faultes be hynde them According to the saying of Ouide we see not the wallet the hangeth behinde at our backes Christe therfore reprehendeth bothe these euels namely to much promptnes in beholding other mēs faultes which ariseth for wāt of charitie the wilfull negligence also in the hiding cloking our own faultes Bu. Let euery man therfore take hede that he amende that vice in him self which he reproueth in an other specially when he goeth about to reprehend a small faulte hauing a greater him selfe raigning in him As the wyse man Cato saith It is a foule thinge in the correctour when his owne faulte shall reproue him 4 Or why saiest thou to thy brother suffer me to plucke out the moate out of thyne eie and beholde a beame is in thine owne eie M. Christ noteth here the presumption of impudent hypocrisie which should be lesse if that the hypocrite could be cōtent only to note in his minde his neighbours offence But because he bursteth out is not afraid opēly to reprehende his brother face to face neglecting his own faltes far greater he is inexcusable worthy to be cōdēned of impudēcy 5. Hipocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eie and then shalt thou see clerely to pluck out the moate that is in thy brothers eie Hypocrite A. By a figure called apostrophe he doth inuay against the hypocrites that truely very sharpely For the disease of hypocrisy is almost incurable M. For he which is infected with this is only at this point that he would seme to be suche a one to other which in dede he is not Hypocrisy doth so blynde a man that either he séeth not that which pertaineth to him self or at least he thinketh the other mē do not se or regard it in the meane tyme he reprehendeth others faltes although very smal to this ende that he might seme to abhorre vice to be a louer of righteousnes a folower of the same And then shalt thou see Bu. By the moate he vnderstandeth smale offences by the beame greater offences whiche often tymes are hydden in men M. Here we maye note that it is not in vayne that Christe at other tymes was moste meke and gentle towarde the Publicanes and synners and that he noteth this kynde of men with the reprochefull name of hypocrites It is not in vayne I saye for he dothe it to shewe that the whole and only destruction of these men is because they do not knowe them selues what they are And therefore it is very necessary that suche should be called as they are to the ende they maye amende whiche may be the cause why the lorde did so name them in dyuers places as when he sayde You hypocrites well prophecied Esaie the Prophete of you and so forth Yea often tymes very earnestly he called them hypocrytes If therefore we meane to esschewe and auoyde this so execrable a vyce let euery one of vs fyrst enquyre of our owne faultes proper and domestical then let vs take vpon vs to iudge of other men yet not with a desyre to calumniate and hurte but of brotherly loue and affection lynked with the bonde of charitie to reduce hym that goeth out of the way For the whiche matter reade the second Chapiter of saint Paule to the Romains and the thirde Chapiter of saint Iames. 6 Geue not that whiche is holye to dogges neyther caste ye your pearles before swyne leaste they treade them vnder their feete and the other tourning againe all to rente you Geue not that vvhiche is holy to dogges M. How these thinges are by order vnited to that whiche goeth before many diligently labour to vnderstande not weying that al thinges are not wrytten of the Euangelistes orderly as Christe spake them but those thinges whiche they remembred they committed to wryting haue made as it were a cōfused mixture of many matters specially of such as are sufficient to our saluation C. But Christe here admonisheth the apostels and vnder their persone all those whiche are teachers of the Gospell that they preserue and kepe the treasure of the heauēly wisdom only for the sonnes of God and that they do not bestow the same vpō vnworthy persons and prophane contemners of god M. By this worde holy he doth very wel teache them howe religiously they ought to administer the misteries of the kyngdome of heauen as men that knowe howe those things whiche were sanctified in the lawe were not cōmunicated to euery one C. But here ariseth a questiō For afterward he commaunded them to preache the Gospell to all creatures generally And Paule saithe that his preaching was to the reprobate the sauore of death vnto death For there is nothinge that shal be a surer testimony against the vnfaithful then the word of God because by the preaching therof they shal be voide of all excuse It is aunswered thus Because the ministers of the Gospell whosoeuer are called to the office of teaching cannot discerne betwene the sonnes of God and hogges it is their partes without respecte to offer the doctrine of saluation to all For although in the beginning they see many dull and vnapte to be taughte yet for all that charitie forbiddeth to reiect them and to counte them incurable For we must note this that Christe calleth dogges and hogges not all that are impure men and voyde of the feare of God and true pietie but such as by sure tokēs do declare that obstinate cōtempt of God whereby the disease may appeare incurable In an other place Christe setteth dogges against the children of God when he saith It is not good to take the childrēs bread and caste it to dogges But here he vnderstandeth thē to be dogges hogges whiche being contemners of God do admitte no medicine Hereby it dothe appeare howe thei do wreste the woordes of Christe amisse whiche thinke that he restraineth the doctrine of the Gospell only to suche as are apte to receiue the same There were two causes why Christ forbad the Gospell to be preached to the obstinate contemners of the same For it is a manifest prophanation of
straungers and foriners should be of the housholde and heyres of the kingdome of heauen And not onely that but this that the couenaunt and league of saluation should by and by be publyshed that the whole worlde myght growe into one body of the churche when he saythe that the Gentyles which should come to the faythe shoulde bee partakers of the same saluation with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Bu. They reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen whiche being partakers of the promises of God which he made with the holy fathers do at the lengthe possesse the kingdome of heauen with them beinge made the sonnes of God coheyres with Christe and fellowes with the sainctes C. To be briefe this senteÌ„ce is as much as if he should haue saide they shall haue the same life Wherby certainly we may gather that the same sauing health which is exhibited vnto vs in Christ was exhibited in times paste vnto the fathers Neyther should the kingdome be common to all except there were but one faith which is the onely meane to obtaine the same The same manner of speaking the lorde vsed to his Apostles when he sayde I apointe vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye maye eate drinke at my table in the kingdome 12 But the children of the kingdom shal be cast out into vtter darkenes there shal be weping and gnashing of teeth But the children of the. M. This is the other matter which we saide Christ had here in hande namely of the reiecting of the Iewes C. But it may be demaunded how Christe calleth them the children of the kingdome whiche were nothing lesse theÌ„ the sonnes of Abraham For truely they whiche are alienate from the faythe ought not to be numbred in the flocke of Christ It may be aunswered that although they were not truly of the flock of Christ notwithstaÌ„ding because thei had a roume in the flocke or churche he grauÌ„teth this title vnto them Furthermore we muste note that the couenaunt and promyse of God was of such force so long as it stode in the sede of Abraham that properly the inheritauÌ„ce of the kingdom of heauen did pertaine vnto them at the least in respect of God him selfe then as yet they were holy braunches of the holy roote And truely that deniall or forsakinge whiche afterward folowed dothe sufficiently declare that they were then accoumpted of the housholde of god M. Therefore because the promises of the kingdome the testameÌ„t did properly pertain vnto the Iewes they ar worthely called the soÌ„nes of the kingdoÌ„ Of this matter Paul doth dispute at large in his epistle to the Romaynes C. Secondly we muste note that Christe dothe not speake of euery one but of the whole nation This truely was farre harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it mighte seme scarse tollerable for the Gentiles to be planted knytte and vnited to the same body by frée adoption with the posteritie of Abraham Notwithstanding Christe pronounceth that they shal be vnited to the end God might admitte straungers into the bosome of Abraham and denye the chyldren B. that the laste may be firste and the fyrste last M. So that it is not to be thoughte that the Lorde woulde haue all the Iewyshe chyldren of the kyngdome to be caste out but he hathe selected and chosen to hym selfe certayne of them as saynt Paule wryteth to the Romaynes Euen as we may not thinke that all the Gentiles shal be saued but that the chosen of God shal be gathered from amonge them Into vtter darkenes C. There is a secrete antithesis in this woorde vtter darkenes for Christe dothe signifie that out of his kyngdome whiche is the kyngdome of lyghte there reigneth nothynge but darkenes For the Scriptures when they make mencion of darkenes do signifie metaphorically a horrible kynde of payne whiche the tongue of man in this lyfe cannot expresse nor the harte imagine Bu. So that by these greuous threatenynges Christe went not about to dismaye the Iewes or to brynge them into dispayre but rather to drawe them out of the myre and puddell of incredulitie and to wynne the Gentiles vnto hym who came to saue bothe the Iewe and the Gentyle There shal be vvepynge M. This is a Metaphor by the whiche he compareth that vnhappy state and condition of the damned to captiues sytting in a dongeon or darke place full of horror and feare who are constrayned by an euell conscience feare of the iudgement to come to wepe wayle mourne gnashe their teethe And thus thought he good to set foorthe the tormentes of damned soules 13 And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion go thy waye and as thou beleuest â—…o shall it be vnto thee And his seruaunt was healed in the selfe same hower And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion M. Nowe the Lorde aunswerynge the Centurion graunteth him his petitioÌ„ as if he should say be of good chere and quiet thy minde For go thy waye in this place hath such signification Neyther is this a symple commaundement to go vnto his owne whiche shoulde cary with it ambition but it is an assent or agreinge to that whiche was demaunded So Dauid consentinge to the woman of Thecoa sayd go home to thy house I wyll geue a charge for thee So we reade that Christ did often tymes sende awaye the afflicted after they had obtayned consolation at his handes saying go in peace and be whole from thy plague And in another place he saythe go thy sonne lyueth And as thou beleuest so shall Bu. In fewe woordes euidently he declareth the efficacy of faythe Faythe bryngeth to passe and is the cause that we receyue that by the power operation of the holy ghoste whiche we beleue of the woorde of god The Centurion beleued that the Lorde coulde heale his seruaunte lying sycke therefore the lorde healed hym C. Hereby it appeareth howe louingly our Sauioure Christe poureth out his grace if he may haue the vessell of fayth open vnto hym For although oure Sauioure Christe speaketh vnto the Centurion notwithstanding there is no doubte but that by his example he woulde haue vs all to haue the lyke faythe Moreouer we are here taught what is the cause that God dothe oftentymes reiecte oure prayers surely our incredulitie and vnbeliefe Wherefore if in faythe we come vnto hym we maye be sure our prayers shal be harde So shall it be vnto thee M. These woordes do not onely expresse and set forth the goodnes of Christe but also his omnipotency by the whiche he hathe in his wyll and power lyfe and death healthe and syckenesse yea onely with his assente he restored this seruaunte whiche was euen nowe at the poynte of deathe to healthe and lyfe He saythe not go thy waye I wyll praye vnto my father for thee or for thy seruaunte but he saythe go thy waye be it vnto thee according to thy faythe
