the rashe and vnaduised speache of his tongue did shee still remayne doubtfull likewise for the space of fiue monethes together Also her Woordes playnely shewe that her Hope was not suspended or doubtfull For when shee sayth Thus hath the Lorde delte wyth mee shee doth playnely and boldely pronounce that his grace was knowen vnto her And there might bee two causes why shee hid her selfe The first was least she might make the wonderfull worke of God to bee talked of amonge men before the same was euident according to the common maner of the World which was euer woonte to talke and prate rashly and vnreuerently of the workes of God The other was that when men should sodenly perceiue her to bee great with Chylde they might bee styrred vp the more to prayse God For those Woorkes of GOD which shewe them selues by litle and litle are often tymes when they are finished litle or nothinge of vs regarded Elizabeth therefore did not hide her selfe for her owne cause so much as for the respecte which Shee had vnto others 25. Thus hath the Lorde delte with mee in the dayes wherein he looked on mee to take from mee my rebuke amonge men Thus hath the Lord delt with me C. This is a thanks geuing whereby Shee attrybuteth all thinges vnto God the author of the worke It is likely that her husband had enformed her by writing of the same which the Lord had promysed for the which cause the more assuredly with a more cheerefull mynde shee pronoūceth God to be the author of this benefite as appeareth by these words also In the dayes wherein he looked on mee For she noteth this to bee the cause of her barrennesse for that the Lorde at that time had turned away his fauour from her A. For by these wordes loked vpon mee shee noateth that grace and benefite which had happened vnto her of her parte vndeserued The contrarye whereof is turnde fro and to looke another way Psa 138.6 Hereupon the Prophet Dauid saith Hee looketh vpon the humble as for the proud he beholdeth them a far of That is to say hee hath compassion vpon the lowly but vppon the proude not so And it doth not much differ frō the worde Mercy sauinge that to beholde signifieth the Iesture of him that hath compassion and mercy is the affection of Gods good will toward vs. Elyzabeth therefore accounteth it for a singuler benefite of God that shee is great with Childe And not without cause C. For the Scripture maketh speciall mencion of this among the temporall blessings of God that God geueth vnto vs the Fruite of our Body And not in vayne For if so be the fertillity and increase of brute beastes be his blessinge looke howe much more excellent is the increase of mankinde so much the more account ought we to make of the same And this is no meane or small honor that seeing God is and ought to bee accounted our onely Father Children are the blessing to God Psa 127.3 hee admitteth the sonnes of men to be partakers with him of this name Wee must hold fast therefore this doctrine that Children are the inheritance that commeth of the Lord and the fruite of the Wombe his rewarde But Elyzabeth had a farther respect because she being barren and an olde Woman had by a singuler myracle contrary to custome and the order of nature conceyued Barrennesse vvas counted a reproch among the IEWES To take from mee my rebuke Barrennesse was not without cause alwayes a reproch seeing the blessing of the wombe is reckoned among the speciall testimonies of Gods loue Some thinke that this was a speciall thing most acceptable to this auncient people because Chryste was to come of the seede of Abraham But this only belongeth vnto the Trybe of Iuda The Iudgement of others is much better which affyrme that the multiplicatiō of the holy people was prosperouse and happy euen as it was sayde to Abraham Gen. 13 16. Thy seede shal be as the sande by the seas side and as the starres of Heauen Moreouer the vniuersall blessinge which is extended to all mankinde the promise made to Abraham which specially belongeth vnto the Church of God ought to be Ioyned together Therefore they which want Chrildrē seeme to be depriued of that grace and benediction which was spoken of by the Prophets sayinge Psa 128.3 God shall blesse thy Wombe Also Thy Wyfe shal bee as the fruitefull Vyne vppon the Walles of thy House On the cōtrary parte God cursseth when either he geueth not or taketh away the fruit of our bodies Notwithstanding this is but a temporall cursse Let therefore all Parents learne to be thankefull vnto God for the Chyldren which they haue receiued and let them which are without fruit in this pointe learne to humble themselues Amonge men Elizabeth restrained this reproch vnto men because it is a temporall punishment for the which we loose nothinge in the kingdome of Heauen Therefore the godly man which is without fruite ought thus to consider and way with him selfe that God will not make him partaker of this honor for some Iust cause It is the tytle of God to be