that they be sorrowfull in mynde except they withdrawe them selues from the corruption and abuse and testysie with theyr tongue that they desyre a reformation so often as occasion shall serue but lett them whiche haue not aucthoritie publyke seke to amende those abuses with their tongue whiche they cannot remedy with theyr hande C. and lette them praye vnto the lorde that he wyll eyther pourge his Churche him selfe orels suffer those to pourge it to whom hee hath committed power and authoritie Question Notwithstanding some demaunde here why Christ dyd correcte this small and tollerable abuse when he sawe the temple to be replenished with grosse superstitions whiche he let alone We aunswere that it was neyther the purpose of Christe to restore all the sacrede ceremonyes into their former vse neyther that he had any consideration which faltes were greter and whiche lesse but that he had onlye this regarde that vnder one vysible signe he might teache that the partes of the temple were committed vnto him of God to be purged and also that he might shewe that the worship of God was corrupted with palpable sensible abuse Notwithstandinge this market of bying and selling in the temple wanted not a cloke for they sayde that it was an ease to the people least they shoulde be troubled to feke their sacrifyces a farre of and then that euery man whiche mente to offer mighte haue money at hand But these choppers and changers dyd not sit in the temple but in the courte or yarde of the temple which place is oftentymes in the scriptures called the temple But because there was nothing more vnsemely for the maiestie of the tēple then to haue a faire or market erected so nere the same this profanatiō was not tollerable And our sauiour Christ did the more earnestly inuey against the same because it was opēly known that this abuse was brought in by the couetousenesse of the pristes to receyue their fylthy luker For as a man enteringe into a shoppe or bowth in the which diuerse fine and pleasante thinges are to be soulde is intysed and allured by the glittering shewe therof to buie somewhat where as at the first enterance into the same hee had no such affection euen so the priestes of the temple layde their entisynge snares that by crafte and subtiltie they might drawe vnto them some gayne by oblations of euery one M. God trewely had commanded to offer but yet he woulde not haue his institution to serue for the mayntenaunce of the couetousenes of men furthermore he coulde not abide to haue his holy temple so prophaned For what face or shewe of the temple was this Christ therefore heinge entered into the temple fyrste of all purgeth this fowle spotte and blemishe to declare how gretlye they dyd displease howe vntollerable they were in the Churche which vnder the shewe pretence of pietie sought after nothynge but gayne There were many other wicked abuses in the temple whiche he lefte vntowched to teache vs that those euylles whiche do moste nerely concerne the glory of God ought first of all to be pourged and that there is wickednesse more abhominable in the syghte of God then Hypocrisie And where as he dothe not onelye by his worde but also by his dede abolishe those thinges out of the temple of God whiche dyd displease hym althoughe hee knewe that in shorte tyme bothe the cittie and temple shoulde be destroyed theye are taughte whiche haue receyued power from God in the Church that they ought not onelye by their woorde but also by theyr deede pourge the congregations of Chryste althoughe theye knowe that their corruption superstition and Idolatrye shall fyrmelye abyde styll in the hartes of the reprobate A. For by this meanes God hath geuen theim power to seeke chiefely and fyrste of all for the settyng forthe of his diuyne worshyppe 13 It is written my house shall be called the howse of prayer But ye haue made it a denne of theeues It is vvritten B. Our sauiour Chryste here sheweth a reason of his doing bringynge in the ende and vse of the howse of God. My house is the house of prayer C. This place is taken oute of the prophesie of Esay whiche verye well agreed with the circumstance of the tyme For there is foreshewed the callynge of the Gentiles Esayas therefore promisethe that God wyll bringe to passe not onely that the temple shal recouer the excellencie that it was wonte to haue but also that all nations rounde about shall come thither and that all the worlde shal come into trewe and syncere godlynes It is certayne trewely that he speaketh metaphorically for the prophetes do shaddowe by figures of the lawe the spirituall worship of God which should be vnder the kingedome of Christ This certaynely was neuer fulfilled that al people came to Hierusalem to worshippe When as therefore he pronounceth that the temple should be a place of prayer for all nations it is as muche as if he sholde haue saide that the Gentiles shoulde be gathered together into the church of God that with one mouthe and consente together they might call vpon the true God with the sonnes of Abraham But because he maketh mention of the temple in respect that it was then the visible and publike place of pyetie Christ dothe not without good cause cast the Iewes in the teethe that they haue brought the same to an other vse than at the fyrste it was appoynted for The sence and meaninge therfore is this namely that God wold haue the temple stand hytherto as a signe to the whiche all the worshippers of hym myghte be tyed Howe vnworthely and wyckedly therefore do they conuert it to a prophane markette Moreouer in the tyme or age of Christe this temple was in dede the house of prayer that is to say so longe as the lawe with the shaddowes thereof florished For it began to bethe house of praier to all nations so soone as the doctrine of the Gospell sounded by the whiche the whole worlde grewe into one consente of fayth And although it were afterwarde quyghte ouerthrowne yet notwithstandynge the effect of this prophesye appereth as yet vnto this daye For because the lawe went out of Sion it is necessary that all they which seke to praie aright haue respecte to that beginnynge Wee graunte truely that there is no dyfference of places because the lorde wyll be called vpon in euery place but as the faithfull ar said to speake with the tongue of Canaan whiche professe that they worshyp the God of Israell euen so they are said to come into the temple because from thence trewe religion came and there was the selfe same beginning of waters which in a short space did wonderfully increase and flowe and geue lyfe to the drinkers therof as testifieth the prophete Ezechiel In like maner also those waters of lyfe had their beginninge whiche ranne the halfe parte of them towarde the east sea
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
