more a great deale then they were among the Iewes vnder Annas Caiphas For the reading of the holy scripture which then florished is not only vanished away vnder the Popes Gouernment but is also driuen out of the Churches with Fyer and Swoorde sauinge that they singe in scorne what they list them selues in an vnknowen tongue S. But wee to whom the truth of the Gospell is reuealed ought after the ensample of Christe to frequet holy assemblies to cleaue vnto the worde of GOD for euer and to follow good and pollitique order And stoode vp to reade S. It is meete that there should bee some Order 1. Cor. 14.40 that all thinges may bee done decently and in order as the Apostell teacheth For if euery one were permitted to reade cōfusion must needes follow Wherefore wee see that Order was obserued there is no doubt but they which purposed to reade craued audience C. And Christe stode vp to reade not onely to the ende audience mighte bee geuen him the better but also in signe of reuerence For the maiesty of the Scripture deserueth to bee modestly and reuerently handled of the Professors of the same 17. And there was deliuered to him a Booke of the Prophet Esayas when he had opened the booke hee founde the place where it was written And there was delyuered to him a Booke B. This Booke was deliuered vnto him by the Minister For by and by after it is sayd And when hee had shut the Booke hee gaue it to the Minister He found the place C. There is no doubt but that Christe of purpose chose this place Some think that it was diuinely allotted vnto him but seeing hee had free choise it is better to referre it his Iudgemēt that hee chose out this place aboue others For his purpose was to speake aptly concerninge his office 18. The spirite of the Lord vpon me because hee hath anoynted mee to preach the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me to heale the broken hearted to preach deliuerance to the captiue and recoueringe of sight to the blynde freely to set at liberty them that are brused The spirit of the Lord vpon me S. These Woordes are alleadged according to the translation of the threescore and ten Interpretors For the Hebrew texte in Esay is somewhat otherwise Esay 61.1 Esay promiseth that there shall bee yet certaine Witnesses of the Grace of GOD after the Exile into Babilon which shall gather the People from destruction and the shadow of Death and shall with Spirituall power restore the Church being so myserably afflicted But seeinge that the same redemption was to be published in the name of Christe onely he speaketh in the singuler nomber and after a sorte taketh vpon him the person of Christe to the ende he might the more effectually comforte the myndes of the Godly Certaine it is that those thinges which are spoken here doe onely properly belonge vnto Christe him selfe and that for two causes First because hee only is indued with the fulnesse of the spirite that hee might bee a Witnesse of our reconcilliation with God Ephe 2.17 secondly because hee alone by the power of his spirite performeth and geueth all those good things which he promyseth here And hee therefore sayd that the spirite of the Lord was vpon him to the ende wee might know that Christe as well in him selfe as in his Ministers doth no humaine or priuate worke but that hee is sente from aboue to restore saluation to the Church For he testifieth that hee doth nothing by humaine instincte or counsaile but by the moderation of the spirit of GOD that the Faith of the Godly mighte bee founded vppon the authority and power of God R. And wee must note that which we touched before that the fulnesse of the Spirite was geuen to Christe alone For the Spirite or gyftes of the spirite was geuen to others by partes and by measure To Moses was geeuen the spirite of Wisdome and of workinge myracles to Sampson was geuen the spirite of Fortitude to Salomon the Spirite of Wysedome to the Prophets the Spirite of knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods misteries but to Christ was geeuen the fulnesse of the spirite and all the Gyftes of the spirite were powred vppon him For so sayth the Prophet The Spirite of the Lorde shall rest vppon him Esay 11 2 the spirite of Wisedome and vnderstandinge the spirite of counsaile and strength the Spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. And Sainte Ihon sayth Ihon. 3.34 God geeueth not the spirit vnto him by meesure Col 2.9 and 3. In lyke manner Paule writeth sayinge In him dwelleth all the fulnesse of God bodily Wherefore when the Prophet sayeth that the Spirite of the Lord is vpon Christe hee meaneth that all the fulnesse and all the Gyftes of the Spirite are vppon him Bycause hee hath anoynted mee S. This is added in steede of an Exposition C. For many boaste falsly that they haue the spirite of God when they are quite voyde of his giftes But Christ proueth by the anoynting as by the effect that hee is moued with the spirit of God S. For this anoynting was a figure of the holy Ghoste and there is a Metaphor in this Woorde For as Oyle hath his properties for the body euen so hath the spirite of God for the Soule Wee are Partakers of this anoyntinge for GOD hath consecrated vs to be his People Psa 105.15 Whereupon hee saith Touch not mine anoynted But there is not all one measure as wee sayd before For God geueth to euery man his giftes according to his measure but Christe was fully anoynted of whose fulnesse wee all haue receyued Ihon. 1.16 Wee are anoynted that wee may bee Partakers of the kingdome of the Priesthoode and of the Propheticall office of Christ notwithstanding Christe onely was anoynted to bee a Kinge a Priest and a Prophet Our anoynting cōmeth from Aarons head vnto all the partes of the body Note also how often the Scripture maketh mencion of the spirit of God and saith that the same dwelleth in vs least thou shouldest consider any voyde or vayne thinge but rather his power and efficacie So that after the Prophet had spoken of the spirite of God hee addeth vnction by which the vertues of the Spirie of God are vnderstoode The place must bee dilligently waighed and considered For no man can take vnto him Right and authority to teach in the Church of God except hee can shew that hee was stirred there unto by the spirite of God And wee shall knowe who are sent of God by the anoyntinge that is to say if hee bee indued with these giftes which are required to that Function if hee beinge appointed of the Lord hath in him the Graces of the spirite then hee hath in deede the holy Ghost But if a man hauinge no doctrine or learninge at all will professe himselfe to be a maister and a Teacher let him bee
eternall destruction O Generation of Vipers who hath taught you to flee from the Vengeaunce to come Brynge forth therefore due Fruites meete for repentance And hee shall conuerte many but not all and as the Prophet sayth only the reliques Esay 10.22 The Reliques of Iacob sayth hee shall be conuerted C. But there seemeth here more to bee attributed vnto Iohn then belongeth vnto a man Obiection For seeing the conuersion vnto God doth renewe men into a spirituall Lyfe it is not only the proper worke of God but it doth also surpasse the very creation of men So that by this meanes the Mynisters maye seeme to be equall with God yea and to be preferred before him as hee is the Creator seeing it is a greater matter for men to be borne agayne into a heauenly lyfe then for mortall men to bee borne in the earth Answere The solution hereof is easie to be made because the Lord in geuing so great prayse to the external doctrine doth not deuide the same froÌ„ the secret power of his Spirite For because GOD doth choose men to be Mynisters vnto him selfe that he may vse their labor to the buildinge of his Church hee doth also worke by them by the secret power of his spirite that their labour might bee effectuall and fruitefull So often as the Scripture commendeth this efficacie in the Mynistery of men i. Cor. 3.7 let vs learne to referre the same to the grace of the spirite with out the which men shall spende their breath in vayne So that Apostell Paule when he boasteth him selfe to be a mynister of the Spirite hee doth vsurpe nothing to him selfe as of himselfe although by his voyce he pearced into the heartes of men but hee preacheth the power and grace of the Spirite to be in his Ministery These maner of speaches are worthy to bee noted because Sathan wonderfully seeketh to extenuate the effect of doctrine that he mighte also weaken the grace of the spirite annexed vnto the same We grauÌ„t that the externall preachinge can preuayle nothinge of it selfe beinge seperated from the internall operation of the spirite but because it is the instrument of the deuine power to our saluation and an effectuall instrument by the grace of the Spirite let vs not seperate those which GOD ioyneth together Moreouer to the ende the glory of coÌ„uersion and of faith may abyde to God aloane the Scripture doth often times tell vs 2 Cor. 3.7 that the Mynisters are nothing of them selues but doth compare them with God leaste any man shoulde geue vnto them that honor which he hath taken from God To be short those whom God conuerteth vnto him selfe by the labor of the Mynister the Minister is sayd to conuert because he is nothinge els but the hand of God and both are plainely expressed in this present place Conuerâ—on vnto God by the preaâ—ing of the Worde BV. Neuerthelesse we must note that the ende of the Mynistery of the worde of God is that the People might be conuerted vnto their God And we are conuerted vnto the Lorde when his woorde pearceth into our myndes The which verely doth not pearce as it is vttered by man for we knowe the obstinacie of mans heart but it is the spirite that pearceth C. For how farre vnable the Ministers are to turne men vnto God we gather hereby because Iohn did conuert all men that hearde him the which no doubte hee would haue done if he might haue