might thereby yeelde the praise of all good thingâ— which they had receiued to God VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that Christ describing the saluation of the godly beginneth at the free loue of GOD whereby they which by the direction of Gods spirite do aspire to righteousnesse in this life are predestinated to life Heereunto also appertaineth that which he sayeth a little after that the kingdome was prepared for them from the beginning of the world into the possession whereof they shall be sent at the last day And though it may easily be obiected that the rewarde was layde vppe before for their merites which shoulde come after yet if any man will way the woordes without contention he will graunt that it is a secreat commendation of the grace of God For Christ also doeth not simply call the faithfull to possesse the kingdome as if they haue gotten the same by their merites but expresly sayeth that it shoulde be giuen as to heires Yet there is an other end to be noted whereunto the Lord had regarde for though the life of the godly is nothinge else but a miserable and grieuous banishmeÌ„t so that the earth can scarcely bear them though they trauaile vnder a harde want vnder reproaches and other troubles that they may with a stronge and valiant minde ouercome these lettes the Lord declareth that there is a kingdome prepared for them in an other place And it is a notable exhortation to patience when menne are certainly perswaded that they beare not in vaine Therefore least the pride of the wicked wherin they doe glory now should make our minds to fainte and least our owne miseries shoulde weaken our hope lette vs alwayes remember that enheritance which remaineth for vs in heauen for it dependeth not of any doubtfull case but it was prepared for vs of God before we were borne yea I say for euery one of the electe because that Christ doeth heere call them the blessed of the father But there is no absurdity in this that it is onely sayd heere that the kingdome was prepared from the beginning of the world and in an other place Before the creation of the heauen and the earth For Christ doth not here set downe the poynt of time when the inheritaunce of eternall life was prepared for the children of God but only calleth vs to the coÌ„sideration of the fatherly care of God wherein he embraced vs before we were borne and hee doeth thereby confirme the assurance of our hope so that the troublesome stormes of the world cannot ouerthrow our life I was an hungered If the disputation heere had beene of the cause of our saluation the Papists had not gathered amisse that we shoulde merite eternall life by good woorkes but when as Christ had no other purpose but to exhort his disciples to endeuour to liue well and righteously it is yll gathered by his woordes what the merites of workes shoulde auaile They rest vppon the woorde causall which is but a weake stay for wee knowe that it doeth not alwayes note the cause but rather the consequence when as eternall life is promised to the righteous But there is a plainer answeare For we deny not but that there is a rewarde promised to good woorkes but it is of fauour because it dependeth of the adoption Paule in the 2. Tim. 4. 8. reioyceth that there was a crowne of righteousnesse laied vppe for him But whereof gathered hee thys comforte but of this that he was a member of Iesus Christ who is the onely heire of the heauenly kingdome Hee sayeth that the iust iudge will giue hym that crowne but howe should he come by that rewarde but because hee was adopted of free grace and endowed with that righteousnes wherwhereof we all are voide Therefore these two things must be considered that the faithfull are called to the possession of the kingdome of heauen in respecte of good woorkes not because they should deserue it by the righteousnesse of workes or because that they shoulde be the authours of the getting of it for themselues but because that God doeth iustifie them whome he hath first chosen Furthermore though that by the direction of the spirit they shuld aspire to the loue of righteousnesse yet because they doe neuer satisfie the lawe of God there is no reward due to them but that is called a rewarde whiche is giuen freely But Christe doeth not recken vppe all the partes of a godly and a holy life but doeth only note for example sake some poyntes of charitye whereby we declare that we doe worship God For though the woorshippe of God excelleth the loue of menne and therefore faith and inuocation is more to be desired then almes yet Christe doeth not without cause sette downe the testimonies of true rightâ—ousnesse which are more apparant to be seene If any man despising God should only deale wel with men such mercy shuld nothing auaile for the appeasing of God because that in the meane season he is defrauded of his owne right Christe therefore doeth not say that the summe of righteousnesse consisteth in almes but by signes which may be moste easily seene he declareth what it is to liue godly and rightuously so that truely the faithfull doe not only professe with the mouth but by diligent exercises they doe shewe that they doe worship God VVherfore those fantasticall men do very preposterously vnder pretence of this place withdrawe themselues both from the hearing of the word and also from receiuing the holy supper for vnder the same coloure they might also cast away faith and bearing of the crosse and prayers chastitie But Christ meant nothing lesse then to restrain to a part of the seconde table the rule of holy life which is contained in the two tables of the law The Monkes also and such like rascalles haue sottishly sette downe to themselues sixe woorkes of mercy because that Christ maketh mention of no mo As if that children might not plainly see that by the figure Synecdoche al the workes of charity are here coÌ„mended For to comfort the sorrowfull to helpe them that be vniustly oppressed to aid the simple with counsel to pull the poore wretches out of the iawes of the wolues is a woorke of mercy as much worthy to be praised as to cloath the naked or to feede the hungry But may a man thinke that Christe commending charity vnto vs woulde exclude those dueties which appertaine to the worship of God yet he telleth his disciples that this shal be a lawful trial of a holy life if they exercise theÌ„selues in charity according to that saying of the Prophet I will haue mercy not sacrifice Hose 6. 6. Namely because that the hypocrites being couetous cruel deceitfull snatching to them by violence proud do yet vnder a vaine pompe of ceremonies dissemble a kinde of holines VVherby we do also gather if we desire to haue our life approoued before the chiefe iudge we must not wander in our
with his own griefe  29. Therefore aske not what yee shall eate or what ye shall drinke neither stand in doubt 30. For al suche thinges the people of the world seeke for and your father knoweth that yee haue neede of these things 31. But rather seeke yee after the kingdome of God and all these thinges shal be ministred vnto you 32. Feare not litle stocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome He hath the same purpose here that he had in the former doctrine that the faithful trusting in the fatherly care of God hoping to haue from him what things soeuer they think to be necessary for them shoulde not torment themselues with extreame carefulnes He forbiddeth them to be carefull or to seeke as Luke reporteth that is after their manner whiche seeke here and there without respect of God to whom onely they ought to bend themselues Neither doe they rest at any time but where they see aboundance of encrease they which do not attribute to God the gouernment of the world do sweat and vexe themselues with coÌ„tinual disquietnes VVhen he saith that the gentiles do seeke after all these things he vpbraideth them with their too grosse folly from whence al such cares do spring For whereof commeth it to passe that the vnbeleeuers doe neuer rest in quiet state but because they imagine that God is ydle and sleepeth in heauen or at the least that he looketh not vppon those thinges which appertaine vnto men as vpon them whom he hath taken into his charge and feedeth as his houshold So by this comparison hee declareth that they haue profited ill and doe not as yet vnderstand the firse rudiments of godlines which doe not looke with the eies of their fayth to the hand of God secretely filled with aboundaunce of all good thinges that they might patiently and with quiet mindes from thence looke for their sustentation Your heaueÌ„ly father saith he knoweth that you need these things as if hee shuld haue said al they that are so careful for their foode doe giue no more honour to the fatherly goodnes of God as his secrete prouidence then the vnfaithful doe LV. 29. Stand not in doubt This clause answereth to the last senteÌ„ce which is set downe in Matthew Bee not carefull for the morowe For Christ reproueth an other fault that men bending their will to prouide for themselues would gladly imbrace fiue worlds The worde which Luke vseth doth properly signifie to looke aloft as wee doe commonlye say to make long discourses for the intemperature of our fleshe hath neuer enough but that it would turne ouer the heauen the earth a hundred times Hereof it coÌ„meth to passe y t they giue no place to God his prouideÌ„ce Therfore vnder this title is reprehended too much curiositie or carefulnes because that through the same we procure our selues troubles without profit and doe so become willingly wretches before the time That Matthewe saieth That the daye hath enough with his owne griefe appertayneth to this purpose that the faythfull shoulde temper theyr cares least they desire to prouide beyond the boundes of their vocation For as it is sayde euerye care is not condemned but that whiche wandereth throughe ouerthwarte and vnmeasurable compasses beeyonde boundes MAT. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God He brydeleth that too great care for foode by an other argument For he reprooueth that grosse and slouthfull neglecte which the soule hath of the heauenly life Therefore Christ teacheth vs that it is preposterous that menne being borne to a better life doe wholly occupy themselues in earthly thinges And whosoeuer shall esteeme of the kingdom of God as the best wil not exercise himselfe in prouiding for his lyuing but moderatelye neyther is there any thing sitter to bridle the wantonnesse of the flesh that it triumph not in the course of this present life then the meditation of the heauenlye life The word righteousnesse may as well be referred to God as to his kingdome for we know y t the kingdom of God consisteth in righteousnes that is in spirituall newnesse of lyfe VVhen he saieth that other thinges shal be ministred hee meaneth those thinges which belonge to this present life are to be placed in the second place and so ought to be set after or vnder the kingdome of God LV. 32. Feare not my litle flocke VVith this sentence Christ confirmeth that hope whereunto hee exhorteth his disciples for how can God deny vile and corruptible meate to his whom he hath adopted to be heires of his kingdome And purposely he calleth his by the name of a litle flock least they should therefore think themselues to be of lesse account with God because that through their fewnesse they are nothing accounted of before the world The word which he vseth signifieth that eternall lyfe doth flow vnto vs out of the fountaine of his free mercy To this purpose also appertaineth the word of giuing And when Christe witnesseth openly that God hath giuen vs a kingdome and that for no other cause but for that it so pleaseth him it is heereby more then manifest that it is obtained by no desertes of workes Therfore so oft as the Lord raiseth vs vp to the hope of eternall lyfe we must remember that wee maye not feare the want of dayly foode Matth. 7. Marke 4. Luke 6. 1. Iudge not that yee be not iudged 2. For with what iudgment yee iudge yee shall be iudged and with what measure yee meate it shal be measured to you againe 3. And why seest thou the meate that is in thy brothers eie and perceiuest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4. Or how sayst thou to thy brother suffer me to cast out the mâ—at out of thine eye and behold a beame is in thine own eye 5. Hypocrite firste caste out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see clerelye to cast out the meate out of thy brothers eye 24. VVith what measure ye meate it shal be measured vnto you 37. Iudge not and yee shal not be iudged condemne not and ye shal not be condemned forgiue and yee shall be forgiuen 38. Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togeather running ouer shal men giue into your bosom for with what measure yee meate with the same shal men meate to you againe 41. And why seest thou a moaâ— in thy brothers eye and considerest not the beame that is in thine owne eye 42. Eyther howe canste thou say to thy brother brother let me pull out the moat that is in thine eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thine own eie Hypocrite cast out the beame that is in thine owne eie first and 〈◊〉 shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the moat that is in thy brothers eye 1. Iudge not Christe dooth not in these words preciselye restraine from iudgeing but his will was to heale that disease whiche
goe vnto them they were greatly afraide as if they should defile themselues the doctrine Act. 10. 28. Baptising them Christe commaundeth that they shoulde be baptized which shoulde giue their name to the Gospell and should professe them selues to be disciples partlye that it mighte be a witnesse vnto them of eternal life before God partly that it might be an outward signe of faith before men For we knowe that by this signe God doeth witnesse vnto vs the grace of his adoption for he grafteth vs into the body of his sonne that he might account vs to be of his flocke and therefore our spirituall washing wherewith he reconcileth vs vnto himselfe and the new righteousnesse are there represented But as God confirmeth his grace vnto vs by this zeale so who soeuer doe offer themselues to baptisme they do in like maner binde their faith as it were by giuing of an obligation Also sith the Apostles haue these dueties expreslye committed to their charge togither with the preachinge of the Gospell it followeth that there are no other lawfull ministers of Baptisme but they which doe also minister doctrine Therefore where libertie hath beene graunted to priuate men and also to women to baptise because it is not agreeable to the institution of Christ it was nothing else but a meere prophanation Also where the first place is appoynted for doctrine there is a true differēce set down betwene this mysterie and the adoulterous rites of the Gentiles wherwith they do enter thēselues into their religions for vntill God by his word shal giue life to the earthly elemēt it is made no sacramēt for vs. As superstition hath a preposterous emulation at all the works of God so folish men do frame diuers sacraments according to their owne pleasure but because they want the woorde as the soule they are vaine and toyishe shadowes VVherefore let vs note that by the power of the doctrine it commeth to passe that the fignes doe put on a newe nature so as the outwarde washing of the flesh beginneth to be a spirituall pledge of regeneration by the doctrine of the Gospell goinge before and this is the right consecration in steade wherof popery hath brought in vppon vs magicall exorcismes And therefore it is sayde in Marke He that shall beleeue and be baptised by which woordes Christ doeth not onely exclude hypocrites from the hope of saluation who beinge without faith are onely puffed vp with the outward signe but hee ioyneth baptisme to the holy bande of doctrine that this should be nothing else then an addition to that But because Christe commaundeth them to reache before he commaundeth to baptise and willeth that onely beleeuers be receiued to baptisme baptisme seemeth not to be rightly ministred except that faith should goe before And vnder this pretence the Anabaptists haue stirred much against the baptisme of infants Yet it is not harde to be answeared if any manne shall consider the reason of the commaundement Christ commaundeth that the embassage of eternall saluation should be caryed to all the Gentiles hee confirmeth the same by adding the seale of baptisme And there is good cause why the beleuing of the woorde is sette before baptisme sith the Gentiles were altogither straungers from God and had no fellowship with the elect people For otherwise it should haue beene a lying signe which should offer forgiuenesse of sinnes and the gift of the spirite to vnbeleeuers who as yet were not the members of Christ. And we knowe that they are gathered by faith who were before dispearsed Nowe it is demanded vppon what condition God adopted them to be his sonnes which before were straungers It cannot certainly be denied when hee once accepted them into his fauour but that hee extendeth the same to their children and nephewes At the comming of Christ he shewed himselfe generally to be a father both to the Gentiles and to the Iewes Therefore it is necessary that the promisse which was in times past made to the Iewes shoulde also at this daye be of force amongest the Gentiles I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Gen. 17. 7. So wee see them which by faith are entred into the Church of God to be accounted for the members of Christe and also to be called to the enheritance of saluation And yet baptisme is not by this meanes separated from faith or doctrine for though yong infants doe not as yet by reason of their age take holde of the grace of God by faith yet God accepting of theyr parents doeth also embrace them I doe therfore deny it to be rashly done to baptise infants whereto the Lord doth call them while he promiseth them to be their God In the name of the father This place doeth teache the full and euident knowledge of God the which beinge but darkely shadowed foorth vnder the lawe and the Prophets at the lengthe sprange foorth vnder the kingdome of Christe The olde fathers neuer durst call God their Father if they hadde not taken this hope from Christe theyr head neither were they altogither ignorant of the eternall wisdome of God which was the fountaine of light and life It was also one of their confessed principles that God shewed forth his power in the holy ghost But at the arising of the gospell God was much more manifestly shewed vnder the three persons for the father then reuealed himselfe plainly in the sonne his liuely and expresse image and Christ himselfe lightening the world by the cleare brightnesse of his spirite made both him himselfe to be knowen But it is not without cause that heere is expresse mention made of the Father of the Sonne and of the spirite for the force of baptisme cannot be apprehended otherwise then by beginning at the free mercy of the Father who reconcileth vs vnto himselfe by hys only begotten Sonne then shall Christ himselfe appeare before vs wyth the sacrifice of his death and at the length the holy ghost shal also come by whome he washeth and regenerateth vs and at the length he maketh vs partakers of all their good giftes So we do see that we do not rightly know God except that our faith do distinctly conceiue three persons in one essence and that the efficacie and frute of baptisme doth come from thence that God the Father adopteth vs in his Sonne and by the Spirit we being purged from the silthinesse of our fleshe he refourmeth vs to righteousnesse MAR. 16. He that shall beleeue This promisse was added that it might allure all mankind to faith as againe for the terrifying of the vnbeleeuers there followeth a denounced sentence of grieuous destruction But it is no maruel that saluation is promised to the faithful for by beleuing in the only begotten sonne of God they are not only accoūted amongst the sonnes of God but being endued with the righteousnes of his grace and with the spirit of regeneration they do possesse the summe of eternal life Baptisme is ioyned
