of Christ is so deepe and secrete that menne cannot reach vnto the same vntill they be lightened of the father Note therefore that the father knoweth him not for himselfe but for vs that he might reueale him vnto vs yet the sentence seemeth not to be ful because the two partes of it agree not together It is sayd of the sonne that no man knoweth the father but he and he to whom he will reueale him but of the father this onely is sayde that he onely knoweth the Sonne but there is no mention made that hee should reueale I aunsweare it should haue beene in vaine to haue rehearsed that which he had spoke but now For what dooth the former thankes giuing containe but that the father hath reuealed the Sonne to whom he hath thought good Therefore that which foloweth nowe that no man knew the sonne but the father is as a reason rendred of that hee hadde spoke for this imagination might haue rysen what neede was it that the father should reueale the sonne who hath shewed himselfe to be seene openly Now that we vnderstand wherefore it is sayde that the sonne was knowne of the father alone it remaineth that we shuld consider the latter parte of the sentence That no manne knew the father but the sonne Also this knowledge differeth from the former for it is not sayde that the sonne knewe the father because hee should reueale him by his spirite but in that hee was the lyuelye image of the father hee sheweth him visiblye after a sorte in his owne person Yet I exclude not the spirite but I referre the reuealing whereof Christe nowe speaketh to the manner of the knowledge and so the text agreeth well togeather For Christe confirmeth that whiche hee sayde beefore that all thinges were giuen vnto him of the father that we might knowe that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelte in him This is the summe it is the gift of the Father that the Sonne is knowne for hee openeth the eyes of our mindes by his spyrite wherein wee see the glorye of Christe which otherwise was hidden from vs but the father who dwelleth in light whereto no man can reache and is incomprehensible in himselfe is reuealed vnto vs by the sonne who is his liuely image so that he is sought else where in vaine 28. Come vnto me all yee Now he doeth louingly cal vnto him them that he acknowledgeth to be fitte to be his disciples For though he be ready to reueal his father to all yet the most part neglecteth to come because they are not touched with the feeling of their wants Hypocrites care not for Christ because they being drunke with their own righteousnesse neither hunger nor thirst for his grace They that are giuen to the worlde make no account of the heauenly life therefore Christe shoulde call those two sortes of people to him in vaine he turneth therefore himselfe to the miserable and to the afflicted Also he calleth them that labour and mourne vnder the burden neither doeth he generally meane all them that are oppressed with sorowe and griefes but them whiche being confounded in their owne sinnes and striken with the feare of Gods wrath are ready to fal downe vnder so great a burden God humbleth his elect diuers waies but because the most part of men oppressed with miseries doe yet remain stubborne and vntamed Christ meaneth by men wery and loaden them that haue their consciences afflicted with the guiltinesse of eternal death and are prickt so inwardly with their owne miseries that they fainte for this feblenesse maketh vs apt to receiue his grace For it is as if he shoulde haue sayde that his grace is therefore contemned of the moste parte because fewe doe feele their owne wante yet there is no cause why their pride or obstinacie should hinder afflicted consciences which sigh for remedy VVherefore lette vs leaue all them which are bewitched with the sleights of Sathan and do either perswade themselues to haue righteousnesse without Christe or else do imagine themselues to be blessed in this world Our miseries driue vs to seeke after Christ. And because Christe admitteth none to the enioying of his rest but them that fainte vnder the burden let vs learn that there is not a more deadly poyson then that sluggishnesse whiche planteth in vs a false and deceitfull opinion either of an earthly felicitie or of righteousnesse and vertue therefore lette euery one of vs daily stirre vp our selues and first let vs busie our selues to shake off the delightes of the world then let vs emptie our selues of all vaine trust in our selues But though this preparation to receiue the grace of Christe doeth discourage men yet it is to be noted that it is the gifte of the holy Ghost because it is the beginning of repentance whereto no man can attaine of himselfe Neither is it the purpose of Christ to teache what man can doe of himselfe but only how they ought to be affected which come vnto him They whiche restraine this burden and this labour to the ceremonies of the lawe doe tie the sentence of Christ too short I graunt that the burden of the lawe is intollerable and that it woulde ouerwhelme soules but that must be remembered which I sayd that Christe reacheth out his hand to all that be afflicted that he mighte make a difference betweene disciples and contemners of the Gospell But that general speache of Christe is to be noted for Christe doeth therefore without exception comprehende all that labour and are laden least any man through faithlesse doubting should shut vp the way against himselfe And yet all they are but fewe in number because that of that innumerable companie of them that are about to perish few feele themselues going to destruction The refreshing which Christ promiseth consisteth in the fre forgiuenesse of sinnes which only easeth vs. 29. Take my yoake on you Because we see that many doe abuse the grace of Christ while they turne it to serue the wantonnesse of the flesh therefore after Christe hath promised ioyfull rest to the miserable afflicted consciences hee also warneth them that he is a deliuerer vpon this condition that they should take his yoake on them as if he should haue sayd that he did not therefore free them from sinnes that they hauing God mercifull to them shuld therby take a libertie to sinne but that they being comforted by his grace shoulde take on them a yoake and that they being freed in conscience they might keepe in bondage the wantonnesse of the flesh And heereof is gathered a definition of that rest whereof he spake that is it freeth not the disciples of Christ from the warfare of the crosse that they should liue pleasantly but it exerciseth them vnder the burden of discipline and containeth them vnder the yoake Learne of me They are in my iudgement deceiued which think that Christ spake here of his mekenesse least his disciples as the comming of mighty menne is woont
against God Yet here ariseth a question whether menne wyll breake out into such madnesse as that they will not doubt but wittingly and willingly to strike at God for this seemeth to be a straung monster not to be beleeued I aunswere this boldnesse proceedeth of a frantike blindenesse wherein malice and poysonfull fury getteth the victorie And it is not without cause that Paul saith 1. Tim. 1. 13. Though he was a blasphemer yet he receiued mercy because he did it ignorantly thorow vnbeliefe for by these wordes he distinguiseth his sinne from wilfull blasphemy Also in this place is confuted theyr errour whiche ymagine that euerye wilfull sinne whiche is committed the conscience withstanding it to be vnpardonable But Paule dooth expresly tie that sinne to the firste table of the lawe and the Lorde dooth by the name of blasphemy poynt out one kinde of sinne and hee also sheweth that it directly fighteth with the glory of God But of all these I gather that they sinne and blaspheme againste the holye Ghoste whiche turne the graces and gyftes of GOD reuealed vnto them by the spirite by the whiche they shoulde sette forth his glorye to the hynderaunce and slaunder of the same And with Sathan their captaine they are professed enemies to the glory of God VVherefore it is no meruaile if Christe cutte away all hope of forgiuenesse frō such sacriledge for they are paste hope which turne the onely medicine of their sauing health into deadly poyson This seemeth to some to be too hard and therfore they flye to a childish cauill saying that it is sayde to be vnpardonable because the forgiuenes of the same is rare hard to be obtained But Christ speketh more expresly so that his wordes cannot so childishly be shifted They do also reason too fondly that God should be cruell if he should neuer forgiue the sinne and that his crueltie would make vs all amased but they doe not consider howe haynous the offence is not onely to prophane the holy name of God of set purpose but also to spitte in his face while hee shineth vppon them with his gratious and fauourable countenaunce The exception whiche other take is as fond namely that the meaning should bee that no man should obtayne forgiuenes without repentaunce For it is certeine that blasphemy against the holy Ghost is a signe of reprobation whereof it followeth that all they that fall into the same are giuen ouer into a reprobate sense For as we hold it to be vnpossible that he that is truely regenerate by the spirit should throw himselfe headlong into so horryble sinne so againe is it to be holden that they which fall into the same can neuer rise againe and that God in this sorte reuengeth the contempte of his grace in that he hardeneth the heartes of the reprobate that they can neuer attaine to repentaunce 32. Neither in this life Marke dooth briefly set downe the meaning of these wordes saying that they which speake against the holy Ghost shall be subiect to eternall damnation VVe aske of God forgiuenes of sinnes dayly and he reconcileth vs vnto himselfe at length al sinnes being abolished in death he sheweth himselfe merciful vnto vs and the fruit of this mercy shall shew it selfe in the latter day Therfore the sense is that there is no hope that they which blaspheme against the holy Ghost should obtaine forgiuenes in this life or in the latter iudgement The cauil which the Papistes gather hereof that sinnes may be forgiuen men after theyr death is easily confuted First they are foolish in wresting the worde of the world to come to a middle time when as it is euident to all men that it signifieth the last day but herein also is their wickednes laid open because that the cauill which they pretende is contrary to their owne doctrine Their destinction is knowen that the sinnes are freely forgiuen in respect of the offence but they are required in the satisfaction of the punishmentes Now they graunt that there is no hope of saluation except the sinnes be forgiuen before the death Therefore there remaineth to the dead onely forgiuenes of the punishment but they dare not denie but that this sentence is here spoken of the sinne Now let them go and of this cold substance let them kindle their Purgatory fire if flames can be gotten out of cold ice Matth. 12. Mark Luke 33. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or els make the tree euill and his fruit euill for the tree is knowne by his fruit 34. O generation of Vipers how can yee speake good thinges when yee are euil For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges and an euill man out of an euill treasure bringeth forth euill thinges 36. But I say vnto you that of euery idle worde that men shal speake they shal giue an account therof at the day of iudgement 37. For by thy wordes thou shalt be iustified by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned   33. Eyther make the tree good It may seeme to be absurd that the choice is giuen to men to be either good or euill But if we consider what kind of men Christ speaketh to it shall be easily answered We know what opinion or estimation there was of the Pharises for the mindes of the common people were so daseled with the feigned shewe of their holynesse that no man durst call their lewde dealinges into question Christe meaning to take away this viserd commaundeth them to be either good or euill as if he should haue sayde there is nothinge more contrarye to honestie then hypocrisie and they doe challenge to themselues the tytle of righteousnesse in vaine which are not sincere and vpright So he putteth nothing in their choise neither doth he giue them the bridle at libertie but onely admonisheth them that they shall profit nothing by theyr vaine disguisinges so long as they continue so duble for that it is necessary for men to be either good or euill That he saieth Make the tree some do gather fondly thereof that it is in euery mans owne hande to frame his owne lyfe and maners For it is an vpbrayding kind of speach wherwith Christ scattereth the hypocrisie of Scribes as smoake calling them to a perfect and pure vprightnesse After he setteth downe the manner and the way whereby they may shewe themselues to bee good or euill trees to witte if they bring forth good or euil fruit So now there is no ambiguitie in the sense The life of the Scribes was infamous amongste men through their grosse sinnes they bewrayed the poyson of pride ambition and enuie thorow their owne ouerthwart cauillinges but because the simple people saw not this Christ brought this great mischief out of the corners into the light If any obiect that it cannot bee in this corruption of our nature that any man shoulde be
The examination of faith contained in our prayers 570. 21. the analogie of faith ought to beare rule in iudging false Prophets 221. 16. Faithes obedience 30. 38. Faithes degrees 298. 29. 355. 23. 548. Faithes infirmitie in the Saintes 16. 18. Faithes confirmation necessary 90. 33. The difference of faith and opinioÌ„ 251. 20. The relation of Faith and the word 33. 45. The fruit of fayth is tranquilitie of coÌ„science 370. 50. No man obteineth faith by his own wisdome 311. 25. The Papistes mixe faith with doubting 570. 21. The faith of God what ibid. By faith we obteine remission of sinnes 252. 23. the faithful are the temples of God 490 18. the faithful planted by the hand of God 440. 13. The faithful how the sonnes of God 25 32. The faithful the brethren of Christ 340 48. The faithful the sonnes of light 265. 14 393. 8. The faithful ought to bee salt to others 165. 50. The faithful how heires of the worlde 159. 5. VVhy the faithful are called litle ones 290. 41. 292 3. The faithful why laide open to the false accusations of the reprobate 167. 17. The faithful how righteous before God 49. 77. The faithfuls condition in the worlde contemptible and miserable 134. 11 61. 10. 236. 19. 467. 23. 637. 9. 4. 671. 32. 34. 734. 12. The ioy of the faithful 35. 46. 72. 10. 652. 28. The glory of the faithful after this lyfe 399. 22. The faithfuls good and godly glorying 679. 10. The faithfuls felicitie 161. 10. 201. 21. The warfare of the faithfull 160 â—0 336. 43. 696. 31. The obedience of the faithful vnperfect 204. 24. The small number of the faythful 216 13. 257. 13. 313. 28. 391. 11. The small number of the faythful whye compared to a plentifull harueste 257. 37. the faythfuls perfectioÌ„ in this life of what sort 186. 48. 333. 33. The faythfuls coÌ„bat with Sathan 160. 10 696. 31. The faythfuls certein victory 378. 22. 287. 38. The faithfuls life lik gaining by occupyinge 554. 20. The faithfuls scope or end of life 372. 42 The zeal of the faithful 452. 2. Beetwixt faithful and vnfaythfull what difference looke the difference of the elect and reprobate Fasting when approued of God 93. 37 199. Fasting of three daies how to bee vnderstanded 450. The difference of Christes fasting and the Papistes 126. 1. The ende of fasting 482. 21. Concerning fasting Iohns disciples quarel with Christ 247. 14. The Fasting of Lent 126. 1. the fathers called not vppon God but by trusting in Christ the mediatour 25. 32. freed from the yoke of sinne by Christes onely grace 44. 68. How the fathers differ from vs 351. 24. 399. 22. the faith of the fathers and ours al one 233. 11. 351. 24. The foolishe immitation of the fathers 11. 15. 511. 54. Faultes vnder defence of lawes are not to be couered 290. Faining howe it may agree with Christ 786. 28. the feare of the godly differeth from the feare of the wicked 235. 16. Feare not alwaies repugnant to faith 96 13. 259. 25. 431. 31. the feare of the Lord comprehendeth all godlynes and religion 37. 49. Fearefulnes commeth of an euill conscience 64. 7. Felicitie proceedeth from the loue of God 22. 28. True felicitie commeth of fayth 33. 45. True felicitie dependeth of Christe 148. 23. the chiefest felicitie doth consist in Christ alone 50. 79. the greatest felicitie is in heauen 201. 21. The difference beetwixte the felicitie of the faithful the Stoiks 201. 21. Fygtree whye cursed of Christe 569. 18. To finde fauour what it is 23. 30. Fynger of GOD for his spirite 328. 28. why the spirit is called Fyre 121. 11. Fyre eternall of what maner 122. 12. 359. 41. 675. 41. to bee seasoned with fire what 164. 49. Fleshe for menne without the note of sin 112. 6. Flesh prone to slouth 709. 43. All the affections of the flesh ought to be suspected 104. 48. The bolde confidence of our flesh 540. 22. the flock of Christ a litle one 208. 32. Whither it bee lawful to resist force with force 184. 44. Fortune ruleth not the woorlde 283. 29. Freewyll ouerthrowne 333. 33. Freewilles defenders and patrons 202. 22. 333. 33. 598. 30. 627. 37. Frowardnes condemned 505. 21. Fruitfulnesse of the wombe commeth froÌ„ the blessing of God G GAbryel what it signifieth 16. 19. Gadarenes couetous and vnthankefull 265. 15. Galyle of the Gentiles which 144. 13. Gates of hell 461. 18. Gehenna from whence deryued 172. 22. The woorde Gehenna translated to the hels 280. 25. the Genealogie of Christ is described 52. 53. The fourefold difference of the narration of Christes genealogie 54. the Gentiles calling 40. 55. 73. 10. 79. 1. 89. 31. 32. 219. 29. 232 10. 323. 18. 324. 20. 442. 566. 13. 688. 13. 796. 47. 800. 19. Gentlenesse is commended 173. 25. 497. 15. Glâ—â—h properly what 66. 22. Glorye of GOD looke Gods glorie The Glorye of the faithful 400. 25. God hath care ouer his 61. 20. 8. 4. 7 95. 13. 134. 11. 142. 28. 189 8. 195. 11. 205. 26. 276. 19 282. 29. 406. 7. 645. 22. 648. 24 672. 34. One God 591. 37. God onelye good 523. 17. God whye called an heaueÌ„ly father 191 9. God our father wil be knowne 124. 17. 292. 9. How God is in heauen 191. 9. God onely to be worshipped and serued 133. 10. 594. 26. VVhye God swore 46. 37. to whom God is mercifull and fauourable 159. 7. GOD alwayes true 33. 45. 64. 22. GOD the authour of marriage 515. 7. God after two manner of waies appearred to the fathers 62. 20. God alwayes lyke him selfe 36. 49. God alone is the law maker for the souls 586. 21. God especiallye beholdeth the mind 6. 6 15. 18. 48. 75. 172. 22. 245. 13. 395. 15. 569. 38. 630. 43. VVhy God is called the god of Israel 44 68. VVhye God somtimes deferreth his help 62. 20. 379. 15. 405. 406. 7. 430. 27. whye God forthwith punisheth not the wicked 377. 6. How God is said to loue al 526. 21 how God is said to tempt 128. 2. 259 13. How God leadeth into temptation 198 13. God not the authour of euill ibid. God Vseth the trauaile of wicked men 69. God onelye forgiueth sinnes 240. 3. God onelye the iudge of the whole world 185. 45. God inuiteth men vnto repeÌ„taunce 493. 17. God is said to reigne two maner of waies 193. 10. God may bee called vppon in all places 567. 13. God not bounde to the lawes of nature 15. 18. 27. 34. God by diuerse meanes saueth his 95. 13. God sometimes giueth ouer his honor to men 498. 15. God a sharpe reuenger and defender of the trueth 334. 34. The loue of God the
And hath raised vp the horne of saluation to vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid 70. As hee spake by the mouth of his holy prophetes which were since the world began saying 71. That hee would send vs deliueraunce from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs 72. That he would shew mercie towardes our fathers and remember his holy couenaunt 73. And the oath which he sware vnto our father Abraham that he would graunt vs. 74. That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare 75. All the dayes of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him 67. Zacharyas was filled with the holy Ghost But a litle before it is shewed what this manner of speach meaneth that is that the seruantes of God are indued with more aboundant grace of the spirit the which they yet were not without before VVe read that the spirit was giuen to the Prophetes not that they were at other times without the same but because that the power of the spirite did more plentifully and fully shew it selfe in them as oft as they as it were by the hand of God were brought into the light to execute their office Therefore the knitting togeather of those two clauses which Luke vseth is to be obserued that hee was filled with the holy Ghost and prophecied For it signifieth that hee was then inspired from aboue more then ordinarily so that hee spake not after the fashion of men as a priuate man but that hee spake onelye heauenly doctrine So Paule ioyneth Prophesie and the spirit together 1. Thess. 5. 19. Quench not the spirite despise not prophesie that we might knowe that by the contempt of doctrine the light of the spirite is extinguished But this goodnes of God is worthy to be remembred that Zacharyas had not onely the vse of his speach restored to him againe which for niene monethes hee wanted but also his tongue was made an instrument of the holy Ghost 68. Blessed be the Lord. Zachary beginneth with thankes giuing but with a propheticall spirite he setteth forth the accomplished redemption promised before time in Christ whereof the saluation and felicitie of the Church did depend why he should be called the God of Israel vnder whose gouernment the whole world is subiect it doth better appeare by the texte namelye for that the redeemer was speciallye promised to the seede of Abraham Because that GOD had made his couenaunt onely with one people and nation whereof Zachary was now about to speak For good cause therefore doth he expresly name the name of that people to whom the grace of saluation properly or at least principally was sent and appoynted There is vnder this visiting a secrete opposition because that the countenaunce of God for a time was turned from the wretched children of Abraham for they were fallen into that calamitie and ouerwhelmed with so great a heape of mischiefes that no man would haue thought that God had any regard vnto them Furthermore this visitation of God whereof Zachary mentioneth is put as the cause and the beginning of the redemption Therefore resolue it thus God looked vppon his people that he might redeeme them And seeing that they were prisoners which God redeemed and that this kind of redeÌ„ption was spirituall we thereof gather that euen the holy fathers were not free from the yoake of sinne and the tyrrany of death but through the grace of Christ For Christ is said to be a redeemer sent euen to the holy and elect people of God But if redemption was but then at length brought of Christ when as he appeared in the flesh It followeth that the faithfull which were dead before his comming were all their life time seruauntes of sinne and of death which were a great absurditie I answer that the force and effect of this redemption which was once giuen in Christ was common in all ages 69. He hath raysed vp a horne of saluation That is a power to saue For the throane of Dauid being throwne downe and the people being dispearsed the hope of saluatioÌ„ in outward shew was also falleÌ„ away And surelye Zachary alludeth to the prophesies of the Prophets in the which there is promised a sodaine restitution when that al thinges with them were in greatest miserie and destruction And this sentence is taken out of the Psalm 132. 17 where it is sayde There will I make the horne of Dauid to budde for I haue ordayned a light for mine annoynted If that God doth shew his power to saue vs in no other meanes but in Christ then it is a most hainous offence to bow from him any way if that we hope to be saued from aboue But obserue that that is a horne of saluation to the faythfull which to the wicked is terrible so that dispearseth them or rather ouerthroweth them and beateth them to the dust He calleth Dauid the seruaunt of god not simply because he worshipped God as euery one of the godly doe but in an other respect namely that he was chosen his minister to gouerne and to preserue his people that he and his successours should represent the person and offices of Christ. And although there was then no shew of a kingdome left amongst the Iewes yet beecause that Zachary reposeth himselfe in the promises of God he doubteth not to call Dauid the seruaunt of God in whom God shewed a token of saluation that was to come VVhereof it followeth that Christe is then indeede constituted as the aucthour of our saluation when that there is a throane set vp for him amongst vs from the which he may gouerne vs. 70. As hee spake Least for the newnesse of it the saluation should be doubted of which he saieth was brought by Christ he citeth all the prophetes as witnesses of the same which being raysed vp in diuers tymes doe yet teach with one consent that we must hope for saluation from Christ alone And this is not the onely purpose of Zachary to prayse the fayth and constancie of God because that hee perfourmeth and fulfilleth that which he before in times past hath promised But his minde is rather to call the faithfull to the old prophesies that with the more certeintie and readines they might imbrace the saluatioÌ„ offered them wherof all the Prophetes from the beginning witnessed For truely our fayth in Christ is established vppon a sure stay when as it cometh forth confirmed with the testimonies of al the Prophets He calleth the Prophetes holy that thereby their wordes might haue the greater aucthoritie and reuerence as if he should haue sayde they are not light or common but approoued witnesses yea they are set forth by publike commaundement as if that from heauen they were called for this purpose from the common sorte of men But in small and seueral perticular poyntes to discusse how that all the Prophetes did witnesse of Christ it would be too long Let this suffice for this time â—ith it
