The third part of this Ghospel, Christes comming into Iewrie toward his Passion.
He answereth the tempting Pharisees (and againe his Disciples afterward) that the case of a man
with his wife shal be (as in the first institution) vtterly indissoluble. 13. He blesseth children.
17. He sheweth what is to be done to get life euerlasting: 21. what also for a rich man to be
prefect; 28. as also what passing reward they shal haue that doe so in time of persecution. 32. He
reuealeth more to his Disciples, touching his Passion: 35. bidding the two ambitious suiters to thinke
rather of suffring with him: 41. and teaching vs in the rest of his Disciples, not to be greeued at our
Ecclesiastical Superiours, considering they are (as he was himself) to toile for our saluation. 46. Then
going out of Iericho, he giueth sight to a blind man.
1.
*
Mat. 19,1.
AND rising vp thence, he commeth into the coasts of Iewrie beyond Iordan: and the
multitudes assemble againe vnto him. And as he was accustomed, againe he taught them.
2. And the Pharisees comming neere, asked him: Is it lawful for a man to dimisse his
wife? tempting him.
3. But he answering, said to them: What did Moyses command you?
4. Who said:
*
Deu. 24,1.
Moyses
Permitted.
Toleration & permission of euil.
Some things are permitted, though not approued or allowed, to auoid greater
inconueniences. No man may doe euil for any cause, but he may permit other
mens euils for diuerse causes: as God himself doeth, who can doe no euil.
So doth the Prince and Common-wealth permit lesser euils to eschew greater,
and so may the Holy Church much more (as S. Augustine saith* she doeth) being
placed among much chaffe and much cockle, tolerate many things: and yet
whatsoeuer is against faith & good life, she neither approueth, nor
dissembleth with silence, nor committeth.
*Aug. ep. 119 c. 19.
permitted to write a bil of diuorce, and to dimisse her.
5. To whom Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering, said: For the hardnes of your hart he wrote you this precept.
6. But from the beginning of the creation
*
Gen. 1,27.
God made them male & femal.
7. For this cause,
*
Gen. 2,24.
man shal leaue his father & mother; and shal cleaue to his wife.
8. And they two shal be in one flesh. Therfore now they are not two, but one flesh.
9. That therfore which God hath ioyned together,
✟
The obligation betwixt man and wife is so great, that during life it
cannot be broken.
let no man separate.
10. And
*
Mat. 19,9.
Mark 5,32.
Luke 16,18.
1. Corinth. 7,11.
in the house againe his Disciples asked him of the same thing.
11. And he saith to them: Whosoeuer dimisseth his wife and
And marieth another.
Mariage after diuorce vnlawful.
That which S. Matthew vttered more obscurely, and is mistaken of some, as though
he meant that for fornication a man might put away his wife and mary another, is
here by this Euangelist (as also by S. Luke*) put out of doubt, generally
auouching, that whosoeuer putteth away his wife and marieth another committeth
aduoutrie. Aug. li. 1 de adult. coniug. 6. 11 & sequentibus.
*Luke 16,18.
marrieth another, committeth
aduoutrie vpon her.
12. And if the wife dimisse her husband, and mary another, she committeth aduoutrie.
13. And
*
Mat. 19,13.
Luke 18,15.
they offered to him yong children, that he might touch them. And the Disciples
threatned those that offered them.
14. Whom when Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saw, he took it il, and said to them: Suffer the litle children to
come vnto me, and prohibit them not. For the Kingdom of God is for such.
15. Amen I say to you, whosoeuer receaueth not the Kingdom of God as a litle child, shal
not enter into it.
16. And embracing them, and
✟
Our Sauiour gaue the children his blessing, imposing his hands vpon them.
imposing hands vpon them, he blessed them.
17. And when he was gone forth in the way, a certaine man running forth & kneeling
before him asked him,
*
Mat. 19,16.
Luke 18,18.
Good Maister, what shal I doe that I may receaue life euerlasting?
18. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said to him, why callest thou me good?
None is good.
None is entirely, substantially, and of himself good, but God: though by
participation of Gods goodnes, men are truly also called good.
None is good but one, God.
19. Thou knowest the
✟
Note that the keeping of Gods commandements procureth life euerlasting.
commandements,
*
Exo. 20,13.
Commit not aduoutrie, Kil not, Steale not,
Beare not false witnesse, doe not fraud, Honour thy father and mother.
20. But he answering, said to him: Maister al these things I haue obserued from my youth.
21. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ beholding him, loued him, and said to him: One thing is wanting vnto thee:
✟
This is counsel of perfection (not a precept) which the Religious
professing and keeping voluntary pouertie, doe folow.
goe, sel whatsoeuer thou hast, and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in Heauen; and
come, folow me.
