he pitied them; because they were vexed, and lay like sheep that have not a shepeard. 37Then he saith to his Disciples: The harvest surely is great, but the workmen are few. 38 ″ Pray therfore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth workmen into his harvest.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAP. IX.
3. He blasphemeth.) When the Jewes heard Christ remit sinnes, they charged him with blasphemie, as Heretikes now charge his Priests of the new Testament, for that they remit sinnes; to whom he said, Whose sinnes you shal forgive, they are forgiven &c. Jo. 20.
Men have power to forgive sinnes.5. Whether is easier.) The faithlesse Jewes thought (as Heretikes now a daies) that to forgive sinnes was so proper to God, that it could not be communicated unto man; but Christ sheweth, that as to worke miracles is otherwise proper to God only, and yet this power is communicated to men, so also to forgive sinnes.
6. The Sonne of man in earth.) Christ had power to remit sinnes, and often executed the same, not only as he was God, but also as he was a man, because he was head of the Church, and our cheefe Bishop & Priest according to his manhood, in respect wherof al power was given him in Heaven and earth. Mat. 28. v. 18.
8. Glorified.) The faithful people did glorifie God, that gave such power to men, for to remit sinnes, & to doe miracles, knowing that that which God committeth to men, is not to his derogation, but to his glorie, himself only being stil the principal worker of that effect, men being only his ministers, substitutes, and working under him, and by his commission and authoritie.
8. To men.) Not only Christ as he was man, had this power to forgive sinnes, but by him and from him the Apostles, and consequently Priests, Mat. 28. Al power is geven me. Mat. 18. Whatsoever you shal loose in earth, shal be loosed in Heaven. Joan. 20. Whose sinnes you shal forgive, they are forgiven.
External Sacrifice.13. Not sacrifice.) These are the wordes of the Prophet, who spake them even then when sacrifices where offered by Gods commandment; so that it maketh not against sacrifice. But he saith that sacrifice only without mercie, and charitie, and generally with mortal sinne, is not acceptable. The Jewes offered their sacrifices dewly, but in the meane time they had no pitie nor mercie on their brethren; that is it, which God misliketh.
Fasting.14. Fast often.) By the often fasting of S. Johns Disciples, we may gather that he appointed them a prescript manner of fasting: as it is certaine he taught them a forme of prayer. Lu. 5. & 11.
17. New wine.) By this new wine, he doth plainly here signifie fasting, and the strait kind of life: by the old bottels, them that can not away therewith.
19. Twelve yeares.) This woman a Gentil, had her disease twelve yeares, and the Governers daughter a Jewe (which is here raysed to life) was twelve yeares old, Luc. 8. Marke then the Allegorie hereof in the Jewes & Gentils. As that woman fel sick when the wench was borne, so the Gentils went their owne wayes into idolatrie, when the Jewes in Abraham beleeved. Againe, as Christ here went to raise the wench, and by the way the woman was first healed, and then the wenche revived: so Christ came to the Jewes, but the Gentils beleeved first, and were saved; and in the end the Jewes shal beleeve also. Hiero. in Mat.
Relikes and Images.21. Touch only.) Not only Christes wordes, but his garment and touch thereof, or any thing to him belonging, might doe, & did miracles, force proceeding from his holy Person to them. Yea this woman returning home Eusebdi. 7. c. 14. hist. Li. 5. c. 20.* set up an Image of Christ, for memorie of this benefit, and the hemme of the same Image did also miracles. This Image Julian the Apostate threw downe, and set up his owne insteed thereof, which was immediatly destroyed by fire from Heaven. But the image of Christ broken in peeces by the Heathen, the Christians afterward gathering the peeces togeather placed it in the Church: where it was, as Sozomenus writeth, unto his time.
28. Do you beleeve that I can?) We see here that to the corporal healing of these men he requireth only this faith, that he is able; which faith is not sufficient to justifie them. How then doe the Heretikes by this and the like places plead for their only justifying faith? See the Annot. Mar. 5, 36.
38. Pray therfore.) Therfore doth the Church pray and fast in the Ember dayes, when holy Orders are given, that is, when workmen are prepared to be sent into the harvest. See Act. 13, 2.
