pretermitte with silence the shorte space of that tyme because as yet the race of Iohn was not ended that is the preparation to receyue the Gospell of Christe And trewely althoughe Christe had done the office of a teacher within that tyme yet notwithstanding he began not properly the preachinge of the Gospell vntill he had succeded Iohn Wherfore the three Euangelistes do graunt and assigne not absurdly that tyme to the mynistery of Iohn by the whiche he prepared disciples vnto Christe as if they should haue saide the morning geuing place the sonne ariseth 13 And left Nazareth and went dwelt in Capernaum whiche is a Citie vppon the sea coastes in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalym And lefte Nazareth M. Why did Christ leauing his own countrey go to Capernaum Luke in his .4 chapt shewethe The ingratitude of the countrey droue away Christe the Nazarytes dyd not beleue Christ because he was known vnto them Furthermore they were offended with him because he reproue them and therfore they went about to cast him downe hedlong He therefore him selfe truely saythe of them A prophete is not accepted in his own countrey This dissease hath ben of longe time as Chryste taught by the examples of Elias and Elizeus and we our selues also haue experience of the same For those thynges whiche are best cōmon auncient plentiful and familiar are dogge cheape as we say and of no reputation This hapned not to the prophetes Christ alone but to all the giftes of god Suche is our wickednes which deserueth to be depriued of the gyftes of God til such time we be more destrous of the. Therfore by this example of Christ we are taught to departe for a time if we maye when that the furor of the wicked rageth againste the ministers of god A. For as before our lorde auoyded the outragious crueltie of Herode so nowe he escheweth the rage and madnes of the Nazarytes And dvvelt in Capernaum M. That is oftē tymes he abode there Wherefore being reiected of the Nazarytes the Capernaites receyue him So that we see there wanteth no place to those which are banished for the trueth of god This cittie gat a wonderfull gifte and a great prerogatiue aboue all other citties beside this a singular cōmoditie for the knowledge of God by the presence of Chryste But it vsed not this gift well as we shal se anone VVhich is a cittie vpon the sea coastes M. The Hebreus call the metynge and gathering together of many waters the sea and therfore the lakes and marishes by them are called the sea So the lake of Genefar is called the sea and Caparnaum a cittie bordering vpō the sea coastes because it is nere vnto that water where the endes and borders of Zabulon and Nephthalym do meete or elles Nazareth shoulde be nerer to the sea Mediterrane then Capernaū least some shuld thinke that the citie was for that cause sayde to border vpon the sea 14. That it myghte be fulfylled whiche was spoken by the prophete saying Question That it might be full M. Why did Christ returne out of Iewrye into Galile and for what cause leauinge Nazareth came he to Capernaum What is that therfore that Mathewe saith he lefte Nazareth came to Capernaum that the sayinge of the prophete might be fulfilled The answere It is no rare or vnwonted thing that those thinges which are done by deuine power ar done for certain humain causes For it was so appoynted of God that in this region Christ shuld set forth his light First because when Iohn was taken he went into Galile then because of the ingratitude of the Nazarites he left his countrey and wente into Capernaū But as concerning the fulfyllinge of the scripture we haue spoken before 15 The land of Zabulon and Nephthalim by the way of the sea beiond Iordan Galile of the Gentyles The lande of Zabulon A. This place is taken out of the .9 of Esay C. But Mathewe semeth to abuse the testimonye of the prophete in an other sence yet if we waye and consider the true meanynge of the prophete the appliynge of the same to this present place shal be very apt and easy For after that Esay had spoken of the great calamitie and destructiō of the people to comforte them againe and to adioyne ioye with sorrowe he promiseth that when they ar brought to extremitie there shall a deliuerance com which shal driue away the darkenesse most vncomfortable and restore vnto them agayne the parfecte lighte of lyfe The woordes of the prophets are these Out of such aduersitie he shall not escape Euen like as in tyme past it hath ben well seene that the land of Zabulon the land of Nephthaly where throughe the sea way goeth ouer Iordane into the lande of Galile was at the first in lyttle trouble but afterwarde soore vexed The people that walk in darkenes haue sene great light At this time the people of Israel were in double calamitie and bothe the waies oppressed Firste whereas they were broughte into exyle by Tyglath peleser beinge in nomber .3 tribes or there aboutes Then whereas Salmanasar cut of the whole kingedome of Israell The thirde calamitie remayneth in the latter ende of the .8 