to Iordane to Iohn that he myght be baptised of him Then came Iesus from Galile B. The preachinge of Iohn the Baptiste being ended the Euāgelist beginneth to preach our lord Iesus the sauiour of the world personally of his own wordes and dedes And first of al he sheweth howe he was baptised not onely with water but also with the spirite was not so much celebrated and put into the flock of Goddes people which was the kingdom of heauē as he was declared by the voice of his father frō aboue to be a teacher kinge of his people kingdome M. Marke saith in those daies whē as Iohn had preached a while and a gret multitude of the people came to be baptised then was it a fyt conueniēt tyme for Christ to be reuealed the hartes of mortal men by the preching of repētance being pricked desiring thirsting after the grace of Christ That he might be baptised of him C. To what ende the son of god wold be baptised we maye somewhat gather of his aunswere folowinge 14. But Iohn forbad him saying I haue nede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to mee But Iahn forbad him M. Iohn denied his office and ministerye to Christe firste in consideration of his maiestie then in consideration of his own imbecillitie and weakenes the which he partly declared when he sayd whose shoose I am not worthye to beare He knewe that Chryste had no neede to be baptized with this baptisme of repentaunce yea rather that he had neede to be baptized of hym he thoughte it was vnworthy and vnmete that the seruant shoulde baptize the lorde and maister of all whiche had no necessitie therevnto By these reasons beinge moued he refused to baptise him I haue nede to be C. It is certaine that Christe was not onely knowne of Iohn to be an excellente prophete as many very fondly imagin but also to be the son of God otherwyse submittinge and surrendring his holy vocation to a mortal man he should haue ben iniuriouse to god But the reader may learn wherby he was knowē vnto Iohn in the first cha of Iohn This was a reasonable cause to refuse and denye seing that Christ had no nede of baptisme but in this Iohn was deceyued that he wayed not howe that Christe dyd not desire baptisme for his owne sake but for other mennes Therefore Christ beddeth hym to consyder what doth belong vnto him that hath taken vpon him the parson of a seruaunte because that willinge subiection dothe derogate nothinge of his glorye and renowne For althoughe Iohn knewe not his owne office and dewely for a tyme yet notwithstandinge his errour doth not let but that he did his duetie both lawfully and duely 15. Iesus aunswered and saide vnto hym let it be so nowe For thus it becommeth vs to fulfyll all ryghteousenes Then he suffered him Iesus aunsvvered and sayde vnto E. Our sauiour Christ by these wordes doth not denie the wordes of Iohn to be true when he said I haue nede to be baptized of the. but graunteth the wordes of Iohn to be trew yet neuerthelesse he doth infringe and put away the occasyon of controuersie which arose of those wordes sayinge Let it be so novve for so it becommeth vs to fulfyll all righteousenesse C. By this aunswere of Chryste we may gather why he woulde be baptised because it becommeth vs saith he to fulfyll all righteousenes To fulfil al righteousenes in the scripture is as much to saye as to fulfyll the lawe And so wee may expounde this place that it behoued Christe which willingly submitted hym selfe to the lawe to fulfill the same in al poyntes But better it maye be vnderstande on this maner as if Christe shuld haue sayde Sease and leaue of to speake of my dignitie neyther is it my purpose at this tyme to reason whiche of vs two is the better but rather we must looke what oure vocation requireth and what God the father hath appoynted vnto vs For Chryst vsed this generall baptisme that he might in al poyntes obey the will of his father but he vsed the special baptisme that he might consecrate the same in his owne body that it mighte be common to vs with him Therfore he saith so it behoueth vs to fulfill all righteousenesse as if he shoulde say I muste in all thinges be obediente to my father Thy baptisme is apoynted of the father therefore although I am greter then thou yet it so pleased my father that I should receyue baptisme of thée and shoulde consecrate the same in my bodye that they whiche receyue mée and are in me baptyzed should acknowledge me to be their brother and fellowe heyre Then he suffered hym Here is to be noted the modestie of Iohn whiche by and by geueth place and obeyeth Chryste For he contendeth no farther but hearynge reason that so it became hym to fulfyll all ryghteousenes althoughe before it seemed verye absurde is nowe perswaded and baptizeth Christe Euen so Peter which said Thou shalt neuer washe my feete when he hearde Christ say excepte I wasshe thée thou haste no parte with me by and by he sayde Lorde not onely my fete but my handes and head M. Whereby we are taught that those that erre by ignorance when they know the trueth are easely perswaded 16. And when Iesus was baptized he ascended out of the water and behold the heauens were opened vnto hym and he sawe the spirite of God descēdinge lyke a dooue and lyghtynge vpon him And vvhen Iesus vvas baptized M