man walke in the day hee stumbleth not because hee hath the light of this Worlde By which Wordes he sheweth that euery one doth walke fastly vntill such time as he hath runne the Race of his callinge the ending of the which Race he calleth the twelfth hower of the day Many are in daunger while they walk in Gods callinge but it is moste certeine that no daūger can harme them vntill their time bee come So Paule was often times in pearill of his Life but hee escaped from Time to Time vntill his hower was come Act. 12 9 So Peter was taken of Herod and reserued in bondes to dye but yet bycause his twelfth Hower was not then come hee escaped out of pryson Let vs therefore all learne to stay our selues vpon Gods prouidence and to bee therewithall contented And if hee suffer vs to pearish as he hath suffered many others howbeit they are not properly sayd to pearish which die in the Lorde let vs knowe that oure hower is then come 31. And hee came downe to Capernaum a City of GALILE and there taught them on the Sabaoth dayes R. This is the vengeance which Christe taketh on his Citizens hee commaūdeth not fire to come downe from Heauen hee rayseth not vp a floude of waters hee maketh not their fieldes barren neyther doth hee send the plague of Pestilence vpon them but only followeth his owne callinge And what calling is that First as touching the abasing and emptying of him selfe his calling was not to reuenge him selfe but to leaue Vengeaunce to the Lorde GOD his Father according to this place Vengeance is myne Deu. 32.3 and I will repay Christe therefore obaying this callinge so resigned Vengeance vnto God that hee doth not hurt on hayre of the heads of the Citizens for the iniury done vnto him Secondly as touchinge his Ministery hee was called to Preache the Gospell as wee haue heard out of the Prophet Wherefore not seekinge vengeance but the fulfillinge of his callinge hee went to Capernaum a City of Galile And there taught them A. What hee taught Mathew sheweth sayinge From that time Iesus began to preache and say Mat. 4.17 Repent for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand 32. And they were astonyed at hys Doctryne for his preachinge was with power R. Beholde here what felloweth Pacience The Nazarites contemne the Capernaites are astonied The Nazarites scorne and reiect Christe but the Capernaites woonder and receiue his woorde with great veneration Wherefore For his preachinge was with power That is to say Hee taught them as one hauinge authority Mat. 7.29 not as the Scribes R For the Scribes if they expounded the lawe taught that the same was fulfilled by externall workes their doctrine was nothing else but a Philosophicall doctrine concerninge vertues But when Christe tooke in hand to expounde the Law hee did most grauely shewe that not onely externall Workes but also the most holy and vndefiled motions of the heart were required by the Law As may be seene by that notable Sermon which Christe made Mat. 5.21 contayned in the fift of Mathew Christe also preached otherwise then did the Scribes cōcerning good works remission of sinnes and the true worship of God And last of all bicause he confirmed that with notable signes myracles which hee taught which the Scribes could not doe 33. And in the Synagoge there was a man which had an vncleane spirit of a Diuell and cryed with a loud voyce A. The Euangelist Marke also maketh mencion of this story in his firste Chapter beginning at the 23. verse Whych had an vncleane Spirit C. This speach is asmuch as if Luke had sayd that the man was caryed with the inspiration of the Diuell For by the sufferance of God Sathan had possessed the powers of the mynde so that he constrayned them at his owne will to say to do what soeuer he would haue them Therefore when Demoniakes do speake it is the Diuell that speaketh in them by them who hath leaue to rule Concerninge this the verse followinge reade the 24. verse of the first Chapter of Marke 35. And Iesus rebuked him sayinge hold thy peace come out of him And when the diuell had throwen him in the middes he came out of him and hurte him not A. Beside the reasons alleadged in the first of Marke why Christ cōmaunded the Diuell to hold his peace this also may be added namely R. that Christ might confirme the Gospell which he had hetherto preached in wordes by a myracle as by a certaine seale He preached that he was sent of God to preach deliuerance to the captiues sight to the blynde that is to say that hee would deliuer men from sinne from the power of Sathan Therefore when one possessed with a Diuell was offred vnto him in the Synagoge he commaūded the Diuell to hold his peace and behold hee is silent hee commaunded him to goe out of the man and behold the Diuell casteth the man in the middest but did him no harme and by and by went out of him And Christe did this miracle in the Demoniake to cōfirme by an externall seale that power was geuen vnto him ouer Sathan that it was true which hee had preached that hee was sent to deliuer all those that beleue in him from all their sinnes and from death and to restore them to perfect felicity For to this ende did Christe worke his myracles that they might be sure Seales of the Gospell and publique testimonies of the Doctrine of remission of sinnes by Fayth in Christe And whē the diuel had thrown him By these woordes wee haue to vnderstand that the nature of Sathan is such that he rayseth vp great Tumultes against the Gospell of Christe and the faithfull But if thou stand fast in the worde of Christe he shall do thee no harme at all Reade the first of Marke 37. And the fame of him spred abrod throughout euery place of the coūtrey rounde about R. That which Christe sought by his myracle hee also obtayned For hee sought by this myracle to haue that fame of his name spred euery wher to haue his Maiesty openly reuealed and the truth of his doctrine knowne And this he sought not for the carnall glory of his name as ambitiouse men doe but for our spirituall profit to the ende that we being drawen by the fame of his name might beleue his Gospell and might be Iustified by fayth and that beinge iustified by fayth we might haue peace with God through Iesus Christe 38. And when hee was rysen vp and come out of the Synagoge hee entered into Simons house and Simons Wyues mother was taken with a great feauer and they made intercession to him for her R. In this place we must note the great humillity of Christe For being nowe in the famouse City Capernaum in the which he was now in great estimation for his Myracles hee lodgeth not with the rych men
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
in the preaching of Iohn the Baptist For then at the last the law the prophets had an ende as it is written Luke 16. The Law the Prophets raigned vntil Iohn since that time the Kingdome of GOD is preached and euery man stryueth to goe in And to this aptly agreeth the Testimony of the Prophet Mallachy which hee alleadgeth To the ende the Lorde might the more inflame mens myndes to desire the promysed saluation he purposed and determyned to depryue the people for a time of new prophesies And wee know that Mallachy was the last of the lawful and vndoubted Prophets But least the hungery Iewes should pearish in the meane time hee exhorteth them to keepe thēselues vnder the Lawe of Moyses vntill the promised redemption appeare For he only maketh mention of the Lawe because the doctrine of the Prophets did nothing differ from the same but was only an appendix and more perfect exposition that the whole order of gouerninge the Church myght hange of the Lawe Neyther is it a newe or vnwōted thing in the Scripture to haue the prophesies cōprehended vnder the name of the Lawe because all were sent vnto it as to theyr wellspryng and scope But the Gospel was not as it were an inferiour augmentation of the Lawe but a newe forme of teachinge whych should abrogate that former maner of instruction And Mallachy making the state of the Church of two sortes appoynted the first vnder the Lawe and begynneth the other at the preachinge of Iohn For there is no doubt but that hee meaneth Iohn the Baptist whē he sayth Behould I send my messenger because as we sayd euen now there is here put a manifest difference betwene the law and the new order and state of the Church which should succeede In the same sence he alleaged a litle before the same place that the euangelist Marke hath for the places are like in al pointes saying Beholde I send vnto you Elias the Prophet before that great day of the Lord come In lyke maner hee sayth Mala. 3. Behold I will send my messenger whych shall prepare the way before mee and the Lorde whom yee would haue shall soone come to hys Temple Because in both places a better condition of the Church is promysed than was vnder the lawe the beginning of the Gospell without all doubt is noted But truely before the Lorde shoulde come forth a preparer or forerunner is sayd to come which shoulde proclayme hym to be at hand Whereby wee gather that the abrogation of the lawe and the beginning of the Gospell is properly placed in the preaching of Iohn