Exposition of the Dominical Epistles and Gospels, Section 15
The Gospel. MATTH. 8.1.
When he was come downe from the mountaine, &c.
DOwne from the mountaine] nHaymo apud Thom in loc.From the mount of heauen, into this valley of earth; as a Physitian to cure our leprosies. oCoster. con. 3. in loc.Or from the mount of the law, to the plaine of the Gospell. pFerus, ser. 4. in loc.Or from the mount of contemplation, vntounto the field of action. qOrigen. hom. 5. in Mat.Or he came downe from the mountaine, first instructing his disciples, and after, descending to the capacities of the people. rHa…mo vbi sup. & A…sta con. 2. … loc.Teaching all teachers hereby, to deliuer high points vntounto the learned, and plaine principles to the simple. Doctores ascendunt in montem, vbi perfectioribus excellentia praecepta; descendunt autem, cùm in…erioribus l…uiora demonstrant.
Behold a leper] In Christ, preaching and practise meet together. So soone as he had said well, sChrysost. & Hieron. in loc.he proceeds for the confirmation of his doctrine to do well. Acting good works and great works: good works of mercy; great works of miracle. Of mercy, in helping; of miracle, in healing a leprous man present, and a palsie man absent. Intimating hereby, that it is not enough to talke of Gods waies, except we walke in his paths; and manifesting himselfe to the world, that he was the Messias of the world. As if he should argue thus; If you belieue not my words, tIohn 5.36.yet credit me for my wonders. uMat. 11.5.I make the blind to see, the deafe to heare, the lame to goe. I cure all kind of diseases, euen with the least touch of my finger, and least breath of my mouth. I heale the leper, I heare the Centurion.
The leper was a Iew, the Centurion a Gentile; the leper poore, the Centurion rich; the leper a man of peace, the Centurion a man of warre. xCulman. & Hemingius in loc.Insinuating heereby, that God is no yActs 10.34.accepter of persons; but that his benefits indifferently belong to men of all nations and all fashions.
I… zGal. 3.28.Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian, neither bond nor free] Yet Christ did first cure the Iew, then the Gentile. For saluation was offered, aAct. 13.46.first, to the Iewes; he touched the Iew, but cured the Gentile with his word. bRupertus. in loc.He visited Ierusalem in his owne person, but healed other nations by the Preachers of his Gospell.
In the leper, 2. things are remarkable: the
Weaknesse of his body: sicke, and sicke of a leprosie.
Vertues of his mind:
Faith.
Adoration.
Wisdome.
Patience.
Confession.
In Christ also two things are to be considered: his
Mercy; that would so readilie.
Might; that could so easily cure this distressed Lazer.
Aleper] All weaknesse originally proceeds from cIohn 5.14.wickednesse; dT…om. 3. part. quaest. 4. art. 4.either from some defect in our conception, or disorder in our conuersation: as Mephibos…eth had e2. Sam. 4.his lamenesse by falling from his nurse; so eueryevery man his sicknesse by falling from the Lord. Christ, who was free from sinne, was also free from sicknesse: but vntounto men, carying about them bodies of sinne, diseases are as it were a fHemingius in loc.sermon from heauen, wherein Almighty God accuseth of sins, and shewes his wrath against sinners.
But the condition of a leper, as we reade in the gLeuit. 13.law, was of all other sicke, most insupportable. First, he must liue alone, separated from the fellowship of Gods people, as vnworthy to come into cleane company. Secondly, he did weare foure markes to be knowne by; his garments torne, his head bare, his mouth couered, and he must cry; I am vncleane, I am vncleane. For griefe whereof, assuredly some pined away; being forlorne in their sorrow, destitute of all good comfort and company. Yet this leper indued with a liuely faith, is not hopelesse, howsoeuer haplesse. For he comes, and saith vntounto the great Physitian of the world; Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane: though he knew that his sicknesse in the worlds eye was incurable, yet he did beleeue that vntounto God nothing is impossible. He felt his owne misery to be great, yet hoped Christs mercy was more great: and therefore comes vntounto him (as hDe vitá Christi. part. 1. cap. 41.Ludolphus aptly) Non tàm passibus corporis quàm fide cordis: If thou wilt, thou canst. A strong faith in a weake body.
