heauen when he had disposed and ordered his Apostles and geuen to them the holy Ghost to go forth into the whole worlde that is to say to brynge them by the preaching of the world to the Kingdome of Chryst C. Howe bee it this is monsterous ignoraunce that the disciples being so oftentimes taughte concerning the Death of Chryste at hand would notwithstandynge styll talke of his kingdome And here was a double error First that they immagined a blessed rest without the crosse Secondly because they iudged of the Kingdome of God by carnall reason Whereby it doth appeare how slēder and obscure their Faith was For although they had tasted the hope of the Resurrection yet notwithstanding it was so small that they held nothynge firme and certaine concerning Chryst They beleue the redemer which was promised longe before whereby they conceiue the hope of the renouation of the Church but the same knowledge tourneth by and by into fained immaginations which either peruerte or obscure the force of his Kingdome This is brutish dulnesse to hasten to the Triumph before the battayle was begun specially seeing Chryst a litle before toulde them that a sharpe and and shamefull death tarried for him A. Thus we see that many infirmities remaine in the Sainctes and greate imbecillity of faith oftentimes to the ende we may know that Saluatiō cōmeth of God and might craue of hym daily the increase of our faith 12. He sayd therefore A certain noble man went into a farre coūtrey to receiue for himselfe a kingdom and to come agayne R. Fyrst let vs see heere whome thys Noble man doth represente whych wente into a farre countrey to receiue a kingdome for it is a parable Thys Noble man is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Chryste For he goeth nowe to Hierusalem not to receiue an Earthly or Corporall Kingdome as the Apostles dreamed but that hee myghte goe from thence into a far Countrey to receiue a spyrituall and euerlasting Kingdome The death of Chryste is his going A. Euen as it is sayde in Iohn Before the feast of passouer Iesus knowing that the hower was come that he must goe out of the World to the Father c. Iho. 13. ◠Into a farre Countrey C. The farre Countrey signifieth all that time in the which Christe is absent from vs euen from his death vntil his comming againe to Iudgement in the last day as wee haue shewed in Math. To receiue for himself a Kingdom R. The resurrection of Chryste frō death and his assention into heauen is a receiuing of the heauenly kingdom the which Kingdome Chryst hathe so receiued that he hath not forsaken hys Church for he said Ma. 28.29 I will bee vvyth you vnto the end of the world But because hee doth not rule in thys world a corporall kingdome A. For thus he testefieth concerning the condition of this Kingdome Iho. 18.39 My kingedome is not of this Worlde And to come agayne S. That is to say in his second comming to Iudgemente A. For it was sayd vnto the Galileās which behelde and wondered at hym as he entered into heauen Yee men of Galile why stand yee gasing vp into heauen Act. 1.11 Act. 3.19 Phi. 3.20 1. The. 4 16. This same Iesus whome yee see taken vp into heauen shall so come euen as yee haue seene him goe into heauen S. Peter also hath the like 13. And hee called his ten Seruants and deliuered them ten pieces of money saying vnto them Occupy till I come A. The Euangelist Mathew expresseth not the number of the Seruantes as doth our Euangelist heere Ma. 25.14 but he maketh mention of a greater summe of money R. Therefore when Chryste toke this Iourney he called his tenne Seruauntes and gaue vnto them ten poundes to euery one a pounde that they might be occupyed in the tyme of his absence These Seruaunts ar the Apostles and preachers of the word to whome Chryst committed the Offyce and ministerie of preachinge the Gospell For by the Gospell as the church is builded so the Riches of Christ are increased which riches are men obtaining Saluation by faith in Chryste To euery one as saith S. Paule is grace geuen according to the measure of the gifte of Chryst Wherefore hee saith When he ascended into heauē he led Captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes to men And straite after the same Apostle saith Hee gaue some Apostles Ephe 4 7◠and. 11. some Prophetes some Euāgelistes some Shepeheards and Teachers to the gatheringe together of the Sainctes into the worke of Mynistration into the edefyinge of the body of Christ Furthermore wee vnderstande here all those which are called by the Gospell to the faith of Iesus Christe For to euery one of these GOD hath gieuen proper and speciall Gyftes as well Spirituall as Corporall There are diuersities of giftes yet but one spirite and there are differences of administrations yet but one Lord there are diuers maners of operations yet God is one which woorketh all in all Therefore the giftes of God whether they belonge to the mynde as knowledge wisedome or to the body as health comelinesse Fortitude Riches and such like are geuen to this ende of God that vntill Chryst come to iudge the quicke and the Deade euerie one may bee occupied to increase the Riches of our Lorde and also to exercyse in them selues faith and charity For when the Lord gaue vnto his seruants these poundes he commaunded them saying Occupy til I come A. What it is to occupy and why the lyfe of the Godly is compared to occupying we haue shewed in Mathew R. Hee doth not occupy well who being Rych oppresseth the Poore and pilleth others by frawde and deceipt but he is well occupyed which vseth hys riches accordyng to the wyl of the Lord to help the Church and the poore Hee doth not occupy wel which being endued wyth Power abuseth the same to Tyrannie but which bendeth the same to the preseruing of the common Wealthe and of the Churche Hee doth not Occupy well which hauynge Wysedome dysdayneth other in Respecte of hymselfe but whych geueth Counsayle to such as wante the same Therefore euery gifte of God hathe his lawfull occupation which must be followed according to the word of God And it is not to be omitted that thys noble man gaue not all the poundes to one man but to euery seruant a poūd This was don to declare that hee gieueth nor all gifts to one man but to euery man his seuerall and proper gift For there is no one man that hath all gyftes and needeth not the giftes of other men The body saith S. Paule is not one member but many And the Eye cannot say to the hand I haue no neede of thee 1. Co. 12.14 neither can the head say to the feete I haue no neede of you c. 14. But his Citizens hated him and sent a messenger after him saying we wil not haue this man to raign
Salte in your selues and haue peace amonge your selues one with another Salte is good Read the 13. Verse of the 5. chapter of S. Mathew Haue Salt in your selues C This word Salte may be taken diuersly as to signifye the relishe of a sweete smel which is gotten by fayth Or els the wisedome of the Spyrite according to the saying of S. Paule Let your Speach bee alwayes in Grace poudered with Salt Notwithstanding because it is more lykely that this latter sentence of the wordes going before Chryst doth rather seeme to exhorte his Disciples to keepe the Vigor and strength of fayth the whych also shall season other As if he should say You must endeuoure your selues not only to be salte within but also to season others Notwithstanding because Salte with his salmes doth bite therefore by and by he doth shewe that the sawse must be tempered that peace notwithstanding may abyde inuiolable Iohn 13. A. The Peace I say the Foūdation whereof is Gods truthe to the which peace Chryst exhorteth his saying in another place In this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye loue one another FINIS Chapter the Tenthe AND when hee rose from thence hee wente into the Coastes of Iewry through the Region that is beyonde Iordane And the People resorted vnto him afreshe and as hee was wont he taught them againe And vvhen he rose from thence A. Reade the 25. Chapter of Mathew He vvent into the Coastes of Ievvry As if hee should say Hee leauinge Galile he went into that part of Iewry which is beyonde Iordane in the which Iohn first taughte And as vvas vvont he taughte B. Heere the ministery and office of teaching is commended in the which it is euydent that the Lord was daily conuersaunte Whereby we are admonished that the Church hath nothing more necessary and holesome then the preaching of the Gospell For Marke affyrmeth here that the Lord was accustomed to preach daily As concerning the Exposition of the second Verse Reade the 19. of Math. going before and the third verse 3. And he aunswered and sayde vnto them What dyd Moses commaund you to doe A. Mathew wryteth that the Pharises asked the Lorde at the Seconde time as concerning the Bill of Dyuorsement when they had heard the answer to their first question whether it were lawfull to put away a wyfe Whereby wee see that the Euāgelystes sought not so much to place the deedes of Christ in order as his words Mathew doth more orderly and plainly intreate of this History then our Euangelyst Marke As touching the Exposition of that which followeth from this third verse vnto the 32. Reade the 19. Chapter of Mathew 32 And they were in the way going vp to Hierusalem And IESVS wente vp before thē and they were amased and followed and wer afraid and Iesus tooke the Twelue agayne and began to tell them what thinges should happen vnto him A. Chryst wente before meaning thereby to declare with how prest and willing a mynd he went vnto the crosse The Disciples followe but sorrowing murmuringe and with Heauie Cheare because he would caste hymselfe willingly to manifest Daunger Also they marueile at his Constante mynde and they feared least they thē selues through him should come into lyke perill Read the 20. cap. of Math. beginning at the 17. verse 35. And Iames and Iohn the sons of Zebede came vnto hym sayinge Maister we would that thou shouldest do for vs whatsoeuer we desire BV. These words declare how gretly flesh and blond falleth from the right path and wyth how greate Desire inflamed by Ambytion it clymeth vnto Honour The Dyscyples heard a lyttle before what and how great thynges the Lord should suffer But as though they had heard no such matter they dreame by and by of a temperall Kingdome But it was sayd vnto thē ye wot not what ye aske As concerning the agreemente betweene our Euangelyste Marke and Mathew about thys History we haue sufficiently spoken in the 20. Chapter of Mathew all ready As touchynge that whych followeth vnto the fortye two Verse Reade the Twenty chapter of Mathew 42. But Iesus when hee had called them vnto hym sayd vnto them yee know that they which seeme to beare rule amonge the Natiōs raigne as Lordes ouer them and they that be greate amonge them exercise authority vppon them But Iesus vvhen he had called them A. Our Sauiour Chryste vsed greate modesty and gentlenes toward his disciples who although they had heard him so often speake of the crosse yet foolishly and ambitiouslye looked for earthly dominion and gouernmēt Ye knovv that they vvhich seme to beare rule Mathew more plainely sayth Yee know that the Princes of the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them and they that are greate exercyse authority vpon them As if he should say So often as yee heare me speake of the Kingdome of Heauen the which is spyrituall and differeth no lesse from the Kingdome of this Worlde then the Earth differeth from the Heauen I woulde not haue you to imagin such a shewe and Glory of Thynges as you see in erthly kingdomes B. For ye knowe that they which seeme to beare rule amōg the nations of this world exercise authority vpon the people which are subiecte to theyr authority take heede that it be not so amonge you BV. A man truely may meruayle with what Face they can chalenge to themselues Kingdomes and Lordeshyps which requyre to be counted for the true Successors of Chryst and of the Apostles seeing the Lord so plainly sayth it shall not be so amonge you B. It is the Office of Bishops to teach and to goe before the flocke in example of Godly life But truly disdayne pompe and the pleasure of this Worlde will not suffer many to do as they should do But for this and that which followeth vnto the 46. Verse Read the twenty Chapter of Math. 46. And they came to Hiericho as he wēt out of the city of Hiericho with his Dysciples and a great number of people Blynde Bartimaeus the Son of Timaeus sat by the highwaies side begging Bartimaeus the Son of Timaeus Our Euangelist maketh mention but of one blind man adding his name of whome Mathew maketh mention saying that there were two blynd mē And he sayth that hee was called Bartimaeus and making the same more plain he addeth also saying The son of Timaeus Whereby it appeareth that this man was wel known among the greatest part of men As concernynge this Verse and the two Verses following read the 20. cap. of Mathew And Iesus stoode still and tōmaunded him to be called and they called the blynd mā saying vnto him Bee of good comfort rise he calleth thee And Iesus stoode still A. Luke hath And hee commaunded him to be brought Mathew hath And hee called thē And they called the blynde Only our Euangeliste Marke maketh mention of these thinges E. The Apostles obeing the commaundement of the Lord do call him adding moreouer
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
him to heare and sodaynly turneth Death into Lyfe And in this first of all wee haue a manifest paterne of the Resurrection to come euen as Ezechiell was appoynted to commaund the dry bones to receiue the word of God Secondly wee are taught how Christ doth spyritually quicken vs by Faith as when hee doth instill his secrete power by hys woord that it may pearce euen vnto deade Soules euen as he himself affirmeth saying Eze. 37.4 The hower commeth when they that are deade shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and shall liue Thirdly this miracle doth testefy the glory of Chryst because his Gospell is most true For he preached that he was the resurrection the life and that whosoeuer beleued in hym should not perishe but haue euerlasting Life Againe Who so beleueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue He is the resurrection and the Life Ioh 5 2â— therefore his office is to rayse the dead And we rise againe when wee are restored to Life and are deliuered by the Gospell from euerlasting deth But this resurrection shal be fulfilled after this Life in the Resurrection of the dead 15. And he that was dead sate vp began to speake and hee deliuered him to his Mother S. To sit vp and to speake are the effects of the mighty word of Chryste working mightely by the word P. In this miracle we may behold the Image of raising vp the dead the which if wee did truly behold there could be no calamity which we could not suffer with a ioyfull mind For the greatnesse of the Ioy which we shall behold in that glorifying which shal be after this Life when we shal se the Image of God after the which we are made face to face would easely swallow them vp And he deliuered him to his mother A. Chryst woulde not retaine with hym this yonge man restored from Death to Life but deliuered him agayne to the widow his mother that he myght helpe her again and do his boundeÌ„ duty to his Parent 16. And there came a feare on them all and they gaue the Glorye vnto God saying A great Prophet is rysen vp amonge vs and verely God hath visited his People And there came a feare B. There ariseth of this notable benefit of christ feare and reuerence in the people towards the benefactor and most mighty Lord insomuch that now they begaÌ„ to thinke reuereÌ„tly and highly of him For this is the vse of miracles the men may acknowlege the goodnes of God and glorify him as we see here it was done when they glorify God the Fountaine of all Wisedome and attribute vnto him all prayse C. Therefore it must needes be the feare bringeth wyth it the feeling of the Deuine presence But there is a difference in feare for the vnbeleuing by feare are either bereft of al their sences or els are so terrefied that they fret and rage agaynste God but the Godly beyng touched wyth reuerence doe willingly humble themselues Therefore this Feare is taken in good parte because they geuing due honor vnto the power of God did not onely worship GOD but also gaue him Thankes And God hath visited his people C. Whereas they say that God hath visited his people we must not vnderstand the same of euery visitation but of that which perfectly should restore them For the state of the People in IVDAEA was not only decayed but also appressed with miserable Seruitude euen as if God had not regarded them One hope onely remained as the God had promised that he woulde bee theyr Redemer after they were afflicted with extreame miseries Therfore there is no doubte but that they being taught by the miracle hoped that the restoaring of theyr state was at hande Onely they erre in the maner of the visitation For although they acknowledge the vnwonted Grace of God in him and doe commend him for a gret prophet Yet notwtstanding this name is nothing comparable to the Dignity and Glory of the promised Messias Whereby it appeareth that the fayth of this People was at that time confounded and wrapt in many errors BV. Therefore they begin to haue some taste vntill they profit more fully in the Fayth 17. And this Rumor of him vvente foorth throughoute all Iury and throughout al the Regions which lye rounde about C. The LORD would not haue the myracle hid and therfore he wrought the same before many Whereupon it came to passe that a rumor was spred throughout all Iudaea yea euen vnto the Disciples of Iohn 18. And the Disciples of Iohn shewed him of all these things 19. And Iohn called vnto him two of his Disciples and sente them to Iesus sayinge Arte thou he that shoulde come or shall wee looke for another R. At this time Iohn was caste into Pryson as Mathew wryteth WheÌ„ as therefore the Disciples of Iohn heard a fame concerning Iesus and saw his myracles they could the same to their maister Iohn not to commende Iesus vnto Iohn but that by this muse they might styrre vp Iohn againste Iesus and might perswade him by authority to resist Iesus Mâ— 11.1 For the Disciples of Iohn thoughte theyr maister a man of such holmes that he excelled all others and iudged hys kynde of Life to be the right way to the kingdome of heauen and in respecte of Iohn they hated Iesus who led a ciuill life Whereupon in Mathew they seme to cast Chryst in the teethe with excesse saying Why doe we and the Pharisies fast but thy Disciples â—aste not Furthermore they tooke Iohn for the Messias which should delyuer Israell and geue the Kingdom of heauen lately promised by the Prophets When as therefore they hearde the Fame of Iesu and sawe his miracles they feared least some parte of they re maisters Glory and Authority should be deminished and therefore they admonish theyr mayster to looke aboute him in time Ma. 9.14 Euen as at another time there aroase a question betwene them and the Iewes about purifying And they come vnto Iohn saying Mayster hee which was with thee on the other side of Iordane to whome thou barest witnesse behold he now baptizeth and all men come vnto him As if they should say We think it vnmeete that he which was baptised of thee should now vsurpe authoritye to baptize and should obscure thy glory Thus they had a zeale but not according to knowledge And Iohn called vnto him tvvo of his Dysciples A. Ioh. 3.16 None of the EuaÌ„gelistes doe expresse what two these were EueÌ„ as it maketh no great matter to knowe the same And sente them to Iesus A. This and that which followeth vnto the 29. Verse are expounded in the eleuenth Chapter of Math. beginning at the 2. verse 29. And all the people and the Publicans that heard him iustefied God and was baptized with the baptisme of Ihon. And all the people C. This parte is omitted by Mathew which notwithstanding bringeth no small sight vnto
the Seruaunt watching commeÌ„deth the Seruaunts diligence and recompenseth the same and if hee come in the second and thyrd watch and finde him so doing Happy are those Seruants Concerning the watches of the night read the 14. Chapter of Math. verse fiue and twenty Question C. But it may be demaunded how it commeth to passe that seeynge the Scripture calleth vs the Chyldren of the Light Ephe. 5 8. and seeing also that the Lord doth geue vs light with his worde that we may walke as it were in the none day how Chryst compareth our Life vnto watches of the night This question is aunswered by S. Peter 2. Pet. 1.19 who teacheth that the worde of God doth shine as a burning Candle insomuch that in a darke place the way is playn to be sene of vs. Therefore we muste noate that we must traueile throughe the thicke darkenesse of this worlde yet notwithstanding that wee are safe from the daunger of erring hauyng the Candle of heauenly light going before vs but specially seeing Christ himself is the bright Sonne of righteousnesse A. For he is the light of the World the which who so followeth walketh not in darkenes For the Exposition of the rest which followeth Read the 24. cap. of Mathew Verse 44. Ioh. 8.12 47. And the Seruaunte that knewe his Maisters wil and prepared not himselfe neyther did accordinge to his wil shal be beaten with many strypes C. There is great wisedome in thys Circumstance which is expressed by Luke only because that the more willingly any one runneth into the Contempte of his Lord the more grieuous punishment he is worthy of For here is a comparison of the more and of the lesse to this ende If so be the negligeÌ„t Seruaunte escape not punishmente what shal be done to the stubberne and obstinate Seruaunt who of set purpose despyseth his masters authority And it is to bee remembred that they which are made gouerners of the church do not sin of ignoraunce but do Wylfully and wickedly offend their Lord. Notwithstanding hereof a Generall Doctrine may be gathered that men do in vayne seeke to excuse themselues by ignoraunce to deliuer themselues from the guiltinesse of Sinne. For if so bee mortall men challenge thys to themselues that theyr Seruauntes ought to enquyre and seeke what their maisters will is lest they do any thing out of order at home how much greater Authority belongeth to the Sonne of God that they which serue him ought to seke to he taught concerning his Commaundementes And that they ought not at theyr owne pleasure to take vncertaine Workes in hande but to depende wholly vppon his pleasure Specially seeing he hath commaunded vs what we shoulde doe and is alwayes gentle to those that aske him It is most certaine that our ignoraunce is alway the Companion of willfull and grosse Negligence So that we see that this starting hoale is in vaine that he is without sinne whych erred vnwittingly seeing on the contrary part the heauenly Iudge pronouÌ„ceth that thoughe the ignoraunte fall shall haue fewer strypes yet notwithstanding it shal not escape vnpunished Now if so be ignoraunce doth not excuse what horrible punishmente remaineth for those which do sinne wyllingly who furiously fallinge agaynst theyr conscience do prouoke God Wherefore the more plentifully wee are taught the more matter of punishment is increased except to the same be ioyned Docillity and Obedience Wherby it appeareth how friuolous theyr Obstinacie is which reiectynge the playne Doctrine of the Gospell at this Day do excuse the same by the Ignoraunce of the Fathers as though the Buckler of Ignoraunce were sufficycient to repel the Iudgement of God Moreouer to spare the Faultes of those that erre we muste not graunte like pardon to those that sinn willingly since that of wilfull Wickednesse they rebell agaynst God R. Therfore because those things which were spoken before in this Sermon specially appertained to the Apostles Therefore also this aboue all other things ought to be referred vnto theÌ„ For seing the Apostles were chosen to be the light of the world the salte of the Earth and the first Fruits of the Chrystian Church Chryste requyred at theyr hands aboue all others Watching least by any meanes it myghte come to passe that when they had preached to others they themselues should be cast awayes â— Co. 9.27 And in these words Chryst by the way admonisheth all the Seruauntes of God that seeing we are all hâ—s children we ought the more diligently to endeuour our selues to Godlinesse Notwithstanding that they commit the more haynous offeÌ„ce which haue receiued the most plentifull giftes of the knowledge of the Gospell At theyr handes most is requyred who haue receiued most Therefore let him whych hath receiued more knowledge of the truth then other liue more diligentlie according to the same then other Let him which is best able to helpe and releue his brethren be most liberall Otherwise he shall make himselfe lyke vnto that euill and vnfaithful seruant which willingly disobayed his maysters will shall for the same receiue the greater punishment of his Lorde A. For it is sinne in him which knoweth good and doth it not Iam. 4.17 Reade also the eleuenth Chapter of Mathew Verse twenty one 48. But hee that knewe not and did commit thinges worthy of stripes shall bee beaten with few stripes For vnto whome soeuer much is geuen of him shal be much required and to whome men haue coÌ„mitted much of him will they aske the more C. By the other Circumstance Christ teacheth that the Choyser sorte of Dysciples shall bee the more grieuously punished if presuming vppon theyr callyng they geue themselues to all licentious Libertye because the more excellente that any one is the more hee oughte to consider what is committed vnto him and that one day hee shall geeue an accompte for the same Wherefore the more that any of vs doe excell in Giftes excepte as a well tylled field hee bryng forth pleÌ„tifull Fruite vnto his Lorde the more shall his punishmente bee for the vnprofitable suppressing of his Grace But in the Church none haue greter giftes committed vnto them theÌ„ those which are Apostles which had Christ the Sonne of God theyr teacher who declared vnto theÌ„ with as much plainnes as was needefull the misteries of the Kingedome of Heaueo who also not onely sawe with theyr Eyes those myracles which Chryst wrought but were also endued themselues with power to worke myracles Last of al they did not onely see Chryst when he was risen againe but also were endued with the holy Ghost greate miracles following the same and were sent forth into the whole World that like Prynces they might subdue the same vnto Chryst Then this Office what can bee deuised more excellent Therefore the greater giftes that the Apostles receiued the greater accounte Christ saith he will take of them to the ende hee might terrefie them from slouthe and styrre them vp to vigilance
