Exposition of the Dominical Epistles and Gospels, Section 5

Exposition of the Dominical Epistles and Gospels · Section 5

p. 48The Gospel. Matth. 11.2.

When Iohn in prison heard the works of Christ.

THis Gospell hath two principall parts:

A question moued by S. Iohn Baptist, in the 2.3. verse.

An answer made by our Sauiour Christ, in the rest.

In the question foure things are regardable:

1. The place where: in prison.

2. The time; when, he heard the works of Christ.

3. The messengers: hee sent two of his disciples.

4. The message▪ Art thou he that shall come, &c.

Christs answere concerneth either the Message Of Iohn.

Christs answere concerneth either the Or person Of Iohn.

That which concerned the message of Iohn, he deliuered vntounto the messengers: vers. 4.5.6. Goe and shew Iohn what ye hauehave heard and seene.

That which concerned the person of Iohn: he deliuered vntounto the multitude when the disciples of Iohn were departed: vers. 7.8.9.10.

Wherein obserue these three circumstances:

1. When: After Iohns disciples were gone, auoyding hereby all flatterie.

2. To whom: To the multitude, confirming in them a reuerend opinion of Iohn.

3. What: his speech altogether tēded vntounto the praise of Iohn.

And it is partly

Negatiue, shewing what he was not for his life: vers. 7.8.

Affirmatiue, shewing what hee was for his office, vers. 9.10.

p. 49This I take to be this Gospels anatome and epitome.

When Iohn, in prison.] bbPsal. 34.18.Ps 34:18Many are the troubles of the righteous. If they were many and not troubl…s, …hen, as it is in the prouerbe, The more the merrier: or if they were troubles, & not many; then, the fewer the better cheere. But it hath pleased almightie God to couple them both together; in nature, troubles; in number, many: that thorow many tribulations we might enter into the kingdome of God: Act. 14.22.

Some therefore are touched in their reputation, as Susanna: some crossed in their children, as Ely: some persecuted by their enemies, as Dauid: some wronged by their friends, as Ioseph: some tormented in their bodie, as Lazarus: some suffer losse of goods, as Iob: some restrained of their libertie, as here Iohn in prison. As Naples is called in ccOrtelius.history, the butt, and Millaine the bale of fortune: so the good man is the butt of the wicked, whereat he shootes his sharpest head arrowes: and therefore wee must put on Gods armour, following S. Ioh…s example. When we are in prison, or in any other affliction, we must not flie to witches, or relie too much on men, but immediatly send to Christ; I say send two messengers vntounto God, our almes and our prayers: for they will doe our errand for vsus, as they did for …ornelius, Act. 10.4.

Not to follow the common postils in this argument, I note out of these two circumstances, of place and time, two commendable vertues in Iohn, to wit, his discretion and humilitie. The disciples of Iohn held their master a greater Prophet then Christ: albeit he told them plainlie, that h…e was not worthie to vntie the latchet of Christs sho…e, Matth. 3.11. Behold then his exceeding wisedome, who sent his disciples vntounto Chr…st, …hen himselfe was mo…t abased in regard of his pr…sent imprisonment, and imminent dea…h, and when Christ on the other side, was most famous for his wondrous works & strange miracles: When Iohn b…ing in prison, heard …he workes of Christ, he sent two of his disciples vntounto him.

p. 50The disciples of Iohn had three faults, as wee finde in the Gospell:

Enuie: ddIohn 3.26.John 3:26Behold he that was with thee beyond Iordan baptizeth, and all men follow him.

Ignorance; supposing eeIohn 3.28.John 3:28Iohn to be Christ.

Incredulitie; ioyning with the Pharisies against Christ, saying: ffMatth. 9.14.Matt 9:14Why doe wee, and the Pharisies fast oft, and thy disciples fast not?

Now in ggIacob. de vorag. ser. 1. Dom. 3. Aduent.Christs schoole there were three perfections opposite to these three defects: Examples of humilitie against enuie: words of wisedome against ignorance: workes of wonder against incredulitie. Iohn therefore sent his disciples vntounto Christ, that seeing his humilitie, their enuie might be lessened; that hearing his wisedom their ignorance might bee rectified; that wondring at his workes their incredulitie might be confounded: and because hhClem. Strom. 2.faith is the mother of all vertues, and infidelitie the nurse of all wickednesse, the Baptist then sent his disciples, when he heard of the great workes of Christ; that going, they might see; seeing, wonder; wondring, beleeue; beleeuing, be saued.

