which is not a reward os merit but of mercie not of debt but of fauour as it appeares here by the persons Of whom God the Father Through whom the Steward God the Sonne To whom to the labourers yet so that the last be paied first and the first last When euen All our time of labouring in the vineyard is termed in this and other places of holy writ a day Behold now the day of saluation Exhort one another while it is called to day Now our whole pilgrimage on earth is called a day in two respects especially 1. For the shortnesse of our life 2. For that after this our day is spent wee shall no longer worke All our time is but a day and that a short day a winters day for our eternal night is infinitly longer then our temporall day and alas it is but a little part of this little day that we worke Multum temporis eâ—ipitur nobis plus subducitur plurimum effâ—uit exigua pars est vitae quam nos viâ—imus It is the least part of our life that we truly liue for wee spend our youth which is our morning in toyes and vanities and our old age which is our afternoone for the most part is lost in carking and caring for things of this life so that there remaineth only the noone of our day As Epaminondas aptly we must salute young men with good morow or welcome into the world old men with good night because they bee leauing the world only those of middle age with good day Let vs examine then how we spend our noone Though honest men vse not to sleepe at noone yet all wee being labourers in Gods haruest and vineyard ordinarily sleepe almost halfe our time Other houres we waste in eating other in playing and that which is worst of all most of all in sinning all which time wee cannot properly bee said to liue for as the scripture teacheth vs plainly bad workes are not the workes of light but of night and darknesse a day mispent is lost amici diem perdidi Similis Captaine of the guard to the Emperour Adrian after he had retired himselfe and liued priuatly seuen yeeres in the countrey confessed that hee had liued only 7. yeers and caused to be written vpon his tombe Hic iacet Similis cuius aetas multorum annorum fuit ipse septem duntaxat annos vixit So many religious men haue numbred their yeeres not from the day of their birth but of their new birth from their beginning of their regeneration and repentance reputing all that time lost which was idly misspent in the market of the world so that whether we consider our life of nature or life of grace our whole time may well be called a short day Secondly a day in regard of our eternal night in which we cannot worke for there is no grace in the graue nor health in hell I must worke the workes of him that sent me saith Christ while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke When euen is come the Lord of the vineyard shall say to his steward call the labourers and giue them their hire This euen is either euery mans end or else the worlds end the particular houre of our death or the general day of iudgement at both which as well the loiterer as the labourer shall receiue his reward The next point to be discussed is what Giue them their hire The word hire doth exceedingly trouble the Papists for they cannot or at least will not vnderstand how eternal life may be both a reward and a gift whereas it is demonstrated in holy Scripture that the immortall crowne of glorie is called a reward secundùm quid only but a gift simplicitè◠if we compare life euerlasting to the worke and looke no further it is called a reward Matth. 5.12 Great is your reward in heauen but examine the first original from whence the worke it selfe also proceedes and all is meerely and wholly gift eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord whereas the blessed Apostle said the wages of sinne is death If there were any merits in our workes the sequell of his speech should haue been The wages of righteousnesse is eternall life hee saith not so but the gift of God is eternall life and so by that which he doth not say as also by that which he doth say sheweth that there is no place for merit If then it be of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no grace Gratia non erit gratia vllo modo nisi sit gratuita omniâ—odo Grace is not grace in any sort if it be not free in euery sort In this controuersie the scriptures and fathers and many learned Papists are on our side God saith in the law that he will shew mercy to such as keep his commandements Ergo rewâ—â—â— is giuen of mercy to them that fulfill the law Christ saith in the Gospell It is your fathers pleasure to giue youâ— kingdome And Paul The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory in the life to come The most iudicious and the most indifferent for both parties among the fathers is Augustine who repeates in his works often this one golden sentence Deus coronat dona sua non merâ—aâ—â—â—â—râ— God crowneth his owne gifts not our merits according to that of Dauid Hee crowneth vs with compassion and louing kindnesse Eternall life should be rendred as due vnto thee if of thy selfe thou hadst the righteousnesse to which it is due But of his fulnesse wee receiue not