answereth Be yee therefore still and quiet for the time is not yet come But wheÌ„ yee are endewed with the holy Ghoste ye shall begâ—n to execute that whych I now commaund you I will Arme and strengthen you with heauenly Power by which ye shal be plentifully appoynted with all manner force against your enemies The very same our Euangelist repeateth in the beginning of the Apostles saying Act. 1.4 And gathering them together he commaunded them that they should not departe from Hierulem but wayte for the promise of the father whereof saith he ye haue herd of me For Iohn truely baptized with water but ye shall be baptised with the holy Ghost after these few dayes By which senteÌ„ce that which hee nameth in this place Power from aboue and the promise of the Father hee calleth there the holy Ghost C. Therefore lest the Apostles should rashly run forth to preach before their time Chryst commaundeth them to be quiet and stil vntill such time as he sending them forth might vse them in fit and conuenyente time And this was a profitable triall of theyr obedience in that they beynge endewed with the vnderstanding of the Scripture and enspyred with the Grace of the spirit held their peace as duÌ„be because the Lorde had forbid them to speake For we know how gredely meÌ„ desire to be knowne when they thinke that they shal do any thing wyth praise and admiration Wherefore by this example we are taught not to take any thinge in hand without Gods calling And whereas they are commaunded to abide at Hierusalem he ment that the same should be after they were returned out of Galile C. For after hee had geuen them commaundements in a secret place he willed them to abide still silent for a time vntill he had endewed them wiâ—h new power from heauen A. Mathew and Marke adde concerning the charge which Chryst gaue vnto his Apostles to preach and to Baptize Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 For the Exposition of the 50. verse read the 28. Chap. of Math. verse 20. 51. And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was carried vp into heauen Marke hath When the Lord â—ad spoken Marke 16. vnto them he was receyued into heauen and sate him down on the right hand of God Act. 1.9 And Luke hath in the Actes And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp an hie and a cloude receyued him vp out of their â—ight 52. And they Worshipped him and returned to Hierusalem with great Ioye C This Worshipping testefieth that the Apostles doubted now nothyng at all concerninge the Resurrection of Chryst For they doe not worship hym as some notable prophet but as the king of Kings and as the Iudge of the whole World And retourned to Hyerusalem And LVKE in another place sayth Act 1.12 Then retourned they to Hyerusalem from the Mounte that is called Olyuet which is from Hyerusalem a Sabboth dayes iourney Here the Apostles obay the Lords coÌ„commaundement which he gaue them saying But tarry ye in the City Hierusalem vntill ye be endewed vvyth power from aboue With great ioy This is that same ioy of the which the Lord had foretould them saying Ye now therefore haue sorrow But I will see you againe Ioh. 16.22 and your Heartes shall reioyse and your ioy shal no maÌ„ take from you 53. And were continually in the teÌ„ple praysing lawding God AmeÌ„ C. Because the purpose of Luke was to wryght a longer Historye hee onely briefly toucheth what the Apostles dyd for the space of ten dayes The â—um is that they were daily occupied in praysing God and that they frequentrd holy Assemblies in the temple R. Now they were throughly perswaded that Chryst was risen agayn from death whom also they beheld when he assended into heauen from wheÌ„ce they doubted not but that he would sende that which he had promised vnto them While therefore they wayted for the promised holy Ghoste they applied theÌ„selues wholly to such exercises as became godlinesse A. neither doe they now hide themselues as before with the Dores shut but being made more boulde and couragious they cast away all feare and do geeue thankes vnto the Lorde God with greate ioy for that hee hauing sent a Redeemer into the world hath restoared miserable men from the tyranny of Sinne Death and the Deuill into the Liberty and Fredome of Godds Sonnes FINIS
ouer vs vntill we be delyuered from his tyranny by the sonne of God So that nowe we must declare our thankefulnes for the same by celebrating his grace 20. And he departed began to publishe in the tenne Cyties howe great thinges Iesus had done for him and all men did meruaile A. Christe at other tymes commaunded the fame of myracles to be suppressed for a time vntill the tyme of reuelation came but now by his commaūdement this man that was healed preacheth the power of God and maketh many to wonder to the ende wee mighte learne that the reuealing of the truth hath also his conuenient and due time 21. And when Iesus was come ouer agayne by ship vnto the other syde much people gathered vnto him and hee was nigh vnto the Sea VVhen Iesus vvas come ouer agayne BV. The occasion of the third myracle or benefite is foreshewed E. Reade the 9. Luke 8. of Math. Luke sayth It came to passe when Iesus returned c the which our Euāgelist doth more plainly expresse in sayinge And when Iesus was come ouer agayne Much People gathered vnto him Luke hath The People receyued him for they all wayted for him As concerninge this verse and that which followeth in the 22. verse reade the 9. of Math. 23. And besought him greatly saying my younge Daughter lyeth at the poynte of death I pray thee come lay thy hand on her that she may be safe and liue And besought him greatly Luke the Euangelist hath Praying him that hee woulde come into hys House for hee had but one Daughter onely vppon a twelue yeares of age and she lay a dying Lyeth at the poynte of death E. Or according to the Greeke texte Shee is euen in extremity Reade the nynth of Math. for that which followeth in the story vntill yee come to the 30. ver 30. And Iesus immediately knowing in hymselfe that Vertue proceeded from him turned him aboute in the prease and sayde Who touched my Clothes Iesus knovvinge in himselfe that Vertue As concerninge this power of Christe reade the 9. Chapt. of Math. VVho touched my Clothes M. Chryste is thronged of the multitude as the Disciples witnes and yet notwithstanding hee sayth not that hee is touched but as one voyde of sence he holdeth his peace at the thronginge which hee suffered of the people neyther sayth he that any vertue went out of him But so soone as this Woman came who touched not his Body but the Hemme of his Vesture onely and that lightly he standeth still and tourning him about he asketh who touched him and hee sayth that hee felt vertue goe out of him But what other thing is heere commended vnto vs than the excellency of fayth that is to say how stronge the teachinge of fayth is For there is no mencion made that any vertue went from him at the touchinge of the multitude but at the touchinge of this Woman it goeth out by and by 31. And his Disciples sayd vnto him Thou seest the people thruste thee askest thou Who did touch mee And his Disciple sayd vnto him M. Luke hath But all men denying Peter they that were with him sayd Thou seest the people Luke hath Maister the People thrust thee and vex thee And askest thou VVho did touch me Luke hath Some body touched me for I knowe that Vertue is gone oute of mee As touching this vertue and that which followeth vntill yee come to the 35. verse reade the exposition of the nynth of Math. beginninge at the 22. verse 35. While hee yet spake there came frō the Ruler of the Sinagoges house certayne which sayd Thy Daughter is deade why diseasest thou the Master any further There came from the ruler of the Sinagoges house These messengers came as hee was talkinge about the Woman that was healed of her Issue of bloude and they sayd VVhy diseasest thou the maister Luke putteth down these words without any interrogation thus Trouble not the maister The 23. verse of this Chapter doth sufficiētly declare how weake the fayth of this Ruler was but by the example of the foresayd woman which was healed by the power of Christe and the comminge of fayth betwene it was somewhat erected but now againe beaten downe by these messengers and made weake By the which example the triall of fayth is depaynted vnto vs as you may reade more at large in the 9. of Math. 36. Assone as Iesus heard the woorde that was spoken he sayd vnto the ruler of the Synagoge Be not afrayde onely belieue Be not afrayde M. The Ruler of the Sinagoge began to doubt as appeareth by these words which Christe woulde neuer haue vsed els He execteth therefore his hope fayth by this consolation which before began to quayle Whereby wee see the loue and care of Christe in erecting strengthninge the weake and also that hee is not ignoraunte of our Infirmities and temptacions Wee see also that hee doth not neglect those that are his but increaseth the Fayth a new which they haue once conceyued of him least so precious Treasure should pearishe Onely belieue Luke addeth And shee shal be safe What hee woulde haue him belieue it is euidente ynoughe by Christes owne woordes which asked this question of the blynde men Math. 9. Doe yee beleue that I am able to doe this He putteth him in mynde therefore of that faith by the which he might belieue that he was able to saue his daughter beinge deade Hee sayth not simplely Belieue but Onely belieue By the which words hee playnely declareth that hee seeketh for nothinge sauinge onely fayth Heb. 11. without the which it is impossible to please God As cōcerning the rest vnto the ende of the Chapter reade the ninth of Math. beginning at the 24. verse c. FINIS Chapter the sixt 1. ANd hee departed thence and came into hys owne Country and his Disciples followed him As cōcerning the exposition of this verse Reade the exposition of the 53. verse of the 13. Chapter of Mathew 2. And when the saboth day was come he began to teach in the Sinagoge many that heard him were astonyed and sayd from whence hath he these things And what wysedome is this that is geuen to him such myghty works that are wrought by his hands And vvhen the Saboth day vvas come BV. The Lord which came to redeeme and lighten the Worlde doth now agayne fall to teaching Therefore the Church of Christe hath nothinge better then Doctrine For it is the Foode of the soule the rule of lyfe and a light vnto our pathes From vvhence hath hee these thinges That which Math. spake in fewe wordes Math. 13 namely thus Whence cōmeth this Wisdome powers vnto him our Euangelist amplyfieth by many wordes in this place 3. Is not this the Carpenter Maryes sonne the Brother of Iames Ioses and of Iuda and Symon and are not his sisters here with vs they were offended at him For this
discredit the promises In word all men will confesse that God is omnipotent Notwithstanding if hee promise any thinge vnto vs which is aboue our capascitie we doubte and distrust Whereof commeth this but because wee attribute no more power vnto him then our sence and reasō can comprehende Therefore Paule commending the faith of Abraham sayth that he gaue glory vnto God Rom 4.20 because he was full certified that what he had promised he was able to performe And in another place speaking of the hope of eternal life he calleth to mind the power of God saying For I know whome I haue beleued and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him agaynst that day 2. Ti. 1.12 This seemeth to be a small portiō of fayth because no man though hee be neuer so wycked wil openly derogate from God the Title of omnipotencie Gods power 〈◊〉 cōprehēded by faith but he which hath rightly and throughly the power of God fixed in his heart shal easely ouercome all other impedimentes of Fayth Notwtstanding we muste note that the effectuall power of God is apprehended by true faith For god is mighty and will be so acknowledged that euen in his word hee may declare himselfe to be true And Mary sayde Behold the Handmaiden of the Lord bee it vnto mee according vnto thy woord And the Angell departed from her And Mary sayd C. Wee see that the virgin disputeth no further and cutteth of also all occasion of Disputation which mighte come into her mynde yeelding her selfe wholy to the wyll and Pleasure of the LORD and framyng her mynde to the Obedience of the Aungell And this is the true Probation of Fayth when wee restrayne our Myndes and kepe them as it were in Subiection The tokēs of faith of Infidelity that they presume not to Obiecte this or that agaynst GOD. Euen as on the contrary part the Vnbridled lycence of Disputing is the mother of Infidellity Let therefore the wyll of god bee vnto vs in steede of all reasō And there is no small waighte in these Woordes Behould the handmayd of the LORDE For shee offereth and gyeueth her selfe wholy vnto GOD that he may vse his owne wil and pleasure For the vnbeleuing doe wythdrawe them selues from his Hande and doe hynder his Woorke so much as in them lyeth Faith bringeth forth obedience But Faith maketh vs preste and ready to obay the Will of GOD. Wherefore if so bee the holy Virgin were therfore the Handmayden of GOD because shee obedyently submitted her self vnto his Will there is no greater contumacie and Contempt then by fleeing to deny him that which obediēce deserueth and requireth To be bryefe as Fayth onely maketh vs the obedient seruants of God and submitteth vs to his Power Euē so Infidellity maketh men rebellious and obstinate Starteawayes A. Therefore Mary calleth herselfe the handmayden of the Lord. At thys Day the Papists call her the queene of heauen and the lady of the worlde By which Names they doe vnto her great iniury seeing shee submitteth her selfe wholy vnto the gouernment of God and vsurpeth not vnto herself the gouernmēt of creatures Be vnto me according vnto thy worde C. This part may be expounded two waies either that the virgin came now to make her petition prayer or else that stil with one speach she goeth forward in submitting her self vnto god But this may simpely bee interpreted that she being now perswaded of the power of God willingly following whether she was called doth therewtall subscribe vnto his promise and so doth not only looke for the effecte but also earnestly desireth the same E. Shee speaketh seriouslye and in good earnest not ciuilly or for a fashion The vnbeleuing doe not refuse to obey God but they make such delaies that they turn away themselues quite and cleane from him A. But Godly mindes do by and by geue themselues wholy vnto God and obey him And the Angel departed from her BV. This is not added withoute cause but to this end that by the very departure we might know the matter to he perfected and fully finished for the which he came He had not gon away before hee had ended his Ambassage seeing he was the faithful seruant of God 39. And Mary arose in those Dayes and wente into the hil countrey with hast into a City of Iuda And Mary arose B. Seing this prouerbe is true in all thinges Lyke will to like that GOD doth alwayes bringe like vnto lyke in Gods matters this is by so much the truer by how much the same are the more Syncere and soūd For they are capable of onely sincere sound and iust Friendship Euen so the blessed Virgin the chosen Vessel of GOD whych is blessed amonge Women when shee hearde that Elizabeth was blessed though she were a Virgin and wythout all doubte not accustomed to Trauayle went out of Nazareth into Iuda to exhillerate make Ioyfull her Cosine for the blessing pronoūced vnto her and for those things which had happened vnto her So that hee ioyneth them together not onely in Body but also in mind whome the Spyrite of CHRIST truly possesseth Hereuppon the Apostle Paule had so Earnest a desire oftentymes to see his Brethren Hereuppon also hee so often tymes saluteth them VVhereuppon we haue greate cause to feare at this Day that many are very smally Possessed wyth the Spyrite of CHRIST as yet whych recken them selues amōg the Chyefe mayntainers of the Gospell because they haue so smal consideration of the Friendeship coniunction and Familiarity which they ought to haue with theyr brethren To whom soeuer Christe is rightly knowen the same cannot choose but hee must bee caryed thyther where he belieueth that hee dwelleth that is to say to all those which confesse his name with their mouth and deny him not with their deedes Let vs therfore behould the feruent desire of Mary who ran not as it is likely for the satisfying of her fantasie but rather being carried with a Godly zeale Neither had she regard to that which she might haue considered if she had ben ambitious Why should she not come rather and see me For Elyzabeth was her Elder and neere her time As it becommeth the Faythfull to bee ready to do their duty one towards another so they oughte to preuent one another in doing of the same The which Mary did in going to see her Cosin Therefore this going of the whych Luke maketh mention testifieth that the faith of Mary was not gone because the promise of God vanished not away with the sight of the angell but rested stil in her mind And wēt with hast into the hil countrey C. This hast betokeneth a serious feruente affectiō Hereby we may gather that the virgin estemed preferred thys grace of God as it was mete before all other things Notwithstanding it may bee demaunded to what purpose she tooke this iourney Questiō It is certain