pollitique or morall lawe did not prohybite they fondly immagined that it was at theyr pleasure Moyses in respecte of the externall order did not forbyd the diuorcementes with the wyues whiche were wonte to be obserued but onely to take away the occasion of luste he commaunded that a byll of dyuorcemente should be geuen to her which was diuorced For it was a certayne testimony of manumission and free lybertie that euer after the woman might be free from the bondage and power of the man and also the man by the same dyd acknoweledge and confesse that he dyd not put away his wife for any ccyme nor faulte but because shee dyd not please hym Herevpon there sprang this errour that none whiche vsed this diuorcement was in fault if so be they satisfied the lawe But amisse they toke a rule out of the ciuill lawe of liuing a godly and holy life For morall lawes are often tymes framed according to the maners of men but God in his spiritual lawe had not respect what men could do but what they ought to do So that in the same is conteyned the parfect and sound righteousenes althoughe we haue not power to fulfyll it Therefore Christ admonysheth vs that all thinges which Moyses lawe dothe allowe are not lawful before god By the cloake and collour of the lawe saythe he he abuseth him selfe with puttinge away his wyfe geueth her a byll of deuorcement but the bonde of wedlocke is more holy then that it may be losed at the will and pleasure of men For althoughe the man and the wyfe with theyr mutual cōsent do ioyne and couple them selues together yet notwithstandinge God doth knitt them together with an inseperable knot that they might neuer after depart excepte it were for fornication Let hym geue her a byll of A. The reason of this byll of diuorcement was that it was lawful for the wyfe diuorced to conioyne her selfe to an other man neuer more to haue to do with her former husbande but shoulde be vnto him as an aliant and stranger The man did declare his owne fylthynes when he gaue this byll of dyuorcement Some wryte that this byl of diuorcement here mentioned was made after this forme folowinge as shoulde appere by a coppy taken out of the lawe of the Hebrewes THis byll made the nine and twenty daye of Iune in the yere frō the creation of the world fiue thousand thirty wytnesseth that I H. R. the sonne of W. R. dwelling in the cittie of London haue wel aduised my selfe no man constraininge me and haue dismist set at lybertie and lefte thee A. R. to thy selfe whiche haste bene heretofore my wyfe And nowe hauinge dismyst thee and sette thee free I geue thee leaue to do what thou wylt and to go and geeue thy selfe to wife to whom so euer it shal please thee In witnesse wherof I geue vnto thee this bil of diuorcement and dimissory epistle being an instrument of lybertie according to the lawe of Moyses and Israell And thus muche as concerning the bil of diuorcement whiche in Greeke is called Apostosion Of this bill Christ speaketh thus Moyses for the hardenes of your hartes suffered you to put awaye your wiues but frō the beginning it was not so 32 But I saye vnto you that who so euer putteth awaye his wife excepte it be for fornicatiō maketh her to breake wedlocke and who so euer maryeth her whiche is diuorsed breaketh wedlocke also But I say vnto you M Many of the ciuil lawes are not good in that they permite euyl thynges as we said euen nowe and that for the mallice of the subiectes that the publique common estate should not be troubled euen as we se brought to passe in the suffering of vsery by the whiche constitution decree there is set a certayne meane of couetousenes and helpe to their necessitie and neede whiche nedes must borrowe other mennes money Againe they forbyd not all euyll thinges neither do they ponishe those thinges which they forbyd not as anger hatred disdaine couetousnes the impietie of the hart such lyke Neyther do they cōmaund all good thinges for they appointe nothinge of faith of hope of loue of the feare of God of pacience of brotherly loue and such like A. Therfore for so much as this lawe of Moyses was altogether politique Christ as a heauenly master teaching true godlines sheweth what must be done in this busines he saith that the wyfe maye not be put away Excepte it be for fornication For worthely and not without iust desert is that wife cast of which hath violated and broken that holy knot defyled her husbandes bed because throughe her faulte the man obteyneth lybertie Maketh her to breake vvedlocke C. Namely if she marry an other Of this you maye rede more at large in the .19 cha folowing 33. Againe ye harde how it was said vnto them of olde time thou shalte not forsweare thy self but shalt performe to the lorde those thynges that thou swearest Agayne ye haue harde Bu. This thirde example is partely in the 20. of Exod. and in the .19 of Leuit. and partly in the .30 of Numeri 23. of Deutro This same commaundeth of the sanctification and glorifiyng of the name of God of the constancy and performāce of wordes of the iuste moderation of the tongue that we vse not the same to lycenciously Thou shalt not forsvveare thy selfe C. This sentence of Christe also here spoken is not the correction of the Lawe but rather a true and proper interpretation For God did not onely condemne periury in the Lawe but also the rashenes of swearing whiche did derogate the reuerence of his name Neither dothe he onely take the name of the lorde God in vayne whiche forsweareth him self but he also which in trifling and vayne thinges or in commō talke rashely and contemptuously taketh the name of god Finally when as the Lawe did condemne euery prophanation of the name of God the Iewes did imagine that the faulte only consisted in periury Christe nowe reprehendeth this errour so grose and commaundeth that we performe our vowes othes to the lorde For he whiche after an othe begyleth his neighbour is not only deceitfull to men but also is iniurious to God But performe B. Some referre this performaunce to vowes when as any thing religiously is promysed to god But this sentence of Christe doth very well comprehende all couenauntes vargaines and promyses whiche are confirmed with takinge the name of god For God is then made a witnes betwene the parties and a suertie to whome they geue their faythe C. Therefore he that forsweareth hym selfe doth not only breake promyse with men but also with God because he toke God to witnesse 34 But I saye vnto you ye shall not sweare at all neyther by heauen because it is the seate of God. Ye shall not svveare C. Many are deceyued in this woorde at all thinking that Christe thereby
Moses seate as it was said before signifieth to teache out of the law of God howe men ought to frame theire liues Here also is noted the lawful callinge because Christe therefore commandeth the Scribes to bee hearde because they were the publique teachers of the Church The Papistes counte it sufficiente to haue a titell and to occupy the place of such as should execute the lawe For to this effecte they wrest the words of Christe as though it were necessary obediētly to receiue whatsoeuer the ordinary gouerners of the Churche do commaunde But truely this their cauil is sufficiently confuted by the other edicte of Christe where he commandeth to beware of the leuen of the Pharises If it be not onely lawfull before GOD as oure Sauioure Christ saith but also necessarye to reiecte whatsoeuer the Scribes of their owne braine do mingle with the lawe it shal not be mete truely without greate choyse deliberation and iudgemente to receiue whatsoeuer it shall please them to commaunde Furthermore if Christe shoulde here tie the consciences of those that are his to the preceptes of men he should falselye saye in an other place that they worship God in vaine with the commaundementes of men C. G By these it appeareth that Christ doth not here speake generally But so longe as they sate in Moses seate and continued in the pure and simple interpretation of the lawe teaching those thinges whiche the Lord had commaunded Moses to be done he woulde haue the people to heare them and those thynges kepte also which they commaunded and taught in the name of god For Sainct Augustine very well and accordinge to the minde of Christe expoundeth that the Scribes sytting vppon Moses seate taughte the lawe of God and that therfore the shepe oughte to heare the shepeherds voyce by them as by