and dilligence 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what is my desire but that it be already kindled C. By this sentence it may easely bee gathered that this was one of the laste Sermons that Chryst made and not put downe by Luke in his due place time But the sence is this that the whole Disturbaunce and trouble of the World was layed vppon Chryst euē as if hee would confound Heauen and Earth For the Gospell is compared Metaphorically vnto Fyre because it transformeth al thinges with violēce Therefore when the Disciples falsely surmised that the Kingedome of God should come to such as were quiet and a sleepe Chryst setteth before thē terrible burning with the which that world must first be set on fire And because his Disciples might feele the present power of the Gospell he encourageth them As if he had sayd thus Seeinge already great motions begin to burn ye ought to be so litle made aferd therby that the same ought rather to geue you occasion to bee of good courage For I am glad to see this fruit of my Labor R. Therfore he declareth what should be the state to come accordyng to the outward shew of that time which should endure from his first cōminge in the flesh vnto his second and last cōming in maiesty And he taketh away the Offence which mighte discourage the Faythfull from the true Faith of the Gospel because of the troubles calamities which aryse when the Gospell is reuealed For the Prophetes had promised all maner ioyfull and happie thynges at the comming of Chryst As when it is sayd His dominiō shall bee enlarged Esay 9.7 there shal be no ende of his peace Agayne Esay 2.4 One Nation shall not lyfte vp the sworde agaynst another neyther shall they be exercised in Warre Also Esa 1.6 The Wolfe shal dwel with the Lambe and the Leoparde shall lye downe by the Goate Furthermore Violence and Robberye shall neuer be heard of in the Lande Esay 60 1◠neyther harme and Destructiō within thy Borders thy Walles shall be called health and thy Gates the praise of God To be short there is no felicitie which the Prophets do not ascribe to that time in the which the Patriarkes were promised that Chryst should come Therefore Chryst teacheth that his Kyngedome is not of this world and that those thinges which were spoken by the Prophetes concerning the Felicity of hys time are not to be drawē to the externall Felicity of this World For hatreds debates and murders were to followe the preaching of the Gospell C. Now let all ministers of the Gospell apply this vnto themselues that whē all the world is on a roare they may with the better courage followe theyr office Also we must noate that with the same fire of Doctrine both Chaffe stubble are consumed but Golde and siluer are purged 50. Notwithstanding I must be baptised with a Baptisme and howe am I payned vntyll it be ended C. By these wordes the Lorde affyrmeth that his last parte and act is yet behinde that by his death hee mighte worke the renouation of the Worlde For because that tempest of the which he had spoken was terrible and that burning also of mankinde ful of feare he teacheth that he must in his owne person be the firste that must offer the first fruites of the same And he cōpareth Death to Baptisme because the Chyldren of God being drowned for a time in the Destruction of the Flesh doe rise within a while after agayn to Life that death may bee nothing else but as a swifte passage throughe the water And how am I payned Hee sayth that he is payned vntill he hath ended this Baptisme in the whych wordes he comforteth eueryone of vs by his Example to be ready bothe to beare the Crosse and also to suffer Death Not that any man can naturally desire death or any inclination of the present state but because when we behoulde on the lee shoare Celestyall blessednes Glory and immortal rest we so desire these that we doe not onely patiently suffer death but are also willingly carried whethersoeuer faith and hope will drawe vs. For the reste vnto the 54. Verse Read the tenthe Cap. of Math. verse 34. 54. He sayd also to the People whē yee see a Cloude ryse out of the West straite way ye say ther cōmeth a shower and so it is The like of this we haue in the 16. Chapter of Mathew Verse 2. sauing that the signes of the Tempest which hee nameth heere differ from those which he noateth there For hee sayth here When yee see a Cloud rise out of the Weste For the Iewes had the Sea on the west part And it is a sure rule that when a Cloude ryseth from the Sea it bryngeth with it Rayne Whereupon Elyas also after three yeres Drouth hearing his Seruaūt say 3. Ki. 18.43 that there arose a litle cloud from the Sea the which is westward from the Iewes sayd that ther should come great Rayne 57. Yea why iudge ye not of your selues what is right C. Chryst doth heere reueale the cause of the euill and doth as it were touch and laūce the soare to the quick namely bicause they did not descende into theyr owne consciences nor enquyre there what was right before God For hereuppon it commeth that hipocrites are so ready to cauill because they doe not consider theyr wickednes nor set them selues before the tribunal seate of God that truth may haue the victory What is ryghte The Lorde vsed this example in the fifth Chapter of Mathewe Verse 25 Where hee exhorteth to agree out of hand with our Aduersarie And nowe he admonisheth the Iewes not to neglect and omit the conuenient time geueth them to vnderstand that they are more wise in any thinge then in that which apertaineth to theyr Saluatiō For if so be they were drawen to the Law by theyr aduersary he sayth they will by and by agree with him leaste they incurre a greater displesure whē they come before the Iudge but they neglecte to seeke the fauour of God whē as he willingly offereth his grace vnto them not weighing that they shall not feele his Iudgemente wtout theyr Eternall Destruction R. Other some expound his wordes as if he had sayd thus Why doth not euery one consider and weighe wyth himselfe which is iust and right ☞ If so be euery one did know the law in each poynte skarce one among a thousand would come into Westminster Hall but euery one is blynde in his owne cause that which blindnes commeth two wayes Fyrst of simplicity and Ignoraunce Secondly of set mallice when as a man shutteth his Eyes for the nōce and will not see that which he seeth ¶ One trusteth in Lies another in his Eloquence one in power another in Friends The most part of mē presuming of these thinges and not vpon the goodnes of their cause contende goe to the
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
MARLORATUS 〈◊〉 Original Engraving Publish'd under the Inspection of Bâ—â—aâ— A CATHOlike and Ecclesiasticall Exposition of the Holy Gospell after S. Marke and LVKE GATHERED OVT OF all the singuler and approued deuines vvhich the Lorde hath geuen to hys Church by Augustine Marlorat And translated out of Latine into English by THOMAS TIMME Minister SENE AND Alowed according to the order appointed Imprinted at London in Fleetestreate neare vnto S. Dunstanes Church by Thomas Marsh 1583. Cum Priuilegio THE NAMES OF THE AVTHORS OVT OF whose Bookes this Exposition is collected and the Letters capitoll whereby their Names are to be knowen in the reading of the same Martin Bucer marked thus B. Caluin C. Erasmus E. Musculus M Philip Melanchton P. Erasmus Sarcerius S. Brentius R. Bullinger BV. Zuinglius Z. Vitus Theodorus V. Augustyne Marlorat A. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HIS VERY GOOD LORD AND MAISTER SYR VVILLIAM BROOKE KNIGHTE LORDE COBHAM AND LORD VVARDEN OF THE CINQVE PORTES THOMAS TIMME WISHETH INCREASE OF ALL TRVE HAPPINES AND HOnor vvyth the contynuall Comforte of the Spyrite of Consolation I Haue heeretofore Righte Honorable and my very good Lord presented you with Marlorat his collection vpon the Euangelyste S. Mathewe and I had longe ere this offered vnto you the same Authors collection vpon Marke and Luke had the Printer with as much spede passed the same through the presse as I vvyth dilligence translated it But time hauing at the last ouercome all delayes this Exposition vpopn the Gospell of S. Marke and Luke necessarily setteth it selfe betwene that of Mathew and Iohn alredy prynted whereby a pleasaunt harmony and perfect consente of the fower Euangelistes doth the better appeare Howe necessarye and profitable this deuine Exposition will be vnto the Church the grauity credit and Authoritie of those Godly Fathers both old new out of whose workes and labors the same hath bene collected by that blessed Martir of Fraunce Augustine Marlorat do sufficiently testefie Therefore as the learned in the Latine Tongue haue and doe reape great Profite by this Theologicall Exposition so I thought good for the more generall profite of my country men to translate the same into the english tongue The which my labor of all the rest the least I haue thought good to dedicate vnto youre Honor most humbly beseching you to accept the same accordyng to your wonted goodnesse and to pardon my bouldnesse Thus I ceasse beseching the god of all glory to make you Partaker of that Honor which is prepared for the Sayncts by Iesus Chryst in the Kingdome of Heauen YOVR HONORS MOST BOVNDEN to serue in the Lord THOMAS TYMME A CATHOLICKE AND ECclesiastical exposition of the holy Gospell after St. Marke Luke Collected by Augustine Marlorat The Argument of St. Marke BV. AT WHAT time the Euangelist St. Marke writte his Gospel it caÌ„not certainly bee gathered by any historyes A. Nay who it was that writte it the Wryghters among themselues do not sufficiently define some of them affyrming that he was one of the three score and ten Dysciples which both sawe and heard the Lord Iesus hymselfe in the fleshe other some iudge that hee was a Cytyzen of Hierusalem Act. 12 the sonne of that Mary of whom S. Luke maketh mention B. This man as they say was a Companion of the Apostle Paule of whom hee himselfe speaketh saying Coloss 4. Aristarchus my pryson fellow saluteth you and Marcus Barnabas sisters sonne The Apostle Peter also maketh mention of a certayne man whose name was Marke whom he calleth his son wrighting after this maner 2. Pet. 5. The Congregation of theÌ„ which at Babilon are companions of your election saluteth you and so doth Marcus my sonne But seeing that hee hath writteÌ„ nothing of himselfe C. We ought not curiously to search concerning this matter because it is sufficieÌ„t for vs onely to knowe that he is ordeined by God to bee a lawefull witnesse which setteth forth nothing but by the fore instruction of the holy Ghoste B. Notwithstanding whereas some do make him the Imitator and abridger of Mathew they doe it altogether wtout reason otherwise there should not be fower but only three Euangelysts C. Beside this Marke doth not follow euery where the order which Mathew kept for euen in the begining as touching the ordering of the matter he doth differ from him and hee declareth certayne things which Mathew omitted and sometime wryteth at large of that thinge which in the narration whereof Mathew is very bryefe It is probable certaynely by many thinges and we may lawfully coniecture by the matter it selfe also that Marke neuer sawe the booke which Mathew wrote wheÌ„ hee did write his owne so farre was it from him of purpose to abridge and bring that which Mathew had wrytteÌ„ into a short Compendium Wee may haue the same Iudgement of Luke also For the diuersity which appeareth to bee in these three Euangelists may not be sayd of vs to be curiously fought for of them with dilligence but seeing euery of them purposed faythfully and simpely to commit in writing that which they knewe certaynely to be true they kept all that order which seemed vnto them best And as this came not by chaunce but by the prouidence of God which guided them euen so the holy Ghost mynistered and gaue vnto them a merueilouse consent and agreement in a diuerse forme order of wryting the which only were sufficient to bring credit vnto theÌ„ if there could no greater authority be had B. Moreouer those thinges which pertayned to the narration of the Euangelicall Hystory are marueilouse bryefly set forth heere by Marke in sixtene Chapters notwithstaÌ„ding in the principall matters least he should seeme to bring in any thynge contrary to the proportion of the EuaÌ„gelicall hystory He proceedeth in a very apt and excellent order neuer painting the matter with worldly wysedome and EloqueÌ„ce which wtout it of it selfe is most playne all the order of his writing worke staÌ„deth by the reuerend maiesty and elloquence of the holy Ghoste ⧠THE FIRST CHAPter of S. Marke 1 The beginninge of the Gospell of Iesu Chryste the sonne of God as it is written in the Prophets Behold 2 I send my Messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee The beginning of the Gospell BV. The EuaÌ„gelist Marke beginneth the hystory of the Gospell at the Baptisme doctryne of IOHN the Baptist shewing what he taught what hee witnessed of Chryste the Lord how he behaued himselfe baptized Christe To the whych hee addeth out of hand how Christe was anoynted and reuealed how hee was exercysed with grieuouse temptation and last of all how hee came forth and preached the Kyngdome of God C. Therefore although it be part of the Gospell which Math. and Luke doe declare and set forth in the first and second Chapter of the Euangelicall hystory yet notwithstanding it is not from the matter that Marke placed the beginning of the Gospell
