Matthew — Chapter 12

Esemites, that liue a religious andauttere life in deferts and folitarie places, by the example of S. lohn Ba~ CF. 5, ptift, whom the holy Doctors thertore call the Prince and as ic were the author of fuch profeilion. §- Pag-771. 5S. Chryf. ho, 1in Marcum ¢@ ho, de lo. Baptijte. Hicro, ad Euffoch, de cuftod. virg. ifid. li. a.c. 1s CeMF 1. li de diu off. Bernardss de excel Jo. Baprijie, Wherewith the Proteftants are fo offended that * they fay, /. “ 1- S. Chryfoftom {pake rafhly and vneruely. And no maruel, for Whereas the Euangeliit him felfin Cythraeue. this place maketh him a perfect paterne of penance and Eremitical life, for defert or wildesnes, for *4- cap. his rough and mde apparel, for abftayning fromval delicate meates ( according to our Sauiours 4. tettimonic alfo ofhim Mr. 11,8. Luc. 7, 33) they are nota{hamed to pervert all with this ftrange Bucervee commentarie, thatic Was a defer * full of cownes and villages, his garment was * chamler, his 4 econ meate ‘ {uch as the countrey gaue and the people there v(ed:to make him thereby buta common ptesis li, 1. c. 2. man like ro cae reft, in his maner of life: cleane again{t Scriptures, fathers,and reafon.

proprely a Pilgrimage to his perfon : and Warranteth the faithful in che like kind of external Worf hip done to holy perfons, places, and things. . inquired of them.} The high Prieits were rightly confultedin queftion of their law and religion,and be rhey neuer foil, are often forced co fay the wuth by priuilege of their vnction : as here and after, they did concerning the true Meifias, 11, Adored him} This body ( faith 5. Chryfaftom.) the Sages adored in the cribbe. Let vs ac the Adorati6é of the leaft imitate them:thou feeft him not now in the cribbe, but on the altar: nota Woman holding B, Sacrament, him, but the Prieit prefenc, and the Holy Ghoft pawred out aboundantly vpon the facrifice. Ho.2s. int. Cor. Ho. 7.in Mt. Ho, de fanito Philogonio. st, Treafures.) Thefe weafures are asit Were the firl€ fruites of chofe riches and gifts, which P/al. 7. {according to the Prophecies of Dauid and Efay) Gentilitie fhould offercto Chrift and his Chur- Efa, 60. che, and now haue offered, {pecially from the time of Conftanune the Grea. Asalfo thefe three Sages , being principal men of their Countrie, reprefent the Whole ftate of Princes, kings and Emperours, that Were(according to the Gaid Prophecies) to beleeue in Chriit, to humb kings, wae Of. 11,2. Tere. 31, ethem Chnf- {elues to his crotle, to fofter, enriche, adorne and defend his Church, Wherevponicis alfo avery Theophyt. The three COmuenient and agreable tradition of antiquitie,and a receiued opinion among the faithful, * not Cie.de Di- P lacking teltimonies of ancient Writers, and much forthe honour o¢ our Sauiour, that thefe three #s4as.. alfo were kings : to Witte, cicher according to the ftate of thofe Countries, * Where the Princes Plin.Jiae. cna. ITI. ACCORDING TO S&S MATTHEW, 7 Efther s, were Magi. and * Magi the greateft about the Prince: or as We read in the Scriptures, of Melchi- tn ta fedec king of Salem, and many other kings thar dwelt within a {mall compafle: or as * loboe Tob. 2. three freendes are called kings. Thefe are commonly called the three kings of Colen, becaute mb. 1. their bodies are there, tranflaced thicher from the Eatt Countric: their names are (aid to haue been OF. «13. Gatpar, Melchior, Baleafar. 11, Gifts.) Thefe Sages Were three, and their gifts three, and eche one offered euerie of the three, co expreffe our faidh of the Trinitie. The Gold, co fignifie rhat he Was a King: the trankin- eenfe, chat he was God:the myrrhe,thar he was to be buried as man. tug. fer. 1. de Epiph. rs. Out of. agypr] This place of the Prophete (and the Jike in che new Tehement) here applied to Chrift, Wheras in the letter ic might feeme otherWife , reacheth ys how to interprete the old Teftament,and that the principal fenfe is of Chrift and his Churche,

of God and the profite of our neighbour and our.oWne faluatié: for Chrift betore (c. 5.) bidderh, faving: Let your ligne fof hine before men gc. And inal fuch Workes S. Gregories rule isto befolowed, The Worke fo £0 be in publike , that the intention remayne in fecrete. Ho. 11, in Exang. c.t0.

to confetfion of their finnes. Which is not to ac- knowledge them felues in gensral co.be finners, but alfo to veter every man his finnes.

