vniust tyrannie but executeth his iust iudgementes though they be secreate Deliuer vs from euill Euill in thys place may as well bee taken in the neuter gender as in the masculine Chrysostome referreth it to the deuill who is the framer of all euilles and as a deadly ennemie of our saluation doeth daily assaulte vs yet it may as conueniently be taken for sinne but there neede no strise aboute that matter Because the sense remaineth almoste all one that is that we are cast foorth to the deuill and sinne excepte the Lorde doeth defende and deliuer vs. For thine is the kingdome It is maruaile that the Latines did omitte thys conclusion of prayer For it is not onely added to stirre vppe our heartes to require the glorie of God and to admonish vs what oughte to bee the ende of our prayers but also that it may teache vs that our praiers which are heere taught vs oughte to bee grounded no other where then vppon God alone least we shoulde stay vppon our owne merites Mathewe 6. Marke 11. Luke 14. For if you do forgeue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also forgiue you 15. But if yee doe not forgiue menne their trespasses no more will your father forgeue you your trespasses 25. But when yee shall stande and pray forgiue if yee haue any thing againste any manne that your father also which is in heauē may forgiue you your trespasses 16. For if you wil not forgiue your father which is in heauen will not pardon you your trespasses  Christ doeth heere onely sette downe for what purpose that clause was added forgiue vs as we forgiue that is to say that God will not bee otherwise entreated of vs then we do shewe our selues ready to forgiue if any shall hurt vs. And certainly except we were harder then yron this exhortation shuld mollify vs that we might be ready to forgeue offences Except God doe daily forgiue vs diuers offences we know that we shall pearish many wayes But he promiseth vs forgiuenesse of no other condition except we pardonne our brethren what soeuer they haue faulted against vs. Therefore they doe willingly and with set purpose mindes addicte themselues to destruction they doe their diligence to prouoke Gods anger whiche will not forgette the iniuries offered and done vnto them Mathewe 6. Marke Luke 16. Moreouer when yee fast looke not sowre as the hypocrites for they disfigure their faces that they might seeme vnto men to fast Verely I say vnto you that they haue their rewarde 17. But when thou fastest anoynte thine heade and wash thy face 18. That thou seeme not vnto men to fast but vnto thy father which is in secreate and thy father which seeth in secreat will reward thee openly   Hee retourneth againe to the former doctrine For when hee hadde begonne to reprehende the vaine ostentation in almes and prayers hee sette downe a lawfull rule of praying Nowe as concerning fasting hee giueth the same commaundement to his disciples that he gaue before of prayers and almes least they wyth greater diligence seeke to please the Worlde then to haue GOD a witnesse of their woorkes Also that hee commaundeth to annoynt the heade and washe the face is hyperbolically spoken for Christe doeth not so drawe vs from one kinde of hypocrisie that he might lead vs into an other Therefore hee doeth not commaunde vs to faine daintinesse neither doeth he so exhorte vs to temperate diet that hee might nourish a delicacie in oyntments and apparelling but he doeth simplie exhort vs to kepe a moderation wherein there shoulde bee nothing either straunge or affectate as if he shoulde haue sayde we must so apply our selues to fastings that we chaunge nothing in the accustomed maner of our life That hee promiseth frō God a reward to fastings is an improper maner of speach as is sayde a little before of prayers thoughe there is a greate difference betweene prayers and fastings For prayers and almes are chief amongst the dueties of charitie but fasting is of it selfe a woorke indifferente and not of that sorte whych God requireth and approoueth as almes are But it pleaseth him onely as it is referred to an other ende that is that it may exercise vs to abstinencie that it may tame the wantonnesse of the flesh that it may stirre vs vp inflame vs to prayer that it may be a testimony of our repentāce so oft as we are vrged with the iudgemēt of God Therfore the meaning of Christes words is that God wil sōtime declare opēly that those good woorkes doe please him which seemed to be lost because that men sawe them not Mathewe 6. Marke Luke 12. 19. Laye not vppe treasures for your selues vppon the earth where the moth and canker corrupte and where theeues digge through and steale 20. But lay vppe treasures for your selues in heauen where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth and where theeues neither digge through nor steale 21. For where your treasure is there wil your hearts be also  33. Sell that you haue and giue almes make you bagges which waxe not olde a treasure that can neuer faile in heauen where no theefe cōmeth neyther moth corrupteth 34. For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also 19. Lay not vppe This deadly plague raigneth euery where in the world so that menne become madde through an insatiable desire of hauing But Christe reprooueth them of foolishnesse that their felicitie being sette in richesse gathered with greate care is made subiecte to woormes and the canker and is layed foorth to the spoyle of theeues And what is more contrary to reason then to lay vppe their goodes there whereas eyther they may pearish of themselues or be stolen away by menne But the couetous menne thinke not thus for they shutte vppe their richesse into chestes well locked yet they cannot auoide but that their richesse shal be subiecte to theeues or to the mothes Therefore they are blinde and lacke their right sence which bestowe so muche labour and paine in gathering richesse whiche are subiecte eyther to rottennesse or to stealthes or to a thousande other suche casualties especially sith God doeth allowe vs a place in heauen to lay vp treasure in and doeth louingly call vs to possesse those richesse which doe neuer pearish And they are sayde to lay vp their treasure in heauen whiche beinge loosed oute of the snares of this worlde doe employ their cares and studies in meditation of the heauenly life Luke setteth not downe the Antithesis but noteth the other occasion why Christe commaunded them to prepare sackes that doe not waxe olde For hee hadde sayde sell those things which you possesse that you may geue almes Nowe because it is harde and sharpe to menne to spoyle themselues of their owne goodes to ease them of this trouble he proposeth a large and a liberall hope of recompence that is that they whiche healpe the neede of their brethren vppon earth doe lay
to the same And he saieth that that was fulfilled which was written in the Psalme for hee saieth that he entreated of the secrete misteries of GOD in Allegories and figures least the doctrine should waxe vile VVee doe also gather hereby that there is no absurditie that Christ spake more darkely to the people for diuerse endes For though his will was to conceale that which he spake from the reprobate yet he applyed so his speach that his woordes were full of heauenly and diuine maiestie that men astonished myght perceiue the same LV. 22. Iourneying towards Hierusalem It is doubtefull whether Luke spake of one onely iourney or whether he meaneth when Christ hadde walked through Iudea and had gone through the coastes thereof teaching that he was wont at the feastes to goe vp to Hierusalem And in the former part of the sentence he seemeth to note what was the continual trade of Christe life after that he entred into the office inioyned him by the father VVherefore that the latter part may agree therwith the meaning must be that as oft as the feast dayes came hee frequented the holy assemblies with others Matth. 13. Mark Luke 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure hidde in the field which when a man hath found he hideth it and for ioy therof departeth and selleth al that he hath and buyeth that field 45. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like to a merchaunt man that seeketh good pearles 46. VVho hauing founde a pearle of great price went and sold al that he had and bought it 47. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a draw nette cast into the sea that gathereth of all kindes of thinges 48. VVhich when it is ful men draw to land sit and gather the good into vessels and cast the bad away 49. So shall it be as the ende of the worlde the Aungelles shall goe forth and seuer the bad from amongst the iust 50. And shall caste them into a furnace of fire there shal be wasling and gnashing of teeth 51. Iesus said vnto them vnderstand yee all these things They said vnto him yea Lord. 52. Then sayde hee vnto them therefore euerye Scrybe which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto an housholder whiche bryngeth foorth out of his treasure thinges both newe and olde   The two former similitudes tend to this end to teach the faithfull to preferre the kingdome of heauen before the whole world and therefore to renounce themselues and all the desires of the flesh least they shoulde be any way hindered from the obtaining of so great good Also this admonition is very necessary for vs for we are so enchaunted with the deceiteful allurementes of the world that the heauenly life is not remembred and because that we are carnall the spiritual graces of God are the lesse esteemed of vs. Therfore doth Christ rightly extol so much the excellencie of the eternal lyfe that it should not grieue vs to leaue for that whatsoeuer otherwise we esteemed to be most deare vnto vs. Firste hee saieth that the kingdome of heauen is lyke to a hidden treasure For as for the moste parte we sette much by these thinges which are apparant and so the new and spiritual lyfe which is proposed in the Gospel is not regarded because it lyeth hidde shut vp vnder hope This therefore is a most apt comparison of treasure whose value decayeth not though it lye vnder the earth hydde and whelmed from the eies of menne By which woordes wee are taught that the riches of the spirituall grace of God are not to be accounted of by the viewe of our flesh or by the outward shew of the same but as a treasure though it be hidde is yet to bee preferred aboue most gorgeous riches The other similitude dooth likewise expresse the same One pearle though it be but small is yet so much esteemed that a skilfull merchaunte doubteth not to sell his landes and houses to buye the same Therefore though the wisdome of the flesh apprehendeth not the excellencie of the heauenly life yet wee doe not consider of it as the dignitie thereof requireth except wee be readie for that to denie those thinges which shew gloriouslye before our eyes Now we vnderstand the summe of both the parables namely that they are then apt to receiue the grace of the Gospell which not regarding any other delightes do wholy addict themselues and their studies to the obtaining of the same It is to be noted that Christe saieth not that the hidden treasure or pearle is so much esteemed of all menne that they would sel al that they haue for it but that the price is set of the treasure after it is founde and knowne and that the skilfull marchaunte hath this estimation of the pearle For in these wordes is the knowledge of fayth noted as if Christ should haue said the common sort make no account of the kingdom of heauen because they are men without vnderstandinge and cannot see sufficiently how incomparable a treasure the Lord offereth in his gospel Yet it is demaunded whether it be necessary to renounce all other good thinges for the enioying of eternall life I answere briefly this is the simple meaning of the wordes the Gospel hath not the honour due to it except we preferre it aboue all the riches delightes honours aud commodities of the world and that we being so farre satisfied with the spiritual graces which it promiseth that we should neglect what things soeuer do withdraw vs from the same For it behoueth them to be losed froÌ„ al hindeâ—ances which aspire into heauen Therfore Christ doth not exhort his faithful ones but to the denial of those things which are lets to pietie yet he graunteth them so to vse and to enioy the temporal benefits of God as if we vsed them not 46. And he bought it Christ meaneth not by the word buying that men should bring any recompence whereby they might purchase to theÌ„selues the heauenly life for we know vppon what condition the Lorde calleth his faithful people in Isa. 55. 1. Come buy without siluer c. But though the heauenly life and whatsoeuer pertaine to the same bee the free gift of God yet we are said to buye the same when wee doe wyllingly bridle the desires of the flesh that we be not thereby hindered from the obtaining of the same as Paul saith Philip. 3. 8. that al thinges were to him as losse and dongue that he might winne Christe 47. It is like vnto a draw nette Christ teacheth here no new thing but confirmeth by an other similitude that which wee had before that the Church of God is mixed with good and euil so long as it is conuersant vpon the earth Yet it may be that the end of this parable is to an other purpose to witte that Christe not onely remedyeth the offence which troubleth many weakelinges beecause that puritie is not founde in the world
although this power doe come from some thyng els then from the flesh yet is there no let but that this title doeth aptly agree thereunto For as the eternall worde of God is the fountaine of life so his fleshe doeth powre out vnto vs as a conduit the life which resteth as they say in the inwarde diuinitie And in this sense is it called liuely because it imparteth vnto vs the life which it borroweth of some other That shal be plaine enough if we consider what is the cause of life namely righteousnesse And although righteousnesse doe flow from God alone yet wee haue the same fully giuen vnto vs onely in the flesh of Christ. For the redemption of man was fulfilled in it in it was offered the sacrifice for satisfaction for our sinnes the obedience was perfourmed towardes God which might reconcile him vnto vs. It was also sprinckled with the sanctification of the spirite it was receiued into heauenly glory after that death was ouercome Therefore it followeth that all the partes of life were placed in it so that no man canne iustly complaine that he is depriued of life because it is hid farre off VVhich I will giue for the life of the worlde The worde giue is diuersly taken the former giuing whereof hee maketh mention is done daylye namely so often as Christe doth offer himselfe vnto vs in the seconde place he meaneth that onely giuing which was done vpon the crosse when he offered himselfe vnto the father for a sacrifice For then hee gaue himselfe vnto death for the life of men now he inuiteth vs to reap the fruite of his death For it should nothing profite vs that that sacrifice was once offered vnlesse we should now eate the holy banket Furthermore we must note this that Christ challengeth to himselfe the office of sacrificing his flesh VVhereby appeareth with what wicked sacrilege the papistes do pollute themselues who doe in the Masse vsurpe that which was proper to that priest onely 52 Therefore the Iewes did striue amongest themselues saying how can hee giue vs his flesh to eate 53 Therefore Iesus said vnto them verilie verilie I say vnto you vnlesse you shall eat the flesh of the sonne of man and shall drinke his blood you haue not life in you 54 Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will rayse him vp at the last day 55 For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke indeed 56 Hee that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood abideth in mee and I in him 57 As the liuing father hath sent me I doe also liue for the father and he that eateth me he shall also liue for mee 58 This is the bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers eat Manna and dyed he that eateth this bred shall liue for euer 52 Therefore the Iewes did striue Hee nameth the Iewes againe not for honours sake but that he may cast in their teeth their vnbeliefe because they doe not receiue his familiar doctrine concerning eternall life or at least because they do enquire vnmodestly of a thing which was as yet dark doubtful For it is a signe of frowardnes contempt in that he saith they did contende and they who doe dispute so contentiously do stoppe the way before themselues so that they cannot come vnto the knowledge of the truth Neither is this simplie reprehended in them that they did aske concerning the meanes for then should the same reprehension fall vpon Abraham and the blessed virgin Therefore they are either deceiued through ignorance or they deale vncourteously who passing ouer the lust and boldnesse which they had to contend whiche the Euangelist doth only condemne doe only tosse this worde how as if it had been wickednesse for the Iewes to enquyre of the manner of eating But this is rather to be imputed vnto slouthfulnesse then vnto the obedience of faith if we keepe those knots of doubtes vnloosed willingly wittingly which are losed for vs by the word of the Lord. VVherfore it is not onely lawfull to enquire of the manner of eating of the flesh of Christ but it is also profitable for vs to know the same so farre foorth as it is expounded in the scripture Away with that twise stubborne colour of humilitie that one only saying of Christ is sufficient for me when he affirmeth that his flesh is meate in deede I am willingly blinde in the rest As if the heretikes may not haue the same colour if they be willingly ignorant of this that Christ is conceaued of the holy Ghost because beleeuing that he is the seed of Abrahā they will search no farther VVe must only holde this moderation in the secrete workes of God that we desire to knowe to more then he setteth downe in his worde 53 Verilie verilie I say vnto you Indignation did wring out of Christe this oath when he saw his grace refused with so proud contempt for he doth not now vse plaine doctrine but doth also intermingle threatnings to make them afraid withall for he denounceth eternall destruction vnto all those who shall refuse to fet life from his flesh as if hee shoulde say if you despise my fleshe knowe yee that there remaineth no other hope of life for you This vengeance remaineth for all the contemners of the grace of Christe that they doe wickedly perish through their pride and they are to bee vrged with this precise seueritie that they may not proceede to flatter themselues For it we doe threaten death vnto sicke men which refuse remedies what shall the wicked doe when as they endeuour so much as in them lyeth to abolish the life it selfe In that he saith the flesh of the sonne of man it hath great force for he toucheth their contempt which did arise thereupon because they saw that he was like vnto other men The meaning therfore of the wordes is contemne me at your pleasure because of the humble base sight of my flesh yet is there life included in this contemptible flesh whereof if you depriue your selues you shall finde no where els that which can quicken you It was a grosse error of the mē of old who thought that infants were depriued of eternal life vnlesse that the sacrament of the Lords body were giuen them For he speaketh not of the supper but of the euerlasting participation which wee haue without the vse of the supper And the Boemians dealt not well whenas they did prooue by this testimony that the vse of the Cuppe ought to bee common vnto all in general As touching infants Christ his institution doth barre them from the partaking of the supper because they cannot yet try themselues they can not obserue the memorial of the death of Christ. The same institution maketh the cup cōmon vnto all together with the bread for hee commaundeth vs all to drinke thereof 54 Hee that eateth my flesh This is a repetition but not superfluous for it confirmeth
deadly thunderbolt So at this day the Papists doe laugh at and boldly with fire and swoorde persecute the worde of God which is able to mooue stones only because trusting to the deceitfull title of the Churche they thinke that they are able to mocke God and men To be briefe hypocrites so soone as they haue gotten any beautifull cloake doe oppose harde stubbornnesse against God as if hee did not pearce into theyr heartes If yee were the children of Abraham Christ doth more plainly extinguish the degenerate children of Abraham from lawfull children for hee taketh away the very name from all those that are vnlike vnto Abraham It falleth out oftentimes indeede that the children doe not represent in manners their fathers which begate them But Christ doth not dispute in this place of the carnall originall but doth onely deny that they are accounted amongest the children of Abraham before God whiche doe not hold the grace of adoption by faith For seeing that the Lorde had promised vnto the seed of Abraham that he would be their God all the vnbeleeuers which did cast away this promise did thrust thēselues out of the stock of Abraham Therfore the state of the questiō is whether they are to be accounted the children of Abraham or no which doe cast away the blessing offered vnto them in the worde so that they may be neuertheles an holy stock the peculiar people of God and princely priesthood Christe denieth this and that for good causes because they must be borne againe of the spirite which are the children of promise and be new creatures whosoeuer desire a place in the kingdome of God The fleshly stocke of Abraham was no vnprofitable thing or of no valew if sobeit the truth were added For the election of God resteth in the seede of Abraham yet being free so that they are accounted the heires of life whō god doth sanctifie by his spirite 40 And now yee seeke He proueth by the effect that they are not the children of Abraham as they did bragge because they resist God For what is chieflye commended in Abraham but the obedience of faith Therfore this is the marke of the difference so often as wee are to distinguish his children from straungers For vaine titles are nothing worth before God what credite soeuer they carry before men Therefore Christe concludeth againe that they are the children of the Diuell because they are suche deadly enemies vnto true and sounde doctrine 41 VVe are not of fornication They challenge no more to themselues now then before For they thought it was all one to be the sonne of Abraham and of God But they were greatly deceiued therein in that they thought that God was bound vnto all the seed of Abraham For they reason on this wise God adopted vnto himselfe the stocke of Abraham therfore seeing that we are begotten of Abraham we must needs be the children of God VVe see now how they thought that they had holynesse from the wombe because they sprang from an holy roote Finally they affirme that they are the Church of God because they descende from the holy fathers Like as at this day the continuall succession from the holy fathers puffeth vp the Papistes and maketh them more then swell Satan doth so delude them and deceiue them that they separate God from his word the church from faith the kingdome of heauen from the spirite Therefore let vs know that although they be not bastards according to the flesh but boast of the laudible title of the Church yet are they nothing lesse then the children of God who haue corrupted the seede of life For what corners soeuer they runne into yet shall they neuer bee able to escape but that they bee puffed vp with this vaine bragge onely VVe succeede the holy fathers therfore we are the Church And if so be it Christ his answere was sufficient to refute y e Iewes withal it is no lesse sufficient at this day to refute these men It wil neuer be otherwise but y ◠hypocrites will with their most wicked boldnes vainly make boast of the name of God but they shall neuer make those beleeue that will stand to the iudgement of Christ but that these false boastinges whiche they blunder out are ridiculous 42 If God were your father you woulde loue mee for I. This is Christe his argument VVhosoeuer is the child of God he wil acknowledge and loue his first begotten sonne but you hate me therefore there is no cause why you shoulde boast that you are Gods children VVe must diligently note this place that there is no godlinesse no feare of GOD where Christ is reiected Feigned religion pretendeth God boldly but what agreement can they haue with the father who disagree with his only sonne what maner knowledge of God is that where his liuely image is refused And this is the meaning of Christ his wordes when he testifieth that he came from the father For hee giueth vs to vnderstand that all that is diuine which he hath and that therefore it is not likely that the true worshippers of God doe refuse his truth I came not saith he of my selfe you can obiect nothing vnto me which agreeth not with God and finally you shall finde no earthly or humane thyng in my doctrine and in the whole administration thereof For hee intreateth not of his essence but of his doctrine 43 VVhy doe yee not acknowledge my speeche because you cannot heare my woorde 44 You are of your father the Diuell and yee will doe the lustes of your father He was a murtherer frō the beginning stood not in the truth because the truth is not in him VVhen he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father therof 45 But because I say the truth you beleeue not mee 43 VVhy doy yee not He casteth the stubbornnes of the Iewes in their teeth in this place which was so great that they could not abide to heare him Hence gathereth he that they were caried with a diuelish furie I see no difference betwene speech and word For it is more to say then to speak But it were an vnmeete thing to put the lesser in the former place Many doe distinguish it so that the ende of the interrogation may be in the worde speech as if the interrogation did only consist in these words VVhy doe yee not acknowledge my speech so that the rendring of the reason doth follow immediately because you cannot heare my word But I think they ought rather to be read in one text as if he should haue said what is the cause that my word is barbarous and vnknowen to you that I do you no good by speaking vnto you and so consequently that you cannot vouchsafe to heare that which I speake Therefore he toucheth their dulnes in the former member in the other the stubborne hatred of his doctrine afterward he assigneth the cause of both when as he saith
specially promiseth many thinges that he will feede that he will take vs out of perilles he will be a defender of our innocencie and preserue our life so there is a perticular fayth which answereth to euery such promises Therefore sometime it may be that some man trusting in God of forgiuenes of sins and of saluation yet in some point should wauer for either he shoulde feare too much in the daunger of death or be too much carefull for daily sustenaunce or ouer doubtfull in his counsailes Such was the incredulitie of Zachary because that he hauing the roote and foundatioÌ„ of faith did onely stick in this one poynt whether God would giue him a sonne VVherefore let vs know that they doe not by and by fall and departe from the fayth when their infirmities in some particular affaires doe disturbe or moue theÌ„ nor faith to faile at the roote as oft as the boughes doe shake at diuerse inuasions or blastes Graunt that Zachary meant nothing lesse then to call to triall the assurance of the diuine promise But when that generally he was perswaded God to be true he was drawen by stelth into a shrewd estate by the crafte and deceites of Sathan So much the rather it becommeth vs to be ready bent to watching day and night For which of vs shall be sure from the deceites of Sathan into the which we see a man of singular holynes to haue fallen who diligently in al his life tooke heede to himself 19. In am Gabryell I these words the Angell doth shew that the credit was taken not from him but from God of whome he was sent and whose message he brought and therefore he reproueth Zachary that he was disobedient against God To stand before God signifieth as much us to be readie at commaundement as if he shoulde say that he was no mortal man but a heaueÌ„ly spirit neither rashly to haue come but as it becâ—â— the minister of God faithfully to fulfill his office whereof it followeth that God the authour of the promise is vnworthily hurt and despised in the person of his messenger To that purpose teÌ„deth the saying of Christ He that doth despise you despiseth me For although the preaching of the Gospell is not by Angels brought vnto vs from heauen yet because GOD dooth witnesse by so many miracles the same to proceede from him and Christ the prince and chiefe of Angels publyshed the same once with his own mouth that he might sanctifie and establish the same for euer no lesse maiestie ought to persist in it then if al the Angelles openly crying from heauen should witnesse the same Nay the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes not being satisfied to say that the voyce of the Gospell which is sounded out by the voyce of men is equall to the lawe giuen by Angelles but dooth gather his argument from the lesser to the â—râ—ater If the word saith he brought by Angelles being reiected was not without punishment much lesse shal they escape reuenge which this day despise the voyce of Christ who can strike the heauen and earth Let vs therefore learne to perfourme obedience of fayth to GOD the which he doth more account then all sacrifices Gabryell doth signifie might or strength or the gouernaunce of God and this name was giuen to the Angel for our sake that we might learne to attribute nothing as proper to Angels when that what vertue soeuer they haue is diuine and of God The Participle Paresteces is of the preter tence but in such wordes it is very well knowne the preter tence to be put in the place of the present tence especially where continual action is signified Furthermore the Angell as it was lately saide doth affirme in those wordes him selfe to be the perpetuall messenger of God That phrase of shewing good tidinges dooth amplifie the fault of Zachary that he should be vngratefull to God promising him gently a thing ioyfull and to be wished for of all 20. And beholde thou shalt be dumbe This kinde of punishment was like to be layde on Zachary that hee being dumbe might loke for the comming of the promise the which when hee ought to haue hearde it with silence he as it were brake it off with grieuous repyning murmuring Fayth keepeth silence that it may be attentiue to the woorde of GOD. Furthermore it hath also the courses of speaking That it may answere Amen according to that of Osee. 2. 23. I will say to them you are my people And they shall saye to mee thou art our GOD. And because that Zachary answered rashly to the word of God this fauour was not graunted to him that streightwayes he should breake forth into giuing of thankes but the vse of his tongue which was ouer hastie was taken from him for a time Yet notwithstanding God doth gentlye mittigate his paine First because hee dooth ende the same in tenne monethes then that he suffered Zachary not to be depriued of that benefit whereof he was vnworthy He vseth the same gentlenesse dayly towardes vs. For as our fayth is small and we obiect many impedimentes it is needefull that the trueth of GOD by some meanes shoulde breake out that it might continue his course towardes vs. That is the meaning of the Angell when accusing Zachary of vnbeleefe he doth yet pronounce that thing should be finished which Zachary did not beleeue Therefore Zachary is not a litle cheered when he heareth that his fayth is not ouerthrowne of God by reason of his faulte but that at length it should appeare victorious And sometime it commeth to passe that the Lord doth perfourme and fulfill that which was promised to vnbeleeuers how much soeuer they resist of the which thing we haue an example worthy of remembraunce in king Achaz who when he forsooke his promised safegarde was yet deliuered from his enimies But that tended not to his profit but for the saluation of the chosen people There is an other thing in Zachery to be considered to whom the Lord doth so forgiue the lacke of fayth that therewithall hee yet correcteth it   Luke 1. Matthew Marke 21. Nowe the people wayled for Zacharyas and meruailed that hee taryed so long in the temple 22. And when hee came out hee coulde not speake vnto them then they perceiued that he had seene a vision in the Temple for he made signes vnto them and remained dumbe 23. And it came to passe when the dayes of his office were fulfilled that hee departed to his owne house 24. And after those dayes his wife Elizabeth conceaued and hidde her selfe fiue monethâ—s saying 25. Thus hath the Lorde dealt with me in the dayes wherein hee looked on mee to take from mee my rebuke among men 21. And the people waited Luke declareth that the people also was a Witnesse of this visioÌ„ Zachary taryed longer in the temple then the wont was Hereon suspition grewe some vnaccustomed thing to haue befalne to him he being