and may be taken for either of them But as touching the matter God to the ende he might bynde vs as it were to his wyll doth shewe euen as with his finger him whome he wyll sende and to this ende pertayneth this worde of demonstration beholde The lyke reason is in the Epithetes or tytels followyng in the whiche he calleth hym his seruaunt and his chosen in whome his soule delighteth For whereupon cōmeth it to passe that men dare presume to measure Christe by their reason and sence but only because they consider not that their redemption dependeth vppon the mere grace of god But this is to wicked and grosse a libertie That whē God offereth vnto vs his incomparable treasure we esteme and make pryce of the same according to our fleshely skyll Also he is called a seruaunt by excellency not as one among a common multitude or as cōmon seruauntes are but as suche a one to whome God hathe committed the charge of his churche or congregatiō and the redemption of mankynde And because no man which vsurpeth honour to hym selfe is worthy of honour but he whiche is truely called to the same God pronounceth that his sonne Christe is thereunto called and chosen by his heauēly and euerlasting decrée and councell Therefore he saythe VVhome I haue chosen Whereupon it followeth that it is not mete for men to reiecte hym whom God hath chosē And truely it were to absurde and voyde of all reason that the holy and inuiolable vocation of God should be frustrate and of none effecte at our will and pleasure M. He sayde therefore to be the elect and chosen of God not in respecte that he is a sonne but a seruaunt sente into this worlde for our redemption Therefore the Prophetes vsed to call Christe the electe and chosen of god And the hyghe priestes mockynge hym sayde if he be Christe the chosen of God let hym saue hym selfe Also saynt Peter saythe If so be that ye haue tasted howe gracious the lorde is to whome ye come as a liuinge stone disalowed of men but chosen of God. My beloued This is not redde in the Hebrewe texte In vvhome my soule delighteth C. Where as God addeth that the pleasure of his soule resteth in Christe it cōtayneth more matter in it then can well be perceiued at the firste sighte For although the vocation and calling of vs all dothe sprynge from the frée fauoure and grace of God as from a lyuelye well Notwithstandynge this is synguler in Christe because in his persone God the father comprehendeth the whole churche with his loue For in that we are al enemies vnto God by nature his loue can neuer come vnto vs except it beginne first at the heade as shal be declared in the seuententh chapter followyng M. There is no firme sure and perfect loue to be founde in no creature no not in the Aungels in heauen but in Christe him selfe alone I vvyll put my spirite vpon hym M. Christe in respecte of his humanitie was appointed and cōsecrated with the grace of the holy ghoste before he executed the office for the whiche he was sent Bu. He being baptized sawe the spirite of God descending and resting vpon him of the which Iohn the Baptist was warned before by these wordes He whiche sente me to baptize with water sayde vnto me vpon whome soeuer thou sest the spirite of God descending and restinge the same is he whiche baptizeth wyth the holy Ghoste So were Moyses Samuel and Dauid consecrated So were Elias and Elizeus the Prophetes consecrated also There is all so yet another reason for the which Christ is sayd to be endewed with the holy ghost as we wyll declare anone And he shall shevve iudgement to the Gentyles C. The Prophete here sheweth briefely the office of Christ which was to declare iudgement to the Gentyles But by the name of iudgement is comprehēded the state of the Iewes where equitie right florished Therefore these wordes are in effect as if the Prophete should haue sayd that he shall come which shall restore the righteousnes that is decaied that he shal be the moderator guyde not of one people only but shall bring also the Gētiles vnder the rule gouernemēt of God amōg whome before there was nothinge but vaste rude ignoraunt behauiour And this truly was the office of Christ to spread the kingdome of God which was shut vp in a corner of Iury throughtout the whole worlde as it is said in another place The lorde shall sende the rodde of thy power out of Syon A. In this place therefore the calling of the Gētyles is prophecied Also the manner howe iudgement shall be declared is expressed because God hath endewed Christe with his holy spirite whiche spirite Christe receiued of his father to powre vppon all those that are his For he teacheth vs not by a voyce or by wrytinge onely but by the grace of his holy spirite he frameth the hartes of men inwardly to the obseruing and keping the true and perfecte rule of righteousnes And without the operation of the same spirite in our hartes we are not able to performe any thing that is good 19 He shall not stryue nor crye neyther shall any man heare his voyce in the streates M. This is spoken of the mekenes and modestie of Christe the whiche he kepte vnto the ende and with the whiche he ouercame all his enemies C. For there shal be no suche māner of shouting cries and tumultes about his kingdome as is in the worlde Neyther shall his kyngdome consiste of pompe and violence but it shall be humble and base in the sighte of the worlde Yea by this place the Euāgeliste sheweth that Christe shoulde not reigne violently constrayninge men with force to be subiecte vnto hym but rather mekely with longe sufferaunce forbearing all men 20 A broused Reede shall he not breake and smokynge Flaxe shall hee not quenche till he sende foorthe iudgement vnto victory A broused Reede M. By these twoo sayings the Euāgelist declareth that Christ shall rather helpe our infirmitie then reiecte our weakenes and imbecillitie The Prophete also by these woordes setteth foorthe the wonderfull clemency and mekenes of the Lorde in that hee brake not the afflycted beynge as broused quilles or Reedes but rather comforted erected and strengthened them Also the smookynge Flaxe whiche was almoste extinguyshed he put not oute but kyndeled and gaue more lyghte vnto the same that it myght clerely burne He despysed not the Publicanes and sinners but soughte rather by all meanes to saue them There was nothynge so weake so broused and so muche quenched that hee strengthened not that hee made not whole that hee kyndeled not agayne with his holy spirite M. All the whiche thynges tende to this ende that the mekenes and clemency of Christe might be amiable vnto vs which is despysed in the worlde And truely the foolishenes of men is to be meruailed at that they
darkenesse And let all those which are endued with fayth and which knowe their owne blyndnesse learne to attribute that vnto god which belongeth vnto hym M. This sentence agreeth with that whiche we hearde euen nowe in the eleuenthe chapiter where it was sayde No man knoweth the sonne but the father And Christ in an other place sayth Euery one whiche hath heard and learned of the father commeth vnto me By the whiche woordes he plainely declareth that saith is the gyft of God lest we shoulde attribute any thinge to oure owne wit and strength To be short lest we shold impute that to our selues whiche is proper to God. M. Furthermore wée learne hereby the faith is not a thynge of so small waight that it should be common to all men when as we here in this place that it cōmeth to none but to such to whom it shal please the father to geue it There are many truely whiche deny not this faythe with the mouth but confesse the same but from whence did they receiue it Surely not from the father whiche is not the father of all men but onely of the elect but it came from fleshe and bloudde that is from the institution of the parentes of whom theye haue receiued the same as a certaine opinion and because they haue receiued the same of men and not of God therefore they haue neither receyued the same trewly neyther haue they it aright neyther are they blessed in deede neyther can they be sayde iustely to beleue Wherefore wee speake not of these nor of theyr faythe when we teache that faith dothe iustifye a man and bringe hym to saluation and blessednes but we speake of those which as they are chosen so they receyue from God this reuelation of faithe being liuely and of force Wherupon I wishe that euery man wolde beware that he seduce not him selfe but that he proue and trye from whence he hath receyued his fayth In the meane tyme we muste here take hede that we reiect not the vse of preaching the Gospell because of the fathers reuelation The father truely reuealeth his sonne by the holy ghoste the whiche is therefore called the spirite of reuelation But yet that spirite vseth the ministerie of the woorde Whereupon the Apostels are called the ministers of the spirite As apereth in the epistelles of S. Paule to the Corinthians and Galathians VVhiche is in heauen A. Hereby wee gather that the preachynge of the Gospell whiche concernethe and belongeth onely to Christ and a christian mannes faithe is not of man but of the father in heuen 18 And I saye also vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my cōgregation And the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And I say vnto thee M. Because that Peter by his confession gaue the due honor vnto Christe Nowe Christ also after he had confirmed this confession shewethe what he iudgeth of him and also what accompte his father maketh of him for this confession Thou arte Peter Bu. The lord promised that he would geue this name vnto Peter as may appere by the wordes of Iohn sayinge Andrewe found his brother Symon fyrst and sayth vnto him we haue founde Messias whiche is by interpretation annoynted and brought him to Iesus And Iesus behelde hym and saide thou arte Symon the sonne of Ionas thou shalt be called Cephas whiche is by interpretation Peter Now the lorde confirmeth that whiche he had promysed because he woulde not seeme to haue geuen him the name before in vaine and because the liuely stone might still abide fyrme in the temple of god B. He is called Peter of this worde Petra For although Peter and Petra differ nothing with the Greekes and bothe of thē signifie a stone yet notwithstandyng it is certayne that the Euangelist ment to signifie some diuersitie otherwyse there was no neede of varietie Therefore the name of Peter was deriued of the primitiue Petra a stone As if he should haue saide I promised that thou shouldest be called Peter now I geue thee the name and wyll haue thée so syrnamed because thou art indued with that fayth whiche beinge lyke to an vnmouable stone shall neuer fall but shal abide firme and sure C. Althoughe this is extended to all the faithfull whiche are the temples of God being knit together in fayth are made one temple yet notwithstanding