Faith comes by iRom. 10.17.hearing▪ and the reason why this leper extraordinarily desired to heare Christ, and heare of Christ, was his vncleane disease: kFerus ser. 4. in loc.so that the weaknesse of his body, brought him vntounto the Physitian of his soule. Note then here with lRom. 8.28.Paul, that all things happen for the good of such as are good. It was good for Dauid that he was in trouble; good for m2. King. 5.Naaman that he was a leper; for his vncleannesse brought him vntounto the Prophet, and the Prophet brought him vntounto the sauing knowledge of the true God. It was good for Paul that he was buffeted by Satan, for otherwise peraduenture through abundance of reuelations he would hauehave buffeted God.
Of all herbes in the garden (as one wittily) Rew is the herbe of grace. Many times our woe doth occasion our weale: for as pride doth breed sores of salues, so faith on the contrarie doth often make salues of sores, altogether renouncing her owne merit, and wholly relying vponupon Christs merciemercy. Tanto desiderantiùs ad Christum contendit, quòd suam indignitatem & immunditiam probè sentiret: as nPostil. maior. in loc.Luther and oVbi supra.Ferus accord in this; and that so truly, that as a Papist said; If Bonauentura had not been a Romish saint, he would hauehave been reputed an asse: So the Protestant, if Ferus had not been a Romish asse, he might hauehave proued in the Church a renowned saint.
The second vertue to bee considered as a fruite of his faith, is adoration; pThomas ex Chrysost. in loc.a spiritual fee for a spirituall physitian: as the bodily Doctor must be paied, so the ghostly prayed. He therefore worships Christ, and that with all
humblenes of Thought.
humblenes of Word.
humblenes of Deede.
He comes to Christ as a vassall to his Lord: Domine, non tanquam ad dominum titularem, sed tanquam ad dominum tutelarem: If thou wilt thou canst. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and therefore beleeuing in his heart that Christ was the Lord, willing and able to helpe, confesseth it also with his mouth: If it be for my good, I am sure thou wilt: and I beleeue thou canst; attributing all to Christs might and merciemercy, nothing to his owne either worth or woe.
Vttering this also with humble gesture. For, as S. qCap. 1.40.Mark reports, hee kneeled, and as S. rCap. 5.12.Luke, he fell on his face: teaching vsus in prayer to fall down and kneele before the Lord our maker. Hee that worships God irreuerently, shewes himselfe not a Christian but a sDiez con. 1. in loc.Manichee: tAugustin. b… res. 46.who thought God made the soule, but not the bodie.
Thirdly, note the lepers wisedome, who did obserue
Circumstances of *Chrysostom. & Th…plylact. in loc.Place: not pressing to Christ on the mount, but expecting him in the valley.
Circumstances of Time: not interrupting Christ in his sermon, or disturbing his auditory.
Circumstances of Person: speaking in a succinct stile:
Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane. Giuing vsus to vnderstand, that in suing vntounto men which are wise, and in praying to God who is wisedome, we need not vse many but pithie words. See Gospel. Dom. 2. quadrages.
The fourth vertue is his patience, who was content, notwithstanding his extreame miserie, to stay Gods leisure, and Christs pleasure. uMatth. 6.33.First, seeking the kingdome of God, and then desiring that other things might be cast vponupon him. xFerus ser. 5. in loc.In ye first place giuing God glory, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst. In the second, praying for his own good: Make me cleane; not as I will, but as thou wilt O Lord: prescribing neither the time when, nor place where, nor manner how, but referring all to Christ, possessing his soule with patience.