a Father as we haue sayd already in that therefore men are called Fathers it is because God vouchsafeth to geue vnto them this name of honor Therefore this cursse is not a signe of reiection but it is an erudition to humility R. Let vs learne here by the example of Elizabeth to ascribe that which wee haue receyued of God not to our owne power but to his deuyne grace least we be to proude but be rather brought to humility 26. And in the sixte moneth the Angell Grabriell was sent of God vnto a City of Galile named Nazareth In the sixt moneth A. That is to say after that Elizabeth had conceyued The Euangelist Luke diligently noteth the time For the Angell sayde afterwarde to the Virgin Also beholde thy Cosine Elizabeth hath conceyued a Sonne in her olde age and this is her sixt moneth which was called barren Wee hearde euen now also that Elizabeth after her conception hid her selfe for the space of fiue moneths Therfore in the sixt moneth vnder the raigne of Herode in the 32. yeare of his raygne these thinges followinge came to passe By which we gather that Iohn the Baptist was elder then the Lorde Christe by certayne Monethes Vnto a City of Galile named Nazaret C. Wonderfull is the ordering of Gods counsayle and farre differing from the common Iudgement of men in that God would haue a more noble beginninge of Generation in the Forerunner Iohn the Baptist then in his owne sonne Christe is promised to the Virgin The prophesie concerning Iohn was in the Temple but Christe is promised to the Virgin in an obscure place of Iudea and the sayd prophesie remayned buryed in the bosome of the Virgin onely But this same ought to be fulfilled euē from the byrth of Christ That God hath
astonished the virgin in so much that all her Sences were ouercome with admiration When Shee heareth that the Sonne of God shall bee borne she conceiueth no common matter and this is the reason why shee excludeth the carnall copulation with a man Hereuppon beinge amazed she cryeth how shal this thing bee Therefore so louingly God pardoneth her and aunswereth gently and friendly by his Angell because reuereÌ„tly and soberly not without admiration of the worke of God she had demauÌ„ded how it should come to passe which she had persuaded herselfe was aboue the coÌ„mon accustomed maner of nature Furthermore this questistion therfore was not coÌ„trary to faith because it rather came of admiration than of distrust R. By this place we gather that it is not alwayes vnlawfull to make enquiry after the promises of God how they can be so that distrust and vnbeleefe be set a side Mary here did not doubtingly demaunde the maner how but with the zeale and feruency of minde shee desiered to knowe the same 34. And the Angell answered said vnto her The holy Ghoste shal come vpon thee the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee Therefore also that holy thinge which shall bee borne shal be called the sonne of God The holy Ghoste shall come vppon thee C. The Angell doth not shew such a maner how as may suffice or satisfie curiosity for it was not so needefull but hee simply bringeth the Virgin to the consideration of the holy Ghost that with silence and quietnesse Shee might submit her selfe wholly vnto the same BV. As if hee should say That pure and holy spirite shall couer thee in such wise that no man shall doubt or mistrust any vncleanenesse For God is a consuminge fier incorporall with out affection corruption This pure Spirite of God I say shall extend his deuine power vnto thee shall make thee fruitefull without mans Seede and shall bring to passe that of thy substance the sonne of God shall take the substance of the true and humane Body differinge nothing from other men sinne onely excepted These Wordes come vppon thee contayne greate Emphasis and force and signifie that the worke shal be extraordinary where the meanes of Nature are wantinge BV. As if hee should say Hee shal not onely descend from Heauen into thee but shall also come vppon thee wyth great force that hee may worke effectually in thee Thus the Spirite of God hath bene sayd to haue descended vpon Sampson and on the Prophets The which is as much as if the Scripture had sayd The spirite of God moued Sampson and the Prophets it was effectuall in them mightely brought those thinges to passe which it woulde haue done R. This place teacheth vs the same article of our Fayth whereby is confirmed that Christe was conceyued by the holy Ghoste And to this effect pertaineth that which is written in the Gospell after Mathew Mat. 1.11 When Mary was betrothed to Ioseph shee was founde with Chylde of the holy Ghoste And in the twenty verse followinge That which is conceyued in her is of the holy Ghoste At this also the Woman conceyueth by the power of the Spirite The Spirite vvorketh in the creation 〈◊〉 all thinge it is God which geueth shape and life to the tender Infante the spirite worketh in the creation of all thinges but here the