the singuler excellēcie of Peter is noted among the rest euen as euerye one in his order receyueth either more or lesse according to the measure of the geuing of Chryste Christ therfore commendeth Symon for the firmenes of his faythe by the whiche many other of the Iewes erring in the knowledge of Christe he firmely stoode in the truethe whiche he had learned by the deuyne reuelation of God. And vpon this rocke I vvyll buylde my congregation B. That is to saye vppon this thy firme confession by the whiche thou doest acknowledge and beleue me to be Chryste the sonne of the liuing God I wil builde my churche that is all those whiche I meane to acknowledge and take for my churche flocke and famylie wyll I indewe by my spirite with the like faythe for I wyll seeke to teache and instructe thē in this by my ministers For as the Apostell Paule saith He hath appointed some to be Apostelles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Pastors and teachers to the edifyinge of the sainctes to the woorke and ministration euen to the edyfyinge of the body of Christ c. And the edifyinge of God consistethe in faith as the same Apostell Paule testifieth That whiche our Euangelist Matthewe calleth here a Rocke the Apostell Paule calleth a foundation saying An other foundation can no man laye then it that is layed which is Iesus Chryst And in an other place Now therefore ye are not strangers and forreners but Cittezens with the saynctes and of the housholde of God and are builte vppon the foundation of the Apostels and Prophetes Iesus Christ him selfe being the headde corner stone c. This woorde of edifyinge or building is very familiar to Christ and the Apostels contrary to the whiche is destroying C. But by this place it dothe appere howe the name of Peter doth belonge bothe to the name of Symon also to all other that are faithfull because al they that are builded vppon the fayth of Christ are made by holy consent vnitie into a spirituall building that God may dwell in the middest of them For Christe declaring that this shoulde be the common foundation of the churche ment to gather and brynge all that to Peter which should in the world belong to all the Godly as if he shoulde haue saide Ye are nowe truely a small nomber of men and therefore this your confessiō hath small dignitie at this time but shortely the time wil come when the nomber shal increase and be greatly enlarged And this was of no small force to animate
in a base contemned person C. Luke saith that this was done when he praied But by the circumstance of the place and tyme we gather that which we saide euē nowe namely that he praied that there mighte be a visible sighte or shewe of his deitie in the brightnes of a newe forme the which thing he obtayned not because it was necessary that he shoulde pray for that which he wāted him selfe or because the wyll of his father was doubtful but because in humillitie he referred all that he did to his father and would by his exaumple incourage vs to praye And his face did shine C. Luke hath And it came to passe as he praied the fashion of his face was altered Yet notwithstāding this transformatiō did not set forth Christ to be seene of the disciples according to the glory which he hath nowe in heauen but he gaue them a tast of exceding glory accordinge as they were able to cōprehend the same His face dyd then shine as the sonne but now it dothe far excede the son in brightnesse A strange and vnwonted brightnesse shone then in his apparell but nowe his deuine maiestie shineth without apparel in his whole body So God appered in tyme paste to the holy fathers not as hee was in hym selfe but as they were able to abyde the beames of his excedinge brightnesse M. But whereas Christ was transeformed frō the forme of humillitie into that heauenly deuine shape it was a manifest token that the state in the which he was then was not eternal but mutable and subiecte to chaunge not that the substance of his body was subiecte to trasmutation and chaunge in so muche that the veritie of his humaine fleshe shoulde be turned into the veritie of the spirite God forbid but that there should be a trāsmutation of the humaine condition fragillitie his manhode abidinge styll M. But where as he was transformed while hee was at praier it sheweth howe wee are trāsformed into God when we are praying for the which cause we ought to be the more earnest to pray Herupō it came to passe that the fathers holy men were so often times in minde rapte caryed into heauen As Peter the Apostel of Chryst Daniell to whome an Angell appered when he was in prayer declarynge vnto hym thinges to come Cornellius who in praier sawe an Angell And Paule who as he praied saw Ananias in a vision laiing his hād on him Also the same Paule testifieth of him selfe thus When I was come againe to Hierusalē and praied in the temple I was in a traunce and sawe hym saying vnto me make hast and get the quickely out of Hierusalem for they wyll not receiue thy witnes Hereby we gather that they are most farre from the company and fellowship of God of the heauenly spirites whiche are neuer ledde by the feruencye of the mynde to prayer And his clothes vvere as vvhite as C. It is not mete that any man should dispute or reason subtilly about the whitenes of his apparell or of the brightnes of his countenance seing that this was not a perfecte declaration of his heauenly glory but a signe which did onely pertaine to the measure capacitie of flesh M. For as darknes is assigned by Christ to the kingdom of Sathā and externall darckenes to the condemnation also of the wicked for the horror which they shall suffer euen so an excedinge light inspeakeable brightnes is ascribed to the kingedome of God for the glory and pleasure whiche the electe shall haue The iuste saithe our sauiour Christ shal shine as the sonne in the glory of their father As the light E. It is red in a certayne auncient Greeke boke As the snowe and the Euangeliste Marke saith also thus And his raymente dyd shine became very white euē as snow so white as no fuller cā make vpō the earth 3 And beholde there appered vnto thē Moyses and Helias talking with thē And beholde there appered B. No doubt this apperinge and talke of Moyses and Helias dyd make very muche to the declaration of the kingdome of Christ Notwithstandynge it is demaunded whether they were truely present or whether that a figure or shewe onely of them was set before the face of the disciples euen as vysions of thinges absent were sette before the Prophetes Althoughe the matter be so probable that bothe partes may haue good occasion to dispute yet notwithstādinge it is more lykely that they were truely brought into that place Neyther is it any absurditie at all to say seinge that God hath both body soule in his hād power that the dead for a time may be restored to life according to his will. Moyses and Helias dyd not rise vnto thē selues at that tyme but they rose at the will cōmandement of God to be presēt for the time with Christ Againe Question if any demaund how the Apostels knew Moyses Helias whō they neuer sawe it may easely be answered that whē God had set them in the midst before them he gaue thē signes tokens by the which they might be knowne vnto them This truely was done by an extraordinary maner of reuelation that they might certainely knowe Moyses Helias Question But why did these two rather thē any other of the saintes apere Surely that reasō ought to satisfie vs to say that the lawe the Prophetes had no other scope or ende then Christe For it was a great aide helpe to our faythe the Christe came not forth without testimony but was cōmēded of God long before B. Therfore in Moyses the lawe and in Helias the Prophetes are represented M. For althoughe Helias left nothinge writtē behinde him yet notwithstanding after Moyses he was the chiefe excelled all men He restored the polluted law of God to perfectiō yea he was an excellent meintainer setter forth of true godlynes pietie whiche was then almost extinguished C. The talk therfore of Moyses Helias with Christ is the agrement of the lawe and Prophetes with Christe For it behoued the Apostels to be confirmed perswaded that it was no newe doctrine or religion which Christe preached vnto thē but the same wherof the lawe and prophetes beare witnes for excepte they had ben perswaded in this that Christ did not teache any thing contrary to the law and prophets they had euer doubted neither had they ben able with a constante minde to preache the Gospell We haue therfore here a notable seale of our faith when we know that the doctrine of christ is not newely sprong vp as some imagine but of long cōtinuance Talking vvith them A. Onely Luke sheweth for what cause they talked with Christ in these wordes That appered in the maiestie and spake of his departinge whiche he should ende at Hierusalem M. He calleth the death of Christe a departinge or a going out namely of this worlde So in
harken onely to his voyce And in dede what can we aske or loke for at the handes of men when the woorde of lyfe it selfe is familiarly and openly reuealed It is meete that all mennes mouthes be stopped all tongues scilent after that he hath spoken in whom the heuenly father hath placed the treasure and richesse of all wisedome and knowledge And trewely hee spake euen as it became the wysedome and Messias of God to speake that is he so set forthe his wyll that hee lefte nothing to others to speake as concerning the augmenting of the same Wherefore to the ende he might kepe vs in his doctrine hee maketh the deuices inuentions of men to faile Hee sendeth forthe teachers dayly but suche whiche purely and faithfully teache and set forth that whiche they learned of hym and not which corrupt the Gospel with theyr additiōs Therfore the authoritie of Christ is not diminished when that the office of teaching is cōmitted and graunted vnto the ministers of the woord For Pastors are so ordeyned that they maye gouerne the Churche in the name of Christe not withstandinge so that Christ remaineth still the onely pastor Hee is therefore to be hearde not because he descended from heauen but he must be heard in his word by his mynisters For we are commanded to proue the spirites whether they be of God or no but this profe triall must be had by the woorde of God after this maner we shall alwayes heare Christ Christ the onely teacher and master was hearde euen frō the beginning and must be hearde to the ende of the worlde if we seke to obey the wyl of the father We al graunte that Christ is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour and the spouse of the Church but where Christ should be heard alone there some refuse to geue this glory vnto Christe that he should be hearde alone and takē for the onely teacher They obiecte this place He which heareth you heareth me which sentence was spoken to the Apostelles to the mynisters and preachers of the Gospell First let them shew that they are the ministers of Christe bringinge with them the Gospell then shall that sentence pertayne vnto theim Let them suffer vs to heare the voyce of Christe and then shall we at the length heare him speakinge in them To be shorte there is no faythfull teacher of the Churche but he whiche is the disciple of Christ and offereth others vnto hym to be taughte 6 And when the Disciples hearde these thinges they fell on theyr faces and were sore afrayde And vvhen the Disciples C. God wold haue his disciples stricken with this terror to the ende the vision myghte be the better printed in theyr myndes In the meane tyme we do see howe greate the infirmytie of our nature is which so greatly feareth at the hearing of Goddes voyce For where