Peter By the which Example let vs learne to be thankeful vnto God for hys Benefites bestowed vpon vs. Thankes geuing proceedeth of Fayth which cannot be vnthankefull vnto GOD. Goe from mee C. Though men by continual wishes desyre the presence of God yet notwithstanding it must needes bee that men shall tremble and bee ouerwhelmed with feare so soone as God appeareth vntill he geue comforte And his presence is therefore fearefull because they begin then to see their owne Weakenesse yea with how greate a heape of Euils they are replenished After this maner Peter so reuerēceth Chryst in the myracle that being terrefied with his maiesty he shunneth the same so much as he can A. Departe from me O Lord sayth he for I am a sinfull man Thys voice proceedeth from a contryte and broken heart acknowledging his owne vnworthynes 9 For hee was vtterly astonied and all that were wyth him at the draught of fishes which they had taken C. As if Luke should haue said Thys hapned not to Peter alone but to the rest which were in the Shyp For they were sore afrayd Wherefore wee se that all men are naturally afrayd at the presence of God And the same is profitable for vs that our pryde and vain confidēce in our selues may be beatē down so that we may be immediately after the same comforted as Peter was wyth the comfortable answer of Chryst 10 And so was also Iames and Iohn the sons of Zebede which were partners with Simon And Iesus sayd vnto Simō feare not frō hēceforth thou shalt catch mē Fear not B. As if he should say cast aside this vain feare by which ye ar astonied at my deuinity declared by the miracle I did not reueale the same to driue you away frō me but rather that I might inuite you to follow me to declare that I am endued with my fathers power how that al thinges are subiect vnto me Pray not me therfore to depart frō you but rather pray ye that forsaking al ye may haue power to follow me to cleane vnto me C. Furthermore he said vnto Peter From henceforth thou shalte catche men In steede of the which Mathew hath I wyll make you to become fishers of men By which words we are taught that Peter and the other thre were not onely appointed disciples of Chryste but also created Apostles or at leaste chosen in hope of the Apostleshyppe Therefore there is here descrybed not onely a generall calling vnto Faythe but a speciall also to a certayne office We graunte that as yet the offyce of teachyng is not committed vnto them but yet Chryst receiueth them into his company that he might make thē apt to teach For Christ did not chose these ignoraunt and vnlearned men to leaue them stil in their ignoraunce but to frame them to the Euangelical function As we haue sayd before in cap. 4. of Mat. verse 18. 11. And when they had brought vp theyr boates to the shoare they forsooke all and followed him A. Heere the efficacy of Christs voice is commended vnto as R. Surely in euery promise of the Gospell ther are such Deuine and heauenly Graces cōprehended and setfoorth that he which considereth tasteth but the least part of them by fayth he cannot stay himself but hee muste needes submit himselfe wholy and cleaue vnto Chryste The Kingdome of heauen sayth the lord is like vnto Treasure hidden in the field the which Mat. 13.44 when a man hath found he hydeth and for ioy thereof hee goeth his way and selleth all that he hath buyeth the fielde And agayn he sayth The Kingdome of Heauen is like to a Marchaunt man seeking goodly pearles Mat. 13.45 whych when he had founde one precious pearle wente and soulde all that he had and bought it This precious pearle signifieth heauenly Ioy and perfect Felicity which lyeth hid in the shell of the Gospel He which findeth this Pearle in the Gospell by fayth will rather forsake al thē leaue the Gospell These Fishermen found such Treasure such riches and so greate Felicity in this Gospell that they rather chose to forsake al thē not to follow Chryst which called them Read for the verses following the eight Cap. of Mathew Verse 2. and Marke 1. Cap. Verse 40. 15. But so much the more wēt there a Fame abroad of him and much people came together to heare and to be healed of him from their infirmities BV. This is the ende of the miracles and benefits of Chryst that he mighte be knowen vnto many that many might come vnto him to craue helpe and health and might receiue the same The which came to passe as the effect of Chrysts power which is here to be sene by the comming of the people vnto him 16. And he kepte himselfe a parte in the Wildernes and prayed R. Agayne Chryst shunneth the multytude and goeth into a Desert place least in gathering vnto him heapes of People hee might seeme to bee vayne glorious or els to moue seditiō against the Ciuill Magystrate Hee wente aparte also to rest himselfe from his labours for a time whych hee tooke in preaching the Gospell and in healing the sicke And prayed R. Wee muste noate here with what thinges Chryste dyd recreate his mynde in his Solitarines Surely with Prayer geuynge thankes vnto GOD the Father for the benefits which he gaue vnto mē by him his sonne What can be more sweete then prayer by which we talke with the Lord our God and doe conferre with him by Familiar Speach For GOD is our Father our sauiour our redemer our Felicity 17 And it came to passe on a certain Day as hee was teaching that there were Pharisies and Doctors of that law by which were come out of al towns of Galile and Iury and Hierusalē and the Povver of the Lord was presente to heale them R. Fyrst of al Chryst here sheweth what the Maiesty of the true Messias is what is his proper Office for the whych he was sent into this world secōdly he addeth a miracle that he might confirm that in deede which he had spoken before in wordes And the power of the Lorde was present Was not the Power of healing present with Chryst before Surely Chryst was alway endued with the power of healing but the same did alway shew it selfe in Chryst But thē especially it dyd appeare whē Chryst occupyed in teaching and preachynge the Gospell that miracles might appeare to be Testimonies and Seales of the Gospel Concerning that which followeth vnto the 30. verse Read our annotations vpon the ninth Chapter of Mathew Verse 1. and of Mark cap. second verse 3. 30 But they that were Scrybes and Pharisies among thē murmured against his Disciples saying Why do ye eate and drinke wyth Publicanes and Sinners R. Here now the Pharisies bewray theyr Enuious mynde which a lyttle before they had cōceiued against christ For the Pharisies according to they re malitious nature speake euill of that
matter they hated worse then any Dogge or Snake 7. But Iesus auoyded with his Disciples to the sea and a great multitude followed him froÌ„ Galyle froÌ„ Iury. BV. Here our sauiour Christe teacheth vs by his exaÌ„ple som times to geue place to the frowardnes of the wicked A greate multitude follovved him from Galile A. Math. sheweth that a great multitude folowed him but froÌ„ whence he sheweth not the which thing our Euangelist Mark doth in this place As touching the 8. verse reade the 12. of Math. 9. And Iesus commaunded his Disciples that a shippe shoulde wayght on him because of the people least they should thronge him BV. The lord in euery place doth teach vs by his example Now that he might vse the more quiet way auoyde trouble he auoydeth all vnquietnesse and taketh the occasion ministered vnto him And therefore he commaundeth a ship to wayght on him Here therefore certayne Stoyikes are confuted whych poynte a certayne godlinesse in neglecting the care of the body agaynst whom the Apostle Paule dysputeth in the 2. Coloss 2 1. Tim. 4 Chapter of his Epistle to the Coloss and in the 4. of the â— to Timothy 10. For he had healed many insomuch that they preased vppon hym for to touche him as many as had plagues E. The Lord is ryche and merciful towards all men he putteth none from his Doctryne nor from the benefite of healing Such was the feruent desire of the multitude for the greedines of healing that one of them did thronge another and did violently rushe vpon Iesus that they might at the least touch him for by the touching of his vesture only the diseases were put away Neyther had the mighty and gentle Phisition any respect of the men or of the diseases whatsoeuer they were that were troubled with any kynde of disease if it were their hap to come vnto Chryste they were healed And the lyke we see to bee done at this day by the power of the spirite For many out of all Nations of the world come vnto Iesus beinge subiect to many sinnes to much wickednesse and are healed by fayth a sure truste As many as had plagues Plagues and diseases are scourges for sinne For the diseases of the body are very profitable for the Soules health God scourging men as the father doth the Children 11. And when the vncleane spyrites sawe hym they fell dovvne before hym at his Feete and cryed sayinge Thou art the sonne of God A. In fewe wordes Mathewe declareth that all the power of this world yea and the power of sathan is brought vnder by the power of Christ Wherefore Sathan hath no power any more ouer the faythfull For Christ doth coÌ„municate his power to the Sayntes Reade for the 12. verse in our exposition of Math. 13. And hee wente vp into a mountaine and called vnto him whom he would and they came vnto him And he vvent vp into a mountayne B. This seemeth to be the order of the hystory When Christe had gone about all Galile preachinge and healing all those that were diseased there were gathered together a great multitude which came vnto him from all places there about which Mathew affyrmeth in the ende of his fourth Chapter he went vp to the mountayne to pray and contynued there all Nighte in prayer to God as Luke maketh mencion For his maner was when hee was oppressed to much with the exceeding multitude of People to goe into some solitary place out of the way that he might haue respete and quietnesse in the tyme of prayer that he might conueniently send away the people specially such as sought for nothing but carnall things to th' ende that he might with the more oportunity afterward preach spiritual and heauenly thinges to those which thyrsted after the same So Luke in the ende of the fourth Chapter maketh mencion that he went into a desert place and that when the people which followed him would haue stayed him he sayd I must preach to other Cities also and so sent them away For he addeth saying And he preached in the Synagoges of Galile The like you may reade in the fyft of Luke Euen so at this time also he went a part when he saw the multitude as sayth Mathew and passed away the Night in prayer And when it was day Luk. 6. as sayth S. Luke he called whom he would and as our Euangelist sayth here his dysciples and they came vnto him as Mathew testifieth in his fift Chapter and he chose 12. of them to beare him company to sende them forth to preache as this our Euangelist declareth vntill he commeth vnto the twenty verse With these Disciples therefore as sayth S. Luke which were chosen to be Apostles the Lord went downe from the mouÌ„tayne and stoode in a playne place which mighte contayne the multitude which was present Then casting his Eyes vpon all his Dysciples he opened his Mouth and taughte them as sayth Mathewe sayinge Math. 5. Blessed are the poore in spyrite c. C. But by the way we must note that Chryste as yet doth not properly ordayne his Apostles by this election that they mighte by by take vppon theÌ„ the offyce of Apostleship but doth onely adopt them to be his fellow Disciples in hope of the Apostleship In the which matter many interpreters are deceyued which coÌ„founde amisse this place of Marke and Luke with the tenth of Mathew But truely the words playnely sounde that they are onely forechosen to the imbassage to come which is in ioyned to theÌ„ in the tenth of Mathew And Marke and Luke heereafter in their proper place and order will declare that sending forth of the which Mathew there maketh mencion Neyther is it any meruayle if the heauenly schoolemayster did inure frame them by litle litle to so hard a matter as to teache a Prouince whose rudenesse coulde not be corrected by long exercyse of dysciplyne The Euangelist Luke expresseth the cause as it was sayde before why Chryste wente vppe to the mountaine namely that he might more freely pray in a solitary place This Example ought to be vnto vs as a perpetuall rule that wee begin with prayer so often as Pastors are to bee chosen for congregations otherwyse that which we take in hande shall haue eueâ—l successe For the Lorde did pray for his owne sake so much as to prescribe a lawe vnto vs. QuestioÌ„ But some man will say Dyd not Christe then pray earnestly to the Father that he would order this his election of the Apostles Yes truely wee deny it not Answer and we also say that hee declared by this testimony how careful he was for the Church So that he did not after his dayly maner pray vnto the Father but he spent al the nighte in prayer And called vnto him vvhom he vvoulde There is no doubt but that S. Mark meaneth by these wordes that the dysciples were not taken to so honorable for their owne
