To shew how through Gods grace the Iewes shal be ouerrunne of the Gentils, although they beginne
after, he bringeth a parable of men working sooner and later in the vineyard, but the later
rewarded in the end euen as the first. 17. He reuealeth more to his Disciples touching his passion:
20. Bidding the ambitions two suiters to thinke rather of suffering with him: 24. 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. 29. Then going out of Iericho, he giueth sight vnto
two blind.
1.
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The Ghospel vpon the Sunday of Septuagesme.
THE Kingdom of Heauen is like to a man that is an Housholder which went forth early
In the morning.
God calleth some in the morning, that is, in the beginning of the world, as Abel, Enoch,
Noe, and other the iust and faithful of the first Age; at the third houre, Abraham, Isaac,
and Iacob, and the rest of their Age; at the 6. houre of the day, Moyses, Aaron, and the
rest; at the 9. houre, the Prophets; at the eleuenth, that is, at the later end of the
world, the Christian Nations. Aug. de verb. Domini ser. 59. Briefly, this calling
at diuerse houres signifieth the calling of the Iewes from time to time in the first Ages
of the world, and of the Gentils in the later Age thereof. It signifieth also that God
calleth countries to the faith some sooner, some later; and particular men to be his
seruants, some yonger, some elder, of diuerse ages.
in the morning to hire workmen into his vineyard.
2. And hauing made couenant with the workemen for a penie a day he sent them
into his vineyard.
3. And going forth about the third houre, he saw other standing in the market place
idle,
4. and he said to them: Goe you also into the vineyard, and that which shal be iust,
I wil giue you.
5. And they went their way. And againe he went forth about the sixt & the ninth houre:
and did likewise.
6. But about the eleuenth houre he went forth and found other standing, & he saith to
them: What stand you here al the day idle?
7. They say to him: Because no man hath hired vs. He saith to them: Goe you also into
the vineyard.
8. And when euening was come, the Lord of the vineyard saith to his bailife, Cal
the workmen, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last euen to the first.
9. Therfore when they were come that came about the eleuenth houre, they receaued
euerie one a
Penie.
Diuersitie of glorie in Heauen.
The penie promised to al, was life euerlasting, which is common to al that shal be saued.
But in the same life there be degrees of glorie, as *betwixt starre and starre in the
element. Aug. li. de virginis. c. 26.
*1 Cor. 15.
penie.
10. But when the first also came, they thought that they should receaue more: and
they also receaued euerie one a penie.
11. And receauing it they
✟
The Iewes are noted for enuying the vocation of the Gentils, and their reward, equal with
them selues.
murmured against the Good-man of the house.
12. Saying: These last haue continued one houre, and thou hast made them equal to vs
that haue borne the burden of the day & the heats.
13. But he answering said to one of them Freind, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not
couenant with me for a penie?
14. Take that is thine, and goe: I wil also giue to his last euen as to thee also.
15. Or, is it not lawful for me to doe that I wil? is thine eye naught, because I
am good?
16. So shal the last be first, and the first, last. For many be called, but
Few elect.
Those are elect which despised not their caller, but folowed and beleeued him; for men beleeue
not but of their owne free wil. Aug. li. 1. ad Simplic. q. 2.
few elect.
17.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon wenesday the 2. weeke in Lent. And in a votiue masse of the holy
Crosse.
*
Mark 10,32.
Luke 18,31.
And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ going vp to Hierusalem, tooke the twelue Disciples secretly, and said to them:
18. Behold we goe vp to Hierusalem, and the Sonne of man shal be deliuered to the chiefe Priests
and to the Scribes, and they shal condemne him to death,
19. and shal deliuer him to the Gentils to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and
the third day he shal rise againe.
20.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon S. Iames day. Iul 25. And S. Iohns ante portam Latinam
Maii. 6.
*
Mark 10,27.
Luke 22,35.
Then came to him the mother of the sonnes of Zebedee with her sonnes, adoring and
desiring some thing of him.
21. Who said to her: What wil thou? She saith to him: Say that these my two sonnes
may sit, one at thy right hand, & one at thy left hand in thy Kingdom.
22. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering, said: You know not what you desire. Can you drinke of the
cup that I shal drinke of? They say to him: We can.
23. He saith to them: My cup indeed you shal drinke of: but
To whom it is prepared.
Differences of merits and reward.
The Kingdom of Heauen is prepared for them that are worthie of it and deserue it by their
wel doing; as in holy Scripture it is very often: That *God wil repay euery man
according to his workes. And, **Come ye blessed, possesse the Kingdom prepared for
you. Why? Because I was hungrie, and you gaue me meate; thirstie, and you gaue
me drinke &c. Therfore doth Christ say here, It is not mine to giue. Because he
is iust and wil not give it to euerie man without respect of their deserts; yea nor alike
to euerie one, but diuersly according to greater or lesser merits; as here ***S. Chrysosto.
maketh it plaine, when our Sauiour telleth them, that although they suffer martyrdom for
his sake, yet he hath not to giue them the two cheefe places. See S. Hiero. vpon this
place, and li. 2. adu. Iouin. c. 15. This also is a lesson for them that have to bestow
Ecclesiastical benefices, that they have no carnal respect to kinred &c. but to the
worthines of the persons.
*Mat. 16,27. Ro. 2,6.
**Mat. 25,34.
***Chrys. ho. 66. in Mt.
to whom it is prepared
of my Father.
24. And the ten hearing it, were displeased at the two brethren.
25. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ calleth them vnto him, and said:
*
Mark 10,41.
Luke 22,25.
You know that the Princes of the Gentils
✟
Superioritie is not here forbidden among Christians, neither Ecclesiastical nor temporal;
but heathenish tyrannie is forbidden, and humilitie commended.
ouerrule them: and they that are the greater, exercise power against them.
26. It shal not be so amoung you, but whosoeuer wil be the greater amoing you, let him
be your minister:
27. And he that wil be first amoing you, shal be your seruant.
28. Euen
As the Sonne of man.
Christ himself as he was the Sonne of man, was their and our Superiour, and *Lord &
Maister, notwithstanding his humilitie, and therfore it is pride and haughtines which
is forbidden, and not Superioritie or Lordship, as some Heretikes would haue it.
Io. 13, 13.
as the Sonne of man is not come to be ministred vnto, but to minister, and
to giue his life a redemption for many.
29. And
*
Mark 10,46.
when they went out from Iericho, a great multitude folowed him.
30. And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, head that Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ passed by, and
they cried out saying: Lord, haue mercie vpon vs, Sonne of Dauid.
31. And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried
out the more, saying: Lord, haue mercie vpon vs, Sonne of Dauid.
32. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ stood, and called them, and said: What wil ye that I doe to you?
33. They say to him: Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ hauing compassion on them,
✟
Our Sauiour who alwayes could, and often did cure the diseased, by his only wil, or word,
here gaue sight to these blind, by touching their eyes with his holie hand.
touched their eyes. And immediatly they saw,
and folowed him.