attaine Felicity by the merit of his Pilgrimages and this is to make PeregrinatioÌ„s and not Christ the Gate of heauen This fellow seeketh to ascend into Heauen by the merite of his Fastings the fellow by the merit of his contrition that which verely is nothing els then to breake downe the gate Chryst and to build another after their own fantasie But by these Gates men shall sooner come to Hell then to heauen Israel saith S. Paule which followed the Law of righteousnes hath not attained to the Lavve of Righteousnes â—oÌ„ 9.31 And wherefore Because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the Workes of the Law Othersome lead an impenitent Lyfe wyth manifest and open wyckednes to whom also the gate of heauen is very straight not for the straitnes of the gate in it selfe but because of theyr owne heart whych cannot repeÌ„t For this gate will not receiue proude and arrogante men but such as are huÌ„ble it wil not admit couetous meÌ„ but such as are liberall not the enuious but the gentle and meke not whooremongers but chaste liuers not dronkardes but sober persons That is to say it doth not receiue those that are impenitent but such as are penitent Therefore they which are shut out of the Gate of heauen are shut out by theyr owne faulte and not by the straitnes of the Gate Furthermore though the number of the Electe bee great if thou consider the Church of Chryst in it selfe yet neuerthelesse if thou compare the same with the Church of the wicked thou shalte finde the Number of those that are elected to the inherytance of the Kingdom of heaueÌ„ smallest For as the number of a thousand of it self is much but being compared with sixe hundred Millians seemeth almost no number euen so the church of Chryst is greate being considered in it selfe but is very smal being compared with the huge multitude of the wicked which perish And of this matter we haue manifest argumentes in externall deliueraunces in the whych few haue bene saued when all the reste perished As in the floud onely eyghte Soules In the burning of Sodom Gomor of so many thousandes three onely escaped Gen. 7.21 1. Pe. 3.20 Lot with is two daughters Of sixe hundred thousande which came out of Aegypte after they had liued in the Desert Onely Iosue and Caleb GeÌ„ 13 25. came into the Land of promise In that most populous city Hiericho onely the harlot Rachab wyth her housholde was saued Nu. 14.30 In the Destruction of Hierusalem there were none lefte in the Lande Iosu 6.24 but the moste abiecte husbandmen Whereupon the Prophet Esay saith If the people of Israell were as the Sand of the Sea Yet notwithstanding the Remnaunts that is to say Esa 10 22 Rom 9.27 the smallest number most abiecte among the people shall be conuerted The which Examples the Scripture setteth not before vs to brynge vs to dispayre but to teach vs Feare and Fayth by which alone we come to the kingdome of Heauen 25. When the goodman of the house is rysen vp and hath shut to the dore and yee begin in to stand with out and to knocke at the Dore saying Lorde Lord open vnto vs and he shall aunswer and say vnto you I knowe you not from whence ye are When the Goodman of the House is rysen C. Because Chryst had denied the Gate of Heauen to be open to many which shall desire to enter into heauen Now he saith that it doth nothing profit though they haue place in the Church because God shall aryse at the last to Iudgement to shut them out of his kingdome which now challenge vnto themselues place amonge those of his houshold And he vseth a simillitude of the Goodman of the house R. Which is wont at a certain hower of the night to shut the Dores of his House and if so be any of the seruauntes at a very vnlawfull time of the Nighte be out he doth not onely not suffer them to come in but also shutteth them out of his house as vnprofitable and disobedient Seruaunts C. Or thus who if he know that any of his wicked or lasciuious seruaunts haue stollen forth in the night haue left the house for theeues to enter in he himselfe ryseth and shutteth vp the Gate and suffereth not those Nyghte walkers to come in which haue wandered out of time in common wayes For so long as the Lord calleth vs vnto him we haue liberty to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen the Gate standing as it were wide open but the greater part will not once moue theyr foote towarde the same Therefore Chryst saith that the time will come when the Gate shal be shut vp so that they are in perill to haue no enteraÌ„ce which tarry for Company Lorde Lorde open to vs R. This is the cry of Hipocrits Mat. 25.11 with the which by theyr externall shew of righteousnesse they make such a noyse in this worlde that they alone seeme to be the People of God and heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen but it is sayd here vnto them I know ye not For it is wonte to come to passe that which aboue all other seme to be the electe of God are most abiect and that they which seemed to be first are last A. Whereuppon Chryst also sayd in another place Not euery one that saith vnro mee Lorde Lord shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heauen And againe Mat. 7.21 Luke 6.46 Why call yee mee Lorde Lorde and doe not as I commaunde you 26. Then shall ye begin to say Wee haue eaten and dronken in thy presence and thou haste taughte in our streetes A. These thinges properly pertaine vnto the Iewes C. whome it shal profit nothing sayth Chryste that hee is come so neare vnto them and offereth himselfe so familiarly vnto them to be receiued excepte they answere when they are called R. We haue eaten and dronken say they before thee We are that people of God Israell whom thou hast chosen out of all nations We haue eaten manna froÌ„ heauen we dronke water out of the rocke we haue eaten of thy sacrifices wee haue heard thy voice from Heauen in mount Horeb we haue heard thy law daily in our Sinagogues yet doste thou not know vs Thus these Hypocrites boast but the Carnall preseÌ„ce of Chryst profited them nothing without faith In Mathew they say Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name caste out Deuils Mat. 7.22 C. Moreouer Chryst doth not persecute the simillitude For hauing spoken of the Goodman of the house hee calleth himselfe now a Iudge without any figure and this belongeth to no other then to his owne persoÌ„ wheÌ„ they say Thou haste taught in our streates Concerning the Exposition of the Verse following Reade the seuenth Chapter of Math. verse 23. 28. There shal be
weeping gnashing of teeth when yee shall se Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and ye your selues thrust out B. Here he sheweth the Punishments which remaine for hipocrytes but specially for the Iewes that he might the more dryue them from theyr hypocrisie draw them to the study of the truth By weping Mat. 8.12 he vnderstandeth exceding sorrow by gnashing of teeth he meneth great honor feare When yee shal see Abraham C. The Iewes being farre vnlike to the holy Fathers were proud in vain of theyr oryginall and ofspryng neither did they vse any thing more cōmonly then the abusing of the title of the church For the whych cause Chryst testefieth heere that they were a degenerate sorte which swarued from the fayth and Godlinesse of the fathers being banished from the Kingdom of God And herewithall is ioyned a secret reprehēsiō as if he should say If now ye neglect to enter in at the strait gate because the multitude of those that go out of the way stay you do ye not see that ye are separated frō the order of the faithfull being thus ioyned to the vnbeleuing Wherfore if your eyes are now wholly bente vnto the world the last day shall brynge heauy vengeance vpon you for the same For thē ye shal know that you your Companions are from the kingdome of God and that ye haue no fellowship with Abraham 29. And they shall come frō the Easte and from the west and from the north and from the south shal sit downe in the kingdom of God C. This is an Amplification taken hereof that the Iewes being banished who thought themselues onely to be the lawfull heires of God the gētiles should be taken now into theyr place that they might obtaine the Lyfe promised to Abraham and his posterity And he compareth the Gentiles with them that he might styrre them by a holy Ielousie vnto the Faith Euen as Paule did account it the extolling of his office if by any menes he might prouoke them that were of his Flesh to such emulation Rō 11.14 And thus it was necessary that the Iewes shoulde bee prycked forward who thinkyng to wel of themselues despysed God wyth hys giftes This sentence is expounded in the eight Chap. of Math. verse 11. 30 And behold there are last which shal be firste and there are firste that shall be last C. Chryst vsed these words very oftē notwithstanding in another sence In this place his purpose was onelie to beat downe in the Iewes a vaine confidence of themselues who being chosen of God from amonge the rest of the whole worlde being themselues bold of this Dignity thought that GOD was tyed vnto them Ma. 19.30.20.16 Mar. 10.31 For this cause Chryst affyrmeth that the Gentiles which were at that time the outcastes and refice should be preferred before thē 31. The same day came there certain of the Pharisies and sayd vnto him Get thee out and depart hence For Herod will kyll thee For Herod will kill thee How they wer affected which gaue this coūsaile we cannot tell notwithstanding it is a probable coniecture that because they saw the greater part of the people to be addicted vnto Chryst that doctrine of the Gospell being receyued in many places they soughte to dryue him to another place We must noate what these friendely Admonishers were Luke sayth that they were certayne of the Pharisies And we know that the same Secte was not so fauorable vnto CHRISTE that it is likely that they would bee carefull for hys Lyfe What was their meaning then Surely they intended to make hym afeard and so to driue him into some Corner to hyde himselfe thynkyng thereby in a while to deminish his authority and to make hys Doctrine to quite forgotten R. It may bee also that HEROD dyd secretly suborne these Pharisies to perswade CHRIST to flee For seeing Herod had before put Ihon to death and sawe now that a greater multitude of men did followe Christe who was Ihons friēd hee might peraduenture feare least Christe woulde reueng Ihons death with force of armes and depryue him of his Dominion in Galile Wherefore seeing hee durst not openly bend his force against Christe he suborned Pharises who by dissemblinge great friendship might Counsaile Christe to departe out of Galile and to shun the cruelty of Herod that Christe being cast out he might be in Security and retayne the Maiesty of his Dominion 32. And hee sayd vnto them go and tel that Foxe Behold I cast out diuells and heale the people to day and to morrow and the thryd day I shal be perfected R. In that Christe sendeth the Pharises backe againe to Herod it seemeth greatly to cōfirme that which we sayd euen now namely that they came being subtilly suborned by Herod C. And it is certaine that Christ speaketh of Herod Antypas And although he was in behauiour a very Foxe and no lesse seruile than crafty in disposition yet notwithstandinge the craftinesse of his whole Lyfe is not touched in the name of Foxe but Christe noteth his priuy and secret snares by which hee lay in waight to ouerthrowe the Doctrine of the Gospell when as with open force hee durst not encounter with the same I sayth Christ by what subtilties soeuer hee practyseth will too day to morrow discharge that office which my Father hath committed vnto mee and when I haue ended my course then will I be offered for a sacrifice Exo. 22 28 A. If any man demaund how Christe called Herod Foxe seeing the law forbiddeth all men to speake euell of the Prince Wee answere B. that Christe did not transgresse the law for hee did not call him Foxe in contempt of his authority but by the power of the spirite and to declare his Fathers power which made him bolde not to feare him For the Spirite of God is aboue all power Christe speaketh not as a priuate man whose liberty whoso will follow let him take heede that hee be not voyde of the same spirite Herod though hee were a tyrante yet notwithstandinge being subtill crept into the myndes of men by deceipt in such wise that he ouercame all his aduersaries and yet stoode without any punishent There haue ben many tyrants which haue not dissembled their cruelty but haue openly manifested the same Nero and Caligula at diuers times boasted of their cruelty Tyberius being worse than they both hid his tyranny Such a one was Herod who playing the tyrant ouer the Iewes retayned still the fauour of the Romaines so contynued his kingdome Wherefore Iustly hee might be called a foxe A. Howbeit the purpose of Christe in this place was only to nyp the priuie and sly wiles of Herod with that which hee went about as is sayd to ouerthrow the doctrine of the Gospell Beholde I cast out diuells B. As if hee should say I will liue a few dayes and will shew diuers miracles and afterward
another The which vnspeakable euils shall therefore come vppon thee because thou hast not knowne this present time of thy visitation in that whych my Fathers Grace hath visited thee by me and hath gentely called thee to Saluation as he neuer did before nor neuer shall hereafter And that in this day C. This is an amplification taken of the time as if he had sayd Although thou haste bene hytherto most obstinately wicked against God yet notwithstanding it were now time to repēt For my father hath ordayned me as the onely remedy Now therefore if thou knewest It is an exclamation euen from the bottom of the hearte but with so great affection that sorrowe suffereth him not to proceede with the whole sentence Euen as when we sorrow extremely our mouthes are stopte C. And he geueth them to vnderstande that the Daye is now come which was ordayned by the Eternall Counsayle of God for the saluation of Hierusalem and promysed by the Prophetes but if they toke not this opportunity the gate of Saluation should be shut vp for euer This Scripture vseth this maner of Speach Now is the accepted time Esa 49.8 2. Co. 6.2 now is the Day of Saluation Also it is sayd Esa 55.6 Seeke the lord whyle he may bee founde call vppon him whyle he is nigh A. Howbeit otherwise this worde Day may bee taken in the good Psa 137.7 and in the euill parte as Remember the Chyldren of Edom O Lord in the Day of Hierusalem c. For this word Day is taken aswell for the Iudgement as for the mercy of God When hee punisheth hee calleth also to repentaunce but hys mercy is greater when hee calleth vs by clemēcie and pitie and not wyth strypes and affliction But we must note that the Lord doth oftentimes call vs specially that is to say more openly at one time then at another Sometime hee seemeth to forsake his Church euen as if the truthe were quite extinguished as we haue felt vnder Antechryste But now in geuynge vs Lighte by his Gospell he dothe as it were reache oute his hand vnto vs. There is therefore a speciall callynge to the which excepte we aunswere wee shall haue afterward no excuse No man can complaine that hee wanteth calling but yet notwithstandyng our Fathers shall not suffer so greate Iudgement as we shall because they saw not that Day which wee see The faulte increaseth according to the Circumstance of time and the punishment of the faulte is more or lesse according to the degree C. Wherefore the more nigh that God commeth vnto vs and offereth vnto vs the Lighte of his doctrine If we neglect the same the lesse excuse we haue Which belonge vnto thy peace C. By the name of peace hee vnderstandeth all the partes of Felicitye according to the Hebrue phrase As if he should say Which is thy true blessednesse and which way thou must attain to the same For he doth not simpelye saye that Hierusalem knewe not her peace but the thinges which belonge vnto her peace because it is often sene that men knowe their felicity but being blynded with their owne wyckednesse they know not the way means to come by the same As for example All men confesse that it is Felicitye to be ioyned with God but yet they reiecte the Gospell which is the mean to obtaine the same But now are they hidden C. This is spoken to deminish the faulte of Hierusalem For her monsterouse blyndnes is rather noted to her shame and reproach because she saw not God when he was present For Chryst was very GOD manifested in the Flesh whome to reiecte what blyndnesse can be more horrible We graunte that it belongeth to God onely to illumyne the eyes of mens mindes and that no mā is meete to vnderstand the misteries of the Kingdome of heauen excepte God doe illuminate his minde by his holy spyrite but therefore they are vnworthy of pardon which perishe by they re brutish blyndenesse Also our Sauyour Chryst mente hereby to take away the offences which otherwise myghte hynder the rude and weak For seeing all men had that City in estimation the Example thereof two waies was of greate waighte either to hurt or to profite Therefore leste the vnbeliefe thereof and proude contempt of the Gospell might hynder or hurte any man that fowle blyndnesse is condempned R. Concerning the which the Prophet had spoken thus Goe and tell this people Esa 6.9 Heare in deede yet vnderstand not see plainly and yet perceiue not Harden the heart of this people stop their eares and shut their eies 43. For the Dayes shall come vppon thee that thy Ennemyes also shall caste a Banke aboute thee and compasse thee rounde and keepe thee in on euery side C. CHRISTE now taketh vppon him a new Person For hitherto he sighed and wepte but now taking vppon him as it were the Person of a Iudge hee speaketh more vehementlye to Hierusalem threateninge the Destruction of the same So also the Prophetes thoughe they weepe for the Destruction of those for whome they ought to bee careful yet notwithstanding they bend and frame theyr mindes to sharpe threateninges because they know that they haue not onely a Charge of mens Saluatiō cōmitted vnto them but also that they are created proclaymers of Gods iudgement The which ought dilligentely to bee noted of all those that are mynisters of the Gospell For they ought to obserue a measure in their affection that nothing stay them from the Obediēce of God and the discharging of they re Dutie Thus did the Prophet Ieremy who at diuers times bitterly bewayled and lamented the calamity of the people yet notwithstanding he is cōmaunded freely and bouldly to preach the afflictions and Captiuity to come In like manner let the ministers of Gods word remēber that they oughte so to be touched with pitty and compassion towardes such as perish that neuerthelesse they threaten vnto them the Iudgement of God to come 44. And make thee euen with the Ground and they shall not leaue in thee one stone vppon another because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation C. Hee threateneth horrible punyshementes to Hierusalē because she knew not the time of her Visitation that is to say because shee contemned the redemer offered vnto her and imbraced not his Grace R. The time of Visitation is taken two manner of wayes in the Scryptures C. For the wicked haue they re time of visitation when God taketh vengeance vpon them R. I sayth he in the day of vengence will visite their Sinnes Ex 32.34 Leui 26.16 Also it is sayde I will visit or brynge fower plagues vpon them The swerd shall slay thē Ior. 15.3 The Dogges shal teare them in pieces the fowles of the aire and beastes of the earth shall eate thē vp C. The Godly haue theyr time of Saluation when the Lord calleth thē to Saluation R. Or when he desyuereth them from euill and blesseth thē As
