the more certainely and gladly imbrace the Saluation offered vnto them of the which all the Prophetes had testified from the beginning For our faith which is the sound and firme Foundation is truely referred vnto Chryst seeing he is manifested by the Testimonies of all the Prophets And although there are not many euydente places in the Prophetes concernynge Chryst yet notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the meaning of all the Prophetes was to leade vnto chryst as to the ende as did Moses also For what was the end of the Ceremonies And the Prophetes were interpreters of the Law wherefore if the law leade vnto Chryst it followeth also that the Prophets leade vnto Chryst Howbeit if any man doe more narrowly waighe and consider the Prophets he shal find that there is not one which leadeth vnto Chryst For they cannot haue theyr truth but in Chryst For their commoÌ„ vse was to conclude their speaches by the Couenaunt of the Lorde Thereunto alwaies they reduced the People that they might stand fast in the same Hee which knoweth not this shal neuer vnderstand the Prophetes as did not the Ievves who standing very curiously vpon the enarration of wordes and not vnderstanding the dryft and purpose of the same erred By the mouth of the Holy Prophetes C. He calleth the Prophetes holy to the end their Woords might haue the more authority and reuerence as if he should say that they were no lighte or common but plausible VVitnesses hauing commaundement from God to testify of Chryste Let vs know therefore that they spake not of them selues or see theyr owne decrees before the world but that God spake vnto vs by them Heb. 1.1 2. Pe. 1. â— The which the Apostles testifie But how euery one of the Prophetes haue borne witnesses vnto Chryst it were to longe particulerly to shew Let this at this present serue that they spake plainelie ynoughe of that Redemption to come which was reuealed in Chryst 71. That vve should be saued from our Enemies and from the Hande of all that hate vs. E. The Greeke Texte hath Saluation from our Enemies c. That is to say That vve might be deliuered froÌ„ our Enemies Or. That he wil delyuer vs. E. This Verse and some of them following dependeth vppon the nexte Verse going before where it is sayd As hee spake VVhat hath hee spoken He hath spoken Saluation froÌ„ our Enemies that hee woulde shewe mercy and so forth C. Therefore although this Speach Saluation froÌ„ our Enemies be harde to bee vnderstande yet notwithstanding the sence is plaine that no practises power force and lyings in wayte shall let God for the perpetuall preseruing of vs when wee are deliuered out of theyr handes So that Zacharias doth more plainly explicate the power and Office of Chryst And to speake truth it should profite vs little or nothing to heare that Chryste is geuen vnto vs excepte also we knewe what he profiteth vs. Therfore for this cause he doth more fully teach wherefore the Horne of Saluation was lyfted Namely that the faythful mighte be saued from their Enemies And there is no doubte but that Zacharias knew well inough that the Churche of God had not the pryncipall war wyth flesh and Bloud but with Sathan and all his Traine by which the mortal Enemy seeketh heere Euerlasting Destruction For although also External Enemies doe assaulte the Church yet notwithstanding seeing the kingdome of Chryst is Spyrituall hee speaketh specially heere of Sathan the Prince of this World and of his Army Agayne it is noted how miserable the condition of men is without Chryst that is to say they lie prostrate vnder the Tyranny of the Deuill For otherwise Christ would not haue deliuered his chyldren out of his hand that is to say from his power Notwithstanding this Place teacheth that the Church so longe as it is a Pilgrime in this world is amoÌ„g her Enemies and is subiect vnto theyr Violence if so bee Chryst were not at hande to helpe But this is the inestymable grace of Chryst that our saluation is sure and safe although wee bee beâ—et round aboot with Enemies 72. That he would deale mercifully with our Fathers and remember his holy couenaunt That he would deale mercifully E. That is to say That he would perfourme that towardes our Fathers which of his mercy hee promised vnto them and that he might be myndefull of his holy Couenaunt Hereuppon we see that it came to passe by the onely mercy of God that hee sente a Redeemer this is the Foundation of the whole Redemptiyn A notable Order verely to be obserued For after he had described the Office of Chryst he sheweth agayne that Chryst is not geuen for our merite but onely of the free Mercy of God Tit. 3.5 Not of workes that be in righteousnes which wee haue wrought but according to his mercy he hath saued vs sayth the Apostle With our Fathers C. The Fathers might haue bene thought to haue ben worthy and to haue obtayned this thinge by theyr merites For the VVorld hath ben alwayes thus superstitious that it hath worshipped deade Sainctes insomuch that it hath made of them an Idol Moreouer he meaneth heere that not onely their Nephewes but also their Fathers were vnworthy of so notable a Benefite of God Furthermore wheras Zacharias exteÌ„deth the mercy shevved in his time vnto the Deade Fathers that they myghte all haue the feeling of the Fruite thereof it followeth hereof that the grace and power of Chryste is not contayned wythin the Straights of this Momentany life but is Eternall Neyther hath it an ende wyth the Death of the Flesh seing the Soule lyveth after Death and a Resurrection followeth the Deathe of the Flesh Therefore as neither Abraham nor any one of the Sayntes could attayne Saluation by his owne power and Merits euen so the coÌ„mon Saluation in Chryste was declared to all the Faythfull as well to the deade as to the Lyuing And remember hys holy couenaunte C. GOD is sayde to be mindefull of his Couenaunte because by that longe Delay hee might seeme to haue forgotten thinges vnder the which delay he suffered a People miserably afflicted to languish Therefore there are here three things in order to be obserued which are contained in this verse Fyrst of all that God was led by his mere mercy to make a Couenaunte with the Fathers Secondly that makyng a Couenaunte hee tyed the Saluation of men vnto his word Thyrdly that hee offeted all manner of Grace and goodnesse in Christe that so he might establish all hys promises For the assuraunce of theyr Faith consisteth only in Chryst In the Couenaunt remissioÌ„ of sinnes is promised but the same consisteth in the Bloud of Chryst Righteousnesse is promised but the same is offered in the Satisfaction of Chryste Life is promised but the same is to be soughte no where else sauing in the Death of Chryst Exod. 24.7 Heb. 9.19 And this is the cause why God in
of the Parable that theyr Counsailes are voyde and frustrate and theyr deuises Foolish which trusting to the abundaunce of theyr Riches haue not theyr onelye confidence in God and are not contented with their measure and not ready to suffer both prosperitie and Aduersitie who shal at the last haue that punishment which is due to theyr Vanitie R. To this effecte Salomon wryteth saying There is yet a Plague vnder the Sonne and it is a generall thynge amonge men When God geueth a Man Riches Goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothinge of all that his heart can desire and yet God geueth him not leaue to enioy the same but another man spendeth them A Let vs harken therefore to that excellent Counsayle of Dauid saying If Riches increase Psal 62 11 set not thy Hearte vpon them For when a Riche man dyeth he shall carry none of his goods with him neyther shal his Pompe follow him 22 And he spake vnto his Disciples Therefore I say vnto you take no thought for your selfe what yee shall eate neither for the Bodye what ye shall put on R. Although this Sermon of Chryst pertayneth to all the Godly yet notwithstanding it was moste necessarie for the Apostles of the Lord. For seeing the time was come that they must be sente not onely into Galile and into Iury but also into the whole World to preach the Gospell of Chryst firste of all they were called away froÌ„ their handy occupations with the which hitherto they had got theyr liuing Secondly as yet publique parishes and Stipendes were not appointed to the ministers of the Gospell As yet Couetousnes flowed in men insomuch that no man coulde hope for any Liberallity at theyr hands Finally Chryst was so poore in this Worlde because hee would be so to make vs Rich that he could not geue vnto his Apostles sufficient prouision It is no marueyle therefore if they were so carefull for Foode and Apparell insomuch that they thought rather to follow theyr occupation againe then the calling of the preaching of the Gospell Chryst with this Sermon comforteth theyr carefull cogitation and exhorteth them to set aside this carefulnes to the whych Exhortation hee addeth very stronge Arguments by which he sheweth that it is not onely superfluous but also great vnbeliefe to be carefull for fode and Apparell as to forsake Godds calling and to follow the desires of the Flesh For this and the reste whych followeth vnto the 29. Verse Reade the sixte Chapter of Math. verse 25. 29. And aske not what ye shall eate or what yee shall drinke neither be ye of doubtfull mynde Neither bee ye of doubtful mynde Thys Verse agreeth with the laste sentence of the sixte Chapter of Math. in the which chapter we haue at large the Exposition of this Verse and the rest also which followeth vnto the 32. Verse 32. Feare not little Flocke for it is your Fathers Wyll to geue you a Kingdome Fear not C. By this senteÌ„ce Christ confirmeth the Faith and trust whereunto he exhorted his disciples R. And he vseth an Argument of the more to lesse thus Will not hee which intendeth to geue you a heauenly kingdom geue those thinges also which are necessary for this Corporall Life Seeing he promiseth a Heauenly Kyngedome we must thinke also that all things necessary to Saluation are promised C. For how should God deny corruptible foode vnto his Seruants whom he hath adopted to bee heyres of hys Kingdome R. When I sent you forth sayth he without Wallet Luk. 22.35 Scryp or Shoes did you want any thing And they sayd vnto him Wee wanted nothing Little Flocke He calleth theÌ„ a litle Flocke because they were but twelue Apostles and seuenty Dysciples and a few others which followed Iesus out of all Galile and Iury. It ought also to be referred vnto those which beleued in Chryste by the preaching of the Apostles of which the number was alwayes the lesser Many are called but few are chosen saith the Lord. Ma. 20.16 He calleth them a Flock therefore he is the Sheepeheard which fedeth I am the good Sheepeherd saith he a good Sheepehear gieueth hys Life for his Sheepe A. And Peter calleth the Church the flock of Christ when hee sayth Feede so much as in you lyeth the flocke of Chryst â—â—h 10.11 â— Pet. 5.2 R. If wee did way this dilligentely in our hearts and were certainly perswaded that he is our Shepeheard it would take from vs all feare not onely of hungar but also of all other perils For it is your Fathers pleasure Herby he sheweth that we haue Eternall Life onely by the free mercy of God For euery word hath his seueral Emphasis or force If it please God what can hurt vs although not onely al meÌ„ but also all Deuils mislike of the same Who can alter the pleasure and will of God Or who can withstande the same Againe If God bee a Father why do ye doubt of his wil He which is a Father can not by nature stay his affection but hee must needes do good vnto his Children specially wheÌ„ they are in perill Peraduenture amonge men there are some vnnatural fathers which loue not their Children But God as he is by nature inchangeable euen so those whom hee doth acknowledge for his sons he doth so preserue kepe that they cannot perish in any aduersity Wherupon he speketh thus by the Prophet Will a womaÌ„ forget her owne infant Esa 49.15 and not pittye the Son of her Wombe And thoughe they do forget yet will I not forget thee And again The mouÌ„tains shall remoue the hils shall fall downe but my louing kindnesse shall not moue Esay 54.10 and the bond of my peace shal not fall downe from thee And hee is not only the father of the Patriarks of the Prophets and of Dauid and of Ezechias and others but also hee is your father though ye be poore men of lesse fame yea loke how much more poore ye are so much the more hee is your father if so be ye cleaue vnto hys sonne by faith To geue vnto you Not by the merits of your Woorkes could ye obtaine this heauenly benefit but it is geuen vnto you by the free mercy of your Father Yea euen to you I say though poore thoughe vnwise vnrighteous and sinners Yee are poore but God maketh you riche ye are Fooles but God choaseth the foolish thinges of this World to confound the wise ye are sinners but it is God which doth iustefy Who seing he spareth not his owne son but geueth him for you al how can it be that with him also he should not geue you al things A kingdom Not an erthly RoÌ„ 8.32 or transitory but a heauenly and euerlasting kingdome What thinge then shall ye want The Kinges of this World want neither Foode nor Apparell what should theÌ„ be wanting vnto you being chosen to bee heauenly Kinges C. To be short seeing Chryst testefieth plainly