Moreouer seeing Iohn doth commend and set forth Christe in the fleshe both his natiuity and also the whole history of offeringe saluation is contayned vnder the Gospel But Marke intreateth here how the Gospell began to be preached and published openly Wherefore hee doth not without good cause begin at Iohn who was the first minister thereof And here by the heauenly Father went about to keepe the lyfe of his sonne buried as it were in silence vntill the tyme of full perfect reuelation came For it was not done without the certaine prouidence of God that the Euāgelists should pretermit all that time in which Christe led a priuate lyfe with his parents at home and shoulde omit all the tyme of his infancy vntill hee was thirty yeares of age at what time he comminge forth was openly declared to the whole world to be the redeemer Only the Euangelist Luke doth briefly shew a proofe of his calling to come about the twelueth yeare of his age Luke 2. This thing truly did greatly pertaine to the matter first of all to know that Christe was a true man and then that he was the sonne of Abraham and Dauid This thinge the Lorde woulde haue to be declared vnto vs by witnes The other thyngs which Mathew and Luke doe shewe of the Sheepeherdes of the wyse men and of Symeon they pertayne to prooue his dyuinity But whereas Luke doth speake specially of Iohn of his Father Zacharias it was a certayne entraunce and preface of the Gospell The beginning of the Gospell If we place these wordes after this maner it wil be a more perfect sentence The Gospell of Iesu Christe the sonne of God began after the same maner as it is written in the Prophets Or els The Gospel of Iesu Christ the sonne God had such a beginning as the Prophets declared before that it should haue namely Esay and Mallachy That is to say that Iohn shoulde bee the forerunner and should be the first that should begin to preach the Gospell and not Christe although he were the head of the Gospel For the same Iohn began to preach the the Gospell and to declare him to bee at hand which was promised And thus it pleased God that Iohn should be the forerunner with a certayne seuere and austere kinde of lyfe because he was so nigh to the seuere strayte lawe But Christ being meeke and gentle was familliarly conuersaunt among men because he was the pledge of Gods grace and mercy In this hee tooke from the Iewes all excuse leaste they should accuse the Gospell eyther to seeme to gētle or to seuere Iohn therefore was the first that began to preache the Gospel as the Prophets foreshewed Of Iesu Chryste the sonne of God The Euangelist Marke saith here that Christ is the sonne of God but Mathew sayth onely that hee was the sonne of Abraham and Dauid But the meaning of Marke is that wee should not hope for redemption but onely of the Sonne of God As it is vvrighten in the Prophets E Two olde Greeke bookes haue In Esay the Prophet but it is more truely red In the Prophets Whereuppon also hee Ioyneth two Testimonies to declare that it was Iohn of whom both the Prophets spake Behold I send my messenger C. The chaunging of the person in these words hath no absurdity So God hymselfe speaketh by the Prophet Mala 3. saying I send my Angell which shall prepare the way before me And Marke bringeth in the Father speaking to the sonne But we do see that Marke went about nothing els than more playnely to expresse the mynde of the Prophet Before thy face E. This was spoken to the ende men might knowe that Chryste which was preached was at hand already come As concerninge the exposition of the rest of the seconde verse reade the eleuenth chapter of S. Mathew 3. The voyce of a Cryer in the Wildernesse prepare yee the way of the Lord and make his pathes strayte A. That is to say I am a crying voice I teach no other thing then that which the Lord hath appoynted mee I teach not my owne but the words of the Lord. For I am a voyce So the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto Aaron Exod 4. put these words in his mouth and I will be thy mouth and with hys mouth Beholde
followed him Very few and briefe are the Words but there seemeth nothing to be more wōderfull and harde and lesse possible for a man to doe then this worke whych Mathew did For Mathew was very rich and had greate possessions Beside thys he had such an offyce that thereby he receiued yerely gayne And yet for all this hee followed Iesus But what other thinge seemed this to bee then a playne pathway to his ignominy decay yea and to present death For he heard that Iesus was coūted amōg the Rulers of the people an Heretique a seditious person and worthy of extreame punishment But Mathew notwithstanding passed through all these narrow and daungerous straightes by faith because he beleued this Iesus to be the very true Messias 15. And it came to passe as Iesus sate at table in his house many Publicanes and sinners sate at table also vvith Iesus and his disciples For there vvere many that follovved him And it came to passe as Iesus sat at Table A. Luke addeth somewhat before this saying And Leuy made him a greate banquet in his house Many publicanes and sinners also Luke hath There was a great cōpany of Publicanes also and of other that sate at the table with them 16. And vvhen the Scrybes Phariseys savv him eate vvith the Publicanes and sinners they saide vnto his disciples Hovve is it that hee eateth and drynketh vvith Publicanes and Synners A. Luke sayth that they murmured agaynst his Disciples This truly aboue all other is worthy to bee noted that the Scribes and Pharisies that is to say those which seemed to ioyne the Relygion purenesse of lyfe wyth the knowledge of the Scriptures and for that cause were counted more excellent then the rest of the people that they I say shoulde backe byte and sclaunder the Lorde before all other should condemne al his words deedes were they neuer to so excellent purpose and good effect But this is the proper Nature of humayne righteousnes that the same being nothing but externall and deceiptfull doth not withstandinge despyse set at naught all other thinges in respect of it selfe Reade the ninth of Mathevv 17. Novve vvhen Iesus heard it hee sayd vnto them The vvhole haue no neede of the Phisition but they that are sicke I came not to call the ryghteouse but sinners to repentaunce The vvhole haue no neede of the Physition Reade the nynth Chapter of Mathevv going before I came not to call the righteouse R. By these wordes it appeareth that the Publicanes had polluted defiled their life with great sinnes notoriouse crimes which els had bene good for he calleth them sinners as the rest also whom he calleth to repentaunce 18. And the disciples of Iohn and the Pharisies did fast and came and sayd vnto him vvhy doe the Disciples of Iohn and of the Pharisies fast and thy Disciples fast not Reade the nynthe Chapter of Mathevv going before 19. And Iesus sayde vnto them Can the Chyldren of the mariage Chamber fast vvhyles the Brydegrome is vvith them as long as they haue the Brydgrome vvyth them they cannot fast And Iesus sayd vnto them B. Th Euāgelist Luke hath Can yee make the Childeren of the wedding Chāber to fast as longe as the bridgrome is with them S. Mathew hath Can yee make the Children moorne but in the same sence For fasting is as it were a certayne mourning according to this place of the Prophet Esay 58. Wherefore haue wee fasted thou seest it not we haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not Who seeth not here that these wordes we haue fasted and punished are put for one thing Hereby we may gather what was the cause why our Elders fasted for their fast was not to take meate only once a day and to eate fishe but once to put away all delightes and pleasures and to vse a certayne kynde of mourninge and a iust castigation or chastisment of the body Whereupon that the hypocriticall Phariseys might seeme so to fast they disfigured their faces and fared outwardely as though they did mourne punish them selues as appeareth by the which is writen in the sixt of Mathew Math. 6. Contrary vnto the which counterfayting was washyng and anoyntinge as we haue noted by many places of scripture in the foresayde Chapter of Mathevv Wherefore the fasting which the Lord commaunded to the Chyldren of Israell in the day of reconcilliation is called not a fasting but an affliction humbling of the mynde For thus it is written Leu. ◠23 The tenth of this same moneth shal be a day of reconsilliation shal be an holy cōuocation vnto you and yee shal humble your soules And a litle after it followeth For euery person that humbleth not him selfe that same day shall euen bee cut of from his people For fasting as it signifieth only an abstayning from meate is a parte of that fast whych was commaunded to the people of Israell to obserue for the humbling and depressing of the mynde Iudg 2◠The children of Israel being twise put to flight of the Beniamites are sayd to mourne and fast before the Lord vntil the euening and to offer sacrifice 1. King 7 Such was the fasting of the people in Maspha by which they cōfessed and bewayled their sinnes 1. King 31 After the