as the wicked do eyther mock and deryde the same or elles carelesly neglect it it commeth herupon to passe because God dothe not by force compell and constraine them but it is necessary that the maiestie of God so soone as we do feele the same do deiecte and cast vs downe M. For the voice of God is terrible vnto fleshe for how should it not be a terrible thinge to a mortall and earthely man to heare from heauen the voyce of the immortal and omnipotent God full of maiestie And this is that whiche the Israelites spake vnto Moyses If we heare the voyce of the lorde our God any more we shall dye for what fleshe hath it ben that euer hearde the voyce of the liuinge God speakinge out of the middest of the fier as we haue done yet lyue Therefore we must laye aside that which is carnall in vs that we may haue that which is spiritual and come into the parfect felowshyp of God For this cause God talked to vs by his sonne and Apostels and speaketh dayly by other ministers 7 And Iesus came and towched thē and saide Arise and be not afraide And Iesus came C. Christe executeth his duetie in erecting those that lie prostrate For therefore hee came downe vnto vs that hee beinge the captaine and guide the faythfull might come without feare into the presence of God and maketh his maiestie that it semeth not terrible vnto them whiche otherwise wolde consume and destroy all fleshe Moreouer he doth not onely comforte his disciples with his woord but also confirmeth them by towchinge A. to the ende he mighte driue all feare frō them Be not afrayde M. As if he shoulde say This voyce whiche you heard is not the voyce of an angery God but of him that is well pleased A there is no cause therfore why ye should feare M. So that Christe in this place dothe interprete his fathers mynde and dothe comforte the dismayed myndes of mortal men whiche oughte also to bringe great consolation vnto vs. 8. And when they had lift vp their eies they sawe no man saue Iesus onely And vvhen they had lifte vp M. After this vision after the voice of God was heard and after the greate feare Christ is onely lefte vnto them C that they myght be taughte that a temporall glorye dyd pertayne to the lawe and the prophetes that Christ might remayne onely cleare and euident M. For Christ is the ende of the lawe and all the Prophetes Therfore if we wyll vse the workes of Moyses aright let vs not cleaue vnto them but let vs seke that by them we may be led by the hande as it were vnto Chryste whose mynisters Moyses and al others are Furthermore wee heare not nowe any more the voyce of the father oute of the clowde because hee spake once to the end we might euer after heare the voice of his sonne C. So long as we are terrified by the maiestie of God our mindes wander and go astray and are busied aboute men But we haue onely respecte vnto Christ when we haue any taste of the grace or mercy of God who alwaies must be prayed vnto that all respect and regarde of creatures may vanishe away This place also may be applied agaynste them and to condemne their superstytions whiche so mingle Christ not onely with the Apostelles and Prophetes but also with al the company of saynctes that he rather seemeth to be one of them than Christ or the annoynted sonne of God. 9 And when they came down from the mountaine Iesus charged them sayinge shewe the vision to no man vntyll the sonne of man be rysen againe from the deade And vvhen they came M. Christ wold haue the Vision published but not tyl the cōuenient and due tyme came namely after his resurrection At the whiche tyme his deuyne power openlye declaringe it selfe that temporall viewe and sighte of his glory begā to take place that it might be certaynely known that when he was most abased yet the glory of his deitie abode fyrme and sounde although it were hyd from
right that pertaineth vnto him to his father but rather to the ende he might bringe the greatter maiestie to his woorde For as in the syxtene chapter goinge before hee went not about to stablishe euery doctrine but that onelye whiche came out of his mouth Euen so in this place he saith not that al iudgemēt shall be firme and stable but that iudgemente onely whiche procedeth from his members whereof he is the headde Wherupon it followeth that men are in no poynte preiudiciall vnto God when they pronounce nothing but that whiche commeth out of his mouthe and do onely seeke to execute that faithfully whiche he commaundeth For althoughe Christ be the onelye iudge of the whole worlde yet notwithstanding he wyl haue the ministers of his woorde to be proclaymers of his Iustice and the Churche also to set forth his iudgement And so it commeth to passe that he derogateth nothing from hym selfe in vsyng the ministery of mē but byndethe and lowseth him selfe notwithstandinge Bu. Herby it is euident howe vnorderly yea howe falsely many gather of this place that the Church can do al thinges specially that it can make lawes as concernyng religion the which whosoeuer despiseth despiseth the lawes of god But truely Christ speaketh not here as concernynge the power to make deuine lawes but as concernyng Christian and brotherly admonition as concernyng exhortation reprehention correction taking away offences A. and of the Iudgement of the Church that which ought to followe the woorde of God in al thinges that it may be not only humane but deuine Iudgement Question C. Notwithstandinge here ariseth a question That seinge the Church doth suffer many Hypocrites and dothe absolue also manye whiche do but fayne repentance whether suche are absolued in heauen or no Answere We must answere that Christe doth not pronounce absolution to any but to such as vnfaynedly and truely reconcile them selues to the Churche For he sekinge to comforte the weake and trembling consciences and to take away all feare pronounceth that whosoeuer haue synned are receyued agayne into the fauoure of the Churche are delyuered from al gilte and absolued before God. For he appoynted this vnto vs as a pledge of his heauēly grace whiche pertayneth in no pointe vnto Hypocrites which peruert the pure vse of reconciliation This bryngeth no small comforte to the godlye to the increasynge of theyr hope when that they heare their synnes to be put away before God and his angelles so soone as they haue obtayned pardone at the handes of the Churche In the other parte the minde of Christ is nothing ambiguouse and doubtfull For Christe to the ende he might abate the pride of obstinate persons which deny them selues to be vnder the rule of men and alwayes appeale to the tribunall seate of God pronounceth that the dampnation pronounced of those whom they so despyse is ratifyed before God and his angels in heauen In the meane time he encourageth his mynisters to execute Iust seuerytie least they be discouraged at their wicked obstinacie whiche contemne and reiecte discipline Whereby wee maye beholde and see howe that the iurisdiction of the spirituall Churche whiche ponisheth syn by the woorde of the lorde is moste excellente and a reamedy against corruption a preseruatiue of health the foundation of order and the bonde of vnitie Therefore when the Churche dothe excommunicate manifest and open adulterers whoremasters theeues murtherers sediciouse persons periurers false-witnesse bearers obstinate persons and suche like whiche beinge admonished of their faltes do make a ieste at God his Iudgemēt they vsurpe nothing to them selues without authoritie but vse their power and rule cōmytted vnto theim by god Finally least any man shoulde despise this iudgemente of the Churche or make small accompt that they are depriued the company of faythefull men the lorde openlye declareth that their iudgemente is nothinge elles but the settinge forthe of his Iudgement that the same is established and confirmed in heauen whiche they do in earthe For they haue the worde of the lorde by the which they may condēne the peruerse and obstinate they haue the woorde of the lorde by the which they may receiue the penitent into fauour againe And they cannot erre nor swarue from the iudgement of God because they iudge not but by the law of God whiche is not vncertayne or any earthly opinion but the holy wyl of God and a deuine oracle Herby also we may sée how folyshely the Papistes wrest this presente place to maintaine theyr counterfaite authoritie whiche was nothing els but tiranny It is most sure and certayne that authoritie to excommunicate was committed to the Church but whether any one mā not called by the church but created by the horned and monstruouse beast whiche sendethe forthe at hys owne wyll and pleasure vayne blastes of excommunication whether any such I say haue any aucthoritie by the word of God there is no doubt for he hath not For it is euident that the lawful gouernment of the Church was committed not onely to the Clergye or ministers of the woorde but also to certaine of the layty as to maiestrates which should be iudges of the manners of the people Yet notwithstandinge they being not contented with this impudēcie go about farther to proue out of this place as we towched before that what burthens so euer they lay vpon mennes shoulders they oughte to beare it We wyll not say that they beinge mortall ennemies of the Church vsurpe and take vnto them selues by vyolence the power authoritie permytted vnto the Church onely we say that they abuse this place of Scripture not vnderstandinge the meaninge of our sauioure Christ With no lesse madnes and foolishnes also they go aboute by this place to defende their Auriculer confession But so vaine and friuolouse are their resons that they deserue not in this place any confutation 19 Agayne I say vnto you that if two of you agree in earthe vpon any manner of thing whatsoeuer they desire they shall haue it of my father whiche is in heauen Agayne I say vnto you M. Some olde Greeke bookes haue Agayne verely I saye vnto you In this woorde Agayne there is a confirmatiō if wee adde vnto it Verely it wyll be a double confirmation as if he should haue sayd It shal not be onely confirmed and ratified in heauen if ye excōmunicate any man but moreouer I say vnto you if ye pray for a sinner vnto God he wil heare you not onelye the vniuersall Churche but also twoo if they with one consente praye faythfully C. Furthermore hee teacheth that God wyll not onely geeue his spirite of counsel wisedome to those that aske it but also wyl brynge to passe that whatsoeuer they shal do by his word shall want neyther power nor effecte But he ioynyng consent and agremente with prayer teacheth howe soberly and reuerently the faythful ought to behaue them selues in publique assemblies The synner
