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…

I have no husband. The fruit of that admonition doth not yet appear whereby he meant to prick forward the woman's mind unto repentance. And truly the drunken love of our selves doth keep us so fast a sleep, or doth rather make us so dull, that the first prickings cannot awake us. But Christ doth also very fitly cure this slowness, when as he presseth the sore more strongly: for he doth manifestly cast in her teeth her heinous offence. Although I think that he doth not here touch her whoredom only. For in that he saith, that she had five husbands, it is to be thought that that came to pass, because being a wanton & disobedient woman she had enforced her husbands to be divorced. Therefore I expound the words thus, whereas God had joined thee to lawful husbands, thou hast made no end of sinning, until such time as being made infamous through more divorcements, thou didst set forth thy self to be a common strumpet.

I haue no husband. The fruite of that admonition doth not yet appeare whereby he meant to pricke forward the womans minde vnto repentance. And truly the drunken loue of our selues doth keepe vs so fast a sleepe, or doth rather make vs so dull, that the first prickings cannot awake vs. But Christ doth also very fitly cure this slownesse, when as hee presseth the sore more strongly: for he doth manifestly cast in her teeth her haynous offence. Although I thinke that he doth not heere touche her whoredom only. For in that he saith, that she had fiue husbandes, it is to be thought that that came to passe, because being a wanton & disobedient woman she had enforced her husbands to be diuorced. Therfore I expound the words thus, whereas God had ioyned thee to lawful husbands, thou hast made no ende of sinning, vntill such time as beeing made infamous through more diuorcemēts, thou didst set forth thy self to be a common strumpet.

19 Sir. I see that thou art &c. Here now appeareth the fruit of the reprehension, for the woman doth not only modestly acknowledge her fault: but being prompt & ready to hear Christ his doctrine which she had before refused, requireth & craveth the same of her own accord. therefore (as I said even now) the beginning of true aptness to be taught is repentance, it is the opening of the gate to enter into the school of Christ. And the woman teacheth us by her example, that when any teacher is offered us, we must use this opportunity least we be unthankful toward God, who doth never send his prophets unto us, but he doth as it were invite us unto himself, reaching out his hand unto us. And we must hold that which Paul teacheth, that they are sent unto us of God, who excel in the faculty of teaching.