same maner did the citizens of Iabes fast when they buried Saule and his sonnes 1. King 1 In like sorte Dauid and the men that were with him fastinge mourning vntill the euening bewayled the death of Saule and Ionathas and the people also which perished with them 3. King 21 Such a fast did Achab obserue when he shewed himself penitent for the death of Naboth The lyke consideration of fasting was that whereof Daniell Ioell and Zacharias the Prophets make mencion Hereby wee may perceyue what is ment by the worde mourning which Mathevv vseth 20. But the dayes vvyll come vvhen the Brydegrome shal be taken from them and then shal they fast in those dayes As cōcerning the exposition of this verse reade the 9. Chapter of Math. 21. Also no man sovveth a piece of new cloth in an olde garment for els the nevve piece taketh avvay the filling vp from the olde and the breach is vvorse Luke addeth more than this saying And he put forth a similitude vnto thē Reade our exposition vpon Math. for this verse and the 22. also 23. And it came to passe as he vvent through the Corne on the Sabboth day that his disciples as they vvent on their vvaye began to plucke the eares of corne Began to plucke the eares of Corne S. Luke addeth and to rub them betwene their handes and to eate them 24. And the Phariseis sayd vnto him Beholde vvhy doe they on the Sabboth day that vvhich is not lawfull S. Luke writeth that certayne of the Phariseis rebuked the disciples wyth these wordes Why doe yee that which is not lawfull to bee done on the Sabboth
verse is more largely expounded in Mathew 12. That when they see they may see and not discern and when they heare they may heare not vnderstaÌ„d least at any time they shuld turne their sinnes should be forgeuen them A. These wordes are so put downe by the Euangelists Marke and Luke as if they were their owne the which notwithstanding were spoken by the Prophet Esay as you may reade in the 13. of Mathewe the 14. verse 13. And he sayde vnto them Knowe yee not this Parable 14. And how then will yee know all other Parables The Sower soweth the Woorde The sovver sovveth the vvord Who this sower is he himselfe declareth in the exposition of the Parable of the tares of which Mathew in his 13. Math 13. Chapter maketh mencion when hee sayth He vvhich soweth good seed is the sonne of man And what is to bee vnderstode by the worde Luke declareth sayinge Gods vvorde is the seede But beecause we may know that Chryst speaketh of the preachinge of the Gosple he in this same Parable in Mathew euen straight after the beginning of the exposition calleth it the worde of the kingdome saying as appeareth in the 19. verse When a man heareth the vvorde of the Kingedome that is to say by the which the Mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are set forth Christe therefore by this Parable coÌ„pareth the worde vnto Seede and the preachinge thereof vnto sowing Because the same happeneth to the worde when it is preached that chaunceth to the seede when it is sowen as it is sayd before For although the Seede of it selfe is good apte to bring forth good fruit yet notwtstaÌ„ding it maketh great matter in what Grounde it is sowen In lyke maner the word of God although it be good and apt to increase godlinesse yet notwythstandinge it is greatly to be considered what the hearer is As touchinge the rest which is contayned in the 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. verses reade our exposition vpon the 13. Math. 21. And hee sayde vnto them Is the Candell lighted to bee putte vnder a Bushel or vnder the Table and not to bee put on a Candelsticke B. Our Sauiour Christe vsed the same similitude in the fift of Mathew where he called the Apostles the light of the World Whereupon it appeareth that he vsed the same accordinge to the place and occasion that was offered vnto him to teach But here hee vsed it when he had expounded the Parable of the seede which fell in dyuers places and had declared them to bee sowen in good ground which heare the worde receyue it and bringeth forth fruite for straight after he addeth Is the Candell lyghted to be put vnder a Bushell c. vntill the 24 verse Which words seme to haue this sence and meaninge Take heede howe yee heare the worde For the matter standeth as it doth with seede which is cast into the ground the fourth part wherof is skarce receiued into fertile grouÌ„d euen so there are very few which with a good heart heard the word and bring forth fruite If therefore yee thinke that yee haue rightly heard the word bring forth fruâ—te A Candell truly is not lightee but that it being set on a Candelsticke may geue light euen so they that are truely lyghted by the fyerbrande of Gods worde must geue light vnto others For God truely did not this worke in the which his glory so greatly shineth that it might not appeare but rather that thereby many might be called and brought to saluation and his name the more sanctified Wherefore let him heare these things to whom this is gieuen which hath eares to heare and let him see how sincerely hee receyueth the word of God Wee haue heere to doe of thynges in deede and not of Hypocrisy If any man haue the worde in deede he shall haue that gieuen to him by which hee may profit in the knowledge of God and be plentifull in good workes but if any man haue it not a right froÌ„ him shal be taken euen that which he hath namely that fayned cloake of honesty and what Wysedome and righteousnesse soeuer hee seemeth to haue For in very deede hee canne haue no perfite goodnesse without the worde of God And thus it appeareth that the Lorde vsed this similitude of the Candell in this place to the same exhortacion allmost that he did in the fift Chapter of Mathew to the ende he might declare that whosoeuer are truly kindled with the fier of Gods spirit caÌ„not but shyne by good workes and bryng forth that to the profite of others which in their myndes they haue conceyued 22. For there is nothing so priuy that shall not be opened neyther hath it bene so secret but that it must come abroade For there is nothing so priuy In the Prophets of me which you shal not make manifest This also is a generall sentence but aptly vsurped of Christe to the matter which he had in hand The which may thus bee expounded The Gospell is a Mystery hydden a longe time as S. Paule sayth in the 16. Cap. to the Romaynes notwythstandinge it was ordayned by God to this ende that it might be reuealed in due time and spred throughout the whole worlde All thinges bee they neuer so secrete that are ordayned to be reuealed must needes in spighte of Hell gates bee made manifest reuealed and knowne Wherefore it is necessary that the Gospell also be reuealed But it cannot be reuealed except they which are called to preache the Gospell doe playnly vnderstand otherwyse the blynde leadeth the blynde and both fall into the Dytche It was meete therefore that Christe when he had chosen his Apostles to preache the Gospell should expounde and declare vnto them the true and proper sence of the Gospell Wherevpon to this effect also it appertaineth which Christe sayth in an other place There is nothing hydden which shall not be reuealed and nothing secrete which shall not be knowne Math. 10. What I tell you in darkenesse that speake yee in lighte and vvhat yee heare in the Eare that preache yee on the houses 23. If any man haue eares to heare let him heare For the exposition of this verse reade the ninth verse going before 24. And he sayd vnto theÌ„ take heede vvhat yee heare with what measure yee meate with the same shall it be measured to you agayne and vnto you that heare shall more be geuen Take heede vvhat yee heare B. As if he shoulde haue sayd There is no gesting here but the matter is in good earnest If yee will haue regarde to your callinge and Office yea and to your owne saluation yee must of necessity geue attentiue eare to the Sermons of the Gospell And to this exhortacion Luke addeth these words For to him that hath shal be geuen c. By the which woordes Christe putteth his Dysciples in hope to receyue more plenty of grace if they profite in the worde which they haue heard VVith
