guiltie So those menne muste needes be carried hither and thither and drawn into contrarye and diuerse opinions who haue not so much courage as to defende that with inflexible constancy which is true and right All of vs condemne Pylate neuerthelesse it is a shame to say how many the worlde hath who are like to Pilate who do not only whip Christ in his members but also in his doctrine Many to the end they may deliuer those from death which labour for the Gospel do cause them wickedly to denye Christ what other thing is this then to set Christe to be mocked that hee may lead an infamous life Othersome whiles they gather a fewe thinges out of the Gospell which they can like of doe pull in peeces al the whole Gospell They thinke there is some great acte done if a few grosse abuses be ameÌ„ded but it were better that doctrine shuld be buried for a season theÌ„ that it shuld be thus scourged For it shal spring againe in despite of the deuil and al tirantes but it is of al other the hardest matter to haue it restored to the puritie thereof when it hath beene once corrupted 2. The soldiours platting Questionlesse this was done at the commandement of Pylate to the end hee might put the sonne of God to rebuke and shame because he had made himselfe a king and that to fulfill the madnesse of the Iewes as if he had beene perswaded that they did lawfully accuse Christ. Yet the wickednes and wantonnes of the soldiours dooth goe beyond the commaundement of the iudge like as the wicked so soone as they haue any opportunitie offered them to doe euill doe catch the same greedily The crueltie of this nation was woonderfull whose mindes so dolefull a spectacle did not moue with pittie but God is the gouernour of al this that he may reconcile the worlde vnto himselfe by the death of his sonne 6 Take ye him He would not deliuer Christ into their handes neyther yet suffer them to doe vnto him what they thought best He doth onely deny that he was their hangmanne which appeareth by the reason that is added immediately where he saith that he findeth no fault in him as if he should say that he will neuer be perswaded to shed innocent bloud for their sakes VVhereas the Priestes and officers alone desire to haue him crucified it appeareth thereby that there was not suche furye in the people saue onely inasmuch as it was afterward enflamed with these fannes 7. The Iewes answered him we haue a law and according to our law he ought to die because he hath made himself the sonne of God 8. Therfore when Pilat heard this word he was the more afraid 9. And he entred againe into the common hall and said vnto Iesus whence art thou but Iesus gaue him no aâ—sâ—ere 10. Then Pylat said speakest thou not to me knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and power to loose thee 11. Iesus aunswered Thou shouldest haue no power against mee vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue Therefore hee that hath deliuered mee vnto thee hath the more sinne 7. VVee haue a law Their meaning is that they persecute Christe by lawe and not for their pleasure or hatred For they perceiued that Pilate had touched them ouertwhartly They spake as vnto a manne that was ignoraunt of the law as if he should say we are permitted to lyue after our owne manner and custome but our relygion dooth not suffer anye man to vaunt and bragge that he is the sonne of God Furthermore this accusation was not altogether without some cleake and colour yet they erred greatly in the supposition The generall doctrine was true that it is not lawfull for men to take to themselues any parte of that honour which is due to God and that they are worthy of death whosoeuer shuld take y t theÌ„selues which is proper to God alone but the cause of the errour was in the person of Christe because they did not indeede consider what titles the scripture giueth the Messias because they might easily thereby gather that he was the son of God neither did they also vouchsafe to enquire whether Iesus were that Messias which was promised of God in times past or no. Therfore we see howe they fet a false consequence from a true principle because they mistake it By which example we are taught diligently to distinguish betwene general doctrines and suppositions For many vnskilful and light men if they haue beene once deceiued with the colour of the trueth they doe also reiect the very principles of the scripture which liberty reigneth too much at this daye in the world Therefore lette vs remember that wee muste so beeware of deceites and fallacies that the principles which are true may remaine perfect and that the credit of the scripture may not be impayred Againe wee maye easily refute the wicked by this meanes which cloak euil causes with the testimonie of the scripture and with the principles whiche they take thence Like as when the Papistes doe at this day highly extoll the authoritie of the Church they bring nothing wherein all the children of God doe not agree together They affirme that the Churche is the mother of the faithfull that shee is the piller of truth that shee is to bee heard that she is gouerned by the spirite of God VVe must denie none of all these thinges but when as they will pull to themselues what authority soeuer is due to the Church they doe wickedly and with sacrilegious boldnes to snatch that which is not their owne For we must consider vpon the question whether they deserue the title of the Church or no. And heere they vtterly fayle In like sort when they rage furiously against all the godly they excuse themselues with this cloake and colour that they are ordeâ—ned to defende the faith and peace of the Churche but when as we looke throughly into the matter wee see plainely that they meane nothing lesse then to defend true doctrine that they are touched with no care lesse then with the care of peace and concord but that they fight only to defend their owne tyraÌ„ny Those meÌ„ which are coÌ„tent with generall principles and marke not the circumstances do thinke that the Papistes haue good cause to withstand vs but the knowledge of the cause doth easily driue away those smoakes wherewith they deceiue men 8 Hee was the more afraide There may be a double meaning gathered out of this place the first is that Pilate was afraid least hee shoulde beare the blame if any tumult shuld haue risen because he had not condemned Christe the other that his minde was touched with some religion so soone as he had heard the sonne of God named That whiche followeth in the text confirmeth this second sense to wit that he goeth againe into the common hall and asketh Christ whence hee is For it appeareth thereby that he stood in doubt and was afraide
Iohn answered worthily and truly that he was not Elias for hee speaketh according to theyr meaning But Christe out of the true interpretation of the Prophete affirmeth that he was Elias Art thou a Prophete Erasmus doth falsly restraine this vnto Christe For whereas the article is added it is of no force in this place and the Embassadours doe sufficiently declare afterwardes that they meant another Prophete then Christe for they gather it thus If thou be neither Christe nor Elias nor a Prophet Therefore wee see that they meant diuers persons Othersome doe thinke that they asked him whether he were any one of the old Prophets but yet I doe not like this exposition They doe rather hereby meane the office of Iohn whether he were ordained a Prophete of God or no. Whilest that he denyeth this he lyeth not for modesties sake but hee doth separate himselfe from the number of the Prophetes sincerely and from his hearte And yet this his answere is not contrary to the title whiche Christe giueth him Christe adorneth Iohn with the title of a Prophete yea hee addeth that hee is more then a Prophete But by these wordes hee doeth nothing els but purchase credite and authoritie to his doctrine and doth also extoll the excellencie of the office which was enioyned him But Iohn respecteth another thing in this place namely that he had no particular commandement as it was the ordinary custome of the Prophetes but hee was onely Christes cryer This shall appeare more plainely by a similitude Whosoeuer they bee that are sent Embassadours about light matters they haue the name and authoritie of Embassadours if sobeit they haue particular things giuen them in charge Such were all the Prophetes who being furnished with particuler Prophesies did exercise the Propheticall function If there be any matter of weight in hande and two Embassadors be sent the one whereof doth tell that he will be heere by and by who shall speake of all the matter and this latter haue the businesse giuen him in charge to dispatche shall not the former Embassage be accounted a portion and part of the principall Embassage So fared it with Iohn vnto whom God had enioyned nothing els but to prepare Disciples for Christ. And this sense is gathered out of the circumstance of the place and the text For we must marke the contrary member which followeth by and by I am not saith hee a Prophete but a voyce crying in the wildernesse Wherefore the difference dependeth heereupon that a voice crying that a way may be prepared for the Lorde is not a Prophete hauing a diuers function and such as is proper to him but a Minister that is vnder another that I may so speake and his doctrine a preparation to heare another master By this meanes although Iohn was more excellent then all the Prophetes yet is he not a prophet 23 The voyce of 〈◊〉 crying in the wildernesse Because Iohn had taken the office of a teacher vpon him rashly vnlesse hee had beene endued with a ministerie he sheweth what his function is and he proueth the same by the testimonie of Esay Whereupon it followeth that he did nothing but that whiche he was commaunded by God to doe Esay speaketh not only in that place of Iohn but promising the restoring of the church he foretelleth that it shall come to passe that these ioyfull voyces shall be hearde commaunding to prepare a way for the Lorde And although he meaneth the comming of God when he shoulde bring back the people from the Babylonicall exile yet the true fulfilling was the comming of Christe in the fleshe Therefore the chiefe of those cryers who foretolde that the Lorde drew neere was Iohn Furthermore it is friuolous craâ—tily to play the Philosophers concerning this woorde voyce which some doe Iohn is called a voyce because the function of crying was inioyned him Esayas truly calleth the miserable waystnesse of the Churche a wildernesse which seemed to denie a returne vnto the people as if hee shoulde say that the way was stopped against the people that was in captiuitie but the Lorde would finde a way through places where there was no way But that visible wildernesse wherein Iohn preached was a figure and similitude of the wayst wildernesse whiche tooke away hope of deliuerance if you consider vppon this similitude you shall easily see that the wordes of the Prophet are not wrested For God so framed all thinges that he set the glasse of this prophesie before the eyes of the people that was astonieâ— with the miserie which they suffered 24. Furthermore they that were sent were of the Pharises 25 Therefore they asked him and said vnto him why then doest thou baptise if thâ—â— bee not Christe neither Elias neither a Prophete 26 Iohn answered them saying I baptise in water but there standeth one amongst you whom hee knowe not 27 He it is who comming after mee was preferred before me whose 〈…〉 I am not worthie to vnloose 28. These thinges were done in Bethabara beyond Iordan 24. VVere of the Pharises He saith that they were Pharises who were then chiefe gouernours in the Churche that wee may knowe that they were no contemptible persons of the company of the Leuites but men that were endued with authoritie For this cause was it that they moued a question concerning Baptisme The common Ministers woulde haue beene contented with any kinde of answere but these because they coulde not picke out that which they would doe accuse Iohn of rashnes because he dare bring in a new custome 25. VVhy then doest thou baptise When they make these three degrees they seeme to reason very fitly if thou be neither Christe nor Elias nor a Prophete For it is not for euery man to institute the vse of Baptisme All power shoulde haue beene in the hande of the Messias they had conceiued this opinion of â—lias who was to come that hee shoulde begin to restore the kingdome and Churche They doe also graunt to the Prophetes of God that they may execute the function which is inioyned them Therefore they conclude that it is vnlawfull noueltie that Iohn doth baptise seeing that he is not instituted of God to bee a publike person But they are deceiued in this that they doe not acknowlege him to be that Elias of whom Malachie maketh mention although hee deny that he was that Elias of whom they dreamed 26 I baptise with water This might haue beene sufficient to redresse their errour but that admonition which is otherwise excellent doth no whit profite the deafe For seeing he sendeth them to Christ and doth nowe say plainely that he is now present it is heereby euident that he is not only appointed of God to bee a minister of Christe but that hee is the true Elias who is sent to testifie of the renouatioÌ„ of the church Furthermore the perfect contradiction is not expressed in this place because the spirituall baptisme of Christe is not plainly set against the externall
Christ applieth this vnto this present matter that they are called Gods because they are Gods ministers to gouerne the worlde In the like respect the scripture doth also call the Angels Gods because by theÌ„ the glory of God shineth abroade in the worlde VVee must note this phrase vnto whom the worde of God was spoken for his meaning is that they were appointed by the certaine commaundement of God VVhence we gather that empyres and gouerments did not rashly begin neither yet through mans errour but that they were appointed by the will of god because he will haue ciuill order kept amongst men and haue vs gouerned by authoritie lawes In which respect Paule saith Ro. 13. 2. that they rebel against God whosoeuer do resist the power because ther is no power but of God If any man obiect that other callings are of God also and that he alloweth them and that yet notwithstanding husbandmeÌ„ and neatheardes and coblers are not called Gods I answere that this is no generall thing that all those shoulde be called Gods who are called vnto some certaine kinde of life but Christ speaketh of kinges whome God hath extolled vnto an higher degree that they may rule and excell To be briefe let vs know that Magistrates are called gods for this cause because God hath committed vnto them the gouernment Vnder this worde lawe Christ doth camprehend all the doctrine whereâ—y GOD did gouerne the old Church For because the Prophetes were only inâ—â—terpreters of the lawe the Psalmes are also worthilie accounted an addition or appurtenance of the lawe That the scripture cannot be broken importeth as much as that the doctrin of the scripture cannot be violate 36 VVhome the father hath sanctified All the godlly haue a certaine common sanctification but Christ challengeth to himselfe in this place a farre more excellent thing namely that he alone was separated from all other that in him the power of the spirite and the maiestie of God might shew themselues like as he said before chap. 6 27. that he was sealed by the same father And this is properly referred vnto Christ his person in as much as he was reuealed in the flesh Therefore these two are ioyned togeather that he was sanctified and sent into the world But we must also vnderstand to what ende and vpon what condition hee was sent namely that he might bring saluation from God and that he myght in all respectes prooue and shewe himselfe to be the sonne of God You say that he doth blaspheme The Arrians did in times past wrest this place that they might proue that Christ was not God by nature but that he had the diuinitie as it were at the will and pleasure of another But this errour may easily be refuted because Christ doth not in this place dispute who he is in himselfe but what hee ought to bee knowen to be by his myracles in mans flesh For doubtles we can neuer comprehend his eternall diuinitie vnlesse we imbrace him in as much as he was giuen by the father to bee a redeemer Moreouer we must remember that whiche I touched before that Christ doth not plainly and openly as amongest his Disciples testifie who hee is but doeth rather stande vppon the refuting of the slaunder and cauill of his enemies 37 If I doe not the works of my father beleeue me not 38 And if I doe them although you beleeue not mee beleeue the workes that you may know and beleeue that the father is in me and â— in him 39 Therfore they sought againe to apprehend him and hee escaped out of theyr hande 40 And hee went againe beyond Iordan into the place where Iohn did first baptise â—ayed there 41 And many came vnto him and said Iohn truly did no myracle but what thingâ— soeuer Iohn said of him were true 42 And many beleeued in him there 37 If I doe not the workes Least the Iewes shoulde obiect that he did in vaine make his boast of sanctification and whatsoeuer did depende thereupon he doth againe repeate these myracles wherein hee had shewed a most manifest token of his diuinitie And it is a kind of grauntyng as if he should say I will not haue you vpon any other condition bounde to beleeue mee then if the thing it selfe appeare manifestly you may freely reiect me if God doe not openly testifie of me Hee calleth those works the fathers which were in deed diuine wherein there appeared greater power then that they coulde bee ascribed vnto man 38 And if I doe the workes of my father Hee sheweth that they were openly guiltie of wicked and sacrilegious contempt because they giue no honour vnto the manifest workes of God And there is a second graunting when he saith although I suffer you to doubt of the doctrine at least it shall not be lawfull for you to denie that the workes which I haue shewed are of God Therefore you doe openly reiect God and not man And in that he setteth knowledge before faith as if it were inferiour in order he doth it for this cause because he had to doe with vnbeleeuing and froward men who doe neuer yeeld vnto God vnlesse they be ouercome and enforced by experience For the robellions will knowe before they can beleeue And yet notwithstanding God doth so farre foorth beare with vs that the knowledge of his workes may and doth prepare vs vnto faith But the knowlege of God of his hydden wisdome doth follow faith in order because the obedience of faith openeth vnto vs the gate of the kingdome of heauen The father is in mee He repeateth the same thing which hee had saide before in other wordes I and the father are one This is the drift of al that in his administration he differeth not from his father The father saith he is 〈…〉 that is the diuine power doth shew it selfe in me And I am in the father That iâ— I doe nothing without his direction and authoritie so that there is a mutuall coniunction betweene mee and the father Neither doth he speake in this place of the vnitie of the essence but of the reuealing of the diuine power in Christes person whereby it did appeare that he was sent of God 39 Therefore they sought to take him VVithout doubt that they might pull him out of the temple to he stoned by and by for doubtlesse their Iurie was not asswaged with the wordes of Christ. In that he saith that hee escaped out of their handes this could by no other meanes come to passe saue only by the wonderfull power of God VVhereby wee are taught that we are not laide open vnto the lust of the wicked whiche God doth restraine with his bridle so often as he thinketh good 40 Hee went beyâ—â—d Iordan Christ went ouer Iordan least hee should fight continually without any great fruite Therefore he hath taught vs by his example that we must vse opportunitie Concerning the place wherunto he departed reade the 2. chap. ver 28. 41
