that thou art a Prophet 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mount and yee say that Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship 21 Iesus saith vnto her woman beleeue me the houre commeth whenas neither in this mountaine neither as Ierusalem yet shall worship the father 16 Call thy husband This seemeth to appertaine nothing vnto the matter Yea some man may thinke that Christ being discouraged and abashed with the frowardnesse of the woman doth turne his talke vnto some other matter but it is not so For when he saw that she did floute and taunt that which he saide he applyed a meete medicine vnto this in a ladie For he striketh the womans conscience with the feeling of her sinne And againe this is an excellent token of mercy that he draweth her almost against her will who would not come willingly But that which I haue already touched is chiefly to be noted that they must bee wounded with the feeling of their sin who are too carelesse and almost dull For such will make but smal account of the doctrine of Christ vntyll such time as being cited to appeare before the iudgement seat of god they be then compelled to feare him as their iudge whome they did despice After this sort are all those to be handeled who doubt not to gainstand the doctrine of Christ with their ruffianly brabbling that they may perceiue know that they shall not escape scotfree for this Furthermore so great is the stubbornnesse of som that they will neuer giue eare vnto Christe til such time as they be subdued by violence Therfore so often as we see the oyle of Christ to be vnsauerie it must be mingled with vineger that it may begin to haue some tast Yea we haue all of vs need of this For we are neuer earnestly affected and moued whē Christ speaketh vnlesse we be awaked with repentance Therefore if any man will profite aright in the schoole of Christ his hardnesse must bee tylled subdued with the declaration of his owne miserie as with a plough For it is this knowledge onely which doth take from vs all daintines that we may not be any longer so bold as to mocke God Therefore if at any time the contempt of the worde of God do come vpon vs there can be no fitter remedie then if euerie man doe stirre vp himself to consider vpon his sinnes that he may be wearie of himselfe and so being afraid with Gods iudgement may be humbled to obey him whome hee did before time despise I haue no husband The fruite of that admonition doth not yet appeare whereby he meant to pricke forward the womans minde vnto repentance And truly the drunken loue of our selues doth keepe vs so fast a sleepe or doth rather make vs so dull that the first prickings cannot awake vs. But Christ doth also very fitly cure this slownesse when as hee presseth the sore more strongly for he doth manifestly cast in her teeth her haynous offence Although I thinke that he doth not heere touche her whoredom only For in that he saith that she had fiue husbandes it is to be thought that that came to passe because being a wanton disobedient woman she had enforced her husbands to be diuorced Therfore I expound the words thus whereas God had ioyned thee to lawful husbands thou hast made no ende of sinning vntill such time as beeing made infamous through more diuorcemēts thou didst set forth thy self to be a common strumpet 19 Syr. I see that thou art c. Here now appeareth the fruite of the reprehension for the woman doth not only modestly acknowledge her fault but being prompt readie to heare Christ his doctrine which she had before refused requireth craueth y e same of her own accord therfore as I said euen now the beginning of true aptnes to be taught is repentance it is the opening of the gate to enter into the schoole of Christ. And the womā teacheth vs by her example that when any teacher is offered vs we must vse this opportunitie least we be vnthankful towarde God who doth neuer send his prophetes vnto vs but he doth as it were inuite vs vnto himselfe reaching out his hand vnto vs. And we must hold that which Paul teacheth that they are sent vnto vs of God who excell in the facultie of teaching Rom. 10. 15. 20 Our fathers It is false which some do thinke that because the reprehension was troublesome and lothsome she slid craftily vnto som other matter Nay she rather passeth frō the species vnto the genus or frō the particuler thing vnto that which was more generall beeing taught throughly concerning her sinne shee wil be instructed in the pure worship of god And this doth shee both wel and orderly in that she asketh counsell of a Prophet least she erre in worshipping God In like sort as if she did inquire of god himself after what sort he wold be worshipped For there is nothing more peruerse then at our own pleasure to feigne diuers kinds of worshippings without the word of god Furthermore we know wel enough that there was a continuall strife betweene the Iewes and the Samaritanes cōcerning the rule of right worshipping For althogh the Cuthites other strangers who were carried into Samaria whē the ten tribes were exiled being enforced with stripes did take vppon them the rites of the lawe and did professe that they worshipped the God of Israel as wee reade 2. King 10. 27. yet was religion lame and manye wayes corrupted amongest them whiche the Iewes coulde not away with But the contention waxed more hot after the building of the temple in mount Garizin which Manasses the sonne of Iohn the chiefe Prieste and Iaddi his brother did builde at such time as Darius the last king of the Persians did hold Iudea by the hand of Sanabales the gouernour For Manasses hauing married the Dukes daughter to the ende hee might be no whit inferiour to his brother he made himselfe priest there and did allure and drawe vnto him with rewards all the reuoltes hee coulde As Iosephus writeth in his eleuenth booke of Antiquitie And that which is accounted a solemne thing amongest the forsakers of true godlinesse to defend themselues with the examples of the fathers that did the Samaritanes then as we may gather out of the womans wordes Our fathers saith shee worshipped in this mount Certaine it is that they were not persuaded with cause to offer sacrifice there but after that they had erected a peruerse kinde of worship there there followed stubbornnes which was readie enough to catch al clokes I graunt in deed y t light persons are stounge and pricked sometimes with a foolish zeale as with a waspe so that they do straightway without iudgement take that for an example which they haue hearde holy men did But that other vice is more common to paynt their errours with the facts of the fathers And this may we easily see in
some great and singular thing in time to come of that infant For it was the will of God to set him forth with these rare tokens from his mothers wombe least that afterwardes as an vnknowne person or as one of the common sorte he should goe forth to execute the office of a Prophet First Luke declareth that Mary was almost three monethes with her coâ—â—e euen vnto the day of her deliueraunce for it is probable that there was no other cause of her tarrying but that shee might enioye the sight of the heauenlye grace whiche the Angell tolde her of for the confirmation of her fayth 58. And her neighbours and cosines It may be doubted whether these men esteemed the great grace of God of the onely blessing of bearing a child or whether they had heard before that an Angell had appeared to Zachary which had promised him a sonne Certainly this was no small benefit of God that a barren woman whose course of age was now past should beare a childe beyonde the order of nature Therefore it may be that for this so great a cause they extolled the greatnesse of the goodnesse of God Furthermore on the eight day as the custome was for dutie for humanitie sake they came togeather But this occasion doth God vse that he might make them witnesses and beholders of his power and of his glory And it is not to be doubted but that there came a greater concourse of the people because of the extraordinarie birth for they accounted it as a wonder to see an old and a barren woman sodenly to become with childe And now when the child was borne the wonder was renued and encreased VVe gather by the words of Luke that although they circumcised their children at home yet they did it not without a concourse and an assembly of men and that not without a cause for seeing that it was a publike sacrament of the Church it ought not to be administred secretely or priuately 59. They called him after the name of his father VVe know that in the beginning names were giuen to men either of the euent of thinges or else by propheticall instinction to declare note some secrete work of God But after in processe of time when there was more store of names so that conueniently they could not dayly inuent new they being content with their old and accustomed names called their children by the names of their auncesters So there were many Zacharyes before Iohn his father and it may be that he came of the sonne of Barachias And we know that most commonly that is holden for a law which is receiued into vse and custome Therefore these men striue that their custome might be obserued in naming of the child But as there is no religion to be put in names so no wise men wil deny the faithful in this behalfe to make a godly and fitte choyse that they may giue their children such names as may teach them and admonish them of their dueties Furthermore let them borowe the names of the holye Fathers that so they may prouoke theyr children to follow their examples rather then take them from prophane men 60. His mother answered It is vncertaine whether that Elizabeth was also taught by an Oracle But it is most like that when Zacharyas sawe him selfe punished for his slacknes to beleeue that he tolde his wife by writing that which the Angell had giuen in commaundement as concerning his name for that otherwise shee woulde not haue obeyed the commaundement of God Why also this name was giuen to the Baptist from aboue I haue before declared The kinsfolkes although they knew not the cause yet they are moued with the newnes of the thing especially because that they suppose that this is not vnaduisedly done 64. His mouth was opened God renoumeth the birth day of his Prophet by restoring the tongue to the father And it is not to be doubted but that this benefit was differred to this day for this end and purpose that hee might turne mens eies vpon Iohn It is sayde that Zacharyas praised god not onely that he might declare his thankfulnes but that his kinsfolke and neighbours might know that this punishment was laid vppon him because that he was so slacke to beleeue And hee was not ashamed with his owne reproache to declare and sette forth the glorye of GOD. So it is euery where knowne to all men that there is a childe borne not at aduenture or after the common order but promised by heauenlye Oracle 65. Then feare came on them all This feare whereof Luke maketh mention in this place sprang of the feeling of Gods power For the workes of God are with such reuerence to be considered that they may earnestly moue vs. For God playeth not with his miracles but he stirreth vp the senses of men which otherwise he perceiueth to be slow and dull And Luke saith that this fame was spread abroad throughout al the hill countrey of Iudea Although that many tooke no profit by it yet they were for a time touched with the power of God for when that Iohn beganne to execute his office few did remember how wonderful his natiuitie was But God would that the fame of these thinges should be spread abroad not for their sakes only that heard the same but that the miracle might be of more credit in all ages after which was then so famous in euery place yet as in a looking glasse we may here set beefore our eies the common vnthankefulnesse of man For when as vaine and foolish thinges are fast fixed in our mindes the remembrance of the graces of God which ought alwayes to be fresh in memorie is presently let passe and forgotten Luke speaketh not of blockish men or of bruitish coÌ„temners of God For hee saith that they layd vp these thinges in their heart that is they were diligent to consider these thinges And it is probable that some at the time remembred these matters but the greater part had shortlye after cast off this reuereÌ„t feare which they had coÌ„ceiued Yet it is to be noted that they did not digresse from the purpose which referred these miracles which they sawe to the excellencie which should in time to come be found in the childe for such was the counsell of God as we haue saide that Iohn should not after come abroad without singular commendation In that Luke saith that the hand of God was with him this is the meaning The grace of God was euident so many waies which openly declared that he was not a common man It is a figuratiue speech which affirmeth that the power of God was as plainely shewed as if the hand of God had beene openly seene that euery man might readily discerne that God was present Mathew Marke Luke 1. 67. Then his father Zacharyas was filled with the holy Ghost and prophecied saying 68. Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel because he hath visited and redeemed his people 69.