Salte in your selues and haue peace amonge your selues one with another Salte is good Read the 13. Verse of the 5. chapter of S. Mathew Haue Salt in your selues C This word Salte may be taken diuersly as to signifye the relishe of a sweete smel which is gotten by fayth Or els the wisedome of the Spyrite according to the saying of S. Paule Let your Speach bee alwayes in Grace poudered with Salt Notwithstanding because it is more lykely that this latter sentence of the wordes going before Chryst doth rather seeme to exhorte his Disciples to keepe the Vigor and strength of fayth the whych also shall season other As if he should say You must endeuoure your selues not only to be salte within but also to season others Notwithstanding because Salte with his salmes doth bite therefore by and by he doth shewe that the sawse must be tempered that peace notwithstanding may abyde inuiolable Iohn 13. A. The Peace I say the Foūdation whereof is Gods truthe to the which peace Chryst exhorteth his saying in another place In this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye loue one another FINIS Chapter the Tenthe AND when hee rose from thence hee wente into the Coastes of Iewry through the Region that is beyonde Iordane And the People resorted vnto him afreshe and as hee was wont he taught them againe And vvhen he rose from thence A. Reade the 25. Chapter of Mathew He vvent into the Coastes of Ievvry As if hee should say Hee leauinge Galile he went into that part of Iewry which is beyonde Iordane in the which Iohn first taughte And as vvas vvont he taughte B. Heere the ministery and office of teaching is commended in the which it is euydent that the Lord was daily conuersaunte Whereby we are admonished that the Church hath nothing more necessary and holesome then the preaching of the Gospell For Marke affyrmeth here that the Lord was accustomed to preach daily As concerning the Exposition of the second Verse Reade the 19. of Math. going before and the third verse 3. And he aunswered and sayde vnto them What dyd Moses commaund you to doe A. Mathew wryteth that the Pharises asked the Lorde at the Seconde time as concerning the Bill of Dyuorsement when they had heard the answer to their first question whether it were lawfull to put away a wyfe Whereby wee see that the Euāgelystes sought not so much to place the deedes of Christ in order as his words Mathew doth more orderly and plainly intreate of this History then our Euangelyst Marke As touching the Exposition of that which followeth from this third verse vnto the 32. Reade the 19. Chapter of Mathew 32 And they were in the way going vp to Hierusalem And IESVS wente vp before thē and they were amased and followed and wer afraid and Iesus tooke the Twelue agayne and began to tell them what thinges should happen vnto him A. Chryst wente before meaning thereby to declare with how prest and willing a mynd he went vnto the crosse The Disciples followe but sorrowing murmuringe and with Heauie Cheare because he would caste hymselfe willingly to manifest Daunger Also they marueile at his Constante mynde and they feared least they thē selues through him should come into lyke perill Read the 20. cap. of Math. beginning at the 17. verse 35. And Iames and Iohn the sons of Zebede came vnto hym sayinge Maister we would that thou shouldest do for vs whatsoeuer we desire BV. These words declare how gretly flesh and blond falleth from the right path and wyth how greate Desire inflamed by Ambytion it clymeth vnto Honour The Dyscyples heard a lyttle before what and how great thynges the Lord should suffer But as though they had heard no such matter they dreame by and by of a temperall Kingdome But it was sayd vnto thē ye wot not what ye aske As concerning the agreemente betweene our Euangelyste Marke and Mathew about thys History we haue sufficiently spoken in the 20. Chapter of Mathew all ready As touchynge that whych followeth vnto the fortye two Verse Reade the Twenty chapter of Mathew 42. But Iesus when hee had called them vnto hym sayd vnto them yee know that they which seeme to beare rule amonge the Natiōs raigne as Lordes ouer them and they that be greate amonge them exercise authority vppon them But Iesus vvhen he had called them A. Our Sauiour Chryste vsed greate modesty and gentlenes toward his disciples who although they had heard him so often speake of the crosse yet foolishly and ambitiouslye looked for earthly dominion and gouernmēt Ye knovv that they vvhich seme to beare rule Mathew more plainely sayth Yee know that the Princes of the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them and they that are greate exercyse authority vpon them As if he should say So often as yee heare me speake of the Kingdome of Heauen the which is spyrituall and differeth no lesse from the Kingdome of this Worlde then the Earth differeth from the Heauen I woulde not haue you to imagin such a shewe and Glory of Thynges as you see in erthly kingdomes B. For ye knowe that they which seeme to beare rule amōg the nations of this world exercise authority vpon the people which are subiecte to theyr authority take heede that it be not so amonge you BV. A man truely may meruayle with what Face they can chalenge to themselues Kingdomes and Lordeshyps which requyre to be counted for the true Successors of Chryst and of the Apostles seeing the Lord so plainly sayth it shall not be so amonge you B. It is the Office of Bishops to teach and to goe before the flocke in example of Godly life But truly disdayne pompe and the pleasure of this Worlde will not suffer many to do as they should do But for this and that which followeth vnto the 46. Verse Read the twenty Chapter of Math. 46. And they came to Hiericho as he wēt out of the city of Hiericho with his Dysciples and a great number of people Blynde Bartimaeus the Son of Timaeus sat by the highwaies side begging Bartimaeus the Son of Timaeus Our Euangelist maketh mention but of one blind man adding his name of whome Mathew maketh mention saying that there were two blynd mē And he sayth that hee was called Bartimaeus and making the same more plain he addeth also saying The son of Timaeus Whereby it appeareth that this man was wel known among the greatest part of men As concernynge this Verse and the two Verses following read the 20. cap. of Mathew And Iesus stoode still and tōmaunded him to be called and they called the blynd mā saying vnto him Bee of good comfort rise he calleth thee And Iesus stoode still A. Luke hath And hee commaunded him to be brought Mathew hath And hee called thē And they called the blynde Only our Euangeliste Marke maketh mention of these thinges E. The Apostles obeing the commaundement of the Lord do call him adding moreouer
soone as I had searched oute diligentlye all thinges from the beginning c. For the Teacher must take heede that hee teache nothing but that is sounde true and most certayne Also the Godly hearers must be assertayned of that doctryne which they must beleue that it is the worde of God and the moste sincere truthe Otherwyse they shall not bee able to stande agaynst Synne Death and Hell For by Fayth onely in the worde of God these are ouercome the which cannot be firme sincere excepte first of all the mynde bee assured concerninge the truth of the worde Most excellente Theophilus E. Theophilus is the proper name of a notable and worthy Personage to whom this Booke which appertayneth to all the faythfull was dedicated by S. Luke euen as wee haue sayd before in the first verse 4. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things whereof thou hast ben informed That thou mightest know E. The latine word is not vt Cognoscas but vt Agnosias betwene the which there is dyfference for Cognoscere signifieth to know but Agnoscere signifieth to know of olde or by proofe As wee knowe him whose face we haue seene not many yeares before Whereof thou hast bene informed In olde time they which were newly baptised had deliuered vnto them the mysteries of the Christian fayth but by word of mouth without writing according to the maner of those olde Deuines amonge the Aegyptians Druides vvere somtime in Fâ—ance called Gallia one of the the tvvo estates of lâ—ke conâ—ition as the spiritualty is novv among vs. and of the Druides amonge the Frenchmen This was to be newly instructed in the misteries the which Paule and Luke call in Greeke Gatechein for Echein signifieth to sounde with the voyce whereof came Catechein which signifieth to teache and instruct by worde of mouth those thinges which thou wilt not leaue in wrytinge Whereupon they which were taught were called after the same maner Catechoumenoi or Catechetoi that is not yet entered into Religion and they which taughte Catechetai that is to say Teachers The Sence therefore and meaninge of S. Luke is this That thou mightest nowe more fully and certainly know by wryting those thinges which thou afore time at thy entery into Religion learnedst by woorde of mouth Hereby wee learne that wee must reade S. Luke to this ende that wee might be without all feare and secure in his narration not doubtinge whether he speake in good sooth yea or no but assuring our selues that wee haue a true and most certaine narration The certainty of those thinges E. Wee doe the more assuredly knowe those thinges which wee haue learned by writing and order specially if wee haue hearde the same before of others or all one thing of the selfe same men because the continuance of the narration doth bring great credit to any thing C. This place verely is worthy to be noted with dilligence for the Worlde cannot discerne fayth from an opinion For that which the World conceiueth hath no certaynty But God woulde haue vs sure There is also another coÌ„mon error for some men when they would haue any certainty doe rather canfirme and stay them selues vppon thinges which come vnlooked for then vpon the manifest truth But wee see that God will not haue vs to wander for hee hath gieuen vs that vppon the which wee may stay our selues as this Hystory Let vs vse his benefite and not settell our myndes in error