come out by gestures and signes dooth shew that hee is become dumbe And it is credible that some tokens of feare remayned in his countenaunce whereby they gather that God had appeared to him And there were in that age few or no visions but the people did remember that they had beene common before in their fathers time VVherefore not without cause did they iudge of these manifest signes For it was not coÌ„mon that sodenly without sicknes he should be dumb And that after longer delay then neede was he should come so amased out of the temple Furthermore the name of the temple as we now said iâ— vsed for the holy place where the altar of inconse was from thence the Sacrifice being finished the priests were woont to goe into their porche and thence they blessed the people 23. VVhen the dayes were fulfilled Luke doth put the word Liturgian for the executing of the office which did goe by course in order to euery one euen as we haue said That it is said that Zachary returned to his house the time of his charg being past hereout we gather the priests so long as they were in their courses did refrain froÌ„ their houses that they might altogether be giuen and fixed to the seruice of God For this purpose there were Galeries made in the sides of the temple in the which they had chaÌ„bers The law did not forbid the priest from his own house but that it restrained them from touching of their wiues when they should eat the holy bread It is probable that when Many with smal reuerence did handle the holy things this remedie was inuented that they being remoued from all allurements might keepe them selues cleane free from all pollution Neyther was the lying with their wiues onely forbidden then but also the drinking of wine and strong drink Therefore when the order of their diet was chaunged it was profitable not to depart from the teÌ„ple that the sight of the place might teach them to seeke and esteeme of puritie euen as it was appointed of the lord It was also profitable that al occasion of wantonnesse should therby be taken away that with more diligence they might apply their charge The Papistes this day vnder this pretence doe defend their tyrranous law of vnmarried life For thus they reason seeing the priests in times past were commanded to abstain from their wiues when they were busied in holy affaires now worthily may perpetuall continence be required of our priestes which not by course of times but daily doe sacrifice Chiefly for that the dignitie of holy rites is farre more excellent then vnder the law But I would knowe why they doe not also abstaine from wine and strong drinke For neyther is it lawfull to separate those commaundements which God hath ioyned that onely halfe should be obserued and the other part neglected The compâ—nie with their wiues is not so expressly forbidden as the drinking of wine If vnder the colour of the law the Pope doth inioyne to his priests single life why doth he permit them wine Nay by this reason he ought to shutte vp his priestes in some innermost roomes of his Temples that they being shutte in prisons might passe all their life without the fellowship of women and people Now we see plainely they wickedly pretende the law of God from which they depart But notwithstanding a ful answere dependeth of the difference of the law and the Gospell The priest did place him selfe before God to purge awaye the sinnes of the people that he might be as it were a mediatour of God and men it behooued him vpon whom that office was layd to haue some note whereby he being exempted from the common order of men might be knowne as the figure of the true mediatour For this purpose were appointed the holye garments and annoynting Now in the publike ministers and pastors of the Church there is no such like thing I speake of the ministers which Christ instituted to feede his flock not of those which the Pope maketh rather butchers to sacrifice Christ then priestes VVherefore let vs repose our selues in that sentence of the holy Ghoste which pronounceth that matrimonie is honourable in all men 24. Shee hidde herselfe This seemeth to bee absurd as though that shee should be ashamed of diuine blessing Some thinke that the thing beeing yet doubtfull shee durst not come abroad least that shee should make her selfe a laughingstocke if her opinion should be made frustrate which shee had conceaued And I doe so accompt of the promise made that shee was assured it should come to passe For when shee perceaued such grieuous punishment to be layde vppon her husband for the vnaduised fall of his tongue howe could shee fiue monethes space nourish such doubt in her heart and her woordes doe plainely declare that her hope was not wauering or doubtfull For when shee saieth the Lorde hath doone it shee wisely and without feare declareth the Lordes known fauour There might be two causes of her hiding First that the miracle of God should not be layde open to the diuers speaches of men beefore it should apparauntly be knowne For it is the custome of the worlde to speake oftentimes rashly and verie vnreuerentlye of the workes of God The other cause was that when men of a sodaine shoulde see her great with childe they should the more be stirred to praise the Lorde For those workes of GOD which by litle and litle rise vppe amongst vs in processe of time are naught sette by Therefore Elizabeth hydde and absented her selfe not for her owne sake but for the cause of others 25. Thus hath the Lorde dealt with mee Shee setteth forth the goodnesse of God priuately vntill the appoynted time should come of publishing the same vnto the worlde It is to bee supposed that her husbande by writing had enformed her of the promised childe in that the more certainely and with the cheerefuller minde shee sheweth that GOD is the aucthour of this benefitte And that shee approoueth in her nexte woordes In the dayes wherein he looked on me to take from me my rebuke among men Shee declareth that the cause of barrennesse was for that the fauour of God was turned from her Amongst the earthly blessinges which God doth giue the scripture accounteth this as chiefe that he vochsafeth to giue vs children For if the increase of bruit beastes is a blessing of God then how much more excellent man is then beastes so much more to be esteemed and accounted of is the increase of men then of beastes Neither is it a slight or common honour that when God alone deserueth to be accounted a father hee yet admitteth earthly men into the fellowshippe of this name with him Therefore that doctrine is diligently to be considered that children are the inheritaunce of the Lord. Psalm 127. 3. and the fruite of the womb his rewarde But Elizabeth had a further regarde because that beyonde the common
mary kept all these sayinges and pondred them in her heart 20. And the Shepheardes returned glorifiing and praising God for all that they had heard and seene as it was spoken vnto them 21. And when the eight dayes were accomplished that they should circumcise the child his name was then called Iesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceaued in the wombe 15. After the Angelles were gone away Here is the obedience of the Shepheardes described vnto vs for when the Lord had appoynted them as witnesses of his sonne to all the world hee effectually spake to them by the Angelles least that should be forgotten which was tolde them It was not plainely and by worde commaunded them that they shoulde come to Bethlehem but because that they sufficiently vnderstoode that the counsell of God was so they make haste to Christe as at this daye when we know that Christe is shewed vnto vs to this ende that our heartes by faith might come vnto him our loytering cannot bee excused And Luke doth not in vaine declare that the Shepheards tooke counsell of their iourney assoone as the Angels were departed least we suffer as many vse the word of God to vanish away with the sound but that it may take liuely rootes in vs and thereby that it may bring foorth his fruite when it hath ceased to sound in our eares Furthermore it is to be noted that the Shepheardes doe mutually exhort one an other for it is not sufficient for euery one of them to looke to themselues excepte that also there be vsed mutuall exhortations Luke amplifieth the praise of their obedience when he saith that they made haste euen as a proÌ„ptnesse of fayth is also required of vs. VVhich the Lord hath shewed vnto vs. Very skilfully and rightly doe they ascribe that to God which they heard not but from the Angel for whome they acknowledge as the minister of God they also thinke worthy of that auctoritie as if he had put on the person of the Lord. Therefore for this cause doth the Lord call vs back often vnto himselfe least the maiestie of his word should become of no estimation in the sight of men Againe wee see here that they accompt it to bee an offence in them to neglecte that treasure shewed them of the Lorde for of that knowledge reuealed to them they argue that they must go to Bathlehem that they may see And so it behooueth euery one of vs according to the measure of his faith and vnderstanding to be prepared to follow whether as God calleth 16. They found Mary That truely was an vnseemely sight and by that onely they might haue beene driuen from Christe for what is there more vnlikely then to beleeue that hee should be king of all the people who was not accompted worthy of a meane place among the common people and to hope for the restitution and saluation of the kingdome from him who for his want pouertie was throwen out into a stable Yet Luke writeth that none of these thinges hindred the Shepheardes but that with great admiration they praysed God namely because that the glory of God was throughly fixed in their eies and the reuerence of his word printed in their mindes that whatsoeuer they mette with either infamous or contemptible in Christ they with the height of their fayth doe easily pasâ—e ouer the same Neither is there any other cause why euery of those small offences doe either hinder or turne our faith from the right course but because that we taking small hold vpon God are easily drawne hether and thither For if this one cogitation possessed all our senses that wee haue a certaine and a faythfull witnesse from heauen it were a defence strong and stable enough against all kinde of temptations and it shoulde well enough fortifie vs against all offences 17. They published abroad the thing which was tolde them Luke commendeth the fayth of the Shepheardes in that they deliuered sincerely through their handes that which they receiued from the Lord and it is profitable that the same should be witnessed for all our sakes that they might be as second Angelles for the confirming of our fayth Againe Luke teacheth that they reported that which they had heard not without profit And it is not to be doubted but that the Lord gaue effect to their word least it should be mocked or despised For the estat of the men discredited the matter and the matter it selfe might seeme to be but fabulous But the Lorde suffereth not those thinges to bee in vaine which hee enioyneth them And although this manner of working smally pleaseth the iudgement of men that the Lordes will is that his word should bee heard of poore and meane men yet it is approoued of God himselfe and vsed partly to humble the pride of flesh and partely to prooue the obedience of the fayth but that al men meruaile and no manne mooueth his foote that hee might come to Christe hereof it may be gathered that they hearing of the power of God were amased not being striken with any earnest affection of the heart wherefore this word was not so much spread abroad for their saluation as that the ignoraunce of all the people might be inexcusable 19. Mary kept all those The diligence of Marye in considering the workes of God is proposed to vs for two causes First that wee might know that the keeping of this treasure was layde vp in her heart that that which shee had layd vp with her shee might publâ—sh the same to others in time conuenient Next that all the godly might haue an example which they might followe For if wee be wise this ought to bee the especiall trauell and the chiefe studie of our life that wee might be diligent to consider the workes of God which should buylde vp our faith Furthermore the word conserue is referred to the memorie and Symballein doth else signifie to conferre as to make vp one perfect body by gathering all thinges together which agreed amongst themselues to prooue the glory of Christe And Mary could not wisely consider the value of all thinges together but by conferring some thinges with others 20. Glorifying and praising of God This also appertaineth to the common vse of our faith that the Shepheardes might certeinely know it to be the work of god And the earnest glorifying of God which is praised in theÌ„ is a certeine secrete reproofe of our sluggishnesse or rather of vnthankfulnesse for if the swathing cloutes of Christ so much preuailed amoÌ„gst them that they could rise out of the stable and cratch euen vnto heauen howe much more effectuall ought the death and resurrection of Christ be with vs that we might be lifted vp to God For Christ was not onely lift vp from the earth that he might draw al things after him but he sitteth at the right hand of the father that we which are pilgrims in this world might with our whole hearte meditate of
sonne of God whom the other Euangelists witnessed to be borne of the seede of Abraham and of Dauid that he might also be the sonne of man But Marke thereby declareth that no redemption can be hoped for but from the sonne of God MAT. 3. 1. In those dayes LVKE 3. 1. In the fifteenth yeere It cannot be gathered oute of Mathewe and Marke what age Iohn was of when hee beganne to come abroade But Luke declareth euidently that he was then thirtie yeare olde or there about The olde wryters of the Church declare almost with one consent that he was borne fifteene yeare before the death of Augustus His successour Tyberius hadde nowe enioyed the Empire fifteene yeares when the same Iohn began to preach therefore that time of thirtie yeares which I spake is gathered whereby it also foloweth that hee did not long execute the office of a teacher but that in shorte time hee gaue place vnto Christe for Christe as a little after we shall see was also baptized when hee was thirtie yeare olde and then he was entred to the performance of his office But when Christ the sonne of righteousnesse presently folowed Iohn his morning starre or rather the morning it is no maruaile if that Iohn vanished away that Christes onely glory might be the more manifest LV. Pontius-Pilate It is probable that this was the seconde yeare of Pilate For after that Tiberius hadde obtained the Empire Iosephus declareth in the eighteenth booke of Antiquities that hee created Valerius Gratus gouernour of Iudea placing hym in the roume of Annius Rufus And this putting one in an others roume might fall out in the second yere of hys gouernment The same Iosephus declareth that Valerius was Gouernour of Iudea for the space of eleuen yeares therefore Pilate hadde holden that prouince aboue two yeare when Iohn beganne to preache the Gospell This Herode whome Luke maketh Tetrarche of Galile was the seconde heire of Herode the Great who succeeded his father by will for the gouernment of Iudea was geuen to Archelaus but when hee was banished by Augustus into Vienna that portion fell into the handes of the Romanes for a praie So Luke heere rehearseth two of Herodes sonnes namely Herode Antipas who was made Tetrarche of Galile and hadde in possession Samaria and Peraea and Philip who was Tetrarch of Trachonitis and Iturea raigned from the sea of Tiberias of Genesara to the foote of Libanus from whence the floude Iordane ariseth They vntruely imagine that Lysanias was the sonne of Ptolomeus Mennaeus who was king of Chalcis who had bene slain before by Cleopatra about thirtie yeers before the birth of Christ as Iosephus declareth in his fifteenth booke of antiquities Also he could scarsly haue bin his nephew whom the same Iosephus in the first booke of the warre of the Iewes reporteth to haue beene the kindler of the parthean war for then he should haue beene aboue three score yeere old Furthermore seeing that he stirred the Parthians to warre vnder Antigonus he was of necessitie then growen to the estate of a man But Ptolomeus Mennaeus died not long after the slaughter of Iulius Caesar beeing entred into the office of the Triumuir betweene Lepidus Antonius and Octauius as Iosephus witnesseth in the 14. booke chap. 23. But this nephew of Ptolomeus was called Lysanias as his father was and hee might also leaue a sonne of his owne name Yet their errour is without question to be reiected which imagin that Lysanias who was slaine by Cleopatra shuld liue threescore yere after his death The name of Tetrarch is here vsed improperly as though the whole region should bee deuided into foure partes But seeing that in the beeginning the countries were deuided into foure partes and then that other chaunges followed yet for honors sake the name was stil cōtinued in the which sense Pliny numbreth seuenteene Tetrarches of one region 2. VVere the high priestes It is certaine that two high Priestes togeather at one time neuer occupied the priesthod Iosephus witnesseth that Caiphas was made high priest by Valerius Gratus a litle before he went out of the prouince VVee read nothing In Iosephus that should be altered by Pilate in that time that he gouerned Iudea but when hee was restrained of his aucthoritie and was commaunded to goe to Rome to aunswere his cause then at that time Vitellius the gouernour of Syria dryuing Caiphas out transposed the priesthood to Ionathas the sonne of Anani Antiq. 18. But that Luke nameth two high priests must not so be taken as if y t tytle was giuen to them both but beecause that the one halfe of the honour of the priesthood was in Annas the high priestes father in law VVherefore Luke declareth that matters were then so troubled and confounded that there was then no one true and certaine high priest but that through ambition and tyrannicall power that sacred office was torne in sunder The word of God came Before that Luke reporteth as others doe that Iohn entred the office of teaching he saith that he was called thereunto of God that his ministerie might beare aucthoritie with it I see not why the interpreters had rather to translate it vppon Iohn rather then To Iohn yet because the sense is not doubtfull namelye that this ambassage was layde vp with him and that the commandement of preaching was giuen vnto him I follow the receiued translation Heereby gather that there are no true teachers but to whom that office is enioyned of GOD. Neither doth it suffice to haue the word of God except there be also an especiall calling That Matthew and Marke make not mention but of a desert reconcile it with the wordes of Luke thus Iohn beganne his office of teaching amongst his neighbours with whom hee dwelt then he spread his Gospell farther that it might be knowne in mo places whereby it came to passe that in short time his fame spread vnto Ierusalem Yet that coast of Iordan might be called desertum a desert for it doth not signifie a place not in habited but a sharpe and hilly countrey which is occupyed with a lesse resorte of men 2. Math Repent Matthew differeth from the other two Euangelistes in this that in the person of Iohn he setteth downe the summe of his doctrine and they set it downe in his owne words Yet Marke hath more by one word then Luke for he saith he came baptising and preaching the baptisme of repentaunce but in the matter it selfe the consent is very good because that all ioyne repentaunce with forgiuenesse of sinnes For the kingdome of GOD amongst men is nothing els then a restoring to a happy life and so a true and eternall felycitie Therefore when Iohn saith that the kingdome of God is at hand he meaneth that men which were estraunged from the righteousnesse of God and banished the kingdome of heauen are againe gathered vnto God that they might lyue vnder his hand And this doth free adoption and forgiuenes of sinnes worke
8 Bring forth therefore fruitâ— He confirmeth that which I sayd before that the repentaunce which is testified in wordes is of no value except they proue the same in deede for it is a thing more precious then that there should be a lyght and vaine opinion of the same Therefore Iohn denyeth that the open testimonye which they gaue was sufficient but he saith that in processe of time it shal be reuealed by their workes whether they doe earnestly repent It is to be noted that good works are called the fruits of repentaunce for repentance is inward which is placed in the heart and the minde but then in the chaung of the life it bringeth forth the fruites of the same And because that in popery all this poynt of doctrine was filthyly corrupted this difference is to be holden that repentance is an inward renewing of a man which springeth forth in outward life as the tree bringeth forth fruit out of it MAT. 9. Think not to say with your selues LV. 8. Begin not to say Sith it is certain that there is but one meaning of both these speaches we do easily gather what Iohn would The hypocrits do either sleepe in their sins or licentiously proudly vaunt theÌ„selues vntil they be oppressed but when they are cited to the tribunal seat of god then they carefully seeke means to escape lurking corners or pretend some colour Therfore Iohn thus speaketh vnto the Pharises Saduces Now that you are sharply reproued of me do not as such as you are vse to doe that is seek not a remedie by a vaine false pretence And he wresteth from theÌ„ that wicked hope wherwith they were betwitched the couenant which GOD made with AbrahaÌ„ was vnto theÌ„ inâ—steede of a shielde to couer an euil conscience not that they setled their hope in the persoÌ„ of one man but because that God had adopted the whole stock of Abraham In the meane while they thought not that none are to be accounted of the seede of AbrahaÌ„ but they which folow his faith and the couenaunt of God is not ratified that it may profit to saluation but by faith And that clause in your selues is not superfluous for although in speach they did not boast themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham yet inwardly they pleased themselues with this title so that the hypocrites are nothing more ashamed to mock God then men God is able The Iewes flattered themselues almost with the same pretence which the Papists at this day do insolently chaleng to themselues It is necessary that there shoulde be a Church in the worlde for GOD will be knowne and haue his name called vppon in the worlde and the Church cannot bee other where but with vs with whom the Lord hath made his couenaunt The Priestes and other which had the gouerment and aucthoritie were especially puffed vp with this arrogancie for they accounted the common people prophane and accursed as wee reade in Iohn 7. 49. And they thought themselues to be the holy first fruites as at this day the horned bishops Abbots Canons Monks Sorbonists al the sacrificers being lift vp with the proud title of the Cleargie do in coÌ„parison of themselues despise the laitie This errour doth Iohn reproue refel in that they do to straightly restraine the promise of God shewing that though God had none of them that yet he would not be without a Church Therefore the meaning of the words is God made a couenant with Abraham his seede One thing deceiueth you that wheÌ„ you are more theÌ„ degenerate you think your selues to be the only sons of Abraham but god wil froÌ„ an other place raise vp a new seed to AbrahaÌ„ which doth not now appear he speaketh in the datiue case He wil raise vp childreÌ„ vnto Abraham that they might know the promise of God was not to no effecte and that Abraham who obeyed hym shoulde not bee deceyued although there wanted seede in them so from the beeginning of the worlde the Lorde was true to his seruauntes neither did he euer fayle in perfourming his promise of shewing fauour to their children although hee reiected the hypocrites That many thinke that Iohn speaketh this of the calling of the gentiles seemeth not to me to be of force but because that it seemed incredible to these proude men that the Church might be transferred to any other place he admonisheth theÌ„ that God hath meanes to preserue his Church which they did not think of as if he should make him children of stones MAT. 10. LV. 9. Now also is the axe After that Iohn had taken that couer of vaine hope from the hypocrits he pronounceth that the iudgement of God is nigh He had said before that they being cast off that god shuld not want a people now he addeth that God himself is now in the same that he might driue the vnworthy out of the Church as barreÌ„ trees vse to be cut vp The summe is that the hand of GOD is now stretched forth to purge the Church for the grace of God doth neuer shewe it self for the saluation of the godly but withal his iudgement commeth forth for the destruction of the worlde and that for two causes because that then the Lord seperateth his from the reprobate and the vnthankfulnes of the world prouoketh his wrath a new VVherefore it is no meruaile if the preaching of the Gospell and the comming of Christ doe put the axe to cutte away the corrupt trees and should dayly hasten the vengeaunce of God against the wicked LV. 11 The people asked him A true affection of repentaunce engendreth this carefulnesse that the sinner desirouslye enquireth what God willed and commaunded and the aunswere of Iohn doth brieflye define the fruites worthy of repentaunce For the worlde alwayes desireth to be discharged of the ceremonies towardes God and dooth nothing more readily then sette faigned and deuised worshippinges before God so ofte as hee calleth to repentaunce But what fruites dooth the Baptist commende in this place The dueties of charitie and of the second table not that God neglecteth the outward profession of godlines of his worship but because this note of difference is more certaine dooth often lesse deceiue For the hypocrites doe painefullye endeuour that they might shewe themselues worshippers of GOD in ceremonies and yet lette passe the care of true righteousnesse when they are eyther vnkinde to their neighbours or giuen to deceites and spoyles VVherefore necessarilye they are to be called to a straighter examination whether they lyue honestly amongst menne whether they helpe the poore whether they spare them in misery whether they louingly communicate those thinges which the Lorde hath giuen them For this cause Christe in Matthew 23. 23. calleth iustice mercie and trueth the chiefe poyntes of the lawe and the scripture in diuerse places commendeth iustice and iudgement This is to be noted that the dueties of charitie are first named not that they excell