onely grace now to liue iustly in our labours vnto the end but also grace for this grace that afterward wee may liue in rest without end Haec est gratia â—ratis dâ—â—a non meritis operantis sed miseratione donaxâ—iâ— Origen saith he can hardly be perswaded that there can be any worke which by debt may require reward at Gods hand in as much as it is by his gift that wee are able to doe or thinke or speake any thing thatiâ— good Marke the Hermite saith He that doth good 〈◊〉 â—â—ng reward thereby serueth not God but his owne wâ—â—◠〈…〉 the words of my text The Lord of the vineyard 〈…〉 hire not as paying a price to their labour buâ— powâ—ing forth the riches of his goodnesse to the◠〈…〉 chosâ— without works that euen they alâ—o who 〈…〉 with much labour and haue receiued no mâ—re 〈…〉 may vnderstand that they haue receiued a 〈…〉 not wages for their worke So Saint 〈…〉 in Rom 8. Greg. Magnus in Psalm 〈…〉 1. dâ— interpell cap. 1. in Luc. lib. 8. c. 17. Fulgentius ad Monimum lib. 1. Many learned Papists agree with vs also both in their positions and practise Bernard in his sermon vpon the Annunciation said that the merits of men are not such as that life eternall
Pastor is a steward in Gods house and a steward must not onâ—ly prouide meat enough but also prepare it in due season otherwise saith Bernard it is not dispensatio but dissipatio This ought to be their first and last care for Iohn in prison euen at deaths doore was most carefull to commend his schollers vnto the best Tutor and this paterne fits all parents as well as Preachers In a word all superiors that they be watchfull for the good of such as are vnder them If there be any that prouidâ—th not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell If such as neglect their families in temporall things be worse then infidels how bad are they who neglect them in spirituall things vsing no paines in their life nor care at their death that their seruants and children after their departure may be brought vp in instruction and information of the Lord But that which is especially noted out of those circumstances is Iohns humility who was not vaine glorious or factious or any way desirous to draw disciples after him but rather to send them vnto other who could better instruct them If all our Preachers were like Iohn there would be much lesse diuision and much more deuotion in the Church An itching shepheard must necessarily make a scabbie sheep He sent When the Pastor is restrained of his libertie let him not cease to prouide for his flocke when the Master of the family cannot come to Church himselfe let him send his seruants vnto Christ. Two For mutuall society because two are better then one if one fall the other may lift him vp if one forget the other may remember and yet not mo then two lest turba should proue turbulenta lest many heads should make many Creeds As Iosuah sent two to spie the promised land so Iohn sent two to spie the promised Lord. Art thou he that shall come At the first sight hereof some may suppose that Iohn did doubt whether Christ was the true Messias or no for otherwise he would neuer haue sent his disciples with this question Art thou hee that shall come c. But if you call to mind that which is written before that Iohn baptised Christ in Iordan and how hee saw the holy Ghost descending vpon him and how he pointed him out with the finger This is the Lambe of God Or if you shall aduisedly consider what followeth after this question of Iohn in this present Chapter what honourable testimony Christ gaue of him that he was not a reed shaken with the wind that is an inconstant man one that preached Christ to be come and now to make question of his comming that he was a Prophet yea more then a Prophet if I say we note the text either precedent or consequent it will appeare more manifest then light at noone that Iohn himselfe did no way doubt of Christ and therefore to let passe all other expositions I follow with the whole streame of late writers that old interpretation of S. Hâ—erome Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius Hilary Rupertus all which are of this opinion that Iohn Baptist made not this doubt in regard of himselfe but in the behalfe of his doubting disciples as yet not throughly perswaded that Christ was the Sauiour of the world and therefore did he send them vnto Christ that by occasion of Christs answere hearing his words and seeing his wonders they might be fully satisfied and in fiâ—e saued A candle being put in a close roome will shew forth it selfe thorow the little cranies of the wals and chinckes of the window Iohn was a burning and shining lamp and therefore though he was shut vp in prison yet notwithstanding shined in his humility wisdome loue zeale before men euen like the Sun giuing the greatest glimpse at his going downe Goe and tell Iohn Why tell Iohn He knew before that Christ was the Messias he might haue said rather I tell you not Goe you and shew Iohn but Christ would take no notice of their vnbeliefe lest hâ—e should shame and discourage them too much What you haue heard and seene What you haue heard of others and seen your