spake here concerning the Office of the messias as the same was described by the Prophetes leaste the death of the Crosse might be an offeÌ„ce vnto them And in the way as they wente the space of three or fower howers was inough to declare the matter at large Therefore he did not bryefly shew the Chryste ought to suffer but plentifully declared that he was therefore sent that by the sacrifice of his Death hee myght make satisfactions for the sinns of the World that he might be the peace offering to take away the cursse Therefore Luke hath put don thys sentence interrogatiuely for the greater vehemency Whereby we gather that the necessity of his death was shewed by reasons The summe is that the dysciples were troubled amisse wyth the death of Chryst without the whych he could not doe the office of Chryste and open the gates of the kingdom of heauen because the pryncipall part of the redemption was the sacrifice of his body The which ought dilligently to be noted For seeing Chryst wanteth hys honor except he bee taken for the offering and Sacrifice for sins the abasing of himselfe is the onely enterance into his Glory Phi. 2.7 by which he became a redemer 27. And he began at Moyses and all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all Scriptures vvhych were written of him C. Hee putteth them in minde of that which was spoken of him in the Prophets It is an easy matter to boast of the word of the lord but we must shew what is contained in the lawe and the Prophets The which Chryst doth For he doth not onely name the Prophets but doth also shew what is contayned in them Also this place techeth how Chryst is reuealed vnto vs by the Gospell Namely when the knowledge of his is set forth in the Law and the Prophets For there was neuer at any time a more excellent teacher of the gospell then the Lorde himselfe who fetcheth as wee see the profe of his doctrine from the Lawe and the Prophets Wherefore to the end that Christ may shine vnto vs at this day throughe the Gospell we must needes haue Moises and the Prophets before vs as foreruÌ„ners Of the which thing the Readers are therefore to be put in mynde least they geue eare vnto phanaticall Spyrites who suppressing the Lawe and the Gospell do wickedly cut and mangle the Gospell As though GOD would haue al that which hee hath testefied concerning his sonne to be voide seruing for no vse But how those things which are red in Moises and in the prophets concerning Chryst are to be aâ—plyed vnto him we cannot presently declare It shall bee sufficiente briefely to know that Chryst is not in vayn called the end of the Law RoÌ„ 1. For how obscurely and darkely soeuer Moyses rather shadoweth Chryste then expresseth hym this is without all controuersie that except there be one excelling the rest in the â—locke of Abraham vnder whom the whole people may growe together in one body the couenaunt which GOD made with the Holy Fathers shall bee voyde and of none effect Furthermore seeing God commaunded a Tabernacle and Ceremonies to be ordained according to the heauenly paterne it followeth that the Sacrifices and all the rites of the Temple shall bee but a a vaine and friuolous scorne excepte their truth rest vpon another And this Argumente the Apostle persecuteth at large in his Epystle to the Hebrewes Hel For there he teacheth that the visible ceremonies of the Law are shadowes of spyritual things and that we must seeke Chryste in the whole legall Priesthoode in the sacrifices and in the forme of the sanctuarie Therefore Chryst shall bee rightly drawen from the Law if so be we way and consider that the Couenant whych God made with the fathers was held vp by the mediator that the sanctuary by which God declared the presence of his grace was consecrated with bloud that the lawe it selfe with the promises thereof was ratified and establyshed with the sprynkeling of Bloude that there was one priest chosen froÌ„ among the rest of the people to presente hymself before GOD in the name of men not as a mortall man but vnder a holy forme that men had no hope geeuen there vnto them of theyr reconcilliatioÌ„ with God but by the offeringe vp of Sacrifice Moreouer there is a very notable prophesie concerning the perpetuitie of the Kingdome in the Tribe of Iuda But the Prophets them selues haue more plainly set forth the mediator who notwithstanding had theyr first knowlege of him from Moises because theyr office consisted onely in this to renewe the memory of the Couenaunte more plainely to shew the Spyrituall worship of God to builde the trust of Saluation vppon the mediator and also more euydently to shew the manner of reconcilliation But because it pleased God to deferre the full ReuelatioÌ„ vntill the comming of his Son this was no superfluous Interpretation And it were to be wished that this speach and Interpretation of Chryst were extant then should we not take so gret paynes in the Interpretation of the Scriptures because those thinges contayned in them concerning Christ are very obscure But let vs know that the Lorde would haue so much extante as was needefull for he would haue our dilligence sharpened Howbeit the Apostles haue sufficiently declared how the Prophesies oughte to bee vnderstoode they doe not explicate all Places but doe geeue vnto vs the key leaste wee shoulde complayne that they are lockt and hidden from vs. 28. And they drue nigh vnto the town whych they went vnto And hee made as thoughe hee woulde haue gone further A. There is no doubte but that these two Disciples all the way as they weÌ„t heard these woordes of Chryste wyth great desyre as afterwarde they themselues confesse C. Other Interpreters immagyne an other Place beside EMAVS saying that this towne of the which mention is made heere was more nere vnto the City Hierusalem then vnto Emaus because it is sayde in the thyrtye three Verse that the disciples roase vp the same Hower and returned agayne to Hierusalem but why they should so fayne there is no reason For the iourney was not so longe that they neded to take vp theyr Lodginge in the nearest place Wee know that a man may goe seuen myles in fower Howers thoughe he goe but a softe pace VVherefore there is no doubte but that our Sauyour Chryst went to Emaus And hee made as though he would C. Heere some demaunde whether CHRISTE doe excuse dyssemblynge by his owne Example Question or whether there bee any Dissimulation in hym whych is the Externall truth of GOD. Aunsvver To whome wee aunswere that the Sonne of GOD was not so tyed that hee shoulde reueale all his Counsayles Notwythstandyng because dissemblyng is a certayne kynde of Lyinge the Knot is not yet dissolued specially seeynge many draw this Example into a liberty of lyinge Wee aunswere that CHRIST dyd fayne thys which is heere
with so greate dilligence Yea Marke hath this thing more then the other peculiar to himselfe namely this that hee doth oftentimes inculcate shewe that our Lord Iesus taught And he chose vnto him Caparnaum being a wicked City least that any man should thinke that Preachers ought to flee and auoyde such as were wicked A. The Euangelist Mathew hath And he went about all Galile teaching in their Synagoges and preachinge the kingdome of God At the length they enter into Capernaum And straite vvay on the saboth dayes he entred BV. Math 4. All tyme certaynely is apt and meete for the preaching of the Gospell but specially the Saboth day which was appoynted of God to retayne and keepe his worship among men Euen so also euery place is meete and conuenient to preach the Gospell in if the matter and necessity so require But the Synagoge or the temple is a most meete place for this purpose 22. And they were astonyed at his learning For hee taught them as one that hadde authority and not as the Scribes And they vvere astonyed at his learninge A. The same words hath the Euangelist Luke C. But the Euangelists meane that the â—ower of the spirite shyned in the wordes of Christe in so much that it constrayned the prophane and colde hearers to meruayle And not as the Scribes Luke sayth that his worde was in power that is to say full of dignity but our EuaÌ„gelist S. Marke speaketh more fully adding the Antithesis that his words were not like to the words of the Scribes For seeing they were false interpreters of the Sciptures their doctrine was litterall and deade which breathed or shewed forth no efficacy of the spirite and in the which there was no maiesty Such coldnesse we may see at this day in the speculatiue Diuinity of the Papacy which onely consisteth in outwarde shewes Those maisters imperiously thunder out whatsoeuer seemeth vnto them good but seeing after a Prophane maner they babble prate of diuine matters insomuch that no religion can appeare in their doinges it is but filthy and friuolouse whatsoeuer they bring in For the Apostell Paule sayth not in vaine that the kingdome of GOD consisteth not in words but in power To be short 1. Cor. 9. the Euangelistes meane seing the order of teaching was then disordered and corrupted which brought no reuerence of GOD to the myndes of men that the deuine power of the spyrite was euidently to be seene in the words of Christ which brought fayth and credit vnto him This is the Power or rather the dignity authority at the which the people was astonied A. Of that which authority we may read at large in the seuenth of Mathew 23. And there was in their Synagoge a man vexed with an vncleane spirite which cryed And there vvas in their Synagoge C. It is lykely that this man which was possessed of an vncleane spirite was one of that multitude whereof Mathew maketh mencion sayinge And his fame spred through all Syria and they brought vnto him all those that were diseased were taken wyth grypings and them that were possessed with Diuells and those which were Lunatike and those that had the Palsey he healed them B. But the narration of Marke and Luke is not superfluouse because they bringe in certayne circumstances which do not only make the myracle more euident but also contayne a profitable doctrine For the Diuell doth craftely confesse Christe to be the holy one of God that men myghte haue a suspicion of some aliaunce betwene him and Christe By the which deceipt also he wente afterward about to make the Gospell suspected and he ceasseth not to attempt the like at this day And this is the reason why Christ commaundeth him to be still It may be truely that this confession was extorted from him violently and yet for all that betwene these two there is no disagrement namely that he being constrained to geue place to the power of Christ exclaimeth him to be the holy one of God notwithstanding craftely goeth about to obscure and darkeÌ„ the shining glory of Christe We must also note that hee doth so flatter wyth Chryste that hee might secretly wythdraw himselfe from his hand and by this meanes he is coÌ„trary to himselfe For to what ende was Christe sanctified of the father but onely the deliueringe men from the tyranny of the Diuell hee might ouerthrowe his Kingdome but because Sathan coulde not beare the power which hee perceyued to bring destructioÌ„ vnto him he sought to stay Christe in coÌ„ntempt by a vayne titell Vexed vvith an vncleane spirite E. As concerning the vncleane spirite reade the xii of Mathew BV. He is called a Spirite of his substance and of his nature and quality impure or vncleane R. As touching the power of Sathan we must first of al note that al men by reason of sinne are borne in the power of Sathan and are by nature the mancion places of Sathan and doe abide in his power vntil they be deliuered by Christ But Sathan in diuerse men doth shew his power and tyranny diuersly For one man is caryed headlonge of him by anger another by filthy lust he maketh one man his bondman through couetousnes and another through arrogancy one man hee tyeth with the bandes of enuy and another with furor and madnes And although all men which by nature are the Children of wrath are captiues vnto Sathan yet notwithstanding they are properly called Demoniakes or possessed of Sathan which are carryed by Sathan to furor and madnes Such kynde of Demoniake is heere offered vnto Christe Saying 24. Alas what haue we to doe wyth thee thou Iesus of Nazareth Arte thou come to destroy vs I know thee what thou arte euen that holy one of God Alas vvhat haue vve to doe vvith thee A. Of this question reade the 8. Cap. of Mathew Arte thou come to destroy vs R. By these woordes Sathan doth reason the cause with Christe and confesseth that he knoweth him to be the holy one of God which should be the Redemer of Israell and whom God according to the saying of the Prophet gaue to be the pledge of the People that he might helpe vp the earth agayne and possesse agayne the desolate heritages that he might say to the prysoners Esay 49. go forth and to them that are in darkenes come into the light and that he knewe very well that he was ordeyned of God to oppresse his tyranny and to destroy him but he thinketh that the time is not yet come that hee should be cast froÌ„ his tyranny into perpetuall punishment Sathan truely is addicted of God to perpetuall condenmation yet notwithstaÌ„ding he shal not be tormented vntill the latter Iudgment the which thing Peter meaneth wheÌ„ he saith 2. Pet. 2. God spared not the Angels which sinned but cast theÌ„ down into hel deliuered theÌ„ into cheines of darknes to be kept vnto iudgmeÌ„t they are kept sayth he vnto the
grief as if it were proper to it selfe Wee are also heereby taught that saints do oftentimes feele the scourge of the Lord and that as well to the Glory of the Father as to their owne saluation 31. And he came and toke her by the hand and lift her vp and immediately the feuer forsooke her and she ministered vnto them The Euangelist Luke sayth And he stoode ouer her and rebuked the feuer Sometime the Lord doth heale by his word only and often times he addeth the signe Hee needeth no helpes his word is sufficient Euen so the Propher singeth that at the commaundemēt of the Lorde the Sea was deuyded into two partes 32. And at euen when the sonne was down they brought vnto him al that were diseased and thē that were vexed with diuels A. The Euangelist Luke saith when the sonne was downe all they that had sicke taken with diuers diseases brought them vnto him But for the exposition of this verse reade the eyght Chapter of Mathew the sixtene verse 33. And all the City was gathered together at the dore Some say that this is spoken by a figure called Synecdoche as al the City for all the company of those that were sicke 34. And hee healed many that were sicke of diuers diseases and cast oute many Diuells and suffered not the Diuells to speake because they knew him And he healed many that vvere sicke C. The Euangelist Luke addeth somwhat more saying And hee layde hys handes on euery one of them and healed them It was not necessary or nedefull that the Lord should lay his hands on any man he needed no helps as we sayd euen now he only vsed this signe for mans sake For it was a singuler signe and a right much vsed in Sacrifices and prayers By this outwarde signe hee declared that he commended them vnto his heauenly father as we haue shewed already in Mathew Now if any man wil take vpon him to immitate Christe in this thinge he shal be Christes Ape and not his follower For it is a foolishe thing to immitate externall gestures except they haue some substaunce and wayghte in them And suffered not the Diuells to speake There might bee two causes why hee suffered them not the one general because the full time of his reuelation was not yet come th' other speciall because he reiected those Preachers and Witnesse bearers of his diuinity which by their prayse coulde do nothing but discredit him and bring him into false suspicion And this latter cause is moste certayne because it was necessary it should be declared that it was mortall warre which the author of lyfe had with the Prince of death and his Mynisters Reade the 16. of the Actes Because they knevve him A. Namely that hee was Chryste as the Euangelist Luke hath 35. And in the morning very early Iesus when he was rysen vp departed and went out into a solitary place and there prayed And in the morning very early The Euāgelist Luke addeth saying As sone as it was day hee departed and went into a Desert place After that he had healed the sicke he went a parte teaching vs that we ought to do nothing for ostentacion or vayne glory but that if we do any good thing we should seeke to hyde it BV. He teacheth also the seruaunts of God to pray then when they seeme to be in Prosperity Further he hereby teacheth that early in the morning is the most meete and conuenient time to pray Into a solitary place As concerning this going aside of Chryste to pray reade the 14. of Mathew 36. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him A. Symon Peter and the rest of the Disciples seing that Iesus was gone away priuily they followed him vntill they came to the place where he was In the meane tyme also the people whych were come to the house betime in the morning when they had learned that Iesus was gone followed him into the Desert as Luke declareth 38. And he sayd vnto them let vs go into the nexte Townes that I may preache there also for therefore am I come Let vs goe into the next Tovvne BV. Although prayer be holy wholsome yet notwithstanding Christe ryseth from the same and getteth him to preach when the Apostles had told him that many were desirous to heare the Gospell preached A. For they telling the Lord that a great cōpany of the Capernaites were at hande which sought him he answereth Let vs goe into the next townes as if he should say This foundation which is layed amonge the Capernaites is sufficient for this present tyme and the time is come that we should go forwarde and that I should preache the Kyngdome of God as I haue done there to the townes and villages here about For I came not to preache to one City alone but to offer saluation by the Gospell to all men For therefore am I come From whence he came he declareth in S. Iohn saying I proceeded from the Father came into the world Luke beside these things sayth that the people would haue kept Christe still to whom he sayd I must preache the kingdome of God to other Cities also For to this ende and purpose the Father hath sent me In another place he sayth As the father sent me euen so sende I you And we sawe and testifie that the father sent his sonne to be the sauiour of the world As concerning the kingdome of God which also is called the kingdome of heauen we haue spoken in the third of Mathew and in the second verse 40. And there came a Leaper to him beseching him and kneeling downe saying vnto him if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane For this matter reade the 8. Cap. of Mathew and the second verse 41. And Iesus had compassion on him and put forth his hand touched him and sayd I will be thou cleane M. The great goodnesse and clemency of Christe is here set forth in that he hath compassion on our myseries his mercies and exceeding Benefites with the which he allured the people vnto him selfe were such as this is and beinge spoken of in our eares at these dayes ought to increase our fayth in him for looke how he shewed himselfe to the Leaper which prayed in fayth then so will he shewe and declare himselfe vnto vs now if we pray faythfully As touching the rest frō the 41. to the 45. verse reade the eight of Mathew and the third verse 45. But hee as soone as he was departed c. Reade our annotations vppon 8. of Mathew for this matter beginninge at the fourth verse FINIS Chapter the seconde 1. AFter a few dayes he entred againe into Capernaum and it was noised that he was in the house After a fevv Dayes B. Some Latine Bookes haue After eight dayes hee entred into Capernaum but in the Greeke Bookes we reade it thus After a fevv Dayes And it was noysed that he was in the House B. The
the worde of God would not suffer him to haue so much leisure For the Lord when he preceiued their earnest desier forsooke his meate and went to teaching 21. And vvhen they that belonged vnto him heard of it they went out to lay handes on him for they sayd hee is madde C. It is meruayle that in the Kynsfolke of Christe there should remayne such wickednesse that they should affirme Christe to be mad who ought to haue bene the firste Helpers to further the kingdome of God When they see that he had gotten him some name ambition tyckelleth them to make the same knowne at Hierusalem For they desire him to goe thyther that he myght the better set forth him selfe Iohn 7. But now seeing hym to be hated of the Heads Rulers to be subiecte to many reproches and to be despised also of the greater part least all the kynred should receyue some detrement losse dyspleasure and shame they thinke it best to lay handes on him and to tye him vp at home as a man out of his Wittes and that they were thus perswaded it is euident by the wordes of the Euangelist First of all behold here how great the blindnesse of mans wit is in that it so peruersly iudgeth of the manifest glory of God The power of the holy Ghost truely did manifestly shyne in all the words and deedes of Christe BV. But grosse and carnall reason counteth thē mad men which are not out of their Witts in the folly of this World Secondly let vs learne that the lighte of sayth cōmeth not of fleshe and bloude but of the heauenly grace of God least any man shoulde boaste in any other thinge than in the regeneration of the holy Ghoste according to the saying of S. Paule ◠Cor. 5. Yf any man wyll bee counted in Chryste let hym bee a newe Creature 22. And the Scrybes vvhych came downe from Hierusalem sayde Hee hath Beelzebub by the chiefe diuell casteth hee out Diuells BV. The Phariseys being the mortall enemyes of Christe did calumniate and speake euell of all the wordes of our sauiour Christ and did seeke to prooue by all meanes that the Kyngdome of God was not yet come and that another Messias was to be looked for And when the People coniectured by the signes and myracles that the kingdome of God was come the Pharises cryed that these myracles were done by the power of the Diuell And by the chiefe Diuell A. Mathewe declareth Beelzebub to bee the chiefe of the Diuells Math 12. 23. And hee called them vnto hym and said to them in parables how can Satan driue out Satan A. As touching this verse and the residue euen vnto the ende of the Chapter reade the exposition of the 25. vers in the 12. Chapter and so forth FINIS Chapter the fourth 1. ANd hee began agayne to teach by the Sea syde and there gathered vnto hym much People so greatly that he entered into a Shyp and sate in the Sea and all the people was by the Sea side on the shore And he began agayne to teach BV. Christ taughte agayne who coulde finde nothing that coulde set forth the glory of God or pertayne more for the profite of men then that By the Sea side B. He is oftentimes sayd to teach by the Lakes side of Genesar It might that the same place was very meete and conuenient for the people Reade this whole Parable in the 13. Chapter of Math. 2. And he taught them many thyngs by Parables and sayd vnto them in his doctryne And he taught them many things B. What those many thinges were this present Chap. teacheth There were present diuers Auditors of diuers Dispositions and therefore hee preacheth the doctryne of the Gospell and of the Kingdome of God by dyuers similitudes wisely and wyth great discrescion dispensing the riches of Gods kingdome And sayd vnto them in his doctrin The Hebrevve Phrase is this And hee spake vnto them in teachinge or hee spake vnto them according to his maner of teaching For without Parable◠spake he not vnto them as it may appeare in the 34. verse following As touching the exposition of the third verse reade the 13. Chapter of Math. 4. And it fortuned as he sowed some fell by the way side and the foules of the ayre came and deuoured it vp A. The Euangelist Luke addeth saying And it was troden vnder feete 5. Some fell on stony grounde where it had not much earth and immediately it sprange vp because it had no depth of earth The Euangelist Luke hath And some fell on the Rocke For the rest of the Parable contayned in the 6. 7. and 8. verses reade the 13. Chapter of Mathewe 9. And he sayd vnto them Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare And he sayd vnto them A. The Euangelist Luke hath and as he spake these thinges hee cryed It is like that hee spake these things with a lowde voyce that he might be the more easely heard And therefore in the seuenth of Iohn it is sayd Iohn 7. In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stoode cryed saying if any man thyrste let him come vnto me and drinke This hee did that they might be the more attentiue to the thinges that were spoken By this cry also he declared the feruency of his minde how greatly he desired to be vnderstode and to haue his worde receyued He that hath eares to heare R. As if hee should haue sayd I neede to explicate this Parable by many words because they which haue any Experience of thynges shall easely vnderstande what this Parable meaneth Namely that as the faulte is not in the seede if it doe not alwayes bring forth fruite euen so the faulte is not in the Gospell if it bring not forth his fruite in euery hearer Let him therefore heare to whom it is geuen of God to vnderstand those thinges which hee heareth Moses saith Deut. 29. And the Lorde hath not geuen vnto you an vnderstanding heart and seeing eyes and Eares that might heare vntill this day By those words truly of our Sauiour Christe we are admonished that al are not capeable of the doctrine of the Gosple but they onely whose myndes the Lord hath illuminated with the secrete power of his spirite 10. And when he was alone they that were about him with the twelue asked of him the Parable They that vvere about hym A. That is to say his Disciples with the twelue Apostles for so Mathew and Luke affirme Asked him of the Parable Luke hath Sayinge what Parable is this that is to say What meaneth this Parable 11. And he sayd vnto them vnto you it is geuen to know the mistery of the Kingdome of God but vnto thē that are wythout all thynges are done by Parables Vnto you it is geuen to knovve the Mystery A. The wicked prophane men must not bee made partakers of that which is mystical and secret The rest of this