had his owne defier but he conuerted those onely whom it pleased God to call In fine the Angell teacheth the very same here which the Apostell Paule doth in another place sayinge Ro. 10. â— that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing but yet that none haue the illumination of fayth but they to whom the Lord inwardly reuealeth his Arme. 17. And he shall go before him with the spirite power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the iust men to make ready a perfect People for the Lord. And he shall goe before him C. In these wordes he defineth what the office of Iohn should be by this note hee discerneth him from the rest of the Prophetes to whom a certaine proper ambassage was comitted seeinge that Iohn was sent only to this ende that hee might goe before Christe as a haruinger forerunner of a kinge to prepare the way For so saith the Lord vnto Malachias Behold I send my Angell which shall prepare the way before me Briefly the vocation of Iohn tended to no other ende then to prepare an auditory for Christe and Disciples also Note here that he sayth Before him namely before God For in the verse going before he had made mencion of God to the ende we might know that Chryst was the same God which spake by the Prophet Malachy C. Hereby therefore is proued the euerlasting deuinity of Christe Z. But howe Iohn wente before Christe Mathew declareth in his third Chapter With the spyrite and power of Elias C. By these words Spirite and Power we vnderstande the vertue or excellencie of the Spirite with that which Elias was endued For we must not here imagin the dreame of Pythagoras that the Soule of the Prophet passed into Iohns body but the same spirite of God which had wrought mightely in Elias shewed the lyke power efficacie afterwarde in Iohn the Baptiste But this worde Power was added expositiuely to expresse that kynde of grace with the which Elias specially excelled for that hee beinge armed with heauenly power wonderfully repayred the decayed worship of God abrogated the false worship of Baale For such reformation far excelled humane strength Now the same which was begon by Iohn was no lesse wonderfull wherefore it is no marueyle if so be it was necessary that hee shoulde be endued with the same gyft A. Whereupon also Christe himselfe expounding Malachy saith that Iohn is Elias in office and power not in person because of the likenesse of spirite power that was betwene them who as did Elias excelled in great gyftes and vertues Reade the 7. Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 10. verse To turne the hearts of Fathers to the Children C. Here the Angell noteth in what Ihon was most lyke vnto Elyas Therefore he affyrmeth that he must bee sente togather together the scattered people into the vnity of faith For the conuersion of the Fathers vnto the Children is the bringing backe agayne from enmity to fauour whereuppon it followeth that there was a certayne breach which cut of and deuided the People R. For Elias when in his time true Religion was defiled with the Idolatrouse worship of Baal the sonnes of the Patriarks followed another kinde of Religion then the Patriarkes theÌ„selues had followed so restored true religion that he reformed the religion of the Patriarks among their children reformed the Religion of the Children by the Religion of the Patriarks the
what we our selues ought to do vnto others If any man honor another endued with Gods Giftes he gieueth honor vnto GOD himselfe And contrariwyse if he contemne the same he despyseth God himselfe Therfore sayth Elyzabeth The mother of my lorde We cannot geue honor vnto God but we must also honor his grace when and wheresoeuer wee see the same The Mother of my Lorde C. In that Elyzabeth calleth Mary the mother of her Lorde the vnitie of the Person is noted in the two natures of Chryst As if she had sayde that he which is borne a Mortall man in the VVomb of Mary is also God Euerlastyng For we must remember that the woman speaketh not of her owne brayne but onely vttereth that which the holy Ghost put into her minde For thys name properly beloÌ„geth vnto the â—â—n of GOD manifested in the flesh to whome all power is geuen of the Father and who is ordayned to be the chyefe Ruler in Heauen and in Earth by whose Hande God gouerneth all Thyngs Howbeit hee is chyefly the Lord of the Faithfull who wyllingly submit themselues to hys Gouernment Christ the head of 〈◊〉 body onely For he is the Head but of his body Therfore Paule saith Although there be many called LORDES in the Worlde 1 Cor 8. yet not withstanding we which are of the Housholde of Fayth haue but one Lorde For loe as soone as the Voyce of thy Salutation sounded in my eares the Babe sprange in my Wombe for Ioy. C. She amplyfieth this grace of God of which she speaketh of the sodaine motion of the Infant which she had in her VVombe VVherby ther is no doubte but that shee would declare that she had the feeling of some Supernaturall and deuine thyng Read the 42. verse going before 45. And blessed is shee that beleued For these Thynges shall be perfourmed vvhych were toulde Her from the Lorde And blessed is she that belieued A. Thys is to be ioyned to the 42. Verse in the which the Angel called her blessed amonge women that shee might not simply be called blessed because she should be the mother of the Lord but because she beleeued C. And seeing it is euident by the former Testimony of Luke that Elizabeth spake by the secret motion of the Spyrite it must needes be the same Spyrite which pronounced Marye blessed because she beleued and praysing the Fayth of Mary he generally sheweth in what the true felicity of man consisteth Mary is happy who imbracinge with her heart the promise of God conceiued and broughte forth saluation for her self the whole world This was special vnto her but because we can haue no lyfe righteous or any goodnes without the Lord offer vnto vs his woord it is Fayth only which maketh vs partakers of true felicity being deliuered froÌ„ extreame neede and misery And there is great wayght in this part of the seÌ„tence following For those things shal be performed For the sence meaning of it is this that Fayth submitteth it selfe to the promises of God that they may haue theyr effect in vs It is certayne that the truth of God doth not depend vppon the wyll of men but this is rather true that God doth alwayes remaine true although the whole VVorlde which is vnbeleuing and ful of lies goe about to discredit the same Rom. 3.4 But because the vnbeleuing are vnworthy to reape any fruite of the Promyses therefore the Scripture teacheth that they are effectuall onely by fayth to our Saluation For Gyd offereth his benefits generally to all meÌ„ but faith openeth our bosome to receiue them and incredulity suffereth them to fall that we might not receiue them If so be there had bene any vnbelyefe in Mary yet notwythstanding the same could not haue let but that God wold haue brought his purpose to passe by some other meanes that had pleased him â—nbeliefe â—fisteth â—od but shee is called blessed because She receiuing by fayth the blessing of God offered vnto her gaue place vnto God to finishe his worke euen as on the coÌ„trary parte vnbeliefe resisteth him putteth away hâ—s hand from the worke that they which defraude the same of the praise of his vertue might not feele it a sauing hand Wee must also note the relation betwene worde and fayth by which we gather what it is to beleue to weete when we subscribe vnto God which speaketh and are fully perswaded that hee will performe and fulfill that which hee promiseth From the Lorde The which soundeth not as though the Lord himselfe had spoken but because these thinges were spoken vnto her in the name of the Lorde or from the Lord. For the promyse was brought by the Angell but it came only from God Whereby wee gather that whether God vse the mynistery of men or of Angells hee would haue no lesse honor geuen vnto his woorde than if hee him selfe should openly descende from Heauen But the former sence doth best agree 46. And Mary sayd My soule magnifieth the Lord. And Mary sayd C. Nowe is declared the notable and worthy song of the holy Virgin by which playnly appeareth with what plenty of the Spirite she excelled And this Canticle or Psalme consisteth of three partes The first part setteth forth the thankesgeuing of Mary for the mercy of God shewed towardes her In the second part she coÌ„mendeth the power Iudgmentes of God with generall Tytells Last of all Shee applyeth them to the present cause where Shee speaketh of the redemption promised longe a goe vnto the Church and nowe performed My Soule magnifieth the Lord E. The Virgin beginneth with thankes geueinge testefyinge her thankefullnesse The thankesgeuing of MARY R As if Shee shoulde say God hath bestowed an inestimable benefite vpon mee and nowe I am confirmed by a greate certainty of Faith by a Sygne foreshewed of the Angell Wherefore I am so Ioyfull in my Conscience that I cannot staye my selfe but I muste needes burst forth into the commendation of the name of God C. Therefore because Hypocrites ofteÌ„times with shrill voyce and pleasaunt time without any affection of the heart doe singe the prayses of God Mary saith that shee prayseth God from the inward affection of the mynde And in very deede they doe nothinge els but prophane the holy name of God which set forth his glory not with the mynde but with the tongue onely But seeing these woordes Soule and Spirite are diuersly taken in the Scripture yet notwithstandinge beinge Ioyned together they signifie two principall powers of the Soule For this worde Spirite is taken for vnderstanding and this woorde Soule for the place of the affections That wee may vnderstand the minde of the holy Virgin Ioy of the spirit is required before thaÌ„ksgeuing we must note that the same is put in the Seconde place which should be in the first For that the wil of man may be styrred vp to praise God it is necessary that there goe before the reioysinge of the
