also ryseth that assured safetie wherof he speaketh a litle after which vnlesse it leane vpon God may easily by distrubed It is of great waight and force that he calleth them ministers of the word of whom he receiued his Gospell For the faythfull do gather hereof that against witnesses no exception can be taken as the Lawyers say and which it is not lawfull to refuse Erasmus who out of Virgill borowed that which he translated to haue beene some part did not sufficiently weigh how much the calling of God is to be esteemed or of what auctoritie the same is For Luke doth not speake prophanely but he biddeth vs in the person of his Theophilus to looke vppon the commaundement of Christ that we may with reuerence heare the sonne of God speaking vnto vs by his Apostles If any man had rather take and vse this phrase VVord for the thing or substaunce which is Christ let him vse his own sense That some doe vnderstand by it Christ it should please me very well but that it were forced against the sense of the text and too farre stretched It is much that he saith they were beholders or eye witnesses But in that he calleth them ministers he exempteth them from the common order of men to that end that our fayth might haue his stay in heauen and not on earth This in summe is Lukes minde that hauing faythfully engraued in letters that which thou hadst learned before with liuely voice thou mightest the more safely repose thy selfe in the doctrine which thou haste receiued whereby it dooth appeare that God doth euery where prouide least we depending vpon the doubtfull wordes of men our faith should fayle or wauer VVhereby the vnthankefulnes of the world is so much the lesse excusable which as it were of purpose rashly desireth strayed and dispearsed rumors whereby it might be vnconstant and dooth wilfully forsake so great a benefit of GOD. But let vs hold that excellent difference which the Lord hath put betweene them lest foolish light beliefe doe vaunt it selfe for fayth In the meane while let vs suffer the world as it is worthy to be deceiued with the baightes of foolish curiousnes so to commit and giue ouer it selfe willingly to the deceites and iuglings of Sathan 3. Assoone as I had searched out perfectly The olde translation hath omnia assecuto I hauing followed all thinges The Greeke word is metaphoricallye deduced from them whiche treade in others steppes least ought should escape them For Luke would declare vnto vs a diligent studie and manner of learning Euen as Demosthenes vseth the same word when as he boasteth himselfe to haue bin so diligent in examining the embassage which he accuseth saying that he saw al things that were done as if he him selfe had beene a beholder of them Matthew Marke Luke 1.   5. In the time of Herod king of Iudea there was a certaine prieste named Zacharyas of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth 6. Both were iust before God and walked in al the commaundementes and ordinaunces of the Lord without reproofe 7. And they had no childe because that Elizabeth was barren and both were well stricken in age 8. And it came to passe as hee executed the priestes office before God as his course came in order 9. According to the custome of the priestes office his lot was to burne incense when he went into the temple of the Lorde 10. And the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer while the incense was burning 11. Then appeared vnto him an Angell of the Lord standing on the right side of the Altar of incense 12. And when Zacharias saw him he was troubled and feare fell vppon him 13. But the Angell saide vnto him feare not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare a sonne and thou shall call his name Iohn Luke very aptly doth begin his Gospell with Iohn Baptist euen as if hee that should speake of the light of the daye should beginne with the morning For like vnto the morning he did goe before the sonne of righteousnes which now was about to rise Other also make meÌ„tion of him but they describe him executing of his office But Luke doth purchase authoritie to him not yet borne when that he declareth the wonders of diuine power euen in his infancie and sheweth him to bee appoynted of God to be a Prophet before that men could know what manner of man he should be And for this purpose he doth it that with greater reuerence he might be heard when that he should take vpon him that publike office to goe forth for the aduauncement of the glory of Christ. 5. In the time of Herod He was the sonne of Antipater whoÌ„ his father did promote euen to the kingdoÌ„ for the augmentation of the which he had so great care did with so great diligeÌ„ce labour that therfore there was giueÌ„ vnto him the surname of Great Certaine do think that he was named heire of Luke because he was the first forreine king that reâ—gned there and therefore to be a fitte time for their deliueraunce beecause that their scepter was now transposed to a straunge nation But they that so say doe not very wel vnderstand the prophesie of Iacob whereas the comming of the Messias is not simply promised after that the Iewes shal be depriued of their empyre But after that the same shoulde be taken away from the tribe of Iuda neither yet is this the holy Patriarkes minde that the tribe of Iuda should be depriued of their princely gouernaunce before the comming of Christ But that the rule of the people should be established in that stocke vntill Christes comming in whole person the sure euerlasting continuaunce of the same should be And although that what time the Machabeyes florished the tribe of Iuda was brought into a narrow streight and shortly after Duke Iohn the last of that stocke was slaine yet notwithstanding was not that rule altogether extinguished For yet there remayned the Synedrion as it were a chosen counsell of the stocke and posteritie of Dauid whose auctoritie was great And did continue to Herod who with most horrible slaughter of Iudges reuenged punishment layde vppon him before because that he being condemned of murder was constrained to goe into voluntarie exile that he might escape the losse of his head The reigne therefore of Herod because he was a straunger brake not the scepter of the trybe of Iuda but because that what residue of renoume soeuer there remained in that stocke by his theeuish dealing was abolyshed That the kingly dignitie fayled long before and that the rule by litle litle fel almost downe that discontinuaunce dooth not repugne with the prophesie of Iacob For to the outwarde shewe GOD hath promised two diuerse thinges the throane of Dauid to last for euer that after it were ouerthrowne he would repayre the
babe to destroye him 14. So hee arose and tâ—oke the babe and his mother by night and departed into Egypte 15. And was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying oute of Egypt haue I called my sonne 16. Then Herode seeing that he was mocked of the wise men was exceeding wrâ—th sent forth and â—lewe all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coastes thereof from two yere olde and vnder according to the time which he had diligently searched out of the wise men 17. Then was that fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Ieremias sayingâ— 18. In Rama was a vâ—yce heardâ— mourningâ— and weeping and great lamentation Rachel weâ—ping for her children and woulde not be comforted because they were not Marke Luke 13. After their departure Howe many daies there were betweene the departure of the wise men and vntil the time that Ioseph was commanded to flee into Egypte it is vnknowen neither is it anye great matter but that it is probable that the Lord spared Marie vntil she were strong out of her childebedde that shee might be able to take her iourney And this was the woonderfull counsell of God that he woulde preserue his Sonne by flight and it is not to be doubted but that the minde of Ioseph was shaken with daungerous temptations when as there was no hope shewed him but onely by flighte for in flight there was no token of the helpe of God then it was very vnlikely that he which should be the sauiour of all men could not be preserued but by the aid of a mortal man But the Lord held this moderatioÌ„ in preseruing his sonne that he might shewe some signes of his heauenly power yet he shewed not the same so euidently but that it shoulde lie hidde vnder a forme of infirmitie for as yet the time was not come that Christ shoulde be openly glorified It is an euident shewe of the Deitie in that the Aungell foretelleth a matter hid and vnknowen to men and it appertaineth to the infirmitie of the flesh whereunto Christe was become subiecte in that he commaundeth to defend the life of the childe by flight and banishment but heereby we are taught that God doth not alwaies preserue his children by one meane but nowe he sheweth his power gloriously and nowe againe he sheweth some litle sparkes of the same from vnder obscure couerings or shadowes Nowe this wonderfull maner of preseruing the sonne of God vnder the crosse doeth teach that we do wickedly which do prescribe a certaine way to God Therefore let vs suffer our saluation to be furthered of him by diuers meanes neither let vs refuse to be humbled that thereby he may the better shewe foorth his glorie But especially we must not flee the crosse wherewith hee exercised his sonne euen from his first infancie Furthermore this flight is a parte of the foolishnesse of the crosse but whyche excelleth all the wisedome of the worlde That the sauiour of Iudea might come forth in his time he is enforced to flee out of the same and Egypt nourisheth him from whence neuer anye thynge came before but that whiche was deadlye to the Churche of God VVho is not amazed at this so sodaine a woorke of God Againe hereof gather the certaintie of the dreame in that Ioseph presently obeieth the commaundement of the Aungell for his readinesse to obey doth plainely shewe that he doubted not but that he hadde God for the authour of his flight which hee was about to take Yet this maye seeme to rise vpon distrust because that he hasteth so speedily for this fleeing also in the night cannot be without feare but the excuse is easie He sawe that the meanes whiche God had ordained for their preseruation was very meane and base therefore hee gathereth that it is lawfull for hym fearefullye to flye in the nyghte as vse is in extreeme daungers so it behooueth vs alwaies to moderate oure feare at the warninges of God to the which if the Lord consent it shall not be against our faithe Be there till I bring thee woorde By these wordes the Aungell declareth that God hath a care of the life of the childe yea euen for the time that is to come and Ioseph had neede of this confirmation that he mighte be certainly perswaded that God woulde not onely be a guide to him in thys iourney but also that he woulde be a continual keeper of him in banishment And by this meanes the Lorde woulde stay many cares whyche might trouble the minde of the godly man that he might remaine quiet in Egypt for otherwise no moment of time should haue passed without diuers torments when as he shoulde discerne and see himselfe depriued not only of the enheritaunce promised of God to all the Sainctes but of the temple the sacrifice the publike profession of the faith and shoulde remaine amoÌ„gst the most wicked enemies of God and in a depe whirlpoole of superstitions He caried with him in the person of the infante what good things soeuer the fathers hoped for or that the Lorde had promised them but because hee had not as yet profited so muche in the faith and knowledge of Christ hee had neede to be vpholden with this commaundement Be there vntill I bring thee worde least that it should be troublesome to him to languish amongst the Egyptians banished out of his countrey 15. Out of Egypt haue I called my sonne Because that Mathew sayeth that the prophesie was fulfilled many haue thought that the Prophet meant nothing but that which is expressed and they imagined this sence to theÌ„ selues that the Iewes doe foolishly while they resist and endeuoure to oppresse the Sonne of God because the Father will call him oute of Egypte And in this maner doe they wickedly wrest the woordes of the prophet whose purpose is to make the Iewes guiltie of vnthankefulnes which from their first infancy and beginning haue found God a louing and a bountifull father yet they foorthwith prouoke him wyth newe sinnes Therefore lette this be out of controuersie that this place oughte not to be restrained to Christe neither yet is it wrested by Mathewe but aptly applied to the present purpose Thus ought the woordes of the Prophet be vnderstoode when Israel was but a childe I broughte hym out of that miserable captiuitie wherein he was drowned Firste he was like to one dead and Egypt was to him in stead of a graue I brought him from thence as one brought out of the graue and did bring him into the light of life And the Lord sayeth so for good cause for that deliueraunce was a certaine birth of the people for then were the tables of adoption made openly when as by the lawe proclaimed hee was receyued into the charge of God a priestly kingdom and a holy nation when as he was separate from all other people to be short when as
way of the Lord. It is not to be doubted but that the Prophet speaketh to Cyrus the Persians whose ayde GOD vsed and the meaning is that the Lorde would by a wonderfull power bring to passe that a waye shoulde be opened to his people by wayes vntrauailed by steepe rockes and by the drye deserte beecause that hee had at hande ministers of his grace which should take all lettes and hinderaunces out of the waye But that was a beeginning shadowing the redemption And when the spirituall trueth commeth into the light Iohn is sent that hee might remoue those lettes And daylye the same voyce soundeth in our eares that wee shoulde prepare a way to the Lorde that is that vices beeing taken awaye which shutte vppe the kingdome of Christe wee shoulde giue accesse to his grace To the same purpose also beelongeth that which followeth in the Prophet The crooked shall bee made streight for hee meaneth that there are onely rough and troublesome courses in the worlde But that through so hard passages the Lorde will make himselfe a waye that by a woonderfull meanes hee might pearse through to the accomplishing of our saluation 6. All fleshe shall see The meaning is that this saluation shall not bee kepte secrete or tasted onely by a fewe menne but that it shall be knowen and common to all VVhereof it followeth that this prophesie was not fulfilled in the returne of the people For although GOD then shewed a token of his fauour woorthye to bee remembred yet hee did not then reucale his saluation to all the woorlde Naye it is the purpose of the Prophet to oppose the wonderfull excelleÌ„cie of saluation which was to be reuealed agaynst the former benefites of god that the faithful might know that he neuer dealt so notably with the Church and that the power of God was neuer so excellently shewed in the deliueraunce of his Flesh in this place doth signifie men without the note of sinne 4. Matth. Iohn had his garment The Euangelist dooth not accompt this amongst his especiall vertues that hee was addict to a rude and austere manner of lyuing he also fled a meane and an accustomed cleannesse But because he had said before that he was a manne dwelling among the mountaines Now he addeth that his meate and his apparell was according to his dwelling place And this hee reheaseth not onely that wee might know that hee tooke no delycates being content with countrey meate and apparell But that in his filthy and contemptible habite he was much esteemed amongst men very delicate and renoumed Furthermore as superstition appoynted almoste a perfect rigghteousnesse in these outwarde shewes they commonly thought that such decency was a heap of holynesse There was an other fault neere vnto this that they woulde imagine that this man in this solitarie lyfe abhorred the common maner of lyuinge as Eremites and Moonkes excell in this one thing if they could differ from the rest At the length there grew ouer grosse ignoraunce that they made of his garmente of hayres a whole skinne And it is not to be doubted but that the Euangeliste discrybeth heere a mountaine man farre from all vrbanitie finenesse and daintinesse not onely content with meate that might be gotten but onely eating naturall meates as wilde honney whereof there was good plentie enough in that place and Locustes whereof the countrey was also very fruitful Or because it was profitable that a man contemned and not fauoured for any excellency should come forth into the world that the onely maiestie of GOD might shine in him which yet shoulde draw all men to wonder at him For that is to be noted which is added that great concourse of people came vnto him from euery place whereby wee gather how renoumed his fame was Or because it was the purpose of God to propose in him a rare example of frugalytie that by this meanes hee might allure the Iewes to reuerence his doctrine or at the leaste that he might conuince the Iewes of vnthankfulnesse according to that sayinge of Christe Iohn came neyther eating nor drinkeing c. Luke 7. 33. 6. Matth. 5. Mar. They were baptised confessing their sinnes This confession was a testimonie of their repentaunce For as the Lord in his sacramentes doth binde himself vnto vs as it were by giuing vs his hand writing so it is also meete that we should aunswere him againe In baptism he witnesseth that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and he calleth vs to repentaunce Therefore that men may rightly offer themselues vnto baptism they are required to confesse their sinnes otherwise the whole action should be nothing else but a vaine sporte It is also to be noted that hee heere speaketh of them that are growen to some age who we know are not to be admitted without consideration into the Church nor by baptisme to be receiued into the body of Christ except there be first an examination had VVhereby it is manifest how ridiculous the Papists were which wrest this to auricular confession For the sacrificers were not present into whose eares priuilye all of them shoulde whisper their own sinnes neither is there mention made of all the sinnes neyther is it said that Iohn commaunded or gaue his Disciples an ordinary manner of confessing And that wee maye graunte the Papistes that which they require Confession shall beelonge to them onely that shall bee catechyzed and after Baptisme it shall haue no place Truely they agaynst the example of Iohn doe prescrybe a lawe of Confesion after Baptisme Matth. 3. Marke Luke 3. 7. Now when hee sawe manye of the Pharises and of the Saduces come to his baptisme hee saide vnto them O generations of vypers who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy amendment of life 9. And think not to say with your selues wee haue Abraham to our father for I say 〈…〉 that God is able of these â—â—ones to rayse vp children vnto Abraham 10. And nowe also is the axe put to the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is heawne down and cast into the fire  7. Then sayd he to the people that were come out to bee baptised of him O generation of vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come 8. Bring forth therefore fruitâ— worthy amendment of lyfe and beginne not to say with your selues we haue Abraham to our father for I say vnto you GOD is able of these stones to raise vp childreÌ„ to AbrahaÌ„ 9. Now also is the axe laid vnto the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire 10. Thâ—â— the people asked him saying what shall we doe then 11. And he answered and said vnto them he that hath two coates let him parte with him that hath none and he that hath meate let him doe likewise 12. Then came there Publicans also to
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
is settled almost in all For we see how al menne doe flatter and spare themselues and euery man is a seuere censor against others And there is a certaine sweetenesse in this sinne so that there is almost no man that ytcheth not with a desire to enquire out other mens faultes All menne doe confesse that it is a mischief intolerable that they which spare themselues in their owne sinnes should be so malitious against their brethren And in timeâ— past prophane men did also condemne it by many prouerbes yet it continued in all ages and also remaineth at this day nay there is added to it an other plague worse then that that the most parte by condemning others seeke to get themselues further libertie of sinning This wicked delyght in biting carping and slaundering doth Christ refraine when hee saith Iudge not Neither ought the faithful to be so blind that they shoulde discerne nothing but only that they should bridle themselues that they be no more desirous to iudge then is meete For it cannot bee otherwise but that whosoeuer desireth to be iudge of his brethren shuld be too extreame and rygorous There is the like sentence in Iames bee not manye maisters Yet he doth not restraine nor withdraw the faithfull from executing the office of teaching but he forbiddeth them to desire honour ambitiously Therefore to iudge doth signifie as much as to enquire curiously into other mens deedes But first this disease doth alwayes drawe with it this sinne that we condemn euery light offence as though it were a most grieuous faulte then it breaketh out into a peruerse boldnes so that we doe proudly iudge ill of euery matter although it may be taken in good parte Now we see to what purpose Christes counsel tendeth that is that we be not to desirous or ouerthwart or malitious or els curious in iudging our neghbours But he that iudgeth by the word and law of the Lorde and directeth his iudgement according to the rule of charitie dooth alwayes begin his iudgement at himselfe he doth obserue the right manner and order of iudging whereby it appeareth howe wickedlye they abuse this testimonie of this moderation which Christe setteth downe vnder which pretence they desire to take away all difference of good and euil For it is not onely lawfull for vs to condemne and reproue all sinnes but also necessary except we wil wrangle with God himselfe and abrogate his lawes cut down his iudgements and ouerthrow his throane of iudgment For his wil is that we should declare his iudgment which he pronounceth of the deedes of menne wee must onely retaine that modesty that he mey remaine the onely lawgiuer and iudge Least you be iudged he denounceth a punishment againste those rygorous censors which so much desire to sift out the faultes of others that is it shall come to passe that they shall bee nothinge gentler entreated of others but they shall finde the same extremitie exercised againste themselues which they haue executed againste others As there is nothing more deare or precious to vs then our name so there is nothing more sharpe and bitter then to be condemned and subiect to the reproaches and infamie of menne and through our owne faulte wee procure our selues that which we of our owne nature doe so much abhorre For which is hee amongst many which doth not search more narrowly into other mennes deedes then is conuenient whiche dealeth not hardlyer with light offences which dooth not more ouerthwartly improue that which is of it selfe indifferent And what is this els but to doe our dilygence to prouoke God to be a reuenger against vs that hee againe maye repay the like to vs. And though this be done by the iuste vengeaunce of God that they should again be punished which haue iudged others yet the Lord doth execute this punishment by menne For the iudgement of Chrisostome and others which referre it to the life to come is wrested For as Iesaias 33. 1. threatneth that they shall be spoyled whiche haue spoyled others so Christ meaneth that there shall not wante reuengers whiche shall punishe wicked and slaunderous menne with the lyke poison or rigor If that menne cease so that they escape punishmente in the world which haue bene too desirously bent to condemne their brethreÌ„ yet they shall not escape the iudgment of God In Luke there is sette downe a promisse Forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you the meaning whereof is that the Lorde will bring to passe that hee that sheweth himselfe louing gentle and right towardes his brethren shall feele the same gentlenesse of others towardes himselfe so that hee shall bee handled gentlye and friendlye of others But that which often falleth out to the children of GOD to be recompensed with a moste vniuste rewarde so that they are oppressed with many vniust slaunders when as they haue hurte no mannes name but haue spared the faultes of their brethren dooth not disagree with this sentence of Christe For wee knowe that those promisses which apperteine to this present lyfe are not perpetuall nor without exception Also though the Lorde suffereth the innocency of his children to bee oppressed and almoste ouerwhelmed yet withall hee fulfilleth that which hee speaketh in an other place that their vprightnesse shall shine as the morning So his blessinge alwayes exceedeth all their vniuste slaunders For so hee maketh the faythfull subiecte to vniuste reproaches that at the length hee maye shewe forth the goodnesse of theyr cause Furthermore the faythfull ones howesoeuer they desire to execute that whiche is ryght towardes theyr brethren yet beecause they are sometyme caryed with extreame rigour againste their brethren whiche either are innocent or are not so much to bee blamed they prouoke through their owne faulte the lyke iudgement against themselues And though it may be imputed to the vnthankefulnesse of the worlde that they doe not receiue measure pressed downe and running ouer yet certeinelye they muste in parte impute it vnto themselues beecause there is no manne that hath so lyberally nourished his brethren as hee ought 3. VVhy seest thou a moate Hee dooth expresly reproue that faulte which the Hypocrites doe commonlye commit For when they are too quicke sighted in discerning other mennes faultes and they doe not onlye amplifie them seuerely but almost tragically they cast their own offences behynde them or els they are so wise in making them to seeme lesse that euen in the moste grosse offence they desire to seeme excusable Therefore Christ reproueth both the offences too curious searching which groweth of the want of charitie while wee will too scrupulouslye searche out the sinnes of the brethren and the sparing flatterie wherewith we couer and nourish our own sinnes MAT. 7. 6. Giue yee not that which is holye to dogges neither caste yee your pearles before swine least they tread them vnder their feete and turning againe all to renâ—e you There is no cause why I
