And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
Ver. 27. We cannot tell] Lie and all: they could tell, and would not. Their reasonings within themselves, Matthew 21:25, testify that they knew the truth, but would not acknowledge it; a they profess their ignorance rather: and such dealing we have from many learned Papists. Thus Bellarmine affirmeth that he never read in all the Bible a promise of pardon made to those that confess their sins to Almighty God. (Bell. de Justif., lib. 1, cap. 21.) Baronius cannot see that Peter was in fault at Antioch, but Paul a great deal more, for taking him up for halting, Galatians 2:12,14. The wit of heretics will better serve them to devise a thousand shifts to elude the truth, than their pride will suffer them once to yield and subscribe to it.
a Mendacio nodum secant quem solvere sine impietate vel periculo non possunt, Parcus in loc.