howe shall this be seeing I know not man 35. And the Angel answeared and saide vnto her the holy Ghost shall come vpon thee the power of the moste highe shall ouershadowe thee therfore also that holy thing which shal be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God 36. And beholde thy cousin Elizabeth shee hath also conceiued a sonne in her olde age this is her sixte moneth which was called barren 37. For with God nothinge shall bee vnpossible 38. Then Marie sayd Behold the seruaunt of the Lorde â—ee is done vnto mee accordinge to thy woorde So the Angell departed from her 34. Howe can this be The holy virgin seemeth as hardly to restraine the power of God as Zacharie did before For that doeth shee accompte to be vnpossible which is beyond the commâ—n order of nature for thus she reasoneth I knowe no man how then should I beleeue that this shoulde come to passe which thou tellest me It is not needefull that we shoulde greatly labor to cleare her of all fault for by faith shee ought to haue risen to the omnipoteÌ„t power of God which is not tied to natural means but surmounteth the whole world yet shee now staieth in the common course of generation yet it is to be knowen that shee doeth not so doubt or demand as if shee would haue the power of God made subiect or equal to her senses but being stricken with a sodaine admiration shee is only moued to aske this question And that she obediently and gladly receiueth this promise may be gathered by this That wheras there were many doubts on the contrary part shee yet did stay but at this one Shee might easily haue obiected where is that throne of Dauid become seeing that al the dignity of that Empire had now a long time ben abolished all the glorious beautye of the kingly stocke was extinguished So that if she had weighed the matter with the iudgement of flesh she should haue takeÌ„ al that she heard of the Angel but for a fable VVherfore it is not to be doubted but that shee easily gaue place was throughly perswaded of the restitution of the church a thing according to the flesh incredible And it is probable that the prophesie of Esay 11. 1. was coÌ„monly spoken of euery where whereas God promiseth to raise a graffe to grow out of the contempned stocke of Isay. Faith therefore being through the grace of God conceiued in the virgins minde caused her without doubt to beleue the message that was brought her of erecting of the throne of Dauid If any except and say that there was also an other Prophesie that a virgin should beare a sonne I answer that the knowledge of that mysterie was as then very darke The fathers hoped that they shoulde haue a king borne vnder whom the people of God should be blessed happy But the meane lay hidden from them as if a veile had bene put betwene them and it Therfore it is no maruell that the holy virgin asketh a question of that shee knoweth not But that some do imagine of her words that shee had made a vow of perpetuall virginitie it is ouer weake altogether absurde For then very vnfaithfully had shee done in that shee suffred her selfe to be bestowed on a husband and so making a mocke of God had despised his holy ordinance of matrimonie Although that in Poperie there had crept in a barbarous tyrannie in this matter of matrimony yet they neuer durst go so farre as to permit the wife without the consent of the husband to vowâ— continencie Furthermore it is a childish inuention to imagine a kinde of Monkerie amongst the Iewes Yet that obiection is to be answered that the virgine had respect vnto the time to come therefore should signifie that she should not dwel together with her husband But this coÌ„iecture is probable plaine that the greatnes or rather the maiestie of the matter did so strike the virgin that shee had all her senses tied bound with admiration VVheÌ„ she heareth that the Son of God shal be borne she considereth a matter not common this is the reason why shee excludeth the knowledge of man Thus being amased shee crieth out how can this be Therefore doth God so gentlely pardon her and so louingly and fauourablie answere her because that hauing Gods workes in admiration shee did reuerently and soberly demaunde how that could come to passe which she was perswaded to be far aboue the common and accustomed course of nature Furthermore this question was not against faith Because that it arose rather of an admiration then of distrust The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee The Angell doth not so set the maner as it had bene nedefull he should haue done that woulde satisfie the curiositie of many But he calleth the Virgin simplie to consider the power of the holy Ghost that with silence and quietly she might resigne her selfe wholely ouer vnto him The worde To come vppon doeth signifie that this is an extraordinarie worke where the meanes of nature do want And the next parte of the sentence is added to expounde the former The power of the most highe shall ouershadowe thee For the spirite is as it were the essentiall power of God through whose worke he sheweth and exerciseth himselfe as well in the gouernance of the worlde as in myracles There is an apt Metaphore in the worde ouershadowe For the Scripture doth oft compare the power of God wherewith he preserueth and defendeth his vnto a shadow But there seemeth to be an other more peculier sense and vnderstanding of this place namely that the worke of the spirite shoulde be secrete euen as a cloude set before shoulde stay the eyes of men from seeing And as in woorking myracles God doth kepe secrete from vs the counsell of his workes So it is our partes with modestie to reuerence that which hee woulde haue kepte hidden from vs. Therefore that holy thing that shall be borne This is a confirmation of the former sentence for the Angell teacheth vs that it behooueth Christ to be borne without the companie of man and woman that he might be holy and the sonne of God that is that he should not be in a commoÌ„ estate amongst men but that in holinesse and glory hee shoulde excell all creatures The heretikes which faine that when he was borne man and was after made the Sonne of God do wrest that causall coniunction that he should therfore be called the Sonne of God because that he was woonderfully conceiued by the power of the holy Ghost but they reason very wickedly For althoughe that hee was manifested the sonne of God in flesh it followeth not but that the worde was begotten of the father before all worldes Or rather he the same that was the Sonne of God in his eternal Deitie appeared also the Sonne of God in his humaine flesh But this place doth not only teache vs the vnitie
doeth exact and require how we may lawfully leade our life But Christ did so auoid dangers that notwithstanding hee turned not an hayres breadth aside from the course of his office for to what end serueth safetie of life saue only that we may serue the Lorde Therefore we must alwayes beware that we loose not the causes of liuing for life And in that the despised corner of Galilee doth lodge Christ whome Iurie cannot awaye with wee doe heereby see and perceiue that godlinesse and the feare of GOD doe not alwayes appeare in the principall places of the Church 2 And the feast day Although I affirme nothing yet is it likely that this chaunced in the seconde yeere after Christe his Baptisme It skilleth not at this time to speake any more of this feast day whereof the Euangelist maketh mention Moses declareth to what end and vse it was commaunded Leuit 23. 34. namely that by that yeerely ryte the Iewes might remember that their fathers liued fortie yeeres vnder tents when as they wanted houses that by this meanes they might celebrate the grace of their deliuerance VVe haue said before that a double cause did moue Christ to come vnto Ierusalem vnto the feast dayes namely because being subiect to the law that he might redeeme vs from the bondage thereof he would omit no point of the obseruation therof and secondly because he had better opportunitie offered to preach the gospel in such an extraordinarie assembly and multitude of men The Euangelist saith that Christ did so rest apart in Galilee as if he would not haue come to Ierusalem 3 Therfore his brethren said vnto him Vnder this word do the Hebrewes comprehend all kinsfolkes and alyances of what degre soeuer they bee He saith that Christ was mocked of them because that he did lie hid in the obscure place of Galilee Notwithstanding it may be doubted whether ambition did moue theÌ„ or no to desire that Christ might become famous Although we graunt this yet is it manifest that they do contemptiblie mocke him because they doe thinke that he dealeth not according to reason and counsell yea they cast foolishnesse in his teeth because when as he woulde be something distrusting himselfe he dare not come abroad that he may be seene of men VVhen as they say that thy disciples may also see they doe not only speake of those who were continually with him but of those whom he would gather to himselfe euery where out of the whole nation For they adde afterward thou wilt be knowen of all men and in the meane season thou lyest hid If thou doest these things that is if thou doest desire such honour that al men may speake of thee make all meÌ„ to looke vpoÌ„ thee They set the world against a few men amongst whom he liued without honour There may also another sense bee gathered out of these wordes if thou doest these thinges that is seeing that thou arte endewed with so greate power that thou purchasest fame vnto thy selfe with myracles loose them not For whatsoeuer is giuen thee of God thou spendest it heere in vaine whereas there are no fit witnesses and iudges Here we see how great the slacknesse of men is in considering vpon the workes of God for Christes kinsmen woulde neuer haue spoken thus vnlesse they had troden vnder foote the plentifull testimonies of his diuine power which they ought to haue receiued and reuerenced with great admiration That which wee heare in this place of Christ falleth out dayly that neighbours doe more disquiet the childreÌ„ of god then strangers for they are instrumeÌ„ts of SataÌ„ to prouoke those somtimes vnto ambition sometimes vnto couetousnesse who desire to serue God purely sincerely and faithfully But when as Christe doth driue away such Satans hee teacheth vs by his exaÌ„ple that we must not graunt the foolish petitions of our brethren 5 For neither did his brethren Heereby wee gather howe little carnall kindred doth auaile for the spirite marketh Chirste his kinsfolkes with a continuall mark of infamie in that being conuinced with so many testimonies of workes they did not then beleeue Therefore as Paule saith whosoeuer doth wish to be iudged in Christ let him bee a new creature For they who adict themselues wholy to serue God are vnto Christe insteede of father mother and brethren VVherfore the superstition of the Papists is so much the more ridiculous who setting apart all other doe only extoll the honour of the blood in the virgin Marie as if the woman was not reprehended by Christe himselfe whiche cryed out of the middest of the companie Blessed is the wombe which bare thee and the paps which gaue thee suâ—ke For Christ answered Nay rather blessed are they that heare the woorde vf God 6 My time is not yet come Some doe falsly expound it of the time of his death For he speaketh of the time of his iourneying And hee doth testifie that he differreh from his kinsfolks in this because they may freely and without feare goe abrode in the sight of the world at all houres because they haue the world to be their friend but he himselfe is afraid bicause the world hateth him By these words he giueth theÌ„ to vnderstaÌ„d that they gaue him counsell amisse concerning a matter whiche they knewe not secondly he proueth that they are altogether carnall when as he saith that the world cannot hate theÌ„ For the peace of the world must be redeemed with wicked consent vnto vices and all manner of euill 7 But me it hateth because I testifie The worlde is taken in this place for the men who are not borne againe who retaine their owne nature Therefore whosoeuer are not begotten againe as yet with the spirite Christ pronounceth them to be his aduersaries And why because he condemneth their workes And if sobeit we stay our selues vpon Christ his iudgement we must needes graunt that the whole nature of man is so corrupt and peruers that there can no right thing no sincere thing no good thing proceede thence Behold why any of vs doth please himself so long as he abideth at home with himselfe Nowe Christe saith that he is hated because he doth testifie that the workes of the world are euill He giueth vs to vnderstand that the gospel cannot be rightly preached but that the whole worlde must be cited giltie before Gods iudgement seate that by that meanes it may be trodeÌ„ down that flesh blood may by brought to nought according to that when the spirite shall come he shall reproue the world of sin VVe doe also learne heere that there is suche pride bread in men that they flatter themselues in their vices For doubtles they would not waxe angrie when as they are reprehended vnlesse being blinded with too much loue of themselues they did flatter themselues in their owne vices yea pride and arrogancie are the most deadly the chiefest of all the vices which are in man It is the
is giuen him and so may fulfill al things Finally he filleth the world with the smel of his righteousnes out of his heauenly glory And the spirite pronounceth by the Gospell that this is the onely meanes whereby we are iudged iuste Therefore this second degree is fet from the conuiction of sin that the spirite may conuince the worlde what is to be accounted true righteousnes to wit Christ hath appointed and ordained the kingdome of life by his ascending into heauen and he sitteth now at the right hand of the father to the end he may establish true righteousnes 11. And of iudgement Those that take this word iudgement for damnation they want not a reason for the same because Christ addeth immediately that the prince of the world is iudged But as I thinke the other sense dooth better agree to witte that so soone as the light of the Gospell is once lighted the spirite reuealeth that the state of the world was rightly and orderly framed by the victory of Christ whereby he threwe down Sathan his empyre as if hee should saye that this is the true restoringe whereby al things are reformed when as Christ himselfe possesseth the kingdome alone hauing subdued and conquered Sathan Therefore iudgement is set against confused and disordered things or that I maye speake more brieflye it is contrarye to disorder as if a man should call it rightnesse or straightnesse in whiche sense it is oftentimes taken in the scripture The sense therefore is that so long as Sathan ruleth he mixeth and troubleth all thinges so that there is a filthy and euill fauoured confusion of the workes of God but when as he is stripped of his tyrannye by Christ then is the world reformed and there appeareth good order So that the spirite conuinceth the world of iudgment that is that Christ restoreth and bringeth those things in order which were gone to decay before hauing ouercome the prince of iniquitie 12. I haue yet many thinges Christ his sermon coulde not preuaile so much amongst his disciples but that their rudenes did cause them doubt as yet in many thinges yea they did scarse taste of those thinges whiche ought to haue refreshed them throughly vnlesse the weakenes of the flesh had hindered them Therefore it could not be but that acknowledging their own want they shuld feare and stand in doubt Therefore in that he saith that they are vnable to beare thē if he shall tell them more and higher things it tendeth to this end that being incouraged with the hope of better profiting they bee not discouraged For it was not meete that they shuld measure the grace wherwith they shuld be endowed according to the present feeling seeing they were so farre from heauen In summe he biddeth them be of good courage how weake soeuer they be now But beecause they had no vnderpropping whereunto they might leane saue onely doctrine Christ telleth them that he had tempered the same so that they might receiue it yet so y t they are to hope for an higher and more plentifull shortly as if he shuld say if that be not yet sufficient to establish you which you haue heard of me suffer a litle for ye shal shortly be taught by the spirit and then shall ye want nothing hee shall resolue that which is yet rude in you Nowe the question is what those thinges were whiche the Apostles were not sitte to learne as yet To the end the Papists may thrust in their owne inuentions in steede of Gods oracles they do wickedly abuse this place Christe promised say they vnto the Apostles new reuelations therefore they must not stay in the scripture aboue which he calleth his First of all if we will say as Augustine saith we shal answere readily His wordes are these seeing that Christ held his peace which of vs can saye that they are these or these thinges or if hee dare saye so how will hee prooue it who is so vaine or rashe who although hee say those thinges which are true canne affirme without any diuine testimonie that those are the thinges which the Lord would not vtter at that time But wee haue a surer reason out of Christ his wordes to refute them The spirite is called the perfect maister of truth whom Christ promysed to his Apostles And why was hee promised saue only that they might deliuer with their handes the wisdome which they receiued from him The spirit was giuen them who being their guide and directer they executed the office which was enioyned them The same spirit had brought them into all trueth when as they cōprehended in writing the sum of their doctrine VVhosoeuer thinketh that there ought any thing to be added to this doctrine as if it were lame and but halfe full and perfect he doth not only accuse the Disciples of fraudulent dealing but he doth also blaspeme the spirit If the doctrine which they didde write had proceeded from fresh water soldiours and nounces the addition had not beene superfluous but now fithence that their writinges are as it were the euerlasting tables of that reuelation which was promised them and giuen them there can nothing be added vnto them without doing cruell iniury to the spirite Furthermore the Papists are more then ridiculous when as they are come to the matters themselues For they define that those secretes which the Apostles were vnable to bere were childish diriges then which there is nothing more vaine or foolysh Forsooth spirite must needes come downe from heauen that the Apostles might learne how to hallow the chalices with their altars how to baptise Belles how to blesse holy water and how to celebrate Masse Therfore how doe noddies and children learne these thinges which haue them at their fingers endes Therefore it is most manifest that the Papists doe mocke God seeinge that they feigne that those thinges came downe from heauen which doe no lesse smell of the misteries of Ceres and Proserpina then they are contrary to the sincere wisdome of the spirite But let vs vnlesse we will be vnthankfull to God reste vppon that doctrine whereof the Apostles were the aucthors as their writinges declare seeing that the chiefest perfection of the heauenly wisdome is deliuered vnto vs there which may make the man of GOD perfect Colloss 1. 28. Let vs not thinke that it is lawefull for vs to goe beyond the same For our height and breadth and depth are placed in that that we knowe the loue of God shewed vnto vs in Christe Ephe. 3. 18. This knowledge excelleth all knowledge as saieth Paule Like as when he teacheth that all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hidden in Christ Colloss 2. 3. hee forgeth not an vnknowne Christ but him whome he had liuely depaynted by his preaching that he may be seene as it were crucified before our eyes as hee saith vnto the Galathians the third chapter the first verse But least there shoulde anye doubt remaine Christe declareth afterwarde by his owne wordes
the contrary reasons enforced her selfe to obedience and this is a right proofe of faith when we restraine our mindes hold them as prisoners that they dare not oppose this or that against God so on the other side libertie to contend is the mother of infidelitie And these words are not of smal waight Behold the seruant of the Lord for shee offereth dedicateth her self wholely vnto God that he may freely vse her according to his owne wil. The vnbeleuers withdrawe themselues from his hand and as much as they canne they hinder his worke But faith dooth present vs before God that we may be ready to obey Then if the holy Virgin was the seruant of the Lord because that she obediently submitted her selfe to his gouernement there is not a worse contempt then by fleeing to denie him that obedience which he deserueth doth require To be short as faith only maketh obedient seruants to God and deliuereth vs into his power so infidelitie maketh vs rebels and runnagates Be it done vnto me This clause may be expounded two waies either that the holy Virgin passeth into a prayer and request or els continuing in the same matter shee proceedeth in resigning and deliuering her selfe vnto God I simply interprete it that shee being perswaded of the power of God and willingly following whether he calleth she doth also subscribe vnto his promisse and so doeth not onely wait for the effecte but also doeth earnestly desire the same And it is to be noted that shee rested vppon the woorde of the Angell because shee knewe that it came from God weighing the dignitie of the same not of the minister but of the authour   Luke 1. Matthew Marke 39. And Marie arose in those daies went into the hill countrey with hast to a citie of Iuda 40. And entred into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth 41. And it came to passe as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Marie the babe sprang in her bellie and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost 42. And shee cried with a loude voice and sayde Blessed art thou among women because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed 43. And whence coÌ„meth this to me that the mother of my Lord shoulde come to me 44. For loe assoone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the babe sprang in my bellyâ— for ioy 45. And blessed iâ—â—hee that beleeued for those things shall be performed which were tolde her from the Lorde 39. And Marie arose This iourney wherof Luke maketh mention testifieth that Maries faith was not vnfruteful because that gods promisse was not so soone forgotteÌ„ as the Angel was out of sight but that remained fast in her minde And her haste witnessed her earnest ardent affection Hereof it may be gathered that all other businesse being set aside the Virgin as it was meete did accompt of and preferre this fauour and grace of God Yet it may be demaunded for what purpose she toke this iourny It is certain that she went not thither only to make search enquiry for she nourished the sonne of God as well in her heart by faith as conceiued in her woÌ„be neither can I subscribe to the iudgement of some which thinke that shee went thether to salute her For it seemeth more probable to me that partly to encrease and to confirme her faith partly that they one with an other might set foorth the glorye of God was the cause that moued her And there is no cause why we shoulde accompt it an absurd thing that she by the sight of a myracle did seke for confirmation of her faith because that it was not in vaine that the Angel did propose the same vnto her For although that the faithful are coÌ„tent with the bare only word of the lord yet in the meane time they despise not any of his works which they think may any whit preuail for the supporting of their faith And especially it behoued Mary to accept this aid profered her vnles she wold haue forsaken that which the Lord had willingly geuen her Furthermore the seeing one another might stir vp as wel her as Elizabeth to a greater thankefulnesse as by the text it appeareth For the power of God was more euident and notable in that at once they see his grace powred vpon them both because that comparison did adde no small light But Luke doeth not declare which was that Citie wherein Zacharie dwelt but onely maketh mention that it pertained to the tribe of Iuda and also that it was placed in a hill country whereof is gathered that it was further from the towne of Nazareth then was Hierusalem 41. At shee heard the salutation It is a naturall thing that the childe in the wombe of a woman great with child should moue at a sodaine ioy But Luke would note vnto vs some extraordinary thing It appertaineth nothing to the matter to entangle our selues in subtile questions whether the infante knewe that Christe was presente or whether this was a sense or feeling of godlinesse Let this one thing rather suffice vs that the infant leapt by the secrete motion of the spirite Neither doth Luke attribute any proper sense to the infant but doeth rather signifie that thys was a portion of the worke of God in the mother that the infant sprang in her wombe That he sayeth that she was filled with the holy Ghoste the meaning is that shee besides the accustomed maner was sodenly endued with a spirite of prophesie For shee was not without the giftes of the spirite before but then the power appeared farre more plentifull and wonderfull 42. Blessed art thou Shee seemeth to place Marie and Christ in like degree which were nothing meere nor conuenient but I willingly admit their iudgement which thinke that the cause of her blessednesse is rendered in the second parte of the sentence For it is oft vsed to put a copulatiue in steade of a woorde causall therefore Elizabeth affirmeth that her Cousen is blessed because of the blessednesse of the Sonne And although this was not the chiefe felicitie that Marie had to beare Christe in her wombe naye this dignitie in order came behinde that that shee was by the spirite of Christe borne againe into a newe life yet was shee woorthely called blessed whome God made woorthy this singuler honour that she should beare vnto the world his sonne in whom shee was spiritually regenerate And to this day we cannot make mention of the blessing brought vnto vs through Christe but also that we must remember how honourably the Lord aduaunced Marie in that he would that she should be the mother of his only begotten Sonne 43. VVhence commeth this to me This modestie is to be noted that Elizabeth considering the great graces of God in Marie doeth geue vnto her that honor that is due and yet lifteth her no higher wherby God might be offended then was conuenient For there is such wickednesse planted in the world