The last vertue to be regarded in this leper, is con…ession. He knew the Pharisies hated and persecuted al such as confessed Christ: yet he calles him Lord, and worships him as a Lord, and proclaimes him in the presence of much people to bee the Lord. It is well yZepper. in loc.obserued, that Gods omnipotent power and infinit mercies are the two wings of our deuotion, whereby faith in the midst of all trouble mounts into heauen. Here the leper acknowledgeth openly Christs omnipotencie: zChrysosto…. & Theophylact. in loc.for hee saith not, intreate God, to make me cleane; but, if thou wilt, thou thy selfe canst; and therefore thou art the very Christ: neither doth he aAmbros. l. b. 5. in Luc.doubt of his merciemercy, bLudolphus v…i supra.for he saith not, make me cleane, but, if thou wilt▪ make me cleane. cCoster. explicat. in loc.It is enough to shew my need, I cōmit the rest to thy cure, to thy care. Thou canst doe whatsoeuer thou wilt, and thou wilt do y• which shall be most for my good & thy glorie.
This may teach vsus how to confesse our wickednesse to God, as also to professe his goodnesse vntounto men. Our wickednesse vntounto God: for as Seneca truly, Pr…ma sanitatis pars est velle sanari: The first step vntounto health is to be desirous of helpe. dAugustin. epist. 1…8Ipse sihi denegat curam, qui suam medico non publicat causam. Our sinnes are a spirituall vncleannes and leprosie, defiling the whole bodie, making our eyes to lust, our mouth to curse, our tongue to lie, our throte an open sepulchre, our hands nimble to steale, our feete swift to shed blood. It is therefore necessarie we should manifest vntounto Christ our sores, that he may see them, and search them, and salue them.
Againe, by this example wee may learne to professe the faith of Christ openly, Though ePsal. 2.2.the kings of ye earth stand vp, and the rulers take counsell against the Lord, and against his anointed. Other happily thinke so, but dare not say so. Some peraduenture say so, though they thinke not so: but I beleeue as I speake, and speake as I beleeue: Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane.
Hitherto concerning the patient: I come now to the physition, in whom two things are obseruable:
1. His merciemercy, who would so readily.
2. His might, who could so easily cure such an incurable leprosie.
And Iesus put foorth his hand] He granted that cheerefully, which the leper desired earnestly. The leper said, if thou wilt, and Christ answereth, I will; and as I will, I say, be thou cleane; and as I say, I doe. His leprosie was immediatly cleansed: hee spake the word and it was done; hee commanded and it was effected, euen with a little mouing of his lips, and touch of his finger.
Here then is comfort for the distressed soule: the leper calles, and Christ heales him; the Centurion comes, and Christ helps him. Other Physitions are deceiued often themselues, and often deceiue others; and therefore we venture much, when we trust them a little. The best physicke (as one said) is to take no physicke: but if wee commit our cause to this heauenly Doctor, our venture is without all peraduenture: for hee cureth all that fPsal. 50.15.call vponupon him, and gMatth. 11.28.easeth all that come vntounto him.
Iesus put foorth his hand and touched him.] hLudolphus vbi svpra.Extendens manum suam] quod fuit liberalitatis contra auaros: tetigit eum] quod fuit humilitatis contra superbos: dicens volo] quod fuit pietatis contra inuidos: mundare] quod fuit potestatis contra incredulos.
It was vnlawfull to touch a leper, as we finde, Leu. 14. In that therfore Christ touched here this leper, he shewes himselfe to be greater then Moses aboue the law. When Elisha cured Naaman, hee did not put his hand on the place, because hee was subiect vntounto the law; but Christ touched this leper as being Soueraigne of the law. So Chrysostome, Ambrose, Theophylact, Ludolphus: and almost all other vponupon the place.
Secondly, note with iPostil. in loc.Melancthon, that morall duties are to be preferred before ceremoniall offices: and therfore Christ neglects a ceremonie to saue his brother, and that according to Gods owne commandement, kOsee 6.6.I will hauehave merciemercy, not sacrifice. The best glosse vponupon the Gospel is faith: and the best exposition of the law is louelove. lThomas ex Chrysost. in loc.Christ therefore did offend the sound of the law, but not the sense.
