Marlorate:

1) Which turn the grace of our God unto wantonness] Now he declares manifestly, what manner of mischief that is, that they should beware & take heed of: namely this: that these false Apostle & deceivers, abused the grace of God unto all wantonness & licentiousness, thinking, that because their sins were forgiven, they might do what they list [wished]. They sinned therefore without all shame, and willingly fell back again into the slavery and bondage of sin, from whence Christ had redeemed them by the shedding of his blood. C [Calvin.] The grace of God verily appeared to a far other end, then to get[?] men to leave to sin, as Paul plainly witnesses, saying: “The grace of God hath appeared healthful to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present evil wild,” [P. to Tit. 2. vers. 11]. Let us know therefore, that there is nothing more hurtful & pernicious than these kind of men, which of the grace of Christ, do take an occasion to live wantonly and licentiously. And because we teach, that we are saved by the free mercy of God, the Papists lay this to our charge as a great fault. But what does it prevail with words to confute their shamelessness, sith [since] everywhere & in all places we call earnestly upon repentance, the fear of God, & newness of life. They themselves do not only corrupt & mar the whole world by their evil examples & wicked life, but also take quite out of the world by their pestilent and wicked doctrine, true holiness and the pure worshiping of God. M [Martin. Luther.] Indeed they call themselves Christians, and brag much of the gospel, but they live such a kind of life, as they do whatever pleases them, sinning most wickedly and abominably in drunkenness, in lechery, and all abomination. Their Bishops and Prelates do vaunt and say, we have taken upon us, not a worldly, but a spiritual state and condition of life: under which name & false pretense, they have gotten great treasures, pleasures, and dignities: [Calvin] although we may rather think them to be like the Libertines of our time, of whom Jude speaks, as it shall more clearly appear in the discourse hereof. It follows.

And God which is the only Lord.] Certain old translation have, “Christ which is the only God & Lord.” In the epistle of S. Peter mention is made only of Christ, and there he is called Lord. For thus he writes, “even denying the Lord which has bough them,” [2. Peter. Vers. 1.]. A [Augustine. Marlorate.] If any man think it better to read it differently or by itself, then the sense will be, “Chiefly they deny God,” L. [Pelicane.] whom once they have professed, which is the only Lord of al things, both in heaven and earth. It follows.

And deny our Lord Jesus Christ.] C. [Calvin.] He understands Christ to be denied, when such as have been redeemed by his blood, have given themselves again to be bondslaves to Satan, making as much as in them lies, the incomparable and inestimable benefit & price of our redemption, to be frustrate & of none effect. Therefore let us remember that Christ died and rose again for us, to the end that he might make us a peculiar people to himself, & that he might be Lord of our life, and death. A. [Aug. Mar.] Again, Christ is denied, when we derogate from him, that which is his own: After which manner the Monks, and such like deny Christ. M [Mar. Lut.] For when they preach that the way to eternal happiness & felicity, is to fast, to gad & wander on pilgrimage, to build Churches, and Monasteries: to vow chastity, obedience, poverty, and such like: they plainly deceive the simple and ignorant by their works, but of Christ they make no mention at all: which is as much, as if they should say, it is very needful and necessary for thee to deserve heaven by thy own works, Christ profited thee nothing, his works cannot help thee: and so they deny the Lord, who has bought us with his blood.

Augustine Marlorate, A Catholic and ecclesiastical exposition uppon the epistle of S. Iude. The Apostle: Collected and Gathered out of the workes of the best writers by Augustine Marlorat, that most notable and excellent Divine, (At London by Gerard Dewes, and Henry Marshe, 1584), fols 9-11. [Some spelling modernized.]

Marlorate:

Therefore the testimony of John tends to this end, which he bears of Christ, that we believe in him. Faith is that by which behold this light, know the same and embrace it. By this grace was set forth to the world, not only the testimony which John bare concerning Christ, but also the testimony of all the Apostles and Evangelists, both by voice and writing. And therefore it is said in the end of the Gospel: “These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”

But what is the profit of this faith? The profit (says he) of this faith is, that ye believing might have life through his name.

Moreover the grace of this light, must be set forth before all men, for God would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. Also it is said, “Preach ye the Gospel to every creature,” &c. B. [Bucer] Whereupon Saint John Baptist Preached the Gospel to the Soldiers and Publicans.

Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospel after S. Iohn, trans., Thomas Timme (Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe, Anno Domini. 1575), 13. [Some spelling modernized.]

