equall Wherefore hee looketh onely vnto those thinges that be belowe Therefore the more lowe and abiect that thou arte the more earnestly doe the Eyes of the Lorde beholde thee As testefieth the Scripture specially the Psalmes as where it is sayd Who is like vnto the Lorde our God that hath his dwellinge so hyghe Psal 113.7 Psal 138.6 Who abaseth hym selfe to beholde thinges in the Heauen and in the Earth Hee rayseth the needy out of the dust and lyfteth vppe the poore out of the Dunghill Also The Lorde is highe yet hee beholdeth the lowly but the proude hee knoweth a farre of Wherfore he can abide neither knowledge nor power nor any other thing for the which a man is proude or conceyueth any truste For hee hateth all pride For loe now from hencforth C. By these wordes she geeueth vs to vnderstand that this benefite of God shal be remembred for euer Wherefore if it were so notable that all men ought to talke of the same it became not Mary her selfe vpon whom it was bestowed to be silent And note that the Virgin Mary doth ground nothing vpon her owne blessednesse but acknowledgeth all that shee hath receiued to proceede from the grace of God I shall sayth shee be counted blessed throughout all generations Came this blessednes by her owne vertue or because she sought this praise Nay she rather imputeth the same only to the worke of God saying 49. Because hee that is mighty hath magnified me holy is his name C. Here shee playnely acknowledgeth God to be the author of her blessednes As if shee should say I am called blessed not that I haue obtayned blessednesse by my owne vertue but because God which is mighty hath wrought a wonderfull and straūge worke in mee a silly maide They shall so call me blessed that they shall know the same to be the worke of the Lord and not myne And in very deede they do truly preach Mary to be blessed which do acknowledg Christe to be the author of all felicity whom we haue receiued a perfect man through her And hereby wee see how farre the vayne Papistes differ from the Virgin Mary The Virgin MARY superstitiously honoured of the Papistes who rashly setting her forth with their vayne Immaginations do almost make no account of all those graces which shee hath receyued from God They heape vpon her mighty nay rather proude tytells callinge her the Queene of Heauen the Sea starre the way of saluation the gate of lyfe yea Life it selfe sweetenesse hope and saluation Yea Sathan hath brought them to such impudency and madnesse that they haue made her Ruler ouer Christe For this is their continuall songe Roga Patrem inb◠Natum that is pray the Father commaunde thy Sonne Seeinge none of these things proceeded from the Lord the holy Virgin in one worde confoundeth them all when shee placeth her whole glory vpon the benefits of God For if shee be to be remembred for this cause only namely for the God hath magnified her there is no place left for fayned tytells which come from men Moreouer wee can doe her no greater dishoner than to take from the sonne of God that which belongeth vnto him to adorne and magnifie her with that which is taken from him Nowe let the Papists goe and cry that we are iniurious vnto the mother of Chryste because wee reiectinge the lyes of men onely set forth the benefites of God in her But we geue vnto her that which is most honorable and these false worshippers spoyle her of the same For we willingly imbrace her as our schoole-maistresse and obay her Doctine and Commaundements Verely that which shee speaketh is not obscure the which not regarded but contemned the Papistes so much as lyeth in them doe discredite her sayinges But let vs remember that a common Rule is heere prescribed in praysinge both of Aungells and also of men that the Grace of God may bee magnified in them Euen as also nothinge is praise worthy which cometh not from the same When she sayth GOD which is mighty hath magnified mee Shee geeueth vs to vnderstand that God had no helpe from any other Gods povver hath the preheminence that his Power alone mighte haue the preheminence And holy is his name C. This is the second part of the songe in the which by generall Sentences the holy Virgin commendeth the Power of God his Iudgementes and mercy For this is a full sentence and not ioyned to that which wente before Mary had exalted the grace of God of the which shee had experience in her selfe Hereuppon takeinge occasion Shee proclaymeth his name to bee holy and his mercy extended through all generations R. And the name of God is taken for his power oftentimes for God him selfe as hee manifesteth him selfe vnto vs. Reade the 6. Chapter of Mathew the 9. verse That also is properly called holy which is seperated from the prophane and common vse of thinges And that which is seuered is kepte in secret Whereupon that which is holy is also called hidden GOD therefore is called holy because his workes are hidden farre from humane reason and are so wonderfull that mans