Collected Sermons, St Matthias
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER VPONUPON THE GOSPELL ON SAINCT MATTHIAS DAY.
Matth. 11.
Verſe 25. AT that time Ieſus aunſwered and ſaid: I giuegive thee thankes O Father, Lord of heauen & earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe thinges from the wiſe and men of vnderſtanding, and haſt opened them vntounto children.
26. It is ſo, O Father, becauſe thy good pleaſure was ſuch.
27. All thinges are giuen vntounto me of my Father: & no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne wil reueale him.
28. Come vntounto me all ye that are wearie & laden, & I will refreſh you.
29. Take my yoke on you and learne of me: for I am meeke and lowlie in hart: and ye ſhall find reſt vntounto your ſoules.
30. For my yoke is eaſie, and my burden is light.
The ſumme of this Goſpell.
1 REaſon is not capable of the Goſpell. For as Paul 1. Cor. 2. ſayth: The natural man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishnes vntounto him: neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Wherefore when reaſon ſeeketh ſaluation in worldly wiſedome and fooliſhnes, it fyndeth it not.
2 Chriſt calleth them children here, which truſt not to their owne wiſedome and righteouſnes, but do beleeue onelyonly.
3 As children onelyonly do obtaine ſaluation, ſo the Father alſo can not be knowen, vnles he be reuealed by Chriſt: that is, our wiſedome doth not know God the father. But when as through fayth we are taught and inſtructed in bearing the croſſe, then the power of God becommeth known vntounto vsus. Therefore alſo he afterward comforteth them, vponupon whom the croſſe is layd, ſaying: My yoke is eaſie, and my burden light.
The expoſition of the text.
THis text toucheth as it were, the verie pith and marrow of the Goſpel. Other places of Scripture wherein the miracles and doinges of Chriſt are rehearſed, hauehave not ſo much cōfort as thoſe, in which thoſe ſermons of Chriſt to the people are conteined, wherein he doth ſo louingly teach vsus, and allure vsus to himſelfe. I am not ſo certaine of the fauour, which I ſee ſhewed to others in working miracles, as if I hauehave the plaine wordes before myne eyes. It is a farre greater comfort alſo vntounto me, to heare ſuch louing admonitions and allurements, then the preaching of miracles: Albeit they alſo confirme my fayth, and are examples, that, as he hath holpen them, ſo alſo he will helpe me. Moreouer this Goſpell entreateth of the knowledge of God the father, and of Chriſt his ſonne, ſhewing alſo whereof ſuch knowledge doth conſiſt. Now that the meaning thereof may be well knowne, it is requiſite to vnderſtād aright theſe two words, wiſemen, and children or babes. But leſt when we heare it, we ſay: this pertaineth nothing to vsus, it is ſpokē to others, as the Iewes ſaid to the Prophets, which referred all thinges to the Gentiles, the wordes going before do ſufficiently ſhew, vntounto whom, or of whom theſe wordes of Chriſt are ſpoken. For before he ſpeaketh of them that contemne the Goſpell, not vouchſafeing to embrace it, whoſe dutie notwithſtanding eſpecially was to embrace it, inaſmuch as they would ſeeme alone to be them, that were occupied in the word of God, and were to be counted for the people of God. Of ſuch he ſayeth thus: Whereunto shall I liken this generation? it is like vntounto litle children which ſit in the markets, and call vntounto their fellowes, and ſay: we hauehave piped vntounto you, and ye hauehave not daunced: we hauehave mourned vntounto you, and ye hauehave not lamented. Which the Lord applieth to himſelfe, and vntounto Iohn the Baptiſt: as if he would ſay: we hauehave preached vntounto you the Goſpell: Iohn with a certaine ſeueritie and auſteritie, but I with verie great clemencie and gentlenes. But ye cōtemne our preaching and will not receiue it, ye ſhall at the laſt feele without dout to your great euell, what it is to deſpiſe the word of God. This is verie true, howſoeuer thou preacheſt to the people, whether thou be fayre ſpoken or ſeuere, gentle or vngentle, they will alwayes ſeeme to hauehave ſome cauſe or other to complaine of thee.
