He testifieth, the faith of the Centurion who was a Gentil, to be greater then he found among
al the Iewes, and cureth his seruant absent. 11. the widowes sonne be reuiueth and restoreth to
her, & is renowmed therevpon. 18. To Iohns messengers he answereth with miracles, leauing Iohn to
preach thereby vnto them that he is Christ. 24. And afterward he declareth how worthy credit was
Iohns testimonie. 29. inueighing against the Pharisees, 31. who with neither of their manners of
liuing could be wonne, 36. shewing also vnto them by occasion of Marie Magdalen, how he is a freind
to sinners, not to maintaine them in sinne, but to forgiue them their sinnes vpon their faith and
pennance
1. AND when he had fully said: al his words into the eares of the people, he entred into
Capharnaum.
2.
*
Mat. 8,5.
And the seruant of a certaine Centurion being sick, was readie to die: who was
deare vnto him.
3. And when he had heard of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, he sent vnto him the Ancients of the Iewes,
desiring him to come and heale his seruant.
4. But they being come to Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, besought him earnestl, saying to him, That
he is worthie that thou shouldest doe this for him.
5. For he loueth our Nation; and he hath
Built a Synagogue.
Building of Churches, Monasteries, &c.
As at that time to found a Synagogue, was acceptable to God, and procured the
prayers of the faithful people for whose vse it was made: so now much more in the
new Testament, to build a Church, Monasterie, College, or any like worke for the
honour and seruice of God, is grateful to him and procureth the prayers of the good
people for whose vse such things be founded.
built a Synagogue for vs.
6. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ went with them. And when he was now not farre from the house,
the Centurion sent his frends vnto him, saying: Lord, trouble not thyself. For
✟
See the Annotations vpon S. Matth. c. 8,8.
I am not worthie
that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe.
7. For the which cause neither did I thinke my self worthie to come to thee; but say
the word, and my seruant shal be made whole.
8. For I also am a man subiect to authoritie, hauing vnder me souldiars: and I say to
this, goe, and he goeth: and to an other, come, and he commeth; and to my seruant, doe this, and
he doeth it.
9. Which Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ hearing, marueled; and turning to the multitude that followed
him he said: Amen I say to you, neither in Israel haue I found so great faith.
10. And they that were sent, being returned home, found the seruant that had been sick,
whole.
11.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon the 15. Sunday after Pentecost.
And vpon Thursday in the 4. weeke of Lent.
And for S. Monica, S. Augustins mother, Maij 4.
And it came to passe, afterward he went into a citie that is called Naim; and there
went with him his Disciples and a very great multitude.
12. And when he came nigh to the gate of the citie, behold a dead man was caried forth,
the only sonne of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the citie with her.
13. Whom when our Lord had seen, being moued with mercie vpon her, he said to her:
Weep not.
14. And he came neere and touched the coffin. And they that caried it stood stil;
and he said: Yong man, I say to thee, arise.
15. And he that was dead, sate vp, and began to speake. And he gaue him to his mother.
16. And feare tooke them al; and they magnified God, saying, That a great Prophet is
risen among vs: and, that God hath visited his people.
17. And this saying went forth into al Iewrie of him, & into al the countrie about.
18. And Iohns Disciples shewed him of al these things.
19.
*
Mat. 11,2.
And Iohn called two of his Disciples, and sent them to Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, saying: Art
thou he that art to come; or expect we another?
20. And when the men were come vnto him, they said: Iohn the Baptist hath sent vs to
thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or expect we another?
21. (And the self same houre, he cured many of maladies, and hurts, and euil Spirits:
and to many blind he
✟
ἐχαρίσατο.
gaue sight.)
22. And answering, he said to them: Goe & report to Iohn what you haue heard and seen:
*
Isai. 35,5. 61,1.
That the blind see, the lame walke, the lepers are made cleane, the deafe heare, the dead rise
againe,
23.
✟
Pauperes euangelizantur, that is, to the poore the Ghospel is preached,
and they receaue it.
the poore are euangelized: and blessed is he whosoeuer shal not be scandalized in me.
24.
*
Mat. 11,7.
And when Iohns messengers were departed, he began to say of Iohn to the multitudes:
What went you out into the desert to see? a reed moued with the wind?
25. But what went you forth to see? a man clothed in
✟
Marke this wel concerning Iohns apparel and diet. See the Annotations
vpon S. Matth. c. 3,4.
soft garments? Behold they that are
in costly apparel and delicacies, are in the houses of Kings.
26. But what went you out for to see? a Prophet? Certes I say to you, and more then
a Prophet.
27. This is he of whom it is written:
*
Mal. 3,1.
Behold I send mine Angel before thy face,
which shal prepare thy way before thee.
28. For I say to you: A greater Prophet among the children of women then Iohn the
Baptist, there is not man. But he that is the lesser in the Kingdom of God, is greater than he.