them to abuse the name of God without reproofe so that they were not forsworne It is commaunded that we should religiously performe our oathes to God For he that doth defraud and deceaue his neighbours after that he hath vsed the name of God for it doth iniury not to men onely but to God But the fault is in restraining that to one point which extendeth more largely Some apply this word perfourme to vowes promised to God for relygions sake But the word doth best agree to al couenauntes and promisses confirmed by adding the name of God thereto for then is God made a witnesse between both parties to whom they pledge their faith 34. Sweare not at all This clause not at all hath deceiued many so that they thought that Christ had generally condemned all oathes And many good men were driuen to this vnmeasurable rigor through the vnbrideled libertie of swearing which they sawe abounde throughout the world And the Anabaptistes vnder this pretence haue kept a great stir as though Christe would suffer vs to sweare for no cause for that hee forbiddeth to sweare at all But we must not fetch an exposition out of any other place then out of the wordes of the text presently there followeth neither by heauen nor by the earth VVho seeth not that these kindes of oathes are set downe for interpretation sake which by this numbring of these perticuler oathes might interprete the former sentence The Iewes had certaine extraordinary or indirect as menne saye maner of oathes and when they swore by heauen earth or the altar they counted this almost for nothing And as one sinne ariseth of an other so vnder this colour they faigned that they did not so openly prophane the name of God Christe that he might meete with this sinne saieth that they may not at all sweare either after this maner or after that neither by heauen nor by the earth c. VVhereby wee gather that this phrase not at all is not referred to the substaunce but to the maner of swearing as if he should haue saide neither directly nor indirectly otherwise it were in vaine to rehearse these kindes VVherefore the Anabaptistes doe shewe their grosse ignoraunce and their delight in contention while that frowardly they enforce one word and with closed eies doe passe by the whole meaning of the sentence If any obiect that Christ permitteth no oath I aunswere that the interpreters wordes must bee vnderstoode according to the meaning of the law Therefore this is the summe that the name of God is taken in vaine other waies then by periury Therefore we must refraine from all superfluous oathes but where as there is cause the law doth not only permitte but also commandeth to swear So Christes meaning was nothing else then that al those oathes are vnlawful which by any abuse prophane the sacred name of God the reuerence whereof they ought to preserue Neyther by heauen They are deceiued that say that Christe reprooued these formes of swearing as corrupt because that God alone shoulde be sworne by for the reasons which he bringeth doe rather bend to the coÌ„trary parte because that then also the name of God is sworne by when as heauen and earth are named because there is no parte of the worlde wherein God hath not imprinted some note of his glory Yet this opinion seemeth not to agree with the commaundement of the law whereas God expresly commaundeth to sweare by his name nor yet with diuerse places of the Scripture whereas he complayneth that he is iniuried so oft as his creatures are sworne by I aunswere it is an offence lyke to idolatrie when as eyther the power of iudgement or the aucthoritie of trying witnesses is giuen to them For we must consider the end of swering namely that menne doe appeale vnto God as the reuenger of periurie and the defence of trueth And this honour cannot be giuen to another but that his maiestie shal be prophaned And for this cause the Apostle saieth that one cannot sweare but by the greater and this was peculyer to God alone that he sweareth by himselfe So whosoeuer swore in tymes paste by Moloch or by any other Idoll did so much diminishe from the glory of God in that an other was placed in his roumth as vnderstander of the thoughtes Iudge against their â—oules And they that at this day doe sweare by Angelles or dead Saintes doe spoyle GOD of his honour and do ascribe a vain godhead to those creatures But there is an other thing to be considered when as heauen and earth are sworne by in respect of the maker For the relygion of an oath is not setled vppon the creatures but God alone is called to witnesse they being brought forth as seales of his glory The scripture also calleth heauen the seat of God not that he is included therein but that menne might learne to lyfte their mindes on high so oft as they thinke of him and that they shoulde not imagine any earthly or base thing of him Yea the earth also is therfore called his footestoole that we might knowe that hee being euerye where could not be contained in any certaine place The holynesse of Hierusalem did depende of the promisse therefore it was holy because the Lorde had chosen it for the seat and palace of his Empyre VVhen men swear by their head they lay their lyfe as pledge of their good meaning which is their singuler gyft of God 37. But let your communication be Secondly Christe prescribeth a remedy namely that menne should deale truely and faythfully amongst themselues for then playne speach shall be of more value then an oath is amongst them that knowe no other but corrupt and false dealing And truely this is the best way to reproue and correct vices by to note the fountaines from whence they spring From whence commeth this rash readinesse of swearing but that in so much vanitie in so manye deceites vnconstancy and ficklenesse nothing almost is beleeued Therfore Christe requireth trueth and constancy in our wordes that wee shoulde not neede to sweare anye more For the repetition aswell of the affirmation as of the denyall is for this purpose that wee should keepe our promisses that all vpright dealing maye thereby appeare And beecause that this is the true and lawefull kinde of bargayning where men speake no otherwise with their tongue then they thinke in their hearte Christ saieth that whatsoeuer is more proceedeth of euill And I allowe not their iudgemente that attribute the faulte of swearinge to him that dooth not beleeue the speaker But in my iudgement Christe teacheth that it proceedeth of the vices of men that they are enforced to sweare for if there were vpright dealinge amongste them if they were not diuerse nor inconstant of theyr worde but mayntayned that simplicitie which nature teacheth yet it followeth not but that it is lawefull to sweare so ofte as neede requireth for manye thinges may bee well vsed which ryse of an
the feare and relygion of God doth florishe but he had rather they should al perish if neede so required then to haue the kingdome of Christ shaken the doctrine of saluation extinguished the worship of God abolished If our affections were ordered a right this should be the onely cause of right hatred But when Christe would establysh the kingdome of GOD and restore godlynesse into his perfecte strength but would also call menne backe from destruction to saluation there is nothing more vnworthy then for that cause to hate the ministers of so comfortable a doctrine This as it is a monstrous thing against nature might haue much troubled their simple minds yet Christ foretelleth that so it shal come to passe 22. Hee that endureth This one promise is sufficient enough to staye the mindes of the godly although all the world should ryse against theÌ„ while he promiseth them a happy and a blessed end For if the assurance of their purpose doth cary them to death whiche fight vnder earthlye captaynes being vncerteine of the end of the warre shall menne then doubt to imploy themselues to follow Christ to the end which are certeine of the victory 23. And when they persecute you in this citie He preuenteth that whiche they might haue excepted If the hatredes of the whole world were to be borne what end then at the length Though therefore they coulde be in safetie in no place yet Christ admonisheth them not to despayre but where they are throwne out of one place they shuld rather attempt whether they may profit any thing by their labour in an other place And the interpreters are deceiued while they think this to bee a naked permission when Christ rather commaundeth his disciples what hee woulde haue them to doe For he that hath abyden one persecution would gladly take his ease as a soldiour that hath done his duetie But Christ alloweth not such a vacation to his but willeth them to run the whole course with an vnwearied minde In summe the Apostles are coÌ„maunded to offer themselues to new skirmishes least they should thinke that they had done their dutie when they had passed ouer one or two Neither doth he suffer them to flye into corners where they might lye ydely But though their labour tooke not good successe in one place the Lord doth exhort them to go forward But vnder the commaundement is also contayned a permission And the flying of persecution is thus to he vnderstoode For all that flye are not generally to be condemned neither yet is euery flyght lawfull The heate of some of the old writers was too great in this matter which condemned flight as if it were a kind of deniall For if this were true some part of the ignominie shoulde redound to Christ and his Apostles Againe if it were lawfull generally to flye there shoulde be in the time of persecution no difference betweene the good pastor and the hyreling Therefore that moderation is to bee noted which Augustine prescribeth to Honoratus least any man fearefully forsaking his standing should either traiterously forsake his flocke or giue an example of slouthfulnes and yet that no man should vnaduisedly thrust in himselfe headlong If either the whole Church be assayled or that part be folowed to death the pastor shall doe yll if he withdraw himselfe whose duetie it were to oppose his life for euery particuler man of his flocke but it may be sometime that his absence shall be beneficiall to the Church by appeasing the fury of the enemies Therefore let in such a case the simplicitie of the doâ—e preuaile least nice meÌ„ make a cloake for their fearefulnesse as flesh is alwayes too wise in auoydinge of troubles For verely I say vnto you That is not lykely that some do vnderstand it of their first sending forth but it rather comprehendeth the whole Apostleshippe But herein consisteth the difficultie what the comming of the Sonne of manne should signifie Some menne expounde it that the Gospell shoulde haue such passage that all menne should know that Christe should reigne truely and that the restitution of the kyngdome of Dauid shoulde be hoped for of him Other doe referre it to the destruction of Ierusalem wherein Christ appeareth â—s a reuenger of vnthankefulnesse The first exposition is tollerable the latter is more wrested yet I doe iudge that to be a comfort giuen peculyarly to the Apostles Christe is sayde to come when hee bringeth remedie to thinges in despayre The ambassage which they were to vndertake was woonderfull that they should spread the doctrine of the gospel throughout the whole world Therefore Christ promiseth that he himselfe will come before they shall passe through all Iudea namely because hee will beautifie his kingdome by the power of his spirite that that glorye and maiestie shoulde verelye shine in the Apostles whiche as yet was hydde from them 24. The Disciple is not aboue his maister Now hee exhorteth them to patience by his owne example And certeinly this comfort is such as swaloweth vppe all sorowe while we consider that our lotte is common to vs with the Sonne of GOD yet that he might make vs the more ashamed thereby he taketh two similitudeâ— from the custom of menne The disciple accounteth himself honored to be made equal with his maister dares desire no greater honor Then that condition which the Lords doe beare patiently the seruauntes doe not refuse to beare the same Sith the Sonne of God is both these wayes aboue vs as he to whom the chief aucthoritie is giuen of the father and hath the offices of a maister committed vnto him let vs be ashamed to flye from that which he himselfe disdayned not to take vppon him for our cause But these thinges do rather neede meditation then exposition because they are euident enough of themselues Luke reporeteth this sentence in his sixt chapter not depending vppon the text but vttered abruptlye amongst other wordes And because Matthewe dooth in this place declare verye well to what purpose it apperteineth I thought that I could not place it better anye other where But in the translation I followed neither Erasmus nor the olde interpreter for this cause The Greeke Participle doth signifie aswel a thing made perfect as apt lyke or meete Further sith Christ speaketh here of a lykenesse and not of a perfection the latter sense seemeth to be the better as if he should haue sayde there is nothing more meete nor conuenient then that the disciple should frame himselfe after the example of his maister 25. If they haue called the maister of the house It is as much as if he shuld haue called himselfe the Lord of the Church as the Apostle to the Hebrewes 3. 2. comparing him to Moses and the Prophetes saith that they were seruauntes but that he was the Sonne and heyre For though hee vouchsafeth vs the honour of brethren yet he is the firste borne and the head of all the body to be short he hath the
touch at least the edge of his garment And as many as touched him were made whole  34. They came into the land of Genneâ—areth The Euangelists do meane that region which was so called of the name of the lake though it is vncerteine whether the lake was so called after the name of the lande but in that there is no matter of waight It behoueth vs especially to bende our cies thither whither the Euangelistes do lead vs that the glory of Christ was shewed not by one or two miracles but that coast of Iudea was replenished with innumerable testimonies of him the fame wherof might easily spread to Ierusalem and into other cities euerye waye VVhereby we gather how vile and wicked the vnthankfulnes of that nation was which malitiously shut theyr eies at the present brightnes of the glory of God nay they endeuoured as much as laye in them to extinguishe the same But now it is our duety in this so great a heap of myracles to learn to know to what end Christ came namely that he might shew himselfe a Phisition in healyng all diseases For it behooueth vs to cal to remembraunce that which Matthew alleaged before out of the Prophet Isaias that he by healing the diseases of the body figured as in a shadow some greater thing to wit that he should restore our soules to health and that his peculyar office should be to take away spiritual diseases And though at this day he is not conuersaunt vppon the earth yet it is certeine that now in heauen he excelleth in exercising the same graces whereof hee then gaue a visible testimony And beecause wee all are diseased with all kinde of diseases vntill he heale let euery one of vs not only offer himselfe vnto him but let him also endeuour to bring others which are in neede of the like remedy 36. That they might touch the hemme It is to be supposed that they were somwhat superstitious when as they tied the grace of Christ to the touching of his garment at least they defrauded him of part of his honour when they hoped for no power by his simple word But least hee should queÌ„ch the smoaking flaxe he applyeth himselfe to theyr simplicitie yet here is no cause why they should flatter themselues which seek the grace of God in wood or nayles or garmentes when as the scripture saith expresly that it is abhominable to conceaue any thing now ef Christe but according to the worthines of his spirituall and heauenly glory Theyr infirmity was borne with for a tyme which not knowing that Christe was God desired to come neerer to him Now sith hee silleth heauen and earth with the fauour of his grace it behooueth vs to apprehend by fayth the saluation which he offreth vs from heauen and not with haÌ„ds or eyes Matth. 15. Mark 7. Luk. 1. Then came to Iesus the Scribs and Pharises which were of Ierusalem saying 2. VVhy do thy disciples transgresse the tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread 3. But he answered and saide vnto them why doe yee also transgresse the commaundementes of God by your traditions 4. For God hath commanded saying Honour thy father and mother and he that curseth father or mother let him dye the death 5. But yee saye whosoeuer shal saye to father or mother by the gifte that is offred by â—ne thou maist haue profit 6. Though he honour not his father or his mother shall be free Thus haue yee made the commandement of God of no auctority by your traditions 7. O hypocrites Esaias prophesied wel of you saying 8. This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their hearte is farre from me 9. But in vaine they worship me teaching for doctrins the precepts of men 1. Then gathered vnto him the Pharises and certeine of the Scribes whiche came from Ierusalem 2. And when they sawe some of his disciples eate meat with common handes that is to say vnwashed they complained 3. For the Pharises and al the Iewes except they wash their handes oft eate not holding the tradition of the Elders 4. And when they come from the market except they wash they eat not and manye other thinges there be which they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washing of cuppes and pots and of brasen vessels and of tables 5. Then asked him the Pharises and Scribes why walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders but eat meat with vnwashen hands 6. Then he answered and sayd vnto them Surely I say hath prophesied well of you hipocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre away from me 7. But they worship me in vain teaching for doctrines the precepts of men 8. For yee lay the commaundementes of God aparte and obserue the tradition of men as the washing of pottes and cups and many other such like things yede 9. And he saide vnto them well yee reiect the commaundement of God that yee may obserue your owne tradition 10. For Moses saide Honour thy father and thy mother and whosoeuer shall curse father or mother let him dye the death 11. But yee say If a man say to father or mother Corban that is by the gifte that is offred by me thou maist haue profit he shal be free 12. So ye suffer him no more to doe anye thing for his father or his mother 13. Making the word of God of no autoritie by your tradition which ye haue ordained and ye do many such like things  1. Then came to Iesus This is a place most worthy to be noted because that here is reproued an offence no lesse daungerous then common VVe see what frowardnes there is in menne both in the way and meanes of worshipping God for they do dayly deuise new kindes of worshipping and the wiser any man would seeme to be the more he bendeth to shew his witte that way I speake not of straungers but of them which are of the houshold of the church whom God hath peculiarlye enriched with this honour that they should holde that as the rule of pietie which hee hath spoken with his own mouth Gad hath prescribed in what maner we should worship him and in his law he hath comprehended a perfect holynes The most part as if it were a light and a vaine matter ro obey God and to obserue that which he hath commaunded do of themselues gather out of sundry places many additions to the same They whiche are in authoritie do wrest their owne deuises to this end as if they had somwhat in their heades perfecter then the worde of God Then crepte in tyranny for when men once take to themselues that lyberty to commaund they do seuerely exact the obseruation of their own lawes do not abide that the least title of the same should be omitted either in coÌ„tempt or els by negligence Also though the