Theſe the Lord calleth here wiſe, and men of vnderſtanding, to theſe the Goſpell is hyd. He meaneth not here thoſe wiſe men, which are truly wiſe in diuine matters. For it is a great commendation, if one be worthy to be called wiſe and prudent. True wiſedom is nothing els but the knowledge of God,True wiſedome what it is. Prudence. to wit, when as I know what we muſt thinke of God, and do vnderſtand his will. But prudence ſignifieth abilitie and knowledge to iudge of worldly thinges, what is right or wrong, which Paule often ioyneth togither, eſpecially in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians chap. 1. and in his Epiſtle to the Coloſſians chap. 1. Of ſuch wiſedome Chriſt ſpeaketh not here, but of worldly wiſedome, which puffeth vp men, and excludeth the true wiſedome of God. We are all of this diſpoſition by nature, eftſoones to riſe againſt the wiſedome of God.
Humane or worldly wiſdome.That is called good, by the inſtinct of humane wiſedome, which bringeth pleaſure, honour, and profite, but thoſe thinges that are contrarie to theſe, as affliction, diſhonour, loſſe, thoſe are called euill. For mans nature can ſeeke nothing els at all, but thoſe things that are his owne, that which pleaſeth and profiteth him, that he doth eſpecially like: But that which diſpleaſeth him, he counteth the worſt of all thinges, although it be the beſt. Wherefore as I hauehave ſaide, the Lord ſpeaketh here of thoſe wiſe and prudent men, which with their owne wiſedom ſtriue againſt the wiſedome of God. Worldly wiſedome ſeemeth to it ſelfe to be ſo great, that is it not content to rule onelyonly theſe worldly and temporall thinges, but taketh alſo vponupon it ſelfe to hauehave the ouerſight of heauenly things, it alwayes ſercheth out and imagineth ſome new thing, euen in ſpirituall and diuine matters. So mans owne wiſedome hath inuented ſhauen crownes and cowles, & almoſt all that, wherein the papacie conſiſteth, euerie one hath choſen his proper worke to himſelfe, this man hath inuented this, an other hath inuēted that, and if this be aboliſhed, and doth not greatly pleaſe, byandby they fynde out ſome other thing, as (alas) we hauehave ſeene, and do as yet ſee, neither is there any meaſure in theſe trifles, whereupon it commeth, that we can hardly away with the word of God and the truth, but are alwayes delighted to inuent ſome new thing. For truly this is certaine, as often as we ordaine a new worſhip of God contrarie to the word of God, we are byandby blynded, and fall from errour to errour, then which calamitie none greater can come vntounto vsus. Wherefore Paule 2. Theſs. 2. ſayth: Therefore God shall ſend them ſtrong deluſiō, that they should beleeue lies, that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth, but had pleaſure in vnrighteouſnes. Yea and at the laſt they become ſo blynde, that they vnderſtand nothing at all of God, as it is in the 14. Pſal. The foole hath ſayd in his heart, there is no God. For it can not be that the naturall man, which conſiſteth of fleſh & blood, and is not inſtructed by the ſpirit of God, ſhould iudge and vnderſtand thoſe thinges which are of God, as Paule 1. Cor. 2. witneſſeth: The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the Spirite of God: for they are foolishnes vntounto him: neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually decerned. He which wil reade more hereof, let him peruſe the firſt chapter of the Epiſtle of Paule to the Romanes, there ſhall he plainly enough perceiue, what blyndenes is, and what puniſhment doth enſue, if the word of God beinge neglected, we folowe our one inuentions and counſels.
