passe the day after that he weÌ„t into a City which is called Naim many of his disciples wente with him and much people A. The Euangelist Luke only setteth forth this miracle coÌ„cerning the Wydowes sonne raised vp by the power of Christe And seeing we must obserue and note that proporcion in all the myracles of Christ which Mathew teacheth in his eight Chapter the seuentene verse let vs knowe that this younge man whom Christe raysed vp from death was a paterne of the spirituall lyfe which he hath restored vnto vs. Which is called Naim The name of the City maketh for the certainety of the Hystory C. Hierom saith that there was a City in his time which was called Naim two Myles from Mounce Thabor Southward And much people This also maketh very much for the certainty of the Hystory For Christe had many that attended on him and so had the Woman also for duties sake to make the funerall Therefore the Resurrection of the younge man was sene of so many witnesses that there is no doubt of the truth and credit of the same 12. When he came nygh to the Gate of the City beholde there was a deade man caried forth which was the onely sonne of his mother and shee was a Wydowe and much people of the City was with her And when he was come nygh the gate C. The famousnesse also and great resorte of this place made the myracle more renoumed For wee know that there is great resort passage through gates Beholde there was a deade We must note here the maner not only of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles whose publique sepultures were not within the Cities but without in some coÌ„uenient decent place Wherupon Christe was buried without the City of Hierusalem in a Garden Ihon. 13.41 And much people of the City was with her Beholde here the humanity of the Citizens of this City toward the Wydowe 13. And when the Lord saw her hee had compassion on her and sayde vnto her Weepe not A. By this place Christ sheweth both how he is affectionate towards the myserable and also what power hee hath ouer death and hell For he seeing the calamity of the Wydowe was by by moued with compassion and comforteth her both with wordes saying Weepe not And also with deedes when he coÌ„minge to the Coffine called the deade man to lyfe againe restored him to his mother What greater Clemency can there bee spoken of that this And this ought by so much the more to bee obserued and noted in CHRISTE by how much hee reuealeth more secret misteries vnto vs. For consider more dilligently in this place how redily Christe helpeth the Widow For before the Wydow praieth before shee intreateth yea before she thought of any such matter hee is moued with compassion towards the afflicted Wydow and offereth vnto her of his owne accord his beneficiall help C. So that this moued Christ to raise vp the younge man for that he seeing the Wydow depriued of her onely son had coÌ„passion on her R. And in Christ wee haue expressed vnto vs the Image of those affections which God the Father beareth towards men For no maÌ„ saith S. Ihon hath seene God at any time Ihon. â— 28 the only begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath shewed him And the Apostell Paule sayth Christe is the Image of the inuisible God Col. 1.15 Wherefore it is manifest in Christ the the Father is so full of pitty and compassion that hee will helpe the lowly the afflicted and the oppressed before they pray For so hee speaketh by the mouth of the Prophet sayinge And it shall come to passe that before they cry I will heare them Esai 66. â—â— Esay 66.8 CHRIST might haue preserued the younge man in health before hee had died but thinkest thou that he maketh the aunswere vnto thee which hee made to them which asked him coÌ„cerning the man that was borne blinde Ihon. 9.3 For this younge man dyed that the workes of God might be seene in him and the more impossible that the raysinge vp of a deade man seemeth to bee to fleshe and bloude the more the glory of Christe shyueth by the raysinge vp of the deade For this myracle testifieth as a heauenly Seale that Christ is indued with Deuyne Maiesty and Power and that hee is by Nature the true God as wee shall see anone P. Moreouer Christe by these words Weepe not doth not forbid all weepinge Hee comforteth the mourninge Wydow the which of it selfe is a godly duety and forbiddeth her to weepe not bycause her sonne is deade but bycause hee should liue Yea it is lawful for vs by the example of Christ to wepe for our friendes departed euen as hee wept for Lazarus being deade Iho. 11.35 and he is here mooued with compassion For hee that is not mooued with compassion at the euills of others specially of his owne Friendes is vnworthy the name of a man Notwithstandinge in this wee oughte to differ from others that mourne that wee moderate our sorrow euen as Paule commauÌ„deth Sorrowe not as some doe which haue no hope 1. The. 4.13 Hee doth not forbid mourninge in the death of those which are deare vnto vs. For although wee hope that they are in good case after this life yet neuerthelesse that sharpnesse which is in the seperation of the Life from the body cannot but mooue vs but bycause wee haue hope therefore our sorrowe oughte not to exceede as it doth in others And that is true fortitude not by which men are nothing mooued at sorrowfull sightes but by which they stay restraine them selues least they being moued with griefe in this corrupt Nature doe commit any wickednesse 14. And hee came nygh and touched the beere and they that bare him stoode still and hee sayd younge man I say vnto thee aryse And hee came nygh and touched the beere C. Peraduenture his purpose was by touchinge the beere to shew that death and the graue was nothing at all abhorred of him to get vs lyfe And verely hee doth not onely vouchsafe to touch vs with his hand that hee might quicken vs being deade but also he descended into the graue to bring vs to Heauen Younge man I say vnto thee aryse R. Here Chryste sheweth him selfe to be indued with deuine maiesty power to be truly naturally God For wheÌ„ hee sayth YouÌ„ge man I say vnto thee aryse what doth he else but coÌ„maund Death shewinge that hee hath power of Life and Death Elias and Elizeus also raysed vp the deade 3. ki 17 22 4. ki 4.35 but they did not the same by their owne power as did Christe who sayd I say vnto thee Younge man aryse C. By which voyce wee see how hee confirmeth the same which PAVLE taught sayinge God calleth those things which are not as though they were Rom. 4 17 Hee commaundeth the deade man and maketh
dishonor and infirmiâ—y Seeing therefore other mens bodies shal be glorious whole sound in the Resurrection howe much more hath the body of Chryst rysen agayne whole souÌ„d To what purpose then were the scarres of the wouÌ„ds in so glorious a body C. We aunswere that by them it is declared to euery one of vs that Chryst is rather riseÌ„ agayn for vs then for himselfe who being the Conquerer of Death and endued with blessed and heuenly immortallity was notwithstanding for his Electes sake contented to carry for a time in his body the reliques of the crosse And verely in this he did woÌ„derfully beare with the weakenesse of his Disciples in that he would rather want some part of the perfect glory of his Resurrection then to disappoynt their fayth of such a help and stay Moreouer it is a foolishe and vaine Immagination to thinke that the Iudge of the whole world shall come with his body cut and mangled in the latter day of Iudgemente R. For hys body hath now another maner of form before his heauenly Father and in hys Kingdome then it had amonge men Hee hath nowe in hys Kyngdome the forme of a glorified body indewed with heauenly maiesty and comprehesible of no maÌ„ in this world For if in this Transformation before his thre Disciples when as yet he haâ— mortall Flesh his face did shyne as thâ— Sunne and his garments were madâ— passing white his body must needes bâ— endued with greater maiesty after hys Resurrection into his Kingdome therfore as he would eate in the presence oâ— his Disciples to testefy his resurrection though he needed no meate so hee would carry the scarres of the wounds in his hands fete and side for a Tyme for the same cause that he might wynne credit by all manner of meanes to hys Resurrection A. For the behoulders hereof could not gainesay such manifesâ— signes Whereupon there is no doubt but that afterward they did much morâ— feruently set forth the glory of his Resurrection when they had receiued the holy ghost as appereth by these words of Luke in another place Act. 4 3â— And vvyth great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the Resurrection of the Lord Iesu and great grace was with them all 41. And while they beleeued not for ioy and wondered hee sayde vnto them haue ye heere any meate C. This place also testefieth that they were not obstinate vnbeleuers but hauing an earnest desire to beleeue theyr affections were tied with greate vehemencie insomuch that they could not be iâ— quiet For the ioy of the which Luke maketh mention sprange not but from faith and yet notwithstanding it waâ— a let to theyr faith