matter they hated worse then any Dogge or Snake 7. But Iesus auoyded with his Disciples to the sea and a great multitude followed him froÌ„ Galyle froÌ„ Iury. BV. Here our sauiour Christe teacheth vs by his exaÌ„ple som times to geue place to the frowardnes of the wicked A greate multitude follovved him from Galile A. Math. sheweth that a great multitude folowed him but froÌ„ whence he sheweth not the which thing our Euangelist Mark doth in this place As touching the 8. verse reade the 12. of Math. 9. And Iesus commaunded his Disciples that a shippe shoulde wayght on him because of the people least they should thronge him BV. The lord in euery place doth teach vs by his example Now that he might vse the more quiet way auoyde trouble he auoydeth all vnquietnesse and taketh the occasion ministered vnto him And therefore he commaundeth a ship to wayght on him Here therefore certayne Stoyikes are confuted whych poynte a certayne godlinesse in neglecting the care of the body agaynst whom the Apostle Paule dysputeth in the 2. Coloss 2 1. Tim. 4 Chapter of his Epistle to the Coloss and in the 4. of the â— to Timothy 10. For he had healed many insomuch that they preased vppon hym for to touche him as many as had plagues E. The Lord is ryche and merciful towards all men he putteth none from his Doctryne nor from the benefite of healing Such was the feruent desire of the multitude for the greedines of healing that one of them did thronge another and did violently rushe vpon Iesus that they might at the least touch him for by the touching of his vesture only the diseases were put away Neyther had the mighty and gentle Phisition any respect of the men or of the diseases whatsoeuer they were that were troubled with any kynde of disease if it were their hap to come vnto Chryste they were healed And the lyke we see to bee done at this day by the power of the spirite For many out of all Nations of the world come vnto Iesus beinge subiect to many sinnes to much wickednesse and are healed by fayth a sure truste As many as had plagues Plagues and diseases are scourges for sinne For the diseases of the body are very profitable for the Soules health God scourging men as the father doth the Children 11. And when the vncleane spyrites sawe hym they fell dovvne before hym at his Feete and cryed sayinge Thou art the sonne of God A. In fewe wordes Mathewe declareth that all the power of this world yea and the power of sathan is brought vnder by the power of Christ Wherefore Sathan hath no power any more ouer the faythfull For Christ doth coÌ„municate his power to the Sayntes Reade for the 12. verse in our exposition of Math. 13. And hee wente vp into a mountaine and called vnto him whom he would and they came vnto him And he vvent vp into a mountayne B. This seemeth to be the order of the hystory When Christe had gone about all Galile preachinge and healing all those that were diseased there were gathered together a great multitude which came vnto him from all places there about which Mathew affyrmeth in the ende of his fourth Chapter he went vp to the mountayne to pray and contynued there all Nighte in prayer to God as Luke maketh mencion For his maner was when hee was oppressed to much with the exceeding multitude of People to goe into some solitary place out of the way that he might haue respete and quietnesse in the tyme of prayer that he might conueniently send away the people specially such as sought for nothing but carnall things to th' ende that he might with the more oportunity afterward preach spiritual and heauenly thinges to those which thyrsted after the same So Luke in the ende of the fourth Chapter maketh mencion that he went into a desert place and that when the people which followed him would haue stayed him he sayd I must preach to other Cities also and so sent them away For he addeth saying And he preached in the Synagoges of Galile The like you may reade in the fyft of Luke Euen so at this time also he went a part when he saw the multitude as sayth Mathew and passed away the Night in prayer And when it was day Luk. 6. as sayth S. Luke he called whom he would and as our Euangelist sayth here his dysciples and they came vnto him as Mathew testifieth in his fift Chapter and he chose 12. of them to beare him company to sende them forth to preache as this our Euangelist declareth vntill he commeth vnto the twenty verse With these Disciples therefore as sayth S. Luke which were chosen to be Apostles the Lord went downe from the mouÌ„tayne and stoode in a playne place which mighte contayne the multitude which was present Then casting his Eyes vpon all his Dysciples he opened his Mouth and taughte them as sayth Mathewe sayinge Math. 5. Blessed are the poore in spyrite c. C. But by the way we must note that Chryste as yet doth not properly ordayne his Apostles by this election that they mighte by by take vppon theÌ„ the offyce of Apostleship but doth onely adopt them to be his fellow Disciples in hope of the Apostleship In the which matter many interpreters are deceyued which coÌ„founde amisse this place of Marke and Luke with the tenth of Mathew But truely the words playnely sounde that they are onely forechosen to the imbassage to come which is in ioyned to theÌ„ in the tenth of Mathew And Marke and Luke heereafter in their proper place and order will declare that sending forth of the which Mathew there maketh mencion Neyther is it any meruayle if the heauenly schoolemayster did inure frame them by litle litle to so hard a matter as to teache a Prouince whose rudenesse coulde not be corrected by long exercyse of dysciplyne The Euangelist Luke expresseth the cause as it was sayde before why Chryste wente vppe to the mountaine namely that he might more freely pray in a solitary place This Example ought to be vnto vs as a perpetuall rule that wee begin with prayer so often as Pastors are to bee chosen for congregations otherwyse that which we take in hande shall haue eueâ—l successe For the Lorde did pray for his owne sake so much as to prescribe a lawe vnto vs. QuestioÌ„ But some man will say Dyd not Christe then pray earnestly to the Father that he would order this his election of the Apostles Yes truely wee deny it not Answer and we also say that hee declared by this testimony how careful he was for the Church So that he did not after his dayly maner pray vnto the Father but he spent al the nighte in prayer And called vnto him vvhom he vvoulde There is no doubt but that S. Mark meaneth by these wordes that the dysciples were not taken to so honorable for their owne
spirite Euen as S. Iames teacheth sayinge Iam. 3.13 Is any man merry Let him singe Psalmes For Heauinesse and sorrowe doe both clogge the mynde also do hinder the tongue from celebrating the goodnesse of God Therefore so soone as Maries mynde reioyced it brast forth into the prayse of God E. Whereuppon for Soule Spirite the scripture oftentimes vseth this word heart and it is a phrase of speach very vsuall with the Hebrewes Psal 103.1 Psal 35.3 specially in the Psalmes Praise the Lorde O my Soule Also Say vnto my Soule I am thy saluation There is great force in these phrases of speach much more is expressed then if it were sayd Praise the Lord I magnify the Lord Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Hereby wee are taught that if we will truely praise God we must praise him from our heart for if the heart be not moued the Lord reiecteth abhorreth our prayse Therefore the true fouÌ„dation of thanksgeuing is the inward affection of the minde Thankesgeuinge vvith lips only is abhominable by these speaches we may see the difference betwene the spirite truth hypocrisie which magnifieth God with the mouth lyps only The Lord This is a word of power by which MARY preacheth the power of God by which he wrought in her works passing nature Moreouer she arrogateth non of these benefits vnto herselfe because she is the mother of god because she was blessed among women because she behaued her selfe modestly she chalengeth nothing to her selfe but a ioyful merry heart toward God Wherefore she acknowledging the receiuing of them froÌ„ him praiseth his holy name Thus we ought to leane vnto God only not to Creatures or to our giftes 47. And my spirite hath reioyced in God my Sauiour And my Spirite reioyced in God C. This is as it were a reason of the cause For there can be no true affection of praysing GOD except there be first Ioy. For in the scripture the cause is oftentimes made subiect to the effect as in this place And she calleth the spirite as we sayd euen now the minde and vnderstanding of the soule She so reioyced that shee gaue vnto him that prayse of all goodnes and whosoeuer do not the like are vnthankefull Verely this reioysing is the effect or signe of a quiet Conscience which by Faith was certaynely perswaded that God was pacified and fauourable In GOD my Sauiour C. Shee doth not without cause geue vnto God the name of a sauiour when she speaketh of the Ioy of her heart For vntill he be acknowledged God the sauiour mens mindes shall neuer haue the true and perfect Ioy but shal be alwaies heauy and careful Saluation in Christâ— vvorketh true Ioy. so that it is the only fauoure of God the saluation the commeth of him which make vs Ioyfull To be short this is the principall thing in the which the faithfull haue to Ioy that their saluation is in God for the which they must also be thankefull vnto him S. The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Deliuerer and Preseruer Which is somewhat more than a Sauiour This Tytell be longeth only vnto God in whom we al consist Mary after the maner of the Psalmes of Dauid calleth him the sauiour Deliuerer bycause nowe her whole minde was inflamed with the consideration of the saluation which was begon to be wrought in her 48. For Hee hath looked on the lowe degree of his Handmayden for loe