and in doubtfull matters vnder the pretence of Fayth And withall let vs knowe that we must not receiue for a certaynty what soeuer is spoken but must vse Iudgement As for Example there were many vayne Opinions spread abroade after the resurrection of Christ all which if a man will imbrace there shall be no ende Therefore the Lorde gaue vnto his Apostells a deepe wise coÌ„sideration in writing that we might haue somewhat certayne Neuerthelesse wee must take heede that we thinke not the authority of that holy Scripture to depend vpon men as the enemies of truth dreame but vpon the true God who hath spoken by his holy spirite in his seruauntes R. Wherefore how well so euer wee knowe the Canonicall Scripture because the Church hath allowed the same yet notwithstandinge neyther the true Church of Christe nor the Hypocriticall and false Church which is mixte with the true Church oughte to vsurpe vnto them so great authority as to inuert the holy Scripture to appoynt newe Commaundementes of God and to make newe Articles of fayth but we ought rather to doe this that seeing this holy Scripture which the Church hath deliuered to vs as it were from hande to hande is approoued and confirmed by most assured testimonies and seing that wee men are not the Authors but the Witnesses of the Scripture not Heads but Members of the Church not maisters but mynisters not Lords but the seruauntes of Christe this I say considered wee oughte to imbrace this Scripture with both hands Let vs submit our selues to these coÌ„maundements of God which are conteined in this Scripture and let vs obay this fayth which is prescribed vnto vs loÌ„ge before by the Prophetes and Apostles and so by the whole Apostolyke church that we may attayne true Saluation in Chryst Iesus the which we oughte to desyre aboue all Thinges in the World 5 There was in the Dayes of Herode the Kynge of Iurye a certayne Prieste named Zacharias of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name vvas Elyzabeth There vvas in the Dayes of Herode B. The Myraculous rising of Iohn the first Euangelyste made somewhat to the commending of the pryce of the Gospell and of the acceptable time which began when the Gospell was preached in the Worlde C. Wherfore verye fitely Luke begynneth his Gospell at Iohn the Baptiste euen as a man which would speake of the Day Lyghte beginneth at the Day starre For he went before the Sonne of ryghteousnes which was euen arysing as doth the Morning starre The rest of the Euangelistes also make mencion of him but they begin at that time when he executed hys Office But Luke seeketh to brynge Credit and estimation vnto him before hee was borne setteth forth the wonderfull and mighty power of God in his Infancie and sheweth that he was appointed of God to be a Prophete before meÌ„ could discerne what he should bee the whych he doth to this ende purpose that he might be heard with the greater reuerence wheÌ„ he should come abroad to set forth the glory of Chryst And this Herode of the which Luke maketh mencion was the son of Antipater whome his Father aduaunced vnto the Kingedome in inlargynge whereof he tooke such paynes and Laboure that hee was called Herode the greate And there are some whych thinke that he was therefore heere named of Luke because hee was the firste forreyne Kyng And that therefore it was a conuenient time for the redemption because the Scepter
mother The mother complained sayinge Thou shouldest haue tolde vs of it but Christe aunswereth It became mee to prefer my Fathers businesse before all matters yea before your sorrow C. And hereof a generall doctrine is to be gathered namely that what soeuer is due vnto men is subiect vnto the first table that the power of GOD may remaine vndeminished So wee must obay Kings Parents and Maisters and yet no otherwise but vnder the cōmaundement of God That is to say least God should loose any of his right for mans cause For then humaine pietie is not violated when wee haue principally regarde vnto God Wee know what our sauiour Christe saith Hee which loueth Father Mother more than mee Mat 10.37 is not worthy of me And the Apostell Peter saith we must obay God more then men Acts. 5.21 All power hath her boundes that God may haue the highest Degree of Honor Empery insomuch that if hee call vs we may haue no consideration of those thinges That I must goe about my Fathers businesse C. These wordes signifie that Christe was more bound then to man As if hee should say I will obay you so farre forth as I disobay not my heauenly Father Hee sheweth also the speciall ende why hee was sente into the Worlde namely to discharge the Office enioyned to him of his heauenly Father Iohn 4.34 Iohn 16.38 Ihon. 8.4 So in another place hee sayth My meate is to doe the will of him that sente mee and to doe his woorke 50. And they vnderstoode not that saying which he spake vnto them C. It is marueile that Ioseph Mary vnderstoode not this answere who were taught by many testimonies that Iesus was the Sonne of God Wee aunswere that although the heauenly originall of Christe was not altogether vnknowen vnto them yet they did not throughly vnderstande that he was bent to execute his Fathers commaundementes bycause his callinge was not as yet distinctly reuealed vnto them B. They knew that hee was Christe but yet they knew not the way how hee should take his office in hand neyther yet the condition of those things which were done by him And therefore they were held stil with a certaine admiration of him and of those things which hee did but specially when the spirite of God did reueale it selfe more manifestly in him Neyther were they any whit the more vnhappy bycause they knew not many of those thinges For it is sufficient for euery one to know so much of the workes of GOD that he may loue him aboue all thinges and frame himselfe wholly vnto his will So it was inough for Ioseph Mary to know that they had Christe present with them that they might dilligently attende vppon him and mighte bee thankefull to the Father with their whole hearte which had bestowed so greate Grace vppon the Worlde but specially vppon the Iewes As for other thinges which were to bee Reuealed vnto them they were differed vntill another time They therefore which are Godly in deede thinke it sufficient to know the good will of GOD towarde them in CHRISTE and wherein they are to bee thankefull vnto GOD. Contrarywise the wicked omittinge these thinges seeke to search out the secrets of GOD. And hereof it commeth to passe that there are so many contencions and disputacions about vayne thinges amonge them 51. And he went downe with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient vnto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart A. When Christe had in parte reuealed his callinge in that famouse City hee went downe with his mother and Ioseph And was obedient vnto thē C. Christe thus abased himselfe for our Saluation in that hee beinge the Lord of Angells and the heade of all Mortall Creatures willingely made himselfe subiect For so was the purpose of GOD that for a time as vnder a Shadow hee mighte lye hid vnder the name of Ioseph And although no necessity constrayned Christ to this subiection but that he might haue refused the same Yet notwithstanding bycause herefore hee tooke vppon him mans Nature that hee might be subiect to his Parents he tooke vpon him both the person of a man and also of a seruaunt that hee might the better be a true and perfect Redeemer Let all men therefore beholde and consider this and specially sonnes that they may learne howe that they are reconciled to the Lord GOD our Father and that they haue remission of all their Synnes for the Obedience of Christe And secondly that they follow this Example of Christe to testefie their Faith and to geeue thankes vnto GOD for the Benefites exhibited by Christe and to honoure their Parents with all Condigne honour Ephe. 6.1 Chyldren sayth S. Paule Obay your fathers mothers in the Lord for this is right Honour thy father and mother which is the first Commaundement in promise that thou mayest prosper and lyue longe vppon Earth Kept all those sayings in her heart C. Luke repeateth that which he had written straite after the Natiuity in the 19. verse goinge before how that Marye keepeth those thinges in her minde which as yet shee vnderstoode not Hereby let vs learne reuerently to receiue and euen as the Earth doth Foster the conteyned Seede to keepe in store in our mindes the mysteries of GOD which exceede our capascity R. Christes Wordes which are not at the first vnderstoode seeme to profite very litle but if thou Iudge them worthy to bee noted and layest them vp in thy mynde a time will come when thou shalte vnderstande them and thou thereby shalt confirme thy Faith 52. And Iesus increased in Wisdome and Stature and in fauoure wyth GOD and men R. the Euangelist doth briefly declare what CHRISTE did from the twelueth yeare of hys Age vntill the thirtith in the which yeare hee began his Office Hee was subiecte to his Parents hee increased in bodily stature and in Wisedome of the mynde whereby hee was the more gratiouse and accepted with GOD and with men Reade the 40. verse going before FINIS ⧠THE THIRD CHAP. NOwe in the fifteenth yeare of the raygne of Tyberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Liefetenant of Iury Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his Brother Philip Tetrarche of Iturea and of the Region of the Trachonites and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene 2. When Annas and Caiphas were the high Priests the worde of the Lord came vnto Iohn the sonne of Zacharias in the Wyldernesse B. In the two former Chapters the Euangelist hath described the byrth infancie of our Sauiour and hath declared those thinges concerninge him by which hee hath plentifully prooued Christe being as yet an Infant to be the Sauiour of the Worlde And now in this thirde Chapter omittinge these thinges which hee did from his Infancie vntill the thirtith yeare of his age hee discribeth howe hee was reuealed vnto men by the preaching of Ihon how at the last hee came to Baptisme in the which hee
