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
some great notable thing in time to come in the Infant For the Lords will was to make him exellent famous by rare miracles euen from his mothers wombe leaste afterwarde hee shoulde come forth as one obscure of the common sorte of men to execute the Office of a Prophet R. First of all shee now declareth the most euident Maiesty of the truthe of Gods Promises For the Angell had promised to ZACHARIAS Thy Wyfe Elizabeth shall bringe forth a sonne and thou shalte call his Name Iohn verse 13. And she brought forth a sonne By which example let vs coÌ„firme our faith and if we haue any worde of Gods promise let vs not thinke that any thinge can be of such force that it can oppresse and extinguishe the truth of the same 58. And her neyghbours and her Cosines heard how the Lord had shewed greate mercy vpon her and they reioysed with her And the neyghbour heard C. They knewe this before but although wee knowe the worke of God yet notwythstanding in the perfection of the same wee are touched with more Affection Therefore there was then greater reioysinge and as it were the fulnesse of Ioy. How the Lorde had shewed great mercy C. It may be doubted whether these men Iudged the greate mercy of GOD by the onely blessinge of geuinge a Sonne or by that which they hearde firste howe that an Aungel appeared to Zacharias which promised to him a Sonne This in deede was no small Benefite of God that a Barrayne Woman well strycken in yeares brought forth a sonne contrary to the order of Nature Therefore it may bee that for this cause only they extolled the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse And they reioysed with her E. This thinge by reporte was caried to those that dwelte rounde aboute who as they were before sorye for ELIZABETHES Barraynesse so they reioysed that nowe by the great Mercy of GOD the Barrayne had conceyued and brought forth a man Chylde Rom. 12.15 B. Thus Loue is woont to reioyce wyth those that reioyce as teacheth the Apostell Paule 59. And it came to passe that on the eyghte day they came to circumcise the childe called his name Zacharias after the name of his Father And it came to passe that on the 8. day R. It is written in the Booke of Moses This is my Couenant which yee shall keepe betwene mee you and thy Seede after thee Let euery man Chylde amonge you be circumcised That is Gen. 17.5 yee shall circumcyse the foreskin of your flesh and it shal be a signe of the Couenaunt betwene mee and you And euery man childe of eyght dayes olde amonge you shal be Circumcysed Also it is sayd Verse 4 But the vncircumcised man childe in whose fleshe the foreskin is not circumcised eueÌ„ that person shal be cut of from his people bycause he hath broken my couenaÌ„t And in an other place Leuit. 12 3. And the eight day the foreskin of the Childes flesh shal be circumcised Seeinge the Lord chose Abraham that hee mighte not onely in his Posterity set vp his Kingdome and worship in the Land of Chanaan but also that hee might cause Christe to come of his Seede in whom all Nations might obtayne the blessinge hee commaunded this circumcision by which as by a publique seale hee might testefie and declare the Couenaunte made with Abraham with his Seede and might confirme the saith of euery one which was circuÌ„cised according to the deuine institucion as that the Couenant of God doth also apertaine vnto them and bringeth saluation vnto them And when Iohn was borne the law of Moses stoode in effect and there was neuer any time more neere in that which Christ should bee borne which was promised to the seede of Abraham neyther was there any other which shoulde geeue more euident testimonies concerninge Christe concerning his assention into Heauen and concerning the sending of the holy Ghoste after he was glorified than IOHN Therefore none ought more Iustly and necessarily to be Circumcised than Iohn C. So that the neyghbours and Kinsfolkes of Elizabeth came together the eighte day for duety and humanities sake accordinge to custome But God vseth this occasion that hee might make them Witnesses and beholders of his power and glory And there is no doubt but that the greater part came together to here talke concerning this straunge wonderfull byrth They did accounte it a myracle to see an olde and Barrayne woman so sodenly to be with Childe now when the Childe was borne this admiration was renewed increased C. Furthermore hereby we gather that although they did circumcise their Infants at home yet that they were not wonte to doe the same without a company and assembly of men and that for good consideration â—acrameÌ„ts â—ught not â—cretly to â—ee miniâ—ered â—ough in â—e house â—mtime For seeing it was a coÌ„mon Sacrament of the Church it ought not bee ministred secretly R Yea at this day the Iewes come together into the synagoge when they circumcise their Infants Bu. And beholde here how the Parents without contradiction obay the Lords ordinance although they knewe that the Chylde was beloued acceptable with the Lord and replenished wyth the holy Ghoste Therefore wee ought not to neglect the Sacraments although we know that we wante not those things which are signified by Sacraments And they called him after the name of his Father Zacharias C. Wee knowe that in beginning names were geuen vnto men either as occasion serued or els by Propheticall motion to note the secrete worke of God but afterwardes in longe processe of time when there was greater Plentye of names so that well new names coulde not dayly bee deuised they holdinge themselues contented with their olde approued names called their posteritity by the Names of their Auncetors Thus the Father gaue name vnto the Sonne or ells tooke the same from others and this Custome was almoste taken for a Lawe So before Iohns father there were many whose names were Zacharias And it may be that this Zacharias came of the Sonne of Barrachias Therefore because such a Custome had continued among them these men seeke to retayne the same in naminge the Infant Names the custoÌ„e thereof But as there is no Religion in Names so no man of sounde Iudgement will deny but that the faithfull haue herein their Godly choyse that they may gieue to their Children such names as may serue them in stede of Doctrine and of Admonition also that they may rather take them of the holy Fathers that they may prouoke their children to be followers of them then of Prophane men 60. And his mother aunswered and sayd Not so but hee shall be called Iohn Not so C. It is vncertayne whether Elyzabeth spake this as taught from HeaueÌ„ or no. Howbeit it is likely that when Zacharias sawe that hee was punished for his slownes in beleuinge tolde his Wyfe by wrytinge that which the Aungell
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
Iudgemēt euē to be punished at that time the self same thing the Diuells whereof Luke maketh mencion do signifie when they intreate Iesus that he would suffer them to enter into the Swyne Luke 8. declaring in deede by manifest wordes that they are free from extream punishmēt which they should haue in the deepe And in the Gospell after Mathew it is sayd Math. 15. Depart frō me yee curssed into Hell fyer which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels He sayth that eternall fyer is prepared for the Diuell and his Angells and not that they do now burne in this fyer When as therefore Sathan doth thinke that he must forsake all men so soone as Chryste appeareth and that hee with his fellowes must go out of hand to hell fyer he thinketh that he hath iust cause to complayne and to reason with Christe that he is destroyed before the time I knovv thee vvhat thou arte The Diuells truly were wonderfully indewed with vnderstanding wherevpon they were called in Greeke Daemones that is to say knowing Euen that holy one of God C. It is lykely that this tytell of the holy one of God was taken of the common and vsual maner of speach which was vsed at that time And they did therefore so cal the Messias because he should be seperated frō the number of all other men as one indewed with singuler grace and as the heade of the whole Church A. But to what ende this confession which the Diuell made did pertayne it is shewed in the 23. verse going before 25. And Iesus rebuked him saying holde thy peace and come out of the man And Iesus rebuked him B. He cōmaūdeth the diuell to be silent suffreth hym not to gieue testimony vnto him although it be true leaste men should thinke that he had any fellowship with Diuells For the Phariseys sclaūdered him saying that he had a Diuell and that he cast out Diuells by the help of Belzebub the prynce of Diuells Math 12. By this deede also he declared how detestable the testimony of those men is vnto him who as the Diuells did preache him with a hollow and deceiptfull mynde As it is written to the wicked and vngodly man sayd God Psalm 50. Why dost thou take my lawes in thy mouth For hee wil haue none but such as are most holy and founde to beare witnesse of him that is to weete to preach the Gosple We are also hereby admonished that we attribute nothing at all to Satanicall aunsweres and deedes although they seeme to be true and not euill For the Diuell is a lyar and the author of a ly Iohn 8. neyther doth he say or doe any thinge then to the ende he may disceaue 26. And whē the vncleane spirit had torne him and cryed wyth a loude voyce he came out of him VVhen the vncleane spirite had torne him Luk. 4. C. The Euangelist Luke doth somewhat more mittigate this matter saying And when he had throwne him in the middest yet notwithstandinge in sence they very wel agree because both of them went about to teach that the Diuell was cast out by violence Therefore hee did so throwe the man to the groūd as though he would haue torne him notwithstanding Luke sayth that he was disapoynted of his purpose not that the man suffered this violence wtout any hurte or griefe at all but because the man was afterwarde delyuered safe and sound from the Diuell BV. Here therefore Sathan maketh a shewe of his power that his worshipers may knowe what they ought to looke for of him namely at the length to be throwne to the ground torne in pieces For his flattering fayre speach his desire to abide stil is only that he might at the length haue ful power authority ouer vs so might myserably torment vs. Hee vvent out of the man Sathan goeth forth notwithstanding by constrainte not of his owne freewill being ouercome by the power of Chryste 27. And they were all amased insomuch that they demaunded one of another sayinge what thinge is this what newe doctrine is this For with authority commaunded he the foule spirites and they obeyed him And they vvere all amased A. The Euangelist Luke hath Luk. 4. And feare came on them all and they spake among thēselues saying what sayinge is this For with authority and power he commaundeth the foule spirites and they come out C. The fruite of the myracle is that they are constrayned to suspecte Christe to be somewhat more thē a man And wisely they doe referre the glory and power of the myracle to the doctrine What newe doctryne is this say they to the which the very Dyuels are constrayned to gieue place They call the doctrine of Christe here newe doctrine not in reproche but because they see in the same somewhat that is extraordinary and neuer seene before They call it not new therefore to derogate any credit from the same but they rather wonder at the matter affirming that it is neyther cōmen nor humaine And truly it was a thing belonging vnto God to haue power ouer vncleane spirites wherevpon they do not with iust cause meruayle to see Chryste indewed with such power C. In this only they offend that they stand still in doubt when as it becommeth the children of God to go forward and to profite more more And they obeyed him A. Luke hath And they came forth 29. And forth with when they were come out of the Synagoge they entered into the house of Simon and Andrewe with Iames Iohn But Simōs mother in law lay sick of a feuer A. Reade the eight Chapter of Mathew BV. By the Publique benefite which was openly done in the Synagoge to him which was vexed of the Diuell the Lorde was knowne to the godly and nowe also by a domesticall benefite he waxeth better acquaynted and knowne vnto them and declareth his power to this ende and purpose that he might allure and drawe all men to the faith might declare vnto all men how great he is in dignity authority mercy and power C. This also is to be noted that wheresoeuer Christe is receiued he sheweth some testimony of his power he neuer commeth empty vnto vs but bringeth with all those benefits to bestowe vpon vs which hee hath receiued of the father Neyther is this done onely in Christe but also in his mēbers For they which receyue and harbour straungers the poore the fatherlesse and the Wydowe do receiue the promise of a hundered foulde but this is specially to bee considered in Christe who neuer commeth but hee bringeth plenty of his Benefites wyth him 30. And anon they tell him of her B. This our Euangelist sayeth that Christe was toulde of her but Luke sayth that intercession was made for her she being sicke of a feuer for the Euangelists do often times pretermit many things in the which we haue an example of loue which sorroweth for another bodies