and sauiour for that which cause it shal be good to keepe company with sinners A. Concerning the two verses following reade the 18. Chap. of Math. vers 12. 7. I say vnto you that lykewise Ioye shal be in Heauen ouer one sinner that repēteth more then ouer 90. and nine iust persons which neede no repentance Iust persons whych neede no repentance B. The Lorde speaketh here of deuine and spirituall matters commonly as of humaine things to frame his speach accordinge to the capascity of the common sorte In this place he calleth them Iust which Imbrace the truth of the Gospell and forgettinge worldly matters doe alwayes goe forwarde towardes the marke which is set before them who notwtstandinge haue alway neede to pray Math. 6.12 Forgeue vs our debtes Ouer such Ryghteouse men which are already of the Lords flocke there is no such speciall Ioy as there is ouer one sinner who being far from the kingdome of God a lost sheepe cōmeth home agayne knoweth God is Ioyntd to the rest of the Lords flocke A. The other similitude of the lost great tendeth to the same effect that this doth therfore nedeth no farther explication 10. Lykewise I saye vnto you shall there be Ioy in the presence of the Angells of God ouer one Synner that repenteth C. If the Angells reioyce among them selues in heauen when they see that restored to their company which went astray it becōmeth vs also to Ioy with them Question But how doth hee say that the Angells doe more reioyce at the repentances of one wicked man than at the perseuerance of many Iust men who delight in nothinge continually than in righteousnesse Ansvver I answere that all the Angells do rather desire the men should alway stand in puernesse and integrity yet notwithstanding bycause the mercy of God doth more shine in the deliuerance of sinners which are cut of from the body as rotten braunches he attributeth the more Ioy vnto Angells after the maner of men who Ioy more for that which cōmeth vnloked for then for that which they haue already in their possession Furthermore the name of Repentance is specially restrayned to their conuersion who beinge tourned quyte away from God doe ryse as it were from death to life For otherwise there oughte to bee a continuall meditacion of Repentance throughout our where lyfe neyther is any man exempted from the necessity hereof seeing euery one feeleth his owne vices working dayly in him But there is difference betwene stumblings or falles or swaruinges from the marke when thou arte already entered into the right race and betwene the cōming from error into the right way They haue no neede of such repentance which haue begun already to frame their liues according to Gods law to lyue a holy and Godly lyfe howbeit they must needes sigh vnder the infirmities of their flesh must endeuour themselues to correct them 11. And hee sayde A certayne man had two Sonnes C. This Parable is nothing els but a confirmation of the doctrine going before And by the firste parte thereof is shewed how ready the Lord is to pardon our sinnes in the other part is shewed how wickedly they behaue them selues which speake euell of his mercy And vnder the parson of a certayne prodigall younge man who was brought to extreme beggery by riotous dissolute life retourned with submission toward his father against whom he had bene stubborne disobedient Christ describeth all sinners who being weried with their former folly come vnto the grace of God And he compareth God vnto an earthly father which doth not only pardon his sonnes offences but also preuēteth him with mercy before he aske forgeuenesse 12. And the yoūger of them sayd vnto his father geue mee the portion of goods that to me belōgeth And he deuided vnto thē his substance C. Wee may not as wee sayd before stand vpon euery word in parables as though there were a mistery in them yet notwithstanding it is not set downe without cause in this parable the one of the sonnes would needes parte his Inheritance which hee afterwarde spent Fyrst of all a signe of wicked arrogancy is described here in the yoūge man in that he desiring to departe from his father thought him selfe not well except hee might liue lasciuiously at his owne liberty without the yoake of obedience toward his father We haue also to consider here his ingratitude in that hee forsakinge his Father an olde man did not only depriue him of the duty which belonged vnto him but doth also deminishe his Domesticall Substance Last of all followeth his prodigallity dissolute wickednes by which hee consumeth all that he hath By thus many sinnes he deserued the displeasure of his father So that vnder this Image we haue most liuely depaynted vnto vs the vnspeakable goodnesse and mercy of God to the ende that the haynousnesse of no offence might draw vs away from the hope of obtayning pardon The comparison shall not be amisse if so be a man say that they are like to the foolish and prodigall younge man who hauinge great plenty of all good things with God yet notwithstanding being stirred vp with a blynde mad desire will deuide the Inheritance with him that they may be free to doe what they list themselues as though it were not more to be wished to liue vnder the fatherly care and gouernment of God than vnder any other kingdome Surely we shall be rych ynough if so be our substance be Ioyned with the ryches of God the Father But if so be we will needes deuide it must needes come to passe that all thinges goe miserabelly to waste For this was the cause of destruction in the beginninge vnto men and first of all to our Parent Adam For hee was created after the Image of GOD. If so bee hee had taryed in his Fathers house and would haue had no deuision hee had bene ryche Inough and mighte haue lyued well in great Felicity but when hee woulde haue somewhat seuerall for him selfe it happened vnto him as it happened vnto this miserable man which wasted all his Substance For what did the free will and excellency which hee had conceyued profite hym that hee should be lyke vnto God Euenso at this day if wee arrogate nothinge vnto our selues but are contented with the grace of God we shall wante nothing appertayning to saluation But wee deceiue our selues in this that wee woulde haue somewhat proper to our selues whereby it cōmeth to passe that wee must needes perishe Notwithstandinge if wee be of the number of Gods Electe GOD will not suffer vs so to perishe but we cannot stande of our selues For except the wonderfull mercy of God did holde vs vp wee must needes be vtterly ouerthrowen 13. And not longe after when the yoūger sonne had gathered all that hee had together he toke his Iourney into a farre Country there wasted his goods with ryotouse liuinge C. Here Christe sheweth
the fielde and when hee came drue nyghe to the House hee hearde mynstrelsie and daunsing C. This is the last parte of the Parable which accuseth them of inhumanity which woulde wickedly restraine the Grace of GOD as though they did enuy that Myserable men shoulde bee saued For wee know that the proude disdayne of the Pharisies is here reprooued who thoughte that they had not the due rewarde for their Merytes if so bee CHRISTE should admit Publycans and the Common multytude to the euerlasting Inheritance Therefore the Summe is this If so bee wee desier to bee counted the sonnes of God we must brotherly forgeue our brethren their faultes euen as hee fatherly forgeueth both them vs. S. Notwithstanding some haue interpreted this place that the Iewes were figured in the person of the Elder brother The which figure doth not sounde amisse bycause the Iewes are as it were the first begotten in the Church and we know how proudly they disdayned the calling of the Gentiles C. But they which do thus expound it doe not suffiently waigh the order of the texte For the talke began by the murmuring of the Scribes who were offended that Christe should shew so much humanity towardes miserable and contemned men Therefore he cōpareth the Scribes which were so puffed vp with arrogācy to modest men who haue honestly and thriftely in their life ordered their affayres and to obedient sonnes who haue all their life time paciently submitted themselues to their fathers gouernment And although they were altogether vnworthy of this prayse yet notwithstanding Christe speaking according to their sence imputeth vnto their fayned holinesse for a vertue by cōcession as if he had sayd Although I graunt vnto you that which yee falsly boaste that yee haue bene alway obedient sonnes vnto God yet notwithstanding yee ought not so proudly and arrogantly to reiect your Bretheren when they repent them of their wicked and daungerous lyfe S. Therefore Hypocrites cannot abide that so large mercy should bee offered vnto the people of God And Christe attributed this parson to the first begotten that the goodnesse of GOD might be the better expressed For if so be the first begotten had sinned by and by a man might haue thought that GOD doth not pardon others as he doth the first begotten Therefore in this the goodnesse of God is more greatly expressed Often times wee see that the Elder are forsaken and the Younger are chosen Thus the Purpose of Christe was to reiect the Iudgement of the flesh Howbeit this most commonly commeth to passe that as the Eldest Bretheren haue the preheminence so Hypocrites haue moste Authority in the Church As touching externall dueties they are obedient to their Parents as was Esau neuerthelesse they cannot abide that the mercy of God should be extended towarde sinners for they cast God in the teeth with their duties We are with thee we serue thee yet notwithstanding thou gieuest no more vnto vs that thou doest vnto Synners They would if they myght call God to an accounte If any man demaūde why he cōpareth Hypocrites to the first begotten which shall not be heyres we answere that although Hypocrits are the sonnes of the bondwoman Agar yet notwithstāding they haue such place for a time that they seeme to be heyres euen as Ismaell boasted of his Eldership and scorned his Brother 28. And hee was angery and woulde not go in therefore came his father out and intreated him C. In these wordes he reprocheth Hypocrites with intollerable Pryde for that the Father must be fayne to intreat them not to enuy the mercy extended vnto their Bretheren And although GOD doth not intreate yet notwithstanding by his example hee exhorteth to beare with the offences of our Bretheren And to cut of all excuse from wicked rigor he doth not only bring in the proper speach of Hypocrits whose false boasting may be refuted but also if a man haue throughly discharged all the dueties of piety towards his Parents yet notwithstanding hee denyeth him to haue Iust cause to complayne bycause his brother is pardoned It is certayne that the sincere worshippers of GOD are alwayes free and pure from this wicked affection 29. Hee answered and sayd to his father Loe these many yeares haue I done thee seruice neyther brake I at any time thy cōmaūdements and yet thou neuer gauest mee a Kyd to make mery withall with my friendes R. Hypocrits accuse GOD of vnrighteousnesse account them selues Iust For they performing the externall honesty of the Law thinke that they haue fulfilled the whole Law and that they haue deserued felicity not only in this Worlde but also in the Kingdome of Heauen Wee haue say they neuer transgressed thy Commaundement And another sayth I thanke God that I am not as other men are Extorcioners Vniuste Adoulterers or as this Publican Lu. 18.12 I faste twise in the weeke I geue Tythe of all that I possesse Also Ma. 19.20 another sayth All these haue I kept from my youth vp Wherefore when they heare out of the Gospell the God doth not respect mans Merites but doth freely remit sinnes receiue sinners they Iudge God to bee most vniust which reiecteth those that haue well deserued and receiueth the worst Wee haue fasted say they and thou haste not seene it Esay 58.3 Wee haue humbled our soules and thou haste not regarded it What are our good workes nothing then we haue fasted in vaine we haue powred out longe prayers in vaine we haue lyen vpon the grounde and haue done all good woorkes to no purpose if God doe not acknowledge mans Meryts What righteousnesse is this to condemne vs that haue fulfilled the whole Law and to saue others that haue broken the Law This and such lyke is the madnesse and vayne boasting of Hypocrites 31. And hee sayde vnto him Sonne thou arte euer with mee and all that I haue is thine C. There are two principall things to be noted in this answere The first is that the first begotten hath no cause to be angery when he seeth his Brother to bee louingely receiued without his hurt and the other is that he hauing no care for his Brothers saluation is sad for the Ioy of his returne 32. It was meete that wee should make merry be glad for this thy brother was deade is aliue againe and was lost and is founde C. As if he should say Why arte thou offended at our myrth of the which thou oughtest to bee Partaker For it is meete that we should reioyce ouer thy Brother whom we thought was lost but is now retourned home in peace These two reasons are to bee noted of vs bycause wee loose nothinge if GOD mercifully receiue into his fauoure those which were strayed away from him in their sinnes and it is wicked hardnesse of heart not to reioyse when we see our bretheren to be restored from death to life S. For such is the condition of all men which forsake God