Thirdly, this intimates that Christ was homo verus, and yet not homo merus; a very man in touching, but more then a meere man in healing with a touch. mLib. 5. in Luc. cap. 1.Ambrose pithily: Volo dicit propter Fotinum, imperat propter Arium, tangit propter Manichaeum: He did touch the leper to confute Manichaeus, denying him to be very man; he did vse the imperatiue moode, be thou cleane, to confound Arius, denying him to be very God.
Fourthly, obserue with nMaldonat. in loc.Cyrillus of Alexandria, the preciousnes of Christs humanitie, the which vnited vntounto the Godhead, is the sole salue of all our sores; his rags are our robes, his crying our reioycing, his death our life, his incarnation our saluation.
Fifthly, with oEx Chrysost. & Iansen. concor. cap. 44.Aquin, to demonstrate, that himselfe and none other cured him, because himselfe and none other touched him.
Sixthly, with pIn loc.Caluin and Marlorat, Christs humility, who did vouchsafe not onelyonly to talke with the leper, but also to touch the leper. qOrigen.According to this example, we must learne not to loath any Lazarus, as the rich Glutton in the Gospell, but rather (at it is reported of rPostil. cathol. con. 1. in loc.Elizabeth, the Kings daughter of Hungary) to make medicines for his maladies, and plaisters for his wounds: in humanity to relieue the distressed; in humility to kisse the very feete of the poore. As Christ stretched out his hand to the leper, sProu. …1.20.so we should put forth our hand to the needy. Let not thine hand (saith the tEccles. 4.31.Wise man) be stre… ched out to receiue, and shut when thou shouldest giuegive.
Lastly, with uLib. 4. contra Marcion.Tertullian and xThomas & Chrysost. in loc. & Ludolphus vbi suprà.other, how Christ in this action respected not the letter, but the meaning, which is the soule of the law. The scriptures are not yHieron. exposit prior. in c. 1. ad Galatas.in superficie, sed in medulla; non in verborum folijs, sed in radice rationis.
Now the reason of the law forbidding the cleane to touch vncleane, was, lest hereby they should be polluted. But Christ could not be thus infected; he therefore touched the leper, not to receiue hurt, but to giuegive helpe: so the text of z2. Tim. 3.5.Paul is to be construed; hos deuita.
The Nouice may not be familiar with an old subtill fox; but a iudicious Diuine may confer with an heretike, not to peruert himselfe, but to conuert his aduersary: Christ may touch a leper, if it be to heale him; and the Minister of Christ may teach an heretike, if it be to win him, and not to wound the truth.
I will, be thou cleane] I will. (aIames 4.15. If God will) is the stile of man: our will being subordinate to Gods eternall decrees; in bAct. 17.28.whom we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being. But, I will, is the stile of God only, who doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him in heauen, in earth, in sea: Ps. 135.6. The commanding terme then, I will, and imperatiue moode, be thou cleane, (except we reade the text with the spectacles of Arius) cIustin. Martyr. Athanas. & reliqui sere patres, vti Maldonat. in loc.euidently proue, that Christ is God Almighty.
And immediatly his leprosie was clensed] This amplifieth exceedingly Christs greatnesse and goodnesse: first, in that he cured this vncleane person thorowly, then in that he cured him quickly; for in all our suits vntounto men, we desire two things especially, that they deale soundly and roundly. Christ dealt so soundly with this leper, as that he did expose his cure to the censures euen of his aduersaries the Priests, of all, most ready to cauill at his cariage, and mocke his miracle: so roundly, so speedily, that whereas ordinary physicke must hauehave time for operation; his extraordinary medicine wrought, as the text saith, immediatly, instantly.
Iesus said vntounto him, tell no man] Saint dCap. 1.45.Marke reports, that this leper instantly published the matter, and that in such sort, that Iesus could not openly enter into the Citie, but was without in desert places; and yet people came to him from eueryevery quarter. Here then a question is made, whether it was a fault in the leper or no, thus to diuulge the miracle? For eCap. 12.4.Esay would hauehave men declare Gods works among the people. fPsal. 107.Dauid wished often, O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse. And Christ himself said vntounto another, whom he cured, in the 5. of S. Marke; Goe thy way home to thy friends, and shew them what great things the Lord hath done to thee. gVbi suprà.Ludolphus answers by distinction, affirming that there is,
triplex praeceptum, Cautelae.
triplex praeceptum, Probationis.
triplex praeceptum, Obedientiae.