hyerelings To the whiche wordes he addeth by and by sayinge God therefore teacheth by them But if they go aboute to teache their owne inuencions neither here them nor follow them To the which sentēce agréeth that which the same father hath in his fourth booke De doctrina Christiana saying Because the good and faithfull doe not heare euerye man but obediently heare God himself therfore they are hearde proffitablelye which also lyue not proffitablely Therfore the seate not of the Scribes but of Moses constrained them to teache that whiche was good although they did not that which was good For in their lyse they did what them lyste but the seate being none of theirs suffered them not to teach what them lysted That obserue and do A. For blessed are they which heare the worde of God and kepe it And Sainct Iames saith be ye doers of the worde and not hearers only deceyuing your selues But do not ye after their vvorkes M He therfore vttered these wordes because he knewe that the lyfe of the teachers was more followed thā their doctrine obeied But he speaketh specially of their hypocrisy by the which they did contaminate and destroye all their woorkes yea euen those which were good Whervppon he addeth as hereafter followeth sayinge All that they do is to be sene of men For they saye and do not They said or taught truely out of Moyses that all thinges shoulde be done by a true faith and iuste feare of the Lorde that trueth and equitye shoulde be imbraced that euery man shoulde so doe vnto his neighbour as he woulde be done vnto that they shoulde haue a stedfast harte geuē to the glory of God in the ceremonies of the lawe that they would at no time follow their owne will and such lyke These thinges they spake but these things thei obserued not For whether they gaue almes prayed or fasted or fulfilled any of the ceremonys they did it to be sene of men not to be accepted of God as it is sayde before They soughte euerye wheare for their owne but in the meane time they wanted mercy and compassion iudgement and faith euen as the Lord him selfe as followeth casteth in their teeth But to worke do after this maner is as auayleable with God as to do nothing at all And this is the cause that our Sauiour Christ saith They saye and do not 4. Yee they binde together heauy burthens and greuouse to be borne and laye them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not heaue at thē with one of their fingars Yee they bynde together heauy burthens C. Our Sauiour Christe doth not here accuse the Scribes as thoughe they dyd tyrannically oppresse mens minds with vniuste lawes For although they had brought in many superfluouse rites as maye appeare by other places yet notwithstanding Christ doth not now touch that falte because he doth compare the true doctrine with a wicked and dissolut lyfe So that the greuouse burthens and hard to be borne which being bound together they layd on mens shoulders were the liuely and expresse commaundements of God the which as Peter also witnesseth neither they nor their fathers coulde beare For who euer at any time was endewed with that spirit that he was able to obserue without any trāsgression so many rytes and ceremonies as the lawe prescribeth Who also fulfilled at any time those thinges whiche properly are cōtained in the law Christe onely excepted C. It is no merueile therefore if the lawe be called a burthen heauy and greuouse to be borne and specially in respecte of our infirmitye But althoughe the Scribes did require nothinge more than that which was commaunded of God yet notwithstandinge Christe dothe here reproue that whiche was to straight and austere an order of teachinge which was common to these proude ypocrits namely in that they imperiously exacted and cruelly demaunded of others whatsoeuer was dewe vnto God and were inexorable and seuere in vrginge and requiringe of deuties wheras they fauored thēselues in those things which they so seuerely enioyned to others In the whiche sence the prophete reprocheth them when he sayth that they ruled the people of God cruelly and churlishly For they which feare GOD in dede althoughe they study to frame disciples according to his wil yet notwithstanding because they are more seuere towarde thēselues than towards others they are not such seuere exactors and vrgers of deutie Furthermore because they knowe their owne infirmitie they do willingly beare with the weake But there is nothinge more bolde and cruell to commaunde then the wicked contemners of God because they haue no regarde to the difficultie from the which they exempte themselues Wherfore there is no man that shall moderately commaunde others but hee which is first a maister to himselfe But they themselues vvil not heaue at them vvith one of their fingars M. G. The Euangeliste Luke hath these woordes Ye lade men with burthens whiche they are not able to beare and ye your selues toutche not the packes with one of youre fingars But by those commaundements of the lawe and by those harde preceptes of the rites and
at this day for they shut and close vp the way to heauen againste the miserable people beinge the dore keepers themselues or at least to whō this charge is committed and that by their tyrannye But excepte wee be to secure carelesse wee will not geue oure hande to wicked tirantes whiche cruellye staye vs from the enterance into euerlasting life Yee neither go in your selues M. By two meanes they did shut vppe the kingdome of Heauen before men Firstlye because they themselues would not enter in for the simple people did greatly stande vpon their auctority as maye appeare by this their sayinge Do any of the rulers or Phariseis beleeue in him but this multitude which knoweth not the lawe are accursed Therefore to beleue in Christ is as much as to enter into the kingdome of Heauen Secondly because they stayed those that desiered to enter in both by the wronge interpretacion of the lawe challenging to themselues the keye of knowledge and not allowing anye opinion or intelligence of the law and Prophetes whiche they themselues had not taughte and also by the commination and terror of excommunication For they had already conspired in this that they woulde cast the confessors of Christ out of the tēple the which truly did not only bringe corporall griefes but also the consciences of the people of God being tyed with Religion it semed to heauy and greuous Bu. Therefore while they desired to haue their praye of the common sorte of people which were subiecte vnto them they neither entered into the kingdome of Heauen themselues neither did they suffer those which woulde enter 14. VVo vnto you Scribes and Phariseis ye ypocrites for yee deuoure widowes houses and that vnder a pretence of longe prayer therefore shal ye be the sorer punished VVo vnto you Scribes and Phariseis Bu. Oure sauioure Christe in all the beginninges of his accusations calleth the Scribes and Phariseis hypocrites strikinge their consciences and declaringe that whatsoeuer they do in religion is but fayned coūterfeyte and false For ye deuoure E. The most auncyent and beste lattine and Greeke bookes haue Because yee deuoure VVydovves houses C. Now hee procedeth farther accusinge not only their feastes which were worthye to be hated and abhorred before all men but hee wypeth awaye also the fayned and counterfaite shewes of vertue by the which the common sort of people were deceiued If any man alleage and say that those thinges were not needeful to be reprehended which could not hurt by example we must remēber this that they coulde not otherwise be saued which were tyed vnto the