man onely of a corporall disease the comparison should haue been nothing worth for circumcision which appertaineth to the health of the soule should be more excellent Therefore Christ ioyneth the spirituall fruit of the myracle with the external benefit done to the bodie and therfore doth worthilie prefer the perfect health of the man before circumcision There may be also another reason of the comparison namely that the Sacraments haue not alwayes their force and effect present but Christ himself wrought effectually in curing the man that was sick of the palsey But I doe rather imbrace that former exposition that the Iewes do maliciously reprochfully find fault with that work wherein the grace of God doth more plainly appeare then in circumcision which they do so much honor that they do think that the Sabboth is not broken by it The marueiling wherof he speaketh doth signifie that murmuring which arose about the fact of Christ because they thought that he durst do more then was lawfull 22 Therefore Moses gaue you circumcision The illatiue worde seemeth not to agree therfore some do take dia tout◠for dia t◠but the Greeke construction is repugnant to their opinion Therfore I do expound it more simplie that circumcision was so commaunded that the vse of that signe was necessary euen vpon the Sabboths as if he should say that it was sufficiently shewed vnto them therby that the worship of the Sabboth is not violated by the works of God that Christ may applie the example of circumcision vnto the present cause yet notwithstanding he vseth a correction by and by when as he saith that Moses was not the first minister of circumcision But this was sufficient for him that Moses who was so straight an exactor of the Sabboth did notwithstanding cōmaund that infants should be circumcised the eight day although it fell vpon the Sabboth day 24 Iudge not After that he had ended his defence he vseth also an expostulation because being carried away w t wicked affections they iudge not according to the thing and the cause Circumcision was reuerenced amongest them for good causes when as it was done vpon the Sabboth day They knew that the law was not broken because the workes of god doe agree well together why do they not thinke the same of the worke of Christe saue only because a preiudice conceiued of the person of Christ doth possesse their mindes Therefore there shall no iudgement be right saue that which shall bee giuen according to the truth of the matter For so soone as the persons come abroade they turne the eyes and senses of all men vnto them so that the truth doth vanishe away by and by As this admonition ought to be of force in all causes and matters so is it more then necessarie when as we haue the heauenly doctrine in hand For ther is nothing which happeneth soner then that wee be estraunged from the same with the hatred and contempt of men 25 Therefore some of the men of Ierusalem saide Is not this he whome they seeke to kill 26 And beholde he speaketh openly and they say nothing to him whether or no doe the rulers know indeed that this is Christ indeed 27 But we know whence this man is but when Christ shall come no man shall know whence hee is 28 Therfore Iesus cryed in the Temple teaching and saying you both know mee and yee know whence I am and I came not of my selfe but he speaketh the truth that sent me whome you know not 29 But I know him because I am of him and he hath sent mee 30 Therfore they sought to take him no man laid hand on him because his hower was not yet come 25 Certaine of the men of Ierusalem Namely such as knew of the lying in wayt of the rulers and which knewe how greatly Christ was hated For the common people as wee saw a little before counted this as a dreame or doting Therfore those who knewe with what outragious hatred the chiefe rulers of their nation were incensed against Christ do not marueile in vaine that Christe was not only openly conuersaunt in the temple they being quiet but that he did also prech freely but they offend in that that in a myracle altogether diuine they do not consider the prouidence of God So carnall men so often as they see any straunge worke of God they marueile indeed but in the meane season there commeth no consideration of Gods power into their minde But it is our dutie more wisely to weigh the workes of God especially seeing that the wicked when as they haue assayed all things doe not so hinder the course of the gospel as they would desire we may surely think that their endeuours are void because God is able to throw them down with his hand being set against them 27 But we know whence this man is Heere we doe see not only howe great the blindnesse of men is when they are to iudge of diuine matters but that this vice is almost ingendred in them that they haue witte enough to lay stumbling blockes before themselues that they may not come vnto the knowledge of the truth There doe oftentimes fall out offences through the subtiltie of Satan which may driue away moste men from Christ but and if the way were plaine and equall euery man would feigne vnto himselfe an offence So long as the rulers knew not Christ this multitude would haue beene letted with their vnbeliefe alone now whenas that impediment is remoued they inuent a new cause least they should come vnto Christ. Yea whereas it was meet that they should be moued with the example of the rulers they are so farre from following that which is right that they do willingly stumble at the first step Euen so men that haue begun well are wont to faile by by in such sort vnles the Lord do direct their goings euē vnto the end Furthermore the argument wherwith they hinder themselues is this The Prophets haue testified that the beginning of Christ shal be vnknowē but we know from whence this man came therefore he is not to bee taken for Christ. Hereby are we taught what a dāgerous thing it is to teare in peeces the scriptures and so consequently Christ himselfe that he may be iudged only by the halfe of himselfe God promised a deliuerer of the seed of Dauid but he challengeth this office euery where vnto himselfe as proper to himselfe Therefore it was requisite that God should be reuealed in the flesh that hee might be the Redeemer of his Church So Micheas assigneth the place where Christ should be borne Out of thee Bethleehem shall arise a captaine that he may gouerne my people But immediately after he speaketh of an higher going out and therefore hidden and secrete These miserable men whilest that they respect nothing in Christ saue that which is subiect to contempt they doe rashlye gather that he is not he that was promised Therefore let
that hauing had such excercises from their childhood they doe either refuse or els neglect the redeemer promised them frō the beginning But this hath been a common vice almost in all ages that men doe so much the more boldly despice God the nigher more familiarly he offereth himselfe vnto them But there was greater zeale and feruentnesse in the other who hauing left their houses were come together to celebrate the feast day so that they enquired diligently after Christ whēas they heare y t he commeth into the Citie they goe out to meete him and to welcom him Questionles they were raised vp to meet him in such sort by y e secret instinct of the spirit VVe do not reade that this was done before but as earthly princes do call their subiects vnto them by the sounde of a Trumpet or the voyce of a Cryer when they take possession of their kingdomes so Christe gathered together this people by the vehement motion of his spirit that they might salute him as a king VVhen as the multitude would haue made him a king in the wildernes he withdrew himself priuily into the moūtaine for at that time they thought vpon no other kingdome saue only such a one during which they might haue their bellyes well filled lyke brute beastes Therfore Christe coulde not yeeld vnto their foolish and disordered desire vnlesse he would deny himselfe and cast off that function which was enioyned him by the father But he doth now chaleng such a kingdome as hee had receiued of his father I confesse indeede that the common people which went out to meete him did not throghly know the nature of this kingdome but Christe had respect vnto the time to come Neuerthelesse he suffered them to doe nothing but that which did agree with the spiritual kingdome 14. Boughes of palme trees and they went out to meet him The Palme tree was a token of victory and peace amongst the menne of olde but they were also woonte to vse braunches of Palme trees when they did asscribe the empyre vnto any or humbly craue pardon of one that was a conqueror Notwithstanding it seemeth that these menne tooke braunches of Palme trees in their handes as a token of mirth and ioy seeinge they did entertaine a new king They cryed Hosanna By this woorde they did testifie that they did acknowledge that Messias in Iesus Christe whoe was promised in tymes past to the fathers and at whose hands they were to hope for redemption and saluation For the hundred and eighteenth Psalme out of which this crye is taken was made touchinge the Messias to this ende that all the Saintes might feruentlye with continuall petitions desire his comming and receiue him with great reuerence when hee was reuealed and giuen Therefore it is like to bee true yea truelye it may be gathered that this prayer was aunciente euery where amongst the Iewes and so consequentlye that it was in euerye mannes mouth Therefore these menne wished well vnto Christe the spirite of GOD goinge beefore theyr woordes and they were chosen as cryers to make it knowne that the Messias was come This woord Hesanna being compounded of two Hebrew wordes signifieth asmuch as Saue or make safe I pray thee The Hebritians pronounce it after another sorte namely Hosiah-na but it is an vsuall thinge for the pronunciation to be corrupted so often as wordes are translated into another tongue Notwithstanding although the Euangelists wrote in Greeke yet retained they the Hebrewe worde to the end they might the better declare that the multitude did vse a solemne forme of praier which was first delyuered by Dauid and receiued continually from time to time amongst the people of God and was sanctified peculyerly vnto that end and vse that they might blesse the kingdome of Christ. To the same end tendeth that which followeth immediately Blessèd is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. For this is also an happy prayer for the ioyfull and prosperous successe of that kingdom whereupon the felicity and restoring of the Church of God did depende But because Dauid seemeth rather to speake of himselfe then of Christ in that Psalme we must resolue this doubt first of all Neyther is it any hard thing to do for wee know to what end the kingdome was established with Dauid and hys posteritie namely that it might be as it were a certeine entraunce into that eternall kingdome which was to bee manifested at the appoynted time Neither was it for Dauid to stay in himselfe and the Lorde doth euer now and then turne the eies of al the godly vnto some other by the prophets For whatsoeuer Dauid did say of himselfe it is referred for good causes vnto that king which shuld arise according to the promise of his seede to be a Redeemer Hence haue we to gather a profitable admonition For if we be members of the Church the Lord dooth stirre vs vppe euen at this day vnto that self same desire wherewith he would haue the faithfull to bee moued vnder the lawe namelye with all our hearte to wish that the kingdome of Christ may flourish and haue good successe and not that onelye but that by prayer wee doe testifie this and to the end we may be the more encouraged to pray wee must note that he setteth downe the woordes which we shall vse VVoe bee therefore vnto our sluggishnes if we doe either extinguish with our coldnes or choake with our luke warmnes that feruentnes which God stirreth vppe In the meane season let vs know that our prayers shall not bee in vaine whiche we make through Gods direction and instruction Onely let vs not be sluggish or weary in asking he wil be a faithfull gouernor of this kingdome that hee may defend the same by his inuincible power and ayde The maiesty thereof will continue and stande though we do cease but in that it doth not florish so gorgiously oftentimes as it ought but doth rather decay as we see at this day horrible scattering abroad and disorder yea wastenesse of the same it is certeine that that happeneth throgh our sinnes And in that there appeareth verye small or almost no restoring therof or at least that it goeth but slowly forward let vs impute that vnto our slouthfulnesse VVee craue daylye of God that his kingdome may come but scarse one of an hundreth beggeth this in earnest feruently Therefore we are iustly depriued of that blessing of God which we cannot aforde to aske Moreouer we are taught by this word that it is God alone that saueth and defendeth his Church neither doth he challeng or commaunde any thing to be attributed vnto him saue that which is his owne Therefore when as hauing our tongues by him directed we craue that he wil preserue Christ his kingdome wee confesse that God himselfe is the onelye authour of safety that this kingdome may stande in his estate He vseth in this thing mens diligence yet such as he hath framed
not only he but we had a new help to testify Christ his resurrection But the stubbernes of Thomas is vnto vs an example that this frowardnesse is ingendered almost in all men that they doe hinder themselues of their owne accord when as the entrance vnto saith is set open 25. Vnlesse shal see The fountain of the vice is noted in this place because euery mā wil be wise according to his own sense doth beare too much with himselfe These words do nothing agree with faith but it is a sensual iudgement that I may so cal it Therfore this befalleth all mē who are addicted to thēselues that they leaue no place for the word of God It skilleth not whether you read it the place or figure or print of the nailes For it may be that the scriueners haue tourned tupon into topon or on the cōtrary yet the sense is not altered therfore Therfore let the readers chuse whether they had lieuer 26. Bring in thy finger We haue already spoken once of Christ his entrance and his forme of salutation which he vsed Furthermore in that Christ doth so readily graunt Tho. that which he asked so wickedly so consequently doeth bid him feele his hands handle the wound of his side we gather hereby how diligently he prouided both for his our faith For he had not respect vnto Tho. only but vnto vs also least any thing should be wanting to the establishing of our faith The dulnes of Tho. is wonderful mōstrous being not content when he saw Christ he wold also haue his hands to be witnesses of his resurrection So that he was not only stubberne but also proud reprochful against Christ. He ought at least to haue been confounded with shame to haue ben afraid so sone as he saw Christ. But he thrusteth in his hand boldly and without feare as if he were not guilty of any fault For we may easily gather out of the words of the Euangelist that he came not to himselfe again before such time as he was conuicted by the touching it self So whilest that we giue lesse honor to the word of the Lord then is meete there cōmeth vpon vs by litle litle vnawares a worse stubbernes which bringeth with it cōtempt of it yea it taketh from vs all reuerence of him VVherefore we must take so much the more paines to bridle the wantonnes of our wit and nature least whilest that euery man doth giue himselfe greater liberty to resist then is lawful he shut the gate of faith against himself after that all feeling of godlines is as it were extinguished 28. My Lord and my God Thomas is awaked at length out of his dreame and he crieth out throughe admiration as men are wont to do who returne vnto themselues after that they haue beene beside themselues My Lord and my God For the abrupt sentence hath greater force and it is not to be doubted but that he brake out into these words being enforced with shame that he might therby condemn his sluggishnes Furthermore this so sodaine an outcry doth shew that faith was not quite extinguished in him although it was choked For he handleth not Christ his diuinity in his side or hands but he gathereth much more by out of these signs then they shew Whēce commeth this saue only because he returneth to himself sodainly out of forgetfulnes drousines Therfore it appeareth that that is true which I said euen now that the faith which semed to be abolished did lie hid in his hart as if it had been couered The same thing doth also befal many sometimes for they are wanton for a time as if they had cast away the feare of God so that there appeareth in them no faith but so sone as they are chastned with some light chastisement of God they come to thēselues againe when the fiercenesse of the flesh is brought vnder Certainly a disease should not be sufficient of it selfe to teach godlinesse whence we gather that so soone as the impediments are purged the good seede which lay hid beginneth to appeare VVhereof there was an excellent example in Dauid for we see howe carelesly he triumpheth after that he hath obtained hys lust all men would haue thought that faith had been quite abolished out of his minde at that time But he is so sodainly called into the way by suche a short admonition of the Prophet that we may readily gather some small fire although it were couered yet was in his minde which did without delay break forth into a flame As touching men they are guilty euen as if they had dispoiled themselues of faith of al the graces of the holy Ghost But it cōmeth to passe through the vnmeasureable goodnes of god that the elect do not so run hedlōg into alienatiō Wherfore we must take good heed that we fall not away frō the faith Yet we must perswade our selues that god doth kepe back his elect wyth an hidden bridle that they fal not deadlily that he doth myraculously nourish alwaies in their harts some sparcles of faith which he setteth on fire afterward with a new blast of his spirit in due time But this cōfession hath 2. members Tho. confesseth that christ is his lord then he climeth higher calleth him his god also We know in what sense y ◠scripture calleth christ Lord to wit because he is made by his father the chief moderator and gouernor who hath al things vnder his gouernment before whō euery knee must bow And finally because he is his fathers vicegerent in gouerning y e world So that this name lord belōgeth properly vnto him in as much as he is the mediator reuealed in the flesh and the head of the church But so sone as Th. knew the lord he is by by caried vp vnto his eternal diuinity that for good causes for Christ came down vnto vs for this cause was first of al abased then afterward he was placed at the right hād of the father he obtained the gouernment lordship of heauen and earth that he might lift vs vp vnto his diuine glory the glory of his father Wherfore to the end our faith may come vnto the eternall diuinity of Christ it must begin at that knowledge which is nigher more easie So y t it was truly said of some mā that we are brought led from christ as he is mā vnto christ as he is god because our faith goeth forward in such sort by degrees that laying hold vpō christ in earth as he was born in the stable hāged vpō the crosse it may passe vnto the glory of his resurrection and frō thēce at lēgth vnto his eternal life power wherin his diuine maiestly shineth Neuertheles we must know this y t we cānot rightly know that christ is the lord but that the knowledge of his diuinity succedeth immediately Neither is it to be douted but that this ought to be the
diuers sectes The priestes openly wicked and Epicures the common people it selfe was drowned in wickednesse Furthermore nothing was sounde That is sayde here the heartes of fathers to children it is vnproper For it behooueth rather to conuert the sonnes which were truce breakers and had gone from the right faith of fathers But although the Euangeliste dooth not so warily expresse the order yet the sense is not obscure that GOD to bring to passe by the worke of Iohn that they againe should growe together into holy concorde which first were deuided amongst them selues Eyther part is had of the Prophet which notwithstanding meant nothing else then to signifie mutuall agreement But because that oftentimes men so conspire among themselues that some shoulde more alienate some from GOD the Angell doth therewithall define what manner of conuersion it shoulde bee which hee doth promise yea such as should call the disobedient to the wisdome of the righteous That therefore is to be noted that wee knitte not our selues fast with the wicked vnder the false cloake of concord Because the name of peace is goodly and pleasaunt as ofte as it commeth in the scriptures it is greedily snatched of the Papistes to procure vs enuie as though that we which endeuour to call the world from disloyall reuolting to Christ were the aucthours of discorde But by this text their foolishnes is very well refelled because the Angell doth shew the manner of true and lawfull conuersion he maketh the stay and bande of it to be the wisdome of the righteous Accursed therefore be that peace and vnitie wherein men agree amongst themselues against GOD. Furthermore it is not to be doubted but that fayth is vnderstoode by the wisdome of righteous men as of the contrary the vnfaythful are called disobedient Truelye an excellent testimonie of fayth whereby wee learne that we then are wise to saluation when wee are obedient to the woord of God The worlde also hath his wisdome but corrupt and therefore deadlye and which is condemned of vanitie Although the Angell signifieth ouerthwartly shadowed wisdome wicked and accursed before God wherein the sonnes of this world please them selues Nowe wee vnderstand men so to be reconciled amongst them selues that chieflye they might come againe in fauour with god That which streight waies followeth of making ready a people prepared for the Lord doth agree with that parte that Iohn should be the tryer of Christe that he might walke before his face for the end of his preaching was to make the people diligent to heare the doctrine of Christe Although the participle Kateskeâ—â—smenon doth not so much signifie perfection with the Greekes as the fourme and aptnesse whereby thinges are made fitte for their vse The which signification shall not ill agree with this place that Iohn was sent to prepare and frame that people for Christe which otherwise being rude and vnpolyshed woulde neuer shew it self easie to be taught   Luke 1. Matthew Marke 18. Then Zacharias sayde vnto the Angell whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife is of a great age 19. And the Angell answered and sayde vnto him I am Gabryell that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speake vnto thee and to shew thee these good tidings 20. And behold thou shalt be dumb and not be able to speak vntil the day that these things be done because thou beleeuedst not my woords which shal be fulfilled in their season 18. Then Zacharias sayde vnto the Angell Here foloweth the infidelitie of Zacharyas and the punishment which the Lord layde vppon his vnfaithfulnes He prayed for the obtaining of ofspring now when it is promised as forgetfull of his vowes and fayth he distrusteth Albeit at the first blush it might seeme a harde thing that with his answere God shoulde so grieuously be offended He obiecteth his olde age euen so did Abraham whose fayth yet is so much praised that Paule should say his body which now was dead was not considered Nor the vnfruitefull wombe of Sara but simply that he reposed himselfe in the trueth and the power of God Zachary doth aske how or by what argument he may bee the more assured And Gedeon was not reprehended though that twise hee required a signe And also a litle after there is the like exception giuen of Mary How shall this thing be when I know not man The which notwithstanding the Angell dooth dissemble as if there were no faulte in her how commeth it then that the Lord shoulde so seuerely chasten Zacharyas as guiltie of most grieuous sinne Verily I graunt if the wordes onely should be looked on eyther that they did all offend a like or Zachary not to haue offended at all But when it is conuenieÌ„t to iudge the dooinges and sayings of men according to the affection of the heart it is rather to be stoode to the iudgement of God to whome the priuye secrete places of the heart are open The Lord without doubt dooth see something worse in Zachary then his wordes doe shew And therefore the Lord waxed angry with him that by distrust he should put away his promised fauour to him It is not our dutie to prescribe a law for God but let it be free for him to punish that in one which offence he doth pardon in others But it doth easily appeare that the cause of Zacharye differed from the cause of Abraham Gedeon or Mary That in words is not discerned The knowledge therfore is to be left to god whose eies do pearse euen to the fountaine of the hart So God discerned betweene the saughter of Sara of Abraham when notwithstâ—ding the one differed not in likenes from the other Furthermore the cause of distrust in Zacharyas was that he staying in the order of nature did attribute lesse to the power of God then was meete For ouer straightly sparingly do they think of the works of God which beleeue not him to be able to do more theÌ„ according to nature is credible as though his hand were subiect to our seÌ„ce or included in earthly meanes but it is the propertie of fayth much more to beleeue then the reason of the flesh could say might come to passe Zacharias doubted not whether it were the voyce of God or no But when he was ouermuch bent vpoÌ„ the world an ouerthwart doubting crept into his mind whether that should come to passe that he heard or no. And in that thing he did no smal iniury to god for it were as much as if he should dispute whether god might be accounted true or no whoÌ„ he surely knew had spokeÌ„ it which was sufficient although it is to be known Zacharias not to haue beene so vnbeleeuing that altogether hee shoulde shrinke from faith For there is a generall faith which dooth take hold of the promise of eternall saluation and the testimonie of free adoption And euen as after God hath once receiued vs into fauour he