All which we ſee in our ſpirituall monkes, nunnes, and ſacrificing priſtes, and do too truly trie it. God graunt that they may at the laſt repent, and giuegive vntounto God his glorie. S. Paule ſayth there of the Gentiles, that they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the ſimilitude of the image, not onelyonly of a corruptible man, but alſo of birdes, and foure footed beaſtes, and of creeping thinges. So do our Papiſts alſo, yea and much more fooliſhly and madly then the Gentiles: for they make vntounto themſelues a good which is delighted with a ſhauen crowne, with towels, with eating of fleſh and fiſh, &c. Wherefore God hath giuen them vp through their hearts luſts vntounto vncleannes, as he did the Gentiles, and that ſo filthily, that it is better to conceale it, then to rehearſe it. For if ſuch filthie and wicked thinges were committed among the Gentiles, which had many wiues and many concubines, what would not theſe ſpirituall men com-Briefly which hauehave forbidden the vſe of women and matrimonie? mit, ſo is it wont to come to paſſe, where Satan beareth the ſwaie, and the word of God is wreſted to ſerue mens affections, which euerie man may aſſuredly perſwade himſelfe to be ſo, yea theſe thinges are ſo knowen and vndoutedly true, that children in the ſtretes ſpeake and ſing of them. Now this is not to be vnderſtood of ſpirituall men onelyonly, but euen the vulgar ſort and common multitude do liue ſo, when the word of God is not admitted. As we ſee citizens to vtter counterfet wares, marchants to deceiue in ſelling marchandice, and ſo many craftie practizes, ſo many deceits in ſubtill dealing, ſo much regard of vſurie and priuate profit, that it can not be rehearſed. As yet they endeuour againe to bring in the Maſſe, to ſet vp their tapers &c: being perſwaded that God is pacified with ſuch trifles, reuoluing this onelyonly in their myndes, that their fame may remaine vntouched and vnhurt in the world, howſoeuer they agree with God. Of ſuch wiſe and prudent men Chriſt ſpeaketh here in the Goſpell, which heare the Goſpell in deede, and ſee miracles, but it profiteth them nothing, foraſmuch as their heart is not touched. Now Chriſt ſayth thus:
Verſe 25. I giuegive thee thankes O Father, Lord of heauen and earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe thinges from the wiſe and men of vnderſtanding, and haſt opened them vntounto children:
Verſe 26. It is ſo, O Father, becauſe thy good pleaſure was ſuch.
Chriſt ſpeaketh not here of verie children: there may be ſome notable doctor, whom he calleth a childe in this place. Contrariwiſe there may be a ruſticall felow, whom he calleth here wiſe and prudent. In the eight Pſal. Dauid alſo calleth theſe infants and children, when he ſayth: Out of the mouth of babes and ſucklings haſt thou ordained ſtrength becauſe of thine enemies. They ſurely by whom God ordained ſtrength againſt his enemies, which ſhould extoll his glorie through the whole world, were not babes or children in verie deede. Thoſe therefore the Lord calleth children here, which compt their owne workes for nothing, attribute nothing to their owne wiſedome,Whom the Lord calleth here childrē or babes. make nothing of themſelues, but thinke God onelyonly to be wiſe and of vnderſtanding. Wherefore they are humble and lowly, and how great ſoeuer they are, do ſubmit themſelues to God, of whom onelyonly they ſuffer themſelues to be taught. Now other be ouer wiſe, and will learne nothing of God, yea they preſumptuouſly take to themſelues iudgement and cenſure ouer the doctrine and workes of God, whereof thou mayſte read in the firſt and ſecond chapter of the Epiſtle to the Corinthians. Wherefore Chriſt ſayth Luke 16: The children of this world are in their generation wiſer then the children of light. But the fooliſh children of light are of greater eſtimation before God, then the wiſe children of this world. Of theſe children the Lord ſpeaketh: Thou haſt hid them from the wiſe and men of vnderſtanding, and haſt reuealed them to babes. For the wiſe and prudent know not theſe thinges, but the children and fooles know them. How commeth it to paſſe that the wiſe know them not? becauſe thou haſt hidden them from them. How do the children know them? becauſe thou haſt reuealed them. What he meaneth hereby, we may gather of thoſe thinges that were ſpoken before, to wit that he had preached the Goſpell of the kingdome of God in many cities of Iudea, as in Chorazin, Bethſaida, and in his owne citie Capernaum, which cities their owne wiſedome being a hinderance and lette vntounto them, did not receiue the fooliſh preaching of the Goſpell. The Goſpel is a good and ioyfull meſſage, which teacheth me to know the glorie of God, by which knowledge I obtaine pardon of my ſynnes, and life eternall:The Goſpell a ioyful meſſage. As Chriſt ſayth to his father in the Goſpell of Iohn chap. 17: This is life eternal, that they know thee to be the onelyonly very God, and Ieſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. He ſaythe alſo in this Goſpell: No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne will rereueale him. Here he ſpeaketh of the knowledge both of the Father and of the Sonne. To whom this is reuealed, he knoweth, and obtaineth eternal life. But the Father hath hid theſe thinges from the wiſe and prudent, that they may not know neither the Father nor the Sonne, and hath reuealed them to children, they hauehave the knowledge both of the Father and the Sonne, and ſo do obtaine euerlaſting life.