sonne they saide among themselues this is the heire come lette vs kill him and lette vs take his inheritaunce 39. So they tooke him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him 40. VVhen therefore the Lorde of the vineyarde shall come what will hee doe to those husbandmen 41. They said vnto him he wil cruelly destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard vnto other husbandmen which shall deliuer him the frutes in their seasons 42. Iesus sayd vnto them read yee neuer in the sciptures the stone which the builders refused the same is made the heade of the corner This was the lordes doinge and it is merueillous in our eyes 43. Therefore sayd I vnto you the kingdome of God shall be taken from you and shall be giuen to a nation which shal bring foorth the fruites thereof 44. And who soeuer shall fall on this stone he shall be broken but on whome soeuer it shal fal it will grinde him to powder 45. And when the chief priests and Pharisies had heard his parables they perceiued that hee spake of them 46. And they seeking to lay handes on him feared the people because they tooke him at a prophet 1. And he beganne to speake vnto them in parables a certaine manne planted a vineyard and compassed it with an hedge and digged a pit for the winepresse and builte a towre in it and lette it out to husbandmen and went into a straunge countrey 2. And at a time he sent to the husbandmen a seruaunt that he might receiue of the husbandmen of the fruite of the vineyard 3. But they tooke him and beat him and sent him away emptie 4. And againe he sent vnto them an other seruaunt and at him they cast stones and brake his head and sent him away shamefully handled 5. And againe he sent another and him they slewe and many other beating some killing some 6. Yet had he one sonne his deare beloued him also hee sent the last vnto them sayinge they will reuerence my sonne 7. But the husbandmen sayd among themselues this is the heir come let vs kil him and the inheritance shal be ours 8. So they tooke him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyeard 9. VVhat shal the Lord of the vineyeard do he wil come destroy these husbandmen giue the vineyeard to others 10. Haue yee not redde so muche as this scripture The stone which the builders did refuse is made the heade of the corner 11. This was done of the Lorde and it is meruailous in our eyes 12. Then they went about to take him but they feared the people for they perceiued that hee spake that parable against them therfore they left him and went their way 9. Then began he to speake to the people this parable A certain man planted a vineyeard and lette it foorth to husbandmen and went into a straunge countrey for a great season 10. And at a time he sent a seruaunt to the husbandmen that they shoulde giue him of the frute of the vineyard but the husbandmenne did beate him and sent him away emptie 11. Againe he sent yet an other seruaunt and they did beate him and foule intreated him and sent him away emptie 12. Moreouer hee sent the third and him they wounded and cast out 13. Then sayd the Lord of the vineyearde what shall I doe I will sende my beloued sonne it may be that they wil doe reuerence when they see him 14. But when the husbandmenne sawe him they reasoned with themselues sayinge this is the heire come lette vs kill him that the inheritance may be ours 15. So they caste him oute of tâ—e vineyearde and killed him what shall the Lorde of the vineyearde therefore dâ—â— vnto them 16. He wil come and destroy those husbaÌ„dmen wil giue cut his vineyarde to others But when they heard it they sayd God forbid 17. And he behelde them and sayd what meaneth this then that is wrytteÌ„ the stone that the builders refused that is made the head of the corner 18. VVho so euer shall fall vppon that stone shal be broken and on whome soeuer it shall fall it will grinde him to powder 19. Then the hie priests and the Scribes the same houre went about to lay handes on him but they feared the people for they perceiued that he had spoken this parable against them 33. Heare another Parable The woordes of Luke doe somewhat differ froÌ„ these for he sayeth that Christ spake to the multitude and the speach is heere directed to the Priests and Scribes But this is easily answeared for though Christ bent his speach to them yet he discouered theyr shame before all the people VVhen Marke sayeth that Christe began to speake in parables he omitteth that which was first in order as also in other places of the whole he onely toucheth a parte The summe of the parable is this it is no new thing if the priests and other gouernours of the church doe endeuour wickedly to defraude God of his right for they haue vsed the like theeuery before against the Prophets and now they are ready to slay the sonne but they shall not escape vnpunished for God wil arise to reuenge his own right And this is spoken for two principall causes first that he might reprooue the priests of vnthankefulnesse full of infidelitie and wickednesse then that he might take away the offence which might be taken of his death which was so neare at hande For they had preuailed so much by their false title amongst the false simple people so that religion amongst the Iewes depended of their wil and pleasure Therefore Christ prepareth the weake before and teacheth that sith the priests in times past haue slaine so many Prophets one vppon an other there is no cause why any man shoulde be troubled if the like example be also wrought in his owne person But nowe let vs consider euery parte of the same Hee planted a vineyarde This similitude is often founde in the scripture As coÌ„cerning this present place this is Christes only meaning that when God placeth pastours ouer his church he giueth not ouer his right vnto them but dealeth in like maner as if a housholder shoulde set out a vineyeard or a field to a husbandman who bestowing his labour in dressing it shoulde pay yearely frute for the same And as he complained by Isai 5. 4. and Iere. 2. 21. that the vineyeard about the dressing whereof he had bestowed much labour and cost brought foorth no frute so in this place he accuseth the keepers of his vineyeard who as strong theeues tooke al the profit to themselues This saying of Christ that the husbandmen receiued the vineyeard well dressed and laboured at the hand of the householder doeth not a little encrease their faulte for the better they were dealt with the more worthy they are to be abhorred for their vnthankfulnesse Paule vseth this argument 1. Tim. 3. 15. when he would exhort the pastours
they rather acknowledged God to be the iudge of the world that al things appertaining to man are gouerned by his prouidence but sith they tyed aswell the reward of the godlye as the paynes due to the wicked to this present life though they had sayd truely that euery manne is now handled equally according to his desart yet this was too preposterous to shutte vp the promises of God into so narow corners Now experyence doth euidently declare that their folly was too grosse sith it is euident that the rewarde which is layde vp for the good is deferd to an other lyfe and the punishmentes are not powred vppon the wicked in this world To be short there cannot be imagined any thing more absurde then this fantasie that menne created after the image of God should perish like beastes But howe vile and monstrous a matter was this when as some opinion at the least of the life to come remained euery where amongst the prophane and blynde Idolaters of the Gentiles that this seede of godlynes shoulde be abolished amongst the Iewes the peculyar people of God VVhat should I say that when they saw the holy Fathers that they made haste to the heauenlye life and the couenaunte which God made with them is spirituall and eternall muste they not be more blinde then blockes which coulde not see in so cleare a light But first this was a iust rewarde for them which had rente the Church of God into sectes then God in this maner reuenged the wicked contempt of his doctrine 24. Mayster Moses sayde Sith it might haue sufficed to haue proposed the matter simply to what end made they such a preface namelye they doe craftily pretend Moses name to proue those mariages lawefull whiche were made not after the pleasure of menne but by the commaundement and ordinaunce of God himselfe also it is necessarye that God himselfe should agree with himselfe This therefore was their snare if God will in time to come gather the faithfull into his kingdome then will he restore vnto them that which he had giuen them in the worlde therefore what shall become of that womanne whom God had giuen to seauen men So all the godlesse and Heretikes doe frame their cauils wherwith they could deforme the true doctrine of godlynesse and make the seruauntes of Christ ashamed yea the Papistes endeuoring to entrappe vs as past all shame doe openly scorne at God and his word Therefore it is not without cause that Paule Tit. 1. 9. would haue the doctor furnished with weapons wherewith he may driue backe the enemies to the truth As concerning this law wherein GOD commaundeth the next kinsmen in bloud to succeede the dead in marriage if the first should die without children this was the reason that the woman which was married into any family should receiue seede therof This must not be vnderstoode of naturall brethren but of cosines and such like for it were incest to marry within the degrees forbidden by the law 29. Yee are deceiued not knowing the Scriptures Though Christ speaketh to the Saduces yet this reproofe doth generally belong to all deuisers of false doctrines For sith God doth plainely shew himselfe vnto vs in the Scriptures the ignaraunce of them is the fountaine and cause of all errours But this is no small comfort to the godly that they shal be safe and out of the daunger of errour so long as with an humble and modest desire to learne they shall seeke in the scriptures what is right and true Christes ioyning the power of God with his word is to be referred to the circumstaunce of this present matter because the resurrection far exceedeth the capacitie of mannes vnderstanding it wil be incredible vnto vs vntyll our mindes behold the great power of God which is able to subdue all thinges to himselfe as Paule teacheth Phylippians 3. 11. Further it was necessary that the Sadduces should be deceiued because they did falslye measure the glorye of the heauenly lyfe with the presente estate Yet in the meane season doe wee teache that they doe iudge and speake ryghtlye and wyselye of the misteries of the kyngdome of heauen whiche doe ioyne the power of GOD togeather with the scriptures 30. They are as the Aungelles of God Hee meaneth not that the chyldren of God shal be when they are rysen in all thinges lyke vnto the angelles but so farre as they shall be free from all infirmitie of this presente lyfe as if he shoulde saye that they were no more subiecte to the thinges which this transitory and corrupt life hath neede of Luke dooth more plainely set forth the reason of the similitude because they could not die againe therefore they should not bring forth their fruite as vpon earth And he speaketh of the faythful onely because there was no question of the reprobate But it is demaunded why hee saith that they shall then bee the sons of God because they shal be the children of the resurrection sith the Lord doth vouchsafe this honour to his faithfull ones though they be shutte vp in the pryson of the frayle body And how should we bee the heires of eternall lyfe if God shoulde not acknowledge vs nowe for children I aunswere after we are grafted into the bodye of Christe by fayth God adopteth vs for children and the spirit is a witnesse seale marke pledge of this adoption so that in hope hereof wee may freely cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. But though wee knowe that wee are the sonnes of God yet because it doth not yet appeare what we shall be vntill we be trasfigured and see him in his glory as he is wee are not in effect accounted as sonnes And though we be regenerate by the spirite of God yet because our lyfe is hidde as yet the manifestation of the same shall make a true and perfect difference betweene vs and straungers In this sense is our adoption deferd by Paule to the Rom. 8. 13. to the last daye LV. 37. And that the dead shall rise againe After Christe had confuted that absurdity obiected against him now he confirmeth the doctrine of the last resurrection by the testimonie of the Scripture And wee muste keepe this order that the enemies of the trueth hauing their quarels answered may vnderstand that they striue against the word of GOD. For vntill they be ouercome by the testimony of the scripture they may alwaies murmurre and grudge Christ citeth a place out of Moses beecause he had to doe with the Sadduces who gaue but small credit to the Prophetes at the most they accounted no better of them then we do of the booke of Ecclesiasticus or the hystory of the Machabes Also seeing they alleadged Moses he had rather turne him backe againe vpon the then to obiect any one of the Prophetes Further hee had not this purpose to gather al the places of scripture that serued for this purpose as we see the Apostles in lyke manner did
that doeth come to passe so oft as mortal man will be accounted a father of himselfe without God when as all degrees of kinred doe depende of God alone through Christ and they doe so agree amongest themselues that God is properly the onely father of all menne So the former sentence of the maistershippe of Christe is againe rehearsed the seconde time that we might know this to be the lawful order if God alone doe rule and enioy a fatherly right and authority ouer all menne and Christ woulde haue all menne subiecte and become disciples to his doctrine As it is sayde other where that Christe is the onely head of the Churche Ephes. 1. 22. because that it is meete that the whole body be subiect and obedient to him 11. But he that is the greatest amongest you In this sentence he declareth that he doeth not Sophistically quarrell about woordes but hath rather respecte to the matter least any manne forgetfull of his estate should take vppon him more then is meete Therefore he sayeth that the greatest dignity in the Churche is not to rule but to minister VVho soeuer keepeth himselfe in this measure robbeth neither God nor Christe of any thing what title soeuer he haue So againe that authority whiche derogateth from the maistershippe of Christe doeth pretende the title of a seruaunt in vaine For what profiteth it the Pope when hee hath oppressed poore soules with tyrannous lawes to call himselfe the seruaunt of the seruants of God but that he might openly rise vppe against God and opprobriously laugh menne to scorne But as Christe doeth not stande vppon woordes so hee gaue this precise commaundement to his Disciples that they should not aspire nor desire to clime higher that they may equally maintaine a brotherly fellowship vnder the heauenly Father and that they which do excell in honour shoulde become seruaunts to others Hee addeth that notable sentence whych is expounded in an other place He that exalteth hymselfe shall be brought lowe c. Mathew 23. Mar. 12. Luke 11. 13. VVe therfore be vnto you Scribes Pharisies hypocrites because ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before menne for yee your selues goe not in neither suffer yee them that would enter to come in 14. VVoe be vnto you Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites for yee deuoure widowes houses euen vnder a colour of long prayer wherefore yee shall receiue the greater damnation 15. VVoe bee vnto you Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites for yee compasse sea and lande to make one of your profession and when hee is made yee make him two folde more the childe of hell then you your selues 40. VVhich deuoure widowes houses euen vnder a colour of longe prayers These shall receiue the greater damnation 52. VVoe be to you interpreaters of the lawe for yee haue taken away the key of knowledge yee entred not in youre selues and them that came in yee forbade Luke 20. 47. which deuour widows houses euen vnder a coloure of longe prayinge these shal receiue greater damnation Hee inueigheth yet more sharpely againste them and hee doeth it not so muche for their cause as that he might call backe the common and simple people from their secte For though we see the vengeance of God against the reprobate proposed oft-times in the scripture that they might be the more inexcusable yet vnder the personne of them the children of GOD doe receiue profitable admonitions least they shoulde intangle themselues in the same snares of wickednesse but that they shoulde beware of the like destruction For when the Scribes hauing ouerthrowne the woorshippe of GOD and corrupted the doctrine of godlinesse woulde beare no correction and in a desperate madnesse opposed themselues to the destruction of themselues and the whole people againste the redemption profered it was meete that they shoulde be made odious and detestable to all menne Thoughe Christe did not so muche respecte what they hadde deserued as what was profitable for the rude and vnlearned people For his will was at the ende of his life to leaue some solemne testimonie that no manne might but he which wittingly and willingly woulde be deceiued by those vngodly knaues And wee knowe what a hinderaunce the foolish reuerence of the false teachers was to the simple least they shoulde bee deliuered from errours The Iewes were then defiled with false doctrine yea they hadde drunke vppe many superstitions euen from their infancie Sith it was a difficult and hard matter of it selfe to drawe them backe into the way they were moste hindered by a preposterous opinion whiche they hadde conceiued of the false teachers for that they thought the false teachers to bee the lawfull pastours of the Churche the chiefe maisters of the woorshippe of GOD and pillers of godlinesse Adde also that they were so bewitched that they coulde scarce be drawen from thence but by a violent feare Therfore Christe denounceth the horrible iudgement of God againste them not that hee might heale the Scribes but that hee might driue the rest by feare from their deceitfull practises As at this day wee are enforced to thunder the sharplyer againste the Popishe cleargie not for any other cause but that they which are apte to bee taught and not altogither cast awaye shoulde giue eare to their saluation and being smitten wyth the iudgement of GOD shoulde breake those deadly superstitious snares wherein they are holden prisonners VVhereof it may be gathered that their tender daintinesse is crueltie whiche are troubled with our earnest vehemencie It displeaseth them that the wolues shoulde bee so sharpely and hardly handled whiche doe daily seeke to kill and to deuoure the sheepe and yet they see the miserable sheepe deceiued with a vain pomp cast themselues willingly into the wolues â—awes except the Pastour who desireth that they shoulde be safe and endeuoureth to deliuer them from destruction shoulde driue them away wyth a loude crying voice Therefore the purpose of Christe must bee remembered that we after hys example might seuerely threaten those wicked deceiuers cry out aloud against them that who soeuer are curable might flee from them for fear of destruction For thoughe the ennemies of the truthe doe not profitte thereby yet they must be cited to the tribunall seat of God and others must be warned that the same cursse is ready to fall vppon them if they depart not speedily from that wicked company 13. You shutte vppe the kingdome of heauen Christ pronounceth a cursse against them because they peruerte their office to the generall destruction of all the people For sith the gouernment of the Churche was in theyr handes they shoulde haue beene as porters of the kingdome of heauen For where vnto belongeth religion and sacred doctrine but to open the heauens for vs For we knowe that all mankinde is banished from God and shutte out of the inheritance of eternall saluation And the doctrine of godlinesse is as the gate whereby we enter into life therfore the scripture sayeth Metaphorically