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
profitable that it shoulde be so deferred The Aungel appeared in a dreame this is one of the ordinarie maners of reuelations wherof mention is made Num. 12. 7. where God speaketh thus To the Prophets which are among you I will shewe my selfe either by a vision or by a dreame but I will not do so with my seruaunt Moses to whom I will shewe my selfe face to face but it is to be obserued that these sortes of dreames doe much differ from them which come of natural causes for they haue a marke of assurance engraued in them and they are sealed from aboue that we shoulde not doubt of the truthe of them The dreames which men commonly haue are woont to rise either of the constitution of nature or throughe euill disposition of the bodies or of such like causes But sometimes the spirit geueth witnesse to those dreames which are of God to assure vs certainly that it is god which speaketh Sonne of Dauid be not afraid This exhortatioÌ„ of the angel declareth that Ioseph was careful in his mind least he should be defiled with any infection by bearing with his wifes adulterie He therfore taketh away that opinion of the offence which he had conceiued in his minde to that ende that with a quiet conscience he might remaine and dwell with his wife hee applieth the epithite of the Sonne of Dauid to the preseÌ„t cause that he might stir vp his mind to that high mystery because that he was of that familie and that remaining aliue but with a few other from whence saluation was promised to the worlde Ioseph therefore hearing Dauid named out of whose stocke he came out to remeÌ„ber that notable couenant of God of the restitution of the kingdom so should know that he speakes not of any new or straunge thing for it is as much as if the Aungel by setting foorth the prophesies of the Prophets shoulde prepare Ioseph his minde to accept this present fauoure Thou shalt call his name Iesus Of the word it selfe I haue before spokeÌ„ briefly but sufficiently I will nowe onely adde one thing Their dreame is confuted by the woordes of the Angell which deriue this name from Iehoua the essentiall name of God for the Aungell sheweth why the sonne of God is to be so called that is because he shal saue his people whereof we gather an etymologye meere contrary to that which they imagine But in vaine doe they seeke by this cauill to slippe away Christ is to bee compted the author of saluation most properly and most aptly because that he is God eternall For we must not heere seeke onely what GOD hath performed and bestowed vppon vs but this name was geuen vnto the sonne for an especiall cause because of the commaundement whiche was enioyned him from the father and by reason of the office which he had when he descended to vs. Nowe it were meere madnesse to knitte these two woordes Iesu Iehoua together as if they were but one name seeing that they agree but in two letters and differre in all the rest and which haue no likenesse in them at all I leaue this kinde of forging to the Alchumystes from whom the Cabalistes do not much differre who haue inuented for vs these filthie and vaine toyes But the sonne of God when hee came to vs in the flesh had also his name geuen him of his father that by the same it might be openly shewed to what ende he came what his power was and what properly was to be looked for of hym for the roote of this name Iesu is from the Hebrewe verbe 〈◊〉 â—iphil which signifieth to saue and in the Hebrew is after an other maner pronounced namely Iehosua But the Euangelistes wryting in Greeke folowed the accustomed maner of speache for the Greeke interpreters as well in Moses as in other bookes of the olde Testament haue translated it Iesâ—un whereby their ignorance is again reproued which wrest wrythe rather then deriue this name Iesu from Iehoua for they accompt it for a great absurditie if that any mortall man should haue this name common with the sonne of God and they crie our tragically that Christ will neuer suffer his name thus to bee prophaned As thoughe that it were not well knowne of the contrary that the name of Iesu is as common to those menne as that of Iehosua Nowe seeing that it sufficiently appeareth that the Sonne of God vnder the name of Iesu is commended vnto vs as the authour of saluation we will sifte more neerely the Aungelles woordes Hee shall saue sayeth hee his people from their sinnes first this is to be obserued that they of themselues were lost whome Christ was sent to saue and namely hee is called the Sauiour of the Churche If they whome GOD hathe ioyned so neare vnto hymselfe are drowned in death and destruction vntill Christ restore them life then what shall wee saye of straungers to whome there was neuer anye hope of life appearing VVherefore it is to bee concluded while saluation in Christe is reiected that all mankinde is subiecte to destruction But the cause of destruction is with all to bee noted for the celestiall iudge doeth not pronounce the cursse against vs rashly and wythout a cause Therefore the Aungell witnesseth that wee pearished and were holden oppressed vnder the miserable yoke of damnation for that by our sinnes wee were estraunged from life whereby the corruption and wickednesse of our nature is reuealed vnto vs for if any manne were perfecte and able to liue a righteous life hee might be without Christ the deliuerer but all without the exception of any one haue neede of hys grace Therefore it foloweth that they are all the seruauntes of sinne and are destitute of the true righteousnesse Heere againe wee gather what maner and way it is that Christ vseth in sauing that is that hee deliuereth vs from sinnes Furthermore there are two partes of this deliueraunce first in that he by sacrifice hauing made a full satisfaction geueth vs free pardone and forgeuenesse whereby wee are exempted from the guiltinesse of death and are reconciled to God The next that he sanctifying vs wyth his spirite chalengeth vs from the tyrannie of Sathan that wee shoulde liue to righteousnesse therefore Christ is not acknowledged truely as a Sauiour vntill that by faith wee learne to embrace the free forgeuenesse of our sinnes and that we knowe that we are accompted righteous before God because that we are freed from guiltinesse then that we being without all trust either of our workes or of oure power aske of him the spirite of righteousnesse and truthe The Aungell wythout doubte nameth the Iewes the people of Christe whose heade and king he was ordained But because the Gentiles were shortly after to be grafted into the stocke of Abraham this promisse of saluation is generally stretched to all whiche by faith are vnited to that one bodye of the Churche 22 All this was dâ—ne They verye fondly
reiected because he knoweth himselfe vnworthy to come before God doth insinâ—ate himselfe fearefully by confessing his owne vnworthynes in his prayer and Christ reiecting the Pharisee saith that the praiers of the Publican were acceptable before God Agayn there are also noted two causes why the Pharise was reiected to wit because he trusting in his own righteousnes extold himsefe with condemning others Yet he is not reprehended because he lyfted vp himselfe in the forces of free will but because he trusted that he had reconciled God to him by the deserts of his works For this giuing of thankes which he vseth testifieth that hee glorieth not in his owne strength as if he should obtaine righteousnes of himselfe or should deserue any thing by his owne industrie but he rather ascrybeth it to the grace of God that he is righteous But though he giuing thaÌ„ks to God confesseth what good works soeuer he hath to be the meere benefit of God yet because he putteth his trust in workes and preferreth himselfe before others he with his prayer is reiected whereby wee gather that menne are not rightly and perfectly humbled though they account that they canne do nothing of themselues except they also distrusting the merites of theyr workes doe learne to place theyr saluation in the free goodnes of GOD so that theyr whole trust and confidence be grounded there A notable place for to some it seemeth sufficient if they take from manne the glory of good workes because they are the gyftes of the holy Ghost and so they interprete it that wee are iustified freely because God found no righteousnes in vs but that which he brought But Christ goeth further not onely assigninge the power of well doing to the grace of the spirit but he taketh from vs all truste in workes For the Pharisee is not therefore reproued because he challengeth that to himselfe which was proper to God but because he trusteth in his owne merites so that he would haue GOD mercifull vnto him because he hadde so deserued it Therefore let vs knowe though any manne ascribe the prayse of good workes to GOD yet if hee imagine the righteousnes of them to be the cause of his saluation or trusteth in the same he is condemned of peruerse arrogancye And note here is not reproued the vaine ambition wherein men otherwise guiltie with them selues do glory amongst men but the secrete hypocrisie for it is not said that he was a setter forth of his owne prayses but that he praide secretly with himselfe But though hee sette not forth the same of his owne righteousnes with a lowd voice yet the inward pride was abhominable to God His glorying was in two thinges for first he freeth himselfe from the common guyltinesse of menne then he setteth foorth his owne prayses Hee sayeth that hee is not as one of the common sorte because he is free from the sinnes which reigne euery where in the worlde And that hee boasteth that hee fasted twise euery weeke and gaue tythes of all hys goodes is as much as if hee shoulde haue sayde that hee perfourmed more then the law required Euen as the Monkes in Poperie doe preache the workes of supererogation as though it were a smal thing for them to fulfil the law of God But though euery man for the measure of the vertues which God hathe bestowed vppon him is the more bound to giue thankes to the authour and this is a godly meditation to consider howe much euery manne hath receiued least he ouerwhelme the blessings of God in vnthankfulnesse yet two things are to be obserued least we be lifted vp in any confideÌ„ce as if we had satisfied God then that we become not insolent with despising the brethren The Pharisie sinneth in both for he falsly chalenging a righteousnesse to himselfe leaueth nothing to the mercy of God then he despiseth all others in respecte of himselfe And Christ woulde not haue reproued this thankes giuinge if it had not bene polluted with these two sinnes but because the proude hypocrite winking at his owne sinnes opposed the imagination of his sound and perfect righteousnesse before the iudgement of God it was necessary that hee shoulde fall with his wicked and sacrilegious boldnesse For the only hope of the godly so long as they labour vnder the infirmitie of the flesh is when they acknowledge the good things they haue to flee to the only mercy of God and to set their saluation in the obtaining of forgiuenesse But it is demaunded howe he should haue so great holinesse who was blinded with such wicked pride for so great perfection cannot come any other way but from the spirite of God which we are assured doth not raigne in hypocrites I answer he trusted only in an outwarde shew as if the secreat and inward vncleannes of the heart shuld not come to account VVherfore thogh he was full within of wicked concupiscences yet he preteÌ„deth an innocency because he carelesly iudgeth only by the outward shew The Lord reproueth him not of vanitie because he falsly chalengeth that to himselfe which he had not yet it is to be noted that no man is free from rapine vnrighteousnesse lust other vices except he be gouerned by the spirite of God He vseth thys woorde Sabboth in this place as ofte times otherwhere for a weeke But God doeth not commaunde any where in the lawe that his seruants shuld fast euery weeke wherefore this fasting and tenthes were voluntary exercises without the prescript commaundement of the law 13. The Publicane standing a farre off Christ deliuereth not here a generall rule as if it should be necessary to looke to the ground as oft as we pray but he onely noteth the signes of humilitie which he commendeth to his disciples Further humilitie is placed in this if they spare not their owne sinnes but by condemning themselues they doe preuent the iudgements of God and they doe simply confesse their owne guiltinesse that they might be reconciled to God And hether belongeth that shame which is alwaies companion with repentance for the Lorde certainly doeth especially stande vppon this that the Publicane earnestly acknowledging his owne misery and wretched estate onely fleeth to the mercy of God for though he was a sinner yet by obtaining free forgiuenesse he hopeth that God wil become fauorable vnto him In sum that he might obtain fauor he confesseth himselfe to be vnwoorthy of the same And certainly sith forgiuenesse of sinnes doeth onely reconcile vs to God it is necessary that we shoulde beginne there if we desire to haue our prayers acceptable to him Furrher he which before confessed himselfe guiltie and conuicte yet desireth to be pardoned banisheth himselfe from al confidence in works and that was the purpose of Christ to shew that God would not be entreated of any but of them which do fearfully flie to his onely mercy 14. This man departed to his house iustified This is an improper comparison for they were not both
himselfe to a wilfull sluggishnesse The callinge of Christe and the present offering of eternall saluation was manifested to the Scribes as wel by the law and the Prophets as by his own doctrine which was confirmed by myracles There are very many suche at thys day which do pretende that in doubtfull matters they haue iust cause to suspēd their iudgmēt because y t a resolute determination must be waighted for Nay they think this a point of great wisdom of purpose to auoid all inquirie after the truthe As thoughe it were not a poynte of great slouthfulnesse to neglecte the eternall saluation of soules when as they so diligently prouide for those thinges which are of the flesh and of the earth and in the meane season to pretende vaine excuses of grosse and deepe ignoraunce But certaine vnlearned menne doe gather too muche absurdly out of this place that it is not lawfull by looking into the skie to iudge either of temperature or of stormes For Christe rather of the right course of nature argueth that they shoulde iustlye pearish for their vnthankfulnesse which are so quicke wicked in things pertaining to this present life and doe wittingly and willingly ouerwhelme the heauenly light with their owne blockishnesse Mark addeth that Christe sighed in spirite in which wordes he declare it that he took it grieuously bitterly when hee saw these vnthankfull menne so stubburnely to resiste against God And certainly it becommeth all them that are studious of the glory of God and carefull of mannes saluation that nothinge wounde them deepelier with sorowe then when they see the vnbeleeuers of sette purpose stoppe vppe from themselues the meanes whereby they should beleeue and to apply al the witte they haue to that purpose that they might darken the lighte of the woorde and woorkes of God with their mistes I thinke that the worde Spirite is putte heere Emphatically that we might knowe that this sigh◠came of the deepe affection of his heart least any Sophister shoulde say that Christe made but an outwarde shewe of sorowe which he fealt not inwardly For it coulde not be otherwise but that holy soule which was gouerned by the spirite of zeale shoulde be altogither grieued at suche vngodly frowardnesse 57. VVhy iudge you not of your selues Heere Christ openeth the fountaine from whence the mischiefe sprange and toucheth the bile it selfe as it were with a launce namely for that they descended not into their owne consciences nor made there any searche with themselues before God what is right For heereof commeth it that the hypocrites are so proude in their quarelling and that they cast foorth such arrogant speaches into the aire without regarde they gather not their sences togither neither doe they sette themselues before the iudgement seate of GOD that truthe being once knowen mighte haue the victorie Further that which Luke sayeth was spoken to the multitude differeth not from that whiche Mathewe and Marke reporte because that it is probable that Christe did generally bende his speache agaynste the followers and disciples of the Scribes and other suche like contemners of God whome he sawe to be too many so that this complaint or rebuke lighted vppon the whole company of those lewde ones MATH 4. The wicked generation This place was expounded in the 12. chapter And the summe is that the Iewes were satisfied with no signes but that their wicked desire did still prouoke them to tempt God Neither doth he simply cal them an adoulterous generation because they desire any signe which God sometime graunteth to his children but because they or purpose prouoke God therefore hee sayeth that he shall be restored to them again aliue as Ionas was So Mat. reporteth Marke maketh no mention of Ionas yet hath the same sense For this neither could serue for a signe vnto them that Christ being raised frō the dead would send forth the sounding voyce of his gospell into all places Mathew 16. Marke 8. Luke 12. 5. And when his disciples were come to the other side they hadde forgotten to take breade wyll them 6. Then Iesus sayd vnto them Take hede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and Sadduces 7. And they thought in themselues saying It is because wee haue brought no bread 8. But Iesus knowing it sayd vnto them O yee of little faith why thinke yee thus in your selues because yee haue brought no breade 9. Do ye not yet perceiue neither remember the fiue leaues when there were fiue thousande menne and howe many baskettes tooke yee vppe 10. Neither the seuen leaues when there were 4000. men and howe many baskets tooke yee vp 11. VVhy perceiue yee not that I said not vnto you cōcerning bread that ye shoulde beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and Sadduces 12. Then vnderstode they that he had not sayd that they shoulde beware of the leauen of breade but of the doctrine of the Pharisies and Sadduces 14. And they hadde forgotten to take bread neither hadde they in the shippe with them but one leafe 15. And he charged them saying Take hede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and of the leauen of Herode 16. And they thought amonge themselues saying It is because we haue no breade 17. And when Iesus knewe it he sayde vnto them VVhy reason ye thus because ye haue no bread perceiue yee not yet neither vnderstand haue ye your hearts yet hardened 18. Haue yee eyes and see not and haue yee eares and heare not and doe you not remember 19. VVhen I brake the fiue leaues among the fiue thousand how many baskettes full of broken meate tooke yee vppe they sayde vnto him twelue 20. And when I brake seuen among foure thousand howe many baskettes of the leauings tooke ye vp and they sayd seuen 21. Then he sayd vnto them how is it that yee vnderstand not 1. In the meane time there gathered togither an innumerable multitude of people so that they trode one an other and he beganne to say to his disciples firste take heede to your selues of the leauen of the Pharisies whiche is hypocrisie 5. VVhen the disciples were come Heere Christ of the former matter taketh occasion to exhort his disciples to keepe themselues from all corruptions which might hinder sincere godlinesse The Pharisies had bene there a litle before who had giuen testimonie of a poysoned frowardnesse The Saduces had kept them companie of the other side Herode a moste vile aduersary and corrupter of sound doctrine The disciples being amongst these daungers it was necessary that they shoulde be warned to looke to themselues for when as the wisedome of man doeth incline of it selfe to vanitie and errours when leude deuices false doctrines and suche other mischiefes doe compasse vs about there is nothing more easie for vs then to fall away from the true and naturall puritie of the woord of God If it come to passe that we be so ensnared it can neuer be that true Religion should haue full