any other which God hathe assigned to his owne Sonne is moste hainous sacriledge And that Christe commaunded the ministers of the Gospell to declare vnto sinners that they are made cleane whiche the Papistes doe imagine to appertaine to their fained iurisdiction is not to be wreasted that they might descerne of the leprosie MARKE 44. For a witnesse vnto them Some do take a testimonie for a lawe or a statute as it is sayd in the hundreth two and twentie Psalme and the fourth verse God gaue this as a testimonie to Israel Yet this semeth to mee to be colde for I doubt not but that the pronowne Them hath relation to the priestes Therefore in my iudgement Christe hadde respecte to the circumstaunce of this present matter because that in thys myracle there shoulde be moste euident proofe to conuince them for their vnthankefulnesse Neither is that any lette that Christ commaunded the Leper to holde his peace for his will was not that the remembraunce of this myracle should be buried for euer Therfore when as by the commaundement of Christ the Leper came into the priests sight it was to witnesse vnto them that they were inexcusable if they woulde not embrace Christe for a minister of God and also all occasion of speaking euill was taken away when as Christe did not omitte any poynte of the lawe In summe if they had not ben incurable they might haue ben brought to Christe but this so solempne a witnesse of God was effectual enough for the condemning of the vnbeleeuers 45. So that Iesus coulde no more Heereby we gather why Christe would not that this myracle shoulde so soone haue bene vttered that he might by that meanes haue hadde the more libertie to teache not that the ennemies rose vppe againste him whiche sought to stoppe his mouthe But because the importunitie of the people was so great in desiring myracles that hee hadde no time for doctrine and his will was to haue all menne more bent to the woorde then to signes Therefore Luke sayeth that hee dwelt in the desartes For he auoided the resort of menne because he sawe hee coulde not satisfie the desires of the people except he should ouerwhelme his doctrine with aboundance of signes Mathewe 8. Marke Luke 7. 5. VVhen Iesus was entred into Capernaum there came vnto him a Centurion beseeching him 6. And saide maister my seruaunt lieth sicke at home of the palsie and is grieuously pained 7. And Iesus sayde vnto him I will come and heale him 8. But the Centurion aunsweared saying Maister I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my rouse but speake the woorde onely and my seruaunt shal be healed 9. For I am a manne also vnder the authoritie of another and haue souldiours vnder mee and I say to â—ne Goe and he goeth and to another Come and he commeth and to my seruaunt Do this and he doeth it 10. VVhen Iesus heard that hee marueiled and sayde to them that folowed him Verely I say vnto you I haue not found so great faith euen in Israel 11. But I say vnto you that many shall come from the Easte and VVest and shall sitte downe wyth Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen 12. And the childreÌ„ of the kingdome shall bee caste out into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teethe 13. Then Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion Goe thy way and as thou hast beleueâ—â— so be it vnto thee And his seruaunte was healed the same houre  1. VVhen he had ended al his sayinge in the audience of the people hee entred into Capernaum 2. And a certaine Centurions seruaunt was sicke ready to die which was deare vnto him 3. And when he heard of Iesus hee sent vnto him the Elders of the Iewes beseeching him that hee woulde come and heale his seruaunt 4. So they came to Iesus and besought him instantly saying that hee was woorthy that he shoulde doe thus for him 5. For he loueth sayde they our nation and he hath built vs a synagogue 6. Then Iesus went with them but when he was nowe not farre from the house the Centurion sent friendes to him saying to him Lorde trouble not thy selfe for I am not woorthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roufe 7. VVherefore I thought not my self worthy to come vnto thee but say the woorde and my seruaunt shal be hole 8. For I likewise am a manne sette vnder authoritie and haue vnder me souldiours and I say vnto one Goe and he goeth and to an other Come and he commeth and to my seruant Do this and he doeth it 9. VVhen Iesus heard these thinges he marueiled at him and turned him and sayde to the people that folowed him I say vnto you I haue not sounde so great faith no not in Israel 10. And when they that were sent turned backe to the house they founde the seruaunt that was sicke hole 5. VVhen Iesus was entered They which thinke that Mathewe and Luke doe set downe two diuers hystories do striue about a matter of nothing This onely diuersitie is in the wordes That Mathew sayeth that a Centurion came to Christ. But Luke sayeth that he sent certaine of the Iewes which should speake vnto him in his name But Mathew doth not without a cause attribute that vnto him which was done at his request and in his name But the two Euangelistes do so agree in all circumstances that it were a follie to imagine two myracles of one Also I doubt not but the companie of souldiours which the Centurion guided had their standing in the Citie of Capernaum as they were woont to distribute legions for the defence of the cities VVhen hee perceiued the maners of the people to be very wicked and corrupt for we knowe that Capernaum being a citie neare to the sea side was filled with moe superstitions then others yet that hindered not but that the countrey superstitions being condemned he might haue a taste of true and sincere godlinesse for he could not builde a synagogue for the Iewes without some enuie and daunger neyther could he loue that nation but because that he embraced the worship of God alone Therefore before that Christe healed his seruant he himselfe was healed of the Lord. And that was wonderfull that a warriour which had passed the seas with a band of souldiours that he might accustome the Iewes to beare the yoke of the Romaines tyrannie should willingly submitte himselfe and yelde obedience to the God of Israel That Luke sayeth that this seruant was deare vnto him he by this meanes preuenteth a dout which might come into the readers minds For we know that the masters had not the seruants in such estimation except they were suche as through singular industrie faith or some other vertue had obtained their fauour Luke therefore declareth that hee was no common or vile bondman but a faithful seruaunt endued with rare giftes which was in great fauour with his maister for this cause hee
to our memorie that Christ dedicateth all his disciples to the crosse Yet lette vs remember this comfort that in bearing the crosse we become the felowes of Christe so it shall come to passe that all bitternesse shall easily become pleasant The reprobate are no lesse tied to their crosse and cannot shake it off striue they neuer so muche but because the crosse without Christe is accursed there remaineth for them an vnhappy end VVherefore lette vs learne to knit these two togither the faithful must take vp the crosse that they may folow the master that is that they may conforme themselues after his example and as faithful companions walke in his steppes 39. He that will saue his life Least the former doctrine as it is very hard and troublesome to flesh should of it selfe worke but smal effecte Christ in this sentence confirmeth the same two waies For he sayeth that they are too wary and prouident when they shal with themselues thinke they haue preserued their life best they are deceiued and they haue loste the same Againe they which neglect life shal lose nothing because they shall saue the same VVe know that al things are don omitted for life sake there is suche a loue of the same planted in vs wherefore it was necessary for Christ that he might encourage his to contemne death so to promisse and to threaten To finde life signifieth in this place to possesse the same as vnder a safe custodie for they which are too couetous of earthly life while they keepe themselues oute of all pearils they please themselues with a vaine truste as if they had well prouided for themselues but their life fenced with suche defences shall fleete away because at lengthe they must die and death shall be to them destruction On the contrary part where the faithful do offer themselues to death their soule which seemeth at that presente to vanishe away is restored to a better life Furthermore because there are some founde which somtime doe lose their life either for ambition sake or for a furie Christ expresly declareth the cause why we should suffer death It is doubtfull whether this sermon was made at an other time which Luke declareth The Lord doeth there also exhort his disciples to beare the crosse but not in so long a sermon Also for the confirminge of this sentence he addeth presently two similitudes whereof there is no mention made in Mathewe but for the consent in the summe of the matter I made no doubt to bring those things which are found in Luke hither LVKE 28. VVhich of you is it minding Least it should be troublesome to any man to folow Christ on this condition that he shoulde renounce all his desires there is a profitable admonition proposed that men should meditate before hand what the profession of the Gospell doeth require For hereof it commeth to passe that many do fall away at all light temptations because they fansied to themselues mere wāton delites as though they shoulde alwaies be in the shade and in idlenesse Therefore he shall neuer be a sitte seruaunt of Christ except he prepare himself to the warre a long time before Nowe for this purpose doe the similitudes very well agree It is a matter ful of trouble and wearinesse to builde also smally welcome by reason of the charge also no manne taketh warre vpon him but againste his will because it bringeth with it so many discommodities and threatneth almoste ruine to mankinde and yet the profitte of dwelling allureth men that they doubt not to lay out their substance necessitie also compelleth so that they refuse no expēces in making warres But there remaineth a farre more excellent rewarde for the builders of the temple of God and for them whiche giue their names to the warres of Christ. For Christians doe neither labour for a transitorie buildinge nor sight for a vaine triumph But that saying of Christe If any kinge be vnable to beare the brunt of battell least he be ouercome with shame let him seeke peace with the enemie cannot be applied to this present purpose as if we might make any reconciliation with the spirituall enemie if richesse and forces doe faile vs. For it were a fonde thing to wrest al particular clauses in parables to the matter which is handled But the Lorde simply meaneth that we shuld so be furnished least we being taken without iust defence doe shamefully turne our backes Neither is euery one of vs a king which doeth make warre with his owne forces And as their rashnesse is reproued by this doctrine which foolishly leape beyond their measure or make themselues pleasures not thinking of bearing the crosse so we must beware least this meditation whereto Christ exhorteth vs do feare vs or flack our forwardnesse Many because they haue not presently taught themselues the law of patience euē from the prisons they thorough nicenesse retourne backe from the course of their race for they wil not abide to be Christians of any other conditions then that they may be free from the crosse Others while they haue proposed vnto them a condition hard and vnsauerie to the flesh dare not come to Christe But there is no cause why the knowledge of our want should discourage vs whome the Lord doeth helpe in time Certainly I graunt if we accounte the charges we are all so poore and weake that we cannot lay one stone or drawe the sworde against the enemie But sith the Lord from heauen will giue vs matter costes weapons forces our sluggishnesse or slouthfulnesse shall haue no pretence of the hardnesse Therefore the purpose of Christ is to admonishe his of bearing the crosse that they might girde themselues with strength 33. So likewise who soeuer hee be of you that forsaketh not This clause doeth shewe what the accounting of the charges doeth meane whereat Christe commaundeth his to beginne namely that they must meditate of this account to forsake all things For in vaine they doe thrust themselues in to professe Christianitie whiche are delighted with a sweete and idle estate voide of the crosse Also vnderstand that they must renounce all thinges which doe so preferre Christe as before their life as also all the desires of the flesh so that nothing shall hinder them from a right course For if any man shall precisely vrge the letter he shal deale preposterously as though no man were the disciple of Christ but he that shuld throw what soeuer he possesseth into the sea and so shoulde be deuorced from his wife and should bidde his children farewell By suche fansies folish men haue bene allured to monkery that beinge willinge to come to Christ haue fallen from humanity But no man doth more truely renounce al things which he possesseth thē he which being redy to leaue al things at euery momēt doth imploy himself wholely as fre and bound vnto the Lord passing by all lettes doeth folow his calling So the true denial which the Lorde
to be fearefull because of his diuine glory shoulde flie from him For he rather frameth vs to folowe him because that by reason of the stubbornnesse of the flesh we flie the yoake as a sharpe and a hard thing A little after he sayeth that his yoake is sweete but howe can it be that any man shoulde submitte his necke willingly and ioyfully except he being cloathed with â—eekenesse he becommeth like to Christe Further it appeareth that this is the meaning Christ exhorting his disciples to beare his yoake least the difficultie should terrifie them he addeth presently after learne ye of me signifying that that yoake shoulde not be grieuous vnto vs when we are by his owne example taught and framed to meekenesse and humilitie That also pertaineth to the same purpose that hee addeth yee shall finde rest So long as the flesh is at liberty wee murmur but they whiche refuse the yoake of Christ and endeuor to please God an other way they do weary and tire themselues in vaine As we see the Papists do vexe themselues miserably and they beare a cruell tyrannie vnder the which they are tormented yet with silence they passe it ouer least they should become subiecte to the crosse of Christ. Math. 12. Marke 2. Luke 6. 1. At that time Iesus went on a Sabboth day through the corne and his disciples were an hungred and beganne to plucke the eares of corne to eate â— And when the Pharisies sawe it they sayde vnto him Beholde thy Disciples doe that whiche is not lawful to doe vppon the Sabboth 4. But he sayde vnto them haue ye not red what Dauid did wheÌ„ he was an hungred and they that were with him 4. How he entred into the house of God and ate the shewe breade which was not lawful for him to eate neither for them that were with him but only for the priests 5. Or haue yee not redde in the lawe howe that on the Sabboth dayes the Priestes in the Temple breake the Sabboth and are blamelesse 6. But I say vnto you that here is one greater then the Temple 7. VVherefore if ye knewe what this is I will haue mercy and not sacrifice yee would not haue condemned the innocents 8. For the Sonne of manne is Lord euen of the Sabboth 23. And it came to passe as he went through the corne on the Sabboth day that his disciples as they went on their way beganne to plucke the eares of corne 24. And the Pharisies sayde vnto him Beholde why doe they on the Sabboth day that which is not lawfull 25. And he sayd vnto them Haue ye neuer red what Dauid did when he hadde neede and was an hungred bothe he and they that were with him 26. Howe hee went into the house of God in the dayes of Abiathar the hie prieste and did eate the shewe breade which was not lawfull to eat but for the priestes and gaue also to them which were with him 27. And hee sayde to them the Sabboth was made for manne and not manne for the Sabboth 28. VVherefore the Sonne of manne is Lorde euen of the Sabboth 1. And it came to passe on the second Sabboth after the first that he went through the corne fieldes and his disciples plucked the cares of corne did eate and rubbe them in their handes 2. And certaine of the Pharisies sayde to them why doe yee that which is not lawfull to doe on the Sabboth dayes 3. Then Iesus answered them and sayde haue yee not red this that Dauid did when he himselfe was an hungred they which were with him 4. Howe he went into the house of God tâ—ke and ate the shewe bread and gaue also to them whiche were with him which was not lawfull to eate but for the Priestes onely 5. And hee sayde vnto them the Sonne of man is Lorde also of the Sabboth day 1. Iesus went on a Sabboth The purpose of the Euangelists in this history was to shew partly howe malitious the Pharisies were and partly howe superstitiously they were addicted to outwarde rites of smal importance in so much that they set all their holinesse in them For they accuse the disciples of Christ because that they being an hungred in their iourney did pul eares on the Sabboth day as if they had so broken the Sabboth The obseruation of the Sabboth was an holy exercise but not as they imagiâ—ed it that one could scarce moue his finger but with a trembling conscience Hypocrisie made them so scrupulous in so light maters wheÌ„ as they beare with themselues in grosse superstitions as Christ in an other place vpbraideth them that they tithed Mintes and Anesseedes but contemned the greater matters of the law And this is alwayes the custome of hypocrites to take liberty to themselues in great matters and to be diligent in obseruing of ceremonies And this is the matter why they are so straight in loking to the obseruing of outward rites because they thinke that god is only pleased with a carnall worship But this reprehension came rather of malice and enuie then of superstition for they were not so captious against others And it is meete that we shoulde consider howe they were affected least it should amaze any man to see that Christ had the doctors of the lawe so much his ennemies LV. 1. On the second Sabboth after the first It is not to be douted but that this sabboth belonged to some one of the feast daies which the lawe coÌ„manded to be celebrated once euery yeare therefore some thoughte that the feasts continued for the space of 2. daies but because that after the captiuity of Babylon the Iewes so deuided their feasts that there was alwayes a day betweene that opinion is confuted They speake more probably which say that it was the laste daye of the solemnization whiche was as much estemed as the first Yet I like their iudgement better which take it to be the second feast of the yere the name agreeth very wel to be called the second sabboth after the first because that in order of time it was the second of those high yerely feasts The first was the Passeouer therfore it is probable that this was the feast of first fruites Mar. 24. VThy do they on the saboth day The Pharisies reproue not the disciples of Christe for pulling eares of corne in an other mannes fielde but because they breake the Sabboth As thoughe the Sabboth had bene ordained to this ende that hungry men should pearish rather then they should relieue their hunger But this was the onely cause of the Sabboth that the people sanctifying themselues to God shoulde exercise themselues in true and spirituall worship then that they being freed from all worldly businesse might the better frequent the holy assemblies VVherfore the lawfull obseruation of it must be referred to this purpose for the interpretation of the lawe must be fetched from the minde of the lawgiuer But heereby appeareth howe malitious and obstinate
besides the purpose of an vnitie But Christ bent himselfe an other way namely that whatsoeuer the faythful should take in hand to doe and whereto soeuer they apply themselues yet there is one end to the which it is meete y t al things shuld be referred The summe therefore is that we wander about in vaine if we direct not al our actions to a certeine end Therefore the hospitalitie of Martha was faultie because that the principal matter was neglected and she was wholly caryed away in taking care about her busines Yet the meaning of Christ is not that al other thinges are nothing this onely excepted but order must be wisely holden least the accessary as they cal it be more esteemed then the principal May hath chosen the good parte Here is no comparison as foolish and absurd interpreters doe dream but Christ onely saieth that Mary is occupyed in a holy and profitable exercise frō which she ought not to be drawn as if he should haue said thou mightest wel here haue reproued thy sister if she following idlenesse or being occupied in vaine cares or desiring any other thing not meete for her calling should haue layde the whole burden of prouidinge for the house vpon thee But now when she applyeth her selfe well and profitably to hearing it were not well to draw her from it for such opportunitie is not had alwayes Though others doe take the latter part otherwise as if Christ had sayd that Mary had therfore chosen the better part because the fruit of the heauenly doctrine neuer falleth away the which iudgement though I do not reiect yet I haue followed that which I think do the most aptly agree to the meaning of Christ. Matth. Mark Luke 12.    13. And one of the company sayd vnto him maister bid my brother deuyde the enheritance with me 14. And he said vnto him man who made mee a judge or a deuider ouer you 15. VVherefore he said vnto them take heede and beware of couetousnes for though a man haue abundaunce yet his lyfe standeth not in huriches 16 And he put forth a parable vnto them saying The ground of a certeine rich manne brought foorth fruites plenteously 17. Therefore hee thought with himselfe sayinge what shal I doe because I haue no roume where I may lay vp my fruits 18. And hee said this will I do I wil pull downe my barnes and buyld greater and therein will I gather al my fruits and my goodes 19. And I will say to my soule soule thou haste much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime 20. But God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch thy soule from thee then whose shal those things be which thou hast prouided 21. So is hee that gathereth riches to himself and is not rich in God 13. Bid my brother deuide The Lord being required to giue iudgment for the deuision of enheritaunce refused to doe it Sith this made for the nourishment of brotherly concorde and the office of Christe was not onely to reconcile men to God but to bring them to mutuall consent it is demaunded what the cause should be why he would not end the strife betweene two brethren And it appeareth that there were two causes especially why he abstained from the office of a Iudge First sith the Iews imagined the kingdom of the Messiah to be earthly his will was to take heede least he should by any example nourish that errour for if they had seene him deuide the enheritaunces the rumour of that deede shoulde presently haue bene spread abroad So many hoped for a carnall redemption and gaped too greedily after the same the wicked gloried that hee should bring new matters to passe and that hee should ouerthrowe the state of the Romane empyre VVherefore there could not a better aunsweare haue bene giuen then this whereby all menne might vnderstand that the kingdome of Christ was spirituall Therefore let vs learne to gouern our selues soberly nor to attēpt any thing which may be drawne into the worst part Secondly it was also the Lordes wil to make a difference betweene the polytike Empyres of this worlde and the gouernment of his Church for he was created Doctor by the father who shuld by the sword of the word cut downe thoughtes and affections and shuld pearce into the soules of men but he was not a magistrate to deuide enheritaunces So the theft of the Pope and his Priests is here condemned which pretending thēselues to be Pastors of the Church yet are so bolde as to inuade the earthly and prophane iurisdiction which nothing pertaineth to their office For there is somewhat which is of it selfe lawfull which yet belongeth not to euery man Also in my iudgment there is a third perticular reason that is because Christe saw this man leauing the doctrine and prouiding for his own houshold commodities And this disease is too cōmō so that many professing the gospel doubt not to abuse the pretence of the same for the encreasing of their wealth and to pretend the authoritie of Christ for their owne gaines This may be readily gathered by the circumstaunce of the exhortation for except that man had abused the title of the Gospell to his owne gaine there had not bene occasion giuen to Christ to condemne his couetousnesse Therefore the text doth sufficiently declare that this manne was but a faigned disciple whose mind was drowned in fieldes or money bagges Furthermore the Anabaptistes doe too foolishlye inferre of this aunswere that it is not lawfull for a Christian man to deuide enheritaunces to thrust himself in to deale with worldlye affayres or to execute any ciuill office For Christe argueth not of the matter it selfe but of his owne calling because hee was ordayned of his father to an other ende hee saith that hee is no iudge because hee hath no such commaundement Therfore let this rule be of force amongste vs that euery man keepe himselfe within the bands of the calling wherein the Lorde hath set him 15. Take heede and beware First he calleth his disciples backe from couetousnes then that he might purge the mindes throughly from this disease he affirmeth that our lyfe consisteth not in aboundance By which wordes is noted the fountaine and inward beginning whence this mad desire of hauing ariseth For the people doe commonly iudge that the more a man possesseth the happier his life is and they imagine riches to be the cause of a blessed lyfe Hence commeth that intemperatate desire of hauing which as a burning furnace sendeth out his heate and yet ceaseth not to burne within If that we were perswaded that ryches and all aboundaunce of goodes be helps of this present life which the Lord giueth vnto vs with his own hand and blesteth the vse thereof this one thought would easily appease all wicked desires and that do the faythfull finde true by theyr owne experience For whereof commeth it to passe