but onely confirmeth that whiche I sayd euen now that one of his familyar guestes was the traytour And though it was hard for them to be lefte in suspence and doubtefull for a time that they might exercise themselues to consider the heinousnesse of the offence yet an other commodity folowed therof when they lenewe that the Prophesie was fulfilled Psal. 41. 9. 55. 14. 15. He which did eat of my sweete bread hath lifted vp the heele against me Furthermore by Iudas the Lordes will was to admonish his children in al ages not to be dismaide or discouraged for houshold traytours for that which hee had experience of who was the head of the whole Church must befall to vs which are the members 24. Surely the Sonne of man goeth Christ here taketh away an offēce which might haue grieuouslye offended the mindes of the godlye For what is more absurde then that the sonne of God should be traiterously betraied by a disciple giuen ouer to the pleasure of the enemies that hee maye bee brought to a reproachfull death But Christ saith that all this coulde not be but by the will of God And hee proueth this decree by the testimonie of the scripture because that which was appointed hee reuealed beefore by the mouth of his Prophet Now we vnderstand wherto Christes woordes doe tend namely that the disciples knowing that whatsoeuer is done is gouerned by the prouidence of God should not thynke that his life or death was ruled by chaunce But the commodity of this doctrine stretcheth further for the fruite of Christes death is then rightlye sanctified to vs when as it appeareth that hee was not rashlye caried to the crosse by menne but that by the eternall decree of God hee was ordeined to bee that sacrifice for the washinge awaye of the sinnes of the world For whence had we our reconciliation but by Christes appeasing of the father by his obedience VVherefore let vs alwayes remember the prouidence of God whereunto Iudas himselfe and all the wicked ones though it be against their willes and that they striue against the same must of necessitie obey Let this alwaies remaine sure that Christ therfore suffered because that God was pleased with such a kind of pacification yet Christ doth not say that Iudas by this pretence was freed from fault because that he did nothing but that which God hadde appoynted For though GOD in his vpright iudgment appointed the death of his sonne to be the price of our redemption yet notwithstanding Iudas in beetraying him procured hys iust damnation because that he was full of trechery and couetousnesse Further though God would haue the world redeemed yet this was no cause but that Iudas was a wicked traitour Hereby we see though men can do nothing but y t which god appointeth yet they ar not therby freed from guiltines because they are caried headlong to sinne by their wicked affection For though God by a hidden bridle directeth them to an ende vnknowne to them they minde nothing lesse then to obey his decrees These two things seeme nothing agreeable to mans reason that God by his prouidence shuld so gouerne the doings of men that nothing should be done but by his wil appointment and yet shuld destroy the reprobate by whō he executeth his wil. But we see here how christ reconcileth them both together making Iudas subiect to the cursse thogh this which he wrought against God was appointed by God Not that the treasō of Iudas shuld properly be called the work of God but because God turned the treason of Iudas to perfourme his counsell But I knowe how many interpreters would auoyd this rocke They do acknowledge that the scripture was fulfilled by this work of Iudas because god by his Prophets testified that which he knew before Therfore that they might mitigate the doctrine which seemed somwhat too sharp they set downe the foreknowledge of God in place of his decree But the holye Ghost doth decide this controuersie farre otherwise for it doth not only bring this as the cause of the betraing of Christ because it was so written but also because it was so appointed For where Mat. Mar. do alleage the scripture Lu. bringeth vs straight to that celestial decre euē as he teacheth in the Acts that Christ was betraied not only by the foreknowledge of God but of his determinate counsel And a litle after Herod Pylat with the rest of the wicked did those things which wer foreordained by the hand coūsel of god VVherby it appeareth that they do fōdly seek a shift which do fly to the naked and bare foreknowledge It were good By this word we are taught how horrible a vengeance doth remain for the wicked for whom it were better that they had neuer beene borne But this life though it is transitory and ful of innumerable troubles yet is it an incomparable benefit of God Againe we do hereby gather also how detestable their wickednes is which doth not only extinguish the precious gifts of God destroy the same but bringeth it to passe that it were better neuer to haue tasted of the the goodnes of God Yet this clause is worthy to be noted that it were good for that manne not to haue beene born For thoughe the estate of Iudas shoulde bee miserable yet it was good for God that he created him who appointeth the reprobate for the daye of destruction and doth also by this meanes set forth his own glory as Solomon teacheth So the secrete gouernment of God is defended from al note of suspition which ruleth the counsels and works of men as I touched euen now 25. Then Iudas answered Though we oft see them which are guilty within themselues to tremble and feare yet to their feare and blind tormēts there is a blockishnes adioyned so as they do boldly proceede to deny any thing so that at the length they do thus preuaile by their impudency that they do discouer their secrete sinne So Iudas when he was ensnared in an euill conscience could not yet hold his peace the inward tormentor doth so vex him vntil that with feare doubtfulnes he ouerthroweth him Also Christ in his answere sharply reprouing his blockish boldnes doth prouoke him to consider the offence which he desired to hide But his mind being now possessed with a deuilish fury could not haue any such feeling But by this example let vs learn that the wicked by their bad excuses do nothing els but pul a more speedy iudgment vpon themselues Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 26. And as they did eat Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thanks he break it and gaue it to the disciples and said take eate this is my body 27. Also he tooke the cuppe and when he had giuen thāks he gaue it them saying drink ye al of it 28. For this is my bloud of the new testamēt that is shed for many for the remissiō of sins 29. I saye
And when they came to the place called Golgotha that is to saye the place of dead mens sculles 34. They gaue him vineger to drinke mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he woulde not drinke 35. And when they had crucified him they parted hys garments and did cast lottes that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet They deuided my garments amonge them and vppon my vesture did cast lottes 36. And they sate watched him there 37. They sette vp also ouer his head his cause wrytten THIS IS IESVS THE KINGE OF THE IEVVES 38. And there were two theues crucified with him one on the right hand and an other on the left 22. And they brought him to a place named Golgotha which is by interpretation the place of dead mens sculles 33. And they gaue him to drink wine mingled with Myrrhe but he receiued it not 24. And when they had crucified him they parted his garments castinge lottes for them what euery man should haue 25. And it was the third hour when they crucified him 26. And the title of his cause was wrytten aboue THE KINGE OF THE IEVVES 27. They crucified also wyth him two theeues the one of the right hande the other of hys left 28. Thus the scripture was fulfilled whiche sayeth And hee was counted amonge the wicked 33. And when they were come to the place whiche is called Caluerie there they crucified him and the euill doers one at the right hand and the other at the left 34. Then sayd Iesus Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe And they parted his raimi◠and cast lottes A little after 33. And a superscription was also wrytten ouer him in Greeke letters and in Latin and in Hebrewe THIS IS THE KING OF THE IEVVES 33. And they came to the place Iesus was ledde to that place where as the euill doers were woont to be put to death that thereby his death might be made the more reprochfull And though that was done according to the custome yet it is mete more depely to consider the purpose of God For his wil was that his sonne shoulde be cast out of the citie as one vnwoorthy of the companye of menne that hee mighte receiue vs into hys heauenly kingdome with the Angels Therefore the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebr. 13. 12. applieth this to the old figure of the law For as God commanded that the bodies of the beasts should be burnt without the hoaste whose bloude was brought into the sanctuarie for a sacrifice so he saith that Christ went out of the gate of the Citie that by taking vp the cursse which pressed vs he might bee as one cast away and by this meanes he might washe away our sinnes And the more ignominye and reproch he bare before the world the more acceptable noble a spectacle he shewed in his death both to God Angels For the filthinesse of the place was no hinderance but that he might there erect a glorious ensigne of his victorye neither the stincke of the carcasses which lay there coulde stop the sweete smell of his sacrifice from fauouring throughout the whole world and pearceing vp euen into heauen 34. They gaue him vineger Though the Euangelists do not so curiously set downe all perticulers in their order so as the verye momentes of times might certeinly be noted yet I doe by probable reason coniecture that before the Lorde should be lyft vp vpon the crosse accordinge to the custom there was giuē vnto him out of a cup wine mixed with mirrhe or what mixture soeuer it was which was made as it appeareth of gall also and vineger It is throughly agreed vpon almost amongst al the interpreters that this was not that drinke whereof Iohn maketh mention and whereof I shall speake a litle after This I doe onely adde that I do thinke that there was a cup offred to the Lord when he should be crucified and after that the crosse was lifted vp on high then it was giuen vnto him in a sponge But when hee shoulde beginne to aske for drink I am not so curious to search yet if we doe compare all thinges togeather it seemeth by reason that after hee had refused that bitter confection it was againe thrust vpon him in mockery For afterward Matthewe addeth that the souldiours giuing him drinke vpbrayded him because that he could not delyuer himselfe from death VVhereby we do gather that this medicine beeing offred him they scorned at the weakenesse of Christ because that he had complained that he was forsaken of God As concerning the hystory set downe by Iohn it is sufficient to note this one thing that Christ for the cooling of his thirst asked that some cōmon drinke might be giuen him and there was thrust vpon him vineger mixed with mirrhe gal to hasten his death But he bore those tormentes patientlye so that for wearinesse of the sorrow he soughte not to haue his death hastened For this also was a portion of his sacrifice and obedience to beare the delay of the paine euen to the vtmost Further they are deceiued in my iudgement which doe reckon the vineger amongst the other tormentes inflicted vppon the sonne of God Theyr coniecture is more probable to me which doe thinke that this kinde of drinke was good for to voyde bloud and therefore it was woont to be giuen to euill doers that their death might bee the more speedy therefore Mark calleth it wine myxed with mirrhe But Christ as I touched euen now not so much for the offence of the bitternes refuseth the wine or vineger as y t he might shew himselfe quietly to go forward to death according to the commaundement of the father and that the impatiēcy of the sorrow driue hym not headlong Neither is that any hinderaunce which Iohn sayeth that the Scripture was fulfilled Psalme 69. 22. In my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke For they both do very wel agree that it was giuen then as a remedy to end the torments of slow death and yet that Christ was hardly afflicted by al meanes so that the very easing of it also might be a portion or encrease of the sorow 35. They parted his garmentes It is certeine that the souldiours did this also of custome that they parted amongst them the spoyles of a manne condemned It may be that this one thing was extraordinary that they cast lots for his coate without seame But thogh nothing befell to Christ in this matter but that which all condemned men did suffer yet this hystory is worthy to be much marked For the Euangelistes doe sette before vs the sonne of God naked without his garments that we myght know that great riches are gotten for vs by this nakednes which shall adorne vs before God Therefore God would that his son shuld be stripped naked that we being cloathed with his righteousnes with plenty of all good things without feare might appeare with the Angelles
Centurion said so for that christ hauing cried loud had giuen vp the ghost some interpreters do think that he noted some vnwonted force which remained strong euen vnto death and truely sith the body of Christ was almost without bloud this could not be after y e maner of men y t the streÌ„gth of his sides arteries shuld abide â—o loud a cry Yet I do rather thinke that the CeÌ„turion praised his coÌ„staÌ„t perseuerance in callinge vppon the name of God Thoughe not onely Christes crying induced him to thinke honourably of him but because he saw his great power to agree with the heauenly myracles he vttered this confession But where it is sayde that hee feared God it must not be expounded so as if he shoulde repent throughly it was onely a sodaine vanishing motion as it doeth oft befall that vaine men and suche as are giuen to the world are mooued with the feare of God when he sheweth foorth his fearefull power but because there is not a roote vnder which hath life securitie presently groweth ouer which quencheth that feeling The Centurion therefore was not so chaunged as that he wold yeelde himselfe to serue God the rest of his life but he was only a publisher of the Godhead of Christ for a short time And where Luke reporteth that he only sayde Of a sâ—retiâ— this man was iust is as muche as if he should haue openly declared him to be the Sonne of God as the two other Euangelists doe report For fame had spredde it euery where that Christ was punished because he bore himselfe for the sonne of GOD Now when the Centurion praiseth him to be iust and freeth him from fault he withall confesseth him to be the Sonne of God not that he distinctly vnderstoode howe Christe was begotten of God the father but because he doubted not but that some diuine power was in him and as one conuict by the former testimonies he accouÌ„ted him to be no coÌ„mon person but raised vppe by God As concerning the multitude striking their breastes they pray earnestly for the auoidance of the guiltinesse of that hainous offence because they perceiued that there was a hainous offence committed publikely in that vniust and cruell slaughter But because they proceeded no further their mourning auailed them nothing except that to some it was a beginninge or a preparation of a better repentaunce But because heere is onely described to vs the lamentation which God wreasted out of them for the glorye of hys Sonne lette vs learne by this example that it is little or nothing if any man be afraide at the present power of God vntill the astonishment being appeased the feare of God may rest in a quiet heart 55. And many women were there This was added as I doe interpreat it to let vs vnderstande that when the disciples were slipt away by fleeing hither and thither yet the Lord kept some of their company there to be as witnesses And though Iohn the Apostle departed not from the crosse yet heere is no mention made of him but onely the women are praised which followed Christe euen vnto death for the men fleeing fearefully away their singular pietie towardes their maister appeared the more euidently For it cannot be but that they had a rare and great affection who though they could doe him no seruice yet when he was in his extreemest reproaches they ceased not to haue him in reuerent estimation yet all the men fledde not as we doe gather by Luke for hee sayeth that all his acquaintance stoode a farre off But the Euangelistes doe especially praise the women and that not without cause for they were woorthy to be preferred before the menne And in my iudgement thyâ— secreat comparison doeth greatly reprooue the Apostles I speake of the body of them for because there was one only of them remaining who taryed of whom as I sayd euen now three Euangelists do say nothing But this was very reproachfull to the chosen witnesses to withdrawe themselues from beholding that wherof the saluation of the world depended Therefore when afterwardes they shoulde publish the Gospell the chiefe part of the hystorie was borrowed of the women The which if the prouidence of God had not met with in so wicked a nation they had depriued vs of the knowledge of the redemption But though there seemeth not to be so great authority in women yet if we doe consider with what power of the spirite they were strengthened against that temptation there shall be no cause why our faith shoulde wauer which resteth vppon God the true authour of the testimonie In the meane while lette vs note that it came to passe by the wonderfull goodnesse of God that the Gospell of the sacrifice of satisfaction whereby God was reconciled to vs came vnto vs. For in that coÌ„mon falling away of them who should haue gon before others God encouraged some of the meanest of the flock who casting off feare should become witnesses to vs of that hystorie without the beliefe whereof we could not be saued But of those women somewhat shall presently be spoken againe For thys present lette it suffice to note this one thing by the way they were brought from their countrey with a desire to learne that they might daily heare Christ teach they neither spared labour nor richesse so that they myght enioy the doctrine of saluation Math. 27. Marke 15. Luke 23. 57. And when the euen was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Ioseph who had also himselfe been Iesus disciple 58. He went to Pilate and asked the body of Iesus Then Pilate commanded the body to be deliuered 59. So Ioseph toke the body wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth 60. And put it in his new tombe which he had heuen out in a rock and rolled a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre and departed 61. And there was Mary Magdalen the other Mary sittiÌ„g ouer agaiÌ„st y e dore of y e sepulcre 42. And nowe when nighte was come because it was the daye of the preparation that is before the Sabbath 43. Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable counsellour whiche also looked for the kingdome of God came and went in boldlye vnto Pilate and asked the bodye of Iesus 44. And Pilate marueiled if he were already dead and called vnto him the Centurion and asked of him whether he had been any while dead 45. And when he knew the truth of the Centurion hee gaue the body to Ioseph 46. VVho bought a linnen cloth and tooke him downe and wrapped him in the linnen cloth and layed him in a tombe that was hewen out of a rocke and rolled a stone to the doore of the sepulchre 47. And Mary Magdalene and Mary Ioses mother behelde where he should be laid 50. And beholde there was a manne named Ioseph which was a counsellour a good manne and a iust 51. Hee did not consent to the counsell and deede of them which was of Arimathea a
more dangerous then hypocrisie as for other causes so because it is a vice too too common There is almost no man that doth not like of himselfe and whiles that wee deceiue our selues with vaine flatterings we thinke that Gods eyes doe dasle aswell as ours But heere we are taâ—ght what great difference there is betwene his iudgement and ours For he seeth cleerely those things which escape vs he considereth those thinges from the hidden fountaine that is the innermost affection of the hearte whiche blinde our eyes with a false glistering and brightnesse This is that which Salomen saith that GOD doth weigh in his ballance the heartes of men when as they doe flatter themselues in their wayes Therefore let vs remember that those onely are the true disciples of Christe whom he alloweth of because he alone is the â—ittest Iudge and arbitrator in this case Nowe here a question is asked whether when the Euangelist saith that Christ knewe all men hee meaneth those only of whom he spake of late or this appertaineth vnto all mankinde Some doe extend this vnto all mankinde and thinke that in this place the whole worlde is condemned of wicked and vnfaithfull dissimulation And truely it is a true saying that there can nothing bee founde in men why Christe should vouchsafe to number them amongst his But I see that it doth not agree with the text Therefore I doe restraine it vnto those that were before mentioned But because there might some doubt arise how Christ came by this knowledge the Euangelist preuenting this question answereth that Christe did well knowe those thinges which we knew not to be in meÌ„ so that he might by good â—ight decerne betweene men Christe therefore who knoweth the heart had no neede of one to tell and teache him what manner persons these were For he knew that they were of that nature and affection of mind that he might worthily account them as aliants to him VVhereas some doe aske this question whether wee may not suspect those who haue not shewed vs some token of their honestie as did Christe it is nothing appertinent vnto this present place For our estate is farre vnlike to his because Christe knewe the very rootes of the trees but wee doe onely knowe by the frutes which appeare of what nature euerye tree is Furthermore seeing that loue as Paule doth testifie is not suspitious it is not lawefull for vs to haue a sinister suspition of men whome wee know not without a cause But least that we be alwayes deceiued by hypocrites and least that the Church bee too muche laide open to their wicked deceites and subtiltie it is proper to Christe to furnishe vs with the spirite of discretion Chap. 3. 1 AND there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler amongst the Iewes 2 This man came vnto Iesus by night and said vnto him Rabbi wee knowe that thou art come as a teacher from God for no man can doe these myracles which thou doest vnlesse God be with him 3 Iesus answered and saide vnto him verilie verily I say vnto thee vnlesse a man bee borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God 4 Nicodemus saith vnto him Howe can a man when he is olde bee borne Can heâ— enter againe into his mothers wombe and be borne 5 Iesus answered verilie verily I say vnto thee vnlesse a man be borne of water and the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God 6 That which is borne of flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite 1 And there was a man The Euangelist setteth foorth vnto vs in the person of Nicodemus how fraile and brittle the faith of those men was who beeing mooued with myracles did of a sodaine beleeue Christe For this man seeing that he was by order a Pharisee and was a ruler in his nation shoulde haue farre exceeded others for in the common sort there reigneth lightnesse for the most part And who woulde not haue thought that this man who excelled in learnyng and practise had beene a graue and heartie man But it appeareth by the answeare of Christe that he came altogether vnprepared to learne the first principles of godlinesse If a gouernour be more ignoraunt then a childe what must we thinke of the riffe raffe and common sorte And although this be the intent and purpose of the Euangelist to set before vs as it were in a glasse howe fewe in Ierusalem were rightly disposed to receyue the Gospel yet is this historie verye profitable for vs for other causes especially because we are taught in it concerning the corrupt nature of man whiche is the right entrance into the schoole of Christe with what beginnings wee must bee framed to profite and goe forwarde in the celestiall doctrine For this is the summe of the sermon which Christ made namly that we must become newe men if sobeit wee will bee Christes true Disciples But before we goe any further wee must note out of the circumstances which the EuaÌ„gelist reckoneth vp in this place what lets did hynder Nicodemus from submitting himselfe wholy vnto Christe Of the Pharisees This was a title of honour for Nicodemus amongest his owne companie but the Euangelist doeth not giue hym this title for honours sake for he rather noteth that it was a let and hinderance which kept him from comming to Christe freely and willingly VVhereby we are taught that those who are excellent in the worlde are for the most part intangled in most wicked snares yea we see many so fast tyed that during their whole life they doe not once a little desire to come vnto heauen VVe haue els where taught for what cause they are called Pharisees for they did boast and bragge that they were the sole interpreters of the lawe as if they did vnderstaÌ„d the marrow as it were and hidden meaning of the scriptures and for this cause they called them selues Pherussim Although a more austere kind of life did purchase vnto the Essenes a fame and report of holines yet because they did dissent from the common life and custome of men as did the Eremites therefore the sect of the Pharisees was had in greater estimation Furthermore the Euangelist doth not only say that Nicodemus was by order a Pharisee but one of the chiefe of his nation 2 Hee came vnto Iesus by night In this that he came by night wee doe thereby gather that he was too fearefull For his eyes were as yet blynded with his owne gorgeousnesse Peraduenture shame did also hinder him For ambitious men doe thinke that their fame is quite gone if they do once descend from their seate of mastership to the order of learners Neither is it to be doubted but that hee was puffed vp with a foolish opinion of knowledge Finally seeing that he made great accounte of himselfe he woulde not loose one inche of his height And yet hee bringeth foorth some seede of godlinesse in this that hearing