wisedome cannot comprehend them For God worketh glory by ignominy Ioy by sorrow happines by misery and life by death Than the which manner of working what can bee sayd to be more wonderfull And this wonderful maner of workinge was also declared in Mary Moreouer the name of God is called holy because it deserueth the chiefest reuerence So that so often as mencion of GOD is made wee must therewithall remember his reuerent Maiesty 50. And hys mercy is on them that feare him from Generation to Generation And his mercy is on them that feare him A. This sentence is taken out of the couenante of God C. Where it is sayd I will bee thy God Gen. 17.7 the God of thy Seede for euer Agayne Shewinge mercy vnto thousandes of them that loue mee Also Exo. 20.6 I am God shewing mercy vpon a thousand Generations Moreouer Deut 7.9 Hee hath alway remembred his Couenaunt Psal 105. ◠and promise that hee made to a thousand Generations By which woordes the Lord doth not only testefie that he will be like himselfe but doth also expresse his continuall fauoure which he beareth towarde those that are his that after their Death hee may Loue their sonnes their posterity foreuermore Wyth this continuall Loue God loued the posterity of Abraham because hee hauinge once receiued the Father Abraham into his grace and fauoure made an euerlastinge couenante with him But because not all which came of Abraham after the fleshe are the true Sonnes of Abraham Mary restraineth the effecte of the promise to the true worshishippers of God saying On them that feare him A. That the wicked might not be proude by the pretence of the name this is spoken for they are puffed vp with vayne security Rom. 2.17 as sayth
not haue prayed at all except they had had some hope Euen so the Children of God are wonte to bee mooued and to tremble throughly when they are seriously tempted and yet notwithstandinge their fayth and truste in the Lorde doth not quayle as wee may often times perceiue in the Psalmes of Dauid And therefore alwayes in time they feele the presence of the Lord. Maister carest thou not that vve pearishe C. They seeme not here to pray simplely but to chyde with their Maister The Euangelist Luke hath Maister Maister wee pearishe Which words haue a confused feare as it might seme Reade the 25. of the 8. of Math. 39. And hee arose and rebuked the Wynde and sayd vnto the Sea peace and be still and the Wynde ceassed and there followed a great calme And hee arose and rebuked the vvinde B. What doth the Lorde heere Hee would haue his to bee tempted not to pearish And rebuked the vvinde The Euangelist Luke addeth And the tempest of Water What is ment by rebuking the Winde our Euangelist declareth in these words Peace bestill Reade the 26. verse of the 8. Chapter of Math. And the vvinde ceassed Luke hath And they ceassed and there was made a great calme So that wee see consolation is coÌ„monly measured by the measure of affliction Herevpon the Prophet Dauid sayth In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart â—salm 94. thy comfortes haue refreshed my Soule And the Apostell Paule As the afflictions of Christe abounde in vs â— Cor. 1. euen so by Christ our consolation doth abounde 40. And he sayd vnto them why are yee fearefull how is it that yee haue no fayth Mathewe hath Why are yee afrayde O yee of litle fayth A. How cometh it to passe that yee dispayre of safegarde I being with you B. Luke hath Where is your fayth The Children of God are tempted to this ende that they may that better know themselues and God also that they feelinge their owne infirmity and the great goodnesse of God may forsake themselues and flee vnto him onely in time of neede 41. And they feared exceedingly sayde one to an other Who is this For both Wynde and Sea obey him And they feared exceedingly B Luke hath And they being afrayd merueiled and sayd among themselues who is this that Wynde and water obay him Our Euangelist hath For both wynde and Sea obay him Here let vs note the great effect of true miracles for alwayes by them the power of God and Christe is set forth that the godly may see how safely they may commit them selues vnto him which hath power of all thinges and wyth how great feare and reuerence they ought to worship of God Reade the 27. verse of the 8. of Math. FINIS Chapter the fifth 1. ANd they came ouer to the other side of the Sea into the Countrey of the Gadarenites And they came ouer to the other side of the Sea BV. That which the Apostell Iohn doth shew by the holy Sermons of the Lord the other three Euangelists doe demonstrate and set forth by the wonderfull and most effectuall workes of Christe that Christe is the lorde of all things to whom the Worlde the Diuell sinne diseases calamities lyfe death are subiect and that the rule of those thinges is gieuen of Christe the deliuerer by fayth to all those that imbrace the Gospel The Hystory following teacheth that Christ is the Conquerer of Sathan whose force cruelty