the heauenlye life But Luk declareth the true nature of godlines wheÌ„ he saith that the witnesse of the Angell was in steede of a rule to the Shepheardes to the which they directed all thinges For then is faith rightly holpe by the workes of God if it directeth al thinges to that purpose that the trueth of God which is reuealed in his word may more clearely shine forth 21. That the childe should be circumcised That which generally is to be coÌ„sidered of circumcision let the readers fetch out of Ge. 17. 10. It shal be sufficient at this time briefly to touch those things which beelong to the person of Christ. God would that his sonne should be circumcised that he might be subiect to the lawe for circumcision was a solempne signe wherewith the Iewes were initiated into the obseruation of the lawe Paule declareth the end Gal. 4. 4. when he saith that he was made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law Therfore Christ taking circumcision professed himself a seruaunt of the law that he might obtaine libertie for vs. And so by this meane not onelye the seruitude of the lawe was abolyshed by him but the shadow of the ceremonie was applyed to his sound and perfect bodye that it might soone take an end For although the abrogating of it depended of the death and resurrection of Christ yet this was a certaine beginning of the same that the sonne of god suffered himselfe to be circuÌ„cised His name was then called Iesus This place also witnesseth that it was a manner receiued amongst the Iewes that on the day of circumcision they gaue names to their children as we at this day vse to doe at baptisme But the Euangeliste noteth two thinges that the name of Iesu was not giuen vnto the sonne of God rashely or for the pleasure of men but that the Angel brought it from heauen TheÌ„ that Ioseph Mary obeyed the coÌ„mandement of God this is the consent of our faith with the word of God that that word going before wee should speake to the same and our faith shoulde answere to his promises Especiallye Luke commendeth vnto vs the order of publishing of the word when hee saieth that saluation was testified by the mouth of men which was promised by the Angell from aboue through the grace of Christ. Matth. 2. Marke Luke 1. VVhen Iesus then was borne at Bethlehem in Iudea in the dayes of Herâ—â—e the king beholde there came wise men from the East to Ierusalem 2. Saying where is the king of the Iewes that is borne for we have seene his starre in the East and are come to worship him 3. VVhen king Herod heard this hee was troubled and all Ierusalem with him 4. And gathering togeather all the chieâ—â— Priestes and Scribes of the people he asked of them where Christ should be borne 5. And they sayde vnto him at Bethlehem in Iudea for so it is written by the Prophet 6. And thou Bethlehem in the lande of Iuda arâ— not the least among the princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come the gouernour that shal feede my people Israel   1. VVhen Iesus was then borne Matthew concealeth the cause whye Christ was borne at Bethlehem but the spirit of God who had appointed the Euangelistes as his Scribes seemeth aduisedly so to moderate their stile that with most notable consent they al write one and the same historie though it be in diuers manners that thereby the trueth of God might be the more certeine and euident when as it was openly manifest that his witnesses did not purposely before consent to speake but euery one separate from other nor hauing one respecte of an other did simply and freely write that which the spirite taught them Furthermore here is a historie declared worthy to be remembred that God fetched wisemen out of Chaldea or Persia which should come into Iudea to worship Christ where hee lay without honour and contemned Truely a wonderfull counsell of God that God would his Sonne should come forth into the world vnder this obscure humilitie yet hee excellently adorned him as with phrases so with other tokens least any thing for the triall of our faith had beene wanting from his diuine maiestie yet here is to be noted a notable harmonie of thinges seeming to be repugnant The starre from heauen declareth him to be a king whose throane is the beastâ— stall because that hee is denied a place euen amoÌ„gst the common sorte of men His maiestie shineth in the East which not onely appeareth not in Iudea but is also difiled with many reproches To what purpose is this namely the heauenly fathers will was to appoynt that the starre and the wisemen should lead vs the right way to his sonne but yet hee stripped him naked of all earthly honour that we might know his kingdome to be spirituall VVherefore this storie is not onely profitable because that God brought these wisemen to his sonne as the first fruites of the Gentiles but also because hee woulde set forth the kingdome of his sonne as with the praise of them so of the starre for the helpe of our fayth least the wicked and malitious dispite of his own nation should cause him to be despised of vs. It is sufficiently knowne that the Astrologers and Philosophers with the Perseans the Chaldeans were called Mag. i. wisemen Therfore is is easily to be coniectured that these came out of Persia. Furthermore how many they were in number it is better not to know because the Euangeliste doth not expresse it then rashly to affirme for certaine that which is doubtfull A childish errour lead the Papistes that they imagined them to be three because Matthew saith that they offered gold franckencense and mirrh as if hee should distinctly assigne a proper office to euery of them and that rather hee should not declare that these three thinges were generally offered by them VVhosoeuer that old writer was whose vnperfecte commentarie vppon Matthew beareth the name of Chrisostome and is accompted amongst Chrisostomes workes saith that they were fourteene which hath no more colour except that peraduenture it came by tradition of the fathers yet that same also hath no assuraunce But the Papistes are more then ridiculous which imagined to themselues that they were kinges because they did read that beefore sayde Psal. 72. 10. That the kinges of Tharsis of the Iles and of Saba should come which should offer giftes to the Lord Verily they are wise workemen who that they might giue a newe shape to men they haue begun at the turning of the worlde for of the South and VVest they haue made the East And it is not to be doubted but that by the iust reuenge of God they were so amased that their grosse ignoraunce might be laid open to the reproofe of al men who made no religion to corrupt the trueth of God and to turne the fame into a lye But here is first
was his lawfull condition so that it becommeth euery one of vs more willingly to beare that yoake that shall be laid vppon vs of the Lord. Mathew 3. 1. And in those dayes Iohn the Baptist came and preached in the wildernes of Iudea 2. And said repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand 3. For this is he of whō it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying the voyce of him that crieth in the wildernes i◠prepare ye the way of the Lord make his pathes streight 4. And this Iohn had his garment of camels haire a girdle of a skin about his loynes his meat was also locustes and wild honney 5. Then wente out to him Ierusalem and al Iudea and al the region rounde about Iordan 6. And they were baptised of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes Marke 1. 1. The beginning of the Gospel of Iesus Christe the sonne of God 2. As it is written in the Prophets Behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee 3. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernes is prepare ye the way of the Lorde and make his pathes streight 4. Iohn did baptise in the wildernes preach the baptisme of amendment of life for remission of sinnes 5. And al the countrey of Iudea and they of Ierusalem went out vnto him and were all baptised of him in the riuers of Iordan confessing their sinnes 6. Now Iohn was cloathed with camels haire and with a girdle of a skin about b◠loins he did eat locusts and wild honney Luke 3. 1. Now in the fifteenth yeere of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilat being gouernour of Iudea Herod being tetrarch of Galile his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea of the countrey of Trachonitis Lysanias the tetrarch of Abylene 2. VVhen Annas and Caiphas wer the high priests the word of God came vnto Iohn the son of Zacharias in the wildernes 3. And he came vnto al the costs of Iordan preaching the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes 4. As it is writtē in the book of the sayings of Esaias the prophet which saith the voice of him that crieth in the wildernes is prepare ye◠the way of the Lorde make his pathes streight 5. Euery valey shal be filled and euery mountaine hill shal be brought low and crooked thinges shal be made streight and the rough waies shal be made smooth 6. And al flesh shal see the saluation of God Although that is parte of the Gospell which we haue set downe beefore out of Matthew and Luke yet it is not without a cause that Marke accompteth the beginning of the Gospell at the preaching of Iohn Baptist For as it is recorded in the first of Iohn that then the lawe and the Prophetes were ended The law and the Prophets to Iohn and since the kingdome of God Luke 16. 16. And to this very aptly agreeth the testimonie of Malachy which hee alleageth The Lorde that hee might the more incēse the mindes of men to the desire of the promised saluation had ordayned for a time that the people shoulde bee without new prophesies and wee know that Malachy was the last of the lawefull and certaine Prophetes Also least the hungrye Iewes should in the meane while faynt he exhorteth them that they shoulde keepe themselues vnder the lawe of Moses vntill the promised redemption should appeare And he maketh mention of the lawe onely because that the doctrine of the Prophets doth differ nothing from the same but it was only an Appendix more ful exposition that the whole manner of gouerninge the Church might depend vppon the lawe And it is no new or vnaccustomed matter in the scripture to comprehende the prophesies vnder the name of the law because that al of thē were referred to them as to their fountaine and principall poynt And the Gospell was not an inferiour addition to the lawe but a new manner of teaching which abrogateth that first Malachy also discerning a double estate of the Churche appoynteth the one vnder the law and beginneth the other vnder the gospell For it is not to be doubted but that he meaneth Iohn Baptist whē he saith Behold I wil send my messēger because as it is now said here is an expresse distinction made betweene the law and the new order estate of the Church which was to be in the same roome In the same sence he had sayde a litle before that which is cited by Marke for the places are very like Behold I send Elyas the Prophet to you before that great day of the Lord shal come Also behold I send my messenger who shall make cleane the way before me then shall the Gouernour whom ye seeke come to his temple Because that he promiseth in both these places a better estate of the Church then was vnder the Gospell without doubt the beginning of the Gospell is thereby noted And before the Lord should come forth to restore the Church it is sayd that a forewarner and cryer should come before him who should declare that hee was at hande whereby wee gather the abrogation of the law and the beeginning of the Gospell properly to be set in the preaching of Iohn But sith Iohn declareth that Christ was cloathed with flesh both his natiuitie and the whole historie of his appearance is contained vnder the gospell But here Marke declareth when the Gospell beganne to be published wherefore hee dooth not without cause beginne at Iohn who was the first minister of the same And for this cause was it the will of the heauenly father to bury as it were in silence the life of his sonne vntill the tyme of his full reuelation shoulde come Neyther was it doone without the determinate prouidence of God that the Euangelists should passe by that whole time that Christ lyued priuately at home should by and by passe from his firste infancye to the thyrtie yeere of his age wherein he endued with the estate of a publike person is openlye shewed as redeemer to the worlde but that Luke brieflye toucheth about the twelfe yeere one signe and token what his calling should be And this especially appertaineth for this cause first to know that Christ was very man and then the sonne of Abraham and of Dauid which the Iord would testifie vnto vs. The rest which we haue set downe of the shepheardes the wisemen and Simeon doe appertaine to the proouing of his deitie And that which Luke declareth of Iohn and his father Zacharyas was as a preface to the Gospell There is no absurditie in chaunging the person in the wordes of Malachy Thus God speaketh by the Prophet I send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me But by Marke the father is brought in speaking to the sonne But wee see that Marke had no other purpose then that he might more fully declare the minde of the Prophet Marke giueth Christe the title of the
Certainely there is no other maner of fire then worme for if by the consent of al it is receiued that there is a metaphore in the name of worme then is the same to be thoughte of fire VVherefore lettinge passe the speculations wherein vaine men weary themselues without profit let it suffice vs to vnderstand that with these maner of speaches for the rudenesse of oure capacitie is that horrible torment noted which at this day can neither be conceiued in mans vnderstanding nor expressed in wordes Mathew 3. Marke 1. Luke 3. 13. Then came Iesus from Galile to Iordan vnto Iohn to be baptized of him 14. But Iohn put him backâ— saying I haue nede to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me 15. Then Iesus aunswearing said to him let be nowe fâ—r thus it becommeth to fulfil al righteousnesse So he suffered him 16. And Iesus when he was baptized came straight out of the water And â—ee the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn sawe the spirit of God descending like a doue and lighting vpon him 17. And lo a voice came froÌ„ heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased 9. And it came to passe in those dayes that Iesus came from Nazareth a citie of Galile and was baptized of Iohn in Iordan 10. And assoone as hee was come out of the water Iohn sawe the heauens clouen in twaine the holy Ghost descending vppon him like a Doue 11. Then there was a voice from heauen saying thou arte my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased 21. Now it came to passe as al the people were baptized that Iesus was baptized and did praye that the heauen opened 22. And the holy Ghost came downe in a bodily shape like a Doue vpon him and there was a voice froÌ„ heauen saying Thou art my beloued sonnâ— in thee I am wel plesed 2â— And Iesus himselfe began to be about thirtie yere of age 13. To be baptized of him To what end the sonne of God would be baptized we do partly gather by his answeare First there is a speciall reason brought why he was baptized as we are that the faithful mighte more certainly be perswaded that they are grafted into his bodye and buried with him through baptisme But the end which he proposeth here is larger for so it becommeth to fulfil al righteousnesse The word righteousnes doth often signifie as muche in the scripture as the obseruing of the law And so this place may be expounded that it became Christ in that he willingly submitted himself to the law to performe the same in euery poynt Yet I had rather take the same more simplie in this manner as if Christ shuld haue sayd omit now to speake of my dignitie for the question is not which of vs two excelleth other but wee must rather looke what our calling requireth what is enioyned vs of god the father for this was the general cause why Christ was baptized that he might perform obedience to his father the special cause was that he in his own body might coÌ„secrate baptisme that it might be coÌ„mon to vs with him 14. I have nede to be baptised of thee It is certain that Iohn knew Christ to be not only a notable prophet as many doe foolishly dreame but for the sonne of God as he was Otherwise he shuld haue 〈…〉 to God submitting his holy calling to a mortal man But how he knew this let the readers learne out of the 1. cha 15. of Iohn And this was a probable cause of refusall that Christ had no neede of baptisme but in this doeth Iohn fail that he considereth not that he demaÌ„deth baptisme for others sakes Therfore Christ commandeth him to consider what belongeth to him that occupieth the place of a seruant because that a voluÌ„tary subiection doeth derogate nothing from his glorye And although in that so great a man some part of his office was hid for a time yet that perticuler errour shoulde not hinder the Baptist but that rightlye and lawfully he shuld haue executed his office By which exaÌ„ple we are taught that they which haue an office enioyned theÌ„ of the lord may not do any thing rashly for any reuelatioÌ„ though at the first they do not vnderstaÌ„d euery thing annexed to their office or depeÌ„ding vpoÌ„ the same His modesty is also to be noted that he ceasing froÌ„ his own opinion doth preseÌ„tly obey christ 16. Lo the heauens were opened The opening of the heaueÌ„s is somtime taken for the manifestation of the heauenly glory and here also it signifieth a diuision of the visible heauen so that Iohn might see somwhat aboue the planets the stars for the meaning of Markes words cannot be other who saith that he saw the heaueÌ„s clouen in twaine But more narowly to inquire what maner of diuision this was it doth neither apertain muche to the matter neither doth it profit for it is sufficient to know that this was a token of the presence of God Further when the Euangelists say that Iohn sawe the holy Ghost it is probable that the heauens were especially opened for his cause though I repugne it not but that Christe also as he was man was made more certaine of his calling And to this purpose the wâ—ordes of Luke seeme to tende when he sayth that while Christ praied the heauens opened for although he poured out his praiers alwaies for the profit of others yet he had nede as he was man seeing he was to fight so hard a battel to be armed with a singuler power of the spirite But here arise 2. questions The first is why the spirite then descended vpon Christ which was in him before This question is aunswered by the place of Isai 61. 1. which is entreted of in an other place The spirit of the Lord vpon me therefore hath the Lord anoynted me to preach glad tidings to the pore he hath sent me Although christ woÌ„derfully excelled with a singular grace of the spirit yet he kept himself at home as a priuate manne vntil he was brought foorth by his father Therfore now wheÌ„ the appoynted time is come wherein he should prepare himselfe to fulfil the office of a redemer he is endued with a newe power of the spirite and that not so much for his sake as for others For this was done of purpose that the faithful might honour and reuerently embrace his diuine power that the infirmity of flesh shuld not be coÌ„temned in him That same also was the cause why he deferred his baptisme to the 30. yere of his age Baptisme was a beginning of the gospel therfore together with the preching of the gospel it begaÌ„ And christ preparing himselfe to preache the gospel was by Baptisme as wel entred into his office as instructed by the holy spirit The holy spirite therefore appeared vnto Iohn descending vpon Christ to admonish that nothing carnall or earthly should be sought for in Christ but that
heare yet they get them friuolous excuses wherewith they may exempt themselues from the necessitie of obedience And truelye the cause why we are not so touched with the power of the Gospell as it were meete commeth not by any other meanes but that wee are a lette vnto our selues and with our malice we choake the light by beholding whereof wee are moued whether we will or no. Matth. Marke Luke 4.   23. Then he sayd vnto them you will surely say to me this prouerbe Physition heale thy selfe what soeuer we haue heard done in Capernaum doe it here likewise in thine own countrey 24. And he said verily I say vnto you no prophet is accepted in his countrey 25. But I tell you of a troath manye widowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elyas when heauen was shut three yeeres and sixe monethes when great famine was throughout all the land 26. But vnto none of them was Elyas sent saue vnto Sarepta a citie of Sydon vnto a certain wydowe 27. Also there were many lepers in Israell in the time of Eliseus the Prophet yet none of them was made cleane sauing Naaman the Syrian 28. Then all that were in the Synagogue when they heard it were filled with wrath 29. And rose vp and thrust him out of the citie and lead him vnto the edge of the hill whereon their citie was builte to caste him downe headlonge 30. But he passed through the middes of them and went his way 23. Phisition heale thy selfe By the wordes of Christ it is easily gathered that he was contemptuously receiued by the Nazarites for he vttereth that which he knew they thought in their mindes Then he layeth the falt vppon them why he stayeth from working miracles amongste them and he reproueth their malice because they gaue no reuerence to the Prophet of God The obiection which he preuenteth is this It is no maruell if his countrey men haue him in no estimation seeing that hee doth not ennoble his owne countrey with miracles as he doth straunge places therefore this is a iust reuenge if he be reiected of his which he lesse esteemeth then any other To this purpose belongeth the common prouerbe that a Physition shoulde beginne first with himselfe and his owne people before he shew his skill of curing to strangers The summe of the obiection is Christ did preposterously for that with his myracle hee renoumed other cities of Galile had no respect to his own countrey And this seemed to the Nazarites to be an honest excuse why they againe might refuse him 24. Verily I say vnto you Hee layeth to their charge that it is through their own fault that he sheweth not his power in miracles amongst thē as in other places For the incredulitie of men stayeth God that he work not for their saluation as were to be wished Matth. 13. 58 and Mar. 6. 5. Therfore could not Christ doe miracles amongst them because they beleeued not in him not that it is in the will of men to tie the handes of God but because he depriueth them of the fruit of his workes which through infidelitie make themselues vnworthy Therefore the aunswere is asmuch as if Christe should haue sayde If you wil be partakers of miracles why doe you not giue place to God Naye why doe you proudlye reiect the minister of his power Therefore you haue a iust reward of your contempt that you being passed by I should rather shew my miracles in other places that I am the Messias of God to whom the restoring of the Church is committed And truely that vnthankefulnesse might not be borne that when God would haue his sonne brought vp in their citie that they should despyse such a nourse VVherefore of ryght he withdrew his hande from thence that it should not be scorned by so wicked contemners But here we learne how much the Lord esteemeth his word for that he may punish the contempt of the same hee taketh from amongst them the graces which are testimonies of his presēce For the vnderstanding of this sentence That a prophet is not esteemed in his owne countrey let the readers looke what we haue said in the fourth Chapter of Iohn about the end 25. There were many widowes after that Christ had layd the fault vpon them that they were without miracles he now proueth by two examples that it should not seeme absurde if God should preferre straungers before his owne housholde people and they ought not to laye the faulte vppon him if that he obeyed the calling of God as Elyas and Elisaeus did in times past And sharply he restraineth their vaine confidence that they would haue him bound to them because he was brought vppe amongst them At what time saith hee the famyne continued for two yeares and a halfe there were manye widowes in the lande of Israel whose neede the Prophet was not commaunded to helpe but he was sent to a straunger of the citie of Sydon Likewise Elisaeus cured none of the Lepers of his owne countrey but Naaman that manne of Syria And though he peculyarly nyppeth the Nazarits yet hee also reproueth the vnthankefulnesse of al the nation for that almost al were wont so much the more vnworthily to despise the Lord by how much he came neere to them For how came it to passe that God preferred the straung woman before all the Israelites but because that the Prophet being thrown forth of them was enforced to seeke entertainment in a prophane land And wherefore would God that Naaman the Syrian should be healed by Elisaeus but for the reproofe of the people of Israell Therefore the meaning is that it now falleth out as it did in times past that God will send his power a farre off vnto straungers because he is driuen backe by thē that dwell at home with him Yet Christe declareth that nothing of his glory is diminished in that he is nought set by of his countreymen because that God to their ignominie and shame can other where honour and exalt his sonne as in tymes past hee honoured his Prophets in the middest of the Gentiles In this manner the foolish glorying of flesh is beaten downe when wee see the Lorde reigne not onelye where and when hee will but euen in the vttermoste corners not regarding the lande which hee had chosen for a dwelling place for himselfe Also heere is a generall doctrine to be gathered that it becommeth not vs to prescribe God a lawe for the bestowing of his benefites but that at his pleasure hee may rayse the lowe and the most contemned menne to honour the chiefe being reiected Neyther is it lawefull for vs to styrre if he altogether ouerthrow that order y t pleaseth our iudgement And the Antithesis betweene Israell and the prophan nations must be noted But it behooueth vs alwayes to consider this thas he chooseth none beefore other for their own worthinesse but that rather commeth by the wonderfull counsell of God Yet though the
where you haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you Iohn 15. 16. In the same sence also Paul often commendeth the purpose of God in his Apostleshippe But heere do arise moe questions First why hee chose Iudas of a determinate purpose whome hee knowe to bee vnwoorthy of that honour and should become a traitour Then why God being so earnestly besoughte of his sonne suffered so faithlesse and wyeked a manne to creepe into the chiefe order of hys Churche as if he had despised Christe Thirdly whye hee woulde that the first fruites of hys Churche shoulde be polluted with so vile a reproache Fourthlye whye Christ wittingly and willingly preferred Iudas before honest and faithfull ministers The first Obiection is thus aunsweared It was the will of the Lorde purposely to meete with such offences that should fal out least we shoulde be troubled beyonde measure so oft as wee see false teachers occupie a place in the churche Or that of professours of the gospell there become Apostates And also in the person of one manne he gaue an example of a horrible defection least they that are placed in higher estate of dignitie shoulde flatter themselues too much Yet lette vs not saye that Christ suffered the repulse VVhen the father in woonderful councel adioyned one deuill to eleuen Angelles yet hee so gouerned the falling out of the matter that his falling awaye shoulde confirme the Faithe of the Churche rather then shake the same Thys same aunsweare may be geuen to the thirde question In the first beginnings it was speedely shewed what the estate of the Churche shoulde be least the weake shoulde waxe faint at the fall of any of the reprobate for it is vnmeete that the stabilitie of the Gospell shoulde depende vppon menne As concerning the last Obiection Christe did not preferre Iudas before the holy and the godly disciples but he lifted him vppe on high from whence he was to fall because he woulde he shoulde be a spectacle to all men and an instruction to all ages that no man shoulde abuse the honour geuen him of God then the pillers falling that they that seeme to be of the common sort of the faithfull might remaine stedfast LVKE 13. VVhich also he called Apostles This may be expounded two wayes Either that he after consecrating them into their office gaue thys name vnto them Either that he gaue them thys title in hope of the dignitie to come that they mighte knowe to what purpose they were separate from the common sort for what vse they were ordained VVhich latter exposition doeth agree with the woordes of Marke for hee sayth that Christ did this that they should be with him and that he might send them to preache Therefore his will was that they should be hys companions vppon whome he would after lay a greater charge for when hee sayeth that they should be with him and that he would send them foorth to preach he doeth not appoynt that they should be both in one moment of time as I haue sayde before MAR 16. And 〈◊〉 named Symon Peter Although it behoueth al christians to be liuing stones of the spiritual tēple yet christ for the mesure of grace which he wold bestow vpō Simō gaue him a peculiar name neither doth his shamefull infirmitie in denying the Lord hinder this for with this title his inuincible power and constancie which continued euen to death is set foorth Yet the Papistes are to be laughed at which thereof gather that the church was grounded vpon him as shal be shewed more at large in the 16. chapter of Mathewe Christ called the sonnes of Zebedeus the sonnes of thunder for that he would geue them a soūding voyce wherwith they shoulde thunder throughout all the worlde And the thunder out of the mouth of Iohn is heard to this day and it is not to be doubted but that his brother shoke the earthe while hee liued But the woorde is corrupte for the perfecte pronounciation shouldee be BENAE Reges or Ragas But it is not vnknowen howe easily woordes are chaunged when they are translated into an other tounge Mathew 5. Marke Luke 6. 1. And when he saw the multitude hee went vp into a mountaine and when he was set his disciples came to him 2. And he opened his mouthe and taught them saying 3. Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdom of heauen 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherite the earth 6. Blessed are they which hunger thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be filled 7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercy 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God 9. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shal be called the children of God 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 11. Blessed are you when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euill against you for my sake falsly 12. Reioyce I say and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets whiche were before you  20. And hee lifted vp his eyes vpon his disciples sayd Blessed be ye poore for yours is the kingdome of heauen 21. Blessed are yee that hunger nowe for ye shall be satisfied Blessed are ye that wepe now for yee shal laugh 22. Blessed are yee when menne hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the sonne of mans sake 23. Reioyce you in that day and bee glad for beholde youre rewarde it greate in heauen for after this maner their fathers did to the Prophets 24. But woe be to you that are riche for yee haue receiued your consolation 25. VVoe be to you that are full for yee shall hunger VVoe be to you that nowe laugh for yee shall waile and weepe 26. VVoe be to you when al men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false Prophets MAT. 1. He went vp into a mountaine They that say that this is another sermon of Christes and not that which is set down in the 6. chap. of Luke are drawen with too light and friuolous an argument for that Mathew sayeth that Christ spake in the mountaine to his disciples and that Luke seemeth to note that he spake vnto them in a plaine place For they doe very preposterously read the wordes of Luke adioyning them together that Christ came downe into a plaine place and that he lifting vppe hys eyes vpon his disciples spake thus For it was the purpose of both the Euangelistes to gather together into one place the principall poynts of the doctrine of Christe which did belong to the rule of godly and holy life Therfore though Luke had first made mention of a plaine place yet hee doeth not in a continuall course prosecute the same hystorie but from myracles