profitable that it shoulde be so deferred The Aungel appeared in a dreame this is one of the ordinarie maners of reuelations wherof mention is made Num. 12. 7. where God speaketh thus To the Prophets which are among you I will shewe my selfe either by a vision or by a dreame but I will not do so with my seruaunt Moses to whom I will shewe my selfe face to face but it is to be obserued that these sortes of dreames doe much differ from them which come of natural causes for they haue a marke of assurance engraued in them and they are sealed from aboue that we shoulde not doubt of the truthe of them The dreames which men commonly haue are woont to rise either of the constitution of nature or throughe euill disposition of the bodies or of such like causes But sometimes the spirit geueth witnesse to those dreames which are of God to assure vs certainly that it is god which speaketh Sonne of Dauid be not afraid This exhortatioÌ„ of the angel declareth that Ioseph was careful in his mind least he should be defiled with any infection by bearing with his wifes adulterie He therfore taketh away that opinion of the offence which he had conceiued in his minde to that ende that with a quiet conscience he might remaine and dwell with his wife hee applieth the epithite of the Sonne of Dauid to the preseÌ„t cause that he might stir vp his mind to that high mystery because that he was of that familie and that remaining aliue but with a few other from whence saluation was promised to the worlde Ioseph therefore hearing Dauid named out of whose stocke he came out to remeÌ„ber that notable couenant of God of the restitution of the kingdom so should know that he speakes not of any new or straunge thing for it is as much as if the Aungel by setting foorth the prophesies of the Prophets shoulde prepare Ioseph his minde to accept this present fauoure Thou shalt call his name Iesus Of the word it selfe I haue before spokeÌ„ briefly but sufficiently I will nowe onely adde one thing Their dreame is confuted by the woordes of the Angell which deriue this name from Iehoua the essentiall name of God for the Aungell sheweth why the sonne of God is to be so called that is because he shal saue his people whereof we gather an etymologye meere contrary to that which they imagine But in vaine doe they seeke by this cauill to slippe away Christ is to bee compted the author of saluation most properly and most aptly because that he is God eternall For we must not heere seeke onely what GOD hath performed and bestowed vppon vs but this name was geuen vnto the sonne for an especiall cause because of the commaundement whiche was enioyned him from the father and by reason of the office which he had when he descended to vs. Nowe it were meere madnesse to knitte these two woordes Iesu Iehoua together as if they were but one name seeing that they agree but in two letters and differre in all the rest and which haue no likenesse in them at all I leaue this kinde of forging to the Alchumystes from whom the Cabalistes do not much differre who haue inuented for vs these filthie and vaine toyes But the sonne of God when hee came to vs in the flesh had also his name geuen him of his father that by the same it might be openly shewed to what ende he came what his power was and what properly was to be looked for of hym for the roote of this name Iesu is from the Hebrewe verbe 〈◊〉 â—iphil which signifieth to saue and in the Hebrew is after an other maner pronounced namely Iehosua But the Euangelistes wryting in Greeke folowed the accustomed maner of speache for the Greeke interpreters as well in Moses as in other bookes of the olde Testament haue translated it Iesâ—un whereby their ignorance is again reproued which wrest wrythe rather then deriue this name Iesu from Iehoua for they accompt it for a great absurditie if that any mortall man should haue this name common with the sonne of God and they crie our tragically that Christ will neuer suffer his name thus to bee prophaned As thoughe that it were not well knowne of the contrary that the name of Iesu is as common to those menne as that of Iehosua Nowe seeing that it sufficiently appeareth that the Sonne of God vnder the name of Iesu is commended vnto vs as the authour of saluation we will sifte more neerely the Aungelles woordes Hee shall saue sayeth hee his people from their sinnes first this is to be obserued that they of themselues were lost whome Christ was sent to saue and namely hee is called the Sauiour of the Churche If they whome GOD hathe ioyned so neare vnto hymselfe are drowned in death and destruction vntill Christ restore them life then what shall wee saye of straungers to whome there was neuer anye hope of life appearing VVherefore it is to bee concluded while saluation in Christe is reiected that all mankinde is subiecte to destruction But the cause of destruction is with all to bee noted for the celestiall iudge doeth not pronounce the cursse against vs rashly and wythout a cause Therefore the Aungell witnesseth that wee pearished and were holden oppressed vnder the miserable yoke of damnation for that by our sinnes wee were estraunged from life whereby the corruption and wickednesse of our nature is reuealed vnto vs for if any manne were perfecte and able to liue a righteous life hee might be without Christ the deliuerer but all without the exception of any one haue neede of hys grace Therefore it foloweth that they are all the seruauntes of sinne and are destitute of the true righteousnesse Heere againe wee gather what maner and way it is that Christ vseth in sauing that is that hee deliuereth vs from sinnes Furthermore there are two partes of this deliueraunce first in that he by sacrifice hauing made a full satisfaction geueth vs free pardone and forgeuenesse whereby wee are exempted from the guiltinesse of death and are reconciled to God The next that he sanctifying vs wyth his spirite chalengeth vs from the tyrannie of Sathan that wee shoulde liue to righteousnesse therefore Christ is not acknowledged truely as a Sauiour vntill that by faith wee learne to embrace the free forgeuenesse of our sinnes and that we knowe that we are accompted righteous before God because that we are freed from guiltinesse then that we being without all trust either of our workes or of oure power aske of him the spirite of righteousnesse and truthe The Aungell wythout doubte nameth the Iewes the people of Christe whose heade and king he was ordained But because the Gentiles were shortly after to be grafted into the stocke of Abraham this promisse of saluation is generally stretched to all whiche by faith are vnited to that one bodye of the Churche 22 All this was dâ—ne They verye fondly
then by offending the tyrant But I shewed a litle before that the whole people were too much degenerate which had rather be oppressed with a yoake of tyrannie then that by the chaung they would feele any discōmoditie And if God had not confirmed with his spirite the mindes of these wisemē they might haue fallen at this offence yet the zeale of their endeuour is not diminished but forward they goe without a companion But they want not matter to confirme their faith while they nowe heare him renoumed as king by diuine oracles who was shewed vnto thē by the star That the star directeth thē as they wēt on their way euē vnto the place it may be easily gathered that it vanished away before for no other cause but that they might enquire at Ierusalē for the new king that to take away excuse from the Iewes which after they were taught of the redeemer sent vnto them yet wittingly willingly despised him 11. They found the babe So vncomly a sight might haue bred a new offence to the wisemen whē as they saw nothing in Christ that appertained to a king so that he was vilier vsed more contemned then any cōmon infant But because they are perswaded that he is appointed of god to be a king this only thought fixed in their mindes causeth thē to reuerence Christ for in the counsel of god they do behold his dignitie as yet hid kept secret And because they certeinly appoint that he shal proue otherwise then he yet appeared they are no whit ashamed to giue him kingly honour Also by their gifts they declared whence they cāe for it is not to be douted but y t they brought these as tokens fruits of their coūtrey And vnderstād that euery one of thē did not offer his gift but these 3. things were in cōmō offred by thē al that which almost al the interpreters disput of the kingdō priestod burial of christ make gold a tokē kingdom incense of his priesthood and mirrh of his buriall in my iudgment hath no likelihood in it VVe know that it was a solemne custome amongst the Persians to haue some gift in their hand so oft as they saluted their kinges And these wise men chose these three thinges the fruites and commodities whereof doe make the East parte renoumed and famous Euen as Iocob sent into Aegypt the best and chosen fruites of the land Gene. 43. 12. But seeing they after the manner of the Persians worshipping him whom they as yet thought to be an earthly king offered fruits of the earth It is our parte spiritually to worship him For this is that lawfull and reasonable worshipping which hee desireth first that we should offer vp our selues vnto him and then all that wee haue Mathew Marke Luke 2.   22. And when the dayes of their purification after the law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Ierusalē to present him to the lord 23. As it is written in the law of the Lorde euery man childe that first openeth the womb shall be holy vnto the Lord 24. And to giue an oblation as it is commanded in the law of the Lord a paire of Turtle doues or two young Pigeons 25. And beholde there was a man in Ierusalem whose name was Simeon this man was iust and feared God and waited for the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was vpon him 26. And a reuelation was giuen him of the holy Ghost that he should not see death before hee had seene the Lord Christ. 27. And he came by the motion of the spirite into the temple and when the parents brought in the childe Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the law 28. Then he tooke him in his armes and praised God and said 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy word 30. For mine eies haue seene thy saluation 31. VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all people 32. A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles and the glory of the people Israel 22. And when the dayes were accomplished The fourtie day after her deliueraunce the rite of purification ought to be solemnised yet Mary and Ioseph came also to Ierusalem for an other cause that they might presēt Christ to the Lord because hee was the first borne Nowe first we must speake of purification Luke maketh the same common to Mary and to Christe for the pronowne Their can by no meanes be applyed vnto Ioseph And it is not absurde that Christ who for vs beecame accursed vppon the crosse for our sake tooke our vncleannesse vppon him though he was free from fault and sinne as concerning the guiltinesse that is if the fountaine of puritie would be accounted vncleane that hee might wash away our vncleannesse They are deceaued which thinke that this law was but for pollicy as if the woman should be vncleane before her husband and not before the Lord when rather there was set before the eies of the Iewes aswell the corruption of their nature as the remedie of God his grace And this one law aboundantly suffiseth to proue original sinne as it containeth a notable testimonie of the grace of GOD. And the curse of mankinde cannot be more plainely shewed then when the Lorde testifieth that the infant commeth vnpure and polluted out of his mothers wombe insomuch as the mother her selfe is defiled by the byrth Certeinely except man were borne a sinner and were by nature the childe of wrath and that there rested in him some spotte of sinne he should not neede a purgation wherefore it followeth that all were corrupt in Adam seeing that they are by the mouth of the Lorde condemned of vncleannesse And that is not against it Rom. 11. 16. That the Iewes are called holye branches of a holy roote because this good came vnto them not of themselues but as by other meanes For although that by priueledge of adoption they were seuered for a chosen people yet corruption from Adam was their first enheritaunce by order Therfore it is conuenient to distinguish betweene the first nature and the peculiar benefit of the couenaunt wherein God freeth his from the curse And to this purpose belonged the purification in the law that the Iewes might know that by the grace of God they are cleāsed from those filths which by their birth they brought with them into the world Hereby is also to be learned howe horrible the infection of sinne is which in some parte defileth the lawful order of nature Verily I graunte that neither matrimonie in it self nor bearing of children are vncleane nay I graunt that the fault of lust is couered with y e holines of matrimony but yet the ouerflowing of sin is so deep plentiful that alwaies some sins flow out from thence which sprinckle with blottes whatsoeuer is otherwise pure 23. As it is written in the lawe This was an other parte of godlinesse which Ioseph and
know that none of those praises wherewith that excellent and diuine office was adorned doeth so properlye belonge to him as to Christe for the fathers tasted that grace of redemption which throughe Christe is geuen vs to comprehend at the full That Mathewe placeth this woorde Prophets in the plurall number the answeare is easie because that booke of the Iudges was composed by diuers Prophetes Yet I thinke that that whiche is heere sette downe of the Prophets doeth reache farther For Ioseph who was a temporall preseruer of the Church many wayes bare a figure of Christe or was rather a liuely image of him was called the Nazarite of his brethren Gen. 49. 26. and Deuter. 33. 16. Therefore God woulde that the excellent dignitie whereof hee had made a shewe in Ioseph shoulde shine in Sampson and he gaue him the name of a Nazarite that the faithfull beinge instructed with these small beginninges mighte more diligently looke for their redeemer whiche was to come who was to be separate from al that he might be the first born amongst many brethren Matthew Marke Luke 2. 40. And the childe grewe waâ—ed stronge in spirite and was filled with wisedome and the grace of God was with him 41. Nowe his parents went to Ierusalem euery yeare at the feast of the Passeouer 42. And when hee was twelue yeare olde they were come vppe to Ierusalem after the custome of the feast 43 And had finished the daies therof as they retourned the childe Iesus remained in Ierusalem and Ioseph knew not nor his mother 44. But they supposing that he had ben in the companie went a daies iourney and soughte him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance 45. And when they found him not they turned backe to Ierusalem and sought him 46. And it came to passe three dayes after that they founde him in the Temple sittinge in the middest of the Doctours bothe hearinge them and asking them questions 47. And all that heard him were astonied at his vnderstanding and answeres 40. And the childe grewe Mathew goeth presently from the infancie of Christ to his manifestation Luke heere reporteth one thing at the least worthy to be remembred that is that Christ in the midst of his youthe gaue a shew of his office to come or at the least by this one exercise in his childehoode he would shewe what he should be hereafter And first hee sayeth that he grew and waxed strong in spirite by which woordes he declareth that the giftes of his minde did encrease also together with his age VVherby we gather that these profitings or encreasings are referred to his humane nature for nothing can be added more to his Godhead Yet it is demaunded whether he did not excell in all fulnesse of spiritual gifts presently after that he was conceiued in the wombe of his mother for it seemeth to be absurd that any thing should be wanting to perfection in the sonne of God Yet the answere is easie if it derogateth nothing from his glory that he was altogether humbled laid lowe then there can be no incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce to him in this that as his wil was to grow in body so also to profite in mind for our sake And certainly when the apostle teacheth the He. 4. 15. that he was like vnto vs in all things excepting sin without doubt he also comprehendeth this that his soul was subiect to ignorance This is the only difference betwene vs him that those infirmities which of necessitie are tied to vs he toke vpon him frely and of his owne will Therfore Christ for the reason and estate of his age according to his humane nature encreased in the free giftes of the spirite that out of his fulnesse he might imparte to vs because we receiue grace out of his grace Some which are too fearful restrain that which is sayd heere to an outward shewe and expounde it that Christ seemed to profite as though in deede he encreased not in any new vnderstanding But the words souÌ„d otherwise and this error is yet more plainly confuted when as shortlye after Luke addeth The childe profited in age and wisedome with God and men For it is not lawfull to imagine that there lay hid in Christ any vnderstandinge whiche in successe of time appeared vnto God And it is not to be doubted but that the counsel of God was plainly to expresse howe truely and perfectly Christ embraced al partes of a brotherly vniting with men when he toke vpon him our flesh Neither doe wee by this meanes imagine him to be two for although there was one person of God and man yet it foloweth not that what soeuer was proper to the Deitie should be attributed to the humane nature But for asmuch as it was necessary for our saluation the sonne of God kept his diuine power hidde And that which Ireneus sayth his Deitie resting he suffered his passion I do not only interpreat it of his corporal death but also of that incredible sorow and vexation of the soule who vttered this complaint vnto him my God why hast thou forsaken me In summe except a man should deny Christ to be made very man let him not be ashamed also to confesse that he willingly tooke vppon him all those things which cannot be separate from our humane nature And it is foolishly obiected that ignorance coulde not light vpon Christ because it was the punishment of sinne for the fame may be saide also of death but rather the scripture affirmeth that hee fulfilled the office of a mediator because that what punishments soeuer we had deserued he toke from vs laid vpon himselfe Furthermore they do very grosely and ignorantly in that they make ignorance a punishment of sinne for it cannot be thoughte that Adam when he was yet sound knewal things Neither do the Angels beare the punishment of sinne wheÌ„ they are ignorant of any thing Some conclude more subtilly that there was no ignorance in Christ because that ignorance is a fault But these also doe take very euil a false a vaine principle for otherwise it were necessarye for the Angelles to be like to God that they might be without fault Blindnesse or ignorance of a mans minde is a fault and is worthely accompted as a parte of originall sinne but here is no other ignoraunce attributed to Christe then suche as may be in a manne pure from all spot of sinne But when Luke sayeth that he waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedom he meaneth whatsoeuer wisedome is in men and dailye groweth in them that it floweth out of this only fountaine that is from the spirit of God That speache which foloweth the grace of God was with him is more generall for it comprehendeth what excellencie soeuer was in him 41. Nowe his parentes went euery yeare Heere is the godlinesse of Marye and Ioseph praysed because that they diligently exercised themselues in the outwarde woorshippe of God And they tooke not this yerely iourney vppon
whereby hee reconcileth the vnworthy to himselfe In summe the kingdome of heauen is nothing else then newnesse of lyfe wherein God restoreth vs into the hope of eternall immortalytie For we being taken out of the bondage of sinne and death he chalengeth vs vnto himselfe that wee wandring here vpon earth might now by fayth possesse that heauenly life to the Ephesians 1. 4. For although we be like to dead men yet we know that our lyfe is in safetie while that it is hidde in Christe Colloss 3. Frō hence as out of a fountaine is the exhortation to repentaunce gathered And Iohn saieth not repent and then by this meanes the kingdome of heauen shall appeare but in the first place he proposeth the grace of GOD and then hee exhorteth menne that they shoulde repent VVhereby it is euident that the mercy of God whereby he restoreth those that are lost to be the foundation of repentaunce Neither doe Matthew and Luke in any other sense reporte that he preached repentaunce for the remission of sinnes for repentaunce as some vnwisely imagine is not placed first as if it should be the cause of forgiuenesse of sinnes or that it might preuent God that hee might beginne to be mercifull vnto vs but men are cōmaunded to repent that they might receiue the reconcilyation offered them But as the free loue of GOD whereby hee imbraceth miserable men not imputing their sinnes vnto them orderly goeth before so it is to be noted that we haue forgiuenes of sinnes in Christ not that God would nourish them through his loue but that hee might heale vs from them Neyther can any man taste the grace of GOD except he hate sinne and be displeased with offēces but by the definition of repentaunce and fayth it may be fullyer knowne how vnseperably they are ioyned togeather therefore in entreating of this doctrine I am the sparer But for the better vnderstanding of this present place it is meete to obserue that the whole Gospell consisteth of two partes forgiuenesse of sinnes and repentaunce And in that Matthew noteth the first parte by the kingdome of heauen it may thereby be gathered that there was hostile dissention betweene men and God and that they were wholy banished out of the kingdome of heauen vntill that God shoulde againe receiue them into his fauour And though Iohn proposing the grace of God exhorteth menne to repentaunce yet it is to be noted that this also i◠the gift of God aswell as the enheritaunce of the kingdom of heauen For as hee freely forgiueth vs our sinnes and by his mercy delyuereth vs from the guiltinesse of eternall death so also hee repayreth vs after his owne image that we might liue to righteousnesse As he freely adopteth vs to be his sonnes so hee regenerateth vs by his spirite that our life might testifie that we doe not falsly cal him father And Christ doth no lesse quicken vs vnto righteousnesse by crucifying our old man and by extinguishing the faults of our fleshe then he doth wash away our sinnes by his bloud and appease his heauenlye father towardes vs with the sacrifice of his owne death Yet this is the summe of the Gospell that GOD embraceth vs in his Sonne our sinnes being washed awaye that wee denying our selues and our owne nature might liue holylye and godlyly and so shoulde meditate a heauenly lyfe vpon the earth 3. LV. Preaching the baptisme of repentaunce This maner of speaking dooth first generally shewe what is the right vse of the Sacramentes Then for what purpose Baptisme was instituted and what it doth containe A Sacrament therefore is not a dumbe ceremonie which sheweth I wotte not what pompe without doctrine but hath the worde of God annexed to it which giueth lyfe to the outwarde ceremonie I meane not that worde which some Exorcist muttereth with magycall whisperings but that which pronounced with clear open voyce doth auaile to the edifying of fayth For it is not simplye sayde that Iohn baptised to repentaunce as if the grace of GOD hadde beene included in the visible signe but that hee preached what the profit of baptisme was that the signe might be made effectuall by the woorde preached And this is peculyar to baptisme that it is called the seale of repentance for forgiuenesse of sinne Nowe seeing that his Baptispme hadde the same signification power and manner which ours haue If a figure bee esteemed by the trueth thereof it is false that the baptismes of Iohn and Chrste are diuerse MATH 3. The voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse Although that place of Isaias 40. 1. ought not to be restrained onely to Iohn yet hee is one of them of whom that is there spoken for after the Prophet hath spoken of the ouerthrowe of the Citie and the extreame calamitie of the people he promiseth a new restitution of the people The words were the Lord shal say againe comfort ye comfort ye my people For after the temple was ouerthrowne and the Sacrifices abolyshed the people were lead into captiuitie and their estate was almost desperat and because their eares were deaffe at the continuall calling of the Prophets the Lorde did as it were holde his peace for a time Least the godlye mindes shoulde fall downe in that sorrowfull silence the Prophet declareth that there shoulde agayne aryse newe Preachers of grace which shoulde comforte the people in the hope of saluation Suche were Zacharyah Haggai Malachy Esdras and such lyke But beecause that there is promised a restitution which shoulde bee perpetuall and not for a shorte tyme and Isaias especially respecteth the redemption which was hoped for by the comming of Christe Iohn was rightlye accounted the chiefe amongst the ministers of comforte Then it followeth in the texte of the Prophet The voyce of a cryer and that voyce is opposed to the silence for a time whereof I spake euen nowe for the Iewes were for a tyme depriued of that doctrine which they had vngodlyly contemned The name of a deserte is metaphorically put for a desolation or a deformed ruine of the people as was in the time of the banishment For there was so horryble a dissipation that it might bee compared to a deserte so the prophet amplifieth the grace of GOD as if hee shoulde haue sayde although the people was thrown farre from their countrey and was banyshed out of the company of menne yet the voyce of God shall also resounde in the deserte which shall ioyfullye comforte them that are halfe dead In this sense Ierusalem was the deserte when Iohn beganne firste to preach for in euery place all thinges were brought into a waste and horyble confusion But it behooued those grosse and foolishe men the more to be styrred vppe by beeholding this visible deserte that thereby they might the more greedilye haue receiued the promise of saluation offered vnto them in death Now wee see how truely this prophesie agreeth vnto Iohn and how properly it is applyed vnto him Prepare ye the
thereby hee doeth certainly looke for the healthe of his seruaunt And hee geueth this honour not to the worde of a manne but to the worde of God which sheweth that Christ is not a priuate manne but a Prophet sent from God And hereby may a general rule be gathered although God would that our saluation shoulde be wrought in the flesh of Christe and doeth daily seale the same by his Sacramentes yet the certaintie of the same is to bee fetched out of the worde For except this authoritie be giuen to the worde that we beleeue that so soone as God speaketh by his ministers our sinnes are forgiuen vs and wee restored to life all the hope of our saluation falleth away 11. Many shall come from the East As in the person of the seruaunt Christ gaue a taste and as it were the first fruites of his grace to the Gentiles so hee teacheth that his maister was a token of the calling of the Gentiles which was to come and of spreading the faith throughout al the world For hee teacheth that they shoulde come not onely out of the next borders but from the furthest coastes of the worlde And though this was witnessed by many prophesies of the prophetes yet at the first this seemed to be absurde and incredible to the Iewes which imagined that God was bounde to the stocke of Abraham VVherefore this cannot bee hearde without admiration that those which were then straungers shoulde bee of the housholde and heires of the kingdome of God And not onely so but the couenaunt of saluation shoulde presently bee published that all the worlde might be gathered into one body of the Churche while the Gentiles which shoulde come to the faith shoulde as he sayeth be made partakers of the saluation with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Heereby we doe assuredly gather that the same saluation whiche is geuen vnto vs thoroughe Christe was in times past promised also to the Fathers For otherwise inheritaunce could not be common except the faith were one which is the meanes to obtaine the same In the worde sitting downe there is an allusion to tables Yet because wee knowe that the heauenly lyfe needeth not meate and drinke the speach signifieth as much as if it had bene sayde they shal enioy the same lyfe 12. But the children of the kingdome VVhy calleth hee them the children of the kingdome which were nothing lesse then the children of Abraham For certeinely it is not meete that they should be accounted in the flocke of God which are straungers from the fayth I answer although they were not rightly of the Church of God yet because they did occupy a place in the Church he graunteth them this title Then it is to be noted that the couenaunt of God was of such force that so longe as it contiuued in the stocke of Abraham the enheritaunce of the heauenlye kingdom should properly belong to them At the least in respect of God himselfe they were then as yet holy braunches of a holye roote and the forsaking which followed sheweth sufficientlye that they were then retained in the houshold of God Secondly it is to bee noted that Christe speaketh not of perticuler men but of the whole nation And this was much harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it was somewhat tollerable that the Gentiles shoulde be grafted by free adoption into the body of Abraham with his posteritie but that the Iewes thēselues shuld be thrust out that the Gentiles might succeed into their emptie roumth that was accounted wonderfull Yet Christ saith that both these thinges should come to passe that God would admit straungers into the bosome of Abraham and that he would driue out the children In outwarde darkenesse there is a secrete Antithesis For God declareth that out of his kingdome which is the kingdome of light there reigneth nothing but darknes And the scripture doth metaphorically by darknes signifie a horryble griefe which cannot be expressed by wordes nor in this life canne be comprehended in any sense 13. Goe and as thou belieuest Heereby it appeareth how louingly Christ powreth forth his grace where hee obtaineth a vessell of fayth opened For although he speaketh to the Centurion in these wordes yet it is not to be doubted but that by him he calleth vs all to hope well But we are heereby also taught why God for the most part dealeth more streightlye towardes vs for our vnbeliefe restraineth his lyberalitie Therefore if by fayth wee open a passage for him hee will heare our requestes and prayers Matth. Marke Luke 7.   11. And it came to passe the day after that he went into a citie called Naim and many of his disciples went with him and a great multitude 12. Now when he came neere to the gate of the citie behold there was a dead man caryed out who was the onely sonne of his mother which was a wydow and much people of the citie was with her 13. And when the Lorde sawe her hee had compassion on her and saide vnto her weepe not 14. And hee went and touched the coffin and they that bare him stood still and he said young man I say vnto thee arise 15. And he that was dead sate vp and beeganne to speake and he delyuered him to his mother 16. Then there came a feare on them all and they glorified GOD sayinge a great Prophete is raysed vppe amonge vs and GOD hath visited his people 17. And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Iudea and throughout all the region round a-about 11. And it came to passe VVhen as in all the miracles of Christ that analogie is to be holden which Matthew teacheth let vs know that this young manne which Christ raysed from death is a token of the spirituall lyfe which Christ restoreth to vs. The name of the citie maketh for the certeintie of the hystorie To the same purpose also apperteinth that which Luke saieth that a great company followed them both for both Christ had many companions with him and many for duetie sake were present with the woman to perfourme the buryall Therefore the resurrection of the young manne was seene of so many witnesses that the miracle might not be doubted of Hyther also apperteineth the famousnesse of the place for we knowe that the assemblyes were in the gates And that the dead was caryed out of the citie was according to the olde maner of all nations Also Hierome writeth that the citie of Naim stood in his time and it was scituated two myles beneath the mount Thabor towardes the South 12. The onely begotten sonne of his mother This reason perswaded Christe to rayse the young manne for he seeing a widowe depryued of her onelye sonne tooke pittie vppon her Neyther did hee defer his fauour vntyll some should require it as hee did in other places but hee preuenteth the prayers of all and restoreth the young manne to his mother which looked for no such thing VVherein we haue a
