A harmony upon the the three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentary…A harmonie vpon the the three Euangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentarie…

51. He hath showed strength. Is as much as if he should have said, he hath wrought mightily, and the arm of God is opposed against all other helps, as in Es. 59. 16. God looked and there was none to eli. Therefore his arm did save it, & his righteousness it self did sustain it. This then is the meaning of Mary, that God was satisfied with his own power, and had no fellows in his work, & called none to help him. That which presently is spoken of the proud, seemeth to be added for two causes, partly because that the proud, which endeavour after the manner of Giants to strive against God, do nothing prevail: and also because that God doth not stretch forth the power of his arm, but for the safeguard of the lowly, and that he might overthrow the proud, which arrogantly take too much to them selves. And to that purpose belongeth that exhortation of Peter, 1. Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God. The manner of speech is also to be noted, He scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts. For (as their pride and ambition is great, so is their covetousness insatiable) in their devises, they heap together as it ⟨p. 38⟩were a great mountain, and that I may speak one word, they build the tower of Babel: for they being not satisfied in that they have foolishly attempted this or that above their strength, they forthwith heap new consultations of mad presumption to their former devices: when God for a while hath with silence from heaven laughed at their notable purposes, then at a sudden he disperseth & overthroweth their whole heap, as if a man should pull down a building, which before was strongly and soundly built and compact together, and should disperse the same far off into divers places.

51. He hath shewed strength. Is as much as if he should haue said, he hath wroughte mightely, and the arme of God is opposed against all other helpes, as in Es. 59. 16. God looked and there was none to helye. Therefore his arme did saue it, & his righteousnesse it selfe did sustaine it. This then is the meaning of Marie, that God was satisfied with his owne power, and had no felowes in his worke, & called none to helpe him. That which presently is spoken of the proude, seemeth to be added for two causes, partly because that the proude, which endeuour after the maner of Giants to striue against God, do nothing preuaile: and also because that God doth not stretch forth the power of his arme, but for the sauegarde of the lowly, and that he might ouerthrow the proude, which arrogantly take too much to them selues. And to that purpose belōgeth that exhortation of Peter,