wee gather that the wisdome of the spirite and of the fleshe are not compared togeather which could not be without the reproofe of God himselfe but that the faithfull are onely stirred vppe more diligently to consider those things which apperteine to the life to come and that they should not shut their eies at the light of the Gospel when they see blynd men to see better in the darke then they And truely it behooueth them to be the more affected when they see the children of the woorlde to foresee longe before for this life which is transitory and which passeth away in a moment 9. Make you friendes As Christe commaunded not heretofore to offer sacrifices to God of thinges stolne so now he meaneth not that eyther excusers or patrones should be sought for which should hide defend vs vnder their defence but he teacheth that by bestowing louingly that the fauour of God is obtained who promiseth that hee likewise wil be mercifull to them that are mercifull and kinde But very fondlye and absurdly doe they reason which doe gather of this that we are holpen by the praiers and suites of them that are dead for so whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon the vnworthy should be lost But the wickednes of the men hynder not but that the Lord writeth vp in his tables whatsoeuer we bestow vpon the poore Therefore the Lorde hath not regard to the persons but to the worke it selfe so that our louing kindnes shal answere vs before God yea though it fall vppon vnthankfull men But so it seemeth to signifie that eternal lyfe is giuen as a recompence to our deserts I aunswere it appeareth plainely enough by the text that he speaketh after the maner of men to wit as he which is exalted by fauour riches if he get himselfe friendes in his prosperous estate hee hath when he falleth into aduersitie by whom he shal be sustayned so our kindnes shal be to vs as a conuenieÌ„t refuge because whatsoeuer any man shal bestow liberaly vpon his neighbours the Lord acknowledgeth the same as bestowed vppon himself VVhen yee shall want By this word he noteth the time of death and hee warneth vs that the time of our stewardshippe shal be but shorte For whereof commeth it to passe that the greater parte sleepe in their riches many wast that they haue in prodigall expenses others by hoardinge it doe malitiously defraud themselues and others but because they beeing deceiued with a false imagination of a long lyfe doe flatter themselues in securitie He calleth them the riches of iniquity that hee might make vs to suspect riches because that for the most part they entangle theyr owners in iniquitie For though they are not euill of themselues yet because they are seldome gotten without deceite or violence or other vnlawfull meanes and are also rarely possessed and kept without pride or luxuriousnes or some other wicked affection Christ causeth vs worthily to suspect them as in an other place he also called them thornes Mat. 13 22. Yet here seemeth to be vnderstoode an opposition as if hee shoulde haue sayd riches which otherwise defile the owners through the wicked abuse and are almost the snares of sinnes must be turned to a contrary end that they might get vs fauour Furthermore that must bee remembred which I said before that God desireth not a sacrifice of a pray vniustly gotten as if he should be a companion of theeues and therfore it is rather an admonition to the faithful that they should preserue them selues free from iniquity 10. He that is faythfull in the least They are prouerbial sentenses gathered of the common vse and experience and therefore it sufficeth that they bee true for the most parte For it shall befall somtimes that the deceiuer not accounting of a smal gaine shal shew forth his wickednes in a great matter yea and many in small matters vnder pretence of simplicity do hunt after great gaine as Liuy sayth fraud getteth credit in smal matters that when it is worthy the labour it may deceiue for a great reward Yet notwithstanding the saying of Christ is not false because in prouerbes as I sayd we follow that which is most commonly vsed Christ therefore exhorteth his disciples that by dealing faithfully in small matters they might accustome themselues to be faithfull in the greatest matters TheÌ„ he applyeth this doctrine to the right dispeÌ„sing of spiritual graces which though the world esteeme not according to the value yet it is certeine that they farre excell the transitory riches of the world And he teacheth that they are vnmeete that God shoulde commit the incomparable treasure of his Gospell and of lyke giftes to them which deale naughtily and vnfaythfully in matters of lesse value as are the fleeting riches of the world Therefore there is included in these wordes a secrete threatning that it is to be feared least for the abuse of the earthlye stewardshyppe wee should be depriued of the heauenlye gyftes In which sense the heauenlye blessednesse is opposed against riches but as a perfecte and perpetuall good thing against a shadowe and a transitorie matter 12. If yee be not faithfull in an other mans goodes Hee calleth that an other mannes which is without manne for God doth not giue vs riches of this condition that we should be tied vnto them but so he made vs stewards of them least they should holde vs bound in their bandes And it cannot be that mindes free and at lybertie should dwel in heauen excepte they account whatsoeuer is in the world to belonge to others And hee maketh the spirituall riches which belong to the lyfe to come to be ours because the enioying of them is eternall But now hee vseth an other similitude it is not to be hoped that wee should vse our owne goodes well and moderately if wee deale yll and vnfaythfully with other mens For menne vse more carelesly to abuse theyr owne and they graunt themselues more lybertie in loosing them because they are not afrayde that any manne shoulde reproue them But they are more warye and more fearefull of that which is layde vppe with them or committed to them or lent them of which thinges there must an account be giuen againe Therefore we vnderstand the meaning of Christe that they will be but euyll keepers of spirituall gyftes whiche doe dispose the earthlye goodes euyll After there is a sentence sette downe that no manne can serue GOD and riches which I haue expounded in the sixt Chapter of Matthe And lette the readers see there what this word Mammâ—n signifieth 14. All these thinges heard the Pharises They which thinke that the Pharises scorned Christ because he taught in common and rude speach and gloried not in swelling words do not sufficiently consider Lukes words I graunt that the doctrine of the Gospell seemeth very contemptible to proud and disdainful men But Luke expresly declareth that Christ was therefore scorned of them because they were couetous For they being
profit by it though it dooth not yet appeare And with this perswasion let vs striue with our impatience so that a longer delay may not hinder the course of praier 7. Shall not God auenge his elect That Iudge which Christ describeth to vs to be altogeather without mercy as one which had not only hardned himselfe in the sight of God but hauing caste of all shame had no care of his same opened his eyes at length to the miseries of the widow it is not to be doubted but that the faythfull shall feele at the least the same commodity so that they cease not to be instant with God But iâ— is to be noted while Christ applieth the similitude to his purpose he maketh not GOD lyke to the wicked and vnkinde iudge but he noteth a farre diuerse cause why he differreth his faithfull ones and delaieth them for a long season and doth not indeede reach his hand presentlye vnto them to witte because he is long suffering VVherfore if God wincketh at our iniuries longer then he would let vs know that hee doth it of his fatherly wisdome that he might exercise vs to patience and a delaying of punishment for a time is not a setting of sinnes free for euer And that he promiseth that God will aduenge quicklye ought to be referred to his prouidence for as we are too rash hastie so he commeth not tyme enough to helpe as our flesh imagineth But if it were lawfull to enter into his counsell wee should know that his helpe is ready and at hand as neede requireth and that it slacketh not the space of a moment but is ready at all seasons Yet it is demaunded how Christ should instruct his Disciples to pray for vengeaunce who otherwhere teacheth his Disciples to blesse and to pray for their persecutours I aunswere Christe speaketh heere of vengeaunce as hee derogateth nothinge from his doctrine God saieth that he will be the auenger of the faythfull not that hee would giue the raynes at lybertie to the affections of the fleshe but that he myght perswade them that theyr saluation is deare and pretious vnto him also by this meanes he byddeth them to trust in his defence If without hatred and free and cleare from wicked desire of reuenge they with a right ordred motion of the spirit craue the helpe of GOD their prayer shall be holy and lawfull and shall be heard of God himselfe But because nothing is more hard then to caste off wicked affections the Lord is to be required that he would direct and gouerne our heartes by his spirit that we may so conceaue pure and right praiers so it shall come to passe that we may rightly call vpon God the auenger he being praid vnto wil aunswere vs. 8. VVhen the sonne of manne commeth Christe in this sentence declareth that it is no meruaile if menne doe consume away in theyr euylles to witte because they neglect the true remedie But his will was to meete with an offence which wee do dayly conceaue of the vyle confounding of all thinges Vnfaythfulnesse cruelty deceites fraudes violence no regarde of equitie shamelesnesse doe abound euery where the oppressed poore doe sigh the innocentes are proudly and despitefully vexed yet God seemeth to sleepe in the mean season in heauen hereof it commeth to passe that flesh imagineth a blynd gouernment of fortune But Christ here declareth that menne of iustice are lefte destitute of the heauenlye helpe in confidence whereof they neyther know nor wyll repose them selues For it is not meete they should bee holpe of God which grudging inwardly haue no regard of his prouidence But Christe dooth expresly foretell that there should be vnbeleeuers euery where from his ascention into heauen vnto hys returne agayne by these wordes declaringe that if the Redeemer shoulde not appeare so speedilye menne shoulde feele the wante beecause no manne almoste woulde looke or haue regarde to him And I would to GOD the effecte of this prophesie were not too euident but experience teacheth though the worlde should bee ouerwhelmed and oppressed with a great heape of euyls yet there can scarse be founde a litle sparke of faith in a fewe Others doe take the worde fayth for integritie but the former sense dooth better agree with the text Matth. Mark Luke 18.   9. Hee spake also this parable vnto certeine which trusted in themselues that they were iust and despised others 10. Two menne wâ—nte vppe into the Temple to praye the one a Pharisee the other a Publycan 11. The Pharisee stoode and prayed thus with him selfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican 12. I fast twise a weeke I giue tyeth of al that euer I possesse 13. But the Publican standing a farre off woulde not lyft vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote his brest saying O God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner 14. I tell you this man departed to his house iustified rather then the other for euerye manne that exalteth himselfe shal be brought low and hee that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Christ now giueth commaundement of an other vertue which is necessary in true prayer that the faythfull come not into the presence of God except they doe humbly and simply submitte themselues There is not a more deadly disease then arrogancy which yet is so throughly fastened and setled in the bones and marow of vs all that it can scarce be driuen away and rooted out by any remedies And it is woonder that men are so deceiued that they dare set vp themselues agaynst God and boaste of theyr merites with him For though ambition bewitcheth vs amongst men yet when wee come before God it becommeth vs to forget all our vaine confidence but euery man thinketh that he hath humbled himselfe sufficiently if onely in hypocrisie he hath prayd for forgiuenesse Hereby we learne how necessary this admonition of the Lord is Furthermore Christ reproueth two vices which he purposed to condemne wicked trust in our selues and pride in condemning our brethreÌ„ which do spring one of an other for whosoeuer deceiueth himself with vaine confidence it cannot be but that he shuld lift vp himself aboue the brethren neither is it any meruaile for how should it be that hee should not despise his equals which in his pride lifteth vp himselfe against God And whosoeuer is puft vp with a trust of himself purposely maketh battell against God who is reconciled to vs onelye by denying our selues while we being without al hope of our owne power vertue and righteousnes do repose our selues in his onely mercy 10. Two men Christ compareth two men togeather which do both pretend the exercise of religion in praying yet they two seeme too much vnlike For the pharisee hauing an outward holynes comming to God commendeth his lyfe and commeth to offer the sacrifice of prayse as it were in his owne right But the Publycan as a man
27. Straightway Iesus spake vnto them Because Christ is not known to be the delyuerer while he offreth himselfe in deede hee calleth his disciples by his word to the knowlede of him Also the comfort which he exhorteth them vnto is in his own presence as if he should haue saide After they vnderstand that he is present with them they haue assured cause to be of good comfort But because that feare had possessed their mindes he reproueth it least it should hinder him and delay theyr comforte Not that they could be ioyfull and comforted without al feare but because it was necessary that the feare which had preuailed shoulde bee appeased least it should ouerwhelme their comforte And though the voyce of the Sonne of God is to the reprobate deadly and his presence terrible yet here is described to vs farre contrary effectes of the same to the faithful to witte that inward peace and comfortable boldnes obtaineth the victory in our heartes least we should giue place to fleshly feares But then blinde and inconsiderate tumultes do trouble vs because that wee being vnthankful and malitious do not hold out the innumerable benefits of God as bucklers which being rightly cōsidered shuld be sufficient to stay vs vp And though it was high time to haue helpe when Christe appeared yet the tempest doth not presently cease vntill the disciples were better stirred vppe both to desire and also to hope for his grace And that is to bee noted that he might knowe that the Lorde dooth not without cause ofte tymes defer that delyueraunce whiche hee hath in his hande 28. Then Peter aunswered him The exception which he maketh declareth that his fayth was not yet ripe If it be thou saith hee commaund mee to come But he had heard Christ speake therefore why doth he doubtingly and vncerteinly thus wauer yet in himselfe but in that so small and weake fayth there breaketh out a heate of inconsiderat zeale for he ought to haue mette himselfe by his owne measure and rather to pray to Christ for encrease of fayth that by the guiding and direction of the same hee might at length passe ouer seas and mountaines but hee nowe desireth rashly to flye without the winges of fayth and whereas the worde of Christe was not firmely nor rightly setled in his hearte he desireth that the waters should be firme vnder his feete Yet it is not to be doubted but that this affection sprang of a good beginning but because it degenerateth into a corrupt extremitie it looseth the praise of goodnes And of this it commeth to passe that Peter presently tasteth the punishment of his rashnes VVherefore let the faithfull bee taught by this example to take heede of rash hastines VVhether soeuer the Lorde calleth wee must runne diligently but he which passeth further shall feele at length by his vnhappy successe what it is to passe beyonde his owne boundes Yet it may be demaunded why Christe should graunt Peters requeste For he seemeth so to allow it But the aunswere is ready GOD for the most parte prouideth best for vs by denying those things which we desire and somtymes he graunteth our requestes that hee may the better conuince vs by experience of our owne foolishnesse So when he dayly graunteth to his faythfull ones more then is meete hee instructeth them in sobrietie and modesty against the time to come Furthermore this was profitable for Peter and the rest and is also profitable for vs at this day The power of Christ shewed it selfe more euidently in the person of Peter when he tooke him as a companion with him then if hee had walked alone vppon the waters Yet Peter knoweth and others doe plainely behold that he beganne to sinke because he rested not in a perfect faith nor reposed himselfe in the word of God by trusting the secrete power of God which did before make the waters strong yet christ dealeth louingly with him because he suffered him not altogether to be swallowed vppe Both these things befall to vs. For as Peter assoone as he was afrayd beganne to sinke so the fraill and vaine cogitations of the flesh do so work in vs that we sinke in the midst of the course of our affayres yet the Lord pardoneth our infirmitie and reacheth out his hand least the waters should drowne vs altogether It is also to be noted that Peter seeing that his rashnes had but euil and badde successe committeth himself to the mercy of Christ. VVherefore though we be worthily punished it behoueth vs yet to flye to him that he hauing mercy vppon vs may giue vs that helpe whereof we are vnworthy 31. O thou of litle faith Christ doth louingly preserue Peter yet so that he doth not nourish nor flatter his fault This is the end and purpose of this reproofe wherein the weaknesse of his faith is condemned yet it is demaunded whether euery feare doth argue a want of fayth for so the words of Christ do seeme to note there ought to be no doubting where faith doth reigne I aunswere Christe dooth here reproue a doubtinge which was directly contrary to faith It may so be that a man may doubt without offence as where the word of God hath not yet made vs certein and sure But the estate of Peter was otherwise who beeing instructed by the commaundement of Christ and now hauing experience of his power yet fell to a vaine and peruerse feare from that double stay and strength he had 33. They that were in the ship I iudge that this was not onely spoken of the disciples but of the mariners and other passengers They therefore which had not yet professed to account him as a master do now sodeinlye confesse him to be the sonne of God in which worde they giue him the honor of the Messiah For though that high mistery was not yet cōmonly knowne how God should be manifested in flesh yet because they had learned out of the Prophets that he which should be the redeemer should be called the sonne of God they which sette forth the glorye of Christ with this title do declare that they beleeue in that Christ. Matth. 14. Mark 6. Luk. 34. And when they were come ouer they came into the land of Gennesaret 35. And whē y e mē of that place knew him they sent out into all that countrey round aboute and brought vnto him al y t were sick 36. And be sought him that they touch the homme of his garment onely and as many as touched it were made whole 53. And they came ouer went into the land of Gennesaret arriued 54. So when they were come out of the ship straightway they knew him 55. And ranne about through al that region round about and began to carye hither and thither in beds al that were sick where they heard that he was 56. And whither soeuer hee entred into townes or cities or villages they layd their sick in theyr stretes praid him that they might
Peter aunswered and said to Iesus master it is good for vs to be heere let vs make also three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias 6. Yet hee knew not what hee said for they were afraid 7. And there was a cloude that shadowed them and a voice caÌ„e out of the cloud sayinge This is my beloued sonne heare him 8. And sodenly they looked round aboute and sawe no more any man saue Iesus onely with them 28 And it came to passe abouâ— an eight daies after those words that he tooke Peter and Iohn and Iames and wente vp into a mountaine to pray 29. And as he prayd the fashion of his countenaunce was chaunged and his garment was white and glistered 30. And beholde two men talked with him which were Moses and Elyas 31. VVhiche appeared in glory and told of his departing which he should accompâ—â—sh at Hierusalem 32. But Peter and they that were with him were heuy with sleepe and when they awoke they sawe his glorye and two men standing with him 33. And it came to passe as they departed from him Peter said to Iesus maister it is good for vs to be here let vs therefore make three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias wiste not what hee said 34. VVhile he thus spak there came a cloud and ouershadowed them and they feared wheÌ„ they wer entring into the cloud 35. And there came a voyce out of the cloud saying This is my beloued sonne beare him 36. And wheÌ„ the voice was past Iesus was found alone First it is to be considered for what purpose Christ tooke vppon him the heauenly glory for so short a time and had but onely three of his disciples as witnesses of this straung sight The opinion of some that is was done to that end that they might be strengthened against that teÌ„ptation which was now at hand by reason of his death is not probable to me For why should hee haue depriued others of that remedy naye why doth he expresly forbid them that they shuld not declare what they had seene before his resurrectioÌ„ but because the profit of the visioÌ„ shuld appeare after his death Therfore I doubt not but that Christ would declare that he was not drawn to his death against his wil but went willingly to the same that hee might offer vp a sacrifice of obedience to hys father This knowledge came not into the disciples mindes vntil Christ rose againe Neither was it necessary for them at that time to conceaue that diuine power of Christ which they shuld know conquering vpon the crosse but they are taught against another time aswel for their own sakes as for ours least the infirmity of Christ should offend any man as though it were by necessity or constraint that he should suffer For it is euident that it was as easie for Christ to exempt his body from death as to adorne it with heauenly glory Therefore we are taught that hee was subiect to death because his wil was so and that he was crucified because he offred himself For that same flesh which being offred vpon the crosse lay in the graue could haue bene free from death and the graue wheÌ„ as it had now before bene partaker of the celestiall glory But we are also taught that so long as Christ was conuersant in the world in the shape of a seruaunt and that his maiesty was hid vnder the infirmity of flesh nothing was withdrawn from him because that he humbled himself of hys own freewil but now the resurrectioÌ„ taketh away that vaile wherwith his power was hidden for a time Further it was sufficient for the Lord to chuse three witnesses because that by the law that number was prescribed for proouing any matter Deut. 17. 6. The difference of the tyme ought not to offend vs. Math. and Mar. do number six whol daies which passed betweene But Luke saying that it was done almost eight daies after comprehendeth aswel that day wherin Christ spake that as the day wherin he was traÌ„sfigured Therfore wee see that they do agree very wel in one sense vttered in diuerse words 2. And was transfigured before them Luke sayth that this came to passe when hee praid and by the circumstaunce of the place and the tyme it may be gathered that he praied for this that he obtayned that a visible shewe or demonstratioÌ„ of his godhead might be reuealed in the brightnesse of a new shape not that he had nead to aske by prayer of any other for that he had not or that the wyl of the father was to be doubted of but that in the whole course of his humilitie if hee did any thinge as God he referred it to his father and his purpose was to stirre vs vppe to prayers But in this transfiguration the disciples did not see Christe altogeather in that excellency that he is in now in heauen but he only gaue them such a taste of that great glory as they were able to abyde Then his face shone as the sunne but now it farre exceedeth the brightnes of the sunne Then an vnwoonted brightnes shone in his apparell nowe without apparell the maiesty of his Godhead shyneth through out hys whole body So GOD in times paste appeared vnto the fathers not such as he was in himselfe but as they were able to abyde the beames of hys great bryghtnesse for Iohn saieth 1. Io. 3. 2. that the faythfull shal not see him as hee is before that they be made lyke vnto him Nowe there is no cause for any manne to dispute subtilly of the whitnesse of his garmentes or of the brightnesse of his face when as this was not a full reuealing of his celestiall glorye but hee partelye gaue a taste in figures of that whiche they were not yet able whollye to conceaue 3. Moses and Elyas appeared vnto them It is demaunded whether Moses and Elias were verily present or that the disciples sawe onely the lykenesse of them as the prophetes did oftentimes see the visions of thinges absent Though the matter be disputable on both sides as menne say yet it is more profitable in my iudgement that they were brought indeede into that place Neyther is there any absurditie in it seeing that God hath both bodies and soules in his hande at his pleasure to restore the dead to life for a time And Moses and Elyas rose not then for themselues but that they might be present there with Christe If any manne demaunde agayne how the Apostles knew Moses and Elias whom they had neuer seene The answere is easie for sith God brought them to appeare he gaue theÌ„ also signes and markes whereby they might bee knowne amongst them And this was by an extraordinary manner of reuelation that they certeinly knew them to be Moses and Elyas But why these two appeared rather then any other of the companye of the holy fathers that reason ought to satisfie vs that the