them to abuse the name of God without reproofe so that they were not forsworne It is commaunded that we should religiously performe our oathes to God For he that doth defraud and deceaue his neighbours after that he hath vsed the name of God for it doth iniury not to men onely but to God But the fault is in restraining that to one point which extendeth more largely Some apply this word perfourme to vowes promised to God for relygions sake But the word doth best agree to al couenauntes and promisses confirmed by adding the name of God thereto for then is God made a witnesse between both parties to whom they pledge their faith 34. Sweare not at all This clause not at all hath deceiued many so that they thought that Christ had generally condemned all oathes And many good men were driuen to this vnmeasurable rigor through the vnbrideled libertie of swearing which they sawe abounde throughout the world And the Anabaptistes vnder this pretence haue kept a great stir as though Christe would suffer vs to sweare for no cause for that hee forbiddeth to sweare at all But we must not fetch an exposition out of any other place then out of the wordes of the text presently there followeth neither by heauen nor by the earth VVho seeth not that these kindes of oathes are set downe for interpretation sake which by this numbring of these perticuler oathes might interprete the former sentence The Iewes had certaine extraordinary or indirect as menne saye maner of oathes and when they swore by heauen earth or the altar they counted this almost for nothing And as one sinne ariseth of an other so vnder this colour they faigned that they did not so openly prophane the name of God Christe that he might meete with this sinne saieth that they may not at all sweare either after this maner or after that neither by heauen nor by the earth c. VVhereby wee gather that this phrase not at all is not referred to the substaunce but to the maner of swearing as if he should haue saide neither directly nor indirectly otherwise it were in vaine to rehearse these kindes VVherefore the Anabaptistes doe shewe their grosse ignoraunce and their delight in contention while that frowardly they enforce one word and with closed eies doe passe by the whole meaning of the sentence If any obiect that Christ permitteth no oath I aunswere that the interpreters wordes must bee vnderstoode according to the meaning of the law Therefore this is the summe that the name of God is taken in vaine other waies then by periury Therefore we must refraine from all superfluous oathes but where as there is cause the law doth not only permitte but also commandeth to swear So Christes meaning was nothing else then that al those oathes are vnlawful which by any abuse prophane the sacred name of God the reuerence whereof they ought to preserue Neyther by heauen They are deceiued that say that Christe reprooued these formes of swearing as corrupt because that God alone shoulde be sworne by for the reasons which he bringeth doe rather bend to the coÌ„trary parte because that then also the name of God is sworne by when as heauen and earth are named because there is no parte of the worlde wherein God hath not imprinted some note of his glory Yet this opinion seemeth not to agree with the commaundement of the law whereas God expresly commaundeth to sweare by his name nor yet with diuerse places of the Scripture whereas he complayneth that he is iniuried so oft as his creatures are sworne by I aunswere it is an offence lyke to idolatrie when as eyther the power of iudgement or the aucthoritie of trying witnesses is giuen to them For we must consider the end of swering namely that menne doe appeale vnto God as the reuenger of periurie and the defence of trueth And this honour cannot be giuen to another but that his maiestie shal be prophaned And for this cause the Apostle saieth that one cannot sweare but by the greater and this was peculyer to God alone that he sweareth by himselfe So whosoeuer swore in tymes paste by Moloch or by any other Idoll did so much diminishe from the glory of God in that an other was placed in his roumth as vnderstander of the thoughtes Iudge against their â—oules And they that at this day doe sweare by Angelles or dead Saintes doe spoyle GOD of his honour and do ascribe a vain godhead to those creatures But there is an other thing to be considered when as heauen and earth are sworne by in respect of the maker For the relygion of an oath is not setled vppon the creatures but God alone is called to witnesse they being brought forth as seales of his glory The scripture also calleth heauen the seat of God not that he is included therein but that menne might learne to lyfte their mindes on high so oft as they thinke of him and that they shoulde not imagine any earthly or base thing of him Yea the earth also is therfore called his footestoole that we might knowe that hee being euerye where could not be contained in any certaine place The holynesse of Hierusalem did depende of the promisse therefore it was holy because the Lorde had chosen it for the seat and palace of his Empyre VVhen men swear by their head they lay their lyfe as pledge of their good meaning which is their singuler gyft of God 37. But let your communication be Secondly Christe prescribeth a remedy namely that menne should deale truely and faythfully amongst themselues for then playne speach shall be of more value then an oath is amongst them that knowe no other but corrupt and false dealing And truely this is the best way to reproue and correct vices by to note the fountaines from whence they spring From whence commeth this rash readinesse of swearing but that in so much vanitie in so manye deceites vnconstancy and ficklenesse nothing almost is beleeued Therfore Christe requireth trueth and constancy in our wordes that wee shoulde not neede to sweare anye more For the repetition aswell of the affirmation as of the denyall is for this purpose that wee should keepe our promisses that all vpright dealing maye thereby appeare And beecause that this is the true and lawefull kinde of bargayning where men speake no otherwise with their tongue then they thinke in their hearte Christ saieth that whatsoeuer is more proceedeth of euill And I allowe not their iudgemente that attribute the faulte of swearinge to him that dooth not beleeue the speaker But in my iudgement Christe teacheth that it proceedeth of the vices of men that they are enforced to sweare for if there were vpright dealinge amongste them if they were not diuerse nor inconstant of theyr worde but mayntayned that simplicitie which nature teacheth yet it followeth not but that it is lawefull to sweare so ofte as neede requireth for manye thinges may bee well vsed which ryse of an
haue erred too ignorantly which thought that Christe cōpared himself with Iohn for he speaketh not here of the dignity of the person but the excellency of the office is commended which doth more euidētly appeare by the words of Luke Ther arose not a greater Prophet For the greatnesse is expresly referred to the office of teaching In summe Iohn hath so excellent a title giuen him to that ende that the Iewes shuld the more diligently obserue the message that he brought Then the teachers whiche should shortly after folow him are preferred before him that the maiesty of the gospell mighte be preferred aboue the lawe and also that message which came betwene them both And as Christ would prepare the Iewes to receiue the gospell so it is meete for vs to be wakened at this day that we may reuerently heare Christ speaking to vs out of his high throne of his heauenly glory least that he reuenge our cōtempt with that horrible cursse whiche he denounceth againste the vnfaithfull by Malachie in the same place The kingdome of heauen and of God is taken here as in other places before for the new estate of the church because that at the cōming of Christ ther was promised a restitutiō of al things That which I trāslated the least is red in the Greke in the cōparatiue degre the lesser But after this maner the sense is the plainer while it appeareth that it comprehendeth all the ministers of the gospell Also that many being endued with a smal portion of faith are farre inferiour to Iohn this nothing letteth but that their preachinge may be more excellent in that it proposeth Christe the conquerour of death and the Lorde of life whiche hath perfourmed the euerlasting cleansinge by his onely sacrifice and by takinge away the vaile it lifteth the disciples into the heauenly sanctuarie 12. From the time of Iohn I doubt not but that Christ commendeth the maiestie of the Gospel of this that it was sought after with a feruent desire of many For as God raised vp Iohn that hee might be a proclaimer of the kingdome of his sonne so the spirite gaue effecte to his doctrine that it might enter into the hearts of men and mighte kindle their zeale Therfore it appeareth that it came from God which so straungely sodenly spreadeth out raiseth great sturres But in the second clause ther is added a restrainte that the violent doe take it For because the greater parte was no more moued then as if the Prophets had neuer spoken of Christ or as if Iohn had neuer come as a witnesse of him Christ declareth that the violence whereof he speaketh is founde but in one certaine kinde of menne The meaninge therefore is there is nowe a greate concourse of men as if that men would violently enter into the possession of the kingdome of God For at the opening of the mouth of one man they doe not onely couetously but with violente force they receiue the grace offered And thoughe very many are slouthfull and are no more touched then if Iohn should tell a tale in the wildernesse nothing appertaining to them yet many ran with violēt zeale And to this purpose tendeth the saying of Christ that they are inexcusable whiche contemptuously as with cloased eyes doe passe by the manifest power of God which shone as well in the teacher as in the hearers Yet by these wordes we learne what is the true nature and force of faith namely that menne should not coldly and for fashion giue eare to God when hee doeth speake but they shoulde aspire to him with an ardent affection and breake throughe as it were wyth a violent endeuour LVKE 16. The lawe and the Prophets to Iohn Because the Lord had sayd that those things which the Prophets had foretolde of the renewinge of the church that shuld be was as an entrance to the matter for the peoples sake now he compareth the ministerie of Iohn with the law the prophets as if he should haue sayd it is no maruel if God doth now so mightily worke in the mindes of men For he doeth not shew himselfe a farre off as he did before in obscure shadowes but openly and at hande is hee present to establish his kingdome Hereof it foloweth that they haue lesse excuse which doe stubbornely refuse the doctrine of Iohn then the contemners of the law and the Prophets There is an emphasis in the worde of Prophesying for the lawe and the Prophetes did not sette God before the eyes but onelie by figures they drew out as in a shadow one absent Now we see whereto this comparison tendeth namely that it is not meete that menne should be now so cold sith God sheweth himselfe present vnto them which helde the olde people in suspense by prophesies But there is no absurditie in that that Christ doth nowe number Iohn amongst the ministers of the Gospel whom he had first placed in the middest betweene them and the Prophets because his preaching though it were a part of the Gospel yet it was but a certaine rudiment of the same MAT. 14. And if ye wil receiue it Now he doth declare more plainly how Iohn begā to preach the kingdō of God for this is verily that Eliah which was promised to be sent before the face of God for Christ would that the Iewes should now see and know that great terrible comming of God spoken of before by Malachi sith that Elias which is there promised doth now execute the office of a forerunner Also in these words If ye wil receiue it he reproueth the hardnes of their harts that are so malitiously blinde in so great light But what if he be not receiued shall be not be that Eliah It is not the meaning of Christ to say that the office of Iohn doth depēd vppon theyr lykinges but after he had sayd that he was that Eliah he reproueth them of slouth and vnthankfulnes if he haue not that credit which he deserueth 15. He that hath eares VVe know that Christ vseth this sentence as oft as he entreateth of an earnest matter which he would should be diligently carefully noted Yet he also declareth that the misteries wherof he speaketh are not receiued of all because that many of the hearers are deafe or else haue stopped their eares But because that man is not onely hindered by his own incredulitie but that diuers do also hinder others christ here exhorteth the children of God whose eares are opened that they should be diligent to consider this excellēt misterie of God and that they should not wax deaf with the vnbeleeuers Matth. 11. Marke Luke 7. 16. But whereunto shall I lyken this generation It is lyke vnto litle children which sit in the markets and call vnto their felowes 17. And say wee haue pyped vnto you and ye haue not daunced we haue mourned to you yee haue not lamented 18. For Iohn came neither eating nor drinking and they saye hee hath a
second messengers which shoulde euerye where in all places spread abrod the fame of the comming of Christ. But there was no speciall ambassage committed to them Christ onely sent them before him as forerunners which might prepare the mindes of the people to receiue his doctrine In the number of seuentie he seemeth to folow that order wherto the people had heretofore bene accustomed That must be remeÌ„bred which we spake of the twelue Apostles that look how many trybes there were in the florishing estat of the people so many Apostls were there choseÌ„ as Patriarches which shold gather the members of the torne body togeather that thence might come a perfect restitution of the Church The reason was not vnlike in the seuentie VVe know when Moses was not able to beare the burden he chose vnto him seuentie Iudges which shuld gouerne the people togeather with him Numb 11. But the Iewes being now returned from the captiuitie of Babylon had a councell called synedrion which they through corruption called sanedrin which consisted of seuentie and two Iudges But as the common speach is in such numbers so when they spake of the synedrion they onelye called them seuentie Iudges and they were chosen of the posteritie of Dauid as Philo witnesseth that there might yet remaine some authoritie in the kingly stocke VVherefore after many miserable murthers this was the last part of theyr destruction when Herod had ouerthrowne that councell hee spoyled the people of their lawfull gouernment Furthermore because their returne from Babylon was a figure of the true and perfect redemption the Lord now seemeth to chuse these seuentie preachers of his comming therby to promise after a sort a restitution of their decayed estate Yet he made theÌ„ not Iudges with power beecause the people was to be called backe againe to one head but hee commaunded them onely to goe before that he alone might rule and gouerne In that he sent them two togeather it seemeth that he did it in consideration of theyr weakenes for it was to be feared least they being seuered alone shuld haue had lesse courage theÌ„ was necessarye for the through perfourmaunce of theyr office Therefore that some should mutually encourage others they are sent two togeather 2. The haruest is great I expounded this sentence in the 9. Chap. after Matthew yet it was conuenient to be set downe here againe because it is here vttered vppon an other occasion For that Christ might therby the better stirre vp his Disciples diligently to apply theyr labour he telleth them that the haruest is great whereof it followeth that their labour should not be in vaine but that they should finde aboundaunce of matter wherein they might exercise themselues After he admonisheth them of daungers contentions and troubles and he commaundeth them to girde vp themselues that they might speedely goe through all Iudea then he rehearseth those commaundements which he had giuen to the Apostles therefore it were superfluous here to load the readers with moe wordes sith the full exposition of all these thinges may be hadde there onely they are to be admonished what this speach meaneth Salute no man by the way It is a token of great haste where as if any man meere vs in the way we goe forward and speake not to him that might hinder vs though it were but a litle So 2. Re. 4. 29. when Elizeus sent his boye to the Sunamite he forbad him to salute any by the way VVould Christ therefore haue his disciples to be so vnkind that he would not allowe them to salute any by the way No but he commaundeth them to make such speede that they should passe ouer all lettes Luke also hath this onely that the Disciples should eate and drinke those thinges whiche shoulde be set before them In which words Christ doth not only command his to be coÌ„tent with coÌ„mon and meane diet but he also aloweth theÌ„ to eate of other mens charges And this is the simple natural sense it shall be free for you to lyue of other mennes charges so long as you shall be in this iourney for it is meete that they for whose cause you labour should giue you foode Some thinke that that scruple is taken away that the Disciples should not abhorre or refuse any kinde of meat but Christ meant no such thing nay his purpose was not to geue them any thing in commandement concerning frugal diet but only to graunt them in steade of reward to be fed in this their ambassage of their hostes that enterteined them Math. 11. Marke Luke 10. 20. Then beganne he to vpbrayde the Cities wherein moste of his great workes were done because they repented not 21. VVoe be to thee Chorazin wee be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes whiche were doone in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agoe in sackâ—loath and ashes 22. But I say to you it shal be easier for Tyrus and Sidon at the day of iudgement then for you 23. And thou Capernaum which art lyfted vp vnto heauen shalt bee brought down to hell for if the great workes which haue bene don in thee had bene doone among them of Sodome they had remained to this day 24. But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the lande of Sodome in the day of iudgmente then for you  13. VVoe be to the Chorazin we be to thee Bethsayda for if the miracles had bene done in Tyrus and Sidon which haue bene done in you they had a great while ago repented sittinge in sackcloath and ashes 14. Therefore it shall bee easier for Tirus and Sidon at the iudgement then for you 15. And thou Capernaum whiche arte exalted to heauen shalt be thrust downe to hel 16. Hee that heareth you heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 20. Then he beganne to vpbrayde Luke sheweth when and wherefore Christ so inueighed against these cities namely when hee had sente his Disciples into diuerse partes of Iudea to preach as they wente that the kingdom of God was at hand he coÌ„sidering their vnthankfulnes amoÌ„gst whom he had laboured as a prophet long time had wrought manye miracles and they not profiting thereby he brake out into these words as if he should haue said that the time was now come that he would goe to other cities sith he found that the inhabitants of that coaste where he began to preach the Gospel and to work miracles were a stubborn and malitious people But not speaking of his doctrine hee vpbraideth them that they were not drawn to repentaunce by his miracles for it is euideÌ„t that the Lord shewed his power by miracles to this end that hee might thereby call men vnto him and sith that by nature al men are set against him it is necessary that they beginne at repentance It is well known that Chorazin and Bethsaida are cities situated vpoÌ„
touch at least the edge of his garment And as many as touched him were made whole  34. They came into the land of Genneâ—areth The Euangelists do meane that region which was so called of the name of the lake though it is vncerteine whether the lake was so called after the name of the lande but in that there is no matter of waight It behoueth vs especially to bende our cies thither whither the Euangelistes do lead vs that the glory of Christ was shewed not by one or two miracles but that coast of Iudea was replenished with innumerable testimonies of him the fame wherof might easily spread to Ierusalem and into other cities euerye waye VVhereby we gather how vile and wicked the vnthankfulnes of that nation was which malitiously shut theyr eies at the present brightnes of the glory of God nay they endeuoured as much as laye in them to extinguishe the same But now it is our duety in this so great a heap of myracles to learn to know to what end Christ came namely that he might shew himselfe a Phisition in healyng all diseases For it behooueth vs to cal to remembraunce that which Matthew alleaged before out of the Prophet Isaias that he by healing the diseases of the body figured as in a shadow some greater thing to wit that he should restore our soules to health and that his peculyar office should be to take away spiritual diseases And though at this day he is not conuersaunt vppon the earth yet it is certeine that now in heauen he excelleth in exercising the same graces whereof hee then gaue a visible testimony And beecause wee all are diseased with all kinde of diseases vntill he heale let euery one of vs not only offer himselfe vnto him but let him also endeuour to bring others which are in neede of the like remedy 36. That they might touch the hemme It is to be supposed that they were somwhat superstitious when as they tied the grace of Christ to the touching of his garment at least they defrauded him of part of his honour when they hoped for no power by his simple word But least hee should queÌ„ch the smoaking flaxe he applyeth himselfe to theyr simplicitie yet here is no cause why they should flatter themselues which seek the grace of God in wood or nayles or garmentes when as the scripture saith expresly that it is abhominable to conceaue any thing now ef Christe but according to the worthines of his spirituall and heauenly glory Theyr infirmity was borne with for a tyme which not knowing that Christe was God desired to come neerer to him Now sith hee silleth heauen and earth with the fauour of his grace it behooueth vs to apprehend by fayth the saluation which he offreth vs from heauen and not with haÌ„ds or eyes Matth. 15. Mark 7. Luk. 1. Then came to Iesus the Scribs and Pharises which were of Ierusalem saying 2. VVhy do thy disciples transgresse the tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread 3. But he answered and saide vnto them why doe yee also transgresse the commaundementes of God by your traditions 4. For God hath commanded saying Honour thy father and mother and he that curseth father or mother let him dye the death 5. But yee saye whosoeuer shal saye to father or mother by the gifte that is offred by â—ne thou maist haue profit 6. Though he honour not his father or his mother shall be free Thus haue yee made the commandement of God of no auctority by your traditions 7. O hypocrites Esaias prophesied wel of you saying 8. This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their hearte is farre from me 9. But in vaine they worship me teaching for doctrins the precepts of men 1. Then gathered vnto him the Pharises and certeine of the Scribes whiche came from Ierusalem 2. And when they sawe some of his disciples eate meat with common handes that is to say vnwashed they complained 3. For the Pharises and al the Iewes except they wash their handes oft eate not holding the tradition of the Elders 4. And when they come from the market except they wash they eat not and manye other thinges there be which they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washing of cuppes and pots and of brasen vessels and of tables 5. Then asked him the Pharises and Scribes why walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders but eat meat with vnwashen hands 6. Then he answered and sayd vnto them Surely I say hath prophesied well of you hipocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre away from me 7. But they worship me in vain teaching for doctrines the precepts of men 8. For yee lay the commaundementes of God aparte and obserue the tradition of men as the washing of pottes and cups and many other such like things yede 9. And he saide vnto them well yee reiect the commaundement of God that yee may obserue your owne tradition 10. For Moses saide Honour thy father and thy mother and whosoeuer shall curse father or mother let him dye the death 11. But yee say If a man say to father or mother Corban that is by the gifte that is offred by me thou maist haue profit he shal be free 12. So ye suffer him no more to doe anye thing for his father or his mother 13. Making the word of God of no autoritie by your tradition which ye haue ordained and ye do many such like things  1. Then came to Iesus This is a place most worthy to be noted because that here is reproued an offence no lesse daungerous then common VVe see what frowardnes there is in menne both in the way and meanes of worshipping God for they do dayly deuise new kindes of worshipping and the wiser any man would seeme to be the more he bendeth to shew his witte that way I speake not of straungers but of them which are of the houshold of the church whom God hath peculiarlye enriched with this honour that they should holde that as the rule of pietie which hee hath spoken with his own mouth Gad hath prescribed in what maner we should worship him and in his law he hath comprehended a perfect holynes The most part as if it were a light and a vaine matter ro obey God and to obserue that which he hath commaunded do of themselues gather out of sundry places many additions to the same They whiche are in authoritie do wrest their owne deuises to this end as if they had somwhat in their heades perfecter then the worde of God Then crepte in tyranny for when men once take to themselues that lyberty to commaund they do seuerely exact the obseruation of their own lawes do not abide that the least title of the same should be omitted either in coÌ„tempt or els by negligence Also though the
be the daily meditation of the godly when as they haue born many troubles to prepare themselues to beare new 25 For whosoeuer will saue his lyfe A most apt consolation that they truly shall finde life which doe willingly suffer death for Christ for Mark doth expresly prescribe vnto the faythfull this cause of death and therefore it is to bee vnderstoode in Matthew his wordes For oft tymes it commeth to passe that ambition or desperation driueth prophane men to contemne life so that couragiously they hasten to death but yet they profit not therby Also the opposed threatning auaileth much to the shaking off of the drowsie sluggishnes of the flesh when as he forewarneth them that are desirous of this present life that they onelye preuaile thus farre that they shal lose the same There is a contrarietie betweene this temporal life and the eternall as we taught before vpon the tenth chapter from whence the readers may seeke for the rest 26. For what shall it profit a man c if hee lose his owne soule The word soule is heere taken properly for Christe admonishth that the soule of man is not therefore created to enioy the world onely for a fewe dayes but that at length it may attaine to that immortality in heauen as if he shuld haue said how great is this sluggishnes and how beastly blockishnes is it that the world so holdeth men bound vnto it and ouerwhelmesh thē that they consider not to what end they were born and haue an Immortal soule giuen vnto them that the race of this earthly life being finished they should liue for euer in heauen And all men truly doe confesse that the soule is more worth then all the riches and pleasures of the worlde but in the meane season the sense of the flesh doth so blinde them that wittingly and willingly they cast their soules into destruction Therefore least the world should enchaunt vs with her baytes let vs consider in our minde the excellency of our soule which if it bee earnestlye considered dooth easilye dispearse the vaine imaginations of an earthlye felicity 27. For the sonne of man shall come That the former doctrine may the better sinke into our minds Christe setteth before their eyes the iudgement to come for that this transitory lyfe may become vile vnto vs it is necessary for vs to be touched with an earnest feeling of thee heauenly The slownesse and sluggishnesse of our minde hath nead to bee holpe and stirred vp to looke vp into heauen Therfore Christ citeth the faithfull to his trybunall that they might continuallye thinke that they liue for no other cause but to aspyre to that blessed lyfe which shall bee reuealed at that day And the warning tendeth to this purpose that wee might know that they striue not in vain to whom the confession of their faith is more deare and precious then their life as if Christ should haue fayde Cast your lyues into my hande and keeping without feare for I wyll shewe my selfe at length the auenger who will at length restore you agayne perfectlye though you seemed for a tyme to perishe Hee mentioneth the glorye of the father and the Aungels leaste hys disciples shoulde iudge of his kingdome after the present face or shewe for as yet hee was base and despised beeing hidde vnder the habite and shape of a seruaunt Therefore he promiseth to be farre otherwise when he shall come to be the Iudge of the worlde Further those words which Marke and Luke haue more the readers shall finde expounded in the tenth Chapter of Matthew Also I haue spoken sufficiently otherwhere of the reward of workes This is the summe of it as ofte as there is a rewarde promised to good workes it doth not oppose the merite of thē against the free righteousnes of faith neyther dooth it shewe the cause of saluation but onely encourage the faithful to the study of weldoing while they are certeine that they labour not in vaine VVherefore these two do very wel agree we are iustified freelye because we are accepted of God besides our desert and yet that he of his owne free will pleasure bestoweth a reward not due vnto our works 28. Verely I say vnto you Because the disciples might yet doubte amongst themselues when that day should be the Lorde styrreth them vp with a neerer hopei namely that hee will shortly giue a shewe or token of his glory to come VVe know how true the common prouerbe is in that which is desired haste it selfe seemeth to make delay but it is found most true especiallye amongst vs while our saluation is differd to the comming of Christe The Lorde therefore that hee might in the meane season refresh his disciples hee proposeth vnto them for their confirmation a time in the meane season as if hee shuld haue saide If it seeme too long for you to waite for my comming I wil sooner preuent the same for before you shal dye that kingdome of God shal be euidente beefore your eyes of the hope whereof I commaund you to depend This is the naturall sense of the wordes For that which some doe imagine of Iohn is but a fancy By the comming of the kingdome of GOD is meant the manifestation of the heauenlye glorye which Christe beganne at hys resurrection and shewed it more fullye by sendinge the holye Ghost and by working merueilous workes for in these beginninges hee gaue his Disciples a taste of the newnes of the heauenly lyfe when by true certeine tryalles they might knowe him that he sate at the right hand of his father Matth. 17 Mark 9 Luk. 9. 1. And after sixe dayes Iesus took Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and brought thē vp into an high mountaine a parte 2. And was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sunne and his clothes were as white as the light 3. And beehold there appeared vnto them Moses and Elias talkinge with him 4. Then answered Peter and said to Iesus master it is good for vs to be here if thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias 5. VVhile he yet spak behold a bright cloud shadowed thē and behold there came a voice out of the cloud saying This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him 6. And when the discyples heard that they fell on theyr faces and were sore afraid 7. Then Iesus came and touched them and sayd arise and be not afrayd 8. And when they lifed vp their eies they saw no manne saue Iesus onely 2. And sixe dayes after Iesus took Peter Iames and Iohn and brought them vp into an high mountaine out of the waye alone and he was transfigured before them 3. And his raymente did shine and was verye white as snow so white as no fuller canne make vppon the earth 4. And there appeared vnto them Elyas with Moses and they were talkinge with Iesus 5. Then