the 16. Verse 40 And they sate downe here arow and there arow by hundreds and by fiftyes E. Heere is to bee noted the obedyence of the People in sitting downe so orderly a hundred in one row and fifty in another according to the conuenient aptnes of the place As concerning the 41. and the 42. verses read the 14. Chapter of Mathew 43 And they toke vp twelue baskets full of the fragments and of the fishes The Euangelist S. Iohn addeth And when they were satisfied he sayeth to his Disciples gather vp the fragmēts which are left least any thing be loste They gathered vp therefore and filled twelue baskets full with Fragmentes of the fiue Barly loaues Read the 14 of Mathew for this verse and the 44. following 45 And straight way he constrained his Disciples to goe into a Ship and to goe ouer the sea before into Bethsaida while he sent away the people And straight vvay he constrained his B. So before we reade that when he had shewed his Deuine power was exceedingly troubled with the multitude of People hee soughte to escape for a time For he cared not neither would he haue the Carnall commendation of the People he rather sought to haue men hunger after the word of GOD And in Iohn the very cause in deede is declared why he sent away the people For this he writeth Iesus therfore whē he knew that they would come carry him away to make him a kinge went away agayne alone into the moūtaine Hee would not haue an earthly kyngedome which was the heauenly Kyng and at this present he would be sene in the forme of a Seruaunte not in the forme of a King And to goe ouer the Sea before Reade for this Verse and for the exposition of the 46. followinge in the 14. of Mathew 47 And when euen was come the Ship was in the middest of the sea he alone on the Land S. Iohn hath And when Euen was come his Disciples went downe to the Sea and gate vp into a Ship went ouer the Sea towardes Capernaum And it was now darke and Iesus was not come to them All the reste of thys story vntill the 52 Verse with the exposition thereof is contayned in the 14. of Mathewe before beginning at the Verse vnto the 32. Verse 52 For they vnderstoode not what was done of the Loaues because their heart was hardened For they vnderstode not 2. That is to say They forgate so great a myracle which the Lord had done for them euē of late when hee fed fiue and twentye thousand with fyue Loaues And hee doth as it were shew a reason why the Disciples were so out of measure afrayd Whereby we learne that the faith of many men is very slow and fearefull But the Lord suffered his Disciples to fall away to be ignoraunt and to be infirme in many things least the weak that should be afterward in the church should be discouraged whēthey should see the chiefe Apostles to haue so great infirmity But these thinges only pertayne to the Disciples of Chryst that is to say to those which heare his word cleaue to the same and follow it not to those which heare not his worde or whych persecute his word As concerning the Verses 53. and 54. Reade the exposition of the fourtene chapter of Mathew 55 And ran forth throughout all the Region round aboute and began to carry aboute in Beds those that were sicke thyther where they heard that he was BV. Chryst is the sauioure of all men Therefore he doth not onely deliuer his Apostles which are in daunger in the swelling waues of the Lake but he cureth the Diseases of all Men of all those I say which come vnto hym by Faithe The Benefite that Chryst did to the woman that had the bloudye issue was nowe well knowne Nowe therefore they desire to touche and it were but the Hemme of his Vesture By the which thinge the Garmente of Chryst is not commended vnto vs but his great power and the faythe also of the other in him B. In that the sicke are brought vnto the Lord from euery place they declare him to bee the Sauiour which is specially delighted to helpe those that are afflicted and in misery After the same maner truly oughte so many of vs as haue Chryst to endeuour our selues that many may know that wee haue him to the end all that are diseased may come also as well as we to him for helth For we are hereby taught to haue a care and loue towards our brethren as well as to our selues 56 And whethersoeuer he entred in to townes Cities or Villages they layd the sick Folkes in the stretes prayed him that they might touche and it were but the Hemme of hys Garment And as many as touched it were made whole But the hemme of his garment As concerning the touching of the Hemme of his Garment read the ninth of Mathew And as many as touched it vvere made vvhole And so many as touched Iesus were made whole of what disease soeuer it were that they had They belieuinge touched the Hemme of his Vesture which was geuen afterwarde to them which crucified him and they were cured of theyr bodely diseases how much more ought all men to indeuour themselues to touche Iesus himselfe with theyr mynd and to be healed of the diseases of the same Touching doth profite nothing at all without fayth they touched the bare body of Chryst whych strycke him on the Face which bounde him which scourged him which nayled him to the Crosse and yet for all that thys touchinge did profite none of them all hee whych readeth the Gospell toucheth Iesus but hee whych readeth it negligentely doth touch Iesus in vayne FINIS Chapter the seuenth 1. AND the Pharisies came together vnto him and certayne of the Scrybes which came from Hierusalem BV. To the Disputacion as concerning the word of God and sounde Doctryne is added the treatyse of the Traditions of Men. A. All the whych are expounded in the fiftenth of Mathew 2 And when they saw some of hys Disciples eate Breade with common that is to say with vnwashen handes they found faulte A. Note heere that common handes are expounded by the Euangelist himselfe to be vnwashen handes 3 For the Pharisies and all the Iewes excepte they wash their hands ofte eate not obseruing the traditions of the Elders Obseruing the traditions of men A. Here wee see what the Traditions of the Elders are namely those things which are added to the words of God 4 And when they came from the market except they washe they eate not And many other things there be which they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washinge of Cuppes and Pots and brasen vessels and of tables And vvhen they come from the market Namely where thinges are accustomed to be soulde where also they wer constrained to touch and to talke with the Gentiles and to handle some vncleane
him because so soone as they see him they salute him yea and his presence doth cease the rage of the Scribes because wheÌ„ they wer asked whereof they disputed they held theyr peace For it followeth 16 And he asked the Scribes what dispute ye among your selues B. The Lord suffered his Disciples here to be not a little confounded because they could not cast out the deuil Notwithstanding he came to them in time least they seming to be ouercome by the Scribes should not only bryng shame and reproch to themselues but also to the Gospell which they preached But theyr owne vnbeliefe was the cause of al the Ignominy whych they suffered Let vs therefore at all times boldly trust in the Lord and he will neuer suffer vs to be confounded For by vnbeliefe the glory of the Father is hyndered As concerning that which followeth vntill ye come to the 20. Verse Reade in the seuentene Chapter of S. Mathew 20 And they broughte him vnto him and when he saw him straight way the Spyrite tare him and hee fell downe vppon the Grounde wallowing C. Heereby we see that the presence of God oftentimes when the time of manifesting his grace is come dothe make the Deuill to rage For althoughe hee seeth that he is not equal with God yet notwithstanding hee seeketh to resiste him asmuch as he can Euery man by experience knoweth what great difficultye there is in ouercomming temptations when he feleth the God the which temptations truly the wicked do not feele Notwithstanding sometimes he doth so raigne that hys kyngdome doth not appeare Let euery man way and consider with himself how long time he hath bene vnder Sathan when he liued in Superstitions The nearer that Chryst commeth the madder is the Deuil a manifest profe wherof we haue in this history Who would not haue sayd seeing the deuill so to rage What profite hast thou in brynging thys thy son This man is commonly a prouocation to the Deuill to make him more mad but we may not iudge by the beginning we must alwayes waighte for the ende For at the firste the Chylde was torne and rente Iohn 2 but after that he was deliuered When Chryst coÌ„mauÌ„ded to fill the vessels with water who woulde not haue sayd that it had ben a ieste as though the Water had bene the better in them but the purpose of the Lord was not yet knowne To the ende therefore the Deuill might hynder the fayth of the Father and moue the people to the hatred of Christ he raged the more behemently and tare the Chylde After the same maner SathaÌ„ pricked Pharao forth to oppresse the People of Israell more and more before theyr departure out of Aegypte and also to brynge them to desperation to make them enuy Moses and Aaron the seruants of God 21 And he asketh his father hovve longe is it ago since this came vnto him And he said of a Chylde A. Chryst demaundeth this question as though he were ignoraunt who knoweth notwithstanding all thynges before they come to passe And he sayde of a Chylde C. If hee had this Disease from his infancye it is certayne that it was not a punishment layed vppon him for any sinne that he had committed but rather the secrete Iudgemente of God It is most certaine truly that euen the very infants so soone as they come forth of the mothers womb are guilty before God but the punishmeÌ„ts of God haue oftentimes secrete causes and that to proue our obedience we cannot more iustely honour God then if we reuerently modestly adore hys iustice when it is hydden from vs we know what Chryst sayde in an other place Neyther the blynd man neither his Parentes haue sinned that he should be born blynd Iohn 9. He denieth blindnes to be a punishment for sin and yet notwithstanding it is certayn that he was not innocent 22 And oftentimes he casteth hym into the fyre and into the water to destroy him but if thou canst do any thynge haue Mercy on vs helpe vs. A. Hereby we may gather that thys Chylde was preserued by the grace of God from a thousand Deathes And further that Sathan can not do what him lysteth For seeing hee is a murtherer from the beginning hee seketh by and by to kill those vppon whome he hath any power But truly the Lorde of Hoste doth restrayne this his cruel tyranny The which wee may euidently so in Iob and in diuers others But if thou canst do any thing C. We do see heere how litle honour he doth attribute vnto Chryste for he thinking him to be some Prophete whose power might be lymitted hee commeth vnto him doubtfully But truly the first Foundation of Fayth is to imbrace the immesurable power of God 23 Iesus sayd vnto him thâ—â— thing if thou canste belieue all thyngs are possible to him that belieueth C. Because the Father of the chyld thought nothing of Chryst more then of a man his false Opinion is corrected For it was necessary that his Faithe should be framed so that it might bee capeable of the grace which hee desiered For this exception of Chryst If thou canst belieue is as much as if he had sayd Thou prayest me to helpe if I can but truly thou shalt finde in me a bottomles well of Vertue if so bee thou bringe with thee a Buckette of Faith bigge inough to draw the same To the ende therefore thou shouldest not doubte but that I can I requyre of thee thy Fayth If thou haste not the which thou demaundest the faulte is in thee not in mee And heere a verye profitable Doctrine may be gathered which shall Generally pertayne to vs all Namely that the cause why we haue not the Fruition of Gods Benefites oftentimes is the weakenesse of our Fayth Oftentimes we complain of God because hee is not present with vs and because wee feele not hys power but such complayntes are Wycked seeing we our selues are the cause All things are possible to him that belieueth There is no doubte but that Chryste taught that the fulnes of goodnes was geuen to him of the Father and that we should hope no lesse to receyue all maner of helpe at hys Hand then at the hands of hys Father as if he had said Onelie Belyeue and thou shalt obtayne So in the Gospell after Mathew he sayth Yf yee haue Faith like a Grayne of Mustard Seede yee shall say to this Mountaine remooue from hence thyther and it shall remoue neither shall any thinge be impossible to you All thynges are sayd to be possyble wyth GOD because hee can gieue and bryng to passe all thynges And all things are sayd to bee possible vnto men when they are capeable of some thinge as waxe can receiue the Seale beyng Impressed in it that which is impossible for the stone and Water do All thinges therefore are possible to him that belieueth that is ther is nothing which the belieuing man can not obtayne at the
and shall desire me to be crucified Fall not yee away therefore from me with them vnderstande these my sayinges for it shall come to passe that the Sonne of man shal be deliuered into the Handes of men Way yee rather thys and beleue that it is appoynted of my Father and that it must needes come to passe that when I am deliuered into the handes of men I shal be killed but being put to death I will ryse againe the thirde day Let your mynde be occupyed to consider of these thynges and arme your selues agaynst the base shew of the crosse For this admiration of the common sort of people is not your perfecte Glâ—ry there is another manner of Glory abyding you But the same must bee attayned vnto by Death These thinges wayed beleeued shall keepe and preserue you that ye be not herafter offended at me Our Sauiour Chryst knewe the weakenes of his Disciples and the great force of the temptation to come Math 11. and therefore he thought it good to fortifie their minds before the Daunger came for he had sayd before as appereth in the 11. of Mathew Blessed is he that is not offended at me 32 But they vnderstoode not that saying and were afrayd to aske him B. The Euangelyste Luke hath more saying But they wist not what that word mente and it was hid from them that they vnderstoode it not and they feared to aske him of that saying Mathewe addeth And they were greatly filled with Sorrow They were grieued when mention was made of death they thoughte not vppon the Glory of the Resurrection aforesayd and they were ignoraunte of the mistery of the crosse Reade the 17. Chapter of Mathew 33 And he came to Capernaum and when he was come into the house hee asked them what was it that yee disputed amoÌ„g your selues by the way BV. That wicked Vice AmbitioÌ„ doth very much hynder the worke of Pietye The Lorde therefore in thys present place doth seeke to take away the same and in steede of the same goeth about to inserte Humillity modesty Of the which wee haue spoken more in the 18. cap. of Mathew 34 But they helde their Peace for by the way they had reasoned amonge them selues who shoulde bee the chiefest C. They holde their peace for shame suspecting that the Lorde woulde reproue this ambitious minde C. They houlde theyr peace yet the Lord saw the thoughts of their harts as sayth S. Luke and at length when the Lord did aske them they could not deny that which they would haue hidden Let the ministers of Chryste note this that they do not onely abstayne from all contention of supremacy but from all thoughte also For if any of them conceiue this spirit that he wold be greater then his fellowes how soeuer he hyde it before men he hath God his witnes and Iudge Let them abstayne therefore from all wicked Desyers and let them only seeke to serue God and the Church For the Lord sayth Luke 28. He which exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe 35 And when he was set downe hee called the twelue and sayd vnto theÌ„ if any man desire to be first the same shal be last of all and Seruaunte vnto all And vvhen hee vvas set dovvne M. Hee sitteth downe vsing hys authority Math 5. going about to declare some seriose matter Hee called the tvvelue Luke 10 No doubte hee knewe who they were that desired to be chiefe He calleth the twelue because he knew that this admonition was necessarye for them all If any man desire to be first Hee meaneth by these wordes that hee is vnworthy of all Honoure and meete to bee the moste abiecte whych would be chiefest in his kingdome They thought that after the resurrection there should be a possession of some carnall Kingdome They thought thus with themselues Chryst shal not alwayes be despysed They Dreamed of a Carnall Kingedome such a one as the Iewes at this day dream of As concerning the expositioÌ„ of the 36. 37 verses read the 18. cap. of Math. beginning at the 2. verse 38. Iohn answered him saying Maister we saw one cast out deuils in thy name he followeth not vs and wee forbad him because he followeth not vs. B. This story is also declared by the Euangelist Luke in his cap. 9. VVee savv one cast out Deuils in thy name C. Hereby it appereth that the name of christ was famous at that time insomuch that they vsed it which were not his familiar disciples or els peradueÌ„ture abused it For we can affyrme nothing for certayn It may be that he of whome meÌ„tioÌ„ is made here imbracing the doctrine of chryst toke in haÌ„d to do myracles with a good mind But because Chryst indued none wyth this power but those whom he chose to preach the Gospel it is likely that he rashly toke vpoÌ„ him this office And although it was a preposterous presuÌ„ption of him to imitate the disciples wtout any coÌ„maundement yet notwtstanding this bouldnes wanted not successe because it pleased the Lorde by this meanes also to set forthe his name But to come to the matter The disciples say that they forbad a man co do Myracles But why dyd they not first aske whether it wer lawfull for theÌ„ so to do or nay for now they being doubtful of the matter requyre their maisters iudgemeÌ„t Whereupon it followeth that they toke vpon them to forbid rashly Wherfore whatsoeuer he be that taketh in hand more theÌ„ he knoweth to be graÌ„ted vnto him by the word of God is to be coÌ„dempned of rashnes Furthermore it is to be thought the ambition was in the minds of the Disciples of Chryste because they Labour to maintayne che Pryuilege of they re dignity For how commeth it to passe that they so sodainly put an vnknowne man from doing of Myracles but onely because they would Enioy this Dignitye alone The cause which they alleage for them selues is for that he followeth not Christ as if they should say he is not thy Disciple as we are why theÌ„ shall he be made equal to vs in dignity R. Here therefore we haue another in the Disciples as concerning the kingdoÌ„e of Chryst For as they thoughte the Kingdome of Chryst to be externall Earthly so they thought the congregation of those which acknowledged Chryst to be externall and Corporall insomuch that hee whych was in that Congregation Externally him they thoughte to bee a member of the Church of Chryst but hee which was not in the same him they thoughte not meete to be counted for a meÌ„ber of the Church To thys Error also was ioyned an ambitious minde So Iosue by a preposterous zeale prayed Moses to forbid Eldad Num â—â— and Nedad prophesyinge in theyr Tentes fearing least for their sakes Moses and the maiestye of the three score and teÌ„ Elders should bee put in hazard Math. 5. So the Disciples of Iohn gieue theyr Mayster counsel to forbid Iesus
was not to make equall with Christe But Iohn the Baptist in his degree was great but the greatnes of Christ is straight way expressed when it is sayd And the Sonne of the hyghest By the which wordes the Angell extolleth the sonne of Mary aboue all Creatures For he hath his singuler and proper to hym selfe alone Heb. 15 that hee shoulde bee called the Sonne of GOD euen as the Apostell affyrmeth Wee graunt that the Aungells of Heauen and Kings of the earth haue sometyme these Tytells geeuen vnto them in the Scripture but these are called the Sonnes of GOD in common for their excellency And there is no doubte but that God doth exempt his Sonne from all others when hee peculiarly speaketh thus vnto him Thou arte my Sonne Therefore Christe is Ioyned here neither Psalm 27 with Angells nor with men that he might be in the number of the sonnes of God but that which is geuen vnto him is such that none may presume to take the same vnto him The Sonnes of God are Kinges not by the right of Nature but because it hath pleased God to aduaunce them to such honor This title belongeth not to the Angells but only because vnder the most chiefe they excell amonge other Creatures VVee are the sonnes of God by adoption We also are the sonnes of God but by Adoption which wee obtaine by faith and not by nature but Christe is the onely begotten sonne of God A. Also this woorde Highest is the name of God very ofteÌ„times vsed without the Substantiue God as heere Thou only art the moste highe aboue all the Earth Psal 83.29 Also It is a good thing to praise the Lorde Psal 92.1 and to singe vnto thy name O thou most high Also I wyll bee lyke vnto the most hygh Esay 14.14 C. And whereas the Angell vseth the worde of the future tence sayinge hee shal be called the wicked Dogge Seruetus thereby goeth aboute to proue the Christe is not the euerlasting sonne of God but that he began so to be accouÌ„ted when he tooke vpon him our flesh but this is horrible blasphemous Seruetus Heresie He reasoneth thus Christe was not the sonne of God before he taking vpon him our flesh appeared in the world because it was said vnto the Angell He shal be called the Son of the highest But we answere that the Wordes of the Angell haue no other signification but that the Sonne of God should be manifestly declared to be such a one in the fleshe as hee was with the Father from euerlastinge that is to say eternall For to bee called is referred to euident knowledge And there is great difference betwene these two Whether hee began to be the sonne of God which was not before or whether he was reuealed among men that they might knowe him to be the same which was promysed longe before Verely seeinge God the Father was called vpon of his people in all ages and acknowledged to bee a Father it must needes thereof follow that he had a Sonne in Heauen of whom and by whom thys Fatherhoode came vnto men Therefore men shall arrogate to much vnto them selues if they presume to boaste them selues to bee the sonnes of God without it be in respect that they are Members of his onely sonne Wherefore it is certayne that the holy Fathers were bolde to geue vnto them selues that honorable name onely vpon trust of the Sonne which was there Mediator Moreouer what this more perfect knowledge Rom. 8. Galat. 4 of that which we now speake can doe the Apostell Paule teacheth in another place namely that now wee may both cry and call God our Father And the Lord God shall geeue vnto him the seate C. Hee promiseth that it shall come to passe that shee shall be with childe with him which was promised to Dauid the King to the ende the Virgin might the better knowe that hee should be the same Redeemer which longe before was promised vnto the Fathers And so often as the Prophets speake of the building vp of the churchs they referre the whole hope of the faythfull to the Kingdome of Dauid in somuch that it was holden as a sure grouÌ„d-amonge the Iewes that the saueinge health of the Church consisted in the happy and prosperouse Estate of that Kingdome and that nothinge coulde better agree with the Office of the Messias than to builde vp a new the kingdome of Dauid Wherefore also the name of Dauid is sometime geuen to Ier. 30 â— the Messias â—ze 34.24 Oze 3.5 As this They shall serue their Lorde and Dauid their King Also Dauid my seruant shall raigne a Prince ouer them And those places where hee is called the Sonne of Dauid are well ynough knowen To bee shorte the Angell sheweth that the Prophesie of Amos shall bee fulfilled in the person of Christe Amos. 9.11 concerning the raysinge vp of the Tabernacle or throane of Dauid which was broken downe and ouerthrowen R. To the which agree the wordes of the other Prophet Esay 9.7 sayinge Hee shall sit vpon the seate of Dauid and vpon his kingdome that he may confirme and establish the same in Iudgement and in righteousnes from henceforth for euermore The Seate of Dauid is the Kingdome of Dauid not which Dauid possessed but which GOD promysed to Christe the Sonne of Dauid Also how Christe is sayd to bee the sonne of Dauid reade the 22. Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 43. verse 33. And hee shall raygne ouer the House of Iacob for euer and of hys Kingdome there shal be no ende And hee shall raygne ouer the Dan. 7.13 A. This also was promised by the prophets Beholde one came as the sonne of man with the Cloudes of Heauen c. His dominion is an euerlastinge dominion which shall neuer be taken away Mich. 4.7 and his Kingdome shall neuer be destroyed Also He shall raygne ouer them in Mounte Syon from that time forth for euermore Ouer the house of Iacob C. Seeing saluation was specially promysed to the Iewes euen as the couenaunte was made with their Father Abrabam Rom. 15 8 and Christe as winesseth the Apostell Paule was a Minister of the Circomcision the Aungell doth not without cause appoynte his Kingdom in that nation euen as it was his proper seate But this is not disagreeinge with other Prophesies which extende the Kingdome of Christe to the vtmost partes of the Earth For God hath ingraffed the Gentiles by a newe and wonderfull Adoption into the stocke of Iacob who were before straungers notwythstandinge so that the Iewes might keepe the more principall place as the first begotten Euen as it is sayd The Lorde shall sende the Rod of thy Power out of Syon Psal 110 2â— Therefore the Seate of Chryste was placed amonge the People of Israell from wheÌ„ce he subdued the whole world vnto him For so many as hee gathered together by fayth vnto the Chyldren of