to preuayle oueâ—come Therefore let vs note how greate we ought to suspecte the vehemency our affections the which althoughe it spryngeth from good beginninges yet notwithstanding it carrieth vs quite cleane out of the right way Wee are taught also how dilligently we oughte to sight agaynst the impedimentes of fayth seeing that the ioy which was coÌ„ceiued of the presence of Chrâ—st was the cause of Vnbeliefe in the Apostles Therefore the purpose of Luke was to expresse such an affection as euery one of vs feeleth at this day When wee heare any Wonderfull or ioyfull thinge wee are by and by rapte and rauished with the same Such a signe was in Abraham he laughed and sayde 〈◊〉 17 1â— Shall a C yâ—de bee borne vnto him that is a hundered yeares olde Yet notwithstanding hee is not reprehended The laughter of â—ara is reprehended because it sprange of Infidellity So was Abraham â—apt that he knew not what he sayd Such affection was in the Disciples So that if these wordes For â—oye were not added we might haue thought the discyples to haue bene at that time vnbeleuinge but they wondered so that they were out of their wits as it were Haue yee heere any Meate C. Heere agayne wee see how gentely and louingly the Lord beareth wyth the infirmity of his Disciples who vouchsafeth to holde them that fall wyth a new prop or stay And although he had gotten the new estate of a heuenly life hauing no more nede of meate theÌ„ Angels haue yet notwithstanding he vouchsafeth of his owne accord to abase and humble himself to the coÌ„mon vse of mortall men He had made himself subiect to the necessity of eating drynking all his life time but now being exempted from the same he eateth meate to thys ende that he might perswade his Disciples concerning the resurrection Thus wee see that hee hauynge alwaies more regard to vs then he hath to himselfe hee will bee alwayes ours Wee see also how great our imbecillity is yea euen when wee haue euident promises yet neuerthelesse the Lord confirmeth and strengtheneth vs by one meanes or other For whereunto serue Baptisme the Lords supper and many other things but onely to coÌ„firme and strengtheÌ„ vs. This therefore must be ascribed to the goodnesse of Chryste that hee helpeth our infirmity and lifteth vs vp by such helpes as are necessary for vs. 42. And they offered him a piece of broyled fish and of a hony combe A. Such as the Apostles haue they offer vnto the LORD It may be that thys was the Fragments of their Supper In Iohns Gospell wee haue these words As soone then as they were come to Land they saw hoate coales Iohn 21 9 Iohn â— 9 and fishes layd thereon and bread Also in another place there is mention made of two fishes when the lorde fed a greate multitude of men in the Wildernesse Whereby it appeareth that the common Foode of the Disciples was such meate as by theyr owne arte and labor they tooke for they were fishers 43. AND hee tooke it and dyd eat before them C. Hee dyd not eate as wee sayde before because he was an Hungared but hee dyd eate to the same end purpose that he retained the skars in his body that is to say hee would doe all things for his Disciples sakes wherof he him selfe had no neede R For to eat is the greatest and most special signe of lyfe Wherefore Chryst hauing raysed the ruler of the Sinagogues Daughter from Death to life Luk. 8.55 commaunded to geue her meate not to quallify her huÌ„ger which the mayde as yet felt not but to make it manifestely appere that she was aliue A. Also of Lazarus it is sayd that he was one of those whych sate at meate with Iesus Ioh. 12.13 when he had a supper prepared for him at Bethanie sixe daies before the passouer R. Therefore Chryst would eate with his Disciples after his Resurrection not to asswage hunger which he could neuer â—ele any more but to prooue the certainety and truth of his life Therfore Peter when hee preached at Caesaria made mention of this Argument of the Resurrection of Chryste saith My God raysed vp the thyrde Day and shewed him openly Not to all the People but to vs witnesses
noyse a whirlewynd and tempest and a flame of a deuourynge fire So in the good porte he is sayde to visite those whoÌ„ he blesseth whereby he declareth that he is presente with them and chat he careth for them So he visited the Hebrewes when he deliuered them out of the Bondage of Aegypte But no visitation of God may be compared with this present visitation whereof Zacharias speaketh because with this visitation he visited regarded his people in his sonne C. Wherefore in this woord Visited there is a secret Antithesis because the countenance of God was turned away for a time from the miserable sonns of Abraham For they were in such calamity that no man thought that GOD had any maner of care for him A. But the people of God had full redemption from all euils by Chryste Hereuppon Zacharias singeth And redemed his people C. The Visitation of the whych Zacharias speaketh is put here as the cause and beginning of the redemption As if he should say God hath visited looked vppon his People to redeeme them A. And this Redemption sheweth that there was first a captiuity For the People was so captiued that they could not hope for deliuerance from any other then from God alone But in what Captiuity were they Surely at that time they were oppressed with cruell Tyranny but yet the Captiuity was more hard grieuous froÌ„ which they were to be deliuered For the Lorde by and by after the beginning promysed a Redemer of al men which were whych should be to the Worlds ende Neither was the people alwaies Captiue Whereupon it followeth that the redemption was not carnall For there were certaine Ages in the which the people floryshed Euen so Chryste is a Redemer of mens Soules and not of theyr Bodies onely And there is no doubte but that so was the meaning of Zacharias As if he should say Christ a redeemer of soules He taking our flesh vppon him visited those that were in bondage and in the shadow of Death and visiting theÌ„ and geuing himselfe for those that were in Bondage he redemed them with peril of his owne Life submitting hymselfe vnto that punishmente whych was due bnto those that were in Bondage C. And hereby we gather that the holy Fathers them selues were not free from the Yoake of sinne and from the Tyranny of Death but by the grace of Chryst For Chryst is sayde to be sente a redeemer to the holy and elect people of God But if so be RedemptioÌ„ were then brought by Chryst and not before he came in the flesh it followeth that the Faythfull whych were deade before his commyng were all theyr Lyfe time the Seruauntes of Syn and death which were very absurde VVee aunswer that the force and Effecte of this Redemption whych was once offered in CHRYSTE was Common to all Ages 69. And hath raysed vp a horne of Saluation for vs in the house of his seruaunte DAVID And hath raysed vp a horne C. Hee sayth it is raysed vp because the People were fallen before and were scattered As if he should say Howsoeuer we seeme to we are fallen to be voyde of all hope God hath raysed vp again his power of Sauing Health For the Throane of DAVYD being ouerthrowne and the People being dispersed the hope of SaluatioÌ„ semed to be cleane gone R. By this VVoorde Horne is signified accordyng to the Hebrew phrase Kingdome and power euen as also we may read in Daniel Dan. 7.7 where the prophet firste seeth 4. Beastes of the which the fourth Beast had ten Hornes that which he himselfe afterwardes declaring in the 24. Verse expoundeth for Kyngdomes or Kyngs â— Kin. 16.1 either because Kyngs were consecrated by the powryng of oyle out of a horne or else because the might of Beasts resteth in theyr Hornes as wee may Read in DANYELL of the Ramnie and the Goate which runne full Butte one at the other Dan. 8.6 And in an other place it is sayde I vvill breake all the Hornes of sinners Psal 75.11 Psal 112.9 â—ie lameÌ„ â—3 but the Hornes of the righteous shal be exalted Againe His horn shal be exalted in glory C. Zacharias verely alludeth to the prophesies of the prophets in that which sodayne sauing Health is promised in matters past all Hope Yea this phrase of Speach is taken out of the Psalme â—sa 131.17 where it is sayde There I will make the Horne of DAVYD to florishe I haue Ordayned a Lanterne for myne anoynted To be shorte in these VVordes Zacharias sheweth that the power might and Kyngdome of CHRYST shal be fyrme and Euerlasting As if hee should say He seÌ„t Chryste the promised Sauiour against whom neyther Sinne neyther Death nor Hell Gates shall preuayle because the Horne is lyfted vp Other KYNGEDOMES are called greate and Myghtie of theyr Names and Ryches as of the Abundaunce of theyr Commodyties of their People of theyr Honoures and other theyr temperall Blessings BUT this KYNGEDOME is called the KINGDOME of SALVATION of Grace of Lyfe of Ryghteousnesse and of truth and the KYNGDOME of euery thynge that appertayneth to SALVATION whereby also it is seperated and knowne from all other Kyngdomes WHEREFORE if GOD hath declared vnto vs hys Power in no other then in CHRISTE to saue vs it is greate VVyckednesse to swarue from