nowe from hence forth all Generations shall call mee blessed For he hath loked on the low degre C. She sheweth the cause why the Ioy of her heart is founded vpon God namely bycause he had respect vnto her frely of his mercy For in acknowledging her lowe degree shee maketh herselfe voide of all worthinesse that shee may ascribe vnto the free goodnes of God the whole cause of reioysing For the low degree of the which mencion is made in this place doth not signifie submissioÌ„ modesty or the habite of the minde as certaine vnlearned men haue thought but signifieth only an abiect vile and vase condition The Sence and meaninge therfore is this Whereas I was base contemned of low degre it hath pleased God notwithstanding mercifully to looke vpon mee Therefore the Virgin calling to minde the benefits of God as we ought to do when we geue thanks firste of all wondereth the God had such respect regarde vnto her being base and of low degree that he chose her to be the mother vnto his sonne For this is the which she saith For he hath regarded the low degre of his handmaideÌ„ Where there is any dignity or worthinesse of the fleshe there is a vaile which will not suffer vs to beholde the grace of God Therefore vpon iuste cause shee maketh mencion of her low Degree R. As if she should say I came of the stocke of the famouse king Dauid but looke by how much my auÌ„cetors were more noble than I by so much am I the more miserable For that I may speake nothing of the Kingdome taken away from our kinred by tyranny to make no mencion of the great neede which I a maiden of kingly race haue a longe time suffred this verely of all other is the greatest misery that the tyrauntes which now enioy our kingdome doe so lye in wayte for the life of al those that are come of the stock of Dauid that hauinge already killed certaine men not so much as wee poore maydes women are in safety so that wee being not so much coÌ„temned as wee are a coÌ„mon scorne to all men know not where to leade a secure life But to her whom men despyse the Lord turneth his eyes of mercy hath chosen me to gret dignity He might haue regarded the dignity of others which far exelled me in nobility in riches but he would none of them hauing respect vnto me a poore needy Virgin This maketh mee Ioyfull for this I geue thankes vnto God To be short I am nothing for what soeuer I am haue the same coÌ„meth only vnto me because God hath respect vnto me by the grace of God I am that I am The Virgin coulde not morefully prayse God his grace C. Thus we see how Mary abaseth her selfe to exalte God alone And it was not a setting forth of fayned humility But a simple true confession of her perswasion which she had fixed in her mynde For shee was both of no estimation in the sight of the world she also esteemed of her selfe nothing the more M. And here we haue specially expressed vnto vs what the Nature of God is God bâ—holdeth things of lovv degre namely to haue respecte vnto thinges of small reputacion and to the lowest thinges Hee cannot looke vpward because there is nothing aboue him neyther can he looke on eyther side of him forsomuch as hee hath none nygh vnto him that is his
desiered to see those thinges which you se and haue not seene them And there is no doubte but that this Reuelation was made vnto Symeon alone that from him a general confirmation might come to al the Godly Before hee had seene the Lordes Chryst C. Chryst is called the Lords Chryst because hee was anoynted of the Father and receiued also with the holy Ghost the Dignity of a Kyngdome Pryestehood A. Concerning the whych thing Read the first of Mat. verse 16.27 And he came by inspyratioÌ„ into the Temple And when the Father and Mother broughte in the Chylde Iesus to doe for him after the Custome of the Law E. The Greeke Text hath And he came in the Spyrite That is to say in the Power of the Spyrite or being led of the spyrit to mete wyth Chryst 28 Then tooke hee him vp in hys Armes and praysed God and sayde LORDE now lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in Peace accordyng to thy Word Then tooke he him vp in his armes S. That is to say he tooke and imbraced Chryst with great Ioy which was a VVorke of Fayth Heere now Symeon is made Partaker of his Fayth and hope Heere now he doth not onely se with his eyes but doth also carry in hys Armes him whome the Heauen of Heauens caÌ„not comprehende and who in his Hande houldeth Heauen and Earth and all thynges therein And Symeon helde in his handes so greate Treasure as none of the most excellent Kynges and Monarches of the world possessed Lorde now lettest thou thy seruauÌ„t R. This excellente Verse consisteth of fower verseâ— And as Zacharias and the Virgin Mary and before them Moyses Debora Anna Dauid and many other haue declared their thankfulnesse towardes GOD in Verses and coulde deuyse no better way to geue god thaÌ„ks for those benefits receiued then with a publique songe of the glory of his name euen so Symeon bursteth forth by the holy Ghoste into a Songe by which hee declareth his thankefull mynd for the clemeÌ„cy mercy of God And in this song he declareth Christ seâ—teth him forth with great praises and magnificeÌ„t Epithetes C. Furthermore by this soÌ„g it is euideÌ„t inough that Simeon beheld the son of God with other Eyes then with the eies of his Body For the external sight of Christ could brynge nothing but conteÌ„pt at least it would neuer haue satisfied the mind of the maÌ„ of god that with ioy he might haue desired his end death being now made partaker of his desire Therefore the spirit of God illumined his eies by faith that he might behold the glory of the son of God though in base conteÌ„ptible shew When hee saith that he departeth in peace he meaneth that he shal by with a quiet peaceable mind as one hauing his desire wish According to thy vvord R. Hee commendeth the truth of Gods promise which was that he should not see Death before he had seene the Lordes Chryste The which promise if it had not bene made vnto him he should in vain here haue made mention of the word of the Lord. A. He reioiseth therefore that he hath his desire and affirmeth that hee will not be vnwilling to die C. But it may be demaunded whether he should first depart this lyfe or whether Simeon was drawne with violence as one vnwilling I answer This circumstaÌ„ce is to be noted which is added According to thy word For when God promised the sight of hys son there was iust cause why he honge in Suspence yea it behoued him to liue in care vntill he had enioyed hys desyre This therefore is to be noated because many do falsely pretend the example of Simeon boastinge that they would willingly die if so bee they might first inioy this or that thinge the which notwithstaÌ„ding they desire rashly and without the word of God If so be Symeon had precisely sayd Now I will die with a quyet minde because I haue sene the Sonne of God he had then shewed the weakenes of his faith but because he had the word of GOD for his Warrante it was lawfull for him to shunne Death according to the rule of Fayth vntill the comminge of Chryst In Peace Bu. As if he should say Thou bringest to passe that I now willingly and with a quiet mind depart out of this life Thou saydst that I at the laste shoulde then die when I had seene the Sauiour of the Worlde whom I haue nowe seene And novve there resteth nothing but that thou suffer me to die when it shall seeme good vnto thee to call me out of thys Worlde By these VVordes Symeon sufficiently declareth how carefully and with what griefe of mynde he wayted for the comming of the Messias when that he affyrmeth himselfe to be nowe in peace because he hath sene and imbraced Chryst the Infant 30 For myne Eyes hath seene thy Saluation C. Although we haue this phrase of Speach oftentimes in the scriptures yet notwithstanding in these the Corporall beholding of Chryst seemeth to be noated euen as if Symeon shoulde say that he had now the Son of God present in the flesh whom before he be helde with the eyes of his myndes Thy Saluation A. Chryst is heere called Saluation Act. 4. â— because there is saluatton in no other then in him For there is no other name geuen vnder heauen among men in whom we must be saued C. Now if so be the behoulding of Chryst being yet but an Infant could so much preuayle with Symeon that it made him quietly and ioyfully to dy how much greater cause of peace and ioy haue we at this day who haue sene all the partes of our Saluation fulfilled in Chryste Chryst is not nowe in Earth neyther do we imbrace hym in our Armes but his Deuine maiestye doth clearely and plainely shyne in the Gospell and he doth there offer him selfe to be seene as it were face to face not in the infirmity of the Fleshe any more but in greate power of the spyrite which he declared in miracles in the Sacrifice of his Death and in the Resurrection To be shorte he is so absente from vs in body that yet notwithstandynge we may behoulde him sittynge at the right hande of his Father A. VVe see also what things Chryst hath done after his Resurrection and what manner Church he hath builded and preserued C. Excepte this sight bringe peace of conscience vnto vs that we may goe chearefully vnto death wee are more then vnthankfull vnto God and do not rightly consider to how great honour he hath aduaunced vs. Which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People Esa 11.10 Which thou hast prepared C. That is to say which thou hast ordayned or appoynted to be knowen of all men according to this saying of the Prophet Esa 52.10 The Lord hath reuealed his holy arme in the sight of all the GeÌ„tyles and all the endes of the Earthe haue seene the Saluation of our God Therefore by