chap. whiche the prophete saith shulde be most cruell of all Nowe in the wordes whiche we haue rehersed there followeth a mittigation namely because God will stretch out his arme ouer his people to defend thē deathe shal be now more tolerable then the disseases at the first saith he although al the people shall be destroyed yet notwithstandinge the shyninge lighte of grace shall bring to passe that ther shal be lesse darknes in this later destruction then in the double ruine and destructiō of the tenne tribes Forasmuch as therefore he doth promise the instauration and reedicting of the whole churche it must needes followe that he comprehendeth the land of Zabulon and the land of Nepthalim and Galile of the Gentiles in the nomber of them whose darkenes of deathe is to be chaunged into the lighte of life The beginning of this light was as it were the dawninge of the peoples retourne out of Babilon At the length arose Christe beinge the sonne of righteousenesse with parfecte brightnes which wholly abolyshed the darckenes of deathe by his comming Therfore Paule sheweth vs that the same whiche was spoken by the prophetes was fulfilled in hym saying Awake thou that slepest Christ shal geue thee lighte Nowe since we knowe that the kingdome of Christ is spiritual it is necessary that the lighte of his saluation whiche he offereth and what helpe so euer we haue at his handes should be according to his nature Whereby it followeth that our soules are ouerwhelmed in the shadowe of euerlasting death vntill he doth illuminat thē with his grace But as concerning the destruction of the Gentiles the prophet sufficiently sheweth But what the state and condition of mankinde was vntyll the
the Disciples mindes his glorye to come beinge as yet but in a base estate and in such a place where hée sheweth that they must beare the crosse and forsake all for his names sake Yee shall sit also vppon tvvelue seates Bu. Hee speaketh accordinge to the maner of kinges which sit in their heighe throne and haue their councellers sittinge round about them By a humaine similitude yet full of magnificence hée setteth forth as vnder a shadow the deuine and perfecte iudgement of his maiesty This sitting therefore is nothinge els but that which the Apostell speaketh of sayinge When Christe shall appeare which is your life then shall you also sit with him in glory And in another place And then heyres annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that wée may also be glorifyed together with him C. And it is the selfe same thinge that Luke sayth the Lord spake to his Disciples on this maner Yée are they which haue â—…idden with mee in my temptacions and I apoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed vnto mée that ye may eate and drinke at my table in the kingdome sit on seates iudginge the twelue tribes of Israell For because the Apostels kepte him coÌ„pany all the time of temptacions and did constantlye abyde hee pronounceth that they shal be partakers of his glory Iudginge the tvvelue tribes of Israell C. Hee named the twelue tribes by the same reason which moued him to make twelue Apostels namely because hee was sente to be a minister of the circumsition for the truthe of God to confirme the promises made vnto the fathers as wée said before now to the ende hée might gather the remnaunt of the twelue tribes of Israell into one A. But whereas the Lorde sayth in this place that the Apostels shall be Iudges of Israell it must be referred to the last day of iudgement as wée sheewed before M. For then they shal condemne the harde harted and vnbeleuinge Israelites The which is no otherwise to be vnderstoode then that the faith of the Apostels which were also Israelites vnlearned simple men and yet embraced Christ shall take away all excuse from the Israelits Wée do reade also before that this condempnatioÌ„ shal procede from the Niniuits and from the Quéene of the Southe And in another place our saui Christ sayth Hée that refuseth mée and receiueth not my woordes hath one that Iudgeth him The woord that I haue spoken the same shall iudge him in the last daye Otherwise Christ shall sit a Iudge alone in Iudgemente C. But this is not spokeÌ„ as though the Apostels should haue no more excellency thaÌ„ the Quene of the Southe in the day of Iudgemente For this is a greate matter that Christe speaketh of here for what can be greater and more glorious than to be so accepted and allowed in the day of Iudgement before the world and the Angels of God than that thy faithe O man shall condemne whole nations that haue bene vnbeleuinge And yet notwithstanding wée muste not thincke that the Apostels shall haue no more saue this for the glorye of the kingdome also is promised vnto them As wée may gather out of the place which wée cited out of Luke a litle before 29. And euery one that forsaketh house or bretheren or sisters or father or mother or wife or childreÌ„ or landes for my names sake shall receiue an hundered foulde and shall inherit euerlastinge life And euery one that forsaketh