what is reuealed vnto him of god least any man passe the bounds of his faith finally let no man speake any thing but that which he hath heard of the Lord. Furthermore we must note that Christ doth in this place confirme his doctrine with an oath that it may be of greater authoritie with vs. Yee receiue not our testimonie This is added to the ende the Gospel may loose no iote of credite through the vnthākfulnesse of men For because the truth of God is beleeued but of a fewe and is reiected euery where of the worlde it is to be deliuered from contempt let not therfore the maiestie thereof bee lesse regarded because the whole worlde almoste doth proudly despice the same and doth obscure it with their impietie And although the meaning of these wordes be simple and one yet may we gather a double doctrine out of this place the first that we doe not set light by the Gospel if it haue but a few disciples vpon earth As if Christ should say although you receiue not my doctrine neuertheles it remaineth certaine and sure because the incredulitie of men shall neuer bring to passe but that God shall continue true for euer The other that they shall not escape scotfree who at this day doe discredit the Gospel seeing that it is the holy veritie of God VVe must bee armed with this shielde that we may goe forward in the obedience of the Gospel against the stubbornnesse of men VVe must holde this ground that our faith be grounded in God But seeing that wee haue God our authour as though we were extolled aboue the heauens we must rather careleslie treade vnderfoote or behold a farre off the whole worlde then that the infidelitie of certaine shoulde trouble vs. VVhereas Christ complaineth that his testimonie is not receiued we gather therby that this was as a fatal thing for the word of god throughout al ages that it was beleeued but of a fewe For these wordes yee receiue not doe belong vnto the greater number and almost vnto the whole body of the people VVherfore there is no cause why the small number of the godly and faithfull shoulde discourage vs. 12 If I haue tolde you earthly thinges Christ concludeth that it was to bee imputed to Nicodemus and such like if they doe not profite in the doctrine of the Gospel For he saith it is of it selfe sufficient and apt to instruct all men seeing that it descendeth vnto the earth that it may lift vs vp to heauen This is too auncient a vice that men desire to be taught subtillie and wittily Hereby it commeth to passe that many men doe so greatly delight in deepe and hidden speculations And hereby it commeth to passe that most men doe lesse esteeme the Gospell because they cannot finde therein loftie speech to fill their eares with all Therefore they do not vouchsafe to occupie thēselues in the studie of common and base doctrine But this is intollerable wickednesse that we doe giue lesse honour vnto God when he speaketh for this cause because he doth abase himselfe vnto our rudenesse Therefore whereas GOD doeth speak vnto vs grosly and in a common stile in the scripture let vs know that he doth it for our sake VVhosoeuer doth boast that he is offended with such humilitie or maketh it a cloake to couer his vnwillingnesse to submit himselfe vnto the worde of God he lyeth For he that cannot aforde to embrace God when he is nigh vnto him he will much lesse flie vnto him aboue the cloudes Some doe expound earthly thinges to bee the rudiments or first principles of the spirituall doctrine For the deniall of our selues is a certaine first exercise of godlines But I am rather of their minde who referre this vnto the manner of teaching For albeit all Christ his sermō was heauenly yet he spake so familiarly that his speech it selfe might seeme after a sort earthly Furthermore these woordes must not be restrained vnto the Sermon only For in this place the vsual maner of teaching which Christ kept that is common simplicitie or plainesse and the pompe and gorgeousnesse whereunto ambitious men are too greedily addicted are compared together 13 And no man ascendeth into heauen but he that descended from heauen the sonne of man who is in heauen 14 And as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp 15 That euerie one that beleeueth in him may not perishe but haue euerlastinge life 16 For God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to the end that euery one which beleeueth in him may not perish but haue eternall life 17 For God sent not his sonne into the worlde to condemne the worlde but that thorow him the world might be saued 18 He that beleeueth in him is not condemned and he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadies because he hath not beleeued in the name of the only begotten sonne of god 13 No man ascendeth into heauen He exhorteth Nicodemus againe not to trust to himselfe and his owne wit for he saith that no mortall man can pearce into the heauens by his owne industrie vnlesse he haue the sonne of God to be his guide For by ascending into heauen is meant the pure knowledge of the mysteries of God and the light of the spirituall knowledge For Christ teacheth the same thing in this place which Paule doth when he saith that the naturall man doth not vnderstande the things of God Therefore he driueth away all the quicknes of mans wit from diuine matters because it is farre inferiour vnto God And we must diligently marke the wordes that Christ alone who is heauenly doth ascend into heauen and that the entrance is shut against al other In the former member he doth humble vs when hee excludeth all the whole world out of heauen Paule commandeth all those to be foolish in their owne conceite whosoeuer desire to be wise vnto god there is nothing that we can worse away with Therefore we must note the sentence that all our senses do faint quaile when we come vnto god But after that Christe hath shut heauen against vs he offereth a remedie that is readie when he addeth that that is giuen vnto the sonne of man which is denied vnto all other For he doth not ascend into heauē for his owne sake onely but that he may be our guide directer And for this he called himselfe the sonne of man that we may not doubt but that we shall enter in as well as he who tooke vpon him our fleshe for this cause that he might make vs partakers of all good thinges Therefore seeing that he alone is of his fathers counsell he imparteth vnto vs those secrets which wold otherwise be vnknowē to vs. Notwithstāding this seemeth to be an absurde thing that he saith that the sonne of man is in heauen at such time as he dwelleth vpon the earth If you answere that that
is true in respect of his diuinitie the manner of speech importeth an other thing namely that he himselfe as he was man was in heauē It might be said that there is no mention made of place but y t Christ is onely distinguished from the rest by this condition because he is heyre of the kingdome of God from which all mankinde is banished but seeing that it is common and vsuall enough in Christe by reason of the vnitie of person to haue that which is proper to the one nature to bee translated vnto the other wee neede not to seeke for any further aunswere Therefore Christe who is in heauen hath put on our flesh that stretching foorth his brotherly hand he may carry vs vp to heauen with him 14 And as Moses He doth more plainely declare to what ende hee said thath it is he alone to whom heauen is opened namely that he may bring in with him all those who will now followe him as their guide For he doth testifie that he is laide open and made euident vnto al men that he may make all men partakers of his power To be lifted vp doth signifie to be placed in an high place that all men may see him This commeth to passe by the preaching of the gospel For whereas some doe expounde it to be meant of the crosse it agreeth not with the text and it is nothing to the purpose Therefore the meaning of the woordes is plaine that Christe shal be lifted vp by the preaching of the gospel like to a banner that all men may beholde him as Esay foretolde Hee setteth downe a figure of this lifting vp in the brasen serpent which Moses erected the beholding whereof did cure those that were wounded with the deadly byting of Serpents VVe know the historie which is conteined Num. 21. 9. Furthermore it is cited in this place to this end that Christ may declare that by the preaching of the gospel hee shall be set in the sight of all men that whosoeuer shall beholde him with faith may be saued VVhereby wee must gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the gospel least any man should complaine of obscuritie and that this reuelation is common vnto all men and that faith hath her sight and beholding wherewith shee may see Christe as if hee were present like as Paul saith that he is plainly depainted out with his crosse when hee is truly preached And this is no vnproper or farre fet similitude For as that was only the externall shape of a serpent within there was no deadly or venemous thing so Christ tooke vpon him the shape of sinful flesh being yet cleane void of sin that he might cure in vs the deadly woūd of sin Neither was it is vaine that the Lord in times past whē the Iewes were wounded of serpents did prouide such a kinde of medicine And this did serue to confirme the wordes of Christe For seeing that he saw that he was contemned as an obscure vile person he could bring in no fitter thing then the lifting vp of the serpent As if he shoulde say that it ought not to seeme an absurd thing if contrarie to the opinion of men he be extolled from lowe degree vnto higher because that was shadowed in the figure of the serpent vnder the law Now the question is asked whether Christ doth compare himselfe to the Serpent because there is some likelihood or he giueth vs to vnderstand that it was a sacrament as was Manna For although Manna was bodily food appointed vnto the present vse yet Paul doth also testifie that it was a spirituall mysterie Both this place and also that that the serpent was kept vntill suche time as through the superstition of the people it was turned into an idoll do induce me to thinke the same concerning the brasen serpent If any man thinke otherwise I doe not contend 16 For so God Christ openeth the first cause and as it were the fountaine of our saluation and that least any doubt should remaine For our mindes haue no quiet resting place vntill such time as they come vnto y e free loue of god Therfore like as we cā seek the whole matter of our saluatiō no where els saue only in Christ so we must mark whēce Christe came vnto vs why he was offered vnto vs to be our sauiour Both these things are plainly deliuered vnto vs in this place namely y t faith in christ doth giue life vnto al mē that Christ brought life vnto vs because our heauēly father wil not haue mākind whō he loueth to perish And here must marke the order diligently For when as the originall of our saluation is once handeled as there is wicked ambition ingrafted in our nature so straightway there creepeth into our mindes diuelish imaginations concerning our owne merites Therefore we feigne that GOD is mercifull vnto vs for this cause because hee iudged vs to bee worthie to bee regarded But the scripture doth euery where extoll his meere and simple mercy which may abolish all merites And this is the sole meaning of Christe his wordes when hee setteth downe the cause in Gods loue For if wee will goe any higher the spirite locketh the gate by the mouth of Paule teaching that this loue is grounded in the purpose of his will And truly it is manifest that Christe said thus to the ende hee might drawe men from respecting themselues vnto the only mercie of God And he saith plainely that God was not moued to deliuer vs because he did marke that there was something in vs that was worthie of so great a benefite but he assigneth the glory of our deliuerance wholy vnto his loue and that doth better appeare by the text for he saith that the sonne is giuen vnto men that they may not perish VVherupon it followeth that vntill such time as Christ doth vouchsafe to helpe vs beeing lost we are all appointed vnto eternall destruction And Paule also sheweth this by the circumstance of time namely because we were loued whenas yet we were enemies through sinne Surely where sin doth reigne we shall finde nothing but the wrath of GOD which bringeth with it death Therfore it is mercy alone that reconcileth vs vnto God that it may also restore vs to life Yet this kinde of speech seemeth to be contrarie to manye places of scripture whiche doe laye the firste foundation of Gods loue toward vs in Christe and without him they shew that God doth hate vs. But we must remēber that which I said before that the secrete loue wherewith God imbraced vs with himself because it floweth from his eternall purpose is aboue all other causes and that the grace which he wil haue shewed vnto vs and whereby we are lifted vp vnto the hope of saluation doth begin at the reconciliation gotten by Christ. For seeing that it must needes be that he hateth sin how shal we be persuaded that he loueth
is dead 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there that you may beleeue But let vs goe vnto him 16 Then Thomas that was surnamed Didimus said vnto his felow disciples let vs go also that we may die with him 17 Therefore Iesus came and founde that hee had lyon in the graue foure daies alreadie 11 Our friend sleepeth Because hee said before that the sicknesse was not vnto death least the disciples should bee too much troubled with a thing vnlooked for he doth now also declare that he was dead and putteth them in hope of his resurrection And their rudenesse is wonderfull that they vnderstand the saying of Christ of sleepe For although it be a metaphoricall kinde of speech yet is it so often vsed and so common in the scriptures that it ought to haue bin wel knowen vnto al the Iewes 12 If he sleepe he is safe VVhen as they say that sleepe will be wholesom for Lazarus they do by this means by the way exhort Christ not to goe thyther And yet doe they not craftily wrest the wordes of Christe vnto their owne commoditie but because they thought hee spake of sleepe they doe willingly catch at that occasion to escape daunger Augustine and many after him do cunningly play the Philosophers in this worde sleepeth namely that it is applyed vnto death for this cause because it is as easie a matter for God to rayse the dead to life as it is for vs toawake those that sleep But we may gather out of the continual vse of the scripture that Christ thought no such thing yea seeing that this selfe same translation is common also amongest the profane writers it is without all doubt that it came into vse by no other means saue only because the dead cark as lyeth without any sense or fealing euen as the body of man when he sleepeth For which cause sleepe is not vnfitly tearmed the image of death in Homer it is called the brother of death Furthermore whereas by this worde the sleeping of the bodies onely is signified certaine mad felowes do most foolishly wrest it vnto the soules as if being depriued of vnderstanding they were in daunger of death Furthermore Christe setteth foorth his power in this because he saith he will come that he may awake Lazarus For although the easinesse of the resurrection is not expressed by this woorde sleepe yet Christe sheweth that he is the Lord ouer death when as he saith that he awaketh those whom he restoreth to life Therfore Iesus said thē plainely vnto them This was the most singuler goodnesse of Christ that he could suffer so great grossenesse in his Disciples And truely he deferred to endow them with greater grace of the spirit for a season that being renued in a moment the myracle might bee the greater VVhen he saith And I am glad for your sakes his meaning is that his absence was profitable for them because his power should haue byn more obscure if he had holpen Lazarus by and by For the nigher the workes of God doe drawe vnto the ordinarie course of nature the more base doe they waxe and the glory thereof doth the lesse appeare which thing we doe dayly trie For if hee reache foorth his hande by and by we do not lay holde vpon his helpe Therefore to the ende the Disciples myght acknowledge that the resurrection of Lazarus was indeed a work of God it was requisite that it should be deferred that he might be most farre from all remedie that could come by meanes of man And we must remember that which I saide before that the fatherly sufferance of god is here represented in y e person of Christ. Therfore when as God doth suffer vs being ouerwhelmed with griefs long time to languish let vs know that hee doeth by this meanes prouide for our safetie VVe truly doe grone being carefull and sorrowfull but the Lorde reioyceth in our welfare and there appeareth in this poynt double gentlenesse of his that he doth not only pardon our faults but doth ioyfully find meanes to redresse the same That you may beleeue He doth not meane that this was the first beginning of faith in them but a confirmation of the faith which was already begun for as much as it was very small and weake Neuerthelesse he telleth them that they would not haue beleeued vnlesse the hande of God had been openly shewed 16 Then Thomas Hitherto the disciples endeuoured to pull backe Christe Now is Thomas readie to follow but without any confidence he doth only arme himselfe with Christ his promise that he may follow him ioyfully and quietly For these are wordes of distrust Let vs goe that we may dye whereas it became them to be sure of life Furthermore the relatiue him may bee expounded as well of Lazarus as of Christ but and if you expound it to be spoken of Lazarus it is a taunt as if he had saide what good shall we doe by comming thither Vnlesse peraduenture we cannot otherwise doe the dutie of friendes vnlesse we die together with him Yet doe I rather allow the other sense that Thomas doth not refuse to die with Christ. But this as I haue said floweth from a rash zeale because he should rather haue been encouraged by the faith of the promise 18 And Bethania was high to Ierusalem almost fifteene furlongs 19 And many of the Iewes came vnto Martha and Mary that they might comforte them for their brether 20 Therfore when as Martha had hearde that Iesus did come the came to meet him and Mary sate at home 21 Therefore Martha saide vnto Iesus Lord if thou hadst been heere my brother had not been deal 22 But nowe I knowe also that whatsoeuer thou shalt desire of God God will giue it thee 23 Iesus saith vnto her thy brother shall ryse againe 24 Martha saith vnto him I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection in the last day 25 Iesus saith vnto her I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue 26 And euery one that liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer die Doest thou beleeue this 27 Shee saith vnto him truly Lord I beleeue that thou art Christ the sonne of God which shoulde come into the worlde 12 And Bethanie was The Euangelist doth diligently prosecute those thinges which serue vnto the certaintie of the historie He sheweth how nigh Ierusalem was vnto the towne of Bethanie least any shoulde maruell that many of their friendes came thence to comfort the sisters whō God would haue to beare witnesse of the myracle For although they were moued with the dutie of curtesie yet were they gathered together by the secrete counsell of God to some other ende least the resurrection of Lazarus should be obscure or shoulde haue those onely to beare witnesse thereof who were of his owne family And here is proued the malicious vnthankfulnesse of the nation that this so