Christ doth not only receiue vs into his owne protection but commendeth vs also to men And by this meanes the faithful are taught howe they shoulde eche esteme of others While euery man submitteth himselfe For howe is the mutuall frendship commonly nourished amongst the children of the world but while each doth bear with anothers couetousnes Therfore the couetouser any man is of glory the more boldly he taketh authority vnto himself that he may be extolled and that the lowly shuld be scorned disdained But Christ coÌ„maÌ„deth that the more any maÌ„ doth huÌ„ble himself the more he shuld be honored And that is the meaning of that saying which is added in Luke Neither yet doth he coÌ„mand that they which are worthily despised shuld be the more estemed but they which are void of all pride do make no account to be abased Mathew 18. Marke 9. Lu. 17. 6. But who soeuer shall offend one of these litle ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck that he were drowned in the depth of the sea 7. VVoe be vnto the world because of offences for it must needes bee that offences shall come but woe be to that manne by whom the offence commeth 8. VVherefore if thine hand or thy foote cause thee to offend cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee â—o enter into life halte or maimed then hauing two hands or two seate to be cast into euerlasting fire 9. And if thine eye cause thee to offende plucke it out and cast it from thee it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye then hauing two eyes to be cast into hell fire 10. See that yee despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their angels alwayes behold y e face of my father in heaueÌ„ 42. And who soeuer shall offend one of these little â—nes that beleeue in me it were better for him rather that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the sea 43. VVherfore if thine haÌ„d cause thee to offende cut it off it is better for thee to enter into life maimed then hauing two handes to goe into hell fire that neuer shall bee quenched 44. VVhere their worm dieth not and the fire neuer goeth out 45. Likewise if thy foote cause thee to offende cut it off it is better for thee to go halt into life then hauing two feete to be cast into hel in to the fire that neuer shall be quenched 46. VVhere their worme dieth not and the fire nouer goeth out 47. And if thine eye cause thee to offend plucke it out it is better for thee to go into the kingdome of God with one eye then hauing two eyes to be cast into hel fire 48. VVhere their worme dieth not and the fire neuer goeth out 1. Then sayde he to the disciples It can not be auoided but that offences will come but woe be to him by whome they come 2. It were better for him that a great milstone were hanged about his necke and y t he were cast into the sea then that hee should offende one of these little ones 6. But who soeuer shal offend This semeth to be added for the comfort of the godly least their estate should seme troublesom vnto them if the world doth despise them for this doth much hinder theÌ„ froÌ„ humbling theÌ„selues to this voluntary modesty because they thinke that by this meanes they shal become conteÌ„ptible yet it is hard if we be not only loathed but also troden vnder fote of proud men Therfore Christ encourageth his disciples with this coÌ„fort that if the world despise their basenes yet god doth not neglect them Yet it also semeth to teÌ„d to an other end for the strife begaÌ„ of their superiority in honor VVherof it might easily be gathered that the apostles were infected with a wicked desire to be aloft Also it caÌ„ not be but that he shuld be reprochful to his brethreÌ„ who soeuer pleaseth himself too much or desireth to be preferred before al meÌ„ To heale this desease Christ denouÌ„ceth a horrible punishmeÌ„t if any maÌ„ in his pride shal cast down pore meÌ„ already huÌ„bled of their own accord But he coÌ„preheÌ„deth more vnder this word Offence then if he had forbiddeÌ„ the contempt of them though it caÌ„not otherwise be that any maÌ„ shuld carelesly offend the weake but because he yeldeth not that regard honor vnto theÌ„ that he shuld Now wheÌ„ there are sundry kinds of offences yet what kinde of thing an offence is is briefly to be considered If through our defaut any maÌ„ either stuÌ„bleth or is brought out of a right course or is hindred him we are said to offend Therefore who soeuer desireth to escape this punishmeÌ„t which Christ denouÌ„ceth so seuerely let him reach his hand vnto those litle ones which are holdeÌ„ as abiects before the world help theÌ„ to run their course wel For christ coÌ„meÌ„deth theÌ„ vnto vs that they might be to vs an exaÌ„ple of willing humility euen as Paul giueth this rule to the childreÌ„ of God Ro. 12. 16. that they shuld make theÌ„selues equal to theÌ„ of the lower sort Also in the 15. 1. that no maÌ„ shuld please himself And because christ set down that kind of punishmeÌ„t which was theÌ„ most fearful wherwith most hainous offences were punished we do therby gather how dear pretious they are to God which are vile despised before y e world 7. VVo be to the world because of offences This place may be expouÌ„ded â— waies of the doer as if christ shuld curse the authors of the offences so vnder the name of the world shuld al vnbeleuers be coÌ„prehended or of the sufferer as y t Christ shuld bewaile the euils which he saw to be at haÌ„d to light vpoÌ„ the world for offences as if he shuld haue said no pestilence shal be more daÌ„gerus nor shal bring mo miseries then y t it shal come to pas that in any shal be troubled or fal away through offences And this sense doth better agree with the place for I dout not but if the lord had spokeÌ„ of offences in the other sense he wold haue spoken more at large that he might make his more diligent careful to beware Therfore lest Sathan shuld take vs or we be aware the Lord crieth out that nothing is more to be feared of vs then offences for as sathaÌ„ hath many at hand so he ceaseth not to throw new before vs almost at euery step we as creatures too weak or sluggish do easily fal at them So it coÌ„meth to pas that ther are but few that do make any mean procedings in the faith of christ And of those few which do enter into the course of saluatioÌ„ scarce euery 10. do come to the goale without faiuting Nowe when as by this counsell Christ hath set this terror vppon
of diuorcements as that he woulde approue the same by his allowance but when as the wickednesse of men could not otherwise be restrained he gaue that remeady which was most tollerable that the man should at the least giue testimonie of the chastity of his wife For the lawe was not giuen but in fauour of the women least that after they were vniustly reiected they should incurre any slander VVhereby we gather that it was rather a punishment laide vppon the men then a libertye or permission graunted for the prouocation of their lust Note also that the spirituall gouernmēt doth differ much from the politike and outward order VVhat is lawfull and meete to be done the Lord comprehendeth in ten wordes now because it may be that many things are not called before the iudgement seat of men wherof euery mannes conscience reprooueth and conuinceth him it is no meruaile if politike lawes do agree vnto them Let vs take a familiar exāple we haue greater liberty to contende by lawes then the rule of charity will beare VVhy is this so because right cannot be giuen to euery man except there be a way opened to demaunde it in the meane season the inwarde lawe of GOD sheweth that that must be followed which charity commandeth yet there is heere no cause why Magistrates shoulde bee excused for their negligence if they doe of their owne accorde cease from correctinge of sinnes or shall omitte those thinges whiche the estate of their callinge doeth require But lette priuate menne take heede leaste by coueringe their offences vnder pretence of lawes they double their faulte For the Lorde doeth heere by the waye blame the Iewes as if it were not sufficient for them to haue their frowardnesse born with or passed by without punishment except they should make God the author of their sinne If that a rule of liuing godly and holily cannot alway nor euery where be gathered out of the lawes polliticke muche lesse of custome 9. I say vnto you Marke reporteth that this was spoken to the Disciples aparte when they were come into the house but Mathewe omitting this circumstance setteth downe the speache as the Euangelistes doe often leaue out some circumstance by the way For they count it sufficient to gather the summes of thinges So there is no difference but that one setteth downe the matter more plainly then the other And this is the summe Though the lawe doeth not punish diuorcements which do differre from the first institution of God yet hee is an adulterer whiche putteth away his wife and taketh him an other For it is not in the will and pleasure of manne to dissolue the faith of Matrimonie whiche the Lorde woulde haue to remaine firme and sure therefore shee is a harlot that supplieth the roumthe of the lawfull wife But he putteth an exception because that a woman by committing whoredome cutting her selfe as a rotten member from her husbande setteth him at libertye They which doe deuise other causes are woorthily reiected because they will be wiser then the heauenly maister They will haue the Leprosie to be a lawfull cause of diuorcement because the infection thereof doeth not onely infecte the husbande but also the children But as I would counsell a godly man that he shoulde not touche his wife that hath the Leaprosie so I do not allowe him that liberty to put her away If any man obiect that they which cannot liue alone haue neede of remedy least they shoulde burne I saye that is no remedye which is without the warrant of the worde of God I adde also that they shall neuer want the gift of continencie if they would deliuer themselues to be gouerned of the Lord because they follow that which he prescribeth Some man shal begin to loath his wife so that he cannot abide to lie with her shall this euill be remedied by taking two wiues An other mannes wife shall fall into the Palsie or Apoplexie or shall be diseased with some other incurable disease shall her husband reiecte her vnder pretence of incontinencie But wee knowe that they shall neuer want the helpe of the Spirite which doe walke in his wayes For the auoiding of fornication sayeth Paule 1. Cor. 7. 2. Let euery man marry a wife He that hath done this though it fall not out according to his desire hath done his part Therefore if any thing want it shall be amended by the helpe of God To goe any further is nothing else then to tempte God And whereas Paule noteth an other cause 1. Cor. 7. 15. namely whereas for hatred of godlinesse the married persons are reiected of the vnbeleuers that a godly brother or sister is not then subiect to bondage is not repugnant from the minde of Christ. For he doth not speake there of a lawfull cause of diuorcement but onely whither a woman continueth bounde to the vnbeleeuing manne after that shee is for hatred of God wickedly putte away and cannot otherwise be receiued into fauor then if shee denie God VVherefore it is no meruaile that Paule chuseth rather to be separated from manne then to be alienated from God Yet that exception which Christe putteth seemeth to be in vaine For if the adulteresse deserueth death to what purpose shold he speake of diuorcement But because it was the duety of the husbande to followe the adultery with iudgements that hee might cleare his house of that offence whatsoeuer the successe be Christe setteth the husbande that conuinceth his wife of vnchastitie free from that bonde and it may be that amongest a corrupt and wicked people this sinne might raigne with freedome from punishment As the ouerthwart pitie of Magistrates at this day driueth menne of necessitie to putte awaye their defiled wiues because adulteries are not punished And it is to be noted that this law is common and free to both partes as the bond of faith is mutual and like For whereas the husbande is chiefe in other things in respecte of the bed hee is equall to the wife for he is not maister of his owne body Therefore when as the adulterer shall fall awaye from the knotte of matrimonie the wife is sette at libertie Hee that maiyeth her that is putte away This sentence hath been moste corruptly expounded by many interpreaters for they thought generally confusedly that it was commaunded to liue soale after diuorcement So if the husbande should put away the adulteresse of necessitie they bothe shoulde liue vnmaried As if that this were the libertie of diuorcement onely to lie away from the wife as if also Christe did not euidently in this cause permitte that to be done which the Iewes were woont generally to vsurpe vnto themselues according to their owne pleasure Therfore that errour was too grosse for when Christe condemneth him for adulterie that marrieth her that is putte away it is certaine that this is to be vnderstoode of vnlawfull and friuolous diuorcements Therfore Paule commaundeth them to remaine vnmaried which are so putte away
we are without the reache of the dartes we seeme able to doe any thing And that which befell shortly after discouered their rashnesse Yet this good was in them that as men ready for both estates they offer themselues to beare the crosse 23. Yee shall drinke in deede of my cuppe Because they were disciples it was necessary that they should be made like their maister And Christ telleth them before what shoulde come to passe afterwardes that they might arme themselues with patience and vnder the person of these two men he speaketh to al his disciples For though many of the faithful haue that lotte to die peaceably and not a violent and bloudy death yet it is common to all as Paule Rom. 8. teacheth to bee made like to the image of Christ. Therefore they are all their life as sheepe led to the slaughter It is not mine to giue Christ by this answeare derogateth nothing from himselfe but only declareth that this office was not enioyned him of the father to assigne euery manne a distincte and proper seat in heauen He came that he might gather al his into eternal life and this ought to suffice vs that there is an inheritance for vs purchased with his bloude But in what degree some shal be placed aboue others neither is it our part to enquire neither would God that Christ should reueale it to vs but that it should be deferred vnto the last reuelation Nowe we vnderstande the purpose of Christe that hee disputeth not heere of his owne power but onely would haue the ende considered wherefore he was sent of the father and what belongeth to his calling And therefore he maketh a difference betweene the secreat counsell of God and the office of teachinge committed vnto him A profitable admonition teaching vs to be soberly wise and not to endeuour our selues to breake into the hidden mysteries of God and especially that we be not curious aboue measure in searching the estate of the life to come For it doeth not yet appeare 1. Iohn 3. 2. what we shall be vntill God shall make vs like vnto him But it is to be noted that there is not an equality amongest the children of God after they shall be receiued into the heauenly glory but he rather promiseth that degree of honour to euery one of them to the whiche they are ordained by the eternall counsell of God Mathew 20. Marke 10. Luke 22. 24. And when the other tenne heard this they disdained at the two brethren 25. Therefore Iesus called them vnto him sayd ye know that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them and they that are great exercise authoritie ouer them 26. But it shall not be so among you but who soeuer wil be great among you let him be your seruaunt 27. And who soeuer will bee chiefe amonge you lette him bee your seruaunt 28. Euen as the Sonne of man came not to bee serued but to serue and to giue his life for the raunsome of many 41. And when the ten heard that they beganne to disdaine at Iames and Iohn 42. But Iesus called them vnto him and saide to them yee know that they which delite to beare rule amonge the Gentiles haue domination ouer them and they that bee great amonge them exercise authoritie ouer them 43. But it shall not be so among you but who soeuer will be great amonge you shall be your seruaunt 44. And who soeuer will be chiefe of you shall be the seruaunt of all 45. For euen the Sonne of manne came not to be serued but to serue and to giue his life for the ransome of many 24. And there arose also a strife among thē which of them shoulde seeme to be the greatest 25. But hee saide vnto them The kinges of the Gentiles raigne ouer them they that beare rule ouer them are called Gracious Lordes 26. But you shall not be so but let the greatest among you be as the least the chiefest as he that serueth 27. For who is greater hee that sitteth at table or he that serueth Is not he that sitteth at table And I am among you as he that serueth 24. VVhen the other tenne heard this Luke seemeth to referre this contention to an other time But who soeuer shall wisely consider that 22. chapter shall easily perceiue that those speaches spoken at diuers times were wrytten vppe togither without regard of order Therefore that contention for superiority wherof Luke maketh mētion sprang from this fountaine that the sonnes of Zebedeus ambitiously sought for the chiefe places in the kingdome of Christ. And yet the other hadde no iust cause to disdaine them for when as the two were sharply reprooued for their folish ambition so that they went away from Christe with shame what hurt tooke the other tenne by that foolish desire of theirs which they obtained not For though there was iust cause giuen thē of emulation yet the repulse of the others shuld haue appeased them But the lord wold by this occasiō discouer the disease that lay hid in thē for there was not one of them which woulde willingly giue place to the others but euery man nourished secreatly in himself the hope of the superioritie For it cōmeth to passe that they enuie and contend amongst themselues yea that wicked desire raigneth in all men If that this vice was grafted in base and obscure men and brake out vppon light and almoste no occasion howe much behoueth it vs to take hede where there is wode for the hidden fire to burne or matter to woorke on Therefore we see that ambition waxeth hotte amongest the mighty and honourable and sheweth the flames farre and wide except the spirite of modesty doe quenche from heauen that pride that sticketh in the nature of men 25. Ye know that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them First it is said that Christ called them vnto hym that he might reprooue them apart Also we do gather hereof that when they were ashamed of their desire they did not openly complain but there began a secreat whispering and grudging and euery one of them did secreatly preferre himselfe aboue others Further he doeth not generally declare how deadly a plague ambition is but simply teacheth that there is not a more folish thing then to striue about nothing For he declareth that there shall be no suche superioritie in his kingdome as they did striue for They therefore are deceiued which do stretch this saying to all the godly in generall when as Christe onely teacheth of that matter in hande that the Apostles were very fonde to make any question of degree of power or of honoure in their estate and calling for the office of teaching whereto they were appoynted hadde no likelihoode with the Empires of the worlde I graunt that this doctrine as well appertaineth to priuate menne as to kings and magistrates for no manne deserueth to bee accounted of the flocke of Christe but he that hath