grief as if it were proper to it selfe Wee are also heereby taught that saints do oftentimes feele the scourge of the Lord and that as well to the Glory of the Father as to their owne saluation 31. And he came and toke her by the hand and lift her vp and immediately the feuer forsooke her and she ministered vnto them The Euangelist Luke sayth And he stoode ouer her and rebuked the feuer Sometime the Lord doth heale by his word only and often times he addeth the signe Hee needeth no helpes his word is sufficient Euen so the Propher singeth that at the commaundemēt of the Lorde the Sea was deuyded into two partes 32. And at euen when the sonne was down they brought vnto him al that were diseased and thē that were vexed with diuels A. The Euangelist Luke saith when the sonne was downe all they that had sicke taken with diuers diseases brought them vnto him But for the exposition of this verse reade the eyght Chapter of Mathew the sixtene verse 33. And all the City was gathered together at the dore Some say that this is spoken by a figure called Synecdoche as al the City for all the company of those that were sicke 34. And hee healed many that were sicke of diuers diseases and cast oute many Diuells and suffered not the Diuells to speake because they knew him And he healed many that vvere sicke C. The Euangelist Luke addeth somwhat more saying And hee layde hys handes on euery one of them and healed them It was not necessary or nedefull that the Lord should lay his hands on any man he needed no helps as we sayd euen now he only vsed this signe for mans sake For it was a singuler signe and a right much vsed in Sacrifices and prayers By this outwarde signe hee declared that he commended them vnto his heauenly father as we haue shewed already in Mathew Now if any man wil take vpon him to immitate Christe in this thinge he shal be Christes Ape and not his follower For it is a foolishe thing to immitate externall gestures except they haue some substaunce and wayghte in them And suffered not the Diuells to speake There might bee two causes why hee suffered them not the one general because the full time of his reuelation was not yet come th' other speciall because he reiected those Preachers and Witnesse bearers of his diuinity which by their prayse coulde do nothing but discredit him and bring him into false suspicion And this latter cause is moste certayne because it was necessary it should be declared that it was mortall warre which the author of lyfe had with the Prince of death and his Mynisters Reade the 16. of the Actes Because they knevve him A. Namely that hee was Chryste as the Euangelist Luke hath 35. And in the morning very early Iesus when he was rysen vp departed and went out into a solitary place and there prayed And in the morning very early The Euāgelist Luke addeth saying As sone as it was day hee departed and went into a Desert place After that he had healed the sicke he went a parte teaching vs that we ought to do nothing for ostentacion or vayne glory but that if we do any good thing we should seeke to hyde it BV. He teacheth also the seruaunts of God to pray then when they seeme to be in Prosperity Further he hereby teacheth that early in the morning is the most meete and conuenient time to pray Into a solitary place As concerning this going aside of Chryste to pray reade the 14. of Mathew 36. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him A. Symon Peter and the rest of the Disciples seing that Iesus was gone away priuily they followed him vntill they came to the place where he was In the meane tyme also the people whych were come to the house betime in the morning when they had learned that Iesus was gone followed him into the Desert as Luke declareth 38. And he sayd vnto them let vs go into the nexte Townes that I may preache there also for therefore am I come Let vs goe into the next Tovvne BV. Although prayer be holy wholsome yet notwithstanding Christe ryseth from the same and getteth him to preach when the Apostles had told him that many were desirous to heare the Gospell preached A. For they telling the Lord that a great cōpany of the Capernaites were at hande which sought him he answereth Let vs goe into the next townes as if he should say This foundation which is layed amonge the Capernaites is sufficient for this present tyme and the time is come that we should go forwarde and that I should preache the Kyngdome of God as I haue done there to the townes and villages here about For I came not to preache to one City alone but to offer saluation by the Gospell to all men For therefore am I come From whence he came he declareth in S. Iohn saying I proceeded from the Father came into the world Luke beside these things sayth that the people would haue kept Christe still to whom he sayd I must preache the kingdome of God to other Cities also For to this ende and purpose the Father hath sent me In another place he sayth As the father sent me euen so sende I you And we sawe and testifie that the father sent his sonne to be the sauiour of the world As concerning the kingdome of God which also is called the kingdome of heauen we haue spoken in the third of Mathew and in the second verse 40. And there came a Leaper to him beseching him and kneeling downe saying vnto him if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane For this matter reade the 8. Cap. of Mathew and the second verse 41. And Iesus had compassion on him and put forth his hand touched him and sayd I will be thou cleane M. The great goodnesse and clemency of Christe is here set forth in that he hath compassion on our myseries his mercies and exceeding Benefites with the which he allured the people vnto him selfe were such as this is and beinge spoken of in our eares at these dayes ought to increase our fayth in him for looke how he shewed himselfe to the Leaper which prayed in fayth then so will he shewe and declare himselfe vnto vs now if we pray faythfully As touching the rest frō the 41. to the 45. verse reade the eight of Mathew and the third verse 45. But hee as soone as he was departed c. Reade our annotations vppon 8. of Mathew for this matter beginninge at the fourth verse FINIS Chapter the seconde 1. AFter a few dayes he entred againe into Capernaum and it was noised that he was in the house After a fevv Dayes B. Some Latine Bookes haue After eight dayes hee entred into Capernaum but in the Greeke Bookes we reade it thus After a fevv Dayes And it was noysed that he was in the House B. The
haue the same receyued of euerye one to whom it is brought Luk. 10.16 C. To the which effect pertayneth this sentence of Chryste Hee which heareth you heareth mee and hee vvhych despyseth you despyseth mee For although the preachinge of the Gospell is not brought to vs from Heauen by Angells yet notwithstanding because God and Chryst the prince of Angells hath declared by so many Myracles that the same is come from him and hath preached the same wyth his owne mouth that he might Establishe the same for euer the same ought to haue no lesse Maiesty than if it had all the Angells of Heauen openly crying and geuing testimony vnto the same Yea the Apostell beinge not contente when hee had made the Gospell preached by men equall with the Law which was geeuen by Angells bryngeth an Argument from the lesse to the more Sayinge Hee that despiseth Moises law dieth wythout mercy He. 10.28 Ne. 12 25. vnder two or three Wytnesses Of how much sorer punyshment suppose yee shall he bee vvorthye which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God Therefore the Maiesty of God is to be worshipped which appereth in his Woorde ObedieÌ„ce excelleth sacrifice Wherefore let vs learne to geue the obedience of fayth vnto God 2. Reg 15 22. which he esteemeth more then all sacrifices and burnt offerings C. This worde Gabriell is asmuch to say as Strength or the fortitude dominion of God And this name was geuen to the Angell for our sake that we might learne to geue nothing proper vnto Angels seeing that whatsoeuer power is in them is of God For Angels haue such names geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ that wee might knowe that they haue no power which is not of God but doe rule vnder the name of God that all may be geuen vnto God Obiection But it may be demaunded if some of them be not greater then othersome If so be we would curiously stande vpon this poynte Ansvvere it is to bee feared least wee fall into that perill which Paule sayth happened vnto them Col. 2.18 which arrogantly disputed of matters vnknowen We ought to thinke and speake of these soberly Concerning Angels we haue spoken in our exposition of Mathew Math. 4.6 Mat. 18.10 Dani. 8.16 Dan 9.21 This is the same Gabriell of whom mencion is made in Daniell To stand before God in this place signifieth to serue the Lord and to be prest and ready to doe his will As if the Angell should say that hee is no mortall man but a heauenly spirite and that he came not without cause but as the Mynister of God he had done his duety Whereupon it followeth that God the author of the promyse was greatly contemned and offended in the person of his mynister In the same Sence Christe sayth that the Angells doe beholde the face of his Heauenly father Reade the 18. of Mathew the 10. vers And to shew thee these glad tidings This worde glad tydings maketh the falte of Zacharias more haynouse because hee was vnthankefull vnto God who promysed him a thing so Ioyful so greatly to be wished for 20. And behold thou shalt be dumb and not bee able to speake vntill the day that these thinges be performed because thou beleuedst not my words which shal be fulfilled in their season And beholde thou shalt be dumbe C. The Lord chastiseth Zacharias with an easie punishment Hee had spoken rashly after a blasphemouse maner setting his Age against God Because therefore his tongue herein had offended the same suffered the punishment So that it was meete that Zacharias should be plagued with this kynde of punishment that being dumbe he might looke for the fulfilling of the promyse the which when he ought to haue heard with silence he brake of as it were by his murmuration Faith haâ— a time to heare aâ—â— a time to speake Fayth hath his silence that it may geeue eare vnto the worde of God it hath also his time to speake that it may answere Amen According to this place I wyll say vnto them Yee are my people Ose 2 2â— and they shall say vnto me Thou art our God But because Zacharias hadde rashly spoken against the worde of the Lord this grace is not graunted vnto him that he should by by burst forth into thanks geuing but the vse of his tongue is taken from him for a tyme which had bene to lauyshe and rashe For what iniury did Zacharias vnto God in doubting of his power Ro. 4.20 Contrarywise what great glory did Abraham geue vnto God when he beleued that he coulde fulfill that which he had promysed A. For the same cause as that holy Father of the Faythfull was praysed for his notable fayth euen so Zacharias is reproued of God for his incredulity C. Who notwythstanding of his clemency mitigated hys punishment sayinge Vntill the day that these things bee performed C. Zacharias for doubting deserued to be depriued of the promisse For he had made himself vnworthy of so great a benefit yet notwythstandinge God taketh not that away from him which he had promysed Also at the ende of ten monethes hee tooke from him that great plague wherewyth he had strycken him wyth the lyke fauoure and mercy hee dayly handleth vs. For it is necessary that the truth of God shoulde after a sorte breake forth wyth violence that the course of the same may continew still towarde vs. This is the meaninge of the Aungell when hee accusing the vnbeliefe of Zacharias doth notwtstanding pronouÌ„ce that the same shal be fulfilled which Zacharias doth not belieue So that Zacharias is not a litle eased and comforted when hee heareth that the fayth truth of God is nothing deminished by his falt but hath still that preheminence For it coÌ„meth some time to passe that the Lord doth geue that some tyme to the vnbeleuing which hee hath promysed vnto them although they withstand the same â—say 7.11 Of the which matter we haue a worthy Example in King Achaz who when hee had reiected the promysed saluation was notwithstanding delyuered from his Enemies But the same turned to the saluation of his elect people without his safegarde Rom. 3 3 A. So Paule wrighteth of the Infidelity of the Iewes But if some of them did not beleue shall their vnbeliefe make the truth of God of none effecte God forbid C. But Zacharias case was otherwise whom the Lord so pardoned that withal he corrected his want of faith Wherefore let vs in this place note diligently both the great goodnesse of our God and the certaynty of his worde 21. And the People wayted for Zacharias and marueiled that he taried so longe in the Temple C. Now the Euangelist Luke sheweth that the People was a witnesse of this vision Zacharias taryed longer in the Temple than his accustomed maner was hereupon grew a suspicion that some vnwonted thing had happened vnto him In the Temple A. Here and in the verse following by