of these woordes of Christ 12. For there are some chaste which are so borne out of their mothers vvombe and there are some chaste which be made chaste of men And there be chaste which haue made themselues chaste for the kingdome of Heauens sake Hee that can comprehende it let him comprehende it For there are some chaste M. Now our sauioure Christ sheweth to whom this gift of continency is geuen And hee putteth downe vnto vs three kindes of chaste personnes Those which by nature are euenewkes or gelded or which are made chaste by men those I say by defection are putte from wedlocke because they wante those necessary members appertayninge to men Hee sayth that there are other euenewkes which haue made theym selues chaste to the ende they might be more at liberty to serue the Lord these also he setteth at liberty froÌ„ the necessity of wedlocke WheruppoÌ„ it followeth that all others which forsake Wedlocke do presumptuously striue against god As do the Papistes which vrge this word of makinge chaste as thoughe it were in their wills to enioyne men to the law of continency For first Christ affirmeth that the father gaue the same to whom it pleased him And a little after hée affirmeth that they rashely take vppon them a single life which are not endued with the gift of continency Wherfore continency or chastisment is not subiecte to oure will but whereas certaine by nature are apte to mariage or Wedlocke although they do abstaine yet notwithstandinge they tempte not God because God setteth theÌ„ at liberty For the kingdome of Heauens sake B. Some very peruersly expounde this clause for the kingdome of heauen sake that is say they to deserue euerlasting life that by chastity they might come to the same sayinge that chastity or continency is a meritoriouse worke esteming it to be in the libertye of all men to make themselues chaste denying continency to be a peculiar gift And so they do imagin that continencye is not onelye an acceptable worship of God but also the state of angellicall life But truly Christ mente nothing ells then that they which were chaste shoulde alwayes haue this ende before their eyes that they beinge loused from all the cares of this life should geue theÌ„selues wholy to the study of godlines It is a foolish imaginatioÌ„ therfore to thincke that chastitye is a vertue because it is more aceptable vnto God of it selfe than fastinge is neyther doth it deserue to be counted amonge the duties of obedience which hée requireth of vs but it ought to pertaine to another end yea Christ wold expresly declare that though a man were pure from whoredom yet notwithstandinge that his chastitye is not acceptable vnto God if hée only haue respecte to his owne ease and pleasure B. They therfore are sayd to make themselues chaste for the kingdome of heauen which wheÌ„ they may be maried men do willinglye chose vnto themselues a single life that they may séeke onely to set forth the glorye of God and being addicted to no speciall thinge may seeke for the profite of all men that is that they maye haue a care for those things which properly pertaine vnto the Lord that they may loue him aboue all thinges their neighbour as themselues that they may be holy in body and minde and that they may with an inseperable minde cleaue vnto him It is good for these men to liue withoute wiues because it is geuen vnto them so to do because they so liue for the kingedom of heauen Such a one Paule testifyeth himselfe to be and exhorteth other men to the same felicity to the end they hauinge a lesse care of those things which are in the world may cleaue vnto t e Lord and may vse the world as though they vsed not the same beinge ready at euery momeÌ„t to depart hence vnto Christ But after his exhortacion hée addeth this saying This I speake for your profite not to tangle you in a snare What are these woordes in effectâ—… but this All men are not able to coÌ„prehende this saying saue they to whom it is geuen To be shorte Christ teacheth that it is not enoughe if such as were coÌ„tinent persons liue chast vnlesse vpon good consideration they abstaine from hauing of wyues Hee that can comprehende it let him comprehende it C. By this parte our sauiour Christ admonisheth vs that wée oughte not to despise the vse of wedlocke excepte wée wil caste our selues by blinde wilfulnes into destruction for it was necessary that hee should reache out his hande to his Desciples whom hée sawe ready to fall without iudgement But this admonition is profitable for all men because in the chosing kinde of life which is the life of bachilers as wée terme them verye fewe consider what gifte is geuen vnto them but runne rashelye without choyse whithersoeuer a foolishe feruent loue carieth them and I would god as it is profitable so once it might be heard I wishe also vnfainedly that this admonition of our sauiour Christ might enter into the eares of Papistes But their eares are so stopt with the bewitchinge of Sathan that contrarye to nature and the will of God they putte vppon theym the perpetuall snare of chastitye whom God hath called to Wedlocke And then their myserable mindes are soe bounde with the snare of a deadly vow that they caÌ„ neuer easelye be vntangled againe A. For what mischiefe hath not the tyranny of the bishop of Rome broughte foorthe by the which the Priestes Moonkes and fryers haue béene constrayned to vow continuall chastitye Of the which matter wee may reade somewhat in S. Paules Epistell to Tymothe 13. Then were there broughte vnto him yonge children that hee shoulde put his hands on them and pray And the Disciples rebuked them Then vvere there brought C. This History is verye profitable because it teacheth that they are not onelye receyued of Christe which come vnto him by the motion of a holye desyer vndoubted faith but they also which for want of yeres are not able to féele how greatly they want his grace Ther is no intelligence or vnderstaÌ„ding in these little childreÌ„ that they might craue the blessing of Christe yet notwithstanding they being offered vnto him hée receyueth them gently and louinglye and consecrateth them to his father with the solemne righte of blessing The Euangelist Luke with a word not ambiguouse calleth them infants least any maÌ„ should thinke that mencioÌ„ were here made of such as were of rype yeares And wee muste note the purpose of those which offer these childreÌ„ vnto Christ for excepte there had beene an vndoubted perswasion in their mindes that hee had the power of the holye ghost the which hée should bestow vppon the people of God it had bene an absurde thinge to bring these children vnto him Wherefore there is no doubt but that they desyer him to make these children pertakers of his grace therefore to
in whō onely they ought to trust A. For as God is onely good so hée is onelye faithfull and true and euery man a lyar But and if thou vvilt enter into life C. Many of the fathers haue expounded this place amis whom the Papistes haue followed as though Christ should haue sayde that wée may deserue euerlastinge life by the obseruation of the law But truly Christ had not respecte what man could do but hée maketh aunswere to the propounded question what the righteousnes of workes is namely that which the lawe defineth And certainly wée must thus make accompt that God hath comprehended the order and maner of a holy and iust life in his law in the which law righteousnes is cōtayned Neyther did Moyses speake thus in vaine hée that doth these things shall liue in them Also I call heauen earth to witnes this day that I haue shewed vnto you life It cannot therefore be denyed but that the obseruation of the law is righteousnes by the which he getteth eternall lyfe which is a perfecte obseruer of the lawe But because wee are all destitute of the glorye of God there shall nothinge be founde in the Law but a curse so that wée haue no other refuge then to flye to the frée gifte of righteousnes And therefore Paule the Apostell appointed two kindes of righteousnes namely the righteousnes of the Lawe the righteousnes that commeth of fayth hée placeth the first in workes and the second in the mere grace of Christ Wherby wée gather the this aunswere of Christ is legall or pertayninge to the Law because the yonge man séeking for the righteousnes of woorkes oughte firste to be taught that no man can be counted iuste before the Lorde but hée onely which satisfyeth and fulfilleth the law the which thing being impossible to be done might be a meane to make him acknowledge his infirmitye and to flée to the refuge anker hould of fayth Therefore the person of the speaker and the question it selfe moued the Lord thus to aunswere and to sende the yonge man to the consideration of the law in the which is the perfect glasse of righteousnes the which must be fulfilled if wée will haue the reward of eternall life But who now shall fullfill the same For howe shoulde they flee vnto Christ excepte they acknowledge themselues to be fallen from the waye of lyfe into the pit of destruction And how shold they haue wandered and swarued from the waye of life excepte they first knowe what the way of life is Therefore they are admonished and taught that then the sanctuary of recouering of saluaciō shal be in Christe when they behoulde howe much difference and disagrement of their life there is wyth the ryghteousnes of God which is contayned in the obseruation of the laws To be briefe this is the somme if saluatiō be sought for in workes the commaundementes muste be kept by the which wée are guided to perfect righteousnes but wée must not here staye excepte wée will fainte in the middest of the race For none of vs are able to fulfill the commaundementes And when wee had done all that euer wée cā yet wée remaine vnprofitable seruaūts Because therefore wee are excluded by the righteousnes of the law wée must of necessitye seeke another staye namely the fayth in Christ Wherefore as the Lorde here called the yonge man to the consideration of the lawe whom hee knewe to swell with a vaine confidence of hys workes whereby hee mighte know himselfe to be a sinner and subiecte to iudgement euen so hee comforteth those that are nowe humbled by this knowledge of themselues by the promise of his grace sayinge Come vnto mée all ye that trauaile and are heauye laden and I wyll ease you yée shall finde rest vnto your soules Wee graunt therefore because God hath promised the rewarde of euerlastinge lyfe vnto the obseruers of the law that this way were to be followed kepte were it not the the infirmitye of the fleshe did staye and hinder vs but the Scripture teacheth vs that it is come to passe by our fault that the same muste be geuen vnto vs freely which wee cannot obtaine by oure merits If anye man do obiecte and saye that righteousnes in the lawe is propounded vnto vs in vaine Obiection of the which no man can be pertaker Answere Wee aunswere that seinge it is a rule by the which wee are brought to the righteousnes of faith it is neither superfluous nor vaine Therefore S. Paule when hee said that the doers of the Lawe are iustifyed by the righteousnes of the law excludeth all men A. The which thing the Prophete Dauid acknowledginge saith that all fleshe shall not be iustifyed in the sight of the lord C. To conclude this place abolisheth all the tryflinge inuencions of the Papistes which they made vnto themselues to get saluation Therfore whosoeuer will frame his lyfe to the will of Christ let him wholy apply himselfe to obserue so neere as hee can the commaundementes of the Lawe 18. Hee saithe vnto him which Iesus saide Thou shalt not commit manslaughter Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shat not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnes Hee saieth vnto him vvhich A. This questiō betokeneth is a manifest signe of foolishe confidence Thou shalt not commit manslaughter M. Here it may be demaunded why Christe forsakinge the commaundementes of the first table Question bringeth in onlye those thinges which are of the second table Wee aunswere that it was done because it maye the better be discerned what euery mās minde is by the duties of charitye For the truth of the first table is not so well perceiued in men the obedience of the which table was for the most part either in the affection of the hart or ells in ceremonies the affection of the harte did not appeare hypocrits dailye gaue themselues to ceremonies but the woorkes of charity are such that thereby wee testifye and declare true and perfecte righteousnes And let no man thincke because Christ aunswereth out of the second table that therefore the same is more excellente than the first when as hée speaketh not here of the estimation and excellency but of the knowledge of righteousnes which cannot be taken by so certaine an obseruation of the first as of the seconde C. Let vs vnderstand therefore that those commaundements were chosen of Christe in the which there is a testimony of true righteousnes notwithstanding by a figure called Synecdoche hée vnderstandeth the whole by parte M. Some write that Christe propounded here the common commaundementes which were best knowē not because those principalles in the firste table pertayned not vnto this matter but because these commaundementes of the seconde table were counted cōmon of the Iewes of the which euery man almost thought himselfe a diligente obseruer when as notwithstanding there were none of thē almost which did kepe the same euen as
