all thinges to the oportunitye and conuenient time which GOD hath decréed Luke 2 Exod. 20 Iere. 35 R. For in respect of charitye we owe vnto our Parentes all honour and obedience but in respect of faith we must hate our Parentes euen as Christ sayeth If any man come vnto mee and hate not Father and Mother Luke 14 and VVife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his owne life for my sake he is not worthy to be my Disciple Also hée sayeth Math. 10 I came to set a man against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother c. Wherevppon Christ did his dutye to his Parentes so often as he shoulde doe the worke of Charitye and hée was harde and sharpe towardes them so often as hée had the busines of his heauenlye Father in hande as when hée sayeth Howe chaunse ye sought me Luk. 2 Knowe ye not that I must goe about my Fathers businesse My houre is not yet come M. Hée doeth not denye playnelye to helpe them that lacked Wine but tarryeth vntill he haue oportunitye offered him Therefore hée signifieth that he hath not béene hitherto vnmindfull and slouthfull As if he should saye R. I haue as yet no conuenient time I am nowe about my Fathers businesse I haue respect to the glorye of my Father and not to thy affection For the will and glorye of the father is to helpe them when necessitye requireth and when mans helpe vtterlye faileth and when carnall counsell and helpe ceasseth C. Therefore as hée sheweth vnto his mother that shée maketh to muche haste so againe hee putteth her in good hope of the myracle Iohn 7 The hower of Christ is sometime sayd to be that which is appointed to him of the father But in this place hée challengeth vnto him selfe a will to those time to worke M. Wée are therefore admonished by this place that we commit that thing which we aske of God to his wisedome to helpe when hée séeth conuenient time and not to desire to preuent his honour C. For so often as the Lorde kéepeth vs in suspence and deferreth his helpe he is not vnmindefull but rather doeth so moderate his workes that he doeth nothing but in due and conuenient time 5. His Mother sayeth vnto the Ministers whatsoeuer he sayeth vnto you doe it Bv. In the mother of Christ we haue a noble example of a singular faith For she commaundeth them to haue respecte onelye to the commaundement of her sonne being neither offended with the sharpe aunswere that hée gaue her nor yet distrusting his goodnesse and power but hoping that at length he wyll supply the want C. She sheweth also an example of true obedience which she ought vnto her sonne when the matter stoode not vpon humane duety but vpon his diuine power She stayeth her selfe therfore modestlye vppon the aunswere of Christe and exhorteth other likewise to obey his commaundement And the power which she might haue séemed to challenge to her selfe as a mother she vtterly reiecteth wyllyng all obedience to be geuen vnto Christ Therefore we are hereby generallye taught that if wée desire anye thing of Christ we can not obtaine our peticions by anye other meanes than to depende wholly vpon him to haue respect vnto him and to do that which he commaundeth Bv. Wherfore this place is quite contrary to the supersticious worshipping for the Creator the creature thinking the Lorde Iesus to be so tyed to his mother by duety that he can deny her nothing Whervpon they leauing the true mediatour and intercessour the sonne of God turne them selues to his mother the virgin asking that of her which they shoulde aske of the sonne A. But she sendeth other vnto Christe whom they shoulde heare by right according to the commaundement of God Heare him Math. 17 6. And there were set there sixe water Pots of stone after the maner of the purifying of the Iewes contayning two or three Firkins a peece M. Now the Euangelist procéedeth to the narration of the Myracle There were sixe water pottes C. We maye gather by the supputacion of Budeus that these water Pottes held a great deale of water Christ therfore made great abundance of wine yea so muche as woulde serue a hundred and an halfe of men to make a merry banquet Moreouer as well the number of the water pottes as the measure doth serue to proue the certaintye of the Myracle If there had béene but twoo or thrée gallons of Wine men might haue suspected that they had béene brought from some other place If the conuersion of water into Wine had béene done in one vessel onely the certainety of the miracle had not bene manifest The Euangelist doth not in vaine reherse the number and the quantitye of euerye vessell After the maner of the purifying of the Jewes CHR. The Euangelist addeth not this without cause for hée hath so done leaste anye Infidell might mistrust that some thicke Wine was put into the vessels and being mixt with water was made more thinne and plentifull These wordes therefore doe shewe that there was no. Wine at no time put into them C. But this came of superstition that so many so great vessels of water shoulde stande there They had theyr custome