selues for as S Luke reports at that very time bâ—fore their eies our Sauiour cured many of their sicknesses and plagues and of euill spirits and vnto many blind men he gaue sight as if hee should reason thus I haue made the premises it remaineth onely that ye gather the conclusion he that inlightneth the eies of the blind and openeth the eares of the deafe bindeth vp the broken hearted aâ—d preacheth good tidings vnto the poore c. hee is assuâ—edly the Messias of the world But I doe all these therefore goe tell Iohn what yee haue heard and seene the blind receiue their sigâ—t the lame walk c. Ye know the tree by his fruit Non ex â—elijs non ex floribus sed ex fructibus Here then we may lâ—arne to teach ignorant people with our workes as wâ—ll as our words that all men may see so well as hâ—aâ—e what we are Yea but why did not he shew them in plaine termes but demonstrate by miracle that he was the Mâ—ssias He told the woman of Samaria before shee did aske why then did hee not tell them when they did aske Chrysostome giues this reason because Christ knew the woman of Samaria would easily belieue therefore hee vsed a bare word onely but the disciples of Iohn were hard of beliefe and therefore he â—hought it best to teach them by works and not by words I haue greater witnesse â—hen the witnesse of Iohn for the works which the Father hath giuen me to finish the same works that I doe beare witnâ—sse of me that the Father hath sent me Wherefore though yee beleeue not me yet beleeue â—he works Go shew what ye haue seene the blinde receiue their sight the lame walke the leapers are cleansed and the deafe heare the dead are raised vp c. These works which I haue done the like whereof were neuer done testifie that I am hee who should come and so will your master Iohn that he looke for none other This answere was thought sufficient by Christ which is wisdome it selfe Go and shew Iohn the things that ye haue heard and seene But if Christ now will finde any faith among our Atheists he had neede to come with new miracles I might haue said with more then miracles lest our searching wits finde the reason of them or otherwise conclude them to be but our ignorance of the cause Men and Gods as it is in the fable of the golden chaine were not able to draw Iupiter downe to the earth and yet Iupiter was able to draw them vp to heauen so we must submit our reason vnto faith and not faith vnto reason And as they dâ—parted Iesâ—s began to
to be with mâ— she gaue me of the tree and I did eat Eua must needs be a virgin because so soone as she was made she was maried and yet the text calles her woman at that time when there could bee no time for man to corrupt her On the right hand we must shun the rockes of Valentinus and Nestorius of Valentinus who taught Christ had not his body from Mary but that he brought it with him from heauen and passed thorow the wombe of the virgin as water thorow a conduit pipe contrary to the text here made of a woman Ex muliere non in muliere not in a woman but of a woman And the preposition ex notes the matter as an house is made of timber and stone bread is made of wheat wine of grapes and therefore Christ had the materials of his body from Mary so some copies haue it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet Christ had not his formale principium of Mary for the holy Chost was agent in his wonderfull conception and therefore fitly said here to be borne or as we reade to be made not begotten of a woman By this also we may shun Nestorius his rocke who thought Mary might not be called the mother of the Sonne of God for the text is plaine God sent his Sonne made of a woman Ergo the Sonne of God was the sonne of Mary For the confutation of this error the famous Councell of Ephesus was assembled wherein it was concluded and that in the first canon that Mary should be called the mother of God See before the Creed Art Borne of the virgin Mary Bond to the law Though he were Lord of the law yet made he himselfe subiect to the law circumcised according to the law and presented in the Temple according to the law yea it executed vpon him all the iurisdiction it had ouer vs. It doth by good right accuse conuince condemne vs. For alas all of vs are sinners and by nature the children of 〈◊〉 but Christ did no sinne neither was there guile fâ—und in his mouth yet notwithstanding the law was no lesse cruell against this innocent and blessed lambe then it was against vs cursed and damnable sinners yea much more rigorous For it made him guilty before God of all the sinnes of the whole world It terrified and oppressed him with such an heauinesse of spirit that he sweat blood and in fine condemned him to death euen the death of the Crosse. Thus Christ was made bond vnto the law to redeeme them which were bond vnto the law for hee died for our sinnes and indured all this for our sakes and so being vnder the law conquered the law by a double right first as the Sonne of God and Lord of the law secondly in our person which is as much as if our selues had ouercome the law for his victory is ours And therefore remember alway this sweet and comfortable