Peter By the which Example let vs learne to be thankeful vnto God for hys Benefites bestowed vpon vs. Thankes geuing proceedeth of Fayth which cannot be vnthankefull vnto GOD. Goe from mee C. Though men by continual wishes desyre the presence of God yet notwithstanding it must needes bee that men shall tremble and bee ouerwhelmed with feare so soone as God appeareth vntill he geue comforte And his presence is therefore fearefull because they begin then to see their owne Weakenesse yea with how greate a heape of Euils they are replenished After this maner Peter so reuerēceth Chryst in the myracle that being terrefied with his maiesty he shunneth the same so much as he can A. Departe from me O Lord sayth he for I am a sinfull man Thys voice proceedeth from a contryte and broken heart acknowledging his owne vnworthynes 9 For hee was vtterly astonied and all that were wyth him at the draught of fishes which they had taken C. As if Luke should haue said Thys hapned not to Peter alone but to the rest which were in the Shyp For they were sore afrayd Wherefore wee se that all men are naturally afrayd at the presence of God And the same is profitable for vs that our pryde and vain confidēce in our selues may be beatē down so that we may be immediately after the same comforted as Peter was wyth the comfortable answer of Chryst 10 And so was also Iames and Iohn the sons of Zebede which were partners with Simon And Iesus sayd vnto Simō feare not frō hēceforth thou shalt catch mē Fear not B. As if he should say cast aside this vain feare by which ye ar astonied at my deuinity declared by the miracle I did not reueale the same to driue you away frō me but rather that I might inuite you to follow me to declare that I am endued with my fathers power how that al thinges are subiect vnto me Pray not me therfore to depart frō you but rather pray ye that forsaking al ye may haue power to follow me to cleane vnto me C. Furthermore he said vnto Peter From henceforth thou shalte catche men In steede of the which Mathew hath I wyll make you to become fishers of men By which words we are taught that Peter and the other thre were not onely appointed disciples of Chryste but also created Apostles or at leaste chosen in hope of the Apostleshyppe Therefore there is here descrybed not onely a generall calling vnto Faythe but a speciall also to a certayne office We graunte that as yet the offyce of teachyng is not committed vnto them but yet Chryst receiueth them into his company that he might make thē apt to teach For Christ did not chose these ignoraunt and vnlearned men to leaue them stil in their ignoraunce but to frame them to the Euangelical function As we haue sayd before in cap. 4. of Mat. verse 18. 11. And when they had brought vp theyr boates to the shoare they forsooke all and followed him A. Heere the efficacy of Christs voice is commended vnto as R. Surely in euery promise of the Gospell ther are such Deuine and heauenly Graces cōprehended and setfoorth that he which considereth tasteth but the least part of them by fayth he cannot stay himself but hee muste needes submit himselfe wholy and cleaue vnto Chryste The Kingdome of heauen sayth the lord is like vnto Treasure hidden in the field the which Mat. 13.44 when a man hath found he hydeth and for ioy thereof hee goeth his way and selleth all that he hath buyeth the fielde And agayn he sayth The Kingdome of Heauen is like to a Marchaunt man seeking goodly pearles Mat. 13.45 whych when he had founde one precious pearle wente and soulde all that he had and bought it This precious pearle signifieth heauenly Ioy and perfect Felicity which lyeth hid in the shell of the Gospel He which findeth this Pearle in the Gospell by fayth will rather forsake al thē leaue the Gospell These Fishermen found such Treasure such riches and so greate Felicity in this Gospell that they rather chose to forsake al thē not to follow Chryst which called them Read for the verses following the eight Cap. of Mathew Verse 2. and Marke 1. Cap. Verse 40. 15. But so much the more wēt there a Fame abroad of him and much people came together to heare and to be healed of him from their infirmities BV. This is the ende of the miracles and benefits of Chryst that he mighte be knowen vnto many that many might come vnto him to craue helpe and health and might receiue the same The which came to passe as the effect of Chrysts power which is here to be sene by the comming of the people vnto him 16. And he kepte himselfe a parte in the Wildernes and prayed R. Agayne Chryst shunneth the multytude and goeth into a Desert place least in gathering vnto him heapes of People hee might seeme to bee vayne glorious or els to moue seditiō against the Ciuill Magystrate Hee wente aparte also to rest himselfe from his labours for a time whych hee tooke in preaching the Gospell and in healing the sicke And prayed R. Wee muste noate here with what thinges Chryste dyd recreate his mynde in his Solitarines Surely with Prayer geuynge thankes vnto GOD the Father for the benefits which he gaue vnto mē by him his sonne What can be more sweete then prayer by which we talke with the Lord our God and doe conferre with him by Familiar Speach For GOD is our Father our sauiour our redemer our Felicity 17 And it came to passe on a certain Day as hee was teaching that there were Pharisies and Doctors of that law by which were come out of al towns of Galile and Iury and Hierusalē and the Povver of the Lord was presente to heale them R. Fyrst of al Chryst here sheweth what the Maiesty of the true Messias is what is his proper Office for the whych he was sent into this world secōdly he addeth a miracle that he might confirm that in deede which he had spoken before in wordes And the power of the Lorde was present Was not the Power of healing present with Chryst before Surely Chryst was alway endued with the power of healing but the same did alway shew it selfe in Chryst But thē especially it dyd appeare whē Chryst occupyed in teaching and preachynge the Gospell that miracles might appeare to be Testimonies and Seales of the Gospel Concerning that which followeth vnto the 30. verse Read our annotations vpon the ninth Chapter of Mathew Verse 1. and of Mark cap. second verse 3. 30 But they that were Scrybes and Pharisies among thē murmured against his Disciples saying Why do ye eate and drinke wyth Publicanes and Sinners R. Here now the Pharisies bewray theyr Enuious mynde which a lyttle before they had cōceiued against christ For the Pharisies according to they re malitious nature speake euill of that
the God hath geuen vnto vs a Kingdome and that for no other cause but because it it was his pleasure wee see most manifestly that the same is not gotten by the merite of Workes Therefore so often as the Lord doth put vs in hope of Eternall Life let vs remember that there is no cause why we should feare the lacke of Daily foode 33. Sell that ye haue and geue almes prepare you Bags which wexe not olde euen a Treasure that faileth not in Heauen wher no thefe commeth neither Mothe corrupteth Sell that yee haue The like charge the Lord geueth in the 19. Chapter of Mathew Verse 16. and in the tenth of Marke Verse 17. Where we shall haue the Expostion hereof By these woordâ— the Lord geueth vs to vnderstand that he would haue in all Chrystians a selling mynd that is to say a mynd so affected that it trusteth not in Riches but prepared to forsake them at the wil and pleasure of God Psal 62 11 1. Ti. â— 17 Then he requyreth at our hands that wee be willing and ready to helpe such as bee in neede and necessity with our goods RoÌ„ 12.8 2. Co. â— â— Oâ—e 6.7 Luke 3.11 For this is a generall saying I vvill haue mercy and not sacrifice And agayne Let him that hath two coates chare with him that hath none Therefore that which Christ speaketh heere concerning the sellinge of possessions oughte not so precisely to be vrged as though it were not lawful for a Chrystian man to keepe soÌ„what in store for himselfe Onely hys purpose is hereby to teach that we muste not onely geeue vnto the poore of our superfluity but also that we must not spare our Landes if so be we haue not money lying by vs to helpe and releue the poore As if he should haue sayde Let your Liberallity be extended eueÌ„ to the deminishing of your Patrimony and to the selling away of your lands For the reste of this Verse reade our annotations vpon the 6. Chapter of Math. Verse 19. 