Moreouer, if theſe thinges be thus, as they be in deede, what ſhall become of free will? Seeing thou ſeeſt ſuch hainous and wicked thinges to be committed in the bodies, as it is written Rom. 1. go thy wayes now, and glorie of free will. But this is a goodly free will, to liue in ſuch a filthie life, which is altogether vnworthy of a man, which is vnknowen euen among beaſtes that are without reaſon. Howbeit it is wont ſo to come to paſſe, when God forſaketh vsus.What ſtate they come into, whom God forſaketh. As ſoone as we are forſaken of God, byandby Satan commeth, and erecteth his kingdome in vsus, wherein nothing els but ſuch wickedneſſes are committed, which notwithſtanding are ſo craftely coloured, and commēded with ſuch a pretence of honeſtie, that it ſeemeth to be a moſt holy, yea and an angelike life. What I pray you can mans ſtrength do here? whereby ſome go about to bring to paſſe many thinges, ſweetely perſwading themſelues that they ſhall aſcend vp into heauen thereby. But thou heareſt here that Chriſt affirmeth, that the Father doth reueale theſe thinges: alſo that it is the good pleaſure of the Father that it ſhould be ſo. Whereby truly he taketh away all the merits of man, here no ſatiſfactions profit, here is no reſpect of workes, it is done by the wil and good pleaſure of the Father. For he reſpecteth not the perſon, as it appeareth before ye world. He doth not contemne and reiect the ſynner, albeit he come laden with ſinnes. After the ſame ſort Chriſt ſaith to his diſciples Luke 12: Feare not litle flocke, for it is the Fathers pleaſure to giuegive you the kingdome. This the hypocrites and iuſtitiaries can not abyde, yea they are driuen vntounto furie, ſenſſeſnes, and madnes, when they ſee ſimple receiuers of cuſtome and verie publicans to go before them into the kingdome of heauen, they themſelues with their holines, & goodly and plauſible workes to the world, being excluded: whom would not this driue vntounto madnes? who would not take it grieuouſly, that he himſelfe and his thinges ſhould be in ſuch a caſe, and nothing at all counted of? But what ſhouldeſt thou do, or what ſhouldeſt thou murmur? The good pleaſure of God is ſuch, to whom he vouchſaueth to open, to him they ſhalbe opened: and from whom he hideth, from him they are hidden, which compt as vndoutedly true: And marke well that Chriſt ſayth here, It is ſo, O Father, becauſe thy good pleaſure was ſuch, thy good pleaſure I ſay, before ye world was made, as S. Paule ſayth Epheſ. 1: God hath choſen vsus in Chriſt before the foundations of the world were layd, that we should be holy and without blame before him in louelove, who hath predeſtinate vsus, to be adopted through Ieſus Chriſt in himſelfe, according to the good pleaſure of his will, to the prayſe of the glorie of his grace, wherewith he hath made vsus freely accepted in his beloued. Here all merit is excluded, wherefore let it not come into thy mynde, that thou ſhalt obtaine any thing here by thy deſerts, neither let thy workes, wiſedome, and merits puffe thee vp. Here all reioycing is taken away, that he that reioyceth, may reioyce in the Lord, as Paule ſayth 1. Cor. 1. It followeth moreouer in the Goſpell:
Ver. 27. All things are giuē vntounto me of my Father: & no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father: neither knoweth any mā the Father but the Sōne, and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him.