because he was wōderfully cōceiued by the power of the holy ghost but they reasō amis for although he wer manifested the son of God in the flesh yet it doth not follow but that he is the worde begottē of the father before al worlds But rather the very same which was the son of God in his eternal diuinity appeared also the son of God in humain flesh A. Therefore he saith that chryst shal be called the son of God that is to say he must be acknowledged to bee such a one of men as he was alwais with the father C. Moreouer this place doth not onely cōmend the vnity of the person in Christ but also sheweth that christ in that he toke vpon him our humane nature is the son of god Therfore the name of the son of god as it was proper frō the beginning to the deuine essēce euen so now also it belōgeth ioyntely to both natures because the secret heauēly reason of generation exempteth him from the common order of men In other places oftentimes to proue himselfe to be very man he calleth himselfe the son of man but the verity of his humane nature doth not let but that the deuine genetion may challēge honor vnto him aboue all other Men and that because wythout the Ordinary manner of nature hee was Conceyued by the Holy Ghost Heereuppon Wee haue iuste cause to Fortefye our Faith that we may more bouldly call vppon God the Father who because hee mighte make vs to haue fellowship with him would haue hys onely Son to bee our brother Wee muste also note that Christ in that he was conceiued by spirituall power is called the holy Seede For as it was meete that he should be very man to make satisfaction for our sins and to cōquer death Sathā in our flesh to be a true mediator so it was necessary that he should be free from all pollution and vncleanenes that he mighte purge vs. Therefore although Christ was borne of the Seede of Abraham yet notwithstanding hee toke no vncleanes from his vitious nature because the spirit of God kept him pure euen frō his original and not onely that he might be holy himselfe but rather that hee myghte Sanctifie those that are his A. According to this sayinge of the Apostell ◠Cor. 1.30 who was made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption C. Therefore the very manner of his conception teacheth that hee was seperated from sinners to be our mediator Concerning the which matter read the 7. cap. of the Epistle to the Hebrewes beginning at the 26. verse 36. And behould thy Cousin Elyzabeth she hath also conceiued a Sonne in her olde age and this is her sixt which was called barren And behold thy Cosin Elizabeth C. The Angel by a domesticall Familliar example confirmeth Maries Faith and putteth her in hope of the miracle R. As if hee shoulde say Elizabeth hath hitherto suffered the reproche Ignominy of barrenesse amonge all men And nowe this is the sixt Moneth since her conception of a sonne in her old age Therfore if it were possible for God to make an olde Woman far stricken in age to be with chylde how much more possible is it for hym to make a Virgin to conceiue a chyld without mans seede Wherfore there is no cause O Mary why thou shouldest leaue so much to the vsuall meanes of Nature seeing thou mayst behold so manifest a proofe of Gods deuine power in thy kinswoman But here a Question may bee demaunded how it came to passe that Elizabeth which was one of the daughters of Aron and Mary Obiection Nūb. 36. ◠whych was of the linage of Dauid were Cousins And this also seemeth to bee Repugnant with the Law which forbad wowen to marry out of their Tribe As touching the Law Ansvver if wee haue respect vnto the same it onely forbad those mariages which might mingle one inheritance with another But there was no such daunger if so bee a woman of the Tribe of Iuda maryed with a Priest to whome the Inheritance could not come Also the like was if so be a woman of the Trybe of Leuy were placed out of her kyndred And it may be that the mother of the holy Virgin came of the tribe of Aaron and so the kindred or consanguinitie mighte bee betweene Mary and Elyzabeth And this is the sixt moneth C. This is spoken to proue the certainty of the thinge Because seeinge the woman doth feele the Child quick at the fifth Moneth the sixte moneth taketh away all doubte Mary ought to haue bene so contēted with the simple word of God that shee shoulde not haue needed to haue had her faithe confirmed by an other meanes but least she shoulde doubte any more the Lord vouchsafeth to confirme his promise by this meane The like yea and greater forbearance the Lord of his mercy sheweth daily towards euery one of vs whē our faith is weake Therefore leaste his truthe might be doubted of vs hee vseth dyuers testimonies to approue the same vnto vs. Mary excelled diuers wayes yet notwithstanding it is not superfluous that the Aungell bringeth an example to confirme and strengthen her For with God shall no word be impossible Our English translation is For with God shall nothing be impossible C. If we vnderstande this worde worde in his proper and Naturall sence then the meaning shall be God will bringe to passe whatsoeuer hee hath promised because nothing can withstand his power And the Argument shal be of this forme God hathe promised this Therefore he will performe it because no impossibility ought to bee obiected agaynst his word But because this word word according to the phrase of the Hebrevve Tongue is taken oftentimes for thys woord Thinge our English trāslation may serue very well as is before set downe Howbeit we must alwais haue this in mind as a sure ground that they are wide which do imagin any thinge of the power of God wythout his word Because wee muste so thinke of his incomprehensiblenesse that the same may geue vs occasiō of hope and trust But now we shall not only rashly and vnprofitably but also daūgerously dispute what is possible vnto God except we also consider of his will And the Aungell doth that thing here which God himselfe is wonte to doe in diuers places of the scripture Namely when by a general doctryne he confirmeth a particuler Promyse And this is the right and true vse of general doctrine to apply diuers promises to the present cause so often as we are careful and vexed For so long as they are indefinite and not applyed they are colde A. Therefore the Angell vseth an Vniuersall conclusion namely that the power of God is infinite the which if wee keepe in minde we shall not any more accordynge to our manner distruste C. Wherefore it is no meruaile that the Aungell preacheth the power of God vnto Mary whose distrust doth very much
the Sonne when hee came to be a Sauiour But God obserueth this answer Ansvver He sēdeth first his Prophet who by his preaching may prepare the way of the Lord. Cōcerning the Office of a Prophet read the first Chapter of Ieremy And concerning the name of the moste highe we haue spoken in the 32. Verse of this Chapter already Shalt be called the Prophet C. To be called the Prophet of God in thys place is to bee counted and openly acknowledged for a Prophet Iohn was first secretly called it onely remained that it should be reuealed to Men what hee was The meaning therefore is thys The world shal vnderstand that thou art the Prophet of the highest But because the name of a Prophet is general Zacharias by the Reuelation made vnto him by the Angel adiudged this Child to be the forerunner of Chryst saying For thou shalt goe before the Face of the Lord to prepare his waye That is to say Thou shall trauaile throughe this Countrey that by thy preachinge thou mayst conuert men to heare the Lorde Mala. 3. ◠Esay 40◠1 Cor. ◠2. Cor. 3. ◠BV. These words seme to be as it wer described out of the Prophesies of the Prophets To go before the Face of the Lord is to be the minister of Chryst as Paule calleth himself C. But why Iohn denied himself to be a Prophet whē he had almost finished his office we wyll shew in the first Chapter of S. Iohns Ghospel Read our Exposition vppon the 3. of Math. the 3. verse What the preparing of the way of the Lord is the Verse following sheweth 77. To geue knowledge of Saluation vnto his people by the remissiō of theyr sinnes To geue Knowledge A. Zacharias expresseth how beneficiall and profitable the Office or ministery of his son shal be The Hebrew phrase is to prepare his way as thus that thou maist teach the people profitable things namely that theyr sins are forgeuen them BV. To geue knowledge of saluatiō vnto the people is by teaching to delyuer vnto the people the true knowledge of true Saluation But God alone by his spyrite illuminateth the hearts and geueth true knowledge notwithstanding to bring the same to passe he vseth the labor of ministers but so that all the praise and glory may come vnto God alone euen as Paule also teacheth By the remission of theyr sinnes C. Here Zacharias toucheth the principal point of the Gospel 1. Cor. 3. ◠when he teacheth that the knowledge of Saluacion is placed in remission of sinnes Ephe. ◠◠For seeing wee are all borne the children of wrath it followeth that by nature we are dampned lost And the cause of this dampnatiō is because we are guilty of vnrighteousnes Wherefore we haue no other remedy to escape Death then vnles God do reconcile vs vnto himself not imputing our sins vnto vs. And we may easely gather by the words of Zacharias that this onely righteousnes is left vnto vs before God For whereof cōmeth Saluation but of righteousnes Wherfore if it be not meete for the Sons of God to know any other Saluatiō then that which commeth by remissiō of sins it followeth that we muste seeke ryghteousnes no where else So that the righteousnes which proud men deuise vnto thēselues by the merits of their works is nothing else but the Imputation of Righteousnes seeing God freely forgeueth our desert Moreouer we must note that Zacharias speaketh not of straūgers but of the people of God Wherof it followeth that not onely the begynning of righteousnes doth depend vpon remission of sinnes But also that the Faythfull by imputation are iuste before God vnto the ende because otherwyse they cannot stand before his Tribunall seate vnlesse they flee daily vnto his free reconciliation 78. Through the tender mercye of our God whereby the Day sprynge from an high hath visited vs. Through the tender mercy of our God A. That is to say through his exceding great fauour or through the vnspeakable mercy of god the Latin text hath Per viscera miserecordiae that is to say Through the bowels of mercy For the bowels of mercy signify that mercy which proceedeth euen from the inward affections of the hearte And it is a Metaphor taken of men For wee fele our innermost bowels moued whē we are affected with any matter Wherefore the Scripture speaketh of Bowels when it maketh mention of mercy to signify the neare and inward motion of the affections Euen as the affections or bowels of mercy of a mother are moued