so that he may now be worshipped euery where without any difference of places or countries 22 You worship you know not what we worship that which we know because saluation is of the Iewes 23 But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worshippe the father in spirite and truth for the father requireth to haue such to worship him 24 God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite truth 25 The woman saith vnto him I knowe that the Messias shall come who is called Christe therfore when he shall come hee shall tell vs al thinges 26 Iesus saith vnto her I am he that talke with thee Now he doth more at large expound that which he touched briefly concerning the abrogating of the law Yet doth he deuide the sum of his speech into two members in the former hee condemneth the manner of worshipping god vsed among the Samaritanes of superstition error and doeth testifie that the Iewes did worship God wel and lawfully He addeth the cause of the difference because the certaintie of the worship which the Iewes vsed did appeare vnto them out of the worde of God but the Samaritanes had no certaintie from the mouth of God Secondly hee declareth that the rites which the Iewes kept hytherto should shortly haue an end 22 You worship that which you know not A sentence worthie to be remembred wherein we are taught that we must assay nothing rashly and by chaunce in religion because vnlesse knowledge be present we doe not any longer worship God but a false imagination or ghost Therfore by this thunderbolt are throwen downe all good intents as they cal them For we know that men can doe nothing els but erre when their own opinion doth rule them without the word of God or his commandemēt For Christ taking vpon him his countries cause and person doth teache that the Iewes doe much differ from the Samaritanes VVhy so Because of them commeth saluation saith he By which wordes he giueth her to vnderstand that they doe exceede them in this one point because God had concluded the couenant of eternall saluation with them Some do restraine it vnto Christ who came of the Iewes And truly sithence that all the promises of God are sure and certaine in him there is no saluation saue only in him But because it is out of doubt that Christ doth preferre the Iewes for this cause because they doe not worship any vnknowen power but one God who reuealed himselfe vnto them and who hath adopted them to be his people by this word saluation must bee vnderstood that wholesome manifestation which they had by the heauenly doctrine But why doth he say that it is of them when as it is rather committed to them that they alone might enioy it He alludeth in my iudgement vnto that which was foretold by the Prophets that there should a lawe come out of Syon For they were separated for a time frō other people vpon this conditiō that the pure knowledge of god might at length flowe from them vnto the whole worlde Notwithstanding this is the summe that God is not worshipped aright vnlesse he be worshipped according to the certaintie of faith which must needs proceede frō the worde of God wherupon it foloweth y t they fal away vnto idolatry whosoeuer they be that depart frō the worde of god For Christe doth in plaine wordes testifie that an idol or vaine fictiō is set vp insteed of God where mē are ignorāt of the true god hee doth cōdemne all those of ignorāce vnto whō god hath not reuealed himself For so soone as we are once destitute of the light of his word darknes blindnes do reigne And we must note y t when the Iewes had brokē the couenaunt of eternal life with their vnfaithfulnes which was established with their fathers they were depriued of that treasure which they kept then as yet for they were not as yet driuen out of the church of God Nowe seeing that they denie the sonne they haue nothing to doe with the father The same must we thinke of all those who haue fled frō the pure faith of the gospel vnto their own inuentions Howsoeuer they flatter themselues in their stoutnes who worship god according to their own mind or mens traditiōs yet this one voyce thūdering out of heauē doth ouerthrow whatsoeuer diuine holy thing they think they haue You worship that which you knowe not Therefore to the end our religion may be approued of God it must needes leane vnto the knoweledge conceiued out of his worde 23 But the houre commeth and now is The latter member concerning the abrogation of the legall worship followeth VVhen he saith that the houre commeth or shall come he teacheth that the order deliuered by Moses shall not be perpetuall Heb. 9. 10. VVhen he saith that the houre is nowe he maketh an end of the ceremonies and so he telleth her that the time of reformation is fulfilled In the meane while he alloweth the Temple the Priesthood and all rites annexed thereunto as touching the vse of the time past Furthermore to the ende he may declare that God will neither bee worshipped at Ierusalem nor in mount Garizin he taketh vnto himself a deeper principle namely that the true worship of him cosisteth in the spirite For thereupon it followeth that he is rightly called vppon euery where Yet first of all here may a question be asked why and in what sense the worship of God is called spirituall To the end wee may vnderstand this we must note the opposition betweene the spirite and the external figures as betwene the shadowes and the truth Therefore the worship of God is said to consist in the spirite because it is nothing els but the inward faith of the hearte which bringeth forth inuocation secondly the puritie of conscience the deniall of our selues that beeing giuen to obey God we may be vnto him as holy sacrifices Heerupon ariseth another question whether the fathers did worship him spiritually vnder the lawe or no I answere seeing that God is alwayes lyke to himselfe hee allowed no other worship from the beginning of the worlde saue the spirituall worship which was agreeable vnto his nature VVhich thyng Moses doth sufficiently testifie who doth in many places declare that the ende of the lawe did tend to no other end but that the people shold cleaue vnto God with faith and a pure conscience And the prophetes doe more clearely expresse the same when as they sharply inueigh against the hypocrisie of y e people because they thought they had satisfied God after they had offered their sacrifices and executed that externall pompe It is no need to inferre many testimonies here which are common euery where yet are there most notable places before all other in the fiftie Psalme the second of Isayas verse the fiftie eight and threescore and sixt Micheas the fift Amos the seuenth But
folowed him with his disciples 20. And beholde a woman which was diseased with an issue of bloude twelue yeares came behinde him and touched the hem of his garmeÌ„t 21. For she said in her selfe If I may touche but his garmeÌ„t onely I shall be whole 22. Then Iesus turned him about and seeing her did say Daughter bee of good coÌ„fort thy faith hathmade thee whole and the woman was made hole at that houre 22. And beholde there came one of the rulers of the Synagogue whose name was Iairus and when he saw him he fel downe at his feete 23. And besought him instantly saying My litle daughter lieth at the poynt of death I praye thee that thou wouldest come and lay thine handes on her that shee may be healed and liue 24. Then hee went with him and a great multitude folowed him and thronged him 25. And there was a certaine woman which was diseased with an issue of bloude twelue yeares 26. And had suffered many thinges of Phisitions and had spent all that she had and it auailed her nothinge but shee became much worse 27. And when â—he had heard of Iesus â—hee came in the preace behinde and touched his garment 28. For shee sayde If I may touch but his cloathes I shal be hole 29. And straight way the course of her bloude was dried vppe and shee felt in her body that shee was healed of that plague 30. And when Iesus did knowe in himselfe the vertue that went out of him hee turned him rounde about in the preace and sayde who hath touched my cloathes 31. And his disciples sayde vnto him Thou seest the multitude throng thee and sayest thou who did touche mee 32. And he looked rounde about to see her that had done that 33. And the woman feared and trembled for shee knewe what was done in her and shee came and fell downe before him and tolde him the whole truthe 34. And hee sayde to her Daughter thy faith hathe made thee hole Goe in peace and â—e hole of thy plague 40. And it came to passe when Iesus was come againe that the people receiued him for they all waited for him 41. And beholde there came a man named Iairus and hee was the ruler of the Synagogue who fel downe at Iesus feete and besought him that he would come into his house 42. For he had but a daughter only about twelue yeares of age and shee lay a dying and as hee went the people thronged him 43. And a woman hauing an issue of bloud twelue yeres long which had spent al her substance vppon Phisitions and coulde not be healed of any 44. VVhen shee came behind him shee touched the hemmâ— of his garmente and immediatelie her issue of bloude stanched 45. Then Iesus sayde who is it that hath touched me VVhen euery manne denied Peter said and they that were with hym maister the multitude thruste thee and treade on thee and sayest thou who hathe touched mee 46. And Iesus sayde Some one hath touched mee for I perceiue that vertue is gone from me 47. VVhen the woman sawe that shee was not hid shee came trembling and fell downe before him and tolde him before al the people for what cause shee had touched him and howe shee was healed immediately 48. And hee sayde vnto her Daughter bee of good comforte thy faith hathe made thee hole goe in peace 18. VVhile he thus spake They that imagine that Marke and Luke doe not sette downe the same hystorie which Mathewe doeth are so plainely confuted out of the text so that it neede not any long disputation Three with one mouthe doe saye that Christe was required by the ruler of the synagogue that he would come to his house to heale his daughter In this they differ that the name of Iairus is suppressed by Mathewe and is set downe by Marke and Luke And he bringeth in the father speaking thus my daughter is deceased the other two doe say that shee was at the poynt of death and that he was tolde of her death by the way as he was bringing Christ. But in that there is no difficultie for Mathew endeuouring to be short doeth in a worde set downe togither those things which the other doe digest distinctly in their places But seeing all other things do so aptly agree togither sith so many circumstaÌ„ces doe concord in one as if three fingers shuld seeme to be directed togither to shew one thing no reason doeth suffer this hystorie to be drawn to diuers times The Euangelists do with one mouth declare that when Christ was required of the ruler of the synagogue to come to his house by the waye a woman was healed of an issue of bloud by a secrete touching of his garment and that Christ after he was come into the rulers house did raise a dead maiden So I do not thinke it needefull to vse a long circumstance of words to prooue that the three do report one and the same hystory Let vs now come to the particulers Beholde a certaine ruler Although it appeareth by the other two Euangelists that his faith was not so strong that he hoped that he coulde restore his daughter to life yet it is not to be doubted but that he being rebuked by Christ conceiued a greater hope then hee had brought from home But Mathew as it is sayd endeuouring to be short placeth in the beginning that which was wrought in successe of time yet the hystorie is thus to bee gathered that Iairus first demaunded to haue his daughter cured of her disease and then to bee restored from death to life after when Christ had encouraged him VVorshipping is taken for the bowing of the knee as we gather by the words of Marke and Luke for Iairus did not giue diuine honour to Christ but worshipped him as a Prophet of God And it is well knowen that the bowing of the knee was very common amongst the inhabitants of the East Come and lay thine hand on her VVee haue heere a notable spectacle of the fauour of God towardes vs if thou comparest the ruler of the synagogue with the Centurion a heathen manne thou wilt say that in him there was a full great light in this scarce one little droppe of faith he imagineth that Christe hath no power to doe her good except hee touche her and hauinge receiued woorde of her death hee is so afraide as if there were no further remedie Therefore we see that his faith was weake and very colde but that Christe yeeldeth to his requestes and encourageth him to hope wel declareth that his faith howe small so euer it was was not vtterly reiected Therefore though we be not instructed fully in the faith as it were to be wished yet there is no cause why our weakenesse shoulde hinder vs or driue vs from calling vppon God 20. A woman which was diseased with an issue of bloud The Euangelistes doe expresly declare that this issue of bloud had endured for the space of
against his enemie For although the assaultes of Sathan are sharpe and daungerous there is no cause why they should weaken the children of God for the inuincible power of the holy Ghost keepeth them in safetie And we know that this plague is onely pronouÌ„ced against the despisers of the grace of God which menne become profane by choaking vp the light of faith and by suppressinge the studie of godlinesse Matth. 12. Marke 3. Luke 11. 46. VVhile hee yet spake to the multitude behold his mother and his brethren stoode without desiringe to speake with him 47. Then one sayd vnto him beholde thy mother and thy brethreÌ„ stand without desiring to speake with thee 48. But he answered and said to him that told him who is my mother and whoe are my brethren 49. And he stretched forth his hand towardes his disâ—iples and saide behold my mother any brethren 50. For whosoeuer shal doe my fathers will whiche is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother 31. Then came his brethren and mother and stoode without and sente vnto him called him 32. And the people sate about him and they said vnto him behold thy mother and thy brethren seeke thee without 33. But he answered theÌ„ saying who is my mother and my brethren 34. And he looked round aboute on them whiche sate in compasse aboute him and said behold my mother my brethren 35. For whosoeuer doth the wil of God he is my brother and my sister mother 27. And it came to passe as hee sayde these thinges a certeine woman of the company lifted vp her voyce and saide vnto him blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked 28. But he said yea rather blessede are they whiche heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 8. 19. Then came to him his mother and his brethren coulde not come neere to him for the prease 20. And it was tolde him by certeine which said thy mother and thy brethren stande without and would see thee 21. But hee aunswered and sayde vnto themâ— my mother and my brethren are these which heare the wâ—rd of God and doe it LV. 27. Blessed is the wombe The meaning of the woman was in this order to set forth the excelleÌ„cie of Christ for she had no respect to Mary whom peraduenture she neuer saw but this doth not a litle set forth the glory of Christ for that he ennobled and made blessed the womb wherin he was borne And this blessing of God is no absurd nor strang matter but is spoken after the maner of the scripture for we know that the child which is especially adorned with notable graces is preferred aboue al other as a singuler gift of God And it cannot be denied but that God chusing and appoynting Marye to be the mother of his sonne gaue her great honor therby Yet Christes answer yeeldeth not so to the womans words but is rather a sharp reproofe Nay saith he blessed are they which heare the word of God VVe see that Christ made almost no account of that which the womaÌ„ only extold And certeinly that which she thought had bene Maries greatest glory was far inferiour to her other giftes of grace for it was much more dignitie to be regenerate by the spirite of Christ then to conceiue the flesh of his Christe in her wombe to haue Christ spiritually liuing in her then to giue him suck with her breastes To be short the holy virgins greatest felicitie glory was in this to be a meÌ„ber of her sonne that he accounted her amongste the new creatures of the heauenly father Yet I think that the womans speach was reproued for an other cause and to an other end namely because men coÌ„monly neglect the gifts of God which in a mase they wonder at and sounde with ful mouthes For this womaÌ„ in praising Christ omitted that which was the chief that in him there was saluation offered to alâ— menne That therfore was but a cold coÌ„mendation wherin there was no mentioÌ„ of his grace power which extendeth vnto al men VVherefore Christ doth rightly chaleng vnto himself an other kind of praise that his mother only shuld not be accouÌ„ted blessed that in respect of the flesh but because he bestoweth vpon vs al perfect eternal blessednes Therfore the dignitie of Christ is then esteemed of as it ought to be when we consider to what end Christ was giuen vs of the father and that we fele what benefits he hath brought vnto vs that we in him may be made blessed which are in our selues miserable But why speaketh he nothing of himself and maketh mention onely of the word of God because that by this meanes he openeth vnto vs al his treasures he doth not any thing with vs nor we againe with him without his word Sith therfore he communicateth himself vnto vs by the word rightly properly he calleth vs to heare keepe the same that he by faith may become ours Nowe we see what Christes answere differeth from the commendation of the woman for he offereth that blessednes liberally to al which she had after a sort tyed to one house also he reacheth that he must not be accouÌ„ted of in a coÌ„mon sort or order because that he hath al the treasures of heauenly life blessednes and glory hidden in him which he dispenseth by his worde that they which imbrace the worde may by faith bee made partakers of the same For the free adoption of God which we learne out of his word is the key of the kingdom of heauen And this ioyning them together is to be noted that first we must heare and then obserue and keepe for faith commeth by hearing Ro. 10. 17. and here ariseth the fountaine beginning of the spiritual life But beecause that simple hearing is as a vaine looking into a glasse as Iames declareth 1. 23. The keeping of the word is also added which is as much as an eftectual receiuing where it taketh liuely rootes in the hearts that it may bring forth the fruit So the vaine hearer who hath only his eares beaten with the outward doctrine getteth nothing And whosoeuer boaste that they are satisfied with a secrete inspiration and vnder this pretence neglect the outward preaching are excluded out of the heauenly life Therefore those things which the sonne of God hath ioyned let not men of a sacrilegious rashnes put a sunder The blockish folly of the Papists is to be wondred at that they would sing these wordes in the honor of Mary which do so plainly coÌ„fute their superstition but in their thanks giuing they cul out the womaÌ„s words omitting the words of Christ which reproueth But so it was meete that they should be by all meanes bewitched which endeuour theÌ„ selues to prophane the holy word of God after their own pleasure LV. 19. Then came to him There seemeth to be some difference between Luke the other