are pressed downe and so it commeth to passe that they being not moued with the miseries of men doe neuer thinke vppon anye remedie And now they pleasing thēselues wil not abyde to be brought into order and they think themselues vnworthy to be accounted amōgst sinners Christe reproueth this second errour by aunswering that the whole nead not a Physition For by a figure hee teacheth that they are therefore offended at the beholding of sinners because they chaleng thēselues to be righteous Because saieth hee you are hole you despise the sicke so that you loath them and the sight of them is troublesome vnto you but it behoueth a Phisition to be farre otherwise After he sheweth that he must take vpon him the parte of a Phisition because that he was sent of the father to call sinners And though Christe beeginneth with reprouing thē yet if we desire to profit in his doctrine that must be especially holden which hee setteth downe in the second place namely that his comming was that he might giue life to the dead that he might iustifie the guiltie and condemned that hee might cleanse the polluted and them that are defiled with filthynesse that hee might pull them that are lost euen from the helles that he might cloth thē with his glory which are couered with filthinesse that hee might renew thē that are corrupte with the filthynesse of sinnes and prepare them for a blessed immortalitie If wee consider that this is his duetie and the ende of his comminge If wee remember that for this cause hee put vppon him our flesh shedde his bloud became a sacrifice of death and descended euen to hell it shall neuer seeme straunge vnto vs the vilest amongst menne euen those that are couered with a dunghill of sinnes are gathered by him into saluation Hee seemeth to thee to be vnworthy of the grace of Christe whom thou doost abhorre why then became Christ a sacrifice for sinne and accursed but that hee might reach out his hand to accursed sinners Now if wee beginne to loath that both Baptisme and also the holye Supper dooth ioyne vs in company with wicked menne so that their companye shall seeme to defile vs with any blotte let vs presently enter into our selues to search our owne sinnes without flattery And this examination shall bringe vs to this passe that wee will gladly suffer our selues to be washed in the same fountaine with the moste vncleane so that we wyll not refuse that righteousnesse whiche hee commonlye offreth to all the wicked that lyfe giuen to the dead and saluation to them that were lost 13. Goe yee and learne Hee sendeth them away and commaundeth them to departe because they seemed to be stubborn and such as would not learne Or he sheweth that they contend with God and the prophet which through pride being become cruell do grudge that the wretched should be holpen and that phisicke should be ministred to the sicke This testimonie is taken our of the prophet Osea 6. 6. where the Prophette preaching of the vengeaunce of God against the Iewes least they should take exception that they obserued the outward worship of God as they were accustomed in securitie to bragge of their ceremonies he affirmeth that GOD is not pleased with their sacrifices where their mindes are voyde of godlynesse and their manners estraunged from integritie and righteousnes But that GOD saieth that hee will not haue sacrifices appeareth by the second clause to bee spoken by comparison that the knowledge of God is more to be desired then sacrifices By which words he doth not precisely reiecte sacrifices but hee maketh lesse accounte of them then of godlynesse and fayth Yet wee must so account that fayth and spirituall worshippe doe of themselues please God that charitie and the dueties of men towardes their neighbours are required for themselues The sacrifices are but accidentes as they say which are of no estimation or account wheras trueth it self is wanting Of the which thing I haue entreated more at large vppon the tenth chapter to the Hebrewes In that word mercy the figure synecdoche is to be noted For vnder one parte the Prophet comprehendeth what duetie soeuer we owe vnto our brethren For I came not Although this is spoken to ouerthrow the pride and the hypocrisie of the Scribes yet it generally containeth a very profitable doctrine For wee are admonished that the grace of Christe shall no otherwise profit vs then while we being grieued with our sinnes and sighing vnder the burthen of them doe humbly come vnto him Againe dryue some to despayre so that they casting by all shame doe throwe themselues into all filthines It was no offence to gather tribute or custome but when as the Publycans saw themselues reiected as prophane and detestable menne through the common reproach they did not despise but reioysed in the company of the infamous and sometime they thrust in thēselues amongst the adulterers the drunkards and such lyke whose wickednes they would haue condemned and they woulde haue bene nothing like them if they had not beene driuen to this necessitie by open hatred and reproaches MAT. 11. VVhy eateth your maister with Publycans The Scribes doe assault the disciples of Christ and that they may procure them to fal away they lay forth that which at the first sight is euill and shamefull For to what purpose became he a peculyer maister to them but that they shuld withdraw themselues from the common people that they might lead a more holy life But it seemeth that he leadeth them from an honest and tollerable estate of lyfe to a prophane lycentiousnesse that they might defile themselues with filthy guestes This reproach might haue dryuen the disciples which were as yet but rude and flexible to forsake theyr maister But they doe well in that they make their complainte to theyr maister because they themselues were not sufficientlye armed againste this cauill for Christ aunswering for them confirmeth them against the time to come 12. The Hole nead not By Christes aunsweare it appeareth that the Scribes offended two wayes that they made no account of the office of Christ and that in sparing their owne faultes they doe proudly despise all other VVhich thing must therfore be noted because that this disease hath alwayes beene too common For hypocrites being full and drounken with a windy hope of their owne righteousnesse doe not accounte wherefore Christ was sent into the earth they know not in how great a labyrinth of mischiefes mankinde is drowned how horryble a wrath and curse of God doth lye vpon all men and with how confused a heap of sinnes they are pressed downe and so it commeth to passe that they being not moued with the miseries of men doe neuer thinke vppon anye remedie And now they pleasing thēselues wil not abyde to be brought into order and they think themselues vnworthy to be accounted amōgst sinners Christe reproueth this second errour by aunswering that the whole nead not a
Physition For by a figure hee teacheth that they are therefore offended at the beholding of sinners because they chaleng theÌ„selues to be righteous Because saieth hee you are hole you despise the sicke so that you loath them and the sight of them is troublesome vnto you but it behoueth a Phisition to be farre otherwise After he sheweth that he must take vpon him the parte of a Phisition because that he was sent of the father to call sinners And though Christe beeginneth with reprouing theÌ„ yet if we desire to profit in his doctrine that must be especially holden which hee setteth downe in the second place namely that his comming was that he might giue life to the dead that he might iustifie the guiltie and condemned that hee might cleanse the polluted and them that are defiled with filthynesse that hee might pull them that are lost euen from the helles that he might cloth the with his glory which are couered with filthinesse that hee might renew theÌ„ that are corrupte with the filthynesse of sinnes and prepare them for a blessed immortalitie If wee consider that this is his duetie and the ende of his comminge If wee remember that for this cause hee put vppon him our flesh shedde his bloud became a sacrifice of death and descended euen to hell it shall neuer seeme straunge vnto vs the vilest amongst menne euen those that are couered with a dunghill of sinnes are gathered by him into saluation Hee seemeth to thee to be vnworthy of the grace of Christe whom thou doost abhorre why then became Christ a sacrifice for sinne and accursed but that hee might reach out his hand to accursed sinners Now if wee beginne to loath that both Baptisme and also the holye Supper dooth ioyne vs in company with wicked menne so that their companye shall seeme to defile vs with any blotte let vs presently enter into our selues to search our owne sinnes without flattery And this examination shall bringe vs to this passe that wee will gladly suffer our selues to be washed in the same fountaine with the moste vncleane so that we wyll not refuse that righteousnesse whiche hee commonlye offreth to all the wicked that lyfe giuen to the dead and saluation to them that were lost 13. Goe yee and learne Hee sendeth them away and commaundeth them to departe because they seemed to be stubborn and such as would not learne Or he sheweth that they contend with God and the prophet which through pride being become cruell do grudge that the wretched should be holpen and that phisicke should be ministred to the sicke This testimonie is taken our of the prophet Osea 6. 6. where the Prophette preaching of the vengeauance of God against the Iewes least they should take exception that they obserued the outward worship of God as they were accustomed in securitie to bragge of their ceremonies he affirmeth that GOD is not pleased with their sacrifices where their mindes are voyde of godlynesse and their manners estraunged from integritie and righteousnes But that GOD saieth that hee will not haue sacrifices appeareth by the second clause to bee spoken by comparison that the knowledge of God is more to be desired then sacrifices By which words he doth not precisely reiecte sacrifices but hee maketh lesse accounte of them then of godlynesse and fayth Yet wee must so account that fayth and spirituall worshippe doe of themselues please God that charitie and the dueties of men towardes their neighbours are required for themselues The sacrifices are but accidentes as they say which are of no estimation or account wheras trueth it self is wanting Of the which thing I haue entreated more at large vppon the tenth chapter to the Hebrewes In that word mercy the figure synecdoche is to be noted For vnder one parte the Prophet comprehendeth what duetie soeuer we owe vnto our brethren For I came not Although this is spoken to ouerthrow the pride and the hypocrisie of the Scribes yet it generally containeth a very profitable doctrine For wee are admonished that the grace of Christe shall no otherwise profit vs then while we being grieued with our sinnes and fighing vnder the burthen of them doe humbly come vnto him Again weake consciences are here put in a certeine hope for they nead not feare least Christe should reiect sinners because that he descended from his heauenly glory to call them But that clause is also to be considered to repentaunce that we myght know that our forgiuenesse is not such as nourisheth sinnes but such as calleth vs to endeuour our selues to lyue holyly and godly For hee reconcileth vs to the father with this condition that beeing redeemed with his bloud wee shoulde offer our selues true sacrifices as Paule teacheth Titus 2 12. Heerein appeareth the mercy and loue of GOD that denying worldlye lustes wee shoulde lyue soberlye and righteoussly c. Matth. 9. Marke 2. Luke 5. 14. Then came the disciples of Iohn to him saying why do we and the Pharises fast oft and thy disciples fast not 15. And Iesus sayd vnto them can the children of the mariag chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the dayes will come when the bridegroome shall be taken from them and then shall they faste 16. Moreouer no manne peeceth an olde garmente with a peece of new cloath for that that shoulde fill it vp taketh awaye from the garment and the breaâ—h is worse 17. Neither doe they put new wine into olde vesseles for then the vessels woulde breake and the wine would be spilte and the vesselles should perish but they put new wine into new vessels and so are both preserued 18. And the disciples of Iohn the Pharises did fast and came and said vnto him why doe the disciples of Iohn and the Pharises fast and thy disciples fast not 19. And Iesus saide vnto them can the children of the mariage fast whiles the bridgroome is with them as longe as they haue the bridegrome with them they cannot fast 20. But the dayes wil come when the bridgegroome shal be taken from them and then shall they fast in those dates 21. Also no man soweth a peecâ— of newe cloath in an olde garment for else the new peece taketh away the filling vp from the old the breach is worse 22. Lykewiâ—e no manne putteth newe wine into olde vesselles for else the newe breaketh the vesselles and the wine runneth out and the vessels are loste but new wine muste be putte into newe vesselles 33. Then they sayde vnto him why doâ— the disciples of Iohn fast often and pray and the disciples of the Pharises also but thine eate and drink 34. And he said vnto them canne yee make the children of the weddinge chamber to fast as long as the bridgrome is with them 35. But the dayes â—will come euen when the brid rom shall bee taken from them then shall they faste in those dayes 36. Againe hee spake also to them in a parable no manne putteth a
vntill a stronger then he shall aryse But there is not a stronger to bee found on earth for there is no power in men to helpe themselues therfore a redeemer was promysed from heauen Now Christ sheweth that this manner of redemption is necessary that he should by strong hande wrest from the deuill that which hee wil neuer let goe except he be enforced By which wordes he declareth that menne do hope in vaine for deliueraunce vntill that Sathan bee brought vnder by violent assaultes And though he purposely reproueth the ignoraunt folly of the Scribes because they vnderstoode not the beginninges of the kingdom of God yet this reproofe toucheth almoste all men sith they are ouerwhelmed almost with the same folly There is no manne which will not make a bragge in wordes that he desires the kingdome of God yet we wil not as necessitie requireth suffer Christ to fight valiantly that he may delyuer vs out of the hand of our tyrant which is as if a sicke manne shoulde craue the helpe of a Phisition and should abhorre and abstaine from all remedies Now we vnderstand for what purpose Christe brought this parable namely that hee might shew that the Scribes were enemies to the kingdome of GOD whose beginninges they so malitiously withstoode Yet because we are al subiect to the bondage of Sathan let vs learn that God doth not begin his kingdom in vs otherwise but when by the strong mighty hand of Christ he setteth vs at libertie from that miserable and hard bondage 30. Hee that is not with mee This place is expounded two wayes Some so gather it as that it shuld be an argument of repugnancies as if Christ should haue sayde I cannot reigne except the deuill be ouerthrowne for al his endeuours are bent vppon this to scatter whatsoeuer I gather And certeinely we see how the enemie doth too boldly apply himselfe to ouerthrow the kingdome of Christ. Yet I do rather yeelde to their opinion which interprete the Scribes to be double enemies of the kingdom of God because that of sette purpose they hinder the proceedinges of the same The meaning therefore is this it were your part to helpe me and to set your hand to the buylding of the kingdome of God For whosoeuer doth not helpe setteth himselfe after a sorte against the same or at leaste is worthy to be accounted amongst the enemies Then what are you that are carryed by a madde fury openly to striue against the same Also it appeareth plainely by their former dealinges how truely Christ nowe speaketh this whosoeuer gather not with him scatter abroade when as the readines of our nature to euill is suche so that there is no place for the righteousness of God but in them which doe earnestly apply them to the same This doctrine also reacheth further to witte that they are vnworthy to be accounted of the flock of Christ which applye not theyr endeuours for the furtherance of the same and it commeth to passe through their slouth that the kingdome of God decayeth and falleth to ruine for the buylding wherof we all are called 31. VVherefore I say vnto you This conclusion may not be restrained to the last sentence but it dependeth of the whole text before For after Christ hath taught that the Scribes could not reproue him for casting out deuils but that they set theÌ„selues against the kingdom of God at length he concludeth that it was no light saying nor to be tollerated but a hainous offence that wittingly and willingly they blasphemed the spirit of God For we saide before that Christ spake not this of their bare words but of their vngodly and wicked thoughtes Euery sinne and blasphemy Because the Lord pronounceth blasphemy against the spirit to be the most hainous of all sinnes it is worth the labor to enquire what he meaneth by this saying They which interprete it to be vnrepentaunce may easily be confuted for vainely and fondly should Christ haue denied that it could not be forgiuen in this world Also the word blaspemy cannot generally be applyed to all kindes of sinnes But by the comparison which Christe bringeth the meaning shall the more easily appeare vnto vs. VVhy is he saide to sinne more hainously which speaketh blasphemy against the spirit then against Christ Is it beecause the maiestie of the spirit is more excellent that it should be more sharply reuenged Certeinly there is some other cause for when as the fulnesse of the godhead was in Christe whosoeuer was reproachfull againste Christe ouerthrew and abolyshed the whole glory of God as muche as in him lay Now how shall Christ be separated from his spirite so that they which are contumâ—lious against the spirit leaue not him vntouched and vnhurte Heere wee beginne to gather now the meaning that blasphemy against the spirit exceedeth not other sinnes because the spirite is aboue Christ but beecause that whosoeuer doe kicke against the power of God reuealed they are not to be excused vnder the pretence of ignoraunce Further it is to be noted that that which is here spoken of blasphemy is not simply referred to the essence of the spirit but to the grace wherwith we are endued For they which haue not the light of the spirite though they speake euill of the glory of the spirit they are not yet guiltie of this sinne Now we perceiue that they blasphem the spirit of God which with a determinate malice oppose themselues against his grace and power and further that sacriledge is not committed but that while the spirit dwelling in vs we doe wittinglye endeuor our selues to extinguish the same And this is the reason why the spirit is sayde to be blasphemed rather then either the sonne or the father himselfe because that by blaspheming the grace and power of God wee strike streight at the spirite from whom proceedeth and by whom the graces of God appeare in vs. If any that beleeue not blaspheme God hee is as if a blinde man should strike against a wall But no man blasphemeth the spirit but he which being first lightned by the same doth after against his own knowledge wittingly giue himselfe to wicked rebellion Also that distinction is not in vaine that al other blasphemies shal be forgiueÌ„ except that one which is against the holy Ghost If any man simply blasphemeth GOD there is hope of forgiuenes for him but it is sayd that God will neuer be mercifull to them that speake blasphemy against the spirite and whye should this be so But because they which blaspheme against the spirite doe against the knowledge of their own soule they oppunge and slaunder the gifts and power of the spirit That also apperteineth to this purpose which Marke saieth that Christ threatned the Pharises so hardly because they saide that he had an vnclean spirit because that in so saying they purposely wittingly and malitiously turned light into darknesse And this is after the manner of Gyantes as the prouerb saieth to bidde battell
bring foorth fruite euery where because it doeth not alwayes fall vppon frutefull and good grounde He rehearseth foure sortes of hearers of whiche the first receiue no seede The seconde sort seeme to receiue seede but so that it taketh no roote to liue by in the third sort the corne is choaked so there remaineth a fourth part which bringeth foorth fruit Not that of foure hearers one or tenne of fortie do embrace the doctrine and bring foorth fruite for it was not the purpose of Christ to appoynt a certain definite number nor to deuide them of whom he spake into equall portions but that there is not alwaies one and the same encrease of faith where the word is sowed but sometime in more aboundance sometime in lesse he onely teacheth them that through diuers faultes the seede of life pearisheth in many in whome it either presently corrupteth or wythereth or by little and little degenerateth But that we may profite the better by this admonition it is to be noted that he maketh no mention of the despisers which doe openly withstand the word but they only are noted here in whom there seemeth to be some aptnesse to be taught But if the greater part of these doeth vanishe away what shall become of the rest of the worlde from whome the doctrine of saluation is openly debarred Nowe I wil come to the perticular poyntes 19. VVhen soeuer a manne heareth the woorde of the kingdome and vnderstandeth i◠not First he maketh mention of barren and hard groundes which receiue not the sede inwardly because their hearts are not prepared Such he cōpareth to hard and dry earth which is in the common hi◠way which by continuall treading vppon becommeth hard as pauement I woulde we had not so many of this sort at this day as we haue which thoughe they offer themselues to heare yet they stande as menne amased and feele no taste of it at all and to speake in fewe woordes they differ little from blockes or stones wherefore it is no maruell if they vanishe altogether away Christe sayeth that the woorde was sowen in their hearts whiche though it be an improper speache yet is it not without reason for the sinne and wickednesse of menne taketh not away the nature from the woorde but it retaineth still the force of seede And that is diligently to be noted least we should thinke that the graces of God lost their forces though they be not effectuall in vs. For in respecte of God the woorde is sowed in their hearts but the hearts of all doe not receiue with meekenesse that which is graffed in them as Iames exhorteth 1. 21. The Gospell therefore is alwayes in power a frutefull seede but not in deede In Luke it is added that the deuill taketh away the sede out of their hearts least they beleeuing shoulde be saued VVhereby we gather that as hungry birdes behaue themselues in seedes time so assoone as the doctrine is deliuered this enemie of our saluation is present and laboureth by violence to take the same away before it canne take moysture and bringe foorth fruite This also is no small praise of faith in that it is called the cause of our saluation 20. Hee that receiued seede in the stonie grounde This sorte differeth from the former for the temporall faith or faith for a season as a conceiuing of seede promiseth some fruite at the beginning but their hearts are not so well and throughly brought in order as may suffice to giue continuall nourishment to the same Of this sorte of menne also we see too many at this day whiche doe greedely embrace the Gospel which shortly after doe waxe faint because there is no liuely affection in them to strengthen and continue them in constancie VVherefore let euery man examine himselfe throughly least his hastinesse which giueth a great shew speedily vanish as men say as a flame of stubble For except the woorde doe throughly pearce the whole heart and take deepe rootes in the same the faith cannot haue continuall moysture to maintaine the same to continue This readinesse is worthy to be praised in that they receiue the woorde of God assoone as it is vttered and that without delay and with ioy yet we must know that it is to no purpose vntil that faith shall gather a perfect strength least it wither in the first springing As for example Christ sayeth that they which are such are offended with the trouble of persecution And certainly as the barrennesse of the grounde is tried by the heat of the sunne so persecution and affliction discouereth their vanitie which are lightly touched I know not with what affection and are not well endued with an earnest desire of godlinesse Such are called by Mathew and Marke temporisers not onely because they professing thēselues to be Christes disciples for a time and after fall away into temptation but because they seeme also to themselues to haue a true faith and therefore in Luke Christ sayth that they beleeue for a time because that honour which they giue to the gospell is like to faith Yet notwithstandinge it is to be noted that they are not truely regenerate with incorruptible seede whiche neuer fadeth as Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 1. 4. for that saying of Isaias 40. 8. The word of our God shall stande for euer is fulfilled in the hearts of the faithfull in whom the trueth of God once setled neuer fadeth away but flourisheth euen to the ende Yet they which doe louingly and with some reuerence receiue the woord of God they do beleue after a sort because they differ from the vnbeleeuers which either will not giue credite to God when he speaketh or despise his worde Onely let vs knowe that none are partakers of true faith but they which being sealed with the spirit of adoption doe call God father from their heart Also as that spirite is neuer extinguished so it is impossible that the faith which it hath once engraued in the hearts of the godly should vanish away and pearish 22. He that receiueth the seede among thornes In the thirde place he rehearseth them which were inwardly apt to nourish the seede sowen if they suffered not the same otherwise to bee corrupted and spoyled Christe compareth the pleasures of the wolrde as euill desires couetousnesse and other affections of the flesh to thornes Though Mathew onely mentioneth the cares of the worlde with couetousnesse but the meaning is all one for vnder this word is comprehended the baites of pleasures wherof Luke maketh mention and all kinde of euill desire For as thornes and other noysome weedes doe choake vppe the corne which woulde otherwise prosper and growe vppe so the wicked affections of the fleshe preuaile in the hearts of menne and ouergrowe the faith so that they ouerwhelme the force of the heauenly doctrine which is not yet ripe And though the euill desires doe possesse the heart of man before the woorde of the Lorde make any shewe there yet they