had commaunded concerning his name Otherwise he had not obayed the cōmaundement of God But hee shal be called Iohn C. Why God gaue this name vnto Iohn the Baptiste wee haue declared before verse 13. Bu. We haue also an example of faithful obedience in the Parents of Iohn in that they obayed the cōmaundement of the Angell receyued not counsailes aduice of their kinsfolkes who not knowing the coūsaile of God thought it best to retayne the approued Custome But custome ought alwayes to gieue place vnto the truth though it be neuer so exellent 61. And they sayd vnto her There is none in thy Kynred that is Named wyth this Name B. This must be vnderstoode of such as were presently aliue or at least of those which were not longe before disseassed For amonge his auncetors many were called by the name of Iohn as he which was Priest when the Temple was builded by Salomon the King And it agreed very wel that looke what name the Priest had vnder the Typical Salomon the same the Priest of the true Salomon shoulde haue For this our Iohn now that the kingdome of Christe began and the building of the spirituall Temple being settinge vp had the office of the more true Priesthoode teaching the people the most wholesome knowledge C. And wee see the custome is taken for a sufficient testimony It was sufficient for them to alleage the Auncient maner and custome the which is geuen to all men almost by Nature Custome vvithout the truth is vayne But what other thinge is custome oftentimes then meere corruption That therefore which is builded vppon Custome alone is infirme and vaine 62. And they made Sygnes vnto his father how he would haue him called A. To make an ende of the contencion the Kinsfolkes seeke to be certefied by makinge Sygnes vnto Zacharias by what Name hee would haue the Childe called who was before instructed of the same by the Angell 63. And hee asked for wrighting tables and wroate sayinge his name is Iohn And they marueiled all B. Hee meaneth waxen Tables in the which in olde time they were wonte to write BV. That which his Tongue coulde not doe hee doth by his hande and by wrtinge requiring Tables by signes and beckes and not by voice E. For when the Mother and Kynsfolkes coulde not agree the Fathers authority was requisite to ende the cōtencion But hee had not as yet the vse of his Tongue when hee stoode in moste neede of the same Therefore when by signes it was demaunded of him what name hee woulde haue geeuen to hys Sonne hee vnderstanding the matter required his writinge Tables that by dumbe Letters hee mighte vtter that which by voyce hee coulde not And when the Tables were broughte vnto him hee wroate thus His name is Iohn Geuinge them to vnderstande that this name was geuen vnto him by the Angell before hee was conceiued Sayinge his name is Iohn If he spake what needed hee to write Wherefore this word saying in this place muste not bee referred to Zacharias him selfe but to the writinge of Zacharias which spake after a sorte And at this agrement of the Parents they marueyled all 64. And his Mouth was opened immediately and his Tongue loosed hee spake and praysed God C. GOD doth adorne and make noble the byrth of his Prophet by restoringe to his Father his Tongue For there is no doubt but that hee put of this Benefite vnto that Day to this ende and purpose that hee might draw all men to the admiration of Iohn And praysed GOD C. Zacharias is sayd to prayse GOD not onely to shewe him selfe thankefull but also that they might knowe that their kinsman and neighbour was punished bycause hee was to slowe to beleeue For hee was not ashamed to glorifie GOD to his owne shame And thus it was knowne to all men that the Infante was not borne by Chaunce or according to common order but promised by heauenly Oracle 65. And feare came on all them that dwelte nyghe vnto them and all these sayings were noised abroade through out all the hyll Countrey of Iury. And feare came on all them C. In this place Feare signifieth Reuerence which came from the feeling of Gods power For the workes of God ought so reuerently to bee considered that they oughte to make vs seriously affected And God doth not dally in his miracles but stirreth vp the mindes of men which he seeth to be sluggish and dull Throughout all the hill Coūtrey of Iury A. The Lord wrought not a miracle to the ende a fewe onely might know the same but to the ende many might be brought to reuerence by this so notable a worke C. Therefore LVKE sayth that the Fame of these things was spred abrod throughoute all the Hill Countrey of IVDEA Howbeit it profited many nothinge at all that they were so touched with the power of GOD for a time bycause when IOHN began his Office of Teachinge fewe remembered how wonderfull his birth was But GOD woulde haue the Fame of these thinges bee spred abroade not onely for their cause which heard but also bycause the miracle might bee more certayne in all Ages which at that tyme was knowne in diuers places 66. And all they that hearde them laide them vp in their hearts sayinge what maner of Chylde shall this bee And the Hande of the Lorde was with him Layde them vp in their hearts A. This is spoken accordinge to the Hebrew phrase and signifieth as much as to consider with ones selfe to deliberate in the minde of any thinge what the meaninge and Effecte of the same should bee C. And here we haue a common spectacle of mans Ingratitude set before our eyes For when vaine and friuolouse thinges doe take to deepe roote in our myndes the rememberaunce of geuinge thankes vnto GOD which oughte for euer to remayne vanisheth away Luke speaketh not of sencelesse wicked men or of the cruell Contemners of God For hee sayth that they layed them vp in their heart meaning that they had a deepe consideration of these thinges And it is lykely that some were mindefull of them for a time but the greater parte within a while after put away that feare which they had cōceiued Notwithstandinge wee must note that they wente not out of the way when they referred the miracles which they sawe to that exellencie which the Infante shoulde haue For we sayd that such was the coūsayle and purpose of GOD that Iohn might afterwards come abroade with great commendation Therefore they sayd What maner of Chylde shall this bee B. Bycause they sawe the mightie power of the Lord which was shewed in sundry Myracles concerninge the Childe there was cause why they should looke for great things concerninge him and should bee as it were afearde for the more present maiesty of the Lord. And so are the hearts of men framed that the more they see his outstretched Arme and power the more they feare God Hereupon it
noyse a whirlewynd and tempest and a flame of a deuourynge fire So in the good porte he is sayde to visite those whoÌ„ he blesseth whereby he declareth that he is presente with them and chat he careth for them So he visited the Hebrewes when he deliuered them out of the Bondage of Aegypte But no visitation of God may be compared with this present visitation whereof Zacharias speaketh because with this visitation he visited regarded his people in his sonne C. Wherefore in this woord Visited there is a secret Antithesis because the countenance of God was turned away for a time from the miserable sonns of Abraham For they were in such calamity that no man thought that GOD had any maner of care for him A. But the people of God had full redemption from all euils by Chryste Hereuppon Zacharias singeth And redemed his people C. The Visitation of the whych Zacharias speaketh is put here as the cause and beginning of the redemption As if he should say God hath visited looked vppon his People to redeeme them A. And this Redemption sheweth that there was first a captiuity For the People was so captiued that they could not hope for deliuerance from any other then from God alone But in what Captiuity were they Surely at that time they were oppressed with cruell Tyranny but yet the Captiuity was more hard grieuous froÌ„ which they were to be deliuered For the Lorde by and by after the beginning promysed a Redemer of al men which were whych should be to the Worlds ende Neither was the people alwaies Captiue Whereupon it followeth that the redemption was not carnall For there were certaine Ages in the which the people floryshed Euen so Chryste is a Redemer of mens Soules and not of theyr Bodies onely And there is no doubte but that so was the meaning of Zacharias As if he should say Christ a redeemer of soules He taking our flesh vppon him visited those that were in bondage and in the shadow of Death and visiting theÌ„ and geuing himselfe for those that were in Bondage he redemed them with peril of his owne Life submitting hymselfe vnto that punishmente whych was due bnto those that were in Bondage C. And hereby we gather that the holy Fathers them selues were not free from the Yoake of sinne and from the Tyranny of Death but by the grace of Chryst For Chryst is sayde to be sente a redeemer to the holy and elect people of God But if so be RedemptioÌ„ were then brought by Chryst and not before he came in the flesh it followeth that the Faythfull whych were deade before his commyng were all theyr Lyfe time the Seruauntes of Syn and death which were very absurde VVee aunswer that the force and Effecte of this Redemption whych was once offered in CHRYSTE was Common to all Ages 69. And hath raysed vp a horne of Saluation for vs in the house of his seruaunte DAVID And hath raysed vp a horne C. Hee sayth it is raysed vp because the People were fallen before and were scattered As if he should say Howsoeuer we seeme to we are fallen to be voyde of all hope God hath raysed vp again his power of Sauing Health For the Throane of DAVYD being ouerthrowne and the People being dispersed the hope of SaluatioÌ„ semed to be cleane gone R. By this VVoorde Horne is signified accordyng to the Hebrew phrase Kingdome and power euen as also we may read in Daniel Dan. 7.7 where the prophet firste seeth 4. Beastes of the which the fourth Beast had ten Hornes that which he himselfe afterwardes declaring in the 24. Verse expoundeth for Kyngdomes or Kyngs â— Kin. 16.1 either because Kyngs were consecrated by the powryng of oyle out of a horne or else because the might of Beasts resteth in theyr Hornes as wee may Read in DANYELL of the Ramnie and the Goate which runne full Butte one at the other Dan. 8.6 And in an other place it is sayde I vvill breake all the Hornes of sinners Psal 75.11 Psal 112.9 â—ie lameÌ„ â—3 but the Hornes of the righteous shal be exalted Againe His horn shal be exalted in glory C. Zacharias verely alludeth to the prophesies of the prophets in that which sodayne sauing Health is promised in matters past all Hope Yea this phrase of Speach is taken out of the Psalme â—sa 131.17 where it is sayde There I will make the Horne of DAVYD to florishe I haue Ordayned a Lanterne for myne anoynted To be shorte in these VVordes Zacharias sheweth that the power might and Kyngdome of CHRYST shal be fyrme and Euerlasting As if hee should say He seÌ„t Chryste the promised Sauiour against whom neyther Sinne neyther Death nor Hell Gates shall preuayle because the Horne is lyfted vp Other KYNGEDOMES are called greate and Myghtie of theyr Names and Ryches as of the Abundaunce of theyr Commodyties of their People of theyr Honoures and other theyr temperall Blessings BUT this KYNGEDOME is called the KINGDOME of SALVATION of Grace of Lyfe of Ryghteousnesse and of truth and the KYNGDOME of euery thynge that appertayneth to SALVATION whereby also it is seperated and knowne from all other Kyngdomes WHEREFORE if GOD hath declared vnto vs hys Power in no other then in CHRISTE to saue vs it is greate VVyckednesse to swarue from hym if so be we desire to be saued of GOD. AND noate heere that the same HORNE vvhych to the Faythfull is a HORNE of SALVATION is to the Wycked Terrour and Destruction In the house of his Seruaunt Dauid He calleth DAVID the seruaunte of God Not simpely because hee Worshipped GOD as one of the GODLY But in an other Respect Namely because hee vvas chosen to Gouerne and saue the People that he vvyth hys Successours might represent the Person of Christ AND Althoughe there remained no parte of a KINGDOME to bee seene amonge the IEVVES yet notwithstandyng because ZACHARIAS stayed hym selfe vppon the Promises of GOD hee feared not to call DAVID the Seruaunt of GOD in whome GOD gaue a view of the SALVATION to come Whereuppon it followeth that then in very deede Chryste is made vnto vs the Author of Saluation when he raigneth amonge vs to gouerne vs. Moreouer concerning the promises made vnto Dauid wee haue spoken partely already 70. As hee spake by the mouth of his Holy Prophetes which haue bene since the World began As hee spake C. Or as he promysed Least for Nouelties sake the Saluation which hee testifieth to be brought by Chryst should be doubted of he cyteth the Prophetes as witnesses of the same who being raysed vp in diuers times yet notwithstanding teach with one consent that we muste hope for saluation from Chryst aloane For it is not the purpose of Zacharias to coÌ„mend the Fayth and Constancy of God because he performeth and fulfilleth that which he had promised long before but rather seeketh to bringe the faithfull to the auncient Oracles to the ende they might
the more certainely and gladly imbrace the Saluation offered vnto them of the which all the Prophetes had testified from the beginning For our faith which is the sound and firme Foundation is truely referred vnto Chryst seeing he is manifested by the Testimonies of all the Prophets And although there are not many euydente places in the Prophetes concernynge Chryst yet notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the meaning of all the Prophetes was to leade vnto chryst as to the ende as did Moses also For what was the end of the Ceremonies And the Prophetes were interpreters of the Law wherefore if the law leade vnto Chryst it followeth also that the Prophets leade vnto Chryst Howbeit if any man doe more narrowly waighe and consider the Prophets he shal find that there is not one which leadeth vnto Chryst For they cannot haue theyr truth but in Chryst For their commoÌ„ vse was to conclude their speaches by the Couenaunt of the Lorde Thereunto alwaies they reduced the People that they might stand fast in the same Hee which knoweth not this shal neuer vnderstand the Prophetes as did not the Ievves who standing very curiously vpon the enarration of wordes and not vnderstanding the dryft and purpose of the same erred By the mouth of the Holy Prophetes C. He calleth the Prophetes holy to the end their Woords might haue the more authority and reuerence as if he should say that they were no lighte or common but plausible VVitnesses hauing commaundement from God to testify of Chryste Let vs know therefore that they spake not of them selues or see theyr owne decrees before the world but that God spake vnto vs by them Heb. 1.1 2. Pe. 1. â— The which the Apostles testifie But how euery one of the Prophetes haue borne witnesses vnto Chryst it were to longe particulerly to shew Let this at this present serue that they spake plainelie ynoughe of that Redemption to come which was reuealed in Chryst 71. That vve should be saued from our Enemies and from the Hande of all that hate vs. E. The Greeke Texte hath Saluation from our Enemies c. That is to say That vve might be deliuered froÌ„ our Enemies Or. That he wil delyuer vs. E. This Verse and some of them following dependeth vppon the nexte Verse going before where it is sayd As hee spake VVhat hath hee spoken He hath spoken Saluation froÌ„ our Enemies that hee woulde shewe mercy and so forth C. Therefore although this Speach Saluation froÌ„ our Enemies be harde to bee vnderstande yet notwithstanding the sence is plaine that no practises power force and lyings in wayte shall let God for the perpetuall preseruing of vs when wee are deliuered out of theyr handes So that Zacharias doth more plainly explicate the power and Office of Chryst And to speake truth it should profite vs little or nothing to heare that Chryste is geuen vnto vs excepte also we knewe what he profiteth vs. Therfore for this cause he doth more fully teach wherefore the Horne of Saluation was lyfted Namely that the faythful mighte be saued from their Enemies And there is no doubte but that Zacharias knew well inough that the Churche of God had not the pryncipall war wyth flesh and Bloud but with Sathan and all his Traine by which the mortal Enemy seeketh heere Euerlasting Destruction For although also External Enemies doe assaulte the Church yet notwithstanding seeing the kingdome of Chryst is Spyrituall hee speaketh specially heere of Sathan the Prince of this World and of his Army Agayne it is noted how miserable the condition of men is without Chryst that is to say they lie prostrate vnder the Tyranny of the Deuill For otherwise Christ would not haue deliuered his chyldren out of his hand that is to say from his power Notwithstanding this Place teacheth that the Church so longe as it is a Pilgrime in this world is amoÌ„g her Enemies and is subiect vnto theyr Violence if so bee Chryst were not at hande to helpe But this is the inestymable grace of Chryst that our saluation is sure and safe although wee bee beâ—et round aboot with Enemies 72. That he would deale mercifully with our Fathers and remember his holy couenaunt That he would deale mercifully E. That is to say That he would perfourme that towardes our Fathers which of his mercy hee promised vnto them and that he might be myndefull of his holy Couenaunt Hereuppon we see that it came to passe by the onely mercy of God that hee sente a Redeemer this is the Foundation of the whole Redemptiyn A notable Order verely to be obserued For after he had described the Office of Chryst he sheweth agayne that Chryst is not geuen for our merite but onely of the free Mercy of God Tit. 3.5 Not of workes that be in righteousnes which wee haue wrought but according to his mercy he hath saued vs sayth the Apostle With our Fathers C. The Fathers might haue bene thought to haue ben worthy and to haue obtayned this thinge by theyr merites For the VVorld hath ben alwayes thus superstitious that it hath worshipped deade Sainctes insomuch that it hath made of them an Idol Moreouer he meaneth heere that not onely their Nephewes but also their Fathers were vnworthy of so notable a Benefite of God Furthermore wheras Zacharias exteÌ„deth the mercy shevved in his time vnto the Deade Fathers that they myghte all haue the feeling of the Fruite thereof it followeth hereof that the grace and power of Chryste is not contayned wythin the Straights of this Momentany life but is Eternall Neyther hath it an ende wyth the Death of the Flesh seing the Soule lyveth after Death and a Resurrection followeth the Deathe of the Flesh Therefore as neither Abraham nor any one of the Sayntes could attayne Saluation by his owne power and Merits euen so the coÌ„mon Saluation in Chryste was declared to all the Faythfull as well to the deade as to the Lyuing And remember hys holy couenaunte C. GOD is sayde to be mindefull of his Couenaunte because by that longe Delay hee might seeme to haue forgotten thinges vnder the which delay he suffered a People miserably afflicted to languish Therefore there are here three things in order to be obserued which are contained in this verse Fyrst of all that God was led by his mere mercy to make a Couenaunte with the Fathers Secondly that makyng a Couenaunte hee tyed the Saluation of men vnto his word Thyrdly that hee offeted all manner of Grace and goodnesse in Christe that so he might establish all hys promises For the assuraunce of theyr Faith consisteth only in Chryst In the Couenaunt remissioÌ„ of sinnes is promised but the same consisteth in the Bloud of Chryst Righteousnesse is promised but the same is offered in the Satisfaction of Chryste Life is promised but the same is to be soughte no where else sauing in the Death of Chryst Exod. 24.7 Heb. 9.19 And this is the cause why God in
and straunge yoake laied on thē For whereas some say that it was the first taxe after that Cyrenius was liefe tenaunte of Syria it hath no shewe of truth There was a yerely tribute but there was not a yerely taxe Wherfore the sence and meaning is that the Iewes were at that time in far greater wyse oppressed When Cyrenius was liefe tenaūt in Syria E. The sundry appellation of the Liefetenaunts name hath no absurdity whyle some call him Cyrenius some Quizinus or Quizinius For wee know that the Greekes in turning Latine doe for the moste part chaunge somewhat in the pronuntiation As touching the name of Taxe the Greeke word is Apographe that is to say a description a partition into degrees or Families or Cities or tribes or hundredes in like manner annotation and Regestring is description description in respecte of those that are taxed This Description was made to the ende it might be known how much euery one was worth and so Trybute was taken accordyng to euery mās ryches And also that the certayn number of the people might be knowne But what sūme was requyred of euery one neyther Luke here nor any other wryters do declare Iosephus in hys seuenth Booke of the warre of the Iewes the 26. Chapter sayth that Vespasian taxed the People and commaūded that the second Groate shoulde bee brought into the Capitoll or pallace of the City of Rome the which whether it bee agreeing with this Taxe of Augustus yea or no it is vncertaine Reade the 17. cap. of Math. the 24. verse C. But there aryseth a far greater difficulty doubt of another place For Iosephus affyrmeth in his 18. Booke of Antiquities the first Chapter that Quirinus when Archelaus was banished into Vienna was Liefetenaunte who assigned Iudea to the Prouince of Syria For all Wrighters doe agree that Archelaus raigned nine yeares after the Death of his Father Herod Whereupon it followeth that betwen the Birth of Christe and that Taxe there were about thirtene yeares For all men submit themselues to Epiphanius Iudgement who affirmeth that Christe was borne the three and thirtith yeare of Herods raigne that is to say foure yeares before his death This also is some what intricate doubtfull that the same Iosephus hath in his 18. Booke and third Chapter where hee saith that this Taxe was made in the 37. yeare after the towne Actium in Epyre was wonne The which if it bee true Augustus suruiued almost seuen yeares longer And so eight or nine yeares of his Age shal be deminished For it will appere by the third Chapt. of Luke that he was then but fifteene yeares olde But seeing the age of Christe is better knowne then that it should be drawen in question it is very likely that Iosephus erred in this point as in many other also And in deede the Cronicles shew that Quirinius was Consull 19. yeares or there aboutes before the Augustus had ouercome Antonius and raigned alone so hee should be a very olde man when he was sent to gouerne the Prouince Moreouer the same Iosephus reckoneth vp foure Liefetennauntes of Iury within the compasse of eight yeares when as he confesseth that Quintus was Liefetnaunt eleuen yeares The same was Valerius Gratus whom Pontius Pilate succeeded Howbeit another solution may bee brought that it was not lawfull by by to take the Taxe in hand after it was cōmaunded For Iosephus sheweth that Coponius was sent with an army to represse the Iewes Whereby wee may easely gather that the Taxe was let for a time by the Tumult of the people and the Woordes of Luke beare this that there went forth a cōmaundement about the time of Christes natiuity to Taxe the People and a taxe could not be made without the alteration of the state of the Kingdome seeing that Iury was made a part of the Prouince And so this latter parte shal be added in steede of correction This first taxing was made whē Cyrenius was Liefetenaunt That is to say then it was brought to effect and not before Howbeit the whole question is not yet answered Question For seing that Herode held Iury to what ende should the People bee taxed who payde no Tribute vnto the Empire of Rome Wee answere Aūsvvere that there is no absurdity if we say that Augustus to accustome the Iewes to the Yoake would haue them taxed euen vnder Herod Neyther did the peculiar Kingdome of Herod let but that the Iewes might pay somewhat in the name of Tribute to the Romayne Empire For wee know the Herod had but a seruile kingdome But what reason mooued Eusebius to say that this Taxe was decreed by the Senate house we know not 3. Therefore went al to bee taxed euery man to his owne Citty R. Seeing that this Taxe was in Iury euery man went to geue his name into his owne Citty that is into the Metropolitane CITY of his owne Tribe For euery Tribe had his Metropolitant City The Metropolitane City of Beniamin was Hierusalem of Iuda Bethlehem The rest of the Tribes had their Cities also 4. And Ioseph also went vp from Galilee out of the City of Nazareth into Iury vnto the City of Dauid which is called Bethlehem bycause hee was of the house and Lynage of Dauid R. Ioseph and Mary go vnto Bethlehem that as it may seeme they might obay the decree of their Magistrate But this was the worke of God that the saying of the holy Ghoste might be fulfilled and that Christe according to the Decree of his Father mighte bee borne in Bethlehem A. As wee haue shewed in the first verse Obedienc to Magistrates By this example we are taught to shewe withal dilligence our obedience to our magistrate in Ciuill matters though they be grieuouse For if so be the Parents of Iesus Christ the king of Heauen and earth obayed the commaūdement of a heathen Magistrate what honor and how great obedience doe the faithfull owe vnto a Christian and Godly Magistrate Vnto the City of Dauid R. Bycause Dauid was borne there therfore it is called his City Bycause he was of the house linage of Dauid The scripture doth oftētimes ioyne these words house and linage together and yet the one cannot easily bee distinguished from the other That Ioseph and the Virgin did not onely appertaine to the tribe of Iuda but were also of the Linage and stocke of Dauid of the which Seede Christ was promised we haue shewed in our Annotations vppon the first Chap. of Mathew the 16. verse 5. To bee taxed with Mary his spoused Wyfe which was with childe A. Reade the 27. verse of the 1. Chapter going before BV. Mary bycause she was great neere her time might haue excused her selfe from takinge this Iourney but shee woulde not so doe For she would not bee an offence to others And thus it ought to be that they mighte come to Bethlehem bycause of the Prophesie of Micheas of the which we haue spoken in the firste verse