if he should haue saide whilest I am now cloathed with flesh am conuersant vpon the earth as one of the sonnes of men what iudgment is there of me But the purpose of Christ was throughly to strengthen his disciples in an assured faith that amongste sundry opinions they should not wauer as we shall presently see 14 Some say Iohn There is nothing spoken heere either of the professed enemies of Christ neither of the prophane contemners but of the more sound and sincere part of the people and as of the chosen flowre of the Church For the Disciples doe only make mention of them which spake honorably of Christ and yet when the truth was proposed vnto thē no man tēded to that scope but al mē vanished away in their own delights VVherby we perceiue how weake the wit of man is which not onelye conceiueth nothing of it self that is right true but euen gathereth errours of true principles Adde this also that when Christe was the onelye signe of concorde and of peace whereby God woulde gather the whole world vnto him the greater parte doe heereby take the occasion of more dissention And euen amongest the Iewes the vnitie of Faith was no other where setteled then in Christe and yet they whiche seemed before to haue some agreement amongest themselues are nowe seuered into sundry opinions Also we see howe one errour engendereth an other for because this opinion was setled in the mindes of the common people that the soules went into diuers bodies heereof it came that they were the rather bent to this false imagination But thoughe at the comming of Christe the Iewes were in this maner deuided yet this varietie of opinions shoulde not haue hindered the godly but that they shoulde haue desired the right knowledge of him For if any manne vnder that pretence geuinge himselfe to sluggishnes hadde neglected to seeke Christ euen in our iudgement hee shoulde bee inexcuseable Muche lesse then shall hee escape the iudgement of GOD if any manne by reason of diuisions shall abhorre Christe or of the false opinions of menne shall take occasion of loathynge so that hee wyll not vouchsafe to applye him selfe vnto Christ. 15. But whome saye yee that I am Heere Christe seuereth his disciples from the reste of the people whereby it might the better appeare to be an absurde thing for vs to be drawne from the vnitye of fayth though others doe disagree For whosoeuer doe simplye addict themselues to Christe and doe not striue to adde anye thinge of their owne head to the Gospell the true lyghte shall neuer fayle them But heere is great dilygence required that whyle the whole worlde slydeth after theyr owne inuentions they shoulde take faste and sure holde of Christe Because that Sathan coulde not take awaye from the Iewes the perswasion they had out of the lawe and the Prophetes of Christe to come hee diuersly transfiguring him hee deuided him as it were into partes then hee thruste amongst them many false Christes that the true Redeemer should not bee esteemed Hee lefte not the same subtilties afterwarde eyther to roote Christe vtterlye out or to thruste an other person in his roume VVherefore amongst the confused and contrary speaches of the worlde let this voyce of Christe sound alwaies in our eares whereby he separateth vs from wandring and vnconstant men that we should not follow the multitude neither that our faith should wauer amongst the contrary floudes of opinions 16. Thou arte Christe A short confession but whiche containeth in it the whole summe of our saluation For vnder the title of Christ is comprehended the eternall kingdome and priesthood that he would reconcile God vnto vs and that sinnes being washed away by his owne sacrifice he would obtaine a perfect righteousnesse Then that he would preserue vs being receiued into his sayth and custodye and would adorne and enrich vs with all kinde of blessinges Marke onely hath Thou art Christ and Luke hath the Christe of God but in the same sense For in tymes paste they called the kings which were annoynted of God the Christes of God And Luke vsed this phrase before where he sayde that Simeon had answere giuen him from heauen that he should not dye before he shoulde see the Christ of the Lord. For surely it was a diuine redemption which God gaue by the hand of his Sonne Therefore it was necessary that he that should be the redeemer shoulde come as a noted person from heauen with the annoyntment of God Matthew expresseth it more plainlye that he is the Sonne of the liuing God For though it may bee that Peter did not as yet so expresly vnderstande howe Christe was beegotten of God yet he beleeued that hee was so excellent a person that he had his beginning from God not as other men but that the liuely and true godhead dwelt in his flesh VVhen the epithite liuing is giuen to God it is a note to make a difference betweene him and dead Idols which are nothing 17. Blessed art thou Simon VVhen as this is life eternall to know one God and whom he sent Iesus Christ it is not without cause that Christ pronounceth him blessed whoe confessed this from his heart But he spake not this perticularlye to Peter alone but his will was to shewe where the onely felicitie of the whole worlde is placed And that all men may aspyre to the same with greater desire first it must be holden that all mē are miserable cursed by nature vntil they find remedy by Christ. Thē must be added whosoeuer obtaineth christ wāteth nothing at al of a perblessednes seeing wee can desire nothing that is better then the eternall glory of God into the possession whereof Christ doth bring vs. Flesh and bloud Vnder the person of this one man Christ admonisheth all menne that faith must be asked of his father that the praise of the same must be attributed to his grace for the peculyar lightening of God is here opposed to flesh and bloud VVhereby we gather that mennes mindes are voyde of vnderstanding to perceiue the misteries of the heauenlye wisdome hidden in Christe nay all humane senses do in this behalfe fayle vntill God open our eies to see his glory in Christ. Therfore let no man trusting in his owne witte lift vppe himselfe in pride but humbly let vs suffer our selues to be taught inwardlye of the father of lightes that his onelye spirite may lighten our darknesse And nowe they whiche are endewed with faith acknowledging their own blindnes let thē learne to yeelde that to God which to him is due 18. But I say vnto thee Christe by these wordes declareth how muche Peters confession pleaseth him in that hee bestoweth so great a rewarde vppon it For though he had giuen to Simon his disciple the name of Peter had freely appointed him to be his Apostle yet these which were free giftes he ascribeth as it were in steede of a reward to faith which
was woont hee taught them againe 49. And Iohn answeâ—red said Maister we sawe the casting out diuels in thy name and wee forbade him because hee followed not thee wyth vs 50. Then Iesus sayde vnto hym Forbid yee him not for hee that is not against vs is with vs. 51. And it came to passe when the daies were accomplished that he should be receiued vppe he setteled himselfe fully to goe to Ierusalem 52. And sent messengers before him and they went and entered into a towne of the Samaritanes to prepare him lodging 53. But they woulde not receiue him because his behauiour was as though he would goe to Ierusalem 54. And when his disciples Iames and Iohn sawe it they sayde Lorde wilt thou that wee commaunde that fire come downe from heauen and consume them as Elias did MAR. 38. Maister Hereby it appeareth that the name of Christe was as then renowmed so that they vsed it which were not acquainted with his disciples or it may be that they abused the same for I dare not affirme any certaintye of it It may be that the partie heere mentioned embraced the doctrine of Christ and gaue himselfe to woorke myracles not of any euill minde But because that Christe gaue this power but to certaine choyce preachers of his Gospell I thinke that he tooke this vppon him vnaduisedly or rather intruded himselfe into this office But though he preposterously attempted this in that he durst imitate the disciples without commaundement yet his boldnesse was not wythout successe for it pleased the Lorde by this meanes also to make his name knowen as he worketh sometime by them whose ministerie he doth not allow as lawfull Furthermore there is no cause to the contrary but a man that hath a perticular faith may followe a blinde zeale and so cast himselfe headlong to woorking of myracles Nowe I come to Iohn and to his companions They say that they forbad a man from woorking of myracles VVhy did they not first aske whether it was lawful or no For they beinge nowe vncertaine and in doubt doe aske the masters iudgement VVhereof it followeth that they without consideration toke vppon them authoritie of forbidding VVherfore he is to be condemned of rashnesse who soeuer shall attempt more then he knoweth to be allowed him by the woorde of God Furthermore Christes disciples are to be suspected of ambition for they doe this in defence of the priuiledge of their owne honour For howe commeth it to passe that they shoulde sodainly restraine a manne with whome they were not acquainted from woorking of myracles but because they alone woulde enioy this libertie for they doe alledge this cause that he followed not Christ as if they should haue sayde He is no follower of thine as we are therefore why should he haue this honour 39. Forbid him not Christ wold not haue him forbidden not that he had set him a worke or allowed his dede or else wold haue it allowed by his disciples but because that is to bee borne with and to be reioyced at where God is glorified by any occasion So Paule Phill. 1. 18. though he was displeased with the euill dealinge or ambition of the wanderers which boasted themselues with the name of the Gospel yet he reioyceth that the glory of Christ is sette foorth by this occasion And the reason is to be noted which followeth that it cannot be that he shoulde speake euill of Christe that wrought myracles in his name and therefore that was to haue beene accounted as gaine For thereof it followeth that except the disciples had beene more giuen to their owne glory then studious and desirous to sette foorth the glory of the maister they would not haue take the matter so grieuously when as they saw the same set forth and encreased otherwise Neither yet whereas Christe sayeth that they are to be accounted as friendes which are not open ennemies doeth hee commaunde to lette the bridle slacke to all rash menne to do what they lust that we should holde our peace while they according to their pleasure should stirre hether and thether and trouble the whole order of the Churche for suche licentiousnesse must be brideled so farre as our calling will suffer he onely denieth that they doe well which doe earnestly withstand and stoppe least the kingdome of God should encrease by any meanes Neither doeth he so acknowledge them for his as that he accounteth them of his flocke which are indifferent betweene ennemies and friendes but his meaning was that in as much as they hurt not they doe proâ—ite and helpe For it is a prouerbiall sayinge whereby we are warned not to mooue warre vntill we be prouoked to the same LVKE 51. VVhen the dayes were accomplished Onely Luke reporteth this hystorie which yet is not a little profitable many wayes for first the Diuine fortitude and constancie of Christ in despising death is heere described Then what great hatred and enimities dissentions in religion do breede Thirdly howe the nature of menne is caried to impatience with a rashe zeale Further howe ready and apt it is to followe the falles and faultes of the Sainctes Lastly we are taught meekenesse by the example of Christe But the death of Christ is called a taking away not only because he was then taken from amongst men but because that he departing from the base prison of the flesh ascended vp on high Hee had settled himselfe Heereby Luke declareth that when the death of Christe was before his eyes the feare of it being cast away he went forwardes to meete the same yet withal he declareth that he did striue that as a conquerour of the terrour hee might boldly offer himselfe to death For if no feare had beene throwne vppon him if no difficultie no strife no care to what shoulde he settle his countenaunce But because hee was neither blockishe nor yet caried away with a rashe and headie boldnesse it behooued him to be mooued at that cruell and bitter death Naye at that fearefull and horrible torment whiche he knewe to be neare ready to fall vppon him from the seuere iudgement of God and euen that is so farre from darkening or diminishing of his glory that it is a notable shewe and declaration of his loue towardes vs. For not regardinge himselfe that hee might apply himselfe to our saluation thorough the middest of terrours he hastened vnto death the day and time whereof he knewe to be neare 52. And sent messengers before him It is to be supposed that hee then hadde a great company of followers with him The messengers are sent neither to prepare pleasant dainties nor to chuse some beautifull palace but onely to declare that a greate companye of straungers were comminge But they beinge shutte out and repulsed doe tarie waytinge for their maister Further we doe heereby learne that whiche I noted in the seconde place when as men doe disagree betweene themselues in matters of doctrine of Religion they doe easily fall out into
diligently to doe their duety because they were stewardes chosen to gouerne the house of God which is the pillar and grounde of truth And well for the excellenter and the more honourable their estate is so muche the more bound are they to God not to followe his woorke slouthfully but diligently So muche the more is their vnfaithfulnesse to be detested as was sayd euen nowe which do scornefully abuse so great liberalitye and honour which God hath voutchsafed to bestowe vppon them But God planted a vineyeard when he being mindfull of his free adoption had separated againe the people deliuered out of Egypt as peculier vnto himselfe and had testified that he woulde be their God and father and had called them into the hope of eternall saluation For this is the planting whereof there is mention made in Isa. 60. 21. and in other places By the winepresse and tower are vnderstoode those meanes and helpes which were ioyned to the doctrine of the law for the nourishmēt of the faith of the people as the sacrifices and other ceremonies For God as a prouident and carefull housholder vsed all diligence for the fensing of his Church with all the helpes that might be 30. He set it out to husbandmen God might of himselfe haue preserued the estate of the Church in good order without the helpe of men but he taketh men for his ministers and vseth their hands for helpe So in times past he appoynted the Priests that they should be as dressers of the vineyeard But it is marueile why Christ should compare the Prophets to seruants which are sent at the ende of the vintage to aske for frute For we know that they also were vine dressers and had one charge in common with the priests committed vnto them I answeare it was not necessary for Christe to shewe what agreement or difference there was betweene these two orders The priestes were created at the first for this cause that they might throughly furnish the church with sound doctrine but when they either of slouthfulnesse or of ignorance neglected the worke committed vnto them the Prophetes were sent as an extraordinarye supplie which should purge the vine of hurtfull weedes shoulde cutte off superfluous loppe and should supply all thinges that were wanting throughe the negligence of the Priestes and yet further they shoulde sharpely reprooue the people restore religion decaied stirre vppe slouthfull mindes and bring them backe againe to the woorshippe of God and newnesse of life And what was this else but to aske for frute due vnto the Lorde of his vineyeard the which Christ doeth aptly and truely apply to the purpose Neither yet was the continual regiment of the Churche established in the Prophets but the priestes alwayes kept it in their handes euen as if a slouthfull husbandman forsaking husbandry shoulde yet vnder pretence of the possession keepe the place whereunto he was once appoynted 35. They beate one Marke and Luke doe somewhat differ in this place from Mathewe for when as he maketh mention of many seruauntes and when they were all euill and cruelly handled there was a greater number sent againe they onely sette euery manne in his seuerall order as if there were not two or three sent togither but one after another And though they all had one generall purpose namely that the Iewes woulde attempt the like against the Sonne of that which they had so often done against the Prophets yet Mathewe doeth declare the matter it selfe more plainely that is that God by sending many Prophets stroue with the malice of the priests VVhereby it appeareth howe outragious their madnesse was which could not be refourmed by any meanes 37. They will reuerence my sonne This thought doeth not properly belong to God For he knewe what shoulde come to passe neither was hee deceiued with the hope of any better successe but it is a common thing especially in parables to attribute humane affections to him Neither yet is this added without a cause for Christe would shew as in a glasse how desperate their wickednesse was whereof this was too euident a testimonye for them with a diuelishe madnesse to arise against the Sonne of God who came to bring them againe into their right minde As they hadde done before what lay in them to driue God out of his possession by the cruell slaughter of the Prophets so this was the greatest sinne of all to slaye the Sonne that they mighte raigne as in a house without an heire For this was the cause why the Priests did rage so against Christe least they shoulde lose their tyrannie as a pray For it is he whome God the father would haue raigne and to whome he hath giuen all authoritie The Euangelistes doe also somewhat vary in the ende For Mathewe sayeth that they began to make a confession against themselues wherein they condemned themselues Marke simply sayeth that Christe declared what punishment shoulde light vppon so wicked and vngodly seruantes Luke seemeth plainly to differ from them both saying that they wythstoode and were against the iudgement which Christ had pronounced But if we marke the meaning better there is no diuersity amongst them for it is not to be doubted but that they would agree vnto Christe that suche seruaunts hadde deserued that plague but when they sawe bothe the sinne and the iudgement laid vppon themselues they woulde shifte it off 42. Reade you neuer in the scriptures That must be remembred which we spake a little before when the priestes and Scribes had the people bound vnto them this principle was common amongest them that they onely were the lawfull arbiters and iudges of the redemption to come so that no man might be receiued for the Messias but he whom they by their liking and consent shoulde allowe of Therefore they affirme that Christ had spoken a thing impossible that they should slay the sonne and heyre of the Lord of the vineyeard But Christ confirmeth it by the testimonie of the scripture and he asketh the question very vehemently as if he had sayd You account it a great absurdity that it shoulde come to passe that the husbandmen to whome the vineyeard was lette shoulde so wickedly conspire against the sonne of God VVhat hathe the scripture foretolde that he shoulde be chearefully and ioyfully receiued and that the rulers themselues should not rather be against him The place also which he citeth is taken out of the Psalme 118. 22. from whence that happy ioyfull cry was fetched O Lorde saue nowe blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde And this was prophesied of the kingdom of the Messias as it doeth appeare there in that God created Dauid king wyth this condition that his throane should stand for euer euen so long as the Sunne and Moone should shine in heauen and being decaied it shuld by the grace of God be restored into the former estate Therefore whereas that Psalme containeth a description of the kingdome of Dauid it promiseth