Gospell of the kingdome of God After that Iohn vvas taken BV. Now the Lord himselfe commeth forth to whom Iohn had opened and prepared the way that preachinge the Kingdome of God hee might nowe begin to raygne in the elect But before all thinges the tyme and the place is here noted The time as After that Iohn was taken Luke 4. The place that is to say Galile This is to be noted that the Lorde gaue place to the fury and extreme rage of Herode departing out of the way for a time and that he was led of the spirit as Luke expresseth By the which we are taught that if we do truely coÌ„mit our selues vnto the Lord his spirit shall safely direct vs in all things whether we flee or abyde incounter with our enemies For so the spirit led Christ our Lord and so also it led the Apostles from the fury rage of their persecuters that they myghte preache farther and sometimes made theÌ„ stand to it stoutly voyde of al feare in somuch that they were conquerers of their enemies either by lyfe or death That flight by the which the glory of Christ is deminished is vnworthy of a Christian and neuer vsed of the saynts but when thou doest so flee that thou mayest the more conueniently set forth the glory of God seeking nothing that pertayneth to thy selfe but only seekest to discharge thy office keeping thy selfe vntill thy hower be come thou dost nothing but that Christe did here at thys time at other times also Accordinge to whose example the Apostle Paule fled out of DAMASCO Act. 9 Looke by what spirite these men fled by the same spirite also they afterwardes of their owne accord offred themselues to their Persecuters Iohn 18. Euen so Chryst willingly met with those that sought his death Paule coulde bee stayed by no meanes from his Iourney which hee tooke to Hierusalem Act. 20 21. although hee knewe that tribulation imprisonment was there prepared for him A Christian therefore ought so to flee that hee hinder not the glory of Christ to the setting forth whereof hee is consecrated Wherefore we must prayâ—â—â— to the father that he will vauchsafe to gieue vnto vs that good spirit which may guide vs in the righte way not suffer vs to be caried after our owne will For no certayne thing can be coÌ„maunded as concerning sight neither can it bee praysed in all pointes nor altogether discoÌ„mended Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome What the Gospel of the kingdome is reade the 4. Chapter of Mathew 15. And saying The tyme is come and the kingdome of God is at hande repent and belieue the Gospell The time is come BV. The Euangelist Marke is not content that hee hath declared the scope and suÌ„me of the preaching of the Lord but also addeth by by a certayne maner and forme of hys preachinge that by one Sermon wee might gather the order of the rest Notwithstanding he hath not rehearsed all things that he spake word for worde but onely the chiefe principal partes of the which fower are here declared Fyrst The time is come This thinge dependeth vpon the promises of the old testament For the lawe and the Prophets appoynted some certayne in the which the saluation of all the faythfull might be finished by the incarnation death of Christe the sonne of God For the prophet Daniell heard these words of the Angell Gabriell Three score ten Weekes are determined ouer thy People and ouer thy holy City that the wickednes may be consumed that the sinne may haue an ende that the offence may bee reconsiled to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse Daniel 9. to fulfill the visions and the Prophets and to anoynt the most holy one And in another place it is sayde Gene. 49. The Scepter shall not departe from Iuda and a lawe geuer froÌ„ betwene his feete vntil he come which must be sent This time sayth Chryst is fulfilled As if hee should say This day hath the father performed that which he promised to the fathers And herevpon followeth the seconde thinge which Marke noteth which maketh the firste more euident And the kindome of God is at hand BV. By Christ a way is made to the faithfull to come vnto the Father into the kingdome of God and moreouer God raygneth vpon the earth by the spirite by force and by his worde in the middest of the faithfull All those thinges therefore which the Prophets had foreshewed as concerninge saluation euerlasting lyfe righteousnesse of saintes and the kingdome of God in this world they are euen now at hande and are offered fulfilled by Christ Then also he doth gouerne vs when he doth make him selfe manifest vnto vs by his word when we forsake our own will which thing coÌ„meth to passe by the power of the holy Ghost WheÌ„ Christ came the state of the People of the Iewes was miserable and much impayred by horrible dissipation all men did that whych seemed good in their owne Eyes But they beinge gathered together by the word of the Gospell felt the kingdome of God if so bee that they were of the number of those which submitted theÌ„selues thereunto with obedience And now followeth the thirde parte of the sermon of Christ Repent That is to say let euery man enter into hys owne conscience let him acknowledge how corrupt daÌ„nable a sinner he is of him selfe let him also coÌ„fesse his sinnes and when he hath so done let him tourne froÌ„ theÌ„ and beholde the great mercy of God For the fourth parte followeth by the which the third is absolued And belieue the Gospell As if he shoulde say Although yee feele your selues to be sinners and to be condemned by the iust iudgement of God yet notwithstaÌ„dinge dispayre not in your sinnes belieue the Gospel which sayth that God to saue sinners sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that euery one which belieueth in him should not pearishe but haue life euerlasting Beleue therefore in the sonne of God the sauiour of the world By fayth taste of the gyftes of God Iohn 3. by faith Ioyne your selues vnto God A. If any man doe demaunde howe Marke here seperateth repentauÌ„ce from the doctrine of the Gospell when as notwithstanding it depeÌ„deth of the Gospell you may finde how to answere it in the fourth of Mathew 16. As he walked by the sea of Galile he sawe Simon and Andrew his brother casting nets into the sea for they were fishers A. As concerning the exposition of this verse in which is intreated of the calling of certayne of the Apostells reade the fourth Chapter of Mathewe 21 And they came into Capernaum and straite way on the Saboth dayes hee entered into the Synagoge and taught And they came into Capernaum BV. These things also doe pertayne to the place of doctrine and do shewe how greatly men ought to endeuoure them selues to preache the Gospell because the Lord him selfe preached
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
they desired to suppresse that which manifestly appeared to be true not that they went about to extinguish the glory of theyr maister but because of theyr dulnes which made them vneasy to be taught hardned them BV. But it is not here expressed vnto vs what words the Lord vsed in this reprehension of his disciples Luke 24 In Luke we read certaine words which tend to this end where by we may gather what that was which is not here expressed Let vs hereby learne to know that the Lord is angry gretly displeased with our vnbeliefe which haue such euident testimonies of the resurrection of our Fleshe and yet do doubte Wee muste all wayes fyrmely belieue that whych is confyrmed wyth such vndoubted testimonies As touchyng that whych followeth vnto the 19. verse Read the 28. of Mathew 19. So then when the Lorde had spoken vnto them Hee was receiued into Heauen and sate him downe on the right hand of God So when the Lord had BV. An other speciall poynte of our Religion is heere put downe vnto vs by Marke to the which at the lengthe all Thynges being finished our lorde Iesus came at the lengthe Hee was receyued sayeth hee into Heauen He hath put down that vnto vs in few wordes which Luke by many wordes declareth For the ascention of the Lord into Heauen Read the 8. of Math. And sate him downe on the righte hand of God BV. That is to say hee being entered into his Kingdome hath receyued power of all thynges both in heauen and in Earth As concerning the right Hand of God the sittyng of CHRIST at the ryghte Hande of the Father and the Kingedome of CHRISTE we haue spoken largely in the 22. cap. of Math. 26 and 28 20. And they wente forthe and preached euery where the Lorde workyng wyth them confirming the Woord with signes following BV. Heere the exact faith and the continuall diligence of the Apostles of the Lord is commended vnto vs. They Obeyed the LORDE whych commaunded them to preache the Gospell throughoute the whole World leauing vnto vs an Example to frame our selues and all that wee haue accordynge to the will and pleasure of the Lorde As touching that which concerneth the more Ample enlargyng of the exposition of this place Read the 28. Chapter of Mathewe the 20. verse FINIS Finalis AMBROSE in Lib. DE Virginibus Omnis anima accedit ad Chrystum quia omnia Christus est nobis Si vulnera curare desideras medicus est Si febribus aestuas fons est Si grauaris iniquitate iustitia est Si auxilio indiges virtus est Si mortem times vita est Si coelum desideras via est Si tenebras fugis lux est Sicibum queris alimentū est THE NAMES OF THOSE out of whose workes this exposition is gathered as followeth Martin Bucer B. Caluine C. Erasmus E. Musculus M. Philip Melanchton P. Erasmus Sarcerius E. Brentius R. Bullinger BV. Zuinglius Z. Vitus Theodorus V. Augustine Marlorate A. The Argument C LVKE the faithfull writer of the Euangelicall Historye was the inseperable Companion of the Apostle Paule euen as hee playnely gieueth Testimony of him selfe Many affirme that thys Luke was at the first by his profession a Phisition at Antioche Afterwarde when hee came to the Knowledge of Christe that he was studiouse in the Faith and exercised in Christian piety to his great commendation and they apply vnto him this place of S. Paule Deare Lucas the Phisition greeteth you A. The which notwithstandinge hereafter wee will shew to bee very vnlykely Colos 4.14 But their opinion is more probable which affirme hym to be one of those three which brought the latter Epistle to the Corinthians as wee may reade in the 18. verse of the 8. Chapter to the Corinthians 2. Timot. 4.11 And this is without all controuersie that Paule made mentition of this our Euangeliste when hee wrote thus vnto Philemon Marcus 2. Timo. 2.8 Aristarchus Demas Lucas my fellow labourers salute you And writinge vnto Timothe hee sheweth that hee suffered with him all maner of perilles for the name of Christ when as all the rest of his fellowes either forsooke him or els fell away Luke saith he is with me alone C. Notwithstandinge that which Eusebius affirmeth is to childish as that Paule is the Author of that Gospell of the which S. Luke beareth the name because he maketh mention of his Gospell As though it did not euydentlye appeare by that which is straight after added that hee speaketh of the whole preaching and not of one Booke For he saith For the which I suffer trouble euen vnto bondes And it is certain that he did not suffer bonds for the writing of a Booke but because he did minister preach with opē mouth the Doctrine of Christ A. More ouer this faithfull Seruaunte of Chryst S. Luke hath left vnto vs two sacred Histories the which he hath writtē no lesse diligently thē faithfully R. In the first hee hath written both Learnedly and also most plainely concerning the acts Doctrine and Ghospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the other he hath very artificially pēned the Actes of the Apostles of christ from the time of his assention into Heauen And both these hee he queathed to a certaine godly Religious man named Theophilus his deare friend C. that hauinge the custody of this Heauenly treasure hee might faithfully leaue and dispose the same vnto his Posterity A. But because the author him selfe contrary to the maner of the other Euāgelists hath made a preface to this Euangelicall hystory let vs cōtented wyth these few words come to the explication of the same FINIS Chapter the first 1. FOr asmuch as manye haue taken in hand to set forth in order the declaration of those thynges vvhych are most suredly to bee beleeued amonge vs. For as much as many R. This Exordium and preface which Luke hath set before his worke sheweth to whom this worke was dedicated and also what mooued the author him selfe to write the same C. Where fore only Luke maketh a preface to his Gospell that he might briefely shewe the cause which mooued him to write But where as hee writeth to one man alone it seemeth very absurde seeing it rather appertayned to his Offyce to call men generally to the Fayth by the open sounde of the Trump Therefore it seemeth not meete that the Doctryne which belongeth not to one or to two no more but to all estates of men should be by him priuately dedicated to his Theophilus Hereupon it came to passe the some thoughte this word Theophilus to be a name appellatiue and that al the Godly are called theophilos that is to say Louers of God of the Greeke worde Theos and Philos. To the which Opinion the Epithete whych is therewithal added is contrary For hee calleth him Most exellent Theophilus And wee neede not be a fearde of that absurdity which mooued them
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
which was a singuler vertue in chryst saying Why doe ye eate As if they say Ye haue a Mayster whych professeth himselfe to be a teacher of ryghteousnes But behould he doth not onely talke with vnrighteous persons but doth also familiarly liue with theÌ„ Why then may wee not iudge of him according to his Fellowship Sinners are his companions therefore he himselfe is a sinner Like will to like A. Behoulde here a cloake of hypocrisy by which these Wicked men went about to draw away the Discyples whych were lately come into the Fellowship of chryst But concernyng this whole matter Reade the nynth of Mathew begynninge at the Eleuenth Verse Chapter the 6. AND it CAME to passe on the seconde Saboth after the first that he weÌ„t through the corne fields and his Disciples plucked the Eares of Corne and did eate and rubbed them in theyr Handes R. There is a common prouerbe Hee that pleaseth all men muste ryse very early By which is mente that the Iudgementes of men are so peruerse and wayward that no man bee he neuer so righteous and Godlye can throughly satisfie euery one And that thys is the lot of men borne and Conceyued in Sin it is no marueyle but this is wonderfull that the same should happen vnto our Lord Iesus Chryste who did do sinne Neyther was there any guyle found in his mouth For before it is wrytten that the Pharisies Scrybes murmured agaynst Chryste because he did not prescribe ordinarye fastings and ordinary Prayers vnto his Disciples So that Chryst could neuer teach so truely or do so well but there were some which woulde reprehend the same But the more vayne that the slaunders and Complaynts of the Enemies of Chryst are so much more true and deuine are the Apollogies and answers of Chryst and ar to be accompted of vs for heauenly Oracles A. Nowe therefore the Pharisies seeke newe occasion to cauill wyth Chryst in his Disciples as if hee kept those with him with which made no Religion of the Saboth On the secoÌ„d Saboth after the first A. This second Saboth after the first is diuersely expounded Some thus In greate Feasts as were the Pasouer the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication the first day was most holy but the Dayes followynge vntill the last wer nothing so solempn Neuerthelesse they were all called Saboths Howbeit it was lawful on those Dayes by the Lawe to prouide those Things that pertained to foode wherby it doth euidently appeare how Malicious the Pharisies wer who would take euen the lesse occasion to repreheÌ„d thâ— Disciples and to disproue and detaine the Lord. This opinion Chrysostome followeth Other some thynke the to be called the second Saboth after the first which was called the seueÌ„th day which was holy with the first Day in the feast of Pasouer in the whych it was not lawfull to doe any manner of Worke. But theyr opynion is beste to be lyked of Exo. 12.16 which by the seconde Saboth after the first vnderstand the second Solempne Feast in the yere For the Name semeth very well to signifie that the same should be the second Saboth after the first whych was the second yerely Pryncipall Saboth For the first was the Feast of Pasouer Reade the first Verse of the twelueth Chapter of Mathew both concerning this Feast and also concerninge that which followeth vnto the twelfth verse and for the Exposition of the twelfthe Verse Read the thirtene Verse of the 3. Chapter of Marke 13. And as soâ—ne as it was Day hee called hys Disciples and of them hee choase Twelue whom he called Apostles B. Behoulde thys Businesse for the which the LORDE contynued in Prayer all the Night For he minded to choose Companions in the Worke of the Gospell And he choase out of the whole Number of his Dysciples Twelue whome hee called Apostles That is to say sent Messengers Ambassadours or Legates For the Greke VVoorde APOSTELEIN from the whych this Name Apostle commeth stgnyfieth to send forth with Charge C. Therefore that which is here sayde Whome also hee named Apostles may be Expounded two manner of Wayes eyther that afterward hee enioyning vnto them theyr office gaue vnto them that Name or else that he gaue vnto them this Tytle in hope of the Dignity to come to the ende they myght know to what end they wer taken from the Common sorte and to what vse they were appoynted the whych latter Exposition agreeth with the VVoordes of Marke who sayth that Chryst made Twelue that they myght be wyth him and that hee myghte send them forth to preach Concerning the Exposition of the three next verses following Read the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the first Verse And the thyrde of Marke the sixtene Verse Mar. 3.14 For the seuentene Verse the thyrde Chapter of Marke and the thyrteene and seuen Verses For the 18. Verse Reade the Exposition of the fiueth Chapter goyng before the 15. Verse For the nintene Verse Read the ninth Chapter of Mathew Verse 22. For the reste vnto the 24. Verse Reade the 5. Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 3. Verse 24. But woe vnto you that are Rych For ye haue your consolation C. As Luke hath repeated onelye fower Pryncipall Partes of Blessinges So now he setteth agaynst them fower Cursses answering the same And thys Comparison serueth not onely to terrefie the Wycked but also to styrre vp the Faythfull leaste they sleepe in the vayn and captious snares of the World For wee know how easie a thynge it is to make men dronke with prosperitie and to insnare them wyth the flattering Intisementes of men Whereuppon also it commeth to passe that the Reprobate are oftentimes hated of the Chyldren of God for that they see them in such prosperity But he doth not cursse all sorts of rich men but those onely which haue their consolation in this world that is to say which builde so vppon theyr prosperity that they forget and regard not the Lyfe to come Therefore the meaning of Chryste is that Riches are so farre from making a man blessed that ofteÌ„tims they geue occasion of Destruction For GOD doth not exclude rich meÌ„ out of the Kyngdome of heauen if so bee they doe not intangle themselues with the Snares of this VVorlde by which they staying their hope vppon Earth and Earthly thinges shut the Gate of the Kyngdome of Heauen agaynst themselues Sayncte Augustine going aboute very well to shewe that riches of them selues are not a hynderaunce to the chyldren of God sayth that poore Lazarus was receiued into the bosome of rych Abraham Luk. 16.22 A. Therefore we must alway remember the Admonition of the Prophet Dauid saying Psa 62.11 If Riches increase set not thyne hearte vpon them Also the Apostle Paule Charge them whych are Rych in thys Worlde Ti. 1.6.17 that they bee not hye mynded nor trust in Vncertayn ryches but in the Lyuing God whych geueth vs aboundantely all Thynges to