he leaueth the very meaning of the words For Luke woulde note what the behauiour of the woman was and what all men thought of her For though her sodeine chaunge hadde made her an other womanne before GOD then shee was before yet the infamy of her former life was not as yet extinguished amongst men Therfore by common iudgemente shee was a sinner that is of a wicked and shamefull life VVhereuppon Simon dooth euill inferre that Christ had not the spirite of discretion who knewe not that infamy so commonly knowne 40. Iesus answered Christ declareth by this aunswere how muche Simon was deceaued For the reuealing and setting forth his silente and secrete thought prooueth that hee hath some greater excellencie then the prophets For he answereth not his words but he refuteth that which he kept secrete within And that not for Simons sake onely but that we all may thereby learne that it is not to be feared that hee shoulde reiect any sinners from him who is ready no lesse lyberallye as with outstretched armes to receiue all then gentlye and louinglye to call them to him 41. Two debters The summe of this parable is that Simon erred in condemning the woman which the heauenly Iudge hath cleared And he proueth that she is righteous not because she hath satisfied God but because sinnes are forgiuen her for otherwise the similitude should not agree where Christ saieth the debtes were freely forgiuen the debters because they were not able to pay Therefore it is maruaile that so many interpreters were so grosly deceaued as though this woman shoulde obtaine forgiunesse by teares annoynting and kissing of his feere For the argument which Christ vseth is not taken of the cause but of the effect for this in order is first to receiue the benefit then to giue thanks and free forgiunesse is heere noted to be the cause of this mutuall loue In summe the argument wherby Christ proueth that this woman is reconciled to God is gathered of the fruites or the latter effectes 44. Hee turned to the woman The Lord seemeth so to compare Simon with the woman that he maketh him bound onelye for small offences But the manner of his graunting is as if he should haue said Simon imagine that thy guiltinesse were but small from the which the Lorde hath deliuered thee and that this woman was ouerwhelmed with many and most grieuous sinnes yet thou seest that she is forgiuen and she now doth testifie the same in deede For what meane these teares thus abundantly shedde what the continual washing of my feete what the precious ointment but that she confesseth her selfe to haue bene ouerwhelmed with a wonderfull weight of damnation And now she embraceth the mercie of God so much more carnestly by how much shee acknowledgeth her selfe to haue greater neede of the same Therfore by Christes words it can not be gathered whether Simons debt was small and whether hee was deliuered from the guiltines of the same It is rather to be beleeued that he was a blind hypocrite and then was yet drowned in the filthines of his sinnes But Christ rested vpon this one thing though she had bene a wicked woman yet these are manifest signes of her righteousnes that to testifie her thankfulnes she omitted no kinde of duetie and she declared by al meanes she could how much she was bound to God yet Christ admonisheth Simon that there is no cause why hee shoulde flatter himselfe as though he were free from al fault for he also had neede of mercie Then if he himselfe do not please God without forgiunes hee ought by these signes of repentaunce and thankfulnes to consider that whatsoeuer this woman had sinned was forgiuen her The wordes are to be noted wherein this woman is preferred aboue Simon namely that shee washed Christes feete with her teares and wiped them with her hayres when he had not commaunded to giue him so much as common water that shee ceased not to kisse his feete when he had not vouchsated to receiue Christ with a kisse of salutation for a guest that she had powred pretious ointment vpon his feete and he had not annoynted his head with oyle Also this was the cause why the Lorde who was a singular example of a sparing and moderate life suffered the cost of this oyntment to be beestowed vppon him beecause the miserable sinner shoulde by this meanes testifie that shee ought all to him For he desired not delightes nor was allured with pleasaunt sauour nor allowed glorious decking but looked onely for an earnest testimonie of repentaunce which is also sette forth by Luke as an example to vs. for the teares are witnesses of her sorow which is the beginning of repentaunce She came behynde Christ and there threw her selfe downe at his feete in which appeared her shamefastnes and humilitie she brought her oyntment and offered her selfe and all shee had in sacrifice to Christ. All these things are for vs to follow but the sheading of the oyntement was a perticular action which should be yll drawne into a general rule 47 Her sinnes are forgiuen her Some thinking the verbe to haue bene of the moode of exhorting doe gather this sense sith this woman sheweth by these notable deedes that she wholly burneth with the loue of Christ it is not meete that the Church should be more sharpe or harde against her but that she should rather be gently entreated though shee had grieuouslye offended But the maner of placing of the Greeke word being wel considered that subtill exposition may be reiected which the texte resuseth For a litle after Christ speaking to the woman rehearseth the same where the maner of exhorting could not agree And the contrary clause followeth this sentence lesse is forgiuen to him that loueth lesse Though the verbe of the present tence may be resolued into the preter tence For sith she endeuored to perfourme carefully al the dueties of pietie Christ hereof inferreth that though she was couered with many sinnes yet the mercy of God was greater then that she should be accounted a sinner any more But this loue is not sayde to be the cause of forgiuenesse but a signe following after as I sayde before For this is the meaning of the wordes They which see so great desire of pietie in a womanne are peruerse Iudges except they iudge thereby that God hath already bene mercifull vnto her so that free forgiunesse hath in order gone before For Christ doth not dispute by what price men should obtaine the grace of God but he proueth that God hath now forgiuen this miscrable sinner and that mortall man should not be so hard against her 48. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee It may bee demaunded to what ende Christ promiseth her againe that forgiuenesse which she had obtayned and whereof shee was assured Some say that this was spoken not so much for her sake as for others But in my iudgement he had especiall regarde of her as shall more euidently
plague men with strange vnwonted diseases VVherin the diuine power of Christ shewed it self more euidently in triumphing ouer sathan not that sathan ruleth ouer men at his owne pleasure but as he hath power giuen him of the Lorde to hurt But as the Lorde being the onely authour of all good things yet he doeth chiefly shew his glory in especiall and extraordinarie benefites so also he would haue the power and tyrannie of sathan especially knowen in extraordinarie scourges though he also vseth his hand in light chastisements with which he doeth daily chastise vs. 12. VVoman thou art losed Christ in this myracle as in others giueth a testimony both of his power of his grace For he saith that he came for that cause that he might helpe them in misery The power is expressed in these words womaÌ„ thou art losed for of his authority he saith that he had the deliuerance in his hand Yet he addeth an outward signe of the vse wherof we haue entreated other where That the people glorifieth God it testifieth to vs that this heauenly benefite was euident For it was no obscure woorke whiche might by disputation be applied either way but it was such as gaue great and certaine occasion of praising God VVhereby the wickednesse of the master of the synagogue is reuealed 14. There are sixe dayes This controller dareth not condemne Christe openly but he turneth the poyson of his frowardnesse an other way condemning Christ ouerthwartly in the person of the common people And he was growen in malice to a madnes without reason he warneth them that there are sixe daies appoynted for labour but how wickedly and folishly defineth he that labor which is not permitted but for those 6. daies VVhy doth he not also forbid theÌ„ entring into the synagogue least they shoulde breake the Sabboth VVhy doeth he not commaund them to abstaine from the exercises of godlinesse If that men are only restrained froÌ„ their owne works on the sabboth day how wicked is it then to tie or restraine the spirit of God He commandeth them to come to be healed on other daies as though the power of God should lie and slepe on the sabboth and shoulde not rather that day more exercise the same for the saluation of his people For to what purpose are the holy assemblies but that the faithful should seeke and craue the aid and helpe of God Therfore this wicked hypocrite speaketh as if the lawfull obseruation of the sabboth should hinder the course of Gods benefites shoulde exclude men from calling vpon him and should depriue them of his grace 15. Eache one of you on the Sabboth day VVhen it was an easie matter to refel so grosse malice with diuers arguments Christ was content with this one if it be lawfull to shewe kindnesse on the sabboth day to beastes they faine a very preposterous worshippe if on that day the children of GOD should not be holpen But there is a double comparison in the woordes of Christe of the beast with the daughter of Abraham and of the haltar wherwith the asse or oxe is tied to the manger with the bandes of sathan wherin he holdeth men bound to their destruction You sayth he which are so scrupulous obseruers of the sabboth dare lose your oxen and asses that they may be led to the water why shall it not then be lawful for me to performe the like duety to the electe people of God especially where greater necessity requireth it namely when any manne is to be deliuered from the snares of sathan And though this wicked reprehender held his peace for shame yet we see that Christ wrought not any myracle so notable which the wicked did not cauil at Neither is it any maruell if Sathan applied all his study and endeuour to this purpose that hee mighte peruert the glory of Christe who ceaseth not daily to scatter his cloudes that he might by them obscure the holy woorkes of the faithfull It is to be noted that Christe calleth her the daughter of Abraham whose body had bene 18. yeres enthralled to sathan and he called her so not onely in respecte of the stocke as all the Iewes generally were proude of this title but because she was one of the true and naturall members of the church VVherein we do also behold that which Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 5. 5. that some are deliuered to sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord. And the continuance of that time teacheth vs not to despaire though the Lorde doeth not presently heale our miseries Mathewe Marke Luke 13.   31. The same day there came certaine Pharisies and sayde vnto him Depart and goe hence for Herode seeketh to kill thee 32. Then sayde he vnto them Goe yee aâ—d tell that Foxe Beholde I cast out deuils and will heale still to day and to morowe and the thirde day I shall be perfited 33. Neuerthelesse I must walke to day and to morowe and the day followinge for it cannot be that a Prophet should pearish out of Ierusalem Also it cannot be certainly coniectured when this befell but that it is euident that Christ was then in Galile as in all the course of his trauaile he was more there then other where For they which would seeme to be his friendes perswade him to be out of Herodes iurisdiction if that hee would be safe Now it is vnknowen how they were affected which gaue this counsell but I rather coniecture when they sawe the moste parte of the people there giuen to Christ so that the doctrine of the Gospell was euery where receiued they assaied to driue him to some other place It is to be noted who these warners were Luke sayeth that they were some of the Pharisies but we know that secte was not so mercifull to Christe that it should be probable that they were carefull of his life VVhat then certainly their purpose was by casting a feare before him to driue him away into some corners for so they hoped that it shoulde come to passe that in shorte time his authority shoulde decay and his whole doctrine should vanish away But yet we must consider the purpose of Sathan the chief master and framer of this deuise for as by fearing the sonne of God he sought then to hinder the course of the Gospell so he nowe inuenteth and frameth newe terrours wherwith he might discourage the ministers of Christ and enforce them to leaue their course 32. Tell that Foxe beholde I cast out deuils It is certaine that hee speaketh of Herode Antipas And though he had the maners of a Foxe and a disposition no lesse seruile then crafty yet I do not thinke that he comprehendeth the subtelty of his whole life vnder this name of Foxe but his secreat deceits where he attempted to vndermine the doctrine of the Gospell when with open warre he durst not sette vppon it For Christe declareth though he was crafty
sprinckling of their comured water which the Papistes call holy water with the Iewish washinges For the Papistes do blot out asmuch as lyeth in them that one Baptisme by the iteratinge of the same so oft Then it is applyed to exorcismes and that oyishe sprincklinge is supposed to be of force to wash away sinnes If that it were a thing lawfull of it selfe and were free from such corruptions yet that necessitye which they vrge is alwaies to be condemned 3 VVhy do yee also transgresse the commaundements of God Christ maketh here a double answere the first is to the person as they say the other conteineth the definition of the matter and cause The order is otherwise sette downe in Mark who first bringeth in that whiche Christe spake of the whole matter then he addeth the reproofe wherin heinueigheth against hypocrites we will follow the course obserued by Matth. Againe when as the Lord demaundeth of the Scribes why they defile the law of God through their own traditions he doth not yet plainely delyuer his disciples from the fault obiected against them but hee onely sheweth them how wicked preposterous and froward they were They take it grieuously that the preceptes of menne are not exactly obserued how much more grieuous a matter is it that the law of God being neglected they should imploy their whole endeuor in the obseruing of these traditions Therfore it appeareth that they were moued rather with ambition then with a true and right zeale while they so prefer men before God Also it doth easily appeare by the text in what sense he saith that the commaundements of God are transgressed They did not openly or professedly abolish the law of God as to affirme that to be lawful which the law had forbidden but they did indirectly transgresse the same when as the exercises enioined by the Lorde were suffred by the carelesly to be omitted The exāple which Christ bringeth is plaine familiar God hath commanded that children shuld honor their parents Yet because the offrings made for the gaine of the priests the gathering of them was so narowly looked to that they imagined that he sinned more grieuously that offred nothing then he that robd his parents of the honor due to thē Also that which according to the law of god was left as a thing voluntary was of more importance in the iudgment of the scribes thē one of the chief cōmādements of god Therfore as oft as we are so bent to kepe the laws of men so y t we imploy lesse diligence care for the keeping of the law of god we are accoūted to trāsgresse the same A litle after he saith that the cōmandemēt of god is made of no autority by y e traditiōs of mē because the Scribes do hold the people so bound to their deuises that there could no time nor leasure be left to the word of god also because they thoght that they had done their duety very well that had waited of them at an ynch and hereof arose a liberty to sin For it is thought that the law of God may be freely broken sith that holines is rather put in the obseruation of other things then of it Now