of washing out of the lawe But as the worlde is to forwarde in externall matters the Iewes being not content with the prescript and simple commaundement of God vsed continuall washings And there is no doubt but that they did it of pompe and vaine glory Euen as at this daye wée sée in the papacy what soeuer are sayde to pertaine to the worship of God are done of méere ostentation There was two faultes therfore in this First because without the commaundement of God they did rashelye occupye themselues in fayned and superfluous ceremonies Math. 15 and secondlye because vnder the pretence of Godlinesse ambition rained in that outwarde appearaunce 7. Iesus sayth vnto them Fill the Water Pottes with Water And they filled them vp to the brimme M. It was done by great foresight that hée turned not the water into wine in such vesselles as had béene before occupied with wine but in suche as were altogither accustomed to holde water that thereby the truth of the Miracle might be the more manifest And in that hée commaundeth them not onelye to fill some of them but all it is an argument of his deuine power and also of his liberalitie Bv. Also in that hée hymselfe filleth not the pottes with water but commaundeth others to doe it hée did it to this ende that hée might haue the wayting seruaunts witnesses of the myracle which drew the water leaste there shoulde be thought to bée anye deceyte in that which hée went about For if any had béene harde to beléeue the Ministers might haue witnessed that they both drewe the water and filled the vessels therewith CHR. But coulde hée haue made Wine in the vesselles without water or anye other liquor which created all
same concerning Christ as that he was the resurrection and the life shée aunswereth that shée beléeueth him to be Christ and the sonne of God as in déede this knowledge comprehendeth in it selfe the sum of all goodnesse For we must alwayes consider to what ende the Messias was promised and what office the Prophets alwayes gaue vnto him R. And this confession is lyke vnto that which Peter made in the sixtéene chapter of Mathew C. And Martha in confessing him to bée the same which shoulde come into the world confirmeth her faith by the Prophesinges of the Prophetes Wherevppon it followeth that we ought to looke and hope for a full reformation of all thinges and for perfect felicitye at his handes 28. And as sone as shee had so sayd shee went her vvaye and called Marye her Sister secreatlye saying The Maister is come and calleth for thee Bv. Thus farre we hard the talke betweene the Lorde and Martha and now followeth the communication betwéene the Lord and Mary the which although it be very short and containeth nothing which hath not béene spoken of before yet notwithstanding it hath circumstances annexed to it which are neither to be contemned nor yet vnprofitable C. And it is likely that Christ stoode styl without the village at the request of Martha least he should come among so great an assembly of men For shee feared peryll because Christ had but latelye escaped the snare of death Therefore least the fame of his comming shoulde bée spread any farther shée priuilye enformed her sister of the same The Maister is come C. The name of Maister sheweth what estimation Christ had among godlye Matrones Howbeit they haue not as yet profited so much as they shoulde haue done and yet this was much that they had whollye addicted them selues vnto him as his Disciples 29. Assone as shee heard that shee arose quickly and came vnto him C. This sodaine and spéedy comming of Mary to méete Christ declareth no small reuerence M. There were many Iewes present which came from Ierusalem and sate by very sorrowful that they might comfort her ouer her dead brother Shée leauing all these so soone as shée knewe that Iesus was come and that he called for her made haste without delaye to come vnto him and not in vaine For the Iewes brought nothing with them but wordes with the which they could not satisfy a sorrowfull mind but this Christ brought with him the resurrection and the lyfe 30. Iesus was not yet come into the towne but was in that place where Martha mette him Bv. Therefore he wayted for Mary whome he commaunded to be called for séeking for a conuenient place to worke the miracle because the graue was not farre from thence for the custome was then to make the Monumentes of suche departed this lyfe by the hye wayes side M. And in this that the Lorde woulde not goe into the house to ease and refreshe him selfe before hée had fynished the worcke of the glorye of GOD in raysing vp Lazarus for the which hee came wée haue an example set before vs to followe that wée also might execute and finishe those thinges which concerne the glory of God before wée doe any thing else according to the saying of Christ Fyrst of all seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 and all other thinges shal be geuen to you He is scant a faithfull seruaunt to his Lorde which séeketh the refreshing of his