be apt ready for the flight In like maner Pray you that your flighte be not in the winter or on the sabboth daye least that either religion or the hardnesse of the iourney and the shortnesse of the dayes shoulde hinder and lette them from fleeing speedily Therefore Christes purpose was first to stirre vppe hys disciples and to waken them that they shoulde no more haue that imagination of a blessed estate and delite of an earthly kingdome then hee encourageth them least they should fall away at these generall plagues This was a sharpe warning yet was it necessary in respect of their blockishnesse and the huge greatnesse of the euils 21. For then shall be greate affliction Luke also sayeth that it shall be a day of reuengement and of wrath against that people that what soeuer thinges are wrytten might be fulfilled For when as the couenāt of God was then broken through the obstinate malice of the people it was mete that by a wonderfull chaunge the earth it selfe and the aire shoulde bee shaken And a more deadly plague coulde not haue lighted vppon the Iewes then that the light of the heauenly doctrine beinge extinguished amongst them they were cast away from god But as necessity required in so great hardnesse of hear they are enforced to feele the plague of their casting off by hard and sharpe whips But this was the cause of so horrible vengeance that the desperate wickednesse of that nation was now come to the ful measure For the medicine which was laid to their diseases was not only proudly disdained but they also reiected the same most reprochefully yea as madde men or people distraught they raged cruelly against the Phisition himselfe But sith the Lord reuenged so seuerely vpon them that obstinate contempt of the gospell togither wyth their raging madnesse let their plague be alwayes before our eyes and let vs learne thereby that there is nothing more intollerable to GOD then the disdainful contempt of his grace And though the same reward remaineth for the like contemners of the Gospel yet God woulde haue a more notable example remain of the Iewes then of any others that the glory of the comming of Christ might be the more renoumed amongst the posterities For the hainousnesse of the offence cannot be expressed by any wordes that they should put to death the sonne of God the authour of life which was giuen vnto them from heauen So when they had committed that most abhominable sacriledge they ceased not by diuers and sundry other crimes to pull vppon themselues all the causes of their vtter destruction Therefore Christ sayeth that the lyke affliction shall not be in the world after that for as that one reiection of Christe accompanyed with so many circumstances of wicked rebellion and vnthankefulnesse was more to be detested then all the sinnes of all ages so also it was meete that it shoulde be more sharpely reuenged then all the rest 22. And except those dayes shoulde be shortned He amplifieth the greatnesse of those calamities and yet hee addeth a comfort wyth it Namely that the name of the Iewes might be extinguished if the Lorde had not regarde of his electe and holpe not somewhat for their sake And thys place agreeth with that of Isaiah 1. 9. Except the Lorde had reserued to vs a small remnant we should haue bene as Sodome and like vnto Gomorrha for that vengeance of God which befell at the captiuity of Babylon shoulde be fulfilled againe at the comming of Christe as Paule witnesseth in the ninthe chapter to the Romanes the nine and twenty verse yea the more iniquitie hadde then spread it selfe the greater reuenge shoulde then light vppon them Therefore Christe sayeth except God putte an ende to those euilles the Iewes shall vtterly pearish so that not one of them shall remaine but God maketh account of his gratious couenaunt so that hee will spare his electe according to that other saying of Isaiah 10. 22. If my people Israel bee as the sande of the sea the remnant of them shall only be saued And this is a notable testimony of the iudgement of God when hee so afflicteth the visible Churche that it may seeme to be vtterly destroyed and yet that he might reserue some seede he doeth wonderfully deliuer his electe thoughe they be but sewe in number from destruction that they might beyonde all hope escape the gulfe of death So are the hypocrites terrified that they shoulde not vnder the title and fourme of the Church nourish a vaine hope and imagine that they should goe vnpunished Because the Lorde when hee deliuereth them to destruction will finde a meanes to preserue and deliuer his Churche and it bringeth great comfort to the godly that God will neuer so lette louse the bridle of hys wrath but that he will prouide for their saluation So in punishing of the Iewes hys wrath burnt in most horrible maner and yet beyonde the hope of menne he so gouerned himselfe least any of hys electe should pearish And this was in deede a woonderfull myracle that when saluation shoulde come of the Iewes God of a fewe droppes of a fountaine dried vppe made floudes to water the whole worlde For as they hadde procured the hatred of all the Gentiles against them it wanted but little but that in one day there should haue beene a signe giuen to slaye them euerye where And it is not to be doubted but that when many desired so to haue murthered them Titus was restrained by God from arming by his allowance his souldiours and others greedie enough to execute such a purpose Therefore that Romane Emperour stayed then that last destruction of that whole nation and this shortning was for the preseruation of some seede This must yet bee noted that he restrained the violence of his wrath for the electe sake For why would he haue so fewe remaine of so great a multitude and what cause hadde he to preferre these aboue the rest Namely for that his grace rested vppon that people which he hadde adopted and least his couenant should be made of none effecte some were chosen and appoynted by his eternall counsell to saluation Therefore Paule Romanes 11. 5. assigneth his election of grace for the cause why of so greate a people there was onely a remnant saued Then lette the merites of menne giue place when we are called to the meere good will and pleasure of God that the difference betweene these and them shoulde not bee in anye other poynte but that it is meete they should be saued which are chosen And Marke that he might sette forth the matter more plainly and expresly addeth one woorde more speaking thus For the electe sake which hee hathe chosen hee will shorten those dayes The participle myghte haue sufficed but that hee woulde expresly declare that God was not mooued by any other causes why hee shoulde rather fauour these then those but because he pleased to chuse and to establish in them whome
hauing deuided the partes amongst them hee might make one perfect body Nowe it is our dutie so to linke and knit together the foure that wee suffer our selues to bee taught as it were with one mouth of them all together VVhereas they haue placed Iohn the fourth in order in this they had respect to the time wherein hee writ but the contrary order is more profitable in reading that beeing afterwarde aboute to reade in Matthewe that Christe was giuen vs of the father we may first learne out of Iohn to what end he was reuealed ¶ The holy Gospel of Iesus Christe according to Iohn 1_IN the beginning was the word and the word was with God and that woorde was God 2. The same was in the beginning with God 3. All thinges were made by it and without it was made nothing which was made 4. In it was life and the life was the light of men 5. And the light shineth in the darknesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not The Commentarie of John Caluine 1 IN the beginning was the worde In this exordium hee sheweth the eternal Diuinitie of Christe to the ende wee may knowe that hee was eternall God who was made manifest in the fleshe Furthermore this is the drifte thereof that it was requisite that mankinde shoulde bee restored by the sonne of GOD seeing that by his power all things were created sithence it is hee alone who doth breath life and strength into all creatures that they may remaine in their state and especially seeing hee hath shewed in man a most manifest token as well of his power as of his grace so that euen after the fall of Adam hee ceased not to bee liberall and bountifull towarde his posteritie And this doctrine is very needefull to bee knowen for seeing that wee muste not seeke for health and life without God howe shoulde our faith leane and rest vpon Christe vnlesse wee were fully persuaded of that whiche Christe teacheth in this place Therefore the Euangeliste teacheth in these woordes that wee doe not depart from the only and eternall GOD when as wee beleeue in Christe Secondly that through his benefite life is nowe restored to the dead who hauing his nature as yet perfect was the fountaine and cause of life It seemeth to mee that this was the only reason that moued him to call the son of god the word because hee is first of all the eternall wisdome and will of God secondly the expresse image of his counsell For as the speech is called the marke or printe of the minde in men so is this also not vnfitly applyed vnto God to say that he maketh himselfe knowen vnto vs by his worde The other significations of this worde Logos are not so fit for this purpose Logos doth signifie amongest the Grecians both a definition a reason and an account but I will not subtilly play the Philosopher aboue the capacitie of my faith And we see that the spirite of God is so farre from allowing suche subtiltie that applying himselfe vnto our weakenesse in keeping silence hee cryeth howe soberly wee ought to bee wise in suche hidden mysteries Furthermore as God did reueale himselfe in creating the worlde by this word so he had the same laid vp in himselfe before so that there is a double relation the former vnto God the latter vnto men Seruetus the proudest knaue which Spayne euer brought foorth feigneth that this eternall worde did then take his beginning when he was reuealed in the creation of the worlde As if it were not before such time as the power thereof was knowen in the external worke The Euangelist teacheth a farre other thing in this place for he doth not assigne any beginning of time to the worde but in that he saith it was from the beginning he goeth beyond all ages And I am not ignorant what this dog barketh and what the Arrians did somtimes cauill namely that God did in the beginning create heauen earth which notwithstanding are not eternal because this word beginning doth rather respect the order then betoken the eternitie But the Euangelist preuenteth this shift when hee saith that it was with God If the worde began to bee from time it must needes bee that they must finde some course of times in God And truely Iohn did intende by this particle by name to distinguish the word from all things which are created For many thinges might come into the mindes of men where that worde should be how he should shew foorth his force of what nature he was how he could be knowen Therfore he saith that we must not cleeue to the world things which are created because it was alwayes ioyned to God before the worlde was Nowe wheras some do wrest the word beginning vnto the beginning of the heauen the earth doe they not make Christ subiect to the common order of the worlde from which he is statly exempted in this place Wherein they doe most cruell iniurie not onely to the sonne of God but also to his euerlasting father whom they spoile of his wisdome If it be an haynous offence to imagine God without his wisdome we must confes that we must no where els seeke for the beginning of the word saue only in the eternal wisdome of God Seruetus obiecteth that the word cannot bee comprehended before such time as Moses bringeth in god speaking as if he were not in god because hee was not openly known that is as if he were not within vntill such time as he began to come out But the EuaÌ„gelist cutteth off al occasioÌ„ of such mad dotings wheÌ„ he affirmeth without exceptioÌ„ that the word was with God for he doth manifestly recall vs froÌ„ al momeÌ„ts of time They which gather y e perpetual statâ— out of the Preterimperfectense of the Verb they leane to a weake reasoÌ„ The word was say they doth more expresse the continuall course then if Iohn shoulde haue saide hath beene But they must reason more strongly in such waightie matters And that one thing which I brought ought to suffice vs that the EuaÌ„gelist sendeth vs into the eternal secret places of god that wee may knowe that the worde was as it were hidden there before such time as it did reueale it selfe in the externall framing of the world Therfore Augustine saith very well that this beginning which is mentioned in this place is without all beginning For although the father is before his wisedome in order yet they spoyle him of his glory whosoeuer doe imagine any moment of time wherein he was before his wisdome And this is the eternall generation which lay hid in GOD long time before the creation of the worlde that I may so speak which was many yeres obscurely shadowed to the fathers vnder the lawe and was at length more fully reuealed in the flesh I marueile what moued the Latinists to traâ—â—ate Logon verbum For they should rather haue transsated it so if so be it had bene rhema
doth here commende and set foorth that plentifull aboundance of good thynges which Christe brought foorth with his commyng For wee knowe that the benefites of God were tasted more sparingly vnder the lawe and that so soone as Christ was reuealed in the fleshe they were powred out in great aboundance euen vnto the full Not that anye of vs hath greater aboundance of the spirite then had Abraham but I speake of the ordinarie dispensation and of the manner and meanes of dispensing Therefore to the ende that Iohn may the better inuite his Disciples vnto Christe he telleth them that the aboundance of all those good thinges which they want is offered them in him Although there shall be no absurditie therein if so be it we extend it farther yea the text may be read thus verye well that all the fathers from the beginning of the worlde did drawe all those giftes which they had from Christe because although the lawe was giuen by Moses yet did they not obtaine grace thereby Notwithstanding I haue shewed before what I like best namely that Iohn doth in this place compare vs with the fathers that by this comparison hee may amplifie that which is giuen vs. And grace for grace It is well knowen howe Augustine expoundeth this place namely that al good things are giuen vs now then of God and that eternall life is not repaide to our merites as a due rewarde but that this is a poynt of more liberalitie that God doth so reward the former graces and crown his giftes in vs. This truely is godly and finely saide but it is not very fit for this place The sense were more plaine if thou shouldst take this worde anti comparitiuely as if he shoulde say that whatsoeuer graces the Lorde heapeth vpon vs they doe in like sort flowe from this fountaine It may also bee vnderstood as a note of the finall cause that we do receiue grace nowe that the Lorde may once accomplishe the worke of our saluatioÌ„ Notwithstanding I do rather subscribe vnto their iudgement who say that wee are watered with the graces which are powred out vppon Christe For that which we recoâ—â—e of Christe hee doth not onely giue it vs as God but the father hath bestowed it vpon him that it might flowe vnto vs as through a conduit This is the oyntmente wherewith hee was annoynted that hee myght annoynt vs all togeather with hym wherevppon hee is called Christe wee Christians 17 Because the lawe was giuen by Moses It is a preuention wherein hee preuenteth a contrarie obiection For Moses was so greatly esteemed amongest the Iewes that they did hardly admit any thing that was contrary to him Therfore the EuaÌ„gelist teacheth how far inferior the ministerie of Moses was to the power of Christe And also this comparison doth not a little beautifie the power of Christe For seeing that the Iewes did make so great account of Moses that they did attribute vnto him all honour that might bee the Euangelist telleth them that that was but a very small thing which Moses brought if it be compared with the grace of Christe For that was otherwise a great let that they thought they had that by the lawe whiche we doe obteine by Christe alone But we must note the contraposition when he setteth the lawe against grace and truth for his meaning is that the lawe wanted both these And truth in my iudgement is taken for the firme and sound stabilitie of things By this worde Grace I vnderstande the spirituall fulfilling of those thinges the bare letter whereof was contained in the lawe And these two voyces may be referred by Hypallage both vnto one thing As if he had saide that grace wherein the truth of the lawe consisteth was reuealed at length in Christ. But because the same sense shall remaine it maketh no great matter whether thou couple them together or distinguish them This truely is certaine that this is the Euangelists meaning that the image of spirituall good things was only shadowed in the law and that they are perfectly fulfilled in Christe whereupon it followeth if thou separate the law from Christe there remaineth nothing there but vaine figures In which respect Paul saith Collos. 2. 17. That therein are the shadowes that the body is in Christ. Yet notwithstaÌ„ding we must not imagine that there was any thing shewed deceitfully in the lawe for Christ is the soule which quickneth that which should otherwise be dead in the lawe But the shooteth heere at another marke namely of what force the law is of it selfe and without Christ. And the Euangelist saith that there is no sounde thing found in it vntyll wee come vnto Christe Furthermore this truth consisteth in that that we obteine grace through Christe which the lawe could not giue vs. Therefore I take this worde grace generally aswell for the free remission of sins as for the renuing of the hearte For seeing that the Euangelist doth in this place briefly note the difference betwene the old new Testament which is described more at large Ier. 31. 31. hee coÌ„preheÌ„deth vnder this worde whatsoeuer belongeth vnto the spirituall righteousnesse And the partes thereof are two that God doth reconcile himselfe vnto vs freely by not imputing our sinnes and that he doth ingraue in the heartes of men his lawe and doth frame men inwardly by his spirite to obey him wherby it appeareth that the law is falsly and vnproperly expounded if sobeit it retaine any in it or keepe theÌ„ back from comming to Christe 18 No man hath seene God at any time This is most fitly added to confirme the next sentence withall For the knowledge of God is the gate whereby we enter in into the fruition of all goodnesse Therfore seeing that God doth reueale himselfe vnto vs by Christe alone it followeth heereupon that we must desire craue all thinges of Christe This course of doctrine is diligentlye to bee noted There is nothynge that seemeth to bee more common then this that euery one of vs doth receiue those thinges which God doth offer vnto vs according to the measure of our faith but there are but a fewe that thinke that we must bring the vessell of faith of the knowledge of God wherby we may draw This that he saith that no man hath seene God at any time is not only to be vnderstoode of the externall sight of the bodily eyes for hee giueth vs to vnderstande generally seeing that God dwelleth in light which none can come vnto he caÌ„not be knoweÌ„ but only in Christ his liuely image Furthermore they doe commonly expounde this place on this wise Seeing that the bare maiestie of God is hidden in it selfe it coulde neuer be comprehended saue only forasmuch as it reuealed it self in Christe and that therefore God was knowen to the fathers only in Christe But I doe rather thinke that the Euangelist doth heere holde on in the comparison namely how farre better our estate is then the estate
people 16 Make not my fathers house The other Euangelistes doe write that he spake more seuerely and sharply in the second casting out namely that they made his fathers house a denne of theeues And it was necessary for him thus to doe seeing his former reprehension was fruitlesse Nowe he warneth them plainely that they doe not prophane the temple of God by turning it vnto strange vses The Temple was called the house of God because that God would be called vpon there peculiarlie because he would shew his power there and finally because he had appointed it for spirituall and holy rites And Christe doth affirme that hee is the sonne of God that he may challenge to himselfe the title and authoritie to purge the temple Furthermore because Christe doeth in this place render a reason of his fact if we will gather any fruite out of the same it is meete that wee stande chiefly vppon this sentence Therefore why doth hee cast out the buyers and sellers out of the temple To the ende hee may restore God his worship which was corrupted through mans fault and folly vnto the integritie theerof and that he may by this meanes restore againe the holinesse of the temple VVee knowe that that temple was built to the ende it might bee a shadowe of those thinges the liuely shape wherof is extant in Christ. Therfore to the end it might remaine holy to God it was to bee applied only vnto spirituall vses For this cause he saith it was not lawfull to turne it into a market place For he setteth a maxima from Gods institution which we must alwayes holde and keepe Therefore with what shiftes soeuer Satan doeth delude vs whatsoeuer doeth digresse but a little from the commandement of God let vs knowe that it is wicked This was a fayre colour to disceaue withall that the worship of GOD was holpen and furthered when as the faithfull had such thinges readie at hande as they woulde offer but because God had ordeined his temple to other vses Christe doth not passe for these things which might haue bin obiected contrarie to the order which God had set down Our churches at this day are not like to that temple But that which is said of the olde temple agreeth well and properly to the congregation or church for it is the celestiall sanctuarie of God vpon earth VVherefore wee must alwayes haue the maiestie of God before our eyes which is residēt in the Church that it be not defiled with any pollutions And the sanctitie thereof shall then remaine if there shall be nothing committed in the same which is contrary to the worde of God 17 His disciples remembred Heere some men doe trouble themselues in vaine demaunding how his disciples remembred the scripture wherof they were as yet ignorant Neither must wee thinke that this place of scripture came into their mindes then but afterwarde when they were taught of God and did consider with themselues what this fact of Christe meant they founde this place of scripture through the direction of the holy Ghost And truly the cause of the works of god doth not by by appeare vnto vs but he doth afterward reueale vnto vs his purpose in tract of time And this is a most fit bridle to bridle our boldnes withall least wee murmur against God if at any time those thinges which he doth be not approued in our iudgement VVe are also taught that when God doth keepe vs as it were doubting wee must paciently wayte for the time of more perfect knowledge and restraine that too too great hastinesse which is naturall vnto vs. For God doth deferre the full manifestation of his workes to this ende that he may keepe vs within the boundes of modestie The meaning therefore of these words is this that the disciples did at length vnderstande that Christ was enforced with that zeale of the house of God wherwith he was inflamed to take away those profanations VVithout doubt Dauid meaneth by the temple of God by Synecdoche all the whole worship of God For the whole verse is thus The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me vp and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee fel vpon mee VVhere the second member agreeth with the first yea it is nothing els saue a plain repitition The sum of them both is that Dauid was so careful to reuēge the glory of God that he did willingly offer his head vnto all rebukes which the reprobate did cast out against God y t he was enflamed with so great zeale that this one affection did swallowe vppe all other He doth testifie that he himself was endued with this feeling but it is not to bee doubted but that he did prefigure in his person those thinges which did properly agree vnto the Messias Therefore the Euangelist saith that this was one marke whereby Iesus was knowen of his disciples to be the reuenger and restorer of the kingdome of God And note that they followed the scriptures that they might thinke of Christ as became them Surely no man shall euer knowe what manner person Christe was or to what ende all thinges which he did or suffered doe serue vnlesse he be taught and guided by the scripture VVherefore as euerie one of vs shall desire to profite in the knowledge of Christe he shall haue neede to meditate diligently and continually vpon the scriptures Dauid maketh mention of the house of God not in vaine when he intreateth of the glory of God For although God be sufficient to himselfe and can be contended with himselfe alone yet wyll he haue his glory to bee set foorth in the Churche VVherein he sheweth a manifest token of his loue towarde vs in that he knitteth his glory togeather with our saluation with an vnsoluble knot Now it resteth that all men frame themselues to follow Christe seeyng that there is a generall doctrine set foorth vnto the whole body in the example of the head as Paule teacheth Rom. 15. 3. Let vs not suffer so much as in vs lyeth the holy temple of God by any meanes to be defiled yet in the mean while we must beware that no man do passe the boundes of his vocation VVe must all of vs be zealous as was the sonne of God but it is not by and by lawfull for euerie one of vs to take the whippe that wee may correct vices with our hand For wee haue not the same power neither is the same office enioyned vs. 18 Therefore the Iewes answered and said vnto him what signe doest thou shew vs because thou doest these things 19 Iesus answered and said vnto them destroy this temple and in three dayes I will rayse it vp 20 Therefore the Iewes saide this temple was built in sixe and fortie yeeres and wil◠thou set it vp in three dayes 21 But he spake of the temple of his bodie 22 Therefore when hee rose againe from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had saide this vnto them and they beleeued