them Camels laden with Golde but it is rather likely that theyr Offering was some small present which they brought with them onely for honors sake And the law dyd not commaunde that they being poore should spende theyr Substance vppon a Sacrifice but making a difference betwene the poore and the rich in offering theyr Sacrifices it eased them of coste Wherefore there shall no inconuenience follow if we say that Ioseph and Mary gaue so much as theyr Ability woulde beare although they had some money left in stoare to beare the Costes and Charges of theyr Iourney and to buy them fode A. Moreouer these Sacrifices signified that true and onely propitiatory Sacrifice which is the Death of our Lord Iesus Chryst Last of all Luke doth not so often times repeate in vaine that Ioseph Mary did that which was prescrybed vnto them in the law of the Lord. For in these Words we are taught to deuise nothing after our own fantasye in the VVorship of the Lorde but to follow obediently that which hee hath prescribed in his holy word 25. And beholde there was a Man at Hierusalem whose name was Symeon And this man was iust godly looking for the consolation of Israell and the holy Ghost was on him And behold there was a man S. Luke commeth nearer to the principall Offices of Chryst whych concerned the illumination of the GeÌ„tiles and the gloryfying of the Israelites This word Behould is a word of attention by which Luke seeketh to make the hearers geue diligeÌ„t heede to heare the wonderfull euente of all things in the person of that olde Man Symeon who alone amonge so great a people as Israell was and in so great Impiety knew Chryst to be the Sauiour and promised Messias C. For this story is set downe that we might know that althoughe thys whole People almoste had profaned them selues with the wicked contempt of God yet notwithstanding there remayned a few which worshipped God of whome Chryst was knowen eueÌ„ froÌ„ his first Infancy These were the Reliques whych Paule sayth were saued according to the free Election of GOD. And in thys small Number the Church of GOD was encluded Rom. 11.5 although the hie priests and Scrybes boasted of the Tytle of the Church The Euangelist maketh meÌ„tion of two only which acknowledged Chryst at Hierusalem when hee was brought into the Temple namely Simeon and Anna And first of all wee must speake of Simeon Concerning his state and condition we read not of it may be that hee was one of the common sort of People and of no fame R. Therefore the Proceedynges of Chryst are agreeing with his Beginnings For as Chryst was born in misery and in pouerty so he is onely acknowledged of poore and abiect men For he is not visited of Kings but of Sheepeheardes he is not worshypped of the Pharisies but of the Magi who although they were men of great calling in theyr owne Countrey yet notwithstandyng they were contempned and despysed among the Iewes To these base beginninges agreeth that also which the Euangelyste now describeth For as yet the Pryests knew not the Chylde offered in the Temple as yet the hyghe Pryestes salute him not as yet the Kynges honour him not but a certayne olde man whose name was Symeon a Citizen of Hierusalem being Famouse neyther for his Ryches Dignitie nor Offyce commeth to salute and embrace the Child who peraduenture seemed in the sight of meÌ„ to be out of hys VVitts But what maner of man so euer hee seemed to be in the Iudgment of men the Scripture highly commendeth him For it saith And this man was iust and Godly C. Luke commendeth him for his Righteousnes and piety to the which he addeth also the gift of Prophesie Piety and righteousnesse are referred vnto the two tables of the Law therefore in these two partes consisteth the integritie of lyfe The same also Luke testefied of Zacharias and Elyzabeth Looking for the consolation C. It was a Testimony of pietie that hee looked for the Consolation of Israell For God is not truly VVorshipped without the trust of saluation which both dependeth vpon the Fayth of his promises and also especially vpoÌ„ that restoring promised by Chryst Now seeing such wayting for Chryst is commended in Symeon for a rare Vertue wee may thereby gather that at that time there were a fewe whych had the hope of Redemption in theyr hearts Euery man had in his mouth the Messias and the happy estate vnder the Raigne of Dauid but no Man in the meane time patiently bare the present myseries vppon hope that the Redemption of the Churche was at hand Luke 23. â—0 Therefore Symeon is praysed as for his greate Vertue that hee looked for the Consolation of Israel For the whych cause also wee reade that Ioseph of Aramathea was commeÌ„ded for that Kingdome of God which the same Ioseph looked for was that consolation of Israell which Simeon waited for as we haue noted vpon Mat. Math. â—â—7 C. And as in this the piety of Symeon appeared that hee comforted himselfe vppon hope of the promysed Saluation Euen so at this Day whosoeuer will shew themselues to bee the Sonnes of GOD must continuallie desire the promised redemption And we must also noate in this worde Consolation that without Chryste there is mere Desolation that is to say Dispayre And the holy Ghost was vpon him C. Luke speaketh not of the Spirite of Adoption which belongeth to all the Chyldren of God thoughe not alike but of a speciall maner of Prophesie which more plainely appereth in the verse following where it is said that he receiued an answer of the holie Ghost and that being led by the same spyrit he came into the Temple Therefore thoughe Symeon excelled not in temporall Dignity and promotion Yet notwithstanding he was adorned with excellent Gyftes as wyth Godlines Innocensie of Lyfe Fayth and Prophesying A. And there is no doubt but that hee greatly desiered to see the Redeemer for it followeth 26 And a Reuelation was geuen hym of the holy ghost not to se death before he had sene the Lords Christ E. The like Reuelation was made to Ioseph as you may Read in the 20. Ma. 1. â—â— verse of the first Chapter of Mathew Also concerning the Magi it is sayde And they were warned of God in a Dreame Not to see Death A. To see Death accordinge to the Hebrevve Phrase signifieth to die R. Behoulde beere what an excellent gifte was geuen vnto Symeon beyonde all the Patriarkes and Prophets For Chryst was promised to the Patriarkes and his comming was reuealed vnto the Prophetes Yet notwithstanding it was promised vnto none of them that they shoulde see Chryst in this VVorld with their corporall Eyes although they greatelie desiered the same But both happened to Symeon Blessed are your Eyes sayth Chryst because they see and your Eares because they heare For verely I say vnto you â—3 17 many Prophetes and righteous men haue
famous Pharises whose fauour hee mighte haue gotten wiâ—h one worde they being as yet his friendes but hee lodgeth in the poore Cottage of a Fysher man in that which a sicke olde Woman lay on Bed Christe did this to this ende and purpose not to teache vs that rych men Noble men are quighte reiected from God For God respecteth no mans parson but hee coÌ„meth to this poore Cottage to shewe that Pouerty and sicknesse is not so much neglected and coÌ„temned with God as it is with men For in this Worlde there is nothinge more abiect than poore men nothinge lesse regarded than such as are sicke But Christe commeth to these and sheweth that of all others hee hath moste care for them Wherefore let not them which are oppressed with Pouerty afflicted with sicknesse fainte and bee discouraged neyther let them thinke that they for their Pouerty and sicknesse are reiected of God but let them be sure that the more they are pressed downe with afflictions the more they are beloued and regarded of God And they made incercess A. The piety of this Family which was in the house of Simon Peter is set before vs to be immitated For they nourish the mother in Lawe which was troublesome both for her yeres and also for her Sycknesse beside this they pray vnto Christe for her health Most contrary therefore vnto these are some at this day who much dysdayne olde Women and when they are sicke will sooner desire that the Diuell would fetch them than that they might be restored vnto health Than the which mynde what can bee more beastly and cruell For olde age is honourable amonge the wylde and barbarouse people and dare these cursse the same in a very olde Woman Amonge the gyftes of GOD olde age is not the leaste What madnesse than is that to cursse an olde Body for the Gyfte of God But commonly it commeth to passe by the Iust Iudgement of GOD that those Varlets which despise this gyfte of God neuer are Partakers thereof themselues A. This story is touched in the eight Chapter of Mathew verse 14. and in the first of Marke verse 29. 42. As soone as it was day hee departed and wente into a Deserte place and the People sought him and came to him and kept hym that hee shoulde not departe from them R. Marke sayth that hee prayed in this place The prayer of Chryste was not without effect For seeing he hath made God so fauourable towards vs that hee acknowledgeth vs to bee his sonnes through Christe hee hath also obtained for vs the spirite of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father Reade more concerning this in the 23. verse of the fouretene Chap. of Math. And the People sought him A. Marke hath Mark 1.37 All men seeke the to the which hee answered Let vs goe into the next villages that I may preache there also for therefore am I come But our EuaÌ„gelist hath as foloweth 43. And hee sayd vnto them I must preache the Kyngdome of God to other Cittyes also for therefore am I sent C. By these wordes Christe declareth howe dilligent hee was to preache the Gospell and to discharge his office R. As if hee should say I am not sent to dwell in Capernaum onely but to preache the Gospell in euery parte of Iury. Wherefore I must not haue regarde where I may liue more securely and honourably but where I may followe my callinge C. But if any man demaund whether it is better yea or no for the ministers of the Gospell to be wanderers abrode sparingly to deliuer Gods doctryne in diuers places or to abyde in teachinge those Hearers which they haue once gotten Wee answere that the action of Christe of that which mencion is made here was grounded vpon exellent reason bycause it was agreeing with the coÌ„maundement calling of his father For Christe had but a short time to go throughout all Iudea to stir vp mens myndes as if it had bene with the sounde of a Trumpet to heare the Gospell 44. And hee preached in the Synagoges of Galile A. Marke addeth And hee cast oute Diuells For the Lord wrought diuers myracles to confirme his doctrine R. And by the way we haue a worthy example of obedience For Christ might haue liued with great honor in Capernaum but he rather chose to obay his Fathers callinge then to followe his carnall commodities First of all for this cause that by his obedience hee might make God fauorable vnto vs and might satifie for our sinnes secondly that by his example hee might learne vs obedience that which we owe also vnto our deuine calling For if by Faith in Christe we follow Gods callinge verely euen as God hath exalted Christe being obedient to him euen to the death of the Crosse so also hee will exalt vs into perpetuall Felicity ⧠THE V. CHAP. IT came to passe that wheÌ„ the people preassed vpoÌ„ him to heare the worde of GOD he stoode by the Lake of Genazareth Bu. Luke by this History declareth vnto vs how Peter the rest were called to the company of Christ to the end they might bee instructed by him prepared for the office of the Apostelship And the myracle of the Fishes doth notably agree with the Apostelshippe and with the Ministery of the Gospell For by the great multitude of Fishes which were caught Christe noteth vnto vs the great efficacy of the Gospell the which should bring great plenty of sinners out of the kingdome of the Diuell into the kingdome of God And Christe him selfe doth so interprete it when he saith that Peter Iames Andrew Ihon shal be fishers of men Preased vpon him A. Hereby we se with what feruency the hearers came to heare the word of God beleuing that the same was the word of God which chryst preached To herae the word of God If we will beleeue in Chryst RoÌ„ 10.14 we must heare the word For how shal they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard A. And although GOD can geue knowledge vnto men otherwyse then by the Instrument of preaching yet notwtstanding this is his ordinary meane of dispersing that they whych will attaine Saluation by Faythe in Chryst must geue eare vnto gods word By the lake of Genazareth Mathe. and Marke according to their vsuall phrase of speach cal it the sea of Galile 2. And saw two shpipes stande by the Lakes side but the FishermeÌ„ wer gone out of them and were washing theyr Nets And saw two ships A. The other two Euangelists Mathew and Mark omit this And were washing theyr Nets As if Luke should say They were out of all hope to take any fishes seeing neither occasion to take fish nor yet any profit at all of theyr Laboure A. But God is wont to declare hys power in matters past mans hope 3. And he entered into one of the shyppes which pertayned to Simon and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the
whom alone forgeuenesse of Sinnes must be sought and he corrected the Pharisies which were present both for that they trusted ouer muche in them selues and contempned others in respecte of themselues And ther is no doubte but that this profited in many of them though not presentelye yet afterward C. So that in this sentence that incomparable fruit of Faith is noted which the Scrypture so ofteÌ„ commendeth as that it bringeth peace and Ioy to mens tonscyences and suffereth them not to be disquieted Wee being iustified by Faithe sayth Saynte Paule haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Chryste Rom. 5.1 by whome also we haue had enteraunce by Fayth vnto his Grace wherein we hys GRACE wherein wee ioyse in hope of the Glory of GOD. Therefore Chryste ioyneth heere peace with Fayth So it was said to the VVoman diseased with an Issue of Bloude Thy Fayth hath saued thee Goe in Peace Reade our Annotations vppon the fifth Chapter of MARKE beginnynge at the 30. fower Verse ⧠CAP. THE EIGHT AND it CAME to passe afterwarde that hee hymself weÌ„t through euery Citye and Towne preaching shewyng the Kyngdome of God and and the twelue were with him R. In this place it is declared howe that Iesus Chryst when hee had Publiquely begun the Office of the Messias abode not still in one certayne City idle and slouthfull but went throughe Cities and Townes VVherein the excedyng Loue of GOD towardes men is declared For Chryst the Son of GOD dyd not tarry in any one City vntill they that were sicke and oute of the way came vnto him to be healed and to bee brought into the way of Truth but hee walketh through the whole Countrey and seketh after such Myserable persons as looked for no such Thynge and healed them Chryste also by this his Peregrination teacheth euery one of vs to follow hys calling For Christ was ordayned of GOD the Father to this ende and purpose that hee myght be the publique and General preacher of Iury of Galile If therfore Chryst the Sonne of GOD shunneth no labor no payne no perill onely to satisfy his callyng why then are not we miserable men styrred vp by his example to do nothing else then by all maner of meanes and with all diligence to follow our calling Reade the thyrd Chapter of Mathew the 2. Verse the fourth Chapter the 23. Verse the ninthe Chapter the 35 verse and the first Cap. of Marke the 14. Verse And the Twelue with him C. Luke sayth that the twelue Apostles preached the Kingdome of God with Chryst Whereby we gather that althoughe the ordinary office of teaching was not as yet committed vnto them yet notwithstanding they were daily prechers preparing audience vnto theyr Mayster so that although theyr condition was inferior yet notwithstanding they are said to be helpers with Christ 2. AND also certayne womeÌ„ which were healed of euill Spyrites and Infirmities Mary which is called Magdalene out of whom weÌ„t seuen Deuils A. In that the women followed it was a token of thankefulnes because they had receiued benefits of him both Spyrituall and corporall as in that they were taughe in the Gospel of the kingdome and were deliuered from euill Spyrites as was Mary Magdalene who had bene vexed with seuen deuils This fellowship may seeme to brynge smal honor vnto Chryst For what was more vnseemely for the Sonne of God then to carry about with him women that were defamed But hereby we see the better that those vices with that which we were laden before Faith do so litle hynder the Glory of Chryste â—h 5.22 that they do rather inlarge the same And in dede he is not sayd to haue found the church without wrynckell or spot which hee hath chosen but that he hath clensed the same with his Bloud that hee mighte make it pure and fayre Wherefore the miserable and shamefull condition of these women after they were deliuered form the same turned to the great glory of Chryst as to declare the excellent signes of his power and Grace Also theyr thankefulnesse is commended by Luke as is said because they followed theyr deliuerer contemning the shame of the World There is no doubte but that they were poynted at of some and the presence of Chryst was as it were a Theater to cause them to be sene but they refuse not to haue their shame openly knowen so that the Grace of Chryst might be manifestly knowen For in Mary there was a singuler myracle of the vnspeakeable goodnes of Chryst in that she being a woman possessed with seuen Deuils and as it were the most vile mancion of Sathan did not onelye vouchsafe her the honor of a Dysciple but also his Company Which is called Magdalene C. Luke addeth the name of Magdalene to put a difference betweene her and the sister of Martha and other Marâ—es of whych mencion is made in another place For that this was not the Sister of Lazarus and Martha it is to manifeste seeing that she was of Galile And to affirme her to bee the same sinfull Woman of whome mention is made in the chapter before is so folish absurd that it neede no loÌ„ger spreache of the same But most fondely and vnlearnedly of all other they wryte which by the seuen Deuils will haue seuen deadly sinnes vnderstode when as Luke heere manifestly testefieth that these Women were deliuered from vnclean Spyrits A. Of this Mary Magdalene Marke maketh mention saying When Iesus was rysen early the firste day after the Saboth Maâ— 16.9 he appered first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seuen Deuils 3 And Ioanna the wyfe of Chusa Herodes Steward and Susanna and many other which ministred vnto him of theyr Substance C. Seeing these women were rych Famous Matrons theyr Godly mind deserueth the more prayse spending vpon Chryst theyr money And not contented with this Duty setting aside theyr businesse at home they rather choose to follow him with enuy and many incommodities and to abide hard lodging then to haue delycate quietnes in theyr own houses And it may bee that Chuza Herodes Steward being to lyke vnto his mayster was quyte contrary to the purpose of his wyfe but the Godly womaÌ„ ouercame this let with the Feruencie and constancy oâ— her zeale R. As touching Chryst hee rather choase to liue vpon the stypend of others then to possesse much ryches in this world For he broughte himselfe into pouertie that he might sanctifye the same being otherwise contemptyble in his owne and by the same might prepare for vs heauenly euerlasting Riches A. Euen as Paule testefieth Ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus Chryst that though he was rich 2. Cor. 8.9 yet for your sakes he became poore that ye through his Pouerty myghte bee made rich B. And in that he receiued at the handes the necessaries for thys Lyfe sowing spirituall things he confirmed that in himselfe which he taught his Disciples saying The labourer is
worthy of his meate Ma. 10.10 A. The which Doctrine the Apostle confirmeth with these Wordes 1. Co 9.11 If we sowe vnto you spirituall thynges is it much if wee reape your Carnall thynges And in another place Let him that is taught in the woord Gala. 6.6 Minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thynges 4 When much people were gathered together and were come to him out of all Cities he spake by a Similitude R. Mathew hath And great multitudes were gathered together Ma. 13.2 Mar. 4 1 vnto him insomuch that he wente and sate in a ship and the whole Multytude stode on the shoare Hee spake by a Simillitude R. Luke meaneth not the Chryst did teach no other thinge then Parables and simillitudes For his chiefe Doctrine was the Gospell of the Kingdome of God euen as it is written in the Prophetes But some time hee vsed Parables and Simillitudes that he might more plainly explicate that which he taughte concerning the Kingdome of God myghte the more deepely prynt the same in the myndes of men For Parables and simillitudes haue a certaine wonderful Force to set forth and explicate the thinge of the which it is spoken Seeing therefore the purpose of Christ in this Sermon is to set the Authoritie of his Gospell free from slaunders to shew that not his Gospell but wycked and impenitent men are the Authors of euils he vseth the Parable of the sower most apte for this purpose and propoūdeth the same to the common people simpely adding in the ende of the Parable this short sentence He that hath eares to heare let him heare P. M. And this simillitude tendeth to this ende that wee myghte know that the Gospell is neuer without fruicte but is alway effectuall in some Euen as the Lord testefieth by his Prophet saying My woord shall not returne to me voyde but shal do whatsoeuer I will haue it Hereuppon it followeth that alwaies in that Congregation where true doctrine is deliuered there must needes be some members of the Church because the word of God is not without fruite and there must needes be some Church Isa 55.11 in the which notwithstāding all do not fructifie alike Euen as God geueth not his giftes to all alike For the Exposition of that which followeth till ye come to the 〈◊〉 Verse read the thyrtene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 4. verse Cōcerning the sixtene Verse Read the 15. Verse of the 5. Chapter before Concerning the 17 and 18. Read the 10. Chapter of Mathew the 6. Verse For the 19. read the 12. of Mathew Verse 46. and for the rest till ye come to the 41. Verse Reade the eighte of Mathew Verse twentye three And from the 41. vnto the ende of the Chapter yee shall haue the Expositiō in the ninth of Mathew verse 18. ⧠CAP. THE NINTH IESVS CALled the 12. Disciples together and gaue them povver and Authoritie ouer all Deuils and that they mighte heale Diseases A. At what time these things were done Reade the third of Marke verse 13. For the Exposition hereof vntyll ye come to the seuenth Verse Read the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginnyng at the first verse and the sixt of Marke verse the 7. From the 7. Verse to the eightene Verse Read the fourtene Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the first verse and the sixte of MARKE beginning at the fourtene Verse and the sixte of IOHN the fifte Verse For the eightene Verse vnto the two and twenty Verse Read the sixetene of MATHEW Verse thyrteene and the eighte of Marke verse seuen and twentie For the two and twenty Read the seuentene Chapter of Mathew verse two and twenty and the Eyghte of Marke Verse 31. For the three and twenty and foure and twenty Verses Reade the tenthe Chapter of Mathew Verse eight and thyrty and the sixtene Chapter verse foure and twenty and the 8. of Marke Verse foure and thirty and the fourtene of Luke Verse seuen and twenty and Chapter seuentene three and thirty Iohn twelue and fiue and twenty For the fiue and twenty reade the sixtene of Mathew Verse sixe twēty and the eight of Marke the sixe thirty Verse For the sixe and twenty Read the twelfthe of Luke Verse the Eyghte and Mathew the tenth Verse three thyrty For the seuen and twenty read the sixtene of Mathew Verse eyghte and twentye and the ninth of Marke Verse the first For the eight and twenty Verse so tyll yee come to the one fifty verse Read the seuentene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the first Verse the ninth of Marke Verse 2. 51. And it came to passe when the time was come that he should be receiued vp he set his Face to goe to Hierusalem C. This Historye is onely set downe by our Euangelyst the which notwithstanding is very profitable for many causes For heere first of all the Deuine fortytude of Chryst and his constancy in despysing death is descrybed Secondely what mortall Enmities the Controuersies of Religion do breede Thirdly how rashly the Nature of man is carried with violence to impatiēce fourthly how ready wee are to fall in imitating Sainctes and laste of all wee are called to meekenes by the Example of Chryst That he should be taken vp C. The Death of Chryst is called an Assumption not onely because he was then taken away from amonge mē but also because he is ascended into heauen with our Flesh B. Therefore the hower of Death approching he would also goe vnto the place of his Deathe to teach that hee would not die by Force but willingly and of his owne accord He set his face to goe to Hierusalem B. That is to say hee bended hymselfe with firme purpose to goe to Hierusalem and was fully determined to goe thyther his minde being hardened agaynst all euils that might ensue of the same C. For Luke by these Wordes He set his face expresseth that Christ hauing Death before his eyes subduing the feare thereof went forwarde to suffer the same withall notwithstanding he sheweth that he did striue that he might valiantly offer himself to deth as the Conquerer of feare For if so be there had ben no feare no difficulty no contention no care obiected to what end should he harden and stedfastly set his Face But because hee was neither slow nor yet rash it was meete he should be moued with cruel and bitter Death yea with horrible Tormente which he knew honge ouer his head by the seuere iudgement of God that which thing did so litle obscure and deminish his Glory that it is rather a notable Documente of his exceeding Loue towarde vs because hee not regardinge himselfe to work our Saluation wēt through the middest of terrors feares vnto Death the Day wherof he knew was at hand 52. And sent Messengers before him and they went and entered into a Towne of the Samaritās to make ready for him R. To the ende wee may