the temptation B. To wit not onely that which concerneth the fortye Dayes faste but also that with the which he was tempted after the fortie Dayes For a season B. If thou thus leaue vnto the word of God Sathan cannot preuayle against thee but will departe at length For so long as wee bee in the Worlde where Sathan is Prynce wee are Subiecte vnto hys Temptations But in the meane time the GOD of Consolation will not ceasse to minister Comforte vnto vs and when he hath put away the deuils from vs he wyll vs Aungels to beare vs vp as Mathew wryteth of Chryst in the ende of thys Temptation But note that the Diuell made not an ende of tempting Christe vntill he was voyde of all power and spoyled of all his Armour and strength euen as a wilfull warriour ceasseth not to prouoke his enemy vntill hee be layed on the grounde Therefore after the ensample of Christe wee must prepare our selues to beare diuers Temptations It is not sufficient that wee haue geuen him the repulse except we ouercome And wee see that Sathan cannot doe so much as hee would seeinge our Euangelist saith And when all temptacion was ended Will neuer wanteth in Sathan but the Lord hath him bounde that hee cannot exercise his subtilties as hee desiereth Furthermore wee haue a promise Hee will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that which you are able to beare 1. Cor. 10. â—â— Sathan wente not away that Christe might leade the rest of his life without trouble If therefore it shall befall vs so to be tempted let vs not thinke that an ende is made by and by but let vs prepare our selues for new conflicts Reade the 4. of Math. the 11. verse 14. And Iesus returned by the power of the spirit into Galile and there went a fame of him throughoute all the Region rounde about S. When Luke saith the Christe returned by the power of the spirit into Galile hee respected that which went before for his purpose is to shewe that Christe in these Conflictes escaped the Conquerer not by humaine power but by the power of the holy Ghoste Not that Christe as he was GOD needed the Grace of the spirit or must be holpen of another but when he was tempted as hee was man it was necessary that his humaine Nature should be strengthned by the Grace of the holy Ghoste that hee might haue the Victory The which in deede is spoken to the consolation of the Godly For as Christ had the maistery being holpen by the Grace of the spirite euen so we shall haue the victory by the power of the same spirite And wee must note that wee shoulde not haue Reaped so great frute nor so much consolation if hee had onely repeated the victory and not the reason and manner of the Victory which is also set before vs. The which Paule sufficiently declareth sayinge But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from the deade Rom. 8.11 dwell in you euen hee that raysed vp Christ from the deade shal also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you If hee had sayd that Christe had raised vp him selfe hee had sayd true but then the faithfull had not receiued so great consolation Moreouer this maner of speach is to bee noted howe that Iesus by the power of the Spirite came into Galile least wee should immagine any terrestriall or Humaine thinge to bee in Christe but that we might alway set before vs the Celestiall and deuine nature in him Last of all we must note that Iesus went now from the Desert into Galile to begin the Ministery of the Gospell beinge mooued with the same spirite with the which he was led into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the Diuell the which is set before vs to admonishe vs to enterprise nothinge without Gods callinge and the authority of the holy Ghoste but to submit our selues wholly vnto his will and direction 15. And hee taughte in their Synagoges and was commended of all men BV. The Euangelist sayth the Christe taughte in their Synagoges but hee sheweth not how often neither can it bee declared Notwithstandinge it may bee coniectured that hee taught very often in them by which his fame increased And was commended of all C. The Euangelist addeth this that wee might knowe that the deuine Power did shine in Christe euen in the beginninge of his ministery the which caused men as yet not infected with a maliciouse desire to gaine say him to woÌ„der and marueile 16. And he came to Nazareth where hee was nursed and as his custome was hee went into the Synagoge on the Sabboth day and stoode vp for to reade And hee came to Nazareth S. It is very likely that Christe did not alwayes abyde still in one place for hee woulde haue the worlde to know him by litle and litle At the length he coÌ„meth to Nazareth where he was both conceiued and nourred C. In this one thinge the Euangelists inciste to shewe by what documentes Christ was knowne of that which thing LVKE in this place setteth downe a worthy example as that hee expoundinge the place of Esay and applying the fame to the present vse caused all men to haue him in admiration And as his custome was he entered C. Hereby wee gather that Christ did speake vnto the People not onely in hiewayes and streates but also obserued the vsuall order of the Church so farre forth as it was lawfull for him Here with also wee see that although the Iewes had degenerated yet notwithstandinge thinges being out of order and the state of the Church being miserably corrupted this good order was left in that they read the Scriptures before the People that thereof they might take occasion to teache and to exhorte S. Euen as it is written Moses of olde tyme hath in euery city them that preache him in the Synagoges Act. 25.21 when hee is read euery sabboth day C. Whereby also appeareth what was the true and lawfull vse of the Sabboth For GOD did therefore commaunde the People to keepe holy day as thoughe hee were simply delighted with their ease and rest But rather that hee might exercise them in the meditacion of his Workes And bycause in consideringe the workes of GOD mens mindes are blinde it is necessary that they bee directed by the rule of the Scripture And although Paule reckoneth the Sabbaoth amonge the shadowes of the Lawe Col. 2.17 yet notwythstandinge in this parte wee must kepe holy day with the Iewes that the People may come together to heare the word of GOD to make Common prayer and to bee exercised in such Workes of godlinesse For the which vse and purpose the Lords day which we call the Sonday accordinge to the manâ—er of the Gentiles followed the the Iewishe Sabboth which wee call Saturnes day Now if wee compare time with time it shall easly appeare that the corruptions of the Popish gouernment at this are
whē men did not helpe the poore Beggar Dogges did licke his sores and did the duty of humanity C. And there is no doubt but that those Dogges were directed by the secrete Prouydence of GOD who by theyr Ensample condempned thys VVicked Rych man For what can bee more Monsterous then that a man should bee holpen of Dogges whych was neglected of his Neighbor Yea and not to geue somuch as the crūms of breade to one that was pyning hungary to helpe whome the Dogs lycke him wyth theyr Tongues Therefore so often as brute Beastes doe that whych wee oughte to doe let vs know that they are appoynted of GOD to bee witnesses and Iudges against vs the more to bewray our fault A. Let vs learne then to doe good that we may feele the goodnes and clemency of God 22. AND it came to passe that the beggar dyed and was caried by the Aungels into Abrahams Bosome The rich man also died and was buried Both theyr Deathes are declared the which altered the state and conditiō of them both C. Death is common to them both but for a dead man to be carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome is a felicity more to be desiered thē al kingdomes Poore Lazarus had no body to care for him and now he hath the Angels his ministers But to be geuē to euerlasting tormēt is a horrible thinge to be redemed with a hundred liues if it might be And we haue here set before vs an euident lesson in the person of Lazarus teaching vs not to thynke them accurssed before GOD whych liue a wearisome and painefull Lyfe languishing with continual sorrowes For in him the Grace of GOD was so hidden and oppressed with the deformity of the Crosse that flesh Bloud could see nothing but maledictiō But we see what a precious soule lay hid in a foule and corrupted body which was carried by the Aungels into a blessed Life Wherefore it dyd nothing at all hurte him that he was in Contempte and vtterly destitute of Mans helpe who being ready to departe thys mortall Lyfe had the Heauenly Spyrites ready to attende vppon him Moreouer we may behoulde in the Rich man as in a cleare Glasse how lyttle wee ought to regarde Temporall Felicity which bryngeth eternall destruction Into Abrahams Bosome B. Thys poore Lazarus was carried into the Bosome of Rich Abraham Abraham therefore is preferred before Lazarus least any man should condempne Riches C. What sundry Expositions many Interpreters of the Scripture haue made concerning Abrahams bosome it shall not be needeful to shew It may suffice onely to know what is the true meaning thereof according to the Scriptures For as Abraham was therfore called the Father of the Faithful because in him the Couenaunt of Euerlasting Lyfe was layed whych beyng Faythfully kepte fyrst for his Sonnes and afterwardes deliuered to all Natiōs and all they are called his sons whych are Partakers of the same Promyse Euen so after Death they are sayd to bee gathered into hys Bosome because they receyue the same Fruite of Fayth wyth him It is a Metaphor taken from the Father into whose lap or Bosome the Chyldren do come whē they resorte home in the euening from theyr Labour Seeing therefore the Children of GOD being dispersed are Pilgrims in thys VVorld euē as in this present Race they follow the Fayth of theyr Father Abraham Euen so when they are deade they goe to blessed reste in the which he carryeth for them Therefore as Abraham is called the Father of the Faythfull Rom. 4.11 so wee must be gathered into his bosom So longe as we are in the worlde wee liue in his house and after Death we are sayd to be receiued of hym and to