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
can do vs no good with light punishments wherewith he being our most gentle father doth correct vs as tender daintie children he is compelled to put vppon him a new and as it were a strange person Therfore he taketh whips in hand to came our fiercenes withal as he denoūceth in the law Leui. 26. 14. 18. Deu. 28. 15. Psa. 32. 9. Yea such testimonies are vsual in the scriptures Therfore in y t we are often times punished with new miseries we may thanke our owne stubbornnesse for that For we are not like to vnbroken horses mules but we are more then vntamed beastes Therefore it is no maruell if God doe as it were breake vs in peeces with more cruel punishments as with hammers whom indifferent punishment cannot amend for it is meete that they be broken who will not bend To conclude this is the vse of punishments that we may be made to take better heed hereafter If we stubbornly resist the first or second stroke he will strike seuen fold harder if hauing shewed some token of repentance for a short time we do by and by returne vnto our nature he doth more sharply punish this our forgetfull lightnesse that is full of sluggishnesse But it is worthie to be noted in this man how mercifully and fauourably the Lord suffereth vs. For suppose he drew nigh vnto old age yet must he needes be taken with the disease in the first flower of his age and peraduenture he had been sicke from his childhood Now consider how greeuous the punishment and paine of so many yeeres was And certain it is that God cannot be accused of too great seueritie because he did punish a man that was halfe dead with so long sicknesse Therefore in that we are lightly punished let vs learne that that commeth to passe because the Lorde doth mittigate the greatest rigour of punishments for his infinite goodnesse sake Let vs also learn that there are no paines so fierce cruell but that the Lord can adde something thereunto so often as he thinketh it good And questionles miserable men doe oftentimes pull downe vppon themselues horrible wonderfull tormentes with their complaintes whilest that they say that their plagues cannot be augmented Are not these thinges hidden in my treasures saith the Lorde Deut. 32. 34. VVe must also note how small fruite the chasticements of God do bring foorth in vs. For if Christe his exhortation was not superfluous we may gather thence that this mans soule was not yet well purged from all vices And truly vices doe take deeper roote in vs then that they can be plucked vp in one or two dayes And the curing of the diseases of the soule is harder then that it is contented with the remedies of a small time 15 The man went He meant nothing lesse then to purchase enuy vnto Christ and also he looked for nothing lesse then that they would so rage against Christ. Therfore it was a godly affection whenas he would honor his phisition with due honor The Iewes do vomite out their poyson in this that they doe not only accuse Christ for breaking the Sabbaoth but doe also burst out into extreame crueltie 17 And Iesus answered them my father worketh vntill this time and I worke 18 For this cause therefore the Iewes sought the rather to kill him because he did not only breake the Sabboth but did also call God his father making himself equall with God 19 Therefore Iesus answered and said vnto them verily verily I say vnto you the son can doe nothing of himselfe saue that which he shall see the father do which things when he doth the sonne doth these in like sort 17 My father VVe must mark what manner of defence Christ vseth He doth not answere that the law concerning the keeping of the Sabboth was temporal and such as was now to be abrogated but doth rather say that he had not broken the Sabboth because this is a worke of God It was indeed a shadowish ceremonie whereof Christe made an end by his comming as Paule teacheth Col. 2. 16. 17. But the state of this present cause consisteth not in that For men are only commanded to rest from their owne workes therfore circumcision which is a work of God and not of men is not contrarie to the Sabboth Christ standeth vpon this point that the holy rest is not troubled with the woorkes of God which rest was commanded in the law of Moses And by this reason he doth not only excuse his own fact but his also that bare his bed for it was an appurtenance and as it were a part of the myracle because it was nothing els but an approuing of the same Secondly if thanksgiuing and the preaching abroade of the glory of God be to be reckoned among the workes of God it was no breaking of the Sabboth with foote and hande to set foorth the grace of God Yet Christ doth chiefly speake of himselfe with whom the Iewes were more offended In the meane while he doth testifie that the health which hee restored to the sicke man is a testimonie of his diuine power He affirmeth that he is the sonne of God and that the maner of working is common to him and his father I doe not nowe at large dispute what was the vse of the Sabboth for what causes it was commaunded As touching this present place the religion of the Sabboth is so farre from breaking and hindering the course of the workes of God that it doth rather graunt place to them alone For why doth the lawe commaunde men to rest from their owne workes saue only that they may applie all their senses being emptie and free to consider vpon the workes of God Therefore hee is a wicked ouerthrower of the lawe and also a false interpreter who doth not graunt vnto the workes of God a free kingdome in the Sabboth If any man doe obiect that the example of God is set before men that they may rest the seuenth day the answere is easie that men are not like vnto God in that point because hee kept holy day but because that ceasing from the troublesome actions of this world they doe aspire vnto the heauenly rest Therefore the Sabboth of God is no loytering but a sound perfection which bringeth with it the quiet estate of peace Neither is that any hinderance which Moses saide Gen. 2. 2. that God made an end of his workes For his meaning is that when God had finished the frame and worke of the worlde he did consecrate that day which men shoulde bestowe on the meditating vppon his workes In the meane while he ceaseth not by his power to vpholde the worlde which he hath made to gouerne it by his counsell to nourish◠it with his goodnesse and to determine all thinges at his pleasure in heauen and earth Therefore the creation of the worlde was finished in sixe dayes but the gouernment of the same is perpetuall and GOD doth worke
a certaine beginning of the last resurrection Furthermore because it conteineth all mankinde hee doth by and by distinguish betwene the elect and the reprobate VVhich partition doth declare that as the reprobate are now cited vnto iudgement by the voyce of Christ so they shal be once brought by the same voice and be presented before his iudgement seate But why doth hee only name those who are shut vp in the graues as if others shoulde not be partakers of the resurrectiō whether they perished by shipwrack or were deuoured of beasts or were consumed to ashes because the dead vse commonly to be buried he vnderstandeth by Synecdoche all those who dyed long agoe And this is more forcible then if he had said the dead only For the sepulchre doth as 〈◊〉 it were withdrawe those from the world whom death hath alreadie depriued of breath and light The voyce of the sonne of God doth signifie the sound of the trumpet which shall sounde at the commandement and through the power of Christ. For whereas the Angell shal be the cryer or apparitour 1. The. 4. 16. That is no let why that may not be attributed vnto the iudge which is doone through his authoritie and as it were in his person 29 They that haue done good Hee pointeth out the faithfull by good workes like as hee teacheth that the tree is knowen by his fruite Mat. 7. 19. 20. And he commendeth their good workes which they began to doe after they were called For the thiefe vnto whom Christe promised life vpon the crosse who was giuen vnto wicked facts during his whole life doth euen at the last gaspe as it were desire to do that which was right And because he is borne againe a new man and of the bondslaue of sinne beginneth to be the seruante of righteousnesse all the former course of his life was neuer called to an account before God Moreouer euen those sinnes with the gyltinesse wherof the faithfull doe binde them selues dayly are not imputed vnto them Fo◠there was neuer any in the worlde who without pardon can be iudged to haue liued well Yea there shall no worke at all be accounted a good worke saue that whose faultes God doth pardon seeing they are al vnperfect and corrupt Therfore they are called in this place doers of good workes whom Paul calleth studious or zealous of the fame And this estimation dependeth vpon the fatherly mercifulnesse of God who doth freely allow that which did deserue to be reiected VVhereas the papists doe gather out of these places that eternall life is repayed vnto the merites of workes it is easily refuted For Christ doth not intreate of the cause of saluation but he doth only distinguish the elect from the reprobate by their marke And this doth he that he may exhort inuite his children vnto holinesse and innocencie Indeede wee doe not denie that faith which iustifieth vs is ioyned with the desire of liuing well and righteously but we do only teach that our hope can rest no where els saue only in the mercy of God 30 I can do nothing of my selfe as I heare I iudge and my iudgement is iust because I doe not seeke my will but the will of the father who sent me 31 If I testifie of my selfe my testimonie is not true 32 There is another who doth testifie of me and I knowe that the testimonie is true which he doth testifie of mee 30 I can do nothing of my selfe It were superfluous in this place to dispute subtilly whether the sonne of God can do that of himselfe or by the help of some other which belongeth vnto his eternall diuinitie neyther would he haue vs to be occupied about such subtile matters Therefore there was no cause why the old fathers should so trouble thēselues about the refuting of y e false slander of Arrius that knaue did obiect that the sonne is not equall with the father because hee can doe nothing of himselfe The holy men doe answere that the sonne doth by good right acknowledge that he hath receiued of the father whatsoeuer hee hath of whome in respect of person he taketh his beginning But first of al Christ doth not here speake of his bare diuinitie but as he was clothed with our slesh he teacheth that he is not to be esteemed according to the outward shewe because he hath some higher thing then man Secondly we must marke with whom he hath to doe It was his intent to refute the Iewes who did goe about to set him against God Therefore he denyeth that he doth any thing according to the manner of men because he hath God to be his guide and gouernour who dwelleth in him VVe must alwayes remember this that so often as Christ doth speake of him selfe he taketh only to himselfe that which is proper to man because he hath respect vnto the Iewes who did falsly say that he was as one of the common sort of men In like sort whatsoeuer is aboue man that doeth he referre vnto the father This worde iudge doth properly belong vnto the doctrine yet doth it also appertaine vnto all the administration As if he should say that he hath the father to bee his authour in all thinges that his will is vnto him as a rule and that therefore hee is a reuenger And my iudgement is true He concludeth that his woordes and deedes are not to be reprehended because he suffereth not himselfe to doe any thing but that which his father commaundeth him For that ought to be sure and certaine without all controuersie that all that is right what soeuer doth spring and flow from God This modestie ought to be the first maxima of godlinesse amongest vs so reuerently to thinke of the workes and worde of God that the name of God only ought to be sufficient to proue his iustice and righteousnesse but there bee but a fewe founde who can be persuaded that God is iust vnlesse they be compelled I graunt that God doth shewe vnto vs his righteousnesse by experience but to restraine the same vnto the sense of our flesh so that we can think no otherwise of the same then our wit doth tel vs is too licentious impietie Let this then bee a certaine and vndoubted consequent that that is right and true whatsoeuer is of God and that it cannot be but that god must be true in all his wordes iust and righteous in all his workes wee are also taught that this is the only way to doe well to take nothing in hande vnlesse God be our guide and helper And if the whole worlde do ryse against vs afterwarde let this inuincible defense suffice vs that he erreth not that followeth God Because I seeke not mine owne will Christe doth not in this place set his owne will against his fathers will as being contrarie things but doth onely refute their vaine surmise who thought that he was rather enforced with humane boldnesse thē gouerned with the
despice him therefore For such is the vnthankfulnes of men that they doe alwaies willingly find matter to erre in esteeming the workes of God If God doe worke by ordinarie meanes and by a common way as they say these meanes which appeare vnto the eyes doe hinder vs like vailes from seeing the hand of God therefore we acknowledge nothing then but that which is humaine But and if the vnwonted power of God doe appeare aboue both the order of nature and the meanes which are commonly knowen we are astonied that passeth away as a dreame which should haue moued al our senses throughly For which is our pride wee make no account of that the reason whereof doth not appeare This was a merueilous token of the grace and power of God that Christ being taught of no master did yet notwithstanding excell in the excellent knowledge of the scripture yea he that was neuer a scholler was a most excellent teacher master And for this cause do the Iewes despice the grace of god because it doth exceede their capacitie Therefore being admonished with this example let vs learne to vse greater reuerence in weighing the workes of God then we are wont 15 My doctrine is not mine Christ telleth the Iewes that that whiche was vnto them an offence is rather a ladder which ought to carry them vp to behold the glory of God as if he shold say VVhen as you see a teacher that is not trayned vp in the schoole of men confesse that hee is taught of God For the heauenly father would therfore rather haue his sonne to come out of a carpenters shop then out of the schooles of the Scribes to the ende the beginning of the Gospell might be more famous least any man shoulde thinke that it was forged vppon earth or least any man shoulde feigne that man is the authour thereof So likewise Christe did choose to himselfe ignorant men and idiots to be his Apostles and he suffered them to continue in grosse ignorance three yeeres that being taught in one moment he might bring them foorth as newe men and consequently as angels which came downe from heauen In the mean season Christ sheweth from whence we must set the authority of the spirituall doctrine namely frō god alone And wheras he denieth y t the doctrin which is his fathers is his he hath respect vnto the capacitye of the auditorie therein who had no higher opinion of him but that he was a man Therefore by a concession or graunting he suffereth himselfe to be thought so to differ from the father that notwithstanding he speaketh nothing but that which he commaunded The summe is that that which he teacheth in his fathers name is not mans neither did it proceed from man that it may be freely contemned VVee see with what argumeent he winneth authoritie to his doctrine namely by referring it vnto god the author therof VVe see also by what right reason hee desireth to bee heard namely because hee is sent of his father to be a teacher Therefore it is meete that hee haue both these whosoeuer doeth take vppon him the office of teaching and will be beleeued 17 If any man will A preuention which cutteth of contrary obiections For seeing that he had there many aduersaries euerie man might easily murmur against him why doest thou tell vs of the name of God from whom we doe not acknowledge that thou camest VVhy doest thou enforce vpon vs that principle which we do not graunt vnto thee that thou teachest nothing but that which he commaundeth thee Therefore Christ gathereth here that right iudgement doeth flowe from the feare of God and reuerence therefore if they had their mindes framed vnto the feare of God they should easily know whether that be true or no which he preacheth VVherby he toucheth them also by the way For how commeth it to passe that they cannot discerne saue only because the chiefe point of vnderstanding faileth them namely godlinesse and the desire to obey God This sentence is chiefly to be noted Satan lyeth in wayte for vs continually and he setteth snares on euery side that hee may take vs by his subtiltie In this place Christ armeth vs very well to take heed that we may neuer be subiect to his seducings namely if we be readie to obey God he will not faile vs but will lighten vs with the light of his spirite that we may be able to discerne between truth and lying Therefore there is nothing which hindereth vs from iudging aright saue only because we are vnapt to be taught and stubborne and we are iustly punished for our hypocrisie so often as Satan doth delude vs. So Moses telleth vs that when as false Prophetes arise we are tempted prooued of the Lord because they shall neuer be deceiued that shal be of a right heart Heereby it appeareth how wickedly and foolishly many men doe keepe back themselues from all studie desire to learne with this feare whilest that they are afraid least they should erre as if it were spoken in vaine knock and it shall bee opened vnto you But let vs rather not doubt but bee fully perswaded that the spirite of discretion is giuen vs to be our continuall guide if we be wholy giuen to serue and obey God If other men be desposed to erre they shall at length perceiue how vaine the cloakes and colours of their ignorance are And truly whosoeuer doe doubt at this day and had rather nourish their doubting then either by reading or hearing earnestly to enquire where the truth of God is we see that these men doe carelesly contemne God in generall principles One man will say that he prayeth for the dead because distrusting his owne wit he dare not condemne that which wicked mē did inuent concerning Purgatorie In the meane season he will graunt himselfe libertie to play the whoremonger Another man will say that hee hath not wit enough to distinguish betweene the pure doctrine of Christe and the corrupt inuentions of men in the meane while hee will haue enough to steale and forsweare Finally all these men who will holde nothing who pretende the vayle of doubting in matters which at this day are called in question do bewray their manifest contempt of God in matters which are nothing darke Therfore there is no cause why wee shoulde marueile that the doctrine of the Gospel is at this day receiued of very fewe seeing that the feare of God is so rare in the worlde And in these words of Christ 〈◊〉 contained a true definition of godlinesse namely when as we are readie to follow the will of God with all our heart which no man can do vnlesse he do abandon himselfe in his owne conceit Or I speake of my selfe VVe must note how Christ woulde haue vs to iudge of euerie doctrine For he will haue vs to receiue that without doubting which is of God and doth freely permit vs to refuse y t which is