let euery man consider with himself whether this fault abosideth not more at this day amōgst the Papists thē in times past amongst the Iews The Pope with the whol dunghil of his cleargy denieth not but that God ought to bee obeied but when they come to the purpose where as they detest the tasting of a litle flesh as a deadly sinne and theft and whordome but as a veniall sinne they ouerthrow the law of God for their own traditions and it is no way to bee suffered that the obseruation of mans deuises should diminish any of that obedience which is due to God alone Further the honour which GOD commaundeth to yeelde to the parents is extended to all the dueties of godlines The last clause that Christ addeth that he is worthy of death which curseth his father or his mother tendeth to this that wee shoulde know that the commaundement of honoring the parentes is not small or of light importance sith that the breach of the same is so sharply punished And this doth not a litle amplifie the sinne of the Scribes that so seuere a threatning terrifieth not them from lettinge the bridle loose to contemners of parents 5. But ye say This sentence wanteth that which is more fully sette downe in Mark where it is added you suffer him no more to do any thing for his father and mother And the meaning is that the Scribes do wickedly in absoluing them which withdraw themselues from dooing their dueties to their parents so that they supply that want with a voluntarye sacrifice which might haue bene omitted without any offence to God Neyther may the words of Christ be so takē as if the Scribes should haue restrayned men from al right obedience but they did so earnestly apply themselues to get their pray that children in the meane space did not their duty to their parents 7 Isaias prophesied wel of you Now the Lord proceedeth further For hee speaketh of the cause it selfe which he deuideth into two partes The first is that they being only bent to outward rites esteemed nothinge of true holines which consisteth in the sincere integrity of the heart the other that they peruerslye worshipped God after their owne will And 〈◊〉 seemeth to reproue the men when he speaketh against counterfeit feigned holines yet he comprehendeth the sum of the doctrine which is fully defined thus The worship of God is spiritual consisteth not in sprinckling of water or in any other ceremony Also there is no other reasonable seruice of God then that whiche is framed after hys word And though Iesaias prophesied not only of the time to come but had respect to the mē of his age yet Christ saith that this prophesie belōgeth to the Scribes Pharises because they were like to those old hypocrites with whō the prophet had to do Christ rehearseth it not after the word that is there set down yet the prophet doth expresly mentiō these two faults wherewith the Iewes had prouoked the vengance of God against thēselues that they faigned a holines onely with the lyppes and outward professiō further that they declined to faigned worshippings First therfore it is wicked hypocrisie when men do not honour God but in outward shew for it were not euil of it self to draw nere to god with the mouth and lyps so that the heart went before This therefore is the summe because the worship of GOD is spirituall and nothing pleaseth him except the inward sincerity of the heart be ioyned with it they are hypocrites which put holines in outward pompes 9 They worship me in vaine The Prophet speaketh word for word thus Their feare was taught by the precept of men But Christ doth faithfully and aptly yeelde the sense thus God is worshipped in vaine where
of diuorcements as that he woulde approue the same by his allowance but when as the wickednesse of men could not otherwise be restrained he gaue that remeady which was most tollerable that the man should at the least giue testimonie of the chastity of his wife For the lawe was not giuen but in fauour of the women least that after they were vniustly reiected they should incurre any slander VVhereby we gather that it was rather a punishment laide vppon the men then a libertye or permission graunted for the prouocation of their lust Note also that the spirituall gouernmēt doth differ much from the politike and outward order VVhat is lawfull and meete to be done the Lord comprehendeth in ten wordes now because it may be that many things are not called before the iudgement seat of men wherof euery mannes conscience reprooueth and conuinceth him it is no meruaile if politike lawes do agree vnto them Let vs take a familiar exāple we haue greater liberty to contende by lawes then the rule of charity will beare VVhy is this so because right cannot be giuen to euery man except there be a way opened to demaunde it in the meane season the inwarde lawe of GOD sheweth that that must be followed which charity commandeth yet there is heere no cause why Magistrates shoulde bee excused for their negligence if they doe of their owne accorde cease from correctinge of sinnes or shall omitte those thinges whiche the estate of their callinge doeth require But lette priuate menne take heede leaste by coueringe their offences vnder pretence of lawes they double their faulte For the Lorde doeth heere by the waye blame the Iewes as if it were not sufficient for them to haue their frowardnesse born with or passed by without punishment except they should make God the author of their sinne If that a rule of liuing godly and holily cannot alway nor euery where be gathered out of the lawes polliticke muche lesse of custome 9. I say vnto you Marke reporteth that this was spoken to the Disciples aparte when they were come into the house but Mathewe omitting this circumstance setteth downe the speache as the Euangelistes doe often leaue out some circumstance by the way For they count it sufficient to gather the summes of thinges So there is no difference but that one setteth downe the matter more plainly then the other And this is the summe Though the lawe doeth not punish diuorcements which do differre from the first institution of God yet hee is an adulterer whiche putteth away his wife and taketh him an other For it is not in the will and pleasure of manne to dissolue the faith of Matrimonie whiche the Lorde woulde haue to remaine firme and sure therefore shee is a harlot that supplieth the roumthe of the lawfull wife But he putteth an exception because that a woman by committing whoredome cutting her selfe as a rotten member from her husbande setteth him at libertye They which doe deuise other causes are woorthily reiected because they will be wiser then the heauenly maister They will haue the Leprosie to be a lawfull cause of diuorcement because the infection thereof doeth not onely infecte the husbande but also the children But as I would counsell a godly man that he shoulde not touche his wife that hath the Leaprosie so I do not allowe him that liberty to put her away If any man obiect that they which cannot liue alone haue neede of remedy least they shoulde burne I saye that is no remedye which is without the warrant of the worde of God I adde also that they shall neuer want the gift of continencie if they would deliuer themselues to be gouerned of the Lord because they follow that which he prescribeth Some man shal begin to loath his wife so that he cannot abide to lie with her shall this euill be remedied by taking two wiues An other mannes wife shall fall into the Palsie or Apoplexie or shall be diseased with some other incurable disease shall her husband reiecte her vnder pretence of incontinencie But wee knowe that they shall neuer want the helpe of the Spirite which doe walke in his wayes For the auoiding of fornication sayeth Paule 1. Cor. 7. 2. Let euery man marry a wife He that hath done this though it fall not out according to his desire hath done his part Therefore if any thing want it shall be amended by the helpe of God To goe any further is nothing else then to tempte God And whereas Paule noteth an other cause 1. Cor. 7. 15. namely whereas for hatred of godlinesse the married persons are reiected of the vnbeleuers that a godly brother or sister is not then subiect to bondage is not repugnant from the minde of Christ. For he doth not speake there of a lawfull cause of diuorcement but onely whither a woman continueth bounde to the vnbeleeuing manne after that shee is for hatred of God wickedly putte away and cannot otherwise be receiued into fauor then if shee denie God VVherefore it is no meruaile that Paule chuseth rather to be separated from manne then to be alienated from God Yet that exception which Christe putteth seemeth to be in vaine For if the adulteresse deserueth death to what purpose shold he speake of diuorcement But because it was the duety of the husbande to followe the adultery with iudgements that hee might cleare his house of that offence whatsoeuer the successe be Christe setteth the husbande that conuinceth his wife of vnchastitie free from that bonde and it may be that amongest a corrupt and wicked people this sinne might raigne with freedome from punishment As the ouerthwart pitie of Magistrates at this day driueth menne of necessitie to putte awaye their defiled wiues because adulteries are not punished And it is to be noted that this law is common and free to both partes as the bond of faith is mutual and like For whereas the husbande is chiefe in other things in respecte of the bed hee is equall to the wife for he is not maister of his owne body Therefore when as the adulterer shall fall awaye from the knotte of matrimonie the wife is sette at libertie Hee that maiyeth her that is putte away This sentence hath been moste corruptly expounded by many interpreaters for they thought generally confusedly that it was commaunded to liue soale after diuorcement So if the husbande should put away the adulteresse of necessitie they bothe shoulde liue vnmaried As if that this were the libertie of diuorcement onely to lie away from the wife as if also Christe did not euidently in this cause permitte that to be done which the Iewes were woont generally to vsurpe vnto themselues according to their owne pleasure Therfore that errour was too grosse for when Christe condemneth him for adulterie that marrieth her that is putte away it is certaine that this is to be vnderstoode of vnlawfull and friuolous diuorcements Therfore Paule commaundeth them to remaine vnmaried which are so putte away
but God who hadde ordained him for a sacrifice to purge away sinnes chose a speciall daye that might ioyntly oppose the body to the shadow VVhereby the fruit of the passion of Christ doth now more plainly appeare vnto vs. 6. VVhen Iesus was in Bethania That which the Euangelist doeth now set downe befell a little before Christe came to Ierusalem but it is recorded heere in very good time to giue vs to vnderstand what occasion moued the hie priests so sodainly to make this hast They durst not sette vppon Christ with open violence and it was not so easie a matter to take hym by subtelty Now when Iudas offred them a meanes vnhoped vnloked for the easinesse to bring the matter to passe made them to take an other course But the obiectioÌ„ that Iohn doth somwhat differ in this hystory from Math. Marke which caused some interpreaters corruptly to imagine it to be an other hystory is easily answeared The name of the woman which annoynted Christe which out two Euangelists doe conceale is expressed by Iohn 12. 3. but ther is no mention of the man who feasted Christ yet Mat. and Marke do expresly say that he supped with Simon the leper But there is no contrariety in this that Iohn saith that his feete were annoynted and ours say his head VVe doe certainly know that the oyntments were not cast down to his fete but when ther was more aboundance shed then was wont Iohn to amplify the same sayth that his feete were wet Marke also reporteth that the Alablaster boxe being broken all the oyntment was powred vppon his head so it doeth very well appeare that it ran downe to his feete This therefore is certaine that they all doe report one and the same hystory 8. And when his disciples saw it This also is a common thing amongst the Euangelists to attribute that to moe which was begunne by one if they consented to the same Iohn sayth that Iudas the betrayer of Christ began this murmuring Mathew and Marke doe bring in all the disciples with him for that none of the other euer durst to haue grudged if the vngodly grudging of Iudas had not been as a firebrand to set them on fire But when as he began vnder some good colour to condemne that wastfull expence they were all taken easily with that infection And by this example we are taught what danger commeth of malitious poisonfull tongues For they which are of a good simple modest nature except they do wisely take hede to themselues yet being deceiued wyth false reports doe easily fall into wrong iudgements If Christes disciples by keeping company with Iudas were caried into a light and fond opinioÌ„ what shal become of vs if we do too easily admit talebearers which do commonly malitiously quarrell at things well done Heere may also be gathered an other lessâ—on that we should not rashly geue sentence of a matter not throughly knowen The disciples take holde of that whyche Iudas spake and because it hadde some pretence they doe rashly geue wrong iudgement But it was meete for them to haue made better inquirie whether the deede had beene worthy of reprehension especially sith the maister was present whose iudgement they shuld haue abidden So we know that except the word of God doth goe before the sentence is preposterously giuen because that none of vs as Paul teacheth Rom. 14. 10. liueth or dieth vnto himselfe for wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ where he shall yeelde his account 2. Cor. 5. 10. And though there was great difference betweene Iudas the others because that hee sought wickedly and cunningly to cloake hys theft and the other were caryed away with a meere simplicitie yet we see howe they by their vnaduisednesse were drawne from Christe and ioyned to Iudas 10. VVhy trouble yee the woman It is maruell that Christ whose whole life was a rule and example of temperance and frugality shoulde nowe allowe immoderate charge whiche seemeth to be neare superfluous and needelesse delites But the maner of defence which he vseth must be noted for he doth not say that the woman had done well as if he woulde haue the same done daily but that which she had done once hee sayeth was acceptable to God for that there was iust cause why it shuld be so done Therfore though Christ desired not the vse of oyntment yet in respect of the circumstance this annoynting pleased him VVhereby we gather that some particular dedes are sometime accepted of God which yet may not be made an example to be followed And it is not to bee doubted but that Mary was mooued by a secreat motion of the spirite to annoynte Christe as it is certaine that so oft as the Sainctes are called to some extraordinary woorke they are driuen with an vnwonted motion least they shoulde attempt any thing but by the direction and gouernement of God There was no commandement which enioyned Mary to this annoynting neither was it needeful that there should haue beene a law set downe for one worke but because that the heauenlye calling is the only rule of wel doing and that God refuseth what soeuer men take in hand of themselues Mary was gouerned by the motion of the spirite with a certaine perswasion of faith to performe this duty to Christ. But this one action of the woman is not only defended by this answeare of Christ but the godly ioy of all men is hereby defended who may be satisfied that they and their workes are approued of God It commeth oft to passe that godly men are not only reproued but also vniustly condeÌ„ned openly who yet haue their consciences bearinge them witnesse that they haue done nothing but by the commandement of God and in this respecte they are accounted proud if they despising the peruerse iudgements of the world doe satisfie themselues with the onely allowance of God Because this is a hard temptation and it canne hardly be but that the corrupt consent of many must grieue vs this doctrine must be noted that none can at any time be throughly encouraged to doe well excepte they depende of the onely allowance of God Therefore Christe doeth heere make the difference of good and euill to his only pleasure for wheÌ„ he sayeth that this womannes woorke was good whiche his disciples hadde already condemned he doeth by this speache reprooue the rashnesse of menne which iudge as they list VVee therefore being armed with this defence must learne to neglecte what rumours so euer are spredde abroade of vs in the worlde so that we know that which men condemne to be approued of God So Isaias 50. 7. being oppressed with the slaunders of the wicked calleth God to witnesse So Paule appealeth to his iudgement 1. Corrinthians 4. 4. Therefore lette vs learne to regarde the iudgementes of menne no further then that by oure example they may be taught to obey God and when as the worlde shall wyth a greate