errors of the Scribes excepte they did whollye forsake them This was the reason therefore that constrayned Christ to bewraye and vncouer the vaine shewe of vertue whiche was the fome of superstition So that in some and effecte hee sayth that when they seeme to do verye well they do falselye abuse vnder the pretence of religion In their longe prayers there was some signe of vertue sildome seene For the more holy that euery man is the more hee geueth himselfe to prayer But our sauiour Christe sayth that the Scribes and Phariseis were so impare that they vsurped not truly the principall part of the worship of God without sinne because the dailye custome of prayinge was to them a subtill meane to get filthy gayne Neyther did they sell their prayers otherwise than do hierlings their daily labors B. He doth reproue therefore their religion set oute to sale for when hee nameth prayers hee vnderstandeth also all other thinges pertayninge to externall worship C. Whereby also wee gather that longe prayers are not preciselye reprehended as thoughe the faulte consisted in the length speciallye seinge it behoueth the pastors of the Church aboue all others to be occupyed in prayer but this corruption is condemned that a thinge laudable of it selfe should be drawne to so euill an ende For when gaine is made of hyered prayers the more that the shewe of feruent deuocion increaseth the more is the name of God prophaned B. Our sauiour Christ nameth here the houses for the goodes and substance By the name of wydowes he vnderstandeth such as are poore and needye and set oute to the preye good and simple men the meanest sort amonge the people which wanted patrones and defenders notwithstandinge hee speciallye vnderstandeth wydowes whiche are more enclined to superstition and may more easelye be deceiued by the pretence of sanctimonye and holynes Prayer is a holy thinge whiche they defiled abusinge the same to filthy gaine For it is the dutye of all men to praye one for another and not to make marchandise of prayer For they which sell prayers what do they els than by and sell make a market and exercise sacriledge in the temple of God Christ therfore toucheth the Phariseis because vnder the pretence and cooller of longe prayers they allured and enticed wydowes and other simple personnes to this that they should bring their houses or els truly the price of theyr houses soulde to Corban And because a false perswasion was already entered into the hartes of the common people therefore oure sauiour Christe doth more sharpelye threaten the Scribes and Phariseis sayinge Therefore shall yee be the sorer punished E. The Greeke text hath ye shall receiue the greater iudgement Bu. Hee vseth the comparatiue degree because they did not onelye fill their bellies with the riches and substance of wydowes whose neede they should rather haue holpen but also because they did a wicked thinge vnder the pretence of Godlynes or els because they did not onely oppresse the nedier sort deuouringe their substance but also because they had therewith longe prayers takinge to themselues sāctimony and coueringe their crueltye A. Therefore there remayned vnto them no small punishmente because the pollution of so holy a thinge was no small or light offence Bu. The Popishe clergy also greuouslye offende in the like pretence of Godlynes In time past in the holy or Ecclesiasticall company the Psalmes himnes and sacrede lessons were redde the sollemne action of the Lordes supper was cellebrated accordinge to the institution prescribed of Christ for these thinges no man payed anye thinge all thinges were receiued freely But at this daye by the couetousnes of sacrifycinge priestes the matter is come to this passe that all thinges are set oute to sale Canonicall howers masses and watches are redde and other canticles of sufficiente length are songe all things are done vnder the pretence of soules healthe when as by this meanes they are inriched and made fat but the poore are made leane C. Neither is it any marueile if widowes were intangeled with these false perswasions because as wee saide before women beinge prone to superstition it was alwayes the maner of the leude personnes to robbe and despoile them cleane by craft of their money So Paule obiecteth to the false teachers of his time that they bringe into bondage women laden with sinne Bu.
Christ therefore in this place went not subtilly about to intreat of all the partes of righteousnes or of their order but hee taughte simplelye so farre as the common capassity of men would beare that the lawe is then kepte when mē deale iustly gently and truly one with another because in so doinge they declare that they loue God that they reuerence him yea they shewe foorth a lawfull and meete testimonye of syncere godlynes not that it is sufficient to do our duty towardes men except first of all God haue his righte geuen vnto him but because it is necessary that he be a true worshipper of Godwhich frameth his life according to his prescript lawe Yet notwithstandinge the obiection is not fully answered for the tenthes which Christ setteth after equity and mercy were a part of the worship of God and some part thereof was wont to be distributed to the poore And so they cōtayned in themselues a double sacrifice Wee aunswere that tenthes are not simplelye compared here with almes deedes fayth and Iudgement but the fayned holines of the Scribes is conferred with sincere perfect loue For why were they so willing and ready to paye their tenthes but only that they mighte please God with the least expence and grefe For they were not so readye to the whole and therefore it ought not to be nombered amonge the duties of loue because they soughte to deceiue both God and men with small trifles of little price These things ought ye to haue done This is a figure in Rhetorique called occupatio by the which Christ preuenteth the cauill of his aduersaries For they might haue cauilled and construed his woordes amisse as though he had made no accompte of that which was written in the law of god Hee graunteth therefore that whatsoeuer God hath commaunded oughte to be kepte and nothing thereof to be omitted but yet that the loue of the whole lawe doth not let men to stand vppon the speciall pointes thereof Wherevpon he gathereth that they do amisse preposterously which busye themselues in the smalest things when as they should rather begin at the greatest matters Christ therefore denyeth it to be his purpose to derogate euen the least thinge from any of the comaundements although hee commende and require an order in the obseruation of the lawe Let therefore the vniuersall lawe abide sound and whole which can be broken in no part without the contempt of the author For he which forbad to commit adultery to kill and to steale the same condemned also all concupiscence Wherby wee gather that all the commaundementes are so linked and knit together that it is not meete to disseauer them one from another Wherefore it is also written Cursed be euery one which doth not those thinges that are written By the which wordes the vniuersall righteousnes of the law is ratifyed withoute exception but this reuerence as wee said before taketh not awaye the difference betwene the commaundements neither yet the scope of the law to the which the true embracers therof directe their minde least they should onelye beare an outwarde shewe B. Therefore the Scribes Phariseis are not blamed of our sauiour Christ because they gaue exactly tyeth of all their fruite for this was meete also to be done but because they dide neglect those