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
that Chryst was wōt to goe vp to Hierusalem on the Feast Dayes when he walked through Iury and taught in diuers parts In the first part of this Verse hee seemeth to note the continuall course and exercise of Chrysts life from the time that he began to execute the Office committed to him of the Father Wherefore that the latter part may agree wyth the first the sence shall be this that so often as the feast Dayes were at hād he vsed to accompany other holy Assemblies A. Chryst preached in all places of Iury. He came not into lytle Villages and Hamlets ouerpassing the great Cities and Townes as doe they which goe about to deceyue the simple neither came hee into the great Cities as a vaine bragger and boaster of himselfe but as the Lorde and Father of all he went into all places hauing a care of all Moreouer he did not neglecte those Cities in the which the Lawyers did dwell fearing to bee reprehended of them or fearing least he shoulde bee slayne of them but he goeth towards Hierusalem For where most are sick thither the Phisition maketh moste haste 23. Then sayd one vnto him Lorde are there few that be saued And he sayd vnto them BV. Seeing the Lord in preachynge vrged Repentaunce threatninge destruction to the impenitēt and requiring of such as should bee saued good and righteous workes a certain man doubting whether all men coulde doe these thinges and seeing that the Lord had a very few Disciples followynge him who notwithstanding professed himselfe to be the Author of life went vnto him and asked him Lord are there few that be saued BV. As if he should say If so be the matter of eternall Life standeth as thou techest it must nedes follow that a very small number of men must be saued Therefore Chryste conuerting his Speach to all sayth 24. Striue to enter in at the strayte Gate For many I say vnto you will seeke to enter in and shall not be able Striue to enter in at the strait gate C. By the which words Christ goeth about to draw away those that are his from foolish curiosity which stayeth a great many who looke round aboute them to see whether they haue any mo Companions or no as thoughe they would not haue saluation wythout a multitude BV. He doth not curiously dispute who and how many shall bee saued but striue saith he that ye may be in the number of those that shall be saued seeke not for obscure and hiddē matters but rather endeuour your selues to do that which is iust and holy C. Therefore when he cōmaundeth to striue he geueth vs to vnderstand that we cannot come to eternall life wythout great and hard difficulties BV. And in dede it is a hard matter for the Flesh truly to repent of the former Life and to bee accustomed to a new and holy kynd of lyuing Yet notwithstanding we must endeuour we must striue we must labor withall our might and strength to ouercome this difficulty and hardnes wee must enter into the straite way whych leadeth to saluation C. Therefore let the faithful rather beat their brains about this Mat. 7 15. then to bee ouer curious concerning the multitude of such as goe out of the way For many will seeke to enter in R. Chryst by these wordes seemeth to affyrme that the number of such as shal be saued shal be the fewer but he speaketh more plainly in Mat. when he saith thus Wide and broad is the way which ledeth to destruction Mat. 7.13 many there be that enter therat but straite is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth to life and few there be that finde it Therefore there are few which attaine saluation because the gate to life is straite But what haue we in another place of Ma. Many shal come frō the east frō the west shal rest with Abraham Mat. 8.11 Isaac Iacob in the kingdō of Heauen And the Prophet speaking of the heauenly Hierusalem Esa 60.11 sayth thus Thy Gates shall stand open still both day and Night and neuer be shut that the hoste of the Gentiles may come and that theyr Kinges may be broughte vnto thee These words teach vs not onely that many shal be saued but also that the gate of heauen shall bee set wyde open But we must put heere a difference For if we consider Chryst we must needes confesse that the gate of Heauen is broad and wyde For Chryst is the true Gate of Heauen who being ascended into Heauen and being reuealed to the whole world by the preaching of the Gospel hath not onely set wyde open heauen Gates vnto vs but also hath so consecrated the Earth it selfe by his Gospell that mē inhabiting in all parts of the Erth may ascend into the Kingdome of Heauen And although the Commaundemēts of the Law by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh are not onely heauy and grieuous but also impossible to bee done yet notwithstandyng Chryste hath perfectly fulfilled the Law and hath brought to passe that so many as beleue in him shall bee no otherwyse iudged to bee righteous before God then if they by their owne righteousnesse had perfectly fulfilled the Law Furthermore through Faith Chryst endueth those that beleue in hym with the Holy Ghost that by the Power thereof they may both wyth ease and also with pleasure walke in the obediēce of Gods law so much as is possible in this Flesh Wherefore as touching this parte of the Deuine Preceptes the Gate of the Kingdome of heauen must not be said to be strayte Furthermore if thou cōsider the church of Chryst in it selfe thou must needes confesse that many are elected that an innumerable multitude are and shal be saued For thus the Prophets speaketh of the multitude of the faythfull Esay 60 ◠Lifte vp thine Eyes loke roūd aboute thee all these gather themselues and come to thee thy Sonnes shall come vnto thee from far thy Daughters shall gather themselues to thee on euery side c. And in the Reuelation of S. Iohn Apoc. 7. ◠After thys I behelde and loe a great multytude which no man coulde number of all Nations Kindreds and people and tongues stoode before the Throane c. Therefore we see that if we consider the Church in it selfe it containeth a great and innumerable multitude But to the ende thou mayst rightely vnderstand the word of Christ whych sayth that few finde the way to lyfe thou muste haue respecte to an other matter For first of all it so bee thou considerest the Dispositions of euery man then though the gate of heauen were neuer so wyde yet notwithstāding the gretest parte of mē do make the same narrow to themselues For some seeke to enter in but not by faith in Chryst one promiseth Saluation to himselfe by the merit of monastery workes and this is to make moonkary the Gate of Heauen Another hopeth to
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
like good tourne againe yet notwithstandinge bycause Christ pronouÌ„ceth it to be blessednesse the Worde of Christ is more certayne vnto vs then our owne sence Imagination Also the reason of this blessednesse is added For thou shalt be recompenced A. Therefore it is not a benefit ill bestowed which is geuen to the poore as many places of scripture make manifest as doe these which follow Mat. 25.35 He leÌ„deth to the Lord which geueth to the poore and looke what hee layeth out it shal be payed him agayne And agayne Psal 112.9 Hee hath dispersed and geuen to the poore his ryghteousnes remayneth for euer Pro. 19.17 and euer Also Whatsoeuer yee haue done vnto one of the least of those my brethren yee haue done it vnto mee But let no man gather of this place that wee can merite heauenly blessednes by liberallity towards the poore seeinge that he alone hath purchased the same for vs by his precious bloud Math. 6.4 Pro. 10.41 â—5 35 A. CoÌ„cerning the which matter reade more in Math. 15. When one of them that sate at meate also heard these thinges he sayd vnto him Happy is hee that eateth Breade in the Kingdome of GOD. B. When Christ had spoken coÌ„cerning the weddinge and the resurrection of the Iust one of the guests as awaked out of sleepe and touched wyth the desier of that heauenly Feaste sayd Blessed is hee which eateth breade in the Kyngdome Hee meaneth that there are very few which shal be partakers of this felicity as though not euery one were to bee admitted to that feaste but only the Iewes or the chiefe Rulers of the Iewes But to eate bread in the kingdome of God is to be pertaker of the Ioyes of the lyfe to come and to enioy all Celestiall delightes C. Howbeit the man which spake this seemeth to dreame of a certayne happy state in this lyfe repleanished with all good thinges to know the Nature of a heauenly kingdome 16. Then sayd hee vnto him A certayne man ordayned a great Supper and bad many BV. The Lord tooke occasion of that exclamation of the Feaste to exhorte the guestes and so the Iewes and euery one of vs also to endeuour our selues by all maner of meanes to receiue the Preachinge of the Gospell by a true Faith C. And withall hee casteth the Iewes in the teeth that they can speke well of the kingdome of GOD but when GOD calleth them vnto hym gentlely and mercifullye that contemptuously they reiecte his Grace A. This Parable is expounded in the 22. Chapter of Mathew beginninge at the first verse 18. And they al at once began to make excuse The first sayd vnto him I haue bought a farme and I muste needes goe and see it I pray thee haue mee excused E. In thys Parable Christe teacheth what delayes men vse to make bycause they would not receiue the preachinge of the Gospell and be saued And hee setteth before vs three sortes of men vnder the which are comprehended all that doe erre from the true saluation all meÌ„ generally prefer earthly things before heauenly things and are addicted to the thinges of this present world But these impedimentes are such as may easely stande before the wyse men of this worlde and are Iustefied of theÌ„ bycause they haue a shewe of honesty Is not to increase honesty and dignity to seeke after honour and promotion to prepare Ryches to prouyde for a mans Chyldren and Family and such lyke These things verely deserue excuse before the world but before God not so who commaundeth vs first and before all thynges to seeke the Kingdome of God and the Ryghteousnesse thereof and to prefer the first table before the seconde To buy a Farme to buy a yoake of Oxen and to marry a Wyfe are not euel of them selues but for the doing of these thinges to neglect the worde of God is great sinne I haue boughte a Farme To buy a Farme is to be let from receiuing the Gosple by a care of increasing honors dignity power possessions goods Suffer mee to goe and see it These are wordes of Loue and of Affections which signifie that his heart was set vpon the farme For it is sayd of Christ Where the Treasure is Luk. 12.34 there wyll your heart bee also I pray thee haue mee excused This in treaty is but Hypocrisie But note here what a deepe loue we haue of ryches of honors and of possessions 19. And another sayd I haue bought fyue Yoake of Oxen and I goe to prooue them I pray thee haue me excused S. Beholde here how deepely the care of corporall thinges is planted in vs the which is of such force that it keepeth men which are not enemies vnto the Worde from receiuinge the Worde who if they had bene Enemies they woulde not haue intreated to be helde excused but woulde haue made a rash and stouborne answere Here also we may behold hypocrisie which condemneth not the Supper and yet refuseth to come 20. And another sayd I haue maryed a Wyfe and therefore I cannot come S. This man is let kept backe wyth the care of his house Christe setteth before vs dyuers kyndes of lyfe not that wee must alwayes abyde in these but that they may be exercyses vnto vs by which we may be made more desierous of the Feast in the kingdome of heauen Neyther doth he in this place condemne the lawfull and ordinary maner of lyfe as buying of possessions Farmes tyllage marchandyse wedlocke and such like but hee condemneth only the impiety of men which so make theÌ„selues captiue to these kindes of lyfe that for the same they neglecte the felicity of the heauenly banquet The husband men say Wee must labour wee are not at leasure to heare often the preaching of the Gospell The Marchantes say Wee must traueyle by Sea and Land that wee may followe our vocation The new maryed men say Wee must labour to prouyde for our house to get Ryches both for our Chyldren to come and for our olde age wee haue not so much leasure as to follow the preaching of the Gosple What els is this than if a man should say I had rather pearish in the earth then enter into the kingdome of Heauen This is the most wicked contempt of the woorde of God and of the kingdome of heauen and worthy to be punished with euerlasting fyre For the exposition of the rest which followeth vnto the 25. verse reade the 22. Chapt. of Math. vers 7. 25. There were a great coÌ„pany with him and hee returned sayd vnto them R. When the dayes of Christs assumption were at an ende Christ himselfe hauing testefied that it coulde not be that a Prophet should perish any where els then at Hierusalem hee thoughte nothing better than first of all to obay his Fathers calling and to make satisfaction for our Sinnes at Hierusalem by his Crosse and Death and to saue vs from destruction to euerlastinge