Here thou ſeeſt the ſafetie, which is in the kingdome of Chriſt, by whom we hauehave knowledge and light. If therefore Chriſt holdeth all thinges in his hand, and hath power ouer all thinges as the Father hath, no man can plucke any thing out of his handes, which he himſelfe alſo witneſſeth in Iohn:Ioh. 10.28. I giuegive eternall life to my sheepe, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any plucke them out of my hand: my Father which gaue them me, is greater then all, and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand. I and my Father are one. Chriſtians hauehave cauſe to reioyce although they be diuers wayes aſſailed of Satan, for that they be vnderunder the tuition of Chriſt, who will defend and preſerue them.Wherefore eueryevery Chriſtian, when he hath receiued the Goſpell, may worthely reioyce, that he is now vnderunder the tuition of Chriſt, and is not any thing troubled becauſe of his ſynnes. If he hath embraced the Goſpell, Chriſt vnderunder whom he fighteth will guide the matter excellently well. Satan in deede will tempt him with this and that vice, as, with adulterie, whoredome, theft, ſlaughter, enuie, hatred, wrath, and other like ſynnes. But let him not therefore be diſcouraged, he hath a king, that is ſtrong & mightie enough, of whom he ſhalbe eaſily defended. Notwithſtanding it wilbe verie hard to ſtand ſtrongly, and nothing to yeelde, wherefore prayer in this caſe is verie needefull, others alſo may by their prayers intreat for thee, that a ſtout corage and manly heart may be giuen vntounto thee, to withſtand Satan. But it is certaine, that thou ſhalt not be deſtitute, Chriſt will eaſily preſerue thee, be not diſquieted in mynde, let it onelyonly be thy care, that thou falleſt not from his kingdome. Moreouer in this Goſpell thou ſeeſt, that Chriſt is both God & man: Man, inaſmuch as he prayſeth God, and giueth him thankes: God, inaſmuch as all thinges are giuen vntounto him of the Father. Which ought to be great comfort vntounto vsus in all things that do trouble and afflict vsus. Whereas he ſaith: No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him: he in theſe wordes ouerthroweth free will, which will know God and Chriſt, when and how it pleaſeth it. Here thou haſt plainly, from whence the knowledge of God and of Chriſt is: the Father, ſaith he, knoweth the Sonne, and the Sonne the Father, but how do we know, by this or that preacher? no truly, theſe are onelyonly certaine midle inſtruments, but he onelyonly knoweth, to whom the Sonne will reueale. A litle before he ſaide that the Father doth reueale or open, here he attributeth the ſame to the Sonne. Surely both the Father and the Sonne do reueale, and as the Father reuealeth, ſo alſo doth the Sonne: and Chriſt alſo ſayth in Iohn chap. 14: The holy Ghoſt ſhall teach you all thinges. Wherefore as the Father teacheth, ſo teacheth the Sonne, likewiſe alſo teacheth the holy Ghoſt. And where God the Father, and the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt do not teach, there all thinges remaine voide of knowledge. It followeth moreouer in the Goſpell.
Verſe 28. Come vntounto me all ye that are wearie and laden, and I will refreſh you.
Verſe 29. Take my yoke on you, and learne of me: for I am meeke and lowly in heart: and ye ſhall finde reſt vntounto your ſoules.
Verſe 30. For my yoke is eaſie, and my burden is light.
Hitherto we hauehave heard how the Lord dealeth with the wiſe and prudent, namely that he blyndeth them, and hideth the Goſpell from them. Likewiſe how he is delighted in children and ſimple ones, to wit, that he endueth them with right knowledge of himſelfe, and openeth the Goſpell vntounto them. But ſome man may here ſay and complaine: If the matter be ſo, ſurely my conſcience ſhalbe in great daunger, before I heare and know that the Goſpell dothe pertaine vntounto me. I am a wretched ſynner, and perhaps the Goſpell pertaineth not vntounto me, what if I be vnworthie? Chriſt, that he may comfort theſe weake, diſmayed, and troubled conſciences, ſayth: Come vntounto me all ye that are wearie and laden, and I will refresh you. What ſoeuer burden we are laden wt, we may finde eaſe & comfort in chriſt, if we flie to him for ſuccour.Here are we called vntounto comfort. Here forget all thy merit and worthines, for that he plainly ſayth: ye that are wearie and laden, to wit, with the burden of the lawe, the anguiſhe and affliction of ſynne, and wherewithall ſoeuer the conſcience maye be troubled. Therefore he dothe not expreſſe it by name: for he ſaythe not, ye that are troubled with this or that calamitie, but ſimplie, ye that are wearie and laden. Neither will he hauehave any here excluded, foraſmuch as he ſaythe, All, which is a ſingular and ſpeciall comfort, if any thinge trouble vsus, what kynde of tentation ſoeuer it be.