greater thinges without the which there coulde no piety at all consist Herevppon certaine do boast that the righte of tithe is confirmed of the Lorde when as wee must put a greater difference betwene those of our time which receiue tithes and those to whom tythes were due by the lawe The whole tribe of Leuy receiued no possessions in the lande of Chanaan because the Lord had appointed the same to the ministery of the tabernacle wherfore he appointed also that tythes should be payed vnto them by the rest of the Isralites as appeareth in Numerye and Deutronomye Therefore so longe as the mynisterye of these men and externall worship of the tabarnacle continued the Isralites ought to haue payed their tithes according to the lawe but the priesthode being remoued the law is remoued also Christ is our hye priest and that in heauenlye thinges to whō it is not nedefull that we geue parte of our oblations and tithes but it is meete that wee offer our selues wholy vnto him for the continuall meditacion of a heauenly life Notwithstāding wee must geue those thinges that are necessary to such as stande in nede of them yea those ministers also are worthye of double honoure which rule well and labour truly in word and doctrine But whether wee do these thinges in geuinge of tythe or by anye other portion of substance with the which the Lorde hath blessed vs it shal be all one before God if so be wee seeke not thereby vaine glorye but geue the same with a pure affection to those that be in neede 24. Ye blinde guides which straine out a gnat and swallow a Camell Yee blinde guides A. Againe he calleth these ypocrites blinde guides to the ende hee might the more moue the people to forsake them For if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditche VVhich strayne out a gnat svvallovv C. This is a prouerbiall sentence by the whiche the precise care of ypocrites in small trifles is noted for they are so horribly affrayed at the least offēces as though one only transgressiō should be more sharpe vnto them than a hundred deathes but in the most greuous sinnes they swetelye lull themselues and others a sleepe They do therefore euen as if a man shoulde straine at a small crumme of bread and swallow a whole loafe Wee knowe that a gnat is a small creature and a Camell a huge beast there is nothinge therefore more rydiculous than to strayne in wyne and water least in swallowinge a gnat thou hurte thy Iawes but careleslye to suppe vp a Camell But truly it is euident that ypocrites do this dallye because they lettinge passe Iudgement mercy and faithe are to seuere and strayte in matters of no great importaunce A. Moreouer in this place the participle of the present-tence is put for the indicatiue moode As if hee should say ye are like vnto them who if it chaunce vnto them to haue a gnat fall into their wyne they sucke and strayne in their wyne hardely through theyr lippes teethe least in swallowinge the little gnat they should be strangled in the meane time they do not onelye eate a Camell beinge a monsterous beast but also swallowe hym downe without feare all you Scribes and Phariseis ye ypocrites are like to these I say who will not omit the smallest point of the lawe but those thinges whiche are the waightiest pointes of the Lawe ye altogether neglecte withoute anye pricke of conscience Suche manner of men are they which are diligent abstayners from fleshe obseruers of confession and suche like trifels but in charity in a good conscience they
that doctrine which semeth to diminish the study and force of honestie And truly where the Gospel is preached loue with the whiche all mens hartes oughte to be possessed and inflamed dothe rather waxe colde then whote and feruent But the welspring of this euell must be noted namely that many doe waxe therefore weary because by reason of their infirmity they fainte and sinke in the floude of iniquitie whiche by little and little ouerfloweth all B. Paule also playnely sheweth that loue waxed colde in his tyme. Surely in that all men withstode Paule in Asia it was a token that iniquitie should abounde and that loue waxed colde 13 But he that indureth to the ende the same shal be safe C. By constancy perseuerance in faythe howe many crewell persecutiōs soeuer are exercised against vs what greuous offences soeuer are obiected against vs by them that fall although the deceitfull errour of false Prophetes doe resiste oure faithe yet notwithstanding at the lengthe wee shall receyue the saluation of our soules whiche is the ende of our faithe Christe therefore requireth this fortitude of those that are his that they persiste and abyde stoutly in fight against all impedimēts of their faythe Thus also Paule commaūdeth vs to do least wee be weary of wel doynge And in an other place he saythe that no man is crowned excepte he stryue lawefully Weerefore we must beare all thynges with a boulde mynde and stoute courage whiche the Lorde shall laye vp-vpon vs Reade of this selfe and same sentence in the tenth chapiter going before and in the two and twenty verse of the chapter 14 And this Gospell of the kyngdome shal be preached in all the worlde for a witnes vnto all nations and then shall the ende come And this Gospell of the kingdome Bu. By these woordes our Sauiour dothe preuente an obiection Obiection whiche some man mighte obiecte thus To what ende is their nede of such diligence and perseuerance when as in so many troubles errours seducinges seditions contenciōs no Gospell can bee preached The Lorde aunswered Your labour and dilligence shall not wante his fruite For althoughe the worlde be madde and what soeuer Sathan goeth about and howe many troubles soeuer he bryngeth in yet notwithstanding the Gospell wyll haue an issue vntyll it bee preached throughout the whole worlde So that in effecte his wordes briefly sound thus muche Although all thinges be troubled yet notwithstandinge this Gospell shal be preached For he thought it good to adde to this laste signe a cōsolation that they might fight the more boldly in knowyng that they should be conquerers Feare discourageth men but we are vnder the banner of Christ without all daunger because wee knowe that he is farre more stronge than the deuel and the whole worlde This Gospell of the kingdome A. Why it is called the Gospell of the kyngdome reade the fourth chapiter goynge before Shal be preached in all the vvorlde A. The Euangeliste Marke hath And the Gospell must firste be publyshed among all nations C. By the whiche woordes Christe declareth that the Gospell muste bee preached throughout the whole worlde And although this were incredible yet notwithstandinge it behoued the Apostles to hope well where no hope was because theire maister had geuen testimonie that it should be so and in the meane tyme to endeuoure them selues to discharge their office A. This that Christe speaketh of here beganne in the Apostels tyme. Whereuppon the Apostell Paule also wryteth that the Gospell at that tyme dyd fructifie in the whole worlde And when it is sayde that it shall bee preached to all nations it is mente that it shal be preached to the greatest parte of nations For howe farre the Apostle Paule onely preached the same it may be sene by his epistle that he writeth to the Romains where he sayeth that he wente from Hierusalem and preached the Gospell to all the Regions that laye there rounde euen to Illyricum And in an other place he saythe God was manifested in the fleshe iustified in the spirite seene of the Aungels and preached to the Gentyles and was beleued on in the worlde And where as some do obeicte the