that this submission whereof hee speaketh is so farre from derogating from his great glory so that it greatly adorneth the same Hee speaketh of Manye not definitely for any certaine number but for diuers because he opposeth himself against all others And in this sense is it taken in the Epistle to the Ro. 5. 15. where Paule speaketh not of any one sort of men but it comprehendeth all mankinde Mat. 20. Marke 10. Luke 18. 29. And as they departed from Iericho a great multitude followed him 30. And beholde two blinde men sittinge by the way side wheÌ„ they heard that Iesus passed by cried saying O lord the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. 31. And the multitude rebuked them because they shoulde holde their peace but they cried the more saying O Lorde the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. 32. Then Iesus stoode still and called them VVhat will yee that I shoulde doe to you 33. They sayde to him Lorde that our eyes may be opened 34. And Iesus moued with compassion touched their eyes immediatelye theyr eyes receiued sight they followed him 46. Then they came to Iericho and as hee went cute of Iericho with his disciples a great multitude Bartimeus the sonne of Timeus a blinde man sate by the way side begging 47. And when he heard that it was Iesus of Nayareth he began to cry and to say Iesus the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me 48. And many rebuked him because he should holde his peace but he cried much more O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me 49. Then Iesus stoode still and commanded him to be called they called the blinde saying to him Be of good comfort arise he calleth thee 50. So he threw away his cloke and rose and came to Iesus 51. And Iesus answeared and sayde vnto him VVhat wilt thou that I doe vnto thee And the blinde sayd vnto him Lord that I may receiue sight 52. Then Iesus sayd vnto him Goe thy way thy faith hath saued thee And by and by hee receiued his sight and followed Iesus in the way 35. And it came to passe that as hee was come neare vnto Iericho a certaine blinde man sate by the way side begging 36. And when he heard the people passe by hee asked what it meant 37. And they sayd vnto him that Iesus of Nayaret passed by 38. Then he cried saying Iesus the sonne of Dauid haue mercye on me 39. And they which went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace but he cried much more O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me 40. And Iesus stoode still and commaunded him to be broughte vnto him And when hee was come neare he asked him 41. Sayinge what wilte thou that I doe vnto thee And hee sayde Lorde that I may receiue my sight 42. And Iesus sayd vnto him Receiue thy sight thy faith hath saued thee 43. Then immediately he receiued his sighte and followed him praising God and all the people when they sawe this gaue praise to God 29. And as they departed thence Osâ—ander seemeth very subtilly to make of one blinde man foure But his deuice is very friuolous Because he saw the Euangelistes differ in many woordes he imagined that he gaue one blinde man his sight at his entrance into the city but the second and two others had their sight giuen them when Christ departed thence But all the circumstances do so agree that no wise man wil beleue that they entreat of diuers hystories For that I may omitte the rest when they that followed Christ endeuoured first to make him hold his peace and sawe him healed beyond their expectation would they so soone haue attempted the like in the other three But it is not needefull to followe euery poynte out of the which euery manne may gather easily that they doe set downe one and the same hystorie But the difference offendeth them for that Mathewe and Marke doe say that the myracle was wroughte vppon one or two blinde menne as Christ went out of the Citie And Luke maketh mention that it was done before he came into the Citie Then that Marke and Luke doe speake but of one blinde man and Mathewe addeth two But sith wee knowe that this doeth often fall out among the Euangelistes that in settinge downe one and the same hystorie one letteth passe that which is reported of the others and againe that is more plainly expounded by one which is passed in silence by the other it must seeme no newe nor straunge thinge in this present place And I doe suppose that the blinde manne cried out as Christ came toward the citie but sith he was not hearde then because of the noyse hee gate him into the way at his comming out of the citie and then at lengthe Christ called him So Luke beginninge at the very beginninge doeth not prosecute the whole hystorie but passeth ouer the time of Christes tariaunce in the citie and the other two doe onely touche the time whiche was nearest to the myracle And it may be coniectured that Christ oft times for the triall of the faith of menne doeth sometimes deferre them and so hee tried this blinde manne The seconde knotte is easily loosed for we haue seene in an other place before that Marke and Luke reported that one man possessed with a deuil was healed where Mat. nameth two eueÌ„ as in this place and yet they disagree not But it may rather be coniectured when one blinde manne at the first soughte for helpe of Christe an other was mooued by his example and by this occasion two receiued their sighte But Marke and Luke doe speake of one onely either because hee was more knowen then the other or because the power of Christe was as notably shewed in one as in two And surely Marke seemeth to speake of him that was so well knowen and therefore setteth downe as wel his owne name as his fathers For he doeth not commende either his birth or his welth for he was of the meanest sort of the people a begger VVherby it appeareth that the myracle wrought vppon him was the more notable because that his calamity was commonly knowne And thys seemeth to me to be the reason why Marke and Luke do onely name him and saye nothinge of the other who was as an inferiour addition But Mathew who was an eye witnesse woulde not omit this other thoughâ— he was not so well knowen 30. O Lorde the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. I sayd euen nowe that one of these beganne to cry but the like necessity doeth easily driue the other to ioyne himself also with him Also they giue no small honor to Christ in this that they desire him to haue mercy vpon them and to help them For they were perswaded that he hadde helpe and remeady in his hand which they needed but their faith is more to be marueiled at in this that they confesse him to be Messias whome we knowe the Iewes noted with this title
should waxe weary of well doing Christ saith that their labour shall not be in vaine which doe exercise themselues faythfully in their calling Luke saith that he was made ruler ouer fiue cities which had gayned fiue pieces by which wordes hee declareth that the glory of his kingdome shal be farre otherwise at his last comming then it now appeareth For now we labour and trauayle as it were about the businesse of one absent but then hee shall haue great aboundaunce and store of honours in his hand wherewith he will royally sette vs vp The manner of speache set downe by Matthew is more simple and playne Enter into thy maisters ioy wherby he declareth that faythful seruants whose labours he shall allow shall be made partners with him of the blessed aboundaunce of all good thinges but it is demaunded what he meaneth by this which is added Take the talent from him and giue it to him that hath ten for then all maner of occupying shal cease I aunswere that must be remembred which I spak of before they doe amisse which doe curiouslye search euery perticular poynt But the naturall meaning is that though slouthful and vnprofitable seruants are now furnished with gifts of the spirit at length they shal be spoyled of all that theyr want and shameful pouertie may turne to the glory of the good Christe saieth that these slouthfull seruauntes doe hyde eyther their talent or piece in the earth because they wil take no paynes while they prouide for their own pleasures and ease as we see manye while they giue themselues to thēselues and to their owne commodities they do flye al dueties of charitye and haue no respect of the common profit VVhere it is sayde that the master after his returne called his seruauntes to an accounte as the good may hereby receiue comfort because they knowe that their labour is not in vaine so againe it striketh no small terrour to the slacke and slouthfull Therefore let vs learne before the Lord commeth and reckoneth with vs to reckon with our selues euery day of our own accorde 24. I knew that thou wast an hard man This hardnesse appertaineth nothing to the summe of this parable and they doe gather a fond fancye which do here dispute how austerely and straightlye God dealeth with his For it was as farre from Christes purpose here to note any such rigour as to prayse vsuries when as hee bringeth in the maister speakinge thus Thou oughtest to haue put my money to the exchaungers that at the least it might haue encreased by vsury Christ onely declareth that no excuse shall serue for theyr slouth which both suppresse the gyftes of God and consume their age in ydlenes VVhereby wee doe also gather that no kinde of lyfe is more commendable before God then that whereof some profit doth arise to the societie of men This sentence To euery one that hath shal be giuen is expounded beefore in the thirteene chapter Also in the eight Chapter before we haue taught that the vtter darknes is opposed to the home light For when as in olde time the suppers were kept in the night and had many torches and lamps to light them Christ saith that they which are cast out of the kingdōe of God are cast out into darknes LVK. 27. Moreouer those mine enemies In this second parte hee seemeth specially to reproue the Iewes yet hee toucheth all which in the absence of the master do bend themselues to fall away And Christ purposed not onely to terrifie such with denouncing of horryble vengance but also to keepe his in faythful obedience For it is no light temptation to see the kingdome of God shaken with the faythlesnesse and rebellion of many Therefore that wee myght remayne quyet amongst so manye tumultuous styrres Christe saieth that hee will come agayne and wyll be reuenged at hys comming of that vngodlye fallyng away Math. 21 Mark 11 Luk. 19. 1. And when they drewe neere to Ierusalem and were come to Bethphage vnto the mount of the Olyues then sent Iesus two disciples 2. Saying to them goe into the towne that is ouer agaynste you and anon ye shall finde an Asse bounde and a Colte with her loose them and bring them vnto me 3. And if any manne saye ought vnto you saye yee that the Lord hath neede of thē and straight way he will let them goe 4. All this was done that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the Prophet saying 5. Yell yee the Daughter of Sion beholde thy king cōmeth vnto thee meeke and sitting vppon an Asse and a Colt the soale of an Asse vsed to the yeake 6. So the disciples went and did as Iesus had commaunded them 7. And brought the Asse and the Colte and putte on them their clothes and sette him thereon 8. And a great multitude spread their garments in the way and other cutte downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the way 9. Moreouer the people that went before and they that followed cryed sayinge Hosanna the sonne of Dauid blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the lord Hosanna then which art in the highest heauen 1. And when they came neere to Ierusalem to Bethphage Bethania vnto the mounte of Oliues hee sente forth two of his disciples 2. And said vnto them goe your wayes into that towne that is euer against you and as sonne as yee shal enter into it ye shal finde a Colte beunde whereon neuer man sate lose him and bring him 3. And if any man say vnto you why do ye this say that the Lord hath neede of him and straightway hee will send him hither 4. And they wente theyr way and sound a Colt tied by the dore without in a place where two wayes mette and they losed him 5. Then certeine of them that stoode there sayde vnto them what doe yee loosing the Colte 6. And they saide vnto them as Iesus hadde commaunded them So they lette them goe 7. And they brought the Colte to Iesus and cast their garments in him and hee sate vpon him 8. And manye spread their garmentes on the way other cut downe braunches of the trees and strawed them in the wayes 9. And they that went before and they that followed cryed saying Hosanna blessed bee hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. 10. Blessed bee the kingdome that commeth in the name of the Lorde of our father Dauid Hosanna O thou which art in the highest heauens 29. And it came to passe when hee was come neere to Bethphage Bethania besides the mounte which is called the mount of Olyues he sent two of his disciples 30. Sayinge got to the towne which is before you wherein assoone as yee are come yee shall finde a Colte tyed whereon neuer manne 〈◊〉 lose him and bring him hither 31. And is anye man aske you why yee lose him then shall yee saye vnto him because the Lorde hath neede of him 32. So they that were sent went their waye
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
diligently to doe their duety because they were stewardes chosen to gouerne the house of God which is the pillar and grounde of truth And well for the excellenter and the more honourable their estate is so muche the more bound are they to God not to followe his woorke slouthfully but diligently So muche the more is their vnfaithfulnesse to be detested as was sayd euen nowe which do scornefully abuse so great liberalitye and honour which God hath voutchsafed to bestowe vppon them But God planted a vineyeard when he being mindfull of his free adoption had separated againe the people deliuered out of Egypt as peculier vnto himselfe and had testified that he woulde be their God and father and had called them into the hope of eternall saluation For this is the planting whereof there is mention made in Isa. 60. 21. and in other places By the winepresse and tower are vnderstoode those meanes and helpes which were ioyned to the doctrine of the law for the nourishmēt of the faith of the people as the sacrifices and other ceremonies For God as a prouident and carefull housholder vsed all diligence for the fensing of his Church with all the helpes that might be 30. He set it out to husbandmen God might of himselfe haue preserued the estate of the Church in good order without the helpe of men but he taketh men for his ministers and vseth their hands for helpe So in times past he appoynted the Priests that they should be as dressers of the vineyeard But it is marueile why Christ should compare the Prophets to seruants which are sent at the ende of the vintage to aske for frute For we know that they also were vine dressers and had one charge in common with the priests committed vnto them I answeare it was not necessary for Christe to shewe what agreement or difference there was betweene these two orders The priestes were created at the first for this cause that they might throughly furnish the church with sound doctrine but when they either of slouthfulnesse or of ignorance neglected the worke committed vnto them the Prophetes were sent as an extraordinarye supplie which should purge the vine of hurtfull weedes shoulde cutte off superfluous loppe and should supply all thinges that were wanting throughe the negligence of the Priestes and yet further they shoulde sharpely reprooue the people restore religion decaied stirre vppe slouthfull mindes and bring them backe againe to the woorshippe of God and newnesse of life And what was this else but to aske for frute due vnto the Lorde of his vineyeard the which Christ doeth aptly and truely apply to the purpose Neither yet was the continual regiment of the Churche established in the Prophets but the priestes alwayes kept it in their handes euen as if a slouthfull husbandman forsaking husbandry shoulde yet vnder pretence of the possession keepe the place whereunto he was once appoynted 35. They beate one Marke and Luke doe somewhat differ in this place from Mathewe for when as he maketh mention of many seruauntes and when they were all euill and cruelly handled there was a greater number sent againe they onely sette euery manne in his seuerall order as if there were not two or three sent togither but one after another And though they all had one generall purpose namely that the Iewes woulde attempt the like against the Sonne of that which they had so often done against the Prophets yet Mathewe doeth declare the matter it selfe more plainely that is that God by sending many Prophets stroue with the malice of the priests VVhereby it appeareth howe outragious their madnesse was which could not be refourmed by any meanes 37. They will reuerence my sonne This thought doeth not properly belong to God For he knewe what shoulde come to passe neither was hee deceiued with the hope of any better successe but it is a common thing especially in parables to attribute humane affections to him Neither yet is this added without a cause for Christe would shew as in a glasse how desperate their wickednesse was whereof this was too euident a testimonye for them with a diuelishe madnesse to arise against the Sonne of God who came to bring them againe into their right minde As they hadde done before what lay in them to driue God out of his possession by the cruell slaughter of the Prophets so this was the greatest sinne of all to slaye the Sonne that they mighte raigne as in a house without an heire For this was the cause why the Priests did rage so against Christe least they shoulde lose their tyrannie as a pray For it is he whome God the father would haue raigne and to whome he hath giuen all authoritie The Euangelistes doe also somewhat vary in the ende For Mathewe sayeth that they began to make a confession against themselues wherein they condemned themselues Marke simply sayeth that Christe declared what punishment shoulde light vppon so wicked and vngodly seruantes Luke seemeth plainly to differ from them both saying that they wythstoode and were against the iudgement which Christ had pronounced But if we marke the meaning better there is no diuersity amongst them for it is not to be doubted but that they would agree vnto Christe that suche seruaunts hadde deserued that plague but when they sawe bothe the sinne and the iudgement laid vppon themselues they woulde shifte it off 42. Reade you neuer in the scriptures That must be remembred which we spake a little before when the priestes and Scribes had the people bound vnto them this principle was common amongest them that they onely were the lawfull arbiters and iudges of the redemption to come so that no man might be receiued for the Messias but he whom they by their liking and consent shoulde allowe of Therefore they affirme that Christ had spoken a thing impossible that they should slay the sonne and heyre of the Lord of the vineyeard But Christ confirmeth it by the testimonie of the scripture and he asketh the question very vehemently as if he had sayd You account it a great absurdity that it shoulde come to passe that the husbandmen to whome the vineyeard was lette shoulde so wickedly conspire against the sonne of God VVhat hathe the scripture foretolde that he shoulde be chearefully and ioyfully receiued and that the rulers themselues should not rather be against him The place also which he citeth is taken out of the Psalme 118. 22. from whence that happy ioyfull cry was fetched O Lorde saue nowe blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde And this was prophesied of the kingdom of the Messias as it doeth appeare there in that God created Dauid king wyth this condition that his throane should stand for euer euen so long as the Sunne and Moone should shine in heauen and being decaied it shuld by the grace of God be restored into the former estate Therefore whereas that Psalme containeth a description of the kingdome of Dauid it promiseth
not alwayes vse all the testimonies that serued for the same matter Yet Christ did not vnaduisedlye make choise of this place before the rest but chose it with great iudgement though at the first sight it seemeth to be hard because the Iewes should especially account of that and remember it sith it declareth that the Lord did therefore redeeme them because they were the children of Abraham God saieth that he came thither to helpe the afflicted people but hee addeth withall that he acknowledged that people for his in respecte of the adoption and for the couenaunt made with A braham Howe commeth it to passe that God should haue regard rather of the dead then of them which liue but because he gaue the greatest honour to the fathers with whome he had made his couenaunt But how should they be so excellent and honourable if they were dead This relation doth euidently set forth this matter also For as there can be no father without childrē nor a king without a people so the Lord cannot properly be called god but of the lyuing Christ doth not reasō so much of the commō maner and phrase of speach as of the promise which is included in these wordes For the Lord dooth offer himselfe of this condition to bee our God that he might haue vs againe to be his people which one thinge is sufficient to strengthen the hope of the ful and perfect blessednes Hence came that saying of the Church set downe by the Prophet Haba 1. 12. Thou art our God of old we shall not dye Therefore when he promiseth to saue all them whose God he saieth he is and this beeing spoken of Abraham Isaac and Iacob after their death it followeth that there remaineth hope of life euen for the dead If any man obiect that the soules maye lyue though the bodyes rise not againe I aunswered a litle beefore that these two are ioyned togeather beecause the soules beeinge not yet in their estate doe aspyre to the enheritaunce layde vppe for them 38. For all liue vnto him This manner of speach is diuerslye vsed in the Scriptures but Christ here meaneth that the faythfull doe lyue in heauen with God after they passe out of the world as Paule to the Ro. 6. 10. saieth that Christ after he was receiued into the heauenly glory liueth to God because he is exempted from the infirmities and troubles of this transitory lyfe But Christ doth purposely declare heere that wee must not iudge of the life of the godly after the sense of flesh and bloude beecause it is hydden in the secrete custodye of God For if they be almost like vnto the dead while they wāder in the world much lesse doth there appeare anye token of life in them after the death of the body But God is faithful so that beyond the capacity of men hee will keepe them aliue before him 39. Then certeine of the Pharises aunswered It is euident that they were all malitiously bent but by the power of God was this confession wrested out of some of the Pharises Though they wished that Christe myght haue beene ouercome and haue beene put to silence with shame yet because they saw themselues armed by his aunswere against the contrarye faction ambition causeth them to triumph at the victory gotten It may be also that for enuy they would not haue Christ ouercome by the Saduces But by Gods wonderfull prouidence it commeth to passe that euen his greatest enemies should subscribe to his doctrine Their boldnes also was brydeled not onely because they saw Christ prepared to withstand all their assaultes but beecause they feared they shoulde haue the foyle with shame as they had oft receiued before Further because they were ashamed by silence they graunted him the victory so that his credit encreased so much the more amongst the people And in Matthewes wordes that they wondred all at his doctrine it is to be noted that the doctrine of godlynes was at that time corrupted with so many corrupt and colde commentaries that it might well bee accounted as a wonder that the doctrine of the resurrection was so readily and so aptly proued by the law Mat. 22. Mark 12 Luk. 10. 34. But when the Pharises hadde heard that he had putte the Saduces to silence they assembled togeather 35. And one of them which was an expounder of the lawe asked him a question tempting him and saying 36. Maister which is the great commaundement in the law 37. Iesus said to him thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with al thy minde 38. This is the firste and the great commaundement 39. And the seconde is like vnto this thou shalte loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 40. On these two commandements hangeth the whole lawe and the Prophets 28. Then came one of the Scribes that had heard thē disputing together and perceiuing that he had answered them well he asked him which is the first commandement of al 29. Iesus aunswered him the first of all the commaundements is heare Israel the Lord our God is the onelye Lord. 30. Thou shalt therefore loue the Lord thy God with al thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde and with all thy strength this is the first commandement 31. And the second is like that is then shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe There is none other commaundement greater then these 32. Then the Scribe saide vnto him well maister thou hast saide the trueth that there is one God and that there is none but he 33 And to loue him with all the hearte and with all the vnderstanding and with all the soule and with al the strength to loue his neighbour as himself is more then all burnt offrings and sacrifices 34 Then when Iesus sawe that he answered discretely hee said vnto him thou art not far from the kingdom of God And no man after that durst ask him any question 25. Then beholde a certeine expounder of the lawe stoode vp and tempted him sayinge maister what shall I doe to enherite eternall lyfe 26. And he sayde vnto him what is written in the lawe how readest thou 27. And he aunswered and sayd thou shalt loue thy Lord God with al thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy thought and thy neighbour as thy selfe 28. Then hee said vnto him thou hast answered right this do thou shalt liue 29. But he willing to iustifie him self said vnto Iesus who is then my neighbour 30 And Iesus aunswered and said a certeine man went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell amonge theeues and they robbed him of his raiment and wounded him and departed leauing him half dead 31. And by chaunce there came down a certein priest that same way and when hee saw him hee passed by on the other side 32 And likewise also a Leuit when hee was come neere to the place went and looked on him
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