C. After he had listed vp their mindes to the hope of the life to come hée dothe also sustaine them with present solace and ioye and doth coÌ„firme them to beare the Crosse For God doothe neuer forsake those that are his thoughe hée suffer theim for a time to be greuouslye afflicted but sendeth ayde and helpe in the middest of trouble Neither is this here onely spokeÌ„ by the Apostels but hauinge occasion hee speaketh generally to all the godly M. To forsake anye thinge for the name of Christe or for Christ is to set Christ before all thinges and to loue him aboue all thinges and to haue him so déere vnto oure hartes that for his sake wee are ready to forsake all be it neuer so déere vnto vs which allureth leadeth or constrayneth vs to do any thinge which is contrary to his glory Or bretheren or sisters or father C. Hée reherseth our Parentes and the rest of our frendes to the ende hee mighte shewe that there is nothing so precious which the rewarde that hée setteth before vs doth not excede This therefore is the summe and effecte of his woords Whosoeuer loose all things willingly for Christs cause shall notwithstandinge be more happye and blessed in this life than if they had lost nothinge but their chiefe rewarde is layed vp for them in heauen Shall receiue an hundered foulde E. The Greeke text signifyeth thus muche as if thou shouldest saye Euery thinge shal be an hundered times doubled for the Gréeke word is a number of moultitude M. Luke hath shall receiue much more least wée should stande vppon this nomber of a hundered fould As if hee should haue said none shall sustaine losse for my sake but shall rather haue greate gayne both in this life also in the life to come Marke hath hée shall receiue an hundered foulde nowe in this life houses bretheren sisters mothers children and landes C. Which promyse notwithstaÌ„dyng doth not seeme to agrée with experience For wée sée oftentimes that they which are depriued and forced to forsake their Parentes theyr children and the rest of theyr kinsfolkes to leaue their wyues wydowes and to be dispoyled of all their substance for the testimonye of Christ are so far from the recouering of their owne againe with aduantage that all their life time they are constrayned to liue in exile and banishement with great penurye But wee aunswere againe to coÌ„mon experience that if any man rightly consider and esteeme the present grace of God by the which their myseries are holpen hée will confesse that it is not in vaine preferred before all the riches of the world For although the vnbeleuinge do florishe yet notwithstandinge because they know not what shall befall them to morrowe it muste néedes be that they burne alwayes in great perplexitye and feare neither can they without great torment tourne the whele of fortune which to them pertayneth But God doth make the hartes of those that are his ioyfull that they maye thincke that little which they possesse and the trouble that they suffer hauinge the grace and fauore of Christ to be more pleasaunte and sweete vnto them than if they had excedinge aboundance withoute Christe In the which sence the Euangelist Marke addeth these woordes with persecutions As if Christ should haue sayde Although the Godlye all their life time remaine in persecutioÌ„ and though the Crosse do as it were cleaue vnto their backes
which fearest a mortal man and the sonne of man whiche is compared to grasse 14 They saide some saye that thou arte Iohn Baptist some Helias some Ieremias or one of the nomber of the Prophetes They saide some say that thou art C. Here is no mention made neyther of the sworn ennemies of Christe neyther of prophane contemners but of the most perfecteste and soundest parte of the people and euen as it were of the chosen flowers of the Church For the Disciples onely rehearse those whiche spake honorablye of Christe and yet notwithstandynge the lyght being before them they came not to the same so exactly as they should but rather harkened to their owne dreames and fantasies Whereby we may behold and see how great the debilitie weakenesse of mans witte and vnderstandinge is in that not onely he is not able to coÌ„ceiue any thynge that is right or trewe but also he maketh of true principles errours Moreouer it may be seing Christ is the onely signe of concorde and peace by the whiche God gathereth the whole world to him selfe that the greater parte herupon taketh occasion of greater disagrement Among the Iewes trewely the vnitie of fayth coÌ„sisted vpon no other than vpon Christ and yet notwithstandinge they which at the fyrste seemed to haue some consente and agremente are nowe swarued and fallen into diuerse opinions We see also howe one erroure bringeth forth an other B. For this dyuers opinion of Christ came partely of this because the common sorte of people had another opinion in their minde first namely that soules do remoue from one body to an other wherevpon it came to passe that they were the more readye to this false immagination Yea there are many of the