forsake all that hee Possesseth than hee which is ready at all assayes to forsake all that hee hath and is the Lords free man followinge his callinge and ouercomminge all impediments Thus the true forsaking which the Lord requireth of his Disciples consisteth not so much in Action as in the Affection so that what soeuer a man gouerneth with his Hande the same is not in his heart C. Therefore hee shall easely forsake all thinges which forsaketh him selfe his Parents and his Lyfe also that is to say which preferreth neyther Parents nor Life before Christe which had rather haue his Soule faued by Christe than to winne the whole Worlde Ma. 16.25 as wee are taught also in Mathew 34. Salte is good but if the Salt haue lost the saltnesse what shal be seasoned therewith B. This place may bee referred to all Chrystians in this Sence Salte is good Euen so it is an excellent thing to bee a Christian and to beleeue the Gospell But as Salte which is sauory seasoneth all meate and that which is vnsauory profitable for nothinge Euen so they which Ioyne them selues to the Flocke of Christe without the full denyall of them Selues and of all that they haue shall bee lyke vnto vnsauory Salte seruinge for no vse but to be caste into Hell fyre A. Reade the fore named place of Mathew 35. It is good neyther for the Lande nor yet for the dunghill but men cast it out of the doores Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare Hee that hath eares B. The Lord is wonte to adde this when he hath spoken of waighty matters worthy to be considered Bee it knowne therefore to euery one that heareth the Gospell that the same is the Woorde of the kingdome of Heauen not of earth And that no man can come to the same kingdome except hee vtterly forsake this earthly kingdome and be ready to suffer losse both of his lyfe and also of his goods The which they shall easly doe that haue but a meane knowledge of the same and they which cannot do it haue neyther knowledge nor feeling thereof This sentence of Christe also may be applied to the Apostells of the which we haue spoken in diuers places already ⧠THE XV. CAP 1. THen resorted vnto hym all the Publycans and Synners for to Heare him Luk 3 12. Mat 5.46 Z Concerninge Publicans reade the third Chapt. going before and cōcerning sinners reade the ninth Chapt. of Math. vers 10. There are two sortes of men some are sinners vnryghteouse who notwithstandinge acknowledge their sinne and there are some againe which thinke themselues to be righteous which trust to their righteousnesse and to their workes such were the Scribes Pharises Now seeing Chryst did preache and offer remission of sinnes freely the Pharisies coulde not abyde it For they made great account of their owne righteousnesse But they which were ashamed of their sinnes and which intended to amend their liues come vnto Christe Of both these Christe spake when hee sayd I came not to call the Ryghteous Math. 9.13 but Synners to repentance To heare him R. The Publicans and Sinners came vnto CHRIST not to abyde in their sinnes but to receiue the Doctrine of Chryste They came as doe those that are sicke to the Phisition and to follow the way of saluation 2. And the Pharysies Scribes murmured saying hee receyueth sinners and eateth with them A. Whatsoeuer our Lord IESUS Christe spake or did were it neuer so true and profitable it was mislyked euel spoken of by malicious hypocrits C. Here the Scribes and Pharysies exclayme of the Lord sayinge Hee receyueth Synners This was a wonderfull contempt proceeding frō a lofty proude mynde eleuated with a certayne truste of workes and carnall righteousnesse for they thought them selues whole stronge that is to say righteouse they excluded all others from grace So also Symon the Pharisie which bad Christe to Dinner sayd If this man were a Prophet Luke 7.3 he would know who and what maner of Woman it is that toucheth him for she is a sinner And eateth with them R. Like say they will to like Wherefore seeinge this fellow is so familliar with Publicans and Synners it is a great argument not only that hee is no Prophet as he boasted himselfe to be by his doctrine nor yet a man of honest lyfe This is a meere Cauill in which notwithstanding the Pharisies shewe some Wisdome For a man may easily Iudge of the Disposition and maners of men by their fellowship and company keepinge But they abuse this cōmon Iudgement to obscure and discredite the Fame of Christe The Prouerbe is true Like will to like but yet if it shoulde bee alwayes true then wee must say that the Phisition is sicke bycause hee keepeth cōpany with such as are sicke and that all Preachers of Gods woorde are vnlearned bycause they are conuersant in instructing the vnlearned But there was manyfest cause why Christe kept company with Publicans Synners namely that hee might leade them as it were by the hande from their sinnes to righteousnesse And this was so manyfest that none could deny it But the Pharisies were so Enuious againste Christe that what soeuer he did well they misconstrued and mislyked And althoughe they were vnworthy to bee answered bycause their murmuringe came of a malicious mynde yet notwtstandinge the most gratiouse Lord according to his wonted mercy rēdereth a reason of his office to the ende that if any amonge them were curable they might be better affected towards him if not that they might bee without all excuse And therefore he propoundeth this Parable following 4. What man hauynge an hundered Sheepe if hee loose one of them doth not leaue 99. in the Wyldernesse and goe after that which is lost vntill hee finde it B. By all these Parables as that the lost Sheepe is sought for the 99. being left in the Wildernesse that he reioyseth more of the same being founde then of the rest which neuer went astray also that in the spirituall kingdome of God there is more Ioy amonge the Angells ouer one Synner that repenteth than ouer many righteous the Lord ment nothing els but to geue vs to vnderstand that by the wil of his Father and by the consent of the Angells hee had a great care for those which being chosen into the fellowship of Saintes went as yet a stray that hee might bryng them into the right way for the which cause he kept cōpany with Publycans and sinners No man is able sufficiently to consider this vnspeakeable mercy of God toward Sinners euen as wee can deuise nothing more profitable thā the same Wherefore the friuolous Imaginations of men must be left the vnspeakable goodnesse of God toward vs must be considered that we may grow in faith towardes him and in loue towards our neighbour and we must diligently endeuour our selues to bring the straying sheepe of Chryste to their Sheepheard
vppon the owners to beate them and by Force of armes to brynge the same with them but onely to aunswere them wyth hys word and by his word to doe that whych they were commaunded For the word that is to say the preching of the Gospell which is the commaundemente of Chryste is that Instrumente by which the Kingdome of God is set vp and preserued This Sword and these weapons are oures Wee spake not now of the Office of the ciuill Magystrate who hath to vse the sworde according to the Lawes and to defende his Subiectes that they may leade a quiet lyfe wyth all Godlinesse and honestie but we speake of the Offyce of the Apostles and ministers of the Church whose Sworde is the worde of God by which Sworde not onely the Externall face of the Church is preserued but also the conscience is in safetie from the inuasion of Sathan that we may be broughte to Euerlastynge Saluation Concerning the exposition of the rest which followeth vnto the 41 verse Reade the 21. Cha. of Mathewe verses 7.9.12.14 41. And when he was come neere he beheld the Citie and wepte on it 42. Saying If thou haddest knowne those thinges which belonge vnto thy peace euen in this thy Daye but now they are hid from thyne Eyes And when he was come nere R. Now the Euangelist sheweth how Christ was affected toward his people the Iewes when he was come into the view of Hierusalem the Metropolitan Citie of Iury And wepte on it C. Seeing Chryst desiered nothing more then to discharge the office whych the Father had committed vnto him and knew that this was the ende of his calling to gather together the lost shepe of Israel he wished that his comming might be wholesome and profitable to all men and sauing health This was the cause why he being touched wyth mercy and compassiō wept for the imminent Destruction of Hierusalem For when he considered that the same was ordayned of God to bee the holy Seate in the which the Couenaunt of euerlasting Saluatiō should abyde the Sanctuarie from whence Saluation should come to the whole world it could not be but that he must needes greatly Lament the Destruction thereof When also hee sawe that people to perish miserably by they re owne Ingratitude and mallice which was adopted to the hope of Eternall Life it is no marueile if hee could not refrayne from teares And whereas some thinke it verye absurde for Chryst to bewayle that Euill which he might haue holpen they may easely be aunswered For as he descended from heauen that taking vpon him our flesh he might be a witnesse minister of Gods sauing health so in like manner hee tooke vppon him the true and naturall Affections of man so farre forth as was necessary for the function which he had taken in hand And we must wisely waigh and cōsider what person he representeth whē he speaketh or seeketh the Saluation of Mankinde Euen as in this place that he might faythfully fulfil the commaundement of his Father it was necessary for him to desire that the fruite of Redemptiō might come to the whole body of Gods Electe people In that therefore that he was geuen vnto this people to bee a minister of Saluation he bewayleth theyr Destruction according to his office Wee confesse he was God but so often as it was meete for him to execute the Office of a teacher his Godheade rested and hyd it selfe as it were least it might hynder the office of a mediator There these teares of Chryst were not fayned he did not as plaiers commonly doe which counterfeite theyr iesture but it was a true affectiō which brast forth those Teares from him And there is no doubte but that hee would wholly frame and bend himself to that people to whom hee was sente And as hee was man so he was moued with compassion as the Apostle Paule teacheth saying Wee haue not such an high prieste as knoweth not howe to haue cōpassion on our infirmities c. He. 4.15 There is nothing more proper to the Nature of man then affections specyally of humanity Therfore as he was God he was immouable from that which hee had decreed in the beginninge and as he was man appoynted to be the sauiour of the people of the Iewes hee sorrowed for that he saw Hierusalem to refuse so greate Grace offered vnto her and because shee knewe not the fruite of his comming Rō 15.8 Paule sayth the Chryst was a minister of the circumcision And the Lord himselfe sayth Ma. 15 24 I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell C. Hee came not therefore to thys ende that the Iewes mighte feele hys wholesome comming So that when he sawe that hee was come in vayne to the Iewes to whom he was specially sente hee abstayneth not from teares when I say he saw the chosen City in that which God would be called vppon to reiecte the author him selfe of Saluation Moreouer by thys his weepyng he did declare that he did not onely Brotherly Loue those for whose sake he was sente but also that the Spyrite of Fatherlye Loue was powred by God into mans nature If thou haddest knowne This is an abrupte kynde of speach C. For we knowe that they in whō there are vehement affections can not vtter theyr meaninge so fully as they woulde Moreouer it may be that two affections meete heere together for Chryst doth not onely take Compassiō vpon the Destruction of the City but doth also cast the vnthankefull people in the teeth with haynous wickednesse for that they reiecting the Saluation offered vnto them willingly broughte vppon themselues the horrible iudgement of God B. For it is likelie that this Cogitation disquieted the Lords minde Beholde I come vnto thee O Daughter Sion and Hierusalem thy Kinge and thy Sauiour euen as thy Prophetes haue promised thee But poore and humble Therefore thou cōtemnest mee at whose handes alone thou mightest receyue righteousnesse Life O that thou haddest knowne the thinges which belonge vnto thy peace and haddest not bene so blynde in thine owne euill And that in this thy Daye when so many so wonderful thinges doe cal thee to know these things For now whilest thou hast mee preachyng the Kingedome of Heauen vnto thee that day of saluatiō visitatiō is risē vpō thee which thou oughtest to know by my life by my Doctrine by so many myracles lately shewed But O thryse yea foure times vnhappy nowe these thinges are hidden from thyne eyes therefore thou arte outragious mad agaynst mee and seekest my Bloude whom thou oughtest with moste Ardent affection to receiue for thy Sauiour and King as doth this multitude Hereuppon it shal come to passe that thou being besieged of thyne enemies shall at the length be layed euen wyth the ground thy Children being slaine and thy houses and costly buildyng beinge beaten downe insomuch that in thee one stone shall not be lefte vppon
appeareth by this place When yee haue fulfilled seuētye yeres at Babylon I will visite you Ier. 29.10 I wyll brynge you home and of mine owne Goodnesse I will carry you hither agayne into this place And agayne Beholde I will loke to my sheepe my selfe and visite them Eze. 34 11 Like as a sheepehearde that hath ben amonge the flocke seeketh after the Sheepe that are scattered abroade Euen so will I seeke after my shepe c. Seeing therefore Christ commeth not to destroy but to saue men and calleth the time of his comming the Time of his visitation it is manifeste that in this place by the time of Visitation is not mente the time of Wrath but the time of mercy not the time of punyshmente but the time of deliueraunce not the time of Slaughter but the time of Saluation And the time of mercye and Saluation is when the woorde of God is reuealed by which the clemencie of God is offered vnto vs and by which wee are called to repentance are admonished to receiue the Grace offered vnto vs. So it was the time of Saluation when Noe by the worde of God called those of his time to repentaunce before the Floude So it was the time of Saluatyon when Lot called the Sodomites before fire came from heauen when Moses called the Aegyptians before the drowning in the red Sea when the Prophetes called the Israelites before the inuasions of the Assyrians Babylonians to repentance and offered vnto them by promises Gods sauynge Healthe So also it was the tyme of Visitation when Iohn Baptyste when Chryste himselfe and his Apostles preached the Gospell saying Repent Ma. 3.2 Ma 14.17 for the Kingdome of Heauē is at hande Therefore not to acknowledge the time of Visitation is not to know the word of God reuealed not to beleeue the Gospell not to obey Gods calling and not to repent And these were the Wickednesses for the which the Iewes so miserabely perished For although they sought by all meanes to deliuer them selues from Destruction and to be saued yet notwithstanding by those things whereby they sought to bee saued they lost Saluation A. For Israell sayeth S. Paule which followed the law of ryghteousnesse came not to the Law of righteousnesse Wherefore Because they sought it not by faithe Rō 9.31 but as it were by the workes of the Law C. Therefore because Hierusalē shewed her selfe Vnthankefull vnto God and woulde not acknowledge her Redeemer it was necessarye that she should be quite ouerthrowen and shoulde feele such grieuous punishmentes that shee might bee a terrible example to all men Wherefore let the seuerity of those punishmentes which happened vnto them terrefie vs least by our Neglygence we extinguish the light of Saluation but rather let vs ernestly seke to receiue the Grace of God R. For if God sayth S. Paule spared not the Naturall Brawnches Rō 21.31 take heede least he spare not thee also Therfore when in these yeares the time of oure Visitation commeth and that the Gospell of Iesus Chryst by the clemency of God the Father is offered vnto vs by which all the benefits of God and Celestiall and Euerlasting Graces are offered vnto vs Let vs repent in time and obey the Commaundemēts of GOD. 45. And he wente into the Temple and began to caste out them that soulde therein and them that boughte A. Now Luke sheweth briefly what our Sauiour Chryst dyd in Hierusalem when he was come into the temple Hee began to caste oute them that soulde therein R. What they were that buying and sellyng in the Temple it may easely bee gathered by the other Euangelystes For although the casting out of the buyers and Sellers of the which Iohn maketh mention was at another tyme then was this of the which Luke speaketh heere yet notwithstending by euerie of them it may bee gathered that the Temple was fowly abused Ihon. 2 Math. 21 Mar. 11 Iohn sayth He cast out of the temple Sheepe and Oxen and poured out the Chaungers money and ouer threw the Tables Mathewe sayth that he ouerthrew the Seats of them that sould Doues Marke addeth And would not suffer that any mā should carry a Vessell through the temple By these places it doth manifestelie appeare that the Iewes had so prophaned the Temple with Marchaundyce that they did not onely keepe a commō Market there of those things which belonged vnto the Sacryfices and Oblations but exercised also profane Trades Wherefore Chryste reformeth the temple Reade the 21. Cap. of Mat verse 12. 