my iudgement this is the simple meaning of the Parable So long as the Churche wandereth in this worlde there shall hypocrites and wicked men be mixt with the good and syncere in the same that the children of God might arme themselues with patience and holde theyr faith strong and sure amongest the offences with which they might be troubled And it is a moste apte comparison when the Lorde calleth the Churche his fielde because the faithfull are the seede of the same And though that Christe doeth say afterwarde that the field is the worlde yet without doubt he properly applied this name to his Church whereof he began his speache But because he was to drawe his ploughe through all the coastes of the world and till fields for himselfe in the whole worlde and sowe the seede of life in the same he applied that by a figure to the world which rather agreed to a part of the same Nowe it is to be noted what is meant by wheat and what by the Tares This cannot be vnderstoode of the doctrine as if he should haue sayd where soeuer the Gospel is preached it is presently corrupted and defiled with wicked inuentions for Christ would neuer haue forbid them to labour strongly in purging such a corruption Neither was it lawfull for them to deale in this as in the maners of men to tollerate those vices which they coulde not punish for so it shoulde be lawfull to beare with wicked errours whiche ouerthrowe the purity of faith Then Christ taketh away the doubt when he doeth by name call the tares the children of the wicked Yet againe it is to be noted that this cannot be simply vnderstode of the persons of men as if God in the creation had sowed good men and the deuill euill men VVhich thing I do therfore giue warning of because the Maniches haue abused this place that they might cast a colour vppon their fained deuice of two beginnings But we knowe that what soeuer corruption is in the deuill or in men the same is nothing else but a corruption of sound and pure nature Therefore as God maketh not his electe which are infected with originall sinne good sede by creation but regenerateth them by the grace of his spirite so the deuil createth not euil men but depraueth them that were created of God and thrusteth into the fielde of the Lorde to defile the pure seede 36. He that soweth good seede He had sayde before that the kingdome of heauen was like to a sower but vnproperly Yet the sense is euident that the same doeth oft befall in the preaching of the Gospel as in the sowing of the fieldes that the Tare ouer groweth the VVheate But hee setteth downe one speciall thinge saying that the fielde was sowed wyth Tares by the deceit of the ennemie that we might know that this came not by chaunce nor naturally that many wicked menne should mixe themselues amongest the faithfull as if they were all one corne but lette vs learne to impute the faulte of this mischiefe to the Deuill not that the condemning of him shoulde deliuer menne from guiltinesse but firste that we lay no fault vppon God for thys offence befalling to his Church then that we wonder not that Tares doe grow vp in the Lordes fielde sith Sathan doeth alwayes watche to annoy it Also it is not without reason that Christe sayeth not that the Ministers of the woorde doe sowe but himselfe onely For though it be not conuenient that this be restrained to his person yet because hee vseth our helpe and applieth vs as instruments in tillinge of his fielde so that hee alone woorketh by vs and in vs hee doeth rightly chalenge that to himselfe whiche after a sorte is common vnto his Ministers Therefore lette vs remember that the Gospell is not onely preached by the commaundement of Christe but by his directions and guiding that we should be as his handes and he as the onely author of the woorke 39. The haruest is the ende of the worlde This is a very troublesome estate that the Churche should be loaden with the reprobate to the ende of the worlde yet Christe doeth therefore prescribe vs this time to prepare vs to patience least wee shoulde feede our selues wyth vaine hope It behooueth the pastours diligently to applie themselues to the purging of the Churche and in this behalfe all good menne are to helpe them so farre as their calling will suffer But when all menne haue generally putte to their helping handes yet they shall not profite so much as vtterly to purge away all filth from the Churche Therefore we must note that the purpose of Christe was nothinge lesse then by sufferance to nourishe sinnes His onely purpose is to exhorte the faithfull that they shoulde not fainte because they are compelled to haue the wicked amongest them Then it doeth also serue to bridle and to moderate their zeale whiche thinke it not lawfull to keepe companie but with pure Angelles The Anabaptistes also and suche like haue wickedly abused this Texte that they mighte driue away the vse of the sworde from the Churche But the answeare is easily made for they themselues do admit excommunication which rooteth out the wicked and reprobate for a time why should not the godly Magistrates exercise the sword against the wicked so oft as neede shall require They take exception against this saying that in the one there is space giuen for repentaunce whiche is not where the punishment of death is As thoughe the theefe founde not comfort of saluation vppon the crosse But lette this answeare suffice Christe speaketh heere neither of the office of Pastours nor of Magistrates but applieth hymselfe to take away the offence wherewith the weake are troubled while they see the Churche gathered not onely of the electe but of the filthy dregges of the wicked The reapers be the Angelles Thys woorde may be applied to thys present purpose The reapers in the fourth Chapiter of Iohn and the eighte and thirtie verse are sayde to be the Apostles in respecte of the Prophets because they entered into their labours And the commaundement is enioyned and giuen to all the Ministers of the woorde that they shoulde bring foorth frute to the Lorde whiche shoulde alwayes remaine Iohn 15. 16. To the whiche that also appertaineth that the corne waxeth white Iohn 4. 35. and requireth the reapers Also the haruest is great but the labourers are fewe Mathewe 9. 37. But heere is an other cause of this comparison for they are sayde to be planted in the fielde of the Lorde whiche occupie a roumth in the Churche Neither is that any Obiection that Christe in the thirde Chapiter of Mathewe and the twelfth verse is sayd assone as he commeth foorth with his Gospell to haue a Fanne in hand wherwith he wold purge his floure For there is described the beginning of the purging of the same which he sayeth cannot be broughte to passe before the last day for then
yet because he appoynteth no time that Luke expresly affirmeth that he spake this whē he sate at the Pharisies table it seemeth best to follow this order Also because the purpose of Math. was to shew for what causes the Scribes were kindled with extreme madnesse amongst other his odious sermons he set downe this also and brought it into that course neglecting the order of the time The hystorie set downe by Luke is to be noted that when one of the guests had saide that they are blessed which eat bread in the kingdom of God Christ toke occasion therby to reproue the vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes And though it be scarce credible that the Pharisies guest and frend shuld breake out into these words of an earnest affection of godlinesse yet it seemeth not to me to be spoken in scorne or iest but as menne touched with a small faith and not openly wicked doe without regarde speake amongst their cuppes of eternal life so I thinke that this man cast out this speache of the blessednesse to come that he againe might gather somewhat from Christe And his woordes doe declare that he as yet sauoured nothing but that which was grosse and earthly For he vseth not the phrase to eate bread Metaphorically for the enioying of the eternall glory but he seemeth to dreame I knowe not of what state replenished with prosperous abundance of all things Yet the meaning is that they are happy which eate the breade of God after he hath gathered his children into his kingdome 2. The kingdome of heauen is like As that Spartane sayd in times past that the Athenians knew what things were right but would not do them so Christ heere reproueth the Iewes that they coulde speake many notable words of the kingdom of God but when God calleth them louingly gently vnto him they contemptuously refuse his grace And it is not to be douted but that he pincheth the Iewes by name as shall better appeare somewhat after But Mathew differeth from Luke in this that he setteth downe many circumstances when the other doeth summarily only propose the matter it selfe So Mathew sayth that a king prepared a mariage supper for his sonne Luke doth simply make mention of a feast He maketh mention of many seruants this speaketh not but of one He noteth many sendings this but onely one He sayeth that some of the seruauntes were beaten or slaine this speaketh onely of the contempt Lastly he reporteth that he was cast out which came into the feast without his mariage garment of whom there is no mention in Luke But we haue other where noted also the like difference when as Mathewe hath bene more plentifull and large in entreating the same matter But in the summe they agree very well that when God had vouchsafed a peculiar honour to the Iewes preparing as it were a banketting boarde for them they despised the honour offered them That many interpreaters doe apply the mariage of the kings sonne to this that Christ was the end of the lawe and that God had not regarde to any other purpose in his couenāt then that he might sette him ouer his people and might ioyne his Church to him in a holy bande of a spirituall mariage I doe willingly embrace allowe And that he sayeth that his seruaunts were sent out to call them that were bidden in these woordes he noteth a double grace of God to witte that he preferred the Iewes before other nations then that he reuealed vnto them their adoption by his Prophets For he alludeth to the vsuall maner of men which making mariage feastes doe wryte downe a catalogue of them whome they woulde haue for their guestes then they bid them by their seruaunts So God chose the Iewes before all others as though they shoulde be his familiar friendes then he calleth them by hy◠Prophets that they might be pertakers of the promised redēption which was to be feasted at the mariage And though they which were first called liued not vnto the comming of Christ yet we knowe that the saluation was proposed in common to all wherof they were depriued by their vnthankefulnesse and malice for that people wickedly despised the calling of God from the beginning 4. Againe hee sent foorth others Hee speaketh so as if they were the same menne because it was one body of the people But the meaning is when that happie and ioyfull day of redemption drewe neare they were warned that they might be ready in time for the time was appoynted them long before And nowe Christ sayeth that they were called at the very poynte of the time that they might haste to come For the first callinge whereof he maketh mention comprehendeth al the former Prophesies to the preaching of the Gospell And though that people had raged against the Prophets yet he accuseth the olde people onely of pride contempt because their fury encreased with the time whiche at length was powred with all violence vppon Christe and the Apostles But he sayeth that the seruaunts which were sent last euen at supper time were sharply entreated and slaine so when as outragious crueltye was ioyned to the proude reiecting of the grace that people brake out into the extreemest sinnes Yet he layeth not this offence vpon them all togither for in the last calling which was by the Gospell the grace of God was partly reiected by carelesse contemners and partly reiected suriously by hypocrites And so commeth commonly to passe that the more GOD calleth the wicked to saluation the more they breake out against him Nowe that part of doctrine is to be entreated which is both in Mathew and Luke to wit that one went to his farme another to his husbandrie or as Luke reporteth one excused himselfe that he hadde maried a wife an other had boughte a Farme an other had bought fiue yoake of oxen By these words Christ declareth that the Iewes were so giuen to the world and earthly things 〈◊〉 none of thē had leisure to come to god As while the cares of the world doe holde vs bound they are so many allurements to withdraw vs from the kingdome of heauen But it is a vile and shamefull matter that men created for the heauenly life shuld as beasts be caried to transitory thinges but this disease is spred euery where so that one scarce of a hundred preferreth the kingdome of God before vaine richesse or other commodities And though all haue not the same disease yet euery one is caryed by his owne couetousnesse into a contrary course so it commeth to passe that men run out of order hither or thither Furthermore it is to be noted that prophane men make shewe of honest pretences for the refusinge of the grace of God as though their slouthe were to be excused which applying themselues to the affaires of this present life doe little esteeme the heauenly enheritāce But we see that Christ that he might draw vs from suche delites teacheth that no manne should
publike censures and discipline But let the readers seeke for the reason of bynding and losinge from thence This is the summe whosoeuer hauing committed a sinne dooth humbly acknowledge his fault and entreateth so that he obtaine forgiuenes of the Church he is not absolued onely of men but also of GOD. Agayne whosoeuer scorneth the reproues and threatning of the Church if he be condemned of the same that iudgment shall bee confirmed in heauen which was giuen by men If any manne obiect that GOD by this meanes shoulde be as an vnder Iudge without a voyce of his owne but must subscribe to the iudgment of mortall menne there is an aunsweare ready For Christ doth not so defende the right of his Church as that he would thereby diminishe his owne right and his fathers but that hee would thereby rather sanctifie the maiestie of his word For as in the sixteene Chapter his will was not to establish generallye euery doctrine but that which came out of his mouth so neyther in this place dooth he say that euery iudgment shall be establyshed and ratified but that wherein he himself is president and chiefe and that not onelye by his spirite but also by his worde VVhereof it followeth that men do GOD no preiudice whyle they pronounced nothing but from his mouth and doe faithfullye endeuour themselues onely to execute that which he had commanded For though Christe is the onely Iudge of the world yet he would in the meane season haue the ministers of his word to denounce and proclaym the same Further he would haue the Church to delyuer his iudgment So hee derogateth nothing from himselfe by vsing the ministerie of menne but he alone loseth and byndeth Yet hereof aryseth a question whē the church tollerateth many hypocrites and also absolueth many which pretende a faygned repentaunce whether it be apparaunt that such bee absolued in heauen I aunswere that the speach is directed to none other then to such as do rightlye and sincerely reconcile themselues to the Churche For he that would giue comfort and take away feare from fearefull trembling consciences he sayth that whosoeuer shall sinne if they be receiued into fauour with the Church are freed from guyltinesse beefore God For hee appoynted this as a pledge of heauenly grace whiche nothing apperteineth to hypocrites which doe peruert the right vse of reconciliation And there ariseth hence no small hope vnto the godlye when as they heare that their sinnes are blotted out before God and angels assoone as they obtaine forgiuenesse of the Church In the other parte there is no ambyguitie of the meaning of Christe For when as stubborne proud men are ready vnder this pretence to despyse the iudgmēt of the church as vngodly knaues they doe often very boldlye appeale to the tribunall seate in heauen Christe that hee may with terrour breake their pryde saieth that their condemnation is ratified in heauen In the meane while he encourageth his to a iust and righteous seueritie leaste they shoulde giue place to the wicked frowardnesse of them whiche refuse or shake off all discipline Heere is also to be seene how ignorauntly the Papistes doe wrest this place to colour all kynde of tyranny It is certeine that the ryght and aucthority of excommunicating is giuen vnto the church and all menne of a right minde doe confesse the same but whether that euery manne or that one that is not called by the Churche but created by the horned and disguysed beaste may according to his pleasure send forth theyr vaine and empty crakes of excommunications accordinge to theyr pleasure But it is manifeste that the lawefull gonernmente of the Church was committed to the Elders not onelye to the ministers of the worde but to them also which of the people were ioyned to them to be cēsors of the word Yet they not cōtented with their former impudencye endeuoured to proue out of this place whatsoeuer burdens they layd vppon the people to be borne I speake not of that that the moste wicked enemyes of the Church doe vnworthily vsurpe and by violence take vnto themselues the aucthority which was graūted vnto the church I onely say when Christe spake not but onelye of correcting of sinnes they which by their lawes ensnare soules doe no lesse foolyshlye then wickedlye abuse his testimony It is of the same sorte of braune that vnder this pretence they defend their auricular confession For though Christ appoynted that they should be reconcyled to the Church which by theyr faulte were brought to the publyke iudgement yet was it not his will to lay a lawe vpon all men that they shuld vnburden thē of their sinnes in the eare of a sacrificer But their fancies are so friuolou◠that it is not necessary to stand any longer to confute them 19. Againe I say vnto you He confirmeth the former sentence because God will not onely giue the spirite of counsell and wisdome to thē that shall aske it but he also will cause that whatsoeuer they shall doe out of his worde should want power and effect But he ioyning consent to the prayer declareth how soberly and reuerently the faythful should behaue themselues in all their holy actions The sinner must be admonished except he giue place to that reproofe he must be excommunicated Here it behoueth not onely to aske counsell of the holy mouth of God that nothing be done but according to his word but also it is meete to beeginne with prayers VVhereby that which I taught before appeareth more euidently that there is no licence giuen to men to doe whatsoeuer they lust but God is placed as a reuenger of the gouernment of the Church that he might defend and sanctifie the iudgementes whereof he is the aucthour In the meane season while the faithfull doe meet◠they are taught to ioyne their petitions and generally to pray together not onely to testifie the vnitie of faith but that God would heare the desire of them all Therefore as God doth often promise otherwhere that he wil heare the priuate prayers of euery man so here Christ adorneth publike praiers with a singular promise that he might thereby stir vs vp the more earnestly to exercise the same 20. VVhere two or three are gathered in my name This promise stretcheth further then the former For the Lord declareth that he will be presente as oft as two or three shal be gathered in his name that hee may directe them with his counsell and bringe to prosperous successe whatsoeuer they shall take in hande There is no cause therefore why they should doubt which delyuer ouer themselues to be ruled by hym but that they shall feele by his presence that profit and fruit they shall desire But sith it is an inestimable good thing to haue Christ the chiefe and presidente in all our affayres as againe nothing is more miserable then to be without his grace this promise should be no small spurre to vs that we might godlyly and
nothing more then to discharge that office layde vpon him by his father and he knew that this was the end of his calling to gather together the lost sheepe of the house of Israel he desired that his comming might be to the sauing health of al men This was the cause why he being moued with mercy wept for the destruction of the citie of Ierusalem which was at hand For when hee considered that it was chosen of God to be the sacred seate wherin the couenaunt of eternal saluation should rest and the sanctuary froÌ„ whence saluation should proceede into the whole world it could not be but that â—e should greatly bewayle the destruction of it Also when he should see the people which he had adopted into the hope of eternall life miserably to perish through their own vnthankfulnes and malice it is no meruaile if he could not refraine from teares Some thinke it an absurditie that Christ should bewaile that mischiefe which he could haue remedied but this knot is easily dissolued For as hee descended from heauen that by taking vpon him the flesh of man he might be a witnesse and minister of the saluation of God so tooke hee vpon him indeede humane affections so farre forth as was meete for the calling he had taken vpon him And that must alwayes be wisely noted what person hee taketh vpon him when he speaketh or laboureth for the saluation of men as in this place that he might faithfully fulfill the commaundement of the father it was necessary for him to seeke that the fruite of the redemption might extend to the whole body of the elect people Therefore for so much as he was appoynted a minister of saluation to this people hee bewailed their destruction in respect of his office He was God I graunt but as oft as he supplied the office of a teacher his Godhead rested and after a sorte hid it selfe least it should be any hinderaunce to him in dooing the office of a Mediatour But by this weeping he declared that he did not onely loue them brotherly for whose sake was made manne but that God had also powred into his humane nature the spirit of a fatherly affection 42. O if thou hadst knowne This speach is patheticall or affectionate and therefore abrupt For wee know that they which are moued with vehement affections can vtter but halfe their meaninges Note also that two affections are mixed here together For Christ doth not onely take pitie of the destructioÌ„ of the citie but he also reproueth this vnthankful people of a haynous offence in that they refusing saluation offred theÌ„ puld willingly vpon them the horrible iudgmeÌ„t of god And the copulatiue which is put betweene is very forceable For Christ doth secretely compare Ierusalem with the other cities of Iudea and of the whole woorlde in this sense If thou also which hast a speciall priueledge aboue the reste of the world if thou I say at least which art a celestiall sanctuarie vppon earth hadst known Presentlye there followeth after an other amplification gathered of the time Though hetherto thou hast wickedly vngodly and stubbornely behaued thy selfe against God nowe at the length it were time for thee to repent For he sheweth that the day is now come which was ordained before in the secrete counsell of God and spoken of beefore by the Prophetes for the saluation of Ierusalem This is the acceptable tyme saith Isaias 49. 8. and 2. Cor. 6. 2. This is the day of saluation Seeke the Lord while he may be found call vppon him while hee is neere Esay 55. 6. By this word peace he noteth after the Hebrew phrase all poyntes of happinesse Hee dooth not simplye saye that Ierusalem knewe not her peace but those thinges which belonged to peace for it falleth often out that men are not ignoraunt of theyr happynesse but the waye and meanes as they saye they knowe not they are so blinded with malice But sith this reproofe is mixed with mercy lette vs note that the excellenter giftes menne are endued with the greater punishment are they worthy of beecause that to their other sinnes is added a sacrilegious prophanation of the heauenly grace Secondly let vs note that the neerer God approacheth vnto vs and proffereth the light of sound doctrine if we neglect this occasion we are so much the lesse to be excused The gate of saluation is alwayes open but because he somtime is silent it is no smal nor common benefit when as he calleth vs vnto him with a loud voice and familiarlye and therefore there remaineth the sharper reuenge for that contempt But now are they hidde This is not spoken for the lessening of the fault of Ierusalem for her wonderfull blockishnesse is noted as a shamefull cause why shee could not see God being present I graunt that it beelongeth only vnto GOD to open the eyes of the minde of them that are blinde and no man can be able to see the misteries of the heauenly kingdome but hee whome GOD lyghteneth inwardlye with his spirite but they are not therefore worthye of forgiuenesse which perishe through their owne beastlye blindnesse Christe also purposed to take awaye the offence which otherwise might be a hinderaunce to the rude and weake For when as the eyes of al men were cast vpon that citie the example of that Citie was of great importaunce of both sides eyther to worke myschiefe or to doe good Therefore least theyr incredulitie and proude contempt of the Gospell should hinder any man it is condemned of filthy blindnes 43. The daies shall come vpon thee Nowe taking vppon him as it were the person of a iudge he rebuketh Ierusalem more sharply So also the Prophets thoughe they lamented with teares their destruction for whome they ought to be carefull yet they gather their courage and hearts and fal to seuere threatnings because they knowe that not onely the care of the saluation of men was laied vppon them but also that they were appoynted preachers of Gods iudgements Further he sayeth that Ierusalem for this cause should suffer horrible punishments because shee knewe not the time of her visitation that is they contemned the redeemer whiche was sent them and did not embrace nor accept his fauour Nowe let the cruelty of the punishments which they suffered terrifie vs least we with our slouthfulnesse doe put out the light of saluation but lette vs be carefull to receiue the grace of God yea let vs speedily runne foorth to meete it Math. 21. Mark 11 Luk. 19. 10. And when he was come into Ierusalem all the Citie was moued sayinge who is this 11. And the people saide this is Iesus the prophet of Nazaret in Galile 12. And Iesus wente into the temple of God and taste out all them that solde and bought in the Temple and ouerthrewe the tables of the money chaungers the seats of them that sold doues 13. And said vnto them it is written mine house shal be called the house of