Iewes at this daye whiche thincke that euery man is borne agayne three or fower tymes Iohn the Baptist M. As the Herodians of whom it was spoken before in the fouertene chapter Some Helias Those that thought him to be Helias toke occasion so to thincke by the prophesie of Mallachy as concerning the comming of Helias whom they loked for to appere in his bodye agayne with the whiche errour also many at this day are blynded who beleue that Henoch Helias shal appere in their bodies and be as it were forerunners before the second comminge of Christe when as notwithstandinge Chryste hym selfe taught that the same prophesie of Helias was fulfilled in Iordane Some Ieremias Dyuerse were brought into this opinion because it was saide vnto Ieremy by the mouthe of the lorde Beholde I put my woordes in thy mouthe and beholde this day do I set thee ouer the people and kingdomes that thou mayst roote out breake of destroye and make waste and that thou mayste buylde vp and plante And a littell after he saith Beholde this daye do I make thee a stronge defensed towne an iron pyller and a brasen wal against the whole lande against the kinges and mighty men of Iuda against the priestes people of the lande All which thinges they thought shold be fulfylled in Christ Or one of the nomber of the Prophets M. In that they suspected Christe to be one of the dead Prophetes the straungnes and vnwonted sight of the myracles might seeme to geue them occasion so to thincke for they thoughte that those which were so restored from the dead to this lyfe were indued by God with farre greater power and vertue than they were before when they were alyue C. But althoughe the Iewes were after this manner deuided amonge them selues by the comminge of Christe yet notwithstanding the varietye of such opinions ought not to be a let or hynderance to the godlye but that they maye seke to attayne get the pure knowledge of Christ For if any man vnder the cloke and pretence of the variety of opinions geue himselfe to ydlenes neglecteth to séeke Christ the same shall be quyte voyde of excuse yea though wée mighte be his Iudges Much lesse then shall hee escape the iudgemente of God which for sectes and the diuersitye of opinions forsaketh Christ Furthermore in that the Iewes doubted of the person of Christ wée sée that Sathan hath gone about this euen from the beginning that hee might reuoke and call men backe froÌ„ the true knowledge of Christ himselfe and set before them newe forged and inuented Christes And because he could not quight plucke that perswation out of the mindes of the Iewes which they had coÌ„ceyued of Chryst to come hee therfore set before them false Christes They ther fore erred in the person of Christ But the ennemyes of the Gospell by the crafte subtiltye of Sathan do erre in the offyce of Christ whereabout they contend they acknowledge him to be the sonne of God but they spoyle him of his power some more some lesse insomuche that they make him a vayne spectacle and glasse to looke in herevppon also it commeth to passe that there are at this daye so manye opinions of Christe the which opinions ought not to hinder our fayth were they neuer so manye as wée sayde all readye euen nowe 15. Hee sayth vnto them but whom say yee that I am Hee sayth vnto them C. The Antithesis is to be noted For hée setteth his Dysciples before men to the ende it maye appeare howe absurde a thinge it is that because other men do disagrée wée should therefore be withdrawne from the vnitye of fayth For whosoeuer addicte and giue themselues simplely to Christ and séeke not to â—â—de anye thynge of their owne head to his Gospell shal neuer want the true lighte But here is requyred intentyue watchinge that when the world slydeth awaye to theyr owne fayned inuencions then that they in anye wyse holde themselues fast by Christ Sathan will neuer leaue of to seeke eyther to teare Christ in peeces or els to put on another person Wherefore among the confused and iarrynge voyces of the worlde let euer this voyce of Christe sounde in oure eares by the which we shall be seperated from wandering and straying men that we be not of the common multitude and that our fayth be not caryed amonge the contrary waues of opinions For howe diuersely so euer men iudge of Christe his trew disciples notwithstanding shall haue a certayne fayth neyther are they troubled because they se men disagrée amonge them selues they acknowledge Christ to be the sonne of god they know the ende of his comminge and they are not ignorant of the power wherewithal he is indewed Christ therfore discerneth his from the multitude when by distinct sole interrogation he saith But whom say ye that I am And requireth a more certaine and full knowledge of him self of those that are his As if he should say But ye whiche haue nowe hearde suche greate matters of me and which are the witnesses of my workes I say what do ye thincke of mee VVhom say ye that I am M. Christ is not satisfied and sufficieÌ„tly conteÌ„ted that