preached to this ende that it might ouerthrow the kingdome of sathan Therefore seeing the Disciples did take holde of that visible document of the which they had experience Christ admonisheth them that the force efficacy of their doctrine did extende farther as that the tyrannicall power of Sathan might fall which he exerciseth ouer all mankinde C. As if he should say As touching your ambassage it is well I know it hath good successe For euen as you were discharginge your ambassadge A. Yea so soone as yee were did to preache the Gospell I saw Sathan by by and in a moment to fall downe froÌ„ heauen euen as lightening C. For the Gospel is of such force the Sathan is not able to stand before the same And now is the Iudgement of the Prince of this worlde hee is Iudged already a stronger than hee coÌ„meth which also hath ouercome him Also seeing the sonne of God cannot be deceiued and seeinge this his foreknowledge of the which hee speaketh here belongeth to the continuall race of the Gospell there is no doubt so often as hee rayseth vp faithfull Teachers but that he will geue fruitfull successe vnto their laboure Whereby wee gather that wee are no otherwyse deliuered from the power of Sathan then by the Gospell and that they do rightly profit in the Gospell in whom the power of Sathan is fallen that sinne beinge extinguished they may begin to liue to the righteousnesse of God Euen as lightning C. Wee must note this similitude which Christe vseth that Sathan doth fall at the thounderinge of the Gospell like lightning for so the deuine power of doctrine is expressed which so sodainly with so violent force casteth down the Prynce of this Worlde so well Armed and appointed Hereby also is expressed how miserable the State and Condition of men is vntill Christ their deliuerer is come Therefore there is no Grace more to bee desiered than that we may haue amonge vs the preachinge of the Gospell that Christe may raigne ouer vs. 19. Behold I geue vnto you power to treade on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all maner power of the enemy and nothinge shall hurte you C. This is the seconde parte of the answere for hee confirmeth his Dysciples against the time to come that they might conceyue the greater trust As if hee should say As yee haue had experience of my Power when yee did cast out Diuells euen so hereafter yee shall feele the same greater Some demaunde whether this was spoken to the seuenty Disciples only or generally to all Mynisters AuÌ„svvere Verely there was another consideration to be had of them than of the ministers of the Gospell at this day for then his purpose was to make the doctrine of the Gospell noble and they ought to serue vs although we want these gyftes For there is no doubte but that the Lord doth at this day bridell the power of Sathan and his ministers also which hee vseth as Instruments to hurte though not alwayes for Sathan raged euen against the Apostells also To treade on Serpents and Scorpions C. Hee calleth all harmes the power of the Enemy bycause the diuell doth throw against vs whatsoeuer is hurtfull for vs not that all thinges which may hurte men are subiect vnto his will but bycause hee being armed with the Cursse of God goeth about to turne all his Scourges to our destruction and vseth them as Dartes to wounde vs. 20. Neuerthelesse in this reioyce not that the spirites are subdued vnto you but rather reioyse bycause your names are written in heaueÌ„ C. Hee sheweth vnto his Disciples in what thing they ought specially to reioyce For it was to bee feared leaste they would waxe insolent and proude when they should see the Diuells and Serpentes subdued vnto them and so haue bene blynded This therefore is spoken by the way of graunting For Christe graunteth that it is an excellent gift in the which they reioyce but hee putteth them in minde to haue principally regarde to farther matter not to stande vppon externall miracles Therefore their Ioy as it was not coÌ„ceiued of nothinge is not wholly condemned of him but hee sheweth that the same is in some poynte faulty bycause pleasing themselues immoderatly in temporall Grace did not lift vp their mindes to Heauen And surely all the Godly are troubled with this disease For although they waigh the goodnesse of God with thankes geuinge yet notwithstanding they do not lift vp them selues somuch as it becommeth them with the staffe of Gods benefits to heauen and therefore the Lord as it were by stretching out his hand must needes lyfte them vp least they stay them selues vpon the earth But rather reioyce Seeing the purpose of Christe is to drawe his Disciples from mundane transitory Ioy that they might reioyce in euerlasting life hee bringeth them to the originall fouÌ„taine thereof namely for that they were chosen of God and adopted to bee his Sonnes C. As if he should say let this be your speciall Ioy that I haue chosen you Euen as the Apostel Paule saith 1. Ephe. 5.6 that this is the true glory of Christians that they are adopted of God Christe might haue coÌ„maunded his Disciples to reioyce bycause they were regenerate by the spirit of God bycause they were new Creatures in Christe bycause they were illumined into the hope of Saluation and had the earnest and Seale geuen vnto them but Christe would rather note the beginninge from whence al these Graces came namely the free election of God to the ende they might ascribe nothinge vnto them selues Those benefits which wee feele in vs geue vs matter inough to prayse God but the eternall election which is without vs doth more euidently shewe that our saluation is grounded vpon the meere goodnesse of God And hee speaketh Metaphorically when he sayth that his Dysciples names are written in heauen in steede of that they are reckoned before GOD to be Sonnes and Heyres euen as if they were written in a Catalogue Wherevpon also the Scripture by the booke of Life vnderstandeth adoption and election And we haue testimony of our secret election by callinge Concerninge the two next verses reade the 11. Chap. of Math. beginning at the 15. verse And for the 23. vers reade the 13. Chap. Math. vers 16. 24. For I tell you that many Prophets Kyngs haue desired to see those things that yee see and haue not sene theÌ„ to heare those things which yee heare haue not heard them B. The Lord speaketh not here of corporall seeing and hearing only but also of that spiritual hearing and seeing which was withdrawen from wise meÌ„ and reuealed vnto them Mat. â—1 for the which hee geueth thankes vnto his heauenly Father and of the which hee sayd at another time To you it is geuen to know the mistery of the Kingdome of God And wee must note that God obserueth an Order and Degree in reuealing the knowledge of
bicause the Iewes thought that the kingdome of the Messias should bee an Earthly kingdome hee would not mayntayne their Error by that Example For if they had seene him to deuide Inherytaunces the rumor thereof shoulde by and by haue bene spread abroade So in like maner many looked for a Carnall Redemption the which they too earnestly desired the wicked boasted that he went about to make a chauÌ„ge and to pull away the state of the Romaine Empyre Wherefore hee coulde not doe better then geue this answere by which they might all know that the kingdome of Christe was spirituall Therefore let vs also learne soberly to behaue our selues and to take nothinge in hande that may cause vs to bee euell spoken of Furthermore the purpose of the Lorde was to put a difference betwene the Polliticall gouernment of this Worlde and the gouernment of the Church For hee was ordayned of the Father to be a Teacher who with the Sworde of the Woorde should cut the thoughts Affections of men and pearce into their foules ☞ Thus the latrocinie and Robbery of the Pope and his is condemned who boastinge them selues to bee the Sheepheardes of Christe do take vppon them to inuade earâ—hly prophane Iurisdiction For there shal be somewhat lawfull of it selfe which shall not pertayne to euery one Wherefore Christe woulde not haue all thynges mixte and confounded For the gouernment of the Church is spirituall the politicall gouernment pertayneth to the coÌ„mon life of men We must therefore alwayes haue respect vnto our calling and what is meete for the fame For those things which are most exelleÌ„t are somtime in the sight of God most vile There was also a 3. particuler cause namely bycause Christ saw that this man leauing the doctrine of God had respect vnto his domesticall profite And this disease is to generall and coÌ„mon in somuch that many professing the Gosple let not to abuse the same by making it a cloake to couer their couetousnesse Wee may easly gather this by the circumstance of exhortacion for except the man had abused the titell of the Gospell for hys owne Gayne occasion had not bene gieuen vnto Christe to condemne couetousnesse Therefore the text doth sufficiently shew that this man was but a couÌ„terfeit Disciple whose minde was wholly occupied with his land coÌ„modity Moreouer the Anabaptists do to absurdly infer vppon this place that it is not lawefull for a Christian man to deuide Inheritances or to take vpon him any ciuill office Whereas Christe only denyeth him selfe to be a Iudge bycause he was ordayned of the Father to another ende Let this therefore be as rule vnto vs to keepe euery man wythin the boundes of his callinge whereunto he is called of God 15. And hee sayde vnto them Take heede and beware of couetousnes for no mans Life standeth in the abundance of the things which hee possesseth Take heede beware of couetousnes E. For couetousnes the Greeke word is Pleonexia which signifieth an insatiable desier of the which Christe commaundeth vs to take heede For no mans Life standeth in the abuÌ„dance By which words the spring internall originall froÌ„ whence an insatiable desier of hauing doth come is noted For bycause men do coÌ„monly iudge him to bee happy which possesseth most doe imagine ryches to bee the cause of a blessed life hereof coÌ„meth the imoderate desier which seÌ„deth out his flames like a hoate Fornace yet neuertheles is nothing abated in heate wtin But if wee were persuaded the riches were but necessary helps for this preseÌ„t life which the Lord reacheth vnto vs with his hand the vse whereof he blesseth this only cogitacion would easly asswage al wicked desiers that which the faithful know to be true by experience For whereupon commeth it to passe that they hange vpon God alone but only bicause they do not tye submit their lyfe vnto abuÌ„dance but do only rest theÌ„selues vpon the prouidence of God who alone doth both sustaine vs with his power also geueth vnto vs so much as is needefull And that which is spoken heere of Ryches may be extended to honors to all the helpes of this presente life 16. And he put forth a similitude vnto them sayinge The ground of a certaine ryche man brought forth plentifull fruites C. This similitude doth set forth as in a glasse the proportion of that sentence the men liue not in their aboundance For when life is taken away from the most riche what doth it help that they haue heaped together much ryches We all grauÌ„t this to be true yet notwithstanding few regarde the same but rather all men for the most parte doe so order their Liues that they goe quite from God placinge their life in the present abundance of things Therefore all men must needes waken them selues least they fayninge them selues to be blessed with ryches doe tangle them selues in the Snares of Couetousnesse Plentifull fruites First of all wee see here the truth of this common Prouerbe The more wicked the more fortunate For the riche man of whom mencion is made here was wicked yet notwithstanding his Land brought forth plentifull fruite What meaneth Moses then to write sayinge that vngodlinesse is accurssed If thou wilt not hearken saith hee to the voyee of the Lord thy God Deu 28.17 curssed shalt thou be in the fielde curssed in thy Barne c. Why then was the fielde of the wicked ryche man blessed Question The word of the Lord pronouÌ„ced by Moses is not in vaine For so God hath ordained that blessing and good should befall the Godly and curssinge and euell happen to the wicked Yet notwithstanding God doth somtime suffer his ordinance to be chaunged to the which he is not tyed partly that by this meanes hee may declare his exceeding clemencie Mat. 5.45 by which hee suffereth hys Sunne to shyne vpon the euell and his Rayne to fall vpon the vniust partely that thereby hee may declare that there shal be another Iudgement and another world in the which all thinges shal be ordred not by words only as in this worlde it is seene but by deede according to lawfull order partely that hee may exercise the good and Godly in Fayth and to driue them to seeke after the ryches to come and partely to call the euell by this goodnesse to repentance and that if they doe not repente hee may more grieuously afflicte and punishe them Hereupon the Prophet sayth Iere. 12.3 Psal 73. â—8 Take them away lyke as a flocke is caryed to the slaughter house and appoynte them for the day of slaughter Therefore when the fieldes of this riche man brought forth plentiful fruit it was not for the deserte of his Godlinesse bycause he was a wicked man but that he might be inuited to repentance and that if he did not repent his punishment should be the more C. Furthermore in this parable is set forth vnto vs the transitory
of the Parable that theyr Counsailes are voyde and frustrate and theyr deuises Foolish which trusting to the abundaunce of theyr Riches haue not theyr onelye confidence in God and are not contented with their measure and not ready to suffer both prosperitie and Aduersitie who shal at the last haue that punishment which is due to theyr Vanitie R. To this effecte Salomon wryteth saying There is yet a Plague vnder the Sonne and it is a generall thynge amonge men When God geueth a Man Riches Goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothinge of all that his heart can desire and yet God geueth him not leaue to enioy the same but another man spendeth them A Let vs harken therefore to that excellent Counsayle of Dauid saying If Riches increase Psal 62 11 set not thy Hearte vpon them For when a Riche man dyeth he shall carry none of his goods with him neyther shal his Pompe follow him 22 And he spake vnto his Disciples Therefore I say vnto you take no thought for your selfe what yee shall eate neither for the Bodye what ye shall put on R. Although this Sermon of Chryst pertayneth to all the Godly yet notwithstanding it was moste necessarie for the Apostles of the Lord. For seeing the time was come that they must be sente not onely into Galile and into Iury but also into the whole World to preach the Gospell of Chryst firste of all they were called away froÌ„ their handy occupations with the which hitherto they had got theyr liuing Secondly as yet publique parishes and Stipendes were not appointed to the ministers of the Gospell As yet Couetousnes flowed in men insomuch that no man coulde hope for any Liberallity at theyr hands Finally Chryst was so poore in this Worlde because hee would be so to make vs Rich that he could not geue vnto his Apostles sufficient prouision It is no marueyle therefore if they were so carefull for Foode and Apparell insomuch that they thought rather to follow theyr occupation againe then the calling of the preaching of the Gospell Chryst with this Sermon comforteth theyr carefull cogitation and exhorteth them to set aside this carefulnes to the whych Exhortation hee addeth very stronge Arguments by which he sheweth that it is not onely superfluous but also great vnbeliefe to be carefull for fode and Apparell as to forsake Godds calling and to follow the desires of the Flesh For this and the reste whych followeth vnto the 29. Verse Reade the sixte Chapter of Math. verse 25. 29. And aske not what ye shall eate or what yee shall drinke neither be ye of doubtfull mynde Neither bee ye of doubtful mynde Thys Verse agreeth with the laste sentence of the sixte Chapter of Math. in the which chapter we haue at large the Exposition of this Verse and the rest also which followeth vnto the 32. Verse 32. Feare not little Flocke for it is your Fathers Wyll to geue you a Kingdome Fear not C. By this senteÌ„ce Christ confirmeth the Faith and trust whereunto he exhorted his disciples R. And he vseth an Argument of the more to lesse thus Will not hee which intendeth to geue you a heauenly kingdom geue those thinges also which are necessary for this Corporall Life Seeing he promiseth a Heauenly Kyngedome we must thinke also that all things necessary to Saluation are promised C. For how should God deny corruptible foode vnto his Seruants whom he hath adopted to bee heyres of hys Kingdome R. When I sent you forth sayth he without Wallet Luk. 22.35 Scryp or Shoes did you want any thing And they sayd vnto him Wee wanted nothing Little Flocke He calleth theÌ„ a litle Flocke because they were but twelue Apostles and seuenty Dysciples and a few others which followed Iesus out of all Galile and Iury. It ought also to be referred vnto those which beleued in Chryste by the preaching of the Apostles of which the number was alwayes the lesser Many are called but few are chosen saith the Lord. Ma. 20.16 He calleth them a Flock therefore he is the Sheepeheard which fedeth I am the good Sheepeherd saith he a good Sheepehear gieueth hys Life for his Sheepe A. And Peter calleth the Church the flock of Christ when hee sayth Feede so much as in you lyeth the flocke of Chryst â—â—h 10.11 â— Pet. 5.2 R. If wee did way this dilligentely in our hearts and were certainly perswaded that he is our Shepeheard it would take from vs all feare not onely of hungar but also of all other perils For it is your Fathers pleasure Herby he sheweth that we haue Eternall Life onely by the free mercy of God For euery word hath his seueral Emphasis or force If it please God what can hurt vs although not onely al meÌ„ but also all Deuils mislike of the same Who can alter the pleasure and will of God Or who can withstande the same Againe If God bee a Father why do ye doubt of his wil He which is a Father can not by nature stay his affection but hee must needes do good vnto his Children specially wheÌ„ they are in perill Peraduenture amonge men there are some vnnatural fathers which loue not their Children But God as he is by nature inchangeable euen so those whom hee doth acknowledge for his sons he doth so preserue kepe that they cannot perish in any aduersity Wherupon he speketh thus by the Prophet Will a womaÌ„ forget her owne infant Esa 49.15 and not pittye the Son of her Wombe And thoughe they do forget yet will I not forget thee And again The mouÌ„tains shall remoue the hils shall fall downe but my louing kindnesse shall not moue Esay 54.10 and the bond of my peace shal not fall downe from thee And hee is not only the father of the Patriarks of the Prophets and of Dauid and of Ezechias and others but also hee is your father though ye be poore men of lesse fame yea loke how much more poore ye are so much the more hee is your father if so be ye cleaue vnto hys sonne by faith To geue vnto you Not by the merits of your Woorkes could ye obtaine this heauenly benefit but it is geuen vnto you by the free mercy of your Father Yea euen to you I say though poore thoughe vnwise vnrighteous and sinners Yee are poore but God maketh you riche ye are Fooles but God choaseth the foolish thinges of this World to confound the wise ye are sinners but it is God which doth iustefy Who seing he spareth not his owne son but geueth him for you al how can it be that with him also he should not geue you al things A kingdom Not an erthly RoÌ„ 8.32 or transitory but a heauenly and euerlasting kingdome What thinge then shall ye want The Kinges of this World want neither Foode nor Apparell what should theÌ„ be wanting vnto you being chosen to bee heauenly Kinges C. To be short seeing Chryst testefieth plainly