35. Let your Loynes be girded about and your Lights burning C. Chryst doth here shew very briefly in few wordes how the Faithful must walke in this world For first of all he setteth the gyrding of the Loynes against Idlenes and burning Candels against the darkenesse of Ignoraunce Chryste therefore commaundeth hys Disciples to bee ready and prepared for theyr Iourney that they may speedely goe throughout the Land that they may seke no sure or quiet abiding any other where then in heauen An admonition very profitable For although also prophane men haue the chariot of Life in theyr mouth Yet notwtstanding we see how they lye groueling vpon the Earth But God dothe not aduaunce any to the honor of hys Sonnes but those which acknowlege themselues to be inhabitaunts on the Earth for a time and which are not onely prepared always to wander but doe also runne all theyr course to the Celestiall Life And now because al the whyle they are in Earth they are incloased in Darkenesse he appoynteth vnto them lightes as haue they which walke in Darkenes and in the night As touching the gyrding of the Loynes it is a speach taken from the common manner of those that dwell in the East partes â— Ki 18.46 4. Ki 4.19 â—ere 1.17 which vse longe Garmentes R. And in the holy Scriptures the girding of the loynes signifieth celeritye and speede to finishe any matter to bee taken in hande by those Seruauntes which vsed to weare long Garmentes which they vsed to gyrde vp wheÌ„ they wente any whether By gyrded loins and burnyng Candels the Lord meaneth that we must be ready always to goe with him 36. And ye your selues bee like vnto men that wayte for theyr Lorde when hee will returne from the Wedding that when hee coÌ„meth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately C. Christe here vseth another similitude which Mathew omitting is more briefe in this matter then Luke For he likeneth him selfe vnto the Maister of a house who being mery abroade at a mariage or beinge ells where from home makinge good cheere will notwithstanding haue his seruants to behaue themselues modesty and soberly at home and being occupied with their lawfull woorke to looke dayly for his returne Therefore although the sonne of God be now absent from vs being taken vp into the blessed Rest of Heauen yet notwithstanding bycause hee hath enioyned to euery one his duety it is very absurde that any man should sleepe Idell Furthermore bycause he promiseth that he will come againe vnto vs it becommeth vs to be ready euery moment to receiue him least hee finde vs sleeping and Idell For if so be a mortall man loke for this seruice that at what hower soeuer he returneth home his seruaunts shall be ready ready to go and meete him how much more lawfully may the Lord require the like seruice at the hands of his seruauntes that being sober and watching they may alwayes waight for his comming 37. Happy are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde wakinge verely I say vnto you that hee shall gyrd himselfe make them sit downe to meate and will come forth and minister vnto them Happy are those seruaunts A. The Lord exhorteth to watchinge by many similitudes in Mathew in Marke but here he semeth to speake somwhat more For hee addeth Verely I say vnto you that he shal gyrd him sele C. In the which wordes to the ende he may the better encourage his Dysciples he saith that Earthly maysters are so much delighted with the readynes and diligence of theyr Seruants that they will also serue them Not that all maisters vse this but because thys commeth sometime to passe that the Mayster which is gentle and curteous doth admit his Seruauntes as Companions to his own Table Bu. Wherfore we may not so vnderstande thys saying of Chryst as though the Lorde should minister seruelely in Glory to those that are happy and blessed but because he geueth vnto them full and perfecte rest and shall make theÌ„ partakers of his owne Glory For the Lyfe and all the Ioye of the blessed commeth of Chryst and is in Christ For he came not to be ministred vnto Ma. 20.28 Luk. 22.27 but to minister and to geue his lyfe a redempcion for many 38. And if hee come in the seconde watch yea if hee come in the thyrd watche and finde them so happie are those Seruauntes R. This is the behauiour of faithfull seruaunts which loke for the coÌ„ming of theyr lord in the night from a feaste or mariage they gyrd theyr coat vnto them and carry in theyr handes burning torches they prescribe not to their Lord any time when he shall come but being watchfull and careful they wait for his comming home that so soone as he knocketh at the dore they may open vnto him and may geue him light with theyr torches Euen as if the lorde comming in the first watch findinge
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
theÌ„ for their sins But why art thou afrayd to come vnto Chryst Behold he more earnestlye desyreth thy Saluation then thou caÌ„st craue the same Hee is more readie to offer his Benefites vnto thee theÌ„ thou art to receiue them A. So in another place speakinge of his Death hee sayth Luk. 12.50 I must be baptized with a Baptisme and how am I payned til it be ended R. Wherefore the more thy sinnes oppresse thee the more make thou hast to come vnto Chryst because hee came not to cal the righteous but sinners to Repentaunce Moreouer Chryst maketh mention of his passion againe to the end his disciples myght know that he died willingly And hee speaketh not onely of his passion but also of his resurrectioÌ„ glory to come 16. For I say vnto you henceforth I will not eate of it any more vntill it be fulfilled in the Kingdome of GOD. R. As if he should say This shall bee the last Passeouer which I will eate with you in this mortall body For hereafter I will not liue as a man amoÌ„g you but I wil enter by my passioÌ„ into the Kingdome of God I will dye and rise agayne from Death not to liue an Externall Lyfe after the manner of this worlde amonge you but to liue in the Kingdome of God For al things shal be fulfilled which the prophets haue foreshewed concerning the Kingdome of God Reade for the rest vnto the 21. verse in the 26. cap. of Math. verse 25. 21. Yet behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table R. In these wordes Chryst first of all declareth that he suffered not his passion by constraynte but of his own voluntary will For hee knoweth bothe his betraying and the traitor and he could if hee had would escaped the same in time But he rather desired to suffer his passion thereby to worke our saluation then to set himselfe at libertye to enioy his pleasure RoÌ„ 15.3 A. Therefore most truly is it sayd by the Apostle that Chryst pleased not himselfe but as it is written The rebukes of theÌ„ which rebuked thee fel on me R. Moreouer whereas so often he maketh mentioÌ„ of the treason of Iudas he doth it not to make the rest of the disciples hate hym as a most wicked person but rather to prouoke Iudas to repent him For al though Iudas had already committed a most haynous offence in makynge a bargaine with the high priests for the sale of Chryst Yet neuertheles Christ reiecteth him not but seeketh by all meanes to draw him to repentance He washeth his feete he putteth him in mynde of his fault but yet in such wise that he toucheth him not by name Read for the two verses following the 26. of Mat. Verse 24. 24. And there was a stryfe amonge them which of them should seme to be the greatest A. Concerning this contentioÌ„ and the original thereof we haue spoken in the 20. Chapter of Math. verse 24. Mat. 18.4 The which Luke semeth to place here out of order BV. The like contention also happened betwene the Apostles at another time of which mentioÌ„ is made in the 18. of Math. Mat. 10.28 28. Ye are they which haue bydden with me in my Temptations A. This sentence semeth to agree with that of Mathew Ye that haue followed me in the Regeneration shal sit vppon twelue Seates and Iudge the twelue Trybes of Israell wheÌ„ the son of man shall sit vpon the Throane of his maiesty C. But Luke vseth moe words then doth Math. For because the Apostles followed Christ in his temptations and stode constantly hee pronounceth that they shall also be pertakers of his Glory And he calleth hys contentions Temptations wyth the which God exercysed him and his Apostles And very aptely hee vsed thys word temptations because accordyng to the sence and feeling of his humane Nature his faith and Patience was proued 29. And I appoint vnto you a Kyngdome as my Father hath appoynted vnto mee C. He doth here make them not onely Liefetenants but also kings because he geueth vnto them that kingdoÌ„ whych hee had receiued of his Father By this his exaÌ„ple he exhorteth theÌ„ to patience lest they should to gredely desire that Kingdome which was geuen