but the interpreters saw it not VVhereby it came to passe that they not onelye staggared themselues but also entangled their readers with a troublesome question For so Christ might seeme to haue bene forgetfull in making mention of this one slaughter which had beene done of olde and passeth an innumerable sort of murthers which were committed afterwarde vnder Manasse Neyther did the Iewes cease to persecute good men at the time when they were load into captiuity yea when they were now afflicted we know how cruelly they raged against Ieremiah 32. 2. But the Lorde of set purpose did not vpbraide them for these late murthers but rather chose this which had beene done so long before which was a beginning and fountaine of a wicked libertie so that afterwarde they brake out into an vnbrideled crueltie because that it was most apt for his purpose For this was the chiefe end of his purpose as I shewed euen now to proue that nation sith it ceased not from wickednes guiltie of all those murthers which had bene committed long before Therfore he doth not onelye pronounce vengeaunce againste them for this present crueltie but hee saieth that they shall yeelde a reckoninge for the bloud of Zachariah as if their handes were yet wette with his bloud Neyther is their opinion probable which doe referre this to Zacharyah who exhorted the people which were brought backe from the captiuitie of Babylon to buyld the Temple whose Prophesies doe yet remaine For though the tytle of the Booke declareth that hee was the Sonne of Barachias yet we read not in any place that he was slaine Further that exposition is wrested that he was slaine in the meane time betweene the building of the Altar and the Temple But the scripture maketh mention of an other Zachariah the son Iâ—iada which agreeth best with this place For when after the death of his father true relygion decayed by the vngodly falling away of the king and the people hee being moued by the spirite of God reproued sharpely their publike idolatrie and therefore he was slayne in the court of the Temple And it is no absurditie to saye that his Father Ioiada hadde the name of Barachiah giuen him for honours sake for sith in all his lyfe he was a defender of the true worship hee might worthily be accounted the blessed of GOD. But whether Ioiada had two names or whether there was a faulte in the word as Hierome imagineth the matter is not to be doubted of but that Christ noteth that sacrilegious stoning of Zachariah whiche is recorded in the second booke of the Chronicles the 24. cha verse 22. The circumstance of the place augmenteth the hay nonsnesse of the faulte for that they regarded not the holynesse of the place Further the Temple is taken here for the court or porch as in other places The Altar of burnt offringes was neere to this place that the Prieste might offer the sacrifices in the sighte of the people Therefore it appeareth that theyr madnesse was too outragious which the sight of the Altar and Temple coulde not appease but that the Iewes woulde defile the holye place with horrible murther 37. Ierusalem Ierusalem Christ declareth more euidently how iuste a cause he had to be angry that Ierusalem which GOD had chosen for a saÌ„ctuary a heauenly dwelling place had not onely shewed it selfe vnworthy of so great honor but was as a den of theeues and had acustomed nowe a long time to shedde the bloud of the Prophetes Christe therefore with great affection cryeth out at so great a wonder beecause that the holye citie of GOD was falne to that madnesse that it shoulde so lately endeuour to blotte out the wholsome doctrine of GOD with the bloud of the Prophetes And therefore he rehearsed the name beecause that so wonderfull and incredible wickednesse was worthy of no samll detestation And Christ dooth not reproue them for one murther or two but hee saieth that the citie was growne into such a custome that it ceased not to slaye the Prophetes how many soeuer were sent vnto them For the Participle is putte in the place of an Epithite as if Christe shoulde haue sayde thou which oughtest to haue beene a faythful keeper of the word of GOD the mistresse of heauenly wisdome the light of the world the fountaine of true doctrine the seate of the worshippe of GOD an example of fayth and obedience art become a murtherer of the Prophets so that nowe thou haste gotten a certeine habyt in sucking theyr bloud Therefore it dooth heereby appeare that they which hadde so filthilye prophaned the sanctuarie of GOD were worthye of all kinde of reproaches It was Christes purpose also to meete with the offence which was at hande least the faythfull when they shoulde see him slayne at Ierusalem without a cause shoulde be troubled at the straungenesse of suche a sight For they were nowe admonished with these wordes that it was no meruaile if that citie which had beene accustomed to slaye or stone the Prophetes shoulde cruellye slaye their Redeemer But heereby it appeareth howe much it is conuenient to attribute to places God had giuen such notable ornamentes to no citie in the world nor so honourablye exalted anye as this yet wee see how vnthankfull it became Now let the Pope compare the seate of hys the euerye with that holye Citie what shall hee finde worthye of the like honour his hyred flatterers doe boast to vs that fayth flourished there in times past If we shoulde graunt that to be true if it appeare at this daye to be alienated falne away from Christ through infidelytie and that it is full of innumerable sacrilegies howe fondly doe they glorye that the honour of the supremacye is tyed vnto it And lette vs rather learne by this example worthye to bee remembred that the higher anye place is sette by the great benefittes of GOD and thereby exempted from other places there aboutes if it degenerate it shall not onelye bee spoyled of those ornamentes but it shall bee so much more odious and execrable beecause it hath filthily polluted the glory of God by defiling the bewtie of his graces Howe ofte woulde I. It is rather a woorde of disdaine then of compassion Hee pittyeth as yet the citie it selfe ouer the which hee had wepte a litle beefore but hee dealte more hardlye and sharpelye towardes the Scribes the aucthours of saluation as they had deserued Neither dooth he spare the rest for that they were all faulty allowers and companions of the same sinne but hee prouing all alike guiltie inueigheth specyallye against theyr leaders and guydes which were the cause of all those euilles Now the vehemencye of the speach muste bee noted If the grace of GOD hadde beene simplye denied to Ierusalem theyr vnthankfulnesse might so much the lesse haue bin excused but sith God tried by louingnesse and gentlenesse to allure the Iewes vnto him and preuayled nothing by so great gentlenesse the offence of
their power Therfore this alwayes is a very plausible action amongst them wherwith Christ was once vniustly charged Therefore Pilate neglecting all other accusations doeth especially rest vppon the sedition for if he had found Christe troubling any thing in the state of the common wealth he had willingly condemned him without delay this is the reason why he asketh him the question of the kingdome And though according to our three Euangelistes the answeare of Christ is doubtful yet by Iohn it may be gathered that Christ freely confessed that which was obiected but withall he cleared himselfe of the offence when hee denied himselfe to be an earthly king But because that it was not his purpose to vse diligence to purge hymselfe as the guiltie doe vse the Euangelists doe sette downe halfe his answeare as if they shoulde haue sayde hee denied not but that hee was a king yet the ouerthwart ennemies noted the quarrell wherewyth they charged him vndeseruedly 12. He answeared nothing VVhy the Euangelists should say that Christe held his peace whose answeare they reported euen nowe this is the reason because that when hee was ready to make his defence hee willingly refrained Neyther did he giue that aunsweare before of the kingdome because that he desired to be loosed but onely that he might shew himselfe to be the redeemer promised in times past before whom euery knee shoulde bowe Pilate wondered at that patience that Christ would willingly betray his innocencie by holding of his peace when as hee might readily haue reâ—elled those colde and vaine quarrels The integritye of Christ was such that it was manifest to the iudge without any defence But Pilate wished that Christe shoulde not haue left his cause so vnansweared that thereby with lesse enuie he might be sette free And thus farre was Pilate praise woorthy for his equitie in that he fauouring the innocencie of Christ vrged him to defende himselfe But least that wee should wonder at the silence of Christ as an absurde thing as he did it it behooueth vs to marke the counsell of GOD who woulde that hys sonne whome hee had ordained to be a sacrifice for the washing away of our sinnes though he was pure of himselfe yet should be condemned as guiltie in our person Therfore Christ then kept silence that he might nowe become our patrone and might free vs from guiltinesse by his intercession he held his peace that we might glorye that we by hys grace are made righteous And by this meanes was fulfilled that prophesie in Isa. 53. 7. that he should be ledde as a sheepe to the slaughter Yet in the meane season he witnessed that good confession whereof Paule maketh mention 1. Tim. 6. 13. not in woordes but in deede not that he might thereby procure any thing priuately to himself but that he might thereby obtaine pardon for all mankinde LVKE 4. Then Pilate sayde Sith Christ should beare the punishment for our sinnes it was meete that he should first be cleared by the iudges owne mouth that then it might appeare that he was rather condemned for others then for his owne cause But because that Pilate durste not dismisse him freely because of the tumult of the people hee willingly tooke the occasion which was offered him that hee might referre hym ouer to Herodes iudgement And this was that Herode whose surname was Antipas to whome the Tetrarchie of Galile was left when Iudea should be made a parte of the prouince of Syria Archelaus being sent againe to Vienna And though that Luke wil a little after shew that Herode was appeased by this preset yet his wil was not so much to seke to gette his fauour as to haue an honest pretence to keepe himselfe out of enuie and so to auoide the necessity of condemning of Christ. 9. And when Herode sawe Iesus he was exceedingly glad Heereby it appeareth how drunke or rather altogither madde the wicked are made by theyr owne pride For though Herode woulde not acknowledge Christe for the sonne of God yet he accouÌ„ted him at the least for a Prophet wherfore he was most wicked to be delited with his reproches ignominie But as if he had bene iniuried all that time that hee had not the sight of Christe nowe hee hauing him at his pleasure triumpheth as a conquerour VVe see also howe the Prophets in whome the power of GOD doeth shine are loued of wicked and prophane men Herode had long wished to see Christe VVhy did he not also desire to heare him that hee might profite by his doctrine Namely because that hee had rather be a bare beholder of the diuine power then godlily humbly to reuerence it as he ought And this is the wisedom of the flesh so to seke out God in his woorkes that it may not become subiecte to his power so to desire to see his seruaunts that it may auoide to heare him speakinge by them Yea when Herode hoped for some myracle of Christe he hadde yet rather to lie guyltie at his feete then to allow him to be a teacher VVherfore it is no maruaile if God shoulde wythdrawe his glorye from the vngodly who would gladly haue hym to make them some sportes as if he were some iester 11. And Herode despised him It could not otherwise be but that Christ should be despised by this proud manne who pleased himselfe in his delites kingly honour and richesse for that hee hadde then no other but a contemptible estate Yet Herodes pride is not to be excused who shutte vppe the way against the grace of God and it is not to be doubted but that God that hee mighte plague his former slouthfulnesse purposely hardened his minde wyth suche a sight For hee was vnwoorthy to beholde any sparke of the heauenly glory which was in Christe because that hee hadde so long shutte his eyes at the full light wherewith all his countrey had beene lightened And Luke declareth that Christe was not onely despised of Herode alone but of all his bande of menne that we might know that it is rare for God to haue his righte honour in princes courtes For because that almoste all courtiers are giuen to vaine pompes their senses are ouerwhelmed with so muche vanitie that they doe eyther carelesly despise the spirituall graces of God or else they doe passe by them wyth closed eyes But by this contempt of Christe there is a newe dignity purchased for vs so that nowe we are pretious to God and to the Angels 12. They were made friendes In this that Christe was a token or pledge of friendshippe made betweene the vngodly lette vs learne howe contemptible the children of God and religion it selfe are in the worlde It is probable that where they were bothe puffed vppe wyth ambition that they grew into some contention for the gouernment but what soeuer was the beginning of their dissention neither of them would yeeld the least ioate of his right to the other in earthly affaires yet because
enheritance Now that the Iewes as it were with one voyce doe conspire the refusall of so great grace who woulde not say that the whole nation shuld be pulled vp by the rotes out of the kingdom of God But God in their infidelity doth make manifest the stedfastnes of his faith and that he might declare that he made not his couenant in vain wyth Abraham he exempted them whom he had frely chosen from that general destruction so his truth doth alwaies go far beyond al lets and stops of the vnbelief of man 26. Then let he Barabbas loose vnto them Our three Euangelist◠do not set down that which Iohn recordeth that Pilate went vppe into his iudgement seat that he might thence giue his sentence for they doe onely declare that he was won by the desire and the confused tumult of the people to deliuer Christ without cause to death Yet bothe is to be noted that his assent shuld be wrested out of him against his wil and yet that he shuld become the iudge to condemne him whom he pronoūceth to be innocent For except the son of God had been pure from all sin by his death we shuld not haue ben clensed Again if he had not ben pledge for the punishment which we had deserued we had been still entangled in the guiltinesse of our sins Therfore God would haue his sonne condemned in solemne maner that he might by his grace set vs free But the cruelty of the punishment doth no lesse auail to the strengthning of our faith then with the feare of Gods wrath to terrifye vs and with the feeling of our sinnes to humble vs. For if we desire to profite rightly in meditating of the death of christ it is meet to begin there that for the greatnes of the punishment which he sustained we shoulde be afrayed of our sinnes So it shal come to passe that we shal not only loath be ashamed of our selues but as men wounded with great sorow with that earnestnes which is meete we shuld seeke for help and withal we shuld feare as men amased For our hearts should be harder then stones if we shoulde not be thoroughly wounded with the woundes of the Sonne of God If we should not hate and detest our sinnes for the washing away of the whiche the Sonne of God suffered so great paines But as the horrible vengeaunce of God doeth heere manifest it selfe so on the other parte wee haue moste plentifull matter for our comfort sette before vs. For it is not to be feared that our sinnes should come any more before God to be iudged from the which the Sonne of God hath freed vs with so pretious a rewarde For he did not onely die a common maner of deathe that he might purchase life for vs but togither with the crosse he tooke our cursse vppon himselfe least any vncleannesse shoulde any more remaine in vs. 27. Then the souldiours of the gouernour tooke Iesus into the common hall and gathered about hym the whole bande This heaping vppe of reproofes is not sette downe in vaine That God shoulde sette foorth his only begotten sonne to beare all kinde of reproches we knowe that it was not any matter of sport or game Therefore first it is meete to consider what we haue deserued then the recompence which Christ offered should stirre vs vppe to hope well Our filthinesse deserueth that God shoulde abhorre it and that all the Angels should spit vpon vs. But Christ that he might bring vs into the presence of his father pure and without spotte would himselfe be spitte vppon and defiled with all reproches VVherefore that yll fauoured kinde of dealing which he once suffered vppon the earth doth nowe purchase vs fauour in heauen also restoreth the image of God which was not only defiled but almost blotted out with the pollutions of sinne Heere also doeth the inestimable mercy of God clearly shewe it selfe that for our cause he woulde thus farre cast downe his onely begotten Sonne By this example Christe prooued his marueilous loue towardes vs in that he would refuse no kinde of ignominie for our saluation But these things neede rather secreat meditation then to be adorned foorth with wordes In the meane while we are taught not to measure the kingdome of GOD by fleshly sences but by the iudgement of faith and of the spirite For so long as our mindes shall be setled in the world it shall not only seeme contemptible to vs but also ful of shamefull reproches but assoone as they shall be lift vp into heauen by faith they shall not onely beholde the spirituall maiestie of Christ the which shall blotte out all the shame of the crosse but the spittings whippings buffetings and other reproches shall lead them to beholde hys glorye as Paule teacheth the Phil. 2. 10. 8. that there was giuen vnto him a name and great power that before him euery knee should bowe because that he willingly humbled himselfe to the death of the crosse VVherefore if the worlde doeth also at this day scorne at Christe lette vs learne by the height of faith to ouercome these offences neither let vs regarde what the vngodly shall wickedly ascribe vnto Christ but with what ornamēts the heauenly father shall clothe him with what scepter and wyth what crowne he shal adorne him that he may be placed not only farre aboue men but also farre aboue all the Angels There is no great account to be made of that matter where Marke putteth purple in steade of scarlet It is not probable that Christe was apparelled with any costly garment VVhereby we doe gather that it was not purple but such as was somewhat like it euen as the Painter in his pictures doeth imitate the truthe 32. They found a man of Cyrene By this circumstance there is set foorth the extreme cruelty aswel of the Iewish nation as of the soldiers It is not to be douted but that the euill doers were wont to beare their own crosses euen to the place of execution but when as none but strōg theeues were wont to be crucified they were able to beare such a burden the estate of christ was far otherwise y t the very weaknes of the body might plainly shewe that he was a lambe to be sacrificed Also it may be that he being maimed with whips hardly oppressed with many iniuries fel downe vnder the burden of the crosse The Euangelists do report that a husbādman one of no account was constrained by the soldiers to beare the crosse because that maner of punishment was so detestable that they thought they all shuld be defiled if they shuld but onely touch it But he who of the basest sort of the people was enforced to so vile infamous an office doth God nobilitate by his preachers for it is not in vaine that the Euangelists doe not only sette downe his name but also his country children Neither is it to be douted but that God wold by this
Angels that they shoulde acknowledge vs for their brethren But in the meane while here is set before vs an example of furious obstinacy in this wretched man seeing that he ceaseth not to vomit out blasphemyes with crueltie in the midst of his afflictions So desperate menne which cannot escape the torments doe vse bie frowardnes to seeke reuenge And thogh he vpbraideth Christ that he could neither saue himselfe nor others yet this obiection striketh at God himself As the wicked so oft as they obtaine not what they desire they would willingly pull God out of heauen It was meete that they being tamed with afflictions should become gentle but hereby it appeareth how the hardnes of the euill hearte was hardened which could be bowed by no punishments 40. But the other aunswered There is in this miserable man set before vs a rare example of the vnhoped for and incredible grace of God partly because that sodenly at his death he is chaunged into a new man and is drawne backe euen from the very helles to heauen Then because that he obtained in a moment forgiuenes of all his sinnes wherein he hadde beene drowned al his life and so hee is receiued into heauen before the Apostles and the first fruites of the new Church Firste therefore in the conuersion of this man there dooth clearely appeare a notable token of the grace of God For it came not of the proper instinct of the flesh that he cast off the great cruelty and proud contempt of God that he should presently repent but he is brought vnder by the hande of God as all the scripture teacheth that repentaunce is his woorke And this grace is so much the more excellent because that it befell beyond al mens hope For who would ouer haue thought that the theefe at his last breath shoulde not onely become a godly worshipper of God but a singuler maister of faith and piety to the whol world so that we also from his mouth may learne a rule of a true and lawfull confession And this he vttered as the first fruites of his repentaunce that with a sharpe reprehension he reproued the vngodly frowardnes of his own fellow then he addeth this as the second humbling himselfe with a free confession of his own sinnes and attributing to Christ the prayse due to his ryghteousnesse Afterwardes he testifieth a wonderful faith casting himselfe wholly and hys saluation into the defence of Christ whom yet he saw hanging vpoÌ„ the crosse and ready to dye Fearest thou not God Though interpreters doe wrest these wordes diuersly yet the simple meaning of them seemeth to mee to be thus what meaneth this that this condemnation compelleth thee not to feare God For the theefe doth thereof take occasion to exaggerate the hardnes of hys fellow because that he being brought to extreame necessitye dooth not so beginne to feare God But that al ambiguity may be taken away the readers are to be admonished that this arrogant and wicked raylet who thought to haue passed with his scoffing without punishment is called backe to the iudgement seat of God for though hee had beene all his life without feeling it behoued him then to tremble when he felt the hand of God armed against him and shortly after he was to yelde a reckening of all his offences Therefore it was a signe of a desperate and a deuillish obstinacie when God helde him tied vp to the last iudgement not then to come to a right minde for if there had beene any droppe of pietye in the heart of the man he shoulde at the least be enforced to gather himselfe to the feare of God Nowe we vnderstand the meaning of the woordes that they are desperate and without all feare of GOD which are not amended by punishments En to auto crimats I doe interpreat not for the same but to be in the present execution of condemnation as if the theefe had sayd Sith thou art now as it were in the midst of death it behooued thee now to be wakened that thou mightest acknowledge God thy iudge Further we do heereof gather a profitable doctrine that they doe wholely sette themselues against God who are not taught humility by corrections for shame doeth of necessity driue them to holde their peace who soeuer are endued with any feare of God 41. VVee are in deede heare righteously Because the reproofe gathered of the condemnation mighte seeme to light vppon Christe the theefe dotâ—h heere make a distinction betweene Christe and the cause of him and hys fellowe for the punishment whiche was common was as hee confesseth iustlye laide vppon him and his fellowe but not vppon CHRIST who was not putte to deathe for anye faulte of hys owne but for the crueltye of the ennemies But that muste bee remembered whiche I sayde euen nowe that the theefe made a notable shewe of repentaunce suche as God requireth of euery of vs in that he confesseth that he receiueth a rewarde woorthy of that which he hath done And this especially must be noted that the cruelty of the punishment was no hinderance but that hee submitted himselfe patiently to the fierce torments VVherefore if we doe truely repent for sinnes lette vs learne to confesse them willingly and without dissimulation when neede shal be and not to flee that ignominie which we haue deserued For this is the onely meanes whereby we may bury our sinnes before God and Aungels if we striue not to couer them before men with vaine colours Further where as amongest diuers cloakes whiche hypocrisie vseth thys is most common that euery man draweth others in with him that by their example he might excuse himselfe the theefe on the contrary side doeth no lesse carefully defend the innocencie of Christ then simply and freely condemne himselfe and his fellowe 41. Lorde remember me I doe not knowe whether there euer was from the beginning of the worlde an example of faith more rare and worthy to be remembred so muche the more is the grace of the holye Ghoste woorthy to be hadde in admiration which heerein shewed it selfe so euidently The theefe who not onely had neuer beene a scholer in Christes schoole but by thrusting himselfe into bloudy murthers hadde endeuoured to quenche all sense of righteousnesse doth of a sodaine pierce deeper then all the Apostles and the rest of the disciples in teachinge of whome the Lorde himselfe hadde bestowed so muche labour and not that onely but Christe being vppon the tree of execution he woorshippeth as a king hee celebrateth his kingdome in that horrible and more then deformed basenesse he calleth him who is about to die the author of life Truely if hee had beene instructed in the true faith had hearde many things before of the office of Christ and hadde also beene confirmed in the same by myracles yet that knowledge being couered with the cloude of a reproachfull death might vanishe away Nowe it was more then woonderfull that hee beinge rude and a yonglinge yea hys
minde altogither corrupted should presently at the first instructions vppon the curssed crosse apprehend saluation and the celestiall glory For wyth what markes or ensignes did he see Christ adorned that he might lift vppe his minde to that kingdome And certainly this was as if hee shoulde clime out of the deepest helles aboue the heauens But to the flesh thys was but as a fable and to be laughed at to attribute to a man cast away and condemned whome the world could not abide a kingdome farre more noble then all earthly Empires Heereby we do gather how quicke the eyes of his mind were wherwith he beheld life in death height in ruine glory in reproache victorye in destruction and a kingdome in slauerie If that the theefe extolled by his faith Christe nowe hanging vppon the crosse and as it were ouerwhelmed with curssinge into a heauenly throane woe be to our slouthfulnesse if we doe not reuerence him nowe sitting at the right hand of God if we doe not fasten the hope of life in his resurrection if we go not into heauen whether he is entred Nowe if on the other parte wee doe consider what state he was in when hee besought Christe of his mercy his faith shall growe to further admiration with a torne body now almost with out life he waiteth for the last blow of the slaughter men and yet he reposeth himselfe in the onely grace of Christ. First whence hath he this hope of forgiuenesse but because that in the death of Christe which seemeth detestable to all other he conceiueth the sacrifice of a good sauour to be effectuall to wash away the sinnes of the worlde And where he with courage regardeth not his torments nay as it were forgetting himselfe is caried to a hope and desire of a better life it doeth farre passe the vnderstandinge of man VVherefore let vs not be ashamed to learne both mortification of the flesh and patience and excellency of faith and constancy of hope and zeale of godlinesse of this maister whome the Lord sette ouer vs to humble the pride of the flesh For the readilier that any man followeth him the nearer he shall so come to Christ. 43. Verily I say to thee Though Christ had not yet triumphed opēly ouer death yet he sheweth the effect frute of the same when he was most abaced And by this meanes he declareth y t he was neuer thrust out of y e power of his kingdō For nothing doth more notably nor more royally beseeme a diuine king then to restore life to them whiche are deade Christ therefore though he being stricken with the hand of God appeared in shewe to be a man halfe desperate yet because he ceassed not to be the sauiour of the world he was alwaies endued with a heauenly power for the performance of his office And first heere is to be noted hys incredible readinesse that without delaye hee accepteth the theefe so louingly and promiseth him that he shall be a partaker of the blessed lyfe VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that he is to admit wythout exception into his kingdome all whiche doe come vnto him VVhereof it may be assuredly gathered that we shall be saued if hee be mindefull of vs. Further it cannot be that he shoulde forgette them who doe commende theyr saluation to him If the theefe had so easie a passage into heauen because that when all things were in greatest extremitye he rested vppon the grace of Christ much more shall Christ the conquerour of death at this day reache foorth his hande out of his throne to vs that he may gather vs into the fellowshippe of life For it were absurde since the time that hee nailed to the crosse the hand wryting whyche was against vs and hath putte death and Sathan to flight and in his resurrection hath triumphed ouer the prince of the worlde that there shoulde not be as easie and as ready a passage from death to life for vs as for the theefe Therefore who soeuer being ready to die shall wyth a true faith commit the custodie of his soule to Christ he shall not be driuen off any long time to languish in suspence but Christ will accept his desire wyth the same kindnesse that he vsed towardes the theefe Therefore awaye wyth that stincking deuice of the Sophisters of the retaining of the pain when the fault is remitted for we see that Christ doeth presently deliuer from punishment him whome he freeth from guiltinesse Neither is that any lette that the theefe neuerthelesse beareth euen to the vttermost the punishment whereto he was appoynted For we must heere imagine no recompence which was in steed of a satisfaction for the appeasinge of the iudgement of God as the Sophisters do dreame but the Lord by corporall punishments doeth simply teache his electe to detest and to hate sinne Therefore Christ doeth as it were set vpon his lappe the theefe brought by fatherly correction to deny himselfe and sendeth him not to the fire of Purgatorie It is further to be noted with what keyes the gate of the kingdome of heauen was opened to the theefe For Popish confession or satisfactions were not here accoūted of but Christ was entreated with repentance and faith to receiue him that came willingly to him And heereby that is againe the better confirmed whych I touched euen nowe if any man shoulde disdaine to walke in the steppes of the theefe and to followe as he went before he is woorthy of eternal destruction because that with his vngodly pride he driueth himselfe frō entring into heauen And truely as in the person of the theefe Christe hath giuen vnto vs all a common pledge or assurance of obtaininge forgiuenesse so againe he vouchsafed that wretch so great honour that all men casting off their owne glory we should not glory but in the mercy of God alone If that euery one of vs would truely and earnestly search himselfe the great heape of our sinnes woulde woorthily make vs ashamed of our selues and it woulde irke vs to take this poore man who of meere grace obtained saluation as our guide and standered bearer Further as the death of Christe brought foorth the frute of the same then presently so we doe heereof gather that the soules when they doe depart from the bodyes doe remaine and liue otherwise the promisse of Christe shoulde be but a iest whyche he also confirmed wyth an oathe Yet of the place of Paradise lette vs not curiously and subtilly dispute Lette it suffice vs that who soeuer are by faith grafted into the bodye of Christe are partakers of his life and so after death shall enioy a blessed and a ioyfull rest vntill the perfect glory of the heauenly life shall fully be reuealed at the comming of Christ. One thing yet remaineth that he promiseth the theefe not to take away his present miseries nor to diminish any thing of his corporall punishment VVhereby we are admonished that the grace of GOD must not