publike example was mineded to put her away secretely 20. But whiles hee thoughte these thinges beholde the Aungell of the Lorde appeared vnto hym in a dreame sayinge Iosephe the Sonne of Dauid feare not to take Marie for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holye Ghost 21. And shee shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall deliuer his people from their sinnes 22. And all this was done that it mighte be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lorde by the prophet saying 23. Beholde a virgine shall beare a sonne and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretation God with vs. 24. Then Ioseph being raised from sleepe did as the Angel of the Lorde had inioyned him and tooke his wife 25. But he knew her not till she had brought foorth her first sonne and he called his name Iesus 18. The birth of Iesus Christ. Mathewe doth not as yet declare where or after what maner Christ was borne but how the heauenly generation was reuealed vnto Ioseph First he sayth that Mary was founde with childe of the holy Ghost not that that secrete worke of God was commonly knowen but as it became knowen vnto men so doeth he reueile the power of the spirite which as yet lay hid He sheweth the time when shee was betrothed to Ioseph and yet before that they came together for in respecte of the assuraunce of the mariage assoone as the mayde was promised to a man the Iewes esteemed her as a lawfull wife and therefore the lawe condemned them of adulterie which defiled them selues with them that were contracte The woorde which the Euangelist doth vse doth either modestly signifie a secrete accompanying together or it is simply taken for to dwell together as husband and wife shoulde make one house and one familie So the sense is that the virgin was not yet deliuered by her parents into the hand of her husband but as yet liued vnder the custodie of her parents 19. Being a iust man Some interpreters vnderstande that Ioseph because that he was iust would haue spared his wife so iustice with them should signifie humanitie or a moderation of the winde bent vnto gentlenesse But they are of better iudgement which reade these two clauses contrarily that Ioseph was iust but yet hee was carefull for the fame of his wife so that the iustice which is heere commended was in respect of the hatred and detestation of the sinne Because that he suspected lier of adultery nay because that he was perswaded that she was an adulteresse he would not nourish such an offence with his gentlenesse and certainly he is his wifes bawde who soeuer hee is that winketh at her vnchastitie good and honest mindes doe not onely abhorre such an offence but also the lawes doe spot with infamie such negligent slouthfulnesse as that is whereof I spake Therefore Ioseph with a zeale of iustice condemned the fault which he supposed to be in his wife yet his minde bent to humanitie staied him from executing the extremitie of the lawe This was a meane more qualified if he priuely departing shoulde go toe an other place whereby wee gather that hee was not of so softe and so effeminate a minde that vnder the pretence of mercye he woulde nourish the sinne by couering it Onely he remitted some what of the extremitie of the lawe and would not cast her foorth to the infamous reproche and it is not to be doubted but that his minde was stayed by the secrete instincte of the spirite for we know how outragious gelousie is and howe violently it carieth a man away wherfore although Ioseph had endured an ouer daungerous inuasion yet was he wonderfully crossed with diuers perilles which were at hand when he first beganne to deliberate of the matter I iudge the same of Maries silence though we graunt that for shame shee durst not tell her husband that shee was with childe by the holy Ghost yet shee was rather stayed by the prouidence of God then by her owne counsell or witte for if shee had tolde him as it was a matter incredible so Ioseph should haue thought that shee had mocked him and that all men would haue laughed at and haue taken as a meere fable neither should the Oracle of God haue bene so muche estemed of if it had followed after Therefore the Lorde suffered his seruaunt Iosephe to be caried awaye into a wrong opinion that with his owne voyce hee might reduce him into the way but it is to be knowen that it was rather done for our sakes then for his owne priuate cause for the Lorde by all meanes preuented least there should be any sinister suspition in the Oracle For seeing the Aungell commeth to Ioseph as yet ignoraunt of the whole matter the wicked haue no occasion to cauell for he came without parcialitie to heare the voice of God he was not entised by the flatteries of his wife the opinion which he had conceiued was not drawne from him by entreaties he was not bent to the contrary part by humane reasons but when the false offence of his wife stacke fast in his minde then did God shewe him selfe as lette downe from heauen to vs that he might be the more conuenient witnesse and haue the greater credit with vs. VVe see that it was God his will to teache his seruaunt Ioseph by an Angell to that ende that hee himselfe might be a heauenly messenger to others and might declare and tell that whiche hee hearde neyther of his wife nor of any other mortall creature That this mysterie was not at the first reuealed to moe this seemeth to be the reason because that it was meete that this incomparable treasure shoulde be kept secreate and only reuealed to the children of God Furthermore there is no absurditie in it if the Lord as he often vseth would by this meanes prooue and trie the faith and obedience of his children Certainly except a man maliciously refuse to credite God and to yelde himself in obedience to him hee will be sufficiently satisfied with these testimonies wherewyth this principle of our faith is prooued for the same cause also did the Lorde permit Marie to marrie that the celestiall conception of the virgin might be hidde vnder the veile of marriage vntil the appoynted time of reuealing the same In the meane while the vnfaithfull as their vnthankfulnesse and malice deserued are blinded and see none of these mercies 20. VVhiles he thought these things Heere we see how the Lord vseth to be present with his children in conuenient time and as they say euen in the very poynt or time of neede whereby we also gather that while hee seemeth to dissemble at our cares and sorowes he yet hath a regard vnto vs but he so staieth and secretely resteth while hee examineth our patience and then in his time appoynted hee helpeth vs. And althoughe his helpe seemeth to be slow and late yet it is
profitable that it shoulde be so deferred The Aungel appeared in a dreame this is one of the ordinarie maners of reuelations wherof mention is made Num. 12. 7. where God speaketh thus To the Prophets which are among you I will shewe my selfe either by a vision or by a dreame but I will not do so with my seruaunt Moses to whom I will shewe my selfe face to face but it is to be obserued that these sortes of dreames doe much differ from them which come of natural causes for they haue a marke of assurance engraued in them and they are sealed from aboue that we shoulde not doubt of the truthe of them The dreames which men commonly haue are woont to rise either of the constitution of nature or throughe euill disposition of the bodies or of such like causes But sometimes the spirit geueth witnesse to those dreames which are of God to assure vs certainly that it is god which speaketh Sonne of Dauid be not afraid This exhortatioÌ„ of the angel declareth that Ioseph was careful in his mind least he should be defiled with any infection by bearing with his wifes adulterie He therfore taketh away that opinion of the offence which he had conceiued in his minde to that ende that with a quiet conscience he might remaine and dwell with his wife hee applieth the epithite of the Sonne of Dauid to the preseÌ„t cause that he might stir vp his mind to that high mystery because that he was of that familie and that remaining aliue but with a few other from whence saluation was promised to the worlde Ioseph therefore hearing Dauid named out of whose stocke he came out to remeÌ„ber that notable couenant of God of the restitution of the kingdom so should know that he speakes not of any new or straunge thing for it is as much as if the Aungel by setting foorth the prophesies of the Prophets shoulde prepare Ioseph his minde to accept this present fauoure Thou shalt call his name Iesus Of the word it selfe I haue before spokeÌ„ briefly but sufficiently I will nowe onely adde one thing Their dreame is confuted by the woordes of the Angell which deriue this name from Iehoua the essentiall name of God for the Aungell sheweth why the sonne of God is to be so called that is because he shal saue his people whereof we gather an etymologye meere contrary to that which they imagine But in vaine doe they seeke by this cauill to slippe away Christ is to bee compted the author of saluation most properly and most aptly because that he is God eternall For we must not heere seeke onely what GOD hath performed and bestowed vppon vs but this name was geuen vnto the sonne for an especiall cause because of the commaundement whiche was enioyned him from the father and by reason of the office which he had when he descended to vs. Nowe it were meere madnesse to knitte these two woordes Iesu Iehoua together as if they were but one name seeing that they agree but in two letters and differre in all the rest and which haue no likenesse in them at all I leaue this kinde of forging to the Alchumystes from whom the Cabalistes do not much differre who haue inuented for vs these filthie and vaine toyes But the sonne of God when hee came to vs in the flesh had also his name geuen him of his father that by the same it might be openly shewed to what ende he came what his power was and what properly was to be looked for of hym for the roote of this name Iesu is from the Hebrewe verbe 〈◊〉 â—iphil which signifieth to saue and in the Hebrew is after an other maner pronounced namely Iehosua But the Euangelistes wryting in Greeke folowed the accustomed maner of speache for the Greeke interpreters as well in Moses as in other bookes of the olde Testament haue translated it Iesâ—un whereby their ignorance is again reproued which wrest wrythe rather then deriue this name Iesu from Iehoua for they accompt it for a great absurditie if that any mortall man should haue this name common with the sonne of God and they crie our tragically that Christ will neuer suffer his name thus to bee prophaned As thoughe that it were not well knowne of the contrary that the name of Iesu is as common to those menne as that of Iehosua Nowe seeing that it sufficiently appeareth that the Sonne of God vnder the name of Iesu is commended vnto vs as the authour of saluation we will sifte more neerely the Aungelles woordes Hee shall saue sayeth hee his people from their sinnes first this is to be obserued that they of themselues were lost whome Christ was sent to saue and namely hee is called the Sauiour of the Churche If they whome GOD hathe ioyned so neare vnto hymselfe are drowned in death and destruction vntill Christ restore them life then what shall wee saye of straungers to whome there was neuer anye hope of life appearing VVherefore it is to bee concluded while saluation in Christe is reiected that all mankinde is subiecte to destruction But the cause of destruction is with all to bee noted for the celestiall iudge doeth not pronounce the cursse against vs rashly and wythout a cause Therefore the Aungell witnesseth that wee pearished and were holden oppressed vnder the miserable yoke of damnation for that by our sinnes wee were estraunged from life whereby the corruption and wickednesse of our nature is reuealed vnto vs for if any manne were perfecte and able to liue a righteous life hee might be without Christ the deliuerer but all without the exception of any one haue neede of hys grace Therefore it foloweth that they are all the seruauntes of sinne and are destitute of the true righteousnesse Heere againe wee gather what maner and way it is that Christ vseth in sauing that is that hee deliuereth vs from sinnes Furthermore there are two partes of this deliueraunce first in that he by sacrifice hauing made a full satisfaction geueth vs free pardone and forgeuenesse whereby wee are exempted from the guiltinesse of death and are reconciled to God The next that he sanctifying vs wyth his spirite chalengeth vs from the tyrannie of Sathan that wee shoulde liue to righteousnesse therefore Christ is not acknowledged truely as a Sauiour vntill that by faith wee learne to embrace the free forgeuenesse of our sinnes and that we knowe that we are accompted righteous before God because that we are freed from guiltinesse then that we being without all trust either of our workes or of oure power aske of him the spirite of righteousnesse and truthe The Aungell wythout doubte nameth the Iewes the people of Christe whose heade and king he was ordained But because the Gentiles were shortly after to be grafted into the stocke of Abraham this promisse of saluation is generally stretched to all whiche by faith are vnited to that one bodye of the Churche 22 All this was dâ—ne They verye fondly
couenant of God he retourneth to the especiall promisse for the which cause he was sent so the first place which appertaineth to the last and full redemption noteth one certaine childe to whom the title of God shoulde only belong but the latter place which is referred to that speciall benefit which was then at hand appoynteth the time by the infancie of theÌ„ which then were new borne or shortly after were to be borne Hetherto except I be deceiued I haue with strong sound reasons refuted the cauils of the Iewes wherwith they endeuor to ouerwhelme the glory of Christe least by this prophesie it shoulde shine forth Now it resteth for vs to take away that cauil in the woorde glâ—â— They very frowardly shake vp Mathew who proue that Christ should be borne of a virgin when that the Hebrewe worde doth simplie note a yong woman and they scorne vs as men deceiued with a word wrongfully translated that we shuld beleue that he was conceiued by the holy Ghost wheÌ„ that the Prophet only sayth that he was the sonne of a yoÌ„g woman But first therein they shewe ouer much pleasure in contending while they vrge that worde to be vnderstode of a yong woman known vnto a man which the scripture attributeth euery where to virgins The etymologie also agreeth with the same which signifieth a hiding wherin is noted a maidenly shamefastnesse they bring one place oute of the Prouerbes chap. 30. 19. which yet helpeth them nothing at all for there Salomon speaketh of a maid whom a yong man loueth but it doeth not presently folow that she should be defiled whom a yong man loueth nay the coÌ„iecture on the other part is more probable Furthermore if I shuld graunt that which they require of the word yet the matter it selfe conuinceth them and enforceth them to confesse that the Prophet speaketh of a wonderful and an vnwonted birth He crieth that he bringeth them a signe from the Lord and that no commoÌ„ signe but such a one as shuld excel al others if he had only said that a woman shoulde beare a childe then howe ridiculous a thing had it beene for him to make so solemne a preface VVe see how the Iewes through their owne frowardnesse doe not only set forth themselues to be scorned at but also the most reuereÌ„d mysteries of God And it is not a vaine argument which is gathered out of the whole text a damsel shal conceiue why is there no mention made of the man The prophet commendeth speaketh of some vnaccustomed vnusuall thing Furthermore the commandement of geuing the name to the child was geueÌ„ to the damsel in the which matter the Prophet also speaketh of a thing extraordinarie for although that the scripture declareth that the mothers oft times gaue the names to the childreÌ„ yet they did it by the authoritie of the fathers therfore the Prophet directing his speach to the damsel doth in this childe take from the meÌ„ what right soeuer the order of nature had geuen them Then let this remaine stedfast that the Prophet coÌ„meÌ„deth this great myracle of God that al the godly might atteÌ„tiuely reuerently consider the same which the Iewes do vnworthely prophane applying that to a coÌ„mon maner of coÌ„ceiuing which is spoken of the secrete working and power of the spirite 23. His name Emmanuel The scripture vseth to speake thus that God is with vs when that he is present with vs with his help with his grace exerciseth the power of his hand to defend vs. But heere is the meane expressed wherby God communicateth with men for without Christe we are alienated from God and by Christ we are not only receiued into his fauour but we are also made one with him And that which Paule teacheth to the Ephes. 2. 17. that the Iewes vnder the law were nere vnto God and that there was a deadly hatred betwene him the GeÌ„tiles meaneth nothing els but that God in shadowes figures gaue signes of his preseÌ„ce vnto this people which he had adopted for that promise was in force God in the middest of thee Deu. 6. 15. 7. 11. Also this is my rest Psal. 132. 14. But seing that familiar coniunction of the people with God did depend of the mediatour because that in substance he was not yet fully reuealed by signes he was shadowed His seat and his dwelling place was placed betwene the Cherubims because that the arke was the figure and the visible pledge of his glory But in Christe no more a shadowed but a perfecte presence of God was geuen and shewed vnto the people for the which cause Paul sayth to the Col. 2. 9. that al fulnesse of the Godhead doth dwel in him bodely And truely he could not otherwise haue ben a lawfull mediator except that vnseparable conioyning of both the natures in him had ioyned men to God neither is there anye cause why the Iewes shuld iangle that the name of God is often traÌ„sferred to those monuments wherin he witnesseth his presence to the faithful for it cannot be denied but that this name containeth in it a secreate contrariety which coÌ„pareth the presence of God reueled in Christ with the whole maner of his presence as he was shewed to the old people before the coÌ„ming of Christ. If the cause of this name begaÌ„ then in dede to be manifest wheÌ„ that Christ appeared in the flesh then it foloweth that in times past God was ioyned to the fathers not fully but only in parte wherof againe it is concluded that Christ is God manifested in the flesh And he hath exercised the office of a mediator euen froÌ„ the beginning of the world But because al this did depend of the later reuelation then as though he were cloathed with a newe person he was woorthely at the length called Immanuel when as he came foorth as a priest who with the sacrifice of his owne body shuld wash away the sins of men with the price of his owne bloud shuld reconcile them to his father to be short should fulfil al the partes of mans saluation So first in this name the diuine maiestie of Christ is to be coÌ„sidered of vs that it may haue that reuerence of vs which is due to the only the eternall God But yet neuertheles that fruit is not to be neglected which God would therof gather receiue from vs for as oft as we behold God man in the person of one Christ we may certainly determine that God possesseth vs if by faith we be ioyned vnto Christ. That the number is changed in that verbe they shall call it differeth nothing from those things which I spake before the Prophet speaketh to one virgine and therefore hee vseth the second persone thou shalt call But for what cause this name was firste vttered this is the common confession of all the godly that God gaue him selfe in Christ to be enioyed of vs. 24. Ioseph being raised The readinesse
name auctoritie of Christ alone therefore he speaketh in the singular number after a sorte taketh vppon him the person of Christe that he might the more effectually stirre vp the mindes of the godly to an assured trust It is certaine that the wordes which are here set downe cannot properlye be applyed to any but to Christ alone and that for two causes First because that he alone was endued with the fulnes of the spirite that hee might be a witnesse and a messenger of our reconciliation with God by which reason Paul assigneth that peculiarly to him which is commō to all the ministers of the Gospel Ephe. 2. 17. that is that they shuld preach peace to as many as are nigh and farre off then because he only worketh and perfourmeth by the power of his spirit whatsoeuer good things are promised 18. The spirit of the Lord vpon me This is therfore said that we might know that Christ aswel in himself as in his ministers doth not the work of mā or any priuate busines but that he was sent of God to restore the saluation of the Church For he testifieth that he doth nothing by the motion and counsell of man but al things by the gouernment of the spirit that the faith of the godly might be grounded vpon the aucthoritie and power of God That clause that next followeth Because he hath annoynted mee is added to expound the former For many do falsly boast that they haue the spirit of God whē they are without the gifts of the spirit But Christ by the annoynting as by the effect proueth that hee is endued with the spirit of God Then hee sheweth to what end hee was endued with the grace of the spirit namely that he might preach to the poore whereby we gather that whosoeuer are sent of God to preach the Gospell ought first to be endued with necessary giftes that they maye be able to discharge so great an office VVherefore they are indeede to be laughed at which vnder the pretence of the calling of God doe vsurpe the place of Pastors when they are most vnapt to execute the office as the horned bishops in poperie when they are more ignorant then any Asses yet they proudlye cry out that they are the Vicars of Christe and that they only are the lawful gouernours of the Church It is also expresly said that the Lord doth annoynt his seruauntes beecause that the true and effectuall preaching of the Gospell dooth not consist in windy eloquence but in the celestiall power of the spyrite as Paule sayeth 1. Cor. 2. 1. 4. To the poore The Prophet declareth what the estate of the church was before the beginning of the gospel and what al our condition is without Christ. Therefore he calleth them poore broken captiues and blind and brused to whom God promiseth restitution But though the body of the people was oppressed with so many miseries that these titles might agree to euery member of the same yet because that manye in their pouertie blindnesse bondage and to bee shorte in death doe flatter themselues or ar senselesse therfore few are fit for the receiuing of this grace And first we are taught here to what ende the preaching of the Gospell belongeth and what it bringeth vs that is when we were wholly ouerwhelmed with all kind of euils there God shineth vnto vs with his light of life that he leading vs out of the great depth of death might restore vs into a full felicitie Truely this is no vsuall commendation of the gospell that we gather such incomparable fruit of it Secondly we see whō Christ calleth to him and whom he maketh partakers of the grace committed to him that is they that are wretches in al-poyntes and are without all hope of saluation But againe we are admonished that we cannot any otherwise enioy these benefits of Christ except we be humbled with a deepe feeling of our miseries and as people hungarstarued doe desire and seeke for him to be our deliuerer for whosoeuer swell in pride and sigh not vnder their captiuitie and are not displeased with theyr owne blindenesse they doe with deaffe eares dispyse this prophesie 19. That I should preach the acceptable yeere It seemeth to many to be an allusion to the yeere of Iubile whose iudgement I doe not refuse Yet it is worth the labour to note how the Prophet taketh paines to aunswear a doubt which might trouble and shake the weake mindes seeing that the Lord had so long differred the promised saluation and had holden them in suspence Therefore he appoynteth the time of redemption in the counsell or goodwill of God as he saith chap. 49. 8. In an acceptable time I haue heard thee in a day of saluation haue I helped thee Paule to the Galla. 4. 4. calleth it the fulnes of time that the faithfull may learne not curiously to enquire further then is expedient but to reste in the will of God and this one thing was sufficient for them that the saluation in Christ was giuen when God saw it good 20. And the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue I doubte not but that God had touched their heartes that the straungnes of the matter might make them more attentiue and so should giue eare to Christ speaking for it was necessary that they should be stayd least they presently shuld haue made a noyse or at the leaste that they shoulde not breake off the course of the word seeing that otherwise they were more bent and readye to contemne Christ as we shall see 21. This day is fulfilled Christe doth not onely vse these three words but prooueth in deede that the tyme is nowe come wherein GOD would restore the decayed Church that the exposition of the prophesie might be euident and plaine to the hearers as the interpreters do rightly and in order handle the scripture when they applye the same to the present vse and he saieth that it was fulfilled rather in their eares then in their eies because the bare sight doth litle profit except that doctrine had the chiefe place 22. They bare witnesse Here Luke first commendeth vnto vs the diuine grace which was in the mouth of Christe then hee liuely paynteth out the vnthankfulnes of men He calleth them the words of grace or gratious wordes in the Hebrew phrase wherein the power and grace of the holy Ghost was seene Therefore the Nazarites are compelled to acknowledge with admiration God speaking in Christ yet they willingly hinder themselues from giuing the right and due honour to the heauenly doctrine For when they obiect that he is the sonne of Ioseph they do not amplyfie with this circumstaunce the glory of God as it became thē but malitiously they take this as an offence that they might with the fairer colour refuse whatsoeuer shal be sayde by the sonne of Ioseph So at this day we see very many who though they are enforced to graunt that to be the word of God which they