to him to dispose for although his father had appointed him to be a kinge Yet notwithstanding he was not by and by exalted to his Glory Nay hee abased himself first got him kingly Honor by the shameful death of the crosse BV. But if we refer these words to the former contention this shal be the sence Why do ye conteÌ„d among your selues who shal be greatest Lerne rather to serue of me for the more a man serueth the greater he shal be But be of good cheare euery one of you shal be great For ye haue walked with me in humility abiding with me in my temptations which I haue suffred by the Iewes for the which my brethren also haue forsaken me therfore ye shal raigne with me For alredy I dispose vnto you the Kingdom of Heauen euen as my Father hath disposed the same vnto mee that ye may enioy the same with me that ye may eat and drinke with me at my table that is to say that yee may enioye the Glory plesures of the life to come with me Therefore litte vp your mindes to those thinges which are to come putting away that Dreame concernynge this present felicity kingdome For here wee muste serue there wee shall raigne 31. And the Lord sayd Symon Symon beholde Sathan hath desyred to sift you as it were wheat C. Chryst speaketh not here only Hystorycally of the trouble to come But also plainly sheweth that his disciples must haue a battaile with sathan wtal promiseth vnto them victory And this is a very profitable admonition that so often as any stumbling block is laid before vs we may by and by set before our eyes the subtil snares of Sathan Euen as the Apostle Paule also teacheth saying â—ph 6.12 We wrastle not agaynst flesh and bloud but against rule agaynst power agaynst wordly gouerners of the darkenesse of this worlde agaynst spyritual wickednes in Heauenly things Therefore the meaning of Chrysts words is this When hereafter very shortly ye see me oppressed Know ye for a certaintie that Sathan will vse the same violence against you to ouerthrow you and that this is a very fit occasion for him to weaken your faith BV. And whereas he nameth Simon twise it sheweth the vehemeÌ„cy and serious affection of his Admonition Furthermore in that he sayeth Sathan hath desired he noteth that all euils come by the meanes of Sathan Wherefore wee are rightly taught in our daily prayer to pray that wee may be deliuered from all euil that is to say from the deuil sin Finally he admonisheth Peter aboue the rest because he should fal aboue the rest And it was meete that hee should fall more deepely then the rest
because the purpose of the Lord was to vse him aboue the rest to the setting forth of his glory And for this it was needefull that he should haue a modest mind fre frō selfe trust and such a mynd as myght easely beare with the weakenesse of others the which he might learn by his owne fall A. Howbeit the purpose of Chryst was to admonish them all in the person of one as we haue shewed in the 26. Chapter of Mathew verse 31. C. This Doctryne is very profitable to teache vs to Arme and prepare our selues before we be cōstrained to fight because we know that Sathan desyereth by all maner of meanes to assaye vs. Euen as the Apostle Peter sayth Your Aduersary the Deuill goeth about like a roaring Lyon 1. Pet. 5.8 seekynge whome he may deuoure To sift you as it were wheate C. This simillytude of sifting doth not in euery pointe properly hold For in the thyrd of Mathew the Gospell is compared to a fan or siue with the which wheate is purged from chaffe But heere by siftynge he meaneth onely violent shakyng because the Apostles in the deth of Christ were more cruelly handled then they were wont to be This is therefore to be noted because Sathan desyreth nothing else then the purgatiō of the faithfull But although he shaketh and sifteth them to another ende yet neuerthelesse this is truly sayde that they are tumbled shaken toste this way and that way euen as men tosse and shake wheate in a Siue or Fanne Therefore Sathan will sift that is to say he seeketh nothing else but to pull vp by the rootes vtterly to destroy Wherefore we must stand faste and must haue deepe rootes and hold in the fayth that nothing may be able to remoue vs. For Sathan is no Changelyng he is euen the same Deuil that he was then being a wonderfull Enemy to our Saluation 32. But I haue prayed for thee that thy Faythe fayle not and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren C. It was necessary that Peter shoulde bee well Admonished leaste when he had denyed CHRYST hee shoulde bee ouerwhelmed wyth Desperation Therefore hee comforteth hym Of how greate wayght the which consolation was he did not then vnderstand but afterwarde when hee was in necessitie hee vnderstoode the same If Peter had not receyued thys promise no doubte he had bene ouerwhelmed with his fal denyall But these promises by which GOD promiseth that hee will not fayle vs ought not to make vs carelesse but let vs knowe that therefore he promiseth vs his helpe because he knoweth that of our selues we can doe nothing and that without him we are depryued of all power Hereby wee gather the Gods Electe though they seeme to be vtterly ouerthrowen are notwithstandyng held vp of God least that faith shoulde quayle with them It may be said that Peters faith vanished away for a time but by this and other places it appeareth that the Sparkes of Faithe doe alwaies abide in the Elect howsoeuer they lie buried in their hearts BV. Fayth in the Elect seemeth to be like vnto the Sonne in the Fyrrmament which is hyd and darkned for a time with cloudes but is not cleane extinguished For affections and Errors and sinnes are certayne blacke Cloudes brynging darknesse but the Sonne of our fayth is confirmed inflamed againe by the merit of our Intercessor in such wyse that with firme and bright beames it by and by putteth away those cloudes and bringeth a cleare conscyence And let no man thinke that this prayer of Chryste to Peter onely as though hee prayed for him alone For Chryst prayed also for the rest of the Apostles and for them which should beleue theyr preachyng For thus he sayth I pray not for them alone Ioh. 17.20 but for all them which shal beleue in me by theyr preaching And when thou art conuerted As if he shoulde say When thou arte conuerted strengthen thy brethren by thy Example that they dispayre not Consider how great thy fall was whē thou see others to fall least thou contemne and reiecte them but rather that thou mayst lift them vp and comforte them For wee oughte not to thinke that strength is geuē vnto vs to ouerthrow others Euery man ought to beare with his Brothers infirmities But they which haue once fallen themselues ought to be most ready to beare with the weake being taughte by theyr owne Experience For the feeling of Euylls ought to make vs the more mercifull Therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 4.15 We haue not a high Prieste which can not bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all poynts tēpted as we are and yet without sin Let vs not therefore be to seuere but let vs euer haue in mynd this admonition For the Exposition of the nexte verse read the 13. cap. of Iohn and the 37. verse Also for the 34 verse reade the 26. Cap. of Math. beginning at the 33. Verse 35. And hee sayd vnto them when I sent you without wallet and scrip and shoes lacked yee any thinge and they sayd No C. The whole Speach of Chryst tendeth to this end Mat. 10.5 that he hath hitherto spared his Disciples that hee myghte lay no more vpon them then they are able to beare B. For when at the first time they were sent forth to prech the Gospell they liued well and wāted nothing though they were sēt forth bare and empty to take theyr iourney that they might preach the Gospell For Chryst compareth that conuenyent maner of life which they vsed in that iourney to most sharpe persecutyon which was at Hande for him by hys crosse C. And he commendeth the easinesse of the first time to the ende hee might geue them better Courage to a sharper Battaile For wherefore dyd hee keepe these younge and inexperiēced souldiers from daunger in reste peace but onely by little and little to geeue them courage and strengthe to fight in time to come But ther is not withstanding another maner of Comparison of the two times then that whych he maketh here For if so bee whē they went forth to discharge theyr Offyce without any maner of preparatiō they wanted nothinge the quietnesse of the time geuing them leaue to prouide for themselues Much more nowe in tyme of trouble laying aside all care for the necessaries of this life they ought spedely to take that in hand whereūto necessity called them 36. Then sayd hee vnto them But now he that hath a wallet let him take it vp and likewise his Scrip and he that hath none let him sell his coate and buy a sword A. This is a figuratiue kind of spech which hee vseth in many other places also C. Hee sheweth that there are great troubles and afflictiōs at hande Euen as if a prynce minding to set his Souldiers in a readinesse for the battayle should cry All Arme. For he cōmaundeth them here all other Cares set aside to