vvhat measure yee meate This sentence seemeth not to be set in his right place and order and truely the Euangelistes were not curiouse in placinge the wordes of Christe but doe oftentimes heape diuers of his sentences together The exposition of these words yee may reade in the 7. of Math. 26. And hee sayd so is the Kingdom of God euen as if a man should sowe seede in the grounde B. Christe by this Parable meaneth that the Gospell doth euen so wonderfully contrary to the expectacion of man and when they thinke not of it by litle and litle growe vp and fructefie not sodenly but in that order which the father hath appoynted After this manner truely and in this our age the kingdome of God is come vnto vs men in deede looking for nothing lesse then the same Whereuppon in deede these vngodly sayings of the wicked came from whence commeth this kinde of Doctrine In how short time hath it preuayled But such is the kingdome of God it bursteth forth before that flesh and bloud can perceiue the same After this maner God disapoynteth the expectacion of the world and by his base foolishe and weake confoundeth the gloriouse 1. Cor. 1. wyse mighty as S. Paule teacheth in his Epistell to the Corin. 27. And should sleepe and ryse vppe night and day and the seede shoulde springe and growe vp hee knoweth not howe C. Chryst went about to direct this Similitude to the Preachers of his worde least they should coldely goe about their office wheÌ„ they see not fruit of their labour to appeare by and by Therefore he setteth before them Husband men to follow which vpon hope of reapinge cast seede into the Earth neither are troubled with careful eare but goe to rest and rise earely againe that is to say according to their maner they are alwaies occupied in their daily laboure and doe refreshe themselues with sleape in the nyght vntill at the length the Corne waxe rype in due tyme. Although therefore the seede of the Woorde lye couered for a time Christe notwithstandinge commaundeth the godly Teachers to bee of good hope least distrust make them slouthfull 28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of her selfe first the blade then the Eare after that the full Corne in the Eare. BV. As if he should haue sayde The Seede doth not growe vp so soone as it is sowen and aryse to be Corne but it hath a distance and it doth arise by increase So doth the worde of God fructefy also being cast and receyued into the Heartes of the faythfull For vertue groweth by certayne Degrees of increase For as no man is a perfect Artificer at the first euen so no man is perfect out of hand or without time in all vertues 29. But vvhen the fruite is brought forth anon hee thrusteth in the Sickell because the haruest is come E. The Phariseys Scribes Hyghpriestes Elders Rulers of the People Princes Kinges Philosophers haue contenciously gone about and doe at this day to ouerwhelm the seede of Gospell leaste it shoulde come forth Nothstanding these striueing against it in vaine it hath taken roote through out the whole Worlde neyther shal it cease to growe euen vntill the end and consummation of the Worlde that the whole Corne may be rype When the time of Haruest shall come the Sickell shall bee put into the Corne and then all things being cut vp the tarâ—s shal be cast into the fyer and the pure and cleane Wheate shal be put a parte into the Barne as our sauiour Christ himselfe teacheth in the 13. of Math. In the which Chapter reade the exposition of the 30. verse and one and thirty and 32. 33. And vvith many such Parables preached he the Woorde vnto them as they were able to heare it E. That is to say by these and by many such kinde of Parables the Lorde Iesus did propounde to the rude and grosse people the Image of the successe of the Gospell to come framing his talk to their capascity For hee spake nothing vnto them then but onely by obscure Parables because as yet they were not capeable of the bare worde For if hee had sayd that hee should bee shortly put to death of the Iewes that hee should by and by ryse agayne and spreade abroade his glory through out the whole Worlde insomuch that hee which seemed to bee weakest of all should be thought to be a Prince of the whole Worlde and that none shoulde haue peace and assurance of saluation but through him none woulde haue borne his wordes neither woulde they haue belieued him And yet notwythstanding it was meete that they should remember these things as by a dreame that afterwarde they might knowe by the matter it selfe what the Parables ment But hee declared to his Apostells by secrete communication what was the secret meaning of all the Parables which he spake 35. And the same day when euen was come he sayd vnto them Let vs passe ouer vnto the other side Math. 13 Luk. 8. A. This history must thus be ordered by the wordes of Mathew Marke Luke And it came to passe on a day when Iesus had spoken these Parables and when the euen was come he went from thence sayth vnto them Let vs passe ouer vnto the other side of the Lake And when hee had sente the People away he went into a shyp and his Disciples with him And so soone as hee was in the Ship they loused and went ouer As touching the 36. and 37. verses reade our exposition vppon Mathewe the 13. Chapter 38. And hee was in the sterne a slepe on a Pillowe and they awaked him and sayde vnto hym Maister carest thou not that we pearishe And he vvas in the Sterne a sleepe Behold here howe Christe declareth himselfe to be a man in all poyntes sinne onely excepted What therefore will he deny vs which vouchsafed to be partaker of all our infirmities And they avvaked him Heere wee see by what meanes God is wonte to trye his sayntes For the nature of temptacion is here lyuely paynted forth Hee sendeth vppon his Dysciples a fearse tempest and beinge not content wyth this he suffereth the Ship to be ouerwhelmed and couered with water beside this he seemeth altogether to neglect them being in extreame pearill For they looking nowe for extremity he lyeth a sleepe carelesly in the ship Thus truly the sayntes and Children of God are prooued oftentymes they thinking that God will lay more vpon them then they are able to beare Notwithstanding hee will not suffer them what daunger soeuer they be in to bee voyde of hope Euen so here wee may see the Disciples who although they looked for nothinge more certaynely then death yet notwithstandinge they were not altogether wythout hope They awake the Lorde and pray for help notwithstanding so that they fearing extreame pearill are not quight without trust of deliueraÌ„ce the which their prayer vnto the Lord doth playnly decare For they woulde
soone as I had searched oute diligentlye all thinges from the beginning c. For the Teacher must take heede that hee teache nothing but that is sounde true and most certayne Also the Godly hearers must be assertayned of that doctryne which they must beleue that it is the worde of God and the moste sincere truthe Otherwyse they shall not bee able to stande agaynst Synne Death and Hell For by Fayth onely in the worde of God these are ouercome the which cannot be firme sincere excepte first of all the mynde bee assured concerninge the truth of the worde Most excellente Theophilus E. Theophilus is the proper name of a notable and worthy Personage to whom this Booke which appertayneth to all the faythfull was dedicated by S. Luke euen as wee haue sayd before in the first verse 4. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things whereof thou hast ben informed That thou mightest know E. The latine word is not vt Cognoscas but vt Agnosias betwene the which there is dyfference for Cognoscere signifieth to know but Agnoscere signifieth to know of olde or by proofe As wee knowe him whose face we haue seene not many yeares before Whereof thou hast bene informed In olde time they which were newly baptised had deliuered vnto them the mysteries of the Christian fayth but by word of mouth without writing according to the maner of those olde Deuines amonge the Aegyptians Druides vvere somtime in Fâ—ance called Gallia one of the the tvvo estates of lâ—ke conâ—ition as the spiritualty is novv among vs. and of the Druides amonge the Frenchmen This was to be newly instructed in the misteries the which Paule and Luke call in Greeke Gatechein for Echein signifieth to sounde with the voyce whereof came Catechein which signifieth to teache and instruct by worde of mouth those thinges which thou wilt not leaue in wrytinge Whereupon they which were taught were called after the same maner Catechoumenoi or Catechetoi that is not yet entered into Religion and they which taughte Catechetai that is to say Teachers The Sence therefore and meaninge of S. Luke is this That thou mightest nowe more fully and certainly know by wryting those thinges which thou afore time at thy entery into Religion learnedst by woorde of mouth Hereby wee learne that wee must reade S. Luke to this ende that wee might be without all feare and secure in his narration not doubtinge whether he speake in good sooth yea or no but assuring our selues that wee haue a true and most certaine narration The certainty of those thinges E. Wee doe the more assuredly knowe those thinges which wee haue learned by writing and order specially if wee haue hearde the same before of others or all one thing of the selfe same men because the continuance of the narration doth bring great credit to any thing C. This place verely is worthy to be noted with dilligence for the Worlde cannot discerne fayth from an opinion For that which the World conceiueth hath no certaynty But God woulde haue vs sure There is also another coÌ„mon error for some men when they would haue any certainty doe rather canfirme and stay them selues vppon thinges which come vnlooked for then vpon the manifest truth But wee see that God will not haue vs to wander for hee hath gieuen vs that vppon the which wee may stay our selues as this Hystory Let vs vse his benefite and not settell our myndes in error and in doubtfull matters vnder the pretence of Fayth And withall let vs knowe that we must not receiue for a certaynty what soeuer is spoken but must vse Iudgement As for Example there were many vayne Opinions spread abroade after the resurrection of Christ all which if a man will imbrace there shall be no ende Therefore the Lorde gaue vnto his Apostells a deepe wise coÌ„sideration in writing that we might haue somewhat certayne Neuerthelesse wee must take heede that we thinke not the authority of that holy Scripture to depend vpon men as the enemies of truth dreame but vpon the true God who hath spoken by his holy spirite in his seruauntes R. Wherefore how well so euer wee knowe the Canonicall Scripture because the Church hath allowed the same yet notwithstandinge neyther the true Church of Christe nor the Hypocriticall and false Church which is mixte with the true Church oughte to vsurpe vnto them so great authority as to inuert the holy Scripture to appoynt newe Commaundementes of God and to make newe Articles of fayth but we ought rather to doe this that seeing this holy Scripture which the Church hath deliuered to vs as it were from hande to hande is approoued and confirmed by most assured testimonies and seing that wee men are not the Authors but the Witnesses of the Scripture not Heads but Members of the Church not maisters but mynisters not Lords but the seruauntes of Christe this I say considered wee oughte to imbrace this Scripture with both hands Let vs submit our selues to these coÌ„maundements of God which are conteined in this Scripture and let vs obay this fayth which is prescribed vnto vs loÌ„ge before by the Prophetes and Apostles and so by the whole Apostolyke church that we may attayne true Saluation in Chryst Iesus the which we oughte to desyre aboue all Thinges in the World 5 There was in the Dayes of Herode the Kynge of Iurye a certayne Prieste named Zacharias of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name vvas Elyzabeth There vvas in the Dayes of Herode B. The Myraculous rising of Iohn the first Euangelyste made somewhat to the commending of the pryce of the Gospell and of the acceptable time which began when the Gospell was preached in the Worlde C. Wherfore verye fitely Luke begynneth his Gospell at Iohn the Baptiste euen as a man which would speake of the Day Lyghte beginneth at the Day starre For he went before the Sonne of ryghteousnes which was euen arysing as doth the Morning starre The rest of the Euangelistes also make mencion of him but they begin at that time when he executed hys Office But Luke seeketh to brynge Credit and estimation vnto him before hee was borne setteth forth the wonderfull and mighty power of God in his Infancie and sheweth that he was appointed of God to be a Prophete before meÌ„ could discerne what he should bee the whych he doth to this ende purpose that he might be heard with the greater reuerence wheÌ„ he should come abroad to set forth the glory of Chryst And this Herode of the which Luke maketh mencion was the son of Antipater whome his Father aduaunced vnto the Kingedome in inlargynge whereof he tooke such paynes and Laboure that hee was called Herode the greate And there are some whych thinke that he was therefore heere named of Luke because hee was the firste forreyne Kyng And that therefore it was a conuenient time for the redemption because the Scepter
Abraham are counted the Israell of the Lorde God doth not repeÌ„te him of any vvhom hee hath called And although the Iewes by their defection banished themselues from the Church of God yet notwithstandinge the Lord will keepe to the ende some Reliques because his calling is without repentaunce The Body of the people seemeth to be deuided and cut of but wee must remember that Mysterye of the whych Paule speaketh Namely that it will come to passe at the length that God will gather some of the Iewes from dissipation and confusion In the meane tyme the Church which is dyspersed throughout the whole Worlde is the spirituall house of Iacob seeing it had his originall of Syon A. Hereof therefore wee affyrme that Christe doth raigne ouer the house of IACOB and nothing hindered by the Infidelity of the Iewes For he hath in his charge and tuition the posterity of Abraham and the vaile is taken away which seperated the Gentiles froÌ„ the Iewes insomuch that now all the elect are sayd to bee of the house of Iacob whether they bee Iewes or Gentiles For euer C. The Angell sheweth in what sence euerlasting conâ—inuance was promised to the kingdome of Dauid Onely the Kingdome of Dauid and of Solomon florished with continuance with power and with Ryches Roboam the thirde successor scarse retayned one Trybe and a halfe From thence forwarde greate Destruction came to the same vntill at length it was quite ouerthrowne Now the Angell declareth that when the same is established in the person of Christe it shall not be subiecte to sackinge and destruction any more and to proue this hee vsurpeth the wordes of Daniell that there shall bee no ende of this kingdome as we sayd before Moreouer although the sence of the woordes bee that God will bee the euerlastinge defender and preseruer of his Church and of the Kingdome of Christe in such wise that the same shal neuer decay vppon Earth so longe as the Sunne and Moone shall shine in Heauen yet notwithstanding the true perpetuity doth appertaine to the glory to come The kingdome of Christe is euerlasting Therefore the Faythfull doe so succeede one another in order in this lyfe that at the last they must bee gathered together into Heauen wher they shall raigne for euer in the kingdome of Heauen R. So that this kingdome of the Messias shall haue no such maiesty in this Worlde as it shall haue in the World to come For in this World it standeth by the publique preaching of the Gospell and by Fayth Mat. 16.18 Mat. 28.20 vnto the last day The Gates of Hell saith Chryste shall not preuaile aginst it Againe hee sayth I will bee with you vnto the ende of the worlde In the worlde to come it shall be reuealed with gratiouse Maiesty that they which beleue in Christ shal haue euerlastinge felicity but they which beleeue not shall perishe euerlastingly This is the euerlasting maiesty of the Kingdome of Christe this is his euerlastinge Dominion which is gieuen to him of the Father 34. Then sayde Mary vnto the Angell Howe shall this bee seeinge I knowe not a man Then sayd Mary C. The holy Virgin seemeth no lesse vngodly to restrayne the power of God theÌ„ Zacharias had done before For shee coniectureth that to bee impossible which is not accordinge to the common order of Nature For thus shee reasoneth I know no man how shall I then beleue that the same shal come to passe which thou shewest And wee must not much seeke to purge her from all falte For shee ought by and by to haue passed by Faith to the exceeding power of God which is not tyed to naturall meanes but is aboue the whole Worlde But standeth now in the common maner of generacion Howbeit we must know that shee doth not so doubte or question that shee woulde make the power of God onely shee being stricken and amazed with sodayne admiration is drawen to mooue this question And that Shee obedientely imbraced the promyse wee may hereby gather that when Shee had many Obiections to bee made to the contrarye She stocke and stoode in doubt but of one thinge Shee mighte haue obiected sayinge Where is that Seate of Dauid seeinge the whole Dignity of the Kyngdome and the glory of the kingly stock was quite gone Verely if Shee had waighed and considered the matter by the Iudgement of fleshe Shee would haue counted all that Shee had heard of the Angell for a fable Wherefore there is no doubt but that Shee being throughly perswaded that the Church shoulde bee builded vp agayne easelye beleeued that which by the reason of Fleshe and Bloude was incredible And it is likely that this Prophesie was in diuerse places not forgotten â—say 11.1 There shall come a Rod forth of the Stocke of Ishai and a Graffe shal growe out of his Rootes Therefore Fayth of the Grace of God being conceiued in the mynde of the Virgin broughte to passe that without controuersie Shee admitted the Tydinges broughte vnto her concerninge the settinge vp of the Seate of Dauid But is it not also wrytten in Esay â—say 7. Beholde a Virgin shall conceiue and bringe forth a sonne Yes verely but the knowledge of that mystery was then obscure The Fathers did hope that a King shoulde bee Borne vnto them vnder whom the People of GOD shoulde bee blessed and happy but the maner how this should bee lay hid as it were vnder a Vayle Therefore it is no maruayle if so bee the Holy Virgin mooue a question of that which was vnknowne vnto her But whereas some haue taken occasion vppon this place to say that the Virgin had taken a Vowe vppon her of perpetual Virginity because otherwise this her aunswere had bene super fluouse it is to friuoulouse and vayne Shall we thinke that the Virgin suffred her selfe to bee betroathed to her Husbande to mocke him This in deede had bene such falsehoode as had bene worthy to be reprehended if so be she had despysed the holy bonde of Matrimony to the coÌ„temning scorning also of God Who knoweth not that the Law of Matrimony was apointed of God A Damsell cannot betroathe her selfe to her Husbande at her owne will Wherefore to absurde and ridiculous are those Immagination which are so coniectured of this place All barbarous cruelty that may be hath bene shewed in this pointe in the Papacy yet neuerthelesse they neuer durst be so bolde as to come thus far that they would suffer a maried wyfe to vowe Chastity or continencie at her owne will and pleasure Monchary vvas not among the IEWES Also it is a Childishe phantasie to fayne Monachisme amonge the Iewes Notwithstandinge wee must aunswere that Obiection that the Virgin hath respect vnto the time to come and that therefore shee meaneth that Shee will haue nothinge to doe wyth her Husbande This coniecture is both probable and simple that the greatnesse of the matter or rather the Maiesty of the same