of the place appertaineth to the common faith of the whole Church 21. This kinde goeth not out In this saying Christ doth not reproue their sluggishnesse that they might know that they had neede of no common faith for otherwise they might haue excepted that they were not altogither without faith Therefore the meaning is that euery faith sufficeth not when the battoll is to be fought hotly with Sathan but it requireth strong forces And he prescribeth prayer as a remeady to the weakenesse of faith whereunto he adioyneth fasting as a helpe You sayeth he tender exorcistes come foorth as it were to fight with a shadow or to a battell in sport but you haue to deale with a stout champion who will not be ouercome but with a great and sharpe fight Therefore faith must be stirred vp with prayer and because you are slow and colde to prayer the helpe of fasting must be also added Hereby it doeth euidently appeare howe ridicoulously the Papists doe of fasting make a medicine to driue away deuils when as the Lorde applieth it to no other purpose then to stirre vppe a desire to prayer VVhen as he sayeth that kinde of deuil can not be cast foorth by any other meanes then by praier and fasting the meaning is where as Sathan hath taken deepe rootes and hath hadde a long possession or where he walketh with an vnbrideled libertye it will be harde and muche a doe to gette the victorie and therefore wee must striue with all our forces Math. 17. Marke 9. Luke 9. 22. And as they abode in Galile Iesus said vnto them the sonne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of men 23. And they shal kill him but the third day shal be rise againe and they were very sorie Math. 18. 1. The same time the disciples came vnto Iesus saying VVho is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen 2. And Iesus called a little childe vnto him and sette him in the midst of them 3. And sayde verâ—ly I say vnto you except yee be conuerted and become as little children yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen 4. VVho soeuer therefore shall humble himselfe as this little childe the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen 5. And who soeuer shal reâ—â—lue suche a little childe in my name receiueth me 30. And they departed thence went through Galile and he woulde not that any should haue knowen it 31. For he taught his disciples and sayd vnto them the sonne of man shal be deliuered into the hands of men they shal kil him but after that he is killed he shall rise againe the third day 32. But they vnderstoode not that saying and were afraide to aske him 33. After he came to Capernaum and when hee was in the house hee asked them what was it that yee disputed among you by the way 34. And they held their peace for by the way they reasoned among themselues who shoulde be the chiefe 35. And he sate down and called the twelue said to them If anye manne desire to bee first the same shal be last of al and seruaunt vnto all 36. And he toke a litle childe and sette him in the middes of them and tooke him in his armes and said vnto them 37. VVho soeuer shal receiue one of such little childrenne in my name receiueth mee and whosoeuer receiueth mee receiueth not mee but him that sent me 43. And whiles they all wondered at all things which Iesus did he sayd vnto his disciples 44. Marke these wordes diligently for it shall come to passe that the sonne of manne shall be deliuered into the handes of men 45. But they vnderstoode not that woord for it was hidde from them so that they could not perceiue it and they feared to aske him of that worde 46. Then there arose a disputation among them which of them shoulde be the greatest 47. VVhen Iesus sawe the thoughtes of their heartes hee tooke a little childe and sette hym by him 48. And said vnto them VVho soeuer receiueth a little childe in my name receiueth me and who soeuer shall receiue me receiueth him that sent me for he that is least among you all he shal be great 22. As they abode in Galile The nearer the time of his death approched the oftner Christe warneth his disciples least that fearfull sight shoulde weaken their faith This speache was vsed a little after that the myracle was wrought For Marke sayth that he went from that place into Galile that he might liue quietly there in the meane time for he had determined to come to Ierusalem at the solemne day of the sacrifice because he was at the next Passeouer to be offred vp himself And though they had bene often admonished of this matter before yet they are no lesse troubled then if they neuer hadde heard any thing of it before The opinion which they had taken before doth so much preuaile as that it darkeneth their minds in the most cleare light The Apostles had imagined amoÌ„gst themselues that the kingdom of Christ should be quiet pleasant they thought that assoone as it should be shewed foorth it should be receiued with the allowance of all men there was nothing more incredible then that the Priests and Scribes others the chief of the church shuld be against it Therefore they being in errour doe not admit any thing that is sayde on the contrary parte for Marke sayeth they knewe not what the Lorde meant But whereof commeth this ignorance when as his Worde was so manifest and so plaine but that that vaine illusion hadde couered their mindes as with a vaile that they durst not aske any further thoughe it maye bee partly attributed to a certayne reuerence yet I thinke not but that they helde their peace as men being oppressed with sorowe and stricken with that absurdity which they had imagined to theÌ„selues VVherfore this shame is not altogither to be praised which nourished a perplexed dout a corrupt sorow In the meane while a secreatseede of godlines rather then any manifest knowledge of the truth tied them to Christ that they shuld not depart froÌ„ his schole There was some beginning or rote of faith of true vnderstaÌ„ding planted in their harts so that this zeale of following Christ was far from that implicite faith of the papists but because they had not as yet proceded so far in the knowledge of the nature of the kingdome of God and of the promised renewing in Christ I doe say that the desire of godlinesse did rather appeare in them then any certaine knowledge Heereby we gather what was in them worthy either of praise or of reprehension But though their blockishnesse is not to be excused yet there is no cause why we shoulde maruel that so expresse and euident a declaration of the crosse and ignominie of the master was vnto them as a riddle not onely because it was contrary to the glory of the sonne of God to
be refused and to be condemned but because there was nothinge more vnlikely then that the grace promised peculiarly to the Iewes shoulde be reiected of the gouernours of the same nation And because the great horrour of the crosse wherewith they were sodenly taken excluded them from the comfort of the hope of the resurrection which was added let vs learne that so oft as mention is made of the death of Christe to comprehende the whole 3. daies togither that the death and burial may lead vs vnto the happy triumph and newe life 1. The same time the disciples came It appeareth by the other two that the disciples came not to Christ of their owne freewil but when as they had priuily reasoned the matter by the way they were drawen out of their denne into the light But there is no absurditie in it that Mathewe hasting to Christes answer doth not set downe the whole course of the hystorie but passing by the beginninge doeth summarily declare why Christ reprooued that foolish desire of soueraigntie amongst the Disciples But when Christ inquireth of the secreat speach and vrgeth the disciples to cōfes that which they desired to haue suppressed we are taught to beware of all emulation be it neuer so secreat Further the circūstance of the time is to be noted the foretelling of death had made them sadde and doubtful yet as if they had heard of some fond fables or had a poeticall cup of fained drinke begun to them they doe presently striue about the supremacie How commeth it to passe that so great carefulnesse shuld so spedily vanish away but that the mindes of men are giuen so much to ambition that they forgetting the present warfare being deceiued with a false imagination doe straight step to the triumphs If the remembrance of that so lately spoken was so soone forgotten of the Apostles what shall become of vs if we bid the meditation of death farewell for a long time and giue our selues to slouthfulnesse to carelesnesse or to idle speculations But it is demaunded what occasion of trouble the Disciples had I aunswear that flesh doeth willingly shake off all trouble and letting passe all cause of heauinesse doeth take holde of that whiche was spoken of the resurrection whereof the contention arose amongst them being thus carelesse And because they doe eschewe the former part of the doctrine which is vnpleasant to the flesh God suffereth them to erre in the resurrection that they might dreame of that whiche shoulde not come to passe that Christ by preaching onely should get himselfe a kingdom which should be earthly that shoulde presently growe to great wealth and prosperitie But in this question there was a double fault for the Apostles dealt very preposterously while they reiecting the care of warfare whereunto they were called as souldiers that had well deserued they desire rest and seke to haue rewardes giuen them with honor before the time And secondly they dealt yll in this that where as they ought to haue bent thēselues togither with one consent mutually to help one an other and to desire for the price no lesse for their brethren then for thēselues through malitious ambition some of them endeuored to preuent the rest VVherfore that our course may be allowed vnto the Lord let vs learne paciently to bear the burden of the crosse that is laid vpon vs vntil the full time come for vs to be crowned further as Paul exhorteth Rom. 12. 10. In giuing honor go one before another The vaine curiosity of those men at this day is like to the former fault which leauing the lawfull course of their calling doe leape before their time aboue the heauens The calling vs in the Gospel to his kingdome sheweth the way that leadeth thither But these winged men not thinking of faith of patience of calling vpon God and other exercises doe dispute what is done in heauen but this is as muche as if any man about to take a iourney diligently inquiring of the situation of his Inne or lodging mooueth not one foote forwarde for when the Lord commaundeth vs to walke vppon the earth who soeuer doeth curiously dispute howe the deade doe sitte in heauen doeth hinder himselfe from comming into heauen 2. And Iesus called a little childe The sum is who soeuer desire greatnesse whereby they may be aboue their brethren shal be so far from obtaining the same that they cannot sticke to the vtmost corner And he reasoneth of the contrary because that only humility doeth extoll vs. And because that outward things set before our eyes do moue most he setteth before them a figure of humilitie in a yong child For that he commaundeth his to become like to a childe is not stretched generally to all thinges VVe know that in children many things are corrupt wherfore Paul wold not haue vs to be children in vnderstanding but in malice whome otherwise in vnderstanding he commaundeth to be of a ripe age But because that infants doe not yet knowe what it is to be preferred aboue others that they should striue about superioritie by their example Christ would blot out of their minds those things which prophane men children of the world do alwaies discourse of the pleasure of honours least any ambition shoulde stirre them vp If any man except that infants euen from the wombe haue pride grafted in them so that they would haue themselues to be most accounted of and most cared for the aunswer is easie Similitudes must not be too exactly nor narowly sifted to haue them agree in all poyntes But because there doth yet raigne so great simplicitie in infants that they knowe not the degrees of honours nor the swellinges of pride therfore Christ doth fitly and aptly propose them for an example And to this purpose appertaineth that conuersion whereof hee maketh mention namely that the disciples had now framed thēselues too much to the common maners of men and therfore that they might come to the right marke their course must be turned backward Euery man desireth the first or second place for himself but Christ alloweth no man no not in the lowest place except that he forget that superiority humble himself And on the contrary he sayth that they shal be greatest which do hūble themselues least that we should thinke that we loose any thing when we do willingly leaue al greatnes And heereof may be gathered a short definitiō of humility namely that he is truely humble who neither chalengeth any thing vnto himselfe before God nor contemptuously disdaineth his brethren nor desireth to be sene ligher but satisfieth himself to be accounted one of the members of Christe desiring no other thing then that the head may be onely exalted 3. And who soeuer shal receiue Christ now doth metaphorically cal thē children which laying aside al loftinesse doe frame thēselues to modesty and subiection and that is added in stead of a comfort least submission shuld be hard troublesome vnto vs wherby
neyther doe wee lose anye thing if GOD doe kindelye receiue into fauour them whiche by theyr sinnes hadde bene estraunged from him and it is a hardnes without godlines not to be gladde when we see our brethren restored from death to life Matth. 18. Mark Luk. 17. 15. Moreouer if thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if hee heare thee thou haste wonne thy brother 16. But if hee heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may be confirmed 17. And if hee will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it vnto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a Publican 18. Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye lose on earth shal be losed in heauen 19. Againe verely I say vnto you that if two of you shal agree in earth vppon any thing whatsoeuer they shall desire it shal be giuen them of my father which is in heauen 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the mids of them  3. Take heede to your selues if thy brother trespasse againste thee rebuke him and if he repent forgiue him 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee Because hee had spoken before of bearing with the infirmities of the brethrē now he sheweth more plainly how and to what ende and how farre they are to be borne with For otherwise it had bene a ready obiection that offences cannot otherwise be auoyded but that euery manne shoulde winke at the faultes of other men and so should sinne be nourished by bearinge with it Therefore Christ prescribeth a meane betweene both which neither shall offende the weake too much and yet shall be apte for the healing of their diseases For seuerity compounded to the nature of a medicine is profitable and prayse worthy In summe Christe commaundeth his disciples so to forgiue one another that yet they endeuor to correct their faults which must be wisely obserued because that nothing is more difficult then to spare and fauour men and freely to reprehend their faultes All men almost do leane to the one side so that eyther they do deceiue one another with deadly flatteringes or els they strike them too hardly whom they should heale But Christ commendeth to his disciples mutual loue which should bee farre from flattery Hee onely commaundeth them to season their admonitions with moderation least if they be too austere hard they should ouerthrow the weake And he expresly setteth downe three degrees of brotherly correction the first is that hee which hath sinned should be admonyshed priuately And the second is if hee shew any token of stubbornesse that hee be againe admonished beefore witnesses The third is if he preuaile nothing this way that he be delyuered to the publike iudgment of the Church And this is the purpose which I spake of least that charity be broken vnder pretence of feruent zeale Further because ambition doth cary away the most part of men so that they are too desirous to spread the offences of their brethren Christ doth in time meete with this faulte commaunding vs to couer the faultes of our brethren as much as we can For who so are delighted with the shame and infamy of the brethren it is certeine that they are caryed away with hatred and malice for if there were any charity in them they would haue regard of the shame of the brethren It is yet demāded whether this rule doth generally extend to all sinners For there are very many whiche wil allow no publike reproues vntyl the offender be first pryuately admonished But there is a manifest restraint in Christes wordes for he doth not simply and without exception commaund that whosoeuer sinneth should be admonished or reproued priuately and without any witnesse but he would haue vs to try this way when we are priuately offended not because the matter is our owne but beecause it is meete that wee shoulde be wounded with sorowe as ofte as GOD is offended Neither yet dooth Christe speake heere of suffring iniuryes but hee dooth generally teach vs so to imbrace and vse louing kindnes amongst vs least by handling the weake ones more sharply wee should lose them which were to be kept Therefore this clause against thee doth not note an iniury done to some one man but distinguisheth betweene secrete and manifest sinnes For if any man sinneth against the whole Churche Paule commaundeth that he should be publikly reproued so that hee woulde not haue the very Elders spared For of them by name doth Paule giue Timothy charge that by publike reprouing them beefore all men they might be made a publike example to others 1. Tim. 5. 20. And certenly it were a ridiculous thing that hee which offended so that his offence were openly knowne to the publike offence of the brethren should bee admonished of euery one of them for so if a thousand knew it he shuld be admonished a thousand tymes VVherefore that distinction whiche Christ expresly maketh is to be kept that no man by making secrete offences common should rashly and without necessity defame his brother If he shall heare thee thou hast wonne Christ confirmeth his doctrine by the profit and fruite that shall come thereof For it is no small matter to get a soule to God which was in bondage to Sathan And whereof cōmeth it to passe that they which are falne doe seldome repent but beecause that they being handled odiously and as enemies do hardē themselues in obstinacy Therefore nothing is better then gentlenesse which reconcileth to God them which had falne from him And he that dooth intemperately runne into a fond fauouring the offender doth willingly lose the saluation of his brother which he had in his hand In Luke Christ commaundeth vs expresly to be satisfied with a priuate admonition if our brother be thereby brought to repentaunce Hereby is also gathered how necessary it is that there be amongste the faythfull a free and mutuall lyberty of reprouing one another For when as euery one of vs doth offend often euery daye it were extreame crueltie by our silence and dissimulation to betray the saluation of them whō by a friendly reprofe we might delyuer from destruction For though that successe doth not alwayes followe yet dooth there lye a great guiltinesse vpon him who neglecteth the remedy prescribed by the Lord for the preseruation of the saluation of the brethren It is also to be noted that the diligenter we are to perfourme this duety the more the Lord doth yeeld ouer his own honour to vs. For one man cannot conuerte another it only belongeth vnto him yet doth he adorne vs with this vndeserued title that we doe gaine or winne a lost brother 16 If he heare thee not take yet with thee The second degree
that we should be altogeather ouerwhelmed with sorowe so againe the Prophet telleth the faythfull that they haue iust cause to reioyce when the Redeemer is present with them And though he commendeth Christ with other titles as that he is iust and furnished with saluation yet Matthew tooke but that one poynt which serued for hys purpose namelye that he shoulde come poore or meeke that is vnlike to earthly kinges which excell in royall and pompous estate And this is added as a token of his pouerty that he should ride vpon an Asse or the Colt of an Asse For it is not to be doubted but that hee opposeth thys meane manner of riding against a princely pompe 6 The disciples went It is already spoken before that the disciples are here commended for their diligence and readines to obey For the authority of Christ was not so great that his bare name shoulde suffice to moue straungers Also it was to be feared least they shoulde bee charged with theft Therefore it doth hereby appeare howe much they credited the maister in that they answere not againe but trusting to his promise they hasted to execute that which they were commaunded Let vs also learne by their example to go through all lets and hinderances that we maye obey the Lorde in those things which he requireth of vs. For al lets set aside he shal finde passage and he wil not suffer our endeuours to be in vaine 8. And a great multitude The Euangelistes doe here declare that the people acknowledged Christ as a king But it might seeme to bee but a iest that the simple people by cutting downe of boughes and spreading of garmentes in the way should giue to Christ the vaine title of a king Yet as they did this in earnest and testified their obedience from their heart so Christ accounted them as fitte harauldes or proclaymers of his kingdome Neither is there any cause why we should meruaile at such a beginning when as at this day also he now sitting at the right hande of his father euen froÌ„ his heauenly throane calleth obscure men by whoÌ„ his maiestie is set forth in base manner That they cutte downe the boughes of Palmes as many interpreters doe gesse according to an auncient and solemne custome of that day I see no probability nor likelihood But it rather appeareth that they were moued with a soden instinct of the spirit to giue this honour to Christ when as the disciples which were examples of this matter to the reste of the multitude had thought of no such thing and this also may be gathered out of Lukes words 9. Osanna the Sonne of Dauid This prayer is taken out of the Psalm 118. 25. Matthew also doth purposely set down the Hebrew words that wee might knowe that these greetinges were not rashlye giuen to Christe nor that the Disciples spake at randon without regarde what wordes soeuer came vppon their tongues ende but they reuerently folowed that forme of prayer which the holy Ghost by the mouth of the Prophet had taught the whole Church For though he speaketh there of his kingdome yet no doubt but that he had speciall regard and would haue others to haue regard to that eternall succession which the Lorde had promised him For hee had prescribed vnto the Church a perpetuall order for prayer which was also vsed when the wealth of the kyngdome was decayed So it came to passe by custome that they euerye where vsed these wordes in theyr prayers for the redemption promysed And Mathewes purpose was as wee touched euen now to set down in Hebrew a verse notably and commonly vsed to declare that the people acknowledged Christ to be the Redeemer The pronunciation of the wordes is somewhat altered for it should rather haue beene sayde Hoschâ—a na Saue I beseech but wee know that the wordes can scarsly be translated into an other tongue but that somwhat of the sounde must be chaunged And the spirit did not onely teach the old people to praye for the kingdome of Christe but also prescribeth the same rule vnto vs now And when as God will not raigne but by the hande of his sonne the same is noted in these wordes when wee saye Thy kingdom come as it is more plainely declared in the Psalme Furthermore this praying to God that hee would preserue his Sonne our king we graunt that this kingdome is not erected by manne nor vpholden by the power of menne but standeth inuincible by his defence from heauen He is sayd to come in the name of God which doth not intrude himself but taketh the kingdom at the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t appointment of god which is more certeinely gathered out of Marke where there is another cry sette downe Blessed be the kingdome that commeth in the name of the Lord of our father Dauid For so they say in respect of the promises because the Lord had said that he would at the length deliuer that people had appoynted the meane of the restoring of the kingdom of Dauid Then we see that the honour of the Mediatour from whom the restitution and saluation of all thinges was to be hoped for is attributed to Christ. But when as they were common rude simple people which called the kingdom of Christ the kingdome of Dauid hereby we learn that this doctrine was commonly knowne which at this day seemeth to be so straung and hard because they are but litle exercised in the Scriptures In Luke are these few wordes added Peace in heauen and glory in the highest places VVherein there is no difficulty but that they aunswere not to the song of the Aungels which we had in the second chapter For there the Aungelles assigne the glory to God in the heauens and peace to menne vpon the earth here the peace aswell as the glory is referred to GOD. Yet in the sense there is no diuersitie For though the Aungels do shew the cause more plainely why it was meete that glory should be song to God namely because that by his mercy men enioy peace in this world yet the meaning is all one of that and this that the multitude now saith that peace is in heauen for we know that miserable soules can otherwise haue no peace in the world except God reconcile himself vnto theÌ„ from heauen Math. Mark Luke 19.   41. And when he was come neere hee behelde the citie and wept for it 42. Saying O if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this day those thinges which belong vnto thy peace but now are they â—â—d from thine eyes 43. For the dayes shal come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side 44. And shal make thee euen with the grounde and thy children which are in thee and they shall not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation 41. Hee wept vpon it VVhen as Christe desired