of rash zeale is For they haue no eares to know the matter but they haue handes readie to commit slaughter But I doe not doubt but that Christ deliuered himselfe by his secrete power but yet vnder the showe of humilitie For he would not plainely shew foorth his diuinitie but woulde leaue somewhat for humane infirmitie VVhereas some bookes haue that he passed so through the midst of them Erasmus coniectureth not vnaduisedly that this was taken out of the 4. Chapter of Luke And this also is worth the noting that the wicked Priestes and Scribes hauing driuen away Christ in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead doe keepe possession of the externall temple But they are sore deceiued when as they thinke that they haue a temple which is voide of God So at this day the Pope and his adherents seeing that hauing driuen away Christ they haue polluted the church they boast foolishly of the false visure of the Church Chap. 9 1 ANd as Iesus passed by he saw a man that was blinde from his birth 2 And his Disciples asked him saying Master who sinned this man or his parents that he was borne blinde 3 Iesus answered neither did this man sin nor his parents but that the workes of god may be made manifest in him 4 I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke 5 As long as I shall be in the worlde I am the light of the worlde 1 Hee saw a man that was blinde In this Chapter the Euangelist describeth the giuing of sight to a blinde man mixing therewithall a doctrine which setteth foorth the fruite of the myracle From his birth This circumstance amplifieth the power of Christe For the blindnes could not be cured with mans remedies which he had suffered tyll hee came to mans state hauing brought the same from his mothers wombe And hereupoÌ„ was offered vnto his Disciples an occasion to mooue a questioÌ„ whose sinne was punished with this blindnesse First of all seeing the scripture doth testifie that all afflictions whereunto mankinde is subiect doe proceede from sinne so often as we see any man in miserie it cannot be but that this cogitation must needes come into our minde that the discommodities wherewith he is oppressed are punishments laid vpon him by the hand of God But here we are wont to erre three maner of wayes for seeing that euerie man is a most sharpe iudge against other men there are but a few that can vse the like seueritie as it is meet against themselues If my brother be in aduersitie I doe by and by acknowledge Gods iudgement if God doe more sharplye chasten mee I winke at mine owne sins But euery man ought to begin with himselfe in weighing punishments that hee may spare none lesse then himselfe VVherfore if we wil be equal iudges in this case let vs learn to be quick eyed rather in our owne euils then in other mens The second errour is in immoderate rigour because so soone as any man is touched with the hand of God we expound this to bee deadly hatred makyng haynous offences of small faultes and are almost out of hope of his saluation but on the contrarie wee are scarce giltie in our owne sight of a small faulte when as we haue commited a most greeuous crime Thirdly we offend in that we think generally that all those are condemned on whoÌ„ God doth lay his crosse for their tryal That which we haue said of late is certaine and sure that all miseries doe proceede from sinne but god doth punish those that be his for diuers causes For as he doth not punish the sinnes of some in this world due deferreth the punishments vntill the life to come that they may be the sharper so he handleth the faithful somtimes more hardly not because they haue offeÌ„ded more greeuously but that he may hereafter mortifie the vices of the flesh Yea sometimes not respecting their sinnes he doth proue their obedience or els teach them patience As wee see that holy Iob was oppressed with miserie aboue all other men and yet was hee not vrged with his sinnes but God had respect vnto another thing namely that his godlines may be the better declared euen in aduersitie Therfore they are peruers interpreters which do assigne all aduersities indifferently vnto sinnes as if the manner of punishments were equall or God did not respect another thing in punishing of men then euery mans desarts VVherefore we must note two things in this place y t iudgement doth begin for the most part at the house of God 1. Pet. 4. 17. and that therfore he doth sharply punish his owne children wheÌ„ they haue oftended passing ouer the wicked and that his whips are much more sharpe in correcting the faultes of the Church Secondly that ther be diuers ends why he doth afflict men For he did no lesse make Peter and Paule subiect to the hangman then the most cruell murtherers VVhence we gather that in the punishmentes of men there are not alwayes causes extant which can bee pointed out with the finger And whereas the disciples according to the common sense doe demaund what manner of sinne that was which god did punish in the blinde man so soone as he was borne they doe that not so much out of season as when they aske whether hee sinned before he was borne or no. Although this so absurd a question was taken from that common surmise and friuolous opinion which was then common amongest all men For it appeareth euen out of other places of the scripture that they beleued that same flitting of the soule out of one body into another wherof Pythagoras did dreame Here may we see what a deepe Labyrinth mans curiositie is especially when boldnes is adioyned thereunto They saw some that were borne lame some spurre blinde some stark blinde som hauing a monstrous body VVheras it became them to reuerence the hidden iudgements of God they would haue an euident cause in his workes they did so fall away vnto those childishe toyes throuâ—â—â— their rashnes that they thought that the soule wheÌ„ one life was past did â—lit into a new body did ther suffer the punishments which were due vnto the life before spent Neither are the Iewes ashamed at this day to tosse such a filthie doting in their synagogues as if it were an heauenly oracle By which example we are taught to take good heed least that if we enquire after the iudgements of God beyond the meane of sobrietie the wandering errour of the minde doe carry vs away and throwe vs headlong into most horrible dungeons This was most monstrous that the elect people of God in whom the light of wisdome was kindled by the lawe and the Prophetes should yeelde vnto such a grosse and forged tale And if so be it God did so sharply punish their boldnes there can be nothing better then this modestie in considering the workes
of God that our minds may breake foorth into an admiration so often as we know not the reason thereof and our tongues may cry out Iust art thou O Lord and righteous are thy iudgements although they cannot be comprehended That which the disciples aske concerning the sinnes of the parents is not vnnecessarie For although the innocent sonne be not punished for the fathers faulte but the soule which hath sinned it shall dye Ezech. 18. 20. yet is not that threatning in vaine that the Lord doth cast the offences of the fathers into the bosomes of the children and taketh vengeaunce euen vppon the thirde and fourth generation Exod. 20. 5. Therefore the wrath of God remaineth oftentimes through many ages euen vpon one house and like as he blesseth the posteritie of the faithfull for their sake so he doth also cast off the wicked stocke appointing according to his iust iudgement the fathers together with the children vnto like destruction Neither can any man by this meanes complaine that hee is punished vndeseruedly for another mans offence because where the grace of the spirite is wanting euill crowes must needes bring foorth euill egges This was the occasion that moued the Apostes to doubt whether the Lord had punished any fault of the parents in their sonne or no. 3 Neither hath this man sinned Christe doth not simplie acquit the blinde man and his parents of all fault but doth only denie that the cause of the blindnes is to be sought in sinne And this is that whiche I said before that God hath sometimes some other purpose when he layeth sorrowes and miseries vpon men then to punish their sinnes Therfore when as we know not the causes of afflictions wee must restraine curiositie least we be both iniurious vnto God and malicious towarde our brethren ◠Therfore Christe sheweth another reason why this man was borne blinde that in him the workes of God might be declared He saith not one worke but in the plurall number workes for so long as he was blinde there was shewed in him a token of Gods seueritie whereby the rest might learne to feare and humble themselues There followed afterward the benefite of deliuerance wherein appeared the wonderfull goodnesse of God wherefore Christ his drift was by these wordes to stirre vppe the mindes of his disciples to hope for the myracle Yet neuerthelesse he teacheth generally that this cause ought to be counted in the Theater of the worlde iust and lawfull enough when God doth glorifie his name And there is no cause why men should chide with God when hee maketh them instruments of his glory on both sides whether hee appeare merciful or seuere 4 I must worke He doth now testifie that hee was sent to this ende that he may declare the glory of God in restoring sight to the blinde Furthermore he borroweth a similitude from the common custome of life For when the Sunne is rysen man riseth vnto labour but the night is appointed to rest in as it is in the Psalme 104. 22. Therefore hee calleth the time that was appointed him of his father wherein he was to do the work giuen him in charge the day So that euery one that is called vnto any publike function must apply him selfe to doe that whiche his office doth require as vnto workes which are to be done in the day time Furthermore we must gather thence a generall rule that the life of euery man is vnto him as a day VVherefore as the shortnesse of the day doth prick forward workemen vnto diligence and industrie least the darknes of the night do ouertake thē when they are but new begun to worke so seeing that we see that there is but a short time of life graunted vs let vs be ashamed to waxe sluggish in idlenesse finally so soone as God by calling doth giue vs light wee must not linger least the opportunity do escape vs. 5 So long as I shal be in the world I expound this to haue beene added by a preuention for it might haue been thought to be an absurd thing that Christe shoulde appoint vnto himselfe a time to worke in as if it were to be feared least the night shoulde oppresse him as it did other men Therefore hee doth so separate him selfe from other men that yet notwithstanding he saith that he hath an appointed time wherein he must worke For he compareth himselfe vnto the Sunne whiche although it lighten the earth with the brightnesse thereof yet when it setteth it taketh away the day with it Therefore he giueth vs to vnderstande that his death shall bee as the setting of the Sunne not because it shall extinguish or darken his light but because it shall take him out of the sight of the world Neuerthelesse he teacheth that when hee was brought foorth in the fleshe hee was then the true bright shining day of the world For although God had lightened all ages yet Christ brought foorth by his comming a new and vnwonted brightnesse VVhereupon he bringeth in that this time was most apt and fit to set foorth his fathers glory as a most cleere day wherein God woulde more euidently reueale himselfe in marueilous workes But here ariseth a question because there appeared greater power of God after the death of Christ both in the fruite of doctrine and also in the myracles and Paule 2. Cor. 4 6. doth apply this properly vnto the time of his preaching that God who from the beginning of the world commaunded light to shine out of the darknesse did then shine by the Gospel in the face of Christe And Christe doeth at this time no lesse spread abroade his bright beames in the worlde then when he was openly conuersaunt amongest men I answeare that after that Christ had fulfilled the course of his function he wrought no lesse mightily by his ministers thē by himselfe when he was in the world In deede that is true but first of all that is no let but that he ought to haue done that himself which was enioyned him by his father at such time as he was reuealed in the flesh to that ende And secondly it hindereth no whit but that his corporall presence was the true and singular day of the world the brightnes wherof was spread abrode throughout all ages For whence had the holy fathers in times past and whence haue we at this day light day saue only because the giuing and reuealing of Christ hath alwaies sent out farre and wyde his bright beames to make a continuall day VVhereupon it followeth that whosoeuer haue not Christ to be their directer they wander groping in darkenesse confusedly and without order like blinde men Neuerthelesse we must note this sense that like as the Sunne doth open vnto the eyes of men the most beautifull stage of the heauen and earth and all the order of nature so God hath reuealed in his sonne the principall glory of his workes 6 VVhen he had said this he spit vpon the earth and
made clay of the spittle and laid it vppon the eyes of the blinde 7 And said vnto him Goe wash in the poole of Siloa which is if thou interprete it sent he went therfore and washt and came seeing 8 Therfore the neighbours and those that had seen him before because he was a begger said is not this he that sate and begged 9 Othersome said truly this is he And othersome said he is like him But he saide I am hee 10 Therfore they said vnto him how are thine eyes opened 11 He answered and said The man that is called Iesus made clay and put it vppon mine eyes and said vnto me goe into the poole Siloa wash and after that I went and washed I did see 12 Therfore they said vnto him where is hee hee said I know not 6 Hee spit vpon the earth Christ his purpose was to restore sight to the blinde but he goeth about the matter in such a sort as at the first sight may seeme very absurd for by annointing his eyes with clay hee doth after a sort double his blindnsse who would not haue thought that hee did either mocke the miserable man or els that he toyed like a man that was distract But his meaning was by this meanes to prooue the faith and obedience of the blinde man that he might be an example vnto all men This was no small token of faith that the blinde man hauing embraced the bare worde doth beleeue assuredly that he should haue sight restored vnto him and vpon this hope hee maketh hast to goe thither whyther he was bidden And also this is an excellent commendation of obedience that he doth simplie obey Christ although many things do persuade him to the contrary And this is also a declaration of a true faith when as a godly minde being contented with the plaine worde of God doth promise vnto it selfe that thing which seemeth to bee otherwise vncredible The readinesse of obedience doth followe faith immediately so that hee doth quietly submit himselfe to bee gouerned by God whiche is perswaded that he will be vnto him a faithfull guide It is questionlesse that the suspition and feare of mocking did come into the blinde mans mynde but it was an easie matter for him to break through all impedimēts seeing he was perswaded that it was safetie it selfe to followe Christ. If any man obiect that the blinde manne knewe not what Christe was that hee might gyue vnto him due honour as vnto the sonne of GOD I confesse that indeede but because hee dyd beleeue that he was sent of God submitting himselfe vnto him not doubting but y t he spake the truth he seeth nothing in him but that which is diuine Yea in that hee did addict himselfe wholy vnto Christ in so small knowledge his faith deserueth so much the more praise 7 VVash in the poole Siloa It is certaine that there was no vertue either in y e clay or in y e water of Siloa to cure his eyes but Christ did not once only adorne his myracles with these externall signes freely either that hee might accustome the faithfull vnto the vse of signes or that hee might shew that all thinges are subiect to his will or that he might declare that there was as much power in all creatures as he woulde giue them Yet some doe demaund what the clay made of dust and spittle doth signifie and they expound this to haue been a figure of Christe because the dust doth betoken the earthly nature of the flesh and the spittle which came out of his mouth the diuine essence of the worde But I omit this Allegorie because it hath in it selfe more subtiltie then soundnesse being contented with this simplicitie that like as man was first created of clay so Christ did vse clay in framing his eyes againe shewyng the same power in a part of the body which the father declared in making the whole man or peraduenture his intent was by this signe to declare that it was no harder a matter for him hauing remooued the impediment to open the eyes of one that was blind then for any man to wype away clay and againe that it was in his power to stoppe the sight of eyes in like sort as if any man should stoppe vp the eyes with clay which latter thing pleaseth me better Peraduenture he commaunded him to wash in the poole of Siloa that he myght vpbraide vnto the Iewes that they themselues were to blame because they did not perceiue the power of God which was present with them like as Iesaias doth chide the men of his time in the eight Chapter and sixt verse because setting at nought the waters of Siloa which ran calmely they desire the swift and violent riuers And also it seemeth to me that the same reason did persuade Elizeus to commaund Naaman the Assyrian to wash in Iordan If we beleue Ierome the waters which did spring out of the mount Sion at certaine houres did make this poole The Euangelist setteth downe of set purpose the interpretation of the word Siloa because that well beeing nigh vnto the Temple did dayly put the Iewes in minde of Christ who was to come whom yet notwithstanding they despiced being offered vnto them Therefore the Euangelist setteth out vnto vs the grace of Christe that he alone doth lighten our darknes giue sight to the blind For the estate of our nature is depaynted in the person of this one man namely that all of vs are depriued of light and vnderstanding euen from our mothers wombe and secondly that wee must seeke remedie for this cuill only at Christe his hands And note that although Christe was present then yet woulde hee not haue the signes neglected to reproue the blockishnesse of the nation which did only retaine a vaine shadow of the signes the substance being abolished Herein appeareth also the wonderfull goodnes of Christ that he being the Phisition came of his own accord vnto the blind man and doth not wayte for his prayers in helping him And truly seeing that we are naturally turned away from him we are vtterly vndone vnlesse he meet vs before he be called and preuent vs with his mercie which are drowned in the forgetfulnes of light and life 8 Therfore the neighbours and those that had seene him Not only the neighbours did know the blinde man but also all the inhabitants of the citie because he was a begger and was wont to fit at the gate of the Temple and such do cause the common people to looke vpon them This knowledge of the man did cause the fame of the myracle to bee spread the farther abroade But as vngodlinesse is wittie in darkening the workes of God many men thought that it was not the same man because there appeared in him a new power of God so that the more excellent the maiestie of Gods workes is they finde the lesse credite amongest men But their doubting did serue greatly to prooue the myracle
whereby they may darken the cleare light of the Gospel And also we see many light spirits who flying through friuolous speculations do finde no certaine station and resting place during their whole life VVhen as they desire Christ to make himselfe knowen openly or freely and boldly their meaning is that he do not insinuate himselfe any longer ouerthwaâ—ly and as it were by certaine long circumstances So that they accuse his doctrine of obcuritie which was notwithstanding plaine and shrill enough vnlesse it had fallen amongst deaf men This history teacheth vs that wee cannot escape the deceits and slaunders of the wicked if wee be called to preach the Gospel VVherfore we must watch diligently not be moued herewithall as with some new matter when the same shall befall vs whiche befell our master 25 I haue told you The Lord doth not dissemble that he is Christ and yet notwithstanding he doth not teach them as if they were apt to learne bot doth rather cast in their teeth their malice and wickednesse wherin they were become obstinate because they had profited nothing hitherto being taught by the word and works of God Therfore he blameth them for that that they did not know him as if he should say my doctrine is easie enough to be vnderstood of it selfe and you are in the fault because you do wickedly and maliciously resist God Hee doth afterward speak of works that he may proue that they are guilty of double stubbornnes For besides his doctrine they had an euident testimonie in his myracles vnlesse they had been vnthankfull vnto God Therfore he repeateth that twise that they did not beleeue that he may manifestly proue vnto them that they are wilfully deafe when they shoulde heare his doctrine and blind when they shold behold his works which is a token of extreeme and desperate wickednes He saith that he hath done workes in the fathers name because this was the ende thereof that he might make the power of God knowen by them whereby it might be made manifest that he came from God 26 Because you are not of my sheep He sheweth an higher cause why they doe neither beleeue his myracles nor doctrine namely because they are reprobates And we must note Christ his purpose For because they did boast that they were Gods Church least theyr vnbeliefe should any whit discredite the Gospell he pronounceth that the gift of beleeuing is speciall and truly it is necessarie that men be knowen of God that men may know him as saith Paule Galat. 4. 9. Againe it must needes be that those whome God regardeth not must alwaies continue turned away from him If any man murmur and say that the cause of vnbeliefe is in God because it is in his power alone to make sheepe I answere that he is free from all fault seeing that men do only of voluntarie wickednesse reiect grace God doth purchase vnto himselfe so muche credit as is sufficient but wilde beastes doe neuer waxe tame vntill suche time as they be chaunged into sheepe by the spirit of God They that are such shall in vaine assay to lay the blame of their fiercenesse and wildenesse vpon God which is proper to their nature In summe Christe giueth vs to vnderstande that it is no maruell if there bee but a fewe that obey his gospell because they are cruell and vntamed beastes whosoeuer are not brought vnto the obedience of faith by the spirite of God VVherefore it is an vnmeete and absurd thing that the authoritie of the gospell should depend vpon the faith of men but rather let the faithfull consider that they are so much the more bound vnto God because whereas others do continue in blindnes they are draweÌ„ vnto Christ by the illumination of the spirite Moreouer the ministers of the gospel haue in this place wherewith they may comfort themselues if their labour bee not profitable to all men 27 My sheepe He proueth by an argument drawen from contraries that they are not sheepe because they obey not the Gospell For God doth call those effectually whom he hath chosen so that Christs sheepe are tryed by faith And truly this name sheepe is therfore giuen vnto the faithful because they submit themselues vnto God to be gouerned by the hand of the chiefe shepheard and hauing laid away their former wildnesse they shew themselues easie to be guided and obedient This also is no small coÌ„fort for godly teachers that howsoeuer the greater part of the worlde doth not hearken vnto Christe yet hath hee his sheepe whom he knoweth and of whom he is knowen againe Let them endeuour so much as in them lyeth to bring the whole world vnto Christe his sheepfold but when it falleth not out as they would wish let them be content with this one thing that those shal be gathered together by their diligence who are sheepe The rest I haue expounded before 28 And they shall not perish for â—uer This is an vncomparable fruit of faith that Christ commaundeth vs to be sure certaine voyde of care when as we are gathered into his sheepfold by faith But wee must also note vnto what proppe this certaintie leaneth namely because hee wil be a faithfull keeper of our saluation for he doth testifie that it is in his hand And if sobeit this be not yet sufficient he saith that it kept is safe by the power of the father An excellent place whereby we are taught that the saluation of all the elect is no lesse sure then the power of God is inuincible Furthermore Christe would not speake this rashlye and in vaine but his meaning was to make vnto his a promise which may remaine surely fixed in their mindes Therefore we gather that this is Christ his drift in these wordes that the faithfull and elect may be sure of their saluation VVe are compassed about with strong enemies and so great is our weakenesse that we are not farre from death euery moment yet because he is greater or mightier then all whiche keepeth that whiche is committed vnto him to keepe in our behalfe there is no cause why we should feare as if our life were in daunger we doe also gather heereby howe vaine the hope and confidence of the Papistes is which leaneth vnto freewill vnto their owne power and vnto the merites of workes Christe doth teache those that bee his farre otherwise that they remember that they are in this worlde as in the middest of a wood amongest many robbers and that besides that they are vnweaponed and alwaies as a pray they do also acknowledge that they haue the matter of death shut vp in them so that they doe walke in safetie trusting vnto the keeping of God alone Finally our saluation is therfore certaine and sure because it is in the hand of God because our faith is both weake and we are too too readie and bent to fall But God who hath taken vs into his hand is strong enough so that hee is able to
