The blind Pharisees seeking his death for doing good vpon the Sabboths, he meekly goeth out of
the way: where the people that flock vnto him, and his Miracles, are innumerable. 13. Yea to his
Twelue also (hauing need of moe workmen) he giueth power to worke Miracles. 20. He so occupieth himself
for soules, that his kinne thinke him mad 22. The Scribes of Hierusalem come so farre, and yet haue
nothing but absurdly to blaspheme his casting out Diuels, to their owne damnation. 31. That the Iewes
should not (after their manner) thinke it enough, that he is of their bloud; he telleth that such
rather are deare to him, as keepe Gods commandements.
1.
*
Mat. 12,9.
Luke 6,6.
AND he entred againe into the Synagogue, and there was a man there that had a withered
hand.
2. And they watched him whether he would cure on the Sabboths; that they might accuse
him.
3. And he saith to the man that had the withered hand: Rise vp into the middes.
4. And he saith to them: Is it lawful on the Sabboths to doe wel or il? to saue a
soule, or to destroy? but they held their peace.
5. And looking round about vpon them, with anger, being sorrowful for the blindnes
of their hart, he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and his
hand was restored vnto him.
6. And the Pharisees going forth, immediatly made a consultation with the Herodians
against him, how they might destroy him.
7. But Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ with his Disciples retired to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee
& Iewrie followed him,
8. and from Hierusalem, & from Idumæa, and beyond Iordan. And they about Tyre and
Sidon, a great multitude, hearing the things which he did, came to him.
9. And he spake to his Disciples that a boat might attend on him because of the
multitude, lest they should throng him.
10. For he healed many, so that there preassed in vpon him for
✟
The only touching of Christs holy Person, or any part of his clothes, or
whatsoeuer belonged to him, did heale al diseases.
to touch him, as many
had hurts.
11. And the vncleane Spirits, when they saw him, fel downe vnto him: and they cryed
saying:
12.
Thou art the Sonne.
Sermons, Seruice, and prayer of Heretikes.
The confession of the truth is not grateful to God, proceeding from euery person.
The Diuel acknowledging our Sauiour to be the Sonne of God, was bidden hold his
peace: Peters confession of the same was highly allowed and rewarded.
Aug. tract. 10. in ep. Ioan. Ser. 30. 31. de verb. Apost. Therfore neither Heretikes
sermons must be heard, no not though they preach the truth. So is it of their prayer and
seruice, which being neuer so good in it self, is not acceptable to God out of their
mouthes, yea it is no better then the howling of wolues. Hiero. in 7. Osee.
Thou art the Sonne of God. And he vehemently charged them that they should not
disclose him.
13. And
*
Mat. 5,1. 10,1.
Luke 6,12. 9,1.
ascending into a mountaine, he called vnto him whom he would him self, and
they came to him.
14. And he made that
Twelue.
The number of Twelue, mystical.
This number of twelue Apostles is mystical and of great importance (as appeareth
*by the choosing of Mathias into Iudas place to make vp againe this number) prefigured
in the 12. Patriarkes, Gen. 49. the 12. Princes of the children of Israel,
Num. 1. 12. fountaines found in Elim, Exod. 15. the 12. pretious stones
in the Rational of Aaron, Exod. 39. the 12. Spies sent by Moyses,
Num. 13. the 12. stones taken out of Iordan whereof the Altar was made,
Iosu. 4. the 12. loaues of Proposition, Leuit. 24. &c. Anselm. in
Mt. c. 10. And these are the 12. foundations of heauenly Hierusalem.
Apoc. 21.
*Act. 1.
twelue should be with him, and that he might send them to preach.
15. And he gaue them power to cure infirmities, and to cast out Diuels.
16. And he gaue to Simon the name
Peter.
Peters preeminence.
Peter in numbring the Twelue is alwayes the first, and his name is so giuen him
for signification of his calling to be the *Rock or Foundation of the Church vnder
Christ: as here also the name BOANERGES is giuen to other two Apostles for
signification, and so diuers names elswhere in the old Testament and in the new.
*Mat. 16.
Peter.
17. And Iames of Zebedee, and Iohn the brother of Iames; and he called their names,
Boanerges, which is, the Sonnes of thunder.
18. And Andrew and Philippe, and Bartlemew and Matthew, and Thomas and Iames of
Alphæus, and Thaddæus and Simon Cananæus,
19. and Iudas Iscariote, who also betrayed him.
20. And they come to a house; and the multitude resorteth together againe, so that they
could not so much as eate bread.
21. And when his had heard of it, they went forth to lay hands on him. For they said
that he was become
✟
See here the conceit of worldly friendes, who thinke the Zeale of Religion,
madnes: and therfore count them mad, that are Zelous in Gods cause, and for
the Catholike faith: and the more Zelous, the more mad.
mad.
22. And the Scribes which were come downe from Hierusalem, said:
*
Mat. 12,24.
Leu. 11,15.
That he hath Beelzebub;
and that in the Prince of Diuels he casteth out Diuels.
23. And after he had called them together, he said to them in parables: How can
Satan cast out Satan?
24. And if a
Kingdom against Kingdom.
Dissension of Heretikes.
As this is true in al Kingdoms and Common-weales where Ciuil dissension raigneth,
so is it specially verified in heresies and Heretikes, which have alwayes diuisions
among themselues as the plague of God, *for diuiding them selues and others from
the Church.
*Greg. li. 9. ep. 3.
Kingdom be deuided against is self, that Kingdom can not stand.
25. And if a house be deuided against it self, that house can not stand.
26. And if Satan be risen against himself, he is deuided, and can not stand, but hath
an end.
27. No body can rifle the vessel of the strong, being entred into his house, vnles
he first bind the strong, & then shal he rifle his house.
28. Amen I say to you, that al sinnes shal be forgiuen the sonnes of men, & the
blasphemies wherewith they shal blaspheme:
29. But he that shal blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, he
hath not forgiuenesse for euer, but shal be guilty of an
Eternal sinne.
Venial sinnes forgiuen after death.
That which is here called eternal, is (*as S. Matthew expresseth) that which shal
neither be remitted in this life, nor in the life to come. Where we learne by S.
Marke, that there are also sinnes not eternal; and by S. Matthew, that they are
such, as shal be forgiuen either here, or in the life to come.
*Mat. 12,32.
eternal sinne. Because they said: He hath
an vncleane Spirit.
30. And
*
Mat. 12,46.
Luke 8,19.
there come his mother and brethren; and standing without they sent vnto him
calling him,
31. and the multitude sate about him; and they say to him:
32. Behold thy mother and thy brethren without seeke thee.
33. And answering them, he said:
Who is my mother.
Spiritual kinred and busines preferred before carnal and worldly.
Neither is it here said, that he had no mother, as some vpon these wordes falsly
gather; nor ingratitude to our parents is taught vs by this answer: but we be hereby
admonished to preferre the spiritual mother of the Faithful, which is the Church
Catholike, and our brethren in her, and their spiritual good, aboue our carnal
parents or kinne. For so our Maister being occupied here about heauenly things,
accounted al them his mother and brethren, which did the wil of his Father, in
which number our Lady his mother was also included, for she did his Fathers wil.
Aug. ep. 38.
The B. Virgin without sinne.
Yea and aboue al others, because she had so much grace giuen her that she neuer
sinned not so much as venially in al her life. Aug. de nat. & grat c. 36.
Who is my mother and my brethren?
34. And looking about vpon them which sate round about him, he saith: Behold my mother
and my brethren.
35. For whosoeuer shal doe the wil of God, he is my brother and my sister and mother.