Now the Euangeliste dothe shewe vnto vs howe Christ was celebrated and authorised after his baptisme And beholde the. C. The openinge of the heauens is sometymes taken for the shewing forth of the glory of the heauens But in this place it is taken for the visible seperation and diuision of the heauens so that Iohn might se somwhat hier then the starry firmamēt where the planettes were But to search farther what this opening of the heauēs meaneth or what it was neyther dothe it parteine to the matter neyther is it necessary because it is sufficiēt to know that this was a signe token of the presence of god Yet where the Euangelistes do saye that Iohn sawe the holye ghost it is lykely that the heauens were open specially for his sake Althoughe it ought not to be denied but that Christ in respect that he was mā was the more assured of his vocation And to this effect do the wordes of Luke seme to serue whiche sayth that when Christe prayed the heauens were open M. But by the openinge of the heauens here specifyed is signified that this is he whiche shulde come from heauen and shoulde teache heauenlye thynges that is he shoulde shewe the wyll of his father to heauenly men For he that is of the earthe speaketh of the earthe but he whiche came from heauen is aboue all Furthermore it is signified that this is hée whiche by his
To this efecte was the parable of the figge tree alleaged of our sauiour Christ in Luke saying Except ye repent ye shal al likewise perish he tolde also this similitude A certayne man had a figge tree plāted in his vyneyard he came and sought fruite therō and found none Then said he to the dresser of his vyneyarde Beholde this three yere haue I com and sought fruit of this figge tree find none cut it downe why combereth it the ground he answered and said vnto him Lord let it alone this yere also tyl I digge round about it and dounge it to see whether it wyll beare fruits and if it beare not then after that shall you cut it downe And in an other place Christ faith thus If any abyde not in mee he is caste out of the doores as a branches withereth men gather them and cast them into the fyer they burne 11. I baptise you with water vnto repentance but he that shal com after me is mightier then I whose shoote I am not worthy to beare he shall baptise you with the holy ghost with fier I baptise you vvith vvater C. The thre Euangelistes do reherse the selfe same wordes of Iohn the Baptiste In this one thynge Luke is more plentyfull because fyrste he dothe shewe for what occasion this sermon was made that is to saye because it was a doubte that the people would take away the honour of Christ by a false wrong opinion M. For he saith As the people were in a doubt al mē mused in their hartes at Iohn whether he were very Chryste Iohn answered said vnto thē all I baptise you with water c. C. Therfore that he might in time take away the occasion of the errour he doth plainely say that he is not Christ and so he doth disseuer him self frō him that he may bringe him that right which aparteined vnto him And truly he did this willingely that he myghte bringe disciples vnto Christ as the prouerbe is from hand to hand but he preuenteth it the soner least in holdinge his peace any lōger he shuld confirme the errour of the people C. His wordes therefore tend to this efect I cal al men to re pentance and hauing professed the same I signe them with the seale of Baptisme whereby they maye be assured that theyr sinnes are forgeuen thē if they beleue in him which shal come after me that is to say in Christe whiche onely forgeueth sinnes geueth the holy ghost printing a true faith in our hartes of remission of sinnes and mortifying also the affectiōs of our fleshe He vvhiche commeth after me This is spoken in the present tence The greke participle is doubtful so that thou maist vnderstand it that Christ was Iunior or younger then Iohn or elles that he shoulde succede Iohn in the office of preaching So the Euāgelist Iohn resiteth the same wordes saying After me there came a mā which went before me for he was before me Is stronger then I. C. By these wordes he dothe shewe that Christ was of a greter power dignitie in respect of whom he also was subiecte as if he should say The worke of Christ to come that is the redemption of mankind the kingdom which he receiued of God the father do require greater force power then I or any man els cā shew I am his minister he is the lord whiche hath receiued all power of his father Therfore in that Iohn doth acknowledge his own imbecillitie it is done to attrybute the glory of vertue power to Christ to saue and to destroy to saue the elect to destroy the reprobate also he doth admonish vs that there is no sainct or angel Christ only excepted that hath power to saue destroy VVhose shoose I am not vvorthy E. He said before that Christ was stronger then he to āplifie the same he saith that he is vnworthye to cary his shoose He vseth the common forme phrase of speche by the which he doth so extol the glory of Christ that aboue him he cōpareth nothing To the whiche ende this is also spoken He must increase but I must decrease He shal baptize you vvith the holy Here Iohn maketh Christ the authour of spyrituall baptisme but yet