was so ready to obey the commaundement of Christe whome as yet hee did not know eyther to bee a Prophet or the Sonne of God No excuse canne serue our slouth that being taught that hee is our Lord and king and iudge and being tenne times commaunded by him to doe our duetie doe not yet stirre a finger LV. 6. They enclosed a great multitude of fishes The ende of the miracle was that the deitie of Christe beeing knowne Peter and others shoulde yeelde themselues to be his disciples Yet generallye by this example wee are taught not to feare that the blessing of God and happye successe shal not folow our labour as oft as at the commaundement and direction of Christe wee laye our handes to worke But there was such plentie of fishes as sanke the shyppes and astonyed the myndes of them that beehelde it For it was meete that the diuine glorye of Christe shoulde bee reuealed by this myracle that the credite might be wholly his LV. 8. Lorde goe from mee Though menne in their dayly prayers doe desire the presence of God yet it is necessary that assoone as GOD appeareth that they shoulde be affrayde and halfe dead with feare and amasednesse vntill he giue them comfort There is good cause whye they should so earnestly pray for the presence of God for he beinge absent they are enforced to feele them selues to bee miserable wretches and his presence is therefore fearefull because they then beginne to feele that they are nothing nay with what a heape of euils they are filled After this maner Peter so reuerenceth Christ in this myracle that he being amased with his maiestie would flee as much as he could And this did not onely befall to Peter but as by the text we doe gather they were al afrayd VVherefore we see that this feeling is planted in all men that they should be afraide at the presence of God And it is profitable for vs that what foolish boldnes or pride soeuer is in vs might be humbled so there shall presently be giuen comfort which may hold vs vp Therefore Christ with a sweete and friendly answere dooth recreate the mind of Peter and forbyddeth him to feare So the Lorde buryeth his in a graue that then he may giue them life LV. 10. From henceforth thou shalt catch men Matthew saieth I will make you fishers of men But Marke hath I will make you to be fishers By which wordes we are taught that Peter and the other three were not onelye chosen of Christ to be disciples but created Apostles or at the least chosen in hope of Apostleshippe Therefore here is not onely discribed a generall calling to the fayth but a speciall calling to a certaine office I graunte that the office of teachinge was not yet committed vnto them but yet Christe calleth and chuseth them into his company that he might frame them to teaching And this is wisely to be considered for all are not commaunded to leaue their parentes and their old trade of lyuing that they maye followe Christe on foote but the Lorde is contente to haue some in his flocke and Churche and to others hee appoynteth a proper standing Therefore lette them that haue the office of a publike person layde vppon them knowe that there is more to be required of them then of anye priuate persons So Christe chaunging nothinge in the common lyfe of others dooth bring these foure from theyr worke whereby they lyued before that hee might vse their help in a more notable office Also Christ chose vnto him grosse Idiotes no lesse rude in witte then voyde of learning that hee myght frame them naye that hee might renew them with the grace of his spirite that they might excell all the wisemen of the world For so it was his will to pull downe the pryde of fleshe and to giue a notable token of spirituall grace in them that we might learne to aske the lyght of fayth from heauen knowing that it cannot be obtained by our own industrie Furthermore that he chose not the vnlearned and rude that he would leaue them alwayes such that which he did maye not be drawne into example as if at this daye also such Pastors were to be ordayned as are after to bee instructed to execute theyr office For wee know what rule hee prescribeth vs by the mouth of Paule that is that â—one may be called except they be apt to teach And he did not chuse such as if he preferred ignoraunce before knowledge as some frantike men doe triumph to themselues in theyr owne ignoraunce and how much more they abhorre learning so much the nerer they thinke themselues to the Apostles And his will was at the first to chuse these base men that he might ouerthrow the vanitie of theÌ„ that thinke that the vnlearned shall not enter into heauen But after he ioyned Paule as a companion to these fishers who from his youth was diligently trayned vp in learning Act. 22. 3. But yet it pertaineth nothing to the matter to dispute more subtilly of the maner of the metaphor for that it was taken of the present matter yet when Christe spake of the preaching of the Gospell he aptly alluded to fishing because that menne wandering and scattered abroad in the world as in a vast and confused sea are gathered togeather by the preaching of the Gospell But the hystorie which is recorded in the first chapter of Iohn differeth from this For when Andrew was one of Iohns disciples he was by him delyuered to Christe and after he brought his brother with him and then they tooke him as their mayster but after they were receiued into a hygher office MAT. 22 And they without tarying Here first appeareth the force of Christes voyce not that the onely voyce of Christe dooth so effectuallye pearse into the hearts of men but because the Lord by his spirit doth inwardly driue all them that he will draw and pull to himselfe that they may obay his voyce Secondly the aptnes to be taught and the readinesse to obey is praysed in the disciples which prefer the calling of Christ before all the busines of the world Especially it becommeth the ministers of the worde to marke this example that all other cares being sette by they may addict giue themselues wholly to the Church whereto they are appoynted MAT. 23 Iesus went about all Galile Matthew reportes the same things agayne in an other place But there is no inconuenience seeing Christe for a time ceased not dayly to worke almost innumerable myracles that generally the course of the same is twise or thrise meÌ„tioned Now in the wordes of Matthew first it is to be noted that Christ neuer rested that he might spread the seede of the Gospel euery where Also Matthew calleth it the Gospell of the kingdome whereby the kingdome of God is established amongst men for theyr saluation Therefore he maketh a difference betweene the perfect and eternall beatitude and the prosperous and pleasaunt things
doeth not heare their requestes but for this cause that hee might knowe what manner of people the Gadarenes were And it may be that he gaue that liberty to the deuils ouer their swine that hee mighte by that meanes punishe their offences But as no certaine cause doth appeare vnto vs so it doth behooue vs reuerently to deeme of the secret iudgement of God with godly humility to honor the same But this place doth teach vs how foolishly certeine prophane menne doe trifâ—le which imagine that diuelles are not essentiall spirites but onelye wicked affections For how can couetousnes ambition crueltie and infidelitie enter into swine Therefore wee knowe the euyll spirites as they are appoynted to destruction to be enemies of mankinde to that end that they maye cary as many headlong with them to the same destruction as they can MAR. 15. They came to Iesus VVee haue hereby a notable instruction all which feele the hand of God doe not profit as they ought that they might thereby submit themselues vnder true holynesse The Gadarenes beholding the miracle were afraid namely because the maiestie of God did shine in Christ. Thus farre they did well But that they sende him out of their coastes what could they haue doone worse then that They also were scattered the shepheard is ready which gathereth together nay God stretcheth out his armes by his own sonne that he might cary them which were ouerwhelmed with the darkenesse of death in his owne armes into heauen They had rather lose the saluation offered them then any longer abide the presence of Christ. They seeme to be offended at the losse of their swine but Luke noteth a greater cause that they were taken with a great feare and certeinly being exasperated by receiuing that losse they would els not haue required him but they would haue driuen him out more roughly But when they reuerence him as a minister of God and being afrayde doe yet desire to haue him further from them we see that they were touched with no feeling of the grace of God And certeinly though all the wicked doe reuerence God and doe bestow much time in appeasing him yet if their choice were giuen them they would conuey themselues a great way from him becuase his face is terrible to them so long as they think him to be a iudge rather then a father Hereof it commeth to passe that the doctrine of the Gospell then the which nothing can be imagined to be sweeter is in diuers places grieuous and sowre so that a great part of the world would wish it buried Yet it is true that parte of the feare ryseth through their losse So at this day while menne doe openlye and priuately account that the kingdome of Christ is against their commodities being possessed with a wicked feare of the flesh they will not taste of his grace Therefore at his comming they imagining God rather to be angry then merciful asmuch as in theÌ„ lyeth send him away to an other place And this is a token of vile blockishnesse that the losse of their hogges doth more terryfie them then the saluation of the soule doth make them ioyfull LV. 38. The man besought him The Gaderenes cannot abide him with them but the man which was delyuered from the deuill desireth that hee may lose his countrey and follow him Hereby appeareth how much difference there is betweene the knowledge of the goodnes and of the power of God because the power striking in a feare maketh men to flye from the sight of God driueth them farre away but the goodnes doth sweetely allure so that they account nothing more to be desired then to be vnited to God It is vncerteine why Christe refused to haue this man to follow him except he hoped that greater profit should aryse by his telling that so excellent and notable a benefit amongst his owne countrey men And Mar. Lu. do testifie that he did so Christ purposely coÌ„mandeth him to shew forth the work of god not his own so that he being accouÌ„ted for a true Prophet minister of God and this hee dooth that he might get credit to his doctrine For so it was meete by a litle at once to instructe that rude people which as yet knew not his godhed And though Christ is the ladder whereby we ascend to God the father yet because hee was not as yet reuealed he beginneth at the father vntill he haue a more fitte opportunitie Now this doctrine is to be added Christ in the person of one manne sheweth a token of that his grace which he extendeth to al mankinde For though we are not tormented of the deuill yet he holdeth vs bound vnto him vntil the son of God del yuer vs from his tirannye VVe wander naked rent and deformed vntill he restore vs to a sound and a perfect minde It remaineth that we testifie our thankfulnes in celebrating his grace Matth. 10. Mark 6. Luke 9. 1. And hee called his twelue disciples vnto him and gaue them power against vncleane spirits to cast them out and to heale euery sicknes and euery disease 2. Now the names of the twelue Apostles are these the first is Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and Iohn his brother 3. Phillip and Bartlemew Thomas and Matthewe the Publican Iames the sonne of Alpheus Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus 4. Simon the Cananite and Iudas the Iscariot who also betrayed him 5. These twelue did Iesus send forth and commanded them saying goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the citie of the Somaritanes enter yee not 6. But goe rather to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel 7. And 〈◊〉 yee goe preach saying the kingdome of heauen is at hand 8. Heale the sicke cleanse the Lepers raise vp the dead cast out the deuils freely ye haue receiued freely giue 7. And hee called y e twelue and beganne to seÌ„d them two two and gaue theÌ„ power euer vncleane spirits 1. Then called he the twelue disciples togeather and gaue them power and auctority ouer deuils and to heale diseases 2. And he sent thâ—â— to preach the kingdome of God and to â—urâ— the sicke Heere is discribed the calling of the Apostles but not suche a calling as you heard of before when the Lord minding to prepare them to their office chose them into his felowship for now they are called to the present execution of the same they are commaunded to prepare themselues to the worke commissions are giuen them and least they shoulde lacke aucthoritie they are adorned with the power of the spirit Therfore first they were chosen and prepared in hope that they should work now Christ telleth them that the houre is come when they must set their handes to the work Yet it is to be noted that he speaketh not as yet of the perpetuall Apostleship but onely of a temporall embassage wherby the mindes of men might be stirred vp wakened
plague men with strange vnwonted diseases VVherin the diuine power of Christ shewed it self more euidently in triumphing ouer sathan not that sathan ruleth ouer men at his owne pleasure but as he hath power giuen him of the Lorde to hurt But as the Lorde being the onely authour of all good things yet he doeth chiefly shew his glory in especiall and extraordinarie benefites so also he would haue the power and tyrannie of sathan especially knowen in extraordinarie scourges though he also vseth his hand in light chastisements with which he doeth daily chastise vs. 12. VVoman thou art losed Christ in this myracle as in others giueth a testimony both of his power of his grace For he saith that he came for that cause that he might helpe them in misery The power is expressed in these words womaÌ„ thou art losed for of his authority he saith that he had the deliuerance in his hand Yet he addeth an outward signe of the vse wherof we haue entreated other where That the people glorifieth God it testifieth to vs that this heauenly benefite was euident For it was no obscure woorke whiche might by disputation be applied either way but it was such as gaue great and certaine occasion of praising God VVhereby the wickednesse of the master of the synagogue is reuealed 14. There are sixe dayes This controller dareth not condemne Christe openly but he turneth the poyson of his frowardnesse an other way condemning Christ ouerthwartly in the person of the common people And he was growen in malice to a madnes without reason he warneth them that there are sixe daies appoynted for labour but how wickedly and folishly defineth he that labor which is not permitted but for those 6. daies VVhy doth he not also forbid theÌ„ entring into the synagogue least they shoulde breake the Sabboth VVhy doeth he not commaund them to abstaine from the exercises of godlinesse If that men are only restrained froÌ„ their owne works on the sabboth day how wicked is it then to tie or restraine the spirit of God He commandeth them to come to be healed on other daies as though the power of God should lie and slepe on the sabboth and shoulde not rather that day more exercise the same for the saluation of his people For to what purpose are the holy assemblies but that the faithful should seeke and craue the aid and helpe of God Therfore this wicked hypocrite speaketh as if the lawfull obseruation of the sabboth should hinder the course of Gods benefites shoulde exclude men from calling vpon him and should depriue them of his grace 15. Eache one of you on the Sabboth day VVhen it was an easie matter to refel so grosse malice with diuers arguments Christ was content with this one if it be lawfull to shewe kindnesse on the sabboth day to beastes they faine a very preposterous worshippe if on that day the children of GOD should not be holpen But there is a double comparison in the woordes of Christe of the beast with the daughter of Abraham and of the haltar wherwith the asse or oxe is tied to the manger with the bandes of sathan wherin he holdeth men bound to their destruction You sayth he which are so scrupulous obseruers of the sabboth dare lose your oxen and asses that they may be led to the water why shall it not then be lawful for me to performe the like duety to the electe people of God especially where greater necessity requireth it namely when any manne is to be deliuered from the snares of sathan And though this wicked reprehender held his peace for shame yet we see that Christ wrought not any myracle so notable which the wicked did not cauil at Neither is it any maruell if Sathan applied all his study and endeuour to this purpose that hee mighte peruert the glory of Christe who ceaseth not daily to scatter his cloudes that he might by them obscure the holy woorkes of the faithfull It is to be noted that Christe calleth her the daughter of Abraham whose body had bene 18. yeres enthralled to sathan and he called her so not onely in respecte of the stocke as all the Iewes generally were proude of this title but because she was one of the true and naturall members of the church VVherein we do also behold that which Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 5. 5. that some are deliuered to sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord. And the continuance of that time teacheth vs not to despaire though the Lorde doeth not presently heale our miseries Mathewe Marke Luke 13.   31. The same day there came certaine Pharisies and sayde vnto him Depart and goe hence for Herode seeketh to kill thee 32. Then sayde he vnto them Goe yee aâ—d tell that Foxe Beholde I cast out deuils and will heale still to day and to morowe and the thirde day I shall be perfited 33. Neuerthelesse I must walke to day and to morowe and the day followinge for it cannot be that a Prophet should pearish out of Ierusalem Also it cannot be certainly coniectured when this befell but that it is euident that Christ was then in Galile as in all the course of his trauaile he was more there then other where For they which would seeme to be his friendes perswade him to be out of Herodes iurisdiction if that hee would be safe Now it is vnknowen how they were affected which gaue this counsell but I rather coniecture when they sawe the moste parte of the people there giuen to Christ so that the doctrine of the Gospell was euery where receiued they assaied to driue him to some other place It is to be noted who these warners were Luke sayeth that they were some of the Pharisies but we know that secte was not so mercifull to Christe that it should be probable that they were carefull of his life VVhat then certainly their purpose was by casting a feare before him to driue him away into some corners for so they hoped that it shoulde come to passe that in shorte time his authority shoulde decay and his whole doctrine should vanish away But yet we must consider the purpose of Sathan the chief master and framer of this deuise for as by fearing the sonne of God he sought then to hinder the course of the Gospell so he nowe inuenteth and frameth newe terrours wherwith he might discourage the ministers of Christ and enforce them to leaue their course 32. Tell that Foxe beholde I cast out deuils It is certaine that hee speaketh of Herode Antipas And though he had the maners of a Foxe and a disposition no lesse seruile then crafty yet I do not thinke that he comprehendeth the subtelty of his whole life vnder this name of Foxe but his secreat deceits where he attempted to vndermine the doctrine of the Gospell when with open warre he durst not sette vppon it For Christe declareth though he was crafty
thinke with himselfe that he hath profited any thing while they entāgle themselues with these earthly hinderāces Nay the fault of men is doubled while they hinder themselues with things which are otherwise lawfull by the which they ought rather to be holpen For to what ende doth God graunt vs the commodities of this present life but that he might allure vs vnto him but euery man is so farre from being holpe so by the benefits of God that he should aspire to heauen that the holy mariages the fields and the other richesse are so many snares which doe holde men bound to the earth 7. But when the king heard it Mathew onely maketh mention of this punishment For in Luke there is no woorde spoken of iniurie done to the seruants They both say this that they were excluded and depriued from the honour of the feast which came not at the time appoynted And thys doctrine is also common to vs for the same destruction whiche Christe pronoūceth against the Iewes remaineth for all those wicked ones which doe violently rise against the ministers of the Gospell And they whiche are withdrawne with earthly cares so that they regarde not the callinge of God all these as famished men shall at length miserably waste away for want Therefore so ofte as he calleth vs lette vs be ready and glad to followe 9. Goe yee therefore out into the hie wayes After he hath shewed them to be vnwoorthy of the grace of God which doe proudly refuse the same offered vnto them nowe he sayeth others shall be placed in their roome and euen the most base and contemptible of the common people And here is the calling of the Gentiles described which should prouoke the Iewes to ielousie as it is sayd in the song of Moses Deut. 32. 21. They haue moued me to ielousie with those which are no Gods and I againe will mooue them to iealousie with those which are no people I will prouoke them to anger with a foolish nation Because they were first chosen they imagined that his grace was so tied to them as if God coulde not be wythout them and it is knowen howe proudly they despised all others Therefore vppon a graunt he compareth the Gentiles to beggers blinde and lame And he sayeth they are called out of the hedges and hie wayes as forenners and straungers and yet he affirmeth that they shoulde be placed in the roume despised by the friendes and neighbours So that whiche was more darkely fore spoken of by the Prophets of erecting a new Church he setteth downe more plainly And certainly this reprofe was the heape of the vengeance of God Romanes 11. 17. that GOD cutting them off hath grafted the wilde branches into the roote of the Oliue by casting them out he receiueth the polluted filthy Gentiles into his own house If that he spared not the natural branches then the same vengeāce shal fal on vs now if we answer not our calling And the supper shall not be lost which was prepared for vs but God will procure himselfe other guestes LVK. 23. Compell them to come in This is as much as if the housholder shuld command to bring in the beggers with hard words to leaue out none of the worst of them In which wordes Christ declareth that God wil rather gather togither all the offscourings of the world then that he would admit those vnthankful men to his table Yet he seemeth to allude to the maner of the calling of the gospel because the grace of God is not simply proposed vnto vs but to the doctrine there are also added spurres of exhortations in which the wonderful goodnes of God is seene who whē he seeth vs that are called to him to be slouthfull he solliciteth vs importunately from slouthfulnesse and he doth not onely stirre vs with exhortations but also he compelleth vs by threates to come to him Yet I do not disallow that Augustine vsed this testimonie very often againste the Donatists that he might proue that the disobedient and rebellious might be lawfully compelled by the Edictes of godly princes to the worship of the true God and to the vnitie of faith for though faith is voluntarie yet we see their stubbernesse may well be tamed by these meanes which obey not except they be compelled MAT. 11. Then the king came in to see the guests Now Christ doth not here reproue the Iewes for desping wickedly the grace calling of God but he forewarneth them betime which were to be placed in their roume lest when God should vouchsafe to make them partakers of his owne table they shuld defile the holy mariages with their filthines Threfore he hath taught hitherto that the Iewes for their wicked contēpt should be depriued of that special priuiledge of honor and that he wold call of the prophane reiected Gentiles which shuld succeede in their place And now he declareth that of this number also they shal be cast out which do defile the church for when God calleth all men generally by the gospell many vncleane and silthy men thrust in which though they occupie a place for a time amongst others when God ouerseeth his guests they are cast out of doores and throwne to punishment The summe is Not all they which shall once enter into the church shall be partakers of the heauenly life but they which shal be found attired sit for the heauenly palace Also there is a contention in vain about the mariage garment whether it shuld be faith or a holy and godly life for neither faith can be seperated from good works and good works do not proceede but from faith But this only was the meaning of Christ that we are called of the Lorde of this condition that we might be renued in spirit according to his image and that we shuld therfore alwaies remaine at his house that the old mā with his pollutions shuld be put off and that we shuld meditate a new life that the apparel might answer to so holy a calling But it is demaunded how it shuld agree that the begger shuld be punished with so seuere a punishment because he brought not a mariage garmēt as though it were a new thing for those wretches which seeke their liuing in the highe waies to be torne and deformed I answer here is not declared whence that garment should haue ben had for whom soeuer the Lord calleth he also apparelleth and fulfilleth all things in vs as is said by Ezechiel 16. 7. when God found nothing in vs but miserable nakednesse and filthy spottes he hath cloathed vs with excellent ornaments VVe know also that the image of God is not otherwise repaired in vs but when we put on Christ. Therefore Christ doth not say that those pore men shal be cast out which bring not a precious garment fetched out of their owne chest but they which are found in their sinnes whē God shall come to examine his guests And the conclusion doth shewe the
