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…

7. Herod privily called the wise men. The tyrant durst not show his fear & carefulness, least he should so arm the people with audacity, with whom he knew himself hated: therefore openly he dissembleth the cause as though it per tained not to him. But privily he enquireth, that he may prevent the present peril. But although an evil conscience made him fearful, yet it is not to be doubted but that stroke his mind with an unusual fear, that being destitute of counsel, & distraught in mind, he was for the time amazed. For there is no easier a matter, then under the cloak of humanity to suborn a companion from amongst the courtiers, which espying out the whole matter, might presently return. Certainly Herod was wonderful subtle, & there was in him a rare magnanimity; so that it is the more to be wondered at, that now in so extreme danger, when as he had a remedy at hand, that he should lie astonished & half dead: wherefore we may know that ⟨p. 84⟩it was wonderful, that the son of God did then escape the jaws of the Lyon. And the Lord at this day doth no less bewitch his enemies, least they should devise a thousand sleights to hurt & to destroy his Church: nay, that they often take not the occasions which are in a readiness. And the Lord by an other means, as we shall see, laughed to scorn and mocked the subtlety, wherewith he had deceived the wise men, feigning that he himself would come to worship him. But as Herod fearing the tumult of the people, was bereft of his mind; so again he was so mad, that he did neither doubt nor fear, to stir up God against himself: for he knew that if a king was borne, that he was ordained of God, that he might raise up the decayed throne of David. Therefore he sets not upon men, but foolishly he presumes to war with God: Both therefore is to be noted, that he was taken with a spirit of giddiness, that he might strike God: yet he dealt very childishly, because his counsel was brought to naught; so that he was even as a blind man, which gropeth in the dark.

7. Herod priuily called the wisemen. The tirant durst not shew his feare & carefulnes, least he shuld so arme the people with audacitie, with whō he knew himself hated: therfore opēly he dissebleth the cause as thogh it per tained not to him. But priuily he enquireth, that he may preuent the present peril. But although an euil cōscience made him feareful, yet it is not to be doubted but that stroke his mind with an vnusual feare, that being destitute of counsell, & distraught in mind, he was for the time amased. For there is no easier a matter, then vnder the cloak of humanitie to suborne a cōpanion from amongst the courtiers, which espying out ye whole matter, might presētly return. Certenly Herod was wonderful subtil, & ther was in him a rare magnanimity; so that it is the more to be wōdred at, that now in so extreame daunger, when as he had a remedie at hand, that he should lie astonished & half dead: wherfore we may know that