Angell excludeth those vsual meanes as the worke and ordinary vse of man Others also are conceiued by the power of God but by the Seede of man In like maner Christe is conceyued by the Power of God but without the Seede of man And although the power of God be ioyned to the conceptions of other men yet notwithstandinge man which is conceyued is left carnal because the instrument that is to saye man begotten of Adam wherewyth man is conceyued by Nature is Carnall But in the conception of Christe the Instrument is holy heauenly And the power of the hyghest shall ouershadow thee C. This Member is added expositiuely For the Spirite is as it were the essentiall power of God the efficacy whereof doth shew it selfe as well in the whole gouernment of the world as in myracles In the word Ouershadow is a very apte Metaphor The scripture very often doth compare the power of God by which he protecteth defendeth his seruantes to a shadow Bu. As in these places LameÌ„ta 4. â—0 The breath of our nostrels the anointed of the Lord was taken in their nets Psal 17.8 Psal 57.2 Psa 140.8 Psal 91.4 of whom we said vnder his shadow we shal be preserued aliue amonge the Heathen That is to say vnder his protectioÌ„ Hide me vnder the shadowe of thy wings Again Vnder the shadow of thy winges shall bee my trust Also Which shadowest or couerest my head in the day of Battaile Moreouer He will shadowe or couer thee vnder his winges C. But there seemeth to be another speciall reason of this place Namely that the operation of the Spyrite shal be secrete euen as if he did set cloudes before the eyes of men to keepe them from the beholding of the same Euen as GOD in working of miracles hideth from vs the reason of his woorkes euen so it is our parts soberly to adore that which he wil haue hidden from vs Therfore that holy thiÌ„g that shal be born G. In the corrupt bookes of the old translatioÌ„ it is thus red which shall bee born of thee The which 2 wordes of thee we haue taken away hauing for our warrant the authority of the Greeke traÌ„slatioÌ„ also the most auÌ„cieÌ„t approued latine For the angell speaketh not here of the persoÌ„ of the coÌ„ceiuer but of a new maner of coÌ„ceiuing of the excelleÌ„cy of the chylde As if he should say when the power of god shal work here the chyld shal be born holy that is to say seperated differing froÌ„ those impure coÌ„ceptions which ar by the copulatioÌ„ of the maÌ„ the woman by the coÌ„mirtion of their seedes not wtout original sinne â—hrists coÌ„â—ption â—ost pure Therefore what singuler or proper thing hath the coÌ„ceptioÌ„ of this child vereli it is the most pure conceptioÌ„ that euer was ordained for the sanctificatioÌ„ of the whole world the which if it had beÌ„ impure polluted it could not sanctifye those which are defiled with the vnclenes original sin of AdaÌ„ c. Therfore it is a coÌ„firmation of the senteÌ„ce going before For the angel teacheth the christ ought to be born wtout carnal copulatioÌ„ of maÌ„ womaÌ„ that he might be holy the son of god that is to say that he might excel al cretures in holines glory might not be as other men are Shalbe called the son of God The hereticks as Seruetus which faine that hee so soane as he was born maÌ„ was made the son of god do here take hold of this casual clause that he is therfore to be called the son of God
of the Parable that theyr Counsailes are voyde and frustrate and theyr deuises Foolish which trusting to the abundaunce of theyr Riches haue not theyr onelye confidence in God and are not contented with their measure and not ready to suffer both prosperitie and Aduersitie who shal at the last haue that punishment which is due to theyr Vanitie R. To this effecte Salomon wryteth saying There is yet a Plague vnder the Sonne and it is a generall thynge amonge men When God geueth a Man Riches Goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothinge of all that his heart can desire and yet God geueth him not leaue to enioy the same but another man spendeth them A Let vs harken therefore to that excellent Counsayle of Dauid saying If Riches increase Psal 62 11 set not thy Hearte vpon them For when a Riche man dyeth he shall carry none of his goods with him neyther shal his Pompe follow him 22 And he spake vnto his Disciples Therefore I say vnto you take no thought for your selfe what yee shall eate neither for the Bodye what ye shall put on R. Although this Sermon of Chryst pertayneth to all the Godly yet notwithstanding it was moste necessarie for the Apostles of the Lord. For seeing the time was come that they must be sente not onely into Galile and into Iury but also into the whole World to preach the Gospell of Chryst firste of all they were called away froÌ„ their handy occupations with the which hitherto they had got theyr liuing Secondly as yet publique parishes and Stipendes were not appointed to the ministers of the Gospell As yet Couetousnes flowed in men insomuch that no man coulde