46. Saying vnto them It is written my house is the house of Prayers but yee haue made it a Denne of Theeues R. This testemony of Scripture is in Esay Esa 56.7 where the Prophet though hee meaneth specially that the Gentyles shall bee numbred amonge the people of God My house sayth he shal bee called the house of God to al Natiōs Yet notwithstanding because by the name of Temple or house he meaneth the temple of Hierusalem teacheth also that this externall Temple ought not to be prophaned with marchādise and Wickednesse For whether you speake of the Externall Temple in Hierusalem it was appointed for adoration or for the worshipping of God because in dedication of the same Salomon sayth Hearken vnto the prayer which thy Seruaunte prayeth in this place 3. Ki. 8.30 And regard thou the supplication of thy People when they pray in this place and heare thou in Heauen thy dwelling place when thou hearest haue mercy Or whether thou speak of Chryste figured by the External Temple and reuealed to all the Gentiles it is not a house of ciuill businesse because hys kingdome is not of this worlde Ioh. 18.36 Ioh. 26.23 but it is the House of Prayer because it is sayde of the same Whatsoeuer yee aske the Father in my name hee will geue it you But yee haue made it a Den of Theeues Chryst accuseth the Iewes because they had made of the house of God which ought to haue bē the house of prayer a Den of theeues Ieremy cast the very same aforetyme in theyr teeth saying Haue you not made this house in the whych my name was called vpō Iere. 7.11 a Dē of theues And the Prophete and Chryst speake thus not that the Iewes beside theyr buying and selling spoyled and kylled men in the Temple but by thys Accusation they haue respecte speciallye to the wicked Doctrine of the Iewes concerning Sacrifices and the seruice of God For they thought and taught also that Sacrifices and other Ceremonies of the Law were true satisfactions for sinnes and the perfect fulfilling of the Law Hereupon came buying and selling in the temple Hereuppon came the Tables of the Money Chaungers Hereuppon the Seates of them that soulde Doues that whosoeuer entered into the Temple might see that to be sould which he might offer to make satisfaction for his sinnes and to fulfill Righteousnesse But thus to thinke of Sacrifices
in the preaching of Iohn the Baptist For then at the last the law the prophets had an ende as it is written Luke 16. The Law the Prophets raigned vntil Iohn since that time the Kingdome of GOD is preached and euery man stryueth to goe in And to this aptly agreeth the Testimony of the Prophet Mallachy which hee alleadgeth To the ende the Lorde might the more inflame mens myndes to desire the promysed saluation he purposed and determyned to depryue the people for a time of new prophesies And wee know that Mallachy was the last of the lawful and vndoubted Prophets But least the hungery Iewes should pearish in the meane time hee exhorteth them to keepe thēselues vnder the Lawe of Moyses vntill the promised redemption appeare For he only maketh mention of the Lawe because the doctrine of the Prophets did nothing differ from the same but was only an appendix and more perfect exposition that the whole order of gouerninge the Church myght hange of the Lawe Neyther is it a newe or vnwōted thing in the Scripture to haue the prophesies cōprehended vnder the name of the Lawe because all were sent vnto it as to theyr wellspryng and scope But the Gospel was not as it were an inferiour augmentation of the Lawe but a newe forme of teachinge whych should abrogate that former maner of instruction And Mallachy making the state of the Church of two sortes appoynted the first vnder the Lawe and begynneth the other at the preachinge of Iohn For there is no doubt but that hee meaneth Iohn the Baptist whē he sayth Behould I send my messenger because as we sayd euen now there is here put a manifest difference betwene the law and the new order and state of the Church which should succeede In the same sence he alleaged a litle before the same place that the euangelist Marke hath for the places are like in al pointes saying Beholde I send vnto you Elias the Prophet before that great day of the Lord come In lyke maner hee sayth Mala. 3. Behold I will send my messenger whych shall prepare the way before mee and the Lorde whom yee would haue shall soone come to hys Temple Because in both places a better condition of the Church is promysed than was vnder the lawe the beginning of the Gospell without all doubt is noted But truely before the Lorde shoulde come forth a preparer or forerunner is sayd to come which shoulde proclayme hym to be at hand Whereby wee gather that the abrogation of the lawe and the beginning of the Gospell is properly placed in the preaching of Iohn Moreouer seeing Iohn doth commend and set forth Christe in the fleshe both his natiuity and also the whole history of offeringe saluation is contayned vnder the Gospel But Marke intreateth here how the Gospell began to be preached and published openly Wherefore hee doth not without good cause begin at Iohn who was the first minister thereof And here by the heauenly Father went about to keepe the lyfe of his sonne buried as it were in silence vntill the tyme of full perfect reuelation came For it was not done without the certaine prouidence of God that the Euāgelists should pretermit all that time in which Christe led a priuate lyfe with his parents at home and shoulde omit all the tyme of his infancy vntill hee was thirty yeares of age at what time he comminge forth was openly declared to the whole world to be the redeemer Only the Euangelist Luke doth briefly shew a proofe of his calling to come about the twelueth yeare of his age Luke 2. This thing truly did greatly pertaine to the matter first of all to know that Christe was a true man and then that he was the sonne of Abraham and Dauid This thinge the Lorde woulde haue to be declared vnto vs by witnes The other thyngs which Mathew and Luke doe shewe of the Sheepeherdes of the wyse men and of Symeon they pertayne to prooue his dyuinity But whereas Luke doth speake specially of Iohn of his Father Zacharias it was a certayne entraunce and preface of the Gospell The beginning of the Gospell If we place these wordes after this maner it wil be a more perfect sentence The Gospell of Iesu Christe the sonne of God began after the same maner as it is written in the Prophets Or els The Gospel of Iesu Christ the sonne God had such a beginning as the Prophets declared before that it should haue namely Esay and Mallachy That is to say that Iohn shoulde bee the forerunner and should be the first that should begin to preach the Gospell and not Christe although he were the head of the Gospel For the same Iohn began to preach the the Gospell and to declare him to bee at hand which was promised And thus it pleased God that Iohn should be the forerunner with a certayne seuere and austere kinde of lyfe because he was so nigh to the seuere strayte lawe But Christ being meeke and gentle was familliarly conuersaunt among men because he was the pledge of Gods grace and mercy In this hee tooke from the Iewes all excuse leaste they should accuse the Gospell eyther to seeme to gētle or to seuere Iohn therefore was the first that began to preache the Gospel as the Prophets foreshewed Of Iesu Chryste the sonne of God The Euangelist Marke saith here that Christ is the sonne of God but Mathew sayth onely that hee was the sonne of Abraham and Dauid But the meaning of Marke is that wee should not hope for redemption but onely of the Sonne of God As it is vvrighten in the Prophets E Two olde Greeke bookes haue In Esay the Prophet but it is more truely red In the Prophets Whereuppon also hee Ioyneth two Testimonies to declare that it was Iohn of whom both the Prophets spake Behold I send my messenger C. The chaunging of the person in these words hath no absurdity So God hymselfe speaketh by the Prophet Mala 3. saying I send my Angell which shall prepare the way before me And Marke bringeth in the Father speaking to the sonne But we do see that Marke went about nothing els than more playnely to expresse the mynde of the Prophet Before thy face E. This was spoken to the ende men might knowe that Chryste which was preached was at hand already come As concerninge the exposition of the rest of the seconde verse reade the eleuenth chapter of S. Mathew 3. The voyce of a Cryer in the Wildernesse prepare yee the way of the Lord and make his pathes strayte A. That is to say I am a crying voice I teach no other thing then that which the Lord hath appoynted mee I teach not my owne but the words of the Lord. For I am a voyce So the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto Aaron Exod 4. put these words in his mouth and I will be thy mouth and with hys mouth Beholde
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
vvhat measure yee meate This sentence seemeth not to be set in his right place and order and truely the Euangelistes were not curiouse in placinge the wordes of Christe but doe oftentimes heape diuers of his sentences together The exposition of these words yee may reade in the 7. of Math. 26. And hee sayd so is the Kingdom of God euen as if a man should sowe seede in the grounde B. Christe by this Parable meaneth that the Gospell doth euen so wonderfully contrary to the expectacion of man and when they thinke not of it by litle and litle growe vp and fructefie not sodenly but in that order which the father hath appoynted After this manner truely and in this our age the kingdome of God is come vnto vs men in deede looking for nothing lesse then the same Whereuppon in deede these vngodly sayings of the wicked came from whence commeth this kinde of Doctrine In how short time hath it preuayled But such is the kingdome of God it bursteth forth before that flesh and bloud can perceiue the same After this maner God disapoynteth the expectacion of the world and by his base foolishe and weake confoundeth the gloriouse 1. Cor. 1. wyse mighty as S. Paule teacheth in his Epistell to the Corin. 27. And should sleepe and ryse vppe night and day and the seede shoulde springe and growe vp hee knoweth not howe C. Chryst went about to direct this Similitude to the Preachers of his worde least they should coldely goe about their office wheÌ„ they see not fruit of their labour to appeare by and by Therefore he setteth before them Husband men to follow which vpon hope of reapinge cast seede into the Earth neither are troubled with careful eare but goe to rest and rise earely againe that is to say according to their maner they are alwaies occupied in their daily laboure and doe refreshe themselues with sleape in the nyght vntill at the length the Corne waxe rype in due tyme. Although therefore the seede of the Woorde lye couered for a time Christe notwithstandinge commaundeth the godly Teachers to bee of good hope least distrust make them slouthfull 28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of her selfe first the blade then the Eare after that the full Corne in the Eare. BV. As if he should haue sayde The Seede doth not growe vp so soone as it is sowen and aryse to be Corne but it hath a distance and it doth arise by increase So doth the worde of God fructefy also being cast and receyued into the Heartes of the faythfull For vertue groweth by certayne Degrees of increase For as no man is a perfect Artificer at the first euen so no man is perfect out of hand or without time in all vertues 29. But vvhen the fruite is brought forth anon hee thrusteth in the Sickell because the haruest is come E. The Phariseys Scribes Hyghpriestes Elders Rulers of the People Princes Kinges Philosophers haue contenciously gone about and doe at this day to ouerwhelm the seede of Gospell leaste it shoulde come forth Nothstanding these striueing against it in vaine it hath taken roote through out the whole Worlde neyther shal it cease to growe euen vntill the end and consummation of the Worlde that the whole Corne may be rype When the time of Haruest shall come the Sickell shall bee put into the Corne and then all things being cut vp the tarâ—s shal be cast into the fyer and the pure and cleane Wheate shal be put a parte into the Barne as our sauiour Christ himselfe teacheth in the 13. of Math. In the which Chapter reade the exposition of the 30. verse and one and thirty and 32. 33. And vvith many such Parables preached he the Woorde vnto them as they were able to heare it E. That is to say by these and by many such kinde of Parables the Lorde Iesus did propounde to the rude and grosse people the Image of the successe of the Gospell to come framing his talk to their capascity For hee spake nothing vnto them then but onely by obscure Parables because as yet they were not capeable of the bare worde For if hee had sayd that hee should bee shortly put to death of the Iewes that hee should by and by ryse agayne and spreade abroade his glory through out the whole Worlde insomuch that hee which seemed to bee weakest of all should be thought to be a Prince of the whole Worlde and that none shoulde haue peace and assurance of saluation but through him none woulde haue borne his wordes neither woulde they haue belieued him And yet notwythstanding it was meete that they should remember these things as by a dreame that afterwarde they might knowe by the matter it selfe what the Parables ment But hee declared to his Apostells by secrete communication what was the secret meaning of all the Parables which he spake 35. And the same day when euen was come he sayd vnto them Let vs passe ouer vnto the other side Math. 13 Luk. 8. A. This history must thus be ordered by the wordes of Mathew Marke Luke And it came to passe on a day when Iesus had spoken these Parables and when the euen was come he went from thence sayth vnto them Let vs passe ouer vnto the other side of the Lake And when hee had sente the People away he went into a shyp and his Disciples with him And so soone as hee was in the Ship they loused and went ouer As touching the 36. and 37. verses reade our exposition vppon Mathewe the 13. Chapter 38. And hee was in the sterne a slepe on a Pillowe and they awaked him and sayde vnto hym Maister carest thou not that we pearishe And he vvas in the Sterne a sleepe Behold here howe Christe declareth himselfe to be a man in all poyntes sinne onely excepted What therefore will he deny vs which vouchsafed to be partaker of all our infirmities And they avvaked him Heere wee see by what meanes God is wonte to trye his sayntes For the nature of temptacion is here lyuely paynted forth Hee sendeth vppon his Dysciples a fearse tempest and beinge not content wyth this he suffereth the Ship to be ouerwhelmed and couered with water beside this he seemeth altogether to neglect them being in extreame pearill For they looking nowe for extremity he lyeth a sleepe carelesly in the ship Thus truly the sayntes and Children of God are prooued oftentymes they thinking that God will lay more vpon them then they are able to beare Notwithstanding hee will not suffer them what daunger soeuer they be in to bee voyde of hope Euen so here wee may see the Disciples who although they looked for nothinge more certaynely then death yet notwithstandinge they were not altogether wythout hope They awake the Lorde and pray for help notwithstanding so that they fearing extreame pearill are not quight without trust of deliueraÌ„ce the which their prayer vnto the Lord doth playnly decare For they woulde