A good example for all iiMarlorat. ex Caluin. in loc.Preachers to follow; that they take their hint, and best opportunity to benefit their auditors. EueryEvery Pastor is a steward in Gods house; and a steward must not on…ly prouide meat enough, but also prepare it in due season: otherwise, saith kkDe considerat. lib. 3.Bernard, it is not dispensatio, but dissipatio. This ought to be their first and last llL…dolphus de vita C…risti, part. 1. cap. 56. & Zepperus co…. 1. Dom. 3. Aduent.care: for Iohn in prison euen at deaths doore was most carefull to commend his schollers vntounto the best Tutor: and this paterne fits all parents, as well as Preachers. In a word, all mmD…z cone. 2. Dom. 2. Aduent.superiors that they be watchfull, for the good of such as are vnderunder them. nn1. Tim. 5.8.1 Tim 5:8If there be any that prouid…th not for his owne, and namely for them of his houshold, he denieth the faith, and is worse then an infidell. If such as neglect their families in temporall things, be worse then p. 51infidels; how bad are they who neglect them in spirituall things, vsing no paines in their life, nor care at their death; that their seruants and children after their departure, may be brought vp in instruction and information of the Lord?

But that which is especially noted out of those circumstances, is, Iohns humility, who was not vaine glorious, or factious, or any way desirous to draw disciples after him, but rather to send them vntounto other, who could better instruct them. If all our Preachers were like Iohn, there would be much lesse diuision, and much more deuotion in the Church. An itching shepheard must necessarily make a scabbie sheep.

He sent] When the Pastor is restrained of his libertie, let him not cease to prouide for his flocke: when the Master of the family cannot come to Church himselfe, let him send his seruants vntounto Christ.

Two] For mutuall society, because ooEccles. 4.9.Eccl 4:9two are better then one: if one fall, the other may lift him vp; if one forget, the other may remember: and yet not mo then two, lest turba should proue turbulenta, lest many heads should make many Creeds. ppBeauxamis har. Euang. T…m. 2. fol. 255.As Iosuah sent two to spie the promised land; so Iohn sent two to spie the promised Lord.

Art thou he that shall come] At the first sight hereof some may suppose that Iohn did doubt, whether Christ was the true Messias or no: for otherwise he would neuer hauehave sent his disciples with this question; Art thou hee that shall come▪ &c. But if you call to mind that which is written before; that Iohn baptised Christ in Iordan, and how hee saw the holy Ghost descending vponupon him, and how he pointed him out with the finger, This is the Lambe of God. Or if you shall aduisedly consider what followeth after this question of Iohn in this present Chapter, what honourable testimony Christ gaue of him, that he was not a reed shaken with the wind; that is, an inconstant man, one that preached Christ to be come, and now to make question of his comming: that he was a Prophet, p. 52yea more then a Prophet: if, I say, we note the text either precedent or consequent, it will appeare more manifest then light at noone that Iohn himselfe did no way doubt of Christ: and therefore to let passe all other expositions, I follow with the whole streame of qqIansen. Concord. cap. 47. Be…uxamis vbi sup. Culman. conc. 1. Dom. 3. Aduent. Musculus Ma… d…n, &c. in loc.late writers, that old interpretation of S. rrCom. in loc.H…erome, ssHom. 27. in Matth.Chrysostome, ttIn loc.Theophylact, Euthymius, Hilary, uuLib. 9. in Mat. fol. 80.Rupertus, all which are of this opinion, that Iohn Baptist made not this doubt in regard of himselfe, but in the behalfe of his doubting disciples, as yet not throughly perswaded that Christ was the Sauiour of the world: and therefore did he send them vntounto Christ, that by occasion of Christs answere, hearing his words, and seeing his wonders, they might be fully satisfied, and in fi…e saued.

A candle being put in a close roome, will shew forth it selfe thorow the little cranies of the wals, and chinckes of the window. Iohn was a xxIohn 5.35.John 5:35burning and shining lamp: and therefore though he was shut vp in prison, yet notwithstanding shined in his humility, wisdome, louelove, zeale before men, euen like the Sun giuing the greatest glimpse at his going downe.

Goe and tell Iohn] Why tell Iohn? He knew before that Christ was the Messias: he might hauehave said rather; I tell you; not, Goe you and shew Iohn: yyM…ldona…. in loc.but Christ would take no notice of their vnbeliefe, lest h…e should shame and discourage them too much.