that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to the pastours as I haue shewed more at large in the sixteenth Chapter And this definition must be remembered which is more plainly deliuered in Lukes woordes where Christe vpbraideth the Lawyers because they tooke away the key of knowledge Namelye because that they being the keepers of the lawe of God defrauded the people of the true vnderstanding of the same Therefore as at this daye the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are committed to the pastours that they shoulde admitte the faithfull into eternall lyfe and should driue the vnfaithfull from all hope of the same so in times past was the same office committed to the Priests and Scribes vnder the lawe Further by the woorde knowledge we doe gather howe foolishly the Papistes doe make theyr fantasticall keyes as if it were a certaine magicall power without the woorde of GOD. For Christ sayeth that none canne vse these keyes but they whiche are minysters of the woorde If any manne wil obiecte that the Pharisies though they were corrupt interpreaters of the lawe hadde yet the keyes I answeare thoughe they were committed vnto them in respecte of their office yet they were so ouerwhelmed with malice deceit that there remained no vse of them Therefore Christe sayeth that they had taken away or stolne away the key of knowledge wherewith they should haue opened the gate of heauen As at this day heauen is shut vp in Popery against the miserable people while the porters at the least they to whome this charge was cōmitted doe by their tyranny hinder the opening of the same So that vnlesse we were very blocks we would not willingly giue our hands to vngodly tyrants who do cruelly hinder vs from entring into life 14. For ye deuoure Nowe he proceedeth further For he doth not only lay open their sinnes which were woorthy of hatred and detestation but also he discouereth their fained and dissembled vertues wherewith they deceiued the people If any man wold say that it was not nedeful to reprooue those thinges the example whereof were not hurtfull it must be remembred that the saluation of them coulde not otherwise be prouided for which were intangled in the errours of the Scribes except they shuld altogither depart from them This cause therefore compelled Christe to speake against their vaine shewe of holinesse which was the nursse of superstitions Therefore he sayeth in summe that euen there where they seemed to doe well they did wickedly abuse the pretence of religion There was some signe of rare godlines in their long prayers for the holier a man is the more he is giuen to the exercise of prayer But Christe sayeth that the Scribes and Pharisies are so wicked that they coulde not vse the chiefe part of religion without sinne for their custome to pray was for filthy gaine sake For they solde their prayers as hired labourers doe their daies workes VVhereof we doe also gather that he doeth not precisely forbidde long prayers as if the thing it selfe were sinfull especially sith it behoueth the pastours of the church to be much bent to praier but this corruption is cōdemned that a thing which of it self is commendable should be turned to a wicked ende For where as gaine is gotten by setting prayers out to hire the more feruent as they say and deuout they seeme to be the more is the name of God prophaned But because the mindes of the people had bene wrongfully perswaded a longe time Christ doth therfore threaten them the sharplier For the pollution of so holy a thing could not be any small fault And it is no maruell that they especially went about to entrap widowes for sith simple women were bent to superstition it was alwaies a common matter for lewd men to make their gaine of them So Paule obiecteth against the false teachers of his time that they ledde captiue simple women laden wyth sinnes 2. Tim. 3. 6. 15. For yee compasse sea and lande The Scribes had gotten them fauour by this their zeale for that they labored to bring strangers and the vncircūcised to the Iewish religion And so if they had gotten any man by theyr swete perswasions or any other subtilty they triumphed wonderfully as though the church were encreased For this cause also had they much allowance of the cōmon people for that by their industry the power of God they had brought strangers to the Church But Christ sayeth to the contrary that they are so far from being worthy of praise for their labor that they rather prouoke the vengeance of God thereby more and more against themselues for they draw them which ioyne themselues to theyr secte into a greater destruction For it must be noted how corrupt the estate and howe confused religion was at that time for as it was a notable woorke and a godly to bring disciples to God so to bring the Gentiles to the Iewish religion which was at that time degenerate and stuffed full of wicked prophanations was nothinge else but to drawe them out of Scylla into Charybdis Furthermore by their sacrilegious abusing of the name of God they prouoked the greater vengeance against themselues for that by reason of religion they tooke the greater libertie to sinne The like example may be seene at this day amongest the Monkes for they doe busily scrape togither Proselites from all places but suche as of wantons and of men of a wicked life they do make very deuils For such is the corruption of those dennes wherein they keepe their Bacchus bankets as woulde corrupt euen the Angels of heauen Yet euery kinde of the Monkes apparrell is a fit couer for their sinnes Mathew 23. Marke Luke 16. VVoe be to you blinde guides which say whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple it is nothinge but who soeuer sweareth by the golde of the temple hee offendeth 17. Ye fooles and blinde whither is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the golde 18. And who soeuer sweareth by the altar it is nothing but who soeuer sweareth by the offering that is vppon it offendeth 19. Yee fooles and blinde whether is greater the offering or the altar which sanctifieth the offering 20. VVho soeuer therefore sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by all things thereon 21. And whosoeuer sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein 22. And hee that sweareth by heauen sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon   16. VVoe be to you blinde guides As ambition is almoste alwayes ioyned with hypocrisie so the couetousnesse and extortion of the pastours is woont to nourish the superstitions of the people The world doeth willingly runne into errours yea it doeth as it were procure it selfe to be deceiued and beguiled euery way but then doe false and corrupt woorshippings take place amongest them when the chiefe maisters of religion doe confirme them And it commeth to passe for the most parte that the
farthest partes of the round world before the last day of his coÌ„ming He declareth also the end of preaching that it may be for a testimoniall to all nations For thoughe God neuer left himselfe without witnesse Act. 14. 17. and gaue very speciall testimony to the Iewes of himselfe yet he gaue a testimonye in thys more notable then all the rest when hee reuealed himselfe in his Christe and therefore Paule sayeth 1. Tim. 2. 6. that he reuealed himself in due time because this was the time appoynted to call all the world to God Therefore we must learne that so ofte as the Gospell is preached God appeareth as it were openly and he directeth vs by this solemne lawfull course that we should not wander in darknesse we know not whether and that they which refuse to obey should be without excuse Then shall the ende come Some doe vnaptly apply this to the destruction of the Temple to the ouerthrow of the maner of worship appoynted by the lawe which should be vnderstode of the ende and the renewing of the world For because the disciples had ioyned those two togither as if the temple could not be ouerthrowne without the destruction of the whole worlde Christ answeareth to the question proposed and telleth them that there is a long and sorrowfull time of troubles at hande and that they should not hast to the price before they had gone through many conflictes and troubles Therefore this last clause must be vnderstode thus The end of the world shall not come before that I will exercise my Church with sharpe and painfull temptations For he opposeth himselfe against that vaine imagination which the Apostles hadde conceiued amongst themselues VVhereof it must be againe considered that there is not any certaine day appoynted as if that the last day shoulde presently follow the performance of those things which he foretolde euen nowe For all those things whereof we haue red before the faithfull haue tasted long agoe but Christ is not yet appeared But he had no other purpose but to teache his Apostles long sufferance which too hastily speeded to the heauenly glory as if he should haue sayd that their redemption was not so neare at hande as they imagined but that there shoulde be many croked turnings before Mathew 24. Marke 13. Luke 21. 25. VVhen yee therefore shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standinge in the holye place lette him that readeth consider it 26. Then let them which be in Iudea flee into the mountaines 27. Lette him which is on the house toppe not come downe to fetch any thing out of his house 28. And he that is in the field lette not him retâ—urne backe to fetch his cloathes 29. And woe shall be to them that are with childe to them that giue sucke in those dayes 30. But pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the sabboth day 21. For then shal be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the worlde to this time nor shall be 22. And except those dayes should be shortned there should no flesh be saued but for the electes sake those dayes shall be shortned 23. Then if any man shall say vnto you Loe heere is Christ or there beleeue it not 24. For there shall arise false Christes and false prophets and shall shew great signes wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very eleâ—te 25. Behold I haue told you before VVherfore if they shal say vnto you behold he is in the desart goe not forth beholde he is in the secreat places beleeue it not 26. For as the lightning commeth out of the East shineth into the VVest so shal also the comminge of the son of man be 27. For where soeuer a deade carkasse is thither wil the Egles resort 14. Moreouer when ye shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing wher it ought not lette him that readeth consider it then let them that bee in Iudea flee into the mountaines 15. And let him that is vpon the house not come downe into the house neither enter therein to fetche any thinge out of his house 16. And let him that is in the field not turne backe againe vnto the thinges which he lefte behinde him to take his cloathes 17. Then wo shal be to them that are with childe and to them that giue such in those dayes 18. Pray therfore that your flight be not in the winter 19. For there shall bee in those dayes such tribulation as was not from the beginning of the creation whiche God created vnto this time neither shall be 20. And except that the Lord hadde shortened those dayes no flesh should be saued but for the electes sake which hee hathe chosen hee hath shortened those dayes 21. Then if any manne say vnto you loe heere is Christ or loâ— he is there beleeue is not 22. For false Christes shal rise and false prophets and shall shewe signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible the very electe 23. But take ye heede beholde I haue shewed you all things before 20. And when you see Ierusalem besieged with soldiours then vnderstande that the desolation thereof is neare 21. Then let them which are in Iudea flee to the mountaines and let them whiche are in the middes therof depart out and leâ— not them that are in the countrey enter therein 22. For these be the daies of vengeance to fulfill all things that are wrytten 23. But wo be to theÌ„ that be with childe to them that giue sucke in thâ—se daies for there shall be great distresse in thys laÌ„d wrath ouer this people 24. And they shal fal on the edge of the sword and shal be ledde captiue into al nations and Ierusalem shal be trodâ—u vnder sote of the Gentiles vntil the time of the Gentiles bee fulfilled Luke 17. 22. And hee sayde vnto his disciples the dayes will come when yee shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of maÌ„ and yee shall not see it 23. Then they shall say to you beholde heere or beholde there but goe not thither neyther followe them 24. For as the lightening that lighteneth oute of the one part vnder heauen so shall the sonne of man be in his day 25. But first muste hee suffer many thinges and bee reprooued of this generation 15. VVhen yee therefore shall see the abhomination Because it was a thing incredible as I sayd euen nowe that the temple and the citye of Ierusalem should be ouerthrowne and that the whole coÌ„mon wealth of the Iewes should be destroyed and also for that it might seme absurd that the disciples coulde not otherwise be saued but by separating themselues from that people with whome the adoption and the couenant of eternall life was laid vp as it were in pledge Christ coÌ„firmeth both the one and the other by the testimony of
heard that most grieuous troubles were at hand It is not known whether Christ gaue his disciples twise warning of one thing But I thinke it to be probable that when mention was made of the coÌ„ming of the kingdom of God Luke added these sentences which I haue here set downe though they were spoken at an other time which is no rare matter with him as we haue sene otherwher But because this place is through ignorance diuersly wrested that the readers may haue the natural vnderstaÌ„ding of the same they must note the opposition betwene the secreat places the open spreading of the kingdom of Christ farre and neare and that of a sodain vnloked for as is the comming of the lightning from the East to the VVest For we know that the false Christes which was agreeable to the grosse and foolish ignorance of that nation could haue gathered any powers into corners of the desart or into dennes or into other secreat places that they might with a forceable and strong hande haue shaken off the power of the Romane Empire from them The sense therefore is that whosoeuer gathereth his riches into a secret place that he might by armes recouer the lybertie of that nation dooth falsely challenge himselfe to be Christ for hee is sent to bee the Redeemer who should sodeinly and vnlooked for spread his grace into all the quarters of the worlde But these two were contrarye the one to the other to shutte vp the redemption in some corner and to spread the same through out the whole world By this meanes were the Disciples taught not to seeke for the Redeemer any more in the secrete places of Iudea for he would sodenlye stretch the coastes of hys kingdome euen to the vttermost endes of the earth And this wonderfull speede in spreadinge the Gospel in so short a time through all the partes of the worlde was a notable testimony of the power of God For it coulde not be brought to passe by the witte of manne that the light of the Gospell should as the lightning assoone as it shineth presentlye spread it self from the one end of the world to the other and therefore Christ dooth not without consideration commend his heauenly glory by this circumstance Further by this describing of the largenes of his kingdome his will was to shew that the destruction of Iudea could not be any hindraunce to him but that he would reigne 28 VVheresoeuer a dead carkasse is The meaning is by what shiftes soeuer Sathan shall endeuour to drawe the children of God backe hether and thether yet the holy band of vnitie resteth in Christ himself wherewith it is meete that they shuld be holden which are bound For whence commeth this diuision or confusion but because that manye fall awaye from Christ who is our onely staye and strength Therefore here is a prescribed meane how to nourishe this holy vnitie least the fallinge into errours shoule teare the body of the Church asunder that is if we continue fast setled in Christ. The which must bee noted dilygentlye for Christ doth not tye vs eyther to the supremacy of the seate of Rome or to any other trifles but by this knotte onelye would hee tie his Church togeather if that all from all places would looke to him who is the only head whereof it followeth that whosoeuer doe cleaue to him with a pure fayth are out of daunger of a schisme Now let the Romanists goe and cry out that they are Schismatikes which doe not suffer themselues to be alienated from Christe that their faith might bee enthralled to a theefe The interpretation of the Papists is too sottish who take them which are of that company which professe one faith and the Eagles to be allegorically expounded for sharpe and quicke sighted menne when as it is euident that Christ hadde no other purpose then to call the children of God to him and to keepe them in him wheresoeuer they were dispearsed And he doth not heere call it simplye a bodye but a carkasse And Christe attributeth nothing to the Eagles but that which agreeth to the rauens and vultures with vs after the nature of the countrey which we inhabite Neither is there any firmenes in the fancy of others who saye that the death of Christ was so odoriferous as that it allured the electe of God For in my iudgment the purpose of Christ was to reason from the lesse to the greater if there is so great wisdome in byrdes that many of them canne come together out of places farre distant to one carkasse it is a shame for the faithfull if they should not come togeather to the authour of lyfe who is their onely true foode Matth. 24. Mark 13. Luke 21. 29. And immediatelye after the tribulations of those dayes shall the Sunne bee darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shal be shaken 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man to heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth morne and they shal see the sonne of manne come in the cloudes of heauen with power and greate glorye 31. And hee shall sende his Aungelles with a greate seunde of a trumpet and they shall gather togeather his elect from the foure windes and from the one ende of the heauen 24. Moreouer in those daies after that tribulation the Sunne shal wax darke and the Moone shal not giue her light 25. And the starres of heauen shal fall and the powers which are in heauen shal shake 26. And then shal they see the sonne of manne comming in the cloudes with great power glorye 27. And he shall then send his Angels and shal gather together his elect from the foure windes and from the vtmoste parte of heauen 25. Then there shal be signes in the Sun and in the moone and in the stars and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shal roare 26. And mens harts shal fayle them for feare and for looking after those things which shal come on the worlde for the powers of heauen shall be shaken 27. And then shall they see the sonne of manne come in a cloude with power and great glory 28. And when these thinges beginne to come to passe then look vp lift vp your heads for your redemption â—â—aweth neere Now Christ manifesteth his kingdome more fully whereof hee was demaunded at the firste and promiseth that after they haue beene vexed with so many troubles their redemption shall come at the time appointed For in his aunswere he specially bent to this to strengthen and to make his disciples of good comfort least they should faint in their minds for those troublesome stirres Therefore hee doth not simply speake of his comming but he vseth a propheticall kinde of speaking and as euery man was specially bent so contrarily it was necessary for him to abide a sharper kinde of
asunder and hath nothing certeine in the world yet we must bee of good courage for the Lord will gather it togeather not by the helpe of man but with an heauenly power which cannot by any meanes bee hindered LV. 28. And when these thinges shall beginne to come to passe Luke dooth more euidently set downe that consolation wherewith Christe maketh gladde the hearts of his disciples For though this sentence hath nothing in it contrary to the words of Matthew which we expounded eueÌ„ now yet he sheweth more plainely to what end it is said that the Aungels shal come to gather the elect together For it was necessary that the ioy of the godly should be opposed againste the sorrow and trouble common to the world and that the difference should bee noted betweene them and the reprobate least they should bee afraide of the comming of Christe VVe know that the scripture doth not onely speake diuersly of the laste iudgement but of all things which the Lord doth put dayly in practise accordingly as he directeth his speach either to the faithfull or to the vnbeleeuers VVhat haue you to doe with the day of the Lord saieth the Prophet Amos 5. 18 that is a cloudy day of darkenes and not of light of sorrow and not of ioy of destruction and not of saluation Contrariwise the Prophet Zachary 9. 9. commaundeth the daughter of Syon to reioyce for the comming of her king And good cause why for as Isaias 35. 4. saieth that day which bringeth wrath and vengaunce to the reprobate is a daye of mercy and redemption to the faithfull Christe therefore declareth that the light of ioy shal arise at his comming to his so that as the wicked shal be confouÌ„ded with feare so they shal reioice because their saluation is neere Therefore Paule 1. Cor. 1. 7. giueth them this note that they shuld watch for the day and comming of the Lord. For both their crowne and their full felycitie ioy is deferred 2. Tim. 4. 8. Therefore it is heere called the redemption as to the Rom. 8. 22 because that we shall then truely and fully enioy that deliuerance which Christ hath obtained VVherefore let our eares be ready open nowe to heare the sound of the Aungelles trumpe which shall not onely be souÌ„ded to amaze the reprobate with the feare of death but to call the electe to the second life that is those whom the Lord quickneth with the voice of the Gospel he calleth to enioye that life For it is a signe of infidelytie to be afrayde when the Sonne of GOD is neere at hande to saue vs. Math. 24. Mark 13. Luke 21. 32. Now learne the parable of the figge tree when her boâ—gh is yet tender and it bringeth forth leaues ye know that sommer is neere 33. So likewise ye when ye see al these things know that the kingdome of GOD is neere euen at the doores 34. Verely I say vnto you this generation shal not passe tyll all these things bee done 35. Heauen and earth shall passe away but my word shal not passe away 36. But of that daye and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heauen but my father only 28. Now learne a parable of the figge tree when her bough is yet tender and it bringeth foorth leaues ye knowe that sommer is neere 29. So in like manner when yee see these thinges come to passe know that the kingdome of God is neere euen at the dores 30. Verely I say vnto you that this generation shall not passe till all these things be done 31. Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe away 32. But of that day houre knoweth no man no not the angels which are in heauen neither the Sonne himselfe saue the father 29. And he spake to them a parable beholde the fig tree and al trees 30 VVhen they nowe shoote forth ye now seeing them knowe of your own selues that sommer is then neere 31. So likwise yee when ye see these thinges come to passe know ye that the kingdom of God is neere 32. Verely I say vnto you this age shall not passe till all these thinges bee done 33. Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe away I doe not knowe whether the signe mentioned is as euidente a token that the comming of Christe is at hande in that troublesome estate as we doe certeinely know that sommar is at hand when the trees beginne to wax greene but Christ in my iudgement meaneth some other thing For wheÌ„ as the trees nipt in together in winter by the force of the cold and the hardnes being dissolued in the springe they seeme to be more brittle and doe also open that the young boughes may haue passage so the force and strength of the Church is nothinge hindred or weakened by afflictions as manne woulde iudge For as the inwarde sappe spread through the bodye of the tree after it waxeth tender gathereth streÌ„gth and causeth that to spring which was almoste dead so the Lorde restoreth his children fullye from that corruption of the outward manne The summe is that menne should not thinke that the Church should be destroyed by reason of the weake and frayle estate of the same but they should rather hope for immortall glorye whereunto the Lorde by the crosse and afflictions prepareth his For that which Paule speaketh of the seuerall members muste bee fulfilled in the whole bodye for if the outwarde manne perishe yet the inwarde manne is renewed daylye 2. Corinthians 4. 16. But that whiche is more obscurelye reported by Matthewe and Marke Knowe you that it is neere euen at the doores is more plainelye expounded by Luke that the kingdome of God is at hande And the kingdome of GOD is not to be taken for the beginning of the same as it is ofte otherwhere but for the full perfection of the same and that according to their sense whom Christ taught For they did not apprehend the kingdome of GOD in the Gospell in peace and ioye of fayth and in spirituall ryghteousnesse but they soughte for that blessed reste and glory whiche was layde vppe vnder hope vntyll that last daye 34. This generation shall not passe Though Christe speaketh thus vniuersally yet hee doth not generally meane al the miseries of the church but simplye saieth that before this one age shal passe whatsoeuer he hath spoken shall be approued by the successe For within fiftie yeares the citie was destroyed the Temple ouerthrowne and the whole kingdome was miserably wasted The world in her pride lifted vp her selfe against God it was also extreamely bent to ouerthrow the doctrine of saluation false teachers arose whiche peruerted the sincere Gospell with theyr falsehoodes relygion was wonderfullye shaken and the whole companye of the godly was miserably vexed And though those euilles continued manye ages after yet Christe spake truelye that the faythfull shoulde before the ende of that one age feele in deede
by true experience howe true his prophesie was For the Apostles suffered the same thinges which we see at this daye But it was not the purpose of Christe to promise his Disciples that their calamities should shortly haue an end for so hee should haue beene contrary to himselfe for hee sayde before that the ende was not yet but that hee might encourage them to bear with patience hee expreslye saide that it beelonged to this their age Therefore the meaning is that this prophesie is not of euilles a farre off which the posteritie should see manye ages after but of those which doe nowe hange ouer them in great aboundaunce so that there is no myserye which that present age shoulde not taste of Yet the Lorde heaping all kinde of miseries vppon one age doth not free the posterities from thē but only commandeth his disciples to prepare themselues constantly to beare al things 35. Heauen and earth shall passe That his woordes myght bee of the more creditte hee proueth the certeintie of them by comparison namelye that it is more certeine and sure then the frame of the whole world But the interpreters doe diuerselye expounde this manner of speach For some doe referre the passinge of the heauen and earth to the laste daye when the transitory estate of them shal be abolyshed Others doe expounde it thus that the whole frame of the woorlde shall perishe rather then that prophesie shoulde passe awaye whiche wee hearde euen now But beecause that it is not to bee doubted but that Christe purposed to moue the mindes of his Disciples to looke vppe aboue the worlde I thinke that hee noteth the continuall alterations which are seene in the woorlde as if hee shoulde haue sayde that his woordes muste not bee valued by the vncerteine and vnconstante estate of the woorlde For we knowe that in the chaunge and alteration of the worlde howe readye our mindes are to bee carryed awaye Therefore Christe forrbiddeth his Disciples to bee carried awaye with the fashion of the worlde but to looke alofte as it were into the glasses of Gods prouidence which hath foretolde what thinges shall come to passe Yet there is verye profitable doctrine to bee gathered out of this place that our saluation beecause it is establyshed vppon the promises of Christe dooth not ebbe and flowe with the vnconstaunt worlde but slandeth sure so also our fayth must ascende vp aboue the heauen and earth to Christ himselfe 36. But of that daye and houre no manne knoweth no not the Aungels Christe meant by this sentence to holde the mindes of the faythfull in suspēce least in a vayne imagination they shoulde appoynte some certeine tyme for the last redemption VVee knowe howe our witte dooth wander and what a vaine desire wee haue to knowe more then beecommeth vs. Christe also sawe that his Disciples hasted to tryumph before the time Therefore he woulde that the daye of his comming should be so hoped for and desired that yet no manne shoulde be so bold as to aske when he should come Also hee woulde that his Disciples shoulde so walke in the light of fayth that they being vncerteine of the tyme shoulde patientlye waite for his appearaunce Therefore we must take heede that wee bee not more curyous about the momentes and poyntes of times then the Lorde alloweth vs. For the chiefe parte of our wisdome consisteth in this that we do soberly keepe our selues within the limits of the word of God Further that menne should not be troubled because they knowe not that day Christ accompanieth the angels with them For it were a point of too much pride and of wicked curiosity for vs which creepe vppon the earth to desire that more should be reuealed to vs then is to the Angels which are in heauen Marke addeth The Sonne of manne also Yea hee were thrise and foure times madde which could not be content with this ignoraunce whiche the sonne of God himselfe refused not for our sake But beecause that many thought this vnmeete for Christ they endeuoured to mollifie the hardnesse of this speach with their comment And it may bee that they were driuen to seeke this shift by the lewdnesse of the Arrians whoe by this place went about to proue that Christ is not true only god therfore in their opiniō christ knew not the last day because hee reuealed it not vnto others But sith it is plaine that Christ and the Aungelles were ignoraunt of it alike wee muste seeke for a more apte exposition of the same and before that I will sette it down I will briefly take away their obiections which thinke it a reproach for the sonne of God if it should be sayd that there were any ignoraunce in him That which they doe obiect first is easily aunswered For wee knowe that the two natures in Christe were so ioyned in one person that yet either of them hadde the propertie remaininge to it selfe and especiallye the Godheade gaue place and shewed not it selfe so ofte as the humane nature wrought seuerally that which appertained thereunto for the perfourmaunce of the office of the Mediatour VVherfore there was no absurditie in that that Christ who knew all thinges was yet ignoraunt of something according to the iudgement of man for otherwise he could not haue beene subiect to sorrow and griefe and like vnto vs. And that which some do obiect is very absurd that Christ could not be ignoraunt because that it is a punishment for sinne And first they do trifle very fondly when they say that the ignoraunce of the Aungelles came of sinne but they are as foolish in that other point that they know not that Christ did therefore take our flesh vppon him that he might beare vpon him the punishmēts due for our sinnes And that Christ knew not as he was man the latter day did no more derogate from his diuine nature then that he was mortall But I doubt not but that he had regard to that office whiche was inioyned him by the father as before when hee saide that it was not his office to place these or those at his right hand his left For as I expounded it there he did not simply say that he had nothing to do with that but his meaning was that he was not sent by the Father with this commaundement so long as he was conuersant amongste mortall menne So also doe I vnderstand this nowe in respecte that hee came downe to vs to be a Mediatour vntill he had discharged that office he hadde not that power giuen him whiche hee tooke after that hee was rysen agayn for then he saith that power ouer al things was giuen vnto him Math. 24. Mark 13. Luke 17. 37. But as the dayes of Noe were so likewise shall the comming of the sonne of man be 38. For as in the daies before the floud they did eate drink marrye and gaue in marriage vnto the daye that Noe entred into the Arke 39. And knew nothing