not apointe any certain place but it doth rather include heaueÌ„ earth vnder the rule gouernmeÌ„t of Christ A. How Christ doth sit at the right hande of God reade in the first chapter of s Paules epistell to the Ephesians in the first chapter of his epistell to the Hebrewes Vntill I make thine ennemies C. This woorde vntil doth not signifie somwhat to come or not to come but it signifieth the tyme which goeth before B. We muste also note the Christ vseth the testimony of this psalme to declare that he is not only Dauids lord but also to set forth the inuincible power victorye of his kingdome against his enemies As if he should haue said ye shal be so far froÌ„ resisting me that ere it be long my father wil set me at his right hande and geue me full possession of all power the which power I wyl exercise vntyll suche tyme as you and all my ennemies are made my footestoole C. The holy ghost therefore dothe pronounce that Christe shall sytte vntyll his enemies are laide prostrate and brought into subiection that we myghte knowe that his kingedome shall euer remayne inuincible not because his enemies beinge ouercome his power shall be taken from hym agayne but because all the rable of his ennemies being ouerthrowen it shal stande whole and sounde for euer In the meane season the state and condition of his kingdome at this day is noted vnto vs to the ende it shoulde not be greuouse vnto vs when we se the same resisted on all handes For it wyll come to passe that whosoeuer rashely rysethe to rebel against the kyngdome of Christ shall vtterly be destroied and cast downe As concernynge the which matter reade the fyftene chapter of the fyrst epistell of S. Paule to the Corinthians Thy foote stoole B. M. By these woordes hee vnderstandeth absolute subiection euen suche subiection as that whiche the Apostell Paule speakethe of when hee saythe that in the name of Iesu euerye knee shall bowe These woordes do contayne seuere threateninges againste the ennemies of Christe The holy martyre S Steuen had the like meanynge also when he said Beholde I sethe heauens open and the sonne of man standynge at the right hande of the power of God. 45 If Dauid then called him lorde how is he then his sonne A. Our sauiour Christ concludeth with greate boldenesse that there shoulde be somewhat more in the Messias than the Humanitie M. Yet notwithstandinge hee dothe not this to proue that hee is the sonne of Dauid but to reproue the ignorance and blindenesse of the hie priestes scribes and Phariseyes by the whiche they iudged nothynge elles of Chryste than that whiche mighte also appertayne to the sonne of a man A. They dyd so assigne vnto him the terrene and transytorye kyngdome that they neuer remeÌ„bred the heauenly and euerlasting power with the whiche the father endewed his sonne Hee seeketh therefore to brynge theim to the consyderation of this heauenly kingedome 46 And no man was able to answere him any thinge neither durste any man from that daye forthe aske him any mo questions C. They dyd perceiue the power of God in his aunsweres the whiche they were not able to resiste excepte they shoulde seeme to contend and striue against God and that in vayne M. These woordes are added of the Euangelistes partely to declare the lighte of the trewthe whyche cannot be extinguished and partelye to declare howe hardely the mallyce of the wicked maye be ouerthrowne For although they be not able to make any answere nor dare any more aske hym questions to proue him yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to hate But this profyte commeth by the confusion of the ennemies of the trewthe namely that theyr impudencie is reuealed And this is the cause that the Apostel Paule commaunded Tytus to reproue sharpely the obstinate with wholesome doctrine The xxiii Chapter THEN spake Iesus to the people and to his disciples sayinge The Scribes and the Phariseis syt in Moyses seate Then spake Iesus to the. Bu. When our sauiour Christ had tried and assaied all the waies and meanes hée coulde and seynge there was nowe no hope left to conuert the hie priestes and rulers of the people at any time vnto the lorde for they were fully determined to perseuer in their errours and obstinatly to peryshe in their synnes leaste they should bring the people with them selues into the same ruine and destruction hee teacheth them at the laste to beware and take hede C. This admonition aboue al other was necessary profitable that amonge the discordes dissentions burliburlies in matters troblesome confused in the dissipatioÌ„ of the right lawfull order the autoritie notwithstanding of the word of God shuld remaine safe sound For to this ende did the purpose of Christ tende leaste the people beynge offended at the wickednes of the Scribes shoulde cast from theÌ„ the reuerence of the lawe For we knowe howe easely the myndes of men are inclyned to disdaine the same speciallye when the lyfe of the pastor or teacher is dissolute and louse and not agreable to his doctrine For then al men for the moste parte by theyr exaumple thincke that they maye do the lyke without daunger of ponishement The lyke yea a greate deale worse coÌ„meth to passe by discorde discention and strife For the greater parte the yoake beinge caste of geue them selues to pleasure burste forthe into extreame contempte But at that tyme the Scribes were excedynge couetouse they swelled with pryde and ambition and theyr rapyne gredynesse and terrible crueltie was so wel known with the corruption of theyr manners that they myghte seeme to haue conspyred the vtter destruction of the lawe Besyde this they had peruerted the true and naturall sence of the law with their false commentes and interpretations in so muche that Chryste was constrayned sharpely to contende with them because that a wonderful outragious madnesse caryed theim headlonge to extynguyshe the lyghte of the trewthe Therefore because it was daungerouse leaste that manye partely by suche corruptions and partely by the tumulte of contentions shoulde wholly contempne and despyse trewe godlynesse Chryste in good tyme meeteth with the same and pronounceth it to be done amisse if that trewe religion and reuerence of the lawe runne into contempte throughe the wyckednesse of menne Seinge the Scrybes were altogether obstynate ennemies of the trewthe because through theyr tyrannye they helde the Churche in oppression Chryste was constrayned to deâ—…ecte and dysclose theyr wyckednes For excepte that good and simple menne had bene drawne from theyr seruytude and hoâ—…dage the passage and waye had bene shutte and stopt against the Gospel There was also an other reason namely because the people thought that to be lawefull for them whiche they saw their guides and ringeleaders do and fayned vnto them selues a lawe of theyr vicious and corrupte manners Moreouer leste any man should misconstrue that which he
sentence was muche vsed of Christ and obiected to the common sort of people as a prouerbe 13. VVo vnto you Scribes and Phariseis ye ypocrites for yee shut vp the kingdome of heauē before mē ye neither go in your selues neither suffer ye them that come to enter in VVo vnto you Scribes and Phariseis C. Our sauiour Christ as yet doth earnestly inueye against the Scribes Phariseis the which he doth not so muche for their sakes as hee did it to reuoke the people and simple sorte from their secte For although we see that the vengeance of God is oftentimes in the Scriptures pronounced against the reprobate to the ende they mighte be made the more voide of excuse yet notwithstandinge vnder their person the children of God are profitablely admonished that they wrap not themselues in the same snares of wickednes but that they beware of the like destruction Truly when the Scribes the worship of God beinge ouerthrowne and the doctrine of godlines being corrupted woulde beare no correction and set themselues against the redemptiō offered vnto them by desperate madnes to the destruction both of themselues and of the people it was necessary that they should be hated and detested of all men Howbeit Christe had not respect so much what they deserued as hee had what was profitable to the rude and ignoraunte For he mente about the ende of his life to leaue some solemne testimonye least that anye man excepte willinglye and wittinglye might be deceiued by those wicked varlates For wee know howe great a let to the simple the foolishe reuerence of false teathers is least they should be deliuered frō errors The Iewes at that time were endued with false doctrine yea from their infancye they had sucked in manye superstitions How difficult hard a thing should it be then of it selfe to bringe them into the waye for the preposterous and wronge opinion which they had conceiued of the false teachers did greatly hinder them because in deede they thoughte them to be the lawfull gouerners of the Churche the prelates of deuine worship and the pillers of pietye Moreouer we maye deeme that they were so bewitched that they could not well be drawne from the same except it were by violent feare Christ therefore doth not pronounce the horrible vēgeance of God against them that hee might cure the Scribes but that hee might feare the rest from their deceites and snares In like maner at this daye wee are constrayned to thunder more vehementlye againste the Popishe clergye for no other cause but this that they which are tractable and easye to be taughte and not altogether reiected and caste of of the Lorde may attende and geeue eare to their saluation and beinge striken and astonyed at the iudgemente of God maye breake the deadlye snares of superstition wyth the which they were helde captiue Whereby wee may gather how cruell their tender softnes is to whom our vehemencye is greuous It displeaseth them that the wolues are sharpelye vexed and punished whiche dailye seeke and gape to spoile and deuoure the sheepe and yet notwithstandinge they see that the sillye sheepe beinge deceiued by a vaine and counterfeite shewe do willingly cast themselues into the mouthes of the raueninge wolues excepte the sheepeheard whiche desiereth to haue them saued and goeth aboute to deliuer them from destruction do driue them awaye with the crye of his voyce Wee must note therefore the purpose of Christ that wee by his example may seuerely threaten the wolues and wicked deceiuers and may bouldly cry against them that whosoeuer are cureable maye flee from them for feare of destruction For although this profiteth nothinge with the ennemies of the truth yet notwithstandinge they muste be cited to the tribunall seate of God and others admonished that they may know that the same curse hāgeth ouer their heades excepte they departe be times from their wicked purpose Yee hypocrites M. Christe pronounceth this malediction or cursse against these ypocrites eight times in this Chapter and that trulye with suche vehemencye of the spirite as he is read neuer to do the lyke to