Gospell of the kingdome of God After that Iohn vvas taken BV. Now the Lord himselfe commeth forth to whom Iohn had opened and prepared the way that preachinge the Kingdome of God hee might nowe begin to raygne in the elect But before all thinges the tyme and the place is here noted The time as After that Iohn was taken Luke 4. The place that is to say Galile This is to be noted that the Lorde gaue place to the fury and extreme rage of Herode departing out of the way for a time and that he was led of the spirit as Luke expresseth By the which we are taught that if we do truely coÌ„mit our selues vnto the Lord his spirit shall safely direct vs in all things whether we flee or abyde incounter with our enemies For so the spirit led Christ our Lord and so also it led the Apostles from the fury rage of their persecuters that they myghte preache farther and sometimes made theÌ„ stand to it stoutly voyde of al feare in somuch that they were conquerers of their enemies either by lyfe or death That flight by the which the glory of Christ is deminished is vnworthy of a Christian and neuer vsed of the saynts but when thou doest so flee that thou mayest the more conueniently set forth the glory of God seeking nothing that pertayneth to thy selfe but only seekest to discharge thy office keeping thy selfe vntill thy hower be come thou dost nothing but that Christe did here at thys time at other times also Accordinge to whose example the Apostle Paule fled out of DAMASCO Act. 9 Looke by what spirite these men fled by the same spirite also they afterwardes of their owne accord offred themselues to their Persecuters Iohn 18. Euen so Chryst willingly met with those that sought his death Paule coulde bee stayed by no meanes from his Iourney which hee tooke to Hierusalem Act. 20 21. although hee knewe that tribulation imprisonment was there prepared for him A Christian therefore ought so to flee that hee hinder not the glory of Christ to the setting forth whereof hee is consecrated Wherefore we must prayâ—â—â— to the father that he will vauchsafe to gieue vnto vs that good spirit which may guide vs in the righte way not suffer vs to be caried after our owne will For no certayne thing can be coÌ„maunded as concerning sight neither can it bee praysed in all pointes nor altogether discoÌ„mended Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome What the Gospel of the kingdome is reade the 4. Chapter of Mathew 15. And saying The tyme is come and the kingdome of God is at hande repent and belieue the Gospell The time is come BV. The Euangelist Marke is not content that hee hath declared the scope and suÌ„me of the preaching of the Lord but also addeth by by a certayne maner and forme of hys preachinge that by one Sermon wee might gather the order of the rest Notwithstanding he hath not rehearsed all things that he spake word for worde but onely the chiefe principal partes of the which fower are here declared Fyrst The time is come This thinge dependeth vpon the promises of the old testament For the lawe and the Prophets appoynted some certayne in the which the saluation of all the faythfull might be finished by the incarnation death of Christe the sonne of God For the prophet Daniell heard these words of the Angell Gabriell Three score ten Weekes are determined ouer thy People and ouer thy holy City that the wickednes may be consumed that the sinne may haue an ende that the offence may bee reconsiled to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse Daniel 9. to fulfill the visions and the Prophets and to anoynt the most holy one And in another place it is sayde Gene. 49. The Scepter shall not departe from Iuda and a lawe geuer froÌ„ betwene his feete vntil he come which must be sent This time sayth Chryst is fulfilled As if hee should say This day hath the father performed that which he promised to the fathers And herevpon followeth the seconde thinge which Marke noteth which maketh the firste more euident And the kindome of God is at hand BV. By Christ a way is made to the faithfull to come vnto the Father into the kingdome of God and moreouer God raygneth vpon the earth by the spirite by force and by his worde in the middest of the faithfull All those thinges therefore which the Prophets had foreshewed as concerninge saluation euerlasting lyfe righteousnesse of saintes and the kingdome of God in this world they are euen now at hande and are offered fulfilled by Christ Then also he doth gouerne vs when he doth make him selfe manifest vnto vs by his word when we forsake our own will which thing coÌ„meth to passe by the power of the holy Ghost WheÌ„ Christ came the state of the People of the Iewes was miserable and much impayred by horrible dissipation all men did that whych seemed good in their owne Eyes But they beinge gathered together by the word of the Gospell felt the kingdome of God if so bee that they were of the number of those which submitted theÌ„selues thereunto with obedience And now followeth the thirde parte of the sermon of Christ Repent That is to say let euery man enter into hys owne conscience let him acknowledge how corrupt daÌ„nable a sinner he is of him selfe let him also coÌ„fesse his sinnes and when he hath so done let him tourne froÌ„ theÌ„ and beholde the great mercy of God For the fourth parte followeth by the which the third is absolued And belieue the Gospell As if he shoulde say Although yee feele your selues to be sinners and to be condemned by the iust iudgement of God yet notwithstaÌ„dinge dispayre not in your sinnes belieue the Gospel which sayth that God to saue sinners sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that euery one which belieueth in him should not pearishe but haue life euerlasting Beleue therefore in the sonne of God the sauiour of the world By fayth taste of the gyftes of God Iohn 3. by faith Ioyne your selues vnto God A. If any man doe demaunde howe Marke here seperateth repentauÌ„ce from the doctrine of the Gospell when as notwithstanding it depeÌ„deth of the Gospell you may finde how to answere it in the fourth of Mathew 16. As he walked by the sea of Galile he sawe Simon and Andrew his brother casting nets into the sea for they were fishers A. As concerning the exposition of this verse in which is intreated of the calling of certayne of the Apostells reade the fourth Chapter of Mathewe 21 And they came into Capernaum and straite way on the Saboth dayes hee entered into the Synagoge and taught And they came into Capernaum BV. These things also doe pertayne to the place of doctrine and do shewe how greatly men ought to endeuoure them selues to preache the Gospell because the Lord him selfe preached
his hand lifted him vp being prostrate and layed on the Grounde Religion was a thousand wayes contaminated In publique Doctryne there was nothinge sincere the gouernment of the Church was quite out of order nothing appeared but mere barbarisme the pollitique gouernment was ouerthrowne the body of the people was rent torne by the Romaines by Herod as by brute Beasts Wherefore the more gloriouse was their deliuerance which they had no hope to enioy And that which the Lorde did then hee doâ—h also dayly For those are his whom he helpeth and deliuereth For that must be fulfilled in vs which happened vnto the people of the Iewes If we fall there is no cause why wee shoulde dispayre let vs looke when the Lord shal stretch forth his hande to helpe vs. This is a notable consolation And by this name Israell hee comprehendeth the vniuersall Church of all the faithfull Israell is here called the Seruaunte of the Lorde as in many other places also because hee was admitted and receiued into the Housholde of GOD. B. But they are the true Israelites which imbrace Christe the Sauiour For all which are of Israell are not Israelites before GOD but onely they which are partakers of the promise Rom. 9.7 Galat. 3.7 euen as Paule proueth in many words That hee might be mindefull of his mercy C. Mary sheweth the cause why a People proane to Destruction was receiued of God yea why GOD would lift them vp nowe that they are fallen namely that in sauing of them he might declare his mercy Notwithstandinge Shee sayth expresly the God remembred his mercy the which hee might seeme after a sort to haue forgotten in sufferinge his People so miserably to bee vexed afflicted For it is a vsuall thing to attribute Affections vnto God accordinge as men gather that hee is eyther angery or pleased with them Therefore God neuer forgetteth his mercye nor chaungeth his Affections But this is not alwayes knowne vnto vs but is oftentimes hid from vs. Therefore Mary sayth that it was Reuealed to Israell that God had remembred his mercy Thus it happeneth vnto vs oftentimes For we are often times so destitute and without all helpe that we cannot tell what to thinke els but the God hath forgotten vs his mercies When we feele that we are destitute of all helpe then let vs remember this that GOD hath holpen his seruaunte Israell And note here that hee calleth the promises of Saluation the mercies of God least any man should thinke that God is moued by any other thing then by his onely mercy to promise and to performe his promises then by the reuealed saluation in Christe 55. Euen as hee spake to our Fathers namely to Abraham and to hys Seede for euer Euen as hee spake to our Fathers C. Bycause mens myndes do not conceiue the Mercies of God no farther then he offereth and testefieth the same by his word here Mary reduceth her selfe and others to the Promises teachinge that God hath bene faithfull and constant in his promises In this sence God is oftentimes called Gentle and true bycause wee shall neuer be perswaded and assured of his good will towarde vs excepte wee remember his worde by which hee hath bounde him selfe vnto vs which worde also doth couple tye with an inseperable knot our saluation with the goodnesse of God Moreouer Mary sheweth by the same wordes that the Couenaunte which God had made longe before with the Fathers was free and without deserte bycause there Shee deriueth the promised saluation from the mere mercy of God as from a well And hereby wee gather that shee was wel exercised in the doctrine of the scripture Mary exercised in the scriptures Euery one at that time looked for the Messyas but fewe grounded their Faith vppon such sincere knowledge of the Scripture Namely to Abraham C. After shee had spoken generally of the promises of God she coÌ„meth to the particuler as if she should say Hee spake not onely to the Fathers but to all their Posterity If you reade it appositiuely it seemeth an absurde alteration of the case For it ought rather to haue bene sayd To Abraham and his seede But it is not a simple apposition Bycause Marye doth not only shewe who those fathers were to whom God spake but doth also extend the force and the effect of the Promises to all the Posterity which were the naturall seede of Abraham Whereupon also it followeth that she speaketh of the solemne couenant which was specially made with Abraham his Posterity For other Promises which were geuen to Adam to Noe and to others did belonge to all Nations generally And to his seede That is to say to the posterity of Abraham Faith maketh the Gentiles the seede of AbrahaÌ„ Galat. 