hym if so be we desire to be saued of GOD. AND noate heere that the same HORNE vvhych to the Faythfull is a HORNE of SALVATION is to the Wycked Terrour and Destruction In the house of his Seruaunt Dauid He calleth DAVID the seruaunte of God Not simpely because hee Worshipped GOD as one of the GODLY But in an other Respect Namely because hee vvas chosen to Gouerne and saue the People that he vvyth hys Successours might represent the Person of Christ AND Althoughe there remained no parte of a KINGDOME to bee seene amonge the IEVVES yet notwithstandyng because ZACHARIAS stayed hym selfe vppon the Promises of GOD hee feared not to call DAVID the Seruaunt of GOD in whome GOD gaue a view of the SALVATION to come Whereuppon it followeth that then in very deede Chryste is made vnto vs the Author of Saluation when he raigneth amonge vs to gouerne vs. Moreouer concerning the promises made vnto Dauid wee haue spoken partely already 70. As hee spake by the mouth of his Holy Prophetes which haue bene since the World began As hee spake C. Or as he promysed Least for Nouelties sake the Saluation which hee testifieth to be brought by Chryst should be doubted of he cyteth the Prophetes as witnesses of the same who being raysed vp in diuers times yet notwithstanding teach with one consent that we muste hope for saluation from Chryst aloane For it is not the purpose of Zacharias to coÌ„mend the Fayth and Constancy of God because he performeth and fulfilleth that which he had promised long before but rather seeketh to bringe the faithfull to the auncient Oracles to the ende they might
is nothing hyer but onely height it selfe there is Chryst in his Diuinity euen as the daie sprynge or Sunne rysing For he proceeded from the Father euen as the beams of light proceede from the Sun Thus Chryst speaketh of himselfe Iohn 3.13 No man ascendeth into heaueÌ„ but he which came downe from heauen For he hath not his Oryginall froÌ„ the Earth where hee was conceiued and borne In like manner he saith I wente oute from the Father Ioh. 16.28 and came into the world This Sonne of God sayth Zacharias hath visited vs comming to vs into the Earth and hath geuen to vs myserable dampned Sinners remission of Sinnes 79. To geue light to them that sate in Darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace To geue Lighte to them that sate in darkenes C. In this Zacharias extollâ—th the mercy of God that the shadow of Death being put away the lighte of Lyfe was restored vnto the People of God And this seemeth to be an allusioÌ„ to the Woordes of the Prophet where Chryst is called the Sonne of righteousnes carying health in his wynges Mala. 4. â— that is to say in his Beames WheÌ„ the Sun ryseth we know by Experience the health followeth the same For by the rysing therof we feele our selues more mery and chearefull of the which sicke persons haue best experience As touching light and darkenes we haue the like speaches in Esay A people which walked in darknes saw great light Light is rysen vppon them that dwelte in the shadovve of Death The like we haue in many other places Concerning the which matter Esay 9.1 read the annotations vpon Mathevv BV. Therefore he perseuereth in the Metaphor Mat. 4.16 As the Sun geueth lighte vnto oure Bodies so Chryste geueth lighte vnto our mindes And withal he sheweth wherefore he calleth Chryste the day sprynge Namely that he might lyghten such as sit in Darkenes and in the shadow of Death By these words we are taughte that there is no quickning light in the world without Christ but that all thinges are couered with horrible darkenes of Death therefore Esay in another place testifieth that this benefite is proper to the Church onely Behould sayth he darkenes shall couer the Earth and a thicke miste the People Esay 60.1 but vppon thee shall the lord aryse and his glory shall bee seene in thee Notwithstanding it may be demauÌ„ded how the Israelites sate in the shadow of Death Question whose hearts the Lorde alwayes illumined by fayth Ansvver We answer that the Godly which liued vnder the Law being beset round about with the darkenes of Death behelde a lyghte a farre of in the comming of Chryste by which they were refreshed leaste they should bee ouerwhelmed with presente Death It may also be that Zacharias had respecte to the miserable estate of hys tyme. But this is generally true that by the comming of Chryst a lighte is risen vp to al the Godly which were from the beginning and which shall be to the ende to quicken them because he hath poured lyfe also into those that were deade BV. Furthermore Zacharias ioyneth heere the Iewes and Gentyles together and describeth the Condytion of mankynde and the office of Chryste Therefore he sayth Chryste therefore came that he might be the lighte of the World and to illuminate meÌ„s hearts by the Ghospell and to call them vnto him which were held in Captiuity vnder Sathan in blyndnes in the darknes of Vnbeliefe that so he might dyrecte theyr feete into the way of peace Read the 4. cap. of Math. verse 16. Note heere that if the electe before they bee called be in the shadow of death what shall wee thinke of the Reprobate To be short we must set agaynst the shadow of Death the light and brightnesse of Chryst who putteth away these darkenesses that we might be illumined vnto Saluation His brightnesse aloane ought to be sufficient for vs. To directe our feete into the way of peace C. By this parte Zacharias teacheth that the perfection of al goodnes and the summe of all felicity coÌ„sisteth in Chryst aloane The Name of peace may be taken in his owne proper sence welinoughe because the illumination of Chryst is able to pacify mens mindes But because the Hebrevves by peace vnderstande the happy Successe of all things there is no doubt but that Zachartas wente here aboute to make Chryst the Author of perfect blessednes least we should seeke for any maner of goodnes elsewhere but being perswaded that we are perfectly blessed in Chryst we might stay our selues vppon him alone To the which effect pertaine these words of the Prophet The Sunne shall shyne to thee no more by day Esay 60.19 nor the Moone by night but the Lord shal be thy euerlastynge lighte But if Zacharias by the onelie sighte of his Sonne being yet an Infante was led to speake so notably of the Grace and vertue of Chryst before hee was borne are not they to vnthankfull which thinke not so Honourably of Chryst after that hee is deade rysen agayne and ascended into Heauen that he mighte sit at the ryght hande of his Father as they ought and do diminish his Power of a Sauiour the Tytle whereof was geuen vnto him by the holy Ghost he being yet in his mothers wombe For wee must remember that which we spake before how that Zacharias spake not of hymselfe but by the dyrection of Gods Spyrite R. This is the Summe of Zacharias songe in the which seeing the truthe is specially commended and the mercy of God Gods benefites declared which are come to vs by Chryst manifested by the preaching and Testimony of Iohn let vs confirme our Faith and shewe our selues thankefull vnto God that with thankefulnes we may keepe and enioy those Benefites which by Gods liberality wee haue receiued throughe Chryst 80. And the Chyld grew vvaxed stronge in Spyrite and was in wyldernesse till the Day came when hee should shew himselfe vnto the Israelytes And the Chylde grewe C. Thys the Euangelyst Luke addeth to knit vp the history And waxed stroÌ„g in spirit As the Natiuity of Iohn was wonderfull so the increase of his age was not without admiration For as hee grewe in stature and in Body so also hee was corroborated with the streÌ„gth of the Spyrite Not that he had nowe vnderstanding but because there was a straunge and vnwonted towardnes in the Child which was a signe that the holy Ghost dwelt in him C. Therefore according to the portion of euery age the holy Ghost sheweth it self more and more both in words and also in deedes And was in wildernesse A. Reade our Annotations vpon the first Verse of the third Chapter of Mathews Gospell Til the day came c C. That is to say he lay hid vntill the time came in the which the Lord had determined that he should shew himself C. Whereby wee gather that Iohn