driue away all the engines of our enemies with the breath of his mouth alone It is profitable for vs to looke vnto this least the feare of temptations doe discourage vs. For Christ did intende to shewe some meanes howe the sheepe mighte bee safelye conuersaunt amongest wolues And no man can take them out of my fathers hande The copulatiue is heere put in steed of the illatiue For Christe gathereth out of the inuincible power of God that the saluation of the godly is not subiect to the will of their enemies because then must God of necessitie be ouercome who hath vs vnder the tuition of his hand 30 I and my father are one His intent was to preuent the scoffes of the wicked for they might obiect that the power of God did nothing appertaine vnto him so that he might promise vnto his Disciples the sure ayde thereof Therefore hee doth testifie that hee and his father are so ioyned togeather that hee and his sheepe shall neuer want his ayde The old writers abused this place that they myght proue that Christ was consubstantiall with the father For Christ doth not dispute concerning the vnitie of substance but concerning the agreement whiche he hath with the father namely that whatsoeuer Christe doth it is confirmed by the power of the father 31 Therfore the Iewes tooke vp stones againe to stone him 32 Iesus answered them I haue shewed you many good workes from my father for which of them doe yee stone mee 33 The Iewes answered him saying we do not stone thee for thy good workes sake but for thy blasphemie and because thou whereas thou art a man doest make thy selfe a God 34 Iesus answered them Is it not written in your lawe I haue saide yee are Gods 35 If hee called them Goddes vnto whom the worde of GOD was spoken and the scripture cannot bee broken 36 Doe yee say that hee doth blaspheme whom the father hath sanctified and sente into the worlde because I said I am the sonne of God 31 Therefore the Iewes tooke vp stones againe As Godlines doth enflame him with the zeale of God in defending his glory whome the spiritâ— of God doth gouerne so vnbeliefe is the mother of fury and the Diuell doth so pricke forward the wicked that they desire nothing but slaughter This end and issue doth shew with what minde they asked Christ for the open confession whereof they feigned themselues to be desirous doth by and by make them mad and yet notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but that when as they were thus violently carryed to oppres Christ they did it vnder colour of iudgement as if they did this according to the prescript of the law where GOD commaundeth that false prophetes be stoned Deut. 13 5. 32 Many good workes Christ doth not onely in this place denie that there is any cause why they should thus rage but he doth accuse them of vnthankfulnesse because they did so vniustly recompence Gods benefites He saith that hee had deserued well at their handes not for one worke or two only but that he had been beneficiall vnto them in many thinges Secondly he proueth vnto them that they were not onely vnthankefull vnto him but rather to God when he calleth himselfe the fathers minister who hath brought his power to light that it might bee knowen vnto them For when he saith from the father his meaning is that God was the authour thereof The summe is this God his intent was to bee made knowen vnto you by mee he hath bestowed excellent benefites vpon you by my hand trie mee as muche as you will I haue done nothing amongest you but that which is worthie of thankes and prayse Therefore it must needes bee that you will furiously persecute in mee now the giftes of God And the interrogation is more forceable to pricke their consciences withall then if he had spoken simplie affirmatiuely 33 Not for thy good workes sake Howsoeuer the wicked doe make open warre with God yet will they neuer offend without an honest colour Therefore when as they rage against the sonne of God beeing not yet content with this crueltie they doe of their owne accord accuse him and make themselues patrones and reuengers of Gods glory VVherefore it is necessarie that a good conscience bee vnto vs a brasen wall whereby wee may be able to beate backe the reproches and slaunders wherewith we are strongly assaulted For howsoeuer their wickednesse be brauely painted and howsoeuer they slaunder vs and cause vs to be euill thought of for a time if we feight in Gods cause he wil not denie himselfe but will defende his truth But because the wicked doe neuer want cloakes and colours to burden the seruants of God and there is also added thereunto most hard impudencie so that when they are ouercome they cease not to speake euill wee haue neede of meekenesse and patience to hold vs vp and vnderproppe vs vntyll the ende The scripture referreth this woorde blasphemie which is generally taken amongest profane writers for euery rayling vnto God when any poynt of his Maiestie is derogated and slaundered Because thou whereas thou art a man There be two sorts of blasphemies either when God is dispoyled of his owne honour or when any thing is forged vpon him which is vnmeete for or contrarie to his nature Therefore they hold and auouch that Christ doth both blaspheme and commit sacriledge because he being a mortall man doth vsurpe to himselfe Gods honour And this had been in deed a true definition if Christ had been nothing els but man they doe only offend in this that they do not vouchsafe to behold his diuinitie which appeared in the myracles 34 Is it not written Hee refuteth the crime that was laide to his charge not by denying that he was the sonne of God but by defending that this was well said Although he doth rather applie this his answere vnto the persons then throughly expound the matter it selfe For hee thought it sufficient for him at this present to refute their wickednesse Hee doeth rather by the way insinuate then plainely expresse in what sense he calleth himselfe the sonne of God And the argument which he vseth is not taken from things that are equal but from the greater to the lesser The scripture calleth them Goddes on whom the Lorde hath laid an honourable function therfore he is farre more worthie of this title of honor whom God hath separated to excel all other men VVherupon it followeth that they are wrong malicious interpreters which admit the former and doe take an occasion of offence in the latter The testimonie which Christ cite this in the Psa. 82. 6. VVhere God chideth y e kings and iudges of the earth who abuse their gouernment and might tyrannously to their owne lust to oppresse the miserable and to commit all manner wickednesse And he vpbraideth them that beeing vnmindefull whence they had so great dignitie they doe profane the name of God
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
they now adde that which was before omitted howe and vpon what occasion hee was betrayed by the disciple It appeareth sufficiently that he was annointed at Bethania Matthew and Marke say that he supt then with Simon the Leper Iohn doth not expresse the house but he doth sufficiently shewe that he supt at some other place then with Lazarus and Martha whylest that he maketh Lazarus one of those that sate at meate that is that hee was inuited together with Christe Neither is there any disagreement in this that Matthew and Marke do say that his head was annoynted and our Euangelist his feete The annoynting of the head was ordinarie whereupon Plinie counteth it a poynt of too much ryot that certain did annoynt the ancles The three agree together in this that Mary did annoynt Christ plentifully and powred out great store of oyntmente Therefore whereas Iohn speaketh of the feete it is as much as if he had said that all the whole body of Christ was annoynted eueÌ„ vnto the feet For there is an augmentation in this word feet which appeareth better by that which followeth when he addeth that Mary did wipe his feete with her hayre And the house was filled with the smell It was no simple liquor drawen out of Narde but a compounde confection made of smellyng things therefore it is no maruel if all the house were filled with the smel 4 Therefore one of his Disciples saith The murmuring of Iudas followeth which Matthew attributeth vnto the Disciples in generall and Marke only to certaine of them But that is an vsuall thing by Synecdoche to apply that vnto many which belongeth only vnto one or a few Although it seemeth to mee a thing like to bee true that the murmuring began at Iudas alone and that the rest were moued to consent vnto him as it is an easie matter for diuers affections to be kindeled in vs by whisperings as with fannes and principally backbitinges as we are too much bent vnto sinister iudgements doe take place in vs. But the too too great credulitie and rashnes in beleeuing which the spirit of God reproueth in the Apostles teacheth vs and is vnto vs an example that we be not too readie credulous to heare malitious speeches 5 VVhy was not this oyntment A pound of common oyntment cost but as Plinie doth testifie ten pence but the same man affirmeth that the highest price of the best oyntment was three hundred ten pence The Euangelistes agree together in this that this was the most costly oyntment wherefore it is not without cause that Iudas doeth valewe it at an hundreth pence which summe amounteth vnto fiftie poundes of French money according to Budaeus his account Furthermore forasmuch as all daintinesse almost hath included in it a superfluous ryot the greater the losse of the money was the more colour had Iudas for his murmuring as if he should haue said if Mary had bestowed som small cost shee should haue some excuse but now seeing that she hath wasted a great summe of money vpon a matter of no importance hath she not done iniurie to the poore who might haue been greatly relieued therewithal Therfore her fact deserueth no pardon 6 Because he was a theefe The rest of the Apostles do condemne Mary not of any euill affection but rashly but Iudas coloureth and couereth his wickednesse with an honest cloake when he speaketh for the poore for whom he cared not By this example are we taught what a monstrous beast the desire to haue is the losse which Iudas thought he had sustained by hauing the matter of stealing taken from him doeth driue him vnto so great outrage that he feareth not to betray Christe And it is likely that he had not onely lyed vnto others that the poore were deâ—rauded but also that he flattered himselfe inwardly as hypocrites are wont to doe as if it had beene but a light offence to betraye Christ that he might thereby recompence the damage which he had receiued This was one cause which moued him to betray Christ that hee might pull againe vnto himself the pray which had escaped him by som maner of meanes For the indignation which he had conceiued by reason of the gaine which he had lost caused him to determine to betray Christ. It it is a maruell that Christe woulde choose such a man to be his steward as he knew was a theef for what other thing was this but to reach him an haulter to hang himselfe withal Mortall man must make no other answere in this place but that the iudgementes of God are a deepe dungeon Neuerthelesse the fact of Christ must not be made a comon rule that we commit the caring for the poore or any other office to a wicked vngodly man For God hath giuen vs a law wherein he hath set downe who those â—e that must be called vnto the gouernment of the Church and vnto other offices which law wee may not violate Christ his estate was far vnlike vnto ours who seeing that he was the eternall wisdome of God he suffered his secrete predestination to take place in the person of Iudas 7 Suffer her VVhenas Christ commandeth theÌ„ to let Mary alone hee teacheth that those men do wickedly vniustly who molest their neighbours without cause procure coÌ„tention about a matter of nothing Christ his answere is longer in the other Euangelists yet the summe is al one The annointing wherwith Iudas found fault is defended by this reason because it was done to bury him Therfore Christ doth not alow it to be an ordinarie worship which ought to be coÌ„monly vsed in the Church For if he wold haue such dutie done vnto him dayly he would rather haue said any thing then that this was giuen to his buriall And truly God careth not for externall pompe yea seeing that hee seeth that mans nature is too much bent vnto carnall rites he doth oftentimes coÌ„mand vs to be sparing sober in these things wherfore they mistake Christ very much who infer out of his answer that god is delighted in costly gorgeous worshipping seeing that he did rather excuse Mary because she did vnto him an extraordinarie dutie which ought not to be made a common rule of worshipping God Against the day of my buriall c. In that he saith that the oyntment was kept his meaning is that it was not powred out in vain out of season but according to y e circumstaÌ„ce of y e time For that is said to be saued or kept which is said vp safe that it may be brought foorth in due time For it is certaine that it any would haue burdened him before with sumptuous dainties he would not haue suâ—â—ered him And he saith not y t Mary did this according to y e custome but that she might doe him the last dutie Furthermore the annoynting of the bodies was theÌ„ no vain ceremony but rather a spirituall signe to set before the eies of men the
wholesome to saue vs. Furthermore almost euery word hath his weight for he meaneth not in this place all manner of knowledge of God but that which transformeth into the image of God from faith to faith yea it is all one with the faith whereby we are ingrafted into the body of Christe and are made partakers of the adoption of God and heires of the kindome of heauen And because God is knowen in the face of Christ alone who is his liuely and expresse image therefore is it said that they may knew thee and Christ whom thou hast sent For in that the father is placed first that is not referred vnto the order of faith as if our minde did afterward discend vnto Christe when we know God but the sense is that God is knowen at length when the mediatour is put betweene There are two Epithites added true and only because it is necessary first that faith doe distinguish god from al the vain inuentions of men that hauing embraced him with firme certaintie it be bended no whither ne yet faint and wauer and secondly that being persuaded that there is no imfect thing in God it be content with him alone whereas some doe resolue it thus that they may knowe thee who art God alone it is cold Therfore this is the sense that they may acknowledge thee to be the true God But Christ seemeth by this meanes to dispoyle himselfe of the right name of the diuinitie If any man answere that this word God is to be applyed vnto Christ as well as to the father the same question shal be moued concerning the holy Ghost For if the father only the sonne be one God the spirite is driuen from this degree which is as absurd VVe may easily answere if any man take heede vnto the manner of speech which Christ vseth euery where in the Gospell of Iohn whereof I haue so often tolde the Readers alreadie that they ought to bee acquainted therewith Christ appearing in the shape of man signifieth vnder the person of the father the might essence and maiestie of God Therefore the father of Christe is the only true God that is that God which had promised y e world a redeemer long ago is one But the vnitie and veritie of the Godhead shal be found in Christ because Christ was humbled for this cause that he myght lift vs vpon high VVhenas we are come thither then his diuine maiestie doth shewe foorth it self then he is knowen wholy in the father and the father is knowen wholy in him In summe hee that separateth Christ from the diuinitie of the father he doth not know him as yet who is the only true God but hee doth rather forge to himselfe a straunge God Therefore we are commaunded to know God and Christ whom he hath sent by whom as by his out stretched hand he inuiteth vs vnto himselfe VVhereas some doe thinke that this is an vniust thing if men doe perish for the ignoraunce of God alone it commeth to passe thereby because they do not consider that the fountaine of life is in the power of God alone and that all those which are straungers from him are depriued of life Now if we come vnto God only by faith infidelitie doth hold vs necessarily in death If any man obiect that the iust and innocent haue iniurie done them otherwise if they bee condemned wee may easily answere that there is no right or sincere thing in men so long as they continue in their owne nature And we are renued as Paule testifieth into the image of God by knowledge Now is it worthie the labour to gather three pointes togeather that the kingdome of Christe bringeth life and saluation Colloss 3. 10. Secondly that all men doe not receiue life thence and that it is not Christ his office to giue life vnto all men but only to the elect whom the father hath committed to his tuition Thirdly that this life is placed in faith and Christe bestoweth it vppon those whome hee illuminateth into the saith of the Gospell whereby we gather that the gifte of the heauenly wisedome and of illumination is not common to all men but proper to the elect It is true that the Gospell is offered vnto all men but Christe setteth foorth in this place the hidden and effectuall manner of teaching whereby the children of God alone are drawen vnto faith 4 I haue glorified thee Hee saith thus for this cause because God was made knowen vnto the worlde both in his doctrine and also in his myracles And this is the glory of God if wee knowe what he is VVhenas he addeth that hee hath finished the worke which was inioyned him hee meaneth that he hath fulfilled the whole course of his calling for that was the due and appointed time wherin he was to be receiued into the heauenly glory And hee doth not onely speake of his office of teaching but he doth also cōprehēd the other parts of his ministery For althogh the principal part remained as yet to wit the sacrifice of his death wherwith he should purge the sinnes of al men yet because the houre of his death was now present he speaketh as if he had suffered death alreadie This is therefore the summe that hee may be sent of his father into the possession of his kingdome for asmuch as hauing ended his course there remained nothing els for him to doe saue only that hee might bring foorth the fruite and effect of all thinges by the power of the spirite which he had done vpon earth according to the commaundement of his father according to that of Paule Philippians the second Chapter and seuenth verse Hee abased himselfe taking to himselfe the shape of a seruant therfore hath the father exalted him and hath giuen him a name c. 5 VVith the glory which I had with thee He desireth to be glorified with the father not that he would haue the father glorifie him inwardlye without any witnesse but tha◠beeing receiued into heauen hee may gloriously shew foorth there his greatnesse and power that euery knee may bowe vnto him c. In the same place 10. Therefore this clause with the father is set against earthly and transitorie glory in the former member like as Paule Rom. the sixth chapter and the tenth verse when as he saith that he dyed to sinne once and that he liueth now vnto God he expresseth the blessed immortalitie Afterwarde he declareth that he desireth nothing which he himselfe had not before but only that he may appeare to be such in the flesh as he was before the creation of the worlde or if you will that I speake more plainely that the diuine maiestie which he had alwayes may now shine in the person of the mediatour and in mans flesh which hee had put on An excellent place whereby wee are taught that Christe is no fleshe or temporall GOD. For if his glorye was eternall hee him selfe was also alwayes Moreouer there