til the floud came and tooke theÌ„ all away so shal also the comming of the sonne of manne be 40. Then two men shall bee in the fieldes the one shal be receiued the other shall be refused 41. Two womenne shal be grinding at a mill the one shal be receiued the ther shall be refused 42. VVake therfore for yee knowe not what hour your master will come 33. Take heede watch and pray for yee knowe not when the time is 26. And as it was in the daies of Noe so shall it be in the daies of the sonne of man 27. They eate they dranke they married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the daye that Noe entred into the Arke and the floude came and destroyed them al. 28. Likewise also as it was in the dayes of Lot they eate they dranke they bought they solde they planted they buylt 29. But in the daye that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire and brimstone from heauen and destroyed them all 30. After these examples shall it bee in the daye when the Sonne of manne shal be reuealed 31. At that day he that is vpon the house and his stuffe in the house lette him not come downe to take it out and hee that is in the fielde likewise let him not turne backe to that he left behind 32. Remember Lots wiâ—e 33. VVhosoeuer will seeke to saue his soule shal lose it and whosoeuer shal lose it shall get it life 34. I tell you in that night there shall be two in one bed the one shal be receiued and the other shal be left 35. Two womenne shall be grinding togeather the one shal bee taken and the other shal be left 36. Two shall be in the fielde one shall be receiued and an other shal be left Luke 21. 34. Take heede to your selues least at anye time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that day come on you at vnwares 35. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwel on the face of the whole earth 36. VVatch therefore and praye continuallye that ye may be counted worthy to escape al these thinges that shal come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man 37. At the dayes of Noe were Though Christe did euen nowe holde the myndes of his Disciples in suspence least they shoulde be too scrupulous in enquyring for the last day yet least they shuld liue too carelesly in the pleasures of the world he exhorteth theÌ„ now to watch Therfore his will was to holde theÌ„ so vncerteine of his comming that yet he wold haue them to watch for him dayly and euery moment Further that he might shake slouth from them and moue them to watch the better he saieth that the ende shall come sodenly when the world shall be drowned in a beastly slouthfulnesse euen as in the daies of Noe all nations were swallowed vppe when they looked not for it but gorged themselues in pleasure and delightes And shortly after the Sodomites when they wallowed in their own lustes and feared nothing were consumed with fire from heauen Sith the world shal be giuen so to securitie at the last day there is no cause why the faythfull should frame themselues after the example of the common people Nowe we vnderstand the purpose of Christ the faithfull must continually watch least they be sodenly ouerthrowne because the day of the last iudgement shal come vppon them before it be thought of Onely Luke maketh mention of Sodom and that in the 17. chapter where by occasion withoute regarde of the time he rehearseth this speach of Christe But there is no absurditie in it that two Euangelists hold themselues satisfied with one example thogh Christe proposed two especiallye sith it accorded in all poyntes that all mankinde was sodenly swallowed vp when they wallowed in idlenes and pleasure a fewe onely excepted And where he saieth that men eate dranke made marriages and applyed themselues to other worldly matters when God destroyed the whole world with a floud and SodoÌ„ with lightninges he declareth by those wordes that they were so occupied in the commodities and pleasures of this present life as if that no chaunge were to be feared And though hee doth presently commaund his disciples to take heede of surfeiting and cares of this world yet hee doth not in this place directly condemn the intemperancie of that time but rather their stubbornnesse whereby it came to passe that they carelesly despysing the threatninges of God tasted of that horrible destruction Therfore when they promise themselues a durable estate they stay not but goe carelesly forwardes in their accustomed waies But this was not corrupt or to be condemned of it selfe to prouide for their necessities except they would oppose a grosse blockishnes against the iudgemente of God that they might runne blindly into all manner of sinne as if there were none in heauen to reuenge it So Christ doth now declare that the last age of the world shal be altogeather blockishe so that it shall thinke vppon nothinge but this present life deferring their cares for a longe time continuing the wonted course of their life as if the earth shuld continue in one estate The similitudes are most apt for if we set before our eyes what befell then the beholding of the course of the worlde alwaies in one estate shal not deceiue vs any more to make vs beleeue that the world shall stand for euer For within three dayes after that euery man possessed those thinges which he hadde in great quietnes the earth was drowned with water and fiue cities were consumed with fire 39. They knewe nothing til the floud came The fountaine and cause of their ignoraunce was incredulitie which had blinded their mindes as the Apostle dooth againe declare to the Hebrewes 11. 7. Noe by the eies of faith sawe the secrete vengeaunce of God when it was yet a farre off so that he speedily reuerenced the same And Christ doth here coÌ„pare Noe with the rest of the world and Lot with the Sodomites that the faithfull might learne to be of good comfort least they should wander with others to destruction And it is to be noted that the reprobate wallowed still in their sinnes because the Lord did not vouchsafe in time conuenient to giue this profitable admonition to any other but his seruants noâ— that the floud which was to come was kept altogether secrete from the inhabitauntes of the earth for Noah by making of the Arke did sette a feareful sight before their eies aboue a hundred yeares but because that one man was especiallye admonished by an Oracle from heauen of the destruction that should come vpon the whole worlde and was comforted with the hope to be saued Now though the report of the last iudgment is commonly spoken of yet because that a fewe which are taught of God do know that Câ—riste shall come as a iudge in his due time
themselues with a wrong deuice of a blessed perfection Further he boroweth this similitude of the common vse of life For that was but a childish fantasie of Hierome suche others which doe wrest this to the praise of virginitie when as Christe had no other purpose then to ease them of the griefe of the wearinesse which might be conceiued of the delay of his comming Therefore hee sayeth that he requireth nothing of vs but that which was woont to bee performed by friends at solemne mariages For it was an vsuall custome that younge and delicate maidens shoulde for honour sake brynge the bridegrome into the bride chamber But the summe of the parable tendeth to this that it is not sufficient for vs to be once bent and ready to our calling except we endure to the ende 2. Fiue of them were wise In the ende of the former chap. the Lord especially willed the stewards to be wise because it is mete that the greater burden any man beareth and the harder matters he dealeth in the wiselier he shuld behaue himself But now he requireth that all the children of God should be wise least by running forwarde without aduice they shuld cast themselues forth as a pray to sathan And he appoynteth this kind of wisdom that they should take care to furnish thēselues with necessary helps for the performāce of the iourney of their life For though the time is short yet through the heat of our impatience it seemeth to be too longe also oure wante is suche as hathe neede of helpes euetye moment 5. Now while the bridegrome taried long That some wrest this sleping into the worst part as if the faithfull togither with others shuld giue themselues to slouthfulnesse and apply themselues to the vanities of the worlde is farre from the meaning of Christ and the course of the parable It were more probable to vnderstand it of death which ceaseth vpon the faithfull before the comming of Christe for we must not onely wayte for saluation nowe but when wee are dead and rest in Christe Yet I doe more simply vnderstand it of the earthly affaires wherein the faithfull are occupied of necessity so long as they dwell in the flesh And thoughe they should neuer forgette the kingdome of God yet the wythdrawing of them by the affaires of this world is not in vaine cōpared vnto slepe For they cannot be so throughly bent to meete with Christ but that diuers cares doe either withdrawe them or make them slowe or entangle them whereby it commeth to passe that wakinge they are somewhat a sleepe As concerninge the crye I take it to bee spoken Metaphorically for the sodaine comming For we knowe that as oft as any new or vnwonted thing commeth to passe menne vse commonly to be troubled The Lorde crieth vnto vs euery day that he will come vnto vs shortly but then the whole frame of the world shall sound foorth and hys fearefull Maiestie shall so fill the heauen and the earth that it shall not onely waken them that are a sleepe but shall bring foorth the deade out of theyr graues ◠And the foolish sayd to the wise Their too late repentance is heere reproued which feele not their wants before the gate is shutte against all remedies For they are therfore condemned of folly which prouide not for themselues for a long time because that they do carelesly please thēselues in their owne want and they doe so passe the time wherein they should make their gaine that they contemne the helpes which are offred them Therefore because they thinke not of getting oyle in time Christ scorning their ouer late knowledge declareth what punishments they shall receiue for theyr slouthfulnesse namely that they shall finde themselues empty and dry without fruite 9. VVee feare least there will not be enough for vs and you VVee knowe that the Lorde doth therfore bestowe his gifts diuersly to euery man according to his proper measure that they might mutually help ech others bestow that in cōmon which is laid vp with either of them and by this meanes is nourished in the Churche the holy societie of the members of the same But Christe noteth heere the time when the burdens being taken away he will call them all to his iudgement seat that euery manne may receiue according as he hath behaued himselfe in his body Therefore he doeth rightly compare that portion of grace receiued and layde vppe with euery man vnto prouision made for one manne in a iourney which will not serue sufficiently for moe Furthermore that whyche is presently added Goe yee and buy for your selues is not an admonition but an vpbraiding in this sense you had a time to buy before which you neglected for then it was best to prouide oyle but the want therof now cannot be recouered The Papistes doe very fondly gather heereof that the gifte of perseuerance is gotten by our owne power or industrie for in the woorde buying there is yet no price sette downe as it doth euidently appeare by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 55. 1. VVhere the Lorde callinge vs to buy requireth no recompence but sayeth that hee hathe wyne and milke in a readinesse which hee will giue freely Therefore there is no other meanes of getting then that we shuld receiue by faith that which is offered vs. At the length it followeth that the gate of the kingdom of heauen is shutte vppe againste all suche as were euill prouided because they fainted in the middest of the course Neither must we seke here curiously how Christ sayeth that the foolish virgines went to buye for it signifieth nothing else but that all should be shut out of the kingdome of heauen which should not be ready at the very moment Mathewe 25. Marke Luke 21. 31. And when the sonne of man commeth in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the throne of his glory 32. And before him shal be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from an other as a shepheard separateth the sheepe from the goates 33. And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left 34. Then shall the king saye to them on his right hande Come yee blessed of my father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world 35. For I was an hungered and yee gaue me meat I thirsted and yee gaue me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me 36. I was naked and yee cloathed me I was sicke and yee visited mee I was in prison and yee came vnto me 37. Then shall the righteous answeare him saying Lorde when sawe we thee an hungred and fed thee or a thirst and gaue thee drinke 38. And when sawe we thee a stranger and lodged thee or naked and cloathed thee 39. Or when sawe wee thee sicke or in prison and came vnto thee 40. And the king shall answear and say vnto them Verely I say vnto you in
as muche as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of those my brethren yee haue done it vnto me 41. Then shall he say vnto them on the left hand Depart from me yee curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels 42. For I was an hungred and yee gaue me no meat I thirsted and yee gaue me no drinke 43. I was a stranger and ye lodged me not I was naked and ye cloathed me not sicke and in prison and yee visited me not 44. Then shall they also answeare him sayinge Lord when saw we thee an hungred or a thirst or a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison did not minister vnto thee 45. Then shall he answeare them and say Verily I say vnto you in as muche as you did it not to one of the least of these yee did it not to me 46. And these shall go into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall  37. Now in the day time hee taughte in the temple and at night hee went out and aboade in the mount that is called the mount of oliues 38. And all the people came in the morning to him to heare him in the temple Christ prosecuteth the same doctrine and that which he first described by parables he now expoūdeth plainly without figures The sum is that the faithful should stir vp themselues to the desire of liuing holily righteously that they should with the eyes of faith looke vp to the heauēly life which now lieth hid but shal be at the length reuealed at the last cōming of Christ. For whē he saith that he shal then sit in the throne of his glory where he shal come with the angels he opposeth this his last appearance against the confused and disordered troubles of the earthly warfare as if he should haue said that he did not therefore appeare as if that he shuld haue set his kingdom presently in an order and therefore his disciples haue nede of hope patience least the long delay shuld tire them out VVherby we gather that this is added again that the disciples being remoued frō that error of a present soden felicity shuld suspēd their minds vntil the second cōming of Christ and in the meane season that they should not fal away nor waxe faint therfore he sayeth that he shal then at length be renouned by the name of a king For although he beginneth his kingdō vpon the earth sitteth nowe at the right hād of his father that he might with great authority gouerne heauen earth yet that his throne is not as yet erected in the sight of mē so that his diuine maiesty shal far more fully appear shine in the last day thē now For then shal the ful effect of his glory appear which we tast now only by faith Therfore Christ sitteth now in his throne in heauē so far forth as it is necessary for him to raign for the brideling of his enemies the defence of his church But then he shal openly ascende into his tribunall seat that he may establish a perfect order in heauē earth that he may tread his enemies vnder his fete that he may gather his faithfull ones into the fellowship of the eternal and blessed life to be short he wil then shew forth in dede to what end his father hath giuen the kingdō to him He sayth that he wil then come in his glory because that while hee was uersant vppon earth as a mortall man he lay hidde vnder the contemptible habite of a seruaunt And he calleth it his glory which in an other place he attributeth to his father euen in the same sense for he simply meaneth the glory of God which shone then onely in the father when as it was hid in him 3◠And before him shal be gathered all nations and he shall separate them He extolleth his kingdome with great royall titles that the disciples might learne to hope for an other felicity then they had then cōceiued in theyr mindes For this one thing sufficed them that their nation should be deliuered from the miseries wherwith it was then oppressed that it myght appeare that God had not made his couenant in vaine with Abraham and his posterity But Christ extendeth the frute of the redēption which he bringeth further because that he shal be the iudge of the whole world Then that he might exhort the faithful to liue godly he saith that it shal not be common bothe to good and badde for he will bring wyth hym the reward which is laid vp for them both In summe he sayeth that the estate of his kingdome shall then be rightly ordred when the ryghteous shall obtaine the crowne of glorye and the wicked shall haue that reward paied them which they haue deserued Nowe that separation of the goates from the lambes which is deferred vnto that daye declareth that the wicked are now mingled with the holy and godly men to lyue together in one and the same flock of God And this comparison semeth to be taken out of Ezechiel 34. 21. where the Lorde complaineth of the vntowardnesse of the goates which pushe the leane sheepe wyth theyr hornes and spoyle the pastures and trouble the water and he saith that he will reuenge it So that Christe his wordes doe tend to this that the faithfull shoulde not thinke their estate to be too sharpe if nowe they be compelled to liue with goates yea and to abide many pushes and troubles of them then that they shoulde take heede least the corruption of their sinnes should infecte them also thirdly that they might know that they loose not their labour by liuing godly and righteously for the difference shall appeare at the length 34. Come ye blessed The purpose of Christ must be remembred for he willeth his disciples to be now content with hope and patiently with quiet mindes to wayte for the enioying of the celestiall kingdome then he willeth them to goe earnestly forwarde and not to be weary of well doing The latter parte is referred to this that he promiseth the enheritance of heauen to none but to them which in good workes do go forwarde to the marke of that calling which is from aboue But before that he will speake of the rewarde of good woorkes he sheweth by the way that the spring of saluation ariseth from an higher fountaine For by calling them the blessed of the father he declareth that their saluation proceedeth of the free fauour of God for the blessed of God and chosen or beloued of God is all one amongst the Hebrewes Further not onely the faithfull haue vsed this phrase of speach to expresse the grace of God towardes men but they which had no taste of true godlinesse helde yet this principle Come in thou blessed of the Lorde sayde Laban to Abraham his seruaunt Gen. 24. 31. VVe see that nature had taught them to vse this title that they
saide vnto them made ready the Passeouer 14. And wheÌ„ the hour â—as come he sat down the twelue apostles with him The admonition of Christe auailed so litle for the mouinge of the heart of Iudas or for the bettering of him that he without regard went presently to make that lewd couenaunt with the enemies But it is wonderfull and straunge that he was so amased that he thought hee hadde gotten by the losse of that oyntment a meete excuse for such an offence then that being warned by Christes wordes felt not what he did The onely mention of the buriall should haue mollyfied a heart as hard as iron when as thereby it had beene easilye gathered that Christe woulde offer himselfe in sacrifice for the saluation of mankinde But wee see in this glasse howe blinde wicked couetous desires are and howe effectually they bewitch the minde Iudas was earnestly bent to steale hee was hardened by long vse to commit any offence now beecause he sawe no pray comming in from other where hee sticketh not to deliuer to death the sonne of God the aucthour of life though hee had a holy admonition to withdraw him yet he went forward with violence VVherefore it is not without cause that Lu. doth expresly say that Satan entred into him not that he was gouerned by the spirit of God before for hee could not haue bin giuen so to robberies spoiles if he had not bin the bondslaue of Satan but Luke meaneth that he was then wholly delyuered into the possession of Satan that as a man desperate he might run forwardes to his own destruction For though Satan driueth vs not to sinne dayly but raigneth in vs while he carieth vs to a greater liberty of sinning yet he is said then to enter into the reprobate when the feare of God being ouerthrowne the lighte of reason put out and shame shaken off he possesseth all the senses But God doth not execute this last kind of vengeaunce vppon others but such as are alreadye ordeined to destruction VVherefore let vs learne to repent in tyme least our long remaining in hardnesse doe establysh the kingdome of satan in vs for when we are once caught in this tyranny there is no measure of maddenesse It must especiallye bee noted that the couetousnesse in Iudas was the cause and fountaine of so great blyndnesse VVherby it appeareth that it was worthily called by Paule 1. Tim. 6. 10. the roote of all euils Further it is a vaine thing to demaund here whether Satan entred substantially into Iudas It is more meete to consider this howe horryble and monstrous a thing it is for menne created after the image of GOD and appoynted to be temples of the holy Ghost shoulde not onelye bee turned into filthy stables and synckes but to become accursed dwellinge houses for Satan 17. The first day of vnleauened bread the Disciples came First it is demanded why that is called the day of vnleauened bread which goeth before the kyllinge of the Lambe For the Law hadde not commaunded them to refraine from leauen vntyll they eate the Lambe But this knotte is easily losed namely for that this note is referred to the day following as by Mark Luke it doth euidently appeare Therfore when as the day of kylling and eating the Passeouer was at hand it beginning at the euening the Disciples doe aske of Christ where he would eate the Passeouer But there doth a harder question arise vpon this that Christe obserued that rite the day before the whole nation celebrated the publike Passeouer For Iohn saieth plainly that the daye when hee was crucified was holden of the Iewes for the preparation not of the Sabboth but of the Passeouer Further they went not into the iudgment hall least they shoulde defile themselues because the next day they were to eate the Passeouer I know that many menne doe seeke for shiftes but they are such as auayle them not For this cannot be shifted ouer by any cauilles they kepte not their feast on that day whereon they crucified Christ for it had not bin lawfull for them on that daye to haue doone execution vpon any man and then they helde the solemne preparation that after the buryall of Christ they might eat the Passeouer Now it is demaunded how it beefell that Christ eat his before For in this law he wold not take vnto him selfe any lybertie besides the prescript rule of the Lawe Some doe imagine that the Iewes deferred the Passeouer of purpose that they might destroy Christ. But this deuice is very well confuted by Bucer yea and it falleth away of it self it is so vaine Therfore I doubt not but that Christ obserued the day prescribed by the Law and the Iewes followed some custom receiued now before First it is without controuersie that Christ was slaine the day before the Sabboth because that before the sunne was set he was put with speed into the next sepulcher because that it was necessary to keepe holy after the euening But now no man doubteth but when the Passeouer and other feast dayes fell vppon the day beefore the Sabboth of an olde custome they were deferred vnto the next daye because that to keepe two dayes holy together were too hard for the people The Iewes doe say that this law was giuen presently after the people returned out of the captiuitie of Babylon and that by an oracle froÌ„ heauen least they should seeme to haue altred any of the commaundements of God rashlye If that it was the manner then to ioyne two feast dayes together in one as the Iewes do also graunt and as it appeareth by their auncient recordes the coniecture is probable enough that Christ obserued the Passeouer the day before the Sabboth obseruing the day appointed by the lawe For wee knowe how diligent and carefull hee was to keepe euerye poynt of the law For sith his will was to be bound to the lawe that hee might deliuer vs from the yoke of the law he would not forgettte to be subiect to this chiefe point Therefore hee had rather omit the vse of the outward ceremonie then to transgresse the commandement which GOD hadde giuen and so to bee scorned of the wicked But it is certeine that the Iewes themselues will not deny but that it was ordained by the Rabbines that so ofte as the Passeouer fell neere vnto the Sabboth they should onely keepe holye one day for both So it followeth that Christ did nothing against the law though he keepe not their common custome 18. Goe into the citie to such a man Matthew noteth out a certeine man the other two doe say that the two disciples were sent as to a straunger because they had this token giuen them of a manne bearing a pitcher of water But this diuersitie is easily reconciled For Matthew omitting the miracle noteth the manne who was then knowne to the Disciples For without doubte after they came to the house they founde some one of theyr
of Sathan the glory of God be it neuer so manifest is hidden from them at the least theyr mindes are darkened that seeing they should not see But sith that was a general admonition it should profite vs at this day to let vs know that the sacrifice wherewith we are redeemed was of no lesse moment then if the Sunne had fallen from heauen or that the whole frame of the world had beene ouerthrowne for so we may be brought the more to abhorre our sinnes Further where some doe thinke that this darkening of the sunne was ouer al the quarters of the world I do not thinke it to be likely For though some one wryter or another haue so reprorted yet the hystorie of those times was more renoumed then that so notable a myracle could be concealed of many others who diligently searched and set downe things which were not so worthy of remembrance Further if that the darkenesse had beene generall ouer the whole me◠might the more easily haue forgotten it because it might haue been supposed to be naturall But the woonder was the more straunge that the sunne shining other where Iudea should be ouerwhelmed wyth darkenesse 46. About the ninthe houre Iesus cried Though there appeared more then the force of a man in the crying of Christ yet it is certain that the vehemencie of griefe wrested it out of him And certainly this was the chiefe conflict sharper then all other tormēts because that in hys sorrowes he was not so comforted with the aide and fauour of his father that he thought himself in some sort forsaken For he not only offered his body for the price of our recōciliation with God but in soule he also bore the punishments due to vs and so he rightly became a man ful of sorrowes as Isai. 53. 3. speaketh And truely they are too foolish which passing by this part of the redemption doe onely rest vppon the outward punishmēt of the flesh For to the end that Christ might make satisfaction for vs it was behoueful for him to stand as guilty before the iudgemēt seat of God And there is nothing more horrible then to feele God a iudge whose wrath exceedeth all deaths Therefore when this kinde of temptation is laid vpon Christ as if God being his enemy he should nowe be giuen ouer to destruction he is taken with horror wherin al mortal mē had been swallowed vp a hundred times but he by the maruellous power of the spirite escaped with the victory And he maketh not this complaint dissemblingly or after the maner of a plaier that he was forsaken of his father And where many do pretend that he spake thus according to the opinion of the common people it is but a fonde cauill for the inwarde sorrowe of the minde compelled him forceably and earnestly to breake out into this cry And it was not onely a redemption to serue the eye which he wrought as I sayd euen now but as he had offred himself a pledge for vs his will was to beare in deede the iudgement of God in our place But it seemeth to be absurde that this desperate speach should passe from Christ. The answear is easie though the sence of the flesh beheld destruction yet his faith was fast setled in his heart wherein he behelde God present of whose absence he complaineth VVe sayde other where that the Godhead gaue place to the infirmity of the flesh so farre forth as was mete for our saluation to the end Christ might fulfil all the partes of a redeemer VVe haue also noted the difference betweene the sence of nature and the knowledge of faith wherefore there is no cause to hinder it but that Christ might in minde conceiue an alienation from God so farre as sence did see and withall by faith he held God mercifull vnto him The which doth euidently enough appeare by the two partes of his complaint for before he woulde vtter the temptation he first protesteth that he fleeth to God as to his God so with the shield of faith he valiantly repelled that assault of forsaking which assaulted hym on the other side To be short in this sharpe torment his faith remained safe so he complaining that he was forsaken yet trusted in the helpe of God at hand Further that this speache was woorthy especially to be noted it doth appeare by this that the holy Ghost to the end it might be imprinted in mans memory woulde haue it reported in the Syrian tounge for this is as much as if he shuld bring in Christ rehearsing the same words which he then vttered with his own mouth So much the more is theyr slouth thereby to be condemned as vile who make no more account of Christes so great sorrow dreadful feare then as if they passed lightly by a place But who soeuer considereth that Christe toke vppon him the person of a mediatour of this condition that he might beare our guiltinesse as well in soule as in body will not maruaile that he had to striue with the sorrowes of death as if hee shoulde be cast off from God in hys wrath into a labyrinth of euilles 47. This man calleth Elias They which do refer this to the soldiers who were rude ignorant of the Syrian tongue and not accustomed to the Iewish religion are in my iudgement deceiued for they thinke that the likenesse of the speaches deceiued them But I doe not thinke it any way probable that they slipped of ignorance but rather that it was determined of sette purpose to scorne at Christ and quarellingly to peruert his speach For sathan hath no apter a deuice for the hindrāce of the saluation of the godly then when he driueth them from calling vppon God Therefore so muche as lieth in him hee driueth his ministers to thys to quench our affectiō to praier So he driue the vngodly enemies of christ wickedly to turn his praier into laughter seeking by that shift to spoyle him of his chief weapons And certainly this is a very great temptation when we seme to be so far from preuailing that God rather should lay his name open to reproches then shew himself fauourable to our prayers Therefore this ironicall or doggish barking was as much as if they had denied Christ to haue any thing to do with God that calling vpon Elias he should repose himselfe in another refuge So we see him vexed on euery side that he being ouerwhelmed with desperation might cease from calling vpon God which was to renounce saluation But if at this day as wel the hired slaues of Antichrist as also the varlets which are at home with vs doe wickedly with their quarrelles depraue those things which we haue spoken wel let vs not maruel that the same befall to vs which befel to our head Yet thogh they should transfigure God into Eliah when they haue scorned vs at their pleasure at the length God wil heare our sighes and will shew himself partly a defender of his owne
