Yet when he seeth the temple and ⟨p. 21⟩holy house of his heavenly father misordered, polluted, and profaned, useth great severity and sharpness, overturneth the tables of the exchangers, subverteth the seats of them that sold doves, maketh a whip of cords, and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and profaners of the temple of God, saying, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves. And in the. ii. of John, Do not ye make 1the house of my father, the house of merchandise. For as it is the house of GOD, when Gods service is duly done in it: So when we wickedly abuse it with wicked talk or covetous bargaining, we make it a den of thieves, or an house of merchandise. Yea, and such reverence would Christ should be therein, that he would not 2suffer any vessel to be carried through the temple. And where as our saviour Christ (as is before mentioned out of S. Luke) could be found no where (when he was sought) but only in the temple amongst the doctors, and now again exerciseth his authority and jurisdiction, not in castles and princely palaces amongst soldiers, but in the temple: Ye may hereby understand in what place his spiritual kingdom (which he denieth to be of this world) is sonest to be found, and best to be known of all places in this world. And according to this example of our saviour Christ in the primitive Church, which was most holy & godly, and in the which due discipline with severity was used against the wicked, open offenders were not suffered once to enter into the house of the Lord, nor admitted ⟨p. 22⟩to common prayer, and the use of the holy Sacraments with other true Christians, until they had done open penance before the whole Church. And this was practised, not only upon mean persons, but also upon the rich, noble, and mighty persons, yea, upon Theodosius that puissant and mighty Emperor, whom for committing a grievous and wilful murder, S. Ambrose Bishop of Milan reproved sharply, and did also excommunicate the said Emperor, and brought him to open penance. And they that were so justly exempted and banished (as it 3were) from the house of the Lord, were taken (as they be in deed) for men divided and separated from Christs Church, and in most dangerous estate, yea as S.
Yet when he seeth the temple and ⟨p. 21⟩holy house of his heauenly father misordred, polluted, and prophaned, vseth great seueritie and sharpenes, ouerturneth the tables of thexchaungers, subuerteth the seates of them that solde doues, maketh a whip of cordes, and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and prophaners of the temple of God, saying, My house shalbe called the house of prayer, but ye haue made it a den of theeues. And in the. ii. of John, Do not ye make 1the house of my father, the house of marchaundize. For as it is the house of GOD, when Gods seruice is duely done in it: So whē we wickedly abuse it with wicked talke or couetous bargayning, we make it a den of theeues, or an house of marchaundize. Yea, and suche reuerence woulde Christe shoulde be therein, that he woulde not 2suffer any vessell to be caryed through the temple. And where as our saniour Christe (as is before mentioned out of S. Luke) coulde be founde no where (when he was sought) but only in the temple amongst the doctours, and nowe agayne exerciseth his aucthoritie and iurisdiction, not in castles and princely palaces amongst souldiers, but in the temple: Ye may hereby vnderstande in what place his spirituall kyngdome (whiche he denyeth to be of this worlde) is sonest to be founde, and best to be knowen of all places in this worlde. And accordyng to this example of our sauiour Christe in the primitiue Churche, which was most holy & godly, and in the which due discipline with seueritie was vsed agaynst the wicked, opē offenders were not suffered once to enter into the house of the Lorde, nor admitted ⟨p. 22⟩to common prayer, and the vse of the holye Sacramentes with other true Christians, vntil they had done open penaunce before the whole Churche. And this was practised, not only vpon meane persons, but also vpon the ryche, noble, and mightie persons, yea, vpon Theodosius that puissaunt and mightie Emperour, whom for cō mittyng a greeuous and wylfull murther, S. Ambrose Byshop of Millayne reproued sharply, and did also excommunicate the said Emperour, and brought hym to open penaunce. And they that were so iustly exempted and banished (as it 3were) from the house of the Lorde, were taken (as they be in deede) for men diuided and separated from Christes Churche, and in most daungerous estate, yea as S.
- 1John. 2.Iohn. 2.
- 2Mar. 11.
- 3Chrisost.