bee gathered into his Bosome If any man demaunde whether the Godly at thys Day bee in the like condition after Death Question or whether Christ by rysing agayne hath opened hys bosome in the which as well Abraham himselfe as all the Godly also do rest Wee answer bryefly that as the Grace of GOD hath more euydently shyned vnto vs by the Gospell Ansvvere and as CHRISTE the Sonne of Righteousnes by his comming hath brought Saluation vnto vs which was in olde time set before the Fathers to behoulde in Darke Cloudes Euen so there is no doubte but that the deade are come more neare vnto the fruition of Heauenly Lyfe And by the way let vs noate that the Glorye of Immortallitye is put of vntyll the laste Day of Redemption As touchyng the Name that quiet Hauen of euerlastyng Peace to the which all the Faythfull do Sayle out af this present Life may bee called as well the Bosome of Abraham as of Chryst But because we are proceeded further then did the Fathers vnder the Law this distinctly shal be more aptly noated if we say that the members of Chryst are gathered vnto theyr Head so the Metaphor concerning Abrahās bosome shall cease euen as the bryghtnesse of the Sonne when hee ryseth darkeneth all the Starres Notwithstading by this maner of speach which Christe vsed we may gather the the Fathers while they liued vnder the Law imbraced by the faith Inheritance of heauenly life into the which they were receyued when they were deade The Ryche man also dyed A. Ryches coulde not deliuer this man from death Heb. 9.27 for it is decreed that all men shal on e dye Rychmen therefore perswade them selues in vaine that they shall haue perpetuall felicity in this present Worlde And was buryed C. Christe here expresly speaking of the Buriall of the riche man maketh no mencion what was done to the body of Lazarus not that his body lay vppon the face of the earth for wilde beastes vnburied but bycause hee was contemptuously cast into a pit without honour contrariwise the riche man was sumptuously buried accordinge to his riches some parte of his Pompe and pride following him to the Graue But how ridiculouse and foolish this ambition is their soules which are in hell doe testefy Wherefore wee haue heere a consolation if so bee our deade Carcasses are not honourably buryed or be cast forth for wilde Beastes For this did nothing at all hurte the poore man no more than the expence coste did profite the ryche man in his Funerall Otherwise we know that decent buriall is lawdable and the duety of humanity 23. And being in hell in torments he lift vp his eyes and saw Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his Boosome C. Although Christe sheweth a Hystory yet notwithstanding hee describeth spirituall things vnder figures which he knew were meete for our vnderstanding For mens Soules haue not fingers and Eyes neyther are they thirsty neither haue they mutuall talke one with another as is here described betwene Abraham and the glutton but the Lord maketh here a discription of the State of the Life to come so farre forth as our vnderstanding is able to comprehend And the summe is this that the soules of the
faithfull so soone as they departed from the bodies liue a Ioyfull and blessed Lyfe out of the Worlde but that horible tormentes are prepared for the Reprobate which are so greate that our myndes can no more conceiue them than they can coÌ„prehend the vnspeakable glory of the kingdome of heauen For as in a lytle parte only so farre forth as we are illuminated by the spirite of God wee taste through hope the glory promised vnto vs which farre surmounteth all our sences so let it suffice vs to obscurely the incomprehensible vengeance of God which remayneth for the wicked so farre as is necessary to make vs afearde Thus the words of Christe do geue vnto vs only a small taste of these things and which serueth very well to bridell our curiosity namely that the wicked being very soare tormeÌ„ted with the feeling of their misery desire some solace Notwithstanding all hope being cut of they feele a double torment and that they are yet more tormented when they are constrayned to remember their owne wickednesse and to coÌ„pare the present blessednesse of the faithfull with their miserable and damnable state To this effect pertayneth the description of that talke of the which mencion is made here as though it were betwene them who in dede haue nothing to do one with the other B. But the Reprobate are tormented with the feeling of the felicity of the good and the same cogitation increaseth sorrow Such are the Tormentes of the wicked Heere they behold their payne there they see the happy estate and condition of those that are blessed Therefore those corporal things which are heere wrytteÌ„ as the sight a far of the burning heate of the tongue the cooling the dippyng of the Finger in water the Gulphe and such like are altogether Spyritually to bee vnderstoode For the wicked Rich man saw aloft Abraham and Lazarus in his bosome at what time hee knew Lazarus whome hee had Wickedly contempned but nowe enioying blessed reste with the Father of the Faythful wheÌ„ as hee himselfe was tormented wyth cruell flame that is to say with vnspekeable Tormente euen as nothyng is more feruent then fire At the laste hee desiereth to haue his tongue cooled with Lazarus finger the which hee wysheth in vaine or the least part of rest whych Lazarus enioyed 25. But Abraham sayd Sonne remeÌ„ber that thou in thy life tyme receyuedst thy pleasure lykewise Lazarus paines but nowe is hee comforted and thou art Tormented Sonne C. The name of Sonne seemeth heere to be put Ironicè that is to say in a contrary sence thereby the more sharpely to greue the rich man whych falsly boasted in his life that hee was one of the Sonnes of Abraham For this geueth him a deadely wouÌ„d when his Hipocrisie is set so plainely before his Eyes Receiuedst thy pleasure C. Whereas the rich man is sayde to be tormented in Hell because he receiued his pleasure in this world wee may not so take it as though al should be damned for euer which haue liued pleasaÌ„tly and prosperously in the world Nay therfore poore Lazarus was caried into the bosome of rich Abraham to the ende we might know that riches shut no man out of the Kingedome of heauen but that all men haue accesse thyther which haue either soberly vsed their riches or els patiently sustayned the want of them The words of Abraham are thus much in effect Thou being created to immortall life and the Law of God lyfting thee vpwarde to meditate a heauenly Life thou not regarding so excellent a porcion rather desiredst to be like a dogge or an hog therefore thou receiuedst a rewarde mete for brutish pleasures And likewise Lazarus paynes C. When as it is sayd of Lazarus that hee enioyed Solace because he suffered many sorrowes in this world we can not well draw the same to all miserable persoÌ„s who haue so smally profited by afflictions that they haue ben rather brought by them vnto extreame punishmente but the pacient bearing of the Crosse is commended in Lazarus whych alwaies spryngeth from Faith and from the true Feare of God For hee which doth stubbornely resist euils deserueth no prayse of sufferance that God may geue vnto him Solace and Ioy for the Crosse Therefore the summe is this that they which patiently beare thys burthen layed vpon them murmure not agaynst Gods correction but passe through all griefs to the hope of a better Life shall haue after the time of their warfare perpetual rest in heaueÌ„ and contrariwise they which haue enioyed the pleasures of the Flesh carelesly contemning God shall passe from Death to Euerlasting Torments prepared for them This onely place if there were no more may suffice to refell those fanatical spirites which thinke that the Soules do sleepe Where were this consolatioÌ„ if they slepte They haue God before them and although they be not as yet crowned with that perfect ioy yet notwithstanding they are blessed for thys consolation But the wicked or Tormenâ—ed wyth the Horror of that iudgement whych they know commeth toward them apace 26. Beyond all this betwene vs and you there is a great Gulphe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither may come from thence to vs. C. By these wordes is noted the perpetuitie in the state of the life to come as if it had ben sayd that the Boundes and Limits which are betwene the electe and the reprobate cannot bee broken And thus we are admonished to retourne into the way in due time lest wee fall headlong into the bottomlesse pit out of the which wee can neuer rise agayne 27. Then hee sayd I pray thee therfore Father sende hym to my Fathers House C. To the ende our Sauiour Chryste might the better frame this history to our vse he setteth forth vnto vs the desire of the Rich man which was that the brethren which he had aliue might be admonished by Lazarus B. For wheÌ„ he saw that he was condempned for euer because he had no care at all for the poore when he lyued at his pleasure in the World he wisheth that Lazarus whome he contemned aforetime were at the least knowen to his friends that they being admonished mighte not esteme more of their riches then of the poore C. The Papistes haue very fondely interpreted this place in going about to proue very fondely that the Deade haue a care for the lyuing But it is not our purpose to dispute here about this matter but thought good onely by the way to note by what vaine ArgumeÌ„ts they are led to faine that the deade doe make prayers vnto God for vs. 29. Abraham sayd vnto him They haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them C. Now all the contemners of the word of God ought alwayes to haue in mynde this cogitation whych they vtter when they are admonished of the Torments of hell fire If a man should come say they from the dead or from from hell and should certefy vs