Marlorate:

1) {Least at any time they should see with}

C. [Calvin] here the Lord might seem to be unwilling to have the reprobate converted which is contrary to this sentence, “I will not the death of the sinner, but rather that he turne from his wickednes and lyue,” [Ezek. 18.]. A [Marlorate] Also Peter says, “The Lorde is paciente to us warde, for so muche as he wolde haue no man loste, but wolde receiuve all men to repentance,” [2 Peter. 3.]. But Peter and Ezekiel dispute not in those places, as concerning the secret purpose of God, but only they do show how God shows himself towards us, calling us by the preaching of the Gospel, to everlasting life. So that it is not contrary to the place of Esaiah: for he calls all by his word, even the reprobate: But the reprobate are so destitute of grace, that they are nothing at all moved by the gentle invitation of God, no, they do not molify their hearts.     Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after S. Mathew, gathered out of all the singular and approued Deuines (which the Lorde hath geuen to his Churche) by Augustine Marlorate. And translated out of Latine into Englishe, by Thomas Tymme, Minister, Sene and allowed according to the order appointed (Imprinted at London in Fletestreate near vnto S. Dunstones churche, by Thomas Marshe, 1570), Matt. 13:15; pp., 282-283. [Some spelling modernized.]

2) 3:21. “And I gaue hir time to repent hir of hir whoredome, but she repented not.”

God’s long
sufferance and
gentleness, and also his
rigor.

“And I gaue hir time.” &c. G. [Caspar Megander] The Scripture every where sets out the gentleness and long sufferance of God, where through being forward unto mercy and slow to wrath, he calls sinners to repentance, that they may receive forgiveness of their sins and walk in newness of life. For he would not that the sinner should die, but rather that he should convert and live. Ezek. 18.23. & 2 Peter 3.9. S. [Seb. Meyer] But if they despise his wholesome counsel of amendment, he executes sore punishment upon them, like as a man may see in the world that was before the flood: in the Sodomites: in Dathan, Korah, Abiram: and in the Prophets of Baal: all which perished miserably for taking scorn to amend.

“But she repented not.”

Unrepentantness.

Here is fault found with the wilfulness of all such as having space to repent them of their sins, do utterly neglect it: yea and rather heap sin upon sin, and so hoard up God’s wrath against themselves, according as it is said, Rom. 2.5.     Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike exposition vpon the Reuelation of Sainct Iohn, (Printed by H. Binneman, for L. Harison, and G. Bishop, 1574),) Rev. 3:21, p., 49b. [Some spelling modernized and formatting modified.]

3) In respect whereof, here is added by and by, “And it was said unto them that they should rest.” That is to wit, by waiting patiently for the day of the resurrection. “Yet a little while.” This is spoken after the manner of Scripture, which promises in many places, that the time of misery and trouble shall be shortened to the elect, Isai. 54.7,8, and Dan. 11.33, and Math. 24.22, and 2 Cor. 4.17, and Hebr. 10.37, and 1 Peter. 1.6, and 5.10. Until their fellow servants were filled up. Ergo, then the delay of vengeance, is made for the elect’s sake also. Hereupon Peter says, “The Lord forstows[?] not his promise as some suppose: but he deals patiently for our sakes, willing that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2 Peter. 3.9.     Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike exposition vpon the Reuelation of Sainct Iohn, (Printed by H. Binneman, for L. Harison, and G. Bishop, 1574),) Rev. 6:11, p., 98a.

Marlorate:

37 O Hierusalem, Hierasulem, thou that
killest the prophetes, and stonest them that are sente unto thee: howe
often wolde I have gathered thy children together, even as a henne
gathereth her chickens vnder her, and ye wolde not.

{O Hierusalem, Hierusalem.}

C. [Calvin] By these words our savior Christ does more plainly declare how just occasion he has to be angry, because Jerusalem (which God had chosen to be a holy and heavenly house, as it were to himself) did not only show itself to be unworthy of such honor, but as though it were a den of thieves, it had used and accustomed a long time to drink the blood of the prophets. Christ therefore cries out pitifully against so monstrous behavior, because the holy city of God was fallen into such madness, that it went about daily to extinguish the wholesome doctrine of God, by the blood of the prophets. B [Bucer] This bewailing therefore of Christ was a token of his great and exceeding love towards this people. It is a token of great affection, that names the city itself, and that he does double the appellation or name of the same, saying Jerusalem, Jerusalem.

{Thou which killest the Prophetes.}

Because the Evangelist Matthew uses the participle of the present tense, and the words of Christ seem to have respect unto both times, the deed may be taken or understood without any certain limiting of time: as if thou should say, “Thou killer of the prophets, which hast killed, do kill, and will kill.”

C. [Calvin] Thou I say which should be the faithful keeper of God’s word, the mistress of heavenly wisdom, the light of the world, the wellspring of true doctrine, the place of the sincere worship of God, and the example of the faith and obedience, art the killer of the prophets, in so much that thou has gotten now a habit and custom of drinking blood.

Hereby therefore it appears that they were worthy of all kinds of reproach, which had so filthy profaned the sanctuary of God. E. [Erasmus] Many think that by the name of Jerusalem, which was the head of Jewry, is understand the whole country or region of the Jews .

Read the rest of this entry »