22. Who being stroken sad at the word, went away sorowful for he had many possessions.
23. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ looking about, saith to his Disciples: How hardly shal they that haue money,
enter into the Kingdom of God!
24. And the Disciples were astonished at his wordes. But Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ againe answering, saith
to them: Children, how hard is it for them that trust in money, to enter into the Kingdom of God!
25. It is easier for a camel to passe through a needels eye, then for
A rich man.
He is here called a rich man that hath his confidence (as here is expressed) in
his treasure, and had rather forsake his faith and duty to God, then lose them,
as al they which liue in Schisme or Heresie to saue their goods.
a rich man to
enter into the Kingdom of God.
26. Who marueled more, saying to themselues: And who can be saued?
27. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ beholding them saith: With men it is impossible; but not with God. For
al things are possible with God.
28. And Peter began to say vnto him: Behold, we haue left al things, and haue folowed
thee.
29. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering, said:
✟
Exceeding happie be they that can forsake their temporal things for religion.
Amen I say to you, there is no man which hath left house,
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands for me and for the Ghospel,
30. that shal not receaue an
An hundred times so much.
Their reward in this life that forsake ought for Gods sake.
Sometime God doth so blesse men also in worldly benefites that haue forsaken al
for him, as S. Greg. S. August. and S. Paulinus doe note: but the principal
meaning is, *that he wil giue to such men in this life aboundance of grace and
spiritual comfort and contentation and ioy of conscience (as they feele which
haue experience) the which spiritual giftes exceed the temporal commodities more
then an hundred fold. in so much that he that hath fully forsaken but smal things
for religion, would not forsake religion to haue al the world.
*Hiero. in 19 Mat.
hundred times so much now in this time; houses, and
brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to
come life euerlasting.
31. But
*
Mat. 19,30.
Luke 13,30.
many that are first, shal be last; and the last, first.
32. And they were in the way going vp to Hierusalem: and Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ went before them, and
they were astonished; and folowing were afraid. And
*
Mat. 20,17.
Luke 18,31.
taking againe the Twelue, he began to tel them
the things that should befal him.
33. That, behold we goe vp to Hierusalem, and the Sonne of man shal be betrayed to the
cheefe Priests, and to the Scribes and Ancients, and they shal condemne him to death, and shal deliuer
him to the Gentils,
34. and they shal mock him, and spit on him, and scourge him, and kil him, and the third
day he shal rise againe.
35. And
*
Mat. 20,20.
there came to him Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee, saying: Maister, we wil
that what things soeuer we shal aske, thou doe it to vs.
36. But he said to them: What wil you that I doe to you?
37. And they said: Grant to vs, that we may sit, one on thy right hand & the other on
thy left hand, in thy glorie.
38. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said to them: You wot not what you aske. Can you drinke the cup that I
drinke; or be baptized with the Baptisme wherwith I am baptized?
39. But they said to him, we can. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said to them: The cup indeed which I drinke,
you shal drinke; and with the Baptisme wherwith I am baptized, shal you be baptized:
40. but to sit on my right hand or on my left, is not mine to giue vnto you, but to whom
it is prepared.
41. And the ten hearing, began to be displeased at Iames and Iohn.
42. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ calling them, saith to them:
*
Mat. 20,25.
Luke 22,25.
You know that they which seeme to rule
ouer the Gentils, ouerrule them: and their Princes haue power ouer them.
43. But it is not so in you. But whosoeuer wil be greater, shal be you minister;
44. and whosoeuer wil be first among you, shal be the seruant of al.
45. For the Sonne of man also is not come to be ministred vnto, but to minister, and
to giue his life a redemption for many.
46. And
*
Mat. 20,29.
Luke 13,35.
they come to Iericho: and when he departed from Iericho, and his Disciples, and
a very great multitude, the sonne of Timæus, Bartimæus the blind man, sate by the way side begging.
47. Who when he had heard, that it is Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ of Nazareth, he began to crie, and to say: Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ,
sonne of Dauid, haue mercie vpon me.
48. And many threatned him, to hold his peace. But he cried much more, Sonne of Dauid,
haue mercie vpon me.
49. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ standing stil commanded him to be called. And they cal the blind man, saying
to him: Be of better comfort, arise, he calleth thee.
50. Who casting of his garment leapt vp, and came to him.
51. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering, said to him: What wilt thou that I doe vnto thee? And the blind
man said to him: Rabbôni, that I may see.
52. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said to him: Goe thy wayes, thy faith hath made thee safe. And forthwith he
saw, and folowed him in the way.