dull or slouthfull 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered thâ—se things It is not to be doubted but that Christe spake of the office of the Messias as it was described by the Prophets least the death of the crosse should be offensiue and in iourneying three or foure houres hee had space sufficient fully to set foorth the matters Therefore Christe doeth not say in three woordes that hee ought to suffer but hee declareth at large that he was sent to that ende that by the sacrifice of death he might wash away the sins of the world that he might be the purging sacrifice offered for the taking awaye of the cursse that he might wash the sinnes of others from their guiltinesse Luke therefore for the more vehemencie setteth downe this sentence interrogatiuely whereby it is gathered that hee shewed by reasons the necessity of his death The summe is that the disciples did euill to bee troubled at the death of their maister without the which he could not perfourme the partes of Christ for the chiefe poynt of our redemption was his offering vp for by this meanes they shutte vp the gate against him least he shoulde come into his kingdome The which must be noted diligently for sith Christ shoulde want his honour if he shoulde not be accounted a sacrifice for sinnes his onely way into his glory is that hys humbling to be of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. out of the which hee arose a redeemer But we do see at this day how amongst vs they do sinne nothing sooner then in a preposterous order For amongst the multitude of them which doe royally declare Christ to be a king and do extol him with diuine praises scarce euery tenth of them doth think that we haue gotten grace by his death 27. And he began at Moses This place doeth teach how Christe is made manifest vnto vs by the Gospel namely while the knowledge of him is prooued plainly out of the law and the Prophets For no man euer was a more ready and apte teacher of the Gospell then the Lorde hymselfe who as we see fetched the proofe of his doctrine out of the law and the Prophets If any man will except that he began at the rudimentes that the disciples by a little at once biddinge the Prophets fare well myghte passe ouer to the perfecte Gospell this deuice is easily confuted for afterward it shal be sayd that all the Apostles had their minde opened not that they shoulde be wise without the helpe of the lawe but that they might vnderstand the scriptures VVherefore to the ende that Christe may at this day be reuealed vnto vs by the Gospell it is necessarye that Moses and the Prophets shuld come forth before as forerunners VVherof the readers are therefore to be admonished least they shoulde giue eare to fanaticall men which by suppressing the law and the Prophets doe wickedly maime the Gospell As if that God would haue to be vnprofitable what soeuer he at any time spake of his owne Sonne But in what maner they are to be applied to Christe whiche are euery where read of him in the lawe and the Prophets it is not my present purpose to declare It is sufficient briefly to note that Christ is not in vaine called the end of the lawe For though that Moses rather shadowed him foorth darkely and a farre off then expresse him plainly yet this is without controuersie that if in the stocke of Abraham there should not be one head aboue all vnder whome the people should grow into one body the couenant which God made with the holy fathers shoulde be broken and but in vaine Further when as God had commaunded that the Tabernacle and the ceremonies should be framed after the heauenly patterne it foloweth that the sacrifices and all the rites of the temple if they had not their truthe else where should be as a vaine and frutelesse play And this argument doeth the Apostle handle in many woordes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For holding that principle that the visible ceremonies of the lawe were shadowes of spirituall things he teacheth that Christe is to be soughte in the whole priesthoode of the lawe in the sacrifices and in the forme of the Sanctuarie Bucer also otherwhere doeth wisely diuine that in that obscuritie there was a certaine kinde of interpreatinge the Scripture in vse amongst the Iewes which the father 's deliuered vnto them by hand But I least that I should follow vncertainties am contented with that naturall and simple maner which is euery where to be founde amongest the Prophets who were the most apt interpreaters of the lawe Christe therefore is rightly collected out of the lawe if wee consider that the couenaunt which Christe made with the fathers was made by the helpe of a Mediator The Sanctuarie wherein God testified the presence of his grace was consecrated with bloude The lawe it selfe wyth their promises was confirmed with the sprinkeling of bloud One priest was chosen oute of all the people who shoulde present himselfe in the name of them all in the sight of God not as any mortall man but in a holy habite menne had there no hope of their reconciliation with God but by offering vp of a sacrifice Furthermore very notable is that prophesie of the perpetuitye of the kingdome in the tribe of Iuda But the Prophets themselues as we haue declared haue more plainly described the Mediator yet they themselues had their first knowledge from Moses for they had no other office enioyned them but that they shoulde renew the memory of the couenant more plainly shew the spiritual worship of God establish the hope of saluation in the Mediatour and also that they might the more euidently declare the meane of the reconciliation But because it pleased God to defer the full reuelation vnto the comming of his Sonne it was not a superfluous interpretation 28. And they drewe neare vnto the towne There is no reason why some interpreaters should imagine any other place then Emaus For the iourney was not so long that they shoulde rest in a nearer lodging VVe knowe that seuen miles though a manne for the recreation of his minde should walke but softly are gone at the most in foure houres Therfore I dout not but that Christ went forwarde euen to Emaus Nowe where it is demaunded whether he coulde dissemble who is the eternall truthe of God I doe answeare that the Sonne of GOD was not bounde by thys lawe that he shoulde make all his councels knowen Yet because that simulation is a kinde of lying the knotte is not yet vnlosed especially sith that very many doe drawe this example to a libertye for lyinge But I doe answeare Christ without lying fained as it is here saide in like maner as he shewed himselfe to be a trauailer for the reason of them both is like Augustines answeare is somewhat more subtile lib. 2. ad Consentium cap. 13. Also in his booke of questions vpon the Gospels
with the Iewes who being accustomed vnto sacrifices coulde no otherwise bee taught concerning the purgyng of sinnes then by settyng a sacrifice before them And whereas there were diuers kindes there is but one onely mentioned in this place by Synecdoche and it is likely that Iohn had respect vnto the Paschal lambe To be briefe we must note that Iohn vsed this phrase whiche was more fit and forcible to teache the Iewes Like as we at this daye doe better vnderstand through the vse of Baptisme of what force the remission of sinnes is purchased by the death of Christe when wee heare that wee are washed and purged thereby from our filthinesse In the meane whyle seeyng that the Iewes did commonly thinke superstitiously of the sacrifices he correcteth that fault by the way tellyng them to what end all these did serue This was the worst abuse that was in their sacrifices that they did repose all their confidence in the signes Therfore when Iohn setteth Christe before them hee doeth testifie that hee is the lambe of God VVhereby he giueth them to vnderstand that all the sacrifices which the Iewes did offer were not able to make satisfaction for sinnes but that they were only figures the truth whereof was shewed in Christe himselfe He putteth sâ—nne in the singuler number for all maner of iniquitie as if he should say that all maner of vnrighteousnes which doth alienate God from men is taken away through Christ. And when he saith the sinne of the worlde he extendeth this grace generally vnto all mankinde least the Iewes shoulde thinke that he was only sent to bee their redeemer But we doe gather hereby that all the worlde is bounde with the same giltinesse and because all mortall men without exception are giltie of vnrighteousnesse before God they haue neede of reconciliation Therefore when Iohn speaketh generally of the sinne of the worlde his meaning is to bring vs to some feeling of our owne miserie and to exhort vs to seeke some remedie Now in that the benefite is offered vnto all men it is our duetie to imbrace the same so that all men may be fully assured that there is nothing that hindereth them from finding reconciliation in Christ if sobeit they haue faith to be their guide to bring theÌ„ vnto him Furthermore he setteth downe the only way and meanes to take away sinnes VVee knowe that from the beginning of the worlde when as their own consciences did accuse them they went about busily to deserue pardoÌ„ TheÌ„ce came so many kinds of sacrifices whereby they thought God was pacified yet were they deceiued I confesse truly that all corrupt rites of pacifying came from an holy beginning namely because God had ordeined sacrifices to direct men vnto Christe But notwithstanding euerie man had inuented to himselfe a way of his owne whereby to please God but Iohn calleth vs backe vnto Christe alone and teacheth vs that God is only mercifull vnto vs through his Benefite because he alone taketh away sinnes VVherefore hee leaueth nothing for sinners to doe but only to flie vnto Christe whereby he ouerthroweth all humane satisfactions all sacrifices and redemptions so that they are nothing els but wicked inuentions of the Diuell founde out by crafte The woorde taketh may bee expounded two maner of wayes either that Christe tooke that burden vpon him wherewith we were oppressed as it is said that he bare our sinnes vpon the tree and I say as saith that the correction of our peace was laid vpon him or that he doth abolish sinnes But because this latter dependeth vpon the former therefore I receiue them both willingly namely that Christe doth take away sinnes by bearing them Therefore although sinne doe still remaine in vs yet as touching the iudgement of God it is none because it is abolished by the grace of Christ and is not imputed vnto vs. Neither doeth that displease mee which Chrysostome noteth that by the verbe of the presentense is signified the continuance for the satisfactioÌ„ which hee once made is alwayes of force And he doth not only teach simplie y t Christ taketh away sin but he setteth downe also the maner howe namely because he hath reconciled the father vnto vs by the benefite of his death For this doth he meane by the woorde lambe Let vs therfore knowe that we are then reconciled to God by the grace of Christe if we runne vnto his death and doe perswade our selues that he being fastened vnto the crosse is the only propitiatorie sacrifice wherby all our giltines was taken away 30 This is he of whom I saide Hee briefly comprehendeth all thynges when he affirmeth that Christ is he who as he said was to be preferred before him For it followeth hereupon that Iohn was nothing els but a tryer sent for his sake whereby it is euident againe that Christ is the Messias Furthermore he reckoneth vp three things in this place For when he saith that the man commeth after him he giueth vs to vnderstand that he was before him in respect of time that he might prepare a way for Christ according to the testimonie of Malachie Behold I send mine angel before my face VVhen he saith that he was preferred before him this is referred vnto the glory wherewith God did adorne his sonne wheÌ„ he came abrode into the world to fulfil the functioÌ„ of a redeemer The reasoÌ„ is at leÌ„gth added because Christ doth far exceed Iohn Therfore y â— honor came not by chaunce which the father gaue him but was due to his eternall Maiestie But I haue touched this phrase a little before namely that hee was preferred before him because he was the first 31 And I knewe him not Least any man shoulde suspect that this testimonie was giuen either for friendship or fauours sake he preuenteth the doubt denying that hee had any other knowledge of Christe saue that which he had from God Therefore the summe is that Iohn doth neither speake of himselfe neither to winne mans fauour but as he was inspired by the spirite and commaunded of God I came saith hee baptising with water that is I was called and ordeined vnto this function that I might reueale him vnto Israel VVhich thing the Euangeliste expoundeth and confirmeth afterwarde more plainely whilest that hee bringeth in him testifying that he knoweth Christ by the oracle of God Hee doth there plainely expresse that he was sent for that cause whiche is contained in these wordes I came to baptise for it is only the callyng of God which maketh the lawfull ministers of the Church for whatsoeuer hee be that thrusteth in himselfe of what learning or eloquence soeuer he be he deserueth no authoritie because he hath not God for his authour And seeing that it was requisite that Iohn shoulde bee sent of God that he might baptise lawfully gather hence that it is not left vnto the will and pleasure of man to institute Sacraments but that this right appertaineth to God alone Like
is perfect pure and free from all fault himselfe And we must take that as spoken to vs all which was then spoken to a few namely that whosoeuer doth accuse another he doe appoint vnto himselfe the law of innocencie otherwise we doe not seeke to haue the euill deeds punished but do rather enuie the persons of y e men But in the meane season he seemeth to take away iudgement out of y e world so that no man dare professe himselfe to be a punisher of wickednes For what Iudge shall there be found whose conscience shall not bee giltie in some point what witnesse shall there come abroad that is subiect to no offence Therefore he seemeth to driue away all witnesses from the common place of iudgement and al iudges from the seate of iudgement I answere that this is no simple forbidding whereby Christ forbiddeth sinners to doe their dutie in correcting the faults of other men but that Hypocrites alone are reprehended by these wordes who being more then seuere yea cruel Iudges in other mens faultes doe gently flatter themselues in their owne vices Therefore a mans owne sinnes shall not hinder him from correcting the faultes of other men and when need shall require let him also punish so that he hate whatsoeuer is to be condemned aswell in himselfe as in others Yea wee must begin here that euery man doe aske his owne conscience and be a witnes and iudge against himselfe before he descend vnto others So shall it come to passe that we shal be at the staues end with sin without the hatred of men 9 And were accused of their conscience Here it appeareth what great force an euill conscience hath Although these wicked hypocrites were determined to mocke Christ with their cauils yet so soone as he once pricketh them with one worde being striken they flie away VVith this hammer must we breake the pride of hypocrites to wit wee must call them backe vnto Gods iudgement Although it may be that the shame which they suffer amongst men shall be more forceable with them then the feare of God Notwithstanding this is a great matter that they doe confesse themselues to be giltie of their owne accord whilest that they flie away being ashamed VVe must also note the circumstance which is expressed immediately as one of them did exceed another in honor they were so much the sooner touched with their giltines And would to God there were but so much shamefastnesse in our Scribes who doe all they are able at this day in the Pope his behalfe y t they may ouerthrowe Christ but they are become so shamelesse that being polluted with all offences they boast of this that they may be reprochfull without punishment Furthermore we must note how much this feeling of sin wherewith the Scribes were touched differeth from true repentance For we must be so moued with the iudgement of God that notwithstanding we must not flie into corners out of the fight of the Iudge but let vs rather run straightway vnto him to craue pardon Iesus was left alone The spirit of wisedome brought this to passe that the wicked departed hauing tempted Christ in vaine Neither is it to be doubted but that wee shal escape ouercome al the engines of our enemies if sobeit we suffer our selues to be gouerned by the same spirite but it falleth out that we are therfore oftentimes oppressed because neglecting their lyings in waite we are nothing carefull to take counsell or trusting to our own wisdome we do not consider how necessarie the gouernment of the spirit is for vs. He saith that Christ remained alone not that he was left of the multitude common people which he taught before but because al the Scribes which brought foorth the adultresse did trouble him no longer VVhen it is said that the woman abode with Christ let vs learne by this example that there is nothing better for vs then to be brought giltie before his iudgement seat so that we do submit our selues quietly meckly obediently vnto his iudgement 11 Neither do I condemne thee It is not said that Christ doth simply acquit the woman in this place but that he doeth only set her at libertie neither is it any maruell For he would take nothing vpon him that was not meet for his person He was sent of his father to gather together the lost sheep of Israel therfore being mindfull of his vocation he exhorteth the woman vnto repentance he comforteth her with the promise of grace They which gather hence that adulterie is not to bee punished with death they must of necessitie graunt by the same reason that inheritances are not to be diuided because Christ would not make himselfe a 〈◊〉 â—ayes man in that busines betwene two brethren Yea all manner of wickednes shal be exempted froÌ„ the punishment of y e lawes if the adulterers be forgiuen For then shall the gate be set open for all maner vnfaithfulnes for witchcraft gluttonie theft Moreouer the adultresse wheÌ„as she priuilie stealeth in a bastard she doth not only steal the name of a familie but she translateth the right of the heires being taken away from the lawfull issue vnto strangers And this is the head of euils that the wife which was coupled vnto an husband doth set foorth her selfe to commit wickednes with his shame doth also violate the holy couenant of god without which there remaineth no holines in y e world And yet this is the Papisticall diuinitie that Christe brought in in this place the law of grace wherby adulterers may be set free from punishment And whereas they do go about to blot out by all meanes out of the minds of meÌ„ the grace of Christ which the doctrine of Christ doth euery where set foorth vnto vs they do only preach the law of grace w t open mouth in this point And why so that they may defile all beds almost with their vnbrideled lust and that freely This proceeded from that diuelish single life that they commit whooredome generally who may not haue a lawfull wife And let vs hold that Christ doth so forgiue meÌ„ their sins that notwithstaÌ„ding he doth not ouorthrow politike order he doth not abolish iudgements punishments appointed by the Iawes Sin no more Hence we gather what is y e end of the grace of Christ namely that a sinner being reconciled vnto god do worship the author of his saluation by liuing godlilie holily To conclude we are called vnto repentance in the same word of God wherin pardon is offered vnto vs. And although this exhortation doth respect the time to come yet the remembrance of the former life doth also humble sinners 12 Therfore Iesus spake vnto them againe saying I am the light of the world â—e that followeth me shall not walke in darknes but shall haue the light of life 13 Therfore the Pharisees said vnto him Thou doest testifie of thy selfe thy testimonie is not true 14 Iesus answered
am from aboue you are of the worlde I am not of this world 24 Therefore said I vnto you that you shall die in your sinnes for vnlesse you shal beleeue that I am you shall die in your sinnes 21 I goe After that he seeth that he can do no good amōgst the obstinate he denounceth vnto them destruction And this is the end of all those that doe refuse the Gospel For it is not rashly throwen into the ayre but it must needes breath out the sauour of life or death The summe of the words is that the wicked shall once perceiue that to their great dammage they haue reiected Christ offering himselfe vnto them willingly but to late when as there shall be no more place left for repentance And to the end he may the more terrifie them with the nighnesse of the punishment he saith first that he wil be gone shortly which signifieth that the Gospel is preached vnto them only for a short time and if so be it they passe ouer this opportunitie there shall not alwayes be an acceptable time and dayes appointed for saluation So likewise when as Christ knocketh at our gate at this day we must straightway goe to meete him least being wearie of our slouthfulnesse he withdrawe himselfe from vs. And truly it hath been knowen by many experiments of all times how greatly we ought to bee afraide of this departure of Christe But we must now first of all note how these sought Christ of whom the Euangelist speaketh For if their conuersation had been true then they had not sought him in vain because he did not falsly promise that he woulde be present so often as a sinner should grone Therefore Christ meaneth not that they would seeke him with true faith but as men being brought into great distresse doe seeke deliueraunce euery where For the vnbeleeuers would couet to haue God to bee mercifull vnto them but in the meane season they cease not to flie from him God calleth them the comming consisteth in faith and repentance But they set the hardnesse of their heart against God and being discouraged with despayre they fret and fume against God To be briefe they are so farre from desiring to come truly vnto God that they leaue no place for his ayde vnlesse he denie himself which he will neuer doe In like sort how wicked soeuer y e Scribes were they wold willingly haue applied vnto thēselues the redēption which was promised by the hand of the Messias so Christe would haue transfigured himselfe vnto their nature Therefore Christ threatneth in these wordes and denounceth vnto all the vnbeleeuers that they shal be brought into such straits after that they haue despised the doctrine of the Gospel that they shal be enforced to crie vnto God but yet this their owling shall be in vaine because as we haue said in seeking they doe not seek And that is expressed plainly enough in the next clause when he saith You shall die in your sinne For he teacheth that this is the cause of their destruction because they shal be disobedient and rebellious against God euen to the end And we shal see by and by what manner of sinne this is 22 VVill hee flea himselfe The Scribes goe on forward not onely in carelesse contempt but also in frowardnes For they mocke him because he said that they cannot follow him thyther whyther he was about to go as if they should say if he kill himselfe we confesse wee cannot beare him companie because we will not doe so For they did both make no account of Christ his absence and they thought that they were his superiours in all thinges Therfore they bid him be packing whither hee will This is horrible dulnesse but Satan doeth so bewitch the wicked that through their more then drunken slouthfulnesse they throw themselues into the middest of the fire of Gods wrath Doe we not see the same fury in many at this day who hauing their consciences made amazed doe make a mock of al that which they heare of the feareful iudgements of God Although it is certaine that this laughter is but from the teeth forward because they are digged within with blind prickings but by and by they burst out into furious nickerings like mad men 23 You are from beneath Because they were vnworthie to be taught his meaning was onely to strike them with short chidinges as in this place he affirmeth that they doe not receiue his doctrine because they doe altogether loath the kingdom of God Furthermore he comprehendeth vnder these wordes worlde and beneath what thing soeuer men haue of nature and so he maketh his Gospell and the sharpnes and quicknesse of mans minde to disagre Because the Gospel is heauenly wisedome and our minde resteth vpon the earth Therfore no man shall be a meete disciple for Christ saue only he whom he shall fashion with his spirite And this is the cause that faith is so rare in the worlde because all mankinde is naturally estraunged and turned away from Christe saue only those whome he lifteth vp with the peculier grace of his spirite 24 You shall die in your sinnes He putteth in the plurall number nowe whereas he vsed the singuler before in the same sense saue only because he meant to note in the former place that vnbeliefe in the cause fountaine of all euilles not because only vnbeliefe is sinne or because it alone doth make vs giltie of eternall death before God as some do say too hyperbollically but because it doth estrange vs frō Christ depriueth vs of his grace from whence we should haue set deliueraunce from all our sinnes Therefore because the Iewes doe of obstinate malice refuse medicine this is vnto them a deadly euill and hereby it commeth to passe that being made the bondslaues of Satan they cease not to heape sinne vpon sinne and to make themselues gilty againe againe Therefore he addeth by and by Vnlesse you beleeue that I am For doubtlesse the lost haue no other meanes whereby they can recouer saluation saue only by flying vnto Christ. And in these wordes that I am is contained a great force because all these thinges are to be vnderstood whatsoeuer the scripture doth attribute vnto the Messias and commaundeth vs to hope for at his handes Notwithstanding the summe is the restoring of the Church the beginning whereof is the light of faith whence spring righteousnes and newnesse of life Certaine of the old writers did falsly applie this vnto the diuine essence of Christ whereas he intreateth of his office towarde vs. This sentence is worth the marking for men doe neuer sufficiently consider the euils wherein they are drowned againe although they be enforced to acknowledge theyr destruction yet neglecting Christ they looke about them vnto vaine remedies VVherfore we must holde this that vntill such time as the deliueryng grace of Christe doe shewe it selfe there raigneth an innumerable sinke of all euils 25 Therefore they said vnto