a godly modest attentiuenesse consider the glory of God when it reuealeth it self least that a brutish horrible blindnesse should ensue our hardnesse And though at the first sight this seemeth to be hard and absurd that the vngodly shuld so vily triumph ouer Christ being dead least this liberty should trouble vs it is meete alwaies to marke with wisdome to what purpose the Lord wold apply y e same The wicked do seeme to themselues to ouerwhelm the whole doctrine of Christe with his myracles by this one blasphemye whiche they doe proudly vomitte foorth But God doeth vse no other meanes then by themselues to deliuer his sonne from that sinister note of deceit Therefore so oft as the wicked shall with their quarrels prepare themselues to peruert all thinges and shall giue themselues to speake euill at their pleasure let vs wayte with quiet and patient mindes vntill God shal lay open the light out of darkenesse 65. You haue a watche Pilate doth declare in these wordes that he doth refer it to their owne pleasure that they may appoynt the souldiours to watch By the which graunt they were the more tied from deuising of any cauilles for though they durst not without shame wrangle against Christ after his resurrection yet with Pilates signet they rather shut vp their owne mouth then the sepulchre Mathew 28. Marke 16. Luke 24. 1. Nowe in the ende of the sabbath when the first daye of the weeke beganne to dawne Mary Magdalene and the other Marye came to see the sepulchre 2. And beholde there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord desceÌ„ded from heauen and came and rolled back the stone from the dore and sate vppon it 3. And his countenance was like lightning his raimens white as snowe 4. And for feare of him the keepers were astonied and became as dead men 5. But the Angell answeared and sayd to the women Feare yee not for I knowe that yee seke Iesus which was crucified 6. He is not here for he is risen as he sayde come see the place where the lord was laid 7. And go quickly and tell his disciples that hee is risen from the dead and beholde he goeth before you into Galile there yee shall see him loe I haue tolde you 1. And when the sabbath daye was past Mary Magdalene and Marye the mother of Iames and Salome bought sweete oyntments that they might come and embalme him 2. Therefore early in the morninge the first day of the weeke they came to the sepulchre when the sunne was yet rising 3. And they sayd one to an other who shall roll vs awaye the stone from the dore of the sepulchre 4. And when they looked they sawe that the stone was rolled away for it was a very great one 5. So they went into the sepulchre and sawe a yong man sitting at the right side clothed in a long white robe and they were afraid 6. But he said vnto them Be not afraid ye seeke Iesus of Nazaret which hath beene crucified he is risen he is not heere beholde the place where they put him 7. But goe your way and tell his disciples and Peter that hee will goe before you into Galile there shall you see him as he sayde vnto you 1. Now the first day of the weeke early is the morning they came vnto the sepulchre and brought the odors which they had prepared and certain womeÌ„ with theÌ„ 2. And they found the stone rolled awaye from the sepulchre 3. And went in but founde not the body of the Lord Iesus 4. And it came to passe that as they were amased therat beholde two men sodainly stoode by them in shining vestures 5. And as they were afraide â—owed down their faces to the earth they sayd to theÌ„ why seeke yee him that liueth among the dead 6. He is not heere 〈◊〉 â—s risen remember howe he spake vnto you when he was yet in Galile 7. Saying that the son of maÌ„ must be deliuered into the hands of sinfull men be crucified and the third day rise again 8. And they remembred his words Nowe we are come to the poynte of our redemption For from hence springeth the liuely hope of our reconciliation with God because that Christ came from out of the lower partes of the earth as a conquerour of death that he might shew that he hadde the power of the new life in his hande VVherefore Paule 1. Cor. 15. 14. doth rightly say that there is no Gospell and that the hope of saluation is frustrate and vayne except we beleeue that Christe is risen from the deade For finally so was righteousnesse purchased for vs and an entrance made into heauen to be short our adoption was so confirmed when Christe shewing the power of his spirite by his resurrection prooued himselfe to be the Sonne of God And though he manifested his resurrection in other order then our fleshly wisedome would desire yet this meanes which pleased him must also seeme best to vs. He came out of the graue no man seeing it that the emptie place might be the first token next his will was that the Angels should tell the women that he was aliue shortly after he appeared vnto them and at the length to the Apostles and that oft times So by little and little he led his according to their capacity to further knowledge But that he first beganne with the women and not only shewed himselfe to be seene of them but also enioyned them to preach the Gospell to his apostles that they might be as it were their scholemistresses In this was the slouthfulnes of the Apostles first chastised who through feare lay almoste without life when as the women hasted busily to the sepulchre who also were throughly rewarded for the same For though their purpose to annoynt Christ was not without a fault as if he should 〈◊〉 still remained deade yet hee pardoning their infirmitye bestowed vppon them this singular honour by resigning to them the office of the Apostleship for a while which was taken from men And in thys maner he made a shew of that which Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 1. 27. namely that he would chuse those thinges whiche are foolish and weake in the worlde that he might pull downe the pride of fleshe And wee shall not be rightly prepared to learne this article of our faith except that we laying by all pride doe submit our selues to be taught of the testimonye of women Not that our faith should be tied vp in so narowe straights but because the Lord that he might prooue our obedience would haue vs become fooles before that he would fully admit vs to the knowledge of his mysteries As concerning the hystorie Mathew only saith that the 2. Maries came to see the sepulchre Marke adioyning Salome the third sayeth that they bought sweete oyntments that they might annoynt the body but by Luke it is gathered that there came not only two or three but very many
but a little auaile to knowe who Christe is vnlesse this second thing shoulde be added thereunto what a one he will be toward vs and to what ende hee was sent of his father Heereby it commeth to passe that the Papistes haue only a shadowed Christ because they had a care to apprehende the bare Essenceâ— yet neglected they his kingdom which coÌ„sisteth in the power of sauing Furthermore in that Nathanael sayth that he is the king of Israel whose kingdome notwithstanding reacheth vnto the farthest partes of the worlde it is a confussion limited according to the measure of his faith for hee was not come so farre as to knowe that hee was appointed the king of all the worlde or rather that the children of Abraham shoulde be gathered together out of all places that all the whole worlde might be the Israel of God VVe to whom the largenesse of the kingdome of Christe is reuealed must leape ouer these straites In the meane season let vs exercise our faith by the hearing of the woorde according as did Nathanael let vs establish the same by all meanes possible and let it not remaine buried but let it breake forth 50 Iesus answered He doth not reprehend Nathanael as though hee had been too credulous but rather approuing his faith with his voyce hee promiseth vnto him and the rest greater arguments of confirmation Moreouer this was a speciall thing for one man to be seene vnder a fig tree of Christ who was absent and far from that place but nowe hee bringeth a proofe which should be common vnto all men and therfore 〈◊〉 turneth his talke as it were abruptly from one man vnto all 51 Yee shall see saith hee heauen open c. In my iudgement they errâ— greatly who enquire curiously after the time and place when and where Nathanael and the rest saw heauen open For he doth rather note a certaine continuall thing which should alwaies be extant in his kingdome â—â—â—â—esse that the Angels did somtimes appere vnto the Disciples which doe not appeare at this day I confesse that there was another maner of manifestation of the celestiall glory when Christ ascended into heauen then is now manifest vnto vs. But if we do well weigh that which was then done it is continually of force for whereas the kingdome of God was shut against vs before it was truely opened in Christ Heereof was there a visible figure shewed aswell to Stephen and the three disciples in the mount as vnto the other disciples in the asceâ—tioÌ„ of Christ But all the signes whereby God sheweth himself to be present with vs doe appertaine vnto the opening of heauen most of all when hee maketh vs partakers of himselfe vnto life The other meÌ„ber coÌ„cerning the Angels followeth They are saide to ascende and descende that they may be ministers of Gods liberalitie towarde vs. Therefore in this maner of phrase is set foorth the mutuall communication that is betweene God and men And we must thanke Christe for this benefite because without him the angels are rather our vtter enemies then our familiars those that are desirous to helpe vs. They are said to ascend descend vpon him not that they minister to him alone but because in respect of him and his honor they are carefull for the whole bodie of the church And I doe not doubt but that he alludeth vnto the ladder whiche was shewed vnto the Patriarche Iacob in sleep for that is truely perfoâ—rmed in Christe whiche that vision dyd shadowe Finally the summe of this place is seeing that all men were aliants from the kingdome of God the gate of heauen is set open vnto vs now that we may be Citizens with the Saintes and companions with the Angels and that they who are appointed keepers of our saluation doe come downe from blessed rest to helpe our miseries Chap. 2. 1 ANd the third day was there a marriage in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Iesus was there 2 And Iesus and his disciples were also called vnto the marriage 3 And when the wine had failed the mother of Iesus saith vnto him they haue no wine 4 Iesus saith vnto her woman what hast thou to doe with mee mine houre is not yee come 5 His mother saith vnto the ministers doe that which hee shall say vnto you 6 And there were there sixe water pots of stone set according to the purification of the Iewes containing euery one about two or three firkins 7 Iesus saith vnto them fill the water pots with water And they filled them vp to 〈◊〉 8 And he saith vnto them drawe now and carry to the gouernour of the feast And they bare 9 And when the gouernour of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine and hee knewe not whence it was but the ministers knewe that had drawen the water the gouernour of the feast calleth the bridegrome 10 And he saith vnto him euery man at the first setteth foorth good wine and when they are drunken then that which is worse but thou hast kept the good wine tyll 〈◊〉 11 This beginning of myracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilee and he shewed his glory and his disciples beleeued on him 1 There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee Seeing that this historie containeth the first myracle that Iesus did we must giue greate heede vnto it euen for this cause and for this one things sake must we wel consider thereupon Although as we shall see afterwarde there bee other causes which set foorth the same vnto vs. But the manifolde commoditie shall more plainely appeare in processe The Euangelist first nameth the place Cana of Galilee not that which was situate towarde Sarepta betweene Tyre and Sydon and was called the greater in comparison of this other which some doe place in the inheritance of the tribe of Zabulon other some doe assigne it vnto the tribe of Aser For â—erome doth testifie that euen in his time there stoode there a little towne of that name It is to bee thought that it was neere to the Citie Nazareth seeing that the mother of Iesus came thyther to the marriage It shall appeare out of the fourth Chapter that it was but a dayes iourney from Capernaum And also the nighnes of the Citie Bethsaida may be gathered theÌ„ce in that the Euangelist saith that after that Christe had been three dayes in those borders there was a marriage in Cana. It may be also that there was a thirde not farre from Hierusalem and yet without Galilee but because I am not certaine heereof I leaue it And the mother of Iesus It is to be thought that it was some of Iesus his kinsfolke that was maried For Iesus is here made his mothers companion VVhereas his disciples are called also it may be thence gathered how simplie and thriftilie hee liued because he liued together with them But this may seeme an absurd thing that a man beeing not very rich as may appeare by the want of
can do vs no good with light punishments wherewith he being our most gentle father doth correct vs as tender daintie children he is compelled to put vppon him a new and as it were a strange person Therfore he taketh whips in hand to came our fiercenes withal as he denoūceth in the law Leui. 26. 14. 18. Deu. 28. 15. Psa. 32. 9. Yea such testimonies are vsual in the scriptures Therfore in y t we are often times punished with new miseries we may thanke our owne stubbornnesse for that For we are not like to vnbroken horses mules but we are more then vntamed beastes Therefore it is no maruell if God doe as it were breake vs in peeces with more cruel punishments as with hammers whom indifferent punishment cannot amend for it is meete that they be broken who will not bend To conclude this is the vse of punishments that we may be made to take better heed hereafter If we stubbornly resist the first or second stroke he will strike seuen fold harder if hauing shewed some token of repentance for a short time we do by and by returne vnto our nature he doth more sharply punish this our forgetfull lightnesse that is full of sluggishnesse But it is worthie to be noted in this man how mercifully and fauourably the Lord suffereth vs. For suppose he drew nigh vnto old age yet must he needes be taken with the disease in the first flower of his age and peraduenture he had been sicke from his childhood Now consider how greeuous the punishment and paine of so many yeeres was And certain it is that God cannot be accused of too great seueritie because he did punish a man that was halfe dead with so long sicknesse Therefore in that we are lightly punished let vs learne that that commeth to passe because the Lorde doth mittigate the greatest rigour of punishments for his infinite goodnesse sake Let vs also learn that there are no paines so fierce cruell but that the Lord can adde something thereunto so often as he thinketh it good And questionles miserable men doe oftentimes pull downe vppon themselues horrible wonderfull tormentes with their complaintes whilest that they say that their plagues cannot be augmented Are not these thinges hidden in my treasures saith the Lorde Deut. 32. 34. VVe must also note how small fruite the chasticements of God do bring foorth in vs. For if Christe his exhortation was not superfluous we may gather thence that this mans soule was not yet well purged from all vices And truly vices doe take deeper roote in vs then that they can be plucked vp in one or two dayes And the curing of the diseases of the soule is harder then that it is contented with the remedies of a small time 15 The man went He meant nothing lesse then to purchase enuy vnto Christ and also he looked for nothing lesse then that they would so rage against Christ. Therfore it was a godly affection whenas he would honor his phisition with due honor The Iewes do vomite out their poyson in this that they doe not only accuse Christ for breaking the Sabbaoth but doe also burst out into extreame crueltie 17 And Iesus answered them my father worketh vntill this time and I worke 18 For this cause therefore the Iewes sought the rather to kill him because he did not only breake the Sabboth but did also call God his father making himself equall with God 19 Therefore Iesus answered and said vnto them verily verily I say vnto you the son can doe nothing of himselfe saue that which he shall see the father do which things when he doth the sonne doth these in like sort 17 My father VVe must mark what manner of defence Christ vseth He doth not answere that the law concerning the keeping of the Sabboth was temporal and such as was now to be abrogated but doth rather say that he had not broken the Sabboth because this is a worke of God It was indeed a shadowish ceremonie whereof Christe made an end by his comming as Paule teacheth Col. 2. 16. 17. But the state of this present cause consisteth not in that For men are only commanded to rest from their owne workes therfore circumcision which is a work of God and not of men is not contrarie to the Sabboth Christ standeth vpon this point that the holy rest is not troubled with the woorkes of God which rest was commanded in the law of Moses And by this reason he doth not only excuse his own fact but his also that bare his bed for it was an appurtenance and as it were a part of the myracle because it was nothing els but an approuing of the same Secondly if thanksgiuing and the preaching abroade of the glory of God be to be reckoned among the workes of God it was no breaking of the Sabboth with foote and hande to set foorth the grace of God Yet Christ doth chiefly speake of himselfe with whom the Iewes were more offended In the meane while he doth testifie that the health which hee restored to the sicke man is a testimonie of his diuine power He affirmeth that he is the sonne of God and that the maner of working is common to him and his father I doe not nowe at large dispute what was the vse of the Sabboth for what causes it was commaunded As touching this present place the religion of the Sabboth is so farre from breaking and hindering the course of the workes of God that it doth rather graunt place to them alone For why doth the lawe commaunde men to rest from their owne workes saue only that they may applie all their senses being emptie and free to consider vpon the workes of God Therefore hee is a wicked ouerthrower of the lawe and also a false interpreter who doth not graunt vnto the workes of God a free kingdome in the Sabboth If any man doe obiect that the example of God is set before men that they may rest the seuenth day the answere is easie that men are not like vnto God in that point because hee kept holy day but because that ceasing from the troublesome actions of this world they doe aspire vnto the heauenly rest Therefore the Sabboth of God is no loytering but a sound perfection which bringeth with it the quiet estate of peace Neither is that any hinderance which Moses saide Gen. 2. 2. that God made an end of his workes For his meaning is that when God had finished the frame and worke of the worlde he did consecrate that day which men shoulde bestowe on the meditating vppon his workes In the meane while he ceaseth not by his power to vpholde the worlde which he hath made to gouerne it by his counsell to nourish◠it with his goodnesse and to determine all thinges at his pleasure in heauen and earth Therefore the creation of the worlde was finished in sixe dayes but the gouernment of the same is perpetuall and GOD doth worke
they saw with their eyes seeing that being clothed with flesh he differed nothing from the common sort of men was vnto them a let that they could not giue place to his diuine power now hauing as it were pulled away the vaile he reclaimeth them vnto the beholding of his heauenly glory as if he should say because I am conuersant amongst men without honour you despice me neither doe yee acknowledge in me any diuine thing but before it be long it shall come to passe that God shall lift me vp aboue the heauens being adorned with great power from this contemptible state of the mortall life For in Christes resurrection there appeared such power of the holy spirite as might make it knowen that Christ was the sonne of God as Paule also teacheth in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes the fourth verse when it is said in the 2. Psalme the seuenth verse Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee the resurrection is made as a token whereby this glory of Christe ought to be knowen and his ascending into heauen was the fulfilling of that glory In that he saith that hee was in heauen before It doth not properly agree with his humanitie yet notwithstanding he speketh of the son of man But this kinde of speeche is not strange seeing that two natures doe make one person in Christ to applie that which is proper to the one vnto the other 63 It is the spirite that giueth life In these wordes Christ teacheth that his doctrine had no successe amongest the Iewes because whereas it is spirituall and liuely it findeth eares scarse wel prepared But because this place hath been diuersly expounded it is first of all requisite to knowe the true and naturall meaning of the wordes hereby shall we easily see what was Christ his drift In that he denieth that the flesh doth profite Chrysostome in my iudgement doth not well referre it vnto the Iewes who were carnall I confesse indeede that all the force of mans wit doeth vanishe awaye and quaile in heauenly mysteries but that is not the meaning of Christes wordes vnlesse they be violently wrested In lyke sort the sense shoulde bee farre fet in the contrarie namely that the illumination of the spirite doth quicken Neither doe they say well who say that the flesh of Christ doth profite insomuch as it was crucified but that it bringeth no good vnto vs being eaten but we must rather eate it that it may profite vs being crucified Augustine thinketh that this word alone or of it selfe ought to be vnderstood because it ought to be ioyned with the spirite which agreeth with the thing it selfe For Christ doth simplie respect the maner of eating Therfore he doth not exclude all manner commoditie as if there could none bee reapt by his flesh but he doth affirme that it shall be vnprofitable if it bee separated from the spirit For whence hath the flesh this that it doth quicken saue only because it is spirituall Therefore whosoeuer he be that shall remaine in the earthly nature of the flesh he shall finde nothing in it but that which is dead but those who shall lift vp their eyes vnto the power of the spirit wherwith the flesh is besprinkled they shall perceiue that it is called liuely not in vaine by the verye effect and experience of faith Now we know how the flesh is meate indeed and yet it profiteth nothing namely it is meate because through it we haue life because in it God is reconciled vnto vs because in it we haue all the partes of our saluation fulfilled it profiteth nothing if it be esteemed according to y ◠beginning nature for y e seed of Abrahā which of it selfe is subiect to death shal not giue life but it receiueth that of the spirite wherewith it feedeth vs. VVherefore to the ende that we may be nourished indeede by it we must bring the spirituall mouth of faith And in that the breuitie of the sentence is so short it is to be thought that Christe did thus because he thought that he ought thus to deale with the vnbeleeuers Therefore he brake of his speech with this sentence because they were vnworthie to haue any more speeches In the meane while he did not neglect the godly and those that were readie to be taught because they haue heere in a fewe woordes that which may satisfie them aboundantly The wordes which I speake He alludeth vnto the sentence next going before for he taketh the worde spirit in another sense But because he spake of the secrete power of the spirite he doth very finely applie this vnto his doctrine because it is spirituall For the worde spirite must be resolued into an adiectiue Furthermore the worde is called spirituall because it willeth vs to ascend vpwarde that wee may seeke Christ in his heauenly glory the spirite being our guide by faith and not by the reason of the flesh For we know that there is nothing of those thinges which are spoken which can be vnderstood without faith This is also worthie the noting that he ioyneth life with the spirite He calleth his worde life of the effect as being liuely yet he teacheth that it is liuely vnto none saue only vnto those who receiue it spiritually For som shall rather draw death thence This title of the Gospell is most sweete vnto the godly because they are certaine that it is appointed vnto them vnto eternall saluation Notwithstanding they are also admonished to endeuour to shew themselues apt schollers 64 But there are certaine of you He layeth the blame vpon them selues againe because being voide of the spirite they do wickedly corrupt and depraue his doctrine and by this meanes turne it to their destruction For they might otherwise obiect Thou dost boast that that whcih thou speakest is liuely but we finde no such thing therein Therefore he saith that they hinder themselues For vnbeliefe as it is alwayes proud will neuer attaine vnto any thing in the wordes of Christ which it despiseth despitefully Therefore if we couet to profite any thing vnder this master let vs bring our mindes well prepared to heare him For vnlesse humilitie and reuerence doe prepare a way for his doctrine our mindes are more then deafe neither wil they admit any part of sound doctrine Therefore let vs remember that it commeth to passe through the wickednesse of men that there appeareth so small fruite of the Gospel at this day For who is he that renouncing himselfe doth addict himselfe wholy and truly to Christ VVhereas he saith that there bee onely certaine that did not beleeue when as this fault was common to them all almost it seemeth that he did it for this cause least if there were any who were as yet curable they shoulde bee discouraged through despaire For he knewe from the beginning The Euangelist added this for this cause least any man shold thinke that Christ iudged rashly of his hearers Many
of God that our minds may breake foorth into an admiration so often as we know not the reason thereof and our tongues may cry out Iust art thou O Lord and righteous are thy iudgements although they cannot be comprehended That which the disciples aske concerning the sinnes of the parents is not vnnecessarie For although the innocent sonne be not punished for the fathers faulte but the soule which hath sinned it shall dye Ezech. 18. 20. yet is not that threatning in vaine that the Lord doth cast the offences of the fathers into the bosomes of the children and taketh vengeaunce euen vppon the thirde and fourth generation Exod. 20. 5. Therefore the wrath of God remaineth oftentimes through many ages euen vpon one house and like as he blesseth the posteritie of the faithfull for their sake so he doth also cast off the wicked stocke appointing according to his iust iudgement the fathers together with the children vnto like destruction Neither can any man by this meanes complaine that hee is punished vndeseruedly for another mans offence because where the grace of the spirite is wanting euill crowes must needes bring foorth euill egges This was the occasion that moued the Apostes to doubt whether the Lord had punished any fault of the parents in their sonne or no. 3 Neither hath this man sinned Christe doth not simplie acquit the blinde man and his parents of all fault but doth only denie that the cause of the blindnes is to be sought in sinne And this is that whiche I said before that God hath sometimes some other purpose when he layeth sorrowes and miseries vpon men then to punish their sinnes Therfore when as we know not the causes of afflictions wee must restraine curiositie least we be both iniurious vnto God and malicious towarde our brethren ◠Therfore Christe sheweth another reason why this man was borne blinde that in him the workes of God might be declared He saith not one worke but in the plurall number workes for so long as he was blinde there was shewed in him a token of Gods seueritie whereby the rest might learne to feare and humble themselues There followed afterward the benefite of deliuerance wherein appeared the wonderfull goodnesse of God wherefore Christ his drift was by these wordes to stirre vppe the mindes of his disciples to hope for the myracle Yet neuerthelesse he teacheth generally that this cause ought to be counted in the Theater of the worlde iust and lawfull enough when God doth glorifie his name And there is no cause why men should chide with God when hee maketh them instruments of his glory on both sides whether hee appeare merciful or seuere 4 I must worke He doth now testifie that hee was sent to this ende that he may declare the glory of God in restoring sight to the blinde Furthermore he borroweth a similitude from the common custome of life For when the Sunne is rysen man riseth vnto labour but the night is appointed to rest in as it is in the Psalme 104. 22. Therefore hee calleth the time that was appointed him of his father wherein he was to do the work giuen him in charge the day So that euery one that is called vnto any publike function must apply him selfe to doe that whiche his office doth require as vnto workes which are to be done in the day time Furthermore we must gather thence a generall rule that the life of euery man is vnto him as a day VVherefore as the shortnesse of the day doth prick forward workemen vnto diligence and industrie least the darknes of the night do ouertake thē when they are but new begun to worke so seeing that we see that there is but a short time of life graunted vs let vs be ashamed to waxe sluggish in idlenesse finally so soone as God by calling doth giue vs light wee must not linger least the opportunity do escape vs. 5 So long as I shal be in the world I expound this to haue beene added by a preuention for it might haue been thought to be an absurd thing that Christe shoulde appoint vnto himselfe a time to worke in as if it were to be feared least the night shoulde oppresse him as it did other men Therefore hee doth so separate him selfe from other men that yet notwithstanding he saith that he hath an appointed time wherein he must worke For he compareth himselfe vnto the Sunne whiche although it lighten the earth with the brightnesse thereof yet when it setteth it taketh away the day with it Therefore he giueth vs to vnderstande that his death shall bee as the setting of the Sunne not because it shall extinguish or darken his light but because it shall take him out of the sight of the world Neuerthelesse he teacheth that when hee was brought foorth in the fleshe hee was then the true bright shining day of the world For although God had lightened all ages yet Christ brought foorth by his comming a new and vnwonted brightnesse VVhereupon he bringeth in that this time was most apt and fit to set foorth his fathers glory as a most cleere day wherein God woulde more euidently reueale himselfe in marueilous workes But here ariseth a question because there appeared greater power of God after the death of Christ both in the fruite of doctrine and also in the myracles and Paule 2. Cor. 4 6. doth apply this properly vnto the time of his preaching that God who from the beginning of the world commaunded light to shine out of the darknesse did then shine by the Gospel in the face of Christe And Christe doeth at this time no lesse spread abroade his bright beames in the worlde then when he was openly conuersaunt amongest men I answeare that after that Christ had fulfilled the course of his function he wrought no lesse mightily by his ministers thē by himselfe when he was in the world In deede that is true but first of all that is no let but that he ought to haue done that himself which was enioyned him by his father at such time as he was reuealed in the flesh to that ende And secondly it hindereth no whit but that his corporall presence was the true and singular day of the world the brightnes wherof was spread abrode throughout all ages For whence had the holy fathers in times past and whence haue we at this day light day saue only because the giuing and reuealing of Christ hath alwaies sent out farre and wyde his bright beames to make a continuall day VVhereupon it followeth that whosoeuer haue not Christ to be their directer they wander groping in darkenesse confusedly and without order like blinde men Neuerthelesse we must note this sense that like as the Sunne doth open vnto the eyes of men the most beautifull stage of the heauen and earth and all the order of nature so God hath reuealed in his sonne the principall glory of his workes 6 VVhen he had said this he spit vpon the earth and