Or as hHelmetius in loc.other Obligationis.
Or as hHelmetius in loc.other Tentationis.
Or as hHelmetius in loc.other Instructionis.
All the positiue lawes of God are obligatory; the commandements affirmatiue bind semper; and the negatiue semper, and ad semper. The probatory precepts are to try vsus onelyonly. So God iGen. 22.commands Abraham to kill Isaac; intending hereby not to destroy the sonne, but to try the father; admonitory precepts; as here, Christ commanded the leper to tell no man: hereby teaching vsus in him to shun vaine glory; for so most interpreters expound it.
This distinction is insufficient; as hauing no firme ground in the Bible. For when almighty God inioines a particular command, for the triall of his people, contrary to the generall scope of his law, he doth at that instant kPerkins treat. of cons. cap. 2.dispense with the generall, and the particular onelyonly binds; as in the sacrificing of Isaac; Offer thy sonne, was an exemption at that time from the law, Thou s…alt not kill.
And as for admonitory precepts, how did this leper infallibly know, that Christs command, Tell no man, was rather an instruction for other, then a prohibition vntounto himselfe? Wherefore seeing all Christs iniunctions bind, I subscribe vntounto their opinion, lCaluin. & Marlor. in loc.who thinke this leper offended in publishing abroad Christs benefit, notwithstanding he did it affectionately, and zealously. For we must giuegive thanks vntounto God, not as we will, but as he will: Deut. 4.1. Iohn 2.5.
Hence we may learne to temper our zeale with knowledge and obedience: for m1. Sam. 15.22.obedience is better then sacrifice.
If any demand, why Christ would hauehave this miracle concealed: I answere with nRom. 9.20.Paul; O man, who art thou which disputes against God? oIob 9.3.If thou dispute with him, thou canst not answere one thing of a thousand: but he can render a thousand answeres vntounto this friuolous obiection. As first, that there is a time for all things; a time, wherein Christ would be thorowly knowne, and a time wherein he would not be knowne, because his houre was not yet come.
Secondly, pHieron. in loc.Non erat necesse, vt sermone iactaret, quod corpore praeferebat: It was needlesse to publish the miracle, seeing his whole body made cleane, was as it were turned all tongue to tell it.
Thirdly, it was absurd, that the leper should boast he was cleane, before he was iudged to be cleane. Therefore Christ saith in the next clause, Goe and shew thy selfe vntounto the Priest: and then being adiudged cleane, tell whom thou wilt.
Shew thy selfe vntounto the Priest] Interpreters obserue diuers reasons of this command. First, to qMarlorat. in loc.confirme the truth of the miracle, when as the leper according to law, shall be iudged cleane.
Secondly, that the leper might inioy the rTheophylact. in loc.benefit of his cure: for hee might not enter into the City, sLeuit. 14.before the Priest had pronounced him cleane.
Thirdly, to tHieron. in loc.condemne the Priests, who taught, that Christ was not an obseruer, but rather a transgressor of the law.
Fourthly, that as the law doth witnesse of Christ; and all the sacrifices are types of Christ: uIdem ibidem.so likewise the Priests, expounders of the law, might also witnesse, that Christ is the true Messias of the world; that seeing this miracle, they might belieue; or in not belieuing, be left inexcusable.
Fifthly, to xMelancthon. in loc. & Ludolphus vbi supra.magnifie the calling and office of the Priests, howsoeuer they were wicked wretches. Hereby teaching vsus, not to vilifie that holy profession for the faults and infirmities of some Iudas crept in among the twelue.