is declared by many wayes to this end that the strength power of him that ouercommeth him myght the more appeare Into the Countrey of the Gadarenites B. Mathew in his eight Chapter sayth that he came into the Countrey of the Gergesites For so that Region or Countrey lying on the other side of Genesar Luke 8. and ouer against Galile as Luke maketh mencion was called of the City Gadara of which Iosephus maketh much mencion In that Country as Hierom sayth there was a City called Gergessa to the boundes whereof the Lord peradueÌ„ture arriued by this passage and that therefore it is written of Math. that the Lord cam into the CouÌ„trey of the Gergesites Therefore when he came out of the Ship to lande as Mark Luke make mencion straight way there met him 2. possessed of Diuells Our Euangelist Marke Luke make meÌ„cion only of one because they mighte as well describe and set forth the power of Christe in one as in two For they tooke not in hand to write the hystory of those whom the Lord healed but of the Lorde hymselfe which did heale that his power and not the number of those that were holpen by him might be knowne Reade the 28. verse of the eight of Mathew 2. And when he was come out of the ship immediatly there met him froÌ„ amonge the townes a man possessed of an vncleane spirite B. Luke addeth Out of the City As touching this verse and the 3. 4.5 6. and 7. Reade our exposition of the eight Chapter of Math. 8 For he sayd vnto him Come out of the man thou foule spirite This is the cause why the Diuell sayde he was tormented For there is no greater torment to the Diuell than to haue those taken from him whom hee thought to be his owne Furthermore the Kingdome of Chryst is a torment vnto him than the which nothing is more agaynst him They are not yet so tormented as they shal be tormented after the comming of Chryst but they are tormented now by them selues The neerer the Kingdome of Chryste approcheth the more they burne To be shorte as Peter teacheth that the Soules of the Godly were delyuered by the comminge of Christe euen so the Diuell and all the wicked shall haue the greater payne because hee is shewed vnto them to their dispayre 9. And he asked hym What is thy name And he aunswered and sayde vnto him My name is Legion For wee are many C. Hee asketh what the Diuells name is not that the Diuel hath names but because he would shewe the power of the Diuell My name is Legion Heere the certayne number is put for the vncertayne by the which he declareth that he is of a great number Whereby wee gather that to bee a vayne Opynion by which many men thinke that euery one hath two angels appoynted him the one good the other euell the which error came from the Gentiles who so thought of good and euell Angells But why one Legion possessed one man it is not our part to enquyre except hee therefore call him selfe a Legion because hee hath more power in one than in another as when God hath more care for one then for another he geueth the greater company of Angells not that hee lacketh so great a number but so hee declareth the aboundaunce of his grace R. Seeinge therefore hee nameth himselfe a Legion he declareth that he goeth about this one thing namely that he might doe much hurt and also that he is of the
man walke in the day hee stumbleth not because hee hath the light of this Worlde By which Wordes he sheweth that euery one doth walke fastly vntill such time as he hath runne the Race of his callinge the ending of the which Race he calleth the twelfth hower of the day Many are in daunger while they walk in Gods callinge but it is moste certeine that no daūger can harme them vntill their time bee come So Paule was often times in pearill of his Life but hee escaped from Time to Time vntill his hower was come Act. 12 9 So Peter was taken of Herod and reserued in bondes to dye but yet bycause his twelfth Hower was not then come hee escaped out of pryson Let vs therefore all learne to stay our selues vpon Gods prouidence and to bee therewithall contented And if hee suffer vs to pearish as he hath suffered many others howbeit they are not properly sayd to pearish which die in the Lorde let vs knowe that oure hower is then come 31. And hee came downe to Capernaum a City of GALILE and there taught them on the Sabaoth dayes R. This is the vengeance which Christe taketh on his Citizens hee commaūdeth not fire to come downe from Heauen hee rayseth not vp a floude of waters hee maketh not their fieldes barren neyther doth hee send the plague of Pestilence vpon them but only followeth his owne callinge And what calling is that First as touching the abasing and emptying of him selfe his calling was not to reuenge him selfe but to leaue Vengeaunce to the Lorde GOD his Father according to this place Vengeance is myne Deu. 32.3 and I will repay Christe therefore obaying this callinge so resigned Vengeance vnto God that hee doth not hurt on hayre of the heads of the Citizens for the iniury