reiected because he knoweth himselfe vnworthy to come before God doth insinâ—ate himselfe fearefully by confessing his owne vnworthynes in his prayer and Christ reiecting the Pharisee saith that the praiers of the Publican were acceptable before God Agayn there are also noted two causes why the Pharise was reiected to wit because he trusting in his own righteousnes extold himsefe with condemning others Yet he is not reprehended because he lyfted vp himselfe in the forces of free will but because he trusted that he had reconciled God to him by the deserts of his works For this giuing of thankes which he vseth testifieth that hee glorieth not in his owne strength as if he should obtaine righteousnes of himselfe or should deserue any thing by his owne industrie but he rather ascrybeth it to the grace of God that he is righteous But though he giuing thaÌ„ks to God confesseth what good works soeuer he hath to be the meere benefit of God yet because he putteth his trust in workes and preferreth himselfe before others he with his prayer is reiected whereby wee gather that menne are not rightly and perfectly humbled though they account that they canne do nothing of themselues except they also distrusting the merites of theyr workes doe learne to place theyr saluation in the free goodnes of GOD so that theyr whole trust and confidence be grounded there A notable place for to some it seemeth sufficient if they take from manne the glory of good workes because they are the gyftes of the holy Ghost and so they interprete it that wee are iustified freely because God found no righteousnes in vs but that which he brought But Christ goeth further not onely assigninge the power of well doing to the grace of the spirit but he taketh from vs all truste in workes For the Pharisee is not therefore reproued because he challengeth that to himselfe which was proper to God but because he trusteth in his owne merites so that he would haue GOD mercifull vnto him because he hadde so deserued it Therefore let vs knowe though any manne ascribe the prayse of good workes to GOD yet if hee imagine the righteousnes of them to be the cause of his saluation or trusteth in the same he is condemned of peruerse arrogancye And note here is not reproued the vaine ambition wherein men otherwise guiltie with them selues do glory amongst men but the secrete hypocrisie for it is not said that he was a setter forth of his owne prayses but that he praide secretly with himselfe But though hee sette not forth the same of his owne righteousnes with a lowd voice yet the inward pride was abhominable to God His glorying was in two thinges for first he freeth himselfe from the common guyltinesse of menne then he setteth foorth his owne prayses Hee sayeth that hee is not as one of the common sorte because he is free from the sinnes which reigne euery where in the worlde And that hee boasteth that hee fasted twise euery weeke and gaue tythes of all hys goodes is as much as if hee shoulde haue sayde that hee perfourmed more then the law required Euen as the Monkes in Poperie doe preache the workes of supererogation as though it were a smal thing for them to fulfil the law of God But though euery man for the measure of the vertues which God hathe bestowed vppon him is the more bound to giue thankes to the authour and this is a godly meditation to consider howe much euery manne hath receiued least he ouerwhelme the blessings of God in vnthankfulnesse yet two things are to be obserued least we be lifted vp in any confideÌ„ce as if we had satisfied God then that we become not insolent with despising the brethren The Pharisie sinneth in both for he falsly chalenging a righteousnesse to himselfe leaueth nothing to the mercy of God then he despiseth all others in respecte of himselfe And Christ woulde not haue reproued this thankes giuinge if it had not bene polluted with these two sinnes but because the proude hypocrite winking at his owne sinnes opposed the imagination of his sound and perfect righteousnesse before the iudgement of God it was necessary that hee shoulde fall with his wicked and sacrilegious boldnesse For the only hope of the godly so long as they labour vnder the infirmitie of the flesh is when they acknowledge the good things they haue to flee to the only mercy of God and to set their saluation in the obtaining of forgiuenesse But it is demaunded howe he should haue so great holinesse who was blinded with such wicked pride for so great perfection cannot come any other way but from the spirite of God which we are assured doth not raigne in hypocrites I answer he trusted only in an outwarde shew as if the secreat and inward vncleannes of the heart shuld not come to account VVherfore thogh he was full within of wicked concupiscences yet he preteÌ„deth an innocency because he carelesly iudgeth only by the outward shew The Lord reproueth him not of vanitie because he falsly chalengeth that to himselfe which he had not yet it is to be noted that no man is free from rapine vnrighteousnesse lust other vices except he be gouerned by the spirite of God He vseth thys woorde Sabboth in this place as ofte times otherwhere for a weeke But God doeth not commaunde any where in the lawe that his seruants shuld fast euery weeke wherefore this fasting and tenthes were voluntary exercises without the prescript commaundement of the law 13. The Publicane standing a farre off Christ deliuereth not here a generall rule as if it should be necessary to looke to the ground as oft as we pray but he onely noteth the signes of humilitie which he commendeth to his disciples Further humilitie is placed in this if they spare not their owne sinnes but by condemning themselues they doe preuent the iudgements of God and they doe simply confesse their owne guiltinesse that they might be reconciled to God And hether belongeth that shame which is alwaies companion with repentance for the Lorde certainly doeth especially stande vppon this that the Publicane earnestly acknowledging his owne misery and wretched estate onely fleeth to the mercy of God for though he was a sinner yet by obtaining free forgiuenesse he hopeth that God wil become fauorable vnto him In sum that he might obtain fauor he confesseth himselfe to be vnwoorthy of the same And certainly sith forgiuenesse of sinnes doeth onely reconcile vs to God it is necessary that we shoulde beginne there if we desire to haue our prayers acceptable to him Furrher he which before confessed himselfe guiltie and conuicte yet desireth to be pardoned banisheth himselfe from al confidence in works and that was the purpose of Christ to shew that God would not be entreated of any but of them which do fearfully flie to his onely mercy 14. This man departed to his house iustified This is an improper comparison for they were not both
our ennemies he doeth not therefore presently require that we shoulde allowe those things in them which he condemneth but he would onely haue our mindes free from all hatred In this kind of forgiuenesse it is not to be looked for that he which hath offended should come of his owne accorde to appease vs so that it behoueth vs to loue them which of set purpose exasperate vs which refuse fauour and heape olde offences and newe togither The second manner of forgiuing is wheÌ„ we so receiue a brother into fauour that we thinke wel of him and are perswaded that the remembraunce of his sinne is blotted out before God And this is that I gaue warning of before that Christe doeth not heere speake onely of iniuries done to vs but of all kinde of offences For he woulde haue them that are fallen to be holpen by our compassion which doctrine is therefore very necessary for that by nature we are almost all froward beyonde measure and Sathan vnder pretence of seuerity driueth vs to extreme rigor so that those miserable meÌ„ that are not forgiuen are swallowed vp of sorrowe and despaire But it is heere againe demaunded whether a man is to be creadited assoone as in woorde he shall professe repentance For if this be graunted it shall of necessitie followe that wittingly and willingly they offend And where were then discretion if that without correction any manne might freely scorne at vs euen to the hundred offence I answear first that he speaketh heere of daily offences for the which euen the best manne hath neede of forgiuenesse Therefore when as in so great infirmitie of the fleshe we haue so dangerous a way so many sleights and assaults what shoulde become of vs if at the second third offence all hope of forgiuenesse were takeÌ„ away Secondly it is to be added that Christ spoyleth not the faithful of iudgement that they should fondly be too credulous at one word but he would onely haue them righteous and kinde that they may reach their hande to the repentant if it appeareth that from the heart they are displeased with theÌ„selues for their sinnes For repentance is a holy thing and hath nede of diligent examination but as oft as the sinner shall giue a signe of conuersion Christ would that he should be admitted to reconciliation least he being ouerthrowne with the repulse shuld faint Thirdly it is to be noted when any manne hath giuen suspition of himselfe because of his lightnesse and inconstancie we may so release him when he asketh forgiuenes that hereafter we may marke his maners least he despise our pacience and kindenesse whiche proceedeth from the spirite of Christ. For the counsell of the Lorde must be holden that they that are fallen must bee holpen with our kindnesse that they may be raised vppe againe And certainly we must imitate the goodnesse of our heauenly father who meeteth sinners a farre off that hee maye call them to repentaunce Further when as repentance is a maruellous woorke of the spirite and the creation of a newe man if we despise the same we doe iniurie to God himselfe 23. The kingdome of heauen is likened vnto a certaine king Because it is hard to draw vs to mercy and especially when as many faults of our brethreÌ„ are to be borne with there doeth presently a loathsomnesse creepe vppon vs the Lord doth confirme this doctrine with a most apt and fitte parable The summe whereof is this they that will not be brought to forgiue the offences of the brethren doe very euill prouide for themselues and they make too hard and too straight a law for themselues for they shal finde God as straight as hard to be entreated towardes them For the similitude consisteth especially in 3. poyntes for the maister is set against the seruant a great sum against small or meane things singular clemency to extreme cruelty These 3. things being obserued the meaning of Christe may be easily gathered For what are we if we be compared with God And now what summe is euery one of vs endebted towards him Lastly how light are the offences wherwith our brethren be endangered to vs if our obligation to God be considered How vnworthy therefore of the merâ—y of God is a miserable wretch loaden with an intollerable burden who is so hard to be entreated of his fellowes that he will not forgiue the least offence As concerning the words the spiritual estate of the Churche is heere called the kingdom of heauen as if Christ should haue sayde the case betweene God and manne in respecte of the soule and the estate of the spirituall life is at that poynt as betweene a ciuil earthly master and his seruauntes in respecte of money and the businesses of this present life 25. His maister commanded him It were a friuolous thing subtlely to search sift out euery perticular poynt here for god doth not alwaies shew his rigour vnto vs at the first vntill wee be driuen to entreate and to sue for forgiuenesse nay he preuenteth vs with his free goodnesse but he onely teacheth what shoulde become of vs if God should vse vs as in iustice he might Also if he shuld exacte of vs that which is due how meete it were for vs to flee to prayers for this is the onely remaining refuge for sinners The great difference betweene the summes is also to be noted for when as one talent is more then a hundred pence what are a hundred pence to ten thousand talents 31. VVhen his fellow seruants Though there is no mysterie to be sought in these woordes yet because they containe nothing but that which nature teacheth and we doe daily learne by experience it is to be knowen that we shall haue so many aduersaries and witnesses against vs before God as there are men with whom we liue because it cannot otherwise be but that such cruelty shuld be displeasant odious to them especially while euery man is afraid of himself least that should light vpon his own head which he seeth befall vnto another The question that is demaunded out of the sentence folowing is but in vaine how God will punish those sins which he hath forgiuen for this is the simple meaning Though he offer mercy to all meÌ„ yet they are vnworthy to enioy the same which are such cruel dealers of whom no pardon may be obtained But the Papists are to be scorned at while they would draw their Purgatorie fire out of the aduerb vntil for it is euideÌ„t that Christ here speaketh of eternal death not of any temporal punishment wherby he shuld satisfie the iudgement of God Mathew 17. Marke Luke 24. And when they were come to Capernaum they that receiued polle money came to Peter and sayd Doeth not your maister pay tribute 25. He sayd yes And when he was come into the house Iesus preuented him sayinge VVhat thinkest thou Simon Of whome doe kings of the earth take tribute or polle money Of their children
to the bearinge of the Crosse as Marke dooth expreslye expound it And it was meete that hee should bee thus launced because that when he was at home he was wont to lyue pleasantly vnder the shadow in ydlenes he had neuer conceiued or had tasted very little what it should meane to crucifie the old man and to tame the lusts of the flesh But the Monkes are too ridiculous while vnder pretence of this place they chalenge to themselues the state of perfection Fyrst it is easie to vnderstand that it is not commaunded to all men without difference to sell all For the husbandman which is accustomed to lyue of his labour and thereby to nourish his children should sinne if he shuld sel his small portion of land not being compelled thereto by necessity Therfore it is better to keepe that which God hath put into our handes so that we do modestly and thriftily maintaine our selues and our houshold and giue some part to the poore then wastefully to spoyle al. But what a goodly selling is this which the Monks do so much brag of Whē as a great number which cannot finde foode at home thruste thēselues into monasteries as into swines sties full stuffed All men do carefullye spare from themselues that these idle bellyes might be fatted with other mens bread A notable chaunge surely when they being commaunded to giue to the poore that which they rightlye possesse they are not content with theyr own but take away other mens MAR. 21. Iesus beheld him and loued him That which the Papistes doe hereof gather that good morall workes which are not wrought by the instinct of the spirit but go before regeneratiō do of right deserue is too childish a deuise For if they gather a desert of the loue of God we may say that frogs and flyes do deserue because God loueth all his creatures without exception Therefore it is needful to distinguish the degrees of loue In respect of this present place it shal be sufficiēt to know that God loueth none with a fatherly loue but his own sonnes whom he hath regenerate with the spirit of adoption and by this loue it cōmeth to passe that they shal be approued before his tribunall seate According to this sense to be beloued of God to be iustified before him are both one in signification But God is said sometime to loue them whom hee neither alloweth nor loueth for because the preseruation of mankind is acceptable vnto him which consisteth in iustice equity moderation wisdome faith and temperaunce hee is said to loue the polytike vertues not that they doe merit saluation or grace but beecause they tende to that ende which he alloweth In this sense according to diuers respects he loued hated Aristides Fabritius for in asmuch as he had adorned them with an outward righteousnes and that for the common good hee loued hys own work in them Yet beecause the heart was corrupt that outwarde shew of righteousnesse auailed them nothing to the obtaining of righteousnes For we know that the hearts are purged onely by faith that the spirit of vprightnes is giuen onely to the members of Christ. So the question is answered how it could be that Christ should loue a man that was proud an hypocrite whē nothing is more odious before God thē these two vices Neyther is it anye absurditie that God should loue that good seede which he put into some natures so that he yet reiecteth the persons and the works for their corruption MAT. 22. Hee went away sorowfull The departure sheweth at length how farre the young man was from that perfection whereto Christe called him For how commeth it to passe that hee withdraweth himselfe from Christes schoole but because it was a griefe to him to forsake hys riches But if we be not ready to beare pouertie it is euidente that luste doth yet reigne in vs. And this is that which I sayde before that Christe commaunded to sell all was not an addition to the lawe but a tryall of the sinne that lay hidde For as euery manne is more giuen to this or to that sinne so by the reprehending of the same hee is the more layde open Further this example teacheth vs that to continue constantly in Christes schoole it is conuenient to renounce the flesh This yong man departed from Christ who brought with him both a desire to learne and modesty because it was hard for him to leaue that vice wherewith he was acquainted The same shal befal to vs except the sweetnes of the grace of Christ do make al the intisements of the flesh vnsauory to vs. VVhether this temptation were but for a time so that the yong man afterward repented it is vnknowne yet by coniecture it is probable that hee was drawne away by his couetousnesse that he should not profit any thing Math. 19. Mark 10. Luke 18. 23 Then Iesus said vnto his disciples verely I saye vnto you that a riche manne shall hardlye enter into the kingdome of heauen 24. And againe I say vnto you it is easier for a Camell to goe thoroughe the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God 25. And when his disciples heard it they were excedingly amased sayinge who then can be saued 26. And Iesus beheld thē and said vnto them with men this is vnpossible but with God all things are possible 23. And Iesus looked rounde about said vnto his disciples how hardlye doe they that haue ryches enter into the kingdome of God 24. And his disciples were astonied at his wordes But Iesus aunswered againe and said vnto them Children howe hard is it for them that truste in ryches to enter into the kingdome of God 25. It is easier for a Camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a riche manne to enter into the kingdome of God 26. And they were much more astonied saying with themselues who then can be saued 27. But Iesus looked vppon them and sayde with men is it impossyble but not with God for with GOD all things are possible 24. And when Iesus sawe him sorowfull he sayd with what diffycultie shall they that haue riches enter into the kingdom of God 25. Surely it is easier for a Camell to goe through a needles eye then for a rich manne to enter into the kingdome of God 26. Then saide they that heard it and who then can be saued 27. And he sayde the things which are vnpossible with men are possible with God 23. A rich man shall hardly enter Christ doth not declare how noysome and deadly a plague couetousnes is but also how great hinderaunce riches doe bring Marke asswageth the sharpnesse of the saying while he applyeth it onely to them which put their trust in riches But I think that the former sentence is rather confirmed by these words then corrected as if he should saye that it shoulde not seeme merueilous to them that rich men haue
durst scarsely suspect that it could at any time be ouerthrowne 2. Verelye I saye vnto you one stone shall not bee left vppon an other Because the greatnesse and wealth of the Temple being sette as a vaile beefore their eyes hyndred them from beleeuing that the kingdome of Christe was at hand therefore he affirmeth by an othe that what soeuer thinges doe hinder them should shortly pearish So the foretelling of the destruction of the temple made a way ready for the rude and weake people And thoughe it was profitable that the temple shoulde be ouerthrowen least it shoulde keepe the Iewes in this ceremonial kinde of worship who of themselues were giuen too muche to earthly elements yet this was a speciall reason that God by that horrible example woulde bee reuenged vpon that nation for the refusing of his sonne and contempt of the grace he offered them VVherefore it was meete that the disciples shoulde by this forewarninge bee drawen away from the societie of that rebellious people So at this day what soeuer the scripture foretelleth of the punishments of the wicked shoulde driue vs from those sinnes whiche prouoke the wrath of God Also what soeuer it teacheth of the transitory vaine fashion of the world it shoulde correcte the vanitie of oure minde which followeth too greedily after pompe pleasure and delites And especially that which he foretelleth of the fearful destruction of Antichrist and his secte should remooue away all those lets which doe hinder vs in the right course of faith 3. And as he sate vpon the mount Marke nameth foure Peter Iames Iohn and Andrew He and Luke doe not set downe so much as Mathew For they say that they enquired only of the time of the destructiō of the temple and because it was a thing harde to be beleeued what signe GOD would giue from heauen that the same shoulde come to passe But Mathewe reporteth that they aske the question of the time of the comming of Christ and of the ende of the worlde But it may be noted howe they had thought euen from their childehoode that the temple should stand for euer and their mindes were so wholely bent vpon the same that they thought the temple could not fall while the world stoode Therefore assoone as Christ sayd that the temple should be destroyed they presently thought with themselues of the ende of the world And as errour begetteth errour because they were perswaded that presently at the beginning of the kingdome of Christe they shoulde bee happy euery way they presently speede to the triumph before the battell Therefore they ioyne the comming of Christ and the ende of the worlde togither with the destruction of the temple as things which coulde not be seperate and by the ende of the worlde they vnderstande the restoring of all thinges when nothing should be wanting of the perfecte felicitye of the godlye Therefore we see now howe they leape to diuers questions at once because they were entangled in these fantasies that the temple coulde not fall but that it should shake the whole worlde that the shadowes of the law and the world should ende togither that the glory of the kingdome of Christe shoulde presently appeare which should make the children of God perfectly happie that the apparant renewing of the worlde was at hand which shuld presently bring all things confused into order And especially the hope which they had fondly conceiued before of the present kingdome of Christ doth driue them preposterously to hast to the happy rest As in the Act. 1. 6. when they see Christ risen from the dead they runne headlong to that felicitie which is laide vppe for vs in heauen to the which we must aspire by hope and patience And thoughe our estate is not like theirs because we are not trained vppe in the shadowes of the lawe so that the superstitious opinion that the kingdom of Christ shuld be earthly hath not besotted vs yet ther shall scarce be found one amōgst a hundred which is not troubled with the like disease For when al men do by nature loath troubles contentions and all maner of afflictions the wearinesse of these things vrgeth them without moderation wythout hope to haste before the time to the frute of faith So it commeth to passe that no man is willing to sowe and all menne would mow before the time But to returne to the disciples they had the good seede of faith in their harts but they would not tary for the time appoynted and they hauing corrupt fantasies seeke to thrust the perfection of the kingdome of Christ togither with the beginning and that which they should seeke for in heauen they sought to enioy vppon the earth 4. Iesus answeared They had such an answeare as liked them not For when they gaped for the triumph as if the warre were ended Christ exhorted them to long sufferance as if he should haue sayd you would receiue y e price at the first beginning of the race but of necessity you must first runne foorth the race You would haue the kingdom of God vppon the earth but no man can attaine vnto it except that he ascend into heauen But sith this Chapiter containeth most notable admonitions and instructions for the gouernment of the course of our life we see howe by the wonderful counsell of God it was brought to passe that the Apostles errour tourned to our profite This is the summe the preaching of the Gospell is like to a sowinge time and therefore we must with patience wait for the haruest time and they are too to dainty and effeminate whiche are discouraged in theyr mindes for the frost snowes cloudes or the sharpe tempests of the winter Christe doeth especially giue his disciples commaundement of two things that they shoulde beware of false doctrines and that they shoulde not be troubled by offences In whiche woordes hee declareth that hys Churche shall be subiecte to suche troubles while it wandereth in the worlde But this might seeme very vnlikely because that the Prophets hadde foretolde that the kingdome of Christ should be in another sorte Isaias 54. 13. promiseth that they shall all be then taught of God And by Ioel it is reported 2. 28. I will poure my spirite vppon all fleshe and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie your yong menne shall see visions and your olde menne shall dreame dreames Ieremiah also promiseth a brighter light of vnderstanding 31. 34. They shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying knowe the Lord for they shall knowe me from the least of them to the greatest of them Therefore at the rising of the Sunne of righteousnesse as it was spokē of before by the prophet Malachie 4 2. it is no maruel if the Iewes hoped that they were sette free and cleare from all cloudes of errours And heereof the woman of Samaria sayd Iohn 4. 25. when the Messias shall come he will teache vs all things So nowe
might thereby yeelde the praise of all good thingâ— which they had receiued to God VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that Christ describing the saluation of the godly beginneth at the free loue of GOD whereby they which by the direction of Gods spirite do aspire to righteousnesse in this life are predestinated to life Heereunto also appertaineth that which he sayeth a little after that the kingdome was prepared for them from the beginning of the world into the possession whereof they shall be sent at the last day And though it may easily be obiected that the rewarde was layde vppe before for their merites which shoulde come after yet if any man will way the woordes without contention he will graunt that it is a secreat commendation of the grace of God For Christ also doeth not simply call the faithfull to possesse the kingdome as if they haue gotten the same by their merites but expresly sayeth that it shoulde be giuen as to heires Yet there is an other end to be noted whereunto the Lord had regarde for though the life of the godly is nothinge else but a miserable and grieuous banishmeÌ„t so that the earth can scarcely bear them though they trauaile vnder a harde want vnder reproaches and other troubles that they may with a stronge and valiant minde ouercome these lettes the Lord declareth that there is a kingdome prepared for them in an other place And it is a notable exhortation to patience when menne are certainly perswaded that they beare not in vaine Therefore least the pride of the wicked wherin they doe glory now should make our minds to fainte and least our owne miseries shoulde weaken our hope lette vs alwayes remember that enheritance which remaineth for vs in heauen for it dependeth not of any doubtfull case but it was prepared for vs of God before we were borne yea I say for euery one of the electe because that Christ doeth heere call them the blessed of the father But there is no absurdity in this that it is onely sayd heere that the kingdome was prepared from the beginning of the world and in an other place Before the creation of the heauen and the earth For Christ doth not here set downe the poynt of time when the inheritaunce of eternall life was prepared for the children of God but only calleth vs to the coÌ„sideration of the fatherly care of God wherein he embraced vs before we were borne and hee doeth thereby confirme the assurance of our hope so that the troublesome stormes of the world cannot ouerthrow our life I was an hungered If the disputation heere had beene of the cause of our saluation the Papists had not gathered amisse that we shoulde merite eternall life by good woorkes but when as Christ had no other purpose but to exhort his disciples to endeuour to liue well and righteously it is yll gathered by his woordes what the merites of workes shoulde auaile They rest vppon the woorde causall which is but a weake stay for wee knowe that it doeth not alwayes note the cause but rather the consequence when as eternall life is promised to the righteous But there is a plainer answeare For we deny not but that there is a rewarde promised to good woorkes but it is of fauour because it dependeth of the adoption Paule in the 2. Tim. 4. 8. reioyceth that there was a crowne of righteousnesse laied vppe for him But whereof gathered hee thys comforte but of this that he was a member of Iesus Christ who is the onely heire of the heauenly kingdome Hee sayeth that the iust iudge will giue hym that crowne but howe should he come by that rewarde but because hee was adopted of free grace and endowed with that righteousnes wherwhereof we all are voide Therefore these two things must be considered that the faithfull are called to the possession of the kingdome of heauen in respecte of good woorkes not because they should deserue it by the righteousnesse of workes or because that they shoulde be the authours of the getting of it for themselues but because that God doeth iustifie them whome he hath first chosen Furthermore though that by the direction of the spirit they shuld aspire to the loue of righteousnesse yet because they doe neuer satisfie the lawe of God there is no reward due to them but that is called a rewarde whiche is giuen freely But Christe doeth not recken vppe all the partes of a godly and a holy life but doeth only note for example sake some poyntes of charitye whereby we declare that we doe worship God For though the woorshippe of God excelleth the loue of menne and therefore faith and inuocation is more to be desired then almes yet Christe doeth not without cause sette downe the testimonies of true rightâ—ousnesse which are more apparant to be seene If any man despising God should only deale wel with men such mercy shuld nothing auaile for the appeasing of God because that in the meane season he is defrauded of his owne right Christe therefore doeth not say that the summe of righteousnesse consisteth in almes but by signes which may be moste easily seene he declareth what it is to liue godly and rightuously so that truely the faithfull doe not only professe with the mouth but by diligent exercises they doe shewe that they doe worship God VVherfore those fantasticall men do very preposterously vnder pretence of this place withdrawe themselues both from the hearing of the word and also from receiuing the holy supper for vnder the same coloure they might also cast away faith and bearing of the crosse and prayers chastitie But Christ meant nothing lesse then to restrain to a part of the seconde table the rule of holy life which is contained in the two tables of the law The Monkes also and such like rascalles haue sottishly sette downe to themselues sixe woorkes of mercy because that Christ maketh mention of no mo As if that children might not plainly see that by the figure Synecdoche al the workes of charity are here coÌ„mended For to comfort the sorrowfull to helpe them that be vniustly oppressed to aid the simple with counsel to pull the poore wretches out of the iawes of the wolues is a woorke of mercy as much worthy to be praised as to cloath the naked or to feede the hungry But may a man thinke that Christe commending charity vnto vs woulde exclude those dueties which appertaine to the worship of God yet he telleth his disciples that this shal be a lawful trial of a holy life if they exercise theÌ„selues in charity according to that saying of the Prophet I will haue mercy not sacrifice Hose 6. 6. Namely because that the hypocrites being couetous cruel deceitfull snatching to them by violence proud do yet vnder a vaine pompe of ceremonies dissemble a kinde of holines VVherby we do also gather if we desire to haue our life approoued before the chiefe iudge we must not wander in our