olde time commaunded the Booke of the Law to be sprynkeled with the Bloud of the Sacrifice 73 According to the othe vvhych hee sware vnto our Father Abraham that hee would gieue vs. According to the othe C. Hee maketh mention of the oth to the ende hee mighte the better expresse how firme stable hys truth is For so GOD beareth with vs that hee vouchsafeth by his name to beare vp our infirmity VVherefore if bare promyses are not sufficient for vs let vs call to mynd this confyrmation the which if it put vs not oute of all doubte wee are to vnthankefull vnto GOD and iniurious vnto his holy name A. This is euen that same which the Apostle wryteth saying Heb. 17. â— wherin God vvilling very abundauntly to shewe vnto the Heyres of promise the Stablenes of hys Counsayle confirmed it by an oath Which he sware vnto our Father Abraham R. Hereby wee see how true and iuste God is in keeping his promises For he doth not onely obserue those promises which hee made by the Prophets but hee also obserueth those CouenauÌ„ts which he made the Patriarkes specially with AbrahaÌ„ Dauid the whych also hee hath confyrmed with an oathe For this is the Testament or Couenaunte which God made with Abraham and hys Seede I wil blesse them that blesse thee and I wil curse them that cursse thee And agayne Gen. 12. â— Gen. 22.7 Thy Seede shall possesse the Gate of his Enemies and in thy Seede shal all the NatioÌ„s of the Earth he blessed And this Couenaunte he confirmed with an othe saying By my selfe I haue sworne I will blesse thee and Multiply thy seede And concerning Dauid it is written I haue made a CouenauÌ„t with my chosen I haue sworn to Dauid my Seruaunte Thy Seede wyll I stablish for euer and set vp thy Throane from one Generation to an other Agayne Psal 89.4 I haue founde Dauyd my Seruaunt vers 21. â—â— 29. with my holy oyle haue I annoynted him I wyll destroye hys Foes before his Face and plague them that hate him My mercy will I keepe for hym for euermore and my couenaunte shall stande fast with him His seede also will I make to endure for euer and his Throane as the Dayes of Heauen These promyses made to Abraham and Dauid concerning Victorye ouer theyr Enemies concernyng Security and Tranquillitie of Lyfe and the perpetuitie of a most happy kingdom seme no tende vnto Externall Blessings only as though they were to bee fulfilled onely in thys VVorlde But by thys verse of Zacharias which is as it wer a paraphrasis of the promises of god which were made vnto Abraham and Dauid we may plainely vnderstand that those promises dyd specially tende vnto spyrituall blessinges For hee expoundeth it that these thynges are to bee vnderstode of those Ennemyes which were ouercome by Chryst Iesus and of that Tranquillity and felicity of Lyfe which is purchased for vs by Chryste For Chryste dyd not conquere eyther the Aegyptians or the Babylonians â—ph 6.12 or the Romaynes by the Externall preparation of warre but hee ouercame those Enemies and deliuered his People from all those thinges of the which Paule speaketh Amongest whome Sathan is the chyefe secondly Sinne into the which SathaÌ„ by suggestion cast Adam Laste of all Deathe and hell Furthermore Chryst restored hys People not to that Security by which they mighte worship accordyng to the Leuitticall Lawe in Hyerusalem the which worship was onely ciuile and a Schoolemayster vnto Chryst but hee forgaue them theyr Sinnes for the which remission the conscience is made so quiet throughe Fayth that now it neyther feareth Sathan nor Synne nor Death nor hel 74. That without feare we being delyuered from the hands of our Enemies myght serue him That without feare BV. This includeth in it selfe that wee are assured of the Blessynges of this Lyfe and also of the VVorlde to come For a Chrystian man is secure and certaine of forgieuenes of hys Sins although as yet he feele them For he is out of al doubt that Deathe hath no Power in hym that Sathan doth not ouercome in him and that the VVorlde can not preuaile in him Notwythstanding vnderstande not thys to bee so spoken as though a Chrystian should haue no feeling at all of Sinne but rather that he is greatly disquyeted and as it were Tormented when Synnes do grieue and that the Image of Deathe dothe terrifye hym in so much that hee being pressed wyth the reproache and shame of the VVorlde standeth naked hath none in the whole Earth of whome he may seeke helpe but God alone Sathan and Sinne are felte but they brynge nothing to passe they ouer come not For the hearte is safe quyet in God Of thys feare the Apostle Paule wryteth thus Yee haue not receyued the Spyrite of Bondage to feare any more Rom. 8 1â— but ye haue receyued the Spyrit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same Spyrite beareth witnesse to our Spyrites that wee are the Sons of GOD Also 1. Ioh. 4.18 Feare is not in Loue but perfecte Loue casteth out Feare because feare hath painefulnes for he which feareth is not perfect in loue C. Therefore the meanynge of Zacharyas is Feare is coÌ„trary to Faith that GOD can not bee VVorshyped but wyth Peaceable and quyet Myndes For they which are oute of Quyet whych reason and contende wyth them selues whether they haue hym Fauourable vnto them yea or no whether hee accepteth theyr Obedyence or reiecteth the same To bee shorte whych are tossed carryed betweene Hope and Feare do take greate paynes in VVorshypping GOD but yet they doe neuer Syncereâ—y and wyth they re whoale Hearte submyt them selues vnto him For feare and trembling maketh them to abhorre him in such wyse that if it were possible they would haue his deuine Maiesty cleane taken away Psa 130.4 VVe know that no Sacrifice is acceptable vnto God but that which commeth froÌ„ a good will willing mynd Wherefore that men may truly worship God it is necessary that theyr consciences be freed from feare Euen as Dauid also speaketh Mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared RoÌ„ 14.23 For God wheÌ„ he hath geuen peace vnto men louingly calleth them vnto him and maketh them to come willingly and wyth an earnest desire to worship him HereuppoÌ„ the Apostle Paule sayth that whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne But seeing God reconcyleth men vnto hym in Chryst seeing by his Defence he preserueth them that they might be wythout all feare seeing he hath put theyr Saluation into his hand and Custody Zacharias doth iustly say that wee are delyuered froÌ„ fear by his grace Therefore the Prophetes doe make this proper vnto his Kingdome that men might voyd of feare imbrace peace and inioy peaceable blysse That vve being deliuered from the hands of our Enemies A. To these wordes appertayned the promises noated in the verse going before Myght serue
is nothing hyer but onely height it selfe there is Chryst in his Diuinity euen as the daie sprynge or Sunne rysing For he proceeded from the Father euen as the beams of light proceede from the Sun Thus Chryst speaketh of himselfe Iohn 3.13 No man ascendeth into heaueÌ„ but he which came downe from heauen For he hath not his Oryginall froÌ„ the Earth where hee was conceiued and borne In like manner he saith I wente oute from the Father Ioh. 16.28 and came into the world This Sonne of God sayth Zacharias hath visited vs comming to vs into the Earth and hath geuen to vs myserable dampned Sinners remission of Sinnes 79. To geue light to them that sate in Darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace To geue Lighte to them that sate in darkenes C. In this Zacharias extollâ—th the mercy of God that the shadow of Death being put away the lighte of Lyfe was restored vnto the People of God And this seemeth to be an allusioÌ„ to the Woordes of the Prophet where Chryst is called the Sonne of righteousnes carying health in his wynges Mala. 4. â— that is to say in his Beames WheÌ„ the Sun ryseth we know by Experience the health followeth the same For by the rysing therof we feele our selues more mery and chearefull of the which sicke persons haue best experience As touching light and darkenes we haue the like speaches in Esay A people which walked in darknes saw great light Light is rysen vppon them that dwelte in the shadovve of Death The like we haue in many other places Concerning the which matter Esay 9.1 read the annotations vpon Mathevv BV. Therefore he perseuereth in the Metaphor Mat. 4.16 As the Sun geueth lighte vnto oure Bodies so Chryste geueth lighte vnto our mindes And withal he sheweth wherefore he calleth Chryste the day sprynge Namely that he might lyghten such as sit in Darkenes and in the shadow of Death By these words we are taughte that there is no quickning light in the world without Christ but that all thinges are couered with horrible darkenes of Death therefore Esay in another place testifieth that this benefite is proper to the Church onely Behould sayth he darkenes shall couer the Earth and a thicke miste the People Esay 60.1 but vppon thee shall the lord aryse and his glory shall bee seene in thee Notwithstanding it may be demauÌ„ded how the Israelites sate in the shadow of Death Question whose hearts the Lorde alwayes illumined by fayth Ansvver We answer that the Godly which liued vnder the Law being beset round about with the darkenes of Death behelde a lyghte a farre of in the comming of Chryste by which they were refreshed leaste they should bee ouerwhelmed with presente Death It may also be that Zacharias had respecte to the miserable estate of hys tyme. But this is generally true that by the comming of Chryst a lighte is risen vp to al the Godly which were from the beginning and which shall be to the ende to quicken them because he hath poured lyfe also into those that were deade BV. Furthermore Zacharias ioyneth heere the Iewes and Gentyles together and describeth the Condytion of mankynde and the office of Chryste Therefore he sayth Chryste therefore came that he might be the lighte of the World and to illuminate meÌ„s hearts by the Ghospell and to call them vnto him which were held in Captiuity vnder Sathan in blyndnes in the darknes of Vnbeliefe that so he might dyrecte theyr feete into the way of peace Read the 4. cap. of Math. verse 16. Note heere that if the electe before they bee called be in the shadow of death what shall wee thinke of the Reprobate To be short we must set agaynst the shadow of Death the light and brightnesse of Chryst who putteth away these darkenesses that we might be illumined vnto Saluation His brightnesse aloane ought to be sufficient for vs. To directe our feete into the way of peace C. By this parte Zacharias teacheth that the perfection of al goodnes and the summe of all felicity coÌ„sisteth in Chryst aloane The Name of peace may be taken in his owne proper sence welinoughe because the illumination of Chryst is able to pacify mens mindes But because the Hebrevves by peace vnderstande the happy Successe of all things there is no doubt but that Zachartas wente here aboute to make Chryst the Author of perfect blessednes least we should seeke for any maner of goodnes elsewhere but being perswaded that we are perfectly blessed in Chryst we might stay our selues vppon him alone To the which effect pertaine these words of the Prophet The Sunne shall shyne to thee no more by day Esay 60.19 nor the Moone by night but the Lord shal be thy euerlastynge lighte But if Zacharias by the onelie sighte of his Sonne being yet an Infante was led to speake so notably of the Grace and vertue of Chryst before hee was borne are not they to vnthankfull which thinke not so Honourably of Chryst after that hee is deade rysen agayne and ascended into Heauen that he mighte sit at the ryght hande of his Father as they ought and do diminish his Power of a Sauiour the Tytle whereof was geuen vnto him by the holy Ghost he being yet in his mothers wombe For wee must remember that which we spake before how that Zacharias spake not of hymselfe but by the dyrection of Gods Spyrite R. This is the Summe of Zacharias songe in the which seeing the truthe is specially commended and the mercy of God Gods benefites declared which are come to vs by Chryst manifested by the preaching and Testimony of Iohn let vs confirme our Faith and shewe our selues thankefull vnto God that with thankefulnes we may keepe and enioy those Benefites which by Gods liberality wee haue receiued throughe Chryst 80. And the Chyld grew vvaxed stronge in Spyrite and was in wyldernesse till the Day came when hee should shew himselfe vnto the Israelytes And the Chylde grewe C. Thys the Euangelyst Luke addeth to knit vp the history And waxed stroÌ„g in spirit As the Natiuity of Iohn was wonderfull so the increase of his age was not without admiration For as hee grewe in stature and in Body so also hee was corroborated with the streÌ„gth of the Spyrite Not that he had nowe vnderstanding but because there was a straunge and vnwonted towardnes in the Child which was a signe that the holy Ghost dwelt in him C. Therefore according to the portion of euery age the holy Ghost sheweth it self more and more both in words and also in deedes And was in wildernesse A. Reade our Annotations vpon the first Verse of the third Chapter of Mathews Gospell Til the day came c C. That is to say he lay hid vntill the time came in the which the Lord had determined that he should shew himself C. Whereby wee gather that Iohn