for there shabe greate trouble in the lande and wrathe ouer all this people And they shall fall throughe the edge of the swerde and shal be led awaye captiue in to all nations He meaneth the lande of Iewry By this woorde wrathe he vnderstandeth the vengeaunce of God frō Heauen that is to saye greate afflictions and calamitis sent of God from heauen which declare that God is angrye He ioyned wrath and trouble together because God beinge angery sendeth trouble as if he shoulde saye by this greate trouble the Lord declareth that he is angrye against this people dwelling in the lande of Iewry And what this trouble should be he afterward declareth when he saith And they shall fall through the edge of the swerde c. And in this place is putte in stede of For. B. He that readeth the story of Iosephus shall see that these thinges are true in all pointes For so many euels happened vnto them in the tyme of beséeginge that they can not be tolde an innumerable sorte of them in this tyme perished daylye some by kyllinge themselues some by honger whiche continued so longe that a certayne woman was fayne to seeth her owne sonne for foode there were also taken of them in the tyme of this warre a thousande and foure score and seuentene prisoners and theyr dyed betwene the beginnynge and endynge of this séege ten hondered thousande as writteth Iosephus C. The Euangeliste saincte Luke addeth that all those thinges whiche were written mighte be fulfilled For seinge the couenaunte of GOD was then broken by the obstinate malice of the people it was necessary that the earthe it selfe and the ayer shoulde be stricken wyth a wonderfull alteration and chaunge There coulde no plage truely bee more deadlye and greuouse to the Iewes than to haue the lighte of the heauenlye doctrine extinguished and they them selues also reiected of god But they were constrained to fele the plage of their reiection by sharpe and greuouse scourges as in greate obstinacye it was necessary More ouer the cause of so horrible vengeaunce was for that the desperate impietye of this people was come euen to the full For the medecine whiche was broughte for theire disease was not onlye proudlye despised of them but also contumeliouslye reiected yea they dyd cruelly as it were mad men rage against the Phisition hym selfe Seinge therefore the Lorde reuenged on them so seuerelye the obstinate contempte of his Gospell let vs alwayes haue before our eyes their punishement and let vs therby learne that there is nothynge that the Almighty God can lesse suffer at our handes than the obstinate contempte of his grace And althoughe the same rewarde dothe abyde the lyke contemners of the Gospell yet notwithstandynge God woulde haue the same documente or instruction to abyde in memorye aboue all others to the ende the glory of Christe his commynge mighte be more euident to those that shoulde come after For wee can not by woorde of mouthe expresse anye crime more hainouse than to put the sonne of God to death the author of lyfe offered vnto them from heauen Therefore when they had fulfilled this horrible acte they seassed not by one wickednes or an other to brynge vppon them all the causes of extreame destruction A. Therefore Christe sayth there shal be greate tribulation Suche as vvere not from the beginning of the vvorld Bu. Marke hath from the beginninge of creatures whiche God created callinge there the world the creature of god as in the eight to the Romanes also Neither shal be C. Christ saith here that the like afflictiō shal neuer be in the world because euē as the only repulse of Christ beinge ioyned with suche obstinacy and ingratitude was the moste detestable sinne that euer was committed euen so also it was iust and mete that the reuēge therof should passe all other in cruelty M. But if the Lorde did so seuerely punishe and reuenge himselfe on that nacion whiche he had chosen to be a holye one to himselfe what shall wee thinke will come to passe excepte wee beinge warned by these examples followe oure callinge 22. Yea and except those dayes shoulde be shortned there should no fleshe be saued but for the chosens sake those dayes shal be shortened Yea and except those dayes should be shortened A. That is except the Lord should shorten those dayes For Marke hath Except the Lorde had shortened those dayes that is except the Lord had ended them As if he shoulde saye if the Lorde had suffered that calamity as it was vehement so to haue continued if also he had suffered the enemys to rage so much and so longe as they listed not one amonge all that people should haue escaped There shoulde no fleshe be saued C. He putte this worde fleshe for man accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes We must vnderstande these things to be spoken of the Iewes not of all mankind as some falsely interprete as if he should haue saide that no man shoulde abide in safety He amplifieth therfore the cruelty of the destruction notwithstandinge he mitigateth the same againe with a consolation namely that the name of the Iewes thereby shoulde