done vnto him Secondly as touchinge his Ministery hee was called to Preache the Gospell as wee haue heard out of the Prophet Wherefore not seekinge vengeance but the fulfillinge of his callinge hee went to Capernaum a City of Galile And there taught them A. What hee taught Mathew sheweth sayinge From that time Iesus began to preache and say Mat. 4.17 Repent for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand 32. And they were astonyed at hys Doctryne for his preachinge was with power R. Beholde here what felloweth Pacience The Nazarites contemne the Capernaites are astonied The Nazarites scorne and reiect Christe but the Capernaites woonder and receiue his woorde with great veneration Wherefore For his preachinge was with power That is to say Hee taught them as one hauinge authority Mat. 7.29 not as the Scribes R For the Scribes if they expounded the lawe taught that the same was fulfilled by externall workes their doctrine was nothing else but a Philosophicall doctrine concerninge vertues But when Christe tooke in hand to expounde the Law hee did most grauely shewe that not onely externall Workes but also the most holy and vndefiled motions of the heart were required by the Law As may be seene by that notable Sermon which Christe made Mat. 5.21 contayned in the fift of Mathew Christe also preached otherwise then did the Scribes cōcerning good works remission of sinnes and the true worship of God And last of all bicause he confirmed that with notable signes myracles which hee taught which the Scribes could not doe 33. And in the Synagoge there was a man which had an vncleane spirit of a Diuell and cryed with a loud voyce A. The Euangelist Marke also maketh mencion of this story in his firste Chapter beginning at the 23. verse Whych had an vncleane Spirit C. This speach is asmuch as if Luke had sayd that the man was caryed with the inspiration of the Diuell For by the sufferance of God Sathan had possessed the powers of the mynde so that he constrayned them at his owne will to say to do what soeuer he would haue them Therefore when Demoniakes do speake it is the Diuell that speaketh in them by them who hath leaue to rule Concerninge this the verse followinge reade the 24. verse of the first Chapter of Marke 35. And Iesus rebuked him sayinge hold thy peace come out of him And when the diuell had throwen him in the middes he came out of him and hurte him not A. Beside the reasons alleadged in the first of Marke why Christ cōmaunded the Diuell to hold his peace this also may be added namely R. that Christ might confirme the Gospell which he had hetherto preached in wordes by a myracle as by a certaine seale He preached that he was sent of God to preach deliuerance to the captiues sight to the blynde that is to say that hee would deliuer men from sinne from the power of Sathan Therefore when one possessed with a Diuell was offred vnto him in the Synagoge he commaūded the Diuell to hold his peace and behold hee is silent hee commaunded him to goe out of the man and behold the Diuell casteth the man in the middest but did him no harme and by and by went out of him And Christe did this miracle in the Demoniake to cōfirme by an externall seale that power was geuen vnto him ouer Sathan that it was true which hee had preached that hee was sent to deliuer all those that beleue in him from all their sinnes and from death and to restore them to perfect felicity For to this ende did Christe worke his myracles that they might be sure Seales of the Gospell and publique testimonies of the Doctrine of remission of sinnes by Fayth in Christe And whē the diuel had thrown him By these woordes wee haue to vnderstand that the nature of Sathan is such that he rayseth vp great Tumultes against the Gospell of Christe and the faithfull But if thou stand fast in the worde of Christe he shall do thee no harme at all Reade the first of Marke 37. And the fame of him spred abrod throughout euery place of the coūtrey rounde about R. That which Christe sought by his myracle hee also obtayned For hee sought by this myracle to haue that fame of his name spred euery wher to haue his Maiesty openly reuealed and the truth of his doctrine knowne And this he sought not for the carnall glory of his name as ambitiouse men doe but for our spirituall profit to the ende that we being drawen by the fame of his name might beleue his Gospell and might be Iustified by fayth and that beinge iustified by fayth we might haue peace with God through Iesus Christe 38. And when hee was rysen vp and come out of the Synagoge hee entered into Simons house and Simons Wyues mother was taken with a great feauer and they made intercession to him for her R. In this place we must note the great humillity of Christe For being nowe in the famouse City Capernaum in the which he was now in great estimation for his Myracles hee lodgeth not with the rych men