toward her son when hee is at the poynt of Death Euen as it is written of that mother which stāding before the throane of Salomon 3 Kin. 3.26 beleuing that her Sonne should be deuided with the sword Ge. 43.30 was moued euen in her Bowels to the very heart Also of Ioseph we read thus And hee hastened for his Bowels were moued ouer his Brother That is to say hys affections were inflamed or his hearte yearned ouer his Brother By this phrase of speach the vnspeakeable loue and mercy of God is signified vnto vs. Where are now satisfactions Shall we preuent God that he may reconcyle vs vnto him We cannot For all thys spryngeth from the mercy of God Notwithstanding this forgeuenes of the faulte which commeth vnto vs by mercy came not without merite though with out our merit For there came betwene God and vs a mediator who deserued the same for vs which is Chryst Iesus our Lord. For it was the wyll of the Lord though hee would remit sins to be satisfied for the same and to haue his due honor geuē vnto him In this wee could do nothing Christe alone both could hath satisfied for vs who of that infinite loue of his father was sent to the same end was geuē vnto vs that he might finish the same And therfore he saith Wherby the dayspring from an hygh hath visited vs. Without all doubte it was not our merit but the exceding mercy of God only that Christ came to vs and merited so great remissiō of sins for vs to euerlastīg saluatiō vvherby the dayspring C. The Greke word signifieth the Easte part of the sun rising the cōtrary wherof is the west or sun setting Therefore he calleth Christ himself the sun rising Frō an hy This hee addeth to put a difference betweene the bodely Sunne whych ryseth vnto vs ascending from belowe to the height Zach. 3.9 zach 6.12 and that Sun which cōtrariwise rysing from the height descēdeth vnto vs to geue vs lighte Hee alludeth vnto the place of the Prophete where he sayth I vvill bringe forth the springing braunch my Seruaunt Againe Beholde the Man whose name is the Branch and he shal grow vp out of his place and he shal builde the Temple of the Lord. BV. And hee calleth him the Day sprynge from an hye in respecte of hys Diuinity by which he was is aboue al Creatures Where there
whole Worlde except he do with some pleasauntnesse temper that which is terrible Therefore the Reprobate do faint at the sight of GOD bycause hee appeareth vnto them no otherwise then as a seuere Iudge but to the faithfull hee appeareth with testimony of his goodnes in Christ and therefore they are not swallowed vp of feare For beholde I bringe you tydinges of great Ioy C. The Angell to recreate the mindes of the Sheepheardes testifieth that hee is sent of GOD to declare his mercy For this only voice doth not onely erecte and comfort men at the brinke of dispaire but doth also restore such as are lost and bringeth them from death vnto lyfe so soone as they heare that the LORD is their louinge and mercifull GOD. BV. Ioy is compared with Sorrowe and torments which come of sinne and damnation and of the Sentence pronounced against vs for sinne The Incarnation and natiuity of the Sonne of GOD taketh away griefe and the horrible feare of Gods Iudgement filleth our heartes with vnspeakeable Ioy knowen onely to the faythfull Wherefore the Angell calleth the same great Ioy. C. To the ende we might know that wee muste not onely principally reioyce ouer the saluation offered to vs in Christe but also that the greatnesse of the benefite is so great large that it doth counteruaile all the sorrowes Griefes and Vexations of this present lyfe To this spirituall great Ioy Paule calleth the faythfull sayinge Phili. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lorde alway and agayne I say reioyce Also The peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding keepe your hearts mindes through Christe Iesus Wherefore let vs learne so to content our selues with Christe alone that the feelinge of his grace may surpasse all the griefes of the fleshe and at the length abolishe them cleane away That shal be to all people C. Although the Angell speaketh to the sheepheards onely he geueth them notwithstandinge to vnderstande that he bringeth vnto them the tydinges of saluation so that not onely they might heare it but others also Wherefore note here that this Ioy belonged to all the people bycause it was offered to al generally For God had promised Christ not to one or two alone but to all the seede of Abraham And whereas the Iewes were depriued of the greatest parte of Ioy which appertayned vnto them their vnbeliefe was the cause therof euen as at this day God calleth all men generally to saluation by the Gospell but the vnthankefullnesse of the Worlde bringeth to passe that very fewe enioy this grace which is offered vnto all men Seeinge therefore this Ioy was shut vp amongest a fewe it is called common in respect of God Moreouer although the Aungell speaketh of the elect People onely the vaile being now taken away the same Ambassage belongeth vnto all Mankinde For CHRISTE bringeth peace not onely to those that are nigh but also to those which are a farre of Ephe. 2.17 as well to Straungers and Forrayners as to them of the Housholde But bycause vntill the resurrection of Chryste there was a speciall couenaunte with the Iewes therefore the Aungell doth seperate them from other Nations For CHRISTE was a Mynister of the Circumcision for the truth of GOD to confirme Rom. 15.8 the Promises made vnto the Fathers Ephe. 2.14 But the vaile or difference beinge taken away as wee sayd before ingraffed the Gentiles into the body of this people Therefore there shal be now Ioy to all People both to Iewes and to Gentiles For it was sayde before In thy Seede shall all the Nations of the Earth bee blessed Gen. 22.18 All Nations but yet they alone which are elect out of the Iewes and Gentiles Verse 34 For Christe was made to many of the Israelites a stone to stumble at 1. Cor. 1.23 and many of the Gentiles also haue counted the Crosse of Christ foolishnesse 11. For vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a sauiour which is Christe the Lord. For vnto you is borne C. Here is expressed the cause of Ioy namely bycause the Redeemer promysed longe before is nowe Borne to restore the Church of God into his former state For the Aungell doth not speake as of a matter altogether vnknowne but beginneth his Ambassage at the Law and the Prophets Bycause hee had vsed this forme of speach in vaine to the Gentiles to Prophane men saying that Christe the Lord was borne a sauiour vnto them First of all wee are taught by these words that whatsoeuer Ioy men haue conceiued is but vaine deceiptful vntill they haue peace with God and are Reconciled vnto him by the Grace of Christe No Ioye vvithout the Lord. The wicked do oftentimes reioyce with drunken mad Ioy but except a Peacemaker betwene God and them they must needes be disquieted vexed with cruell prickes of coÌ„science Furthermore thoughe they pamper theÌ„selues in their delights their owne pleasures are vnto them seuerall Torments Gods loue the cause of perfected Ioy. Rom. 14.17 Therefore this is the beginning of perfect Ioy to feele the fatherly loue of God towarde vs which doth onely quiet and pacefy our mindes And this Ioy is in the holy Ghoste in the which Paule placeth the kingdome of God Wherefore the Angell of the Lord doth preach the Promises of the Messias to come which were so greatly desired to be fulfilled when hee saith that Christe is borne The which made the Sheepheards to be very attentiue the more easely to cast a side feare He sayth To you which contayneth great waight So also the Prophet speaketh To vs a Childe is borne Esay 9.5 to vs a sonne is geuen And Zacharias sayth Beholde thy Kinge commeth vnto the poore Zâ—ch 9.9 The Angell sayth here vnto you bycause ells they might haue sayd To whom speakest thou And of whom doest thou tell vs Hee aunswereth To you the Messias promised in the Lawe is geuen A Sauiour C. CHRISTE is called a Sauiour bycause hee bringeth with him to all that beleue full and perfect saluation Which is Christe the Lorde A. Concerninge this name of Christe wee haue spoken before in our annotations vppon the first Chapter of Mathew verse 16. Note heere howe hee teacheth the Office of Christe or of the Messias whom they looked for namely that he should saue And from what hee shoulde saue it is declared in another place where it is sayd Math. 1 1â— For hee shall saue his people from their sines The Lord This name the Angell geueth vnto Christe bycause he should haue the gouernment of the whole that he might exercise his Domination or Rule here For as GOD doth oftentimes pronounce in the Prophets that he alone is our Lorde our Kinge and Lawgeuer euen so when hee manyfested his Sonne in the flesh hee declared him to bee the same in whom hee woulde raigne and gouerne Wherefore we haue one God from whom are all thinges and we in him
moment And this error broughte forth another as commoÌ„ly it commeth to passe For he iudged that Christe was no Prophet because he knew not as he thought what maner of woman it was but although we see the some thing at some time was hidden from the Prophetes because the Lorde onely reuealed so much vnto theÌ„ as was nedeful for theÌ„ yet notwithstanding Chryst the true Prophet knew well inough what she was and he dyd not onely knowe her but also he would haue present and by her Example beate downe the pryde of the Phaâ—isie Here therefore we see how greatly wee oughte to beware of presumptuous opynions because they brynge vs into other errors the which euill wee shall easely withstande if so be we iudge onely of matters of the which we are certayne 40. And Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him Symon I haue somewhat to say vnto thee And he said Mayster say on C. Chryst doth not tarry vntyl the Phariseâ— vtter his mynde but preuenceth him geuing a signe of his Diuinity in bewraying the secrete thoughtes of his hearte For in declaring what hee thought he sheweth that he is much more excellent then any Prophet and that not onely for Symons sake but that we mighte all thereby learne that it is not to be feared least he reiecte any sinner who is no lesse ready as it were with stretched oute armes to receyue all then he doth gentely and friendlie call all saying Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I wil refresh you Ma. 11.28 41. There was a certayne Lender which had two Debters the one ought fiue hundred pence and the other fiftye C. By this simillitude Chryste sheweth how greately Symon erred But bicause the Aduersaries of the Gospell denying the free remission of sins brynge in this place thereby to proue that remission of sinnes commeth by merites and satisfactions as thoughe this woman had deserued pardon by her teares by the anoynting and kyssing of his feete must take dyllygence heede and consideration of the same least hereafter any man be deceiued by such Iusticiaries in the InterpretatioÌ„ of the same Therefore this is the sence and meaning of this place The Pharisie as we sayd before thought wythin him selfe that the Lord knewe not the Woman whom hee admitted to his Company with such facility For For he thought that he would not haue admitted her if he had knowne what maner of sinfull woman shee had ben And herof he gathered that he was no Prophet which might after that maner be deceyued The Lorde to shewe that shee was no Sinner whose sinnes were alreadye forgieuen propoundeth a parable the summe whereof is that Symon doth erre in condeÌ„pnyng the woman whom the heaueÌ„ly iudge doth absolue There was sayth hee a certayne Lender which had two Debters the one ought fiue hundred peÌ„ce and the other fiftie The Debte was forgeuen to both Which of the two had greatest fauour The Pharisie aunswered He to whome hee forgaue moste Then our Lorde sayd Knowe hereby that this Woman sinnes are forgeuen her because she loued much By which Words Chryste proueth that this VVoman is iuste not because she made satisfaction vnto God but because her sinnes were forgeuen her For otherwyse the simillitude wer vnapte where Chryst doth plainlg expresse that the debters which wer not able to pay had the Debte freelye forgeuen them So that the Argumente which Chryst vseth was not taken of the cause but of the Effecte because both one must first receiue a benefit before hee geue Thankes and also fre remission is noated heere to be the cause of mutuall loue