thēselues the grace of Christ whosoeuer being puffed vp with a vaine confidence doe flatter themselues in their own estate This pride goeth through the whole worlde almost so that there is scarce one amongest an hundred that doth perceiue that he hath need of the grace of God 34 He that doth sin c. An argument drawen from contraries They made their boast that they were free he proueth that they are the seruants of sinne because being subiect to the desires of the flesh they sinne continually And it is a maruell y t mē are not conuinced with their own experience that hauing laid away pride they may learne to humble them selues This thing is at this day too common that the more a mans vices are so much the more fiercely doth he with loftie words extol free wil. And Christ as it seemeth affirmeth no other thing in this place saue that which in times past was tossed amongst the philosophers that those who are addicted vnto their lustes are in the worst bondage But there is a deeper and more hidden sense For he doth not only dispute what euill men doe bring vppon themselues but what maner estate the estate of mans nature is The philosophers thought that euerie man is made a bondslaue at his own pleasure doth returne vnto libertie againe But Christ proueth aduoucheth in this place that al those are subiect to bōdage whō he doth not set free so consequently that they are seruantes by beginning who draw the infection of sin frō corrupt nature we must note the comparison of grace nature whereupon Christ standeth in this place whereby it shall easily appeare that men are spoyled of libertie vnlesse they recouer the same by some other meanes This bondage is so voluntarie that those which offend necessarily are not compelled to sin 35 And the seruant c. He addeth a similitude takē from the lawes the politik law as a seruant although he rule for a time yet is he not the heire of the house whereupon he concludeth that there is no perfect continuall libertie saue that which is obtained through the sonne By this meanes he doth accuse the Iewes of vanitie because they make boast of the shadow insteed of the thing For in that they were the carnal progenie of Abrahā they were nothing els but a shadow they had a place in y e church of God but such an one as Ismael did vsurp vnto himselfe for a short space the seruant triumphing against the free brother The sum is whosoeuer do boast that they are the childrē of Abrahā they haue nothing but a false vanishing show 36 Therfore if the son shal make you free In these words he giueth vs to vnderstād y t the right of liberty appertaineth vnto him alone that al other forasmuch as they are born seruants are set free only through his grace For he doth impart that vnto vs by adoptiō which is proper to himself by nature whilest that we are engrafted into his bodie by faith are made his mēbers So that we must remēber that which I said before that he setteth vs free by the gospel Therefore our liberty is the benefit of Christ but we obtain the same by faith whiche doth also cause Christ to regenerate vs by his spirit VVhēas he saith that they are free indeed there is great force in y ◠aduerb indeed for we must vnderstād the contrary which is the false perswasiō wherwith the Iewes did swell like as euen now a great part of the world imagineth to themselues a kingdom in most miserable subiectiō 37 I know that you are the seed of Abraham I take this to be spoken by a kind of concession Notwithstāding in y e mean season he derideth their foolishnes because they boast of a friuolous title as if he should say admit I graunt you that wherein you do so much flatter your selues Yet what doth it profit those to bee called y e seed of Abrahā who rage against god his ministers who being moued with an vngodly wicked hatred of the truth are carried headlong to shed innocēt blood wherupō it foloweth that they are nothing lesse thē that which they wil be called because they are in no point like vnto Abrahā You seeke to kyll me VVhen he saith y t they seek to put him to death because his word hath no place in thē his meaning is that they are not simply māslears but that they are enforced vnto suche madnes with the hatred of god his truth which is far more cruel For the iniurie doth not thē keep it self within the cōpasse of mē but it doth also dishonour God Hee saith that they cānot receiue his word because their minds are ful fraught with malice so that they cā admit no sound thing 38 That which I haue seen with my father He had oftentimes alreadie made mētiō of his father Now he gathereth by an argument drawen frō contraries that they are both the enemies of God children of the Diuell that resist his doctrine I do only saith he speake that which I haue heard of my father therfore how commeth it to passe that the word of GOD doth so nettle you saue only bicause you haue the father set against you He saith that he speaketh and they doe because he did take vppon him the office of a teacher they did furiously endeuour to extinguish his doctrine Neuerthelesse he setteth his Gospel fre from contempt because it is no maruell if the children of the Diuell doe resist it Some doe translate it doe yee as if Christ did say goe too shew your selues to be the children of the Diuell in resisting me For I do only speake according to the prescript of God 39 They aunswered and saide vnto him Abraham is our father Iesus saieth vnto them If you were the children of Abraham yee woulde doe the workes of Abraham 40 And now yee seeke to kill me a man that haue spoken the truth vnto you which I haue heard of God Abraham did not this 41 You doe the workes of your father Therfore they said vnto him we are not begotten of fornication we haue one father which is God 42 Iesus said vnto them If GOD were your father you woulde loue mee for I came out from God and came neither came I of my selfe but hee sent me 39 Our father Abraham This chiding doeth plainely declare howe proudly and cruelly they despised all Christ his chidinges They challendge this to themselues continually that they are the children of Abraham and not only in that sense because they had Abraham his progenie for their progenitours but because they are an holy kinred gods inheritance the childrē of god Notwithstāding they leane only vnto the confidence of the flesh But the fleshly stocke is nothing els but a meere visure without faith Now we vnderstande what did so blinde them that they tossed Christ to and fro being euen armed with a
vnderstande that it is no fraile or temporall ioy whereof he speaketh but that it neuer falleth away VVherefore let vs learne that wee must seeke the hope of saluation in Christes doctrine which may be of force aswell in life as in death Your ioy may bee fulfilled He addeth that this ioy shall be perfect full not because the faithfull are free from all sorrow but because the matter of ioy aboundeth so that no feare no care no sorrowe doth at any time swallow them vp For those that haue this grace giuen them to glory in Christ neither life nor death nor any miseries can hinder them from triumphing ouer heauinesse 12 This is my commaundement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you 13 No man hath greater loue then this that a man should put away his life for his friendes 14 You are my friendes if you doe those thinges which I commaund you 15 After this I wil not cal you seruants because the seruant knoweth not what his master doth but I haue called you friendes because what thinges soeuer I haue heard of my father I haue made them knowen vnto you 12 This is my commandement Seeing that it is meete that wee direct our life according to Christes commaundement we must know especially what he willeth and commaundeth Therefore he repeateth that nowe which hee had saide before that this pleaseth him aboue all other thinges that the faithful doe loue one another The loue reuereÌ„ce of God is former in order indeede but because the lawfull tryall thereof is loue toward the neighbours hee maketh mention principally of this Furthermore like as of late in the generall reuerencing of doctrine so now he setteth before vs after a sort a patterne which we must folow for he loued all his to the end they may loue one another VVe haue spoken in the chapter next going before why he commandeth nothing in plaine wordes in this place touching the louing of the vnbeleeuers 13 Greater loue then this Christ setteth foorth sometimes the greatnesse of his loue toward vs to the end he may the better establishe the hope of our saluation and now he goeth farther that hee may enflame vs to loue our brethren by his own exaÌ„ple Yet he coupleth both things together for he will haue vs to receiue by faith the infinite sweetnesse of his goodnes and secondly he allureth vs by this meanes vnto the study of loue So Paule vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 5. 2. VValk in loue as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour to God God coulde haue redeemed vs otherwise by his worde or his becke vnlesse he had thought good that it should be otherwise for our sake that in not sparing his owne and onely begotten sonne he might in his person declare how carefull hee was for our saluation And now those hearts must needes bee as hard as yron stone which cannot bee softened with such incomparable sweetnes of Gods loue Yet a question may be asked in this place how Christ died for his friends seeing that we were his enemies before he reconciled vs. For hauing purged our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death hee remoued the coimitie which was betweene God and vs. Let vs set the answer to this question out of the third chapter where we haue said that in respect of our selues there is dissention betweene God and vs vntill our sinnes be abolished by the death of Christ and that euerlasting loue of God wherewith he loued euen his enemies was the cause of this grace whiche was giueÌ„ in Christ. After this sort Christ gaue his life for strangers yet such as he loued euen theÌ„ otherwise he wold not haue died for theÌ„ 14 Yee are my friends He meaneth not that we do attaine vnto such honour by any merit of our owne but hee doth only tell vs vpon what condition he receiueth vs into fauour and vouchsafeth to reckon vs amongst his friends As he said of late If yee shall keepe my commandements yee shall abide in my loue â—or the grace of our sauiour God hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlines worldly lustes we should liue chastly righteously godlily in this world Tit. 2. 11. 12. But prophane men who wax wanton against Christe through the wicked contempt of the gospel doe tenounce his friendship 15 After this I will not call you seruants He declareth proueth his loue toward his disciples by another argument to wit that he did altogether reueale himself vnto them like as familiar communication taketh place amongst friends I saith he haue giuen you farre more then mortal man is wont to giue to his seruants therfore let this be vnto you a pledge of my loue towarde you in that I haue laide open vnto you the hidden mysteries of the heauenly wisdom mildlie frindly which I had heard of the father This is an excellent coÌ„mendation of the gospel that wee haue Christs heart as it were opened there so that we need not doubt of his loue There is no cause why we should desire to goe vp into heauen or downe into the deepe to set the certaintie of our saluation let this testimonie of loue which is contained in the gospel suffice vs because it shall neuer deceiue vs. Moses said Deut. 4. 7. vnto the old people what nation vnder heauen is so noble which hath God comming nigh vnto it as God doth common with thee this day But our noblenesse doth farre excell that since that GOD powred out himselfe wholy in his sonne VVherefore their vnthankfulnes is so much the greater and their frowardnesse so much the more vntollerable who beeing not content with the wonderfull wisdome of the Gospel do flie ouer vnto new speculations through proud lust VVhatsoeuer I haue heard It is certain that the Disciples knew not all things which Christ knew neither could it bee that they should attaine vnto so great highnes and seeing that he is the vncomprehensible wisdom of God he gaue euery man a certain portion of knowledge which was sufficient Therfore why saith he that hee reuealed all things I answere that this is restrained vnto the person office of the Mediatour He made himself the meane betweene God vs who receiued that from the secrete sanctuary of God which he did giue vnto vs as they say from hand to hand Therfore Christ omitted none of those things but told them vnto his disciples which were appertinent to our saluation which were profitable for vs. So that in as much as he is ordained the master only teacher of the church he heard nothing of the father which he taught not his faithfully only let vs haue an huÌ„ble desire to learn he readie apt to bee taught we shall perceiue that Paul doth not in vain call the gospel wisdome which maketh men perfect Col. 1. 28. 16 Yeâ— haue not chosen meâ— but I haue chosen you and
which shal come to passe 14. He shal glorifie me because he shal take of mine and show vnto you 15. Al things which the father hath are mine therefore said I vnto you he shal take of mine and shew vnto you 8. VVhen yee shall come Omittinge the diuersitie of expositions whiche the obscuritye of this place hath broughte forthe I will onelye affirme that whiche I doe thinke dooth beste of all agree with Christ his meaning Hee had promised the spirit to his disciples he commendeth the excellency of the gift now by the effect because his spirit shal not gouerne vphold and defend them alone but shal spread abroad his force farther He shal reproue the world saith he That is he shal not onely abide shut vp in you but shall spreade abroade himselfe from you through his power throughout the whole worlde Therefore hee promiseth vnto them the spirite which shall be the iudge of the world and by whome their preaching shal be so liuely and effectuall that it shal bring those into order who passing their boundes beefore throughe vnbrideled lyberty were holden with no feare or reuerence And we must note that Christ speaketh not in this place of secrete reuelations but of the power of the spirite which appeareth in the externall preaching of the Gospel and in the voice of menne For how commeth it to passe that the voice of manne pearceth the mindes doth take roote there and finallye bringeth foorth fruite making fleshy heartes of stony heartes and renewinge the menne themselues saue only because the spirit of Christ doth quicken it Otherwise it shuld be a dead letter and a vaine founde as Paul teacheth excellently 2. Cor. 3. 6. where he boasteth that he is a minister of the spirite because God wrought mightely in his doctrine The sense therefore is this when as the Apostles shal haue the spirite giuen them they shall bee furnished with celestiall and diuine power that they maye exercise authoritie and haue iurisdiction throughout the whole world This is attributed rather to the spirite then to them because they shall haue no power of their owne seeing they shal be onely ministers and instrumentes and it is the spirite alone which is in them which shall gouerne I thinke that he comprehendeth vnder this word world aswel those that should be truely conuerted vnto Christ as the reprobate and hypocrites For the spirit reproueth men two manner of wayes in the preaching of the Gospel for some are touched throughly so that they humble themselues willingly they subscribe vnto the iudgemente readily whereby they are condemned Othersome although they being conuicted cannot escape guiltinesse yet doe they not yeelde from their heart neyther doe they submit themselues vnto the authority and dominion of the spirit but rather beeinge subdued they frette inwardly and being confounded they doe not yet cease to nourish stubbernnes in their hearts Now do we see how the spirite ought to reproue the world by the Apostles to witte because GOD reuealed his iudgement in the Gospel wherewith when the consciences were smitten they beganne to feale their own mysery and the grace of God For the word Elenchein is taken in this place for to conuicte That which is contained 1. Corinth â—4 24. shall bringe no small lighte to the vnderstanding of this place where Paul saith if they prophecie all and an vnbeleeuer or an idiote doe come in he is reproued of all he is iudged of all and so the secretes of his heart are made manifest Paule intreateth in that place properly of one kinde of reprouing to wit when the Lord bringeth his elect vnto repentaunce by the Gospel yet it appeareth euidently heereby how the spirit of God doth by the sound of mans voyce compell men vnacquainted before with the yoake to acknowledge and submit themselues to his gouernment Now the question is to what end Christ said thus Some doe thinke that he noteth the cause of the hatred whereof he made mention as if he should say that the world doth hate them for this cause because the spirite shall vrge the world on the other side by them But I doe rather subscribe vnto those other who teach that Christe didde intende some other thing as I haue alreadye touched in the beeginninge For it was verye requisite that the Apostles shoulde knowe that the gyfte of the spirite which was promysed them was no small gyft Therefore the excellencie thereof is descrybed that GOD shall by this meanes erecte his iudgemente seate to iudge the whole world 9. Of sinne Now it remayneth that we see what it is to reproue of sinne Christ seemeth to make infidelytie the onely cause of sinne and that is diuersly wrested by the interpreters But as I sayd before I will not declare what euery one of them teacheth or thinketh VVe must firste of all note that the iudgement of the spirite beginneth at the declaration of sinne For this is the beginning of spiritual doctrine that menne begotten in sinne haue nothing in themselues but the matter of sinne Furthermore Christ maketh mention of infidelitie to the ende hee mighte shew what the nature of man is in it selfe For because the bond wherby he vniteth himselfe vnto vs is fayth vntil we beleeue in him wee are without him and deuided from him Therefore these words importe as much as if he should haue said when the spirit shall come he shal declare and proue that sinne reigneth in the world without me Therfore infidelitie is named in this place because it separateth vs from Christ and so bringeth to passe that there is nothing left in vs but sinne To be shorte the corruption and frowardnes of mans nature is condemned in these words least we should think that there is one drop of righteousnes in vs without Christ. 10. Of righteousnes VVe must note the course of the degrees whiche Christ setteth downe Hee saith now that the worlde must be reproued of righteousnes For doubtlesse menne shal not hunger and thriste after righteousnes yea they shal with loathsomnesse refuse whatsoeuer shall be spoken of it vnlesse they shal be touched with the feeling of sin Especially we must thus thinke of the faithfull that they cannot profitte in the Gospel vntil they shal be first humbled which cannot be vntill they come to the knowledge of their sinnes It is the proper function of the law to call the consciences vnto Gods iudgement and to wounde them with feare but the Gospel cannot be rightly preached but that it muste bring from sinne vnto righteousnes and from death to life Therefore it must needes borrow that first member of the law wherof Christ spake And heere vnderstand that righteousnes which we haue by the grace of Christ. Christ placeth that in his ascention vnto his father and that not without cause for like as as Paule testifieth Rom. 4. 24 hee rose againe for our iustification so he sitteth nowe at the right hande of the father that he may exercise whatsoeuer power
his Crosse bee went out into the place whiche is called of a Skull and in Hebrue Golgotha 18. VVhere they crucified him and two other with him the one on the one side and the other on the other and Iesus in the midle 19. And Pilate wrote also a Title and putte it vpon the Crosse and the writinge was IESVS OF NAZARETH KINGE OF THE IEVVES 20. Therfore many of the Iewes reade this Title because the place was nigh to the Citie where Iesus was crucified And it was written in Hebrue Greeke and Latin 21. Therefore the Priestes of the Iewes saide vnto Pilate write not Kinge of the Iewes but that he saide I am Kinge of the Iewes 22. Pilate answered That which I haue written I haue written 17. Hee went out into a place The circumstaunces whiche are noted in this place are of great force not onely for the certaintie of the hystorie but also to edifie our faith VVee must seeke righteousnesse in the satisfaction made by Christe Therefore to the ende he might prooue that he was a satisfaction and sacrifice for our sinnes he woulde both be caried out of the citie and also hanged vppon the tree For the sacrifices whose bloude was shedde for sinnes were woonte to be caried without the tentes accordinge to the commaundement of the lawe Exodus 29. 14. Leuiticus 4. 12. and the same law pronounceth him accurssed whosoeuer hangeth vppon the tree Deuteronomie 21. 23. Both things were fulfilled in Christe so that we may be fully assured that our sinnes are purged by the sacrifice of his death that hee was subiecte to the cursse that he might redeeme vs from the cursse of the lawe Galathians 3. 13. that he was made sinne that wee maye be in him the righteousnesse of God 2. Corrinthians 5. 21. that he was brought without the Citie that he might take away our filthinesse which was laid vpon him Hebrewes 13. 12. To the same ende tendeth that whiche followeth concerninge the theeues For as if the crueltie of the punishment were not sufficient of it selfe he is hanged betwene two theeues as if he were not some one of the number of other menne but of all other the most wicked and detestable For we must alwayes remember that the wicked hangmenne which crucified Christe did nothing but that which was decreed by the hand and councell of God For God did not lay open his sonne to their will and pleasure but he would haue him offered vppe like a sacrifice to himselfe according to his owne wil and minde And if so be it the counsell of God wanted not good reason in al those things which he would haue his sonne suffer we must well ponder both the greatnes and grieuousnes of his wrath conceiued against sinne and also the infinite greatnes of his goodnes toward vs. The guiltines of vs all could by no other meanes be purged vnlesse the sonne of God shoulde be made a sacrifice for vs. VVee see how he was driuen into an execrable place being polluted as it were with an huge heape of sinnes that hee may appeare accursed there before God and menne VVee are too dull certeinely vnlesse we see clearely in this glasse how greatly GOD abhorreth sinnes and wee are more then stonie vnlesse we tremble and quake at such a iudgement of his And whilest that on the other side GOD dooth testifie that our saluation was so deare vnto himselfe that hee spared not his onely begotten sonne what aboundaunt greatnesse of his goodnesse and grace doe we see there Therefore whosoeuer shall well weigh the cause of Christes death togeather with the fruite which wee reape thereby the doctrine of the crosse shal not be vnto them either foolishnes as to the Gretians or a stone of stumbling as to the Iewes 1. Cor. 1. 23. but rather an vnestimable token and pledge both of Gods power wisdom righteousnes and goodnes VVhen Iohn saith that the place was called Golgotha he taketh it either from the Chaldean or els from the Assyrian tong The name is deriued of Galgal that is of rowling beecause the scull is round like a ball or bowle 19. And he wrote a title The Euangelist maketh mention of a facte of Pilate worthye to bee spoken of after that hee hadde giuen sentence It was peraduenture an vsuall thing to set vppe titles when euill doers were punished that the cause of their punishment might be knowen for an example vnto all men but this is an extraordinarie thinge in Christe that the title is set ouer his head without reproche For it was Pilates intent to the ende hee might bee auenged of the Iewes by the way who with their frowardnesse had caused him vniustly to punish an innocent man to condemne the whole nation in the person of Christe Hee is so farre from defaming Christ for any fault of his owne But the prouidence of God had respecte vnto a farre higher thing which directed Pilate his stile It came not into Pilates minde to praise Christ as the authour of saluation and a Nazaret of God and the king of the elect people yet God did indite this praise of the Gospell vnto him not knowing what he shoulde wryte By the same secreate motion of the spirite came it to passe that he shoulde publish the title in three languages For it is not to be thought that this was a common vse but the Lorde declared by this preparatiue that the time was now at hand when his sonnes name should be knowen euery where 21. Therefore the priestes sayde vnto Pilate They perceiue that they were spitefully touched and therefore they desired to haue the title changed that it might onely burden Christ without defaming the nation But in the meane season they doe not dissemble with how great hatred of the truthe they were infected seeing they cannot abide the least title therof Sathan doeth alwayes so pricke forwarde his ministers that they maye endeuour either to extinguish or at least with their darknesse to choake the light of God so soone as it appeareth but a little The constancie of Pilate is to be attributed to Gods prouidence For it is to be doubted but that they assayed and tempted his minde diuerse wayes Therefore wee may know that it was holden by God that it might remaine constant Pilate yeelded not vnto the praiers of the priestes neither didde he suffer himself to be corrupted by them but God did testifie by his mouth how stable his sonnes kingdome is But and if there was greater strength and firmnesse of the kingdome of Christ shewed in Pilates writing thē that it could be shaken with the endeuours of the enemies what muste wee thinke of the testimonies of the prophetes whose handes and mouthes God hath sanctified to himselfe And also Pilate his example putteth vs in minde of our duetie that we be constant in defending the trueth The prophane manne dooth not call backe that which he wrote truely concerning Christ though vnaduisedly therefore what a shame is it
imputing vnto them their sinnes VVherefore if we wil shew our selues faithful ministers of the Gospel we must endeuour this with al diligēce For the Gospell differeth from prophane philosophy moste of all in this poynt because it placeth mans saluation in the free forgiuesse of sinnes For the other benefites of God doe flowe hence that God dooth illuminate vs and regenerate vs by his spirit that he reformeth and fashioneth vs after his owne image that hee armeth vs with inuincible strength against the world and Sathan Therefore all the whole doctrine of godlines and the spirituall blinding of the Church stayeth vppon this foundation that God doth adopt vs vnto himselfe freely being purged from all our sinnes And Christ doth so enioyne vnto his Apostles the commaundement to forgiue sinnes that hee dooth not translate and giue vnto them that which is his own It is proper to him to forgiue sinnes Hee doth not resigne vp this honour vnto the Apostles inasmuch as it belongeth to him But he biddeth them testifie the forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name that he may reconcile menne vnto God by them ◠Finally he alone to speake properly doeth forgiue sinnes by hys Apostles Yet the question may be seeing that he doeth only make them witnesses or preachers of this benefite and not authours why he doeth so highly extoll their power I answeare that this was graunted for the establishing of our faith There is nothinge more for our profite then that we may safely perswade our selues that our sinnes are not remembred before God Zacharias calleth this the knowledge of saluation in his songe Luke 1. 77. Seeing that God doeth vse the testimonie of men to proou◠the same our consciences shall neuer be quiet vnlesse they acknowledge that God himselfe doeth speake in their person Therefore Paule sayeth 2. Corint 5. 20. we exhort you that ye be reconciled vnto God as if Christ did beseeche you by vs. Nowe doe we see why Christe doeth set foorth and adorne the ministerie which he enioyneth hys Apostles with such an excellent title to witte that the faithful may be fully perswaded that that is sure and certain which they heare concerning the remission of sinnes and that they may make no lesse account of that reconciliation which is offred by the voice of men then if God himselfe should reach foorth his hand out of heauen The church reapeth moste plentifull frute of this doctrine daily whilest that it vnderstandeth that her pastours are made the promisers of eternall saluation and that shee needeth not to seeke for the remission of sinnes whiche is committed vnto them Neither ought we therefore to make small accounte of thys incomparable treasure because it is put in earthen vessels But we are to thanke God who hath vouchsafed to bestowe so great honour vppon men that they represent his person and the person of his sonne in testifying the forgiuenes of sins And let vs know that whilest braine sicke men do despise this embassage they tread vnder foot the bloud of christ Againe the Papists are more then doltish who wrest this place vnto their magicall absolutions Vnlesse a man confesse his sins in the Priests eare we must hope for no remission as they say For Christ would haue the Apostles to forgiue sinnes but they cannot obsolue vnlesse they knowe the matter Therefore menne must needes confesse theyr sinnes But their errour is ridiculous whilest that they passe ouer the principall issue of the matter to witte that this authoritye is graunted the Apostles to auouch and defend the authoritie of the Gospel the preaching wherof was committed vnto them For Christe dooth not appoynte in this place confessionaries that they may sifte and know euery sinne by secret whisperinges but lowd preachers of the Gospel that they may seale the grace of the purging gotten by Christe in the heartes of the faythfull VVherefore we must note the manner of forgiuing sinnes that we may know what power this is which is giuen the Apostles VVhose sinnes ye shal retaine Christ addeth this second member to terrifie the contemners of his Gospel that they may know that they shal not escape scotte free for this their pryde Therefore as the embassage of eternal saluation and of lyfe was enioyned the Apostls so were they armed with vengeaunce against al the wicked who refuse the saluation which is offered them as Paule teacheth 2. Cor. 10. 6. But it is the latter in order because the true and natural end of preaching the Gospell oughte to haue beene shewed first In that we are reconciled vnto God this is proper to the Gospell and it is an accidentall thing that the vnbeleeuers are adiudged vnto eternall death In like sorte Paule after that hee denounceth that vengeaunce vnto the vnbeleeuers whereof I haue spoken of late hee addeth immediately after that your obedience shall be fulfilled For he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is proper to the Gospel to inuite al menne vnto saluation and it is an accidentall thing that it bryngeth destruction vnto some Notwithstanding we must note that whosoeuer heareth the voice of the Gospel vnlesse hee embrace remission of sinnes promised vnto him therein he is wrapt in guiltines and tied with eternall damnation For as it is a liuely sauor vnto the children of God so it is the sauor of death vnto death vnto those that perish Not that the preaching of the Gospel is necessary to condemne the reprobate seeinge that we are all lost by nature and euery man bringeth gètteth to him self new causes of death besides the heritable curse but because their stubbernnes deserueth a far greater punishment who despise the son of God willingly and wittingly 24. And Thomas one of the twelue which was called Dydimus was not with them when Iesus came 25. Therfore the other disciples said vnto him we haue seene the Lord. But hee sayde vnto them vnlesse I shal see the print of the nailes in his hands and shall thruste my finger into the prynte of the nayles and shall thrust my hande into his side I wil not beeleeue 26. And eight dayes after his disciples were within againe and Thomas was with them Therfore Iesus came when the doores were shut and stoode in the midst and said vnto them Peace be v◠to you 27. Then saieth hee to Thomas bringe thy finger hyther and see my handes and brynge in thy hande and thruste it into my side and bee not vnfaythfull but faithfull 28. Thomas aunswered and said vnto him My Lord and my God 29 Iesus saith vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued Blessed are those which haue not seene and yet haue beleeued 24. And Thomas The vnbeliefe of Thomas is rehearsed in this place that the faith of the godly may be the better confirmed thereby He was not only slow and hard to beleeue but also stubberne His hardnesse caused Christ to offer himself to be seene also felt in the same shape againe By this meanes