worthy of his meate Ma. 10.10 A. The which Doctrine the Apostle confirmeth with these Wordes 1. Co 9.11 If we sowe vnto you spirituall thynges is it much if wee reape your Carnall thynges And in another place Let him that is taught in the woord Gala. 6.6 Minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thynges 4 When much people were gathered together and were come to him out of all Cities he spake by a Similitude R. Mathew hath And great multitudes were gathered together Ma. 13.2 Mar. 4 1 vnto him insomuch that he wente and sate in a ship and the whole Multytude stode on the shoare Hee spake by a Simillitude R. Luke meaneth not the Chryst did teach no other thinge then Parables and simillitudes For his chiefe Doctrine was the Gospell of the Kingdome of God euen as it is written in the Prophetes But some time hee vsed Parables and Simillitudes that he might more plainly explicate that which he taughte concerning the Kingdome of God myghte the more deepely prynt the same in the myndes of men For Parables and simillitudes haue a certaine wonderful Force to set forth and explicate the thinge of the which it is spoken Seeing therefore the purpose of Christ in this Sermon is to set the Authoritie of his Gospell free from slaunders to shew that not his Gospell but wycked and impenitent men are the Authors of euils he vseth the Parable of the sower most apte for this purpose and propoūdeth the same to the common people simpely adding in the ende of the Parable this short sentence He that hath eares to heare let him heare P. M. And this simillitude tendeth to this ende that wee myghte know that the Gospell is neuer without fruicte but is alway effectuall in some Euen as the Lord testefieth by his Prophet saying My woord shall not returne to me voyde but shal do whatsoeuer I will haue it Hereuppon it followeth that alwaies in that Congregation where true doctrine is deliuered there must needes be some members of the Church because the word of God is not without fruite and there must needes be some Church Isa 55.11 in the which notwithstāding all do not fructifie alike Euen as God geueth not his giftes to all alike For the Exposition of that which followeth till ye come to the 〈◊〉 Verse read the thyrtene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 4. verse Cōcerning the sixtene Verse Read the 15. Verse of the 5. Chapter before Concerning the 17 and 18. Read the 10. Chapter of Mathew the 6. Verse For the 19. read the 12. of Mathew Verse 46. and for the rest till ye come to the 41. Verse Reade the eighte of Mathew Verse twentye three And from the 41. vnto the ende of the Chapter yee shall haue the Expositiō in the ninth of Mathew verse 18. ⧠CAP. THE NINTH IESVS CALled the 12. Disciples together and gaue them povver and Authoritie ouer all Deuils and that they mighte heale Diseases A. At what time these things were done Reade the third of Marke verse 13. For the Exposition hereof vntyll ye come to the seuenth Verse Read the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginnyng at the first verse and the sixt of Marke verse the 7. From the 7. Verse to the eightene Verse Read the fourtene Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the first verse and the sixte of MARKE beginning at the fourtene Verse and the sixte of IOHN the fifte Verse For the eightene Verse vnto the two and twenty Verse Read the sixetene of MATHEW Verse thyrteene and the eighte of Marke verse seuen and twentie For the two and twenty Read the seuentene Chapter of Mathew verse two and twenty and the Eyghte of Marke Verse 31. For the three and twenty and foure and twenty Verses Reade the tenthe Chapter of Mathew Verse eight and thyrty and the sixtene Chapter verse foure and twenty and the 8. of Marke Verse foure and thirty and the fourtene of Luke Verse seuen and twenty and Chapter seuentene three and thirty Iohn twelue and fiue and twenty For the fiue and twenty reade the sixtene of Mathew Verse sixe twēty and the eight of Marke the sixe thirty Verse For the sixe and twenty Read the twelfthe of Luke Verse the Eyghte and Mathew the tenth Verse three thyrty For the seuen and twenty read the sixtene of Mathew Verse eyghte and twentye and the ninth of Marke Verse the first For the eight and twenty Verse so tyll yee come to the one fifty verse Read the seuentene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the first Verse the ninth of Marke Verse 2. 