Resurrection of CHRISTE bee vnto vs to bringe vs vnto GOD For CHRISTE was not onelye taken vppe from the Earth that he might draw all things after him but sitteth also at the right Hande of his Father that wee beinge Pilgrimes in the Worlde may meditate with our whole heart of the heauenly Lyfe A. Let vs therefore learne in all our busines and affayres to remember our Lord and Redeemer to prayse his Grace and to geue Glory vnto hys name The effectes of faith are thaÌ„kes geuings by which it declareth it self thankefull towards God and prouoketh others by the confession of the word to receiue the word Euen as it was toulde vnto them C. Luke heere setteth forth vnto vs the true nature of piety when he saith that the testymony of the Aungell was as it were a Rule vnto the sheepeherds to frame all things by For faith is then rightly furthered by the workes of God if so be it directeth all things to this ende that the truth of God which is reuealed in the word may more brightly shine 21. AND when the eighte Dayes was come that the Chylde shoulde bee cyrcumcysed his name was called Iesus which was so named of the Aungell And when the eight Dayes was come R. Luke in fewe wordes describeth the cyrcumcisioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus Chryst But yet these few wordes do set forth vnto vs the manifold Graces of God C. Concerning the circumcysing of Children the eight Day wee haue spoken in the firste Chapter going before the 59. verse And whereas the Lord would haue the cyrcumcision put of vntil the eight Day Circumcision a signe of the obserâ—ation of the lavv it may seeme to be done in consideration of the tendernes of his Age because the cutting of new born Chyldren should be daungerous But God would haue his son circumcised to the end he might make him subiecte vnto the law For Circumcision was a Solempne signe by which the Iewes entered into the obseruation of the law Paule sheweth the reason when he sayth He was made vnder the law to redeme Gala. 44. those that were vnder the Law Chryst therefore receiuing circumcision professed himselfe to bee a Seruaunt of the law to set vs at libertie And by this meanes not onely the bondage of the law was by him abolyshed but also the shadow of the Ceremony applied to his sound body that it mighte shortly after haue an end For although the abrogation thereof dependeth vppon the Death and Resurrection of Chryst yet notwithstanding thys was after a sort the beginning of the same that the Sonne of God suffered hymselfe to be circumcised A. Whereuppon the Apostle doubteth not to say that we are deliuered from the cursse of the Law because Chryst hath made hymselfe subiect vnto the law B. And the equity of the Law is that which byndeth all men to kepe the same Gala. 44. which curseth and condempneth all those that traÌ„sgresse the same But there is no maÌ„ neither hath there ben any so holy that he hath fully satisfied kepte the whole law For we are all carnall conceyued and borne in sin sould vnder sinne Therfore Chryst came into this world and made himselfe subiect vnto the law by circumcision for he which is cyrcumcised saith Paule Gala. 5.3 is a dettor to the keeping of the whole law hath perfectly fulfilled the law that so many as beleue in him might be redemed from this heauy yoake of the law that the law mighte henceforth haue no Power to curse or condempne them For the law requyreth perfect righteousnesse and holynes But to them that beleue in Chryst theyr sinnes are not imputed but are counted iust and holy through Chryst And they which are accepted for iust and holy they haue that alreadie whych the Lawe requyreth Namely Righteousnes and holines Rom 8.3 And they haue the same not by the merite of theyr Woorkes RoÌ„ 10 4. but by Fayth through Chryst who by sin condempned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnesse of the law might bee fulfilled in vs and who is the ende of the lawe to the iustifying of euery one that beleueth WheruppoÌ„ Paule wryteth thus Chryste hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the law Gala. 3.13 being made accursed for vs. That the Chyld shoulde be cyrcumcised C. Concerning Cyrcumcision reade the seuentene Chapter of Genesis His name was called Iesus This place testifieth that the accustomed manner of the Iewes was to name theyr Chyldren on that day that they were cyrcumcised Names geueÌ„ at Circumcision euen as we do at this day in the Solempnization of Baptisme And it is very common in the Scriptures to bee seene that the Lord geueth the name vnto men according to the office to the which hee calleth them So Abraham being ordayned to be a Father of many Nations was called Abraham by whych name the Lord expresseth the very same thing to the which he had chosen him Gen. 17.4 Therefore when this blessed Sonne of Dauid was sence to be the Sauiour of the world vnto the vttermost parts of the earth and that by him alone the electe might be redemed necessarilye be receiued his name from aboue by which the very same was signified For Iesus or Iehoua according to the Hebrew tongue signifieth a Sauiour Math. 1. according to the Interpretation of the Angell saying For hee shall saue hys people from theyr sinnes Where it is to bee noted that he saith from theyr sinnes to shew that he shal not be a carnall Kinge as the Ievves looked for which with VVeapons should delyuer the people from earthly Bondage but from their Sinnes For by his Death he hath once made satisfaction for the sinnes of all the Electe Rom. 8. â— so that there is now no dampnation to those that beleue in Chryste And not onely this but because sinne is alway with vs hee doth also euer saue preserue least sin should raigne in vs. He hath once redemed vs yet he doth alway preserue for euer This name God gaue vnto him as we said by the Angel In him therfore and in no other Saluation is to bee found because this name was not geuen vnto hym by Fortune Chaunce or by Humane Rashnes And he was not without cause pronounced by the Angell to be Iesus but to this end that we forsaking all other opynion of Saluation may houlde fast by him as by our onely Sauiour Whereuppon the Scripture sayth that there is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men in which they shal be saued Act. 4.12 Christes merites are our SaluatioÌ„ This prayse is wholy geuen vnto Chryst Therefore it coÌ„meth not to passe by our merite that we are saued but Chryst onely saueth vs by his grace Wherefore we must repose our whole trust of Saluation in the Merits of Chryst Which was so named of the Angel C. The Angell noateth heere two Thynges Namely that the Name of IESV was not
desiered to see those thinges which you se and haue not seene them And there is no doubte but that this Reuelation was made vnto Symeon alone that from him a general confirmation might come to al the Godly Before hee had seene the Lordes Chryst C. Chryst is called the Lords Chryst because hee was anoynted of the Father and receiued also with the holy Ghost the Dignity of a Kyngdome Pryestehood A. Concerning the whych thing Read the first of Mat. verse 16.27 And he came by inspyratioÌ„ into the Temple And when the Father and Mother broughte in the Chylde Iesus to doe for him after the Custome of the Law E. The Greeke Text hath And he came in the Spyrite That is to say in the Power of the Spyrite or being led of the spyrit to mete wyth Chryst 28 Then tooke hee him vp in hys Armes and praysed God and sayde LORDE now lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in Peace accordyng to thy Word Then tooke he him vp in his armes S. That is to say he tooke and imbraced Chryst with great Ioy which was a VVorke of Fayth Heere now Symeon is made Partaker of his Fayth and hope Heere now he doth not onely se with his eyes but doth also carry in hys Armes him whome the Heauen of Heauens caÌ„not comprehende and who in his Hande houldeth Heauen and Earth and all thynges therein And Symeon helde in his handes so greate Treasure as none of the most excellent Kynges and Monarches of the world possessed Lorde now lettest thou thy seruauÌ„t R. This excellente Verse consisteth of fower verseâ— And as Zacharias and the Virgin Mary and before them Moyses Debora Anna Dauid and many other haue declared their thankfulnesse towardes GOD in Verses and coulde deuyse no better way to geue god thaÌ„ks for those benefits receiued then with a publique songe of the glory of his name euen so Symeon bursteth forth by the holy Ghoste into a Songe by which hee declareth his thankefull mynd for the clemeÌ„cy mercy of God And in this song he declareth Christ seâ—teth him forth with great praises and magnificeÌ„t Epithetes C. Furthermore by this soÌ„g it is euideÌ„t inough that Simeon beheld the son of God with other Eyes then with the eies of his Body For the external sight of Christ could brynge nothing but conteÌ„pt at least it would neuer haue satisfied the mind of the maÌ„ of god that with ioy he might haue desired his end death being now made partaker of his desire Therefore the spirit of God illumined his eies by faith that he might behold the glory of the son of God though in base conteÌ„ptible shew When hee saith that he departeth in peace he meaneth that he shal by with a quiet peaceable mind as one hauing his desire wish According to thy vvord R. Hee commendeth the truth of Gods promise which was that he should not see Death before he had seene the Lordes Chryste The which promise if it had not bene made vnto him he should in vain here haue made mention of the word of the Lord. A. He reioiseth therefore that he hath his desire and affirmeth that hee will not be vnwilling to die C. But it may be demaunded whether he should first depart this lyfe or whether Simeon was drawne with violence as one vnwilling I answer This circumstaÌ„ce is to be noted which is added According to thy word For when God promised the sight of hys son there was iust cause why he honge in Suspence yea it behoued him to liue in care vntill he had enioyed hys desyre This therefore