vtterlye be destryed blotted out excepte the Lorde shoulde haue respecte vnto his electe and for their sakes to release somwhat of the extremity And this place agreeth with that of the prophete Esay where he saith And excepte the Lord of hostes had lefte vs a fewe alyue we shoulde haue bene as Sodoma lyke vnto Gomorha For it was necessary the that vēgeāce of god which happened in the Babilonical exile should be fulfilled againe by the comming of Christ as the Apostell Paule witnesseth Yea the greater that the wickednes was the more greuouse ought the vengeance of God to be Therfore our sauiour Christ saith that except God should make appointe an ende to these euels the Iewes shoulde vtterly perishe in so muche that not one of them shoulde remaine But God hauing a consideration of his cōuenāt saith he spared his electe according to the Prophesy of Esay in an other place saying Thoughe thy people O Israell be as the sande of Sea yet shall the remnaunte of them conuerte in him and bee saued But for the chosens sake those dayes A. The Euāgeliste Marke hath he hath shortned those dayes Because he had as yet and woulde haue some of the chosen oute of this people the Lorde shortened those days of calamity leaste the whole stocke of the Iewes shoulde altogether be extinguished Whereuppon Peter also writteh The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the godly oute of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgemēt for to be punished He preserued Noe the eight preacher of righteousnes and broughte in the floude vpon the worlde of the vngodly and he deliuered iust Loth being vexed with the vncleanly cōuersatiō of the wicked C. And this is a notable documēt or lesson of the diuine Iudgement of God
vnto the people a prisoner whome they woulde desyer And in S. Iohn it is saide thus You haue a custome that I should let one louse vnto you at Easter What meane these wordes at that feaste but only At that solemnity The solemnity S. Iohn expresseth when he calleth it Easter They alleage also this place Before the feast of Easter when Iesus knewe that his hower was come And when supper was done after that the Deuell had put into the harte of Iudas and so forth the whiche places are certainely knowne to containe the mysteris that were done in the night of preparation Therfore the feaste daye of Easter was not yet Wee graunte that those mysteries were done in the daye of preparinge before the feaste daye of Easter that is before the solemnity of Paseouer but not before the daye of Paseouer For the solemnity of the Paseouer is one and the daye of Pasoeuer in an other To these they adde that the same Saint Iohn writteth sayinge Some of them thoughte because Iudas hadde the bagge that Iesus hadde sayde vnto him bye those thinges that wee haue neede of againste the feaste Therefore the feaste daye was not then Nay rather by this wee beleue that the Euangelist wente about to declare that this day was a feaste euen as if the Disciples shoulde haue thus vnderstoode the woordes of Christe By those thinges whiche wee haue néede of for the solemnity whiche from the morning followed the same night nexte of all For then was the nighte of the euen of the fourtenth daye and the daye nexte following from the morninge was the solemnity of paseouer Last of all a man may say â–ª If that had béene the feaste day those thnges had not bene lawfull to be done which were don in it In the day of paseouer and in the other dayes of swet breade the Saboth only excepted many thinges were lawfull to be done which might not be done in the Saboth These two opinions we haue set before the reader that he mighte followe that which semeth vnto him moste probable C. For truely seinge the Euangeliste Saint Iohn saith manifestly that when Christe was crucified it was the preparing daye amonge the Iewes not of the Sabothe but of the paseouer Furthermore that they entered not into the iudgement haule leaste they shoulde defyle them selues because they mente the nexte daye after to eate the paseouer there is no doubte but that Christ did eate paseouer with his Disciples the daye before that all the people celebrated the publique paseouer Neither can this be auoided or shifted of by any cauils that the Iewes did not solemnise the festiual day in that day that they crucified Christ in the which it was not lawfull to punish anye man and that then they had their solemne preparacion that Christe being buried they might eate Paseouer Now it maye bée demaunded howe Christe ordered this matter For he did nothinge in this rite contrary to that which was contained in the lawe There is no doubte but the both the lawful day was obserued of Christ also that the Iewes followed the ancient custome First of al it is without al doubt that Christ was put to death the daye before the Sabothe because he was buried in the Sepulcher which was at hande with as muche speede as mighte be by reason that after the euenynge it was necessary to keepe holy daye But nowe there is no doubte by the aunciente