Therefore he maketh not the womans Loue the cause of remission of sins but the probation For these are the wordes Many sinnes are forgeuen her because shee loued much being taken from the simillitude oâ— that Debter to whoÌ„ fiue hundreth pence wer forgeuen to whom he said not that they were therefore forgeuen because she had loued much but that shee therefore loued much because many sins wer forgeuen her Also how she obtayned remission of Sinnes the Lorde himselfe testefieth saying Thy Fayth hath saued thee Therefore by Fayth we obtaine remission of sinnes and by loue we geue thankes vnto the Lord acknowleging his mercy and goodnes 44. And he tourned to the Woman and sayd vnto Symon Seest thou this Woman I entered into thy thy house thou gauest me no Water for my Feete but shee hath washed my feete with teares and wyped them wyth the Hayres of her Heade C. The Lorde seemeth so to compare Symon wyth the Woman that he condempneth him onely of small offences But this is a maner of grauntyng as if he had sayd Admit Symon that thy faulte were small which the lord hath forgeuen thee and that this Woman is guilty of many grieuous crimes Notwythstanding thou seest by euideÌ„t Testimony that she is forgeuen For what meane such flowing teares such often kyssing my feete such anoynting with precious Oyntment but onely that she confesseth herselfe to be oppressed with greate and deepe Dampnation And now in the greater Necessity she feeleth her selfe to be the more ferueÌ„â—ly shee imbraceth the mercy of God Therefore By the words of Chryst it cannot be gathered whether Symon dyd owe much or little or whether his faulte were forgeuen him More credyble it is as he was a blynde Hypocrite that he was as yet drowned in the filthynes of his sins But christ standeth vppon this one thinge that how wicked soeuer this woman was the signes of her righteousnes were manifeste because to declare her thaÌ„kfulnesse she omitted no kynd of dutie and by all maner of meanes declared how much she dyd owe vnto God And by the way Chryst admonisheth SimoÌ„ that there is no cause why hee shoulde flatter himselfe as though he wer free from all faulte for because he himselfe had neede of mercy I entered into thy house That which followeth is added to amplify the matter to shew how greatly this woman loued the Lord for the sinnes whych he had forgeuen her For euery man the more that he feeleth his sinnes to bee forgeuen him the more vehemently he loueth God and the more feling wee haue of Loue the more we shal know that we haue profited in Remission of sins and in Fayth Hereby let vs note that no man can be righteous before god but he which loueth God although loue as we said euen now is not the cause of righteousnes Thus Paule proueth righteousnes out of the Psalme saying Blessed are they whose Iniquityes are forgeuen Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.5 2. Co. â— 1â— and whose sins are couered And in another plâ—ce he sayth God was in Christ reconcyling th world to himselfe not imputing vnto theÌ„ their sins For no man is iuste but he which hath the true feeling of his sins neither can he imbrace true righteousnes except he fele them with a true affectioÌ„ And whosoeuer hath this knowledge that his sinnes are forgeuen him by
of the Parable that theyr Counsailes are voyde and frustrate and theyr deuises Foolish which trusting to the abundaunce of theyr Riches haue not theyr onelye confidence in God and are not contented with their measure and not ready to suffer both prosperitie and Aduersitie who shal at the last haue that punishment which is due to theyr Vanitie R. To this effecte Salomon wryteth saying There is yet a Plague vnder the Sonne and it is a generall thynge amonge men When God geueth a Man Riches Goodes and honor so that he wanteth nothinge of all that his heart can desire and yet God geueth him not leaue to enioy the same but another man spendeth them A Let vs harken therefore to that excellent Counsayle of Dauid saying If Riches increase Psal 62 11 set not thy Hearte vpon them For when a Riche man dyeth he shall carry none of his goods with him neyther shal his Pompe follow him 22 And he spake vnto his Disciples Therefore I say vnto you take no thought for your selfe what yee shall eate neither for the Bodye what ye shall put on R. Although this Sermon of Chryst pertayneth to all the Godly yet notwithstanding it was moste necessarie for the Apostles of the Lord. For seeing the time was come that they must be sente not onely into Galile and into Iury but also into the whole World to preach the Gospell of Chryst firste of all they were called away froÌ„ their handy occupations with the which hitherto they had got theyr liuing Secondly as yet publique parishes and Stipendes were not appointed to the ministers of the Gospell As yet Couetousnes flowed in men insomuch that no man coulde hope for any Liberallity at theyr hands Finally Chryst was so poore in this Worlde because hee would be so to make vs Rich that he could not geue vnto his Apostles sufficient prouision It is no marueyle therefore if they were so carefull for Foode and Apparell insomuch that they thought rather to follow theyr occupation againe then the calling of the preaching of the Gospell Chryst with this Sermon comforteth theyr carefull cogitation and exhorteth them to set aside this carefulnes to the whych Exhortation hee addeth very stronge Arguments by which he sheweth that it is not onely superfluous but also great vnbeliefe to be carefull for fode and Apparell as to forsake Godds calling and to follow the desires of the Flesh For this and the reste whych followeth vnto the 29. Verse Reade the sixte Chapter of Math. verse 25. 29. And aske not what ye shall eate or what yee shall drinke neither be ye of doubtfull mynde Neither bee ye of doubtful mynde Thys Verse agreeth with the laste sentence of the sixte Chapter of Math. in the which chapter we haue at large the Exposition of this Verse and the rest also which followeth vnto the 32. Verse 32. Feare not little Flocke for it is your Fathers Wyll to geue you a Kingdome Fear not C. By this senteÌ„ce Christ confirmeth the Faith and trust whereunto he exhorted his disciples R. And he vseth an Argument of the more to lesse thus Will not hee which intendeth to geue you a heauenly kingdom geue those thinges also which are necessary for this Corporall Life Seeing he promiseth a Heauenly Kyngedome we must thinke also that all things necessary to Saluation are promised C. For how should God deny corruptible foode vnto his Seruants whom he hath adopted to bee heyres of hys Kingdome R. When I sent you forth sayth he without Wallet Luk. 22.35 Scryp or Shoes did you want any thing And they sayd vnto him Wee wanted nothing Little Flocke He calleth theÌ„ a litle Flocke because they were but twelue Apostles and seuenty Dysciples and a few others which followed Iesus out of all Galile and Iury. It ought also to be referred vnto those which beleued in Chryste by the preaching of the Apostles of which the number was alwayes the lesser Many are called but few are chosen saith the Lord. Ma. 20.16 He calleth them a Flock therefore he is the Sheepeheard which fedeth I am the good Sheepeherd saith he a good Sheepehear gieueth hys Life for his Sheepe A. And Peter calleth the Church the flock of Christ when hee sayth Feede so much as in you lyeth the flocke of Chryst â—â—h 10.11 â— Pet. 5.2 R. If wee did way this dilligentely in our hearts and were certainly perswaded that he is our Shepeheard it would take from vs all feare not onely of hungar but also of all other perils For it is your Fathers pleasure Herby he sheweth that we haue Eternall Life onely by the free mercy of God For euery word hath his seueral Emphasis or force If it please God what can hurt vs although not onely al meÌ„ but also all Deuils mislike of the same Who can alter the pleasure and will of God Or who can withstande the same Againe If God bee a Father why do ye doubt of his wil He which is a Father can not by nature stay his affection but hee must needes do good vnto his Children specially wheÌ„ they are in perill Peraduenture amonge men there are some vnnatural fathers which loue not their Children But God as he is by nature inchangeable euen so those whom hee doth acknowledge for his sons he doth so preserue kepe that they cannot perish in any aduersity Wherupon he speketh thus by the Prophet Will a womaÌ„ forget her owne infant Esa 49.15 and not pittye the Son of her Wombe And thoughe they do forget yet will I not forget thee And again The mouÌ„tains shall remoue the hils shall fall downe but my louing kindnesse shall not moue Esay 54.10 and the bond of my peace shal not fall downe from thee And hee is not only the father of the Patriarks of the Prophets and of Dauid and of Ezechias and others but also hee is your father though ye be poore men of lesse fame yea loke how much more poore ye are so much the more hee is your father if so be ye cleaue vnto hys sonne by faith To geue vnto you Not by the merits of your Woorkes could ye obtaine this heauenly benefit but it is geuen vnto you by the free mercy of your Father Yea euen to you I say though poore thoughe vnwise vnrighteous and sinners Yee are poore but God maketh you riche ye are Fooles but God choaseth the foolish thinges of this World to confound the wise ye are sinners but it is God which doth iustefy Who seing he spareth not his owne son but geueth him for you al how can it be that with him also he should not geue you al things A kingdom Not an erthly RoÌ„ 8.32 or transitory but a heauenly and euerlasting kingdome What thinge then shall ye want The Kinges of this World want neither Foode nor Apparell what should theÌ„ be wanting vnto you being chosen to bee heauenly Kinges C. To be short seeing Chryst testefieth plainly
and sauiour for that which cause it shal be good to keepe company with sinners A. Concerning the two verses following reade the 18. Chap. of Math. vers 12. 7. I say vnto you that lykewise Ioye shal be in Heauen ouer one sinner that repēteth more then ouer 90. and nine iust persons which neede no repentance Iust persons whych neede no repentance B. The Lorde speaketh here of deuine and spirituall matters commonly as of humaine things to frame his speach accordinge to the capascity of the common sorte In this place he calleth them Iust which Imbrace the truth of the Gospell and forgettinge worldly matters doe alwayes goe forwarde towardes the marke which is set before them who notwtstandinge haue alway neede to pray Math. 6.12 Forgeue vs our debtes Ouer such Ryghteouse men which are already of the Lords flocke there is no such speciall Ioy as there is ouer one sinner who being far from the kingdome of God a lost sheepe cōmeth home agayne knoweth God is Ioyntd to the rest of the Lords flocke A. The other similitude of the lost great tendeth to the same effect that this doth therfore nedeth no farther explication 10. Lykewise I saye vnto you shall there be Ioy in the presence of the Angells of God ouer one Synner that repenteth C. If the Angells reioyce among them selues in heauen when they see that restored to their company which went astray it becōmeth vs also to Ioy with them Question But how doth hee say that the Angells doe more reioyce at the repentances of one wicked man than at the perseuerance of many Iust men who delight in nothinge continually than in righteousnesse Ansvver I answere that all the Angells do rather desire the men should alway stand in puernesse and integrity yet notwithstanding bycause the mercy of God doth more shine in the deliuerance of sinners which are cut of from the body as rotten braunches he attributeth the more Ioy vnto Angells after the maner of men who Ioy more for that which cōmeth vnloked for then for that which they haue already in their possession Furthermore the name of Repentance is specially restrayned to their conuersion who beinge tourned quyte away from God doe ryse as it were from death to life For otherwise there oughte to bee a continuall meditacion of Repentance throughout our where lyfe neyther is any man exempted from the necessity hereof seeing euery one feeleth his owne vices working dayly in him But there is difference betwene stumblings or falles or swaruinges from the marke when thou arte already entered into the right race and betwene the cōming from error into the right way They haue no neede of such repentance which haue begun already