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
soone as I had searched oute diligentlye all thinges from the beginning c. For the Teacher must take heede that hee teache nothing but that is sounde true and most certayne Also the Godly hearers must be assertayned of that doctryne which they must beleue that it is the worde of God and the moste sincere truthe Otherwyse they shall not bee able to stande agaynst Synne Death and Hell For by Fayth onely in the worde of God these are ouercome the which cannot be firme sincere excepte first of all the mynde bee assured concerninge the truth of the worde Most excellente Theophilus E. Theophilus is the proper name of a notable and worthy Personage to whom this Booke which appertayneth to all the faythfull was dedicated by S. Luke euen as wee haue sayd before in the first verse 4. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things whereof thou hast ben informed That thou mightest know E. The latine word is not vt Cognoscas but vt Agnosias betwene the which there is dyfference for Cognoscere signifieth to know but Agnoscere signifieth to know of olde or by proofe As wee knowe him whose face we haue seene not many yeares before Whereof thou hast bene informed In olde time they which were newly baptised had deliuered vnto them the mysteries of the Christian fayth but by word of mouth without writing according to the maner of those olde Deuines amonge the Aegyptians Druides vvere somtime in Fâ—ance called Gallia one of the the tvvo estates of lâ—ke conâ—ition as the spiritualty is novv among vs. and of the Druides amonge the Frenchmen This was to be newly instructed in the misteries the which Paule and Luke call in Greeke Gatechein for Echein signifieth to sounde with the voyce whereof came Catechein which signifieth to teache and instruct by worde of mouth those thinges which thou wilt not leaue in wrytinge Whereupon they which were taught were called after the same maner Catechoumenoi or Catechetoi that is not yet entered into Religion and they which taughte Catechetai that is to say Teachers The Sence therefore and meaninge of S. Luke is this That thou mightest nowe more fully and certainly know by wryting those thinges which thou afore time at thy entery into Religion learnedst by woorde of mouth Hereby wee learne that wee must reade S. Luke to this ende that wee might be without all feare and secure in his narration not doubtinge whether he speake in good sooth yea or no but assuring our selues that wee haue a true and most certaine narration The certainty of those thinges E. Wee doe the more assuredly knowe those thinges which wee haue learned by writing and order specially if wee haue hearde the same before of others or all one thing of the selfe same men because the continuance of the narration doth bring great credit to any thing C. This place verely is worthy to be noted with dilligence for the Worlde cannot discerne fayth from an opinion For that which the World conceiueth hath no certaynty But God woulde haue vs sure There is also another coÌ„mon error for some men when they would haue any certainty doe rather canfirme and stay them selues vppon thinges which come vnlooked for then vpon the manifest truth But wee see that God will not haue vs to wander for hee hath gieuen vs that vppon the which wee may stay our selues as this Hystory Let vs vse his benefite and not settell our myndes in error and in doubtfull matters vnder the pretence of Fayth And withall let vs knowe that we must not receiue for a certaynty what soeuer is spoken but must vse Iudgement As for Example there were many vayne Opinions spread abroade after the resurrection of Christ all which if a man will imbrace there shall be no ende Therefore the Lorde gaue vnto his Apostells a deepe wise coÌ„sideration in writing that we might haue somewhat certayne Neuerthelesse wee must take heede that we thinke not the authority of that holy Scripture to depend vpon men as the enemies of truth dreame but vpon the true God who hath spoken by his holy spirite in his seruauntes R. Wherefore how well so euer wee knowe the Canonicall Scripture because the Church hath allowed the same yet notwithstandinge neyther the true Church of Christe nor the Hypocriticall and false Church which is mixte with the true Church oughte to vsurpe vnto them so great authority as to inuert the holy Scripture to appoynt newe Commaundementes of God and to make newe Articles of fayth but we ought rather to doe this that seeing this holy Scripture which the Church hath deliuered to vs as it were from hande to hande is approoued and confirmed by most assured testimonies and seing that wee men are not the Authors but the Witnesses of the Scripture not Heads but Members of the Church not maisters but mynisters not Lords but the seruauntes of Christe this I say considered wee oughte to imbrace this Scripture with both hands Let vs submit our selues to these coÌ„maundements of God which are conteined in this Scripture and let vs obay this fayth which is prescribed vnto vs loÌ„ge before by the Prophetes and Apostles and so by the whole Apostolyke church that we may attayne true Saluation in Chryst Iesus the which we oughte to desyre aboue all Thinges in the World 5 There was in the Dayes of Herode the Kynge of Iurye a certayne Prieste named Zacharias of the course of Abia and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name vvas Elyzabeth There vvas in the Dayes of Herode B. The Myraculous rising of Iohn the first Euangelyste made somewhat to the commending of the pryce of the Gospell and of the acceptable time which began when the Gospell was preached in the Worlde C. Wherfore verye fitely Luke begynneth his Gospell at Iohn the Baptiste euen as a man which would speake of the Day Lyghte beginneth at the Day starre For he went before the Sonne of ryghteousnes which was euen arysing as doth the Morning starre The rest of the Euangelistes also make mencion of him but they begin at that time when he executed hys Office But Luke seeketh to brynge Credit and estimation vnto him before hee was borne setteth forth the wonderfull and mighty power of God in his Infancie and sheweth that he was appointed of God to be a Prophete before meÌ„ could discerne what he should bee the whych he doth to this ende purpose that he might be heard with the greater reuerence wheÌ„ he should come abroad to set forth the glory of Chryst And this Herode of the which Luke maketh mencion was the son of Antipater whome his Father aduaunced vnto the Kingedome in inlargynge whereof he tooke such paynes and Laboure that hee was called Herode the greate And there are some whych thinke that he was therefore heere named of Luke because hee was the firste forreyne Kyng And that therefore it was a conuenient time for the redemption because the Scepter
was come to a straunge Nation But they which so say do not well vnderstande the Prophesie of Iacob Ge. 49.10 where the commynge of the Messias is not simpely promysed when the Iewes should be depriued of the Scepter but wheÌ„ the same was taken away from the Tribe of Iuda Howbeit this was not the meanings of the holy Patriarke that the Trybe of Iuda should be spoyled of his Scepter before Chryste came but that the regiment of the People should bee stable in the same vntill Chryste that in hys person the coÌ„tinuance of the same should at the last be permaneÌ„t And although at what time the Machabeis floryshed the Trybe of Iuda had no prehemineÌ„ce amonge the rest and shortely after the last Captayne Iohn of the same Nation or Trybe was slayne Yet notwithstanding the Regiment and Rule was not quyte extinguished because there remayned as yet a chosen Counsayle of the Family and Posterity of Dauid to whome belonged the chiefe authority and it continued vntil the comming of Herode who by the wycked slaughter of the Iudges reuenged the punishment layed vppon him because hee being condempned of Murther was constrayned to choose exile and banishmeÌ„t then to suffer Death Therefore the Raigne of Herode dyd not breake the Scepter of the Tribe of Iuda because hee was a straunger but because by his Robbery and cruelty all the dignity which remayned in that Tribe was abolished And although the Kyngly dignity was decayed longe before and the Regiment by litle and litle almost quight gone yet notwithstanding that decay is not repugnant with the Prophesie of Iacob For God had promysed two things which might seeme coÌ„trary one to the other namely that the seate of Dauid should be euerlasting and that after it was decayed he would repayre the same agayne that the power of the kingdome should be euerlastinge and yet notwtstanding a braunch should come out of the deade stocke of Isay Both which must needes be fulfilled Therefore GOD suffered the Rule which he had erected in the Tribe of Iuda to decay for a time to the ende the people mighte the more earnestly hope and looke for the Kyngdome of Christe And when as by the losse of a Counsayler the hope of the faythfull was as it were cleane cut of the Lord sodaynely shyned And nowe this appertayneth to the order of the Hystory when the tyme of the thinge done is noted but not without cause the myserable condition of that time was therewithall noted vnder the name of the King to the ende that Iewes might know that they must now haue respect vnto the Messias if so bee they woulde faithfully imbrace Gods couenante Iohn 1.15.3.18 A certayne Priest named Zacharias R. Luke going about to describe the Natiuity of Christe because Iohn the Baptist his forerunner was to bee sente before him to testefie to Israell that hee was the promysed Messias therefore firste of all hee describeth the conception and Byrthe of Iohn And because a witnesse hath no credit specially in matters of greate waight except hee bee very honest of good Fame Therefore first of all Iohn is described by the honesty of his Stocke and Parents and by the myracles by which not so much his natitiuity was adorned as the authority of his testimony whych hee should gieue concerninge Christe was commended Of the course of Abia C. It is euident by the sacred Scriptures 1. Cor. 24 that the Kinreds of the Priestes were described of Dauid by certayne degreese In that which matter Dauid did nothing against the commaundement of the law God had geuen the Priesthoode to Aaron and to his sonnes the rest of the Leuites hee had appoynted to lesser offices In this thinge Dauid made no alteration but his purpose was partly to prouide that there mighte bee no tumult amonge the multitude and partly also to cut of Ambition withall to bringe to passe that a fewe might not drawe vnto them the whole office and the greater parte sit Idell at home And in that distribution Abia the sonne of Eliazar had the eight place Zacharias therefore was of the Priestly stocke of the Posterity of Eleazar who succeded his Father in the Office of the high Prieste And his Wyfe was of the Daughters of Aaron R. Luke seemeth to make mencion hereof to shew that Zachary tooke not a Wyfe of any other Trybe as many other did which was against the lawe of God C. Moreouer for honors sake Luke maketh mencion of the stocke of Elyzabeth For it was lawful for Zacharias to marry the Daughter of any coÌ„mon Leuite It appeareth therefore by hys Parentes one eyther side that hee was in his order no coÌ„temned person But how Elizabeth being of the daughters of Aaron coulde be the Cosine of Mary we will shew in the 36. verse of this Chapter And her name was Elizabeth That is to say The rest of my God This signification did very well belong and agree to this Woman seeing that of her hee was borne which preached the euerlastinge and blessed Rest whych was to come by Christe And Zacharias is asmuch to say as mindefull of God 6. They were both righteous before God and walked in all the lawes and ordinances of the Lord that no man coulde finde fault with them They vvere both righteous before God C. Luke geueth notable testimony to the Father mother of Iohn not onely that they lyued holy and vnblameable before men but iustly also before God And briefly he sheweth what righteousnes this was when he sayth that they walked in the precepts of the Lord. Both are diligently to be noted For although Zachary Elyzabeth are praised to this ende that we might knowe that the Candell which shyned before the sonne of God came not oute of an obscure house but rather out of a noble and holy stocke notwithstandinge vnder their example the rule of Godly and vpright lyuinge is withall set forth vnto vs. â—e firiste 〈◊〉 to a â—â—ly lyfe This therefore is the first thinge which wee must obserue in orderinge of our lyfe namely that we endeuour our selues to make our selues acceptable before God â—d reâ—reth a â—e Conâ—nce For we know that hee specicially requyreth a pure heart and sincere Conscience Therefore hee shall begin at the wronge ende which omitting the integrity of the heart followeth onely an outwarde shewe of lyfe to fulfill the Lawe Workes vvithout a sincere heart are not acceptable to God For we must remeÌ„ber that God to whom we are coÌ„mauÌ„ded to haue respecte doth not beholde the outward shew of workes but specially the hearte Secondly wee must imbrace obedience that is to say The secoÌ„d step to godlines no man must frame to himselfe a newe forme of obedience at his owne pleasure without the worde of God but they must suffer them selues to be gouerned by him For this definition is not to be neglected that they are iust which frame their Lyfe accordinge to
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