Lastly, by this example, instructing vsus to doe the greatest right vntounto those who doe vsus the most wrong. Goe to the Priests, albeit they bee my mortall enemies, and doe that respect, which is incident to their places and persons.
Here the Gospell and Epistle meet. Christ did not render euill for euill, but ouercome euill with goodnesse: prouiding things honest, not onelyonly before God, but also in the sight of all men; auenging not himselfe, but giuing place to wrath, hauing peace so farre as might be with all men.
The yCoster. con. 3. Acost. con. 2. in loc. &c.Papists vponupon this clause build auricular particular confession vntounto the Priest. The leper ought to shew himselfe vntounto the Priest of the old Testament: Ergo, the sinner infected with spiritual leprosie must confesse himselfe vntounto the Priest of the new Testament.
Answere is made, that an argument drawne from allegories and similitudes, is of little or no force, except it be seconded by some other euident text, whose naturall and proper sense is agreeable thereunto: but there is no such place, which e…ther expresseth or implieth auricular popish confession, and therefore quod non lego, non credo.
Master zIewel defence of Apolog. fol. 151.Harding saith that auricular cōfession is Gods ordinance: but when he comes vntounto the point, his onelyonly confirmation is his owne bare affirmation. We tell them that confession is an institution of God, and not of man: as if his tale should stand for Gospel, in whom are found so many legends, and legions of lies.
aMelanct. tom. 2 fol. 161.Panormitan confesseth honestly, that it is not a diuine constitution, but an humane tradition: and bSum. quaest. 18 art. 4. vide Merton. Apolog. part. 1. cap. 64. Idem serè Peresius de tradit. part. 3. consid. 3. & Iansen. concord. cap. 147.Maldonate writes plainly, that many Catholikes are of the same opinion, as namely Scotus among the schoolemen; and the expounders of Gratian among the Canonists.
If then a tradition, of what antiquitie? Beatus Rhenanus a popish Doctor auoweth in his cArgument. in libel. Tertullian. de poenitent.notes vponupon Tertullians booke de Poenitentiâ, that this kinde of confessing was vnknowne in the daies of Tertullian, who liued about three hundred yeeres after Christ: and it is noted in the glosse vponupon the dDe poenit. distinct. 1. Petrus in glossá. Iewel. vbi suprà, fol. 155.Decrees; and by eSenten. lib. 4. distinct. 17. cap. cum ergo.Peter Lombard, that it was not vsed in S. Ambrose time, who liued foure hundred yeeres after Christ. fSchol. in epist. Hieron. ad Oceanum de obitu Fabiolae, tom. 1. fol. 201.Erasmus an indifferent man, affirmes peremptorily, that this manner of confessing to the Priest secretly, was not as yet ordained in Hieroms age. The Greeke Church, as gMelancthon. & Iewel. vbi suprà.Theodorus writes, hath no such custome. Master hIdem ibidem, fol. 148.Harding himselfe is constrained against his will, to confesse that the termes of auricular and secret conf…ssion are seldom mentioned in the Fathers; iRhenanus vbi suprà, & Erasmus annot. in A…t. 19. vti Bellarmin. fatetur de poenit. lib 3. cap. 1.a greater clerke thē he, saith neuer in old time.
We may then iustifie Caluins challenge, lib. 3. Institut. cap. 4 sect. 7. that auricular popish Confession was not practised in the Church vntill twelue hundred yeeres after Christ, instituted first in the Lateran Councell, vnderunder Innocentius the third.
We reade that there was in the kCommunion booke, tit. Commination.Primitiue Church a godly discipline, that such persons as were notorious sinners, were put to open penance, and that by the direction of the Bishop or Pastor: lRhenanus & Iewel, vbi supra.and such as voluntarily desired to make publike satisfaction for their offences, vsed to come vntounto the Bishops and Priests, as vntounto the mouth of the congregation. But this confession was not constrained, but voluntarie; not priuate, but publike: yet hence the priests abusing the peoples weaknes tooke their hint, to bring in auricular confession vponupon perill of damnation. A cunning inuention to discouer the mysteries of all states, and all men, and to inrich that couetous and ambitious sea: for Confessions euermore make worke for Indulgences, and Indulgences are a great supporter of the triple crowne.