the God hath geuen vnto vs a Kingdome and that for no other cause but because it it was his pleasure wee see most manifestly that the same is not gotten by the merite of Workes Therefore so often as the Lord doth put vs in hope of Eternall Life let vs remember that there is no cause why we should feare the lacke of Daily foode 33. Sell that ye haue and geue almes prepare you Bags which wexe not olde euen a Treasure that faileth not in Heauen wher no thefe commeth neither Mothe corrupteth Sell that yee haue The like charge the Lord geueth in the 19. Chapter of Mathew Verse 16. and in the tenth of Marke Verse 17. Where we shall haue the Expostion hereof By these woordâ— the Lord geueth vs to vnderstand that he would haue in all Chrystians a selling mynd that is to say a mynd so affected that it trusteth not in Riches but prepared to forsake them at the wil and pleasure of God Psal 62 11 1. Ti. â— 17 Then he requyreth at our hands that wee be willing and ready to helpe such as bee in neede and necessity with our goods RoÌ„ 12.8 2. Co. â— â— Oâ—e 6.7 Luke 3.11 For this is a generall saying I vvill haue mercy and not sacrifice And agayne Let him that hath two coates chare with him that hath none Therefore that which Christ speaketh heere concerning the sellinge of possessions oughte not so precisely to be vrged as though it were not lawful for a Chrystian man to keepe soÌ„what in store for himselfe Onely hys purpose is hereby to teach that we muste not onely geeue vnto the poore of our superfluity but also that we must not spare our Landes if so be we haue not money lying by vs to helpe and releue the poore As if he should haue sayde Let your Liberallity be extended eueÌ„ to the deminishing of your Patrimony and to the selling away of your lands For the reste of this Verse reade our annotations vpon the 6. Chapter of Math. Verse 19. 35. Let your Loynes be girded about and your Lights burning C. Chryst doth here shew very briefly in few wordes how the Faithful must walke in this world For first of all he setteth the gyrding of the Loynes against Idlenes and burning Candels against the darkenesse of Ignoraunce Chryste therefore commaundeth hys Disciples to bee ready and prepared for theyr Iourney that they may speedely goe throughout the Land that they may seke no sure or quiet abiding any other where then in heauen An admonition very profitable For although also prophane men haue the chariot of Life in theyr mouth Yet notwtstanding we see how they lye groueling vpon the Earth But God dothe not aduaunce any to the honor of hys Sonnes but those which acknowlege themselues to be inhabitaunts on the Earth for a time and which are not onely prepared always to wander but doe also runne all theyr course to the Celestiall Life And now because al the whyle they are in Earth they are incloased in Darkenesse he appoynteth vnto them lightes as haue they which walke in Darkenes and in the night As touching the gyrding of the Loynes it is a speach taken from the common manner of those that dwell in the East partes â— Ki 18.46 4. Ki 4.19 â—ere 1.17 which vse longe Garmentes R. And in the holy Scriptures the girding of the loynes signifieth celeritye and speede to finishe any matter to bee taken in hande by those Seruauntes which vsed to weare long Garmentes which they vsed to gyrde vp wheÌ„ they wente any whether By gyrded loins and burnyng Candels the Lord meaneth that we must be ready always to goe with him 36. And ye your selues bee like vnto men that wayte for theyr Lorde when hee will returne from the Wedding that when hee coÌ„meth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately C. Christe here vseth another similitude which Mathew omitting is more briefe in this matter then Luke For he likeneth him selfe vnto the Maister of a house who being mery abroade at a mariage or beinge ells where from home makinge good cheere will notwithstanding haue his seruants to behaue themselues modesty and soberly at home and being occupied with their lawfull woorke to looke dayly for his returne Therefore although the sonne of God be now absent from vs being taken vp into the blessed Rest of Heauen yet notwithstanding bycause hee hath enioyned to euery one his duety it is very absurde that any man should sleepe Idell Furthermore bycause he promiseth that he will come againe vnto vs it becommeth vs to be ready euery moment to receiue him least hee finde vs sleeping and Idell For if so be a mortall man loke for this seruice that at what hower soeuer he returneth home his seruaunts shall be ready ready to go and meete him how much more lawfully may the Lord require the like seruice at the hands of his seruauntes that being sober and watching they may alwayes waight for his comming 37. Happy are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde wakinge verely I say vnto you that hee shall gyrd himselfe make them sit downe to meate and will come forth and minister vnto them Happy are those seruaunts A. The Lord exhorteth to watchinge by many similitudes in Mathew in Marke but here he semeth to speake somwhat more For hee addeth Verely I say vnto you that he shal gyrd him sele C. In the which wordes to the ende he may the better encourage his Dysciples he saith that Earthly maysters are so much delighted with the readynes and diligence of theyr Seruants that they will also serue them Not that all maisters vse this but because thys commeth sometime to passe that the Mayster which is gentle and curteous doth admit his Seruauntes as Companions to his own Table Bu. Wherfore we may not so vnderstande thys saying of Chryst as though the Lorde should minister seruelely in Glory to those that are happy and blessed but because he geueth vnto them full and perfecte rest and shall make theÌ„ partakers of his owne Glory For the Lyfe and all the Ioye of the blessed commeth of Chryst and is in Christ For he came not to be ministred vnto Ma. 20.28 Luk. 22.27 but to minister and to geue his lyfe a redempcion for many 38. And if hee come in the seconde watch yea if hee come in the thyrd watche and finde them so happie are those Seruauntes R. This is the behauiour of faithfull seruaunts which loke for the coÌ„ming of theyr lord in the night from a feaste or mariage they gyrd theyr coat vnto them and carry in theyr handes burning torches they prescribe not to their Lord any time when he shall come but being watchfull and careful they wait for his comming home that so soone as he knocketh at the dore they may open vnto him and may geue him light with theyr torches Euen as if the lorde comming in the first watch findinge
Temple of God of that sacrifice which belonged vnto the same And wyth a lowde Voyce praysed God C. To Glorify God and to geue thankes vnto God are all one And fell downe on his Face A. As that blynde man which was wonderfully restoared to his sighte fynding Chryste by and by worshipped him so this Samarytane hauing felt the power of Chryst reuerently falling downe at his feete gaue him thankes 17. And Iesus aunswered and sayde Are there not tenne clensed But where be the nine C. Note heere that these nine whych were vnthankefull were Israelytes that he which returned to geue thaÌ„ks was a straunger Here education can not be condempned for they wer trained vp in the Doctrine of the law euen from theyr childehoode Let vs take heede that the like happen not vnto vs. Hereby let vs gather that it is not sufficient that we are instructed in the law of God but we must also exercise our selues in the knowledging of hys goodnes and in thankes gieuing We haue an Example of thankefulnesse in the Samaritane who althoughe hee were ill brought vp commeth notwithstanding vnto Chryst being a Vessell of Gods Grace and Election in whoÌ„ God did mightely worke by his spirit Hereby also we see that many are called and few are chosen that wide is the way to DestructioÌ„ and narrow to saluation also that the first shal be laste the last first 18. There are not found that retourned to geue God thankes saue onely this straunger C. In these words of Chryst is coÌ„tayned a complaint agaynst the whole nation for odiously hee compareth one straunger with many Iewes because they were wont to deuoure the Benefites without any sence or feelynge of Godlynesse And hereof it came that Chryst had so litle fame among them notwithstanding that he wroughte so many miracles Let vs know theÌ„ that wee are all generally condempned by this Complaynte excepte we shew our selues thankefull for the Benefites of Chryst 19. AND hee sayde vnto him Aryse Goe thy way thy Faith hath saued thee A. Chryst in commaunding this man to aryse doth it not because hee refused the worship which he gaue vnto hym as did Peter who sayd to Cornelius Aryse for I my selfe am a man For this worship was due to Chryste the Sonne of GOD but allowing his thankefulnesse sendeth away the man in peace exhorting him to continue in the fayth which he had receiued to the ende For hee sayth Thy Fayth hath saued thee C. Some Interpreters restraine this Saluation to the cleanenesse of the flesh But if this wer so it might be demaunded how the other nine were saued for they had all health alyke Therefore we must thus thinke that Chryst here esteemed otherwise of the gifte of God then Wycked men are wont to doe namely a wholesome signe or token of fatherly loue Nyne Leapers were healed But because they do wickedly obscure the grace of God theyr Vnthankefulnesse doth contaminate and defile their health so that they felte not that profite thereby which otherwise they should haue don Therefore fayth onely doth sanctify in vs the giftes of God that they may be â—ure wholesome for vs. And hereby we gather that the Euerlasting Saluation of the Soule is ioyned wyth the Temporall gyfte The Samarytane was saued by his Faith How Verely not onely because he was healed froÌ„ his Leprosie but also because hee was accepted into the number of Gods children a Seale whereof the helth which he had receiued was This place also serueth to proue Iustification by fayth because by the same wee are accepted 20. When he was demaunded of the Pharisies when the Kingdome of God shou de come Hee answered them and sayde The Kyngdome of GOD shall not come vvyth Obseruation C. No doubte this question was moued in scorne For he preaching Daily that the Kingdome of GOD was at hande and yet notwithstanding there following alteration of the Externall seate amonge the Iewes wicked and malicious men thought that this was a fit coller to vexe and disquyet him Therefore as though he prated in vain of the Kingdome of God they churlishly demaunde of him when that Kyngdome shall come R. But they doe not enquyre after that Kingdome of God by which God raigneth always in heauen and in Earthe for they know that God created all thinges and that hee raigned euery where but they enquyre after that Kingdome which God had promised to set vp in Earth by his Messias concerning which the Prophet speaketh saying Hee shall sit vppon the Seate of Dauid Esa 9.6 Esa 11.6 Dan. 2.44 Dan. 7.27 and in his Kyngedome to order the same and to stablish it with equity from henceforth for euer The tranquillity and peace also of the same Kyngedome is promised in many places A. So that Chryst speaking daily of the nearenesse of Gods Kyngdome and no Alteration yet appearing they mockingly demaunde when that Kingdome of God shoulde come C. And it may be that they wer rather moued by theyr Carnal grosse Opinion to demaund when this kingdome of GOD should come then by scorning scoffing R. For they thoughte that the Kingdome of Christe should be Carnall as was the Kyngedome of Dauid or Salomon they thought that the Messias should come in Kingly apparrell that he should dwell according to his Kingely maiesty eyther in Hierusalem or in Samaria in which places the kings court was wont to be and that by his wisedome and power hee would brynge to passe that so many as acknowledged him to be their King should dwell for euer in felicity The Kingdome of GOD shall not come with Obseruation C. Chryste neglecting those Dogges frameth his answer to the Disciples euen as ofteÌ„ times he being prouoked by the Wicked tooke thereof occasion to teach And thus God diluded their mallice in making the truth by theyr caulls more manifestly to shine And this Woord Obseruation is put here for notable Pompe and Glory As if he should say that they are greately deceiued whych dyd looke after the Kingdome of God with the Eyes of the Fleshe whych should not be Carnall or Earthly seeing the same was nothing else but an inward and spyrituall renuinge of the mynde As if hee had sayd Yee muste looke for that renuing which GOD hath promised within in your hearts because he quickening his Electe into Heauenly newnes erecteth his Kyngdome in them And thus hee secretely nippeth the grosse dulnes of the Pharisies because they looked after nothinge but an Earthely and transitory Kingdome Notwithstandinge wee muste note heere that Chryste speaketh onely of the first beginning of the Kingdome of God because wee begin now to be framed by the Spyrite after the Image of God that in due time the renuing both of vs and also of the whole world may follow A. Concerning the 21. Verse Read the 24. Cap. of Mathew beginning at the 23. verse 22. And he sayd vnto the Disciples The Dayes will come when yee shall desire to
was hyd from them so that they vnderstode not the things whych were spoken R. Thys dulnesse and this ignorance sprange from no other Ground then thys that they beynge blynded wyth the Opinion concerninge the Carnall Kingdom of Christ could vnderstand none of all these thynges whych were Prophesied to come vpō Christ concerning his contumelies afflictiōs Here therfore we se the weaknes of mans wit infected with a peruerse opiniō Many thinke that the disciples were so made afearde with the preaching of afflictions that they were mad as men out of theyr wits insomuch that they vnderstoode nothing for a while Whereby we see how greate the weakenesse of our nature is The Lord is neuer absent but reacheth out his hande vnto vs but we will not receiue the same Notwithstanding we acknowledge that this admonition profited the disciples For afterwardes they began to remēber them so that they were not altogether vnprofitable though at the firste they profited nothinge So that when we profite not at the first in the worde of GOD wee must not be discouraged For the word wil haue his force in due time And this sayinge was hid from them C. The second thyrd time these woordes are repeated to shewe that the dulnesse in the Apostles was greate in that they knewe not to what ende the words of Chryste were spoken And S. Luke dothe propounde and so oftentimes repeate the infirmitie of the Apostles not to follow the same not to flatter our selues in our rudenesse and ignorance not also for the same to contenme the Gospel preached by the Apostles but that glory may be geuen to God alone For afterwards the APOSTLES shewed mighty signes and wonders and proclaymed the Kingedome of Chryste throughout the whole world But because they were very rude men as they are described in this place to bee it is manifest that the glory belongeth not vnto men but to Christe alone A. who at the laste endued them with great power from heauē Read the story following in the 20 cap of Mat. verse 29. ⧠THE XIX CAP AND IESVS ENTEred in and went throughe Iericho C. Hereby it appeareth how litle curious Luke was in obseruing the order of times For after he declared the Miracle which he shewed vppon the blind Beggar when he was gone out of Iericho He now recited what hapned in the city of Hiericho 2. And beholde there was a man named Zacheus which was the chief amonge the Publicanes and was rich also C. Wee haue heere set before vs a notable Example of Repentance in thys Zacheus being one of the chiefe amōg the Publicanes and a rich man The which doth exaggerate the difficultye of conuersion in Zache For what was more difficile then a man which was chiefe of Publicanes and rich also to seeke Chryst and for the desyre he had to see him to clymbe into the Top of a Tree This shewed a singuler and feruent desire to see Chryst which Rych men commonly disdaine to do It may be also that others desired to se Christ but there is good cause why Luke maketh mention of this man aboue all others both for the quallity of the person and also for the wonderfull cōuersion of the man which was sodaynelie wrought S. Hereby we see that Rych men may be saued though it seeme vnpossible vnto men For those Thyngs which are impossible with men ar possible with God 3. And he sought meanes to see Iesus what he should be and coulde not for the preasse because he was little of stature B. We must note here the order of iustification in Zache and the force of repentance First he was moued with a desire to see Christ by the fame which he heard euery where of him and by the spirite of the Father drawing him to the Sonne C. For although faith as yet was not framed in Zache yet notwithstanding this was a certeine preparatiue For he could not so gretly desire the sight of Christ without a heauenly motion to that ende which by by followed For some no doubt were driuē by vaine curiosity to come also from far to se Christ but the end and successe declared that the seede of pietie was included in the minde of Zache so the Lord oftentimes before he manifest himselfe vnto men dothe inspyre them with a blynd affectiō by which they were caried vnto him as yet hidden and vnknowne vnto them And although they haue no reason for that which they doe yet notwithstanding they loose not theyr Laboure for Chryst will shewe himselfe vnto them in due time B. Wherefore wee must note in Zacheus this feruent desire of seeing Chryst who doth not onelie desire to see but doth also declare wyth what zeale hee was mooued Let vs brynge the like mynde and Christ wil meete with vs. But whereof cōmeth this desire Surely not of Flesh but onely of the Spyrite of God who so worketh in vs that we our selues seme Authors Rich mē which are to them selues had rather haue one farthing then the sight of Chryst Therefore this preparation of Zache came of God and not of himselfe A. For what can we doe of our selues else but draw our selues more more frō God Therefore wee must note that which the Apostle saith It is GOD which worketh in you both the will and also the worke according to hys good will Phi. 2.13 4. And hee ran before and clymed vp into a wilde figge tree to see him for he was to come that way R. Luke here geueth vs to vnderstand that Zache had knowledge and feling of his sinne and thought in himselfe that God would not suffer his wickednesse and deceyte to goe alwais vnpunyshed and that hee heard say that a certayne man called Iesus went abroad whom men reported to bee Chryste whych forgaue sinnes and promised vnto mē willing to repente the Kingdome of God Hereuppon then he being inflamed with a desire to haue Remission of sinnes first of all desiered to se who Iesus was but when he coulde not see because of the preasse of people he ran before and clame into the toppe of a wylde figge tree Whereby appered his exceeding desire to see Chryste B. For rich men for the moste part are proud and full of disdaine and loue to seeme graue specially before a greate multitude of mē But this mā though he were riche and in his state and calling a prince was notwithstandinge not ashamed in the sight of the whole multitude to clyme vp into a tree lyke a Boy the which peraduenture hee would not haue don if so be any prince of this world had passed by But nowe he regardeth not the scoffes scornes of men so that hee may see Chryst Whereby we may gather that Zache sought in Iesus more thē the outward sight of his person 5. And when Iesus came to the place he looked vp and saw him said vnto him Zache come downe at once for to day I must abide at thy house C.
prepare thēselues to fight telling them that they must sell awaye all that they haue euen to theyr Wallet and scryp which men Commonlye do in warres to arme themselues But he calleth them not to Externall fighte but onely vnder the simillitude of warfare he telleth them what hard skyrmishes of temptations they muste abyde and how great brunts of Spirituall battayles they were to endure B. As if he should haue sayd Heretofore when ye had me present in the flesh ye liued so pleasantly so well by the sufferance of my father that ye wāted nothing not onely when ye wer conuersant with mee but also when I sente you far of from me to preach the gospel without all furniture prouisiō But hereafter yee shall liue after another maner and shal be in danger of so gret persecution that of necessity ye shall bee constrained to carry with you a wallet a scrip a sword if ye haue them if ye haue them not ye shal be forced to sel away some of your apparrell to buy them For I shal be shortly taken from you ye shal se me geue that onset charge of this sharp cruel battaile But consider that my fathers power shal continue as it hath don hitherto and shall geue you strength in the myddest of all Aduersity In like maner our Sauior Chryst at this day hath the same cōsideration of vs so the he doth not rashly thruste vs forth vnprepared vntaughte but before he send vs to the cōflict he armeth vs geueth vs strength A. The lyke saying our Sauiour Christ vttered to Peter after his resurrection saying Verely I say vnto thee whē thou wast yong thou girdedst thee Iho. 21.18 walkedst whether thou woldest but whē thou art olde thou shalte stretche out thy hands and another shall gyrde thee and lead thee whether thou wouldest not 37. For I say vnto you that yet the same which is written must be perfourmed in me Euen amonge the wycked was he reputed For those thinges which are written of me haue an end C Chryst here declareth that he hath not yet fulfilled all thinges which pertayne to his Office neither should be vntill such time as hee was reputed taken among the wicked But least the shamefull reproach hereof mighte vtterly discourage them he bryngeth in the prophesie of Esay Esa 53.12 Euen amonge the wicked was hee reputed The which cannot be expounded but of the messias Now seeing it is there sayde that he should be reputed amonge the wicked it was vnmeete that the faithfull should be troubled with the fight hereof though it were neuer so odious because otherwise he could not be their Redemer then by taking vppon hym shame and reproach amonge the wycked For there cannot be a better Remedy to take away offences when we are terrefied by some absurdity then if we know that so it pleaseth God to haue it and that there is nothing done by his decree but by iust reason For those things which are writtē of me By which words he declareth that nothinge was spoken by the prophets in vain Now seing the successe proued that which the Prophets foreshewed before our faith ought rather thereby to be confirmed then we to be made afeard and troubled A. But how this place was fulfilled in Chryst ye shall plainly see in the 27. Cap. of Mat. verse 38. C. And although by this one Argument Chryst comforteth his disciples because al the sayings of the prophets concerning him must be fulfilled Yet notwithstanding the very purpose of God it self doth containe in it no smal comfort as that Chryste was subiecte to dampnation which all wee had deserued and was reputed amōg the wicked that he might offer vs as righteous vnto his father which are wicked and oppressed with wickednesse For hereby we are counted pure and without sin before God because the pure immaculate Lambe of God tooke vpon him our tourne Iho. 17.3 R. Hereby also we may learne what the Authority of the holy Scripture is that the same serueth specially to tech vs to knowe Chryste For to knowe Christe is our true felicity and Eternall Life 38. And they said Lord Behold here are two swords And he sayd vnto them it is inough R. As yet the Disciples vnderstande not that the kingdom of Chryst is spirituall but as they thought the same to be a Corporall Kingdome in thys world so they thought that Chryst cōmaunded to prepare for externall war that they might defend themselues frō his enemies and receiue his Kyngedom C. This was foule and brutyshe rudenesse that they beinge so often admonished concerning the bearyng of the Crosse think still that they must fight with materiall Swords Behold here are two swords It is vncertain whether they say that they haue two swords as if they were sufficiently appoynted agaynst theyr enemies or whether they complayne that they lacke weapons But this is most euident that they were so sencelesse that they thought not of the Spyritual enemy It is inough R. A very short aunswer euidently shewing that Chryst had another maner of meaning then that his disciples shoulde vse iron swords for external war For if the warre had bene externall howe could two swords haue sufficed Therefore saith he it is inoughe that is to say I meane not that ye shall defend me with external swords and for the purpose that I require them they are sufficient more then sufficient For I shal not nede them for my purpose The Magistrates haue theyr sword whose office is to defend theyr subiects and their common wealth But as touching my Kingdome I will haue no priuate person who hath not by right the gouernment of the externall sword to take the same in hand for my kingdom A. So hee aunswered Pilate My kingdome is not of thys world Ioh. 18.36 2. Co. 10 3 If my kingdom were of thys world my ministers woulde surelie fight that I needed not to be delyuered to the Iewes Read also the tenth Cap. of S. Paule to the Corinthyans Where ye shal see with what weapōs the ministers of Gods word ouerthrow Sathan and his whole power For the Exposition of the rest of this Chapter read the 26. cap. of Mat. Also for the exposition of the twenty thre Chapter followyng Read the 27. Chapter of Mathew ⧠CHAPTER XXIIII BVt vpon the first of the Sabaothes very earlye in the morninge they came vnto the Sepulcher and brought swete odors which they had prepared other women with them A. In this chap. Luke declareth the resurrection of our sauior Chryste the which we haue handled in the 28. cap. of Mat. vnto the which we referre the Reader 2. And their words semed vnto them fained thinges neither beleeued they them C. Here in the Disciples of Chryste wee may beholde as in a Glasse what our disposition nature is If a vayne tale be tould we geue dilligent heede vnto the same because wee delighte