but God who hadde ordained him for a sacrifice to purge away sinnes chose a speciall daye that might ioyntly oppose the body to the shadow VVhereby the fruit of the passion of Christ doth now more plainly appeare vnto vs. 6. VVhen Iesus was in Bethania That which the Euangelist doeth now set downe befell a little before Christe came to Ierusalem but it is recorded heere in very good time to giue vs to vnderstand what occasion moued the hie priests so sodainly to make this hast They durst not sette vppon Christ with open violence and it was not so easie a matter to take hym by subtelty Now when Iudas offred them a meanes vnhoped vnloked for the easinesse to bring the matter to passe made them to take an other course But the obiectioÌ„ that Iohn doth somwhat differ in this hystory from Math. Marke which caused some interpreaters corruptly to imagine it to be an other hystory is easily answeared The name of the woman which annoynted Christe which out two Euangelists doe conceale is expressed by Iohn 12. 3. but ther is no mention of the man who feasted Christ yet Mat. and Marke do expresly say that he supped with Simon the leper But there is no contrariety in this that Iohn saith that his feete were annoynted and ours say his head VVe doe certainly know that the oyntments were not cast down to his fete but when ther was more aboundance shed then was wont Iohn to amplify the same sayth that his feete were wet Marke also reporteth that the Alablaster boxe being broken all the oyntment was powred vppon his head so it doeth very well appeare that it ran downe to his feete This therefore is certaine that they all doe report one and the same hystory 8. And when his disciples saw it This also is a common thing amongst the Euangelists to attribute that to moe which was begunne by one if they consented to the same Iohn sayth that Iudas the betrayer of Christ began this murmuring Mathew and Marke doe bring in all the disciples with him for that none of the other euer durst to haue grudged if the vngodly grudging of Iudas had not been as a firebrand to set them on fire But when as he began vnder some good colour to condemne that wastfull expence they were all taken easily with that infection And by this example we are taught what danger commeth of malitious poisonfull tongues For they which are of a good simple modest nature except they do wisely take hede to themselues yet being deceiued wyth false reports doe easily fall into wrong iudgements If Christes disciples by keeping company with Iudas were caried into a light and fond opinioÌ„ what shal become of vs if we do too easily admit talebearers which do commonly malitiously quarrell at things well done Heere may also be gathered an other lessâ—on that we should not rashly geue sentence of a matter not throughly knowen The disciples take holde of that whyche Iudas spake and because it hadde some pretence they doe rashly geue wrong iudgement But it was meete for them to haue made better inquirie whether the deede had beene worthy of reprehension especially sith the maister was present whose iudgement they shuld haue abidden So we know that except the word of God doth goe before the sentence is preposterously giuen because that none of vs as Paul teacheth Rom. 14. 10. liueth or dieth vnto himselfe for wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ where he shall yeelde his account 2. Cor. 5. 10. And though there was great difference betweene Iudas the others because that hee sought wickedly and cunningly to cloake hys theft and the other were caryed away with a meere simplicitie yet we see howe they by their vnaduisednesse were drawne from Christe and ioyned to Iudas 10. VVhy trouble yee the woman It is maruell that Christ whose whole life was a rule and example of temperance and frugality shoulde nowe allowe immoderate charge whiche seemeth to be neare superfluous and needelesse delites But the maner of defence which he vseth must be noted for he doth not say that the woman had done well as if he woulde haue the same done daily but that which she had done once hee sayeth was acceptable to God for that there was iust cause why it shuld be so done Therfore though Christ desired not the vse of oyntment yet in respect of the circumstance this annoynting pleased him VVhereby we gather that some particular dedes are sometime accepted of God which yet may not be made an example to be followed And it is not to bee doubted but that Mary was mooued by a secreat motion of the spirite to annoynte Christe as it is certaine that so oft as the Sainctes are called to some extraordinary woorke they are driuen with an vnwonted motion least they shoulde attempt any thing but by the direction and gouernement of God There was no commandement which enioyned Mary to this annoynting neither was it needeful that there should haue beene a law set downe for one worke but because that the heauenlye calling is the only rule of wel doing and that God refuseth what soeuer men take in hand of themselues Mary was gouerned by the motion of the spirite with a certaine perswasion of faith to performe this duty to Christ. But this one action of the woman is not only defended by this answeare of Christ but the godly ioy of all men is hereby defended who may be satisfied that they and their workes are approued of God It commeth oft to passe that godly men are not only reproued but also vniustly condeÌ„ned openly who yet haue their consciences bearinge them witnesse that they haue done nothing but by the commandement of God and in this respecte they are accounted proud if they despising the peruerse iudgements of the world doe satisfie themselues with the onely allowance of God Because this is a hard temptation and it canne hardly be but that the corrupt consent of many must grieue vs this doctrine must be noted that none can at any time be throughly encouraged to doe well excepte they depende of the onely allowance of God Therefore Christe doeth heere make the difference of good and euill to his only pleasure for wheÌ„ he sayeth that this womannes woorke was good whiche his disciples hadde already condemned he doeth by this speache reprooue the rashnesse of menne which iudge as they list VVee therefore being armed with this defence must learne to neglecte what rumours so euer are spredde abroade of vs in the worlde so that we know that which men condemne to be approued of God So Isaias 50. 7. being oppressed with the slaunders of the wicked calleth God to witnesse So Paule appealeth to his iudgement 1. Corrinthians 4. 4. Therefore lette vs learne to regarde the iudgementes of menne no further then that by oure example they may be taught to obey God and when as the worlde shall wyth a greate
God Vppon this condition hee became man and came into the world that by the sacrifice of his death he might recoÌ„cile meÌ„ to God the father Therfore y t he might be shewed to be the son of God it was necessarye for him to hang vpon the crosse Now these reprobates do deny the redeemer to be in the place of the son of God except he descending froÌ„ the crosse shuld renounce the coÌ„mandement of the father and reiecting the washing away of sins should cast off the office laid vpon by God But let vs hereby learn to strengthen our faith because that the son of God for the work of our saluation woulde remaine fastened to the crosse vntil that partly with most cruel tormeÌ„ts of the flesh partly with horrible anguishes of the spirite hee should suffer death it self And least it shuld befall to vs to tempt God in like maner as we see these men did let vs suffer God so oft as it shal so seeme good vnto him to hide his power that againe according to his owne pleasure he may execute the same conueniently There appeareth the same wickednes in the other obiection which presently followeth If he be the king of Israel let him now come down from the crosse and we wil beleeue him For it was not meete for theÌ„ to accept of any other king but such a one as was described by the Prophets But Isaiah expresly 53. and Zachariah 9. 9. doe describe Christ to be without forme afflicted condemned accursed broken poore contemned before that he shuld enter into his roial throne Therfore the Iewes do preposterously desire one vnlike to him whome they would acknowledge for a king for so they doe declare that they haue no regard of that king whom God had promised to giue theÌ„ But on the contrary side that our faith may wholly be reposed in Christ let vs seeke for help in his crosse For hee cannot otherwise be accounted for the lawful king of Israel but by perfourming all the partes of a Redeemer And hereby we doe gather howe daungerous a thing it is by wandring after our own deuises to depart froÌ„ the word of God For because that y e Iewes imagined to haue such a king as their wit had deuised theÌ„ they refused Christ crucified because they thought it an absurd thing to beleeue in him but to vs it is the best chief reason of our beleefe beecause that for our cause he willingly submitted himself to the ignominy of the crosse 42. He saued others This vnthankfulnes is not to be excused that they being offended with the present abasing of Christ do make no account of al those miracles which he before had wrought in their sight They do coÌ„fesse that he hadde saued others by what power or by what meanes VVhy do they not at the least in this behalf reuereÌ„ce the manifest work of God But because they do malitiously choake yea as much as lyeth in them they do endeuour to quench the light of God which shone in the miracles they are vnworthy to iudge aright of the infirmity of the crosse Beecause Christe dooth not presently deliuer himself from death they do vpbraid him of weaknes And this is too vsuall amongst all the wicked to measure the power of God by that which is presently seene that whatsoeuer he doth not they think he cannot do and therefore they doe charge him of weaknes so oft as he doth not obey their peruerse desire But lette vs note that Christe when hee easily could did not presently deliuer himself from death but because he would not And why doth he for a time neglect his own sauegard but because he had more regarde of the saluatioÌ„ of vs al Why wold he not deliuer himself but that he might deliuer vs al Therfore we see that those things which do make well to the edificatioÌ„ of our faith the Iewes through their owne malice drew to the maintenance of their vnbeliefe 43. He trusteth in God Sathan hath as I said before this most sharpe dort of temptation while hee faineth that God forgetteth vs because that he doth not helpe vs speedily and in the very point of time For when god waiteth vpon the saluation of his children and doth not only help them in time conuenient but also preuenteth their necessity as the scripture doth euery wher declare he seemeth not to loue theÌ„ whom he helpeth not And so by this logicke he leadeth vs into despaire that we do trust in the loue of God in vaine where his helpe doth not appeare openly And as he prompteth our mindes with this kind of fallacie so he suborneth his ministers which shall argue that God hath no regard of our sauegard but reiecteth vs because hee deferreth his help Therfore it behoueth vs to refuse this argument as faulty that they are not beloued of God whoÌ„ he seemeth to forsake for a time Nay there were nothing more absurd then to tie his loue to euery point of time God promiseth that he will be our deliuerer but if somtime hee shuld seeme to winke in our aduersities the delaye muste be borne with patience VVherfore it is contrary to the nature of faith for them to vrge that aduerb now whom God by the crosse and troubles frameth to patience and stirreth vp to praiers and to call vpon his name when as these are rather testimonies of his fatherlye loue as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes 12. 6. declareth And this was especiallye to be seene in Christ though he was the beloued son yet was hee not deliuered from death vntil he had borne the punishmeÌ„t due to vs for by that price were we redeemed to saluation VVherefore the Priests againe do deale peruersly when they doe conclude that he is not the Son because that he supplieth that roum appointed him of his father 44. That same also the theeues cast in his teeth Matthew and Marke by Synecdoche doe attribute that to the theeues which was proper onelye to one of them as it appeareth by Luke Neyther may this speache seeme straunge for the two Euangelistes hadde no other purpose then to declare that Christe was rayled vppon on euerye side so that euen the theeues spared him not nowe when hee was halfe deade Euen as Dauid in the Psalm 22. 7. 8. beewayling his calamities doth thereof â—â—ke occasion to amplifie the greeuousnes of them for that he was made the shame of all men and the contempt of the people And though they doe omitte a history worthy to bee remembred which Luke reporteth of the other theefe yet there is no absurdity in that which they doe say that Christ was derided of all yea euen of the very theeues For it is not spoken of euery perticuler person but of that kind of men Nowe therefore let vs come to Luke LV. 39. And one of the euil doers By this reproach which the Son of God suffered of the theefe great honour is gotten for vs amongst the
obserue this order diligently as to the Ephes. 2. 17. he sayeth that Christ comming he preached peace to them whiche were neare and then to straungers and them a farre of 48. Nowe ye are witnesses As yet he doeth not send them foorth to publish the Gospel but only declareth for what purpose he appoynted that they might prepare themselues for that time and partly by this consolation he mitigateth their sorrowe partly with this spurre hee correcteth their slouth VVhen as they being guiltie to themselues of their late falling away it was meete for them to haue sorrowfull hearts Christ here beyonde all hope bestoweth vppon them this incredible honour enioyning them to publishe the embassage of eternall saluation to the whole worlde By this meanes he doeth not onely restore them perfectly but with the greatnesse of this new grace he doeth throughly abolish the remembrance of the offence Yet withall as I sayde he pricketh them forwarde least they shoulde be as slacke and slouthfull to publish the faith whereof they were ordained preachers 49. Beholde I will send the promisse Least the Apostles should be afraied of their owne weakenesse hee comforteth them with the hope of newe grace which should come vppon them as if that he should saye Though you thinke youre selues vnmeete for so great a burden yet there is no cause why you shoulde be discouraged for I will supply from heauen that power which I knowe to be wanting in you Nowe that he might the better confirme them in this hope he maketh mention of the holye Ghost which was promised of the father For to the ende they myghte readily prepare themselues to the woorke God meeting with theyr distrust had encouraged them with his promisse Now Christ substituting himselfe in his fathers place taketh vppon him to perfourme that gifte wherein he doeth againe chalenge to himselfe a diuine power For this is a part of that glory whiche God by othe denied to giue to an other Isai 41. 8. to endew weake men with heauenly power Therefore if it belongeth to Christ it followeth that he is God who spake in the times past by the mouth of the Prophet But though God promised a speciall grace to the Apostles and Christ bestowed it yet this must be generally noted that no mortall man is of himselfe meete for the preaching of the Gospell but so farre foorth as God cloathing them with his spirite supplieth their nakednesse and want And certainly as Paule doeth not exclame of the Apostles alone 2. Cor. 2. 16. who shall be founde meete for these things but he declareth that there is no mortall man meete for so great a woorke so it is necessary that what soeuer ministers of the Gospell God stirreth vppe should be endued with the heauenly spirite and therefore it is promised to all the teachers of the Churche wythout exception in euery palce But tarry ye Least they shulde rashly run forth to teach before the time Christ coÌ„mandeth them to be quiet silent vntill y t he by his appoyntment sending them foorth shall vse their helpe in time conuenient And this was a profitable triall of their obedience that they hauing the vnderstanding of the Scripture and endewed with the grace of the spirite yet because the Lord forbadde them to speake they helde their peace as dumbe men for we do know how desirously they woulde shewe themselues abrode which thinke that they could doe this with praise and admiration And it may be that by this delay Christ would punishe their slouthfulnesse because they had not presently gone the same daye into Galile at his commaundement VVhat soeuer the matter were we are taught that nothing must be attempted but by the calling of the Lord. VVherefore thoughe they wanted not habilitie to teache publikely yet let them containe themselues as priuate men in silence vntil that he shal leade them foorth in his hande into the Theater Further in that they are commaunded to stay at Hierusalem it must be vnderstode after they should returne from out of Galile For as we shal a little after heare out of Mathew though he reuealed himselfe to be seene at Hierusalem yet he chaunged not that which he had first determined of Galile Therefore the meaning of the woordes is after he had giuen them their commaundements in the place appoynted yet his will was that they should as yet remaine silent for a time vntill that he should furnish them wyth a newe power Mathewe 28. Marke 16. Luke 16. Then the eleuen disciples went into Galile into a mountain wher Iesus had appoynted them 17. And when they sawe him they woorshipped him but some doubted 18. And Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen vntâ— me in heauen and in earth 19. Goe therefore and teache all nations baptising them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost 20. Teachinge them to obserue all thinges what so euer I haue commaunded you and 〈◊〉 I am wyth you alwaye vntill the ende of the worlde Amen 15. And he sayd vnto them Gâ— yee into all the world preache the gospell to euery creature 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptised shal be saued but he that will not beleeue shal be damned 17. And these tâ—kens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out deuils and shal speake wyth new tonges 18. And shall take away serpents and if they shall drinke any deadly thinge it shal not hurte them they shall lay their handes on the sicke and they shall recouer  16. Then the eleuen diciples Mathewe passing ouer those things which we haue reported out of the other three doeth onely teache where the eleuen disciples were sent on the Apostolicall office For their purpose was not as we haue often seene before to prosecute all the perticular partes of a hystorie because it seemed sufficient to the holy Ghost who directed their stile by gathering their testimonies togither to sette downe the summe suche as we doe see Therefore Mathewe doeth chuse that which especially appertained to vs namely that Christ when he appeared to the disciples also created them Apostles which shoulde carye the embassage of eternall life into all the coastes of the worlde But though there is no mention made of the Mount in any other place yet wee doe gather that this place of Galile was noted to Mary yet it is maruel that some hauing seene Christe twise already shoulde as yet doubt of hym If any manne like to referre this to the first manifestation there shall be no absurditie therein for the Euangelistes doe sometime vse to mixe diuers things togither But it must not seeme absurde if the remnants of feare shoulde driue some againe to a newe wauering for we knowe as oft as Christ appeared they were afrayd and amased vntil their mindes were setled by ofte seeing him VVherefore the sense in my iudgement is that some doubted at the first vntill Christe approched nearer and
There is therfore great weight in these words that they went forth preached euery where which euen now for feare durst not speake in their secreat corner For so vnloked for a conuersion in a moment could not be done by man And therfore Marke addeth The Lord wrought with them signifying that this was the very worke of god Yet this phrase of speach doth not make a partition betwene their worke or labor and the grace of God as if that they of themselues could doe any thing but he meaneth simply y t they were holpe of God because that according to the flesh they shuld haue attēpted that in vaine which is yet wrought by them I graunt that the ministers of the word are called fellow helpers of God 1. Cor. 3. 9. in as much as he vseth their ministery but it is to be noted that ther is no power in them but that which he giueth them Further they do preuail nothing by planting by watering except the secreat working of the spirit do cause it to encrease Confirmed the word Marke here in my iudgement doth note a part of that which he had generally set down immediatly before For the Lord wrought with thē by other meanes least the preaching of his gospel shuld be in vain but this was a notable testimony of his help that he cōfirmed the same by myracles And this place teacheth to what ende myracles muste be referred that it is not lawfull to draw them after peruerse corruptions for that they doe serue the Gospell VVhereof it followeth that the holy order of God is inuerted if they be drawne away from the word of God whereof they are appurtenances to the adorning of vngodly doctrines or are drawn to colour out corrupt worshippings LAVS DEO THE holy Gospel of Iesus Christ according to Iohn with the Commentary of M. Iohn Caluine Faithfully translated out of Latine into english by Christopher Fetherstone student in Diuinitie TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY EARLE OF LEYCESTER BARON OF DENBIGH Maister of the Horse to the Queenes Maiestie Knight of the noble order of the Garter one of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsel Chanselour of the most famous Vniuersitie of Oxford Christopher Fetherstone wisheth encrease of spirituall giftes long life happy dayes and encrease of honour IT IS AN OLDE SAYing Right honourable and no lesse true then olde that faleable wines neede no iuic bush which prouerb importeth thus much that thinges which are of thē selues good and commendable haue not anye at least no great neede of commendation If therefore I shouldee with fine filed phrases with gaye geason woordes with straunge examples and notable hystories compound some long prologue and tedious Preface in commendation of this most excellent work and Commentarie of that famous member and faithfull Doctour of Gods Church Maister Iohn Caluine I might cause your Honour to suspect the fondnesse thereof I my selfe should seeme to doubte of the goodnesse thereof and finally minister occasion to many to condemne me of folly Omitting therefore that which is needlesse I discend vnto that which is needefull to wit to excuse my selfe of arrogancie wherof some may accuse me in that I dare presume to dedicate vnto yonr honour this my translation vnto whom I am altogether vnknowen The loade stone as men say writers do testifie and experience doth teach hath in it selfe such power force and vertue that it draweth iron vnto it though it be farre distant right so vertue doth drawe men vnto it and the reporte thereof causeth men to loue those whom they haue not seene to reuerence those of whō they haue only heard Which thing sithence it is so there is no cause why I shoulde either bee accused of arrogancie or condemned of impudencie for approching so boldly vnto your honour and for suffering this my translation to appear in your name For your friendes confesse and your foes cannot iustly denie that God hath placed in your noble brest greate aboundance of most heroicall vertues I omit to speake of that rare report of your vnfeigned religion which refoundeth euery where and redoundeth to your prayse I should be tedious if I should set downe particulerly the most vndoubted testimonies of your faithfulnesse toward your dread Soueraigne I shoulde seeme to flatter if I should extoll that godly magnanimitie wherewith the Lord hath endued you to maintaine his truth to defend the Realm to sub due those proud aspiring papists That great and earnest care which your honour hath alwaies had and euen now hath to support the poore ministers of the word and gospell of Iesus Christ in Gods cause in good causes hath in it selfe sufficient force to enforce not only mee but all thankfull heartes by word and writing to bewray all thankfulnesse dutifulnesse towards your good honor As this so that singuler liberalitie vsed at all times by your Lordship towards my friends hath caused me in dedicating of this booke to your honour to testifie some part of my thankfull minde in their behalfe And heere I am to craue pardon of you whiche I hope I shall easily obtaine for that I haue not behaued my selfe finely as I might though faithfully as I ought in this my worke And thus fearing prolixitie I conclude praying vnto the Lorde God of heauen and earth that King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes that he will graunt vnto your honour and to the rest whom he hath placed in the like degree of dignitie his holy spirite that spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding that you may thereby be so directed that all your thoughts woordes and workes may tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory the maintenance of true religion the preseruation of the Realme So shall England haue wealth be voide of woe enioy solace be free from sorrow possesse plentie not tast of pouertie inherite pleasure and not see paine Whiche God graunt Your Honours most humble and obedient Christopher Fetherstone To the Reader BEing instantly requested Gentle Reader by my godlie zealous friendes to enterprice the translating of this most learned Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine and being persuaded thereunto by manie godlie reasons whereof Gods glory the profite of his Church should bee the chiefe I coulde not nor woulde not refuse to take that charge vpon mee vnlesse I should haue forgotten my dutie towardes God his Churche and my friendes and now for asmuch Gentle Reader as the principall recompence of my paines shall bee that profite whiche thou shalt reape by the reading of this my translation I beseech thee refuse not to take some paines in reading the same I haue not stuft it full of strange wordes deriued of the Latin which might no lesse molest thee then if they continued Latin as they were I haue not racked the phrases to make them runne smoothly to please 〈…〉 and so digressed from the truth and meaning of the authour but so much as possible I could I haue translated