obseruation that the Paseouer and other festiuall dayes when they fell vppon the fridaye were putte of tyll the nexte day after because the people coulde not bide to haue two holye dayes come together The Iewes affirme that this law was appointed straâ—…te after that the people were retourned from the exile into Babilon and that by a heauenly oracle or reuelation leaste they shoulde seme to alter anye thinge rashely of the commaundementes of god But and if it were the maner then to ioyne twoo holy dayes into one as the Iewes confesse and as it appeareth by their ancient monumentes it is a sufficient probable coÌ„iecture that Christe whiche celebrated the Passeouer the daye before the Sabothe obserued the daye whiche was appointed by the lawe For wee knowe what a diligente care he had least he shoulde swerue from one tytell of the lawe For seinge he would be bounde to the lawe that he mighte delyuer vs from the yoake thereof he was not vnmindefull of this subiection euen at the laste instante Therefore he thoughte it better to omitt the externall ceremony than to transgresse the commandement geuen to him of God and so to ruÌ„ne in daunger of the reproch of the wicked The Iewes them selues truely will not deny that one holy day was onlye obserued so often as Paseouer was ioyned to the Sabothe and that it was so appointed by the Rabbines Wherevpppon it followeth that Christe in forsakynge the maner commen custome did nothing contrary to the lawe Shal be Easter The Lattin word for Easter is Pascha B. For the which worde Pascha the Lattin interpreters which translated the same vnto vs oute of the Hebrewe tonge haue putte downe Phase The Syrians or Chaldeis haue Pasha the whiche the Lattines and the Grecians tourning the Hebrewe letter Heth into the Gréeke letter Chy call Pascha But they which for Pesah saie Phase do make of P. ph and of e a as for Perez Pharez for Peleg Phaleg and of Heth they make e as of Noah Noe Corah Core. But the Syrians of the firste e make a and takinge awaye the seconde vowel they ioyne a to the last letter as for Pesah Pasha the which they are ofteÌ„times wont to do when they go about of Hebrewe woordes to make their owne the which are often times vsed in the newe Testament As for eâ—…ample Abba Racha Gabatha Golgotha and many other lyke vnto these But the GreciaÌ„s do not decline this noune Pascha The Lattines do decline Pascha Paschatis vppon the thirde declension amis they shoulde more truelye decline it Pascha Paschae by the firste declension Therfore these wordes Pesah Pascha Phase Easter Paseouer are all one in signification Furthermore this day of Paseouer was a festiuall day whiche was celebrated among the Hebrewes with greate zeale puttinge themselues from yere to yere in memory of that daye in the which their dore postes being striken with the bloud of the Lambe when they dwelte among the Egyptians were deliuered from the destroying Angell For thus wee reade And they shall take of the bloude and strike it on the twoo syde postes and on the vpper dore poste euen in the house where they shall eate him And a lyttell after it is added For I wil passe through the lande of Egipte this same nighte and will smite all the firste borne in the lande of Egypte bothe of man and beast and vppon all the goodes of Egipte will I the Lorde do execution And the bloud shal be vnto you a token
in the houses wherin ye are And whē I sée the bloud I will pase ouer you and the plage shall not be vpon you to destroe you when I smite the lande of Egipte And this day shal be vnto you a remembrance and ye shall keepe it holy daye vnto the Lorde for euer M. Christ saith not here simplely after two dayes the sonne of man shal be deliuered vp c But he saith After two dayes shal be Easter the soone of man c To the ende he might declare that the time of Easter was the appointed time in the which he should be crucified Furthermore that he mighte declare that he was the true Paseouer which must be offered for the redemption of the world the tipe figure wherof was the Paseouer which the Iewes celebrated euery yere The Euangeliste Marke in stede of Ye knowe that after two dayes shal be Easter write After two daies was Easter and the dayes of swete breade that is according to the wordes of S. Luke The feaste of swete breade drewe nye whiche is called Easter that is to say the eating of the Paschall lambe and the vnleauened bread For in the fore said chapter of Exodus where it was commanded as concerning the celebration of paseouer it is strayght waye added Seuen dayes shall ye eate vnleauened breade And the Sonne of man C. Nowe Christe confirmeth that againe which wee haue hearde him so often foreshewed vnto his Disciples but this laste forewarnynge doth more plainly shewe how willing he was to offer him selfe to the death and it was necessary because God could not be pleased but by the Sacrifice of obediēce He ment also to preuent the offēce least the Disciples thinkinge that he was cōstrained by necessitye to be deliuered to death shoulde quayle and