heauen when he had disposed and ordered his Apostles and geuen to them the holy Ghost to go forth into the whole worlde that is to say to brynge them by the preaching of the world to the Kingdome of Chryst C. Howe bee it this is monsterous ignoraunce that the disciples being so oftentimes taughte concerning the Death of Chryste at hand would notwithstandynge styll talke of his kingdome And here was a double error First that they immagined a blessed rest without the crosse Secondly because they iudged of the Kingdome of God by carnall reason Whereby it doth appeare how slēder and obscure their Faith was For although they had tasted the hope of the Resurrection yet notwithstanding it was so small that they held nothynge firme and certaine concerning Chryst They beleue the redemer which was promised longe before whereby they conceiue the hope of the renouation of the Church but the same knowledge tourneth by and by into fained immaginations which either peruerte or obscure the force of his Kingdome This is brutish dulnesse to hasten to the Triumph before the battayle was begun specially seeing Chryst a litle before toulde them that a sharpe and and shamefull death tarried for him A. Thus we see that many infirmities remaine in the Sainctes and greate imbecillity of faith oftentimes to the ende we may know that Saluatiō cōmeth of God and might craue of hym daily the increase of our faith 12. He sayd therefore A certain noble man went into a farre coūtrey to receiue for himselfe a kingdom and to come agayne R. Fyrst let vs see heere whome thys Noble man doth represente whych wente into a farre countrey to receiue a kingdome for it is a parable Thys Noble man is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Chryste For he goeth nowe to Hierusalem not to receiue an Earthly or Corporall Kingdome as the Apostles dreamed but that hee myghte goe from thence into a far Countrey to receiue a spyrituall and euerlasting Kingdome The death of Chryste is his going A. Euen as it is sayde in Iohn Before the feast of passouer Iesus knowing that the hower was come that he must goe out of the World to the Father c. Iho. 13. ◠Into a farre Countrey C. The farre Countrey signifieth all that time in the which Christe is absent from vs euen from his death vntil his comming againe to Iudgement in the last day as wee haue shewed in Math. To receiue for himself a Kingdom R. The resurrection of Chryste frō death and his assention into heauen is a receiuing of the heauenly kingdom the which Kingdome Chryst hathe so receiued that he hath not forsaken hys Church for he said Ma. 28.29 I will bee vvyth you vnto the end of the world But because hee doth not rule in thys world a corporall kingdome A. For thus he testefieth concerning the condition of this Kingdome Iho. 18.39 My kingedome is not of this Worlde And to come agayne S. That is to say in his second comming to Iudgemente A. For it was sayd vnto the Galileās which behelde and wondered at hym as he entered into heauen Yee men of Galile why stand yee gasing vp into heauen Act. 1.11 Act. 3.19 Phi. 3.20 1. The. 4 16. This same Iesus whome yee see taken vp into heauen shall so come euen as yee haue seene him goe into heauen S. Peter also hath the like 13. And hee called his ten Seruants and deliuered them ten pieces of money saying vnto them Occupy till I come A. The Euangelist Mathew expresseth not the number of the Seruantes as doth our Euangelist heere Ma. 25.14 but he maketh mention of a greater summe of money R. Therefore when Chryste toke this Iourney he called his tenne Seruauntes and gaue vnto them ten poundes to euery one a pounde that they might be occupyed in the tyme of his absence These Seruaunts ar the Apostles and preachers of the word to whome Chryst committed the Offyce and ministerie of preachinge the Gospell For by the Gospell as the church is builded so the Riches of Christ are increased which riches are men obtaining Saluation by faith in Chryste To euery one as saith S. Paule is grace geuen according to the measure of the gifte of Chryst Wherefore hee saith When he ascended into heauē he led Captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes to men And straite after the same Apostle saith Hee gaue some Apostles Ephe 4 7◠and. 11. some Prophetes some Euāgelistes some Shepeheards and Teachers to the gatheringe together of the Sainctes into the worke of Mynistration into the edefyinge of the body of Christ Furthermore wee vnderstande here all those which are called by the Gospell to the faith of Iesus Christe For to euery one of these GOD hath gieuen proper and speciall Gyftes as well Spirituall as Corporall There are diuersities of giftes yet but one spirite and there are differences of administrations yet but one Lord there are diuers maners of operations yet God is one which woorketh all in all Therefore the giftes of God whether they belonge to the mynde as knowledge wisedome or to the body as health comelinesse Fortitude Riches and such like are geuen to this ende of God that vntill Chryst come to iudge the quicke and the Deade euerie one may bee occupied to increase the Riches of our Lorde and also to exercyse in them selues faith and charity For when the Lord gaue vnto his seruants these poundes he commaunded them saying Occupy til I come A. What it is to occupy and why the lyfe of the Godly is compared to occupying we haue shewed in Mathew R. Hee doth not occupy well who being Rych oppresseth the Poore and pilleth others by frawde and deceipt but he is well occupyed which vseth hys riches accordyng to the wyl of the Lord to help the Church and the poore Hee doth not occupy wel which being endued wyth Power abuseth the same to Tyrannie but which bendeth the same to the preseruing of the common Wealthe and of the Churche Hee doth not Occupy well which hauynge Wysedome dysdayneth other in Respecte of hymselfe but whych geueth Counsayle to such as wante the same Therefore euery gifte of God hathe his lawfull occupation which must be followed according to the word of God And it is not to be omitted that thys noble man gaue not all the poundes to one man but to euery seruant a poūd This was don to declare that hee gieueth nor all gifts to one man but to euery man his seuerall and proper gift For there is no one man that hath all gyftes and needeth not the giftes of other men The body saith S. Paule is not one member but many And the Eye cannot say to the hand I haue no neede of thee 1. Co. 12.14 neither can the head say to the feete I haue no neede of you c. 14. But his Citizens hated him and sent a messenger after him saying we wil not haue this man to raign
in lyes but when the truthe is declared we are very dul we are loth to beleue to soone Example whereof wee haue in this place But if any man say that they were women let him know that the Authority of women is not heere handeled but the word of God whych had oftentimes tould the same Therefore they do not refuse to beleue womē but Christ himself Furthermore had they not an argument of the resurrectiō of Chryst in this woman which was deliuered from Deuills in whom they might so often as they saw her behold the power of Christ Note also dyllygently in this place that althoughe wee would willingly perish yet notwtstanding Christ wil not suffer the same For he draweth vs from destruction euen as he brought his Apostles into the way which beleued not the women declaring vnto them his resurrection A. Happy then are they whom the father hath geuen to the son to be saued For the exposition of the 12 verse followinge read the 28. cap. of Mathew verse 10. and Iohn 20. verse 3. 13. And behold two of them went the same Day to a towne called Emaus which from Hierusalem is about thre score furlongs C. Marke onely toucheth this storye bryefly but Mathew and Iohn make no mentyon at all of the same But because it is profitable to be knowen and worthy to be remembred Luke doth not in vaine so exactely prosecute the same But the spirit of God hath so aptly geuen to euery euangelyste hys part that the same which is not to be found in 1. or 2. of thē may be sene in the other For many visions of the which mention is made in Iohn are quite omitted by the other thre Bu. Therfor euery one of the Euangelists haue put downe in wryting sure and vndoubted demōstratiōs of the Lordes resurrectiō Luke hath chosen for his part the most euident among which this presente demonstration is notable Effectuall and very pleasaunt The same hath signes tryal and experiment of the sences and confirmation of Scriptures It hathe in like maner Wonderful affections of men sweete consolations notable opinions They are described after an hystorycall maner yea al the circumstances almost are touched with wonderful pleasantnes C. And this is worthy to be noted that these two wytnesses were chosen not that the Lord by them might perswade the Apostles that he was risē but to reproue their slownesse to beleue and although at the first they preuailed nothing yet notwithstāding at the length their testemony being otherwise holpen it toke effecte in them BV. But who these two were wryghters do not agree in the name of the one the name of the other is expressed is called Cleophas who is supposed to be of Galile being the same of whom Mary was syrnamed Cleophas The other S. Ambrose calleth Ammaon Theophilacte calleth hym Luke Epiphanius sayth hys Name was Nathanaell By which diuersitie we haue to learne two thinges The first is that it is a vaine and vnprofytable thing to search out that whych the Scripture hath not reuealed For it hath set forth vnto vs al those thynges which are profitable for vs to knowe The second is that traditions are vncertaine and cannot safely be credyted Which is from Hierusalem aboute 60. Furlonges A furlong as appeareth by Plinie is a hundred fiue twenty paces Called Emaus C. This was an aunciente and famouse towne which the Romanes called afterward Nicopolis But the place is not here named because of the Fame thereof but for the certaynetie of the history 14. And they talked