vpon them which sinne of set purpose and do furiously run headlōg against their owne conscience to prouoke God VVherefore the more knowledge any man hath so much the greater is his sinne excepte that obedience dooth follow his knowledge VVhereby it appeareth what a vile and vaine excuse they make who refusing at this day the cleare light of the Gospel doe maintaine their frowardnes with the ignoraunce of the Fathers as if y e the shielde of ignorance were strong enough to beare off the iudgement of God But graunt that the faultes of such offenders were spared it were not equitie that the same pardon shuld be graunted to them which sinne willingly when as of purposed malice they rage against God 48. To whome soeuer much is giuen Christ teacheth by an other circumstaunce that they which are chosen Disciples shall bee more grieuouslye punyshed if that neglectinge their callinge they shall wantonlye giue themselues to all lycentiousnesse for the greater any manne is so much the more hee must thinke is committed vnto him and of this condition that in time to come he must yeelde an account VVherfore the greater giftes any of vs hath if as a fielde tyld with great charge hee yeelde not aboundaunce of encrease vnto the Lorde it shall cost him much eyther for his vnprofitable suppressing of that grace or for the abusing of it prophanely 49. I am come to put fire on the earth It may be easilye gathered by this clause that this was one of Christes last Sermons was not set down by Luke in the right time But the meaning is that Christe broughte greate trouble into the woorlde as if that heauen and earth shoulde meete together For the Gospel is Metaphorically compared to fire because that it doeth violently alter the shew of things Therefore wheras the Apostles falsly imagined that the kingdome of heauen should come and take them while they were sleeping quietly Christe setteth before them a terrible fire wherewith the worlde must first be burnt And because that now the beginnings did but then appeare Christ doth therby encourage his disciples because they should feele the present power of the Gospell VVhen as sayeth he the great stirres begin to waxe hotte you must not be afraid but rather of good cōfort therfore and I reioyce to see this fruite of my labour Now it behooueth all the ministers of the Gospel to apply this vnto themselues that when the worlde is troubled they should the diligentlier apply their calling Further it is to be noted that with the same fire of the doctrine while it generally burneth euery thing the chaffe and stubble shall be consumed and the gold and siluer purged 50. I must be baptised with a baptisme Christ by these woordes declareth that the last woorke which remaineth for him to doe is that he shoulde by his death consecrate the renewing of the world for because that shaking whereof hee maketh mention was fearefull and that burninge of mankinde full of terrour hee presently declareth that the firste fruites should be offered vppe in his owne person least that it shuld afterwardes seeme grieuous to his disciples to beare any part of the same He compareth death as other wher to baptism because that the children of God being by the death of the flesh swallowed vp for a time they doe shortly after rise againe to life so that death is nothinge else but a passage through the midst of waters And he sayeth that he is grieued vntill hee be thus baptised that therby he may mooue euery one of vs after his example to be ready as well to beare the crosse as to suffer death Not that any man can by nature desire death or any alteration of the present estate but because that we see the celestiall glory and the blessed and immortall rest on the further side of the shoare for the desire of the which things we do not onely die patiently but we are caried also with greedinesse thither as faith and hope doe drawe vs. Mathewe 25. Marke Luke 1. Then the kingdome of heauen shall bee lykened vnto tenne virgines whiche tooke their lampes and went to meete the bridegrome 2. And fiue of them were wise and fiue foolish 3. The foolish tooke their lampes but tooke none oyle with them 4. But the wise tooke oyle in their vesselles wyth their lampes 5. Nowe while the bridegrome taried longe all slumbred and slept 6. And at midnight there was a crie made Beholde the bridegrome commeth goe out to meete him 7. Then all those virginS arose and trimmed their lampes 8. And the foolish sayde to the wise Giue vs of your oyle for our lampes are out 9. But the wise answeared saying VVe feare least there will not be enough for vs and you but goe yee rather to them that sell and buy for your selues 10. And while they went to buy the bridegrome came and they that were ready went in with him to the wedding and the gate was shut 11. Afterwardes came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to vs. 12. But he answeared and sayd Verely I say vnto you I know you not 13. VVatch therefore for yee knowe neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man wil come   Though this exhortation tendeth almost to the same ende that the former did as it shall appeare by the conclusion yet it is especially added to confirme the faithfull in perseuerance The Lord knewe how weake mannes nature is and that it cōmeth oft times to passe that they do not only in long tracte of time waxe faint but with a sodaine loathsomnesse they fall away That he might cure this disease he declareth that the disciples are not well furnished except they be able to beare a long while VVhen as the end of this parable is vnderstode there is no cause to trauaile much in smal matters which doe nothinge appertaine to Christes meaning Some do much trouble themselues with the lampes the vessels and the oyle but the simple and naturall summe is that it is not sufficient to vse an earnest diligence for a short time except there be a continuance in constancie without wearinesse And Christe declareth this by a most apt similitude Hee had exhorted his disciples a little before to be furnished with lights that they might passe through obscure and darke places but because that if oyle be not supplied the matche of the lampe doeth by little and little waxe dry and loseth the light Christ sayth now that the faithfull haue nede of a continuall supply of vertue which may nourish the light which is kindled in their hearts otherwise it wil come to passe that theyr frowardnesse will fall awaye in the middest of the course 1. The kingdome of heauen shall be likened By this title he meaneth the estate of the Church to come which was gathered by the fauorable mercies of the Messias And he vseth this so notable a testimony of set purpose least the faithfull shoulde deceiue
gather his owne shepe togither But though the Prophet doeth generally declare that the church should be spoiled of shepheards yet this doth truly and properly belong to Christ. For when he was the chiefe of all shepheards of whome only the safety of the Church depended he being dead al hope might seeme to be taken away And this temptation was extreeme that the redemer who was the spirite and life of the people shoulde sodainly be caryed to death when he had begun to gather the flocke of God togither And so much the more notable was the grace of God when as the remnant of the flocke was wonderfully recouered againe out of that confusion and destruction VVe see therefore that Christ applied thys testimony very aptly least this scattering nowe at hande should terrifie the disciples aboue measure and yet that they knowing their owne infirmitye should repose themselues vppon their pastour This therefore is the sense you thinke because you haue not yet tried your owne weakenesse that you are valiant and strong enough but shortly after it shall appeare that Zachariah foretold the truth the shepheard should be slaine and the shepe shoulde be scattered but in the meane season let the promisse whyche is added recreate and comfort you that he wil gather the dispearsed shepe home to himselfe And this place doeth teach that no vnitie is safe but that which keepeth the sheepe togither vnder Christes shepheards staffe 32. After that I shall rise againe He doeth more euidently expresse here that whiche I touched euen nowe that the disciples stricken wyth feare shoulde for a little time be as sheepe dispearsed and going astray so that yet againe they should be called backe to the shepefold For Christ doth not simply say that he shal rise again but promiseth that he will be their guide and adopteth them to be his companions as if they hadde stoode sounde and that they may haue the more assurance he doeth before appoynt the place whether he will gather them together againe as if hee should haue sayde I will gather you that are scattered againe to Ierusalem 33. Peter answeared Though Peter dissembleth not but speaketh of a sincere affection yet because that with a vaine confidence of hys owne strength he is caried into a fonde bragge hee is woorthily reprooued by Christ and shortly after is grieuously punished for his rashnesse So the successe doth declare that Peter promised more then he was able to performe because that he had not made sufficient trial of himselfe Heereby also it is better perceiued how blockish a thing it is for mā to be drunke with trust in himselfe in that he being againe admonished by the sonne of God of his weakenesse and he addeth an othe so that he yeeldeth not neither forsaketh any thinge of his vaine opinion but that he proceedeth with greater boldnesse to puffe vppe those lofty and bragging motions Yet it is demaunded whether Peter might not hope for that which he promiseth of himselfe and also whether he trusting in the promisse of Christ might not promisse this of himselfe I answeare that the promisse which Christe made before to his disciples of the spirite of inuincible fortitude belonged to that time of renewinge which followed the resurrection Therefore because they were not yet endued with the heauenly power Peter trusting in himselfe went beyonde the boundes of faith And he greatly offended two wayes for hee preuentinge the time rashly promised for himselfe and reposed not himselfe in the promisse of the Lord. Secondly with closed eyes he passing by his owne infirmity doeth rather securely then valiantly promisse more of himselfe then reason would require This therfore is to be noted that euery man being mindefull of his owne infirmity should flee to the assistāce of the holy Ghost then that no man shuld be so bolde to take more vpon him then the Lorde promiseth And the faithfull ought so to come prepared to the battel as that not doubting nor mistrusting the successe of the victory they shuld couragiously resist feare for fearfulnesse and too much doubtfulnesse is a signe of distrust But on the other side blockishnesse must be auoided which both driueth away all care and puffeth vppe the mindes with pride and quencheth the desire of praying This meane is notably set downe by Paule to the Phil. 2. 12. when hee commandeth vs to make an ende of our saluation with feare and trembling because it is God which worketh in vs both to will and to do For of the one side he prouoketh them that are humbled to seeke helpe other where yet againe least this course shoulde make vs slouthful hee exhorteth vs to behaue our selues boldly Therefore so oft as any temptation doth assault vs first lette vs remember our infirmity that we being altogither ouerthrowne may learne from other where to seeke for that which is wanting in vs then let vs remember the grace which is offered vs which may put vs out of doubt For they which forget their owne infirmity wythout calling vpon God doe imagine themselues to be strong doe as rashe souldiours which rashly doe runne to the warres and when they haue breathed out their surfetting they thinke vppon nothing else but flight And it is maruell that the rest of the disciples after that Peter was reprooued doe yet fall into the same rashnesse whereby it appeareth howe little acquainted they were with themselues By the which example we are taught not to be so bold to attempt any thing further then the hand of God doeth leade vs because that nothing is more transitorie or will sooner vanishe then an inconsiderate zeale The disciples sawe nothing to be more vile and absurd then to forsake their maister Therfore they doe iustly detest that offence but without assurance of hope of the promisse and neglecting prayers they doe flie in vaine to boast of that constancie which was none Mathew Marke Luke 22.   35. And he sayd vnto them when I sent you without bagge and scrippe and shee s lacked yee any thynge And they sayd Nothing 36. Then he sayde to them But nowe he that hath a bagge let him take it and likewise a scrippe and hee that hath none let him sell his coate buy a sword 37. For I say vnto you that yet the same whiche is wrytten must be perfourmed in race euen wyth the wicked was he numbred for doubtlesse those thinges which are wrytten of me haue an ende 38. And they sayd Lord behold here are two swords And he sayd vnto them It is enough All Christes speache tendeth to this purpose that he had as yet spared his disciples had not laid more trouble vpō them then they were apt for And he cōmendeth the ease of the former time that they might the more willingly prepare thēselues to a sharper warfare For to what ende hath he yet kept these simple yong nouices far out of the shot and reach of the dartes but that in this case they somwhat
a fire in the mids of the hal and were set down together Peter also sat downe among them 56. And a certeine maid beheld him aâ— be sate by the fire and hauinge wel looked on him said this man was also with him 57. But hee denied him saying woman I know him 〈◊〉 58. And after a litle while another maÌ„ saw him said thou art also of them but Peter said man I am not 59. And about the space of an houre after a certeine other affirmed saying verely euen this man was with him for he is also a Galilean 60. And Peter said may I knowe not what thou saiâ— And immediately while hee yet spake the cocke crew 61. Then the Lorde turned backe looked vpon Peter and Peter remembred the word of the Lorde howe hee had said vnto him before the cocke crowe then shalt deny me thrise 62. And Peter wente 〈◊〉 and wept bitterly The fall of Peter which is here set down is a notable spectacle of our infirmity Againe in his repentance there is set beefore vs an example of the goodnes and mercy of God worthy to be remembred And so the history which is reported of this one containeth doctrine common to the whole Church and that very profitable partly to teach them which stand carefully to feare partly to raise vp them that are falne with the hope of forgiuenes And here is first to be noted how vnaduisedly Peter did when he entred into the hie priestes hall It was a point of pietie to follow his maister but sith that he was warned how he shuld fal away he shuld rather lye hid in some corner least that he should cast himselfe into daunger of sinning So it doth befal oft tymes that the faithfull vnder the colour of vertue do cast themselues into temptations VVherefore let vs pray to the Lord that he would keepe vs in with the brydle of his spirit least that we going out of our calling should presentlye bee punished VVe must also pray vnto him so oft as we do enterprise to do any thing that he would not suffer vs to fainte in the midst of our labours or in the beginning of our work but that he would strengthen vs froÌ„ heauen vnto the end The feeling of our infirmity shuld be no cause to make vs slothful but it shuld restrain our rashnes from atteÌ„pting any thing aboue our calling and also to stir vs vp to praiers that God who hath giuen the gift to begin wel wold also giue the grace of perseuereÌ„ce 69. A maid came to him Here we see that there is no neede of any great conflict nor of many bands of men or deuises to ouerthrow a man for whosoeuer is not vpholden by the hand of God shall by and by fal at euery smal blast or at the noise of the falling of a leafe Certeinlye Peter had as great courage as any of vs and euen now he had shewed a strang token of a stout mind though in a preposterous boldnes yet he tarrieth not vntil he shuld be drawn before the iudgment seat of the hie priest or vntil the enemies by force shuld threten death but feared with the voice of a daÌ„sel he forth w t denieth his master And but late he seemed to him self to be a soldiour inuincible euen to death Therfore let vs remember that our forces are so far from being able to bear that they fal away at the only shadow of a battel But so the lord doth pay a iust reward for our faithlesnes wheÌ„ he vnarmeth vs weakeneth vs so that we shall be afraid of nothing after we haue cast away his feare For if the perfecte feare of god had flourished in the hart of Peter he had bene a fortres inuincible but now he being naked vnarmed feareth wheÌ„ he is yet far froÌ„ daunger 70. He denied before them al. This circuÌ„stance maketh the fault the greater that Peter was not afraid to deny his master before so great a company of witnesses And the holy Ghost wold of purpose note this that the verye light of men might encourage vs to holde the confession of fayth For if we deny Christ before weakelinges because they beeing shaken by our example doe wax faint we doe asmuch as in vs lyeth destroy so manye soules but if before the wicked contemners of God and enemyes of the Gospel we defraude Christe of the testimonye due vnto him we do make his holy name to be scorned of all men To be short as a bold and free confession dooth strengthen all the godlye and maketh all vnbeleeuers ashamed so the falling away draweth with it a publyk ruine to faith and a reproach to sound doctrine in the Church Therefore the hygher place that anye manne is in the more diligentlye hee must take heede to himself for he cannot fall from his estate but that he shal do the more harme Further the maner of denyall which is here set down doth euideÌ„tly declare that y e miserable sophisters do auail nothing by their ambiguous and shifting answeres if they bee at any time called to yeeld a reckoning of their faith Peter dooth not expresly abiure the whole doctrine of the Gospel he only denieth that he knew the manne but because that he doth indirectly burye the light of redemption offered vnder the person of Christ hee is condemned of vile and filthy treachery He had heard the Lorde say but a little beefore that confession of fayth was a sacrifice acceptable to GOD. Therefore the denial cannot be excused which defraudeth God of his lawefull worshippe and Christe of his honour Therefore lette vs learne that the leauing of the simple and free confession of faith is a defrauding him of his lawful testimony 71. An other maide saw him By Marks words it may rather be gathered that it was the same maid he doth not certeinly expresse any other besids the former yet there is no repugnaÌ„cy in it for it is probable that that which one had spoken â—lew abroade through all their mouthes so that as the first shuld speak of it to many oft so others withal came forth to coÌ„firme that iudgement and to spread it further And Iohn reporteth that the question was not demaunded the seconde time by a maide but of a multitude of men VVherby it appeareth that the speach which came froÌ„ the damsel was taken vp by the men which stood by and they assaulted Peter There is another difference betweene Mark the other three for he maketh mention of the crowing of the cock twise but the other doe say that the cock then crew when that Peter had denied the Lord thrise But the vnlosing of this knot is not hard for Marke reporteth nothing contrary to the hystory of the others but that that which they doe passe ouer in silence he deliuereth more plainly I do think when Christ saide to Peter before the cock crow that he meant such a crowing as contained many courses doubled in it For the
preaching of the Gospel for Pilat whome GOD appointed to giue testimony to his sonne was a manne vnworthy but that which was to be done by the true ministers was shadowed out in Pilat To be short he may be accounted such a preacher of Christ as Caiaphas was a Prophet 38. Then they crucified This is added to the heape of extreame shame that Christ is hanged in the midst betweene two theeues for they gaue him the chiefe Place no otherwise then to the Prince of theeues If hee had beene crucified alone his cause might seeme to haue beene separate from other euill doers but now he is not onely thrust in amongst them but he is lifted vppe on high as if hee were the moste detestable of all VVherefore Marke to this purpose applyeth the prophesie of Iesaiah 53. 12. He is accounted with the wicked For in this the Prophet dooth especially make mention of Christ not that he should by a royal pomp deliuer his from death but because that he should beare the punishmēt due to their sinnes Therefore that he might deliuer vs from guiltinesse this manner of sacrifice was necessary that he might submit himself into our place And here is to be seene how horrible the weight of the wrath of God is against sinnes for the appeasing whereof it behooued Christ the eternall ryghteousnes to be thrown into the order of theeues Here is also set forth the incomparable loue of Christ who that he might gather vs to the company of the holy angels did abide to be accounted one of the euil doers Matt. 27. Mark 15. Luke 23. 39. And they that passed by reuiled him wagging their heades 40. And saying Thou that destroyst the temple and buildest it in three daies saue thy self if thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse 41. Likewise also the hie Priests mocking him with the Scribes Elders and Pharises said 4◠Hee saued others but he cannot 〈◊〉 himself if he be the king of Israel let him 〈◊〉 come downe from the crosse and wee will beeleeue him 43. He trusteth in God let him deliuer him now if hee wil haue him for he sayd I am the sonne of God 29. And they that went by rayled on him wagging their heads and saiinge Hey thou that destroyest the temple buildest i◠in three daies 30. Saue thy selfe and come downe from the crosse 31. Likewise also euen the hie priests mockinge saide among themselues with the Scribes He saued other men himselfe he cannot saue 32. Let Christe the king of Israel now come down from the crosse that we may see and beleeue They also that wer crucified with him reuiled him 35. And the people stood beheld and the rulers mocked him with thē saying he saued others let him saue himself if he be the Christ the chosen of God 36. The soldiours also mocked him and offred him vineger 37. And said if thou be the king of the Iewes saue thy selfe A litle after 39. And one of the euill dooers which were hanged rayled on him saying if thou be the Christe saue thy self and vs. 40. But the other answered and rebuked him saying fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation 41. VVe are in deede here righteously for we receiue thinge worthy of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse 42. And he said vnto Iesus Lorde remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome 43. Then Iesus said vnto him verely I saye vnto thee to daye thou shalt be with me in paradise 39. And they that passed by These circumstances doe containe great matter for heere is sette beefore our eyes the humblinge of the Sonne of God into the lowest degree whereby it may the better appeare how much our saluation cost him and withall considering that by right all those paines were due to vs which he bore we should be more more stirred vp to repentaunce For in this spectacle God dooth openlye reueale to vs how miserable our estate should haue beene if we hadde not had a redeemer But whatsoeuer thinges Christ bore vppon him must be applied to the comforting of vs. And certeinly this contention was harder then all the tormentes that all menne vexed him with checkes and tauntes as if he were reiected and forsaken of God And therefore Dauid Psal. 22. 7. 8. 9. bearing the person of Christe in all his troubles hee doth especially bewaile this And truely there is nothing that doth more sharply wound the mindes of the godlye then that the wicked for the weakning of their faith doe vpbraid them as lefte destitute of the helpe and grace of GOD. This is that sharpe persecution wherewith Paule Gal. 4. 29. saith that Isaac was vexed by Ismael not that he raged against him with sword force of armes but because that he deriding y e grace of GOD attempted to ouerthrow his faith Dauid also first and then Christ suffred these temptations least they should terrifie vs at this daye by their noueltie For the wicked shall neuer be wanting who will tryumph ouer our miseries And this is a common deuise of Sathan so oft as God doth not comfort vs according to our desire but hideth his help a litle to obiect that our hope is in vaine as if that his promise were of no effect 40. Thou that destroyest the Temple They doe charge Christes doctrine with vanity because that now when it is necessary he doth not shew in deede that power which he callenged to himselfe But if that a desire to speake euil had not depriued them both of wit and iudgement shortly after they might haue easily seene the trueth of that saying Christ hadde sayde destroy you this Temple and in three dayes I wil raise it vp Now they doe make a proud triumph at the beginninges of the ruine and they looke not or the end of the third day Such insolency do the wicked vse against all the children of God while vnder the pretence of the Crosse they doe endeuour to cut them off from the hope of the lyfe to come VVhere is say they that immortal glory which credulous menne do so foolishly boast of when as the most of them do lye without glory and despised others do liue poorely others do hardly draw their breath vnder continual troubles others are tossed with flyings and banishmēts others do pine away in prisons others are burnte and brought to ashes So the present corruption of the outward man doth blinde them that they doe imagine the hope of the renewing of the life to come to bee vaine and ridiculous But wee must waite for the time appointed of the promised building neither must wee beare it grieuously if we bee nowe crucified with Christe that we may be afterwardes partakers of his resurrection If thou bee the Sonne of God The vngodly doe require of Christe such a testimony of his power that by prouing himselfe to be the Sonne of God he should cease to be the sonne of
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