3.7 looking for Christe by Fayth as did Abraham C. For as their owne incredulity cut of many of the sonnes of Abraham and were deuided from the house and Linage of Abraham bycause they were Bastards euen so we which were Forrayners being ingraffed by faith are sayd to bee the true seede of Abraham B. For they which are of Faith saith the Apostell Paule are the Sonnes and seede of Abraham C. Therefore let vs knowe that God spake so in olde time to the Fathers that the grace offred vnto them pertayneth also vnto the Posterity Secondly that the Adoption of all the Gentiles was made by Faith that they might be the spirituall Sonnes of Abraham which were not so by Nature For Marye speaketh not here of Christ the Seede of AbrahaÌ„ as many to curiously write but of Abraham and of the Posteritye of Abraham to whom Iesus the Sauiour was promised For euer As if shee should say that the seede of AbrahaÌ„ should endure to the ende of the world 56. And Mary abode with her about three Monethes and returned agayne to her owne house C. Mary aboade with her Cosine almost three Monethes namely vntil the day of her Childbyrth For it is probable that there was no other cause of so longe tariance but onely this that she might beholde the grace of God which was tolde her of the Angell for the coÌ„firmation of Faith B. As therefore their friendship onely is true whom the grace of God linketh together in friendship euen so they caÌ„not by and by depart one from another which come together in the Lord except the same glory of God which broughte them together doe also put them a sunder the which glory they can better seeke beinge seperated in Body then when they are ioyned together notwtstanding in myndes they are neuer distracted And returned againe to her owne house A. There is no doubte but that Mary greatly reioysed in hearte in all this Iourney 57. Elizabethes time came that she shoulde bee Deliuered and Shee brought forth a sonne C. The suÌ„me of this story is that the birth of Iohn the Baptist was made notable wonderful by diuers miracles which foreshewed that there should be
the Sonne when hee came to be a Sauiour But God obserueth this answer Ansvver He sēdeth first his Prophet who by his preaching may prepare the way of the Lord. Cōcerning the Office of a Prophet read the first Chapter of Ieremy And concerning the name of the moste highe we haue spoken in the 32. Verse of this Chapter already Shalt be called the Prophet C. To be called the Prophet of God in thys place is to bee counted and openly acknowledged for a Prophet Iohn was first secretly called it onely remained that it should be reuealed to Men what hee was The meaning therefore is thys The world shal vnderstand that thou art the Prophet of the highest But because the name of a Prophet is general Zacharias by the Reuelation made vnto him by the Angel adiudged this Child to be the forerunner of Chryst saying For thou shalt goe before the Face of the Lord to prepare his waye That is to say Thou shall trauaile throughe this Countrey that by thy preachinge thou mayst conuert men to heare the Lorde Mala. 3. ◠Esay 40◠1 Cor. ◠2. Cor. 3. ◠BV. These words seme to be as it wer described out of the Prophesies of the Prophets To go before the Face of the Lord is to be the minister of Chryst as Paule calleth himself C. But why Iohn denied himself to be a Prophet whē he had almost finished his office we wyll shew in the first Chapter of S. Iohns Ghospel Read our Exposition vppon the 3. of Math. the 3. verse What the preparing of the way of the Lord is the Verse following sheweth 77. To geue knowledge of Saluation vnto his people by the remissiō of theyr sinnes To geue Knowledge A. Zacharias expresseth how beneficiall and profitable the Office or ministery of his son shal be The Hebrew phrase is to prepare his way as thus that thou maist teach the people profitable things namely that theyr sins are forgeuen them BV. To geue knowledge of saluatiō vnto the people is by teaching to delyuer vnto the people the true knowledge of true Saluation But God alone by his spyrite illuminateth the hearts and geueth true knowledge notwithstanding to bring the same to passe he vseth the labor of ministers but so that all the praise and glory may come vnto God alone euen as Paule also teacheth By the remission of theyr sinnes C. Here Zacharias toucheth the principal point of the Gospel 1. Cor. 3. ◠when he teacheth that the knowledge of Saluacion is placed in remission of sinnes Ephe. ◠◠For seeing wee are all borne the children of wrath it followeth that by nature we are dampned lost And the cause of this dampnatiō is because we are guilty of vnrighteousnes Wherefore we haue no other remedy to escape Death then vnles God do reconcile vs vnto himself not imputing our sins vnto vs. And we may easely gather by the words of Zacharias that this onely righteousnes is left vnto vs before God For whereof cōmeth Saluation but of righteousnes Wherfore if it be not meete for the Sons of God to know any other Saluatiō then that which commeth by remissiō of sins it followeth that we muste seeke ryghteousnes no where else So that the righteousnes which proud men deuise vnto thēselues by the merits of their works is nothing else but the Imputation of Righteousnes seeing God freely forgeueth our desert Moreouer we must note that Zacharias speaketh not of straūgers but of the people of God Wherof it followeth that not onely the begynning of righteousnes doth depend vpon remission of sinnes But also that the Faythfull by imputation are iuste before God vnto the ende because otherwyse they cannot stand before his Tribunall seate vnlesse they flee daily vnto his free reconciliation 78. Through the tender mercye of our God whereby the Day sprynge from an high hath visited vs. Through the tender mercy of our God A. That is to say through his exceding great fauour or through the vnspeakable mercy of god the Latin text hath Per viscera miserecordiae that is to say Through the bowels of mercy For the bowels of mercy signify that mercy which proceedeth euen from the inward affections of the hearte And it is a Metaphor taken of men For wee fele our innermost bowels moued whē we are affected with any matter Wherefore the Scripture speaketh of Bowels when it maketh mention of mercy to signify the neare and inward motion of the affections Euen as the affections or bowels of mercy of a mother are moued toward her son when hee is at the poynt of Death Euen as it is written of that mother which stāding before the throane of Salomon 3 Kin. 3.26 beleuing that her Sonne should be deuided with the sword Ge. 43.30 was moued euen in her Bowels to the very heart Also of Ioseph we read thus And hee hastened for his Bowels were moued ouer his Brother That is to say hys affections were inflamed or his hearte yearned ouer his Brother By this phrase of speach the vnspeakeable loue and mercy of God is signified vnto vs. Where are now satisfactions Shall we preuent God that he may reconcyle vs vnto him We cannot For all thys spryngeth from the mercy of God Notwithstanding this forgeuenes of the faulte which commeth vnto vs by mercy came not without merite though with out our merit For there came betwene God and vs a mediator who deserued the same for vs which is Chryst Iesus our Lord. For it was the wyll of the Lord though hee would remit sins to be satisfied for the same and to haue his due honor geuē vnto him In this wee could do nothing Christe alone both could hath satisfied for vs who of that infinite loue of his father was sent to the same end was geuē vnto vs that he might finish the same And therfore he saith Wherby the dayspring from an hygh hath visited vs. Without all doubte it was not our merit but the exceding mercy of God only that Christ came to vs and merited so great remissiō of sins for vs to euerlastīg saluatiō vvherby the dayspring C. The Greke word signifieth the Easte part of the sun rising the cōtrary wherof is the west or sun setting Therefore he calleth Christ himself the sun rising Frō an hy This hee addeth to put a difference betweene the bodely Sunne whych ryseth vnto vs ascending from belowe to the height Zach. 3.9 zach 6.12 and that Sun which cōtrariwise rysing from the height descēdeth vnto vs to geue vs lighte Hee alludeth vnto the place of the Prophete where he sayth I vvill bringe forth the springing braunch my Seruaunt Againe Beholde the Man whose name is the Branch and he shal grow vp out of his place and he shal builde the Temple of the Lord. BV. And hee calleth him the Day sprynge from an hye in respecte of hys Diuinity by which he was is aboue al Creatures Where there
forsake all that hee Possesseth than hee which is ready at all assayes to forsake all that hee hath and is the Lords free man followinge his callinge and ouercomminge all impediments Thus the true forsaking which the Lord requireth of his Disciples consisteth not so much in Action as in the Affection so that what soeuer a man gouerneth with his Hande the same is not in his heart C. Therefore hee shall easely forsake all thinges which forsaketh him selfe his Parents and his Lyfe also that is to say which preferreth neyther Parents nor Life before Christe which had rather haue his Soule faued by Christe than to winne the whole Worlde Ma. 16.25 as wee are taught also in Mathew 34. Salte is good but if the Salt haue lost the saltnesse what shal be seasoned therewith B. This place may bee referred to all Chrystians in this Sence Salte is good Euen so it is an excellent thing to bee a Christian and to beleeue the Gospell But as Salte which is sauory seasoneth all meate and that which is vnsauory profitable for nothinge Euen so they which Ioyne them selues to the Flocke of Christe without the full denyall of them Selues and of all that they haue shall bee lyke vnto vnsauory Salte seruinge for no vse but to be caste into Hell fyre A. Reade the fore named place of Mathew 35. It is good neyther for the Lande nor yet for the dunghill but men cast it out of the doores Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare Hee that hath eares B. The Lord is wonte to adde this when he hath spoken of waighty matters worthy to be considered Bee it knowne therefore to euery one that heareth the Gospell that the same is the Woorde of the kingdome of Heauen not of earth And that no man can come to the same kingdome except hee vtterly forsake this earthly kingdome and be ready to suffer losse both of his lyfe and also of his goods The which they shall easly doe that haue but a meane knowledge of the same and they which cannot do it haue neyther knowledge nor feeling thereof This sentence of Christe also may be applied to the Apostells of the which we haue spoken in diuers places already ⧠THE XV. CAP 1. THen resorted vnto hym all the Publycans and Synners for to Heare him Luk 3 12. Mat 5.46 Z Concerninge Publicans reade the third Chapt. going before and cōcerning sinners reade the ninth Chapt. of Math. vers 10. There are two sortes of men some are sinners vnryghteouse who notwithstandinge acknowledge their sinne and there are some againe which thinke themselues to be righteous which trust to their righteousnesse and to their workes such were the Scribes Pharises Now seeing Chryst did preache and offer remission of sinnes freely the Pharisies coulde not abyde it For they made great account of their owne righteousnesse But they which were ashamed of their sinnes and which intended to amend their liues come vnto Christe Of both these Christe spake when hee sayd I came not to call the Ryghteous Math. 9.13 but Synners to repentance To heare him R. The Publicans and Sinners came vnto CHRIST not to abyde in their sinnes but to receiue the Doctrine of Chryste They came as doe those that are sicke to the Phisition and to follow the way of saluation 2. And the Pharysies Scribes