Who ſoeuer therefore is ſtriken with the feelinge of his ſynne, and knoweth his one weakenes to fulfill the lawe of God, let him come hither with a cheerefull and bold corage, and he ſhall certainly receiue comfort. I will refreſh you, ſayth Chriſt, as thoſe that are preſſed and burdened with ſore labour and griefe. Let this onelyonly be thy care, that thou beleeue ſuch a louing bidding and promiſe. After this ſorte Chriſt cryed in the temple at Hieruſalem at a certaine feaſt: If any man thirſt, Ioh. 7.37.38.39.let him come vntounto me, and drinke. He that beleeueth in me, as ſayth the Scripture, out of his bellie shall flow riuers of water of life. This ſpake he of the Spirit, which they that beleeued in him, should receiue. Which ſo commeth to paſſe: He cauſeth the Goſpel to be preached vntounto vsus, which he that beleeueth, is endued with the holy Ghoſt, and obtaineth pardon of all his ſynnes. This is truly to refreſh him, whoſe conſcience is troubled, to wit, when he feeleth that his ſynnes be forgiuen, and that he is become heire of the kingdome of God. Neither doth he refreſh vsus onelyonly in the anguiſh and tentation of ſynne, but he will alſo be preſent with vsus in other calamities and miſeries, in famine, warre, dearth of victuals, and whatſoeuer ſuch like can come, in all theſe he will not leaue vsus deſtitute of his helpe, as he cared for the Patriarke Ioſeph, euen in a ſtraunge countrie, with whom he was continually preſent, as well in proſperitie as in aduerſitie. Nowe ſynne is a grieuous burden, whereof no man is eaſed, but he whom Chriſt the ſonne of God deliuereth, and that by the holy Ghoſt, whom he hath merited for vsus of the Father, which maketh our hearts cheerefull, and readie to do all thinges which God requireth of vsus.
But what is this that he ſayth? Take my yoke on you. Is this to refreſh, if I take one burden from one, and lay vponupon him an other?The yoke of Chriſt why ſo called. This is that, whereof we hauehave oftentimes ſpoken, the Goſpell doth firſt make aſtonied and diſcourage, and is grieuous to the fleſh, for it telleth vsus that all our owne thinges are nothing, that our owne holines and righteouſnes are of no importaunce, that all thinges which are in vsus are damned, that we are the children of wrath and indignation. This is verie hard, and an intolerable burden to the fleſhe, and therefore he calleth it a burden or yoke. But leſt he ſhould terrifie or make afrayde any, for that he is of great authoritie, high, and mightie, and therefore can not ſuffer ſynneful and wretched men, or for that he may ſeeme to be tyrannicall and vngentle, he before cutting of this ſuſpicion, ſayth: Learne of me: for I am meeke and lowly in heart. Chriſt will here louingly allure vsus to his doctrine, for he had ſpoken before of the knowledge of the Father, as if he would ſaye: fleſhe and a fearfull nature compteth me for an auſtere, ſeuere, and rigorous man, but I am not of ſuch a nature, yea I am humble and meeke in heart.Chriſt humble & meeke. I do not terrifie men as Moſes dothe, I doe not preach: doe this or that, but I preach forgiuenes of ſynnes, neither doe I preach that they ſhould giuegive any thinge, but rather that they may receiue. There is not in me ambition and loftines, as is in the Phariſes, which deſire to be magnified, but I am altogither gentle and lowly in heart, ready to receiue ſynners. If ſo be that they fall againe into ſynnes, notwithſtanding I doe not yet caſt them from me, if they flie vntounto me for ſuccour, and doe with a ſure confidence looke for comfort and helpe of me. I doe not curſe men as the Phariſes doe, which curſe them euen for their owne ordinaunces, and for mens deuiſes, and will ſooner ſuffer all the commaundements of God to be neglected, then one of their decrees and ordinaunces not to be obſerued. As we ſee in the Papacie, where it is counted a greater offence to eate fleſh on the frydaye, or for a ſacrificing Prieſt to marie, them to commit twentie adulteries or ten homicides. But here thou ſeeſt that God doth abrogate euen his owne lawe, that he may ſo much the ſooner procure ſynners vntounto him.