51. And it came to passe when the time was come that he should be receiued vp he set his Face to goe to Hierusalem C. This Historye is onely set downe by our Euangelyst the which notwithstanding is very profitable for many causes For heere first of all the Deuine fortytude of Chryst and his constancy in despysing death is descrybed Secondely what mortall Enmities the Controuersies of Religion do breede Thirdly how rashly the Nature of man is carried with violence to impatiēce fourthly how ready wee are to fall in imitating Sainctes and laste of all wee are called to meekenes by the Example of Chryst That he should be taken vp C. The Death of Chryst is called an Assumption not onely because he was then taken away from amonge mē but also because he is ascended into heauen with our Flesh B. Therefore the hower of Death approching he would also goe vnto the place of his Deathe to teach that hee would not die by Force but willingly and of his owne accord He set his face to goe to Hierusalem B. That is to say hee bended hymselfe with firme purpose to goe to Hierusalem and was fully determined to goe thyther his minde being hardened agaynst all euils that might ensue of the same C. For Luke by these Wordes He set his face expresseth that Christ hauing Death before his eyes subduing the feare thereof went forwarde to suffer the same withall notwithstanding he sheweth that he did striue that he might valiantly offer himself to deth as the Conquerer of feare For if so be there had ben no feare no difficulty no contention no care obiected to what end should he harden and stedfastly set his Face But because hee was neither slow nor yet rash it was meete he should be moued with cruel and bitter Death yea with horrible Tormente which he knew honge ouer his head by the seuere iudgement of God that which thing did so litle obscure and deminish his Glory that it is rather a notable Documente of his exceeding Loue towarde vs because hee not regardinge himselfe to work our Saluation wēt through the middest of terrors feares vnto Death the Day wherof he knew was at hand 52. And sent Messengers before him and they went and entered into a Towne of the Samaritās to make ready for him R. To the ende wee may
and dilligence 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what is my desire but that it be already kindled C. By this sentence it may easely bee gathered that this was one of the laste Sermons that Chryst made and not put downe by Luke in his due place time But the sence is this that the whole Disturbaunce and trouble of the World was layed vppon Chryst euē as if hee would confound Heauen and Earth For the Gospell is compared Metaphorically vnto Fyre because it transformeth al thinges with violēce Therefore when the Disciples falsely surmised that the Kingedome of God should come to such as were quiet and a sleepe Chryst setteth before thē terrible burning with the which that world must first be set on fire And because his Disciples might feele the present power of the Gospell he encourageth them As if he had sayd thus Seeinge already great motions begin to burn ye ought to be so litle made aferd therby that the same ought rather to geue you occasion to bee of good courage For I am glad to see this fruit of my Labor R. Therfore he declareth what should be the state to come accordyng to the outward shew of that time which should endure from his first cōminge in the flesh vnto his second and last cōming in maiesty And he taketh away the Offence which mighte discourage the Faythfull from the true Faith of the Gospel because of the troubles calamities which aryse when the Gospell is reuealed For the Prophetes had promised all maner ioyfull and happie thynges at the comming of Chryst As when it is sayd His dominiō shall bee enlarged Esay 9.7 there shal be no ende of his peace Agayne Esay 2.4 One Nation shall not lyfte vp the sworde agaynst another neyther shall they be exercised in Warre Also Esa 1.6 The Wolfe shal dwel with the Lambe and the Leoparde shall lye downe by the Goate Furthermore Violence and Robberye shall neuer be heard of in the Lande Esay 60 1◠neyther harme and Destructiō within thy Borders thy Walles shall be called health and thy Gates the praise of God To be short there is no felicitie which the Prophets do not ascribe to that time in the which the Patriarkes were promised that Chryst should come Therefore Chryst teacheth that his Kyngedome is not of this world and that those thinges which were spoken by the Prophetes concerning the Felicity of hys time are not to be drawē to the externall Felicity of this World For hatreds debates and murders were to followe the preaching of the Gospell C. Now let all ministers of the Gospell apply this vnto themselues that whē all the world is on a roare they may with the better courage followe theyr office Also we must noate that with the same fire of Doctrine both Chaffe stubble are consumed but Golde and siluer are purged 50. Notwithstanding I must be baptised with a Baptisme and howe am I payned vntyll it be ended C. By these wordes the Lorde affyrmeth that his last parte and act is yet behinde that by his death hee mighte worke the renouation of the Worlde For because that tempest of the which he had spoken was terrible and that burning also of mankinde ful of feare he teacheth that he must in his owne person be the firste that must offer the first fruites of the same And he cōpareth Death to Baptisme because the Chyldren of God being drowned for a time in the Destruction of the Flesh doe rise within a while after agayn to Life that death may bee nothing else but as a swifte passage throughe the water And how am I payned Hee sayth that he is payned vntill he hath ended this Baptisme in the whych wordes he comforteth eueryone of vs by his Example to be ready bothe to beare the Crosse and also to suffer Death Not that any man can naturally desire death or any inclination of the present state but because when we behoulde on the lee shoare Celestyall blessednes Glory and immortal rest we so desire these that we doe not onely patiently suffer death but are also willingly carried whethersoeuer faith and hope will drawe vs. For the reste vnto the 54. Verse Read the tenthe Cap. of Math. verse 34. 