murmured saying hee receyueth sinners and eateth with them A. Whatsoeuer our Lord IESUS Christe spake or did were it neuer so true and profitable it was mislyked euel spoken of by malicious hypocrits C. Here the Scribes and Pharysies exclayme of the Lord sayinge Hee receyueth Synners This was a wonderfull contempt proceeding frō a lofty proude mynde eleuated with a certayne truste of workes and carnall righteousnesse for they thought them selues whole stronge that is to say righteouse they excluded all others from grace So also Symon the Pharisie which bad Christe to Dinner sayd If this man were a Prophet Luke 7.3 he would know who and what maner of Woman it is that toucheth him for she is a sinner And eateth with them R. Like say they will to like Wherefore seeinge this fellow is so familliar with Publicans and Synners it is a great argument not only that hee is no Prophet as he boasted himselfe to be by his doctrine nor yet a man of honest lyfe This is a meere Cauill in which notwithstanding the Pharisies shewe some Wisdome For a man may easily Iudge of the Disposition and maners of men by their fellowship and company keepinge But they abuse this cōmon Iudgement to obscure and discredite the Fame of Christe The Prouerbe is true Like will to like but yet if it shoulde bee alwayes true then wee must say that the Phisition is sicke bycause hee keepeth cōpany with such as are sicke and that all Preachers of Gods woorde are vnlearned bycause they are conuersant in instructing the vnlearned But there was manyfest cause why Christe kept company with Publicans Synners namely that hee might leade them as it were by the hande from their sinnes to righteousnesse And this was so manyfest that none could deny it But the Pharisies were so Enuious againste Christe that what soeuer he did well they misconstrued and mislyked And althoughe they were vnworthy to bee answered bycause their murmuringe came of a malicious mynde yet notwtstandinge the most gratiouse Lord according to his wonted mercy rēdereth a reason of his office to the ende that if any amonge them were curable they might be better affected towards him if not that they might bee without all excuse And therefore he propoundeth this Parable following 4. What man hauynge an hundered Sheepe if hee loose one of them doth not leaue 99. in the Wyldernesse and goe after that which is lost vntill hee finde it B. By all these Parables as that the lost Sheepe is sought for the 99. being left in the Wildernesse that he reioyseth more of the same being founde then of the rest which neuer went astray also that in the spirituall kingdome of God there is more Ioy amonge the Angells ouer one Synner that repenteth than ouer many righteous the Lord ment nothing els but to geue vs to vnderstand that by the wil of his Father and by the consent of the Angells hee had a great care for those which being chosen into the fellowship of Saintes went as yet a stray that hee might bryng them into the right way for the which cause he kept cōpany with Publycans and sinners No man is able sufficiently to consider this vnspeakeable mercy of God toward Sinners euen as wee can deuise nothing more profitable thā the same Wherefore the friuolous Imaginations of men must be left the vnspeakable goodnesse of God toward vs must be considered that we may grow in faith towardes him and in loue towards our neighbour and we must diligently endeuour our selues to bring the straying sheepe of Chryste to their Sheepheard
as this yonge man is encouraged vpon truste of his Fathers mercy to seeke a recōcilliation euen so vs the feelinge of Gods mercy must be vnto vs the beginning of repentance which stirreth vs vp to hope well And I will say vnto him Father C. Hereby we see that this also is required in true repentance namely that wee being confounded with the greatnes of our sinnes may returne to our heauenly Father For hee did meditate consider this meane in himselfe not thereby to deceiue his Father but to moue him to compassion I haue sinned agaynst Heauen Beholde here how that the subiection obedience due to the Father is appoynted of God For they which sinne against their fathers sinne also against Heauen For in this place heauen is taken for God Therefore they which do truly acknowledge their sinnes must also confesse them vnto God and that is a sure signe of true humillity The confession ought to answere the Offence When men are priuy to our sinnes we cōfesse our sinnes also before them otherwise we cōfesse to God alone if we offend him alone For the confession must be esteemed by the nature of the faulte I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne R. It doth not only suffice to acknowledge sinne but wee must also haue such a feeling of sinne in our Cōsciences that we must not only Iudge our selues vnworthy to bee called the sonnes of God but also that wee haue deserued extreme death damnation Psal 38 3 So Dauid acknowledged his sinne when he sayd Thy arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hande presseth mee sore there is no rest in my boanes by reason of my sinne So Daniell acknowledged his sinnes and the sinnes of the Israelites Wee haue sinned wee haue done wickedly Dan. 9.5.8 we haue liued vngodly And thus so many as seeke to attaine true saluation confesse their sinnes Notwithstanding in this pointe perfect repentance doth not cōsist neyther doth righteousnesse follow hereof by and by but wee must go forwarde to other degreese of repentance that is to say we must conceiue a good hope that the Father will not reiecte vs although wee bee not worthy of Pardon 20. And hee arose and came to his father But when he was yet a great way of his father saw him had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him This is the thirde parte of the Parable concerning the mercy of the father toward the sonne When he was yet a farre of Here wee see that God doth not tarry vntill we come vnto him for he meeteth vs. Let vs therefore call that to minde which was spoken in the eleuēth verse going before that God is not simplely compared to a man but that his mercy goodnesse is a hundred foulde more toward vs. Therefore there is no doubt but that so soone as wee are touched with repentance God receiueth vs into his fauour C. This therefore is the principall poynte of the Parable If men which are by nature desierouse of vengeance may notwithstandinge bee moued to bende and yeelde by fatherly pitty gently to pardon their sonnes willingly to require them being miserably lost God whose exceeding goodnesse excelleth all the loues of fathers will be no more seuere toward vs. And verely there is nothing spoken here of an earthly Father which God doth not promise concerning him selfe Before the cry sayth hee I wil heare them Esai 65 2◠Psal 32.5 Therefore as the Father is not onely here intreated with the prayers of his Sonne but also goeth forth to meete him and imbraceth him beinge rent and torne and deformed before he spake one worde euen so God looketh not for long intreaty but so soone as the Synner hath purposed to confesse his falt he meeteth with him of his owne accorde And fell on his necke kyssed him C. The Father doth not here cōplayne he chydeth not he threateneth not but by and by Imbraceth him Whereby wee see that the grace of GOD is offered vnto Sinners before they come vnto him by repentance For hee it is that worketh repentance in our heartes by his Grace that wee may come vnto him And in this poynt a mortall man is improperly compared vnto God For it belongeth not vnto an earthly Father by the secret instincte of his spirite to renue the stubborne heart of his Sonne Ezec. 11.19 as GOD doth who maketh of stony hearts flesshy hearts 21. And the Sonne sayde vnto hym Father I haue sinned against Heauen in thy sight am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne C. Here is noted the other parte of repentance of the which wee spake euen now when as the feeling of sinne is Ioyned with sorrow and shame For hee which is not sory that he hath sinned hath not his falt before his Eyes will neuer come to goodnesse Therefore it is necessary that a dislyking of our selues goe before Repentance And there is greate wayte in this maner of speache that the younge man is sayd to tourne to him selfe Esay 46.8 as one that was caryed away with wandering desiers of the flesh to forget him selfe And am no more worthy to be called R. Great and haynous are the sinnes grieuouse also is the sorrow but short is the confession S. Hee doth not reckon vp the circumstances of the sinnes according to the Custome of Hypocrits hee sayth not I haue lost so much money in such a city with play and so much in that City by Harlots in this and in that Feaste I haue bene drunken Thou hearest none of these circumstances but in a short summe he comprehendeth all his offences Luk. 18.13 A. euen as did he which sayd Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner 22. But the Father sayde to his Seruantes Bryng forth the best Garment and put it on him and put a Ringe on his hande and shooes on his feete 23. And bring hyther that fat Calfe and kill it and let vs eate and be merry c. R. As Luke hath very liuely expressed in the Prodigall younge man firste of all the Image of a sinner lost with riotouse liuing and secondly of a repentinge Sinner euen so now hee setteth forth in his Parente the Image of the exceedinge clemency and goodnesse of GOD. C. And althoughe in Parables as wee haue sayd it were very fond to discusse euery particuler thing here notwithstandinge the letter shall not be wrested if wee say that our heauenly Father doth not onely Pardon Sinnes to forget them for euer but doth also restore vnto vs those Gyftes which wee haue forsaken Euen as when hee tooke them from vs he chastised our ingratitude that he mighte make vs ashamed with the reproche of our nakednesse For this my sonne was deade A. The Scripture is wonte to call those men Deade men which are Addicted and geeuen to sinne Whereby wee may gather that Repentance is a Resurrection from Death 25. The Elder Brother vvas in
see one Day of the Sonne of man and yee shall not see it C. By these woordes the purpose of Chryst was to admonish his disciples to walke in the Light before the darkenes of the night ouertooke them For this ought to haue ben a sharpe prick for them to make them seeke to profit so longe as they had the presence of Chryste when they heard that greate perturbations were at hand B. Christ therefore would haue his Disciples to depend wholy vpon him yea after his Departure though he were absent in the flesh and not to receiue any other Earthly Messias For hereunto the Iewes wer to redy For no doubt whē there was dissention betweene the dysciples and the Rulers of the People concerning speciall Opinions when many fell away from the Fayth and all places were full of false Prophets when there was in euery Corner persecution and when Tribulation also was at hand many carefully wyshed for the presence of Chryst if it wer but for an hower from whom they myght receiue Consolation and strengthe of mynde Therefore seeing Flesh requireth a Carnall Chryst and Sauioure and seeing the Disciples shoulde feele all aduersity and trouble leaste they also should follow false Chrystes deceyuers which shoulde promise vnto theyr followers Earthly Libertie and Felicity he admonisheth them heere to acknowledge no other Chryste beside him which should raigne in the spirite and not in the Fleshe vntyll that time in the which he should come as it were lighting from heauen to be seene of all men with Glorious Maiestie to iudge the whole worlde They whych vnderstand this place of the times of the last Iudgement are deceiued Concerning the 23. and 24. Verses following Read the 24. Chapter of Mathew verse 23. 25. But firste must hee suffer many Thinges and bee refused of thys Nation R. As if he should say Chryste muste raigne from one Sea to the other but he shall neither enter into this Kyngdome wyth externall Glorye and maiesty as false Prophetes do dreame neyther shall he be receiued acknowledged of his owne people but shall enter into his Kingedome by ignominy passion Crosse and Death So in another place he sayth Luk. 24.16 Oughte not Christe to haue suffered these things and so to enter into his glory A. For the Spyrit which spake in the Prophets foreshewed the passions of Chryst and the Glorie that should followe the same 1. Pe. 1.11 Also in these woordes Chryste sought to couer the offence of the crosse least the Disciples should be troubled with the grieuous afflictiōs to come which the Lord should shortly after suffer For the rest which followeth vnto the 32. verse read the 24. Cap. of Math. verse 37. and 17. 