hope for any Liberallity at theyr hands Finally Chryst was so poore in this Worlde because hee would be so to make vs Rich that he could not geue vnto his Apostles sufficient prouision It is no marueyle therefore if they were so carefull for Foode and Apparell insomuch that they thought rather to follow theyr occupation againe then the calling of the preaching of the Gospell Chryst with this Sermon comforteth theyr carefull cogitation and exhorteth them to set aside this carefulnes to the whych Exhortation hee addeth very stronge Arguments by which he sheweth that it is not onely superfluous but also great vnbeliefe to be carefull for fode and Apparell as to forsake Godds calling and to follow the desires of the Flesh For this and the reste whych followeth vnto the 29. Verse Reade the sixte Chapter of Math. verse 25. 29. And aske not what ye shall eate or what yee shall drinke neither be ye of doubtfull mynde Neither bee ye of doubtful mynde Thys Verse agreeth with the laste sentence of the sixte Chapter of Math. in the which chapter we haue at large the Exposition of this Verse and the rest also which followeth vnto the 32. Verse 32. Feare not little Flocke for it is your Fathers Wyll to geue you a Kingdome Fear not C. By this senteÌ„ce Christ confirmeth the Faith and trust whereunto he exhorted his disciples R. And he vseth an Argument of the more to lesse thus Will not hee which intendeth to geue you a heauenly kingdom geue those thinges also which are necessary for this Corporall Life Seeing he promiseth a Heauenly Kyngedome we must thinke also that all things necessary to Saluation are promised C. For how should God deny corruptible foode vnto his Seruants whom he hath adopted to bee heyres of hys Kingdome R. When I sent you forth sayth he without Wallet Luk. 22.35 Scryp or Shoes did you want any thing And they sayd vnto him Wee wanted nothing Little Flocke He calleth theÌ„ a litle Flocke because they were but twelue Apostles and seuenty Dysciples and a few others which followed Iesus out of all Galile and Iury. It ought also to be referred vnto those which beleued in Chryste by the preaching of the Apostles of which the number was alwayes the lesser Many are called but few are chosen saith the Lord. Ma. 20.16 He calleth them a Flock therefore he is the Sheepeheard which fedeth I am the good Sheepeherd saith he a good Sheepehear gieueth hys Life for his Sheepe A. And Peter calleth the Church the flock of Christ when hee sayth Feede so much as in you lyeth the flocke of Chryst â—â—h 10.11 â— Pet. 5.2 R. If wee did way this dilligentely in our hearts and were certainly perswaded that he is our Shepeheard it would take from vs all feare not onely of hungar but also of all other perils For it is your Fathers pleasure Herby he sheweth that we haue Eternall Life onely by the free mercy of God For euery word hath his seueral Emphasis or force If it please God what can hurt vs although not onely al meÌ„ but also all Deuils mislike of the same Who can alter the pleasure and will of God Or who can withstande the same Againe If God bee a Father why do ye doubt of his wil He which is a Father can not by nature stay his affection but hee must needes do good vnto his Children specially wheÌ„ they are in perill Peraduenture amonge men there are some vnnatural fathers which loue not their Children But God as he is by nature inchangeable euen so those whom hee doth acknowledge for his sons he doth so preserue kepe that they cannot perish in any aduersity Wherupon he speketh thus by the Prophet Will a womaÌ„ forget her owne infant Esa 49.15 and not pittye the Son of her Wombe And thoughe they do forget yet will I not forget thee And again The mouÌ„tains shall remoue the hils shall fall downe but my louing kindnesse shall not moue Esay 54.10 and the bond of my peace shal not fall downe from thee And hee is not only the father of the Patriarks of the Prophets and of Dauid and of Ezechias and others but also hee is your father though ye be poore men of lesse fame yea loke how much more poore ye are so much the more hee is your father if so be ye cleaue vnto hys sonne by faith To geue vnto you Not by the merits of your Woorkes could ye obtaine this heauenly benefit but it is geuen vnto you by the free mercy of your Father Yea euen to you I say though poore thoughe vnwise vnrighteous and sinners Yee are poore but God maketh you riche ye are Fooles but God choaseth the foolish thinges of this World to confound the wise ye are sinners but it is God which doth iustefy Who seing he spareth not his owne son but geueth him for you al how can it be that with him also he should not geue you al things A kingdom Not an erthly RoÌ„ 8.32 or transitory but a heauenly and euerlasting kingdome What thinge then shall ye want The Kinges of this World want neither Foode nor Apparell what should theÌ„ be wanting vnto you being chosen to bee heauenly Kinges C. To be short seeing Chryst testefieth plainly