and the like.. to. Theaxe.) Here preachers are taugitto dehortirom doing euil for feare of Hel, andto exhort to doc good in hope of heauen: which kind of preaching our Aduer.doe condemne, . u.in Water.Lohns baptifme did not remitte finnes,nor Was comparable to Chrilts Bapcifme, Fohns baptilme 25 here itis pla-ne and in manie otiser places, Hiero. adu. Lucifer. Aug. de ‘Bape. cont. Donas. li. 5. ¢. and Chrilts, oy. ir. Yet isitan article of our Adu. chatthone isn9 better then the other. Which they tay notto extol Lonns , burto derogate from Chriites baptifme, fo tar, thacthey make it of no more valure or efficacie for r:mithon of finnes,anJ grace,and iuftification, then Was loans: thereby co mainceine their manifold heretics, thar Baptiiine taketh not away finnes,thacta man is no cleaner noriudter by the Sacrament of Baptitine then berore, tharit is not necetfarie for children vnto faluation See Canif. de verb. Dei corru- Miigittae Cua. IIIL. ACCORDING TO S. MATTHEW. 9 Mr. 1,12 Li, 4,1. Dew. 8,3 Pf. 90, Iz. Den. 6, 16, Des. 6, 13. Mr.urg Luc. 4, 14. Efa. 91, faluation, butit is ynough to be borne of Chriftian parents, and fuch like erroneous poficions wel knowen among the Caluinifts.

charfe) til the {eparation be made in the day ot iudgement: contraric to che doctrine of the Hererikes , that hold,the Church ro coniift onely ot the good,

Extraordinarie apparance of zeale and holines is the Cheepes cote in fome Heretikes : butcheie of this time Weare nor thar garment much , being men of vnfaciable Heretikes Wol- finne. This is sather their garment,common to them with al other Heretikes, to crake much of the ues in fheepo- Re. 16, 18, Word of the Lord,and by prerenfed allegations and * (weete Wordes of benedi@tion,and {pecially -y: es. by promife of knowledge, light and libertie of the Gofpel,to feduce the fimple and the finful.

much to be confidered ; and therfore commendedia che parable alfo ofthe feruant that Would not forgiue his felow feruant, Acar. re. Jud.20,26. 16.Fa/t.) He forbiddeth nor open and publike fafts, which in the* Scriptures Were commaun- Publike fait,

preaching declareth,both beginning with penance,

24. In Beelzebub.) The like blasphemie against the Holy Ghost is, to attribute the miracles done by Saints either dead or aliue, to the Diuel.

30. Not with me.] Neuters in religion. They that are indifferent to al religions, commonly and fitly caled Neuters, ioyning them selues to neither part, let them marke these words wel, and they shal see, that Christ accounted al them to be against him & his Church, that are not planly and flatly with him and it.

31. The blasphemie of the Spirit.] He meaneth not that there is any sinne so great, which God wil not forgiue, or whereof a man may not repent in this life, as some Heretikes at this day affirme: but that some heinous sinnes (as namely this blasphemie of the Iewes against the euident workes of the Holy Ghost, and likewise Archeheretikes who wilfully resist the known truth & workes of the Holy Ghost in Gods Church) are hardly forgiuen, & seldom haue such men grace to repent. Final impenitence. Otherwise among al the sinnes against the Holy Ghost (which are commonly reckned six) one only shal neuer be forgiuen, that is, dying without repentance wilfully, called Final impenitence; which sinne he committeth that dieth with contempt of the Sacrament of Penance, obstinatly refusing absolution, by the Churches ministerie: as S. Augustine plainly declareth in these wordes: Remission of sinnes in the Church. Whosoeuer he be that beleeueth not mans sinnes to be remitted in Gods Church, and therfore despiseth the bountifulnes of God in so mighty a work, if he in that obstinat mind continue til his liues end, he is guilty of sinne against the Holy Ghost, in which Holy Ghost Christ remitteth sinnes. Enchir. 83 Ep. 50 in fine.

32. Sonne of man.) The Iewes in their wordes sinned against the Sonne of man, when they reprehended those things which he did as a man, to wit, caling him a glutton, a great drinker of wine, a frend of the Publicans, a Samaritane, and taking offense because he kept company with sinnes, brake the Sabboth, and such like: and this sinne might more easely be forgiuen them, because they iudged of him as they would haue done, of any other man: but they sinned and blasphemed against the Holy Ghost (called here the finger of God whereby he wrought miracles) when of malice they attributed the euident workes of God in casting out Diuels, to the Diuel himself: & this sinne shal not be remitted, because it shal hardly be remitted, as we see by the plague of their posteritie vntil this day.

is no otne lawful, no not before aiudge, Whereas Chrift fpeaketh agaynit rafhe and v{ual (wearing in common talke, When there is no caule.

36. Idle world.) If of euery idle word we must make account before God in iudgement, and yet shal not for euery such word be damned euerlastingly: then there must needs be some temporal punishment in the next life.

48. Who is my mother.) Al Heretikes alleage Scriptures. The dutiful affection toward our parents and kinsfolke is not blamed, but the inordinate loue of them, to the hinderance of our seruice & duty toward God. Vpon this place some old Heretikes denied Christ to haue any mother. Aug. li. de Fid. & Symb. c. 4. Neither euer, was there any heresie so absurd, but it would seeme to haue Scripture for it.