54. He sayd also to the People whē yee see a Cloude ryse out of the West straite way ye say ther cōmeth a shower and so it is The like of this we haue in the 16. Chapter of Mathew Verse 2. sauing that the signes of the Tempest which hee nameth heere differ from those which he noateth there For hee sayth here When yee see a Cloud rise out of the Weste For the Iewes had the Sea on the west part And it is a sure rule that when a Cloude ryseth from the Sea it bryngeth with it Rayne Whereupon Elyas also after three yeres Drouth hearing his Seruaūt say 3. Ki. 18.43 that there arose a litle cloud from the Sea the which is westward from the Iewes sayd that ther should come great Rayne 57. Yea why iudge ye not of your selues what is right C. Chryst doth heere reueale the cause of the euill and doth as it were touch and laūce the soare to the quick namely bicause they did not descende into theyr owne consciences nor enquyre there what was right before God For hereuppon it commeth that hipocrites are so ready to cauill because they doe not consider theyr wickednes nor set them selues before the tribunal seate of God that truth may haue the victory What is ryghte The Lorde vsed this example in the fifth Chapter of Mathewe Verse 25 Where hee exhorteth to agree out of hand with our Aduersarie And nowe he admonisheth the Iewes not to neglect and omit the conuenient time geueth them to vnderstand that they are more wise in any thinge then in that which apertaineth to theyr Saluatiō For if so be they were drawen to the Law by theyr aduersary he sayth they will by and by agree with him leaste they incurre a greater displesure whē they come before the Iudge but they neglecte to seeke the fauour of God whē as he willingly offereth his grace vnto them not weighing that they shall not feele his Iudgemente wtout theyr Eternall Destruction R. Other some expound his wordes as if he had sayd thus Why doth not euery one consider and weighe wyth himselfe which is iust and right ☞ If so be euery one did know the law in each poynte skarce one among a thousand would come into Westminster Hall but euery one is blynde in his owne cause that which blindnes commeth two wayes Fyrst of simplicity and Ignoraunce Secondly of set mallice when as a man shutteth his Eyes for the nōce and will not see that which he seeth ¶ One trusteth in Lies another in his Eloquence one in power another in Friends The most part of mē presuming of these thinges and not vpon the goodnes of their cause contende goe to the
and sauiour for that which cause it shal be good to keepe company with sinners A. Concerning the two verses following reade the 18. Chap. of Math. vers 12. 7. I say vnto you that lykewise Ioye shal be in Heauen ouer one sinner that repēteth more then ouer 90. and nine iust persons which neede no repentance Iust persons whych neede no repentance B. The Lorde speaketh here of deuine and spirituall matters commonly as of humaine things to frame his speach accordinge to the capascity of the common sorte In this place he calleth them Iust which Imbrace the truth of the Gospell and forgettinge worldly matters doe alwayes goe forwarde towardes the marke which is set before them who notwtstandinge haue alway neede to pray Math. 6.12 Forgeue vs our debtes Ouer such Ryghteouse men which are already of the Lords flocke there is no such speciall Ioy as there is ouer one sinner who being far from the kingdome of God a lost sheepe cōmeth home agayne knoweth God is Ioyntd to the rest of the Lords flocke A. The other similitude of the lost great tendeth to the same effect that this doth therfore nedeth no farther explication 10. Lykewise I saye vnto you shall there be Ioy in the presence of the Angells of God ouer one Synner that repenteth C. If the Angells reioyce among them selues in heauen when they see that restored to their company which went astray it becōmeth vs also to Ioy with them Question But how doth hee say that the Angells doe more reioyce at the repentances of one wicked man than at the perseuerance of many Iust men who delight in nothinge continually than in righteousnesse Ansvver I answere that all the Angells do rather desire the men should alway stand in puernesse and integrity yet notwithstanding bycause the mercy of God doth