To his Disciples he preacheth against ambition the mother of Schisme: 7. foretelling both the
authour whosoeuer he be, and also his folowers, of their woe to come. 10. and shewing on the
contrary side, how precious Christian soules are to their Angels, to the Sonne of man, and to his
Father. 15. charging vs therfore to forgiue our brethren, when also we haue iust cause against them,
be it neuer so often, and to labour their saluation by al meanes possible.
1.
⋮
The Ghospel on Michelmas day Septemb. 29. And vpon his Apparition Maij 8.
*
Mark 9,34.
Luke 9,46.
AT that houre the Disciples came to Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the
greater
in the Kingdom of Heauen?
2. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ calling vnto him a litle child, set him in the middes of them,
3. and said: Amen I say to you, vnless you be converted, and become as litle
children, you shal not enter into the Kingdom of Heauen.
4. Whoseuer therfore shal humble himself as this litle child, he is the greater in the
Kingdom of Heauen.
5. And he that shal receaue one such
✟
Humility, innocencie, simplicity, commended to vs in the state & person of a child.
litle child in my name, receaueth me.
6. And
*
Mark 9,42.
Luke 17,2.
he that shal scandalize one of these litle ones that beleeue in me, it is
expedient for him that a milstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth
of the sea.
7. Woe be to the world for scandals. For it is necessary that scandals do come: but
neuerthelesse woe to the man by whom the scandal commeth.
8. And
*
Mat. 5,30.
Mark 9,43.
if thy
hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it of, and cast it from thee.
It is good for thee to goe into life maimed or lame, rather than hauing two hands or two feet, to
be cast into euerlasting fire.
9. And if thine eye scandalize thee, pluck him out, and cast him from thee: It is good
for thee hauing one eye to enter into life, rather then hauing two eyes to be cast into the Hel
of fire.
10. See that you dispise not one of these litle ones: for I say to you, that
their
Angels in Heauen alwaies do see the face of my Father which is in Heauen.
11. For
*
Luke 19,10.
the Sonne of man is come to saue that which was perished.
12.
*
Luke 15,4.
How thinke you? If a man haue an hundred sheep, and one of them shal goe astray;
doth he not leaue ninetie nine in the mountaines, and goeth to seek that which is straied?
13. And if it chance that he find it: Amen I say to you, that he reioyceth more for
that, then for the ninetie nine that went not astray.
14. Euen so it is not the wil of you Father, which is in Heauen, that one perish of
these litle ones.
15.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon Tuesday the 3. week in Lent.
But
*
Luke 17,3.
if thy brother shal offend against thee, goe, and rebuke him between thee
and him alone. If he shal heare thee, thou shalt gaine thy brother.
16. And if he wil not heare thee, ioyne with thee besides, one or two: that in the
mouth of
*
Deu. 19,15.
two or three witnesses euery word may stand.
17. And if he wil not heare them,
✟
That is (as S. Chrysostom here expoundeth it) Tel the Prelates & cheefe Pastours of the
Church; for they haue iurisdiction to bind & loose such offenders, by the wordes
folowing v.18.
tel the Church. And if he wil not heare
the Church, let him be thee as the Heathens and Publicans.
18. Amen I say to you, whatsoeuer
you shal bind vpon earth, shal be bound also in
Heauen: and whatsoeuer you
shal loose vpon earth, shal be loosed also in Heauen.
19. Againe I say to you, that if two of you shal
✟
Al ioyning togeather the vnity of Christes Church in Councels, and Synods, or publike
prayers, is of more force then of any particular man.
consent vpon earth, concerning euery
thing whatsoeuer they shal aske, it shal be done to them of my Father which is in Heauen.
20. For where there be two or three gathered in my name, there am I
in the middes of them.
21.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon the 21. Sunday after Pentecost.
Then came Peter vnto him and said:
*
Luke 17,4.
Lord, how often shal my brother offend against me, &
I forgiue him? vntil seauen times?
22. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said to him: I say not to thee
*
Luke 17,4.
vntil seauen times but vntil
seauentie times
seauen times.
23. Therfore is the Kingdom of Heauen likened to a man being a King, that would make
and account with his seruants.
24. And when he began to make the account, there was one presented vnto him that owed
him ten thousand talents.
25. And hauing not whence to repay it, his Lord commanded that he should be sold, and
his wife and children, and al that he had, and it to be repaid.