spirite Euen as S. Iames teacheth sayinge Iam. 3.13 Is any man merry Let him singe Psalmes For Heauinesse and sorrowe doe both clogge the mynde also do hinder the tongue from celebrating the goodnesse of God Therefore so soone as Maries mynde reioyced it brast forth into the prayse of God E. Whereuppon for Soule Spirite the scripture oftentimes vseth this word heart and it is a phrase of speach very vsuall with the Hebrewes Psal 103.1 Psal 35.3 specially in the Psalmes Praise the Lorde O my Soule Also Say vnto my Soule I am thy saluation There is great force in these phrases of speach much more is expressed then if it were sayd Praise the Lord I magnify the Lord Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Hereby wee are taught that if we will truely praise God we must praise him from our heart for if the heart be not moued the Lord reiecteth abhorreth our prayse Therefore the true fouÌ„dation of thanksgeuing is the inward affection of the minde Thankesgeuinge vvith lips only is abhominable by these speaches we may see the difference betwene the spirite truth hypocrisie which magnifieth God with the mouth lyps only The Lord This is a word of power by which MARY preacheth the power of God by which he wrought in her works passing nature Moreouer she arrogateth non of these benefits vnto herselfe because she is the mother of god because she was blessed among women because she behaued her selfe modestly she chalengeth nothing to her selfe but a ioyful merry heart toward God Wherefore she acknowledging the receiuing of them froÌ„ him praiseth his holy name Thus we ought to leane vnto God only not to Creatures or to our giftes 47. And my spirite hath reioyced in God my Sauiour And my Spirite reioyced in God C. This is as it were a reason of the cause For there can be no true affection of praysing GOD except there be first Ioy. For in the scripture the cause is oftentimes made subiect to the effect as in this place And she calleth the spirite as we sayd euen now the minde and vnderstanding of the soule She so reioyced that shee gaue vnto him that prayse of all goodnes and whosoeuer do not the like are vnthankefull Verely this reioysing is the effect or signe of a quiet Conscience which by Faith was certaynely perswaded that God was pacified and fauourable In GOD my Sauiour C. Shee doth not without cause geue vnto God the name of a sauiour when she speaketh of the Ioy of her heart For vntill he be acknowledged God the sauiour mens mindes shall neuer haue the true and perfect Ioy but shal be alwaies heauy and careful Saluation in Christâ— vvorketh true Ioy. so that it is the only fauoure of God the saluation the commeth of him which make vs Ioyfull To be short this is the principall thing in the which the faithfull haue to Ioy that their saluation is in God for the which they must also be thankefull vnto him S. The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Deliuerer and Preseruer Which is somewhat more than a Sauiour This Tytell be longeth only vnto God in whom we al consist Mary after the maner of the Psalmes of Dauid calleth him the sauiour Deliuerer bycause nowe her whole minde was inflamed with the consideration of the saluation which was begon to be wrought in her 48. For Hee hath looked on the lowe degree of his Handmayden for loe nowe from hence forth all Generations shall call mee blessed For he hath loked on the low degre C. She sheweth the cause why the Ioy of her heart is founded vpon God namely bycause he had respect vnto her frely of his mercy For in acknowledging her lowe degree shee maketh herselfe voide of all worthinesse that shee may ascribe vnto the free goodnes of God the whole cause of reioysing For the low degree of the which mencion is made in this place doth not signifie submissioÌ„ modesty or the habite of the minde as certaine vnlearned men haue thought but signifieth only an abiect vile and vase condition The Sence and meaninge therfore is this Whereas I was base contemned of low degre it hath pleased God notwithstanding mercifully to looke vpon mee Therefore the Virgin calling to minde the benefits of God as we ought to do when we geue thanks firste of all wondereth the God had such respect regarde vnto her being base and of low degree that he chose her to be the mother vnto his sonne For this is the which she saith For he hath regarded the low degre of his handmaideÌ„ Where there is any dignity or worthinesse of the fleshe there is a vaile which will not suffer vs to beholde the grace of God Therefore vpon iuste cause shee maketh mencion of her low Degree R. As if she should say I came of the stocke of the famouse king Dauid but looke by how much my auÌ„cetors were more noble than I by so much am I the more miserable For that I may speake nothing of the Kingdome taken away from our kinred by tyranny to make no mencion of the great neede which I a maiden of kingly race haue a longe time suffred this verely of all other is the greatest misery that the tyrauntes which now enioy our kingdome doe so lye in wayte for the life of al those that are come of the stock of Dauid that hauinge already killed certaine men not so much as wee poore maydes women are in safety so that wee being not so much coÌ„temned as wee are a coÌ„mon scorne to all men know not where to leade a secure life But to her whom men despyse the Lord turneth his eyes of mercy hath chosen me to gret dignity He might haue regarded the dignity of others which far exelled me in nobility in riches but he would none of them hauing respect vnto me a poore needy Virgin This maketh mee Ioyfull for this I geue thankes vnto God To be short I am nothing for what soeuer I am haue the same coÌ„meth only vnto me because God hath respect vnto me by the grace of God I am that I am The Virgin coulde not morefully prayse God his grace C. Thus we see how Mary abaseth her selfe to exalte God alone And it was not a setting forth of fayned humility But a simple true confession of her perswasion which she had fixed in her mynde For shee was both of no estimation in the sight of the world she also esteemed of her selfe nothing the more M. And here we haue specially expressed vnto vs what the Nature of God is God bâ—holdeth things of lovv degre namely to haue respecte vnto thinges of small reputacion and to the lowest thinges Hee cannot looke vpward because there is nothing aboue him neyther can he looke on eyther side of him forsomuch as hee hath none nygh vnto him that is his
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
ouer vs. R. The citizens of Chryst were the Iewes For Chyrst was promised vnto thē was at the last borne of theyr stocke They ought there aboue all other to haue acknowledged Christ theyr king but these were the first of all other that reiected him that he might not raigne ouer them For this is to send a message Ioh. 1.11 and to say Wee will not haue this man He came into his own and his own receiued him not A. Further more they said We are Moses Disciples Io. 9.28 We know that God spake vnto Moses but as for this fellow we wot not whence hee is And againe We haue no King but Caesar Io. 19.15 S. Luke also sheweth that the Rulers of the Iewes the Elders and Scribes and Annas the chiefe prieste and Caiphas and Iohn and Alexander and so many as were of the Priesthood assēbled themselues together at Hierusalem after the Resurrection of Chryst and calling the Apostles before them setting forth the Kingdome of Chryst by the preaching of the Gospell commaunded them with threatenings not to speake or to teach any more in the name of Iesu Ac. 4 5.18 What els was this but to reiecte Chryst the Chiefe Kynge Lord and with presumptuous bouldenesse to say We will not haue this mā raigne ouer vs B. Whereuppon the Apostle Paule spake thus vnto the Iewes Act. 13.45 It was meete that the Worde of God should first haue bene spoken to you but seeing yee put it frō you and thinke your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe wee tourne to the Gentiles Moreouer these words We will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs may be very well applyed to the Turkes Saracens whych deny Iesus Chryst and also to the Papistes which persecute the Gospell of Chryst Finally the Wicked and Impenitent which haue most neede of all other to heare the preaching of the Gospell doe notwithstanding deride and dispyse the same A horrible thinge to be spoken As often as mē do persecute the Gospel deride the word of God doe sin so often as they sende a messuage vnto Christ and say Wee will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. The Pope which fryeth the preachers of the Gospell in the fire sendeth after Chryst and saith Raigne not thou after me but Sathā shall Raigne The Dronkarde sayth Raigne not thou ouer me O Chryste but let Bacchus raigne What is hee that is able to number thē whych rebell agaynst Chryst refuse to beare his yoake 15. And it came to passe that when he had receiued his kingdome and retourned hee cōmaunded these Seruants to be called vnto him to whome he had geuen the Money to wit how much euery man had done in occupying A. Concerning the returne of Christe to Iudgement we haue spoken before R. Chryst in this time doth patientely beare the messuages the which notwithstanding are very contumeliouse he winketh and holdeth his peace but he will not alway holde his peace He commaunded these Seruauntes to bee called R. This shall bee when Chryst shal cal mē before him to whō he hath geuen giftes whether they bee corporall or spyrituall And therfore in another place he saith When the Sonne of man cōmeth in his Glory and all his holy Angells with him then shall hee sit vpon the Seate of his Glory and all Nations shall be gathered together before him Ma. 25.31 and he shall seperate them one from another And againe hee saieth The hower commeth whē they that are in the graues shal heare the voice of the Sonne of man and come forth they that haue don good into the resurrection of Life they that haue done euill into the Resurrection of Condempnation And S. Paule saith Wee shall all be brought before the Tribunall Seate of Chryste Iho. 5.28 for it is written I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bovve before me and euery tongue shall confesse vnto God Therefore euery one of vs must geue an accounte vnto God Rō 14.10 16. Then came the first saying Lord thy piece hath gained ten pieces R. Amonge all the men which shal bee brought before the Tribunal Seat of Chryst there are fower orders noted vnto vs by the Seruauntes and Cytizens in this parable The firste Seruaunt which with one pound gained ten poundes and hearde it sayde vnto him Well thou good Seruaunte because thou hast bene Faithful in a little haue thou authority ouer ten Cities doth signifie that sorte of mē which haue vsed theyr giftes in the chyefeste degre of Faith and Charitie so much as is possible to be done in this mortal fleshe to the honor of God and to the profite of theyr Neighbour In thys Company Moses is comprehended whom when the Lord had made Ruler ouer the people of Israell rather desiered to be blotted out of the booke of the lyuing and to be stoned of the people then to forsake that people and to leaue them to Destructiō Dauid the Prophetes Paule Ex. 32.32 and other the Apostles which with theyr one Pounde gayned ten poundes are to be reckned in this Order that is to say whych so faythfully followed theyr callyng that in the Iudgement of man they wāted nothing that was requisite for faith Charitie 18. And the second came saying Thy piece hath gained fiue pieces R. This Seruaunt signifieth that sort of men which with meane fayth charity walked in Gods calling Such are al the cōmon sort of Godly men which by faith leade a life irreprehensible A. which alway haue this before theire Eyes Be yee holy for I am holy 1. Pe. 1.16 Eph 5.11 20. And another came saying Lorde beholde heere is thy piece whych I haue layed vp in a Napkin R. This thyrd Seruaunt which layde vp his money in a Napkin and accused his mayster of Tyranny representeth the thyrd sorte of men whych are Hypocrites For Hypocrites because they wante a true and Liberall sayth in God through Chryst Fyrst of all thynke God to be a tyrant For the maner of tyrantes is to take vp that whych they layed not downe and to reap that which they sowed not that is to say to take that which is other mens by violence The manners hipocrites attrybute vnto God thinke that because God hath geuen a Law which no man is able with his whole strengthe perfectely to fulfill he doth vniustlie requyre the same to be fulfilled of men doth cruelly condempne men for that not fulfilling of the same Secondly they lay vp theyr pound in a Napkin that is to say they forsake the lawfull calling of God and those good workes which God hath commaunded and follow theyr owne Superstitions theyr consciences not onely doubtyng of the mercy of GOD but also fearing his wrath But what followed at the last 22. Then he sayth vnto him Of thy owne mouthe will I iudge thee thou euill Seruaunte Knevvest thou that I am a strayte man taking vp that I layde not
spoken without lying Euen as before he fayned hym selfe to bee a Wayfarynge man For they are both one And this alone oughte to satisfie vs that as Chryste blynded theyr Eyes for a time wyth whom hee spake that they might count him for a Common person so for a time he made as though hee purposed to goe further fayninge no other thing then that which in dede he mynded to doe but because he mynded to hyde the manner of his departure So that hee deceyued not his Dysciples by this Dissimulation but held them for a time in suspence vntill the full time of manifestation came Wherfore they to much deceiue themselues which make him theyr Patron for theyr lyes 29. And they constrayned him saying Abide with vs for it draweth toward night and the day is farre passed And hee went in to tarry with them And they constrayned him That is to say they instantly required perswaded and intreated him For it followeth Abyde with vs For it had bene vnmannerly and Barbarouse to haue constrayned him by force to lodge with them But in the Disciples humanitie thankefulnesse and hospitallity is commended to vs all and in the Lord moderate ciuillity in shewynge himselfe not hard to be intreated And he went in to tarry The lord is constrayned and held not with externall violence but with faith and Godly prayers So the Lorde fayned that he would go further to the Patryarke Iacob Ge. 32.26 when he sayd Let mee goe for it is Day But Iacob helde and constrayned him saying I wil not let thee goe except thou blesse me So he dissembled before Moses that hee would goe farre from the Israelites saying Suffer me that my wrath may waxe hoate agaynste them Exo 32.11 and that I may blot them out and may make of thee a greate people But Moyses so held him by fayth and earnest prayers that hee was pacefied and reconciled wyth Israell So Chryste fayned that hee would goe farre from the Woman of Chanaan when he sayd I am not sente but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto dogs Ma. 15.24 But he is held of the woman by faith Who answered Truth Lord for the dogges doe eate the Crumms which fall from their maisters table For the which it was sayde vnto her O Woman greate is thy fayth be it vnto thee as thou wilte Wherefore although Chryst is not onely inuincible but also omnipotent yet notwythstanding because he hath bounde hymselfe to his word and promises hee may be constrayned and helde by man with faith and prayer 30. And it came to passe as he sat at meate with them he tooke bread and blessed it and brake gaue to them C. Many thinke that Chryste dyd not geue at this time bread vnto his dysciples to eate for theyr refreshing corporally but rather for a holye signe of his body And this is very plausible to be spokē that the Lord was knowē in the Spyrituall glasse of his Supper For the Disciples beholding him wyth theyr corporal eyes knewe hym not Moreouer the Papistes take thys place when they goe about to defraud the people of the other parte of the sacrament But because this coniecture hath no shewe of probabillity to leane vnto we must more simpely vnderstād the wordes of Luke Namelie that Chryste takyng Breade in his handes gaue accordyng to his maner thāks And it appeareth that he had a specyall manner of praying with the which he knew his Disciples were famillyarly acquainted 1. Tim. 44. Ti. 1.15 that beinge admonyshed by this noate they might the better looke about them And here let vs learne by our maysters Example so often as wee eate bread to offer thankes geuinge vnto the author of Life the which in deede putteth a difference betwene vs prophane men 31. And their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanyshed out of theyr sight C. By these words we are taughte that there was no Metamorphosis or trāsformation in Chryst by which hee deceyued the Eyes of men but rather that the eye sight of those which sawe him fayled them because they were helde Euē as straight after he vanished not from the eyes because his Body was of it selfe inuisible because God gaue them not power to behold the same Whereby wee gather that the Lorde holdeth our eyes so often as it