faynte in the faythe And so the vse of this sentence was twoo maner of wayes Firste that it mighte be declared that the Sonne of God of his owne accorde deliuered hym selfe to death that he mighte reconcile the worlde to his Father because otherwise he coulde not satisfye for the gylte of synne or purchase vnto vs righteousnes Secondly that he was not oppressed to dye as by a violent death whiche he coulde not auoyde but because he did wilingly offer himselfe to the death He dothe therefore here openlye declare that he commeth to Hierusalem with good aduisement that he might there suffer death For he hauing liberty to go backe againe and in quiete retourne to ouerpasse that time yet notwithstandinge euen in the very moment and tyme conuenient he goeth with good aduisement and deliberation into the midest of his enemys And although it did then nothynge profite the Disciples to be admonished of the obedience whiche he shewed towardes his Father yet notwithstandinge afterwarde their faythe was not a lyttel builded by this doctrine Euen as also at this daye wee receyue no small profite thereby because as it were in a lyuelye glasse the willinge sacrifice is set forth vnto vs by the which all the transgressions of the worlde are wypped awaye and wee do beholde and see the Sonne of God in goinge boldlye and withoute feare to his deathe to bee nowe the conquerer of death Shal be deliuered vp to be crucifyed Bu. Namely by Iudas to the hye Priestes of these he shal be deliuered to Pontius Pilate and of hym to the tormenters to be crucifyed In this shorte sentence he comprehendeth manye thinges Reade the twenty chapter goinge before 3. Then assembled together the chiefe priestes and the Scribes and the elders of the people vnto the palace of the hye prieste which was called Cayphas Then assembled together the C. The Euangeliste Mathewe meaneth not that they were gathered together euen in the second daye or within the compas of two dayes but he bringeth in this history to shewe that Christe as he was a manne was not able to appointe anye certaine time of his death For what might moue him thus to coniecture when as his enemies were fullye determined to differre the tyme The sence and meaninge therefore is this that he spake by the spirit of prophesy of his death seing that no man coulde suspecte that it was so nye at hande M. For althoughe the deathe of Christe was ordained by God and depended vppon the secrete counsell and purpose of God and not of men yet neuertheles the narration of the history did require that it shoulde be described by what and whose practises the same was wrought to the ende we may know that there is no one sorte of men more hurteful to the kingdome of Christ than they which raigne and exercise tyranny against the people of god vnder the shew of Godlines But note who they be whiche are sayd here to come together they truelye whiche had the name of the Churche what one innocente woulde haue beene afrayed of the assemblely of these men Vnto the pallace of the hye Prieste M. Here was the heade of the priestely kyngdome the matter was now about the authoritye hereof They had all one scope namely to defende and preserue that priestely kingedome VVhiche vvas called Cayphas B. This Cayphas had also to name Iosephus whiche succeded in the priesthoode the sonne of Symon Canithus beinge made hie priest of Gratus then presidente whom Pilate succeded Hee was also remoued againe from the priesthoode by Vitellius the proconsull of Syria Ionathas the sonne of Anna being placed in his steede Reade Iosephus for this matter For al thinges yea deuyne offices throughe couetousenesse and ambition of the priestes were bestowed amis by the Romaines Bu. This Cayphas was a man corrupted with couetousenes with luste with pryde and one that swelled with ambition beinge called by no lawfull ordinance to the dignity of the hye priesthode but for bribes and fauoure of the wicked presidentes which were Ethnixes was taken from the fylthy puddell and set in the dignitie of the hie priest Behold this chiefetaine in the counsell of the prestes 4 And helde a counsel that they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kyll him And helde a counsell Bu. The Euangelist sayth here that they helde a counsell that they might take Iesus by subtiltie or deceyte that is not openlye neyther by force but by some pretence the whiche Iudas brought to passe whiche fayning friendeshippe betraied him with a kisse What this counsel was S. Iohn describeth at large saying Then gathered the hie priestes and Pharisetes a counsayle and saide What do we For this man doth many miracles If we let him scape thus all men wyll beleeue on hym and the Romaines shall come and take away bothe our rome and the people And one of them named Cayphas beinge the hye preeste the same yere saide vnto theym Ye perceyue nothinge at all nor consyder that it is expediente for vs that one man dye for the people and not that all the people peryshe 5 But they saide not on the holy daye least there be