more shine in the deliuerance of sinners which are cut of from the body as rotten braunches he attributeth the more Ioy vnto Angells after the maner of men who Ioy more for that which cōmeth vnloked for then for that which they haue already in their possession Furthermore the name of Repentance is specially restrayned to their conuersion who beinge tourned quyte away from God doe ryse as it were from death to life For otherwise there oughte to bee a continuall meditacion of Repentance throughout our where lyfe neyther is any man exempted from the necessity hereof seeing euery one feeleth his owne vices working dayly in him But there is difference betwene stumblings or falles or swaruinges from the marke when thou arte already entered into the right race and betwene the cōming from error into the right way They haue no neede of such repentance which haue begun already to frame their liues according to Gods law to lyue a holy and Godly lyfe howbeit they must needes sigh vnder the infirmities of their flesh must endeuour themselues to correct them 11. And hee sayde A certayne man had two Sonnes C. This Parable is nothing els but a confirmation of the doctrine going before And by the firste parte thereof is shewed how ready the Lord is to pardon our sinnes in the other part is shewed how wickedly they behaue them selues which speake euell of his mercy And vnder the parson of a certayne prodigall younge man who was brought to extreme beggery by riotous dissolute life retourned with submission toward his father against whom he had bene stubborne disobedient Christ describeth all sinners who being weried with their former folly come vnto the grace of God And he compareth God vnto an earthly father which doth not only pardon his sonnes offences but also preuēteth him with mercy before he aske forgeuenesse 12. And the yoūger of them sayd vnto his father geue mee the portion of goods that to me belōgeth And he deuided vnto thē his substance C. Wee may not as wee sayd before stand vpon euery word in parables as though there were a mistery in them yet notwithstanding it is not set downe without cause in this parable the one of the sonnes would needes parte his Inheritance which hee afterwarde spent Fyrst of all a signe of wicked arrogancy is described here in the yoūge man in that he desiring to departe from his father thought him selfe not well except hee might liue lasciuiously at his owne liberty without the yoake of obedience toward his father We haue also to consider here his ingratitude in that hee forsakinge his Father an olde man did not only depriue him of the duty which belonged vnto him but doth also deminishe his Domesticall Substance Last of all followeth his prodigallity dissolute wickednes by which hee consumeth all that he hath By thus many sinnes he deserued the displeasure of his father So that vnder this Image we haue most liuely depaynted vnto vs the vnspeakable goodnesse and mercy of God to the ende that the haynousnesse of no offence might draw vs away from the hope of obtayning pardon The comparison shall not be amisse if so be a man say that they are like to the foolish and prodigall younge man who hauinge great plenty of all good things with God yet notwithstanding being stirred vp with a blynde mad desire will deuide the Inheritance with him that they may be free to doe what they list themselues as though it were not more to be wished to liue vnder the fatherly care and gouernment of God than vnder any other kingdome Surely we shall be rych ynough if so be our substance be Ioyned with the ryches of God the Father But if so be we will needes deuide it must needes come to passe that all thinges goe miserabelly to waste For this was the cause of destruction in the beginninge vnto men and first of all to our Parent Adam For hee was created after the Image of GOD. If so bee hee had taryed in his Fathers house and would haue had no deuision hee had bene ryche Inough and mighte haue lyued well in great Felicity but when hee woulde haue somewhat seuerall for him selfe it happened vnto him as it happened vnto this miserable man which wasted all his Substance For what did the free will and excellency which hee had conceyued profite hym that hee should be lyke vnto God Euenso at this day if wee arrogate nothinge vnto our selues but are contented with the grace of God we shall wante nothing appertayning to saluation But wee deceiue our selues in this that wee woulde haue somewhat proper to our selues whereby it cōmeth to passe that wee must needes perishe Notwithstandinge if wee be of the number of Gods Electe GOD will not suffer vs so to perishe but we cannot stande of our selues For except the wonderfull mercy of God did holde vs vp wee must needes be vtterly ouerthrowen 13. And not longe after when the yoūger sonne had gathered all that hee had together he toke his Iourney into a farre Country there wasted his goods with ryotouse liuinge C. Here Christe sheweth