is to be noated because many do falsely pretend the example of Simeon boastinge that they would willingly die if so bee they might first inioy this or that thinge the which notwithstaÌ„ding they desire rashly and without the word of God If so be Symeon had precisely sayd Now I will die with a quyet minde because I haue sene the Sonne of God he had then shewed the weakenes of his faith but because he had the word of GOD for his Warrante it was lawfull for him to shunne Death according to the rule of Fayth vntill the comminge of Chryst In Peace Bu. As if he should say Thou bringest to passe that I now willingly and with a quiet mind depart out of this life Thou saydst that I at the laste shoulde then die when I had seene the Sauiour of the Worlde whom I haue nowe seene And novve there resteth nothing but that thou suffer me to die when it shall seeme good vnto thee to call me out of thys Worlde By these VVordes Symeon sufficiently declareth how carefully and with what griefe of mynde he wayted for the comming of the Messias when that he affyrmeth himselfe to be nowe in peace because he hath sene and imbraced Chryst the Infant 30 For myne Eyes hath seene thy Saluation C. Although we haue this phrase of Speach oftentimes in the scriptures yet notwithstanding in these the Corporall beholding of Chryst seemeth to be noated euen as if Symeon shoulde say that he had now the Son of God present in the flesh whom before he be helde with the eyes of his myndes Thy Saluation A. Chryst is heere called Saluation Act. 4. â— because there is saluatton in no other then in him For there is no other name geuen vnder heauen among men in whom we must be saued C. Now if so be the behoulding of Chryst being yet but an Infant could so much preuayle with Symeon that it made him quietly and ioyfully to dy how much greater cause of peace and ioy haue we at this day who haue sene all the partes of our Saluation fulfilled in Chryste Chryst is not nowe in Earth neyther do we imbrace hym in our Armes but his Deuine maiestye doth clearely and plainely shyne in the Gospell and he doth there offer him selfe to be seene as it were face to face not in the infirmity of the Fleshe any more but in greate power of the spyrite which he declared in miracles in the Sacrifice of his Death and in the Resurrection To be shorte he is so absente from vs in body that yet notwithstandynge we may behoulde him sittynge at the right hande of his Father A. VVe see also what things Chryst hath done after his Resurrection and what manner Church he hath builded and preserued C. Excepte this sight bringe peace of conscience vnto vs that we may goe chearefully vnto death wee are more then vnthankfull vnto God and do not rightly consider to how great honour he hath aduaunced vs. Which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People Esa 11.10 Which thou hast prepared C. That is to say which thou hast ordayned or appoynted to be knowen of all men according to this saying of the Prophet Esa 52.10 The Lord hath reuealed his holy arme in the sight of all the GeÌ„tyles and all the endes of the Earthe haue seene the Saluation of our God Therefore by
accounted for a deceiuer To preache the Gospell C. Heere Christe sheweth to what ende hee was endued with the Graces of the Spirite namely that hee might Preache the Gospell to the poore Whereupon wee gather that which we sayd before that whosoeuer are sent of GOD to preache the Gospell are first instructed with necessarye Gyftes that they may bee able to discharge so waighty an Office Wherefore very fonde are they who vnder the pretence of the deuine calling vsurpe vnto them the place of Pastors when as in deede they are most vnmeete to execute such an office A. They therefore which will be couÌ„ted true and lawfull Pastors must coÌ„sider that their proper office is to preach the Gospell R. For this great Sheepheard of all other shepheards Christ saith not To rule with externall maiesty he hath sent mee but To preach the Gospell And hee saith to his Apostells Ihon. 20. â—â— As the father hath sent mee so send I you 1 Cor. 4.1 And the Apostell Paule writeth thus Let a man so esteme vs as the Mynisters of Christ dispensators of the Mysteries of God Also 1. Pet. 5.1 the Apostell Peter saith The Elders which are among you exhort which am also an Elder a Witnesse of the afflictions of Christe and also a Partaker of the glory that shall bee opened Feede you Gods flocke which is committed vnto you takinge the ouer sight of them Not as compelled thereunto but willinge not for the desire of filthye luker but of a good minde not as though yee were Lords ouer Gods Heritage but that yee be an ensample to the flocke To the poore By this Name the Prophette gieueth vs to vnderstande what the state of the Church was before the Gospell was preached and what the Condition of euery one of vs is without Christe Therefore he calleth the Poore the Contrite the captiues the Blinde and the Brused to whom GOD promiseth restoringe And although the body of the People was oppressed with so many miseries that to euery member thereof those tytells did very well agree yet notwithstandinge bicause many of them did flatter them selues in their neede in their blindnesse in their seruitude and in death it selfe therefore a fewe were apte and meete to receiue his grace To heale the broken hearted S. They are broken hearted which feele their sinnes for sinnes breake the hearts of men For they bring with them the wrath of GOD the feare of all pearills and the feare of Death and hell But Christe cureth this seeinge hee hath made satisfaction for sinnes and appeased his heauenly father Wherefore hee sayth Mat 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that traueile are heauy laden and I will ease you And the Lorde himselfe by the mouth of the Prophet saith Hee healeth those that are broken in heart Ps 147.3 and geueth Medicine to heale their sicknesse Againe To whom shall I haue regarde but to the poore and broken in heart Esay 66.2 to him that trembleth at my worde To preach deliueraÌ„ce to the Captiue Christ speaketh not here of ciuill captiues or of externall deliuerance but of a spirituall deliueraunce by which wee are deliuered from the seruitude of Sathan For wee are all by Nature the Captiues of Sathan and sathan hath by his right power of Lyfe and death in vs. For after that Adam sinned wee all which are the Posterity of Adam soulde vnder sinne Rom. 7.14 for sinne wee are deliuered into the power of Sathan Therefore he came to preach deliuerance from Sathan and to restore vs to our former Lord who is GOD the Father of Heauen And hee preacheth Liberty and deliuerance when through his Name hee promiseth remission of sinnes shewing that it is he which satisfied for the same and payde our debtes Wherefore whosoeuer beleueth this preachinge and thereby hauinge obtayned remission of sinnes for Christs sake obtayneth also deliuerance from Sathan and is restored to his former liberty before GOD. And recouering of sight to the blind S. By blindnesse is vnderstoode the extreme and most desperate State Seing Christe is the light of the World when hee shineth not vppon vs what haue we left but Darknesse Hee is the day springe from an high which visiteth vs to geue light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death Hee calleth them blinde which sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to whom light is rysen of the which we haue spoken in Mathew Chap. 4. verse 16. Freely to set at liberty them that are brused A. That is to say that I may deliuer those which are oppressed with the burthen of sinne may gieue them remission of their sinnes They are brused which lie in sinnes fighte against them and yet notwithstanding cannot ouercome them C. By all these formes of Speache first of all wee are taught to what end the Gospell is preached and what the same offereth vnto vs Namely that whereas wee are ouerwhelmed with all kinde of euills God by his quickening light shineth vnto vs that being brought out of the deepe sincke of death he may restore vs to full and perfect felicity This is no small commendation of the Gospell that wee are sayd and doe in deede to gather such vnspeake able fruite thereby Secondly wee see who they are which Christe inuiteth vnto him maketh Partakers of the Grace coÌ„mitted vnto him namely they which by all maner of meanes are miserable and voyde of all hope of saluation But in like maner wee are taught that wee cannot enioy these benefits of Christe vnlesse wee beinge humbled with a serious feelinge of our euells doe desire him to bee our deliuerer no lesse then they which are hungery desire to bee satisfied with Foode For who soeuer swell with pride doe not sigh vnder their captiuity neyther doe mislike of them selues in their blyndenesse doe with deafe Eares contemne and despyse this Prophesie Reade the 11. Chapter of Mathew the verses .5 and 28. 19. And to Preache the acceptable yeare of the Lord. R. The Prophet alludeth to the yeare of Iubile Leuit. 2â— 8 of the which mencion is made in Moses in the which two thinges were specially obserued the one was the deliueraunce of all Seruauntes in that yeare the other was the restoring of the Possessions of such Landes as were soulde to their olde Lord or ells to their Heyres This was a Ciuill Lawe most fit for the Land of Canaan and necessary for the gouernment of the Iewes In that yeare all quarrells contentions brawles debts Actions Couenants Lawes Letters and seales were ended insomuch that the same yeare was a publique composition and pacification of all ciuill controuersies But as touchinge the externall obseruation of the yeare of Iubile according to the Lawe of Moses wee haue nothinge to doe therewith but onely with the matter it selfe signified by the yeare of Iubile For this Spirituall Iubile began first when Christ began the