26. But that servant falling downe, besought him, saying: Haue patience toward me, and
I wil repay thee al,
27. And the Lord of that seruant moued with pitie, dimissed him, and the debt he
forgaue him.
28. And when that seruant was gone forth, he found one of his felow-seruants that did
owe him an hundred pence: and laying hands vpon him thratled him, saying: Repay that thou owest.
29. And his felow-seruant falling downe, besought him, saying: Haue patience toward me,
and I wil repay thee al.
30. And he would not: but went his way, and cast him into prison, til he repayed the
debt.
31. And his felow-seruants seeing what was done, were very sorie, and they came, and
told their Lord al that was done.
32. Then his Lord called him; and said vnto him: Thou vngratious seruant, I forgaue
thee al the debt, because thou besought me: oughtest not thou therfore also to haue mercie
vpon thy felow-seruant, euen as I had mercie vpon thee?
33. And his Lord being angrie deliuered him to the tormenters, vntil he repayed al
the debt.
34. So also shal my Heauenly Father doe to you, if you forgiue not euery one his
brother from your harts.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. XVIII.
1. Who is the greater.)
The occasion of this question, & of their contention for Superioritie among the rest of
their infirmities, which they had before the comming of the Holy Ghost, was (as certaine
holy Doctours write) vpon emulation toward Peter, whom only they saw preferred before the
rest, in the payment of the tribute, by these wordes of our Sauiour: *Giue it them for me
and thee. Chrys. ho. 59. Hier. in Mat. Vpon this place.
C. 17, v. 27.
7. Scandals.)
The simple be most annoyed by taking scandal of their Preachers, Priests, and elders il
life; and great damnation is to the guides of the People, whether they be temporal or
spiritual, but specially to the spiritual, if by their il example and scandelous life
the People be scandalized.
8. Hand, foot, eye.)
By these parts of the body so necessarie and profitable for a man, is signified, that
whatsoeuer is neerest and deerest to vs, wife, children, friendes, riches, al are to be
contemned and forsaken for to saue our soule.
10. Their Angels.)
Protection of Angels.
A great dignitie and a maruelous benefit, that euery one hath from his Natiuitie an Angel
for his custodie and patronage, against the wicked, before the face of God. Hier. upon this
place. And the thing is so plaine, that Calvin dare not deny it, and yet he wil needes doubt
of it. lib. 1. Inst. c. 14. sect. 7.
17. Not heare the Church.)
Disobedience to the Church.
Not only Heretikes, but any other obstinate offender that wil not be iudged nor ruled
by the Church, may be excommunicated, & so made as an Heathen or Publican was to the Iewes,
by the discipline of the same, casting him out of the felowship of Catholikes.
Excommunication.
Which Excommunication is a greater punishment, then if he were executed by sword, fire, &
wild beastes. Aug. cont. Adv. leg. li. 1. c. 17. And againe he saith: Man is more
sharply & pitifully bound by the Churches Keyes, then with any iron or adamantine manicles
or fetters, in the world. Aug. ibidem.
17. Heathen.)
Heretikes therfore because they wil not heare the Church, be no better nor no otherwise to
be esteemed of Catholikes, then Heathen men and Publicans were esteemed among the Iewes.
18. You shal bind.)
Power to bind and loose.
*As before he gave this power of binding and loosing over the whole, first of al and
principally to Peter, vpon whom he builded his Church: so here not only to Peter, and
in him to his successours, but also to the other Apostles, & in them to their successours,
euery one in their charge. Hierom. lib. 1. c. 14. aduers. Jouin. and Epist. ad Heliod.
Cyprian. de vnit. Eccl. nu. 3.
Mat. 16,19.
18. Shal loose.]
Our Lord giueth no lesse right and authoritie to the Church to loose, then to binde,
as *S. Ambrose writeth against the Nouatians, who confessed that the Priests had power
to bind, but not to loose.
*Li. 1. de. pœnit. c. 2. 18.
20. In the middes of them.)
Catholike Assemblies.
Not al assemblies may chalenge the presence of Christ; but only such as be gathered
togeather in the vnity of the Church, and therfore no conventicles of Heretikes directly
gathering against the Church, are warranted by this place. Cypr. de vnit. Eccles. nu.
7. 8.
22. Seauentie times seauen.)
There must be no end of forgiuing them that be penitent, either in the Sacrament by
absolution, or one man an other their offenses.