thoughe hee knew wel inoughe his calling yet notwithstanding he enterprysed nothynge before his time but obaied GOD the caller But Iohn did not goe apart into the VVildernesse to make satisfaction there or to suffer penury for his sinnes but he went aparte that he might Obay his deuine calling For he was chosen from his mothers wombe to this end and purpose that he might not drinke wine nor any stronge drynke That is to say that he might lead a life contrary to common custome and agreable to the lawes of the Nazarites And he was called to this kynd of Life not to make satisfaction for sins by the merits of VVorkes not to be an Example vnto others to dwell in VVildernesse withoute the calling of God but to get Authority and credyt to his testimony which hee minded to geue vnto Christ Iesus Chryst in respect of himselfe stoode not in nede of mans testimony I Iohn 5 3â— saith he haue greater witnes then the witnes of Iohn for the workes which the Father hath geuen mee to finish the same workes that I do beare witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me But seeking the saluation of men hee appoynted the Testimony of Iohn as of a burning and shyning lighte to the ende the vnbeleuing might haue no excuse For God would haue meÌ„ broughte by al means to the knowledge of hys son But the VVicked rather desired to stop their Eares both at the voyce of the son of God and also at the voyce of the forerunner Iohn the Baptist then to geue place vnto the truth euen as Christ casteth in theyr teeth saying Iohn came neyther eatyng nor drynking and they say he hath a Deuil The Son of man commeth eating and Drynking and they say Behoulde a Glutton A Bybber of Wyne and a Friende of Publicanes and sinners Chapter the II. AND it came to passe in those daies that there went a Commaundement from AVGVSTVS Caesar that all the Worlde shoulde bee Taxed The taâ—ing of the vvhole vvorld by the Emperour Augustus And it came to passe in those daies C. Heere the Euangelyst Luke setteth downe the History of Chrystes Natiuitie which Mathewe hath pretermitted For Mathew sheweth the Genealogie of Chryst and then how he was borne but very bryefly But Luke sheweth at large his natiuity and howe it came to passe that Chryst was borne in the city of Bethelem when as his Mother Mary dwelte in another place her time of childbirth being at Hand And first of all hee excludeth mans Counsayle when he sayth that Ioseph and Mary leauing theyr House came thyther to be taxed If so be they had of purpose chaunged the place that Mary mighte haue traueyled in Bethelem we might haue imputed the same vnto men onely but seeing they purposed nothing else then to obey the Commaundement of Augustus we may euidently see that they as blynd men were led thyther by the hand of God where Chryst shoulde bee born This semeth to be done by chauÌ„ce euen as all other thynges whych are not dyrected by the certayne Counsayle and determination of men are ascrybed by prophane and vngodly persons vnto Fortune But wee must not simpely consyder what is done but we must therewithal remember what was spoken long before by the Prophet and the comparisoÌ„ doth euidently shewe that this Taxe was not commaunded by AVGVSTVS CAESAR without the woÌ„derfull Prouydence of God and that Ioseph and Marie came from home that at the very same instant they might come into Bethelem Thus wee see that the Holy Seruauntes of God sometime althoughe they bee waueryng in mynd not knowing whether they goe doe notwythstaÌ„ding keepe the right way because God dyrecteth theyr feete Also the wonderfull Prouidence of God doth herein â—o lesse declare it selfe that the seuere coÌ„maundement of the Emperour doth as it were drawe Mary from her house that the Prophesie might be fulfilled GOD had appoynted the place by the Prophete as wee shall see heereafter where hee woulde haue his son to be borne If so bee MARY had not bene by Force compelled shee was determyned to be brought a bed at home AVGVSTVS commaundeth a Taxe to bee made in IVDEA and euery one to presente his Name that afterwarde they myghte paye they re yerely Tribute which before they wer wont to pay vnto GOD. Thus a prophane Man extorteth that vnto himself whych GOD was wonte to take of hys people And thys was euen as much as if he challengyng the IEVVES wholly to himselfe should forhyd them euer after to be counted the People of God Thus when the IEVVES were come to the extreame poynte of Desperation and seemed to bee cutte of from the Hande of GOD for euer GOD dyd not onely sodaynely contrary to the Hope and Expectation of all men sende a remedy but vseth also that VVycked Tyranny to redeme the people For the Lyeuetenaunte or whatsoeuer hee was that was the Deputy or Seruaunte of CAESAR in exeÌ„tynge that whych was commaunded hym is the secrete Instrumente of GOD to call MARY to the place whych GOD had ordayned appointed for her And in deede to this effecte pertaineth the whole narration of Luke that the Faythfull might knowe that Chryste was gouerned and led by the hande of God euen from his swadling Clothes For thys doth not serue a lyttle for the certainty of Faith that sodainely and contrary to her expectation Mary was led into Bethelem that from thence that redeemer might come euen as he was promised There went a commaundemeÌ„t from Augustus Caesar R. At what time Iohn and Chryst were borne the Ievves were in the power of the Romains into the which they were brought by PoÌ„peius Magnus when Hierusalem was ouercome And this Caesar was called by hys proper name Octauius being the seconde Emperour of the Romaines and called Angustus of Augurio that is of Sooth saying because he was most fortunate in his gouernement and noted of al meÌ„ as one sent from God This Octauius in the 42. yere of his raigne by a publique decree commauÌ„ded that all the Iewes and Syrians in the world should be taxed Now it was necessary that Chryst according to the scriptures should be borne in Bethelem as we sayd euen now Therefore the Vyrgin the mother of Chryst was brought thyther by Gods prouidence That all the world should be taxed E. That is to say all Iury and Syria For it is spoken by a figure called Synecdoche part being put for the whole that which figure is often vsed of the Romaine wryters and therefore ought not to seeme hard vnto vs. And there is no doubte but that this taxe weÌ„t throughe out all Countries that the same might be the more tollerable and not so Odyous Notwythstanding there might be dyuersity in the order of tribute And this first taxing was made wheÌ„ Cyrenius was Liefetenaunt in Syria And this first taxing was made C. This is sayd to be the first taxe because the Iewes being theÌ„ quyte subdued had a new
whole Worlde except he do with some pleasauntnesse temper that which is terrible Therefore the Reprobate do faint at the sight of GOD bycause hee appeareth vnto them no otherwise then as a seuere Iudge but to the faithfull hee appeareth with testimony of his goodnes in Christ and therefore they are not swallowed vp of feare For beholde I bringe you tydinges of great Ioy C. The Angell to recreate the mindes of the Sheepheardes testifieth that hee is sent of GOD to declare his mercy For this only voice doth not onely erecte and comfort men at the brinke of dispaire but doth also restore such as are lost and bringeth them from death vnto lyfe so soone as they heare that the LORD is their louinge and mercifull GOD. BV. Ioy is compared with Sorrowe and torments which come of sinne and damnation and of the Sentence pronounced against vs for sinne The Incarnation and natiuity of the Sonne of GOD taketh away griefe and the horrible feare of Gods Iudgement filleth our heartes with vnspeakeable Ioy knowen onely to the faythfull Wherefore the Angell calleth the same great Ioy. C. To the ende we might know that wee muste not onely principally reioyce ouer the saluation offered to vs in Christe but also that the greatnesse of the benefite is so great large that it doth counteruaile all the sorrowes Griefes and Vexations of this present lyfe To this spirituall great Ioy Paule calleth the faythfull sayinge Phili. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lorde alway and agayne I say reioyce Also The peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding keepe your hearts mindes through Christe Iesus Wherefore let vs learne so to content our selues with Christe alone that the feelinge of his grace may surpasse all the griefes of the fleshe and at the length abolishe them cleane away That shal be to all people C. Although the Angell speaketh to the sheepheards onely he geueth them notwithstandinge to vnderstande that he bringeth vnto them the tydinges of saluation so that not onely they might heare it but others also Wherefore note here that this Ioy belonged to all the people bycause it was offered to al generally For God had promised Christ not to one or two alone but to all the seede of Abraham And whereas the Iewes were depriued of the greatest parte of Ioy which appertayned vnto them their vnbeliefe was the cause therof euen as at this day God calleth all men generally to saluation by the Gospell but the vnthankefullnesse of the Worlde bringeth to passe that very fewe enioy this grace which is offered vnto all men Seeinge therefore this Ioy was shut vp amongest a fewe it is called common in respect of God Moreouer although the Aungell speaketh of the elect People onely the vaile being now taken away the same Ambassage belongeth vnto all Mankinde For CHRISTE bringeth peace not onely to those that are nigh but also to those which are a farre of Ephe. 2.17 as well to Straungers and Forrayners as to them of the Housholde But bycause vntill the resurrection of Chryste there was a speciall couenaunte with the Iewes therefore the Aungell doth seperate them from other Nations For CHRISTE was a Mynister of the Circumcision for the truth of GOD to confirme Rom. 15.8 the Promises made vnto the Fathers Ephe. 2.14 But the vaile or difference beinge taken away as wee sayd before ingraffed the Gentiles into the body of this people Therefore there shal be now Ioy to all People both to Iewes and to Gentiles For it was sayde before In thy Seede shall all the Nations of the Earth bee blessed Gen. 22.18 All Nations but yet they alone which are elect out of the Iewes and Gentiles Verse 34 For Christe was made to many of the Israelites a stone to stumble at 1. Cor. 1.23 and many of the Gentiles also haue counted the Crosse of Christ foolishnesse 11. For vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a sauiour which is Christe the Lord. For vnto you is borne C. Here is expressed the cause of Ioy namely bycause the Redeemer promysed longe before is nowe Borne to restore the Church of God into his former state For the Aungell doth not speake as of a matter altogether vnknowne but beginneth his Ambassage at the Law and the Prophets Bycause hee had vsed this forme of speach in vaine to the Gentiles to Prophane men saying that Christe the Lord was borne a sauiour vnto them First of all wee are taught by these words that whatsoeuer Ioy men haue conceiued is but vaine deceiptful vntill they haue peace with God and are Reconciled vnto him by the Grace of Christe No Ioye vvithout the Lord. The wicked do oftentimes reioyce with drunken mad Ioy but except a Peacemaker betwene God and them they must needes be disquieted vexed with cruell prickes of coÌ„science Furthermore thoughe they pamper theÌ„selues in their delights their owne pleasures are vnto them seuerall Torments Gods loue the cause of perfected Ioy. Rom. 14.17 Therefore this is the beginning of perfect Ioy to feele the fatherly loue of God towarde vs which doth onely quiet and pacefy our mindes And this Ioy is in the holy Ghoste in the which Paule placeth the kingdome of God Wherefore the Angell of the Lord doth preach the Promises of the Messias to come which were so greatly desired to be fulfilled when hee saith that Christe is borne The which made the Sheepheards to be very attentiue the more easely to cast a side feare He sayth To you which contayneth great waight So also the Prophet speaketh To vs a Childe is borne Esay 9.5 to vs a sonne is geuen And Zacharias sayth Beholde thy Kinge commeth vnto the poore Zâ—ch 9.9 The Angell sayth here vnto you bycause ells they might haue sayd To whom speakest thou And of whom doest thou tell vs Hee aunswereth To you the Messias promised in the Lawe is geuen A Sauiour C. CHRISTE is called a Sauiour bycause hee bringeth with him to all that beleue full and perfect saluation Which is Christe the Lorde A. Concerninge this name of Christe wee haue spoken before in our annotations vppon the first Chapter of Mathew verse 16. Note heere howe hee teacheth the Office of Christe or of the Messias whom they looked for namely that he should saue And from what hee shoulde saue it is declared in another place where it is sayd Math. 1 1â— For hee shall saue his people from their sines The Lord This name the Angell geueth vnto Christe bycause he should haue the gouernment of the whole that he might exercise his Domination or Rule here For as GOD doth oftentimes pronounce in the Prophets that he alone is our Lorde our Kinge and Lawgeuer euen so when hee manyfested his Sonne in the flesh hee declared him to bee the same in whom hee woulde raigne and gouerne Wherefore we haue one God from whom are all thinges and we in him
these woordes Simeō geueth vs to vnderstand that Chryste was ordayned of God that all People might enioy his Grace and that shortely after hee shoulde be exalted on hyghe that hee might bee seene of all men And in this woord hee comprehendeth all the Prophesies that haue ben concerning the enlarging of the kingdom of Chryst Wherefore if Symeon imbracyng the tender Infante in his Armes coulde extend his minde vnto the vtmost ends of the World that he might acknoweledge his Power to bee present euery where how much better oughte wee to thynke of him at this Day nowe that hee is made the Saluation of the Gentyles and hath reuealed himself to the whole world A. Chryst therefore is offered vnto all people that all men may behould him as the only author of Saluation C. Wherefore they are far oute of the way which would haue GOD soughte without Chryst by whom we are dyrected the right way vnto the Father God is hidden from vs and is inuisible If wee will seeke him ther is no other way but Chryst he is the marke whych GOD hath appoynted if wee will come vnto him 32 A Lyght to lighten the Gentyles and the Glory of the People Israell E. In this last Verse Symeon declareth to what end the Father reuealed Chryst before all People Namelie to lighten the Gentiles whych before were in darkenes and to be the glory of the People Israell A light to lightē the Gentiles is as much to say as that he may geue light vnto the Gentiles expell al darkenesse out of their minds Also Chryst himselfe testifieth of hymselfe I am the Light of the World Iohn 8.12 who so followeth me walketh not in darknes but shall haue light of Lyfe And hee compareth darkenesse wyth Light Good vvorkes not vvrought In◠Chryst are darkenes Colo. 3.5 Ephe. 5.3 1. Cor. 6.9 in the which darkenesse the Gentiles wer And whatsoeuer good thing is wrought without Chryst is darkenes so is the wisedome of the World the wisedome of the flesh and al maner of sinnes of the which the Apostle speaketh in these Chapters coated in the margent out of the which places the Interpretation of this place also may be gathered As by these words also of Chryst himselfe vnto Paule I haue appeared vnto thee for thys purpose to make thee a Minister and a witnes both of those thinges which thou hast seene and of those thinges in the which I will appere vnto thee deliuering thee frō the people and from the Gentiles vnto whom now I send thee to open theyr Eyes that they may be turned from Darkenesse to Light and frō the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receiue forgeuenes of Sinnes Act. 26 16 and Inheritaunce amōg them which are sanctified by faith that is towards mee Therefore the Reuelation of the Gentiles is theyr illumination and the opening of theyr Eyes by which they see by which they see that they are in the darkenes of sinnes and that they must flee vnto Chryst for remission of sinns and newnes of life Esa 42.6 R. But this parte of the verse seemeth to bee taken out of the wordes of the prophet speaking of Chryst thus I haue made thee a light of the Gentiles to open the eyes of the blynd to brynge those oute of Pryson that were bounde and in darkenes And agayne he saith It is but a smal thinge that thou art my Seruaunt to set vp the Kindreds of Iacob and to restore the Destruction of Israell Esa 49.6 For I haue made thee the Lighte of the Gentiles that thou mayst be my health vnto the ende of the World Also hee sayth Get thee vp betimes and bee bright O Hyerusalem for thy Light commeth and the glory of the Lord is rysen vp vppon thee Esay 60.1 The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kynges to the bryghtnes that spryngeth out vpon thee And the glory of the People Israel C. Symeon doth not without cause put a difference betwene Israel and the Gentiles because by the righte of Adoption the Chyldren of Abrahā were neare vnto God but the Gentiles with whome God had made no couenaunce were forreiners from the Church Exo. 4.22 For the which cause Israell is not onely called the Sonne of God but also his first begotten Rō 15.8 And Paule teacheth that Chryste came to be a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confyrme the promises made vnto the Fathers Moreouer so Israel is preferred before the Gentiles that all men generallie obtaine Saluation in Chryst For by this place we gather that men are naturally depryued of Lighte vntill such time as Chryst the Son of righteousnes doth shyne vnto them As touching Israell though GOD hath greately aduaunced him to Honour yet notwithstanding Symeon sheweth that his whole Glory depēded vppon the Head alone Christ promised to the Ievves belōged to Ievves Gētiles because a redemer was promised vnto him R. Although therefore Chryst bee the Glory of all those which beleue in him whether they be Iewes or Gentyles yet notwythstandyng he is chiefly said to be the Glory of Israell because hee was specially promised vnto thys Nation and because whatsoeuer excellēcie and maiesty happened vnto the People of Israell in this World the same happened vnto him for Chryste and through Chryst For God multiplyed the seede of Abraham and gaue vnto it victory ouer all his Ennemyes the Lande of Chanaan the Kingydome Scepter of the same not for their own Righteousnesse but for Christes sake that they might be a People in the which the promises concerning Christ might bee reuealed and mighte bee kepte vntyll his Natiuitie Because of these things the Iewes boasted as witnesseth Paule saying Behoulde thou art called a Iewe and restest in the Law and makest thy boaste of God c. And a litle after that he saith Thou that makest thy boaste of the Lavve through breaking the Law dishonerest thou God Rom. 2.17 To be shorte because Chryst was borne of Israell according to the Flesh then the which Glory none hath happened more Glorious to any people in the whole world Therefore the Iewes had cause to reioyse when they sawe Chryst borne of theyr Nation according to the promises concerning the which matter Read these places coated in the margent 33. And his father and mother marueiled at those things which wer spoken of him R. It may seme straūge why Ioseph and Mary shoulde marueile at these wordes of Symeon who were certefied before by so many Testimonies that this Infant was the true Messias and Sauiour of the World Had not Mary learned of the Aungell Gabriell that shee should be the mother of the Messias the Sonne of the highest Was not Ioseph tould by the Aungell that his Wyfe had conceyued by the Holy Ghost the Sauioure of the VVorld Did they not see the Magi VVorshippe and acknowledge him for the most high king VVhat then happened vnto