wherefore and to what and he was sent of his father namely that hee may saue not destroy Furthermore this speech is of great importance for the glory of God that the sonne of God may be glorified For we doe gather thereby that God will bee so knowen in the person of his sonne that what honour soeuer he requireth to be giuen vnto him may be giuen vnto his sonne Therefore we had before chap. 5. 23. He that honoureth not the sonne doth not honour the father VVherefore the Turkes and Iewes doe in vaine pretend that they worship God seeing that they rayle vppon Christ and are enuiously bent against him yea by this meanes they endeuour to pull away God from himselfe 5 And Iesus loued Martha These things seeme at the first blush to bee contrary that Christ tarryeth two dayes beyonde Iordan as not regarding Lazarus his life and is yet said to loue him and his sisters For seeing that loue causeth carefulnesse he ought to haue runne vnto him Furthermore seeing that Christ is the only glasse of Gods fauour wee are caught by this his delay that we must not esteeme the loue of God by the present estate of thinges Hee doth oftentimes deferre his aide when he is requested either that he may the more sharpen the feruentnesse of praying or that he may exercise our pacience and may also accustome vs to obey Therfore let the faithfull so craue Gods helpe that they doe also learne to suspend their petitions if at any time hee stretche foorth his hande more slowly to helpe them then necessitie seemeth to requyre For howsoeuer he linger yet doth hee neuer sleepe nor forget those that bee his In the meane season let vs be certainly persuaded that he will haue all those whom he loueth to be saued 7 Then afterward he saith He doth now at length declare that he cared for Lazarus whan as the Disciples thought hee had forgotten him or at least that he preferred other thinges before the life of Lazarus Therefore he exhorteth them that passing ouer Iordan they goe into Iurie 8 Master euen now the Iewes sought VVheras the disciples terrifie Christ they doe it peraduenture not so much for his sake as in respect of them selues because euery one is afraid of himselfe like as the daunger was common to them all Therefore seeing that they withdraw themselues from the crosse and are ashamed to confesse so much they pretend that they are carefull for their master which hath a fairer shew The same thing befalleth manie dayly for they which foreslowe their duetie for feare of the crosse gather to themselues many cloakes and colours here and there to couer their softnesse withall least they seeme to defraude God of his due obedience without iust cause 9 Are there not twelue This place hath been diuersly expounded In that some haue thought that we are taught by these wordes that the mindes of men are mutable so that they take sometimes new and other counsell euery houre it is too farre from Christ his meaning neither had I vouchsafed to recite it vnlesse it had been a common prouerbe Therfore let vs be content with the naturall and plaine meaning First of all Christ boroweth a similitude frō y e night day For if any mā iourney in the darke it is no maruell if he stumble oftentimes or goe astray or fall But the light of the Sunne sheweth in the day time the way that ther may be no danger And the calling of god is like vnto the day light which suffereth vs not to wāder or stumble Therefore whosoeuer doth obey the worde of God and taketh nothing in hand without his commaundement he hath him also from heauen to be his guide and directer and vpon this hope he may safely take his way without feare for as it is in the Psalm 9. 11. whosoeuer walketh in his wayes hee hath his Angels to keepe him and by their guiding is hee defended least hee dash his foote against a stone Therefore Christ trusting to this aide goeth forwarde couragiously into Iurie not fearyng stonyng because wee are in no daunger of going astray where GOD doing the dutie of y e sun giueth vs light doth gouerne our course VVe are taught by these wordes that so often as man doeth submit himselfe vnto his owne counsels without the calling of God his whole life is nothing els but a wandering and erronious course and that those which seeme to themselues to be most wise when as they aske not the mouth of God an I haue not his spirite to be the gouernour of their actions are blinde and goe grabbing in darknes that this is the only right way if being well assured of the calling of God we haue God alwayes to go before vs. The certaine hope of prosperous successe doth ensue this rule of framing the life because it cannot bee but that God doeth gouerne happily And we haue more then neede of this knowledge for the faithfull can scarse set one foote forward to follow him but Satan doth lay a thousand stumbling blockes in their way hee sheweth them diuers daungers on euery side and endeuoureth by all meanes to stop the way before them But whenas the Lorde doth bid vs goe forward hauing as it were lighted his light we must goe forwarde couragiously although many deathes doe stop the way because he doth neuer bid vs goe forwarde but he doth therewithall encourage vs by adding a promise so that we may certainly persuade our selues that that shal fal out well for vs whatsoeuer we take in hande at his commandement This is our charriot whereinto whosoeuer shall climbe he shall neuer faynte for wearisomnesse yea if the lets be harder then that we can be carryed through them in a chariot yet being furnished with these winges wee shall alwayes find a way to get out vntill we come to the marke not because no aduersitie doeth befall the faithfull but because aduersitie helpeth them forward vnto saluation The summe is this that the eies of God shal be alwaies ouer those to keepe them who shall be obedient and readie to marke his becke Againe we doe gather heereby that so often as men neglecting and despicing the worde of God doe rashly flatter themselues and take in hand whatsoeuer pleaseth them all the course of their life is accursed of the Lorde and there is vengeance alwayes prepared for their boldnesse and blinde lust And here Christ diuideth the day into twelue houres according to the olde custome For although the dayes doe differ in Sommer and VVinter yet they had alwayes twelue houres in the daye and twelue in the night 11 Hee spake these thinges and after this he saith vnto them our friende Lazarus sleepeth but I goe to awake him 12 Therfore his disciples said Lord if he sleepe he shal be safe 13 Howbeit Iesus spake of his death but they thought that hee spake of naturall sleepe 14 Therefore Iesus said then plainely vnto them Lazarus
himselfe that hee may stay himsefe wholy vpon his fathers will VVe must note in this place siue degrees For the complaint possesseth the first place which breaketh out of his vnmeasurable sorrow secondly he perceiued that he had need of remedie and least he be ouerwhelmed with feare he asketh of himselfe what he shoulde doe thirdly hee getteth himself vnto his father and desireth him to deliuer him fourthly he calleth backe that petition which hee knewe was contrary to his calling and desireth to suffer whatsoeuer rather then he should not fulfill that function which was enioyned him by his father Lastly beeing content with the Glory of God alone he forgetteth all other thinges and setteth nothing by them But this seemeth to be vndecent for the sonne of God that a petition doth escape him vnaduisedly whiche hee must by and by call backe againe and renounce that hee may obey the father I confesse indeede that this is the foolishnes of the crosse wherewith proud men are offended wherat they do stumble But the more the Lorde of glory abased himselfe the more manifestly doeth his loue towarde vs appeare VVe must remember that which I said before that the humane affections from which Christe was not free were in him pure and free from sinne The reason is because they were framed and tempered to obey God Neither is any let but that Christe may feare death naturally and yet may desire to obey God namely according to diuers respects Hence proceedeth that correction But therefore am I come into this houre For howe soeuer hee feareth death of it selfe yet notwithstanding because he considereth to what ende he was sent and what the office of a redeemer doth require he offereth the feare which he had conceiued by the fealing of nature to be gouerned of his father or rather when he had tamed the â—ame being free and at libertie he addresseth himselfe to doe that which God had commanded him to doe If sobeit it was requisite that the affections of Christe whiche were free and pure from all vice shoulde be thus brought vnder that hee might obey his father how diligent must we be in this point seeing that there are as many enemies of God in vs as there slow affections froÌ„ our flesh Let this therfore be the meditatioÌ„ of the godly y t they do violence to themselues vntil they denie themselues VVe must also note that we must not only bridle those affections which are flat contrarie to the will of God but also those which do hinder the course of our calling although they be not otherwise wicked or corrupt To the ende this may the better appeare we must place the will of God in the first degree the sincere perfect will of man in the second such as was that whiche God gaue Adam such as was that which was in Christe in the last ours which is infected with sin The will of God is a rule wherunto all that must be subiect which is lower then it is Nowe the pure will of nature shall not rebell against God of it selfe yet shall man bee preuented with many hinderances although he be wholy framed to do that which is right vnlesse he bring vnder his affections so that they may obey god Therfore Christ had but one and a single combate so that he ceased to feare that which he feared naturally whenas he acknowledgeth that it doth please God that it should be otherwise But we haue a double combate because we must wrastle with the stubbornnes of our flesh Hereby it commeth to passe that euen the most valiant champions doe not get the vpper hand without a wound Father saue mee VVe must keepe this order so often as we are vexed with feare or tormented with sorrowe that our hearts do straightwaies lift vppe themselues vnto God for there is nothing worse or more hurtfull then to nourish that within which tormenteth vs as we see a great part of the world gnawe themselues with blinde torments and this is a iust punishment for slouthfulnesse in all those which arise not vppe vnto God that they feele no release and ease 28. Father glorifie thy name He sheweth by these wordes that he preferreth his fathers glory before all other things yea he setteth nothyng by his life in respecte thereof This is the true moderation of all our petitions if we doe in such sort desire Gods glory that all other things giue place thereunto For this recompence oughte to satisfie vs aboundantly that we beare and suffer those thinges with a quiet minde which are grieuous and troublesome vnto vs. And I haue glorified it These woordes import as much as if he had sayd I will finish that which I haue begun for doubtlesse God doeth not leaue the worke of his handes vnperfect as it is in the Psal. 138. 8. And because God his intent and purpose was to preuent the offence of the crosse he doeth not onely promise that the death of Christe shall be glorious but doeth also set out so many ornaments wherewith he had already adorned the same 24. That it thundered This is like to a monster that the multitude was astonied and became amased when as they sawe so manifest a myracle Some doe heare that with deafe eares as a confused noyse which God vttered plainly Other some were not so blockish yet doe they greatly diminish the maiestie of the voyce of God when as they faine that an Angell was the authour thereof But the same is also common at thys day For God speaketh plainly inough in the Gospell and the force and efficacie of the spirite doeth shewe it selfe there whiche ought to shake heauen and earth but this doctrine is as cold amongst many as if it did only proceede from a mortall man Vnto other some the word of God is balde and barbarous like vnto thunder Notwithstanding the question is whether that voyce sounded from heauen in vain or no. I answer that that which the Euangelist doeth heere ascribe vnto the multitude doeth only belong vnto a part thereof For there were some besides the Apostles which were not so sinister interpreters but the Euangelist hys meaning was briefly to note what is wont most commonly to happeÌ„ in the world to wit that wheÌ„ the more part hearing God speak plainelye and alowd it doth not heare 30. Not for my sake Had Christe no neede of confirmation or did the father care lesse for him then he did for vs But we must holde that maxima that like as Christ did put vpon him flesh for our sake so what good thinges soeuer he receiued of the father they were bestowed vppon him for our sake Againe this is also true that the voice came from heauen in respecte of the people For doubtelesse hee hymselfe hadde no neede of anye externall myracle Furthermore heere is a certeine secrete kynd of exprobration that the Iewes are deaffe like stones when as they heare the voice of God For seeing that God
his heauenly glory and in light which no man can attaine vnto it vanisheth away and also the flesh doth of his owne accord put into our heads a thousand immaginations which may turne vs away from beholding GOD aright Therefore Christ setteth himselfe before vs as a marke whereunto if our faith bee directed it shall finde a place in readinesse where it may rest For hee is the true Immanuel who so soone as he is sought by faith he answereth vs within This is one of the principall points of our faith that it must be directed vnto Christ alone least it wander here there that it must be staide in him least it faint in temptations And this is the true tryall of faith when as we doe neuer suffer our selues to be pulled away from Christ and the promises made in him VVhen as the popish diuines do dispute coÌ„cerning the obiect of faith or rather do bable they doe only make mention of God they haue no respect vnto Christe Those that gather wisdome out of their inuentions they must needes quaile at euery small blast Prowd men are ashamed of Christ his humilitie therefore they flie vnto the vncomprehensible power of GOD. But there shall neuer any faith come into heauen saue that which submitteth it selfe vnto Christe who appeareth to looke vnto to be an humble God neither shall faith euer bee strong vnlesse it seeke some stay in Christe his weakenesse 2 In my fathers house Because Christ his absence did cause the Disciples to sorrowe hee testifieth that he goeth not away for this cause that he may remaine separated from them because they haue a place also in the kingdome of heauen For it was requisite that this suspition shoulde betaken away that Christ did ascende vnto the father that hee myght leaue his behinde him vpon earth and not care any more for them This place was falsly wrested vnto another sense as if Christ did teach that there are distinct degrees of honour in the kingdome of heauen For he saith that there are many mansions not diuers or vnlike but suche as are sufficient for many as if he did say that there is roome there not only for himselfe but also for all his Disciples If not I had told you The interpreters doe vary heere For some doe reade it all in one text thus If there were not mansions prepared for you alreadie I would haue tolde you that I goe before to prepare them for you But I am rather of their minde who distinguish it thus If the heauenly glory were prepared for me alone I woulde not deceiue you therefore I woulde haue tolde you that there is a place prepared for none but only for mee with the father But it is otherwise for I go before you to prepare a place for you In my iudgement the text requireth that wee should reade it thus for it followeth immediately after And if I shall goe away and prepare you a place In which wordes Christe giueth vs to vnderstande that this is the ende of his departure to prepare a place for his The summe is that the sonâ—â— of God did ascende into heauen not for himselfe alone that hee may dwell there apart but rather that it may bee a common inheritaunce for all the godly and that by this meanes the head may be ioyned with the members Yet here ariseth a question in what estate the fathers were after their death before Christ ascended into heauen for they gather commonly that the faithfull soules were included in the Limbe because Christ saith that there shall a place be prepared by his ascending into heauen But we may easily answere that he saith that he will prepare this place against the day of the resurrection For mankinde is banished from the kingdome of God naturally but the sonne who is the only heyre of heauen hath taken possession in our name that we may haue accesse thereunto through him For we possesse heauen alreadie in his person through hope as Paul teacheth Ephe 1. 3. yet shall we not inioy so great a good thing vntill the same Christe appeare againe in heauen Therefore the estate of the fathers after death is not distinguished from ours in this place because Christ hath prepard a place both for them and vs into which he shall receiue vs all at the last day The faithful soules did looke vnto the promised redemption as vnto glasses before the reconciliation was finished and they enioy blessed rest now vntill the redemption be fulfilled 3 And if I shall goe away The coniunction conditionall must bee resolued in to the aduerbe of time as if he had saide after that shall goe hence I will returne to you againe This returne must not be vnderstood of the holy Ghost as if Christe did shew himselfe to the disciples againe in the holy Ghost That is true in deede that Christe dwelleth with vs and in vs by the holy spirite but he speaketh in this place of the last day of iudgement wherein he shall come at length to gather his togeather And truly he prepareth a place for vs dayly if we respect the whole body of the Church VVhereupon it followeth that the day of our entring into heauen is not yet come 4 And whither I goe Because we haue neede of no small strength that wee may patiently suffer our selues to bee so long separated from Christ there is another confirmation added that the Disciples do know that his death is no destruction but a passage vnto the father and secondly that they know the way wherin they may follow him that they may come vnto the societie of the same glory VVee must diligently note both members that we behold Christ with the eyes of faith in the heauenly glory and blessed immortalitie and secondly that wee know that hee is the first fruites of our life and that he hath set open the way before vs which was stopt before time 5 Thomas saith vnto him Although Thomas his answere seemeth to disagree with Christ his saying at the first blush yet was hee not determined any whit to discredite his master Yet the question is howe hee denieth y t which Christ affirmed I answere that there is somtimes in the saints confused knowledges because they knowe not the manner and reason of a thing that is certaine and laid open before them So the calling of the Gentiles was foretolde by the Prophetes according to the true sense of faith and yet Paul doth testifie Ephe. 3. 5. that it was vnto them an hidden mysterie Therefore forasmuch as the Apostles beleeued that Christe did flit vnto the father and yet did not knowe how he should obtaine the kingdome Thomas obiecteth for good causes that they knewe not whither he went Hee gathereth thence that the way is more obscure for before wee enter into any course we must knowe whither to goe 6 I am the way Althogh Christ answereth not directly vnto the question whiche was asked him yet he omitteth nothing which
haue appointed you to goe and bring fruit and that your fruit may remain that whatsoeuer ye shall ask of the father in my name he may giue it you 17 These things I commaund you that yee loue one another 18 If the world hate you yee knew that it hated me former then you 19 If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne bâ—t because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you 20 Remember the words which I told you the seruant is not greater then his master if they haue persecuted me they wil persecute you also if they haue kept my worde they will keepe yours also 21 But they will do all these things vnto you for my name because they haue not knowen him that sent me 16 You haue not chosen mee He doth yet more plainly declare that they must thanke his grace and not their own deseruing that they were chosen extolled vnto so great honor For whenas hee denyeth that they chose him these wordes import as much as if he should say that whatsoeuer they haue they haue not gotten it by their owne art industrie They feigne coÌ„monly a mutual concourse of Gods grace mans will But this opposition I haue chosen you and am not chosen of you doth attribute all that wholy to Christe whiche they are wont to diuide betweene him and man as if it had beene said that man is not moued of his owne accord to seeke Christ vntill he be sought Hee speaketh not in this place of the common election of the godly whereby they are adopted to be y e children of god but of the particuler election wherby he ordayned the Disciples to preach the Gospell But if the Apostles were chosen freely and for no merite of theirs vnto that function wee must needes thinke that the election is farre more free whereby we are made heires of eternall life being the children of wrath and an accursed seed Moreouer Christ doth so commend in this place the grace wherby they were chosen to be Apostles that he ioineth y â— former grace wherby they were ingrafted into the body of the Church with it Yea he comprehendeth generally in these words what dignitie soeuer he had bestowed vpon them Neuerthelesse I graunt that he intreateth manifestly of the Apostleship For his intent is to pricke forward the disciples to doe their dutie stoutly He taketh the matter of his exhortation from the free fauour which he vouchsafed to shewe vnto them For the more we are bound to the Lord the more feruent ought we to be to doe those duties which he requireth at our handes otherwise we cannot auoide the crime of filthie vnthankfulnesse VVhereby it appeareth that there is nothing which ought more to enflame vs to studie to liue well godlily then when as we confesse that we haue receiued all that which wee haue at Gods handes and that we haue nothing of our owne that as well the beginning of our saluation as all the parâ—es which follow therupon doe flow from his free mercy Furthermore it appeareth plainly thereby how true that sentence is that Christ chose those to be Apostles which might seeme to be most vnfit of all men Although hee woulde haue a perpetuall monument of his grace to bee extant in their person For as Paule saith 2. Cor. chap 2. 16 who is he that shall be found meet to goe on this embassage wherein God doth reconcile mankinde vnto himselfe Yea what is mortall man that he should represent Gods own person Therefore it is Christ alone that maketh vs meete by his election Therefore Paule fetteth his Apostleship from grace Rom. 1. 5. and againe to the Galâ—thians 1. 15. he saith that he was separated from his mothers wombe Yea forasmuch as we are all vnprofitable seruauntes euen those that seeme to be the most excellent of all shall not bee sit for the least calling vntill they be elected Neuerthelesse the higher the degree of honour is whereunto euery man is extolled let him remember that hee is the more bound vnto God I haue apointed you The election is hidden vntill it be reuealed indeed when as the man is called vnto his office whereunto he was appointed As Paul in that place which I cited of late after that he hath said that he was separated from his mothers wombe he addeth afterward that hee was created an Apostle when as God thought good it should be so So the Lord himselfe doth testifie that Ieremie Ier. 1. 5. was knowen of him before he was in his mothers wombe whom notwithstanding hee calleth in his time vnto the office of a Prophet yet it may be that some man may come rightly framed vnto the office of teaching yea this is an ordinarie thing in the Church that no manne bee called saue he that is furnished with necessarie giftes In that Christ maketh himselfe the authour of both it is no maruell forasmuch as the father worketh only by him and he worketh with the father Therfore aswel the election as the ordaining is common to them both That you may goe Nowe doth he declare to what end he made mention of his grace to the ende he might make them goe more merily and willingly about theyr worke The dignitie of the Apostleship was not idle but they were to striue with great straites Therefore Christ pricketh them forwarde that they may not flie from labours griefes dangers This argument is taken from the end Secondly Christ reasoneth from the effect when as he saith And that yee may bring fruite For it cannot almost bee that any man shoulde apply his worke earnestly and sâ—outly vnlesse he hope that his labour will bee fruitfull Therefore Christ saith that their endeuours shall not bee in vaine so they be readie to obey Neither doth he only prescribe vnto the Apostles in this place what their calling requireth but he promiseth them happie successe least they faint and waxe cold It can scarse be expressed what great force this comfort hath against so many tentations whiche doe dayly inuade Christes ministers Therefore so often as wee thinke that our labour is lost let vs remember this that Christe shall at length bring to passe that that shall not bee in vaine which wee goe about For the promise taketh place most of all then when there appeareth no fruite At this day craftie mates and those that seeme to the worlde to bee wise doe mocke and floute our endeuours as vaine and rashe because we endeuour in vaine to ioyne heauen and earth togeather for in the meane season we reape not that fruite which we desire But forasmuch as Christ hath promised on the other side that the reward of our labor shall follow at length which lyeth hid for a time let vs labour diligently in the middest of the mockage of the world in doing our dutie Now here may a question be asked why Christ saith that this fruite
But thys is a great matter that they were not afrayed to take vppon them continuall warre wyth their nation Therefore it is certaine that it came to passe throughe the heauenlye motion that they who gaue not due honour vnto Christe so longe as hee liued doe runne vnto his carcasse being dead They brynge their odours to enbalme Christes bodye but they woulde neuer haue done this vnlesse they hadde fealt the sauour of his death VVhereby it appeareth howe truely Christe sayde That onlesse a wheat corne die it remaineth alone but after that it is deade it bringeth foorth frute aboundantly before 12. 24. for wee haue a moste manifest testimonie in thys place that his death was more liuely then his life And the sweetenesse of the smell whyche the death of Christe breathed oute into the mindes of these two menne was of so great force that it did easily extinguishe all the affections of the fleshe So longe as the loue of richesse and ambition raigned in them the grace of Christe was vnto them vnsauerie but nowe all the whole worlde beginneth to be vnto them vnsauerie But lette vs knowe that there is prescribed vnto vs in the example of them what wee owe vnto Christe These two to the ende they might shewe some token of their faith caried the body of Christe constantly thoughe not without great daunger vnto the graue Therefore it is shamefull and filthye â—luggishnesse if wee defraude him of the confession of faith when as hee raigneth in the heauenly glorye VVherefore their vngodlinesse is so muche the more vnexcusable who seeinge they doe at this daye denye Christe with faithlesse dissimulation doe yet notwythstanding pretende the example of Nicodemus And I confesse they are like him in one poynte they endeuour by all meanes possible to haue Christe buried but nowe it was no time to burye hym sithens that hee is ascended vnto the right hande of the father that hee maye bee aboue menne and Aungels and that euery tongue maye confesse his high gouernment Philippians 2. 9. 10. 11. Secreatlye for feare of the Iewes Because feare is in this place set against the holye constancie whyche the spirite of the Lorde wroughte in the heart of Iosephe it is likelye that hee was not voyde of all vice Not that all feare whereby the faithfull take heede to themselues and auoyde tyrauntes and the ennemies of the Gospell is corrupte and vitious but because the weakenesse of faith bewrayeth it selfe so often as the confession of faith is suppressed by feare VVee must alway marke what the Lorde commaundeth vs to doe and howe farre hee biddeth vs goe Hee that stayeth in the midst of the course sheweth that he beleeueth not in God and hee hath no excuse who setteth more by his owne life then by the commandement of God In that the Euangelist vouchsafeth to bestow vpon Ioseph the title name of a disciple at such time as he was too fearfull and durst not professe his faith before the worlde we know by this howe gently the Lorde dealeth with those that be his and how fatherly he pardoneth their faultes Neither is there any cause why the false Nicodemites should flatter themselues who doe not only hide faith within but whilest that they feigne a consent with wicked superstitions so much as in them lyeth they deny that they were Christes disciples 40 As the Iewes are wont After that Christ had suffered extreame ignominie vpon the crosse God woulde haue his buriall to be honourable that it might be an entrance into the glory of the resurrection Ioseph and Nicodemus bestow no small cost so that it might seeme to bee superfluous but we must looke vnto the purpose of God who did also enforce them by his spirite to doe his sonne this honour that he mighte take from vs the horrour of the crosse with the smell of the sepulchre But those things which are extraordinarie ought not to be taken for an example And againe the Euangelist saith plainely that hee was buried after the manner of the Iewes by which woordes hee signifieth that this was one of the ceremonies of the lawe For it was requisite that the olde people vnto whom the resurrection was not so well made knowen and which had no token and pledge thereof in Christ should bee vnderpropt with such helps y t they might loke for the coÌ„ming of y â— mediatour with a constant faith VVherefore we must note the difference that is betweene vs vnto whom the brightnesse of the Gospell hath shined and the fathers vnto whome figures did supplie Christe his absence This is the reason why greater pompe of rites was tollerable then whiche shoulde not be without fault at this day For those whiche bury the dead so sumptuously at this day doe not onely bury dead men but also Christ himselfe so much as in them lyeth who is the king of life hauing pulled him out of heauen because his resurrection hath abrogated these old ceremonies There was also great care and religion amongest the Gentiles in burying which tooke his beginning of the fathers as sacrifices But seeing they had no hope of the resurrection they were not followers of the fathers but their Apes For the promise the word of God is as it were the soule which quickeneth the ceremonies so soone as the woorde is taken away what rites soeuer men do vse although they agree in externall shew with the obseruing of holy thinges yet they are nothing els but rotten and foolish superstition But wee must as I haue saide before at this day vse sobrietie and sparing in this point because immoderate cost doth take away the smell of Christ his resurrection 41 And there was in the place This is the thirde point which I saide was to be noted in the historie of the buriall The Euangelist expresseth the place for many causes first of all it came to passe not rashly or without the certaine prouidence of God that the body of Christ was laide in a newe sepulchre For although he died the death which all other men die yet because he should be the first begotten of the dead and the first fruites of those which ryse againe from the dead he had a new sepulchre giuen him Ioseph and Nicodemus had another thing in their heads For because it was but a shorte time to the settyng of the Sunne which was the beginning of y e Sabboth they sought the coÌ„modiousnes of the place In the meane while God did chose contrary to their mind a sepulchree wherein neuer man had laid for his sonne Therefore the holy men doe like the nighnesse of the place onely for this cause that the Sabboth might not be broken But God offereth vnto thâ— that thing which they sought not that hee might discerne and distinguish the bâ—riall of his sonne from the common order by some token The circumstance of the place did also serue to this end that the resurrection might be more famous and that it might giue