dull or slouthfull 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered thâ—se things It is not to be doubted but that Christe spake of the office of the Messias as it was described by the Prophets least the death of the crosse should be offensiue and in iourneying three or foure houres hee had space sufficient fully to set foorth the matters Therefore Christe doeth not say in three woordes that hee ought to suffer but hee declareth at large that he was sent to that ende that by the sacrifice of death he might wash away the sins of the world that he might be the purging sacrifice offered for the taking awaye of the cursse that he might wash the sinnes of others from their guiltinesse Luke therefore for the more vehemencie setteth downe this sentence interrogatiuely whereby it is gathered that hee shewed by reasons the necessity of his death The summe is that the disciples did euill to bee troubled at the death of their maister without the which he could not perfourme the partes of Christ for the chiefe poynt of our redemption was his offering vp for by this meanes they shutte vp the gate against him least he shoulde come into his kingdome The which must be noted diligently for sith Christ shoulde want his honour if he shoulde not be accounted a sacrifice for sinnes his onely way into his glory is that hys humbling to be of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. out of the which hee arose a redeemer But we do see at this day how amongst vs they do sinne nothing sooner then in a preposterous order For amongst the multitude of them which doe royally declare Christ to be a king and do extol him with diuine praises scarce euery tenth of them doth think that we haue gotten grace by his death 27. And he began at Moses This place doeth teach how Christe is made manifest vnto vs by the Gospel namely while the knowledge of him is prooued plainly out of the law and the Prophets For no man euer was a more ready and apte teacher of the Gospell then the Lorde hymselfe who as we see fetched the proofe of his doctrine out of the law and the Prophets If any man will except that he began at the rudimentes that the disciples by a little at once biddinge the Prophets fare well myghte passe ouer to the perfecte Gospell this deuice is easily confuted for afterward it shal be sayd that all the Apostles had their minde opened not that they shoulde be wise without the helpe of the lawe but that they might vnderstand the scriptures VVherefore to the ende that Christe may at this day be reuealed vnto vs by the Gospell it is necessarye that Moses and the Prophets shuld come forth before as forerunners VVherof the readers are therefore to be admonished least they shoulde giue eare to fanaticall men which by suppressing the law and the Prophets doe wickedly maime the Gospell As if that God would haue to be vnprofitable what soeuer he at any time spake of his owne Sonne But in what maner they are to be applied to Christe whiche are euery where read of him in the lawe and the Prophets it is not my present purpose to declare It is sufficient briefly to note that Christ is not in vaine called the end of the lawe For though that Moses rather shadowed him foorth darkely and a farre off then expresse him plainly yet this is without controuersie that if in the stocke of Abraham there should not be one head aboue all vnder whome the people should grow into one body the couenant which God made with the holy fathers shoulde be broken and but in vaine Further when as God had commaunded that the Tabernacle and the ceremonies should be framed after the heauenly patterne it foloweth that the sacrifices and all the rites of the temple if they had not their truthe else where should be as a vaine and frutelesse play And this argument doeth the Apostle handle in many woordes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For holding that principle that the visible ceremonies of the lawe were shadowes of spirituall things he teacheth that Christe is to be soughte in the whole priesthoode of the lawe in the sacrifices and in the forme of the Sanctuarie Bucer also otherwhere doeth wisely diuine that in that obscuritie there was a certaine kinde of interpreatinge the Scripture in vse amongst the Iewes which the father 's deliuered vnto them by hand But I least that I should follow vncertainties am contented with that naturall and simple maner which is euery where to be founde amongest the Prophets who were the most apt interpreaters of the lawe Christe therefore is rightly collected out of the lawe if wee consider that the couenaunt which Christe made with the fathers was made by the helpe of a Mediator The Sanctuarie wherein God testified the presence of his grace was consecrated with bloude The lawe it selfe wyth their promises was confirmed with the sprinkeling of bloud One priest was chosen oute of all the people who shoulde present himselfe in the name of them all in the sight of God not as any mortall man but in a holy habite menne had there no hope of their reconciliation with God but by offering vp of a sacrifice Furthermore very notable is that prophesie of the perpetuitye of the kingdome in the tribe of Iuda But the Prophets themselues as we haue declared haue more plainly described the Mediator yet they themselues had their first knowledge from Moses for they had no other office enioyned them but that they shoulde renew the memory of the couenant more plainly shew the spiritual worship of God establish the hope of saluation in the Mediatour and also that they might the more euidently declare the meane of the reconciliation But because it pleased God to defer the full reuelation vnto the comming of his Sonne it was not a superfluous interpretation 28. And they drewe neare vnto the towne There is no reason why some interpreaters should imagine any other place then Emaus For the iourney was not so long that they shoulde rest in a nearer lodging VVe knowe that seuen miles though a manne for the recreation of his minde should walke but softly are gone at the most in foure houres Therfore I dout not but that Christ went forwarde euen to Emaus Nowe where it is demaunded whether he coulde dissemble who is the eternall truthe of God I doe answeare that the Sonne of GOD was not bounde by thys lawe that he shoulde make all his councels knowen Yet because that simulation is a kinde of lying the knotte is not yet vnlosed especially sith that very many doe drawe this example to a libertye for lyinge But I doe answeare Christ without lying fained as it is here saide in like maner as he shewed himselfe to be a trauailer for the reason of them both is like Augustines answeare is somewhat more subtile lib. 2. ad Consentium cap. 13. Also in his booke of questions vpon the Gospels
should haue sayd how weake soeuer the ministers of the Gospel be and haue want of all thinges he will be their chiefe captaine that they may become conquerours ouer all the assaults of the world As plaine experience teacheth at this day that Christ in a secreat maner doeth woorke woonderfully so that the Gospell preuaileth against innumerable lets So much the lesse is the wickednesse of the Popishe cleargye to be borne with while they doe lay this coulour vppon their sacrilegious tyrannye They doe say that the Church cannot erre which is gouerned by Christ. As if that Christ no otherwise then as some common souldiour woulde let out his labour to hire to other captaines and not rather retaining the authority wholely to himselfe testifieth that he will be a defender of his doctrine so as his ministers in him may hope to be conquerours of the whole world Mathew Marke 16. Luke 24.  19. So after the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hande of God 20. And they went foorth and preached euery where And the Lorde wroughte with them and confirmed the woorde with signes that followed Amen 50. Afterward he led them foorth into Bethania and lifte vppe his handes and blessed them 51. And it came to passe that as he blessed them he departed from them was caried vp into heauen 52. And they worshipped him and returned to Ierusalem with great ioye 53. And were continually in the temple praisinge and landing God Amen 19. So after the Lorde Because that Mathewe had royally extolled the kingdome of Christ aboue all the worlde he speaketh no woord of his ascension into heauen Marke also maketh no mention of the place and of the maner both the which are expressed by Luke For he sayeth that the disciples were led out into Bethania that from the mount of Oliues from whence the Lord had come to beare the ignominie of the crosse he might ascend into his celestiall throne And as he would not be seene generally of all menne when he was restored to life so he admitted not al to be witnesses of his resurrection into heauen because that he would that this mysterie of the faith shoulde rather be knowen by the preaching of the Gospell then to be seene with eyes It followeth in Luke that Christe lifting vp his handes on hie blessed the Apostles VVhereby he teacheth that the office of blessing which vnder the lawe had beene committed to the Priests doeth truely and properly belong to him VVhen men do mutually blesse themselues that is nothing else then to pray for their good But the reason is farre otherwise with God who not onely fauoureth the requests but with his only becke performeth what soeuer is to be wished for vs. But sith that he is the only authour of all blessing yet that his grace might be the more familiar his will was that the Priests in the beginning shuld as mediators blesse in his name So Melchisedec Gen. 14. 19. blessed Abraham and in Numerie 6. 23. there is set downe a perpetuall law for this matter To the same also appertaineth that which is red in the Psalme 118. 26. VVe doe blesse you out of the house of the Lord. Furthermore in the 7. chapter to the Hebrewes the 7. verse the Apostle sayeth that it is a signe of excellency to blesse others For the lesse sayth he is blessed of the greater Now when Christ the true Melchisedec and the eternall Priest came into the light it was meete that in him shoulde be fulfilled that whiche was shadowed by the legall figures as Paule also teacheth Ephes. 1. 3. that we are blessed by God the father in him that we might become rich in all heauenly good things Therefore he once blessed the Apostles openly and with a solemnerite to the ende the faithfull might cary themselues the next way to him if they desire to be partakers of the grace of God In the lifting vp of handes there is an olde ceremonie described which we knowe the Priests vsed in times past 52. And they woorshipped him By the woorde woorshipping Luke doeth first declare that the Apostles were put out of doubt because that the maiestie of Christ appeared then on euery side so that nowe there coulde be no doubt of his resurrection Furthermore for the same cause they began to woorship him with greater reuerence then when they enioyed his company vpon the earth For the worship wherof he speaketh now it not onely as to a master or to a Prophet neither as to one only halfe knowen to be the Messias but it was yeelded as to the king of glorye and iudge of the world But because that Luke was purposed to extend his hystorie longer he only sayeth briefly what the Apostles should doe for ten dayes But the summe is that throughe the feruencie of ioye they brake out openly into the praises of God and were daily in the temple Not that they passed the nights and the daies there but because they frequented all the assemblies and were present at the appoynted and solemne houres to yeelde thankes vnto God Also this diligence is opposed to the feare which kept them before shut vp hidden in the house MARKE 19. And sate at the right hande of God I haue in other places declared what this speache shoulde meane that is Christe is lifted vppe on hye that he may be aboue Aungels and all creatures that the Father might gouerne the worlde by his hande that to be shorte euery knee might bowe before him Therefore it is as muche as if hee shoulde be called Gods vicare who supplieth his personne VVherefore it is not conuenient that some certaine place should be imagined when as the right hand doeth Metaphorically signifie the second power from God And Marke added this purposely that wee mighte knowe that Christe was not receiued into the heauens that hee might enioy a blessed rest farre from vs but that he might gouerne the world for the saluation of all the godly 20. And they went forth Marke doth briefly touch here those things which Luke doth prosecute hystorically in the 2. boke that the voyce of a smal a base company of men thundred forth euen to the vttermost ends of the world For the more incredible the matter was the more certainly appeared y e myracle of the heauenly power Al men thought that Christ by the death of the crosse was either vtterly ouerthrown or so ouerwhelmed that ther shuld be no mention of him at any time but reprochful detestable The apostles whom he had chosen to be his witnesses filthily forsaking him had hidden thēselues in the dark the ignorance rudenes of them was so great and also the contempt so great that they durst scarce speake abrode VVas there any hope of men vnlearned and of no accoūt yea of runnagates that by the soūd of their mouth they shuld bring so many dispersed vnder the Empire of a man crucified
all men come vnto him 27 Iohn answered and saide A man cannot receiue any thing vnlesse it bee giuen him from heauen 28 You your selues are witnesses with mee that I saide I am not Christe but 〈◊〉 sent before him 22 After these thinges Iesus came It is likely that so soone as the feast day was past Christ came into that part of Iurie which was nigh to the citie Aenon which was placed in the tribe of Manaffes The Euangelist saith that there was much water there whereof there was no such store in Iurie And Cosmographers doe write that these two cities Aenâ—n Salim were not farre from the meeting of Iordan and Iabec nigh whereunto they place Scythopolis But out of these wordes we may gather that when Christ Iohn did baptize they did put al the body into the water Although wee neede not to stande much about the externall ryte so that it agree with the spirituall veritie institution and rule of the Lord. But forasmuch as we caÌ„ coniecture this nighnes of place did cause many rumors to be spread abroade and much talke to be had concerning the worship of God the lawe the estate of the Church because of two new baptizers which were risen together For whereas the Euangelist saith that Christe baptized I referre that vnto the first beginning because he began then publikely to execute the function that was inioyned him of his father And although he did this by his disciples yet is he named in this place as the authour of baptisme omitting the ministers who did nothing but in his name at his commandement Concerning whiche thyng we will speake somwhat in the beginning of the next Chapter 25 Therefore there arose a question c. It is not in vaine that the Euangelist saith in this place y t there arose a question amongst the disciples of Iohn For the lesse they were instructed in doctrine the more boldly doe they offer themselues to dispute as ignorance is alwayes blinde If others had set vpon them they might haue been excused but in this that being vnfit to enter into the combate they doe of their owne accorde prouoke the Iewes they deale therin both rashly wickedly The wordes import thus much that they moued a question And besides this that they did offend in reasoning rashly farther then their skill woulde reache about a matter which they knewe not there was as great a fault as this because they did not so much intend to defende the lawefull vse of baptisme as to defende their masters cause that his authoritie might remaine safe and sounde Both these thinges were worthie to be reprehended because they not knowing the true maner of baptisme doe set the sacred institution of God to be laughed at and because through peruerse ambition they take their masters part against Christe Therefore it appeareth that their combe was cut with one woorde when as it was obiected that Christe did also baptize For being occupied about the person of the man they did lesse regard the doctrine VVee are taught by the example of them to what ende they come who are driuen rather with the wicked affection they beare towarde men then with the reale of God and therefore are we admonished that this one thing is to be respected and by all meanes to be regarded that Christe alone be chiefe Concerning purging The question was about purging because the Iewes had diuers kindes of washinges appointed them by the lawe and being not contented with those that were appointed in the lawe they did moreouer obserue many diligently which they receiued from their elders VVhereas Christe and Iohn doe bring in now a new rite maner of washing after such plentie varietie they count it to be an absurd thing 26 To whom thou barest witnesse By this argument they goe about eyther to make Christe inferiour to Iohn or to make him bound to Iohn because he receiued honour of him For they account that as a benefite that he did adorne Christ with honourable titles As though it was not his duetie thus to prayse him yea as if this were not his principall dignitie to be the sonne of God his cryer Therefore it was not meete that they shoulde preferre Iohn before Christ because he was commended by his testimonie VVhereas they say that all men come vnto him these wordes proceed from peruers emulation for they are afraid least their master be forsaken of the multitude 27 A man cannot Some doe referre it vnto Christ as if he did accuse his disciples of wicked holdnesse against God because they goe aboute to take that from Christe which the father had giuen him Therefore they will haue this to be the meaning that it came of God that he was preferred in so short space vnto so great honour therefore in vaine doe you striue to put him downe whom God hath exalted with his hande Othersome doe think that it is an exclamation whereinto hee bursteth out through indignation for that his disciples had so little profited And truly it was a thing too absurd to goe about to make him as one of the common sort and to make him inferiour vnto his minister whome they had heard so often to be Christ. Therefore Iohn might well enough say that it was but lost labour to teach men because they are deafe and dull vntill such time as they be renued in minde But I am rather of their opinion who do expound it of Iohn namely that hee saith that it was not in their or his owne hande to make him great because this is the measure of vs all that we be such as God would haue vs to be For if the sonne of God himselfe did not take to him honour what man of the common sort dare desire more then is giuen him of the Lord If this cogitation were deeply rooted in the mindes of men it should be sufficient to bridle ambition Furthermore ambition being once corrected and abolished the plague of contentions shoulde also be taken away For how commeth it to passe that euery man exalteth himselfe more then is meet saue only because we do not depend vpon God that we may be contented with that degree which he assigneth vnto vs 28 You are my witnesses Iohn chideth his disciples because they beleeued not his wordes Hee had oftentimes tolde them that he was not Christ therefore there remained nothing but that he should be a seruant subiect to the son of God as were y e rest And we must note this place For in denying that he is Christe he leaueth nothing vnto himself but that being subiect vnto the head he minister as another in the church be not so extolled that he obscure the honour of the head He saith that hee was sent before to prepare a way for Christe as kinges Apparitors are wont to doe 29 Hee that hath the bride is the bridegrome but the friend of the bridegrome whiche standeth and heareth him reioyceth with ioy because
hate them because they had corrupted the worship of God and did retaine many peruerse and corrupt rites Yet notwithstanding it is questionles that the Iewes did for the most part cloake their carnall hatred with the zeale of the lawe For ambition and enuie was of great force with many that did more greeue them that the countrie which was appointed for them was possessed by the Samaritanes then that the worship of God was violated Notwithstanding there was iust cause of disagreement if sobeit their affections had beene rightly framed Therefore when Christ sendeth his disciples to preach the Gospell first he forhiddeth them to turne aside vnto the Samaritanes Mat. 10. 5. But this woman doth that whiche is ingrafted almost in all men For because we are desirous to haue some account made of vs we can hardly suffer our selues to be despised So that this is the common disease of our nature that euerie man woulde haue his vices to please other men But and if any man doe reproue vs and finde fault with our vices we are by and by angrie with one as wel as with another Let euery man examine himselfe and he shall finde this seede of pride in his minde vntill such time as it shall bee rooted out by the spirite of God Therefore this woman because she knewe that the superstitions of her nation were condemned amongest the Iewes doth deride them in the person of Christ. VVhereas it followeth by and by that the Iewes had no dealings with the Samaritanes I thinke it was the woman that said so Some do think that the Euangelist doth put it in by way of exposition And truly it skilleth not much whether sense you chuse but me thinkes it agreeth very well that the woman doth floute Christ after this sort VVhat Is it lawfull for thee to aske drink of me seeing that you account vs so profane If any man had rather expound it otherwise I contend not but it may be that the Iewes did abhorre the Samaritanes more then they should For as we haue said that they abused the false colour of zeale so it was an easie matter for theÌ„ to passe measure As it befalleth all those most commonly who suffer themselues to be led with wicked affections 10 Iesus answered and said vnto her if thou diddest know the gift of God and who it is that saith vnto thee giue me drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and he shoulde haue giuen thee the liuely water 11 The woman saith vnto him Syr thou hast neither any thing to draw withall and the VVell as deepe From whence then hast thou that liuely water 12 Art thou greater then our father Iacob who gaue vs the VVell and hee himselfe draâ—nke thereof and his sonnes and his flockes 13 Iesus answered and said vnto her Euery one which drinketh of this water shal shirst againe 14 But he that shall drinke of the water which I shall giue him hee shall not bee a thirst againe for euer but the water which I shall giue him shal be made in him a well of water leaping out into eternall life 15 The woman saith vnto him Syr giue me this water that I may not thirst and that I may not come hither to draw 10 Iesus answered Christe hauing now taken an occasion beginneth to preach of the grace and power of his spirite and that before a simple woman which was altogether vnworthie to haue him to talke to her Certainely it was a wonderfull example of his goodnesse for what was there in this wretched woman that of an harlot she should sodainly be made a disciple of Christ the sonne of God Although hee shewed the like token of mercie in vs all All woman truly are not whores all men are not distained with some haynous offence but what excellencie can any of vs bring foorth for which he should haue vouchsafed to bestowe vpon vs his heauenly doctrine and the honour of adoption Neither came it to passe by chaunce that he talked with suche a person for the Lorde doth shewe vnto vs as vnder a tipe that he doth not chose them for their worthinesse to whom he doth impart the doctrine of saluation and truely this seemeth to bee a wonderfull purpose at the first fight that he did passe ouer so many great men in Iurie and did in the meane season talke familiarly with this woman But it was requisite that in her person should be expressed how true that saying of the Prophet is Isay 65. 1. I am found of those that sought me not I haue openly appeared vnto these that asked not after mee I said vnto those that enquired not behold I am here If thou diddest knowe the gift of God I doe reede these two members If thou diddest know the gift of God and who it is that talketh with thee so distinctly that the latter is as it were an interpretation of the former For this was a singuler benefite of God to haue Christ present who brought with him euerlasting life The sense shal be more plaine if in steede of the copulatiue coniunction you put the expositiue particle If thou diddest knowe the gift of God namely who it is that talketh with thee And in these wordes wee are taught that we doe then knowe who Christe is when wee vnderstand what the father hath giuen vs in him and what good thinges hee himselfe offered vnto vs. And this knowledge beginneth at the feeling of our owne pouertie For a man must first be touched with his maladies before hee will seeke remedie And therefore the Lord inuiteth not the drunken but the dry not the full but the hungrie that they may eate and drinke And to what ende shoulde Christe be sent vnto vs with the fulnesse of the spirite vnlesse we were emptie But as he hath profited much who feeling his want doth nowe acknowledge what great need he hath of another mans helpe so it were not enough to grone vnder miseries vnlesse the hope of readie helpe were added thereunto Because by this meanes we shoulde doe nothing els but pine away with sorrowe or rather whiche thing befalleth the papistes kill our selues with an vnprofitable superfluous wearisomnesse with running hyther and thyther But so sone as wee once see Christe we doe not wander any more in vaine to seek remedie there where there is none to be founde but we go straightway vnto him Therefore this is the true and profitable knowledge of the grace of God when as we knowe that the same is offered vnto vs in Christe and that it is reached vnto vs by his hande Christe doeth also tel vs how effectuall the knowledge of his good thinges is which doeth pricke vs forwarde to desire them and doth inflame our mindes If thou diddest knowe saith hee thou wouldest haue asked Furthermore the drift of the wordes is nothing obscure for his intent was to sharpen the womans desire least that she should lightly reiect the life which was offered her Hee should