pleaseth him insomuch that our sighte is no sight and that we cannot knowe that which is before our eyes And he vanished It were more agreeynge to this place to say And he withdrewe himselfe Or He got him out of their sighte And not with the old Interpreter to say Hee vanished out of theyr sighte For we aptely vse this woorde Vanished when we speake of smoke or of Spyrites But the Euangelyste speaketh not here of a Spyrit Luk. 4.29 but of a true body And in that he sodaynelie vanished out of their sight it is rather to be ascribed to the power of GOD then to a shadow or phantasie Question R. But why did he so quickely withdraw himselfe being knowē For now he should haue had more delight to talke thē before Aunsvver C. We answer that it is no marueile if Chryst sodainely got himselfe oute of sight so sone as he was knowen because to haue lōger sight was nothing profitable leaste as the Disciples by theyr owne disposition were to much geuen to the Earth they should desire againe to draw him to an earthly life Therefore so far forth as it was needefull to declare his Resurrection he offered himselfe to be sene But by hys sodaine departure he taught that they oughte to seeke him elsewhere then in the world 32. And they said betwen thēselues Dyd not our heartes burst wythin vs whyle he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the scryptures C. The Kingdom of Chryst broughte to passe that the Disciples had a true and liuely feeling of that secret Grace of the Spyrit with the which they were at the first endued For God doth often times so work in his seruants that they know not the power of the Spyrit for a time but do onely feele the same by secrete instincte So the disciples had conceiued at the first a feruent desyre but without any greate attention or regarde of the same the which nowe they remember Nowe so soone as Chryst is knowen vnto them they begin to call to mynd that Grace whych before they had receiued without any taste and perceiue that they wer dull For they accuse themselues of neglygence as if they had sayde Howe commeth it to passe that we knew him not as we went together For when hee pearced our hearts we should haue cōsidered who he was Therefore thus oftentimes we fele the power of God Though wee vnderstande not the same yet neuertheles it worketh not in vain For the fruite followeth afterwarde This oughte to humble vs when wee know
dishonor and infirmiâ—y Seeing therefore other mens bodies shal be glorious whole sound in the Resurrection howe much more hath the body of Chryst rysen agayne whole souÌ„d To what purpose then were the scarres of the wouÌ„ds in so glorious a body C. We aunswere that by them it is declared to euery one of vs that Chryst is rather riseÌ„ agayn for vs then for himselfe who being the Conquerer of Death and endued with blessed and heuenly immortallity was notwithstanding for his Electes sake contented to carry for a time in his body the reliques of the crosse And verely in this he did woÌ„derfully beare with the weakenesse of his Disciples in that he would rather want some part of the perfect glory of his Resurrection then to disappoynt their fayth of such a help and stay Moreouer it is a foolishe and vaine Immagination to thinke that the Iudge of the whole world shall come with his body cut and mangled in the latter day of Iudgemente R. For hys body hath now another maner of form before his heauenly Father and in hys Kingdome then it had amonge men Hee hath nowe in hys Kyngdome the forme of a glorified body indewed with heauenly maiesty and comprehesible of no maÌ„ in this world For if in this Transformation before his thre Disciples when as yet he haâ— mortall Flesh his face did shyne as thâ— Sunne and his garments were madâ— passing white his body must needes bâ— endued with greater maiesty after hys Resurrection into his Kingdome therfore as he would eate in the presence oâ— his Disciples to testefy his resurrection though he needed no meate so hee would carry the scarres of the wounds in his hands fete and side for a Tyme for the same cause that he might wynne credit by all manner of meanes to hys Resurrection A. For the behoulders hereof could not gainesay such manifesâ— signes Whereupon there is no doubt but that afterward they did much morâ— feruently set forth the glory of his Resurrection when they had receiued the holy ghost as appereth by these words of Luke in another place Act. 4 3â— And vvyth great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the Resurrection of the Lord Iesu and great grace was with them all 41. And while they beleeued not for ioy and wondered hee sayde vnto them haue ye heere any meate C. This place also testefieth that they were not obstinate vnbeleuers but hauing an earnest desire to beleeue theyr affections were tied with greate vehemencie insomuch that they could not be iâ— quiet For the ioy of the which Luke maketh mention sprange not but from faith and yet notwithstanding it waâ— a let to theyr faith to preuayle oueâ—come Therefore let vs note how greate we ought to suspecte the vehemency our affections the which althoughe it spryngeth from good beginninges yet notwithstanding it carrieth vs quite cleane out of the right way Wee are taught also how dilligently we oughte to sight agaynst the impedimentes of fayth seeing that the ioy which was coÌ„ceiued of the presence of Chrâ—st was the cause of Vnbeliefe in the Apostles Therefore the purpose of Luke was to expresse such an affection as euery one of vs feeleth at this day When wee heare any Wonderfull or ioyfull thinge wee are by and by rapte and rauished with the same Such a signe was in Abraham he laughed and sayde 〈◊〉 17 1â— Shall a C yâ—de bee borne vnto him that is a hundered yeares olde Yet notwithstanding hee is not reprehended The laughter of â—ara is reprehended because it sprange of Infidellity So was Abraham â—apt that he knew not what he sayd Such affection was in the Disciples So that if these wordes For â—oye were not added we might haue thought the discyples to haue bene at that time vnbeleuinge but they wondered so that they were out of their wits as it were Haue yee heere any Meate C. Heere agayne wee see how gentely and louingly the Lord beareth wyth the infirmity of his Disciples who vouchsafeth to holde them that fall wyth a new prop or stay And although he had gotten the new estate of a heuenly life hauing no more nede of meate theÌ„ Angels haue yet notwithstanding he vouchsafeth of his owne accord to abase and humble himself to the coÌ„mon vse of mortall men He had made himself subiect to the necessity of eating drynking all his life time but now being exempted from the same he eateth meate to thys ende that he might perswade his Disciples concerning the resurrection Thus wee see that hee hauynge alwaies more regard to vs then he hath to himselfe hee will bee alwayes ours Wee see also how great our imbecillity is yea euen when wee haue euident promises yet neuerthelesse the Lord confirmeth and strengtheneth vs by one meanes or other For whereunto serue Baptisme the Lords supper and many other things but onely to coÌ„firme and strengtheÌ„ vs. This therefore must be ascribed to the goodnesse of Chryste that hee helpeth our infirmity and lifteth vs vp by such helpes as are necessary for vs. 42. And they offered him a piece of broyled fish and of a hony combe A. Such as the Apostles haue they offer vnto the LORD It may be that thys was the Fragments of their Supper In Iohns Gospell wee haue these words As soone then as they were come to Land they saw hoate coales Iohn 21 9 Iohn â— 9 and fishes layd thereon and bread Also in another place there is mention made of two fishes when the lorde fed a greate multitude of men in the Wildernesse Whereby it appeareth that the common Foode of the Disciples was such meate as by theyr owne arte and labor they tooke for they were fishers 43. AND hee tooke it and dyd eat before them C. Hee dyd not eate as wee sayde before because he was an Hungared but hee dyd eate to the same end purpose that he retained the skars in his body that is to say hee would doe all things for his Disciples sakes wherof he him selfe had no neede R For to eat is the greatest and most special signe of lyfe Wherefore Chryst hauing raysed the ruler of the Sinagogues Daughter from Death to life Luk. 8.55 commaunded to geue her meate not to quallify her huÌ„ger which the mayde as yet felt not but to make it manifestely appere that she was aliue A. Also of Lazarus it is sayd that he was one of those whych sate at meate with Iesus Ioh. 12.13 when he had a supper prepared for him at Bethanie sixe daies before the passouer R. Therefore Chryst would eate with his Disciples after his Resurrection not to asswage hunger which he could neuer â—ele any more but to prooue the certainety and truth of his life Therfore Peter when hee preached at Caesaria made mention of this Argument of the Resurrection of Chryste saith My God raysed vp the thyrde Day and shewed him openly Not to all the People but to vs witnesses
rather lost his labour in teaching them three whole yeares thā he would at the first open their mindes Wee answere that although the fruite of his labour appeared not so quickly Aunsvver yet notwithstandinge it was not without profit bycause when they were endued with new light they felt also the profite of the former time For their mindes were opened not onely that they might euer after be apt to be taughte if any thinge were propounded vnto them but also that they mighte call to minde the Doctrine which before they had heard in vayne Furthermore let vs know that they learned to their profite by that three yeares ignorance that they attayned to newe vnderstandinge onely by heauenly lighte Notwtstanding we must note that the Apostles were not so cleane voyde of the lighte of vnderstandinge but that they retayned certaine small prynciples But bycause the taste which they had was very small this is sayd to be the beginning of true vnderstanding when the vaile being taken away they beholde Christe in the Law and the Prophets C. But some man may demaunde and say Question Seing Chryst here opened his Apostles myndes that they might vnderstand the Scriptures why was the holy Ghoste sent vnto them afterward To this wee aunswere Aunsvver that God doth woorke by litle and litle in vs and by Degrees Hee opened his Dysciples myndes so far forth as it was needeful for a time and he defferred their ful illumination vntill the sending of the holy Ghoste And wherefore they receiued the same Surely bycause they were to striue against the whole Worlde 46. And sayd vnto them Thus it is written thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to ryse agayne from death the third day C. Hereof cōmeth no small consolation that the same which was done vnto Christ happened long before although hee made him selfe manifest by infinite miracles yet notwithstanding the same were not so certaine as when we see it foretolde by the Prophetes For seeinge all the Prophets foreshewed the same and seeing we reade that whatsoeuer they prophesied was s fulfilled all doubting is taken away This place verely ought diligētly to be noted with great attencion of the minde By this place also their cauill is refelled which say that externall doctrine shal be superfluous if so be wee haue naturally no power to vnderstand the same For Christ after he had geuen the spirite of vnderstanding to his Disciples hee did not speake vnto them withoute fruite out of the Scriptures And although the sound of the Word doe vanish away from the Reprobate wyth out fruite yet notwithstanding it shall take from them all excuse And thus it behoued Chryst to suffer R. As if he should say The Scripture concerning the maiesty of the Kingdome of Chryst must be so vnderstoode that it teacheth the Kingdome of Chryste not to be corporal in this earth but rather that Chryst must suffer in this worlde crosse and death and by the same enter into the spyrituall maiesty of his kingdome For the first promise of al which we haue concerning Chryste geueth vs to vnderstand that he must suffer in this world The seede of the Woman shall treade downe thy head Gen. 3.15 thou shalt treade vpon his heele For to tread vpon Christs heele is to cast him into diuers afflictions and into corporall death The Sacrifices also which the Patriarkes vsed signified that Chryst should shed his bloude that is to say that he should dye And to rise againe from Death The The Scripture doth not onely make mencion of the Death and Passion of Christ but addeth also his resurrectiō For to omit those places of Scripture which do plainely prophesie that Christ shall rise againe there was neuer any Prophet which hath written the Chryst shall suffer and die but the same hathe also testefied plainely that he shall ryse again raigne for euer And whē he shal rise again what shal become of his kingdō Shal he then gather together an army of Souldiers and inuade the Kingdomes of this world by externall Violence No verely But thus it is written saith he and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise again from death the thyrd day 47. And that repentance and remission of sinns should be preached in his name amonge all nations and must begin at Hierusalem R. Behould this is the meane this is the way by which Chryst shall rule in this world After his Resurrection he shall not mouster and gather together souldiers to subdue the whole Worlde to himselfe with externall tyranny but he shall ordayne the publique preching of his Gospell that repentaunce may be preached throughout the whole world and remission of sinnes in the name of Chryst A. But let vs note the order which Chryst followeth here C. Fyrst he maketh mention of his Death and resurrection secōdly of the fruit which cōmeth vnto vs of thē both For where of commeth repentance remission of sins but because our old mā is crucified with Chryst that by his grace we may rise to newnesse of life because by the sacrifice of his death our sinnes are takē away our Fylthynesse washed of with his Bloud and by his Resurrection Righteousnesse purchased for vs Therefore hee teacheth that the cause of our Saluation must be soughte in his Death and Resurrection because from thence spryngeth Reconcilliatiō with God and Regeneration into a newe and spyritual life Wherefore it is plainely expressed that neither Remission of sins nor repentance can bee preached but in his name because wee can neither hope for Imputation of righteousnesse neither can wee denye our selues and obtayne newnesse of life but by thys that Iesus Chryste is made vnto vs Righteousnesse and Sanctification 1. Co. 1.30 What Repentaunce is reade the third chapter of Mathew Also in the 28. of Mathew wee haue sayd somwhat concerning the exposition of this verse Furthermore in repentance and remission of sinnes the summe of the Gospell is reprehended as appeareth by diuers places of Scripture In repentance we must be very dilligent For wee see that the definition of the same hath bene buryed The subtilty of Sathan hath bene wonderfull to ouerthrowe or obscure matters of great wayght the which he hath done in this repentance the other part of the Gospell as we haue sayd Ephe 4.21 For Paule sayth that Christe is not well knowen without the doctrine of repentance Regeneration To Repent or to conuert vnto God contayneth mortification or the denying of our selues newnes of life And this Repentaunce is wrought in vs by the feare of god whē as we refer our whole life vnto him begin to mislike of our selues 2. Cor. 7.9 Hereof commeth the sorrow of the which Paule maketh mencion I reioice that ye sorrowed to Repentance for your sorrow was godly By this kinde of sorrow it commeth to passe that we renounce our selues and geeue our Selues wholy vnto the obedience of GOD. And the fruites of