theÌ„ for their sins But why art thou afrayd to come vnto Chryst Behold he more earnestlye desyreth thy Saluation then thou caÌ„st craue the same Hee is more readie to offer his Benefites vnto thee theÌ„ thou art to receiue them A. So in another place speakinge of his Death hee sayth Luk. 12.50 I must be baptized with a Baptisme and how am I payned til it be ended R. Wherefore the more thy sinnes oppresse thee the more make thou hast to come vnto Chryst because hee came not to cal the righteous but sinners to Repentaunce Moreouer Chryst maketh mention of his passion againe to the end his disciples myght know that he died willingly And hee speaketh not onely of his passion but also of his resurrectioÌ„ glory to come 16. For I say vnto you henceforth I will not eate of it any more vntill it be fulfilled in the Kingdome of GOD. R. As if he should say This shall bee the last Passeouer which I will eate with you in this mortall body For hereafter I will not liue as a man amoÌ„g you but I wil enter by my passioÌ„ into the Kingdome of God I will dye and rise agayne from Death not to liue an Externall Lyfe after the manner of this worlde amonge you but to liue in the Kingdome of God For al things shal be fulfilled which the prophets haue foreshewed concerning the Kingdome of God Reade for the rest vnto the 21. verse in the 26. cap. of Math. verse 25. 21. Yet behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table R. In these wordes Chryst first of all declareth that he suffered not his passion by constraynte but of his own voluntary will For hee knoweth bothe his betraying and the traitor and he could if hee had would escaped the same in time But he rather desired to suffer his passion thereby to worke our saluation then to set himselfe at libertye to enioy his pleasure RoÌ„ 15.3 A. Therefore most truly is it sayd by the Apostle that Chryst pleased not himselfe but as it is written The rebukes of theÌ„ which rebuked thee fel on me R. Moreouer whereas so often he maketh mentioÌ„ of the treason of Iudas he doth it not to make the rest of the disciples hate hym as a most wicked person but rather to prouoke Iudas to repent him For al though Iudas had already committed a most haynous offence in makynge a bargaine with the high priests for the sale of Chryst Yet neuertheles Christ reiecteth him not but seeketh by all meanes to draw him to repentance He washeth his feete he putteth him in mynde of his fault but yet in such wise that he toucheth him not by name Read for the two verses following the 26. of Mat. Verse 24. 24. And there was a stryfe amonge them which of them should seme to be the greatest A. Concerning this contentioÌ„ and the original thereof we haue spoken in the 20. Chapter of Math. verse 24. Mat. 18.4 The which Luke semeth to place here out of order BV. The like contention also happened betwene the Apostles at another time of which mentioÌ„ is made in the 18. of Math. Mat. 10.28 28. Ye are they which haue bydden with me in my Temptations A. This sentence semeth to agree with that of Mathew Ye that haue followed me in the Regeneration shal sit vppon twelue Seates and Iudge the twelue Trybes of Israell wheÌ„ the son of man shall sit vpon the Throane of his maiesty C. But Luke vseth moe words then doth Math. For because the Apostles followed Christ in his temptations and stode constantly hee pronounceth that they shall also be pertakers of his Glory And he calleth hys contentions Temptations wyth the which God exercysed him and his Apostles And very aptely hee vsed thys word temptations because accordyng to the sence and feeling of his humane Nature his faith and Patience was proued 29. And I appoint vnto you a Kyngdome as my Father hath appoynted vnto mee C. He doth here make them not onely Liefetenants but also kings because he geueth vnto them that kingdoÌ„ whych hee had receiued of his Father By this his exaÌ„ple he exhorteth theÌ„ to patience lest they should to gredely desire that Kingdome which was geuen to him to dispose for although his father had appointed him to be a kinge Yet notwithstanding he was not by and by exalted to his Glory Nay hee abased himself first got him kingly Honor by the shameful death of the crosse BV. But if we refer these words to the former contention this shal be the sence Why do ye conteÌ„d among your selues who shal be greatest Lerne rather to serue of me for the more a man serueth the greater he shal be But be of good cheare euery one of you shal be great For ye haue walked with me in humility abiding with me in my temptations which I haue suffred by the Iewes for the which my brethren also haue forsaken me therfore ye shal raigne with me For alredy I dispose vnto you the Kingdom of Heauen euen as my Father hath disposed the same vnto mee that ye may enioy the same with me that ye may eat and drinke with me at my table that is to say that yee may enioye the Glory plesures of the life to come with me Therefore litte vp your mindes to those thinges which are to come putting away that Dreame concernynge this present felicity kingdome For here wee muste serue there wee shall raigne 31. And the Lord sayd Symon Symon beholde Sathan hath desyred to sift you as it were wheat C. Chryst speaketh not here only Hystorycally of the trouble to come But also plainly sheweth that his disciples must haue a battaile with sathan wtal promiseth vnto them victory And this is a very profitable admonition that so often as any stumbling block is laid before vs we may by and by set before our eyes the subtil snares of Sathan Euen as the Apostle Paule also teacheth saying â—ph 6.12 We wrastle not agaynst flesh and bloud but against rule agaynst power agaynst wordly gouerners of the darkenesse of this worlde agaynst spyritual wickednes in Heauenly things Therefore the meaning of Chrysts words is this When hereafter very shortly ye see me oppressed Know ye for a certaintie that Sathan will vse the same violence against you to ouerthrow you and that this is a very fit occasion for him to weaken your faith BV. And whereas he nameth Simon twise it sheweth the vehemeÌ„cy and serious affection of his Admonition Furthermore in that he sayeth Sathan hath desired he noteth that all euils come by the meanes of Sathan Wherefore wee are rightly taught in our daily prayer to pray that wee may be deliuered from all euil that is to say from the deuil sin Finally he admonisheth Peter aboue the rest because he should fal aboue the rest And it was meete that hee should fall more deepely then the rest
in lyes but when the truthe is declared we are very dul we are loth to beleue to soone Example whereof wee haue in this place But if any man say that they were women let him know that the Authority of women is not heere handeled but the word of God whych had oftentimes tould the same Therefore they do not refuse to beleue womē but Christ himself Furthermore had they not an argument of the resurrectiō of Chryst in this woman which was deliuered from Deuills in whom they might so often as they saw her behold the power of Christ Note also dyllygently in this place that althoughe wee would willingly perish yet notwtstanding Christ wil not suffer the same For he draweth vs from destruction euen as he brought his Apostles into the way which beleued not the women declaring vnto them his resurrection A. Happy then are they whom the father hath geuen to the son to be saued For the exposition of the 12 verse followinge read the 28. cap. of Mathew verse 10. and Iohn 20. verse 3. 