anye man at anye other time Wee are therefore admonished and taughte by this place that no sort of men howe pestilent and hurtfull soeuer they be can be subiecte to a greater curse than these ypocrites and not onelye these but all suche of like condition For yee shut vp the kingdome of Heauen C. Christ doth denounce a cursse agaynst them because they peruert their office to the destruction of the whole multitude For seing that the regiment of the Church was in theyr handes they should haue bene as porters of the kingdome of Heauen For to what ende pertayneth Religion and holye doctrine but onelye to open the kingdome of Heauen vnto vs For wee knowe that all mankinde is banished from God and excluded from the inheritaunce of euerlastinge life and saluation But the doctrine of Godlynes is as it were the waye by the which wee enter into life Therefore the Scripture sayth metaphoricallye that the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are geuen to the pastors as wee haue more largelye declared in the sixtene Chapter goinge before And this definition must be obserued which more euidently also maye be gathered by the woordes of S. Luke where Christe reproueth the Lawyears and casteth in their teethe that they toke away the keye of knowledge and that because they beinge the keepers of the deuine lawe defrauded the people of the true vnderstandinge thereof Euen as therefore at this daye the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are committed vnto the pastors that they maye admit the faythfull into euerlastinge life and depriue the faithfull of all hope of the same euen so in times paste the same office was inioyned and committed to the hye Priestes and Scribes vnder the lawe M. The doore of the kingdome of Heauen was opened by the comminge of the preachinge of the Gospell the which the Scribes did shut vp before men when they draue them from the enterance thereof that is to saye from the fayth of the Gospell condemninge the doctrine of Christe least the people shoulde receiue the same C. Furthermore by this woorde knowledge whereof Luke maketh mencion we gather howe folishly the Papistes faine and imagin to themselues keyes as though there were a certaine magicall power without the word of god For Christ declareth that no other vse these keyes than they whiche are the ministers of doctrine If anye man obiect that the Phariseis although they were peruerse interpretors of the law yet that they had neuerthelesse the keyes we answe are that although they were committed vnto them in respect of their office yet notwithstāding that they were suppressed by mallice and fraude insomuch that no vse of them remained Therefore Christ saith that they toke away or stale that keye of knowledge by the which they shoulde haue opened Heauen doore euen as it is seene in the Papacy
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
the inheritaunce as doth the Prophet Dauid also in his Psalmes where he sayth The Lorde hym selfe is the porcion of myne inheritaunce he sayth that they shal be ioyned vnto hypocrites that is they shal be punyshed with the same punyshment that hypocrits are And they are sayd to be hypocrites because they acknowledge the Lorde with the mouthe and make them selues the ministers of God and the seruauntes of the seruauntes of God when as they are in the Churche nothinge elles but idle bellies not seking the Lorde but them selues Bu. In steade of that which he saith here And geue him his porcion with hypocrites He sayde in an other place And caste him into vtter darkenes Ioyninge that there whiche nowe followeth There shal be vveaping and gnashing of teethe The whiche truly he added least any man should be ignoraunt of the inheritaunce prepared for hypocrites For it is wrytten in the holy Scripture No hypocrite shall come in his sighte To cast therefore the wicked into vtter darkenes and to geue them their portion with hypocrites is to cast them euerlastingly into helfler of the which reade the fift chap. going before The xxv Chapter THen shall the kyngdome of heauen bee like vnto tenne virgins which toke their lampes and wente to mete the bridegrome Then shall the kingdome M. This parable pertaineth to the same effecte that the other following doth to the whiche also the similitudes going before do belonge also namely to this ende that we should watche and kepe our selues ready to mete with the Lorde because the hower of his comming is vncertaine and vnknowne leaste if when he come for our vnreadines we be shut out Notwithstanding this parable is properly added that the faithfull might be confirmed and brought to perseuerance The Lorde knewe well enough how prone the nature of men is to ease and that it cōmeth often tymes to passe that they do not only faynte by reason of the prolonginge of the tyme but also perishe with a sodaine lotheing and yrckesomenes To remedy and cure this disease he teacheth that his disciples are not well prepared excepte they bee armed with sufferance for a long tyme The scope and end of this parable being knowē we shall not nede to stande about friuolous and triffeling reasons which serue nothing to the purpose and meaninge of Christe There are some whiche greately trouble them selues about the lyghtes about the vesselles land about the oyle where as the simple proper somme of these thinges is that a diligent endeuour for a small tyme is not sufficiēt except perseuerance and perpetuall constancy be ioyned therewith And this thing Christe expresseth by a moste apte similitude As appeareth by the woordes of S. Luke he exhorted the disciples seing thei shoulde trauayle through troublesome and darke places to take lightes with thē But because except oyle be put vnto it the weke of the candell wyll waxe drye and loose his lyghte Nowe Christe sayth that the faithfull haue nede of the helpe of vertue which increaseth the lyghte beynge kyndeled in their hartes Otherwyse that it woulde come to passe that before halfe were ended their diligence would decaye M. we must also note that it is not shadowed in this parable what shoulde happen to the vnbeleuing at the comminge of the lorde for they are iudged already but to those whiche are thought to be Christians and are called cittezins of the kyngdome of heauen As if he should saye Then shal that happen to those that feme to pertayne to the kyngdome of heauen whiche happened to the foolyshe vyrgins C. By the name of the kyngdome of heauen the state of the Churche to come is vnderstode whiche was to bee gathered by the woorke of the Messias And he vseth so excellent a tytle least the faithfull should deceiue them selues by the false immagination of blessed perfection Z. Christe tooke possession of this kyngdome by the preaching of the Gospell and specially after his resurrection when the disciples were sente throughout the whole worlde to preache the Gospell as it is sayd before VVhiche toke their lampes C. Christe taketh his similitude of the cōmon custome of men Very chyldishe was the speculatiō of Hierome and suche others which stretched this parable to the prayse of virginity seyng the purpose of Christe was nothinge els than to myttigate the griefe of tediousnes whiche the faithfull might haue by the delaye of his comming He sayth therefore that he doth requyre nothing of vs but that whiche one frende commonly sheweth to an other in the solemne right of mariage It was a common custome in the mariages of the people of the Iewes that the brydegrome should not come vnto the bryde vntil midnight and when he came a company of Iewyshe damsels hauinge torches mette him by the waye and brought hym to the brydge who came not once forthe without the bridegromes pleasure but sate at home waighting for the bridegrome According to this cōmon manner order of the Iewish mariage Christe speaketh here But the somme of the parable tendeth to this ende that it is not sufficiēt for any that they were once prepared and ready to doe their dutie except they continue to the ende And vvente to mete the bridegrome M. It is very corruptly added of the old interpretour in that hee saythe To mete the bridegrome and the bride Seing that it is founde in none of the Greke bookes And as for Chrysostom Hillarius and Theophilacte they make no mention of the bryde For Christe is the bridegrome and the whole parable tēdeth to this end that he nowe cōming we should go forth to mete him No part of the parable pertaineth to bryde nay they which can mete the brydegrome in good time euē they I say are the bride S. Austen expounding this place in a sermon whiche he made of the wordes of Christe out of the .xxii. chap. of Mathewe neither readeth nor maketh any mention of this worde bryde 2 But fiue of them were foolishe and fiue wer wise But fiue of thē vvere foolish M. He speaketh not here of vnfaithfull as it was said euen now but of foolishe and negligent Christiās We will not reason here of the virginitie neither of the number of tenne neither yet of this that so many are sayd to be foolish and so wyse For here we haue to shew who are true or false Cristiās Whose profession is to wayte for the Lorde to come and to make them selues ready to mete him A. and to perseuere in the study of a godly lyfe to the ende Bu. But they are mingled together without difference in this life and are ioyned together with one title of profession all are called Christians all are baptised al do professe the faith in Christ and the loking for his comming with euerlasting life but when the lorde shall come it shal be manifest who are sincere who not who are prepared and who not who shall be admitted and who
receiue than for them to offer let them bestow in gods name vppon tyles and brickes by the which they may repayre the ruine of the Temple Now to the ende it might more certainlye appeare that Christ is the God of hostes towardes whom the people euen from the beginninge had bene euill disposed and vnthanckefull when he was manifested in the flesh it was necessary that the same which at the first was spoken figuratiuely should be fulfilled in deede and by a visible meane in his person Therfore when hee beinge constrayned by theyr mallyce forsoke them and withdrewe his labour and trauaile from them beinge vnworthy of it they valewed him at the price of thirtye pence that is they gaue him that for his rewarde And this contempte of the sonne of God was euen the fulnes of their impietye The price of him that vvas valevved Mathew doth not repeate the very wordes of the Prophete Zacharye because hee alludeth to the metaphor vnder the whiche the Lord doth there complaine of the ingratitude of the people Notwithstanding the summe and effect is all one that seinge the Iewes did owe themselues and all that euer they had as det vnto the Lorde they coulde not recompence him with a bondemans rewarde without great contumelye and reproche as thoughe hee had deserued at their handes nothinge more for gouerning them so many ages than a Cowheard which is hiered but for a yeare He complayneth therefore that hee is valewed at so vile a price when that hee is inestimable so precious that nothing may counteruaile him But whereas in the ende hee sayth VVhom they bought of the children of Israell It is an obscure and intricate kinde of speach For Iudas bargayned wyth the priestes which bare the name person of the whole people 10. And gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lorde appointed m◅e And gaue them for the potters fielde A. The Euangelist Mathewe seemeth to go about rather to expounde the sence of the Prophete Zacharye than to alleage him woorde for worde As the Lorde appointed mee C. By these woordes of the Prophete Mathewe proueth that this was done