clamour rise vppe againste vs lette this comforte and satisfie vs that which is accounted euill vppon earth is pronounced good from heauen 11. You haue the poore alwayes with you Christ doth not simply defend the anoynting that we shuld follow the same but declareth that there was a cause wherfore it was acceptable to god It is coÌ„uenieÌ„t y t this shuld be wise obserued least that togither with the papists we should preposterously deuise sumptuous rites for the worshipping of God for wheÌ„ they heard that Christ would that Mary should anoynt him they imagined that he was delited with incense waxe candles magnificall ornaments and such like pomps For this cause they had al their glorious ceremonies they thought that they could not worship God aright if they should not laâ—â— out into great charges But christ doth plainly except here that the thing which pleased him to be done once shoulde not be accepted of him if it were done afterwards For when he sayth that the pore shuld be alwais in the world he distinguisheth betwene the daily worship which should be vsed amongst the faithfull that extraordinary which ceased at hys ascension into heauen VVould we bestow our mony wel vpon true sacrifices let vs bestow it vpoÌ„ the pore For Christ sayth that he shal not be alwaies with vs to be worshipped with outward pomps VVe know assuredly by experience of faith we fele that he is present with vs by spiritual power grace but he is not visibly conuersant amongst vs to receiue earthly honors at our haÌ„ds So they are outragious obstinat which doe thrust vpon him fantastical charges against his will and he refusing the same Also by that he saith the pore shal be alwaies we do hereby gather that it is not by fortune that many do want but by the determinate couÌ„sel of God they are left amongst vs for vs to exercise our charity vpoÌ„ them The sum of this place is this though the lord coÌ„mandeth that we all that we haue should be dedicated to him yet he requireth not any other worshippe to be bestowed vppon him but that which is spirituall which requireth no outward expeÌ„ces but rather wold that those things should be bestowed vppon the poore which of superstition hadde beene fondly bestowed vpon his worship 12. Shee did it to bury mee Christ by these wordes confirmeth that we said that the pretious oyntment was accepted not for the sauour of it but only in respect of the burial namely because that by this signe he wold declare that his graue shoulde yelde forth a pleasant sauour so as it shoulde breath life and saluation into all the worlde Therefore Iohn praiseth Mary because that she had reserued that oyntment for the day of his burial But after that the perfecte truth of this figure appeared Christ come out of the graue he did not only perfume one house but all the worlde with the comfortable quickening sauour of his death it were a childishe thing to reiterate that which had neither reason nor profit 13. VVhersoeuer this gospel shal be preached He foretelleth that this deede of Mary shoulde be honoured for the doctrine of the gospell shal be praised VVherby we gather that our workes are not valued after the opinion of men but by the testimony of the woorde of God And in this he sayeth that the memoriall of her shall be renowmed throughout the whole worlde he doeth by this comparison sharply reproue his disciples for by the consent of all people yea euen straungers and such as dwell in the farthest partes of the world this deede shall be praised which these present were so froward to condemne Christ doth also louingly reprooue his disciples because they thought not so honourably of his kingdome as was meete But by this sentence is the callinge of the Gentiles testified whereuppon oure saluation is established But howe the Gospell shoulde be preached throughout the worlde we haue shewed before Math. 24. Matth. 26. Mark 14. Luk. 22. 14. Then one of the twelue â—alled Iudes Iscariot went vnto the chife priestes 15. And saide what will ye giue me and I wil delyuer him vnto you and they appoynted vnto him thirty peeces of siluer 16. And from that time he sought oportunitie to betray him 17. Now on the firste day of the feast of vnleauened bread the Disciples came to Iesus saying vnto him where wilt thou that wee prepare for thee to eate the Passeouer 18. And he said goe into the Citie to such a manne and say to him the maister saieth my time is at hand I will keepe the Passeouer at thine house with my diciples 19. And the Disciples did as Iesus had giuen theÌ„ charge and made ready the Passeouer 20. So when the euen was come he sat down with the twelue 10. Then Iudas Iscariot one of the twelue went away vnto the high priestes to betray him vnto them 11. And when they heard it they were glad and promised that they would giue him money therefore hee sought how hee might conuenientlye betray him 12. Now the first day of vnleauened bread when they sacrificed the Passeouer his disciples saide vnto him where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou maist eat the Passeouer 13. Then he sent forth two of his disciples and saide vnto them go ye into the citie there shal a man meete you bearinge a pitcher of water follow him 14. And whither soeuer hee goeth in say yee to the goodman of the house the master saith where is the lodginge where I shall eate the Passeouer with my disciples 15. And he wil shew you an vpper chamber which is larg trimmed and prepared there make it ready for vs. 16. So his disciples went forth and came into the citie and found as he had said vno theÌ„ made ready the Passeouer 17. And at euen hee came with the twelue 3. Then entred Sathan into Iudas who was called Iscariot and was of the number of the twelue 4. And he went his way communed with the â—ie priests and captaines how hee might betray him to therâ— 5. Si they were glad and agreed to giue him money 6. And he coÌ„sented sought oportunitie to betray him vnto them when the people were away 7. Then came the day of vnleuened bread when the Passeouer must be sacrificed 8. And hee sent Peter and Iohn saying go and prepare vs the Passeouer that we may eat it 9. And they saide to him where wilt thou that we prepare it 10. Then he said vnto them behold when ye be entred into the citie there shall a manne meete you bearing a pitcher of water followe him into the house that he entreth in 11. And say vnto the good man of the house the mayster saieth vnto thee where is the lodging where I shal eate my Passeouer with my disciples 12. Then he shall shew you a great hie chamber trimmed there make ready 13. So they went found as he had
beginning admonish vs when we are of our selues of no account nor estimation we shall get dignity and fame by the crosse of his sonne LV. 27. And there followed him Though that al the people had openly cōdemned Christ with one voice yet we see that some forgate not his doctrine his myracles so in that miserable dissipatiō God reserued some smal remnants vnto himself And though the faith of these women was weake yet it is to be supposed that the seed of piety was hiddē in them which afterwards in time conuenient sprang forth In the meane while their weping auailed to the condēnation of the wicked vnspeakable cruelty of those men which with the Scribes Priests had conspired to put Christ to death But Luke hadde an other purpose namely that we might know while the people in their wickednes do confusedly triūph as if they had shaken off the bridle that God is not as an idle beholder of that which is don but he sitteth in heauen as a reuēger who wil presently take vengeance of their vniust crueltye neither is his vengeance therfore to be despised because it is deferred vnto a time conuenient but before it appeareth it must be feared 28. VVeepe not Some thought that the women were reprooued because that foolishlye and of an vnaduised affection they powred foorth their teares in vaine But Christe doeth not simply reprooue them as if their weping were yll and without reason but hee forewarneth them that they haue farre greater cause to weepe for the horrible iudgement of GOD whiche hangeth ouer them as if hee shoulde haue sayde that his death was not the end but the beginning of sorrowes to Hierusalem and to all that nation and thus he declareth that he is not so cast out to the pleasure of the vngodly but that God hath a care of him For by the punishmēt which afterward followed it doth plainly appear that the life of Christ was deare to God the father euen then when all men thought that he was vtterly forsaken cast off And these words do declare how strong couragious Christ was for he could not haue spoken this but that he went constantly without feare to death but it especially tendeth to this that God yet regarded him euen in that deformed and base estate but the wicked which now do proudly triumph as conquerors shal not long enioy their mad ioy for shortly after ther shal come a wonderful change This doctrine is also profitable for vs at this day while we acknowledge that Christ was no lesse beloued to the father because that he was without his help for a time but he set so much by our saluation that he spared not his only begoten sonne And by this he hath giuen a notable example when as he vtterly ouerthrew the holy citie and where he had onely made choise of a sanctuarie for himself and destroied it togither with the inhabitants of the same Heereof let vs learne to take occasion to meditate of the death of Christ. For when as God so seuerely reuenged the same hee woulde neuer haue suffered his son to haue suffred it but to the end he might be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the worlde 29. For beholde the dayes will come He denounceth that there is at hand no common plague but so terrible as hath not before beene heard of in the which the vengeance of God should openly be seene as if he should haue sayd that that nation should not be consumed by one onely kinde of destruction but that it shuld be ouerthrowne by a manifolde heap of great euils so that it should be much better to be ouerwhelmed with the ruines of the mountaines or to be swallowed vp in an earthquake then to wast away amongst the seuere torments of a long destruction And these threats fell not away in vaine but the cruelty it selfe which fel out far exceded this lightning of wordes as it appeareth by Iosephus Further where these were speaches of extreeme desperation to wish to be couered with the mountaines and to cursse the frute of the wombe Christ doth by these words teach that the Iewes shal feele at the length that they do not make warre with a mortall manne but with God So the enemies of God doe receiue a iust reward of their sacrilegious fury so that they shoulde in vaine desire to oppose the earth as a buckler against the vengeance of God who before durst be so bold as to strike at heauen it selfe 31. If they doe these things to a greene tree Christ by this sentence doth declare that neither his death shall be vnreuenged neither that the Iewes whose wickednesse was ful ripe yea halfe rotten should stand long and by a common similitude he proueth that it cannot be but that the fire of the wrath of God should presently deuoure and burne them vp VVe know that the vse is first to cast dry wode into the fire if that the moist and the grene be burnt much lesse shall the dry be spared at the length Further the woord They doe may be expounded indefinitely in this sence If the greene wood be cast into the fire before the time what thinke you shall become of the dry and of the old Except that any man had rather to compare men with God as if Christ shoulde haue sayde the wicked which are like vnto dry woode when they haue vniustly destroyed the righteous haue their turnes prepared for them by God for how should they which were before appoynted to destruction escape the hād of the heauenly iudge who for a time giueth them so great liberty against the good and innocent But which of the two wayes soeuer it be taken the sum is that the lamentation of the women was preposterous except that withall they did wayt for feare the horrible iudgemēt of God which hangeth ouer the vngodly And as oft as the bitternesse of the crosse is troublesome to vs beyonde measure it maye be mitigated by thys comfort that God who nowe suffereth his children to be afflicted vniustly will not at the length suffer that the wicked shall go away vnpunished And if this hope shoulde not vpholde vs we shoulde of necessitye fall downe vnder the afflictions For though it is naturall and more vsuall to make a fire of drie woode then of moist yet God followeth an other order for while he graunteth the reprobate to be at quiet rest he exerciseth his with diuers troubles and therefore their estate is the more myserable if it should be esteemed of as it doeth presently appeare But this is a ready remedy if they will patiently wayte for the whole course of Gods iudgement For so it shall comfort them to see the wicked gayne nothing by their small delay for where God shall humble hys faithfull ones with his fatherly roddes he wil rise with a drawne sworde agaynst them whose sinnes he seemeth for a time not to obserue Mathewe 27. Marke 15. Luke 23. 33.
Centurion said so for that christ hauing cried loud had giuen vp the ghost some interpreters do think that he noted some vnwonted force which remained strong euen vnto death and truely sith the body of Christ was almost without bloud this could not be after y e maner of men y t the streÌ„gth of his sides arteries shuld abide â—o loud a cry Yet I do rather thinke that the CeÌ„turion praised his coÌ„staÌ„t perseuerance in callinge vppon the name of God Thoughe not onely Christes crying induced him to thinke honourably of him but because he saw his great power to agree with the heauenly myracles he vttered this confession But where it is sayde that hee feared God it must not be expounded so as if he shoulde repent throughly it was onely a sodaine vanishing motion as it doeth oft befall that vaine men and suche as are giuen to the world are mooued with the feare of God when he sheweth foorth his fearefull power but because there is not a roote vnder which hath life securitie presently groweth ouer which quencheth that feeling The Centurion therefore was not so chaunged as that he wold yeelde himselfe to serue God the rest of his life but he was only a publisher of the Godhead of Christ for a short time And where Luke reporteth that he only sayde Of a sâ—retiâ— this man was iust is as muche as if he should haue openly declared him to be the Sonne of God as the two other Euangelists doe report For fame had spredde it euery where that Christ was punished because he bore himselfe for the sonne of GOD Now when the Centurion praiseth him to be iust and freeth him from fault he withall confesseth him to be the Sonne of God not that he distinctly vnderstoode howe Christe was begotten of God the father but because he doubted not but that some diuine power was in him and as one conuict by the former testimonies he accouÌ„ted him to be no coÌ„mon person but raised vppe by God As concerning the multitude striking their breastes they pray earnestly for the auoidance of the guiltinesse of that hainous offence because they perceiued that there was a hainous offence committed publikely in that vniust and cruell slaughter But because they proceeded no further their mourning auailed them nothing except that to some it was a beginninge or a preparation of a better repentaunce But because heere is onely described to vs the lamentation which God wreasted out of them for the glorye of hys Sonne lette vs learne by this example that it is little or nothing if any man be afraide at the present power of God vntill the astonishment being appeased the feare of God may rest in a quiet heart 55. And many women were there This was added as I doe interpreat it to let vs vnderstande that when the disciples were slipt away by fleeing hither and thither yet the Lord kept some of their company there to be as witnesses And though Iohn the Apostle departed not from the crosse yet heere is no mention made of him but onely the women are praised which followed Christe euen vnto death for the men fleeing fearefully away their singular pietie towardes their maister appeared the more euidently For it cannot be but that they had a rare and great affection who though they could doe him no seruice yet when he was in his extreemest reproaches they ceased not to haue him in reuerent estimation yet all the men fledde not as we doe gather by Luke for hee sayeth that all his acquaintance stoode a farre off But the Euangelistes doe especially praise the women and that not without cause for they were woorthy to be preferred before the menne And in my iudgement thyâ— secreat comparison doeth greatly reprooue the Apostles I speake of the body of them for because there was one only of them remaining who taryed of whom as I sayd euen now three Euangelists do say nothing But this was very reproachfull to the chosen witnesses to withdrawe themselues from beholding that wherof the saluation of the world depended Therefore when afterwardes they shoulde publish the Gospell the chiefe part of the hystorie was borrowed of the women The which if the prouidence of God had not met with in so wicked a nation they had depriued vs of the knowledge of the redemption But though there seemeth not to be so great authority in women yet if we doe consider with what power of the spirite they were strengthened against that temptation there shall be no cause why our faith shoulde wauer which resteth vppon God the true authour of the testimonie In the meane while lette vs note that it came to passe by the wonderfull goodnesse of God that the Gospell of the sacrifice of satisfaction whereby God was reconciled to vs came vnto vs. For in that coÌ„mon falling away of them who should haue gon before others God encouraged some of the meanest of the flock who casting off feare should become witnesses to vs of that hystorie without the beliefe whereof we could not be saued But of those women somewhat shall presently be spoken againe For thys present lette it suffice to note this one thing by the way they were brought from their countrey with a desire to learne that they might daily heare Christ teach they neither spared labour nor richesse so that they myght enioy the doctrine of saluation Math. 27. Marke 15. Luke 23. 57. And when the euen was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Ioseph who had also himselfe been Iesus disciple 58. He went to Pilate and asked the body of Iesus Then Pilate commanded the body to be deliuered 59. So Ioseph toke the body wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth 60. And put it in his new tombe which he had heuen out in a rock and rolled a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre and departed 61. And there was Mary Magdalen the other Mary sittiÌ„g ouer agaiÌ„st y e dore of y e sepulcre 42. And nowe when nighte was come because it was the daye of the preparation that is before the Sabbath 43. Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable counsellour whiche also looked for the kingdome of God came and went in boldlye vnto Pilate and asked the bodye of Iesus 44. And Pilate marueiled if he were already dead and called vnto him the Centurion and asked of him whether he had been any while dead 45. And when he knew the truth of the Centurion hee gaue the body to Ioseph 46. VVho bought a linnen cloth and tooke him downe and wrapped him in the linnen cloth and layed him in a tombe that was hewen out of a rocke and rolled a stone to the doore of the sepulchre 47. And Mary Magdalene and Mary Ioses mother behelde where he should be laid 50. And beholde there was a manne named Ioseph which was a counsellour a good manne and a iust 51. Hee did not consent to the counsell and deede of them which was of Arimathea a