to frame their liues according to Gods law to lyue a holy and Godly lyfe howbeit they must needes sigh vnder the infirmities of their flesh must endeuour themselues to correct them 11. And hee sayde A certayne man had two Sonnes C. This Parable is nothing els but a confirmation of the doctrine going before And by the firste parte thereof is shewed how ready the Lord is to pardon our sinnes in the other part is shewed how wickedly they behaue them selues which speake euell of his mercy And vnder the parson of a certayne prodigall younge man who was brought to extreme beggery by riotous dissolute life retourned with submission toward his father against whom he had bene stubborne disobedient Christ describeth all sinners who being weried with their former folly come vnto the grace of God And he compareth God vnto an earthly father which doth not only pardon his sonnes offences but also preuēteth him with mercy before he aske forgeuenesse 12. And the yoūger of them sayd vnto his father geue mee the portion of goods that to me belōgeth And he deuided vnto thē his substance C. Wee may not as wee sayd before stand vpon euery word in parables as though there were a mistery in them yet notwithstanding it is not set downe without cause in this parable the one of the sonnes would needes parte his Inheritance which hee afterwarde spent Fyrst of all a signe of wicked arrogancy is described here in the yoūge man in that he desiring to departe from his father thought him selfe not well except hee might liue lasciuiously at his owne liberty without the yoake of obedience toward his father We haue also to consider here his ingratitude in that hee forsakinge his Father an olde man did not only depriue him of the duty which belonged vnto him but doth also deminishe his Domesticall Substance Last of all followeth his prodigallity dissolute wickednes by which hee consumeth all that he hath By thus many sinnes he deserued the displeasure of his father So that vnder this Image we haue most liuely depaynted vnto vs the vnspeakable goodnesse and mercy of God to the ende that the haynousnesse of no offence might draw vs away from the hope of obtayning pardon The comparison shall not be amisse if so be a man say that they are like to the foolish and prodigall younge man who hauinge great plenty of all good things with God yet notwithstanding being stirred vp with a blynde mad desire will deuide the Inheritance with him that they may be free to doe what they list themselues as though it were not more to be wished to liue vnder the fatherly care and gouernment of God than vnder any other kingdome Surely we shall be rych ynough if so be our substance be Ioyned with the ryches of God the Father But if so be we will needes deuide it must needes come to passe that all thinges goe miserabelly to waste For this was the cause of destruction in the beginninge vnto men and first of all to our Parent Adam For hee was created after the Image of GOD. If so bee hee had taryed in his Fathers house and would haue had no deuision hee had bene ryche Inough and mighte haue lyued well in great Felicity but when hee woulde haue somewhat seuerall for him selfe it happened vnto him as it happened vnto this miserable man which wasted all his Substance For what did the free will and excellency which hee had conceyued profite hym that hee should be lyke vnto God Euenso at this day if wee arrogate nothinge vnto our selues but are contented with the grace of God we shall wante nothing appertayning to saluation But wee deceiue our selues in this that wee woulde haue somewhat proper to our selues whereby it cōmeth to passe that wee must needes perishe Notwithstandinge if wee be of the number of Gods Electe GOD will not suffer vs so to perishe but we cannot stande of our selues For except the wonderfull mercy of God did holde vs vp wee must needes be vtterly ouerthrowen 13. And not longe after when the yoūger sonne had gathered all that hee had together he toke his Iourney into a farre Country there wasted his goods with ryotouse liuinge C. Here Christe sheweth
as this yonge man is encouraged vpon truste of his Fathers mercy to seeke a recōcilliation euen so vs the feelinge of Gods mercy must be vnto vs the beginning of repentance which stirreth vs vp to hope well And I will say vnto him Father C. Hereby we see that this also is required in true repentance namely that wee being confounded with the greatnes of our sinnes may returne to our heauenly Father For hee did meditate consider this meane in himselfe not thereby to deceiue his Father but to moue him to compassion I haue sinned agaynst Heauen Beholde here how that the subiection obedience due to the Father is appoynted of God For they which sinne against their fathers sinne also against Heauen For in this place heauen is taken for God Therefore they which do truly acknowledge their sinnes must also confesse them vnto God and that is a sure signe of true humillity The confession ought to answere the Offence When men are priuy to our sinnes we cōfesse our sinnes also before them otherwise we cōfesse to God alone if we offend him alone For the confession must be esteemed by the nature of the faulte I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne R. It doth not only suffice to acknowledge sinne but wee must also haue such a feeling of sinne in our Cōsciences that we must not only Iudge our selues vnworthy to bee called the sonnes of God but also that wee haue deserued extreme death damnation Psal 38 3 So Dauid acknowledged his sinne when he sayd Thy arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hande presseth mee sore there is no rest in my boanes by reason of my sinne So Daniell acknowledged his sinnes and the sinnes of the Israelites Wee haue sinned wee haue done wickedly Dan. 9.5.8 we haue liued vngodly And thus so many as seeke to attaine true saluation confesse their sinnes Notwithstanding in this pointe perfect repentance doth not cōsist neyther doth righteousnesse follow hereof by and by but wee must go forwarde to other degreese of repentance that is to say we must conceiue a good hope that the Father will not reiecte vs although wee bee not worthy of Pardon 20. And hee arose and came to his father But when he was yet a great way of his father saw him had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him This is the thirde parte of the Parable concerning the mercy of the father toward the sonne When he was yet a farre of Here wee see that God doth not tarry vntill we come vnto him for he meeteth vs. Let vs therefore call that to minde which was spoken in the eleuēth verse going before that God is not simplely compared to a man but that his mercy goodnesse is a hundred foulde more toward vs. Therefore there is no doubt but that so soone as wee are touched with repentance God receiueth vs into his fauour C. This therefore is the principall poynte of the Parable If men which are by nature desierouse of vengeance may notwithstandinge bee moued to bende and yeelde by fatherly pitty gently to pardon their sonnes willingly to require them being miserably lost God whose exceeding goodnesse excelleth all the loues of fathers will be no more seuere toward vs. And verely there is nothing spoken here of an earthly Father which God doth not promise concerning him selfe Before the cry sayth hee I wil heare them Esai 65 2◠Psal 32.5 Therefore as the Father is not onely here intreated with the prayers of his Sonne but also goeth forth to meete him and imbraceth him beinge rent and torne and deformed before he spake one worde euen so God looketh not for long intreaty but so soone as the Synner hath purposed to confesse his falt he meeteth with him of his owne accorde And fell on his necke kyssed him C. The Father doth not here cōplayne he chydeth not he threateneth not but by and by Imbraceth him Whereby wee see that the grace of GOD is offered vnto Sinners before they come vnto him by repentance For hee it is that worketh repentance in our heartes by his Grace that wee may come vnto him And in this poynt a mortall man is improperly compared vnto God For it belongeth not vnto an earthly Father by the secret instincte of his spirite to renue the stubborne heart of his Sonne Ezec. 11.19 as GOD doth who maketh of stony hearts flesshy hearts 21. And the Sonne sayde vnto hym Father I haue sinned against Heauen in thy sight am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne C. Here is noted the other parte of repentance of the which wee spake euen now when as the feeling of sinne is Ioyned with sorrow and shame For hee which is not sory that he hath sinned hath not his falt before his Eyes will neuer come to goodnesse Therefore it is necessary that a dislyking of our selues goe before Repentance And there is greate wayte in this maner of speache that the younge man is sayd to tourne to him selfe Esay 46.8 as one that was caryed away with wandering desiers of the flesh to forget him selfe And am no more worthy to be called R. Great and haynous are the sinnes grieuouse also is the sorrow but short is the confession S. Hee doth not reckon vp the circumstances of the sinnes according to the Custome of Hypocrits hee sayth not I haue lost so much money in such a city with play and so much in that City by Harlots in this and in that Feaste I haue bene drunken Thou hearest none of these circumstances but in a short summe he comprehendeth all his offences Luk. 18.13 A. euen as did he which sayd Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner 22. But the Father sayde to his Seruantes Bryng forth the best Garment and put it on him and put a Ringe on his hande and shooes on his feete 23. And bring hyther that fat Calfe and kill it and let vs eate and be merry c. R. As Luke hath very liuely expressed in the Prodigall younge man firste of all the Image of a sinner lost with riotouse liuing and secondly of a repentinge Sinner euen so now hee setteth forth in his Parente the Image of the exceedinge clemency and goodnesse of GOD. C. And althoughe in Parables as wee haue sayd it were very fond to discusse euery particuler thing here notwithstandinge the letter shall not be wrested if wee say that our heauenly Father doth not onely Pardon Sinnes to forget them for euer but doth also restore vnto vs those Gyftes which wee haue forsaken Euen as when hee tooke them from vs he chastised our ingratitude that he mighte make vs ashamed with the reproche of our nakednesse For this my sonne was deade A. The Scripture is wonte to call those men Deade men which are Addicted and geeuen to sinne Whereby wee may gather that Repentance is a Resurrection from Death 25. The Elder Brother vvas in