by some externall figure to the end all men might openly acknowledge that it was spirituall 16 These thinges knew not his disciples at the first but when Iesus was glorified theÌ„ they remembred that these things were written of him and that they had done these things vnto him 17 The multitude therefore which was with him when he called Lazarus out of the graue and raysed him vp from the dead bare him witnesse 18 Therfore the multitude met him because they had hearde that hee had wrought this myracle 19 Furthermore the Pharisees said among themselues yee see that yee preuaile not beholde the world is gone after him 16 These thinges knew not his Disciples As the seede springeth not vppe so sone as it is cast into the ground so the fruit of the works of God appeareth not by and by The Apostles are the ministers of God to fulfill the prophesie but they cannot tell what they doe They heare the peoples crie and that no confused crie but that Christ was plainely saluted as a king yet they doe not as yet vnderstand to what ende this is or what it meaneth Therfore it is vnto them a vaine spectacle vntill such time as the Lorde doth open their eyes VVhen as it is said that they remembred at length that these thinges were written of him the cause of such grosse ignoraunce is noted which went before knowledge namely because they had not the scripture to be their guide and teacher then to directe their mindes vnto the pure and right consideration For we are blinde vnlesse the word of God doe goe before vs. Although euen this is not sufficient that the worde of God doth shine vnto vs vnlesse on the other side the spirite doe illuminate our eyes which should otherwise be blind euen in perfect light Christ vouchsafed to bestow this grace vppon his disciples after his resurrection because the full time was not yet come wherein he poured out abundantly the riches of his spirit vntill such time as he was receiued into the heauenly glory as wee had in the vii chapter ver 39. Let vs learne by this example to iudge of all things which appertain vnto Christ according to the scripture and not according to the propâ—er sense of our flesh Let vs secondly marke that this is a peculiar grace of the spirite that he doeth instruct vs in tract of time least wee be dull in considering vpon the workes of God I interprete this member That these things were written of him and that they had doone these thinges vnto him thus that the disciples did then first of all remember that these thinges were not done vnto Christ rashly and that these men did not rashly mocke him but that all this businesse was gouerned by the prouidence of God because it was requisite that all these thinges should be fulfilled which were written Therfore resolue it thus They did these things vnto him as they were written of him 17 The multitude bare him witnesse Hee repeateth that againe which he had said alredie that many being stirred vp with the fame of so great a myracle came to meete Christ. For they went out by troupes for this cause because the rumour of the raysing againe of Lazarus from death was euery where dispersed Therefore these men had iust matter and cause ministred vnto them to giue the honour due vnto Christe vnto the sonne of Marie seeing that such excellent power of his was made knowen vnto them 19 Yee see that ye preuaile not By these wordes they pricke forwarde themselues vnto greater madnesse For it is a certaine vpbraiding of sluggishnesse as if they shoulde say that the common people fell away vnto Christ because they themselues were too flacke and faint harted This manner of phrase is common amongest desperate fellowes when as they prepare themselues to assay euen the verye last and vttermost things But and if the enemies be so stubbornly bent to do euil we must be farre more constant in a good purpose 20 And there were certaine of those that went vppe to worship on the holye day Greekes 21 Therefore those men came vnto Phillip which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and requested him saying Syr wee will see Iesus 22 Phillip came and tolde Andrew againe Andrew and Phillip tell Iesus hymselfe 23 And Iesus answered them saying the houre commeth and now is that the sonne of man must be glorified 24 Verily verily I say vnto you vnlesse the wheat corne when it is fallen into the earth shall die it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite 25 He that loueth his life shall destroy it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life 26 If any man will serue mee let him follow mee and where I am there shall my minister bee also and if any man shall serue mee him shall the father honour 20 And there were certaine I doe not thinke that they were Gentiles or vncircumcised because it followeth shortly after that they came to worship And this was straitly forbidden by the lawes of Rome and the procoÌ„sules and other Magistrates did sharpely punish it if any man were founde which fell vnto Iudaisme hauing left the worship of his Countrie It was lawfull for the Iewes which were dispersed through Asia and Grecia to come ouer the Sea to offer sacrifice in the Temple Secondly the Iewes woulde neuer haue suffered the Gentiles to be mingled amongest them in that solemne worship of God because they would haue thought that both the Temple and themselues and the sacrifices were polluted by this meanes And although they came of the Iewes yet because they dwelt farre beyonde the Sea it is no maruell if the Euangelist bring them in as strangers and men whiche knewe not al those things which were then done at Ierusalem or at the places nigh thervnto Therfore his meaning is that not only the inhabitants of Iurie which came out of the villages and cities vnto the feast did intertaine Christe as a king but that his fame was spread abroade also vnto those that dwelte beyonde the Sea whiche came from farre Countrie To worship They might doe this also in their countrie but Iohn speaketh of a solemne kinde of worship which was ioyned with the sacrifices For although religion and godlinesse were not tyed vnto the Temple yet was it not lawfull to offer sacrifices vnto God any where els Neyther had they the ark of the testimonie which was a tokeÌ„ of Gods presence any where els Euery man did worship God dayly spiritually at his owne house yet was it requisite that the holy men whiche were vnder the lawe shoulde outwardly professe religion and that they shoulde make suche profession as was commaunded by Moses that they shoulde present them selues in the Temple before the face of the Lorde and vnto this end were the festiuall dayes appoynted If so bee it these menne dyd take suche a longe iourney not without greate charges
the manner of men secondly when he maketh himselfe the authour of Election For this knowledge whereof he speaketh is proper to God but this other thing is more effectuall when he testifieth that hee did choose those that were chosen before the creation of the worlde For this so excellent a token of his diuine power ought to moue vs more then if the Scripture should call him God an hundred times That the scripture may be fulfilled It might haue seemed to haue been an absurd thing that he that was elected to be of so honourable an order should not also haue beene endowed with true godlinesse For it was a readie obiection why Christe had not chosen him whom he meant to make one of his Apostles Yea why he made him an Apostle whom he knew would be such a wicked fellow Therefore he telleth them that it was meete it should be so because it was foretolde or at least that this was no new thing because Dauid had tryed the same For some doe thinke that the prophesie whiche is cited belongeth properly to Christe Some other doe thinke that it is a plaine comparison that as Dauid was betrayed by an houshold enemie and that vniustly euen so Gods children are subiect to the like estate As those men think the sense should bee whereas one of my disciples i◠a wicked traytour and betraier of his master this is not the first falshood of that sort that hath been in the world but rather that commeth to passe at this day whiche the scripture doth testifie was done in times past But forasmuche as that was shadowed in Dauid which did appeare more plainely afterwarde in Christ I doe willingly agree with the former sort who say that that was properly fulfilled which Dauid had foretold by the spirite of prophesie Psal. 41. 10. Othersome think that it is an vnperfect sentence wherein the principall verbe must be vnderstood But if you reade it in one texte that the scripture may be fulfilled Hee that eateth bread with mee hee lifteth vp his heele against mee there shal be nothing wanting Furthermore to lift vp the heele doth signifie metaphorically to set vpon any man craftily vnder pretence of friendship that he may be oppressed at vnawares Now we must suffer that thing patiētly also who are Christs members which Christ who is our head and patterne hath suffered And truly this hath been an ordinarie thing almost in all ages in the Church that it hath no greater and more deadly enemies then those that be of the housholde of the Churche VVherefore least suche crueltie doe trouble the faithfull let them accustome themselues betimes to suffer traytours 19 Now I tell you of it He telleth his Disciples in this sentence that they haue so small cause to faint because there is one reprobate gone out from amongest them that their faith ought the better to be confirmed For vnlesse we should see that in the Church with our eyes which was fortetold concerning her troubles and combates wee shoulde for good causes doubt where the prophesies were become But when as y e truth of the scripture agreeth with our experience then doe we the better perceiue that god careth for vs that we are gouerned by his prouidence In these wordes that you may beleeue that I am he giueth thē vs to vnderstand that he was that Messias which was promised Not that the treason which Iudas wrought did beginne to bring the Disciples vnto faith but because their faith was the more encreased whenas they came vnto the experience of those things which they had heard before out of the mouth of Christ. And now there may be a double sense and meaning in these words so that he may say that they should beleeue when the thing was come to passe because he knew al thinges or that hee wanted nothing of all those things which the scripture doth testifie concerning Christ. But because they doe both agree reasonable wel with the wordes the readers may for me choose whether they will 20 Verily verily I say vnto you There is either a new speech set downe in this place whiche is vnperfect or els Christe preuenteth an offence which was about to arise by reason of the wicked fact of Iudas For the Euangelistes doe not alwayes knit togeather the whole Sermons of Christ but doe sometimes gather together diuers sentences briefly although it is more likely that Christ meant to cure and preuent the offence It appeareth too plainly how apt wee are to receiue woundes by euill examples wherby it commeth to passe that the falling away of one man doth wound two hundreth more to extinguish their faith but the constancie of tenne or twentie godly men can scarse edifie one Therefore seeing that Christ did set such a monster before their eyes it was necessary for him to reach out his hand vnto the disciples least beeing stroken with this noueltie they should goe backwarde Neither had hee respect vnto thē only but he prouided for those that should come after them also For otherwise the remembraunce of Iudas might hurt vs much at this day For whenas the Diuell cannot estrange vs frō Christ by causing vs to hate his doctrine he maketh vs either weary of it or els causeth vs to contemne it because of the ministers But this admonition of Christ doth shew that it is an vniust thing that the vngodlinesse of certaine which behaue themselues wickedly and vngodlily in theyr office should any whit empayre the Apostolicall dignitie The reason is because we must haue respect vnto God the author of the ministerie in whom we shall finde nothing that is worthie of contempt and secondly Christ himselfe who is appointed of the father to be the onely teacher speaketh by his Apostles Therfore whosoeuer doth not vouchsafe to receiue the ministers of the Gospell he reiecteth Christ in them and God in Christ. Foolish are the Papists and absurd whilest that they wrest this title and commendation to establish their tyrannie For first of al they adorne themselues with other mens begged feathers wheras they are nothing like to Christ his Apostles secondly although we graunt them to be Apostles Christ meant nothing lesse in this place thē to giue his right vnto men For what other thing is it to receiue those whom Christ sendeth but to giue them place that they may fulfill the function which is enioyned them 21 VVhen Iesus had said thus he was troubled in the spirit and said verily verily I say vnto you that one of you shall betray mee 22 Then the Disciples looked one vppon another doubting of whome hee dyd speake 23 Furthermore one of Iesus his Disciples whome Iesus loued leaned vppon his breast 24 Therefore Simon Peter beckoned vnto him that hee should aske who it was of whom hee spake 25 Therefore when he leaned vpon Iesus his breast he saith vnto him Lorde who is it 26 Iesus answered he it is to whom I shall giue this soppe after that
the person of y e mediator who appeared for a time vnder the person of a seruaunt And now hee commaundeth his Disciples to lift vp their senses straightway into heauen whenas they shall begin to lacke externall ayde VVhereby we gather that Christ doth no lesse keepe the faithfull at this day then in times past but after another sort because his diuine maiestie appeareth manifestly in them VVhom thou hast giuen mee He vseth the same argument againe that it is an vnmeete thing that the father should cast away those whome his sonne kept at his commaundement euen vntil the end of his ministerie as if he should say I haue faithfully executed perfourmed that which was enioyned mee by thee least any thing should perish in my hande nowe seeing that thou takest that againe which thou hadst giuen me to keepe it is thy part and duetie to prouide that it may remaine safe VVhereas he acepteth Iudas he doth it not without reason For although he was not of the elect and of the true and naturall flocke of God yet the dignitie of his office did beare that shew Neither would any man haue thought otherwise of him so long as he stood in such an excellent order It is therefore concerning the Grammer an vnproper exception but if we weigh the matter it was requisite that Christe shoulde speake thus according to the common meaning of men And least any man should thinke that the eternall election of God was any whit weakened in the destruction and ruine of Iudas hee added also that he was the sonne of perdition By whiche wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that God knew long agoe his fall which happened sodainly in the sight of men For the Hebrewes doe call him the sonne of perdition which is a lost man or giuen ouer to destruction That the Scripture might bee fulfilled This is referred vnto the next sentence Iudas fell away that the scripture might be fulfilled But a man shall falsly gather thence that the falling away of Iudas is rather to bee imputed to God then to himselfe because he was necessarily enforced to doe it by reason of the prophesie For the euent of thyngs must not bee ascribed vnto the prophesies therefore because it was foretolde therein For doubtlesse the Prophetes denounce nothing els but that which should come to passe though they held their peace Therfore we must not set the cause of thinges thence I confesse that there is nothing which commeth to passe but it is ordeined of God but the question is now only concerning the scripture whether the foretelling and prophesies doe lay any necessitie vpon men or no which I haue already shewed to be false For Christe intendeth not to lay the cause of Iudas his destruction vpon the scripture but he meant only to take away the matter of offence which might haue shaken many weake soules and the meanes whereby he taketh it away is because the spirite of GOD hath testified in times past that it should so come to passe For we are almost afraid when we see and heare new thinges which come sodainly This is a verie profitable admonition and such as reacheth farre For how commeth it to passe at this day that most men do faint by reason of offences saue onely because they remember not the testimonies of the scripture wherewith God hath well armed his whilest that he hath in time foretold what euils soeuer they should see 13 These thingsspeake I in the worlde Chirst sheweth here that he praied not for the Disciples so earnestly as if he did doubt of or were careful sory for their state to come but rather that he might remedie their carefulnesse and heauinesse VVe knowe howe greatly our mindes are bent vnto externall helpes if wee can espie any offer themselues wee catch them greedily and doe not suffer our selues to bee pluckt away from them easilie Therefore Christe prayeth vnto his father in presence of the Disciples not that he needeth to say any thing but that he may take from them doubting I speake saith hee in the worlde that is when they heare mee that their heartes may be quiet For their safetie was alreadie in safegarde seeing that Christ had put it into the hand of God He calleth that his ioy which the Disciples should conceiue from him or if you will haue it more briefly whereof he is the authour cause and pledge For there is nothing but feare and vnquietnesse in vs and we haue peace and quietnesse in Christ alone 14 I haue giuen them thy worde and the world hath hated them because they are not of the worlde as I am not of the world 15 I doe not aske that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou shuldest keepe them from euill 16 They are not of the world as I am not of the world 17 Sanctifie them in thy truth thy worde is the truth 18 As thou hast sense mee into the worlde I haue also sent them into the worlde 19 And I sanctifie my selfe for them that they also may bee sanctified in the truth 14 I haue giuen them thy worde Hee commendeth the disciples to the father for another cause because they haue neede of his helpe because the worlde hateth them Hee doth also set downe the cause of the hatred because they haue embraced the worde of God which the worlde cannot away with as if hee shoulde say It is thy part to defend them who are hated of the world for thy wordes sake VVe must now remember that we harde lately that the ende of this prayer is that Christ his ioy may be fulfilled in vs. Therefore so often as the furie of the worlde is kindled against vs in such sort that we seeme not to bee farre from destruction let vs straightway learne to hold vp this buckler that God will neuer forsake those who labour for the Gospell Hee saith that the Disciples are not of the worlde because they are separated from the worlde whomsoeuer he regenerateth by his spirite Therefore God wil not suffer his sheepe to wander amongst wolues but he sheweth himselfe to be their pastour 15 I doe not aske that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde He teacheth wherein the safetie of the godly consisteth not that beeing exempted from all trouble they shoulde liue at ease and daintily but that they may remayne safe in the middest of daungers through Gods helpe Neither doth he tell his father what is expedient but hee doth rather prouide for the infirmitie of those that be his that they may temper their petitiōs which for the most part passe their boundes by this way and meanes which he prescribeth In summe he doth not promise the disciples his fathers grace y t it may set thē free from all care labour but he promiseth them such grace as may minister vnto them inuincible strength against their enemies may not suffer thē to be ouerwhelmed with the huge heape of combates which they
GOD did not commaunde the Iewes to obserue these rites whyche are contained in the lawe to any other end saue onely that they mighte accustome themselues to loue and desire true holinesse Moreouer they were neuer forbidden any where in the lawe to enter into a mannes house that was a Gentile but it was a Caueat giuen by the Fathers least any manne shoulde take or drawe any contagion or infection from an vncleane house vnawares But these good interpreaters of the Lawe whiche were very circumspecte in straininge out a gnatte doe stoutly deuoure a Camell And this is an ordinary thinge amongest Hypocrites that they thinke it greater wickednesse to kill a flye then a manne VVhereunto that othervice is allyed to preferre mennes traditions before the commaundementes of GOD. Therefore they will keepe themselues cleane that they may rightly eate the Passeouer But they include vncleannesse wythin the walles of the common hall neuerthelesse they are not afrayed to desire and câ—aue to haue an innocent putte to death in the presence of heauen and earthe Furthermore they keepe the Passeouer wyth a fained and falle reuerence but they doe not onely violate the true Passeouer with sartilegious handes but they endeuour also to ouerwhelme and couer it with eternall destruction so much as in them lieth 26. Therefore Pilate went out vnto them Thys prophane man doeth beare willinglye wyth the superstition whyche hee derideth and contemneth But hee doeth the duetye of a good iudge euen in the verye issue of the matter when as hee biddeth them vtter it if they haue any accusation But the priestes as if they hadde hadde authoritye enoughe to condemne him whome they accuse make no other answeare but that hee must stande to their preiudice For they complaine of Pilate by the waye because he trusteth not their honestie VVhy say they art thou not perswaded of thine owne accorde that hee is woorthy of death whome wee persecute Beholde howe the wicked whome GOD hathe lifted vppe vnto great honour beinge as it were blinded wyth their owne glorye and renowme doe graunt themselues libertie to doe what soeuer they will Beholde likewise howe drunken and madde pride is They will haue Christe to bee accounted an euill doer because they doe accuse hym But if they come to the matter what euill dedes of hys shall they finde saue onely that hee healed sicke folkes of all sortes hee draue the Deuilles out of menne hee sette on foote agayne those that hadde the Palsie and were lame hee restored sighte to the blinde hearinge to the deafe life to the deade The matter went thus this was the truthe and they themselues were too euidentlye conuicted But as I sayde euen nowe it is the hardest matter that canne bee for menne whyche are drunken wyth pride to be awaked that they may iudge with a sounde and setteled minde 31. Accordinge to your lawe VVee may surelye thinke that Pilate being offended wyth their rudenesse and violence vpbraideth vnto them that that forme of condemning which they vrged was contrary to the common lawe of all the Gentiles and to mannes reason Neuerthelesse hee toucheth them also in that they boasted that they hadde a lawe giuen them by God Hee sayeth tauntingly Take hym you neyther woulde he haue suffered them to haue condemned him to die but it is as muche as if hee shoulde haue sayde If you hadde the power and authoritie in your handes hee shoulde quickely bee punished and putte to death before hys cause were knowen Is thys then the equitie of your lawe to condemne a manne for no faulte or offence So that whilest the wicked doe falsely pretende the name of God they cause his holy doctrine to be slandered by the enemies and the world doth greedily catch at an occasion to speake euill It is not lawfull for vs. They are deceiued who thinke that the Iewes doe refuse Pilate his offer but rather when they knewe that hee spake thus vnto them in mockage Take him you they obiecte thou wouldest not permit this therefore sithens that thou art a iudge doe thy duetie 32. That the woorde of Iesus c. The Euangeliste addeth at length that it was conuenient it shoulde be so that that might bee fulfilled whiche Christe hadde foretolde The sonne of manne shall bee deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles Mathewe the twentieth chapiter and the nineteenth verse And truely thys is the principall poynte if wee couette to reade the hystorie of the deathe of Christe to profite thereby that wee looke vnto the eternall councell of God The sonne of God is arraigned and brought before the throne and iudgement seat of a mortall manne If wee thinke that this is done at mannes will and pleasure and doe not lifte vppe our eyes vnto GOD our faith must needes bee made ashamed and confounded but when as wee know that our guyltinesse was abolished before God by that guiltinesse of Christe because it pleased our heauenly father thus to reconcile mankinde vnto himselfe being lifted vppe on high by this cogitation onely we boast and triumphe without feare and shame in Christes his ignominie and reproche Therfore let vs learne in euery part of this hystorie to turne our eyes toward God the authour of our redemption 33. Therefore Pilate entred againe into the iudgement hall and called Iesus and sayd vnto him Art thou the king of the Iewes 34. Iesus answeared him Sayest thou this of thyselfe or haue others tolde thee it of mee 35. Pilate answeared him Am I a Iewe thine owne nation and the high priestes haue deliuered thee to me what hast thou done 36. Iesus answeared My kingdome is not of this worlde If my kingdome were of this worlde verely my ministers woulde striue that I might not be deliuered to the Iewes but nowe my kingdome is not hence 33. Therefore hee entred in It is to bee thoughte that there passed manye speaches betweene them whiche the Euangeliste concealeth whiche wee may also easily gather out of the rest But this Euangelist of oures standeth principallye vppon this one poynte that Pilate enquired diligentlye whether CHRISTE were broughte before the iudgement seat iustlye or vniustly There coulde nothinge bee done in presence of the people wythoute great a doe therefore hee went into the iudgement hall and truely his intent is to acquite Christ but Christ himselfe offereth himselfe to be condemned that hee maye obey his father And this is the cause that hee maketh so litle aunswere seeing that he had both a fauourable iudge and one that woulde haue giuen eare vnto him willingly it was no harde matter for him to pleade his owne cause but he remembreth to what end he came into the world and whither he is now called of his father therfore he holdeth his peace willingly that he may not escape death Art thou the king of the Iewes Pilat would neuer haue moued the question concerning the kingdome vnlesse the Iewes had burdened Christ with this crime And Pilate taketh that which was of