Apostles Marke also agreeth with them wryting that Mary came and told these things to the disciples which wept MAR. 11. And when they heard Marke onely maketh mention of the testimony of Mary alone Yet I am perswaded that the commaundemēts of Christ were done generally by them al and this place doth the better confirme that which I sayd euen nowe that there is no repugnancie betwene the Euangelists while one doth particularly assigne that to Mary Magdalene which according to others was commen to all thoughe not in like degree But the disciples were grown to be marueilous sluggish that they remembred not that that was fulfilled which they hadde oft times heard of the master If the women had tolde any thing which before had not been heard of there had been good cause why in a matter incredible there had beene no credite giuen to their report but now they must needes be exceeding blockish who doe account for a fable or a dreame a matter so oft promised and witnessed by the sonne of God when it is reported to be fulfilled by them whiche had seene the same Further sith that they were depriued of a right vnderstanding throughe their owne vnbeliefe they doe not onely refuse the light of the truthe but they doe reiecte it as a fantasie as Luke declareth Heereby it appeareth that they so yeelded to the temptation that almoste all the taste of Christes woordes was cleane forgotten LV. 12. Then arose Peter I doe not thinke but that Luke hath heere inuerted the order of the hystory as it is easie to gather by the woordes of Iohn and in my iudgement it is not amisse that the woord Running be resolued into the preterpluperfect tence And they which are but meanly exercised in the scripture doe knowe that this is vsuall amongest the Hebrewes to reporte afterwarde those things whiche were omitted in their place But Luke by this circumstance doth the more exaggerate the hardnesse of the Apostles in that they despised the womens woordes when yet Peter had now seene the sepulchre emptye and by a manifest signe of the resurrection was driuen into admiration Mathew 28. Marke ◠Luke 11. Now when they were gone beholde some of the watche came into the citie and shewed vnto the hie priests all things that were done 12. And they gathered them togither with the Elders and tooke counsel and gaue large money vnto the souldiours 13. Saying say his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept 14. And if the gouernour heare of this we will perswade him and saue you harmelesse 15. So they tooke the money and did at they were taughte and this sayinge is noised among the Iewes vnto this day   11. Nowe when they were gone It is not only to be supposed but the matter it selfe declareth that the soldiours to whome the keeping of the sepulchre was committed were so corrupted by rewardes that they were ready to lie at the Priests appoyntment They knewe very well that the Priests feared nothing more then that it should be reported that Christ arose the third day after his death they knew that they wer sent thether for that purpose that by keeping the corpes they might putte away that report The men therfore being giuen to gain yea seeking gain euery way after they hadde lost their labour this way they doe deuise a newe meanes to gette money But where Mathew sayeth that some of the watche came it is vncertaine whether a few subtile fellowes of them went alone to counsel from the rest or whether they were sent in the generall name of them all The seconde part by coniecture seemeth rather to be true for Mathew doth afterwards say that the reward of periurie was giuen not to one or two but generallye to the souldiours It is certaine that whether al of them or but a part of thē cōspired yet they sought to gain by the cruel vnappeaceable hatred of the priests against Christ. Further sith they had them guilty of the offence they abuse their euil conscience for to wrest mony from them For as almost all wicked menne doe the priests knowing their owne leudnesse to the ende they myght couer their shame are compelled to corrupt the souldiours with a large reward Also it doth heereby appeare that after the reprobate haue once cast themselues headlong into sinne they are then caught in new sinnes and while they would defend their name before men they doe carelesly neglecte their sinnes against God These wretches doe not onely hire the soldiours with rewardinge them but also if the offence shoulde be brought into iudgement they doe cast their name and life in daunger And what compelleth them besides the losse of the money to come into great pearill but because their obstinate furye suffereth them not to goe backe vntill they should heape sinnes vppon sinnes 15. And this saying is noysed This was the greatest woorke of Gods vengeance for the blinding of the Iewes that the resurrection of Christ was buried in the periurie of the soldiours and that so vaine a lie should be receiued And heereby it appeareth that they which did not thynke that Christ was risen were deceiued in a voluntary errour as the worlde doeth willingly offer it selfe to be deceiued with the fleightes of Sathan For there had beene no neede of any long searche if any man woulde but haue opened his eyes The armed soldiours doe say that the body of Christ was stolen from them by a weake fearefull small and vnarmed company of men VVhat shewe of colour They doe adde that this was done while they were a sleepe Howe then doe they imagine that it was stolne If there had ben any suspition of the disciples why folowed they not after them VVhy made they no stirre This therfore was but a childish shift which they had not escaped with without punishment if the matter had come before a righteous and a stout gouernor But through Pilates winking it came to passe that so great wickednesse escaped As we doe see it doeth fal out daily that prophane iudges haue but smal regarde where truth is ouerwhelmed by deceit and malice but rather if they doe feare no incommodity they do seeme to ioyne in leudnesse togither with the treacherous varlets And thoughe this may seeme to be hard that God should suffer this false rumour to be spred for the extinguishing of the glory of his sonne yet to his iust vengeance that honour must be giuen which is due For that nation was worthy that the clouds should take the light from them as we do perceiue by this that a vayne and friuolous lie should be so greedily snatched vppe Further sith that almost all had stumbled at the stone of offence it was meete that theyr eyes shoulde be darkened least they shoulde see that the cuppe of giddinesse was giuen them to drinke of to be shorte they were cast into all kinde of madnesse as it was spoken of before in the
iourney For seeing that he knewe that the Pharisees were euill affected he would not put himselfe in danger of their furie before the time This was the cause why he departed out of Iudea So that he giueth vs to vnderstand that Christ came not of set purpose into Samaria that he might dwell there but because those that went into Galilee must needes go through it For it was meet and requisite for him that he should be occupied in gathering togeather the sheepe of Israel vntil such time as he should open a gate for the gospel by his resurrection Therefore whereas he vouchsafed to impart his doctrine vnto the Samaritanes it was an extraordinarie thing and that I may so speake a thing that came by chaunce But why did he goe aside into Galilee as if he woulde not be knowne which thing was most of all to be wyshed I answere he knew what to doe and hee did so vse the opportunitie of time that he did not misse or let slip one minute Therefore he would finish his course in order and with such moderation as became him wher by we are also taught that we must so frame our mindes that we be not terrified with any feare but that we goe forward in our dutie and that we be not too rashe to pull downe danger vpon our owne heads Furthermore they shall keepe this meane as becommeth them whosoeuer shall be diligent in their vocation For they shall follow the Lorde euen through the middest of death and shall not cast away themselues rashly but shall walke in his wayes Therfore let vs remember that we must goe no further then our vocation doth requyre The Euangelist saith that the Pharisees were Christ his enemies not that the other Scribes were his friendes but because this sect did at that time reigne and they did most of all rage vnder the pretence of a godly zeale The question is whether they did enuie Christ for hauing mo disciples or no because being more bent towarde Iohn they did studie to maintaine his dignitie and fame The wordes carry another meaning for whereas they were before greeued with this that Iohn should gather disciples vnto him this did more neâ—le their mindes when as they saw that there came more vnto Christe then did before vnto Iohn And after that Iohn had professed that he was nothing els but the cryer of the son of God there began to be greater resort vnto Christ and he had now well finished his function So that he did resigne vp to Christ by little and little the office of teaching and baptising 2 Although Iesus himselfe did not baptise That it called Christ his baptisme which he did by the handes of other that wee may knowe that baptisme is not to be esteemed according to the person of the minister but that the whole force thereof dependeth vpon the authour in whose name and at whose commandement it is bestowed VVhence we do gather singuler consolation whilest that we doe know that our baptisme is of no lesse force to wash and renue vs then if the sonne of God had giuen vs it And doubtlesse he did of set purpose abstaine from the externall administration of the signe whilest that he was conuersant in the world that he might make it knowen vnto al ages that baptisme doth loose no whit of his force whilest that it is ministred by a mortall man To be briefe Christ doth not only baptise vs inwardly with his spirite but we must make like account of the signe it selfe which wee receiue at the handes of mortall man as if Christe himselfe reaching his hande out of heauen did stretch the same out vnto vs. And if that be the baptisme of Christe which is giuen by mortall man what manner person soeuer the minister be it shall not cease to bee Christes And this is sufficient to refute the Anabaptistes who affirme that baptisme is corrupted by the vice of the minister and for this dotings sake do they trouble the Church Like as Augustine vsed the same argument very fitly against the Donatists 3 VVhich is called Sichar Hierome in the Epitaph of Paula doth thinke that it is corruptly read thus whereas it is rather to be read Sichem And truly it is manifest that this latter is the auncient and true name But it is likely that the word Sichar was in vse in the Euangelist his time VVe agree concerning the place that it was a citie situated in the side of the mountaine Gariâ—in the inhabitants whereof were murdered traiterously by Simeon and Leui and which Abimelech an inhabitaunt thereof and borne in the same did afterwarde make leuell w t the ground But the commoditie of the place was so great that the citie was built the thirde time which in Hieroms time they called Neapolis And the Euangelist putteth the matter out of doubt by adding so many circumstances For it appeareth out of Moses Gen. 48. 22. Ios. 24. 32. where that fielde was which Iacob gaue to the sonnes of Ioseph And also all men do graunt that the mountaine Garizin was nigh vnto Sichem VVe will declare anon that there was a temple builte there And moreouer it is questionlesse that Iacob and his familie dwelt there long time forasmuch as he did also buie a possession there contrary to the custome of the fathers that he might dwell quietly 6 And Iesus being wearie of his iourney He did not feigne that he was wearie but he was wearie indeed For to the end he might be the more bent to take pitie vpon vs and to be sory for vs he tooke vpon him our infirmities as the Apostle teacheth Hebrewes 4. 15. Hereunto appertaineth the circumstance of time For it was no maruell that being werie thirstie hee rested him selfe at the VVell about the mid time of the day For seeing that the day from the rising of the Sun vntil the going downe thereof was twelue houres long the sixt houre was noone VVheÌ„ he saith that he sate thus hee doeth as it were expresse the gesture of a weary man 7 Giue me to drinke In that he asked water of the woman he doth it not simplie for this cause that he may haue some matter to teach her for thirst did enforce him to desire to drinke But this could not hinder him from vsing that opportunitie to teache which he had gotten because hee preferreth the womans saluation before his owne necessitie Therefore forgetting his thirst as though he had had leasure and opportunitie to talke to the end he may instruct her in true godlines he passeth cunningly from visible water vnto the spirituall water and he watereth her minde with the heauenly doctrine that denied to giue him water 9 How is it that thou seeing thou art a Iewe. This is an exprobration wher in she requiteth the common contempt of her nation It is well knowne that the Samaritanes were a raskall kind of people gathered togeather of aliants And the Iewes did for good causes
beeing set downe they beginne to giue eare to his doctrine Although the woman goeth farther for shee biddeth them consider whether he bee the Messias or no being contented with this one thing if so be it they through her persuasion shoulde seeke that which she had alreadie found in Christ for she knew that they should find more then she did promise But why doth she lie in that she saith that Christ had told her all thinges I haue alreadie said y t Christe did not reprehend her for her whoredom alone but that in few words more sinnes which she had committed during her life were layde to her charge For the Euangelist doth not recite euery sentence and he taught summarily that Christ did set before her her former present life that he might tame her tatling tongue In the meane while wee see that the woman being inflamed with a godly zeale did no whit spare herselfe her estimation that she might set foorth Christ his name for she doth not abstaine from the reckoning vp of her shame reproche 32 I haue meate It is a great meruell that being wearie and hungry he refuseth meate For if any man say that he doth this to the ende hee may instruct vs by his example to suffer pouertie why did hee not this continually But he aymed at another marke then to teache that meate ought simply to be refused For we must marke this circumstance that when as the care of the present businesse doth so constraine him doth wholy possesse his minde it is no truble to him to neglect meate And yet he doth not professe that he was so earnestly bent to execute his fathers businesse and commandements that he can neither eate nor drink he doth only shew what is former or what is latter And so by his owne example he teacheth that the kingdome of God ought to bee preferred before all the commodities of the bodie Indeed God doth giue vs leaue to eate and drinke so that we be not drawen away from that whiche is the chiefest that is that euery man be occupied in his vocation Some man will say that it cannot be but that meate and drinke must neades be some hinderāces and such as draw away some time from other good studies I graunt this is true but because the Lorde according to his fauourablenes doth giue vs leaue to care for our flesh so much as neede requireth he ceaseth not in the meane space to prefer the obediēce of God as he ought who doth cherish y e body moderately soberly Although we must also beware that we be not so addicted vnto our houres but y t we must be readie to defraud our selues of meate when as God doeth appoint vs vnto some other businesse the same houre offering vs some opportunitie Seeing that christ had such opportunitie offered him now he doth as it were imbrace the same in his armes whiche might escape him Therfore forasmuch as the busines inioyned him by his father did so constraine him that he must needes let all other things alone he douteth not to set light by meate And it had been a shame that the woman should leaue her waterpot and runne to call the people and that there should lesse feruentnes appeare in Christ. Finally if we shall thus determine with our selues not to loose the causes of liuing for life it shal be no hard matter to keepe the best meane For he that shall set before himself this end of life to serue the Lord from which we may not bee led away euen with the present perill of death he shall doubtlesse make more account of this then of meat drink The metaphore of meate drinke hath so much the greater grace because it is fet in due season from the present talke 34 My meate is His meaning is that he doth not only make the greatest account of this but that there is nothing wherewith he is more delighted or wherein he practiseth himselfe more willingly and earnestly Like as Dauid in the 19. 11. Psa. to the end he may cōmend the law of god he doth not only say that it was precious vnto him but more sweet then any honnie Therfore to the end we may follow Christ we must not only serue god diligently but must also be so willing to do his commandements that the labour must be nothing troublesome vnto vs. Furthermore when Christ addeth that I may fulfil his will he doth sufficiently declare what his fathers will is whereunto he was so bent namely that he should fulfill the function which was inioyned him So euery man must haue respect vnto his calling least any man do say that y t was laid vpon him by God which he tooke vpon him at his owne pleasure rashly But we know well enough what was Christ his function namely to further the kingdome of God to restore lost soules vnto life to spread abrode the light of the Gospel and finally to bring saluation vnto the world The excellencie of these things did cause him being wearie and hungrie to forget both meat drinke Yet do we reape no small comfort hereby when as we heare that Christ was so carefull for mans saluation that it was vnto him a great pleasure to care for the same And doubtles we need not to doubt but that he is like affectioned toward vs at this day 35 Say not you there are yet foure monethes and then commeth haruest Behold I say vnto you lift vp your eyes and see the regions because they are white vnto haruest 36 And he that reapeth receiueth a reward and gathereth fruite vnto eternall life that both hee that soweth may reioyce and he that reapeth 37 For herein is the saying true that one soweth and another reapeth 38 I haue sent you to reape that which you laboured no◠others haue laboured and you haue entred into their labours 35 Say you not He prosecuteth the former sentence for because hee had said that he accoūted this the chiefest thing to do his fathers work he declareth now how ripe the same is that by comparing it vnto haruest For like as when the corne is once ripe the haruest can stay no longer because otherwise the corne should fall away so the spirituall corne being now ripe he doth testifie that he must in no case delay because delay bringeth danger Now we see to what ende the similitude was brought namely to expresse the cause of his hast By this worde say you not he meant to note how much more bent mens mindes be vnto earthly things then vnto heauenly For they are so desirous to haue haruest that they do carefully count the moneths and dayes in the mean while it is a wonder to see how sluggish they are in gathering the heauenly wheat And dayly vse doth argue that this frowardnesse is not onely in vs naturally but also that it can scarse be pulled away from our heartes For seeing that all men do prouide for y e