body and other priuate commodities before those things which concerne the glorye and profite of his Maister A. The seruaunt of Abraham woulde neyther eate nor drinke Gen. 24.33 vntyll hée had faithfullye discharged his Maisters errande and message 31. The Iewes then which were vvith her in the house cōforted her vvhen they sawe Marye that she arose vp hastely and vvent out follovved her saying Shee goeth vnto the graue to vveepe there C. Although by the sufferance of Christ Martha went home againe that shée might priuilye call her Sister from the multitude yet notwithstanding the purpose of our sauiour Christ tended to another ende namelye that he might haue them witnesses of his miracle This thing they thought not vpon but it was no newe thing that men should be brought as it were out of darkenesse by the secréete prouidence of God to a place whether they minded not to come M. For humaine matters are oftentimes so disposed by the purpose of God that by the occasion of those thinges which we purpose to doe we fall into those thinges which we neuer thought vppon C. They thought that Martha went to the graue according to the manner of those which séeke occasions to prouoke them to mourne For this is a common faulte among men that when the husbande hath lost his Wyfe or the Wyfe her Husbande the Father his Childe or the Childe the Father they by and by ambiciously séeke by al meanes possible to encrease their gréefe And many practised diuers sleights and subtile meanes to this ende Wherefore it was the dutye of these men to fetche backe Marye least by the sight of the Sepulchre shée might be occasioned to mourne but they durst not deale so sharpely with her but bare with her intemperate gréefe and went with her And thus oftentimes it commeth to passe that their consolations comfortes do lytle auayle which doe to much flatter with their friendes 32. Then when Marye vvas come vvhere Iesus vvas and sawe him shee fell downe at his feete and sayeth vnto him Lord if thou haddest beene here my brother had not beene dead M. The Euangelist in saying that Mary fell downe at the féete of Christ expresseth the singuler affection of loue and reuerence which shée bare towards him R. Shée is not afeard of the presence of the Iewes whome shée knewe not to be very gratious vnto the Lorde neither dyd shée regard their friendship which they declared in comming to comfort her nor yet doeth shée feare their iudgement but as shée bare a louing and reuerent heart toward the Lord so shée shewed her selfe in the sight of all men without desemulation C. And herby we gather that the Lorde was worshipped and serued in that house far suppassing the common manner of men For although men were wont to prostrate them selues before Kinges and Princes yet notwithstanding because Christ in the outward shewe of the flesh had nothing that was Kinglye and glorious Mary fell downe at his feete to another ende The which she would not haue done except she had beene perswaded that he had béene the son of God Lorde if thou haddest beene here M. Shée vseth the same wordes vnto the Lord which Martha had vsed before C. And although she séemeth in shewe to speake honourablye vnto Christ yet notwithstanding we shewed euen now what faulte was contayned in these words For the power of Christ which filled and doeth fyll heauen and earth ought not to be restrayned to his corporall presence 33. When
the stripes of chastisement as affirmeth the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 11 3◠B. For although some haue diseases euen from their birth which they séeme not as yet to haue deserued yet notwithstanding that naturall sinne which cleaueth so fast vnto them is the cause thereof For those diseases which God sendeth vnto his children he layeth on them not onely to bring them into the waye by chastisement but also often times to kéepe them within the compas of their duety and also to driue them from hainous offences C. First of all therefore when we are sicke we muste acknowledge the same to be the hande of God and not the stroke of blind fortune secondly we must knowe that he is our most merciful father who delighteth not in our miseries and therfore he dealeth not with vs extremely except our sinnes prouoke him therevnto Bv. Moreouer Christ is a Phisition of body and soule Math. 9.5 hereby we gather that the Lorde Iesus doth not onely take away the diseases of the body but also cureth the sicknes of the soule As may appeare in the curing of another man sicke of the paulsey in the nienth of Mathew C. When Christ forbyddeth the man here to sinne he doth not require that he shoulde be free from all sinne but it is a comparison of the former life For the Lorde exhorteth him euer after to repente and not to continew styll in sinne Bv. Wherein is declared the vse of Gods benefyts for mortall men are not restored to health to riot and surfet in eating and drinking but to serue God more deuoutly Lest a woorse thing C. Yf so be God cannot preuaile any thing with vs by