The Papists in this case, flie from the Scriptures vntounto the Councels, from the Councels vntounto the Fathers, and from the Fathers vntounto their last starting hole, miracles. Auricular Confession is Gods ordinance (saith mDe Poenitent. lib. 3. cap. 12.Bellarmine) because God hath wrought many miracles at auricular Confession. It is answered aptly, that Dauid saith not thy wonder, but thy word is a lanterne. Scripture without miracles are a good warrant; but miracles without text, are insufficient: for they were wrought by false prophets in nDeut. 13.1.old time, by false teachers in oMatth. 24.24.our daies.
It is obserued by Tully, that bad Orators in stead of reasons vse exclamations: and so Bellarmine, for want of arguments is faine to tell a tale or two related by Bonauentura, Antoninus, and our good countriman Alanus Copus; all which is no more, but aske my fellow whether I be a theefe.
That priuate confession, as it is vsed among the Papists, is neither necessarie nor pQuod sine numero est, quomodo numerabo? Berna…d. …rm. de quad…u lici debito.possible; see Calum. Institut. lib. 3. cap. 4. Iewel. defence Apolog. part. 2. cap. 7. diuision. 2. D. Morton, Apolog. catholic. part. 1. cap. 64. Master White, way to the true Church, pag. 157.226.227.
Offer the gift] For the qLuke 10.7.labourer is worthie of his hire. This is a witnesse to the Priests, rMelancthon. com. in loc.that is their right and due by law. Yea though the Priest doe not labour, yet wee must giuegive vntounto Caesar the things which belong vntounto Caesar, and vntounto God the things which appertaine to God: the publike Ministerie must bee maintained, although the Ministers bee neuer so weake, neuer so wicked.
And when Iesus was entred into Capernaum, there came vntounto him a Centurion] This miracle doth second the first.
In it obserue the
Fact of Christ,
Performing that fullie, which the Centurion desired faithfullie; his seruant was healed in the same houre: vers. 13.
Promising further also▪ that other Gentiles, euen from al the quarters of the world, shall come vntounto him, and rest with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, in the kingdome of heauen: vers. 11.
Faith of the Centurion,
Perswading Christ to cure his seruant: vers. 5.6.
Disswading Christ to come into his house, because it was
vnfit.
vnnecessary.
Vnfit: I am not worthie that thou shouldest come vnderunder my roofe. Surely this Captaine was a man of great worth, a deuout man, sLuke 7.5.for hee builded a synagogue; a good man to the Common-weale wherein hee liued, one that loued the nation of the Iewes, a man of such a faith, as that Christ found none so great in all Israel, vers. 10. a louing master to his seruants, as this act declares a man of command and authoritie, vers. 9: yet this great Worthie confesseth himselfe vnworthie; like the wheat eare, which hangs it head downe lowest, when it hath most corne. By this example, learne lowlines of minde. When the Sunne is right ouer our heads, our shadowes are most short; euen so when we hauehave the greatest grace, we must make the least shew.
Vnnecessarie; because Christ can helpe the distressed only with his word, tMaldonat. in loc.euen one word; which hee proues à minori ad maius: uZepper. in. loc.I am a man vnderunder the authoritie of another, &c. I am a man, but thou art God; I am vnderunder another, but thou art Lord of all; I hauehave souldiers obedient to me. For albeit vsually men of that profession are rude, yet I say to one, goe, and hee goeth; vntounto another, come, and hee commeth; and therefore Sicknes, which is thy xTheophylact. in loc.souldier, if thou speake the word onelyonly, will depart: say to the palsie, goe, and it will goe; say to thy seruant, Health, come, and it will come.
I hauehave not found so great faith] He might hauehave remembred in this noble Captaine, bountie, louelove, deuotion, humilitie; but he commends faith most of all, as being indeede the ground of all; without which one vertue the rest are sinne: Rom. 14.23. Heb. 11.6.