that she came not simply to make enquiry because she had the son of God no lesse in her hart through faith then in her woÌ„be neither is it likely that she came only to see how shee dyd but partely to increase and confirme her Faith and partely to set forth the grace of God in each Poynte And there is no cause why wee should thynke it absurde that shee sought the Confyrmation of her Faythe by the sighte of the myracle the whych the Angell not wythout cause reuealed vnto her For although the faythfull are coÌ„tent wyth the bare worde of GOD yet notwithstanding they Neglect nothyng of hys Woorkes whych they knowe may serue to the coÌ„fyrmation of theyr Fayth And there was great cause why MARY shoulde receiue that Confyrmation offered vnto her excepte shee woulde reiect that whych the LORD had willingly geuen vnto her FVRTHERMORE the Mutuall sighte of eche other of them might aswell moue her as Elizabeth to the greater thankefulnesse as appeareth by the texte For the Power of god was the more manifest and notable in one sight of double grace because the very comparison dyd not a little manifest the same Into a City of Iuda E. In the which Zacharias dwelte C. Luke doth not shew what this City was in the which Zacharias dwelt but onely sayth that the same pertayned to the tribe of Iuda and that the same was cituate in the Hill couÌ„trey Whereby we may gather that it was further from the city of Nazareth theÌ„ Hierusalem 40. And entered into the House of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth A. Mary entered not without gret feruency of minde into the House of thys olde Prieste and saluted her Cosine 41. And it came to passe that when Elizabeth hearde the Salutation of Mary the babe sprange in her woÌ„be and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost And it came to passe R. Heere is a notable miracle at the Salutation of Mary Iohn being an infante leapeth and spryngeth in the wombe of Elyzabeth C. It is a naturall thinge for an Infant to moue in a great bellied woman at a sodayne Ioy but the purpose of Luke is to note some extraordinary matter Howbeit it is far from the purpose to trouble our selues with intricate questions whether the infante felte the preseÌ„ce of Chryst or whether this was rather a feeling of Godlynes Let this one thing suffice that the infant sprange by the secret motioÌ„ of the spyrite For Luke doth not attrybute vnto him any proper feling but doth rather gieue vs to vnderstande that this was a part of the Deuine operation in the Mother her selfe that the infant sprange in her wombe And Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost That is to say she was sodainly replenished with the spirite of prophesie contrary to her vsuall maner For she was not before voyd of the giftes of the Spyrite but then a much more plentifull vnwonted force appeared 42. And shee cryed with a loude Voyce and sayd Blessed arte thou amonge women and the fruit of thy Wombe is blessed Blessed art thou amonge women A. The very same thing the Angel had spoken to Mary before And the Fruite of thy Wombe is blessed C. Hee seemeth to put the mother and the son in one degree which could not be meete and conuenient But we know that there are diuers degrees of Gods blessings For as Mary was blessed so Chryst far excelled her who is the bottomles well of all Grace Christ is a Bottomles vvel of grace Therefore he is not blessed by mesure but his fulnes is Infinite and aboue measure from whence we receyue all blessing that is to say the abundance of all good thinges and Felicitye of whose fulnesse wee haue al receiued saith Saint Iohn Iohn 1 1â— For this blessynge signifieth not Fame and prayse And there is no doubte but that the Coniunction And in this place is taken for the reason of the matter as thus Blessed art thou amonge women because the Fruite of thy Wombe is blessed And althoughe this was not the chiefe Felicitie of Mary to haue christ in her Wombe but was a thynge of lesse Dignity then by the Spyrit of god to be born again into a new lyfe yet notwtstanding she is iustly called blessed whom God hath aduanced to thys Dignity that shee should bring forth a sonne to the worlde â—egeneraâ—on is â—essednes in whome shee was spyritually begotten again And we cannot at this Day call to mynde the blessing that commeth by Chryst but wee muste also remember howe greatly God hath honoured Marie in appointing her to be the mother of his onely begotten sonne A. Notwithstanding her speciall Dignity as we sayd euen now consisted in this that shee belieued in her Sonne whome shee conceiued Whereuppon a certaine Woman saying to Chryst â—oh 11.27 Blessed be the wombe that bare thee and the Pappes which gaue thee sucke Hee answered her againe and sayde Nay rather blessed are they that heare the worde of God keepe it Also Elyzabeth sayth heereafter Blessed is shee that belieued For those thinges shall bee perfourmed whych were toulde