stand although all the people doe faile And we must marke with what argument they are vnderpropped when they doe so proudly vaunt against Christe They say hee hath onlie the riffe raffe and vnskilfull men on his side the rulers and euery notable man is set against him They expresse the Pharisees by name because they had the fame aswell of knowledge as of holinesse aboue other men so that they were as it were the princes of princes This obiection seemeth indeed to haue some colour For vnlesse the gouernours and rulers of the Church haue their authority there can be nothing set down well neither can the estate also continue long in good order VVee know how great the distemperature of the common people is wherefore there must needes deformed confusion ensue immediately where euery man may do what him listeth Therefore the authoritie of those who are gouerners is a necessarie bridle to moderate the order of the Church And it was so prouided by the law of God that if ther should any question or controuersie arise the knowledge thereof should be in the high Priest his power But these men offend in this in that they doe challenge to themselues the chiefest authoritie and doe refuse to submit themselues vnto God God gaue vnto the high Priest the iudgement but he would haue him to giue sentence only according to his lawe Therefore what authoritie soeuer the pastors haue it is subiect to the word of God that being all brought vnder from the highest to the lowest God alone may be aboue them all If pastours who execute their office well and sincerely do challenge to themselues authoritie this shal be an holy and lawfull boasting but whereas the bare authoritie of men is extolled without the woorde of God it is vaine and friuolous bragging But it falleth out oftentimes that the wicked doe rule in the Church So that we must beware that we do attribute nothing vnto men so soone as they depart from the woorde of God VVee see that almost all the Prophetes were vexed with this griefe For these gorgeous titles Princes Prieste and Churche were oftentimes obiected to ouerwhelme their doctrine The Papists being furnished at this day with the same weapons doe no otherwise rage then did the aduersaries of Christ and the Prophetes This is horrible blindenesse that mortall man is not afraid to set himself against God But SataÌ„ driueth them vnto such madnesse who set more by ambition then by the truth of God In the meane season it is our part to giue such reuerence vnto the worde of God as may driue away all the brightnesse of the whole worlde and may desperse the vaine smoakes therof For weâ— stood in bad case if our saluation did depende vppon the will of rulers and that faith were too vnstable which shoulde stand or fall at theyr becke 4â— This companie The first part is a point of pride in that trusting to the title of the Priesthood they would bring al men in subiection vnder them tyrannously The other is that they despice other men as beeing nothing worth like as they are alwayes reprochfull against other men whosoeuer haue better liking of themselues then they ought and the contempt of our brethren doth follow the immoderate loue of our selues They pronounce all the whole common people to be accursed For which cause they colour this with the ignorance of the lawe but there was another thing which lay hid vnder this namely that they thought that there was no holinesse saue only in their order Like as at this day whiâ—lest that the Popish shauelings doe onely make bâ—ast of the title of the Church they despice the lay men as they cal them like profane men But to the end God may throw downe this mad loftines hee preferreth the base and despiced before the most loftie and excellent And me must note that they doe not make their boast of such knoweledge of the lawe as did instruct men vnto godlinesse and the feare of God but of such as they had when as with a lofâ—tie countenance they answered as if they alone were fit interpreters of the law And truly this is true that they are accursed whosoeuer are noâ— taught in the law of god the knowlâ—dge whereof doth sanctifie vs in deed yet this knowledge is not restrained vnto a few that being puffed vp with wicked confidence they may exempt themselues out of the number of other men but it doth appertaine generally vnto all the children of God that they may be gathered together vnto the same obedience of faith â—0 Nicodemus said vnto them The Euangelist describeth Nicodemus vnto vs as an indifferent man who neither dare take vpon him earnestly to defend godly doctrin neither yet can suffer the truth to be oppressed VVhen he saith that it was he that came by night this serueth partly to his commendation and partly to his discommendation Vnlesse he had loued the doctrine of Christ he durst neuer haue set himselfe against the fâ—tie of the wicked For he knew that if any did but once whisper hee should by and by be hated and be in daunger Therefore in that he dare say something though faintly there shineth some small sparkle of godlines out of his hart but seeing that he doth not more freely defend Christ â—â—e doth therein bewray his too great fearfulnesse Therefore the Euangelist giueth vs to vnderstand that hee did yet smell of the lurking dennes of the night and that he is not the true disciple of Christ. Hee saith that he came once by night vnto Christ that he stood openly amongest his enemies and did keepe a place in their tentes VVee must note this so much the more diligently because that many whilest that they doe pretende that they are like vnto Nicodemus hauing on this visure they doe thinke that they can mocke God freely Admit wee doe graunt that which they require that they differ nothing from Niâ—odemus yet I pray you what doth such an example helpe theÌ„ Nicodemus saith that Christ was not to be condemned vntill he were heard truly there might so much be said by a thiefe by a royster For that is well knowen and famous that it is better than the giltie be acquitted then that the innocent be condemned Secondly howsoeuer hee desireth to lighten the person of Christ he leaueth and forsaketh the doctrine it selfe what shall wee finde here that is meete for a godly and faithfull maÌ„ Therefore y â— seed of y â— gospel which brought foorth fruit afterward did as yet lie hid being choked in him VVe shal far more profitablie apply this example vnto another end that the Lord doth ofteÌ„times bring to passe that the doctrine which seemed to haue perished doth by little and little take roote secretely and doth at length after long time shooâ— foorth soâ—e bud at the first like vnto one that is vntimely but afterwarde liuing and hauing sappe like as Nicodemus his faith had news and
sodaine force after and from the death of Christ. 52 Art thou also of Galiles They say y t those are of Galilee whosoeuer are on Christ his side and that reprochfully as if he could haue none in his sect but out of the base corner of Galilee And in that they are so earnestly set against Nicodâ—mus it appeareth thereby howe furiously they hated Christ. For he did not as it were openly defend Christ but did only say that he was not to be condemned before they had hearde him So falleth it out at this day amongest the Papists no man can shew the least token of equitie that the Gospell may not be oppressed but the enemies beeing moued with furies doe crie out that he is an heretike 53 And euerie man went Now followeth the wonderfull end of this action If any man consider what manner of kingdome the kingdome of the Priestes was then how great their furie was what prouision they had made and on the other side thinke with himselfe that Christ was naked and without weapon and that he was furnished with no garrison of men he was an hundreth times vndone In that so valiant a conspiracie doth passe away willingly and they all doe one breake another with their owne force like waues of the Sea who will not conâ—es that they were driuen away with the hand of God And God continueth alwayes like to himselfe Therfore he shall and will make voyd the endeuours of the enemies so often as he will so that although they haue all thinges readie at hand and are readie and furnished to accomplishe their purpose yet doe they depart leauing their matters vndispatched VVee haue oftentimes tryed that whatsoeuer the aduersaries did inuent to suppresse the Gospell withal it was all invaine through the wonderfull grace of God Chap. 8. 1 ANd Iesus went into the mount Oliuete 2 And in the morning he came againe into the Temple and all the people came vnto him and sitting downe he taught them 3 And the Scribes and the Pharisees bring vnto him a woman taken in adulterie setting her in the midst 4 They say vnto him Master this woman was taken in the very act when as shee did commit the adultrie 5 And Moses commaunded vs in the law that such should be stoned therefore what sayest thou 6 〈…〉 they said thus â—empting him that they might 〈◊〉 some matter to accuse him And Iesus casting downe his eyes did write with his finger vppon the grounde 7 And when as they continued asking him lifting vp his eyes he said vnto theÌ„ he that amongest you is free from sinne let him cast the first stone at her 8 And looking downe againe he wrote vpon the earth 9 And when they had heard and were accused of their consciences they went out onâ— after 〈◊〉 beginning at the alders eueâ— vnto the last so that Iesus was left alone and the woman that stood in the middle 10. And when Iesus lift vp his eyes and saw none but the woman hee saide woman where â—e these thine accusers hath no man condemned thee 11 Shee said none Lord Iesus answered â—er saying Neither will I condemne thee goâ— thy way and sinne no more 9 And the Scribes and the Pharisees bring It is well knowen that the Grecians did not know of this historie in times past therefore some do gesse that it was annexed by some other but because it was alwayes receiued of y e latine Churches and it is found in the auncientest Greeke bookes and it conteineth nothing that is vnmeete for the spirite of the Apostle there is no cause why we shold refuse to applie it vnto our vse VVhereas the Euangelist saith that the Scribes brought the woman his meaning is that they did that of set purpose that they myght lie in wayte for Christ. He expresseth the Pharisees by name because they were the chiâ—je in the order of the Scribes And their wickednes was too great in catching a cloake for their craftines which they themselues do bewray with their owne mouth For they doe not dissemble that they haue the manifest commandement of the law VVhereupon it followeth that they doe it maliciously because they aske as yet as if it were concerning a dâ—â—â—tfull matter But this was their purpose to enforce Christ to depart from the office of preaching grace that he might seeme to be diuers and unconstant Therefore they say plainely flatly that Moses condemneth adultersses to the ende they may holde Christ fast bound with a prâ—iudice of the law For doubtles it was vnlawful to acquit those whom the law did condemne If he did subscribe â—â—â—o the law he should seeme after a sort to be vnlike to himselfe â— And Iesus hauing cast his eyes downeward By this gesture hee shewed that he coÌ„teÌ„ned theÌ„ therfore in my iudgemeÌ„t they deale very vnskilfully who thinke that he wrote this or that Neither doe I allow that subtile saying of Augustine who thinketh that the difference of the lawe and the Gospell was noted by this meaneâ— because Christ did not write in tables of stone but in man who is dust and earth For Christ woulde rather declare the matter by doing nothing how vnworthie they were to be hearde Likeas if a man should draw lynes vpon a wall whilest another speaketh or turne away his backe or by some other signe declare that hee taketh no heede vnto those things which are spoken So seeing that Satan doth at this day endeuour by diuers meanes to lead vs away from the right course of teaching wee must lightly passe ouer manye thinges which he obiecteth vnto vs. The Papists do molest vs so muche as in them lieth with many fruolous cauils as it were with cloudes dispearsed in the ayre If godly teachers doe occupie theÌ„selues in dispearsing euery one of them they shal begin Penelopes webbe Therefore such trâ—stes which doe nothing els but hinde the course of the Gospel are wisely contemned 7 He that amongest you iâ— free Hee spake this according to the custom of the law For God hath appointed that the witnesses shoulde with their owne handes slea the wicked doers according to whom iudgemeÌ„t was giuen to the ende there might be greater religion in bearing witnes For many men doe runne headlong into periurie that they may ouerwhelme their brother because they do not think that they make a deadly wounde with their tongue And this selfe same reason was of force amongest these men though they were wicked slaunderers because being brought vnto the present matter they doe lay away those fierce spirites wherewith they came puffed vp Although the wordes of Christe doe differ from the prescript of the lawe in this because God did simply admonish them there that they shoulde condemne no man with their tongue saue only him whom they might slea with their handes in this place Christ requireth perfect innocencie of the witnesses that no man take vpon him to reuenge a fault in another man saue he that
out of the hand of God For howsoeuer I hold my peace that word which you haue despised is a fitte iudge And doth not receiue my wordes The latter member expoundeth the former for because hypocrisie is naturally engrafted in men they canne do nothing more readily then onely in word boaste that they are ready to receiue Christ. And we know how cōmon this boasting is euen amōgst the worst men VVherefore we must marke this definition that Christ is reiected when as we doe not imbrace the pure doctrine of the Gospell The Papistes doe with full and open mouth blunder out the name of Christ but so soone as his sincere trueth is brought abroad there is nothing which is more detested amongst them such men kysse Christe as did Iudas Therfore let vs learne to include him in his word and to giue him the worship of obedience which he requireth only The word which I speake The authority of the Gospell coulde not haue had greater commendation giuen it then when as the power of iudgement is attributed vnto it For according to these words the last iudgment shal be nothing else but an approbation of the doctrine of the Gospell Christe him selfe shal goe vppe into his iudgement seate but hee affirmeth that hee wil giue sentence according to the word whiche is now preached This denuntiation ought to make the wicked sore afrayd when as they shall not be able to escape the iudgment of that doctrine which they do now so proudly floute Notwithstanding Christ his meaning is that they are now depriued of feeling when as he maketh mention of the last iudgement For he telleth them that that punishment shal then manifestly appeare which they doe now mocke Againe the godly may gather hence an inestimable comforte that howsoeuer they are condemned of the world yet do they not doubt but that they are acquited in heauen beecause wheresoeuer the faith of the Gospell hath a place the iudgemente seate of God is erected there to saue There is no cause why wee should passe for the Papists with their peruerse iudgements so long as we trust to this right because our faith doth surpasse the Angels 49. Because I speake not of myselfe Least the outwarde shape of manne should any whitte impaire the maiesty of God Christ dooth euer nowe and then call vs vnto the Father For this cause dooth hee so often make mention of the Father And truely seeing that it is wickednes to translate any iot of Gods glory vnto any other it must needes be that that word came from GOD whereunto the iudgement is ascribed In this place Christ distinguisheth himselfe from the Father not simplye according to his diuine persō but rather according to the flesh least his doctrin being esteemed after the maner of men shuld be of lesse weight importāce But and if the consciences were subiect to the doctrine and lawes of mē this reason shuld not agree which Christ bringeth My word saith he shal iudge because it came not frō mā according to that saying of Ia. 4. 11. There is one lawgiuer c. Moreouer we gather hence what monstrous sacriledge this is that the Pope durste tye mennes soules vnto his inuentions for by thys meanes hee taketh more to hymselfe then the Sonne of God whoe sayeth that he speaketh onelye according to his Fathers appointmente 50. His commaundement is eternal lyfe Hee commendeth againe the fruite of his doctrine to the ende al menne may the more willingly submitte themselues thereunto And nowe it is meete that the wicked doe feele Gods vengeaunce whom they now refuse and wil not haue to be vnto them the authour of life Chap. 13. 1. BEfore the holye daye of Easter when Iesus knewe that his houre was come that he should go out of this worlde vnto the father seeing that he loued his which were in the world vntil the end loued he them 2. VVhen supper was ended when as the deuil had now put into the hart of Iudas the son of Simon Iscariot to betray him 3. VVhen Iesus knew that the father had giuen al things into his hands and that he came out from God and should go vnto God 4. He rose from supper and layd down his cloathes and hauing taken a linnen towell he girded himself 5. Then put he water into a bason and began to wash the disciples feete and to wype them with the towel wherwith he was girded 6. Therefore he came to Simon Peter who saith vnto him Lord doest thou wash my feete 7. Iesus answered and said vnto him what I doe thou knowest not yet but thou shalte know hereafter 1. Before the holy day Iohn passeth ouer many thinges of sette purpose which he knew Matthew and Luke had recited and hee himselfe taketh in hande to handle that whiche hee knew they had omitted of which number the hystory of the washing of the feete is And although he will more plainely declare afterward to what end Christ washed his disciples feete yet doth he in one word in this place sette down that the constant and perpetuall loue wherewith hee once loued them was declared by that token so that although hee were taken out of their sight yet might they certeinelye perswade themselues that this loue was not quenched by death VVhich perswasion muste sticke faste euen in our heartes at this daye The woordes are that Christ loued those euen vntil the end which were in the world VVhy doth he describe the Apostls by this Periphrasis saue onely that we may know that Christe cared so muche the more for them because they were in a daungerous and harde warfare as wee are VVherefore although we seeme to be farre off from Christ yet we must knowe that he hath respect vnto vs because he loueth his who are conuersant in the world Neither nede we to doubt but that he beareth the lyke affection euen now which he had at that instant when he loued them That hee might goe out of this worlde vnto the father This phrase is woorthy the nothing for it is referred vnto Christ his knowledge in that he knew that his death was a passage vnto the heauenly kingdome of God And if so bee it when as he made haste thither he ceased not to loue hys as he was woont there is no cause why we shoulde thinke that his affection is now altered Now for asmuch as he is the first begotten of the dead this definition of death doth appertaine vnto the whole body of the church that it is a passage vnto God from whome the faithfull are now estranged 2. VVhen supper was done VVee shall anon handle more at large in hys place the whole purpose of Christ in washing his disciples feete and also the fruite of this hystory let vs now follow the text He saieth that this was done at such time as Iudas was determined to betraye Christe not onely that he might shew forth the wonderfull patience of Christ who could abide to wash such a
Papistrie tendeth to this ende that men may inuent to theÌ„selues innumerable meanes to purchase saluation VVhence we gather that it ouerfloweth with abominable sacrileges The abhomination of the Masse is principally condemned by this voyce of Christ. It was meere that the sacrifices of the law should cease when as the saluation of men was finished by the onely sacrifice of the death of Christ therefore what authoritie will the Papistes say they had to erect a new sacrifice whiche might reconcile God vnto men They obiect that it is no new sacrifice but that selfe same which Christ offered But we may easily refute them that they haue no commandement to offer and secondly that when Christ had ended one oblation he pronounceth from off the crosse that the whole is finished Therefore they are more then forgers and falsifiers which corrupt and violate traiterously the Testament sealed with the holy blood of the sonne God Hee gaue vp the ghost All the Euangelistes doe diligently expresse the death of Christ and that not without cause For we haue hope of life hence hence haue we also safe boasting against death in that the sonne of God suffered the same in our steed and by striuing with the same did get the victorie And we must note the phrase which Iohn vseth wherby we are taught that all the godly which die with Christ do commit their soules to God to keepe who is faithfull and will not suffer that to perish which he hath taken to keepe There is this difference betweene the death of the children of God and the reprobate that the wicked do rashly breath out their soules but the children of God doe committe them to Gods tuition as some precious thing which he will keep faithfully vntill the day of the resurrection This woorde Ghoste is taken in this place for the immortall soule as it appeareth sufficiently 31 The Iewes then because it was the preparation that the bodyes shoulde not remaine vpon the crosse on the Sabboth day and it was a great day of that Sabboth besought Pilate that their legges might be broken and that they might be taken downe 32 Therefore the souldiers came and they brake the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him 33 And when they came vnto Iesus after that they saw that he was alredie dead they brake not his legs 34 But one of the souldiers opened his side with a speare and straightway there came out blood and water 35 And he that saw it bare witnesse and his witnesse is true and he knoweth that he speaketh the truth that ye may beleeue 36 And these thinges were 〈◊〉 that the scripture might be fulfilled yee shall not breake a bone of him 37 And againe another scripture saith they shall see him whome they haue thruste through 31 Because it was the preparation This narration is also of force to edifie faith First because it sheweth that that was fulfilled in Christee person which was foretolde in the scriptures and secondly because it conteineth a misterie of great importance The Euangelist saith that the Iewes requested to haue the bodies taken downe from the crosse That was commaunded in the lawe of God but the Iewes as hypocrites are wont to doe taking heede only to small thinges passe ouer most great and horrible sinnes without any stop or stay For to the ende they may keepe their Sabboth religiously they are carefull for the externall pollution onely in the meane while they doe not consider what an haynous offence it was to put an innocent to death So we saw a little before that they entred not into the common hall least they should pollute theÌ„selues wheras their vngodlines did pollute the whole countrie Neuerthelesse the Lord bringeth that to passe by them which was very profitable for our saluation that the body of Christe remaineth marueilously vntouched and that blood and water doe spring out of his side It was a great day of that Sabboth The more common reading is That day was a great day yet this whiche I haue put in is vsed in many olde and allowed copies Let the Readers choose which they will If you reade it ekeincu in the Genetiue case you must take the Sabboth for the week it self as if the Euangelist had said that the holy day of that week was most famous in respect of the passeouer And the Euangelist speaketh of the next day which began at the Sunne setting wherfore it was a greater matter of conscience to let the bodies hang. But if we had rather reade it in the nominatiue case that was a great day the sense shall come all to one ende as touching the summe of the matter the variety shal be onely in the wordes to wit that the Easter made that Sabboth more holy 33 And when they were come vnto Iesus In that hauing broken the legs of the two theeues they finde Iesus dead and therefore they touched not his body there appeareth an extraordinarie worke of Gods prouidence therein Some profane meÌ„ will say that it commeth to passe naturally y t one man dyeth sooner then another but he that shal weigh the whole course of the historie he shal be enforced to ascribe it vnto the hidden counsell of God that death which came sooner then all men wold haue thought did exempt Christe from hauing his legs broke 34 But one of the souldiers with a speâ—â—e In that his side was thruste through with a speare it was done to proue his death but God respected a farre higher thing as we shall see by and by That is but a childish surmise and inuention of the Papistes who make this souldier that had the speare Longes feigning that it was the proper name of a man and to the end they mighte make vp the lye they say that the souldier was blinde before and that so soone as he had receiued his sight he beleeued therefore they did canonize him amongest the saints Seeing that their prayers doe leane vnto such patrones so often as they call vppon God I pray you what can they euer obteine But whosoeuer they be which despice Christe and seeke succour at the handes of Saintes they are worthie to bee carryed away by the Diuel vnto night spirites and hobgoblins There came out blood and water Some men were deceiued in feigning a myracle heere For it is a naturall thing for when blood is congealed it is made like vnto water hauing lost his readnesse It is also a thing well knowen that there is water within a thinne skin which is nigh to the midriste And they were deceiued because the Euangelist vrgeth this so diligently that there came out water blood as if hee did shewe some strange thing and something which is contrary to the order of nature But he intended another thing to wit that he might applie his narration to the testimonyes of scripture which he addeth by and by chiefly that the faithfull might thence gather that which