seruice hee proposeth vnto them the bowels of the mercie of god The scripture is ful of such testimonies which declare that the grace of Christ is made of no effect if we bēd not to this purpose But it is to be noted that he saith that we shuld serue him without feare For it signifieth that god cānot be rightly serued but with quiet setled mindes for they which are not perswaded but are in doubt with themselues whether they shal finde him merciful or offended whether he accepteth their obedience or refuseth the same to be short they which vncertainly wauer betweene hope and feare it may be that somtimes they carefullye busie thē selues in seruing him but they neuer submit themselues sincerely from the heart vnto him for feare doubtfulnes cause thē to abhor him so that if it were possible they wold rather wish that his Godhead were extinguished But we know that no sacrifice is acceptable to God but that which commeth of a free wil and which is offered with a glad heart VVherefore that men may worship aright it is necessarie that their cōsciences be first quieted as Dauid saith Psa. 130. 4. Mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared For God hauing giuē peace to men doth cal them louingly to him and causeth them to come gladly and with a free bold affection to worship him And hereof doth Paule gather that sentenc◠whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. For seeing that God hath reconciled men to himself in his sonne Christ seeing he defendeth them by the ayde of the same his sonne that they might be without al feare and seeing hee hath layd vp their saluation in his hand and keeping Zachary hath good cause to say that by his grace we are deliuered from feare Therefore the Prophetes ascribe this as a propertie to his kingdome that men should haue a certaine peace and should enioy most quiet ioy 75. In holynes and righteousnes As God hath comprehended in two tables the rule of liuing well So Zachary doth shewe heere that wee haue then serued god according to his law whē as our life is framed to holines righteousnes For it is not to be doubted but that holines doth cōtaine those dueties of godlines which belong to the first table of the law And of this thing Plato was not ignoraunt and rigteousnes extendeth to all the dueties of charitie For God requireth nothing else of vs in the second table but that we should giue to euery man that which is his due There is added before him that the faythfull may know that it is not sufficient for them to gouerne their life wel or that they keepe their hands their feete and their whole body from all sinne before the sight of men for it behooueth them to liue to the iudgement of God who is not satisfied with an outward holines but he especially beholdeth the heart Last of all least any man thinke that he hath done his duetie when as he hath serued God for a small time Zachary saieth that they were redeemed of this condition that they should spend their whole life in endeuouring to serue God And seeing that our redemption is eternall it is our duetie neuer to forget it And seeing God adopteth vs vnto him selfe for euer our thankfulnes ought not to be trāsitorie or for a smal time to be short seeing that Christ died and rose againe for them it is conuenient that hee should be Lord both of their life and death Therfore Paule in that place which I cited a litle before commaundeth vs to lead a holy and a righteous life vntill the comming of the mightie God looking for saith he the blessed hope c. Matthew Marke Luke 1. 76. And thou babe shalt be called the Prophet of the most heigh for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies 77. And to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people by the remission of their sinnes 78. Through the tender mercie of our God whereby the daye spring from an high hath visited vs. 79. To giue light to them that sitte in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and to guide them into the way of peace 80. And the childe grewe and waxed strong in sprit and was in the wildernesse til the day came that he should shew himselfe vnto Israel 76. And thou childe Zachary returneth againe to the commendation of the grace of Christ but he doth this as it were vnder the person of his owne sonne briefly setting forth the office of teaching for the which he was prepared and apponted And although that he could not yet discerne any prophetical giftes in the litle childe being but eight dayes old he yet turning his eies to behold the counsaile of God doth speake as of a thing perfectly knowne To be called a prophet of God is in this place taken for to be accompted and to be openly knowne The secrete calling of God was gone and passed before it onely rested that it should be made knowne vnto men what he was But because that the name of a prophet is generall therefore by the reuelation brought vnto him by the Angel he is appoynted to be the forerunner of Christ. Thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord saith he That is this office thou must vndertake that by thy preaching thou maist turn men to heare the Lord But why Iohn when he had almost ended his course denied that he was the Prophet of God it is declared in that place in Iohn And we shal hereafter see what manner of preparing of a way this is whereof Zachary here speaketh 77. To giue knowledge of saluation Zachary nowe toucheth the chiefe poynt of the Gospell in that he teacheth that the knowledge of saluatiō is put in the forgiuenes of sinnes For seeing that by nature we are born the children of wrath it followeth that by nature wee are condemned and lost and this is the cause of our damnation that we are guiltie of vnrighteousnes wherefore there is no other way whereby we may escape death except that God should reconcile vs to him selfe by not imputinge or laying our sinnes to our charge And it is easily gathered out of the words of Zachary that this is the onely righteousnes that remayneth for vs before God For wherof commeth saluation but of righteousnes And if that it be not lawful for the children of God to acknowledge any other saluatiō then through forgiuenesse of sinnes it followeth that righteousnesse cannot any other where bee sought so the righteousnesse which proude men haue forged and framed to them selues of the merites of workes is nothing else but imputation of righteousnes whilst that God freely absolueth vs from the guiltinesse of sinne Moreouer it is to bee noted that Zachary speaketh not of straungers but of the people of god whereof it followeth that not onely the beginning of righteousnes doth depend vppon forgiuenesse of sinnes but that the faythfull also
are by imputation or imputatiuely that I may so speake righteous before god euen vntil the end because that otherwise they cannot stand before his tribunal seate except that dayly they haue recourse to the free reconciliation in his grace 78. Through the tender mercie In this so great a benefit Zachary as it is requisite doth set forth the mercy of God and he was not content to call it simply the saluation which was brought vs through Christ but he saith that it came out of the tendernesse or very bowelles of Gods mercy the which is more forcible Afterwardes hee metaphorically addeth that through the great mercie of God it came to passe that the daye gaue light to them that satte in darkenes Oriens i. the day springing in this place is not a participle for in greeke it is anatole that is the coast where the sunne ariseth to the which the fall is opposed Therefore Zachary extolleth the mercy of God in this that the darkenes of death being shaken off the light of life was restored to the people of God In this maner it becommeth vs as oft as we speake of our saluation to lift vp our minds to the mercy of God It seemeth to be an allusion to the 4. chap. 2 v. of Mal where Christ is called the sunne of righteousnes hauing health vnder his winges that is carrying it in his beames For the wordes light and darknesse there are the like in Esa. 9. 2. The people that walked in darknes haue seene a great light they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death vppon them hath the light shined And in many other places are those wordes vsed But by these wordes wee are taught that there is no light of life in the world without Christ but that al thinges are couered with the most horrible darkenes of death Therefore in an other place Esay doth testifie that this is proper to the Church alone Behold saith he darknesse shall couer the earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lorde shall arise vpon thee and his glorye shall be seene vpon thee Chap. 60. 2. Yet it is demaunded how the Israelites satte in the shadow of death whose heartes the Lord alwayes lightned through faith I aunswere that the godly which liued vnder the law being on euery side compassed with the darknesse of death did beholde light a farre off in the comming of Christe wherewith they were refreshed least they shoulde haue ben ouerwhelmed with present death It may be also that Zachary had respect to the miserable estate of his time But generally this is true for by the comming of Christ there arose a light to all the godly which were before and also which were to come which should quicken them because he extended his life also euen to the dead To sitte signifieth as much as to lye downe therfore Esay commaundeth the Church to arise when the day shone 60. 1. 79. To guide our feete By this clause Zacharyas teacheth that the chefe perfection of all goodnesse and felicitie doth consist in Christ alone The word peace might here haue beene vsed in his proper sense and shoulde not haue beene much amisse because that the light of Christ pacifieth the mindes of men But because that amongst the Hebrewes peace doth signifie a good blessed successe of al things I doubt not but that Zachary in this place would make Christ the aucthour of all perfect blessednes least that we should seeke any thing that is good else where but that we being perswaded that through Christ we should be made perfectly and wholy blessed might rest in him alone To the same purpose belong those wordes of Isaias 60. 19. Thou shalt haue no more sunne to shine by day nor moone by night for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light If that Zachary by the onely beholding of his sonne that was yet a childe was lead to speak so notably of the grace and power of Christ before he was borne are not they thrise foure times vnthankfull which after that he is dead risen againe and ascended into heauen that hee might sitte at the right hand of his father doe esteeme lesse honourably reuerently of Christ and they extenuate his power whose praise the holy Ghost set forth while he was yet in his mothers wombe For we must remember that which I touched before that Zachary spake not of himself but as the spirit of God gouerned his tongue 80. And the childe grâ—w Luke addeth this to conclude the history with First he declareth that Iohn was strong in the spirit whereby hee signifieth that there was a rare and vnwoonted towardnesse in the chylde which was a signe that the heauenly spirite dwelt in him yet withall he saieth that hee remained hidde as one vnknowne in the wildernesse vntill the day came that hee should shewe himselfe that is vntill the Lorde appoynted to bring him forth whereby we gather that although Iohn knew well of his calling yet hee would not attempt anye thing before the time but taryed the calling of God Math. 1. 1. The booke of the generation of Iesus Christe the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham 2. Abraham begate Isaac and Isaac begate Iacob and Iacob begat Iudas and hu brethren 3. And Iudas begate Phares and Zara of Thamar and Phares begate Esrom and Esrom begat Aram 4. And Aram begate Aminadab and Aminadab begat Naassâ—n and Naassâ—n begate Salmon 5. And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab and Booz begate Obed of Ruth and Obed begat Iesse 6. And lesse begat Dauid the king and Dauid the king begat Solomon of her that was the wife of Vrias 7. And Solomon begat Roboam and Roboam begate Abia and Abia begate Asa. 8. And Asa begat Iosaphat and Iosaphat begat Ioram and Ioram begat Oziaâ— 9. And Ozlaâ— begat Ioatham and Ieatham begate Achaz and Achaz begat Ezechias 10. Ezechias begate Manasses and Manasses begat Amon and Amon begat Iosias 11. And Iosias begat Iochonias and his brethren about the time they were caried awaye to Babylon 12. And after they were caried away to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiell and Salathiell begat Zorababell 13. And Zorobabel begat Abiud and Abiud begat Eliacim and Eliacim begat Azor. 14. And Azor begat Sadock and Sadock begat Achim and Achim begat Eliud 15. And Eliud begat Eliazar and Eliazar begat Matthan and Matthan begat Iacob 16. And Iacob begate Ioseph the husbande of Marye of whome was borne Iesus which was called Christ. 17. So al the generations from Abraham to Dauid are fourteene generations froÌ„ Dauid vntil they were caryed away into Babylon fourteene generations and after they were caryed away vnto Babylon vntil Christ fourteene generations Marke Luke 3. 23. Iesus was supposed to bee the sonne of Ioseph which was the sonne of Eli. 24. The sonne of Matthat the sonne of Lâ—ui the sonne of Mâ—lchi the sonne of Ianne the sonne of Ioseph 25. The sonne of Mattathias the sonne of Amos the sonne
wicked and false traitours feete but also that he chose that time of sette purpose wherein he would play the last acte of his life being euen at deathes dore In that he saith that Iudas conceiued the intent and purpose to betray his master through the instigation and perswasion of the deuill this serueth to expresse the crueltye of the wickednes For that was an horrible more then a tragical fact wherin the efficacie and force of Sathan did shew forth it selfe It is true that men commit no wickednes whereunto Sathan doth not pricke theÌ„ forwarde but the more cruell and execrable that euery fact is so wee must so much the more consider the fury of the deuill in it who dooth carrye men which are forsaken of God hither and thither But althogh mans concupiscence be kindled with the fanne of Satan yet doth it not cease to be a furnace it selfe it hath fire in it selfe it receiueth the mouinge of the fanne willingly so that the wicked are without al excuse 3. VVhen Iesus knew that the father had giuen all thinges into his hand I thinke that this was added for this cause to the end wee may knowe whence it was that Christ was so quiet in minde to witte because hauing alreadye ouercome death he lyfted vppe his minde towarde the triumph whiche should immediately follow Menne are woont to tosse many things too and fro in their mindes when as they are afraide The Euangeliste giueth vs to vnderstand that there was no such motion in Christ because although he should immediately be betrayed of Iudas yet he knew that his father hadde giuen him all thinges If any manne aske howe it was then that he was afterwarde so sorrowfull that hee swette bloud I aunswere that both thinges were necessary that he shuld be afraid of death and that yet notwithstanding hee should fulfill the whole function of a mediatour 4 He laid away his clothes Vnderstande that hee laide awaye his vpper garment only not his coate For we know that the men of the East parts of the world did vse long garmentes The wordes which follow shortly after he beganne to wash the â—eete c. doe rather expresse Christ his purpose then the external acte for the Euangelist saieth afterward that he began with Peter 6. Lord doest thou wash my feete This speach is proper to one that abhorreth an absurde and vndecent thinge for when as hee asketh Christe what he doth he doth as it were lay hand vpon him This modesty were laudable if so be it obedience were not more worthe in the sighte of God then all manner of worship and honour yea if this were not the true and onely rule of humilitie to submit our selues to obey God and to haue all our senses bound to his will to the end we may allowe that without any controuersie whatsoeuer he saith doth please him Therefore we must chiefly keepe this law and rule of worshipping to be ready without delay to subscribe and giue our consent so soone as he commaÌ„deth any thing 7. VVhat I do VVe are taught in these wordes that we must simplye obey Christ although we see no reason why he will haue vs to doe this or that In a well ordered house couÌ„sel is in the power of the good man of the house alone the seruauntes must with foote and hande doe that which he willeth theÌ„ to do therfore he is too proud y t refuseth to do that which God commaundeth hym to do though he know no reasoÌ„ thereof Moreouer this admonitioÌ„ reacheth farther to wit that it be no trouble to vs to be ignoraunt of those thinges which God will haue to bee hidden from vs for a time For this kind of ignoraunce is better learned then all manner of knowledge when as we suffer God to be wiser then we our selues are 8. Peter saith vnto him thou shalt neuer wash my feete Iesus answered him sayinge If I shal not wash thee thou shalt haue no part with me 9. Simon Peter saieth vnto him Lorde not my feete onely but my hands and my head 10. Iesus saith vnto him he that is washed hath no neede to be washed saue only his feete but it al cleane and ye are cleane but not al 11. For he knew his betrayer therefore he said ye are not al cleane 8. Thou shalt not wash The modesty of Peter was hitherto excusable although it was not cleane without fault notwithstanding he offendeth now more grieuously in that he yeeldeth not being reproued This is a common vice that stubbernnes commeth vnto errour This was a fayre coulour because his refusall did proceede from reuerence but because he doth not simply obey the saying the very desire to maintain Christe his honour doth loose his grace Therfore this is the true wisdome of fayth to allow and reuerently to imbrace that as doone rightly and orderlye whatsoeuer doth proceede from the Lord. For we caÌ„not otherwise hallow his name because vnlesse we be perswaded that that is don by good reason whatsoeuer he doth our flesh will euer now and then repine as it is froward and will not yeelde vnto 〈◊〉 his honour vnlesse it be constrained To be briefe vntill such time as manne do dispoyle himselfe of liberty to iudge in the workes of God although he endeuoure to honor God himselfe yet pride shall alwayes lye hid vnder colour of humilitie If I shall not wash thee This answere which Christe maketh doth not yet expresse to what end he determined to wash the disciples feete he teacheth only by a similitude fet from the soule to the body that he doth no new thing or which did not agree with his person in washing the disciples feete In the meane whil he sheweth how foolishly Pet. is wise The same thing doth befal vs in like sort so ofteÌ„ as the lord shal once begin to striue with vs. So long as he holdeth his peace men do think that they do not disagree with him rashly but hee can do nothing more readily then with one word refute what excuses soeuer they pretend Because Christe is hys Lord and maister Peter thinketh it an absurd thing that he shuld wash his feet but wheÌ„ as he refuseth this duty hee refuseth that which is the chiefest thing in his saluation This sentence dooth also comprehende a generall doctrine that wee are all filthy and polluted before God vntill Christ doe wype away our filthinesse Now seeing that he challengeth to himselfe alone the office of washing let euery manne offer his vncleannesse vnto him to be washed that he may haue a place amongst the chyldren of God But before wee goe any further we must marke what this woord wash dooth signifie in this place There be some that referre it vnto free forgiuenes of sinnes othersome which referre it vnto newnes of lyfe the third sorte extend it vnto both which last I doe willingly admitte For Christ doth wash vs when he wypeth away our sinnes with the satisfaction of his sacrifice
that they may not come into Gods iudgemente hee washeth vs agayne when as he abolysheth the wicked and corrupt lustes of our fleshe with his spirite But beecause it shall appeare shortelye after in the texte that hee speaketh of the grace of regeneration I do not flatly think holde that he speaketh in this place of the washing of pardon 9. Lord not onely my feete VVhen Peter heard that he was lost vnlesse he should suffer himselfe to be washed when as Christ offered to do this thing this necessity was at length a fitte mistresse to tame him therefore ceasing any longer to contend he yeeldeth but he will bee washed all ouer and he confesseth indeede that how great soeuer hee was yet was he wholly polluted naturally with filthines and that therefore it is as good as nothing if he be but washed in one part onely But heere hee erreth lykewise through rashnes in that he maketh no accounte of that benefitte which hee hadde alreadye receiued For hee speaketh as if hee hadde beene indued with no remission of sins as yet with no sanctification of the spirit Therefore is he reprehended in this place by Christe for good causes For hee putteth him in minde of that which he had giuen him before although he teacheth all those that bee his vnder the personne of one manne that being mindefull of that grace which they haue receyued they consider with themselues what they haue neede of as yet hereafter First of all he saieth that the faythfull are cleane all not that they are so cleane in euery parte that there is no blot in them any longer but because they are cleansed in their principall part to witte whilest that the kingdome of sinne is taken away so that the righteousnesse of GOD hath the vpper hande like as if any manne shoulde saye that al his bodye is whole because it is not infected with any vniuersall disease Therfore it is meete that we testifie by newnesse of life that we are Christ his Disciples seeing that he affirmeth that he is the authour of puritie in all those that are his This other similytude is also applyed vnto this present matter least Peter shulde reiect the washinge of his feete as absurd For as Christ washeth euen from the head to the feete those whom he chuseth to bee his disciples so the lower part of those men must be daily purged whom he hath purged For the children of god are not wholly regenerated the very first day so that they liue an heauenlye life altogether but there doe rather remaine in them certeine reliques of the fleshe against which they stryue during their whole lyfe Therefore all the affections and cares which are worldly are called the feete metaphorycallye For if the spirite did possesse all partes of vs wee shoulde haue nothing to doe any longer with the filthinesse of the worlde And nowe in what part soeuer we are carnall so farre are we vncleane by creeping vpon the grounde or at least by treading in the myre So that Christe doth alwayes find some thing to purge in vs. Furthermore he intreateth not in this place of remission of sinnes but of the renuing wherby Christ exempteth his quite from the lustes of the flesh by little and little and by continuall succession 10 And you are cleane This is as it were the minor proposition in the Sillogisme whereuppon it followeth that the washing of the feete doth become them properly Yet there is an exception added that euery man may examine himselfe if peraduenture Iudas might bee touched with a desire to repent although his intent was betimes to arme the other Disciples least the crueltie of that haynous fact which should bee reuealed in continent should trouble them as if it had been conceiued in an heart endowed with the heauenly grace Notwithstanding he doth conceale his name of set purpose least he should shut the gate of repentance against him But forasmuch as he was desperate the admonition serued to none other ende but to augment his fault as for the disciples it profited them much because the diuinitie of Christ did more plainely appeare vnto them thereby and againe they did perceiue that puritie was a most singuler gift of the spirite 12 Therefore after that he had washed their feete and had taken his cloathing again sitting downe againe he saith vnto them know yee what I haue done 13 You call mee Master and Lord and ye say well for I am 14 Therefore if I who am your Lord and master haue washed your feete you must also wash one anothers feet 15 For I haue giuen you an example that as I haue done vnto you so you may doe also 16 Verily verily I say vnto you the seruant is not greater then his master neyther the Apostle greater then he that sendeth him 17 If yee know these thinges happie are yee if ye doe them 12 Therefore after that He doth now at length declare to what end Christ did wash his disciples feete For that which he put in concerning the spiritual washing was as it were a digression from the purpose Vnlesse Peter had made a stay Christ had spoken nothing concerning that matter Therefore he doth now render a reason why he did this to wit that he who was y e Lord and Master of all had giuen an example which all the godly must follow least any man should grudge to abase hymselfe to doe any maner of dutie how base and vile soeuer it bee to his brethren and equals For hence commeth the contempt of charitie because whilest euery man maketh more account of himself then is meet he despiceth al other men almost Neither was it his intent only to teach modestie but also to prescribe this rule of loue that one doe serue another For there is no loue where there is not mutual bondage in helping the neighbour Know yee what I haue done VVee see that Christ kept this thing from his disciples for a smal time so that when as hee had proued their obedience he reuealed that in due time whereof it was meete they shoulde be ignorant before Neither doth he stay nowe vntill such time as they aske him but he preuenteth them of his owne accord The same thing shall befall vs likewise if we suffer our selues to bee led through vnknowen wayes by his hand 14 If I who am your Lorde and Master This is an argument drawen from the greater to the lesser Pride will not suffer vs to retaine that equalitie amongest our selues which we ought but Christ who excelleth all doth abase himselfe that he may make prowde men ashamed who forgetting their order and degree doe exempt them selues from brotherly fellowship For whom doeth mortall man thinke himselfe to be if he refuse to beare the burden of his brethren to apply himselfe to the conditions of other men Finally to doe those dueties wherein the vnitie of the Church is contained The summe is this that that man doth take too much vpon him