Antipodas or other sortes of people whiche are very farre to whome no parte of the fame of Christe hath hytherto come wee aunswere thus Christ doth not meane in this place specially euery particuler parte and corner of the whole earth neither dothe he prefixe or appointe any certain time but only affirmeth that the Gospell which shortly shoulde be banished out of Iewry the proper place thereof as men thoughte should be spred and published euē to the farthest parts of the earth before his cōming at the last daye to Iudgement accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophete their sounde wente forth into the whole lande and their woordes to the vtmoste partes of the earth Therefore it shall be preached in the whole worlde that is as well amonge the Gentiles as among the Iewes For the whole worlde is diuided into these twoo peoples all are either Iewes or Gentiles in some repecte But there is a fygure vsed here called Synechdoche vsed also in manye other places of the Scripture as when a parte is put for the whole For a vvitnes to all nations C. By these wordes he noteth the ende of preaching For although God neuer lefte him selfe without witnes but after a speciall maner testified of himselfe to the Iewes Notwithstanding this was a speciall testimony aboue all others and worthy to be noted when God reuealed himselfe in his sonne Christ and therefore Paule saith that he shoulde be testifyed at his time because this was the dewe time of callinge the whole worlde vnto god Let vs learne therefore so often as the Gospel is preached that it is euē as if God should come himselfe in the midest of men and should call vs after a solem and lawfull maner leaste as vncertaine we shoulde wander in darkenes but those whiche refuse to obeye are made inexcusable B. That this worde testimony or witnes is often times taken in the Scripture for the lawe and doctrine of God it doth sufficientlye appeare by the Psalmes as in the hōdered and ninetene Psalme in the three score and eightene Psalme where it is sayde He made a testimony or couenant with Iacob and gaue Israell a lawe in the whiche place testimonye and lawe signifye all one thing As therfore a law was geuen to the Iewes and diuers ceremonys belonginge to the same by the which God declared his will admonished the of their deuty euen so afterward it was necessary that the Gospell shoulde be preached to all nations that they also might haue testimony of God by the which they might know his goodnes and haue also a faith in him and a desyer of godlines Amonge the electe therefore of the Gentiles the Gospell hath ben is preached at this daye for a
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
Christe into the house of Anna vntill the Hie Priest called a Councell The Hie Priestes C. Althoughe the greater iurisdiction were takē awaye from the Iewes yet notwithstandinge there remained parte of that Iudgemente whiche the Lawe geuethe vnto the Hie Prieste So that a litle chastisinge was leafte thoughe the méere and sole Gouernemente were gonne Hereuppon it came to passe that Christe was leadde vnto the Hye Prieste to be examined not that he shoulde there receiue his laste Iudgement or Sentence of Deathe at the Tribunall Seate but that he beynge fyrste pressed with hys Iudgemente mighte afterwarde be broughte before the Deputye by the Priestes Cayphas was also called Iosephus who as Iosephus the Hystoriographer saithe was made Hye Prieste by Valerius Gratus Lieuetenant or Deputie of Iudea when as Simon the sonne of Canithus was displaced from that Honoure But the Syrname is onely put of the Euangelistes because peraduenture it was then more commonlye knowen then any other And where as Iohn saithe that Caiphas was his priest the same yéere he meaneth not that the Office of the Hie Prieste was but from yéere to yéere whiche many falsely supposed but that Cayphas was the Hye Prieste at that tyme the whiche ways euidently appeare by Iosephus It was a Perpetual honoure by the Commaundemente of the Lawe that it mighte not be endued but by deathe but Ambition and Discordes broughte to passe that the Romane Maiestrates would depriue one Hye Prieste of his Office and sette vp an other either for Money or for Fauoure at theire pleasure Euen so Vitellus depriued Caiphas whome Ionathas the Sonne of Anna succéeded VVhere the Scribes and the Elders vvere assembled M. Althoughe Caiphas were no true Hye Prieste whiche boughte his Office for money agaynste the Lawe of God yet notwithstandinge because like will to like he was allowed and reuerenced of the Scribes and Senioures of the people of whome he shoulde haue bene reiected The Hye Prieste was a mortall enimye vnto Christe because he feared the losse of his Office whiche coste him a greate Summe of money The reste were partetakers of the Priestes gaynes Therefore as thinges were corrupted in thys Iewishe Priestehoode euen so all menne conspired againste Christe and gathered a Councell howe they mighte destroye hym and all to preserue the Priestely Kingedome and for this pourpose Christe beeinge taken they came togeather to the Hye Prieste Here trewely is sette before oure eyes a fearefull and horrible spectacle For at that time neither the Temple of God neither the Lawfull Woorshippe nor the Face or Image of the Churche was any where els sauinge at Ierusalem the Hye Prieste was a Type and Figure of the onely Mediatoure betwéene God and Man They whiche were gathered togeather at thys Councell did represente the whole Churche of God yet notwithstandinge they all conspired togeather to destroye Christe the onely hope of Saluation But because it was foreshewed by the Testimonie of Dauid that the Stoane whiche was caste aside of the Builders should be neuerthelesse the heade stoane of the Corner and because in like manner it was prophesied by Esay that the Lorde shoulde be a Stoane of Defence at the whiche the people of Israel should stomble it was verye well prouided for of the Lorde leaste sutche Impietye of menne should trouble the mindes of the Faithefull 58. But Peter followed hym a farre of vnto the Pallaice of the Hie Prieste and wente in and sate with the Seruauntes to see the end But Peter follovved a farre of M Here the Euangeliste maketh a way to speake of the Deniall whiche Peter made of his maister By the feruente zeale and loue whiche he bare to the Lorde he followed hym when the reste fleadde but a farre of for he was afrayde For the earneste affection of the minde towarde Christe and the feare of daunger are oftentymes ioyned togeather in a Godly man. Vnto the Pallaice of the Hye Prieste Howe hee came into the Pallaice S. Iohn shewethe by theise woordes And Simon Peter followed Iesus and so did an other Disciple that Disciple was knowen vnto the Hie Prieste and went in with Iesus into the Pallaice of the Hie Prieste But Peter stoode at the Doore without Then wente out that other Disciple whiche was knowen vnto the Hye Prieste and spake to the Damsell that kept the doore and brought in Peter Somme were deceiued by a lighte coniecture whiche thoughte that this Disciple was Iohn because he alwayes in his Gospell speakethe of him selfe omittinge his name But howe shoulde Iohn comme to be acquainted with the prowde hie Priest whiche was a poore Fisher And howe coulde he frequente the House of the Hie Prieste when he was alwayes in the companye of Christe It is more likely that he was none of the Twelue but was called a Disciple because he imbraced the Doctrine of the Sonne of god And S. Iohn is not curious in disposinge and compactinge the Historye because he thoughte