32. Remember Lots wife B. Chryste by these wordes exhorteth vs to runne vnto those thinges whych are before vs forgetting the Thynges which are behynde vs that we may alwaies thinke vpon that which we hope to be hereafter that is to say that we being fre from the whole desire of this VVorlde may earnestly hunger after heauenly thinges C. For Lots Wife was therefore tourned into a pyller of Salte because she doubting whether she had forsaken the Citie in vaine or no looked backe by which in dede she did distrust the worde of God It may be also that the loue of her neste in the which shee was wonte to reste quietly drew her backe Seeinge therefore the Lord would haue her to be a perpetuall Example we must strengthen our myndes with the Constancy of Fayth least in the middest of our race they bee ouerthrowen with doubting For the Exposition of the thirty three Verse Reade the tenth Chapter of Mathew Also for the Exposition of the 34. and the reste of the Chapter Read the 24. Chapter of Mathew beginning at the forty verse and at the 28. verse ⧠THE XVIII CAP. AND hee put forth a Parable vnto them to thys ende that men oughte alwayes to pray and not to be weary And hee put forth a Parable vnto thē C. We know how rare and difficile a vertue the custome cōtinuance of praying is in this our Infidellity bewrayeth it selfe because excepte oure prayers be graunted at the firste wee lay aside both our hope and also oure Godly exercise But this is a true probation of Fayth if a man being disappoynted of his desire doth not for all that discourage himselfe Wherefore not without cause Chryst commendeth vnto his disciples perseuerance in prayer That men ought always to pray C. In saying alway he meaneth the we ought not to be weary or to be dyscouraged If this were setled in oure myndes that prayers should profit vs we would not be weary But wee are by nature proane to impatience insomuch that if the Lord doth not by and by satisfy vs we ceasse from praying We must fight and striue therefore agaynst distrust and impatience And note here that to pray alwaies and not to be weary is not to vse much babling and repetition of Wordes as thoughe God were pleased therewith But by continuance of prayer is ment that we shoulde alwayes haue recourse vnto God A. To the which also the Apostle Paule exhorteth vs when hee wryteth thus Reioise euer Pray continually In all thinges geue thankes 1. The. 5.16 For thys is the will of God in Christ Iesus toward you R. And wee muste pray alway because prayer which commeth of Fayth in Chryst is the way by whych we come directely vnto God in aduersitie and by which we obtaine of hym most assured saluation For so the worde of God teacheth vs to thinke of prayer which commaundeth vs to praye and which promiseth the hearinge of oure prayer Psa 50.15 Call vpon me saith the Lorde in the Day of tribulation and I wyll deliuer thee Ioel. 2.32 Rō 10.13 Iho. 19.23 and thou shalte Glorifie mee And agayne Euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued Also Whatsoeuer yee aske the Father in my Name hee will geue it you Secondly the Examples of saints teach the same who in theyr afflictiōs had recourse vnto God were saued Whereupon Dauid said Our father 's hoped in thee Psal 22.5 they trusted in thee and thou diddest deliuer them They called vppon thee and were holpen they put their trust in thee and were not confounded A. There are diuers such Testimonies of Scripture which commēd vnto vs the profit of prayers 2. Saying There was in a certain City a certayne Iudge which feared not God neyther regarded man A certayne Iudge C. Thoughe the simillitude which our sauiour Christ vseth here be hard in shewe yet notwtstanding it is apte for the purpose teaching that his Disciples doe alwayes importunately intreate the Father vntill at the length they doe wreste that from him which otherwise he woulde not willyngly geeue not that God being ouercome with our prayer is agaynst his will moued to mercy but because he doth not shewby and by in
very dede that he was alwaies ready to hear our prayers Who neyther feared God Thys is an Example of an Vniuste Iudge and not of a Godly and mercyfull Iudge in whome there was no Shame whereas hipocrites are not voyde of shamefastnes For his words are thus much in effect If the wycked be cōstrained to do that which is right how much more shall God performe that which he promiseth who is by nature good yea goodnes it selfe As it is said in another place If you then being euill know howe to geeue vnto youre Chyldren good thynges howe much more shall your Father which is in Heauen Mat. 7.11 geue good thynges to them that aske of him Therefore thys Description preuayleth very much to amplify that we may be sure that we shal be hearde of GOD if wee persist in prayer 3. And there was a certayne Widow in the same City and she came vnto him saying Auenge mee of my Aduersaries C. Whereas Chryst setteth before vs a Widow which obtayned of the Vnrighteous and cruell Iudge her petycion because shee did not ceasse Daily to call vpon him this is the Summe that God doth not by and by helpe hys Seruaunts because he will be after a sorte wearied with prayers Moreouer although they are miserable and despised which call vpon him yet notwtstanding if so be they doe not faynt but persist in prayer he will behold them at the last and will helpe theyr necessities Howbeit this is not a comparison of thinges equall for there is great difference betwene a wicked cruell man and God which is mercifull but the purpose of Chryst was to teache that we ought not to doubt but that the faithfull by continuall prayer shall intreate the Father of mercy seeing that men which are geuen to cruelty by importunate callyng vppon will yeelde The wicked and hard hearted Iudge could not abyde the importunate cryes of the widow insomuch that he was constrained at the length to graunt How then can the prayers of the Faithful bee wtout fruite if so be they be continuall Therefore although we be wearye or if so be we persist not either if because Gods Eares seeme to be stopte the feruencie of our prayer waxe colde Yet notwithstanding wee may assure oure selues to preuaile thoughe no likelyhoode thereof appeare and with this perswasion let vs so fighte against our Impatience that long delay cut of our prayer Reuenge mee of my Aduersary C. This seemeth absurde vnto some that Chryst attributeth heere to the Electe a desyre to reuenge the which in another place he forbiddeth If any reply that the same must not bee asked before men but may be asked before God it is but a small shifte for he commaundeth vs to pray for our enemies How then can those thinges agre that a man should commend his Enemies vnto God and should also pray that he would punish them As touching the significatiō of the word the Greke word Ecdikein signifieth to reuenge or to take Vengeaunce it signifieth also to restoare a man to his right or to deliuer from Iniury in the which sence also the Latines vse the word Vindicare which though it properly signyfieth to reuenge yet it is often vsed for to deliuer from oppressiō or wrōg But if a man wyll stande vppon the Interpretation and will expound it to reuenge yet notwithstandynge there can nothing be gathered oute of this parable but that which Luke hath put downe in the first verse which is And he put forth vnto them a Parable to this ende that men oughte alwayes to pray and not to be wearye Therefore wee may not stande vppon one word thereby to draw out a sence contrary to the Doctrine of Chryste So God affyrmeth himselfe to bee the Reuenger of the Faithfull in the seuēth Verse not to lewse the Raines to the affections of the Flesh but hereby also to inuite vs to put our trust in his Defence and to perswade vs that hee is careful for our Saluation If so be we being pure and free from the desyre of Reuenge do by the motion of the Spirite call for help at Gods handes our request shal be holy and acceptable vnto GOD and hee will graunt it But bicause there is nothinge more harde then to put away those vicious affections that our prayers may bee holy and pure we must pray vnto the Lord to purge and to dyrect our harts by his holy Spirite and so our Praiers shall be acceptable he wil make vs answer 7. And shal not God auenge his elect which cry Day and Nighte vnto him hym yea though hee deferre them C. This vniuste Iudge whō Chryste depainteth vnto vs neither to feare God nor yet to care for man or hys owne shame did at the laste open hys Eyes to behold the misery of the Widow Euen so no doubte the Faythful shall receiue the like profite so that they ceasse not to call vppon God For if so be the vniuste Iudge being ouercome with her prayers was constrained to deliuer her from her Enemy GOD which is most iust merciful towarde his Electe beinge called vppon wyth theyr continual prayers and cries can not but heare and deliuer them from the violence of theyr oppressors And we muste note that Chryste applyinge this simillitude to his purpose doth not make God like vnto a wicked and cruel Iudge but showeth another maner of cause why God differreth hys Faithfull for a longe time and doth not reach out his hand at the first vnto them namely because he is patiēt Wherefore if at any time God suffer vs to bee Oppressed longer then wee would let vs know that the same is dō by his Fatherly Counsaile and Wisedome to teach vs patience sufferance For the longe sufferaunce of God towardes the wicked is not an eternall and Generall Quietus est 8. I tell you that he will auenge thē and that quickely Neuerthelesse when the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde Faith on the Earth C. In that he promiseth that God shal quickely auēge them it must be referred to his prouidence because accordyng to our Carnall Imagination he doth not helpe vs soone inough But if it were lawfull for vs to enter into his Counsayle we should knowe that his ayde is alway ready and timelie ynough S. Therfore he saith iustly that God will soone take vengeance Neuertheles when the Son of mā commeth As in the 26. Verse of the Chapter going before Chryst toulde his Disciples that a litle before his cōming there should be great security in the world so nowe in this sentence hee sayth there shall bee at the same tyme as greate scarsity of Fayth In Math. we haue these wordes And because Iniquity shall abound the loue of many shal waxe colde Ma. 24.12 but he that indureth to the ende shal be saued And a litle after he sayth And excepte the Lord had shortened those Dayes no flesh should bee saued but for the Electes sake he hath