the Euangelist addeth immediatly after that they are made the sonnes of God not by the proper will of the flesh but when as they are borne of God And if faith doe regenerate vs that we may bee the sonnes of God and God doe inspire the same faith from heauen it is most manifest that Christe doth not only offer vs the grace of adoption potentially but euen actually as they say And truly the Grecians doe sometimes take exousia for axioma because the sense doth best agree with this place And the circumlocution which the Euangelist vseth is of greater force to set foorth the excellencie of grace then if hee had saide in one worde that all those that beleeue in Christe are made by him the sonnes of God For hee speaketh in this place of the vnclean and prophane who being condēned of perpetuall ignominy did lye in the shadowe of death Therefore Christ shewed a wonderfull token of his grace that he vouchsafed to extoll suche vnto this honour that they shoulde begin sodainely to be the sonnes of God And the Euangeliste extolleth the greatnesse of this benefite woorthily as doth Paule also Ephesians 2. 4. But and if the common signification of the word do please any man better yet notwithstanding the Euangelist doth not make power a certaine middle facultie which may take away the full and perfect effecte but hee meaneth rather that Christe gaue vnto the vncleane and vncircumcised that which seemed to bee vnpossible For there was an vncredible alteration of thinges wrought at that time when Christe raysed vp to God children of stones Therefore power is that sufficiencie whereof Paule maketh mention Col. 1. 12. where hee giueth thankes to God who hath made vs fit to be partakers of the lot of the saintes VVho beleeue in his name Hee noteth briefly the maner howe to receiue Christe namely when wee beleeue in him Therefore beeing ingrafted into Christe by faith wee obteine the right of adoption that wee may bee the sonnes of God And truely seeing hee is the onlie sonne of God this honour doth in no case appertaine vnto vs saue only so farre foorth as wee are his members Againe that vaine surmise concerning power is refuted out of this place The Euangelist sayth that this power is giuen to those who doe nowe alreadie beleeue and it is certaine that they are now the children of God in deede Therefore they doe derogate too much from faith who say that a man doth obtain this thing only by beleeuing to be made the childe of God if hee will because they put a suspenced power insteede of the present effect There appeareth a grosser contrarietie in that which followeth immediatelie The Euangelist saith nowe that they are borne of GOD who beleeue Therefore there is not onely an habilitie to choose offered seeing that they doe nowe obtaine that selfe same thing about which they are occupyed And although the Hebretians doe oftentimes take name for power yet there is heere a relation vnto the doctrine of the Gospel For we doe then rightly beleeue in Christe when he is preached vnto vs I speake of the ordinarie meanes whereby the Lorde bringeth vs vnto faith And this must be diligently noted because many men do foolishly forge to themselues a confused faith without any vnderstanding of doctrine Like as amongest the Papistes there is nothing more common then this woorde beleeue whereas notwithstanding there is no knowledge of Christe by the hearing of the Gospel Therfore Christ offereth himselfe vnto vs by the Gospell but we receiue him by faith 13 VVho are not borne of blood Willingly doe I embrace the opinion of those who thinke that the Euangelist toucheth heere by the way the wicked boldnesse and confidence of the Iewes They had alwayes in their mouth the worthinesse of their stocke as if they who discende of an holy progenie were naturally holy And they might worthily haue bragged of the stock of Abrahā if so be it they had bin the lawfull sons of Abraham and not degenerate children but the boasting of faith arrogateth nothing at all to the carnall begetting but it acknowledgeth that it hath receiued all that goodnesse whiche it hath of the grace of God alone Therefore Iohn saith that the Gentiles who beleeue in Christ who were before vncleane are borne the sonnes of God not of the wombe but they are fashioned againe by God that they may begin to bee He seemeth to haue put blooddes in the plurall number to the ende hee might the better expresse the long succession of the stocke For this was a part of the Iewish boasting that they were able directly to proue that they came from the patriarkes by a continuall course The will of the fleshe and of man Doe signifie all one thing in my iudgement For I see no cause why fleshe shoulde be taken for the woman as manie doe thinke with Augustine But rather in this that the Euangeliste repeateth one thing in diuers wordes hee beateth in the same the better and imprinteth it more deepely in mens myndes And although he doe properly respect the Iewes who dyd bragge of the fleshe yet may there a generall doctrine be gathered out of this place that this is not proper to our nature neither doth it proceede from vs that wee are accounted the children of God but because the Lorde of his owne wyll that is of his free loue begate vs. Heereupon it followeth first that faith proceedeth not from vs but that it is a fruite of spirituall regeneration For the Euangelist saith that no man can beleeue vnlesse hee be begotten of God therefore faith is an heauenly gift Secondly that faith is not a colde and bare knowledge sithence none can beleeue but hee that is fashioned againe by the spirite of God Notwithstanding it seemeth that the Euangelist dealeth disorderly in putting regeneration before faith seeing that it is rather an effect of faith and therefore to bee set after hym I answeare that both of them doe very well agree because we doe both conceiue the incorruptible seed by faith wherby we are borne againe into a newe and diuine life and yet notwithstanding faith is a worke of the holy ghost who dwelleth in the sonnes of God alone Therefore in diuers respectes faith is a part of our regeneration and an entrance into the kingdome of God that it may number vs amongest his children For whereas the spirite doth illuminate our mindes that doth now appertaine vnto the renuing of vs. By this meanes faith doth flowe from regeneration as from a fountaine But because we receiue Christ by the same faith who doth sanctifie vs by his holy spirite therefore it is saide to be the beginning of our adoption Although there may another more plaine redie distinction be brought For when the Lorde inspireth faith hee begetteth vs againe secretely by a secrete meanes which we knowe not And beeing indued with faith we lay holde vpon with a liuely feeling of the
a title now the grace wherewith he determined to indue him afterward for this cause hee saith not that this is his sirname now but he deferreth it vntill the time to come Thou shalt be called Cephas saith he It is meete that all the godly bee Peters or stones that beeing founded in Christe they may be made fit to build vp the temple of god but he alone is called so because of his singuler excellencie In the meane while the papistes are to be laughed at who put him in Christs steed that he may be the foundation of the Church As if hee the rest were not founded in Christ. But they are twice ridiculous whilest that they make a stone the head For ther is extaÌ„t in the repetitions of Gratianus a doltishe canon vnder the name of Anacletus which changing the Hebrewe name with the Greeke making no difference betweene Cephale Cepha thinketh that Peter was made by this name the head of the church Furthermore Cepha is rather a Chaldean then an Hebrew name but that was the vsuall kinde of pronunciation after the captiuitie of Babylon Therefore there is no doubtfull thing in the wordes of Christ. For hee promiseth Peter that which he would neuer haue hoped for and therein doth he set foorth his grace vnto al ages that his former estate can no whit hurt him seeing that this excellent title declareth that he was made a new man 43 The next day Iesus would goe foorth into Galilee and he founde Phillip and hee said vnto him follow me 44 And Phillip was of Bethsaida the citie of andrew and Peter 45 Phillip found Nathanael and he saith vnto him we haue found Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth of whom Moses writ in the lawe and the prophetes 46 Nathanael saide vnto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Phillip said vnto him come and see 43 Follow me For asmuch as the minde of Phillip was inflamed with this one word to follow Christ we do thereby gather what great force there is in the word but it doth not appeare in all alike For god doth cal many but without fruit as if he did only strike their eares with a vaine sound Therefore the externall preaching of the worde is of it selfe vnfruitfull saue only that it doth wound the reprobate to death y t they may be made inexcuseable before god But wheÌ„as y e secret working of y e spirit doth quicken the same it must needs be that all the senses must so bemoued that men may be redie to follow whither soeuer God calleth them Therefore we must desire Christe that hee wyll shewe foorth the same power of the gospel in vs. But Phillip followed Christe after a particuler maner for he is commaunded to follow not only as euery one of vs but as a fellowe and vnseparable companion yet notwithstanding this calling is a figure of the calling of all men Hee was of Bethâ—aida It seemeth that the name of this citie is put in of set purpose to the ende the goodnesse of God may appeare more manyfestly in the three Apostles VVe knowe how sharpely Christ threatned and cursed that Citie els where VVherefore in that some of that wicked and cursed nation are receiued by God into fauour it is to bee accounted as if they had been brought out of hell And whereas hee vouchsafeth to aduaunce those vnto so great dignitie whome he had deliuered out of that deepe dungeon that hee maketh them Apostles that is a most excellent benefite and a benefite worthie to bee remembred 45 Phillip founde Nathanael Howsoeuer proude men do despise these young beginnings and childhoode of the Churche yet it is our dutie to see and espie greater glory of God in them then if the estate of the kingdome of Christe had been mightie and very gorgeous from the begynning For we know what great aboundance did spring by and by from this little seede Furthermore wee see that there was heere in Phillip the same desire to edifie that was before in Andrew VVe see furthermore his modestie that the coueteth and goeth about no other thing saue only to haue some to learne with him of the coÌ„mon master of al men VVe haue found Iesus It appeareth hereby what a slender portion of faith was in Philip that he cannot speake foure wordes concerning Christe but he intermingleth two grosse errours Hee maketh him the sonne of Ioseph and falsly assigneth vnto him Nazareth for his countrie and yet notwithstanding because he coueteth sincerely to profite his brother and to make Christe knowen God doth alowe this his diligence and it hath also prosperous successe VVee must euery one of vs doe our indeuour to keepe our selues within our bonds Neyther doth the Euangelist recite this as a thing worthie commendation in Phillip that hee doeth twice disgrace Christe but declareth that his doctrine howsoeuer it was corrupt and intangled with errour was profitable because the ende thereof was to haue Christe made knowen He calleth Iesus the sonne of Ioseph foolishly he maketh him a Nazarite vnskilfully but in the meane season he bringeth him vnto none other but vnto the sonne of God that was borne in Bethlaim neithey doth hee forge any false Christe but he will only haue such a one to be knowen as was described by Moses and the Prophetes Therefore we see that this is the principall thing in doctrine that they may by one meanes or other come vnto Christe that heare vs. Manie when they doe dispute subtilly concerning Christe doe notwithstanding so inwrappe and so darken him with their subtilties that hee can neuer bee founde In like sorte the Papistes wil not say that Iesus was the sonne of Ioseph for they know wel what his name is but in the meane while they depriue him of his power So that they shewe a shadow in steed of Christ. VVere it not better to stammer grosly with Phillip and to retaine the true Christe then to bring in a feigned Christ by an eloquent craftie kinde of speeche On the other side there be at this day many poore idiots who being ignorant of eloquence and rhethorike doe notwithstanding teach Christe more faithfully then all the Pope his Diuines with their deepe speculations Therefore this place teacheth vs that we must not hautilie refuse it if the simple and vnlearned speake anye thing of Christ vnfitly so that they direct vs vnto Christ. But least that we be drawne away with the false glosses of men from Christe let vs alwayes haue this remedie in readinesse that we â—â—t the sincere knowledge of him from the lawe and the prophetes 46 Out of Nazareth At the first Nathanael starteth backe being offended with the countrie of Christe as it was declared by Phillip But he is first deceiued with the speech which Phillip vttered without consideration For he taketh that for a certaintie which Phillip thought foolishly TheÌ„ there foloweth a preposterous iudgemeÌ„t proceeding froÌ„ the hatred and contempt of
gessing Therefore that is more true when he saw that hee was despised in his countrie Nazareth he went vnto some other place VVherfore it followeth immediatly that he came into the citie Cana. And in this that it is added also that he was receiued of the GalileaÌ„s because of his myracles it was a signe of reuereÌ„ce and not of contempt A prophet in his owne countrie I doe not doubt but that this sentence was prouerbiall wee know that that is taken vp for a prouerbe which coÌ„meth often to passe VVherefore we must not straitly require that it should alwayes be true as though that had neede alwaies to be true which is there said Certaine it is that Prophets are more commended els where then in their owne countrie and 〈◊〉 may also somtimes come to passe doth indeed chance that a Prophet is no lesse reuerenced of his owne countriemen then of strangers but the prouerb teacheth what is more common namely that Prophets are rather honoured els where in any place then amongst their owne countrie men And this prouerbe may haue a double beginning meaning For this is a coÌ„mon vice that looke whomsoeuer we see lie crying in their cradles and toying childishly those doe wee despise during their whole life As if they had still continued in childhood There is also an other euill whiche reigneth more amongest those that are of acquaintance namely emulation Notwithstanding I am persuaded that y â— prouerb did arise hereupon because prophetes were so badly entertained in their owne nation For good and godly men when as they sawe so great vnthankfulnesse toward God in Iudea so great contempt of the word so great stubbornnes they might worthily thus complaine that God his prophetes are neuer lesse reuerenced any where then in their owne countrie If wee like better of the former sense the woorde prophete shal be taken generally for euery teacher as Paule calleth Epâ—â—enides the Prophet of the Cretians They receiued him VVee know not whether this honour did long continue or no. For there is nothing wherunto we are more bent then to forget God his benefits Neither doth Iohn make mention of this to any other end saue only that we may know y t Christ did worke myracles in the sight presence of many so that they were preached farre wide There is one commoditie of myracles set downe againe that they make a way for doctrine for they make Christe to bee reuerenced 46 Therefore Iesus came againe into Cana of Galilee where hâ—â— rained water into â—ine And there was a certaine ruler whose sonne was sicke in Capernaum 47 VVhen he had heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galilee he went vnto him requested him that he would go downe heale his son for we was almost dead 48 Therfore Iesus said vnto him Except you see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue 49 The Ruler himselfe said vnto him Master goe downe before my childe die 50 Iesus said vnto him goe thy way thy sonne liueth The man beleeued the worde that Iesus had spoken and went 51 And as he was nowe going downe the seruants met him and told saying thy sonne liueth 52 Therefore he demaunded of them at what houre he began to amend and they said vnto him yesterday at the seuenth houre the feuer left him 53 Therefore the father knewe that it was the same houre wherein Iesus saide vnto him thy sonne liueth And he beleeued and all his house 54 This seconde myracle did Iesus againe when hee came out of Iudea into Galilâ—â— 54 There was a certaine This is the truer reading although Erasmus doth thinke otherwise I graunt that there were at that time some that were called râ—guli or princes who are now called Dukes or Barons or Earles but such was the estate of Galilee at that time that none of that degree could dwell in Capernaum Furthermore I suppose that it was some of Herods Court. For they who thinke that hee was sent by Caesar haue no colour But the Euangelist expressed this by name because in such a person the myracle was more famous 47 VVhen hee had hearde that Iesus In that he craueth helpe of Christ this truly was some token of faith but in that hee appointeth Christe the way and meane how to helpe it appeareth thereby how great his ginorance was For hee tyeth the power of Christe vnto his corporal presence He had conceiued no other thing of Christe saue only that hee was a Prophete sent of God with this commaundement and power to proue by shewing and working wonders that hee was the minister of God Yet Christ winking at this fault although it was worthie blame doth sharply chide him for another cause nay hee chideth all the Iewes generally because they were too desirous to see wonders But whence is it that Christe is nowe so sharpe set who was wont so courteously to entertaine others that desired myracles There was some particular reason which we knowe not of which moued him to deale more sharply with this man then he was wont And peraduenture hee did not so much respect him as the whole nation Hee saw that his doctrine was but of small authoritie and that it was not only neglected but also altogether despised in the meane season he saw that they were wholy set vpon myracles that all their senses were rather filled with some amasednesse then admiration Therefore that wicked contempt of the word which reigned then commonly did wrest out of him this complaint True it is that euen some of the saints haue sometimes desired to haue confirmation from myracles least the truth of the promises should stagger with them and we doe also see that God was not offended therewith seeing that hee yeelded vnto their requestes But Christe noteth in this place a farre greaterâ— frowardnesse For the Iewes did so depende vpon myracles that they left nothing for the worde And firste of all there was this fault amongest them that the dull and carnall did no whit reuerence doctrine vnlesse they were awaked by myracles For it was meete that the worde of God wherein they were trained vp from their tender yeeres should haue beene more then familier vnto them secondly when wonders were wrought there did so small profite follow that being astonied they waxed dul So that their religion was nothing there was amongest them no knowledge of God in exercise of godlines saue only in myracles VVhereunto that vpbraiding which Paule vseth tendeth the Iewes seeke signes For his meaning is that they were addicted vnto signes without reason measure and that they were neither moued with the grace of Christe or promises of eternall life or secret working of the spirite but that they did rather lothsomly refuse the gospel because they can disgest nothing but signes And woulde to God there were not many at this day infected with the same disease ther is nothing more common then these wordes Let myracles goe before
For they had no true and lawfull reason to render why they did so because they sought in Christ another thing then Christe himselfe Therefore this fault is noted in them that they seeke Christe for their bellies sake and not because of the myracles And yet it cannot be denyed but that they had respect vnto the myracle Yea the Euangelist saide before that they were mooued with the myracles to followe Christ but because they did abuse the myracles vnto a straunge end he doth worthily cast in their teeth that they haue greater respect vnto their bellie then vnto the myracles as if he should say that they did not goe forward in the workes of God as they ought For this had beene true profiting so to haue acknowledged Christe to bee the Messias that they should haue giuen themselues to be taught and gouerned by him and to haue gone toward the heauenly kingdome of GOD he beeing their guide But they looke for no more at his hands but to bee well in this world Furthermore this is to spoyle Christe of his principall power For he was giuen of the father for this cause and he reuealed himselfe vnto meÌ„ for this cause that he may reforme those who were endowed with the holy ghost according to the Image of God that he may leade them into euerlasting life being clothed with his righteousnes Therfore it skilleth much what we respect in Christ his myracles For he y t doth not desire to attaine vnto the kingdome of God but sticketh fast in the commodities of this present life he seeketh no other thing but to fill his bellie Like as at this day many would gladly embrace the Gospel if beeing voide of the bitternes of the crosse it did only bring with it the delights of the flesh Yea we see many offer themselues to serue Christ that they may liue more merily and freely Some for hope of gain some for feare some for their sakes whome they will please doe professe themselues to be Christ his disciples Therefore this is the chiefest thyng in the seeking of Christ that contemning the worlde we seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof But because men are well persuaded of themselues and do assure themselues that they seek Christ very well when as they corrupt his whole power Christ after his accustomed manner doth double the word verilie as if hee would by an oathe bring to light the vice which lyeth hid vnder our hypocrisie 27 VVorke He teacheth whereunto he would haue his whâ—lie bent namely vnto eternall life but because by reason of the grâ—ssenes of nature we are alwayes addicted vnto earthly thinges therefore he doth first correct that disease which is ingendered in vs before he sheweth what we must doe This doctrine had been simple and plaine labour for the incorruptible meate but because he knew that mens senses are tyed vnto earthly cares he doth first of all commaund them to acquit themselues of these snares that they may arise vp into heauen not that he forbiddeth those that be his to labour that they may get themselues dayly foode but he telleth them that they must preferre the heaueÌ„ly life before the earthly because this is the only cause of liuing to the godly that being as strangers in the world they may make hast into the heauenly countrie Secondly wee must marke the drift of this place because they do corrupt the power of Christ who are addicted to their belly and earthly thinges hee sheweth what we ought to seeke in hym and for what cause we ought to seeke him And he vseth such metaphors as are agreeable vnto the circumstance of the communication If there had been no mention made of meate he might haue said without vsing any figure it behoueth you setting aside the care of the worlde to striue to attaine vnto the heauenly life but because they run to meate like beastes Christ frameth his speech metaphorically and calleth all that meate whatsoeuer doth appertaine vnto newnes of life VVe know that our soules are fed with the doctrine of the Gospel whilest that it worketh effectually in vs through the power of the spirite Therefore seeing that faith is the life of the soule what things soeuer do nourish further faith they are compared to meate Hee calleth this kinde of meate vncorruptible and he saith that it remaineth vnto eternall life that we may know that our soules are not fed for a day but that they are brought vp vnto the hope of blessed immortalitie because the Lord beginneth the worke of our saluation that he may finish it vntyll the day of Christ. Therefore it is meet that we receiue the giftes of the spirite that they may be to kens and pledges of eternall life For although the reprobate doe oftentimes refuse this meate hauing tasted thereof so that it doth not remaine in them yet doe the faithfull perceiue this force of the soule abiding when as they do perceiue that force of the spirite which is neuer fraile in his giftes yea which neuer falleth away Their reason is friuolous who gather out of the word worke that we doe merite euerlasting life by workes For Christ as we haue said doth figuratiuely exhort men to applie their studies vnto the meditating vpon the heauenly life whereas they are wont otherwise to bee set wholy vpon the worlde And Christ remoueth all doubt when he saith that he giueth this meate For no man doth obtain that by his own industrie which he hath of his gifte There is some shew of contrarietie these words yet these two things do easily agree together that the spirituall meat of the soule is the free gift of Christ and that it standeth vs vpon to endeuour to be made partakers of this so great a good thing For him hath God the father sealed He confirmeth the sentence next going before because he is appointed by his father to this end The old writers did falsly wrest this place vnto the diuine essence of Christ as if he were said to be sealed because he is the print and expresse image of the father For he doth not intreat in this place subtilly of his eternall essence but what is commanded and inioyned him what is his office and furthermore what we must hope for at his hands Furthermore the fit metaphor alludeth vnto the auncient custome for they sealed that with ringes which they would establish with their authoritie So Christ that he may not seem to take any thing to himselfe affirmeth that this office was laide vpon him by his father and that this decree of his father was reuealed as it were with a grauen seale The summe is seeing that it is not euerie mans office to feed y e soules with vncorruptible meat Christ commeth foorth promising himselfe to be the authour of so great a good thing he addeth moreouer that he is approued of God that he was sent vnto men with this marke of the seale Hereupon it foloweth that