not withoute the prouidence of God because their purpose tendinge to another ende vnawares they fulfil the deuine oracle For how could it come to passe that they should remember to bye the potters fielde excepte the Lorde had framed their error to the execution fulfillinge of his decree 11. Iesus stoode before the debitye and the debity asked him saying art thou the kinge of the Iewes Iesus sayeth vnto him Thou sayest Iesus stoode before the debitye M. The Euāgelist retourneth to the Historye of those thinges which were done before Pilate But the order of these thinges cannot be seene excepte wee ascribe the wordes of the reste of the Euangelistes to euerye place that there may be as it were one text of fower For many thinges must be taken out of the other Euangelistes and be put into this Verse And first of all the Euangelistes Luke and Iohn write as concerninge this place thus And the whole multitude of them arose and ledde him vnto Pilate from Caiphas into the haule of Iudgement It was in the morninge and they themselues wente not into the Iudgemente least they should be defyled but that they might eate Passeouer C. The Romaines called as well the house of the debity as the tribunal seate where Iudgemēt was vsed the iudgement haule In that the Iewes do abstaine from al kinde of pollusion that they might eate the Passeouer of the Lorde accordinge to the commaundement of the Lawe their zeale is to be allowed but yet there remayneth two faultes in them and both of them to grose first because they thincke not that they carye more pollution and filthe within themselues than they may draw vnto them by their enteraunce althoughe into a prophane place Secondlye because they are to diligent in triflinge matters and negligente in the principall Nothinge sayth S. Paule is cleane to the vnbeleuers and vncleane because their mindes are defyled But these hypocrites flowinge with mallice ambition deceites crueltye and with couetousnes with their stincke and corruption did almoste infecte both Heauen and earth and yet for all that they onely stand in feare of defilinge themselues with externall pollucions Therefore this is a foolish fancye not tollerable that they seeke to please God by abstayning from the externall touchinge of vncleane thinges onelye and forget the true puritye which is internall and of the minde Hipocrisy hath another fault because carefully in obseruinge and keping Ceremonies it careleslye omitteth the greatest matters For God did not cōmit those rightes and Ceremonies contayned in the Lawe to the Iewes to any other ende than this that they shoulde vse and accustome themselues to the study and loue of true holines Moreouer it was forbidden in no place of the Law to enter into the house of a man that was a Gentile but there was a caution or prouiso geeuen of the fathers namelye that no man throughe follye or rashnes shoulde bringe anye corruption or filthe out of an vncleane house But these are good interpreters of the Lawe whiche straine out a gnat and swallowe a Camell And this is ordinary and common to hypocrites to thincke it a more haynous matter to kill a flea than to murther a man To the which vice the other hath some congruance and affinitye namelye that they preferred humaine traditions before the holye commaundementes of god Therefore that they might eate Passeouer aright they seeke to keepe themselues cleane But they include and shut vncleanenes within the gates of the Iudgemēt haule and are not afrayd Heauen and earthe bearinge testimonye that they put an innocent to death To be short they solemnise and celebrate the shadowed Passeouer with a counterfeite and false reuerence but they do not onelye violate the true Passeouer with hands defiled with sacriledge but also go about so much as they may to ouerthrowe the same with eternall destruction A. Seinge therefore they would not come in as S. Iohn writeth Pilate went forth to them and sayd What accusation doo yee bringe agaynste this man This heathen man Pilate doth willynglye suffer theyr superstition whiche hee derideth and contemneth but in the ground and very issue of the matter he playeth the parte of a good Iudge commaundinge them if they haue anye accusation against the man to bringe it forth For hee would not cōdemne Christ beinge brought vnto him before he hearde the accusations They aunsweared and fayde If hee were not an euill doer wee woulde not haue brought him vnto thee The chiefe priestes as thoughe they had full authoritye to condemne whom they made giltye aunswere nothinge at all but that hee must stande to their fore iudgemente for they do croselye murmere against Pilate because hee doth not geeue sufficient credit to their honest faithfull dealinge Why shoulde not thou say they willingly perswade thy selfe that hee is worthye to dye whom wee
first Commaunde therefore that the Sepulcher C. There is no doubt but that this cogitacion came into their myndes by the instincte of the holy ghoste not onely because the Lord would take iust vengeaūce of their wickednes but also because hee mente to brydle their vncleane tonges And by the way we maye also see howe greatlye the wicked are blinded when they are bewitched of Sathan They call him a deceyuer whose deuine power and glory brightly shyned a little before by so manye myracles By such examples wee are taughte that wee ought to consider the glory of God betimes with godlye modestye and diligence when it declareth it selfe least that brutish and horrible blindnes follow our obstinacy Least his Dysciples come Bu. Behould here the care of the wicked and the disquietnes of their consciences whiche feare leaste the great stone should be rolled awaye and the body of Christ taken out of the Sepulcher by those men which were so farre from this bouldnes that they rather stoode in feare of them and which so hardly beleeued after the resurrection that Christe was rysen againe that for this cause Christe reprehended the hardnes of their hartes And saye vnto the people hee is rysen These hypocrites would seeme to haue a greate care for the simple people when as in deede they went about nothing but to prouide for their owne kingdome mockinge the people in their hartes as if they shoulde saye Wee feare least the people shoulde be seduced And the last error shal be vvorse than the firste This they adde to moue the minde of the Iudge as if they should saye This also belongeth to the publique peace For except thou do this thinge the laste error will be worse than the first to bringe trouble They call the truth of the Gospell and the kingdome of God error and the cause of trouble and that falselye 65. Pilate saide vnto them yee haue the watche go your waye and make it as sure as ye can C. Pilate by these wordes declareth that hee geeueth them leaue accordinge to their requeste to sette souldiours to watche the Sepulcher Pilate mighte haue beene iustlye angerye wyth these hypocrites and haue denyed them theyr pitition but it was broughte to passe by the secrete counsayle and purpose of God that hee shoulde not hinder that whiche they went about For it did greatly serue to the manifestinge and settinge forth of the Lordes resurrection 66. So they wente and made the Sepulcher sure with watchemen and sealed the stone Bu. The Iewes toke a great manye souldiours made a very stronge watche compassed the Sepulcher rounde about shutte the dore of the Sepulcher with the greate stone so close as mighte be and sealed the same least there might be some deceite also in the keepers M. All things were done with greate diligence that Christe mighte be kepte in the Sepulcher Wyth the like diligence manye go about at this daye to keepe the truth in secrete But as this keepinge of the bodye of Christe appointed by the ennemyes with the more dyligence it was done the more it confirmed the certaintye and glorye of Christes resurrection euen so theyr violence also which go about at this day to kepe the truth hidden in darkenes the greater that it is and the more it is confirmed with the power of the Magistrate the more a greate deale it setteth forth the power and glory of the truth C. By all these thinges trulye which the Iewes obtayned at the handes of Pilate they were the more bound that they might not excuse them selues by any cauilles For althoughe they durste rage and rayle at Christe without all shame after his resurrection yet notwithstanding they sealed theyr owne mouthes faster a greate deale with the signet of Pilate than they did the Sepulcher And thus far as concerning the Passion and sumptuous buriall of Christe The xxviii Chapter VPpon an eueninge of the Sabothes whiche dawneth the first day of the Sabothes came Marye Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulcher Vppon the eueninge of the Sabothes C. Now we be come to the cōclusion of our redemption For herevppon commeth the liuelye trust of our reconsiliatiō with God because Christ is the conquerour of death and hell that hee might declare the power of a newe life to be in his handes Wherefore rightly sayth the Apostle Paule that there shal be no Gospell and that the hope of saluation is vaine excepte wee beleue that Christe is rysen from the deade For so at the laste righteousnes was purchased vnto vs and the enteraunce into Heauē made open furthermore oure adoption was confirmed when Christe in rysinge agayne and declaringe the power of his spirite hath proued himselfe to be the sonne of god And althoughe hee manifested his resurrection otherwyse than our fleshlye sence and reason would requyre yet notwithstandinge this order maner which pleaseth him oughte to seeme best of all in our eyes Hee wente out of the Sepulcher without witnes that the voyde and emptye place mighte be the first token then he thought it good to shew the women by the Angels that hee was aliue after that hee appeared to them and at the lengthe to the Apostles and that oftentimes And so hee brought his Apostles by little and little accordinge to their capascity to more full and perfecte vnderstanding But whereas hee began first with the woman and did not onely shewe himselfe vnto them but enioyned vnto them also the preachinge of the Gospell to the Apostles that they might be as it were their maisters he doth it to correcte the sluggishnes of the Apostles which throughe feare laye allmoste out of hart when as the women diligently made hast to the Sepulcher who for their dilligence receyued no small rewarde For although their deuise to anoynt Christ was not without fault because they thought him to be as yet dead yet notwithstanding hee forgeuinge their infirmity did greatly aduaunce them to honor resigninge vnto them the Apostolicall office for a time which was forsaken of the men And so hee sheewed that to be true which the Apostle Paule wryteth sayinge God hath chosen the folishe and weake thinges of this worlde to confounde the wyse and mightye Vppon an eueninge of the Sabothes C. The Hebrewes call the whole night the eueninge And whereas it is sayde of the Sabothes wee muste note that the plurall nomber is here put for the singuler Furthermore this word Sabothe signifyeth that day whiche was consecrated of the Lorde it signifyeth the whole weeke also that holy daye onely excepted wherefore the day followynge is called the first of the Sabothes Whervppon the proude Pharisey said I fast twyse in the Sabothe accordinge to the lattine translation or weeke Hee calleth therefore the eueninge of the Sabothes whiche dawneth or beginneth his light the first of the Sabothes the morninge or dawninge of that day in the which Christ arose the which hee calleth here the first of the Sabothes
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