her from the LORDE 43. And whence commeth thys to me that the mother of my Lorde should come to mee And whence commeth this to me C. We must note this moderatioÌ„ that Elyzabeth waying and considering the great Graces of God in Mary doth geue vnto her due Honor doth acknowledge her to haue done more then was meete And also that the same appertayned not vnto her And yet for all that she doth not extoll her higher then it became her to the derogating of Gods Glory For such is the wickednes of the world that there are very few which haue not one of these two faultes that is to say They wil either haue to good a lyking of them selues that they alone may excel maliciously contemning the gifts of God in theyr brethren or else they excel meÌ„ so superstitiously that they make vnto them selues Idoles of them Hereuppon it is come to passe that Chryste being put as it were into the benâ—hehoale Mary hath his seate and Dygnity Contrariwise Elyzabeth in coÌ„mending her is so far from obscuring the Glory of God that shee rather referreth all things to God himselfe And although she knoweeh that Mary was exalted aboue her and others yet she enuyeth not the same and confesseth that more was done to her self then was due Notwithstanding this is commonly seene Charity iâ— rather beneficiall theÌ„ couetous that if any of our Neighbours neglecte to doe vnto vs theyr duty we can straight way espye the same but when wee forslew or for get to do that which becommeth vs towards them we are blynde But Charity teacheth the contrary There are some also who hauing receyued a benefite thinke that they owe nothinge for the same What hath he done say they Hee hath done no more then the Lord coÌ„maunded But we ought not to coÌ„sider what is other mens dutyes towards vs but
armour of Beelzebub which is prince of diuels put his angels to flight as may appeare by my miracles it is manifest that I haue both ouercome also bouÌ„d Beelzebub him selfe so litle neede haue I of his help and so far he is from helping mee Thus we see the Christe teacheth that the prince of Diuels is ouercome by him And if the Prince bee ouercome how is it possible that his ministers should be able to stand before him Whosoeuer therefore hath Christ there is no cause why he should be afeard of 600. Legions of Diuels Therefore let vs stand stedfast by faith in Christ wee shal be safe amiddest all the mischieues of sathaÌ„ For the rest vnto the 27. vers reade the 12. of Math. vers 30. 27. And as hee spake a certaine Woman of the company lift vp her voice and sayde vnto him Happy is the Wombe that bare thee the Papps that gaue thee sucke R. As modestly so also wisely Christe maketh aunswere to the sclaunderous cauills of the Pharises shewinge by manifest arguments that hee hath no agreemeÌ„t or fellowship with Sathan While therefore he was yet speaking men geeuinge silence at the sight of so great powers and myracles behold a certaine Woman of the multitude lifting vp her voyce sayd vnto him Blessed is the Wombe the bare thee C. By which commendation the purpose of the Woman is to extoll the exellency of Christe for shee had not respect vnto Mary whom peraduenture she neuer sawe But this doth not a litle amplifie the glory of Christe in that she doth nobillitate blesse the Wombe in the which he was borne And this is not absurdly done but she celebrateth this benediction of God according to the maner of the Scripture And it cannot be denied but that God choosing and apointing Mary to be the Mother of his Sonne gaue vnto her great honour Notwithstandinge let vs heare the answere of Christe 28. But hee sayd yea rather happy are they that heare the Worde of God and keepe it C. These woordes rather contayne a reprehension of the Woman then a coÌ„mendation For wee see that Christe maketh no accounte of that one thinge which the Woman did so highly commend B. Not that his holy Mother was not blessed but bycause shee was not therefore blessed bycause shee carnally bare Christe in her Wombe as the Woman thought but rather by a liuely faith as all the elect are blessed christ wil not be acknowledged carnally but spiritually not the external glory is to be beheld in him but the Grace of redemption by which wee are regenerate This Woman thought this to be the greatest blessednesse bycause Mary had caried him in her Wombe but that shee accounted to be the greatest was the least Wee ought to magnifie that but there are greater thinges to be preferred All the benefits of God be they neuer so small are to be extolled but yet not so as that wee make them equall to the greatest As for example we ought to magnifie God for our corporall Foode in this lyfe But if wee so stand vpon this that wee forget the benefit of our illumination of our Redemption and the gyft of euerlastinge Lyfe wee doe very fondly C. Therefore that which this Woman thoughte to bee the chiefest honour to Mary was the least for it was a thinge of greater exellency