their studie shall not be voyd who shall offer their soules to Christe to be fead Let vs know therefore that we haue life offered vs in Christ so that euerie one of vs may looke to attaine vnto y â— same not al adueÌ„tures but being sure to haue successe NotwithstaÌ„ding we are also taught that they are giltie of falshood theft before God whosoeuer do attribute this praise vnto any other saue only vnto Christ. VVhereby it appeareth that the papists are false forgers in all pointes of their doctrine For whosoeuer do put in Christ his place the meanes of saluation so often do they mar this seale of God which is only authentical as it were blotting the same that with their wicked boldnes vnspeakeable falshood And least y t we do fal into y e same horrible giltinesse let vs learn to reserue all that perfect vntouched to Christ which is giueÌ„ him of his father 28 VVhat shall we do then that c. The multitude vnderstood well enough that Christ exhorted them to striue to go higher then vnto the coÌ„modities of this life that they must not be occupied in the earth whoÌ„ god â—alleth vnto another place They who aske this questioÌ„ are in som point deceiued because they know not the way how to labor For they do not think that God doth giue vs by the hand of his sonn whatsoeuer is necessary vnto the spirituall life First they demaund what they must do et afterward when they name the works of God they wander without a mark so that they bewray that they know not the grace of God Althogh they seem here proudly to murmur against Christ as if he did reprehend them vndeseruedly as if they should say doest thou think that we haue no care of eternall life what then doest thou commaund vs to do more then we do Vnderstand by the works of God those workes which hee requireth and which he alloweth â—9 This is the worke of God They spake of workes Christe reclaimeth theÌ„ vnto one work alone namely vnto faith VVhereby he giueth vs to â—nderstand that al that is vaine whatsoeuer men do goe about without faith and that faith alone is sufficient because GOD requyreth this one thing of vs that we beleeue For here is a certaine secrete opposition betweene faith and mens studies and indeuours As if hee should haue saide mens indeuours are in vaine when as they go about to please god without faith as if running out of the way they did not goe towarde the marke Therefore it is an excellent place that how much soeuer meÌ„ doe miserablie wearie themselues during their whole life yet all theyr labour is in vaine vnlesse faith be vnto them a rule of liuing They which gather out of this place that faith is the gift of God they are deceiued for Christ doth not teach what God worketh in vs but what he requireth and will haue Notwithstanding that seemeth to bee an absurd thing that God should allow nothing saue faith alone for loue must not be contemned neither doe other offices of godlines loose their place and honor Therfore howsoeuer faith be the chief yet other works are not superfluous VVe may easily answere for faith doth not exclude either loue or any other good worke seeing that it comprehendeth theÌ„ all in it For faith is called the only worke of God because wee possesse Christ by it and are made the children of God that he may gouerne vs by his spirite Therefore because Christ doth not separate from faith the fruites thereof it is no maruell if as they say he place the head helme therein VVe haue said in the third chapter what the worde beleeue doth signifie VVe must alwayes remember this that we may know the force of faith that we must define what Christ is in whom wee beleeue and why he is giuen vs of the father These mens cauill is rotten nought worth who vnder colour of this place doe hold that we are iustified by workes if faith doe iustifie seeing that it is called the first and principal worke It is manifest enough that Christe speaketh vnproperly when he calleth faith a worke as when Paule compareth the law of faith the law of workes together Secondly whenas we say that men are not iustified by workes we vnderstand those workes by the merite whereof men do purchase fauour with God But faith bringeth nothing vnto God but doth rather present man emptie and poore before God that he may be filled with Christ and his grace VVherefore it is a passiue worke that I may so call it whereunto no rewarde can be repaied neither doth it giue vnto man any other righteousnesse saue that which it receiueth of Christe 30 Therfore they said vnto him what signe doest thou that we may see and beleeuâ— thee what workest thou 31 Out fathers eate Manna in the wildernesse as it is written he gaue theÌ„ the bread of heauen ta eate 32 Therefore Iesus said vnto them verily verilie I say vnto you Moses gaue you not the bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen 33 For this is the bread of God which came downe from heauen and giueth life to the worlde 30 VVhat signe doest thou This wickednesse doth sufficiently testifie how true that saying of Matthew is This wicked generation seeketh a signe They were draweÌ„ before w t the admiratioÌ„ of the myracles vnto Christ being made astonied with a new myracle againe they confessed Christ to be the Messias because of this hope they would haue made him a king Now they require a signe of him as if they had neuer knoweÌ„ him VVhence was this of sodaine forgetfulnesse saue only because being vnthankefull to God they are maliciously blinde when as they behold his power And without doubt they doe loath all the myracles which they saw hytherto because Christ did not graunt their requests and because they do not finde him such a one as they feigned to themselues If they had seen any hope of earthly felicite they would coÌ„tinually haue praised him without doubt they would haue called him a Prophet the Messias and the sonne of God Now because he doth chide them because they were too much giuen to the flesh they think that they ought not to hear him any more And at this day there be many like vnto them For at the beginning because they perswade themselues that Christe will beare with their vices they do greedily snatch at this Gospell they desire no proofe therof but when as they are called vnto the denial of the fleshe and the bearing of the crosse then they begin to distrust Christe they demaunded whence the Gospel came Finally Christe shall bee theyr master no longer when as hee once is not answerable to their desire 31 Our fathers Therfore Christ rubbed them on the gall when as he said that they came like bruite beastes to fill their bellies for they doe bewray this
their destruction And God doth bring them to this kinde of knowledge diuers waies For oftentimes being scourged they learne that God is angrie with thē sometimes hee vexeth them inwardly without vsing any outwarde torment sometimes he suffereth them to sleepe vntill hee call them out of the worlde By the worde lifted vp Christ meaneth his death And he maketh mention of his death that hee may foretell them that although they extinguish him according to the flesh yet shall it profite them nothing as if he should say You doe now proudly mock me when I speake vnto you your vngodlinesse shall shortly goe farther to wit euen vnto my death then shall you triumph as if you had obteyned your desire But you shall shortly perceiue by your most wicked destruction howe much my death differeth from destruction He vseth the word lifted vp that he may the more pricke them Their purpose was to drowne Christ in the neathermost hell he affirmeth that this their hope shal be frustrate and that the euent shal be farre contrarie It may be indeed that he alludeth vnto the external maner of his death to wit because he was to be lifted vp vpon the crosse yet he did chiefly regard his glorious successe which followed shortly after contrary to all their expectations He did triumph gloriously ouer Satan before God and the Angels hauing blotted out the hande writing of sinne and abolished the giltinesse of death vpon the crosse but this triumph beganne at length to appear◠vnto men when the Gospel was preached The same thing chaunced afterward the Christ should rise out of the graue and ascend into heauen VVhich thing we must hope for at this day for whatsoeuer the wicked doe inuent to oppresse Christ with in his doctrine church he shall not onely spring vp against their willes but shall turne their wicked endeuours vnto the greater encrease of his kingdome That I am I haue alreadie saide that this is not referred vnto the diuine essence of Christ but vnto his office onely which thing doth also appeare by the text where he denieth that he doth any thing saue onely according to his fathers commaundement For this is as much as if he should say that he is sent of God and that he did discharge is dutie faithfully I doe nothing of my selfe That is I doe not rashly thrust in my selfe to doe any thing The worde speake tendeth to the same ende namely vnto the office of teaching For when Christ will proue that he doth nothing without his fathers commandement he saith that he speaketh according as he teacheth him Therefore this is the summe of the words In all this administration which yee condemne there is nothing myne but I doe onely execute that which God hath enioyned me they be his wordes which you heare out of my mouth and he alone doth gouerne my calling the authour whereof he is Let vs remember that which I haue sometimes touched that these wordes are applyed vnto y e capacitie of the hearers For because they iudged Christ to be one of the common sort of men he denieth that that is his what diuine thing soeuer he hath as if he should say that it is not mans neither of man because y e father teacheth vs by him maketh him the onely schoole master of the Church therfore he affirmeth that he is taught of the father 29 And he that sent me He boastath againe that God through whose conduct aid he doth all things wil be present with him least he labor in vain without fruite as if he should say that y e power of the spirit of God is ioyned with his ministerie All godly teachers must be endowed with the same confidence that they doubt not but be fully assured that the hand of god wil be nigh vnto thē whilest that with a pure cōscience they shew thēselues to bee such ministers vnto him as he requireth For God doth not furnish them with his worde that they may beate the ayre with a cold vain sound but he giueth successe by the secrete working of his spirite he doth also couer thē with his ayde that their enemies beeing throwen downe they may stande inuincible against the whole world And truly if they looke vpon themselues their owne habilitie they must needs fall euery moment Therfore the only way to stand is this if they be persuaded that they are vpholdē with the hand of god But we must note the cause why Christ doth professe that god is on his side that he shall neuer be destitute of his aid namely because he dependeth wholy vpon him doth serue him faithfully For the aduerbe alwaies importeth thus much that he doth obey god not only in some part but that he his altogether without exceptiō addicted to serue obey him Therfore if we couet to trie the same presence of God wee must submit all our reason vnto his gouernment For if our wit do possesse any part of the gouernment because gods blessing shal be absent all our studies shal be in vain if sobeit there appeare for a time some ioyful shew of prosperous successe yet the end shal be vnfortunate VVhen as Christ saith that he was not left alone he complaineth by the way of the vnfaithfulnesse of his nation wherein he did almost finde none which did ioyne handes with hym Neuerthelesse he sheweth that this one thing is sufficient for him that he hath God to be his reuenger So must we also be encouraged at this day least we be discouraged with the smalnesse of the number of the faithfull For although all the whole worlde do gainstand our doctrine yet are we not alone Moreouer it appeareth hereby how foolish the boasting of the Papistes is who passing ouer God doe make their boast of theyr multitude 30 As he spake these things many beleeued on him 31 Therfore Iesus said vnto the Iewes which beleeued in him If you shall abide in my worde you are my disciples indeed 32 And yee shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free 33 They answered him we are the seed of Abraham and we neuer serued any man how sayest thou yee shall be free 34 Iesus answered them verily verily I say vnto you that euery one that doth sinne is the seruant of sinne 35 And the seruaunt abideth not in the house euer but the sonne abydeth for euer 36 Therfore if the sonne shal set you free you shal be free indeed 37 I know that you are the seed of Abraham but you seeke to kill mee because my word dwelleth not in you 38 I speake that which I haue seene with my father and you doe that which you haue seene with your father 30 As he spake these things Although the Iewes were then almost like to drie and barren land yet God did not suffer the seed of his worde to perish wholy Therefore there ariseth some fruite amongst so many lets contrarye to hope And
calling of Christ as if he should say that it is vnseemely that such a token of Gods power should be counted as nothing that the calling of Christ being so proued and testified should yet notwithstanding purchase no credite amongst them And to the end hee may the more vrge theyr sluggishnesse or wickednesse hee amplifieth the excellencie thereof by that that since man can remember it was neuer hearde that man did any such thing VVhereupon it followeth that they are malitious vnthankfull which winke willingly at a manifest worke of God Therefore he gathereth that he was sent of God whiche was furnished with so great power of the spirite to purchase credite to himselfe and to his doctrine 31 And we know that God heareth not sinners They are deceiued whiche think that the blind man spake thus according to the opiniō of the cōmon people For this word sinners is taken in this place also for a wicked and vngodly person as a little before And this is the continuall doctrine of the scripture that God heareth none saue those that call vpon him truly and with a sincere heart For seeing that faith alone openeth vnto vs the gate vnto God it is certaine that all the wicked are driuen away from comming vnto him yea he doth testifie that he doth abhorre their prayers as he doth loath their sacrifices For hee biddeth his children come vnto him by a singuler priuilege and it is the spirit of adoption alone which cryeth in our heartes Abba father Rom. 8. 15. To be briefe no man is rightly prepared to pray vnto God saue he which hath an heart purged by faith As for y e wicked as they doe profane the name of god in their prayers so they doe rather deserue to be punished for this their sacrilege then to obtaine any thing that may be for their welfare Therefore this is a good reason which the blinde man bringeth in that Christ came from God seeing he was so readie to graunt his petitions 34 They answered and said vnto him thou art altogether borne in sinne and teachest thou vs And they did cast him out 35 Iesus hearde that they had cast him out and when he had found him he saide vnto him beleeuest thou in the sonne of God 36 He answered and said who is he Lord that I may beleeue in him 37 And Iesus said vnto him thou hast both seene him and hee that speaketh with thee is hee 38 And he said I beleeue Lord. And he worshipped him 39 Then said Iesus I am come to iudgement into this world that they which see not may see and that those which see may be made blinde 40 This heard some of the Pharises which were with him and said vnto him Are we also blinde 41 Iesus said vnto them if you were blind you should haue no sinne but now yee say we see Therefore your sinne remaineth 34 Thou art borne in sinne I doe not thinke but that they alluded vnto his blindnesse◠as it is a common custome amongest proude men to vexe those that are in aduersitie and miserie Therefore they mock him as if hee had come out of his mothers wombe with the marke of his wickednesse For this was a common opinion amongest the Scribes that the soules after that one life was past did flit into newe bodies and did there suffer punishment for their former sinnes VVhereupon these men set downe this as a manifest truth that he that was born blind was then polluted and corrupt with sinnes so soone as he was borne VVee ought to learne by this corrupt iudgement that we must not alwayes measure euery mans sinnes by the whips of God For the Lorde as wee saw before hath diuers ends for which he layeth miseries vppon men And besides this that these hypocrites doe mocke this miserable man they do also refuse reprochfully all his holy and good admonitions as this is a thing too common that no man can abide to be taught of him whō he despiseth Furthermore seeing that we must alwaies heare god by whomsoeuer he speake vnto vs let vs learne to despice no man that God may alwayes find vs meek redie to be taught although he vse a most simple man one whereof there is no account made to teache vs by For there is no worse plague then when pride stoppeth our cares so that we cannot vouchsafe to heare those which giue vs profitable good counsell And God doth oftentimes choose vile base persons of set purpose to teach vs and admonish vs that hee may bring downe our loftines They did cast him cut Although it may be that they did cast him out of the temple by violence yet I doe thinke that the Euangelist meaneth otherwise that they did excommunicate him so his casting out was couered with some colour of the law And this agreeth better with the text because if he had been cast out only reprochfully y ◠matter had not bin of such weight that the fame shold haue come vnto Christ. Now in that Christ hearde of it I doe thereby coniecture that they did it with some solemne ryte as if it had been some earnest matter By this example are we taught how little the cursings of the enemies of Christ are to be cared for If we be cast out of that congregation wherin Christ reigneth that horrible iudgement is giuen vpon vs that we are deliuered vnto Satan because we are banished from the kingdome of the sonne of god But we must of our own accord slie frō that place wher Christ ruleth not by his worde and spirite if no man do expell vs so far off is it that we must feare that tyrannous iudgement wherewith the wicked do mocke the seruants of Christ 35 And when he had found him If he had been kept still in the Synagogue it had been to be feared least being estranged from Christe hee should haue been drowned in destruction dayly with the wicked now as he wandered without the temple Christe met him Christe receiueth him being cast out by the Priestes and embraceth him he raiseth him vp lying prostrate he offereth life vnto one that was condemned to death And this same haue we also tryed in our time For when as in the beginning Luther and such like did reprehende the grosser abuses of the Pope they had scarse a slender tast of Christianitie after that the Pope did cast out his lightnings against them and they were cast out of the Romish Synagogue Christ reached out his hande vnto them and was throughly knowen vnto them So there is nothing better for vs then to bee farthest from the enemies of the Gospell that Christ may come nearer vnto vs. Doest thou beleeue in the sonne of God Hee speaketh vnto a Iewe who hauing been instructed of a childe in the doctrine of the law had learned that God had promised the Messias Therefore this interrogation importeth as much as if Christe did exhort him to follow the Messias
manifest a token of Gods power being shewed in a famous place in a great assemblie of people and euen almost at the gates of the Citie as vpon a stage doth straightway vanish out of their sight Yea the Iewes shutting their eyes maliciously did of set purpose not see that which was before their eies And truly this is no new or strange thing that men who doe alwayes too greedily gape after myracles are altogether dull and blockish at the consideration thereof The distance of place which is here noted was not two miles For a furlong containeth sixe hundred foote that is an hundred and fiue and twentie pases 19 That they might comfort them This was the thing for which they came but God had respect vnto another thing as I haue alreadie saide Furthermore it appeareth that the house of Lazarus and of his sisters was full of dignitie and honourably reuerenced And because it is a naturall thing that the death of friendes should bring vnto men sorrow heauines this dutie whereof the Euangelist maketh mention is not to be disalowed saue only that the corrupt excesse whiche reigneth as in other parts of the life so in this doth corrupt a thing which is of it self not to be discommended 20 Therfore when Martha had heard Martha went out of the Towne as wee shall afterward see peraduenture not only for reuerence sake but that she might receiue him more priuily because the daunger was freshe in memorie and the rage of the enemies was as yet scarse wel appeased which being somewhat pacified by the departure of Christ into Galilee might breake out a fresh so soone as it was heard that hee was returned 21 Lord if thou hadst been heere She beginneth with a complaint although shee doeth by this meanes modestly signifie vnto him what shee wold For it is as much as if she shold say Thou couldest by thy presence haue deliuered my brother from death yea thou canst euen now do it because God will denie thee nothing And by speaking thus she doth rather fauour her affection then keepe her selfe vnder the rule of faith I confesse indeede that these wordes did partly proceede from faith but I say that ther were certaine disordered affectiōs mixed with thē which carryed her beyond her boundes For whence had she this hope that her brother should not haue died if Christ had been present Truly it was not conceiued of any promise of Christe therefore it remaineth that she doth rather obey her owne desires then submit her selfe vnto Christ. It is a poynt of faith that shee ascribeth vnto Christe power and most singuler goodnesse but in that she promiseth herself more then she had heard of Christ that agreeth not with faith For we must alwayes hold the mutuall consent betweene the worde and faith least man doe forge vnto himselfe any thing rashly besides the worde of God Moreouer Martha did sticke too much in the corporal presence of Christ. Therefore the faith of Martha being mixed with and intangled with immoderate desires and not altogether voide of superstition could not shine out with perfect brightnesse so that there do only certaine sparkles appeare in these wordes 23 Thy brother shall rise againe This is wonderfull gentlenesse of Christe in that pardoning vnto Martha those faultes whereof we haue spoken he promiseth vnto her more of his owne accord then she durst precisely and openly aske 24 I know that he shall rise againe Now appeareth the too too greate fearfulnesse of Martha in that shee doth extenuate the saying of Christ. VVe said euen now that she went farther then was meete when shee feined vnto her selfe an hope after her owne imagination now shee falleth into the contrarie vice in that shee stood as it were trembling when as Christe reached out his hande VVherefore wee must take heed of both these thinges that we take not vnto our selues friuolous hope heere and there as winde being destitute of the worde of god and againe that the Lord doe not finde our heartes eyther shut or els too straitly restrained when he openeth his mouth But Martha meante to gather out of this answere some other thing then she durst hope for out of the wordes of Christe as if she should say if thou meane the last resurrection I doe not doubt but that my brother shall rise againe in the last day and with this hope doe I comfort my selfe but I cannot tell whether it hath any farther meaning or no. 25 I am the resurrection and the life Christe doth first of al affirme that he is the resurrection and life that done he doeth seuerally expounde both the members of that sentence In the former place he calleth him selfe the resurrection because the restoring from death to life is former in order then is the state of life But all mankinde is drowned in death Therefore no man shall bee made partaker of life saue hee that shall first rise from death So that Christ doth teache that hee is the beginning of life and he addeth afterwarde that the perpetuitie continuaunce of life is a worke of his grace Furthermore the expositiō which foloweth immediatly doth manifestly declare that he speaketh of the spirituall life He that beleeueth in me although hee shall bee dead yet shall hee liue VVhy is Christ then the resurrection Because he doth regenerate by his spirite the children of Adam who were estranged frō God through sin that they may begin to lead a new life VVhich thing I haue handeled more largely before in the Chap. 5. 21. and 24. ver And paule vnto the Ephesians is the best interpreter of this place Ephesians 2. 5. and 5 8. Let them now bee packing who babble that men are prepared by the motion of nature to receyue the grace of God It is as much as if they shoulde say that dead men doe walke For in that men doe liue and breath are endowed with sense vnderstanding and will all that tendeth to destruction because there is no part or facultie of the soule which is not corrupt and turned away from that which is right VVhereby it commeth to passe y t death reigneth euery where For the estranging from God is the death of the soule Therefore those which beleeue in Christ wheras they were before dead they do begin to liue because faith is the spirituall resurrection of the soule doth after a sort quicken the soule it self that it may liue vnto God according to that which is said before chap. 5. 25. The dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that shall heare shall liue This is surely an excellent title and commendation of faith that powring the life of Christe into vs it deliuereth vs from death 26 And euery one that liueth and beleeueth in mee This is the exposition of the second member namely how Christ is the life because he doth neuer suffer that life to fall away which he hath once gyuen but preserueth it vnto the ende For
