Matthew — Chapter 14

3. Because of Herodias.) It is too ordinarie in Princes to put them to death that freely tel them such faults: women, whom they fansie, especially inciting them to such mischeefe.

12. Buried it.] Sacrilege against holy Relikes. An example of duty toward the dead bodies of the Faithful: wherein see the difference of Catholike Christian men, & of al Infidels, be they Pagans, Apostataes, or Heretikes. For whereas the Christians had layd the body of this Blessed Prophet and Martyr *in Samaria with the Relikes of Elias and Abdias, by vertue wherof wonderful miracles were wrought in that place, in Iulian the Apostataes time, when men might doe al mischeefe freely against Christian religion, the Pagans opened the tombe of S. John Baptist, burnt his bones, scattered the ashes about the fields: but certaine religious Monkes coming thither a pilgrimage at the same time, aduentured their life and saued as much of the holy Relikes as they could, and brought them to their Abbot Philip, a man of God: who esteeming them too great a treasure for him and his to keep for their primate deuotion, sent them to Athanasius the B. of Alexandria; and he with al reuerence layd them in such a place (as it were by the Spirit of Prophecie) where afterward by occasion of them was built a goodly chappel. Theod. li. 5 c. 6. Ruff. li. 2 c. 27, 28. Marke here that the Heretikes of our time doe as those Pagans, to the bodies & Relikes of al Blessed Saints that they can destroy: and Catholikes contrariwise have the religious deuotion of those old Christians, as appeareth by the honour done now to his head at Amians in France. *Hiero. in Epithap. Paule. c. 6.

13. Retired.) Eremites. Christ much esteemed Iohn, and withdrew himself aside, to giue example of moderate mourning for the departed, and to shew the horrour of that execrable murder: as in the Primitiue Church many good men seeing the miserable state of the world in time of persecution, and the sinnes that abounded withal, took an occasion to forsake those tumults, and to giue themselues to contemplation; and for that purpose retired into the deserts of Ægypt and els where, to doe pennance for their owne sinnes, and the sinnes of the world. Wherevpon partly rose that infinite number of Monkes & Eremites, of whom the Fathers and Ecclesiastical histories make mention. Hiero. to. 2 in vit. Pauli Eremitæ. Sozo. li. 1 c. 12 13.

19. The Disciples to the multitudes.) A figure of the ministerie of the Apostles; who as they here had the distribution and ordering of these miraculous loaues, so had they also to bestow and dispense al the foode of our soules, in ministring of the Word & Sacraments, neither may laimen chalenge the same.

26. Walking.) Peters Primacie. When not only Christ, but by his power Peter also walketh vpon the waters, it is euident that he can dispose of his owne body aboue nature, and contrary to the natural conditions thereof, as to goe through a doore. Iohn. 20. to be in the compasse of a litle bread. Epiphan. in Anchorato.

29. Walked.) Peter (saith S. Bernard) walking vpon the waters, as Christ did, declared himself the only Vicar of Christ, which should be Ruler not ouer one People, but ouer al. For many waters, are many peoples. Bernard li. 2 de confid. c. 8. See the place, how he deduceth from Peter the like auctoritie and iurisdiction to his Successour the Bishop of Rome.