neuerthelesse a minister of the externall thing Here he dothe seme to preuent before secretly a question that might be obiected agaynst him to what ende pourpose the baptisme that he toke vnto him serued Neyther was it any small triffell to bringe a new vnwonted thinge into the churche of God and that specially to set forthe a new kind of begīning that shold be more perfecte and better then the law of God. Therfore he answereth that he hath don nothing rashly though he be a minister of the outwarde signe that yet he dothe nothing at al diminish the vertue power of god Wherfore we may easely gather that it was no parte of his meaning to distinguishe make a differēce betwene his baptisme that which Christ gaue his disciples in cōmandement to vse the vse wherof also he wold haue cōtinually establyshed in the churche Neither doth he compare the visible signe to the inuisible but cōparing the persons of the seruant lord together he doth teache what is proper apperteining to the seruant what also as due right is to be rendred to the lord And also herby is gathered a general doctrine that is to say what are the partes of men in baptisme also what is properly to the son of god For only to men is cōmitted the administratiō of the outward and visible thing but that trueth it self doth onely remaine with Christ The scripture somtime doth improperly assigne to men that whiche Iohn doth affirme onely to belong to Christe which he denieth to apperteine vnto men but thā he doth not way and consider what man hath specially by him self but simplely doth teach what is the force and profite of signes howe God doth woorke with his holy spirite by them Here is geuen a distinctiō betwene Christ and his ministers least that the world geue that vnto them which only of duetie and right perteineth vnto him as nothing is more ready and inclined then the world to beautifie adorne the creatures with the spoyles of God. We knowe what howe great outragiouse contentions haue ben in these days as concerning the vse and efficacy of the signes al the which may be taken awaye with this one word that the whole institution of the lorde doth comprehende the author hym selfe and the vertue of the spirite with the figure minister but when as the mynister is compared with the lord that he maye haue al we muste bring the other to nothing VVith the holy ghost It may be demaūded why Iohn did not say as wel that it was Christ which did washe our soules with his bloud
incarnation and bloud should make agrement betwene humaine things and heauenly thinges as S. Paule wryteth to the Ephesians and Collossians Thirdly it signifieth that he is that same Christ which made vnto vs free passage and recourse to the thron of his grace the gates of heauen beinge by hym broken open To be shorte that whiche was reuealed to Ioseph in the vision of the opening of the heauens and of the ladder that from the earth reached therevnto is declared from aboue by this inauguration and celebration of Christe And he savve C. Namely Iohn because by and by yt foloweth that the spirite descended vpon Christe M. And Iohn hym selfe in an other place saithe I did not knowe hym but he that sente me to baptize with water the same sayd vnto me vpon whom thou shalt se the spirite descende and tary styl on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holye ghost And I sawe bare recorde that the same is he which is the sonne of God. Question C. It may now be demaunded how Iohn coulde se the spiryte We aunswere that for as muche as the spirite of God is dispersed euerye where and fylleth both heauen earth that the descention from heauen is very vnproperly applied vnto it the same we must iudge also as concerning the sight therof For although the holyghost be inuisible by it selfe yet notwithstanding it is said that we se it when as it sheweth any signe of his presence Iohn sawe not the essence of the spirite the which essēce or beinge can not be sene with mannes eies neyther did he se the vertue it self which cannot be comprehended with humaine sence but onely with the intelligence and vnderstandinge of fayth but he sawe the shape of a dooue vnder the which it pleased God to shewe and manifest his spirite Therfore this is a metonymical kinde of speache by the which the name of a spiritual thinge is put for a visible signe For as some very folishly and preposterously do vrge the letter that they might include the thyng in the signe euen so we must wey consider that by these meanes phrases of speaking figuratiuely is noted the coniunction of the thing with the signe Accordinge to this sence meaning the bredde of the sacred and holy supper of the lord is called the body of Christ not because it is so but because it dothe witnesse vnto vs that it is trewely geuen vs to eate Furthermore we must call to mynd that whiche we towched euen nowe that is we must not fayne and imagin the commynge downe of any notable or myralouse thynge that the holye Ghoste should be sought in a signe as though he were included in the same as in a place but we must satisfie content our selues with this that the lorde by his secrete power doth shewe forthe vnto vs by figures whatsoeuer he promysed Descending M. This comming downe of the spirite of