together of all those things that were done BV. These two Disciples talked together specially concerning his passion which two were not of the Eleuē but rather some of his other familiar disciples C. This therefore was a signe of Godlines in that they went about to increase their weake and feeble fayth for theyr talke tended to no other end then to set the reuerence of their maister agaynst the offence of the crosse as a Buckeler And although by questioning disputing they bewrayed theyr ignorance worthy to be reprehended seeing they were admonished not long before concerning the resurrection of Chryst yet notwithstanding their willingnesse to be taught made as it were way for Christe to take away theyr error For many are very ready to moue questions because they seeke obstinatly to resist the truth But they whych are willing to imbrace the truthe although they make stay at the least obiections shall for theyr Godly redines finde fauour with God insomuch that as it were reaching out his hand vnto them he shall settle them in the truthe and quite and cleane put them out of all doubte 15. And it came to passe that whyle they communed together reasoned Iesus himselfe drew neare and went wyth them BV. As these two Disciples communed and talked together the Lord at the last ouertoke thē went forward with them in theyr Iourney In the whych two things specially are to be noted Fyrst that the Lorde rusheth into the middest of them whose hart talking is of him Secondly that the truth of his very body being raised from deth appeareth in this that he approchyng neare and ouertaking them at the last walketh with them For the Lorde is not moued and carried like a spirit frō place to place For although his body were already gloryfied being fre frō all Corruption infirmity and griefe Yet notwithstanding he retayned hys Substaunce and properties of a true humane body For by gloryfication not the substance and nature but the defect of nature and the infirmity is taken away Wherunto S. Augustine hauing respect sayd He shall come to iudgement euen as he was seene to ascend into heauē that is to say in the same forme and Substance of flesh For he hath not taken away nature frō hym to whom he hath geuen immortallitie These two Disciples I say as they went had diuers communicatiōs euen as it commeth to passe speciallye when there is any sorrow in the mind For they were sore troubled wyth the Lords death and were almost quite cleane discouraged And their whole talke was concerning Iesus concerning all those thinges which they had seene and hearde a little before For they loued him as a singuler and excellent man And althoughe they had no hope concerning the restorynge of the Kingdome of Israell Yet neuerthelesse it holpe thē much to call to mynd by mutual communication him which a little before was put to Death For theyr mindes being confounded as if they had ben a sleepe they loued hym as it were in a dreame whō they could not forget At the last as they talked of many thinges concerninge Iesus betwene themselues beholde Iesus vnloked for ioyned himselfe vnto them For here in body he fulfilled that whych he had promised in spyrit to performe to the worlds end Namely that where two or three are assembled together in his name he will be in the middest Ma.
hands and his side wee may coniecture that he hath omitted some thinge And it is no vnwonted thing to the Euangelistes seeking to be short to touch only some part and to omit the rest but we learne here by Luke that they being made afeard with the newnesse of the sight durst not beleeue their eyes A little before they were fully perswaded that the Lord was risen again and they spake constantlye as of a matter wel knowen vnto them but beholding him now with theyr eies admiration bereaueth them of theyr sence insomuch that they imagine him to bee a Spyrite And althoughe thys Error which sprange of Infirmitie was not without blame yet notwithstandyng they had not so forgotten themselues that they were afeard of Spyrits but although they thinke not themselues to be deceiued yet notwithstandynge they rather beleue that they see an Image of the Resurrection in a Vision by a spyrite then that Chryst himselfe was presente alyue which a lyttle before dyed on the crosse So that they d d not thinke or suspecte it to bee a false vision but being ouercome wyth feare they thought that to bee shewed them onely in Spirite which was set in very deede before theyr eyes Luke therefore vseth this word Spyrite for a vision Hereby we se how proane we are to lye and how farre we are tourned away from the truth R. Heereby also we see how fearefull vnbelyefe is insomuch that it feared the moste safe and vndoubted things The sounde of a shaking leafe sayeth Moses shall chase them and they shall flie Leui. 26.36 as flying from a sword Psal 23.4 Psal 46.3 For as Faith is in a stronge mynd in the greatest perils and aduersities so vnbeliefe hauynge neuer so little occasion is afearde and dispayreth in the middest of peace Wherefore the disciples being not as yet throughly confyrmed coÌ„cerning the Resurrection of Chryste it is no marueile if they be so afeard that they thinke that they see a spyrite Mat 14.25 As they did also at another time when Chryste walked on the Sea about the fourthe watch of the night 38. And he sayd vnto them vvhy are ye troubled and why do thoughts aryse in your hearts A. Now the Lord taketh away al occasion of doubtinge while hee talketh not onely familliarly with his Dyscyples but also offereth himselfe to bee touched C. First of all therefore they are admonished to put away all feare out of theyr mindes that commyng agayne to them selues they may iudge of a matter manifestlye knowen vnto them For so longe as mens myndes are troubled they are blynd in the manifest lighte Therefore to the ende the Disciples may Conceiue a certayne knowledge they are commaunded to waigh the matter with quyet attentiue myndes And why do thoughts aryse in your heartes C. By these Woordes Chryste correcteth another faulte Namely because in thynkynge diuers things they hinder theÌ„selues and he saith that cogitations do aryse meaning that the knowledge of the truthe is therefore suppressed in them that in seeing they see not because they restrayne not theyr peruerse immagynations but doe geue place vnto them And we know by experience that thys is to true For as in a fayre and cleare morning darke and blacke cloudes arysing aloft do obscure the bright light of the Sunne Euen so when we suffer our carnall reason to arise to hygh against the word that which before was manifest and playne to be seene is takeÌ„ away from our eyes It is Lawfull when any shew of Absurdity appereth by aduised reasons to discusse the same Neither can it be but that in doubtefull matters our minds shal be carried hither thither but we must obserue a measure least flesh exalt it selfe higher then is mete and extend her cogitations euen to heauen 39. Beholde my handes and my fete that it is euen I my selfe haÌ„dle me and see for a Spyrit hath not flesh and boanes as ye see me haue Beholde my handes C. Hee taketh theyr Corporall sences for witnesses least they should thinke that they haue a shadow set before them in stede of a body And first of all he putteth a difference betweene a corporall man and a Spirite As if hee shoulde say Your sight and feeling shall proue me to bee a true man who hath bene before this time conuersante among you because I haue on me that fleshe whych was crucified and hath yet the noates and pryntes of the same A Spyrite hath not flesh and Bones A. Hee sheweth heere that he hath knowledge of theyr thoughtes Namely that in steede of a body he was a spyrit and he putteth a manifest difference betwene a Body and a spyrit C. Now seeing Chryste playnely pronounceth that his Body is palpable and compacâ—e of sound and substanciall bones and discerneth the same by these notes from a spyrit this place is discreetely and aptly brought by vs to refell the grosse error concerning the transubstantiation of bread into a body or concerning the locall presence of the body which fond and vain men fayne in the Supper For they will haue the bodye of Chryste to bee there where there appeareth no signe of a Body But Chryst taketh thys as proper to him selfe that he is palpable that thereby he may differ from a spyrit Therefore this difference must necessarily abyde at this day betwen the flesh and the spyrit Christ proueth him selfe not to be a spirite because his body may be felt but a spyrit not so Therefore there was no alteration in the substantiall partes howsoeuer the accidences were altered Whatsoeuer is essential without the which a Body cannot stand it remaineth in the body of Chryst for he is distinguished from a spyrit 40. And when he had thus spokeÌ„ hee shewed them his Handes and hys Feete C. By these Wordes of Luke wee gather that as yet the prynts of the Nailes remained in the Handes and Feete of Chryst A. As more manifestely appeareth by the wordes of Chryst himselfe speaking to Thomas For thus he sayd as appeareth by Iohn Brynge thy finger hyther and see my handes and reach hyther thy hand and thruste it into my side R. But some will demaunde and say Dyd he rise againe from Death wyth the Prynts and Markes of his wouÌ„ds Ioh. 20.27 And doth he for euer carry them in his Body Doth not Paule saye that the body soweth corruption and shall ryse agayne in incorruption 1. Co. 15 â—â— that it soweth in dishonor and shall rise again in honor And woundes are markes of corruption and infirmity Therefore wee muste thinke of their bodies which shall ryse again froÌ„ death whose first fruits was Chryst according to the opynion of S. Paule that as they shall be incorruptible so also they shal be whole souÌ„d For if it were not so one shoulde ryse crooked another lame of hand foote another with one Eye and another starke blynd This is not to ryse again in Glory and in power but in