it sufficiente to gather a briefe summe For after he hathe declared howe Peter denied Christe once he bryngethe in certayne other thinges and after that he retournethe to the other twoo Denyalles And hereuppon it came to passe that the negligente Reader gathered that the Fyrste Denyall was in the House of Anna But the woordes geeue no suche occasion but doo rather plainely expresse that it was the Damsell of the Hye Prieste whiche vrged Peter to denye Christe Wee muste note therefore that when Christe was broughte vnto the Hye Prieste all menne were not admitted to comme in but that Disciple whiche was knowen obtayned leaue for Peter Nowe there is no doubte but that they bothe of a godly loue followed Christe But séeinge Christe affyrmed that he woulde spare Peter and the reste it had bene mutche more profitable for them to sighe and praye in somme secrete corner then to comme forthe in the open sighte of menne seinge they were of no better strengthe But Peter aboue the reste mighte haue absented hym selfe as better shall appeare For nowe he taketh that vpon hym of the whiche Christe before hadde discharged hym But he failethe in the Confession of the Faithe in the whiche as he saide before he woulde stande to the Deathe C. Wherefore he did rashely when he came into the Pallace of the Hie Priest A. seinge the Lorde hadde sayde before Whither I goe thou canste not followe mée nowe but thou shalte followe mée hereafter And thus it commethe oftentimes to passe that the Faithful caste theim selues into Temptation by the shewe of Vertue Wherefore we must praye vnto the Lorde that he will staye vs with the bridle of hys Spirite leaste wée passinge oure boundes he pounished for the same Wée muste also praye vnto him so often as wée take any thing in hande leaste he suffer vs to falle in the middeste of oure enterprise or in the beginninge of our woorke but that he will geue vs strengthe and abilitie from heauen to the ende The
lawe asked him a question temptinge him and sayinge C. This lawyer was a pickte and chosen fellow amonge the whole sects as it is saide before which seemed to excell others in witte and learninge This good fellow beinge sufficiently instructed before came vnto Christ saying 36. Master which is the greatest coÌ„maundement in the Lawe C. Because this man was an interpretor of the Lawe hee is offended at the doctrine of the Gospell by the which hee thoughte that the auctoritye of Moyses was demynished Howbeit hée is not so muche affected throughe the zeale of the law as hee taketh disdaine the any thinge shoulde departe from the honour of his Mastership Christ thefore demaundeth of him whether hee would professe anye thinge more perfecte then the lawe For although the lawyer do not expresse this in words yet notwithstanding his question is very captions seekinge thereby to make Christ hated of the people The greatest commaundement B. The Euangelist Marke hath which is the first of all the commaundementes The greatest first chiefest signify all one thing as that to the which all the reste maye be referred 37. Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Thou shal s loue thy Lorde Bu. The Lorde aunswereth to the question euen out of the profoundnes and depthe of the Law that by these few wordes all men might gather know that the Lord was moste skilfull and cunninge in the Lawe Mâ—… Notwithstandinge the Euangelist Marke sayth that Christe spake more woordes namely these followinge The first of all the coÌ„maundements is Heare O Israell The Lorde our God is Lorde onely and thou shalt loue thy Lorde thy God with all thy harte c. C. By the which wordes God getteth auctoritye to his lawe for two causes For this also ought to be vnto vs a most sharpe pricke and prouocation to the worship of God when that we are certainly perswaded the wee worship the true creator of heauen and earth because doubtinge doth naturally ingender sluggishnes a pleasaunt intisement also to loue him seing that hee hath adopted vs freely to be his sonnes Therfore least the Iewes should be afrayde as comonly men are in doubtful matters they beare a true rule of life prescribed vnto them by the true only god And lest distrust should stay them God commeth familliarlye vnto them comitteth vnto them his free couenauÌ„t In the meane time notwithstandinge there is no doubt but that he seperateth himselfe from all Idoles least the Iewes should be led amisse but might kepe themselues in the true worshippe of him onlye Now trulye if vncertainty and doubting do stay nothing at all the miserable worshippers of Idoles from being caryed by folish zeale to the loue of them what excuse is lefte to the hearers of the lawe if they forsake God M. Further â–ª more by these woordes The Lorde our God is one God hee doth not onely go aboute to proue the Lorde to be one onely God but also to haue vs so to estéeme beleue of him But truly to beleue that ther is one God it doth profit vs nothing but to accompt him for one onlye God for oure God is saluation and life and the fulnes of all the commaundementes Euen so sayd the holy patriarcke Iacob the Lord shal be my God as thoughe bee were not his God before but he meaneth that hee doth fully determyne with true worshippe to accompt the Lord onely for his god Hée sayth therefore that wee must accompt the Lord our God for one God onelye and no mo that is that wee ought not to worshippe him with diuers worshippes inuented of vs but with the onelye worship which hee himselfe hath appointed And this is done by faith For no man can haue one God except hee depende onely vppon him and beleue onely in him otherwise hee shal be earyed into the variety of workes and shall faine vnto him selfe diuers Goddes C. That which followeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde is the epitome or briefe compendium of the lawe the which is also to be seene in the sixtene Chapter of Deutronomye For seinge the law is deuided in two tables whereof the firste is referred to the worshippe of God and the other to loue Moyses did very well and wisely gather this short somme that the Iewes might know what God required in euery commaundement Moreouer although it be méete that we loue God farre otherwise than men yet notwithstaÌ„ding God doth not without cause required of vs loue for his honour and worship because by this meanes hee declareth that no worship is so acceptable vnto him as that which is voluntarye For hee doth trulye at the lengthe geue himselfe to the obedience of God which loueth him But because the vitious and wicked affections of the fleshe do withdrawe vs from the righte way Moyses sheweth that our way and life is framed aright if that all our sences be replenished with the loue of god Let vs therefore learne that the beginninge of godlines is the loue of God because God reiecteth the coacted and constrayned obedience of men and will be worshipped liberally and willingly And by the waye let vs learne that the reuerence whiche is due vnto him is noted vnder the loue of god In the Booke of Moyses this word mind is not added but onely mencion is made of the harte minde and strengthe And althoughe that the participacion of these sower meÌ„bers is more full and perfect yet notwithstaÌ„ding it altereth not the sence For Moyses goinge about brefely to teache the God oughte to haue oure loue in whole and summe hee thought it sufficient to adde strength to the soule and harte least hee should leaue any parte of man voyde of the loue of god B. As if hee should haue said thou shalte so vnfaynedlye loue thy God that the loue of him shal inuade and possesse thy whole nature and sences euery one whatsoeuer is in thee applye it to the loue of him let thy minde alwayes thincke vppon him let thy will delight in him before all thinges and let all thy strengthe and endeuoures be to the fulfilling of his pleasure The which loue is the first fruite of faith C. Furthermore wée muste note that the Hebrewes vnder this word harte do sometymes note the minde specially where it is ioyned to the minde For what doth the minde differ from the harte in this place surely nothing but in this that it séemeth to signifye a more hye seate of reason from whence all counsayles and cogitacions do springe B. C. Moreouer these thinges are not so spoken as though wéé ought to loue no other thing but God onelye when as all the thinges that hee made are excedinge good and to be beloued but because nothinge ought to be made equall in loue with him or to be preferred before the loue of God C. Also it doth appeare by this