the myracle secondly that there might some occasion he ministred and as it were a way made for that excellent sermon which hee made immediatly Furthermore the knowledge of that myracle was so greatly to bee esteemed that he ought not to haue passed for offending the people especially seeing that hee had in readines a lawefull excuse wherewith though he did not pacifie the wicked yet did he sufficiently refute their false slaunders Therefore we must note this rule that though the whole worlde do fret and fume against vs yet must wee publishe the glory of God and preache his workes so farre foorth as it is expedient for his workes to be knowen Neither must we be wearied or discouraged although this our desire fall not out so well as we would so that wee set before our eyes that end whereof I haue spoken and leape not ouer the boundes of our dutie 10 Therefore the Iewes said vnto him that was healed it is the Sabboth it is not lawfull for thee to take vp thy bed 11 He answered them hee that made mee whole said vnto mee take vp thy bed and walke 12 Therefore they asked him what man is that that said vnto thee take vp thy bedde and walke 1â— Furthermore he that was healed knâ—we not who it was for Iesus had withdrawen himselfe because there was a multitude in the place 14 Afterward Iesus found him in the temple and saith vnto him beholde thou arâ— healed sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee 15 The man went and tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus who had healed him 16 And therefore the Iewes did persecute Iesus and they sought to slea him because he did these thinges on the Sabboth day 10 It is the Sabboth Forasmuch as it stoode all men vpon to defend the religion of the Sabboth they doe well and for good causes accuse the man but when as the excuse that hee made doth not satisfie them they doe nowe begin to offend therein for they ought to haue loosed him when they knewe the cause To beare a burden as we haue said was a breaking of the Sabboth but Christ who laide the burden vppon his shoulders did vnburden him with his authoritie Therfore we are admonished in this place to beware of rash iudgement vntill wee doe throughly knowe the reason of euery manâ— fact VVhat thing soeuer is contrarie to the worde of God without doubt it deserueth to be condemned but because it oftentimes falleth out so that we are deceiued in this point let modestie goe before together with a quiet inquisition to the end our iudgement may be sound and sober For because the Iewes being possessed with a wicked affection do not stay to make inquisition they stop the gate against iudgement and moderation But and if they had suffered themselues to be taught the offence had not only been taken away but they had been brought vnto the knowledge of the gospel with farre more fruit Nowe wee see howe farre theyr sinne reached and wherein they sinned namely because they dyd not admit a iuste defence And the defense is thus that he that was healed did answere that he dyd nothing but that which he commaunded him to doe who had authoritie and power to commaund For although hee vnderstood not as yet who Christe was yet was he persuaded that he was sent of God because he had tryed his diuine power and hee doth thereby gather that he was indowed with authoritie so that he must needes obey him But this also seemeth to be worthie of blame that the myracle doth remooue him from the obedience of the law Indeede I confesse he leaneth vnto and fighteth with a reason that was scarse stronge enough yet the other doe offend double in that they neither consider that this was an extraordinarie work of God neither yet do suspend their iudgement vntyll such time as they haue heard the prophet that was furnished with the worde of God 13 Hee knew not who it was Christ woulde not haue the glory of so great a worke to vanish away Yet woulde he haue it first to be knoweÌ„ and famous before such time as he would professe himselfe to be the authour thereof Therefore he withdrew himselfe a little that the Iewes might iudge of the thing it self w t out any respect of person Hence may we gather that it cannot bee attributed to the faith of the man that hee was healed who knoweth not his Phisition when he was cured and yet it seemeth that he did this by the direction of faith in that he tooke vp his bed when he was commaunded For mine own part as I do not denie that there was in him some secrete motion of faith so I say that it doth plainely appeare by the text that he was destitute of sound doctrine wherein he should rest and of the pure light 14 After this Iesus found him These wordes doe more plainely shew that Christ did not therefore lie hid for a time that the memorie of his benefite might perish for he doth now come abroad of his owne accorde his meaning was only to haue the worke first knowen and then to haue himselfe knowen to be the authour therof Furthermore this place contaâ—neth most profitable doctrine for when Christ saith Behâ—lde thou art healed His meaning is that we doe wickedly abuse God his benefites vnlesse we be moued vnto thankefulnesse Neither doth Christ cast that in his teeth which he had giuen him but doth only admonish the man and tell him that he was healed for this cause that being mindfull of the grace receiued he might worship God his deliuerer duryng his whole life Therefore as God doth instruct vs vnto repentance and pricke vs forward with light punishments so hee doth exhort vs vnto the same with his goodnesse and clemencie Yea this is the generall ende aswell of our redemption as of all Gods gifts to haue vs wholy addicted and knit vnto him Furthermore this cannot bee vnlesse we remember the pain and punishment which we haue alreadie escaped and hee that hath obtayned pardon doe exercise himselfe in this meditation duryng his whole life Also this admonition teacheth vs that what harme soeuer we suffer it is to be imputed to our sinnes For doubtlesse calamities doe not come by chaunce but they are so many light punishments to chasten vs. Therfore we must first of all acknowledge the hand of God which smiteth vs 〈◊〉 not imagine any blinde brunt of fortune in our aduersitie secondly we must giue God this honor that seeing he 〈◊〉 our best father hee taketh no pleasure in our miseries and therefore that hee doeth neuer handle vs roughly vnlesse he be offended with our sinnes VVhen he forbiddeth him to sinne he doth not require that he should be free from all sin but there is a comparison made of his former life For Christe doth exhort him hereafter to amend his life and not to continue like to himself Least any worse thing If God
And many came vnto him This concourse doth shew that Christe sought not the wildernesse to the end he might foreslowe his office but that he might erect the sanctuarie of God in the wildernes seeing that Ierusalem which was his owne seate had obstinately refused him And truly this was an horrible vengeance of God that seeing that the temple which was chosen of God was a denne of theeues the Church of God was gathered together in a base place Iohn truly They gather that Christe was more excellent then Iohn because he wrought so many notably myracles whereas Iohn did no myracle not that we ought alwayes to iudge by myracles but because myracles being ioyned vnto doctrine are of no small importance as we haue sometimes alreadie saide Furthermore this speeche is vnperfect for they compare Christe with Iohn but they doe onely expresse the one member Secondly they take this for a thing which all men do graunt that Iohn was a great prophet of God and that he was endewed with the singular grace of the spirit Therfore they reason fitly that Christ was to be preferred before Iohn because this came to passe only by the certaine prouidence of God that Iohn who was otherwise the greatest Prophete should yet notwithstanding bee set foorth by no myracle whereby it is proued that there was respect had of Christe in that that there might the more account bee made of him And whatsoeuer thinges It seemeth that they said not thus but that it is added by the Euangelist that hee might teache vs that they were persuaded by a double reason to beleeue in Christ because they did in deed see that the 〈◊〉 which Iohn bare of him was true the myracles did purchase vnto him more dignitie Chap. II. 1 ANd there was a certaine man sick called Layarus of Bethania the towne of Marie and Marthe her sister 2 And it was Mary that aunointed the Lord with oyntment and wiped his feete with her hayre whose brother Layarus was sicke 3 Therefore his sisters sente vnto him saying beholde hee whome then louest is sicke 4 And when Iesus hard this he said this sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God that the sonne of God may be glorified through it 5 And Iesus loued Martha and her sister and Layarus 6 Therefore after that hee heard that hee was sicke he abode then in the place where he was two dayes 7 Then afterwarde he saide vnto his disciples Let vs goe into Iury againe 8 His disciples say vnto him Master the Iewes sought euen now to kill thee and doest thou goe thither againe 9 Iesus answered are there not twelue houres of the day If any man walke in the day time be stumbleth not because hee seeth the light of this world 10 But and if any man walke in the night hee slumbleth because he hath no light 1 And there was a certaine man sicke The Euangelist passeth ouer vnto another historie which conteineth a most famous myracle For besides that Christ did shewe a singuler token of his diuine power in raysing Lazarus from death he hath also set before our eyes liuely image of the resurrection to come And this was as it were the last act conclusion for the time of his death did now draw neere It is no maruell therefore if he did especially set foorth his glory in that worke the remembrance whereof he would haue deeply imprinted in their minds that it might be a certaine sealing of all the former thinges Christ had raysed vp other that were dead but nowe he sheweth his power vpon a rotten and stinking carkasse The circumstances which serue in this myracle to set foorth the glory of God shall bee noted in their place and order In that he saith that Lazarus was of Bethania the towne of Mary Martha it is likely that this was expressed because Lazarus was not so famous amongest the faithfull as were his sisters For these holy women were wont to lodge Christ as it appeareth out of Luk. 10. 38. The Monkes and such bablers in time of Papistiâ—e did too grosly erre who made of Castelluâ—â— that is a little towne or streete a Castle It proceedeth from like ignorance that they feigne that this Mary the sister of Lazarus was that infamous and wicked woman whereof Luke maketh mention 7. 37. The annoynting was the cause of the errour as if it did not manifestly appear that Christ was oftentimes annoynted and that in diuers places The sinnefull woman of whom Luke maketh mention annoynted Christ at Ierusalem where she liued And Mary did the same thing at Bethania afterward in her streete And the pretertense which the Euangelist vseth annoynted must not be referred vnto the time of the thing done which we haue now in hande but vnto the time when the Euangelist did write as if he should say this is Mary whiche did afterwarde powre out the oyntment which caused the murmuring amongst the disciples 2 Beholde hee whome thou louest is sick A short message but yet such that Christ might gather out of the same what the two sisters meant for vnder this coÌ„plaint they do modestly insinuate their praiers that he would helpe them For we are forbidden to vse a long forme of prayer yet the summe is this that we must cast our eares and what miseries soeuer doe vexe vs into God his bosome that he may send remedie for them So doe these women deale with Christ. They doe familiarly lay before him their griefe and doe hope to be released thereof VVe must also note that they conceiue hope to obtaine helpe by the loue of Christe And this is a continuall rule of praying aright for where the loue of God is there is certaine and present health because he loueth not and forsaketl 4 And when Iesus heard this His meaning was by this answere to deliuer his Disciples from care least they shoulde be greeued because they sawe him so carelesse in his friend his daunger Therefore least they shoulde be in the meane season carefull hee saith that the sicknesse is not vnto death but he rather promiseth that it shal be vnto him a new matter of glory Furthermore although Lazarus were dead yet because Christe restoreth him shortly after vnto life respecting this end he saith that the sicknesse is not vnto death The other member for the glory of God is not so set against it as if this were a perpetuall argument For wee know that euen whilest the wicked do perish the glory of God doeth no lesse manifestly appeare in their destruction then in the saluation of the godly But Christ dyd properly in this place speake of the glory of god which was ioyned with his office Furthermore there appeared no fearefull power of God in the myracles of Christe but that which was sweete and bountifull Therefore seeing that he affirmeth that there is no perill of death when hee will shew foorth his glory and the glorie of his father wee must consider