God was made for this purpose in a visible shape to descende vpō Christe that the authoritie that he had from aboue might be declared in earth The like came vpon the Apostels when they were sent to preache the Gospell throughout the whole worlde And when the Apostles had layde handes on those that were ready to preache the Gospell the vertue and power of the holy ghoste was geuen to theim by a visible signe which before they had receiued through faith that the churche as yet being rude should be comforted and that by the singuler and visible gift of the spirite they might be appointed to the worke of the mistery and instructed and confirmed in the same Like a doue C. It may be demaunded why the holy ghoste rather appeared in the shape of a doue then in fier The solution of this question doth depende vpon the analogy or similitude of the thinge sealed with the figure We knowe what the Prophete attributeth to Christe when he sayde A broosed reede shall he not breake and the smoking flaxe shal he not quenche he shall not cry neither shall his voyce be harde Because of this gentlenes of Christe by the whiche mildely and louingly he hath brought sinners to the hope of saluation the holy ghost descended vpon him in the likenes of a doue And in this signe is offered vnto vs the manifeste pledge of swete consolation that we should not be afrayde to come vnto Christe whiche came not vnto vs in the fearefull terrible power of the spirite but in the pleasant amiable shewe of his grace M. Also by the same is shewed what Christe would worke in the hartes of the faithfull namely the very same whiche he him selfe saith Be ye innocente as doues Finally by this appearing of the holy ghoste is shewed what this heauenly kyng should be how meke and louing then what behauiour and disposition they should haue whiche should be regenerate by the baptisme of the holy ghost C. Moreouer some more curiously then profitable do seke and demaunde whether this doue were a perfecte and sounde body or only an image and figure of a Doue For although the woordes of Luke do seme to affirme that it was not the substaunce but the shape of a Doue yet notwithstanding we can not appointe any certaintie thereof And comming vpon him M. That is to say vpon Christe Question C. Here it may be demaunded why the spirite did then descēde vpon him when as before he was replenished with the same This question is aunswered with this place of the prophete The spirite of the lorde vpon me therefore he anointed me to preache to the poore he sent me For although Christ did excell in the singuler grace of the spirite euen vntill the myracle yet neuertheles he kept hym selfe at home like a priuate man vntill he was brought forth of his heauenly father Therefore nowe when the dewe time was come in the whiche he should prepare him selfe to accomplishe the office of a redemer he is indewed with the newe power of the spirite and that not for his owne cause so muche as for others For this was done by the prouidence of God that the faithfull might learne to imbrace reuerently his deuine power and that the infirmitie of the fleshe should not be contemptible and despised in him And that was also the cause why he differred his baptisme till that he was thirty yeare olde Baptisme was the beginning of the Gospell therefore he toke it when he began to preache the Gospell For Christe preparing him selfe to preache the Gospell began his office as well by baptisme as by the instruction of the holy ghost The holy ghoste therfore descending vppon Christe appeared vnto Iohn to teache that no carnall or earthly thing was to be foūde in Christ but as a diuine person to come from heauen in whom the fulnes of the spirite raigned We knowe vndoubtedly that he was God manifested in the fleshe yet notwithstanding his heauenly
and may be taken for either of them But as touching the matter God to the ende he might bynde vs as it were to his wyll doth shewe euen as with his finger him whome he wyll sende and to this ende pertayneth this worde of demonstration beholde The lyke reason is in the Epithetes or tytels followyng in the whiche he calleth hym his seruaunt and his chosen in whome his soule delighteth For whereupon cōmeth it to passe that men dare presume to measure Christe by their reason and sence but only because they consider not that their redemption dependeth vppon the mere grace of god But this is to wicked and grosse a libertie That whē God offereth vnto vs his incomparable treasure we esteme and make pryce of the same according to our fleshely skyll Also he is called a seruaunt by excellency not as one among a common multitude or as cōmon seruauntes are but as suche a one to whome God hathe committed the charge of his churche or congregatiō and the redemption of mankynde And because no man which vsurpeth honour to hym selfe is worthy of honour but he whiche is truely called to the same God pronounceth that his sonne Christe is thereunto called and chosen by his heauēly and euerlasting decrée and councell Therefore he saythe VVhome I haue chosen Whereupon it followeth that it is not mete for men to reiecte hym whom God hath chosē And truely it were to absurde and voyde of all reason that the holy and inuiolable