the fielde and when hee came drue nyghe to the House hee hearde mynstrelsie and daunsing C. This is the last parte of the Parable which accuseth them of inhumanity which woulde wickedly restraine the Grace of GOD as though they did enuy that Myserable men shoulde bee saued For wee know that the proude disdayne of the Pharisies is here reprooued who thoughte that they had not the due rewarde for their Merytes if so bee CHRISTE should admit Publycans and the Common multytude to the euerlasting Inheritance Therefore the Summe is this If so bee wee desier to bee counted the sonnes of God we must brotherly forgeue our brethren their faultes euen as hee fatherly forgeueth both them vs. S. Notwithstanding some haue interpreted this place that the Iewes were figured in the person of the Elder brother The which figure doth not sounde amisse bycause the Iewes are as it were the first begotten in the Church and we know how proudly they disdayned the calling of the Gentiles C. But they which do thus expound it doe not suffiently waigh the order of the texte For the talke began by the murmuring of the Scribes who were offended that Christe should shew so much humanity towardes miserable and contemned men Therefore he cōpareth the Scribes which were so puffed vp with arrogācy to modest men who haue honestly and thriftely in their life ordered their affayres and to obedient sonnes who haue all their life time paciently submitted themselues to their fathers gouernment And although they were altogether vnworthy of this prayse yet notwithstanding Christe speaking according to their sence imputeth vnto their fayned holinesse for a vertue by cōcession as if he had sayd Although I graunt vnto you that which yee falsly boaste that yee haue bene alway obedient sonnes vnto God yet notwithstanding yee ought not so proudly and arrogantly to reiect your Bretheren when they repent them of their wicked and daungerous lyfe S. Therefore Hypocrites cannot abide that so large mercy should bee offered vnto the people of God And Christe attributed this parson to the first begotten that the goodnesse of GOD might be the better expressed For if so be the first begotten had sinned by and by a man might haue thought that GOD doth not pardon others as he doth the first begotten Therefore in this the goodnesse of God is more greatly expressed Often times wee see that the Elder are forsaken and the Younger are chosen Thus the Purpose of Christe was to reiect the Iudgement of the flesh Howbeit this most commonly commeth to passe that as the Eldest Bretheren haue the preheminence so Hypocrites haue moste Authority in the Church As touching externall dueties they are obedient to their Parents as was Esau neuerthelesse they cannot abide that the mercy of God should be extended towarde sinners for they cast God in the teeth with their duties We are with thee we serue thee yet notwithstanding thou gieuest no more vnto vs that thou doest vnto Synners They would if they myght call God to an accounte If any man demaūde why he cōpareth Hypocrites to the first begotten which shall not be heyres we answere that although Hypocrits are the sonnes of the bondwoman Agar yet notwithstāding they haue such place for a time that they seeme to be heyres euen as Ismaell boasted of his Eldership and scorned his Brother 28. And hee was angery and woulde not go in therefore came his father out and intreated him C. In these wordes he reprocheth Hypocrites with intollerable Pryde for that the Father must be fayne to intreat them not to enuy the mercy extended vnto their Bretheren And although GOD doth not intreate yet notwithstanding by his example hee exhorteth to beare with the offences of our Bretheren And to cut of all excuse from wicked rigor he doth not only bring in the proper speach of Hypocrits whose false boasting may be refuted but also if a man haue throughly discharged all the dueties of piety towards his Parents yet notwithstanding hee denyeth him to haue Iust cause to complayne bycause his brother is pardoned It is certayne that the sincere worshippers of GOD are alwayes free and pure from this wicked affection 29. Hee answered and sayd to his father Loe these many yeares haue I done thee seruice neyther brake I at any time thy cōmaūdements and yet thou neuer gauest mee a Kyd to make mery withall with my friendes R. Hypocrits accuse GOD of vnrighteousnesse account them selues Iust For they performing the externall honesty of the Law thinke that they haue fulfilled the whole Law and that they haue deserued felicity not only in this Worlde but also in the Kingdome of Heauen Wee haue say they neuer transgressed thy Commaundement And another sayth I thanke God that I am not as other men are Extorcioners Vniuste Adoulterers or as this Publican Lu. 18.12 I faste twise in the weeke I geue Tythe of all that I possesse Also Ma. 19.20 another sayth All these haue I kept from my youth vp Wherefore when they heare out of the Gospell the God doth not respect mans Merites but doth freely remit sinnes receiue sinners they Iudge God to bee most vniust which reiecteth those that haue well deserued and receiueth the worst Wee haue fasted say they and thou haste not seene it Esay 58.3 Wee haue humbled our soules and thou haste not regarded it What are our good workes nothing then we haue fasted in vaine we haue powred out longe prayers in vaine we haue lyen vpon the grounde and haue done all good woorkes to no purpose if God doe not acknowledge mans Meryts What righteousnesse is this to condemne vs that haue fulfilled the whole Law and to saue others that haue broken the Law This and such lyke is the madnesse and vayne boasting of Hypocrites 31. And hee sayde vnto him Sonne thou arte euer with mee and all that I haue is thine C. There are two principall things to be noted in this answere The first is that the first begotten hath no cause to be angery when he seeth his Brother to bee louingely receiued without his hurt and the other is that he hauing no care for his Brothers saluation is sad for the Ioy of his returne 32. It was meete that wee should make merry be glad for this thy brother was deade is aliue againe and was lost and is founde C. As if he should say Why arte thou offended at our myrth of the which thou oughtest to bee Partaker For it is meete that we should reioyce ouer thy Brother whom we thought was lost but is now retourned home in peace These two reasons are to bee noted of vs bycause wee loose nothinge if GOD mercifully receiue into his fauoure those which were strayed away from him in their sinnes and it is wicked hardnesse of heart not to reioyse when we see our bretheren to be restored from death to life S. For such is the condition of all men which forsake God
very dede that he was alwaies ready to hear our prayers Who neyther feared God Thys is an Example of an Vniuste Iudge and not of a Godly and mercyfull Iudge in whome there was no Shame whereas hipocrites are not voyde of shamefastnes For his words are thus much in effect If the wycked be cōstrained to do that which is right how much more shall God performe that which he promiseth who is by nature good yea goodnes it selfe As it is said in another place If you then being euill know howe to geeue vnto youre Chyldren good thynges howe much more shall your Father which is in Heauen Mat. 7.11 geue good thynges to them that aske of him Therefore thys Description preuayleth very much to amplify that we may be sure that we shal be hearde of GOD if wee persist in prayer 3. And there was a certayne Widow in the same City and she came vnto him saying Auenge mee of my Aduersaries C. Whereas Chryst setteth before vs a Widow which obtayned of the Vnrighteous and cruell Iudge her petycion because shee did not ceasse Daily to call vpon him this is the Summe that God doth not by and by helpe hys Seruaunts because he will be after a sorte wearied with prayers Moreouer although they are miserable and despised which call vpon him yet notwtstanding if so be they doe not faynt but persist in prayer he will behold them at the last and will helpe theyr necessities Howbeit this is not a comparison of thinges equall for there is great difference betwene a wicked cruell man and God which is mercifull but the purpose of Chryst was to teache that we ought not to doubt but that the faithfull by continuall prayer shall intreate the Father of mercy seeing that men which are geuen to cruelty by importunate callyng vppon will yeelde The wicked and hard hearted Iudge could not abyde the importunate cryes of the widow insomuch that he was constrained at the length to graunt How then can the prayers of the Faithful bee wtout fruite if so be they be continuall Therefore although we be wearye or if so be we persist not either if because Gods Eares seeme to be stopte the feruencie of our prayer waxe colde Yet notwithstanding wee may assure oure selues to preuaile thoughe no likelyhoode thereof appeare and with this perswasion let vs so fighte against our Impatience that long delay cut of our prayer Reuenge mee of my Aduersary C. This seemeth absurde vnto some that Chryst attributeth heere to the Electe a desyre to reuenge the which in another place he forbiddeth If any reply that the same must not bee asked before men but may be asked before God it is but a small shifte for he commaundeth vs to pray for our enemies How then can those thinges agre that a man should commend his Enemies vnto God and should also pray that he would punish them As touching the significatiō of the word the Greke word Ecdikein signifieth to reuenge or to take Vengeaunce it signifieth also to restoare a man to his right or to deliuer from Iniury in the which sence also the Latines vse the word Vindicare which though it properly signyfieth to reuenge yet it is often vsed for to deliuer from oppressiō or wrōg But if a man wyll stande vppon the Interpretation and will expound it to reuenge yet notwithstandynge there can nothing be gathered oute of this parable but that which Luke hath put downe in the first verse which is And he put forth vnto them a Parable to this ende that men oughte alwayes to pray and not to be wearye Therefore wee may not stande vppon one word thereby to draw out a sence contrary to the Doctrine of Chryste So God affyrmeth himselfe to bee the Reuenger of the Faithfull in the seuēth Verse not to lewse the Raines to the affections of the Flesh but hereby also to inuite vs to put our trust in his Defence and to perswade vs that hee is careful for our Saluation If so be we being pure and free from the desyre of Reuenge do by the motion of the Spirite call for help at Gods handes our request shal be holy and acceptable vnto GOD and hee will graunt it But bicause there is nothinge more harde then to put away those vicious affections that our prayers may bee holy and pure we must pray vnto the Lord to purge and to dyrect our harts by his holy Spirite and so our Praiers shall be acceptable he wil make vs answer 7. And shal not God auenge his elect which cry Day and Nighte vnto him hym yea though hee deferre them C. This vniuste Iudge whō Chryste depainteth vnto vs neither to feare God nor yet to care for man or hys owne shame did at the laste open hys Eyes to behold the misery of the Widow Euen so no doubte the Faythful shall receiue the like profite so that they ceasse not to call vppon God For if so be the vniuste Iudge being ouercome with her prayers was constrained to deliuer her from her Enemy GOD which is most iust merciful towarde his Electe beinge called vppon wyth theyr continual prayers and cries can not but heare and deliuer them from the violence of theyr oppressors And we muste note that Chryste applyinge this simillitude to his purpose doth not make God like vnto a wicked and cruel Iudge but showeth another maner of cause why God differreth hys Faithfull for a longe time and doth not reach out his hand at the first vnto them namely because he is patiēt Wherefore if at any time God suffer vs to bee Oppressed longer then wee would let vs know that the same is dō by his Fatherly Counsaile and Wisedome to teach vs patience sufferance For the longe sufferaunce of God towardes the wicked is not an eternall and Generall Quietus est 8. I tell you that he will auenge thē and that quickely Neuerthelesse when the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde Faith on the Earth C. In that he promiseth that God shal quickely auēge them it must be referred to his prouidence because accordyng to our Carnall Imagination he doth not helpe vs soone inough But if it were lawfull for vs to enter into his Counsayle we should knowe that his ayde is alway ready and timelie ynough S. Therfore he saith iustly that God will soone take vengeance Neuertheles when the Son of mā commeth As in the 26. Verse of the Chapter going before Chryst toulde his Disciples that a litle before his cōming there should be great security in the world so nowe in this sentence hee sayth there shall bee at the same tyme as greate scarsity of Fayth In Math. we haue these wordes And because Iniquity shall abound the loue of many shal waxe colde Ma. 24.12 but he that indureth to the ende shal be saued And a litle after he sayth And excepte the Lord had shortened those Dayes no flesh should bee saued but for the Electes sake he hath