29. And al the people hearing and the Publicans, iustified God, being baptized with
Iohns Baptisme.
30. But the Pharisees and the lawyers
✟
As they that contemned Iohns Baptisme, despised Gods counsel and wisedom; so
much more they that make no account of the Sacraments of the Church, despise
Gods counsel and ordinance touching their saluation, to their own damnation.
depised the counsel of God against them selues,
being not baptized of him.
31. And our Lord said: Where vnto then shal I liken the men of this Generation, and
wherevnto are they like?
32. They are like to children sitting in the market-place, and speaking one to another,
and saying: We haue piped to you, and you haue not danced; we haue lamented, and you haue not wept.
33. For Iohn Baptist came
*
Mat. 3,4.
neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say: He hath a
Diuel.
34. The Sonne of man came eating and drinking; and you say: Behold a man that is a
gurmander and a drinker of wine, a frend of Publicans and sinners.
35. And wisedom is iustified of al her children.
36.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon S. Marie Magdalens day Iul. 22. And vpon Thursday in
Passion weeke. And vpon Imber Friday in Sept.
And on the the Pharisees desired him to eate with him. And being entred into the
house of the Pharisee, he sate downe to meate.
37. And behold a woman that was in the citie, a sinner, as she knew that he was set
downe in the Pharisees house, she brought an alabaster boxe of ointment;
38. and standing behind beside his feet, she began to
✟
A perfect paterne of true pennance in this woman, who sought of Christ with
open teares and other strange works of satisfaction and deuotion, remission
of her sinnes.
water his feet with teares, &
wiped them with the haires of her head, and kissed his feet, & anointed them with the ointment.
39. And the Pharisee that had bid him seeing it, spake within himself, saying: This
man if he were a Prophet, would know certes who and what manner of woman she is which toucheth him,
that she is a sinner.
40. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering said to him: Simon, I haue somewhat to say vnto thee.
But he said: Maister, say.
41. A certaine creditour had two debters; one did owe fiue hundred pence, & the other
fiftie.
42. THey hauing not wherewith to pay, he forgaue both. Whether therfore doth loue him
more?
43. Simon answering said: I suppose that he to whom he forgaue more. But he said to
him: Thou hast iudged rightly.
44. And turning to the woman, he said vnto Simon: Doest thou see this woman? I entred
Into thy house.
Exteriour signes of more then common deuotion.
An exceeding approbation of the extraordinary workes and signes of external deuotion,
which seeme to carnal men (though otherwise faithful) to be often superfluous or not
acceptable. This Simon was perhaps of a good wil, and therfore (as diuers others did
elswhere) inuited Christ to his house, not of curiositie or captiousnes, as some
other did: but of affection, as it may seeme by Christs familiar talke with him.
Notwithstanding his duties towards him were but ordinary. But the anointing, washing,
kissing, wiping of his feet in such sort as the woman did, were further signes of
more then vulgar loue: such as is in deuout men or women that goe on pilgrimage and
kisse deuoutly the holy memories of Christ and his Saints. Which is no more but an
exteriour expressing of their affection, and that they loue much, as euery vulgar
christian man doth not.
into thy house, water to my feet thou didst not giue; but she with teares hath watered my feet, and
with her haires hath wiped them.
45. Kisse thou gauest me not; but she since I came in, hath not ceased to kisse my feet.
46. With oile thou didst not anoint my head; but she with ointment hath anointed my
feet.
47. For the which I say to thee: Many sinnes are forgiuen her, because she hath
✟
Not only faith (as you may perceiue) but loue or charitie obtaineth
remission of sinnes.
loued
much. But to whom lesse if forgiuen, he loueth lesse.
48. And he said to her: Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee.
49. And they that sate togeather at the table began to say within them selues.
✟
As the Pharisees did alwayes carpe Christ for remission of sinnes in earth,
so the Heretike reprehend his Church that remitteth sinnes by his authoritie.
Who is
this that also forgiueth sinnes?
50. And he said to the woman:
Thy faith.
Iustification attributed not to faith only.
The remission of her sinnes being attributed before to charitie, is now also said to
come of her faith. Whereby you may know that it commonly proceedeth of both, and of
hope also, though but one named. Because when there be diuers causes concurring to
one effect, the scriptures commonly name but one, and that especially which is most
proper to the purpose and time, not excluding the other. And therfore his working
miracles vpon any person, is attributed to the faith of them on whom or at whose
desire they be done. Because he wrought his miracles to induce al men to beleeue in
him; and therfore specially required faith at their hands, and namely before other
things, whether they did beleeue that he was able to doe that which they asked at his
hands: without which it had been rather a mockrie and tentation of him, then a true
desire of benefit at his hands.
Thy faith hath made thee safe, goe in peace.