vocation of God should be frustrate and of none effecte at our will and pleasure M. He sayde therefore to be the elect and chosen of God not in respecte that he is a sonne but a seruaunt sente into this worlde for our redemption Therefore the Prophetes vsed to call Christe the electe and chosen of god And the hyghe priestes mockynge hym sayde if he be Christe the chosen of God let hym saue hym selfe Also saynt Peter saythe If so be that ye haue tasted howe gracious the lorde is to whome ye come as a liuinge stone disalowed of men but chosen of God. My beloued This is not redde in the Hebrewe texte In vvhome my soule delighteth C. Where as God addeth that the pleasure of his soule resteth in Christe it cōtayneth more matter in it then can well be perceiued at the firste sighte For although the vocation and calling of vs all dothe sprynge from the frée fauoure and grace of God as from a lyuelye well Notwithstandynge this is synguler in Christe because in his persone God the father comprehendeth the whole churche with his loue For in that we are al enemies vnto God by nature his loue can neuer come vnto vs except it beginne first at the heade as shal be declared in the seuententh chapter followyng M. There is no firme sure and perfect loue to be founde in no creature no not in the Aungels in heauen but in Christe him selfe alone I vvyll put my spirite vpon hym M. Christe in respecte of his humanitie was appointed and cōsecrated with the grace of the holy ghoste before he executed the office for the whiche he was sent Bu. He being baptized sawe the spirite of God descending and resting vpon him of the which Iohn the Baptist was warned before by these wordes He whiche sente me to baptize with water sayde vnto me vpon whome soeuer thou sest the spirite of God descending and restinge the same is he whiche baptizeth wyth the holy Ghoste So were Moyses Samuel and Dauid consecrated So were Elias and Elizeus the Prophetes consecrated also There is all so yet another reason for the which Christ is sayd to be endewed with the holy ghost as we wyll declare anone And he shall shevve iudgement to the Gentyles C. The Prophete here sheweth briefely the office of Christ which was to declare iudgement to the Gentyles But by the name of iudgement is comprehēded the state of the Iewes where equitie right florished Therefore these wordes are in effect as if the Prophete should haue sayd that he shall come which shall restore the righteousnes that is decaied that he shal be the moderator guyde not of one people only but shall bring also the Gētiles vnder the rule gouernemēt of God amōg whome before there was nothinge but vaste rude ignoraunt behauiour And this truly was the office of Christ to spread the kingdome of God which was shut vp in a corner of Iury throughtout the whole worlde as it is said in another place The lorde shall sende the rodde of thy power out of Syon A. In this place therefore the calling of the Gētyles is prophecied Also the manner howe iudgement shall be declared is expressed because God hath endewed Christe with his holy spirite whiche spirite Christe receiued of his father to powre vppon all those that are his For he teacheth vs not by a voyce or by wrytinge onely but by the grace of his holy spirite he frameth the hartes of men inwardly to the obseruing and keping the true and perfecte rule of righteousnes And without the operation of the same spirite in our hartes we are not able to performe any thing that is good 19 He shall not stryue nor crye neyther shall any man heare his voyce in the streates M. This is spoken of the mekenes and modestie of Christe the whiche he kepte vnto the ende and with the whiche he ouercame all his enemies C. For there shal be no suche māner of shouting cries and tumultes about his kingdome as is in the worlde Neyther shall his kyngdome consiste of pompe and violence but it shall be humble and base in the sighte of the worlde Yea by this place the Euāgeliste sheweth that Christe shoulde not reigne violently constrayninge men with force to be subiecte vnto hym but rather mekely with longe sufferaunce forbearing all men 20 A broused Reede shall he not breake and smokynge Flaxe shall hee not quenche till he sende foorthe iudgement vnto victory A broused Reede M. By these twoo sayings the Euāgelist declareth that Christ shall rather helpe our infirmitie then reiecte our weakenes and imbecillitie The Prophete also by these woordes setteth foorthe the wonderfull clemency and mekenes of the Lorde in that hee brake not the afflycted beynge as broused quilles or Reedes but rather comforted erected and strengthened them Also the smookynge Flaxe whiche was almoste extinguyshed he put not oute but kyndeled and gaue more lyghte vnto the same that it myght clerely burne He despysed not the Publicanes and sinners but soughte rather by all meanes to saue them There was nothynge so weake so broused and so muche quenched that hee strengthened not that hee made not whole that hee kyndeled not agayne with his holy spirite M. All the whiche thynges tende to this ende that the mekenes and clemency of Christe might be amiable vnto vs which is despysed in the worlde And truely the foolishenes of men is to be meruailed at that they