compendium and short summe that God had not respect in the commaundementes of the lawe what men coulde do but what they ought to do For in this infirmity of the fleshe it cannot be that the perfecte loue of God should obtaine the kingdome for wee knowe howe prone all the sences of our minde are to vanity B. C. Wherby we gather that all mortall men were farre from perfect righteousnes and that there was no sinfull man neyther shal be which hath not offended in either of both namelye either in makinge accompte of one onelye God or in louinge of hym or els in both whē as ther is none which at some time hath not wauered in the faith and ioyned other thinges in equall loue with god C. Lastly here wee learne that god careth not for the outward shew of workes but specially requireth the inwarde affection that good fruites maye springe from the roote 38. This is the first and greatest commaundement A. Hée meaneth that all the commaundementes of the first table are comprehēded in this commaundement 39. And the seconde is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And the seconde is like to it M. Hee calleth it seconde in order because to loue God before our neighboure is first in order C. For the worship of God hath the first place Hée sayth that it is like to the first because it hath some affinity and agreement with the first or rather because it dependeth of that For seing euery man is addicted and geuen to himselfe true charity shal neuer abyde betwene neighbour and neighboure but whereas the loue of God abydeth It is a counterfeit loue with the which the children of this world loue one another because euerye one hath care for his owne profite Againe it is impossible for the loue of God to raygne but the same shall breede and ingender brotherly loue betweene man and mā B C. Othersome will say that it is therefore like to the first both because in eache of them the true and perfecte affection of loue is commaunded and also because as loue is heade of all those thinges which are due vnto God which are shortly comprehended in that commaūdement that wée loue God with all oure harte c. Euen so also the loue of oure neighbour is the head of all those things which are due and belonginge to oure neighboure which are comprehended in this commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And this is that which they say the Apostle writ in the thirtene to the Romaynes and fift to the Galathians Thou shalt loue thy neighboure This woord neighbour doth not onely signifye kinsmenne and frendes or suche which are ioyned to vs by som affinity but those also which are vnknowne to vs and our ennemies whom Christ commaundeth vs to loue in another place C. For we come all of one being made after the Image and likenes of God neither is ther any man so barbarous or base but hee is ioyned vnto vs in this knot which is inuiolable and holy and cānot be abolished by the wickednes of any man All mankinde must be imbraced by one affection of loue there oughte to be no difference betwene the barbarous and Scithian betweene the worthye and vnworthye betweene the frende and ennemy because all are one in Christ Iesus and they are to be considered in God not in themselues From the which way if we decline it is no marueile if wée be intangled in many errors Neither can wée herevppon denye but the more a man is neere vnto vs the more we ought to helpe him For this the nature of man it selfe bringeth to passe that the more they are knit together eyther by the bonde of kinred familiarity or affinity the more they are prest and ready to do them good A. Also wee are bounde accordinge to the rule of S Paule to loue those sainctes faith full men in whom the repayred Image of God shyneth more than such as beare the ymage of the deuill the Prince of this world though they be our nye kinsmen For hee sayth Let not to do good to all men but specially to them of the househould of fayth Euen as thy selfe C. Whē Moyses the mā of God commaunded vs to loue our neighboures as our selues hee mente not to set the loue of our selues in the first place as thoughe euerye man shoulde loue himselfe first and then his neighbour as the Sorbonicall Sophisters do cauill But seinge wee are to muche addicted to our selues Moyses going about to reforme this vyce commaundeth vs to geeue the like and same loue to our neighboures that wee geeue to oure selues euen as if he had forbidden al men to neglect others and to haue a care for themselues because loue ioyneth all men into one body And goinge about also to correcte Philautian or selfe-loue which seperateth one man from another hée reduceth all men to common society and mutuall loue Therefore wée are not here taught how to loue our selues But hee teacheth vs this As euery man is wont to loue himselfe so let him loue also his neighboure And whereas the affection of loue was wōt to remaine in vs by a naturall corruption he sheweth nowe that it muste be otherwise that wée mighte haue no lesse desier and care to benefite our neighboures than oure selues Whereby we gather that Paule doth not without good cause call loue the bonde of perfection and in another place the fulfilling of the lawe because all the commaundementes of the seconde table are referred to the same Bu. The Euāgelist Marke addeth that to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is a greater thing then all burnt offeringes and sacrifices For these thynges were neuer acceptable to the trewe lyuinge and eternall God without faith and loue as we haue already declared in the fifthe chapter goinge before Nowe if we gather al these thinges into a compendium and shorte somme we shall see that the lorde hathe taught vs that in fewe words which the whole scripture discourseth of at large namelye that there is one God onely in substaunce that this God is oure God whiche woulde vs well whiche loueth vs and seketh to saue vs And that this God ought to be loued and worshiped of vs for him selfe as the father lorde and chiefe felicitie and that euerye man also must be loued for Goddes sake and that so vnfaynedly as wee loue our selues and as Christe hath loued vs. 40 In these two cōmaundementes hang all the lawe and the prophetes C. Howe the lawe and the prophetes do depende vppon these twoo commaundementes reade the seuenth chapter going before What so euer is taughte in the lawe and the prophetes as concernynge the doctrine of lyfe is fulfylled of them whiche loue God and theyr neyghboure A After these thynges the Euangelyst Marke addeth that a Scribe aunswered Christ sayinge Well maister thou hast saide the truethe for there is one God and there is none but hee 41 VVhile