text in the midst of all dangers all assaults of tyrants all temptations of Satan in the houre of death especially saying to the law Thou hast no power ouer me for God the Father hath sent his Sonne to redeeme mee from thy bondage thou dost accuse terrifie condemne in vaine for I will creepe into the hole which bloudy Longinus made with his speare in my Sauiours side There will I hide my selfe from all my foes I will plunge my conscience in his wounds death victorious resurrection glorious ascension besides him I will see nothing I will heare nothing The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thanks be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. The Nouelists exception against our translating naturall sonnes is idle for our Communion booke doth not call vs naturall sonnes as Christ is Gods naturall Sonne by eternall generation but as it were naturalized by spiritual regeneration adopted through election and grace so Paul elsewhere termeth vs Coheâ—res with Christ. Neither doth this paraphrase wrong the Patriarks before the law nor the Prophets vnder the law for as I haue noted out of Martin Luther Chirst who came in the flesh once comes in the spirit daily crying Abba Father as it followeth in the text he is one yesterday and to day and shall be the same for euer Yesterday before the time of his comming in the flesh today now he is reuealed in fulnesse of time For euer the same lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world The Fathers then had Christ in spirit which holy spirit made them free from the bondage of the law so that they and we are saued by one and the same grace by one and the same faith in one and the same Christ. How the blessed Spirit crieth in our hearts assuring our spirit that we are the children of God helping our infirmities and making request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed see before The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. This Epistle doth accord with the Gospell which intimates in particular how Christ became the Sonne of man that hee might make vs the sonnes of God how Christ is Iesus and Emmanuel Both fit the time that in the midst of Christmas our soule might magnifie the Lord and our spirit reioice in God our Sauiour who was made of a woman and made bond vnto the law to redeeme those who were bound vnto the law that wee might bee sonnes and heires of God through him The Gospel MATTH 1.1 Liber generationis Iesu Christi filij Dauid filij Abraham SVmma Theologiae Scriptura summa scripturae Euangelium summa Euangelij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summa summarum Iesus Christus filius Dauid filius Abraham ille primus ille postremus Alpha legis Omega Euangely principium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen Velatus in veteri Testamento reuelatus in nouo in illo praedictus in isto praedicatus Vno spiritu dicam breuissimè nihil aliud continet verbum Domini nisi verbum Dominum Innuit hoc in praesentiâ—itulo Matthaeus annuit Paulus ad Corinthios primâ— Non statui quicquam inter vos scire nisi Iesum Christum crucifixum Apertiùs ait Augustinus confessionum quinto cap. 4. Infoelix homo qui scit caetera omnia te autem nescit beatus autem quite scit etiamsi illa omnia nesciat qui verò te illa nouit non propter illa beatior sed propter te solum beatissimus Est ars artium scientia scientiarum ea legere agere quae narrantur in hoc libro generationis filij Dauid filij Abraham Cuius frontispicij duo sunt luminae Inscriptio Euangelij Descriptio Christi Inscriptionis vt ita loquar duo praecipus sunt radij respâ—cientes Euangelium 1. Quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Descriptionis item duo
6. is said to haue done for his Poâ—edome The Lord saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me neither in hâ—auen aboue nor in earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth and yet as the Scripture doth intimate the proud man makes honour his god the couetous man gold his god the voluptuous man his belly his god The first hath his idoll as it were in the aire the second his idoll in the earth and the third his idoll in the water as one pithily notes vpon the second Commandement Secondly some pawne their soules albeit they be not so desperate so giuen ouer to commit sinne with greedinesse as to sell their soules right out yet for their profit and pleasure they will be content to pawne their soules vnto the diuell for a time so Dauid in committing adulterie did as it were pawne his soule Noe when hee was drunke did pawne his soule Peter in denying Christ did also pawne his soule but these being all labourers in Gods vineyard redeemed their soules againe with vnfained and hartie repentance But let vs take heede how we play the merchant venturers in this case for our soule is our best iewell of greater value then the whole world and the diuell is the craftiest vsurer and greatest oppressor that euer was if he can get neuer so little aduantage if we keep not day with him he will be sure at the iudgement day to call for iustice and to claime his owne speaking vnto God as the King of Sodome