Chriſt in a ſingular ſignification ſayth here, that he is meeke, as if he ſaide: I knowe how ſynners are to be handled, I hauehave tryed what a fearefull and an afflicted conſcience is, as the Epiſtle to the Hebreues chapter 5. witneſſeth, that he was in all thinges tempted in like ſort, except ſynne. Wherefore let no man be afrayd of me, I will handle all eaſily and gently, I will ſaye nothinge with a ſowre contenaunce, I make no man afrayde, ſo as they come boldly vntounto me, they ſhall fynde reſt to their ſoules with me. To their ſoules he ſayth,They that beleeue in Chriſt finde reſt to their ſoules, though in their bodies they ſuffer affliction. as if he would ſaye: outwardly in the bodie there maye be affliction and trouble, and calamities may ouerwhelme you, but ye ought to beare all theſe thinges lightely, as he alſo ſayth to his diſciples in the Goſpell of Iohn: In me ye shall hauehave peace, but in the world ye shall hauehave affliction. Wherefore although outwardly all thinges fall out againſt vsus, as though they would ſuppreſſe and deuour vsus, yet are they nothinge to be eſteemed of: For we hauehave the feelinge of peace inwardly in our conſcience. And this is the firſt frute of fayth, as Paule ſaythe Rom. 5: Therefore being iuſtified by fayth we hauehave peace toward God through our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt. Nowe when our conſcience is quieted, and we hauehave peace with God, nothinge is able to moue vsus, no nothing ſhall hurt vsus, albeit it be euell and againſt vsus.
Let no man thinke thus, and ſaye: this is not to amend ones ſtate or caſe, if I take one burden from his necke, and laye on an other, as it is before ſayd. For Chriſt ſayth: My yoke is eaſie, and my burden is light, as if he would ſaye: the yoke of the law, vnderunder which ye liued before, was grieuous to be borne, but my burden is not ſo grieuous, it is light, and tolerable, ye may eaſily beare it. Our wiſemen ſaye now, that the yoke of Chriſt is more grieuous, then the yoke of the Lawe was, and they alleage the fift chapter of Matthewe. But Chriſt dothe there interprete the Lawe, how it ought to be vnderſtood, he doth not make lawes, but ſayth, that murders and adulteries proceede from an euell and vncleane heart. And ſo he doth onelyonly expounde the Lawe of Moſes, and preſcribeth not any lawes there.Why ye yoke of Chriſt is ſaide to be eaſie. But the yoke of Chriſt is therefore eaſie, and his burden light, becauſe he taketh awaye, not onelyonly ceremoniall and mans lawes, but euen the whole lawe, the curſe, ſynne, death, and what ſoeuer maye come vntounto vsus from the Lawe, all this Chriſt taketh awaye from me, and endueth me with his ſpirit, by the motion and inſtinct whereof, I doe gladly, willingly and with pleaſure performe all the duties of the Lawe. It is therefore alſo called eaſie, ſweete, and light, for that he himſelfe helpeth vsus, and taketh part of the burden, if we be not of ſtrength ſufficient. It appeareth in deede grieuous and intolerable to the world, but it is otherwiſe when there is one ready to eaſe the burden. It is a common ſaying: it is good to ſing with a fit compainō, you two will eaſily beare the burden, although one alone were not of ſtrēgh ſufficiēt to beare it. Thus much ſhall ſuffize for the expoſition of this Goſpell. *** *