other men are Secondly hee reckeneth vp his owne Vertues He denyeth himselfe to be as other mē are because he was not guilty of those offences which were cōmon in the worlde And it may be that hee was not in the sight of men an Extortioner an vniust person an Adulterer and yet notwithstanding his prayer is abhominable in the sight of God because it is ioyned with a vaine Confidence of workes 12. I fast twyse in the weeke I geeue tithe of all that I possesse C. In that he boasteth that hee dothe faste twise a weeke and that he gieueth tyth of al his goods it is as much as if he should say that he did more thē the law required Euē as the Monks bost of their works of supererrogation as though it were a small matter for thē to fulfill the whole Law of God For although euery man is bound to geue thankes vnto God according to the measure of those vertues which he hath receiued Yet notwithstanding there are two thinges to be noated the fyrste is that we be not puffed vp with a certain trust as though we had satisfyed God Secondly that we waxe not proud in contemning our Bretheren In bothe these the Pharisie offended because he falsely challenging righteousnesse to himselfe attributed nothing to the mercy of God secondly he condempned all men in respecte of himselfe And thankes geuing had not ben disalowed of Chryst if it had not ben defiled with these two vices For the onely hope of the Godly so longe as they are vnder the Infirmitie of the Fleshe is the onely Sanctuary of Gods mercy in the which they repose their whole Saluation This Pharisie praied voide of care And although his confession seemeth to proceede from humillitye because he confesseth that whatsoeuer he hath it commeth of God Notwithstāding because hee exempteth himselfe from the number of sinners He is iustly reiected w his praye For he which is most holy ought notwithstandynge to acknowlege himself to be falty in many thinges thus doth the iust man hee confesseth from the Bottome of his heart that he is a sinner Furthermore when we pray we ought not to consider so much how gretly we haue profited but what we want as yet and to this wee ought to bende our whole minde C. But it may be demaunded how he was endued with so much holines which was blinded with so greate pryde and disdayne For so greate Integritie doth not come but from the spyrit of God which assuredly raigneth not in hipocrites Wee answer that he deceiued himself with an outward shewe of Vertues as though the inwarde and secrete vncleannesse of the heart were not required Wherfore though his heart were full of wicked lustes and desires yet notwithstanding because he iudged onely after the outward shew he bosted of his innocēcie Also it is to be noated that God in no place of the Law commaunded hys Seruauntes to faste twise a Weeke or weekely Wherefore this fast was a voluntary exercise withoute the prescripte of the Law 13. And the Publican standing a farre of would not lyfte vp his Eyes to Heauen but smoate vpon his brest saying God be mercifull to mee a sinner R. As in the Pharisie we haue had an Example of hypocriticall and Wicked righteousnes before God so in the publican we haue set before as an exāple of true repentaunce by which wee attaine true righteousnes before God For this publican though hee had no countenaunce or credit in the sighte of the world yet notwithstandinge hee obtayned true Righteousnes Would not lifte vp his eyes to heauen C. The meaninge of Chryste heere to geue a General Rule as though it were needefull to caste downe our eies toward the Earth so often as we pray but hath onely geuen vs here signes of humillitie the which vertue hee commendeth vnto his Disciples And in this humillitie consisteth if so be we forget not our sinnes but in Condempning our selues preuent the iudgement of God and doe also cōfesse our owne vnrighteousnes that we may be reconciled vnto God And to this ende pertaineth shame which is alway ioyned with repentance For the Lorde pryncipally standeth vppon this that the Publican seriously acknowledgynge himselfe to be miserable and in daūger of vtter Destruction fleeth vnto the mercie of God and distrusting himself placeth his whole hope onely in the clemencie of GOD. C For although hee bee a sinner yet hoping of free pardon he doubteth not but to finde God Fauourable vnto him sayinge God bee mercifull to me a sinner He vseth a very short prayer But the purpose of Chryst is onely to shewe that this man reposed his truste in the mercy of God alone For it is commonly se that they which are of a contryte heart can not expresse that which they woulde and are constrayned also with Shame to speake softely The which two are alway ioyned together where true acknowledging of sinne is that is to say This griefe this shame the one expressed in his gesture and the other in his prayer And in that he imploreth mercie he sheweth in what he trusteth for he bringeth nothing with him but the confession of his faulte So that he entereth not into that presence of God to excuse himselfe neyther doth he alleadge any merites or satisfactiōs but to obtaine fauour hee acknowledgeth himselfe vnworthie of the same And verelie seeing onely remission of sinnes doth bringe vs into Gods fauour we must needes begin at the same if so be we desire to haue our Prayers acceptable vnto him If any man moued by this place demaunde whether nothing els is to bee requyred at the handes of GOD but Remission of sinnes We aunswer that Chryst ment not to describe here a forme of prayer but only went about to reprehend that false counterfeite Righteousnesse wyth the which hypocrites being puffed vp reiect the grace of God 14. I tel you this man departed home to his house iustefied rather then the other For euery one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted C. Here he applyeth his parable that we are not iustefied by merite but by the grace of God Rather thē the other C. This is an improper comparison For Chryst doth not preferre the Publican before the Pharisei as thoughe Righteousnesse belonged vnto them both but meaneth that the publicane was accepted of God whereas the other was wholly reiected And this place plainely teacheth what it is properly to be iustified namely to stād before God as if he were righteous For the Publican is not therefore sayde to be iustefied because sodainely hee got a new quallity but because his sinnes being taken away he obtained grace Whereuppon it followeth that righteousnesse consisteth in Remission of sinnes Therefore as a wicked confidence and truste did pollute and defile the Vertues of the Pharisie that hys Integritie which was commendable in the sighte of the worlde was of no pryce before God euen so the
Publicane being furthered with no merites of VVorkes obtayned Righteousnesse onely by Begging Pardon and that because he had no other confideÌ„ce but only in the clemencie and goodnes of God But it seemeth very absurde that all men should be alyke in this poynte ObiectioÌ„ seeing the purity of Sainctes doth far excell this which is in the Publican Ansvver We answer how much soeuer a man hath profited in the true Worshippe of God and in holinesse Yet notwithstanding if we consider our imperfection still wee cannot ryghtly pray in any other forme then to begin wyth the confession of our own vnrighteousnes For although some more some lesse yet neuerthelesse all are subiect to sin Wherefore there is no doubt but that Chryst heere prescribeth a â—aw vnto all men as if he should say that theÌ„ we please God when wee distrustyng our owne workes desire to be reconcyled vnto God And verely this oughte to be one of the pillers of our faith namely that wee are accepted of God not that we haue deserued so to be but because he imputeth not to vs our sins Therefore this place is notable not so much for that it ouerthroweth the righteousnes of workes as that therby we vnderstand what it is to be iustified namely by the mere grace and mercie of God not to haue our sinns imputed vnto vs to be accepted of God not for the merite of works but through Christe as saith Saint Augustine We are first iustified afterward sanctified by the holy ghost For euery one that exalteth himself This sentence was as a common prouerbe as was that also going before in the 14. Chapter verse 11. which the Lorde vsed in the 23. Chapter of Mathew also verse 12. Where this is expounded R. With the which sentence agreeth this saying of the virgin Marie He hath put downe the mightie from their seate Luk. 1.52 and hath exalted the humble and meeke And the more generall and common that this sentence is the more dilligently it ought to bee be wayed to be set alway before oure Eyes that in prosperity we may learn to feare God and in aduersitie to truste in him alone For that which is spokeÌ„ heere is commonly seene to bee true both among men and also before God euen as the very Examples of Things doe declare if so be thou waigh consider a right what it is to exalte and what to humble our selues For he exalteth himselfe before men which contemneth other in respecte of himselfe reprehendeth all other meÌ„s doings and onely boasteth and commendeth his owne Therefore this man is deiected and contemned in like maner of men And he humbleth himself whych following his calling sheweth himself dutifull and lowly to euery one And he which thus behaueth himselfe toward men is also exalted of men But he exalteth himselfe before God which ascribeth righteousnes to his own power and not onely that but also al the giftes of God So that Pharisie by whome the parable was tould exalted himself Da 34.27 So Nabuchodonoser the King of Babilon exalted him self 2. Ki. 15.2 So Absolon exalted himself thinking himself more worthy of the Kingdome then hys Father So Herode exalted himselfe Act. 122.2 when he heard this shout The voice of a God and not of a man But what happened vnto these Surely eueÌ„ the same which is pronounced in this Generall Sentence The more highlie they exalted them selues the greater was theyr fall Againe they huÌ„ble theÌ„selues before God which feele theyr sinnes and haue a humble Spirit and contryte heart for theyr sins and iudge theÌ„selues worthy of eternal deth This is not fained but true humillity thys is not hypocrisie but true confession Thus the Publicane humbled hymselfe whych acknowledged hymself to be a sinner and vnworthy to lift vp his eyes to heauen So Dauid humbled himselfe saying Haue Mercye on me O Lord for I am weake Heale me O Lorde Psa 6 3. for my bones are vexed So Paule also humbled himself wheÌ„ he sayde 1. Ti. 1.15 Chryste Iesus came into the Worlde to saue sinners whereof I am chiefe But what happened vnto these Surely euen the very same whych Chryst pronounceth here shall happen to the humble For the more depely they are cast downe the more highly they are exalted againe Wherefore in highe loftie Maiestie and amiddest the moste excellent giftes of GOD wee must feare the Iudgement of GOD and muste not thinke arrogantely of oure selues least we be cast from alofte into the bottomlesse pit of Hell 15. They brought also vnto him Infantes that hee shoulde touche them which when his Dysciples sawe they rebuked them R. When our Lorde IESVS Chryst was Famous both by Doctrin and by myracles all sortes of men ran vnto him some one way affected and some another but the better sore came vnto him eyther being in healthe to heare his sermons and to learne the true way to Saluation Or else sicke and diseased to get theyr health Seeing therefore Chryst disdained and rected not any sorte of men Parents brought theyr Chyldren also vnto him not that their Infants myght heare the Sermons of Chryste or might be cured from this or that kinde of Disease but only that CHRIST might touch them that he might pray for them and laying his Handes vpon them might blesse them as we haue shewed in the 19. Chapter of Mathew Verse 13. Where you may Reade the Exposition of the rest vnto the 31. verse following 31. Iesus toke vnto him the twelue and sayde vnto them Behould we go vp to Hierusalem and al things shall bee fulfilled to the son of man that are written by the Prophets Ma 20.17 Mar. 10.32 C. The purpose of CHRIST in these wordes is to admonishe his Disciples because the time of his passion was at hande and to prouide aforehaÌ„d that they might be incouraged hee seeing howe they woulde be made afeard in time to come And a double confyrmation might be gathered out of these Woordes For when they heard that to be foreshewed which they saw afterward came to passe they could not but acknowledge Chryst to be the Sonne of God The other confirmation was of the hope of the Resurrection For hee said The thyrd day hee shall rise agayne 32. For hee shall bee deliuered to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spytefully intreated and spitted on R. Heere he euidently sheweth that al the Prophetes Rom 4 â—5 Lu. 24.25 and .44 and the whole Scripture of the olde Testament hath specyally Respecte hereunto and doth aboue all other thinges handle this Argumente teaching that CHRIST must be deliuered for our sins and rise agayne for our Iustification When hee sayth that the Scryptures muste be fulfilled he plainly teacheth his Disciples that all Thynges shall happen vnto him accordyng to the will of his Father who had so decreed as Testimony was geuen in the Scryptures 34. AND they vnderstoode none of all these Thynges and this saying