who doth not thinke that he is conuersaunt amongest his weake brethren vpon that condition that hee may submit himselfe meekely and gently vnto those offices whiche seeme to be vncomely and filthie VVe must also note that Christ telleth them that he had giuen them an example Neither must we make all his facts examples in generall that we may follow them The Papists do boast that they doe keepe the fast of Lent imitating therein the example of Christ. But we must first mark whether he did this to the end his disciples should frame themselues to doe the like or no. VVe reade of no such thing wherfore it is no lesse peruers emulation then if they did assay to flie into heauen Moreouer whereas they ought to haue followed Christ they became Apes rather then followers They ordeine euery yere a publike washing of the feete as it were vpon a stage so that they thinke that they haue fulfilled the bare and vaine ceremonie excellently when they haue done this they suffer themselues freely to contemne their brethren And not that onely but after that they haue washed twelue mens feete they pull in peeces all Christes members cruelly and so consequently do euen spit in Christ his face VVherefore that comicall pompe is nothing els but a meere and filthie mocking of Christ. Neither doth Christ in this place commende vnto vs a yeerely ryte but hee commaundeth vs to bee readie duringe our whole life to washe the feete of our brethren 16 Verily verily I say vnto you These are prouerbiall sentences the vse whereof reacheth farther which notwithstanding are to bee applyed vnto this present circumstaunce VVherefore they are deceiued in my iudgement which take them generally as if Christe did in this place exhort his disciples to beare the crosse for this is true that he vsed them for his purpose Hee addeth afterwarde that they are blessed if they know them and doe them For that doth not deserue to bee called true knowledge which doth not bring the faithfull so far that they may become like to their head It is rather a vaine imagination whilest that we beholde Christe and those thinges which are Christes without vs. Gather hence that vntill suche time as a man shall learne to submit himselfe vnto his brethren he knoweth not whether Christ be his master or no. And forasmuch as no man doth submit himselfe vnto his brethren in all respects and many men doe also exercise themselues sleightly and coldly in the duties of loue it appeareth heereby how farre we are as yet froÌ„ the full light of faith 18 I speake not of you all I knowe whome I haue chosen but that the Scripture may bee fulfilled hee that eateth bread with mee hath lifted vppe his heele agaynste mee 19 Now I tell you before it be doone that when it is done you may beleeue that I am 20 Verily verily I say vnto you he that receiueth if I shal send any he receiueth meâ— and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent mee 18 I speake not of you all Hee giueth them to vnderstand againe that there is one amongest the Disciples who is nothing lesse in very deede then a Disciple and this doth he partly for Iudas his sake to the ende he may make him the more inexcusable partly because of the rest of the companie least Iudas his fall doe subuert any of them Neither doeth he only encourage them to stand neuerthelesse in their calling though Iudas doe fall but because the felicitie whereof he make mention is not common to all men hee teacheth that it is so much the more earnestly to be desired and that we must so much the more constantly abide therin Nowe hee attributeth this thing to their election in that they shall stand For as mans power is fraile it should yeeld at euery blast and should fall with euery vehement motion vnlesse the Lorde did vphold it with his hand and because he gouerneth those whom he hath chosen what engines soeuer Satan doth erect against them yet shall he not preuaile but they shall perseuere firme and constant euen vntil the end Neither doth he only affirm that they must confesse y t they receiue perseuerance froÌ„ their electioÌ„ but also the beginning of godlines How coÌ„meth it to passe that one man doth more addict himselfe vnto the worde of God then another euen because he is elected Againe how commeth it to passe that the same man goeth forwarde in the right course of godly life saue only because Gods purpose is stable and that he will finishe the worke which he hath begunne with his â—ande Finally this is the fountaine of the difference betweene the children of God and the vnbeleeuers that the former sort are drawen vnto saluation by the spirit of adoption the other are carried headlong into destruction by their vnbrideled flesh Otherwise Christ might haue saide I knowe what euerie one of you will be And to the end they may arrogate nothing to themselues but may rather acknowledge that they differ from Iudas by grace only and not by their owne power he setteth before them free election that in it they may be grounded VVherefore let vs learne that all the partes of our saluation doe depend thereupon And whereas hee reckoneth Iudas in another place amongest the elect it is another manner of speech not contrary For he speaketh in that place of the temporall election whereby God appointeth vs vnto some certaine kind of work as Saul who was elected to bee a king yet was he a reprobate But Christ intreateth now of the eternall election wherby we are made the children of God wherby God hath predestinated vs vnto life before the worlde was made God doth sometimes adorne the reprobate with y e gifts of the spirit that they may execute that function whereunto they are called So princely vertues do appear for a time in Saul so Iudas did excel in such notable gifts as were meet for an Apostle of Christ. But y â— sanctificatioÌ„ of the spirit which y e Lord doth vouchsafe to bestow vpon none saue only his children is farre vnlike to these For he renueth them in minde and heart to the ende they may bee holy and without blame in his sight Secondly it hath a liuely roote in them which can neuer be plucked vp because God doth not repent him selfe of his adoption In the meane season this remaineth sure and certaine that it is the gift of Gods election that whenas we haue embraced Christ his doctrine by faith we doe also followe it in life and that this is the onely cause of our blessednes whereby we are distinguished from the reprobate that they being destitute of the grace of the spirite do wickedly perish we haue Christ to be our keeper who gouerneth vs with his hand defendeth vs with his power Furthermore Christ giueth in this place an euident testimonie of his diuinitie First of al when he saith that he iudgeth not after
from all vice but he setteth before them an experiment whereby they may learne how necessary the continuance of grace is Furthermore he commendeth the doctrine of the Gospell vnto them for the fruit therof to the end they may be the more sharpened continually to meditate thereupon seeing that it is as it were the vine dresser his knife to purge all filthinesse 4 Abide in mee Hee exhorteth them againe to be desirous carefull to retaine that grace wherewith they are endowed For the carelesnesse of our flesh can neuer be sufficiently awaked And this is Christe only drift to keepe vs vnder his wings as an hen keepeth her chickins least being carried away with our lightnesse we flie thence to our owne destruction Therefore to the end hee may proue that hee began not the worke of our saluation that he may leaue it halfe vndone he promiseth that his spirite shall alwayes be effectuall in vs if wee our selues be not in the fault Abide in mee saith he because I am readie to abide in you Againe he that abideth in me bringeth foorth much fruite By which words he declareth that all those are fruitful braunches which haue a liuely roote in him 5 VVithout mee yee can doe nothing This is the conclusion the application of all the whole parable so long as we are without him we canne bring foorth no good fruite and suche as is acceptable in the sight of God because we are vnfit to do well The Papists do not onely extenuate but also quite weaken this sentence yea they doe altogether mocke it For although they confesse in worde that we are able to do nothing without Christ yet they dreame that we haue some power which is not sufficient of it selfe yet it worketh together being holpen with the grace of God For they cannot abide that man should bee so debased but that he shoulde conferre and bring somewhat of himselfe But they cannot so easily mocke so manifest wordes of Christe This is the glose and inuention of the Papistes that we are able to doe nothing without Christ yet being holpen by him we haue somewhat of our selues besides his grace But on the contrary Christ affirmeth that we can do nothing of our selues The braunch saith he beareth not fruite of it selfe Therfore he doth not only in this place commend the help of his grace which worketh togeather but he doth quite depriue vs of all power vnlesse it be that which he himselfe giueth vs. Therefore this particle without me must be resolued thus not but by me There foloweth an other cauill for they pretende that the braunch hath somewhat by nature because if another graft which beareth no fruite bee brought into the vineyard it will beare nothing But this may be easily answered because Christ reasoneth not what thing the braunch hath by nature before it cleaue to the vine but he meaneth rather that we begin to bee made braunches then whilest that we grow and encrease by receiuing nourishment from him And certainely the scripture sheweth els where that we are vnprofitable and drie wood vntil such time as we be in him 6 If any man shall not abide in mee Setting before them the punishement of their vnthankfulnesse againe hee sharpeneth and stirreth them vp againe vnto perseuerance This thing is in deede the gift of God yet this exhortation vnto feare is not superfluous least our wanton flesh doe roote vs out They are said to wither like drie boughes which are cut off from Christ because as they haue the beginning of their strength from him euen so haue they the continuall tenour Not because it falleth out at any time that any of the elect are cut off but because many hypocrites doe florish for a time to looke to and are greene who doe afterward make frustrate the hope of the Lord in giuing fruite 7 If yee shall abide in me and my wordes shall abide in you yee shall aske what you will and it shall bee done to you 8 In this is my father glorified that yee beare much fruite and bee my Disciples 9 As the father hath loued mee I haue also loued you abide in my loue 10 If yee shall keepe my precepts yee shall abide in my loue as I also haue kept the commandements of my father and abide in his loue 11 These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy may abide in you and your ioy may be fulfilled 7 If you shall abide in me Because the faithful do oftentimes perceiue that they are hungrie and far from that plentifull fatnesse which is sufficient to yeeld plentifull fruit therfore this is added by name that there is helpe prepared for their pouertie what things soeuer they shall need which are in Christ so soone as they shall beg them at Gods hands This is a very profitable admonition For God doth oftentimes suffer vs to hunger to the end he may exercise vs in the desire to pray but if we flie vnto him he will neuer denie our petitiōs but will giue of his store that can neuer be spent what thing soeuer wee haue need of 1. Cor. 1. 5. VVhen as he saith If my wordes shall abide in you his meaning is that wee take roote in him by faith For so soone as we are departed from the doctrine of the Gospell Christ is sought without himselfe VVhen as he promiseth that that shal be graunted vs if we will any thing he doth not graunt vs leaue to aske euery thing for God should but badly prouide for our health if hee should shew himselfe to be so easie to be entreated and so dutifull For it is well knowen what disordered petitions men doe vse for the most part But he restraineth the petitions of his in this place vnto the rule of praying aright whiche maketh all our affections subiect to the will of God and that doth the circumstance of y ◠place confirme for he meaneth that his are not desirous of riches or honor or any such thing which the flesh doth foolishly desire but of the vitall ioyce of the holy spirite whereby they may bring foorth fruite 8 In this is my father glorified A confirmation of the sentence nexte going before For he sheweth that we may bee fully assured that God heareth the prayers of his whenas they shall desire to bee made fruitefull because this serueth much to set foorth his glory Notwithstanding he doth also kindle in them the desire of well doing by this end or effect because there is nothing whereof we ought to make greater account then of this y t the name of God may be glorified through vs. To the same purpose serueth the latter member And yee may be my Disciples because he pronounceth that he hath none in his flocke saue only those which bring foorth fruite to the glory of God 9 As the father hath loued mee His meaning was to expresse some far greater thing then they commonly suppose For those which thinke that hee speaketh in
immediately when I wil not speake with you any more figuratiuely Truely the spirit taught the Apostles nothing else saue those thinges which they had heard from Christ this own mouth but wheÌ„ as he shed forth his bright beames vpon their hearts hee did so driue away their darknes that hearing Christ speake as it were after a new fashion they did easily vnderstand what he meant VVhen as he saith that he wil tel them of the father he teacheth that this is the drifte of his doctrine that he may bring vs vnto God in whom is placed perfect felicitie But there remaineth one question how he saith in an other place that it is graunted to the discipls to know the misteries of y e kingdoÌ„ of god vnto whoÌ„ he coÌ„fesseth he spak darkly in prouerbs for there that is Mat. 13. 11 he putteth a difference betweene them and the rest of the common people that he speaketh vnto the common people in parables I aunswere there was not so great ignoraunce in the disciples but that they did lightlye taste what their Maister meant So that he separateth them froÌ„ the flock of the blind not without cause He saieth now that his word hath bene hitherto allegoricall vnto them in respecte of that manifest light of vnderstanding which he would giue them shortly by the grace of his spirite Therefore both these thinges are true that they did far passe those vnto whom the woord of the Gospel was vnsauerie and that they were but young beginners in respect of the new wisdome which the spirite brought them 26. In that houre He repeateth the cause againe why the celestial treasures shall be opened then so liberally to witte because they shall aske in the name of Christ whatsoeuer they shall haue neede of and GOD will deny nothing which shal be asked in his sons name But there seemeth to be some disagreement in the words For Christ addeth immedidiately after that it shal be superfluous that he should aske the father But to what end serueth it to pray in his name vnlesse he take vpon him the office of a patrone And 1. Ion. 2. 1. he calleth him our Aduocate Furthermore Paule doth testifie Rom. 8. 32. that he maketh intercession for vs now The authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes confirmeth the self same thing 7. 25. I aunswere that Christ dooth not simply deny in this place that he is an intercessour but his onely meaning is this that the father shal be so inclined towarde the disciples that he shall willinglye and readily giue them whatsoeuer they shall pray for The father saieth he shall meete you and for his infinite loue towarde you shall preuente your patrone whoe shoulde otherwise speake for you And when as Christ is said to make intercession for vs vnto the father let vs imagine no carnall thing of him as if falling down at the fathers knees hee didde humbly pray for vs but the power of his sacrifice whereby hee once reconciled God vnto vs being alway greene and effectual the bloud wherwith he purged our sins the obedieÌ„ce which he perfourmed are a continual intercession made for vs. This is a notable place whereby wee are taught that we haue the heart of God so soone as we haue set the name of his sonne against him 27. Because you haue loued me VVe are taught by these words that this is the onely hand of our coniunction with GOD if we be ioyned vnto Christ. And we are ioyned by a faith not feigned but such as proceedeth from a sincere affection which he signifieth by this woord loue For there is no man that beleeueth in Christ purely saue he that loueth imbraceth him with his whole heart VVherefore he did well expresse the force and nature of faith by this word But if sobeâ—t God beginne to loue vs then after that we haue loued Christ it followeth that the beeginning of our saluation is of our selues because we preuent the grace of God But very many testimonies of the scripture are against this opinioÌ„ and sentence The promise of God is I wil make them loue me And 1. Ioh. 4. 10. he saith not that we loued him first It were superfluous to gather any more places because there is nothing more certeine theÌ„ this doctrine that the Lord calleth those thinges which are not that he rayseth vp the dead that he adioyneth himsel vnto strangers that he maketh fleshy harts of stony harts that he appeareth vnto those that seeke him not I answere that men if they be of the number of the elect are beloued of god before their calling after an hiddeÌ„ maner who loueth al his before they are created but because they are not as yet reconciled they are worthily couÌ„ted Gods enemies as Paul saith Ro. 5 10. After this sort we are said in this place to be loued of god when as we loue Christ because we haue a pledge of his fatherly loue of whom we were afraid before as of a seuere iudge which hated vs. 28. I came out from the father This speach setteth forth vnto vs Christ his diuine power for our faith shuld not be firmly fixed in him vnlesse it did lay hold vpon his diuine power For his death resurrection which are two pillers of faith should helpe vs litle or nothing vnlesse his heauenly power were annexed thereunto Now we vnderstand how we ought to imbrace Christ to witte that our faith doe weigh and consider the purpose and power of God by whose hand he is offered vnto vs. Neither must we take this coldly that he came out from God but we must know also to what end and wherefore he came out to wit that he might be vnto vs wisdome sanctification righteousnesse and redemption In the second member whiche he added by by is noted the perpetuitie or continuance of his power For the Disciple might think that that was a temporall benefite that their master was sent to be the redeemer of the worlde Therfore he said that he returned vnto the father to the ende they may bee fully persuaded that none of those good thinges doe fall away by his departure which he hath brought because he powreth out the force and effect of his resurrection out of his heauenly glory Therefore he left the world when as he was receiued into heauen putting off our infirmities yet neuerthelesse his grace is forcible toward vs because he sitteth at the right hand of the father that he may enioy the gouernment of al the whole world 29 The Disciples say vnto him behold now speakest thou plainely and speakest no Prouerbe 30 Now we know that thou knowest all thinges and hast no need that any man should aske thee any question in this we beleeue that thou camest out from God 31 Iesus answered them Doe yee nowe beleeue Behold the houre shall come commeth nowe wherein you shall bee scattered euery man to his owne and yee shal leaue me alone although I am not alone
appointeth to be teachers of his Church For the fulnesse of the spirite is powred out vppon him for this cause that hee may giue it to euerye one by measure Againe seeing that he remaineth the onely pastour of the Church he must needes shewe forth the power of his spirite in his Mynisters whose diligence he vseth VVhich thing he did also testifie by the externall signe when hee breathed vppon his Apostles For this shuld not agree vnlesse the spirite didde proceede from him VVherefore the sacriledge of the Papists is so muche the more detestable who take to themselues the honour whiche is proper to the Sonne of GOD. For theyr horned Byshoppes doe boaste that they breathe out the spirite by belchinge when they make their Masse Priestes But the thinge it selfe sheweth plainelye enough how much their stincking breath dooth differ from the breathing of Christe because they make nothinge else but Asses of horses Moreouer Christe dooth not onelye imparte vnto his disciples the spirite whiche hee receiued but hee giueth it as it is his owne seeing that it is common to his Father and him Therfore they vsurpe to themselues the glorye of the diuinitie whosoeuer do professe that they giue the spirit by breathing And nowe wee muste note that CHRISTE furnisheth those with necessarye gyftes whome hee calleth vnto the pastorall office that they may be able to discharge their duetie and function or at least that they may not come emptie and naked VVhich thing if it be true the foolishe bragging of the Papystes is easilye refuted who whylest they doe highlye extoll theyr hierarchie or holye gouernaunce cannot shewe euen the verye leaste sparke of the holye Ghoste in their Bishops They will haue vs beleeue that those are lawfull pastours of the church and so consequentlye Apostles and Christes vicares who are as it appeareth emptie of all the graces of the holy Ghost But there is a certain rule prescribed vnto vs in this place to esteeme their callinge by and to iudge thereof who gouerne the Churche of God if we see them endued with the holy Ghost Notwythstanding Christe meant chiefly to auouche and defend the dignitye of the Apostolicall order For it was meete that their authoritie shoulde be singular who were chosen to bee the firste and chiefe to preache the Gospell But and if Christe gaue them his spirite then by breathinge vppon them the sendinge of the holy Ghost which followed afterwarde seemeth to be superfluous I aunsweare that the spirite was giuen the Apostles in this place in suche sort that they were onely sprinkled with this grace and were not endowed wyth the perfecte power thereof For when the holy Ghoste appeared in fiery tongues vppon them they were throughly renewed And truely he doeth not so appoynte them nowe to preache his Gospell that hee sendeth them straightway vnto the woorke but rather as it is else where Actes 1. 4. he commaunded them to rest And if we weigh all things wel he doeth not so much furnishe them with necessary giftes at this present time as appoynt and make them instruments of his spirite againste the tyme to come VVherfore this breathing ought to be referred and extended for the moste parte vnto that great and honourable sendinge of the spirite which he had promised so often Furthermore Christ coulde haue giuen his grace vnto his apostles by secreat inspiration yet would he adde the visible breathing to confirme them the better Christ tooke this signe from the common custome of the scripture which doth commonly coÌ„pare the spirit vnto winde The reason of which similitude is briefly expounded before in the third chapter But let the readers marke that the word is also ioyned with the externall and visible signe For euen hence doe the sacraments borrow their force Not because the force of the spirit is included in the voice which soundeth in the eares but because the effect of al those things which the faithful haue and gather by of the sacramentes dependeth vpon the testimonie of the word Christ breatheth vpon the Apostles they doe not only receiue the blast but the spirite also And why saue onely because Christ promiseth them the holye Ghost In like sort we put on Christe in Baptisme we are washed with his bloud our old man is crucified that the righteousnes of God may reigne in vs. VVe are fed spiritually in the holy supper with the flesh and bloud of Christ. VVhence commeth such force saue onely from the promise of Christ who bringeth to passe and perfourmeth that by his spirit which he promiseth in word Therefore let vs knowe that whatsoeuer sacramentes men haue inuented they are nothing else but meere toyes or friuolous pastimes because the signes can haue no trueth saue onely when the word of God is present And because they do neuer mocke thus in holy things without wicked blaspheming of God and the destructioÌ„ of their soules they must take good heede of such iuglings of Satan If any man obiect that that is not to be found fault with which the popish bishops do when they consecrate their Masse priests with breathing beecause the word of Christ is there annexed to the signe we may readilye answere that Christ spak not to his Apostles that hee might institute a continual sacrament in the Church but that he would once declare and testifie that which we said of late that the spirite commeth from him alone and againe that he neuer enioyneth any office but that he doth also minister power vnto his ministers and furnisheth them with hability I omit that the Masse priests are made in popery to a far other or rather a contrary end to wit to slea Christe daily whereas the Apostles were created to offer vp men in sacrifice with the sword of the gospel Neuerthelesse we must also hold that that Christe alone dooth giue all those good things which he figureth and promiseth For hee doth not bid the Apostles receiue the spirit from the external breathing but froÌ„ himselfe 23. VVhose sinnes ye shal remit It is not to be douted but that Christe doth briefly comprehend in this place the sum of the gospel For we must not separate this power to forgiue sinnes from the office of teaching whervnto it is annexed in one text Christ had said a litle before as the liuing father hath sent me so do I send you also now dooth he declare to what end that embassage â—â—ndeth and what it meaneth Hee doth only put in that which was necessary that he giueth them the holy Ghost least they shuld do any thing of theÌ„selues Therfore this is the principal end of the preaching of the Gospel that men may be reconciled vnto God whiche commeth to passe by the free forgiuenes of sinnes as Paul also teacheth 2. Cor. 5. 18. VVhere he calleth the Gospell in this respect the ministery of reconciliation The Gospel containeth many other things but GOD doth this principally there that he may receiue men into fauour by not