13. And behold two of them went the same Day to a towne called Emaus which from Hierusalem is about thre score furlongs C. Marke onely toucheth this storye bryefly but Mathew and Iohn make no mentyon at all of the same But because it is profitable to be knowen and worthy to be remembred Luke doth not in vaine so exactely prosecute the same But the spirit of God hath so aptly geuen to euery euangelyste hys part that the same which is not to be found in 1. or 2. of thē may be sene in the other For many visions of the which mention is made in Iohn are quite omitted by the other thre Bu. Therfor euery one of the Euangelists haue put downe in wryting sure and vndoubted demōstratiōs of the Lordes resurrectiō Luke hath chosen for his part the most euident among which this presente demonstration is notable Effectuall and very pleasaunt The same hath signes tryal and experiment of the sences and confirmation of Scriptures It hathe in like maner Wonderful affections of men sweete consolations notable opinions They are described after an hystorycall maner yea al the circumstances almost are touched with wonderful pleasantnes C. And this is worthy to be noted that these two wytnesses were chosen not that the Lord by them might perswade the Apostles that he was risē but to reproue their slownesse to beleue and although at the first they preuailed nothing yet notwithstāding at the length their testemony being otherwise holpen it toke effecte in them BV. But who these two were wryghters do not agree in the name of the one the name of the other is expressed is called Cleophas who is supposed to be of Galile being the same of whom Mary was syrnamed Cleophas The other S. Ambrose calleth Ammaon Theophilacte calleth hym Luke Epiphanius sayth hys Name was Nathanaell By which diuersitie we haue to learne two thinges The first is that it is a vaine and vnprofytable thing to search out that whych the Scripture hath not reuealed For it hath set forth vnto vs al those thynges which are profitable for vs to knowe The second is that traditions are vncertaine and cannot safely be credyted Which is from Hierusalem aboute 60. Furlonges A furlong as appeareth by Plinie is a hundred fiue twenty paces Called Emaus C. This was an aunciente and famouse towne which the Romanes called afterward Nicopolis But the place is not here named because of the Fame thereof but for the certaynetie of the history 14. And they talked together of all those things that were done BV. These two Disciples talked together specially concerning his passion which two were not of the Eleuē but rather some of his other familiar disciples C. This therefore was a signe of Godlines in that they went about to increase their weake and feeble fayth for theyr talke tended to no other end then to set the reuerence of their maister agaynst the offence of the crosse as a Buckeler And although by questioning disputing they bewrayed theyr ignorance worthy to be reprehended seeing they were admonished not long before concerning the resurrection of Chryst yet notwithstanding their willingnesse to be taught made as it were way for Christe to take away theyr error For many are very ready to moue questions because they seeke obstinatly to resist the truth But they whych are willing to imbrace the truthe although they make stay at the least obiections shall for theyr Godly redines finde fauour with God insomuch that as it were reaching out his hand vnto them he shall settle them in the truthe and quite and cleane put them out of all doubte 15. And it came to passe that whyle they communed together reasoned Iesus himselfe drew neare and went wyth them BV. As these two Disciples communed and talked together the Lord at the last ouertoke thē went forward with them in theyr Iourney In the whych two things specially are to be noted Fyrst that the Lorde rusheth into the middest of them whose hart talking is of him Secondly that the truth of his very body being raised from deth appeareth in this that he approchyng neare and ouertaking them at the last walketh with them For the Lorde is not moued and carried like a spirit frō place to place For although his body were already gloryfied being fre frō all Corruption infirmity and griefe Yet notwithstanding he retayned hys Substaunce and properties of a true humane body For by gloryfication not the substance and nature but the defect of nature and the infirmity is taken away Wherunto S. Augustine hauing respect sayd He shall come to iudgement euen as he was seene to ascend into heauē that is to say in the same forme and Substance of flesh For he hath not taken away nature frō hym to whom he hath geuen immortallitie These two Disciples I say as they went had diuers communicatiōs euen as it commeth to passe speciallye when there is any sorrow in the mind For they were sore troubled wyth the Lords death and were almost quite cleane discouraged And their whole talke was concerning Iesus concerning all those thinges which they had seene and hearde a little before For they loued him as a singuler and excellent man And althoughe they had no hope concerning the restorynge of the Kingdome of Israell Yet neuerthelesse it holpe thē much to call to mynd by mutual communication him which a little before was put to Death For theyr mindes being confounded as if they had ben a sleepe they loued hym as it were in a dreame whō they could not forget At the last as they talked of many thinges concerninge Iesus betwene themselues beholde Iesus vnloked for ioyned himselfe vnto them For here in body he fulfilled that whych he had promised in spyrit to performe to the worlds end Namely that where two or three are assembled together in his name he will be in the middest Ma.
18 20â— As a wayfaring man he ioyned himself vnto them and bare them Company in theyr Iourney but yet vnknowen vnto them not that hee had not the fame body which he had before his Death but because so it pleased him to dasell theyr eyes that they myght not knowe him Whereupon Luke addeth 16. But theyr eyes were holden that they should not know him C. This the EuaÌ„gelist putteth down expresly least any man should think that the fashion of Chrysts body was altered Therefore althoughe Chryste alwayes abode one yet hee was vnknowen because he had blinded theyr eies whereby the suspition of a Spyrite or false imagination is taken away And hereby we are taught howe weake all our sences are insomuch that wee can neither see with our Eyes nor heare with our Eares except power be geuen vnto vs continually from heauen Our members haue not naturallie theyr giftes geuen vnto them but because it may the better appeare that they are graunted vnto vs at the pleasure of God God retaineth in his haÌ„d the vse of them that we may recken that among his daily benefites whych our Eares heare and our eyes se because except he gouern our sences continually their strength wil decay anon I graunt that our sences are not oftentimes held as it hapned theÌ„ vnto these two disciples that they shoulde bee so grosly deceyued in that forme whych is set before our eyes yet notwithstanding God sheweth by one Example that it is in his hand to direct all those powers which hee hath geuen vnto man to the end we mighte knowe that our nature is subiect vnto his wil. Now if so be our bodely Eyes to which it specially belongeth to see are so often times as it pleaseth the Lord so helde that they do not behold those shapes formes which are set before them our mindes also are no lesse blinded although they be neuer so perfecte but now in this miserable corruption after theyr light is takeÌ„ from them they are subiecte to an innumerable sort of deceiptes and are so oppressed wyth grosse dulnes that they caÌ„ do nothing but erre Therefore wee discerne betwene truth and falsehoode not by our own strength and might but by the spirite of wisedome which is geueÌ„ vnto vs. R. Moreouer we must here consider the wonderfull power of Chryst For when he carried his mortall body vpon the earth he was transformed in the mount before his Disciples and his face shined as the Sonne Ma. 17.2 But now after his body was glorified by his Resurrection hee setteth himselfe before his disciples to be sene as some poore and base traueller Therefore we must needes confesse that there was in Christ deuine power by which both â—n his mortall flesh take an immortall forme and also in his immortall Lyfe take a mortall forme Thus we se how Chryst made himselfe knowne by litle and lytle to these Disciples that wee also might learne after the same maner to comprehend Chryst 17. And he sayd vnto them what maner of communicatioÌ„s are these that ye haue one to another as ye walke and are sad C. Chryst here dissembleth his Person and demaundeth concerning that coÌ„munication not that he was ignorant but that by this way he might coÌ„uenyently come to his purpose And at the first his Disciples speake roughly vnto him And are sad By what means they were made thus sorrowfull wee may gather by the 21. verse followyng where they aunswer But wee trusted that it was he which should redeme Israell For the successe was not such as they looked for C. Moreouer wee feele that to be dou daily in our selues after a secret manner which wee see here to be done openly by Chryste at that time namely that he willingly in sinuateth and offereth himself vnto vs to teach vs. 18. And one of them whose Name was Cleophas answered and sayde to him Arte thou onely a straunger in Hierusalem hast not knowne the things which are come to passe there in these dayes C. This sentence may be resolued thus affirmatiuely Thou onely art a stranger which knowest not these thynges Or interrogatiuely Art thou such a straunger that thou knowest not what is done in these daies at Hierusalem Or els Art thou onely ignorant what was done of late at Hierusalem thou being there Or thus Arte thou a soiorner alone of Hierusalem not knowing these things whereof no man can be ignoraunt though hee bee a straunger Foreners I