vppon the owners to beate them and by Force of armes to brynge the same with them but onely to aunswere them wyth hys word and by his word to doe that whych they were commaunded For the word that is to say the preching of the Gospell which is the commaundemente of Chryste is that Instrumente by which the Kingdome of God is set vp and preserued This Sword and these weapons are oures Wee spake not now of the Office of the ciuill Magystrate who hath to vse the sworde according to the Lawes and to defende his Subiectes that they may leade a quiet lyfe wyth all Godlinesse and honestie but we speake of the Offyce of the Apostles and ministers of the Church whose Sworde is the worde of God by which Sworde not onely the Externall face of the Church is preserued but also the conscience is in safetie from the inuasion of Sathan that we may be broughte to Euerlastynge Saluation Concerning the exposition of the rest which followeth vnto the 41 verse Reade the 21. Cha. of Mathewe verses 7.9.12.14 41. And when he was come neere he beheld the Citie and wepte on it 42. Saying If thou haddest knowne those thinges which belonge vnto thy peace euen in this thy Daye but now they are hid from thyne Eyes And when he was come nere R. Now the Euangelist sheweth how Christ was affected toward his people the Iewes when he was come into the view of Hierusalem the Metropolitan Citie of Iury And wepte on it C. Seeing Chryst desiered nothing more then to discharge the office whych the Father had committed vnto him and knew that this was the ende of his calling to gather together the lost shepe of Israel he wished that his comming might be wholesome and profitable to all men and sauing health This was the cause why he being touched wyth mercy and compassiō wept for the imminent Destruction of Hierusalem For when he considered that the same was ordayned of God to bee the holy Seate in the which the Couenaunt of euerlasting Saluatiō should abyde the Sanctuarie from whence Saluation should come to the whole world it could not be but that he must needes greatly Lament the Destruction thereof When also hee sawe that people to perish miserably by they re owne Ingratitude and mallice which was adopted to the hope of Eternall Life it is no marueile if hee could not refrayne from teares And whereas some thinke it verye absurde for Chryst to bewayle that Euill which he might haue holpen they may easely be aunswered For as he descended from heauen that taking vpon him our flesh he might be a witnesse minister of Gods sauing health so in like manner hee tooke vppon him the true and naturall Affections of man so farre forth as was necessary for the function which he had taken in hand And we must wisely waigh and cōsider what person he representeth whē he speaketh or seeketh the Saluation of Mankinde Euen as in this place that he might faythfully fulfil the commaundement of his Father it was necessary for him to desire that the fruite of Redemptiō might come to the whole body of Gods Electe people In that therefore that he was geuen vnto this people to bee a minister of Saluation he bewayleth theyr Destruction according to his office Wee confesse he was God but so often as it was meete for him to execute the Office of a teacher his Godheade rested and hyd it selfe as it were least it might hynder the office of a mediator There these teares of Chryst were not fayned he did not as plaiers commonly doe which counterfeite theyr iesture but it was a true affectiō which brast forth those Teares from him And there is no doubte but that hee would wholly frame and bend himself to that people to whom hee was sente And as hee was man so he was moued with compassion as the Apostle Paule teacheth saying Wee haue not such an high prieste as knoweth not howe to haue cōpassion on our infirmities c. He. 4.15 There is nothing more proper to the Nature of man then affections specyally of humanity Therfore as he was God he was immouable from that which hee had decreed in the beginninge and as he was man appoynted to be the sauiour of the people of the Iewes hee sorrowed for that he saw Hierusalem to refuse so greate Grace offered vnto her and because shee knewe not the fruite of his comming Rō 15.8 Paule sayth the Chryst was a minister of the circumcision And the Lord himselfe sayth Ma. 15 24 I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell C. Hee came not therefore to thys ende that the Iewes mighte feele hys wholesome comming So that when he sawe that hee was come in vayne to the Iewes to whom he was specially sente hee abstayneth not from teares when I say he saw the chosen City in that which God would be called vppon to reiecte the author him selfe of Saluation Moreouer by thys his weepyng he did declare that he did not onely Brotherly Loue those for whose sake he was sente but also that the Spyrite of Fatherlye Loue was powred by God into mans nature If thou haddest knowne This is an abrupte kynde of speach C. For we knowe that they in whō there are vehement affections can not vtter theyr meaninge so fully as they woulde Moreouer it may be that two affections meete heere together for Chryst doth not onely take Compassiō vpon the Destruction of the City but doth also cast the vnthankefull people in the teeth with haynous wickednesse for that they reiecting the Saluation offered vnto them willingly broughte vppon themselues the horrible iudgement of God B. For it is likelie that this Cogitation disquieted the Lords minde Beholde I come vnto thee O Daughter Sion and Hierusalem thy Kinge and thy Sauiour euen as thy Prophetes haue promised thee But poore and humble Therefore thou cōtemnest mee at whose handes alone thou mightest receyue righteousnesse Life O that thou haddest knowne the thinges which belonge vnto thy peace and haddest not bene so blynde in thine owne euill And that in this thy Daye when so many so wonderful thinges doe cal thee to know these things For now whilest thou hast mee preachyng the Kingedome of Heauen vnto thee that day of saluatiō visitatiō is risē vpō thee which thou oughtest to know by my life by my Doctrine by so many myracles lately shewed But O thryse yea foure times vnhappy nowe these thinges are hidden from thyne eyes therefore thou arte outragious mad agaynst mee and seekest my Bloude whom thou oughtest with moste Ardent affection to receiue for thy Sauiour and King as doth this multitude Hereuppon it shal come to passe that thou being besieged of thyne enemies shall at the length be layed euen wyth the ground thy Children being slaine and thy houses and costly buildyng beinge beaten downe insomuch that in thee one stone shall not be lefte vppon
what happeneth cōmonly vnto younge men when they will not be gouerned by coūsaile but trust to their owne wisdome For bycause they beinge lusty and wylde are vnmeete to gouerne themselues beinge not restrayned with feare and shame it cannot be but that Will and Lust must haue the whole Rule ouer them by which they must needes bee broughte at the length to extreme and filthy beggery A. Wherefore it behoueth Parentes well to trayne and bringe vp their Chyldren euen from their Chyldhoode Ephe. 6.4 as Saynte Paule sayth in the discipline and correction of the Lord. R. And if their Education proue well and the Children proue thryfty and vertuouse let them accoūt it for their gaine let them also geue thankes vnto God which hath gieuen the increase But if it happen otherwise wee must patiently beare it as a Crosse and must be content that their owne Soules bee saued For it commeth to passe oftentimes that honest and vertuous Parentes are afflycted with vngodly Children Adam had Abell and Taine Noe had Sem Cham and Iaphet Abraham had Isaac Ismaell Isaac had Iacob Esau and Dauid had Eli Samuel of that which some of these being geuen to great wickednes did shamefully dishonor their Fathers house 14. And when he had spent all there arose a great dearth in the Land hee began to lacke C. Now the punishment is described which by the iust Iudgement of GOD hangeth ouer the heades of Prodigall wasters namely that when they haue ill spent their goods they may be ready to starue with hungar and bycause they knew not how to vse the abundance of breade measurably they shal be constrayned to eate Cods Chaffe and being made the companions of swyne shall thinke them selues vnworthy of humane company And when he had spent all C. In this parte we haue to note how the Lord calleth vs to repentance Hee speaketh not here of a Reprobate but of one that was elect who how vnworthy soeuer hee was to be receyued yet for al that his fathers loue was so great that hee woulde not reiect him Let vs not meruaile therefore that wee are afflicted with sundry tribulations and let vs not thinke that bycause of them we are forsaken Ose 2.14 For wee must needes be vrged with necessity Fyrst of all he sheweth vnto vs our neede then cōmeth hunger bycause he calleth vs to repentance Being compelled by miseries we are put in minde of God we know how blessed a thing it is to liue with him Therefore that is true repētance when men fele how myserable they are when they are far from GOD and liue out of his house at their owne will 15. And hee Ioyned him selfe to a Citizen of that Coūtry and hee sent him to his farme to feede swyne R. Here we must note how foully men are deceyued by their owne Opynions When this yonge man was come into a straunge country and beinge countenanced with great plenty of Gold and siluer he shewed himselfe most liberall to all maner of Cytizens in somuch that where soeuer he was there wanted no good Cheere or pleasure so that they thought very well of him and had him in great reputacion A. But it came to passe that when a Dearth came in that Region they were not only out of hope to receiue any reliefe from him but sawe him also to be in great penury in somuch that he which before was honoured almost of al men for his ryches being brought now into great misery was constrayned to serue a certaine Cytizen of that country And hee sente hym to feede Swine This is a wōderful chaūge that hee which was wont to liue in his fathers house without care of meate drinke is now a Companion and seruant of Swyne 16. And hee woulde fayne haue filled his belly with the Coddes that the Swyne did eate and no man gaue vnto hym C. He meaneth that hungar made him forget his former delights greedely did eate the coddes of beanes or pease for it could not be the seeing he him selfe did feede the swyne with this kinde of meate that he him selfe could lacke it Cyrus when through long flight from his enemies hee had suffred much hunger and being refreshed with a smalle piece of browne bread sayd that he neuer tasted more sauory and better relyshed bread euen so necessity constrayeth 〈◊〉 younge man to haue a good appetite to the Coddes which belonged to the swyne And no man gaue vnto him Wee must not referre these woordes to the swynes meate as if it had bene sayd And no man gaue them vnto him for he had plenty by him but no man gaue vnto him that is to say no man had pitty or compassion on him For no man thinketh that hee ought to gieue any thinge to Prodigall persons bycause they spend all that they haue ryotously 17. Then hee came to hym selfe and sayd How many hyered seruants of my fathers haue bread ynough and I perishe with hunger C. Here is described vnto vs the way by which GOD calleth men to repentance If men would willingly be wise shew them selues apte to be taught hee woulde more gently allure them but bycause they will not obay but as they are subdued by strypes he chastiseth them the more sharply Therefore Fulnesse and plenty which made the youngeman headstronge stubborne was very well schooled tamed with hunger and penury We being taught by this example let vs not thinke that GOD doth deale cruelly with vs if so bee at any time he do sore afflict vs bycause by this meanes he bringeth those to obedience which are lasciuiouse drunke with sporting pleasure To be short what misery soeuer we suffer it is a profitable calling to repentance 18. I will aryse and goe to my father and wyll say vnto him Father I haue sinned agaynst Heauen and before thee And am no more wor 19. to be called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hyered seruants C. Here the subtill enemyes of the truth Cauill and say that God is preuented by Repentance This were true it so be Repentance came of our selues and were not the gyft of God For seeinge the whole Scripture sayth that Repentance is the fruite of a new heart and a new heart cōmeth of God what meane they to attribute that vnto men which belongeth onely vnto GOD Neuerthelesse we graunt that we cānot apprehend the mercy of God except repentance goe before But God proceedeth and worketh in vs this wyse For in respect of him Remission goeth before and after that Repentance followeth in vs but in respect of vs Repentance must needes go before otherwise wee cannot apprehend the mercy of God C. Therefore wee must note that the hope of better fortune if he returned to his Father incouraged the younge man to repent For no seuerity of Punishmentes can stay vs from our wickednesse or can make vs to dislike our sinnes vntill some profite appeare Therefore