for her to be gouerned with the spirite of Christ then to conceiue the fleshe of Christ in her Wombe to haue Christe lyuing in her spiritually then to geeue him sucke with her Pappes To be short the glory and felicity of the blessed virgin consisted in this that shee was made a member of her sonne that she might be a new creature before God the Father Howbeit for another cause and to another ende Christ seemeth to correct the voice of this Woman namely bycause she omitted that in the praise of Chryste which was the principall parte how that in him saluation was offered vnto all men Therefore that was a colde praise in the which there was no mencion made of his praise vertue Wherefore not without cause Christe challengeth another prayse to him selfe least his mother only might be accounted blessed but that the same also might be by him exteÌ„ded vnto vs. That heare the word of God keepe it C. But why holding his peace of him selfe doth hee make mencion onely of the Woorde of God Surely bycause by this meanes hee openeth vnto vs all his treasures bycause without the Woorde neyther hath hee any thing to do with vs nor wee with him Seeing therefore he doth coÌ„municate himselfe with vs by the worde he doth rightly and properly cal vs to the hearing of the same that he may be made ours by fayth Now we see what the answere of Christ differeth from the commendation of the Woman For he liberally offereth to all men that Grace of blessednesse which she had shut vp in a corner and he teacheth that men must not Iudge of him after a common maner bycause he contayneth in him self all the Treasures of heauenly Lyfe of glory and of blessednesse the which he dispenseth by the worde that they may be partakers of them which by Fayth imbrace the worde For the Key of the kingdome of heauen is the free adoption of God which wee coÌ„ceiue by the worde And keepe it C. We must first heare Ro. 10.17 and then obserue and keepe the Worde of God For bycause faith coÌ„meth by hearinge wee must begin a spirituall lyfe with hearing But bycause simple hearing is but vaine wtout keepinge euen as S. Iames teacheth the keeping and practising of the word is also added â—am 1.23 which is when the same taketh deepe roote in our hearts that it may bring forth fruite Where as to the vnprofitable hearer the preaching of the woorde is but a beating of the Ayre A. Whereuppon Christe sayd Mat 7.26 â—eb 4.2 Euery one that heareth of me these sayings and doth them not shal be likened vnto a foolish man which builte his house vpon the Sande and the Rayne descended and the fluddes came and the Wynds blew beate vpon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it 29. When the people were gathered thycke together hee began to say This is an euill Nation they seeke a signe and there shall no signe bee geuen them but the signe of Ionas the Prophet R. Now Christe maketh answere vnto those men which required a signe from heauen that thereby they might know this Iesus to be the true Messias and hee prophesieth that grieuouse afflictions hang ouer their heads and destruction of the whole Nation Reade the 12. Chap. of Math. vers 38. for that which followeth vnto the 33. vers And for the 33. vers reade the 5. Cha. Mat. vers 15. but specially the 4. of Marke vers 21. Also for the rest vnto the 36. vers reade the 6. Chap. Math. ver 22. 36. If all thy body therfore
spoken without lying Euen as before he fayned hym selfe to bee a Wayfarynge man For they are both one And this alone oughte to satisfie vs that as Chryste blynded theyr Eyes for a time wyth whom hee spake that they might count him for a Common person so for a time he made as though hee purposed to goe further fayninge no other thing then that which in dede he mynded to doe but because he mynded to hyde the manner of his departure So that hee deceyued not his Dysciples by this Dissimulation but held them for a time in suspence vntill the full time of manifestation came Wherfore they to much deceiue themselues which make him theyr Patron for theyr lyes 29. And they constrayned him saying Abide with vs for it draweth toward night and the day is farre passed And hee went in to tarry with them And they constrayned him That is to say they instantly required perswaded and intreated him For it followeth Abyde with vs For it had bene vnmannerly and Barbarouse to haue constrayned him by force to lodge with them But in the Disciples humanitie thankefulnesse and hospitallity is commended to vs all and in the Lord moderate ciuillity in shewynge himselfe not hard to be intreated And he went in to tarry The lord is constrayned and held not with externall violence but with faith and Godly prayers So the Lorde fayned that he would go further to the Patryarke Iacob Ge. 32.26 when he sayd Let mee goe for it is Day But Iacob helde and constrayned him saying I wil not let thee goe except thou blesse me So he dissembled before Moses that hee would goe farre from the