know are not wonte to enquyre after those thinges whych are done in the City in the which they dwell onely a few dayes NotwithstaÌ„ding those thinges are so commonlye knowen that althoughe thou madest no enquiry at all yet ought they to be best knowen vnto thee How theÌ„ canst thou be ignoraunt of these things 19. He said vnto them What things And they said vnto him of Iesus of Nazareth which was a prophet mighty in deede and Worde before God and all the People A. The meaninge of Chryste was to make himself knowen vnto them but not vntil such time as they had bewraied theyr ignorance that at the lengthe they might see that they came not vnto the knowledge of the truth by their owne industry and wisedome but by the grace of Chryst onely by which he bringeth those that erre into the way Of Iesus of Nazareth C. By this Aunswer of Cleophas that doth more euidently appeare which we said euen now namely that although they were troubled disquieted about the Resurrection of Chryst yet notwithstanding they thought reuerently of his Doctryne insomuch that they were not ready to fall from him For they tarry not vntyll Chryst preuent them by manyfestynge himselfe vnto them or vntill he beyng vnto them as a wayfaring man spake honourably vnto theÌ„ concernyng him but rather out of an obscure small Lighte Cleophas lendeth vnto this certain straÌ„ger smal beams of the same that thereby he might somewhat help his knowledge if he were ignoraunce For the Name of Chryste was so infamous and hatefull at that time in many places that to speake well of him was a daungerous thinge but setting all feare aside hee calleth him a Prophete of God and professeth himselfe to be one of his Dysciples and although this name of Prophete was farre inferiour to the deuine maiesty of Chryst yet notwithstandynge this meane commendation deserueth prayse because Cleophas sought hereby to win disciples vnto Chryst which might submit them selues vnto hys Gospell And it is vncertayne whether Cleophas accordinge to his rudenesse spake lesse honorably of CHRIST then it became him or whether hee intended to begin with the firste prynciples that by degrees he might procede further For straight after he doth not simply recken Chryst in the Common order of the Prophets but also sayth that he and others sometime beleeued him to be a redemer Mighty in dede and word C. Luke vseth almoste the same forme of wordes in the person of Stephen Act. 7. â—2 where he commending
hands and his side wee may coniecture that he hath omitted some thinge And it is no vnwonted thing to the Euangelistes seeking to be short to touch only some part and to omit the rest but we learne here by Luke that they being made afeard with the newnesse of the sight durst not beleeue their eyes A little before they were fully perswaded that the Lord was risen again and they spake constantlye as of a matter wel knowen vnto them but beholding him now with theyr eies admiration bereaueth them of theyr sence insomuch that they imagine him to bee a Spyrite And althoughe thys Error which sprange of Infirmitie was not without blame yet notwithstandyng they had not so forgotten themselues that they were afeard of Spyrits but although they thinke not themselues to be deceiued yet notwithstandynge they rather beleue that they see an Image of the Resurrection in a Vision by a spyrite then that Chryst himselfe was presente alyue which a lyttle before dyed on the crosse So that they d d not thinke or suspecte it to bee a false vision but being ouercome wyth feare they thought that to bee shewed them onely in Spirite which was set in very deede before theyr eyes Luke therefore vseth this word Spyrite for a vision Hereby we se how proane we are to lye and how farre we are tourned away from the truth R. Heereby also we see how fearefull vnbelyefe is insomuch that it feared the moste safe and vndoubted things The sounde of a shaking leafe sayeth Moses shall chase them and they shall flie Leui. 26.36 as flying from a sword Psal 23.4 Psal 46.3 For as Faith is in a stronge mynd in the greatest perils and aduersities so vnbeliefe hauynge neuer so little occasion is afearde and dispayreth in the middest of peace Wherefore the disciples being not as yet throughly confyrmed coÌ„cerning the Resurrection of Chryste it is no marueile if they be so afeard that they thinke that they see a spyrite Mat 14.25 As they did also at another time when Chryste walked on the Sea about the fourthe watch of the night 38. And he sayd vnto them vvhy are ye troubled and why do thoughts aryse in your hearts A. Now the Lord taketh away al occasion of doubtinge while hee talketh not onely familliarly with his Dyscyples but also offereth himselfe to bee touched C. First of all therefore they are admonished to put away all feare out of theyr mindes that commyng agayne to them selues they may iudge of a matter manifestlye knowen vnto them For so longe as mens myndes are troubled they are blynd in the manifest lighte Therefore to the ende the Disciples may Conceiue a certayne knowledge they are commaunded to waigh the matter with quyet attentiue myndes And why do thoughts aryse in your heartes C. By these Woordes Chryste correcteth another faulte Namely because in thynkynge diuers things they hinder theÌ„selues and he saith that cogitations do aryse meaning that the knowledge of the truthe is therefore suppressed in them that in seeing they see not because they restrayne not theyr peruerse immagynations but doe geue place vnto them And we know by experience that thys is to true For as in a fayre and cleare morning darke and blacke cloudes arysing aloft do obscure the bright light of the Sunne Euen so when we suffer our carnall reason to arise to hygh against the word that which before was manifest and playne to be seene is takeÌ„ away from our eyes It is Lawfull when any shew of Absurdity appereth by aduised reasons to discusse the same Neither can it be but that in doubtefull matters our minds shal be carried hither thither but we must obserue a measure least flesh exalt it selfe higher then is mete and extend her cogitations euen to heauen 39. Beholde my handes and my fete that it is euen I my selfe haÌ„dle me and see for a Spyrit hath not flesh and boanes as ye see me haue Beholde my handes C. Hee taketh theyr Corporall sences for witnesses least they should thinke that they haue a shadow set before them in stede of a body And first of all he putteth a difference betweene a corporall man and a Spirite As if hee shoulde say Your sight and feeling shall proue me to bee a true man who hath bene before this time conuersante among you because I haue on me that fleshe whych was crucified and hath yet the noates and pryntes of the same A Spyrite hath not flesh and Bones A. Hee sheweth heere that he hath knowledge of theyr thoughtes Namely that in steede of a body he was a spyrit and he putteth a manifest difference betwene a Body and a spyrit C. Now seeing Chryste playnely pronounceth that his Body is palpable and compacâ—e of sound and substanciall bones and discerneth the same by these notes from a spyrit this place is discreetely and aptly brought by vs to refell the grosse error concerning the transubstantiation of bread into a body or concerning the locall presence of the body which fond and vain men fayne in the Supper For they will haue the bodye of Chryste to bee there where there appeareth no signe of a Body But Chryst taketh thys as proper to him selfe that he is palpable that thereby he may differ from a spyrit Therefore this difference must necessarily abyde at this day betwen the flesh and the spyrit Christ proueth him selfe not to be a spirite because his body may be felt but a spyrit not so Therefore there was no alteration in the substantiall partes howsoeuer the accidences were altered Whatsoeuer is essential without the which a Body cannot stand it remaineth in the body of Chryst for he is distinguished from a spyrit 40. And when he had thus spokeÌ„ hee shewed them his Handes and hys Feete C. By these Wordes of Luke wee gather that as yet the prynts of the Nailes remained in the Handes and Feete of Chryst A. As more manifestely appeareth by the wordes of Chryst himselfe speaking to Thomas For thus he sayd as appeareth by Iohn Brynge thy finger hyther and see my handes and reach hyther thy hand and thruste it into my side R. But some will demaunde and say Dyd he rise againe from Death wyth the Prynts and Markes of his wouÌ„ds Ioh. 20.27 And doth he for euer carry them in his Body Doth not Paule saye that the body soweth corruption and shall ryse agayne in incorruption 1. Co. 15 â—â— that it soweth in dishonor and shall rise again in honor And woundes are markes of corruption and infirmity Therefore wee muste thinke of their bodies which shall ryse again froÌ„ death whose first fruits was Chryst according to the opynion of S. Paule that as they shall be incorruptible so also they shal be whole souÌ„d For if it were not so one shoulde ryse crooked another lame of hand foote another with one Eye and another starke blynd This is not to ryse again in Glory and in power but in