â—xo 15.20 â—edg 4.4 Ki. 22 14 â—â—e 13.17 And such gyfts the Lord hath geueÌ„ to Women as we may reade of Mary the sister of Moses Of Debora the wyfe of Lapidoth a Iudge in Israel of Holda also and others Amonge these as amonge the Prophets also there were sometime found Lyars agaynste whom Ezechyell wrote Luke calleth thys Anne a Prophetyse to the end his Testemony mighte be of greater waight because she spake with Authoritye and not as a commoÌ„ woman The Daughter of Phanuel BV. Luke also sheweth her stocke and Kindred when he sayth that shee was the Daughter of Phanâ—ell who no doubte in those Dayes for his greate vertues was very famous Of the Trybe of Asser R. Among the twelue Trybes of Israell Asser was almost the least in Dignity and Estymation Whereuppon Anna was couÌ„ted the more abiect in this worlde because she came of one of the lest tribes in Estimation But it is well For God dwelleth on highe and beholdeth base Thynges in Heauen and in earth and chooseth those things whych are vyle and contemned in this worlde to make those things which are glorious and honourable ashamed 1. Co. 1 17 Therefore the more abiect that Anna was for the basenesse of her Tribe in this World the more she was iudged feete of the Lord our God to testefy of Chryst From her Virginity A. That is to say from the time that she was mariage able C. This is spoken to the end we myght know that shee was a widowe in her floryshing time For she was depryued of her husband shortly after her mariage For shee liued in matrimony onely seuen yeres And in that she maryed not agayne being lusty and yoÌ„ge of Age her Temperance and Shamefastnes is commended 37 And this widow was about foure score and fower yeres which departed not from the Temple but serued GOD wyth Fastynges and Praiers Night and Day And this widow was about C. Thys may be expounded two maner of wayes namely that thus much time was spent from the first begynning of her widowhead or els that she liued so longe If you recken fower score and fower yeres from her widow head it followeth that she was aboue a hundreth yere olde but wee omitte this Which departed not from the Temple C. This is a hyperbolicall kynd of Speach the sence wherof notwithstanding is manifeste that Anna was very seldome out of the Temple But serued God with fastinges and B. These woordes are not so to bee vnderstoode as though this widow wer negligente in seeking those Thynges which were necessary for this Lyfe Psal 1.2 or as though she did nothing els but fast and pray and dyd vse necessary foode but rather that these were the pryncypall thynges which shee dyd and was pryncipally conuersant in these things Euen as the iust man is sayd to medytate in the Law of God Night day And we vse to say that he which laboreth much laboureth Day Nighte C. But we must noate that this is not a rule prescribed vnto all men neither ought this to be followed as an Example which is here commended in the widow woman For we must wisely discerne what belongeth to euery mans calling For foolish Emulation hathe filled the world with Apes the superstitious rather rashly then wisely taking vnto them whatsoeuer they heare commended in the sayntes As though as there are seuerall degrees of men so there were not a choise of Woorkes to be made that euery one myght liue accordyng to his calling 1. Ti. 5.5 That which is heere spoken of Anne Paule specially restraineth to widows Therefore those maried folkes ar out of the way which frame their lyues according to this Example Notwithstanding there remaineth yet a doubte in that Luke seemeth to place part of the Worship of God in Fastinges But we must noate that amonge the Workes which belonge to the worship of God some are simpelie requyred and the same of themselues necessary and othersome which ar added are referred to this end that they may serue those first Prayers do properlye belonge to the VVorshyppe of God as for fastyng it is but a help to prayer the whych is no otherwyse allowed of GOD then it is a helpe furtherance to the desyre of prayer For wee must remember this holde it as a Rule that the Duties of men are esteemed according to the ryghte and lawfull ende We must also learn thys Distinction that God is dyrectly worshipped by prayers and with fastinges onely for the consequence And there is no doubte but that the Holye Woman fasted to thys ende that shee might the better bewayle the presente Calamity of the Church Moreouer because Luke ioyneth Fastinges wyth Prayers Fastinge hath thâ— endes to the ende other places of Scripture may bee the better vnderstoode know this that holy and lawful fasting hath thre ends for we vse the same either for the subduing of our flesh least it rebel or else that we may be more apte and prepared for holy prayers meditatioÌ„s or els that it may be a testimony of our humility before God wheÌ„ we wil coÌ„fesse our fault before him The first ende is not so ofteÌ„ fouÌ„d in publike fasting because the whole body is not of like dispositioÌ„ therfore it doth rather beloÌ„g vnto priuate fasting The 2. end is coÌ„mon to both For as wel the vniuersal church as euery priuate Faithfull man hath nede of this preparation to prayer the 3. also in like maner For soÌ„time it coÌ„meth to passe the God stryketh some one nation either with war or with plagues or with som other calamity An this general stroke the whole people must acknoledge confes their sin And if the haÌ„d of the lord strike any priuate man either himself alone or els with his family he must do the like And this doth specially consist in the affectioÌ„ of the mind for where the mind is affected as it ought to be it caÌ„not wel be but it wil declare the same by outward shew wherupon fasting as it is a signe of humiliation is more ofteÌ„ vsed openly theÌ„ among priuate meÌ„ how coÌ„mon soeuer it be Therefore as touching Discipline so ofteÌ„ as vve vvil pray vnto God for any great matter it is necessary that vve coÌ„maund fastynge vvyth prayer Act. 13.3 So vvheÌ„ the men of Antioche layd hands on Paule and Barnabas to the end they might the better commende theyr vvorke vvhach vvas of so great vvaight vnto God Act. 14.23 they ioyne fasting vnto their praier So in lyke manner they both vvhen they appoynted Mynisters aftervvards to gouern the Churches vver vvont to pray vvith fastyng But in this kind of fasting they had no other regard but that they myghte be made prompt ready to pray we haue experience of this that the belly beynge ful the mind is not so bent towards god that it can pray with serious ardent affection perseuere in the same EueÌ„ so in
the temptation B. To wit not onely that which concerneth the fortye Dayes faste but also that with the which he was tempted after the fortie Dayes For a season B. If thou thus leaue vnto the word of God Sathan cannot preuayle against thee but will departe at length For so long as wee bee in the Worlde where Sathan is Prynce wee are Subiecte vnto hys Temptations But in the meane time the GOD of Consolation will not ceasse to minister Comforte vnto vs and when he hath put away the deuils from vs he wyll vs Aungels to beare vs vp as Mathew wryteth of Chryst in the ende of thys Temptation But note that the Diuell made not an ende of tempting Christe vntill he was voyde of all power and spoyled of all his Armour and strength euen as a wilfull warriour ceasseth not to prouoke his enemy vntill hee be layed on the grounde Therefore after the ensample of Christe wee must prepare our selues to beare diuers Temptations It is not sufficient that wee haue geuen him the repulse except we ouercome And wee see that Sathan cannot doe so much as hee would seeinge our Euangelist saith And when all temptacion was ended Will neuer wanteth in Sathan but the Lord hath him bounde that hee cannot exercise his subtilties as hee desiereth Furthermore wee haue a promise Hee will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that which you are able to beare 1. Cor. 10. â—â— Sathan wente not away that Christe might leade the rest of his life without trouble If therefore it shall befall vs so to be tempted let vs not thinke that an ende is made by and by but let vs prepare our selues for new conflicts Reade the 4. of Math. the 11. verse 14. And Iesus returned by the power of the spirit into Galile and there went a fame of him throughoute all the Region rounde about S. When Luke saith the Christe returned by the power of the spirit into Galile hee respected that which went before for his purpose is to shewe that Christe in these Conflictes escaped the Conquerer not by humaine power but by the power of the holy Ghoste Not that Christe as he was GOD needed the Grace of the spirit or must be holpen of another but when he was tempted as hee was man it was necessary that his humaine Nature should be strengthned by the Grace of the holy Ghoste that hee might haue the Victory The which in deede is spoken to the consolation of the Godly For as Christ had the maistery being holpen by the Grace of the spirite euen so we shall haue the victory by the power of the same spirite And wee must note that wee shoulde not haue Reaped so great frute nor so much consolation if hee had onely repeated the victory and not the reason and manner of the Victory which is also set before vs. The which Paule sufficiently declareth sayinge But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from the deade Rom. 8.11 dwell in you euen hee that raysed vp Christ from the deade shal also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you If hee had sayd that Christe had raised vp him selfe hee had sayd true but then the faithfull had not receiued so great consolation Moreouer this maner of speach is to bee noted howe that Iesus by the power of the Spirite came into Galile least wee should immagine any terrestriall or Humaine thinge to bee in Christe but that we might alway set before vs the Celestiall and deuine nature in him Last of all we must note that Iesus went now from the Desert into Galile to begin the Ministery of the Gospell beinge mooued with the same spirite with the which he was led into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the Diuell the which is set before vs to admonishe vs to enterprise nothinge without Gods callinge and the authority of the holy Ghoste but to submit our selues wholly vnto his will and direction 15. And hee taughte in their Synagoges and was commended of all men BV. The Euangelist sayth the Christe taughte in their Synagoges but hee sheweth not how often neither can it bee declared Notwithstandinge it may bee coniectured that hee taught very often in them by which his fame increased And was commended of all C. The Euangelist addeth this that wee might knowe that the deuine Power did shine in Christe euen in the beginninge of his ministery the which caused men as yet not infected with a maliciouse desire to gaine say him to woÌ„der and marueile 16. And he came to Nazareth where hee was nursed and as his custome was hee went into the Synagoge on the Sabboth day and stoode vp for to reade And hee came to Nazareth S. It is very likely that Christe did not alwayes abyde still in one place for hee woulde haue the worlde to know him by litle and litle At the length he coÌ„meth to Nazareth where he was both conceiued and nourred C. In this one thinge the Euangelists inciste to shewe by what documentes Christ was knowne of that which thing LVKE in this place setteth downe a worthy example as that hee expoundinge the place of Esay and applying the fame to the present vse caused all men to haue him in admiration And as his custome was he entered C. Hereby wee gather that Christ did speake vnto the People not onely in hiewayes and streates but also obserued the vsuall order of the Church so farre forth as it was lawfull for him Here with also wee see that although the Iewes had degenerated yet notwithstandinge thinges being out of order and the state of the Church being miserably corrupted this good order was left in that they read the Scriptures before the People that thereof they might take occasion to teache and to exhorte S. Euen as it is written Moses of olde tyme hath in euery city them that preache him in the Synagoges Act. 25.21 when hee is read euery sabboth day C. Whereby also appeareth what was the true and lawfull vse of the Sabboth For GOD did therefore commaunde the People to keepe holy day as thoughe hee were simply delighted with their ease and rest But rather that hee might exercise them in the meditacion of his Workes And bycause in consideringe the workes of GOD mens mindes are blinde it is necessary that they bee directed by the rule of the Scripture And although Paule reckoneth the Sabbaoth amonge the shadowes of the Lawe Col. 2.17 yet notwythstandinge in this parte wee must kepe holy day with the Iewes that the People may come together to heare the word of GOD to make Common prayer and to bee exercised in such Workes of godlinesse For the which vse and purpose the Lords day which we call the Sonday accordinge to the manâ—er of the Gentiles followed the the Iewishe Sabboth which wee call Saturnes day Now if wee compare time with time it shall easly appeare that the corruptions of the Popish gouernment at this are