did vnto Abraham Da mihi animas caetera tolle tibi Giue me the soules which haue been pawned and forfetted vnto me the rest take to thy selfe There is another kinde of pawning of soules and that is vnto God for Princes and Prelates Ministers and Masters are bound to God as it were in goods and bodie for all such as are vnder them as the Prophet said vnto King Ahab Keepe this man if he be lost and want thy life shall goe for his life But if thou dost thy best endeuour though the wicked incorrigible sinner die for his iniquitie thou shalt deliuer thy soule redeeeme thy pawne and when euening is come the Lord of the vineyard shall giue thee thy reward Thirdly some lose their soules as carnall and carelesse Gospellers ignorant negligent people who though they come to Church either for fashion or feare yet alas they seldome or neuer thinke of their poore soule from whence it came or whither it shall goe trifling away the time in the market neither buying nor selling nor giuing but idly gaping and gazing vpon other a fit pray for the cutpurse betraying themselues and their soules vnto that old cunnicatcher Satan who goes about daily seeking whom he may deceiue cunningly snatching and stealing such soules as are vnguarded vnregarded O blockish stupiditie will you keepe your chicken from the kite your lambe from the wolfe your faâ—ne from the hound your conies and pigeons from the vermine and will not you keepe your soule from the diuell but idly lose it without any chopping or changing in the market Fourthly some giue their soules as first the malitious and enuious person for whereas an ambitious man hath a little honour for his soule a couetous man a little profit for his soule a voluptuous man a little pleasure for his soule the spitefull wretch hath nothing for his soule but fretting and heart-griefe like Cain who said of himselfe Whosoeuer findeth me shall slay me Secondly such as finally despaire giue their souls away for the diuell bestoweth nothing in liew thereof but horror and hell of conscience The distressed soule may comfort himselfe with the conclusion of this parable The first shall be last and the last first The last in 〈◊〉 owne iudgement the first in Gods eye Thirdly such as destroy their bodie that the diuel may haue their soule giue themselues away for nothing in one word this is the case of all such as stand idle in the market they serue the diuels turne for nothing for the wages of sinne saith Paul is death and death is none of Gods workes a nothing in nature Why therefore do you stand idle in the market all the day goe into the vineyard saith the Lord and whatsoeuer is right I will giue you Now there be diuers labourers in the vineyard as there be diuers loiterers in the world one plants another waters some dig some dung the householder giues vnto one man a shredding hooke to another a spade to a third an hatchet so there be sundrie vocations and offices in the Church diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations 1. Cor. 12. But about the trimming of the materiall vine there be three sorts of labourers especialâ—y the first to proyne the second to lay abroad and vnderprop it the third to digge away the old mould and to lay new to the root al which are so necessarie that if any of them faile the vine will soone decay No lesse needfull in Christs Church are these three estates Clergie Magistracie Commonaltie It belongs to the Priest to cut away supersâ—uous branches with the sword of the spirit The Magistrate must protect vnderset and hedge in the vine lest the wilde bore out of the wood roote it vâ— and the wilde beasts of the field deuoure it The common labourer must dig and till the ground that hee may get sustenance for himselfe and other If no Priest what would become of our spirituall life if no Prince what would become of our ciuill life if no common people what would become of our naturall life We must al be labourers and that painfull and profitable painfull called in this our parable thrice workmen Non otiandum in viâ sed laborandâ—m in vineâ There is no roome in y e vineyard for sluggishnes Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently But because Satan is the most diligent preacher in the world and heretikes compasse sea and land to make proselyts and to draw disciples after them it is not enough that labourers in the vineyard be painfull except they be profitable for as one said of the schoolemen A man may magno conatu nihil agere take great paine to little purpose toile much and yet not helpe but rather hurt the vineyard The by-word Euery man for himself and God for vs all is wicked impugning directly the end of euery vocation and honest kind of life That our paine may be profitable wee must labour in a lawfull calling lawfully for the good of the vineyard and then as it followeth in the last point of the parable wee shall receiue Gods peny for our paine When euen was come the Lord of the vineyard said vnto his steward Call the labourers and giue them their hire beginning at the last vntill the first Wherein obserue two things especially When at euening What giue theÌ„ their hire the