not only be changed into ioye but that it doth also conteine in it self matter of ioy It falleth out oftentimes that when as prosperitie followeth aduersitie menne hauing forgotten their former sorrow do wholly giue ouer themselues vnto ioye yet the sorow which went before is not the cause of ioy But Christ giueth vs to vnderstand that the sorrow of his which they shal suffer for the Gospels sake shal be fruitfull And certeinly the ende of all sorrowes must nedes be vnhappy vnlesse they be blessed in Christ. But because the crosse of Christ hath victory included in it self alwaies Christe doth for good causes coÌ„pare the sorow which is conceiued thence vnto the sorow of a womaÌ„ in trauaile which is recompenced with the rewarde thereof whilest that the child being brought into the light doth make the womaÌ„ that was in trauaile ioyful This similitude shuld not agree vnlesse sorrow should cause ioy in the members of Christ whilest that they are made partakers of his passions likeas traueiling in childe byrth in the womanne is the cause of the birth of the child VVe must also apply the similitude vnto this that when the sorow paine of the womaÌ„ is the sharpest theÌ„ doth it the soonest vanish away This was no small lightening to the disciples when as they heard that their sorrow should not endure long Now must we apply the vse of this doctrine vnto our selues After that wee are regenerate with the spirite of Christ there should be in vs such ioy that it should wipe away all feeling of myseries we should I saye be like to women traueiling in childe byrth which are so moued with the onely sight of their childe that their sorrow remayneth no longer But because we haue receiued the first fruites onely and that those which are but slender which scarse feele any smal drops of the spirituall ioy which being sprinckeled vpon our sorrow may mittigate the bytternes thereof And yet that smal portion doth shew that they are so far from being ouerwhelmed with heauines which behold Christ by faith that they doe neuerthelesse triumph euen in extreame myseries Neuerthelesse because this is the estate of all creatures that they trauaile in byrth euen vntill the last day of redemptioÌ„ let vs know that we must also grone vntil we be deliuered out of the continual miseries of this life do see manifestly the fruit of our faith In sum the faithful are like to womeÌ„ lying in childbed inasmuch as they are borne againe in Christ and are now entred into the celestiall kingdome of God and the blessed life they are like to womenne great with childe and those that trauaile in childebirth in asmuch as beeing yet captiues in that prison of the flesh they desire to attaine vnto that happie estate which heth hid vnder hope 22. No man shal take away your ioy The continuance of the ioy doth not a litle encrease the price thereof For it followeth heeruppon that those griefes be light and that they are to be suffered paciently which continue but for a short time Furthermore Christ telleth vs in these woordes what is the true ioy The world must needes bee depriued of the ioyes which it hath which it seeketh onely in transitory things Therefore we must come vnto Christ his resurrectioÌ„ wherin there is euerlasting stabilytie he meaneth that he wil see the disciples when as he shal visit them againe with the grace of his spirit that they may continually enioye the sight of him 23. Ye shal not aske me any thing After that Christ hath promised ioye to the disciples by their inuincible strength add constancy he setteth foorth now the other grace of the spirit wherwith they should be endowed to wit so great light of vnderstanding that it shal lift them vppe euen vnto the hidden misteries which are heauenly There was so great â—lacknes in theÌ„ at that time that they did doubt and stick in euery smal point For as children which read english caÌ„not go throgh with one line without many stops so there was some offece almost in euery word of christ which hindered their profiting But being shortly after illuminated by the holy spirit they were not any longer so staied and hindered but the wisdome of God was familiar and wel known to theÌ„ so that they went forward in the misteries of God without stop or stay The Apostles ceased not euen when they were extolled vnto the highest degree of wisdoÌ„ to aske the mouth of Christ but he doth onely make a comparison of a double estate in this place as if christ shuld say that their rudenesse shall be corrected so that they which doe now stop and staye in euery smal trifle shuld eaâ—ily pearce euen vnto the highest misteryes There is such a place in Ieremy 31. 34. Euery manne shall not teach his neighbour saying know the Lord because they shall al know me from the least to the most saieth the Lord. The Prophet doth not take away the doctrine neither abolysh it which ought most of al to flourish in the kingdome of Christ but so soone as they shalâ—e taught of God he saith there shal be no place left for grosse ignoraunce whiche possesseth the mindes of men vntill the sunne of righteousnes giue lighte vnto them by the beames of his spirit Furthermore seeing that the Apostls did differ nothing from children yea they were more like blockes then men it is well knowne what manner persons they were of a suddeine when they were taught by the spirit VVhatsoeuer yee shal aske of my father He declareth whence they shal haue this new store to witte because it shal be lawful for theÌ„ with ful mouth to draw vp so much as they shall neede out of God the fouÌ„taine of wisdome as if he shuld say you neede not feare least you be destitute of the gifte of vnderstaÌ„ding because the father shal be ready to enrich you with al aboundance of al good things And he teacheth in these woordes that the spirit is not promised therfore that they to whoÌ„ he is promised maye waite for him being themselues slouthfull and sluggish but rather that they may be earnestly bent to desire that grace which is offered In sum he promiseth that he wil so execute the office of a mediator that he may liberally and more then they could desire obteine for them of the father whatsoeuer they shal aske But here ariseth an hard question whether they began to call vpon God in Christes name then first of al who could neuer otherwise be merciful vnto men saue only for the mediator his sake Christ speaketh of the time to come when the heauenly father wil giue the disciples whatsoeuer they shal aske in Christes name If this be a new and vnwonted grace it seemeth that wee maye gather that so long as he was conuersant vpon earth he did not as yet play the part of an aduocate that the praiers of the faithfull might be accepted through him which thing
women This was no small affection of loue that they followed Christe euen vnto the crosse but vnlesse they had beene furnished with faith they coulde neuer haue beene present at suche a spectacle As touching Iohn himselfe we gather that his faith was so choked for a shorte time that yet notwithstanding it was not altogither choked Now lette vs be ashamed if the horrour of the crosse doe keepe vs backe from following Christ seeing that the glory of the resurrection is beefore our eies whereas the women saw nothing but ignomony and a curse He calleth her Mary either y e wife or daughter of Cleopas I like this latter better He saieth that she was sister to the mother of Iesus according to the Hebrew phrase which conteineth all kinsfolkes vnder the worde Brethrē VVe see that Mary Magdalen was not in vaine deliuered from the seauen deuils which shewed her self such a faithful disciple of Christ euen vntil the end 26. VVoman behold thy sonne As if he should say I cannot hereafter be conuersant vppon earth that I maye doe to thee the duetie of a Sonne Therefore I put this man in my place that he may take vpon him mine office Hee meaneth the selfe same thing when he saieth vnto Iohn Beheld thy mother For hee commaundeth him to take her for his mother and that he should be as carefull for her as for his owne mother In that he saith woman and not mother some thinke that he did it for this cause leaste he should wound her minde more deepely with sorrow which I do not reiect But an other cōiecture is no lesse probable that Christ meant to shew that so soone as he had finished the course of his humane life hee put off that condition vnder which hee had liued and that hee entreth into the heauenly kingdome where hee may commaund men and Aungels For wee knowe that Christe was alwayes woont to call backe the faithfull from beholding the flesh and he ought especially to haue doone this in his death 27. The disciple tooke her It is a signe of the obedience of the disciple toward his maister in that Iohn obeieth Christes commaundement It doth also appeare heereby that the Apostles had their families because Iohn could not lodge Christes mother neither haue her in house with him vnlesse he had had an house and some trade and manner of liuing VVherefore they dote which thinke that the Apostles came naked and emptie vnto Christ hauing left their substance And they dote too too foolishly who thinke that perfection consisteth in begging 28 After this when Iesus knew that al things were fulfilled that the scripture might be fulfilled he saieth I am a thirst 29. Furthermore there stoode there a vessel full of vineger And they compassed a spong being ful of vineger with Isope and they put it to his mouth 30. Therfore when Iesus had taken th◠vineger he said it is finished And bowing his head he gaue vp the Ghost 28. VVhen Iesus knewe Iohn omitteth many thinges purposely which the other three sette down he describeth now the last acte wherin there was a great weight VVhen as hee saieth that there stoode a vessel there he speaketh as of an vsuall thing and I thinke that it was a kind of potion made to hasten death when as miserable men hadde beene tormēted longe enough Christe dooth not call for drinke vntill all thinges were fulfilled whereby he declared his infinite loue toward vs and his vnestimable desire of our saluation It cannot bee sufficiently in woordes expressed what bitter paines he suffered yet did he not desire to delyuer himselfe vntill Gods iudgement was satisfied and the purginge of our sinnes was perfect But how saith he that all thinges were fulfilled seeing that the principall poynt was as yet wanting to wit death it selfe And againe doeth not his resurrection make to the fulfilling of our saluatiō I answer that Iohn doth comprehended those thinges which should follow immediately Christ was not as yet dead he was not yet risen againe but he sawe nothing which coulde hinder him from dying and rising againe And so hee instructeth vs by his example vnto perfect obedience that it may not be greeuous or troublesome to vs to liue at his pleasure although wee muste languishe in the middest of great sorrowes and paines That the scripture might be fulfilled VVe may easily gather out of the other Euangelistes that the place is cited out of Psal. 69. 22 They gaue me gall to eate and in my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke This speech is metaphorical wherby Dauid signifieth that they did not only deny to helpe him at his neede but also that his miseries were cruelly doubled But there is no absurditie in this if that were more plainely reuealed in Christ which was sleightly shadowed in Dauid For we do hereby plainely see what difference there is betweene the truth and the figures whenas those thinges appeare plainely and as it were perfectly in Christ which Dauid suffered only figuratiuely Therefore to the end Christ might declare that it was he whose person Dauid did represent he would drinke vineger and that for the confirmation of our faith They which forge an allegoricall sense in this word thirst desire rather to shew some subtiltie then truly to edifie And the Euangelist doth plainely refute those who saith that Christ called for vineger seeing that he made hast to die VVhen as he saith that the spounge was compassed about with Isop vnderstand that it was fastened vpon a bat that it might be put to Christes mouth 30 It is finished Hee repeateth the same woorde whiche hee vsed of late But this saying of Christ is especially to be remembred because he teacheth that the whole accomplishing of our saluation and all the partes thereof are contained in his death VVe haue alreadie saide that the resurrection is not separated from his death it is only Christe his intent to retaine our faith in himselfe alone least it wander and turne hyther and thyther Therefore this is the sense that whatsoeuer maketh vnto the saluation of men it consisteth in Christ and is no where els to be sought or that which is all one that the perfection of saluation is included in him And there is comprehended vnder this a secrete opposition because Christe setteth his death against all the olde sacrifices and figures as if he should say whatsoeuer was vsed vnder the law it was nothing worth of it selfe to pacifie Gods wrath to purchase righteousnesse to purge sinnes Now at length there is true saluation giuen to the worlde vnto this doctrine is annexed the abrogation of all the rites of the lawe For it were an vnmeete thing to follow the shadowes sithence that wee haue the body of Christe And if sobeit we stay our selues vpon this voyce of Christ we must be contented with his death alone vnto saluation neyther is it lawful for vs to set any helpes frō any other But y e whole religion of
name as we had before in the tenth Chapter and nienth verse that a good sheepehearde calleth vnto himselfe all the sheepe of his flocke by name Therefore this voyce of the Pastour entreth into the minde of Marie it openeth her eyes it stirreth vp all her senses and so moueth them that shee submitteth her selfe by and by vnto Christe so that we haue an image of our calling depainted in Mary For this is the true entrance into the knowledge of Christ if he knowes vs first and secondly if he inuite vs vnto himselfe familiarly not with that common voyce whiche soundeth confusedly in all mens eares but by that voyce wherewith he calleth the sheepe peculiarly which are giuen him of his father Therefore Paule saith Galathians 4. 9. After that yee knewe God yee were knowen of him Furthermore the efficacie of this worde appeareth thereby in that Marie giueth due honor vnto Christ without delay For y e word Rabboni is not only honourable but it containeth also a profession of obedience Therefore Marie testifieth that she is Christes Disciple and she submitteth and addicteth her selfe vnto him as vnto a master This is a marueilous a secret conuersion of mans minde whenas God maketh the same quicke of sight sodainely which was before dull and altogeather blinde Furthermore the example of Mary ought to serue for an exhortation that how many soeuer Christe doth inuite vnto himselfe they may answere him by and by This worde Rabboni is a Chaldean worde although they pronounce it Rabboni but it is a common thing for words to bee changed when as they are turned into another and a straunge tongue And it is asmuch as my Lorde or Master But their manner of speaking was such in Christes time that the tooke Rabbi and Rabboni for master 17 Touch me not This seemeth to disagree with Matthew his narration For he writeth plainely that the woman embraced Christs feet Now seeing that he would haue the Disciples to grope and feale him what was the cause that he forbad Mary to touch him VVe may easily answere if sobeit we know holde that the woman were not driuen back froÌ„ touching Christe before that they were too busie in touching him For in asmuch as it was necessary to take away all doubting hee did forbid them to touch him but when he saw them embrace his feete too busily he did moderate and correct that rash zeale For they did sticke in his corporal presence neither did they know any other way meanes to enioy him then if he should liue togeather with them vppon earth Therefore we must persuade our selues that they were not forbidden to touch him vntill such time as Christ had seeme y t he was retained and kept in the worlde with their foolish and vnseasonable desire VVe must also note the reason which he addeth because I am not yet ascended vnto the father For he commandeth the women in these words to suspend their desire vntill such time as he was receiued into heauenly glory Finally he sheweth the end of his resurrection not suche an ende as they feigned immagined with themselues that being restored to life againe he might triumph in the world but rather that hee might take possession of the kingdome promised him by ascending into heauen that he might gouerne the Church out of the fathers hande by the power of his spirite Therefore this is the meaning of the wordes that the estate of his resurrection should not be full and in all pointes perfect vntill he shoulde sit in heauen at his fathers right hande and that therfore the womeÌ„ did not wel in that being coÌ„tent with the one half of the resurrection they desired to haue him to be present in the world The profite of this doctrine is double the first that those must lift vp their mindes who will not erre in seeking Christ the second that they must shake off the earthly desires of the flesh whosoeuer wil go toward him as Paul teacheth Col. 3. 1. 2. Goe vnto my brethren Some doe restraine this woorde brethren vnto the kinsfolks of Christ but not well in my iudgement For why should he rather haue sent them vnto them then vnto the Disciples They answer because Iohn testifieth in another place that they beleeued not But I doe not thinke that Christ vouchsafed to bestow so great honour vpoÌ„ those of whom mention is made there And now they muste needes graunt that Mary did that obediently which she was commanded to do by Christ. But it followeth immediately that shee came to the Disciples whereby wee gather that Christe spake of them Moreouer Christe knewe that the Disciples were gathered togeather in one place whom these men doe separate in their â—pinion And it were an absurd thing that the Disciples shoulde bee neglected whylest that certaine odde fellowes were regarded who being gathered into one place dyd stande betweene hope and feare Furthermore Christ seemeth to haue borrowed this speeche out of the two and twentieth Psalme 23. where it is written I will declare thy name vnto my brethren For it is questionlesse that the fulfilling of that Prophesie is rehearsed in this place Therefore I thinke that Marie was sent vnto all the Disciples and I thinke that that was done to vpbraide them because they had been so slowe to beleeue And truly they were not only worthie to haue women to bee their teachers but euen Oxen and Asses who had profited so little and almost nothing vnder the sonne of God who vsed such diligence in teaching and instructing them continually Yet this is a milde and gentle chasticement whylest that Christ sendeth his Disciples thus vnto the womens schoole that he may reclaime them vnto himselfe by them His inestimable goodnesse appeareth also in this that hee appointeth the women to bee witnesses vnto the Apostles of his resurrection For the embassage whiche is giuen them in charge is the onely groundeworke of our saluation and it conteineth the principall point of heauenly wisedome Although we must also note that this was an extraordinarie and as it were an accidentall thing They are commaunded to tell the Apostles that which they preached vnto all the whole world afterward according to the function which was enioyned them but the womeÌ„ do not this as Apostles Therfore they do falsely gather a law out of this place who permit women to baptize Let this bee sufficient for vs that Christ did shewe and vnfolde in them the infinite treasures of his grace whilest that hee did once make them teach the Apostles yet so that he woulde not haue that taken for an example whiche was done by a singuler priuiledge wee may see that chiefly in Mary Magdalene whiche was captiue to seuen Diuels before for this was as much as if Christ should lift her vp aboue the heauens being brought out of hell If any man obiect that there was no cause why Christ shoulde preferre the women before his Apostles which were no lesse