man walke in the day hee stumbleth not because hee hath the light of this Worlde By which Wordes he sheweth that euery one doth walke fastly vntill such time as he hath runne the Race of his callinge the ending of the which Race he calleth the twelfth hower of the day Many are in daunger while they walk in Gods callinge but it is moste certeine that no daūger can harme them vntill their time bee come So Paule was often times in pearill of his Life but hee escaped from Time to Time vntill his hower was come Act. 12 9 So Peter was taken of Herod and reserued in bondes to dye but yet bycause his twelfth Hower was not then come hee escaped out of pryson Let vs therefore all learne to stay our selues vpon Gods prouidence and to bee therewithall contented And if hee suffer vs to pearish as he hath suffered many others howbeit they are not properly sayd to pearish which die in the Lorde let vs knowe that oure hower is then come 31. And hee came downe to Capernaum a City of GALILE and there taught them on the Sabaoth dayes R. This is the vengeance which Christe taketh on his Citizens hee commaūdeth not fire to come downe from Heauen hee rayseth not vp a floude of waters hee maketh not their fieldes barren neyther doth hee send the plague of Pestilence vpon them but only followeth his owne callinge And what calling is that First as touching the abasing and emptying of him selfe his calling was not to reuenge him selfe but to leaue Vengeaunce to the Lorde GOD his Father according to this place Vengeance is myne Deu. 32.3 and I will repay Christe therefore obaying this callinge so resigned Vengeance vnto God that hee doth not hurt on hayre of the heads of the Citizens for the iniury done vnto him Secondly as touchinge his Ministery hee was called to Preache the Gospell as wee haue heard out of the Prophet Wherefore not seekinge vengeance but the fulfillinge of his callinge hee went to Capernaum a City of Galile And there taught them A. What hee taught Mathew sheweth sayinge From that time Iesus began to preache and say Mat. 4.17 Repent for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand 32. And they were astonyed at hys Doctryne for his preachinge was with power R. Beholde here what felloweth Pacience The Nazarites contemne the Capernaites are astonied The Nazarites scorne and reiect Christe but the Capernaites woonder and receiue his woorde with great veneration Wherefore For his preachinge was with power That is to say Hee taught them as one hauinge authority Mat. 7.29 not as the Scribes R For the Scribes if they expounded the lawe taught that the same was fulfilled by externall workes their doctrine was nothing else but a Philosophicall doctrine concerninge vertues But when Christe tooke in hand to expounde the Law hee did most grauely shewe that not onely externall Workes but also the most holy and vndefiled motions of the heart were required by the Law As may be seene by that notable Sermon which Christe made Mat. 5.21 contayned in the fift of Mathew Christe also preached otherwise then did the Scribes cōcerning good works remission of sinnes and the true worship of God And last of all bicause he confirmed that with notable signes myracles which hee taught which the Scribes could not doe 33. And in the Synagoge there was a man which had an vncleane spirit of a Diuell and cryed with a loud voyce A. The Euangelist Marke also maketh mencion of this story in his firste Chapter beginning at the 23. verse Whych had an vncleane Spirit C. This speach is asmuch as if Luke had sayd that the man was caryed with the inspiration of the Diuell For by the sufferance of God Sathan had possessed the powers of the mynde so that he constrayned them at his owne will to say to do what soeuer he would haue them Therefore when Demoniakes do speake it is the Diuell that speaketh in them by them who hath leaue to rule Concerninge this the verse followinge reade the 24. verse of the first Chapter of Marke 35. And Iesus rebuked him sayinge hold thy peace come out of him And when the diuell had throwen him in the middes he came out of him and hurte him not A. Beside the reasons alleadged in the first of Marke why Christ cōmaunded the Diuell to hold his peace this also may be added namely R. that Christ might confirme the Gospell which he had hetherto preached in wordes by a myracle as by a certaine seale He preached that he was sent of God to preach deliuerance to the captiues sight to the blynde that is to say that hee would deliuer men from sinne from the power of Sathan Therefore when one possessed with a Diuell was offred vnto him in the Synagoge he commaūded the Diuell to hold his peace and behold hee is silent hee commaunded him to goe out of the man and behold the Diuell casteth the man in the middest but did him no harme and by and by went out of him And Christe did this miracle in the Demoniake to cōfirme by an externall seale that power was geuen vnto him ouer Sathan that it was true which hee had preached that hee was sent to deliuer all those that beleue in him from all their sinnes and from death and to restore them to perfect felicity For to this ende did Christe worke his myracles that they might be sure Seales of the Gospell and publique testimonies of the Doctrine of remission of sinnes by Fayth in Christe And whē the diuel had thrown him By these woordes wee haue to vnderstand that the nature of Sathan is such that he rayseth vp great Tumultes against the Gospell of Christe and the faithfull But if thou stand fast in the worde of Christe he shall do thee no harme at all Reade the first of Marke 37. And the fame of him spred abrod throughout euery place of the coūtrey rounde about R. That which Christe sought by his myracle hee also obtayned For hee sought by this myracle to haue that fame of his name spred euery wher to haue his Maiesty openly reuealed and the truth of his doctrine knowne And this he sought not for the carnall glory of his name as ambitiouse men doe but for our spirituall profit to the ende that we being drawen by the fame of his name might beleue his Gospell and might be Iustified by fayth and that beinge iustified by fayth we might haue peace with God through Iesus Christe 38. And when hee was rysen vp and come out of the Synagoge hee entered into Simons house and Simons Wyues mother was taken with a great feauer and they made intercession to him for her R. In this place we must note the great humillity of Christe For being nowe in the famouse City Capernaum in the which he was now in great estimation for his Myracles hee lodgeth not with the rych men
so to teach concerning the Externall Worshippings of God was nothinge else but to kill and spoyle men And as the true and Eternall Saluation is more precious then Corporall Life so they are more cruell theeues whych wyth theyr wicked Doctrine kyl the soules of men then are they which wyth a Sword take away this Corporal life Wherefore the Iewes are iustly accused to make of the House of prayer a Den of theeues Reade more in the 21. Chapter of Math. Verse 13. 47. And he taught daily in the temple But the high Priests and the Scrybes and the chiefe of the people wente about to destroy him C. Marke and Luke first of all shewe of what kynde of men the Church cōsisteth namely of a base and raskall multitude secōdly who were Christs Enemies namely the high priests and Scribes and all the Rulers And this is part of the folishnesse of the crosse that God leauing the excellency of the world chose that which was foolyshe weake and contemptible A. Chryste taught in the temple to shew what ought chiefly to be don there Whereuppon also afterward hee saith I was alwayes teaching in the Sinagogue Ioh. 18.20 Ma. 26.55 in the Temple in the which all the Iewes came together and in secrete spake I nothing And the nearer hee drewe to tht Crosse the more earnestly he fulfilled his office But the priests and Scribes R. Wee see here in the priests and scribes the Image of true impiety That which Chryst did is the worke of the holy Ghost the which also the priesis scribes ought to haue had in admiration and to haue immitated also because they had the lawefull administration of Ecclesiastycall matters But so farre were they from acknowledging the worke of God and repenting that they were rather prouoked to cruelty and to conspyre the death of Chryste Such is Obstynate wickednesse It will not be brought to Godlines neither by doctrine nor by miracles nor by example As Pharao and Iudas that Traitor were made the worse by miracles and admonitions Euen so he which is indurate and hardened in impiety goeth forward in his filthines whatsoeuer thou dost wherfore we ought to take hede of nothing more then least we fall from pietye to impiety and if it fortune that through the imbecillity of the flesh wee fall let vs by and by repēt least impiety take rooting in vs and brynge vs to Euerlasting destruction 48. And could not finde what to do for all the People stucke by hym when they heard him R Whereas the Chiefe Pryestes and Rulers of the People did not out of Hande kyll Chryste there wanted no will in them but they wanted opportunity to bryng theyr will to passe Mathewe sayeth that they feared the people because they held him as a prophet Ma. 21.46 Dyd the Common People then defende Chryst from the Crueltie of the hyghe Pryestes No verely Ioh. 19.15 for they shortly after cryed Away wyth him away with him crucefy him But the Common People which followed Chryst made the high pryestes after a sorte afearde but in very dede not the People but the Deuine callyng made Chryst fearefull to the wycked hygh Pryestes For CHRIST taughte the People and confirmed his Doctryne wyth myracles by the deuine calling In the whych Callynge whosoeuer walketh hee shal be fearefull and Terryble not onely to men whych are hys Aduersaries but also to Sathan himselfe Are there not sayth he twelue howers in the Day If a man walke in the Day he stumbleth not Ioh. 11.19 because hee seeth the light of this world Hee walketh in the Day which walketh in Gods calling So when Iacob wente with his vnprepared family to Bethel the feare Terror of God so inuaded those that dwelte in all the Cyties thereabout that they durst not persecute them because Iacob went to Bethel at the calling of God Gen. 33. So Moses though he brought many plagues vppon the Aegyptians and though Pharao threatned to kil him yet notwithstanding not one in so mighty a kyngdome durst lay hand on him because that which he did was Gods calling So it was said to the Israelites when they wēt into the lād of Chanaan I wil sēd my feare before thee wyl destroy al the people whether thou shalt go Ex. 23.27 because the Israelites went by Gods calling into the Land of Chanaan Lu. 21.14 To the Apostles also it is sayd When they shall deliuer you vp Be yee not careful how or what yee shal speake for I wyll geue you a mouth wisedome the which all your aduersaries shal not he able to gaine say or resist because the Apostles preached the Gospel by Gods calling But these things are not so to bee vnderstoode concerning the feare of the enemies that they shall neuer doe any harme to those which walke in Gods calling for oftētimes they oppresse and kill them but that they can not hinder the Lawefull course of Gods calling do any hurte and harme before the appoynted time and without the will of God to him that walketh in Gods calling For whosoeuer dwelleth vnder the defence of the most highe shal abyde vnder the shadow of the Almighty Also hee shall geue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They shal hold thee vp in theyr hands least at any time thou dash thy fote against a stone Wherefore let vs not feare that violence and threateninges of our aduersaries Psa 91.2 and cast aside Gods calling but let vs goe forwarde with bouldnes in Gods calling For so it shall come to passe that we shall not onely bee terrible to oure Aduersaries but shall also bee preserued in all euils and aduersities C. Lastly the wicked conspyracie of the Priestes and Scribes was repressed because Chryst was appointed by Gods secrete decree to suffer the Death of the crosse A. For it was necessary that the same should be true which our Sauiour Chryste had so oftentimes spoken to his disciples saying The Son of man shall be deliuered to the high priests and Scrybes Ma 20.18 and they shall condemne him to death and shall deliuer him to the Gentiles to be mocked to be scourged to bee crucyfied ⧠THE XX. CAP. 1. AND IT CAME to passe that on one of those dayes as he taught the people in the Temple and preached the gosple the high Priestes Scrybes came vpō him with the Elders R. Althoughe the highe Priestes and Scribes could not vse violence against Chryst at theyr plesure because of the people which depended vppon that mouth of Chryst yet neuertheles they proceede to deuise all meanes possible by which they mighte oppresse and destroy him For Chryst by his singuler Authority entering into the Temple caste out the buyers and sellers of the same and then taught daily in the tēple to heare which Doctrine the people came on heapes frō al parts roūd aboute which wonderfully galled the high Priestes and
dishonor and infirmiâ—y Seeing therefore other mens bodies shal be glorious whole sound in the Resurrection howe much more hath the body of Chryst rysen agayne whole souÌ„d To what purpose then were the scarres of the wouÌ„ds in so glorious a body C. We aunswere that by them it is declared to euery one of vs that Chryst is rather riseÌ„ agayn for vs then for himselfe who being the Conquerer of Death and endued with blessed and heuenly immortallity was notwithstanding for his Electes sake contented to carry for a time in his body the reliques of the crosse And verely in this he did woÌ„derfully beare with the weakenesse of his Disciples in that he would rather want some part of the perfect glory of his Resurrection then to disappoynt their fayth of such a help and stay Moreouer it is a foolishe and vaine Immagination to thinke that the Iudge of the whole world shall come with his body cut and mangled in the latter day of Iudgemente R. For hys body hath now another maner of form before his heauenly Father and in hys Kingdome then it had amonge men Hee hath nowe in hys Kyngdome the forme of a glorified body indewed with heauenly maiesty and comprehesible of no maÌ„ in this world For if in this Transformation before his thre Disciples when as yet he haâ— mortall Flesh his face did shyne as thâ— Sunne and his garments were madâ— passing white his body must needes bâ— endued with greater maiesty after hys Resurrection into his Kingdome therfore as he would eate in the presence oâ— his Disciples to testefy his resurrection though he needed no meate so hee would carry the scarres of the wounds in his hands fete and side for a Tyme for the same cause that he might wynne credit by all manner of meanes to hys Resurrection A. For the behoulders hereof could not gainesay such manifesâ— signes Whereupon there is no doubt but that afterward they did much morâ— feruently set forth the glory of his Resurrection when they had receiued the holy ghost as appereth by these words of Luke in another place Act. 4 3â— And vvyth great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the Resurrection of the Lord Iesu and great grace was with them all 41. And while they beleeued not for ioy and wondered hee sayde vnto them haue ye heere any meate C. This place also testefieth that they were not obstinate vnbeleuers but hauing an earnest desire to beleeue theyr affections were tied with greate vehemencie insomuch that they could not be iâ— quiet For the ioy of the which Luke maketh mention sprange not but from faith and yet notwithstanding it waâ— a let to theyr faith to preuayle oueâ—come Therefore let vs note how greate we ought to suspecte the vehemency our affections the which althoughe it spryngeth from good beginninges yet notwithstanding it carrieth vs quite cleane out of the right way Wee are taught also how dilligently we oughte to sight agaynst the impedimentes of fayth seeing that the ioy which was coÌ„ceiued of the presence of Chrâ—st was the cause of Vnbeliefe in the Apostles Therefore the purpose of Luke was to expresse such an affection as euery one of vs feeleth at this day When wee heare any Wonderfull or ioyfull thinge wee are by and by rapte and rauished with the same Such a signe was in Abraham he laughed and sayde 〈◊〉 17 1â— Shall a C yâ—de bee borne vnto him that is a hundered yeares olde Yet notwithstanding hee is not reprehended The laughter of â—ara is reprehended because it sprange of Infidellity So was Abraham â—apt that he knew not what he sayd Such affection was in the Disciples So that if these wordes For â—oye were not added we might haue thought the discyples to haue bene at that time vnbeleuinge but they wondered so that they were out of their wits as it were Haue yee heere any Meate C. Heere agayne wee see how gentely and louingly the Lord beareth wyth the infirmity