but that that they may proue that it is vnmeasurable and contained in no place But the woordes import no such thing because the Euangelist saieth not that he entered in by the doores when they were shutte but that he stoode in the middest of his disciples when as notwithstandinge the doores were shutte and he had no entraunce and way made him by the hand of man VVe know that Peter came out of the prison when it was fast lockte shall we therefore say that he came through the middest of the yron and plankes Therefore away with these childishe subtelties who haue in them no soundnesse and bring with them many toyes and dotings Let this be sufficient for vs that Christ meant to establishe the credite of his resurrection amongst his disciples by an excelleÌ„t myracle Peace be vnto you This is a common forme of saluation vsed amongst the Hebrewes who vnder this woorde Peace doe comprehende all prosperitie and good thinges whiche are woont to be desired vnto blessed life Therefore this saying importeth as much as if you shoulde say Be it wel and happily vnto you VVhich I speake for this cause because some menne dispute Philosophically concerning peace and concorde in thys place seeing that the onely intent and purpose of Christ is to wish wel to his disciples 20. He shewed them his handes It was meete that this confirmation should he added that it might be made knowen vnto them by all meanes that Christe was risen againe If any man thinke that it is vnmeete and contrary to Christes glory that he beareth his woundes as yet after his resurrection Lette him first of all consider that he rose againe not for hys owne but for our sake and secondly that what soeuer maketh for our saluation it is vnto him glorious For in that he humbled himselfe for a season his maiestie was no whit abated by that Nowe seeing that these woundes which are spoken of heere doe serue to set forth the credite of the resurrection they doe diminish no whitte of his glorye And if anye manne shal gather heereby that Christ hath as yet his side thrust throgh and his handes pearced he shal be ridiculous for asmuche as it is certeine that the vse of his woundes was but temporall vntill the Apostles were fully perswaded that he was risen from death VVhen Iohn saieth that the Apostles reioyced when they sawe the Lord hee giueth vs to vnderstande that al that sorow which the death of Christ had brought to the Apostles was driuen away by his new life Hee saith againe peace be vnto you This second salutatioÌ„ seemeth to tend to none other end saue only that the Lord may be so heard as the greatnes and weightines of the things wherof he was about to intreate did deserue 21. Aâ— my father hath sent me By these wordes Christ doth as it were coÌ„secrate his Apostles into the office whereunto hee had ordained and appointed them before They were sent before through out Iudea but only like cryers which commaunded the people to heare the chiefe teacher and not as Apostles which did take vppon them the continuall office of teaching But now the Lord maketh them his embassadors that they may erect his kingdom in the world Therefore let this continue sure certeine that the Apostles are now first of all appointed to be ordinary ministers of the gospel His words import asmuch as if he shuld say that he hath executed the office of a teacher hitherto and that therfore sithence that he hath fulfilled his course he doth now coÌ„mit the same charg vnto theÌ„ For he meaneth that his father had made him a teacher of y e Church on this coÌ„dition that he might go before the rest for a time and that he might then chuse into this place those which might supply his place wheÌ„ he was absent In which respecte Paule Ephe. 4. 11. saith that hee made some Apostles some Euangelistes some Pastors to gouerne the Church vntill the ende of the world Therefore Christe dooth testifie of all that although his office of teaching was but temporall yet the preaching of the Gospell lasteth no small time but shall be eternall And secondlye to the end the doctrine which proceedeth from the mouth of the Apostles maye haue neuer a whitte the lesse authoritie he commaundeth them to enter into the same function which hee had of his father hee giueth them the same person and assigneth vnto them the same authoritie It was meete that their ministerie should be established thus for they were obscure men and of the common sorte Againe admitte they were of great renoume and dignitie yet we know that whatsoeuer men haue it is farre inferiour to fayth VVherefore it is not without cause that Christ imparteth vnto his Apostles the authoritie which he hath receiued of the father that he may by this meanes declare that the preaching of the Gospel is enioined theÌ„ not by man but by the commaundement of God But hee did not so put other in his place that he doth leaue the principal maistershyppe because the father would haue that to remaine in his power alone Therfore he continueth and will continue for euer the onely teacher of the Church but there is this onely difference that he spake with his owne mouth so long as he was conuersant vpon earth he speaâ—◠〈…〉 by his Apostles Therefore this succession is such that Chriâ—◠〈…〉 thing thereby but his â—ight remaineth vntouched and his honour 〈◊〉 For that decree cannot be broken whereby we are commaunded to heare him and no other In summe Christ meant not in this place to adorne menne but the doctrine of the Gospell Furthermore wee must note that he intreateth of the preaching of the Gospell onely For Christ sendeth not his Apostles to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde to purchase righteousnes as hee himselfe was sent of the father Therefore he toucheth not in this place any peculier thing that he had but he doth only appoint ministers and pastours to gouerne the Church and that vppon this condition that he may retaine the principall power and that these menne may challenge to themselues nothing els but the seruice 22. He breathed vppon them Because no mortall manne is sitte for so harde and weightie a function therefore Christ furnisheth his Apostles with the grace of his spirite And truely it is a thing which passeth mans habilitie far to gouerne Gods Church to bringe the message of eternall saluation to erect the kingdome of God vppon earth and to lifte vppe menne vnto the heauens VVherefore it is no merueile that there is no meete manne founde vnlesse he be inspired with the holy Ghost For no manne can speake any word concerning Christ vnlesse the spirit directe his tongue so farre off is it that any manne is sufficient to fulfill faythfully and hartily all the partes of such an excellent office And this glorye belongeth to Christ alone to fashion and forme those whome hee
and pure frō all prophane follies and corruptions and to be filled with spirituall grace which maye edifie and with his sauour maye perfume all that shall heare it If this exposition stande then the last clause must be vnderstode of mutual peace which is nourished with that salte Yet because it is more probable that this latter sentence doeth depende of the former speache Christ seemeth to me to exhort his disciples to preserue the force and strengthe of theyr faith which may also helpe others As if he shoulde haue sayde you must doe your diligence that you be not onely seasoned within but also that you may season others yet because salte doeth bite with hys sharpnesse he therefore doeth presently admonish that the seasoning shoulde so be tempered that peace may yet remaine safe MATH 14. You are the lighte of the worlde Thoughe wee be all children of the light after that we be lightened with faith and are commanded to beare burning lightes in oure handes least wee wander in darkenesse and also to shewe the waye of life to others yet because the preaching of the Gospell was committed to the Apostles aboue all others at this day commaunded to the pastours of the Church therefore Christ geueth thys title peculiarely to them as if he shoulde haue sayd that they were on thys condition placed in suche a degree that they mighte geue lighte as from an highe to all others After hee addeth two similitudes A towne sette vppon a hill cannot be hidde neither is it vse to hide a candle when it is lighted By which woordes he woulde signifie that they should so liue as if they were sette oute to be looked vppon of all menne And certainly the higher a manne is placed the greater hurte he doeth by hys euill example if he behaue himselfe peruersly Therefore Christe willed hys Apostles to bende themselues the more to godly and holy life then any meane men of the common sorte because that all mennes eyes were sette vppon them as vppon lanternes neither are they by any meanes to be borne wyth except that godlinesse and integritie of life doe answeare to the doctrine whereof they are ministers The applying of this similitude by Marke and Luke seemeth to be vnlike for there Christe generally admonisheth them diligently to take heede least any manne beinge in darkenesse shoulde nourish vppe himselfe in a libertye of sinning for that which is hidde for a season shall at lengthe bee reuealed And thys is the meaning excepte that Christ rehearsed both these sentences abruptly not depending of the text MATH 16. Let your light so shine before menne After that he had taught his disciples that they are so placed that their vices as well as their vertues are seene farre off either for good or for euill example nowe he commādeth them so to frame their life that they may mooue all men to glorifie God Let men sayeth he see your good woorkes For as Paul witnesseth the faithfull doe prouide for good things not only before God but also before men For that he doeth after commaunde them in secrete and priuily to doe their good woorkes is only spoken to reprooue their ambition But now he commendeth to them a farre other end that is the glory of God alone Furthermore if the glory of good workes cannot be rightly attributed to God except they be acknowledged as receiued frō hym and he accounted as the only authour of them Heereby it appeareth that without open and grosse contempte of God freewil cannot be exalted as if that good workes either in parte or in whole sprang out of the power of man Againe it is to be noted howe louingly God dealeth with vs in calling good woorkes ours whereof by right he shoulde ascribe the whole praise vnto himselfe Mathewe 5. 17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the lawe or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them 18. For truely I saye vnto you Till heauen and earth pearish one iote or one title of the Lawe shall not scape till all things be fulfilled 19. VVhosoeuer therfore shall breake one of these least commaundements and teache men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall obserue and teache them the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Marke Luke 16. 17. Nowe it is more easie that heauen and earth shoulde passe awaye then that one title of the lawe shoulde fall 17. Thinke not Though Christ was of that perfection of life that he might rightly say that he came to fulfill the law yet he doth not here entreat of life but of doctrine Because that he did proclaime that the kingdome of God was come and did stirre vppe the mindes of menne wyth an vnwoonted hope and did also receiue his disciples by baptisme It is probable that the mindes of many doubted and diligently sought to what purpose that newnesse tended Nowe Christ declareth that his doctrine is so farre from any dissenting with the lawe so that it agreeth very well with the lawe and the Prophets and not so onely but it bringeth a full perfection to the same And it seemeth that he was especially led by two causes to testifie this consent of the law and the Gospel Assone as there springs out any newe kinde of teaching the common people take it as if there shoulde be an alteration of all things And the preaching of the gospell was in that order as I sayde euen nowe that made them hope that the Churche shoulde bee altered into an other estate then it was before they did therefore thinke that the olde and vsuall kinde of gouernment was abolished VVhich opinion had bene very hurtfull many wayes for the godly woorshippers of God woulde neuer haue embraced the Gospell if it had beene a defection from the lawe and the light and troublesome spirites would assay by taking suche an occasion greedily to ouerthrowe the state of religion for we knowe howe ouerthwartly rashnesse lifts vp it selfe in new things Furthermore Christe sawe very manye of the Iewes which thoughe they professed that they beleeued the lawe yet they were altogether prophane and degenerate for the estate of thinges amongest that people were so decaied and all thinges were filled wyth suche corruptions so that through either slouthe or malice the Priestes hadde quenched the pure lighte of doctrine so that there remayned no greate reuerence of the lawe If that there hadde beene brought a newe kinde of doctrine that shoulde haue discredited the lawe and the Prophetes then religion hadde beene miserably shaken This seemeth to be the first cause why Christe denied that hee came to destroye the lawe as it may be easily gathered oute of the texte For to confirme the same he presently addeth that it cannot be that one iote or title of the lawe shuld passe vnfilled and hee accurseth those teachers that doe not labour faithfully in mainteining the authoritie of the same And
the seconde cause was that hee might take away the vile reproche whiche the rude and ignoraunt woulde charge him with For it appeareth that the Scribes charged hys doctrine wyth this faulte in so muche as he presently inueigheth against them VVee must consider this purpose of Christe that he so calleth and exhorteth the Iewes to receiue the Gospell that yet hee keepeth them vnder obedience of the lawe then hee mightily refelleth those vnwoorthye reproches and cauilles wherewith the ennemies sought to bringe his preaching into slaunder and suspition For if anye minde to restore thinges confused into a better estate hee muste alwayes vse this wisedome and moderation that the people maye knowe that the eternall woorde of God is touched thereby and that there is no newe thing thrust in whych derogateth any thing from the scripture least any suspition of repugnancie shoulde weaken the faith of the godly and leaste that rashe vnaduised menne shoulde become insolent vnder pretence of holinesse Lastly that the prophane contempte of the woorde of God maye be staied and that religion be not brought into no reputation amongst the vnlearned And this defence of Christe wherewith hee excuseth his doctrine oughte to comforte vs if we at this day suffer the like reproaches The same faulte was also obiected against Paule that hee was an Apostate from the lawe of God wherefore it is no maruell if the Papistes out of the same mould doe coyne the like againste vs. And by the example of Christe it is meete to auoide slaunderous reportes yet so that the truthe may be freely professed though it be subiecte to many vniust reproches I came not to destroy God hadde promised a newe couenaunt at the comming of Christe but hee sheweth also that it shall not be diuers from the firste but that thys rather was the ende that the league whiche he hadde made with his people from the beginning might be sanctified for euer I will wryte sayeth hee my lawes in their heartes and I will forgette their sinnes By these woordes hee is so farre from departing from the former couenaunt that hee rather affirmeth that it shall then be established and confirmed when â—s the newe shall come in place And that was the meaning of the wordes of Christe when hee sayde that he came to fulfill the lawe For hee fulfilled it truelye quickeninge the deade letter with his spirite then hee in deede perfourmed that whyche before was shewed onelye vnder figures So that the cursse beinge abrogate the subiection is taken awaye and a libertye purchased for the faithfull and nothynge is derogated from the doctrine of the lawe but onelye expoundeth the minde of the lawe geuer as appeareth Galathians the thirde and the fourthe Chapiters Therefore as concernynge the doctrine wee maye not imagine anye abrogation of the Lawe by the comminge of Christe For sithe it is an euerlasting rule of a godly and a holy life it must be vnchangeable as the iustice of God is one and the same whiche is therein comprehended As concerning the Ceremonies thoughe they maye be accounted as a certaine addition to the same yet the onely vse of them was abrogate but the signification was the more approoued So that the commyng of Christ did not derogate anye thing from the ceremonies but rather the truth of the shadowes being shewen foorth doeth obtaine the more assured credite vnto them while wee beholding the perfecte effecte doe acknowledge that they are not vaine nor vnprofitable Therefore lette vs learne to keepe this sacred knotte of the lawe and the gospel inuiolable which many do wickedly dissolue And it doeth much auaile to the establishing of the truth of the gospell while wee heare that it is nothing else but the fulfilling of the law so that in a mutuall consent they shewe that God is the authour of them both 18. Till heauen and earth pearish Luke vseth other woordes but the same sense It is more easie for heauen and earth to passe away then that one title of the lawe shoulde fall For it was the will of Christ to teach in both places that there is nothing so sure in the whole frame of the worlde as is the certaine truth of the lawe and that in euery poynte of the same Some doe verye subtillye play with the woorde vntill as if that the passing of heauen and earth which shall be in the last daye of iudgement shoulde putte an ende to the lawe and the Prophets And truely as the tongues shall then cease and prophesies be abolished so I thincke that the wrytten lawe wyth the exposition shall cease But because I thinke that Christe spake more simply I will not feede the readers eares with suche deuices Therefore lette it suffice vs to vnderstande this that heauen shoulde fall and the whole frame of the worlde shoulde come together rather then the certaintie of the lawe shoulde wauer But what is the meaninge of this all thinges of the lawe shall be perfourmed euen to the least title For we see how farre menne are from the perfecte fulfilling of the lawe euen they that are regenerate with Gods spirite I aunsweare this fulfilling is not referred to the life of menne but to the perfecte truthe of the doctrine as if hee shoulde say there is nothing inconstante in the lawe and nothyng putte rashly in the same Therefore it cannot bee that one letter of the same should vanish away 19. VVhosoeuer therefore shall breake Heere Christe speaketh namelye of the preceptes of life or of the ten woordes according to which prescript order it becommeth all the children of God to frame their liues Therefore he pronounceth them to be false and peruerse teachers which keepe not their disciples vnder obedience of the lawe and that they are vnwoorthy to haue a place in the Churche whiche diminish the authoritie of the lawe in the least parte of the same and that they are good and faithfull ministers of God whiche teache the obseruation of the lawe as well in example of life as in woordes Also hee calleth them the leaste commaundements of the lawe according to the sense and iudgement of men for thoughe there is not like waight in all the commaundementes but while they be compared betweene themselues some are lesse then other yet may we nothing soner esteme and account that as little wherof the heauenly lawgeuer hath voutchsaued to geue a commaundemente For what sacriledge were it contemptuously to receiue that which commeth out of his mouth For by this meanes his maiestie shuld haue bene abased wherefore whereas Christ calleth them the least preceptes is a kinde of yeelding to our vnderstanding VVhen hee sayeth he shall be called least is an allusion to that was sayde before of the commaundementes but the meaning is euidente they that bring the doctrine of the law into conteÌ„pt yea though it be but in one sillable shal be reiected as the woorst sort of men The kingdome of heauen is taken for the renouation of the