Israelites saying Suffer me that my wrath may waxe hoate agaynste them Exo 32.11 and that I may blot them out and may make of thee a greate people But Moyses so held him by fayth and earnest prayers that hee was pacefied and reconciled wyth Israell So Chryste fayned that hee would goe farre from the Woman of Chanaan when he sayd I am not sente but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto dogs Ma. 15.24 But he is held of the woman by faith Who answered Truth Lord for the dogges doe eate the Crumms which fall from their maisters table For the which it was sayde vnto her O Woman greate is thy fayth be it vnto thee as thou wilte Wherefore although Chryst is not onely inuincible but also omnipotent yet notwythstanding because he hath bounde hymselfe to his word and promises hee may be constrayned and helde by man with faith and prayer 30. And it came to passe as he sat at meate with them he tooke bread and blessed it and brake gaue to them C. Many thinke that Chryste dyd not geue at this time bread vnto his dysciples to eate for theyr refreshing corporally but rather for a holye signe of his body And this is very plausible to be spokē that the Lord was knowē in the Spyrituall glasse of his Supper For the Disciples beholding him wyth theyr corporal eyes knewe hym not Moreouer the Papistes take thys place when they goe about to defraud the people of the other parte of the sacrament But because this coniecture hath no shewe of probabillity to leane vnto we must more simpely vnderstād the wordes of Luke Namelie that Chryste takyng Breade in his handes gaue accordyng to his maner thāks And it appeareth that he had a specyall manner of praying with the which he knew his Disciples were famillyarly acquainted 1. Tim. 44. Ti. 1.15 that beinge admonyshed by this noate they might the better looke about them And here let vs learne by our maysters Example so often as wee eate bread to offer thankes geuinge vnto the author of Life the which in deede putteth a difference betwene vs prophane men 31. And their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanyshed out of theyr sight C. By these words we are taughte that there was no Metamorphosis or trāsformation in Chryst by which hee deceyued the Eyes of men but rather that the eye sight of those which sawe him fayled them because they were helde Euē as straight after he vanished not from the eyes because his Body was of it selfe inuisible because God gaue them not power to behold the same Whereby wee gather that the Lorde holdeth our eyes so often as it pleaseth him insomuch that our sighte is no sight and that we cannot knowe that which is before our eyes And he vanished It were more agreeynge to this place to say And he withdrewe himselfe Or He got him out of their sighte And not with the old Interpreter to say Hee vanished out of theyr sighte For we aptely vse this woorde Vanished when we speake of smoke or of Spyrites But the Euangelyste speaketh not here of a Spyrit Luk. 4.29 but of a true body And in that he sodaynelie vanished out of their sight it is rather to be ascribed to the power of GOD then to a shadow or phantasie Question R. But why did he so quickely withdraw himselfe being knowē For now he should haue had more delight to talke thē before Aunsvver C. We answer that it is no marueile if Chryst sodainely got himselfe oute of sight so sone as he was knowen because to haue lōger sight was nothing profitable leaste as the Disciples by theyr owne disposition were to much geuen to the Earth they should desire againe to draw him to an earthly life Therefore so far forth as it was needefull to declare his Resurrection he offered himselfe to be sene But by hys sodaine departure he taught that they oughte to seeke him elsewhere then in the world 32. And they said betwen thēselues Dyd not our heartes burst wythin vs whyle he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the scryptures C. The Kingdom of Chryst broughte to passe that the Disciples had a true and liuely feeling of that secret Grace of the Spyrit with the which they were at the first endued For God doth often times so work in his seruants that they know not the power of the Spyrit for a time but do onely feele the same by secrete instincte So the disciples had conceiued at the first a feruent desyre but without any greate attention or regarde of the same the which nowe they remember Nowe so soone as Chryst is knowen vnto them they begin to call to mynd that Grace whych before they had receiued without any taste and perceiue that they wer dull For they accuse themselues of neglygence as if they had sayde Howe commeth it to passe that we knew him not as we went together For when hee pearced our hearts we should haue cōsidered who he was Therefore thus oftentimes we fele the power of God Though wee vnderstande not the same yet neuertheles it worketh not in vain For the fruite followeth afterwarde This oughte to humble vs when wee know