other men are Secondly hee reckeneth vp his owne Vertues He denyeth himselfe to be as other mē are because he was not guilty of those offences which were cōmon in the worlde And it may be that hee was not in the sight of men an Extortioner an vniust person an Adulterer and yet notwithstanding his prayer is abhominable in the sight of God because it is ioyned with a vaine Confidence of workes 12. I fast twyse in the weeke I geeue tithe of all that I possesse C. In that he boasteth that hee dothe faste twise a weeke and that he gieueth tyth of al his goods it is as much as if he should say that he did more thē the law required Euē as the Monks bost of their works of supererrogation as though it were a small matter for thē to fulfill the whole Law of God For although euery man is bound to geue thankes vnto God according to the measure of those vertues which he hath receiued Yet notwithstanding there are two thinges to be noated the fyrste is that we be not puffed vp with a certain trust as though we had satisfyed God Secondly that we waxe not proud in contemning our Bretheren In bothe these the Pharisie offended because he falsely challenging righteousnesse to himselfe attributed nothing to the mercy of God secondly he condempned all men in respecte of himselfe And thankes geuing had not ben disalowed of Chryst if it had not ben defiled with these two vices For the onely hope of the Godly so longe as they are vnder the Infirmitie of the Fleshe is the onely Sanctuary of Gods mercy in the which they repose their whole Saluation This Pharisie praied voide of care And although his confession seemeth to proceede from humillitye because he confesseth that whatsoeuer he hath it commeth of God Notwithstāding because hee exempteth himselfe from the number of sinners He is iustly reiected w his praye For he which is most holy ought notwithstandynge to acknowlege himself to be falty in many thinges thus doth the iust man hee confesseth from the Bottome of his heart that he is a sinner Furthermore when we pray we ought not to consider so much how gretly we haue profited but what we want as yet and to this wee ought to bende our whole minde C. But it may be demaunded how he was endued with so much holines which was blinded with so greate pryde and disdayne For so greate Integritie doth not come but from the spyrit of God which assuredly raigneth not in hipocrites Wee answer that he deceiued himself with an outward shewe of Vertues as though the inwarde and secrete vncleannesse of the heart were not required Wherfore though his heart were full of wicked lustes and desires yet notwithstanding because he iudged onely after the outward shew he bosted of his innocēcie Also it is to be noated that God in no place of the Law commaunded hys Seruauntes to faste twise a Weeke or weekely Wherefore this fast was a voluntary exercise withoute the prescripte of the Law 13. And the Publican standing a farre of would not lyfte vp his Eyes to Heauen but smoate vpon his brest saying God be mercifull to mee a sinner R. As in the Pharisie we haue had an Example of hypocriticall and Wicked righteousnes before God so in the publican we haue set before as an exāple of true repentaunce by which wee attaine true righteousnes before God For this publican though hee had no countenaunce or credit in the sighte of the world yet notwithstandinge hee obtayned true Righteousnes Would not lifte vp his eyes to heauen C. The meaninge of Chryste heere to geue a General Rule as though it were needefull to caste downe our eies toward the Earth so often as we pray but hath onely geuen vs here signes of humillitie the which vertue hee commendeth vnto his Disciples And in this humillitie consisteth if so be we forget not our sinnes but in Condempning our selues preuent the iudgement of God and doe also cōfesse our owne vnrighteousnes that we may be reconciled vnto God And to this ende pertaineth shame which is alway ioyned with repentance For the Lorde pryncipally standeth vppon this that the Publican seriously acknowledgynge himselfe to be miserable and in daūger of vtter Destruction fleeth vnto the mercie of God and distrusting himself placeth his whole hope onely in the clemencie of GOD. C For although hee bee a sinner yet hoping of free pardon he doubteth not but to finde God Fauourable vnto him sayinge God bee mercifull to me a sinner He vseth a very short prayer But the purpose of Chryst is onely to shewe that this man reposed his truste in the mercy of God alone For it is commonly se that they which are of a contryte heart can not expresse that which they woulde and are constrayned also with Shame to speake softely The which two are alway ioyned together where true acknowledging of sinne is that is to say This griefe this shame the one expressed in his gesture and the other in his prayer And in that he imploreth mercie he sheweth in what he trusteth for he bringeth nothing with him but the confession of his faulte So that he entereth not into that presence of God to excuse himselfe neyther doth he alleadge any merites or satisfactiōs but to obtaine fauour hee acknowledgeth himselfe vnworthie of the same And verelie seeing onely remission of sinnes doth bringe vs into Gods fauour we must needes begin at the same if so be we desire to haue our Prayers acceptable vnto him If any man moued by this place demaunde whether nothing els is to bee requyred at the handes of GOD but Remission of sinnes We aunswer that Chryst ment not to describe here a forme of prayer but only went about to reprehend that false counterfeite Righteousnesse wyth the which hypocrites being puffed vp reiect the grace of God 14. I tel you this man departed home to his house iustefied rather then the other For euery one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted C. Here he applyeth his parable that we are not iustefied by merite but by the grace of God Rather thē the other C. This is an improper comparison For Chryst doth not preferre the Publican before the Pharisei as thoughe Righteousnesse belonged vnto them both but meaneth that the publicane was accepted of God whereas the other was wholly reiected And this place plainely teacheth what it is properly to be iustified namely to stād before God as if he were righteous For the Publican is not therefore sayde to be iustefied because sodainely hee got a new quallity but because his sinnes being taken away he obtained grace Whereuppon it followeth that righteousnesse consisteth in Remission of sinnes Therefore as a wicked confidence and truste did pollute and defile the Vertues of the Pharisie that hys Integritie which was commendable in the sighte of the worlde was of no pryce before God euen so the
Publicane being furthered with no merites of VVorkes obtayned Righteousnesse onely by Begging Pardon and that because he had no other confideÌ„ce but only in the clemencie and goodnes of God But it seemeth very absurde that all men should be alyke in this poynte ObiectioÌ„ seeing the purity of Sainctes doth far excell this which is in the Publican Ansvver We answer how much soeuer a man hath profited in the true Worshippe of God and in holinesse Yet notwithstanding if we consider our imperfection still wee cannot ryghtly pray in any other forme then to begin wyth the confession of our own vnrighteousnes For although some more some lesse yet neuerthelesse all are subiect to sin Wherefore there is no doubt but that Chryst heere prescribeth a â—aw vnto all men as if he should say that theÌ„ we please God when wee distrustyng our owne workes desire to be reconcyled vnto God And verely this oughte to be one of the pillers of our faith namely that wee are accepted of God not that we haue deserued so to be but because he imputeth not to vs our sins Therefore this place is notable not so much for that it ouerthroweth the righteousnes of workes as that therby we vnderstand what it is to be iustified namely by the mere grace and mercie of God not to haue our sinns imputed vnto vs to be accepted of God not for the merite of works but through Christe as saith Saint Augustine We are first iustified afterward sanctified by the holy ghost For euery one that exalteth himself This sentence was as a common prouerbe as was that also going before in the 14. Chapter verse 11. which the Lorde vsed in the 23. Chapter of Mathew also verse 12. Where this is expounded R. With the which sentence agreeth this saying of the virgin Marie He hath put downe the mightie from their seate Luk. 1.52 and hath exalted the humble and meeke And the more generall and common that this sentence is the more dilligently it ought to bee be wayed to be set alway before oure Eyes that in prosperity we may learn to feare God and in aduersitie to truste in him alone For that which is spokeÌ„ heere is commonly seene to bee true both among men and also before God euen as the very Examples of Things doe declare if so be thou waigh consider a right what it is to exalte and what to humble our selues For he exalteth himselfe before men which contemneth other in respecte of himselfe reprehendeth all other meÌ„s doings and onely boasteth and commendeth his owne Therefore this man is deiected and contemned in like maner of men And he humbleth himself whych following his calling sheweth himself dutifull and lowly to euery one And he which thus behaueth himselfe toward men is also exalted of men But he exalteth himselfe before God which ascribeth righteousnes to his own power and not onely that but also al the giftes of God So that Pharisie by whome the parable was tould exalted himself Da 34.27 So Nabuchodonoser the King of Babilon exalted him self 2. Ki. 15.2 So Absolon exalted himself thinking himself more worthy of the Kingdome then hys Father So Herode exalted himselfe Act. 122.2 when he heard this shout The voice of a God and not of a man But what happened vnto these Surely eueÌ„ the same which is pronounced in this Generall Sentence The more highlie they exalted them selues the greater was theyr fall Againe they huÌ„ble theÌ„selues before God which feele theyr sinnes and haue a humble Spirit and contryte heart for theyr sins and iudge theÌ„selues worthy of eternal deth This is not fained but true humillity thys is not hypocrisie but true confession Thus the Publicane humbled hymselfe whych acknowledged hymself to be a sinner and vnworthy to lift vp his eyes to heauen So Dauid humbled himselfe saying Haue Mercye on me O Lord for I am weake Heale me O Lorde Psa 6 3. for my bones are vexed So Paule also humbled himself wheÌ„ he sayde 1. Ti. 1.15 Chryste Iesus came into the Worlde to saue sinners whereof I am chiefe But what happened vnto these Surely euen the very same whych Chryst pronounceth here shall happen to the humble For the more depely they are cast downe the more highly they are exalted againe Wherefore in highe loftie Maiestie and amiddest the moste excellent giftes of GOD wee must feare the Iudgement of GOD and muste not thinke arrogantely of oure selues least we be cast from alofte into the bottomlesse pit of Hell 15. They brought also vnto him Infantes that hee shoulde touche them which when his Dysciples sawe they rebuked them R. When our Lorde IESVS Chryst was Famous both by Doctrin and by myracles all sortes of men ran vnto him some one way affected and some another but the better sore came vnto him eyther being in healthe to heare his sermons and to learne the true way to Saluation Or else sicke and diseased to get theyr health Seeing therefore Chryst disdained and rected not any sorte of men Parents brought theyr Chyldren also vnto him not that their Infants myght heare the Sermons of Chryste or might be cured from this or that kinde of Disease but only that CHRIST might touch them that he might pray for them and laying his Handes vpon them might blesse them as we haue shewed in the 19. Chapter of Mathew Verse 13. Where you may Reade the Exposition of the rest vnto the 31. verse following 31. Iesus toke vnto him the twelue and sayde vnto them Behould we go vp to Hierusalem and al things shall bee fulfilled to the son of man that are written by the Prophets Ma 20.17 Mar. 10.32 C. The purpose of CHRIST in these wordes is to admonishe his Disciples because the time of his passion was at hande and to prouide aforehaÌ„d that they might be incouraged hee seeing howe they woulde be made afeard in time to come And a double confyrmation might be gathered out of these Woordes For when they heard that to be foreshewed which they saw afterward came to passe they could not but acknowledge Chryst to be the Sonne of God The other confirmation was of the hope of the Resurrection For hee said The thyrd day hee shall rise agayne 32. For hee shall bee deliuered to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spytefully intreated and spitted on R. Heere he euidently sheweth that al the Prophetes Rom 4 â—5 Lu. 24.25 and .44 and the whole Scripture of the olde Testament hath specyally Respecte hereunto and doth aboue all other thinges handle this Argumente teaching that CHRIST must be deliuered for our sins and rise agayne for our Iustification When hee sayth that the Scryptures muste be fulfilled he plainly teacheth his Disciples that all Thynges shall happen vnto him accordyng to the will of his Father who had so decreed as Testimony was geuen in the Scryptures 34. AND they vnderstoode none of all these Thynges and this saying