stripes by which he doth gently chastise vs as a most louing father doeth his tender children he is constrained to deale with vs after another manner of fashion Therefore he taketh the rod and scourge in hand Leui. 26.14 Deut. 28.15 Psal 32.9 to tame and bridel our wildenes euen as he prononceth in the lawe Therfore when we are daylye corrected anewe we ought to attribute the cause therof to stubbornnes For we are not onely like to vnbroken horses and Mules but we are also more then vntamed beastes R. The Lorde complayneth by the mouth of the Prophete saying The people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them Esay 9.13 neither do they seeke the Lorde of hostes C. Wherefore it is no maruaile if the Lorde do vse more sharpe punishements and do bruise them as it were with Iron Maules which will not bée conuerted by meane punishment for it is méete that he be broken like a potters vessell which will not suffer him selfe to be corrected To be shorte this is the vse of punishments namelye that we may bée made more ware afterwarde M Also this is to bée noted that the life of this manne was not vnknowne to Christe Yf this mans life were not knowne vnto him béeing a straunger what shall we thinke of our life which are vnder the profession of his name A. Let vs learne therefore to walke in the feare of the Lorde euen as if we were alwaies before his eyes as we are in déede Psal 7.10 For hée is a searcher of the harte and reines 15. The man departed and tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus which hadde made him whole B. This man went to the Iewes no doubt to commend Iesus as a man of God and as a prophete of all men to be reuerenced Bv. For he thought it to be verye necessarye that he should be knowne vnto many which could with his woord heale a disease incurable because others which were also afflicted might peraduenture come vnto him C. Therfore by this his act he intended nothing lesse then to cause Christ to be hated he little thought that men would haue béene so outragious against Christ CYR. but he manifested the Phisition to the Iewes not to the ende they immagining any euyl of him should burthen him with impietie but to the ende they shoulde not be ignorant of the Phisition if so bée anye of them hadde néede to bée cured C. So that this his acte procéeded of a godlye affection when he woulde haue the Phisition to haue his due honour B. But they the more they felt and perceiued the Lordes deuinity the more they raged againste him Sathan Godes enemie prouoking them thereunto M. Last of al we must note that they which haue tasted of the grace and power of Christe and haue knowne the heauenly sauiour are of this mind that they cannot chuse but to set forth hys glory by whome they are saued also they séeke through loue to helpe their neighbours being in misery and afflicted in shewing vnto them the Phisition and sauiour by whom they may bée healed Let vs also follow this example that we may declare his power which hath called vs into his wonderful lighte 1. Pet. 2.9 and let vs seeke the profite of our neighbour 16. And therefore did the Iewes persecute Iesus and sought the meanes to sley hym because hee hadde done these thynges on the Sabboth daye Bv. Here the preposterous counterfeit deuocion of the Iewes is touched who thought that Iesus had broken the Sabboth daye because he hadde healed the man of the paulsey and had commaunded him to take vp his bed for which cause they conspire to murder him and burst forth into extréeme madnes M. But séeing by order men ought to consider what is done rather then when any thing is done they should first haue considered what the Lord had done and then afterward of the time when he had done it But their hipocriticall disposition doth here appeare for they toke it in very euyll parte that Christe hadde done such thinges Therefore when they could not condemne the déedes of Christe as they were done they obiected the breaking of the Sabboth by which pretence they wente about to extingush the light of Christes miracles Thus malice persecuteth and goeth about to extingush righteousnes honesty and the enemies of the glory of God séeke the death of the Sonne of God So he which is borne after the fleshe persecuteth him which is borne after the spirite But why did they not kil him Because his houre was not yet come Gala. 4.29 In another place he saith I was dayly with you in the temple and ye tooke me not Mat. 26.55 but this is your houre and the power of darcknes Whatsoeuer the wicked Iewes went about before this houre was altogether in vaine Our life is not in the handes 〈◊〉 the wick◠Euen so in like manner our life is not in the hand of the wicked but in the hande of God insomuch that what soeuer they practise they cannot preuaile but do onely bewray their malice and trouble them selues with vaine counsailes Herevppon the Prophete saith Psal 37. The vngodly seeth the righteous and seeketh occasision to flea him but the Lorde will not deliuer him in to his hande