of his Disciples who vouchsafeth to holde them that fall wyth a new prop or stay And although he had gotten the new estate of a heuenly life hauing no more nede of meate theÌ„ Angels haue yet notwithstanding he vouchsafeth of his owne accord to abase and humble himself to the coÌ„mon vse of mortall men He had made himself subiect to the necessity of eating drynking all his life time but now being exempted from the same he eateth meate to thys ende that he might perswade his Disciples concerning the resurrection Thus wee see that hee hauynge alwaies more regard to vs then he hath to himselfe hee will bee alwayes ours Wee see also how great our imbecillity is yea euen when wee haue euident promises yet neuerthelesse the Lord confirmeth and strengtheneth vs by one meanes or other For whereunto serue Baptisme the Lords supper and many other things but onely to coÌ„firme and strengtheÌ„ vs. This therefore must be ascribed to the goodnesse of Chryste that hee helpeth our infirmity and lifteth vs vp by such helpes as are necessary for vs. 42. And they offered him a piece of broyled fish and of a hony combe A. Such as the Apostles haue they offer vnto the LORD It may be that thys was the Fragments of their Supper In Iohns Gospell wee haue these words As soone then as they were come to Land they saw hoate coales Iohn 21 9 Iohn â— 9 and fishes layd thereon and bread Also in another place there is mention made of two fishes when the lorde fed a greate multitude of men in the Wildernesse Whereby it appeareth that the common Foode of the Disciples was such meate as by theyr owne arte and labor they tooke for they were fishers 43. AND hee tooke it and dyd eat before them C. Hee dyd not eate as wee sayde before because he was an Hungared but hee dyd eate to the same end purpose that he retained the skars in his body that is to say hee would doe all things for his Disciples sakes wherof he him selfe had no neede R For to eat is the greatest and most special signe of lyfe Wherefore Chryst hauing raysed the ruler of the Sinagogues Daughter from Death to life Luk. 8.55 commaunded to geue her meate not to quallify her huÌ„ger which the mayde as yet felt not but to make it manifestely appere that she was aliue A. Also of Lazarus it is sayd that he was one of those whych sate at meate with Iesus Ioh. 12.13 when he had a supper prepared for him at Bethanie sixe daies before the passouer R. Therefore Chryst would eate with his Disciples after his Resurrection not to asswage hunger which he could neuer â—ele any more but to prooue the certainety and truth of his life Therfore Peter when hee preached at Caesaria made mention of this Argument of the Resurrection of Chryste saith My God raysed vp the thyrde Day and shewed him openly Not to all the People but to vs witnesses
rather lost his labour in teaching them three whole yeares thā he would at the first open their mindes Wee answere that although the fruite of his labour appeared not so quickly Aunsvver yet notwithstandinge it was not without profit bycause when they were endued with new light they felt also the profite of the former time For their mindes were opened not onely that they might euer after be apt to be taughte if any thinge were propounded vnto them but also that they mighte call to minde the Doctrine which before they had heard in vayne Furthermore let vs know that they learned to their profite by that three yeares ignorance that they attayned to newe vnderstandinge onely by heauenly lighte Notwtstanding we must note that the Apostles were not so cleane voyde of the lighte of vnderstandinge but that they retayned certaine small prynciples But bycause the taste which they had was very small this is sayd to be the beginning of true vnderstanding when the vaile being taken away they beholde Christe in the Law and the Prophets C. But some man may demaunde and say Question Seing Chryst here opened his Apostles myndes that they might vnderstand the Scriptures why was the holy Ghoste sent vnto them afterward To this wee aunswere Aunsvver that God doth woorke by litle and litle in vs and by Degrees Hee opened his Dysciples myndes so far forth as it was needeful for a time and he defferred their ful illumination vntill the sending of the holy Ghoste And wherefore they receiued the same Surely bycause they were to striue against the whole Worlde 46. And sayd vnto them Thus it is written thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to ryse agayne from death the third day C. Hereof cōmeth no small consolation that the same which was done vnto Christ happened long before although hee made him selfe manifest by infinite miracles yet notwithstanding the same were not so certaine as when we see it foretolde by the Prophetes For seeinge all the Prophets foreshewed the same and seeing we reade that whatsoeuer they prophesied was s fulfilled all doubting is taken away This place verely ought diligētly to be noted with great attencion of the minde By this place also their cauill is refelled which say that externall doctrine shal be superfluous if so be wee haue naturally no power to vnderstand the same For Christ after he had geuen the spirite of vnderstanding to his Disciples hee did not speake vnto them withoute fruite out of the Scriptures And although the sound of the Word doe vanish away from the Reprobate wyth out fruite yet notwithstanding it shall take from them all excuse And thus it behoued Chryst to suffer R. As if he should say The Scripture concerning the maiesty of the Kingdome of Chryst must be so vnderstoode that it teacheth the Kingdome of Chryste not to be corporal in this earth but rather that Chryst must suffer in this worlde crosse and death and by the same enter into the spyrituall maiesty of his kingdome For the first promise of al which we haue concerning Chryste geueth vs to vnderstand that he must suffer in this world The seede of the Woman shall treade downe thy head Gen. 3.15 thou shalt treade vpon his heele For to tread vpon Christs heele is to cast him into diuers afflictions and into corporall death The Sacrifices also which the Patriarkes vsed signified that Chryst should shed his bloude that is to say that he should dye And to rise againe from Death The The Scripture doth not onely make mencion of the Death and Passion of Christ but addeth also his resurrectiō For to omit those places of Scripture which do plainely prophesie that Christ shall rise againe there was neuer any Prophet which hath written the Chryst shall suffer and die but the same hathe also testefied plainely that he shall ryse again raigne for euer And whē he shal rise again what shal become of his kingdō Shal he then gather together an army of Souldiers and inuade the Kingdomes of this world by externall Violence No verely But thus it is written saith he and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise again from death the thyrd day 47. And that repentance and remission of sinns should be preached in his name amonge all nations and must begin at Hierusalem R. Behould this is the meane this is the way by which Chryst shall rule in this world After his Resurrection he shall not mouster and gather together souldiers to subdue the whole Worlde to himselfe with externall tyranny but he shall ordayne the publique preching of his Gospell that repentaunce may be preached throughout the whole world and remission of sinnes in the name of Chryst A. But let vs note the order which Chryst followeth here C. Fyrst he maketh mention of his Death and resurrection secōdly of the fruit which cōmeth vnto vs of thē both For where of commeth repentance remission of sins but because our old mā is crucified with Chryst that by his grace we may rise to newnesse of life because by the sacrifice of his death our sinnes are takē away our Fylthynesse washed of with his Bloud and by his Resurrection Righteousnesse purchased for vs Therefore hee teacheth that the cause of our Saluation must be soughte in his Death and Resurrection because from thence spryngeth Reconcilliatiō with God and Regeneration into a newe and spyritual life Wherefore it is plainely expressed that neither Remission of sins nor repentance can bee preached but in his name because wee can neither hope for Imputation of righteousnesse neither can wee denye our selues and obtayne newnesse of life but by thys that Iesus Chryste is made vnto vs Righteousnesse and Sanctification 1. Co. 1.30 What Repentaunce is reade the third chapter of Mathew Also in the 28. of Mathew wee haue sayd somwhat concerning the exposition of this verse Furthermore in repentance and remission of sinnes the summe of the Gospell is reprehended as appeareth by diuers places of Scripture In repentance we must be very dilligent For wee see that the definition of the same hath bene buryed The subtilty of Sathan hath bene wonderfull to ouerthrowe or obscure matters of great wayght the which he hath done in this repentance the other part of the Gospell as we haue sayd Ephe 4.21 For Paule sayth that Christe is not well knowen without the doctrine of repentance Regeneration To Repent or to conuert vnto God contayneth mortification or the denying of our selues newnes of life And this Repentaunce is wrought in vs by the feare of god whē as we refer our whole life vnto him begin to mislike of our selues 2. Cor. 7.9 Hereof commeth the sorrow of the which Paule maketh mencion I reioice that ye sorrowed to Repentance for your sorrow was godly By this kinde of sorrow it commeth to passe that we renounce our selues and geeue our Selues wholy vnto the obedience of GOD. And the fruites of
Elizeus the Prophet and none of them was clensed sauing Nahaman the Syrian C. Christ therefore added this to shew that he must haue respect vnto the will of his Father 4. Kin. 5.14 and that of his owne will hee tooke nothing vpon hym For why was Elias sent vnto a straunge Wydowe but onely bycause it so pleased God to haue it Also why did not the same befall other Leapers which happened to Naaman a straunger but onely bycause Elizeus had receiued no such commaundement of the Lord C. And although Christe doth particularly wound the Nazarites with these Examples yet notwithstanding withall hee reprehendeth the ingratitude of the whole Nation bicause all of them for the most parte were wonte the nearer that GOD came vnto them the more disdaynefully to contemne him For howe commeth it to passe that GOD shoulde preferre a Straunge Woman before all the Israelites but onely bycause the Prophet being reiected of them was constrayned to seeke his abode in a prophane Land Also to what ende would the Lord haue Naaman the Syrian to bee healed of Elizeus but only to the shame and reproch of the people of Israell Therefore the sence and meaning is this The same happeneth now which came to passe longe ago at what time the Lord sent his power to straungers which were farre of bicause he was reiected of his owne people Neuerthelesse Christe gieueth vs to vnderstand that nothing of his own glory is deminished in that hee is not regarded of his owne Countrey-men bycause GOD cannot adorne and extoll his Sonne in another place wythout their Ignominie and shame euen as before tyme hee honoured his Prophets in the middest of the Gentiles By this meanes the proud and foolishe boastinge of the Fleshe is beaten downe seeinge wee see that the Lorde doth raigne and send downe his gratious Dew not onely where and when it pleaseth him but also in farre Corners not regardinge the Land which he had chosen for his Inheritance And hereof wee may gather a generall Doctrine namely that it is not our parte to prescribe and appoint vnto GOD howe hee shall bestowe his Benefites who at his owne pleasure aduaunceth to honour the basest and most contemptible reiecting the chiefe Wee must also note the Antithesis or Comparison betwene Israell and the prophane Gentiles and with all wee must knowe that none are chosen before others for their owne worthines but that the same commeth rather to passe by the wonderfull Counsayle of GOD the reason whereof though it bee hydden from vs yet notwithstanding we must adore the height depth of the same 28. And all they in the Synagoge when they hearde these thynges were filled with wrath B. The Nazarites were greatly offended with this Reprehension C. They vnderstoode whereunto those two Examples tended which Christe had vttered namely that the Grace of God should be taken from them and be bestowed elswhere Therefore they tooke it to their reproch But when their Consciences shoulde haue bene pricked to the quicke and correctinge and amending their faults should haue fought for remedy they are onely moued wyth fury and outrage Thus the wicked doe not onely resist the Iudgements of GOD obstinatly but doe also cruelly set vpon his Seruāts Notwithstandinge hereby it appeareth of what force those reprehensions bee which proceeded from the Spirite of God For they inflame their mindes with madnesse which would willingly make a scorne of them So that there is no cause why we should meruaile to see the wicked at this day when they are prouoked by the preaching of the Gospell to vtter their blasphemies being ready also to kill the Mynisters thereof for they will admit no new or straunge thinge 29. And rose vp and thruste him out of the City and led him euen vnto the edge of the Hill whereon their City was builte that they might cast him downe headlonge A. If so be that Christe had flattered them after the maner of the Pharises they would haue honored him greatly R. But bicause he noted their ingratitude vnbeliefe by his Sermon they are so mad and outragious agaynste him that they seeke to destroy him not onely as a simple Heretike but also as the author of all impiety and some execrable Manster hated of God and men Heere in the Nazarites let vs beholde what is the lot of the Mynisters of Gods Worde amonge wicked men For euen as Christe was Derided of his Citizens preachinge the Gospell out of Esay the Law setting threatninges and punishmente before their eyes was caried to death euen so all the Mynisters of Gods worde if they preache Christe the magnificent promises of the Gospell and doe place their hearers in the kingdome of heauen and in euerlastinge felicitie their rewarde at the handes of the wicked is to be laughed to scorne and to bee disdayned as a babler And if they preach the Law and the threatnings of the law and cry out against the sinnes of men and deliuer them vnto Sathan for the destruction of the fleshe that the soule may bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus then are they called raylinge Knaues Traytors Seditiouse persons and such as are vnworthy to liue vpon the Earth and they are caried to death euen as if they were the most wicked of all other For thus it is wont to come to passe Math. 7. ◠that when pearles are cast before Swyne and that which is holy geuen to Dogges the one will treade the Pearles vnder their feete and the other turning vpon their Benefactors will all to rent them What then Shall not the Woorde of God therefore be preached Yes verely it must be preached For although there bee many which contemne and persecute the same yet notwithstanding the lord hath alway his shepe which heare the voice of the sheepherd and although the Preacher of the Worde be in many daungers yet neuerthelesse not one of his Enemies can hurt the least hayre of his heade without the good will of GOD. 30. But hee passing through the middest of them went his way C. Luke geueth vs to vnderstand that Christe miraculously by hys Deuine power escaped present death R. The Nazarites held him Captiue and led him to cast him downe headlong from the toppe of the Hill but hee escaped from them so freely that they themselues know not by what meanes hee had gotten out of their handes C. By which example wee are taughte that although the aduersaries preuaile so that our lyfe seeme subiect vnto their will yet notwithstandinge the power of GOD shall haue the maisterye to saue and defend vs so longe as it is his pleasure to keepe vs in the Worlde For GOD can tye their hands dasell their Eyes and bereaue them of their Wittes to haue his purpose This power shall alway preuaile how soeuer the wicked fret and fume C. For thus saith Christe in an other place Ihon. 11.9 Are there not Twelue howers in the day If any