What you hauehave heard and seene] What you hauehave heard of others, and seen your selues: for as S zzCap. 7.21.Luke reports at that very time b…fore their eies, our Sauiour cured many of their sicknesses and plagues, and of euill spirits, and vntounto many blind men he gaue sight: as if hee should reason thus; I hauehave made the premises; it remaineth onelyonly that ye gather the conclusion: aaEsay 35.5.Isa 35:5he that inlightneth the eies of the blind and openeth the eares of the deafe, & bbEsay 61.1.Isa 61:1bindeth vp the broken hearted, a…d preacheth good tidings vntounto the poore, &c. hee is assu…edly the Messias of the world: But I doe all these; therefore goe tell Iohn what yee p. 53hauehave heard and seene, the blind receiue their sig…t, the lame walk &c. Ye know the tree by his fruit. ccBernard. …pist. 107.Non ex …elijs, non ex floribus, sed ex fructibus. Here then we may l…arne to teach ignorant people with our workes as w…ll as our words, ddLudolph. vbi …upra, & Acosta Con. 3. Dom. 2. Aduent.that all men may see, so well as h…a…e what we are.

Yea but why did not he shew them in plaine termes, but demonstrate by miracle, that he was the M…ssias? He told the woman of eeIohn 4.…6.John 4:6Samaria before shee did aske: why then did hee not tell them when they did aske? Chrysostome giues this reason; because Christ knew the woman of Samaria would easily belieue, therefore hee vsed a bare word onelyonly: but the disciples of Iohn were hard of beliefe, and therefore he …hought it best to teach them by works, and not by words: ffIohn 5.36.John 5:36I hauehave greater witnesse …hen the witnesse of Iohn; for the works which the Father hath giuen me to finish, the same works that I doe, beare witn…sse of me, that the Father hath sent me. Wherefore ggIohn 10.38.John 10:38though yee beleeue not me, yet beleeue …he works: Go shew what ye hauehave seene; the blinde receiue their sight, the lame walke, the leapers are cleansed, and the deafe heare, the dead are raised vp, &c. These hhIohn 15.24.John 15:24works which I hauehave done, the like whereof were neuer done, testifie that I am hee who should come: and so will your master Iohn, that he looke for none other. This answere was thought sufficient by Christ, which is wisdome it selfe: Go and shew Iohn the things that ye hauehave heard and seene. But if Christ now will finde any faith among our Atheists, he had neede to come with new miracles, I might hauehave said with more then miracles, lest our searching wits finde the reason of them: or otherwise conclude them to be but our ignorance of the cause. Men and Gods, as it is in the fable of the golden chaine, were not able to draw Iupiter downe to the earth, and yet Iupiter was able to draw them vp to heauen: so we must submit our reason vntounto faith, and not faith vntounto reason.

And as they d…parted, Ies…s began to say vntounto the people.] This part of our Sauiours answere concernes the commendation p. 54of Iohn: if iiCic…ro orat. pro Archiapoet. O fortunate, qui tuae virtutis Homerum praeconem inueneris.Alexander the great accounted Achilles happie for that he had so good a trumpeter of his honor as Homer, what an exceeding glory was it for the Baptist to be thus extolled by Christ, who being truth it selfe would not flatter, and could not lie.

kkLudolphus: Beau…amis: Iansen. Marlorat. Bucer. &c. in loc.Diuines out of these circumstances of persons and time, note Christs wisdome and sinceritie; wisdome, who did not magnifie Iohn before those who did already praise him too much: his sinceritie, that would not flatter him before his owne disciples, albeit hee did extoll him before the people, when they were gone. It is an olde saying of llIn Ezechiel.Gregorie: Plus nocet lingua adulatoris, quàm gladius pers…cutoris; The word of the flatterer, hurts more then the sword of the persecuter.

A malicious enemie doth often good by telling vsus of our vices, but a fauning friend wrongs vsus in telling vsus of our vertues: either commending that which wee hauehave not, or too much extolling that which wee hauehave: the which is termed in the Canon law simonia linguae, verball simonie. mmLeuit. 2.13.Lev 2:13Salt was vsed in the legall sacrifices, but not hony, that our lips may offer vp acceptable sacrifice to God. We must hauehave salt in our nnColos. 4.6.Col 4:6speech, and not honey complements, as being more desirous to correct our acquaintance wisely, then to flatter them basely.

ooReusner. class. 1. Symbol. p. 145Sidona non sunt dona, quae dant▪ hostium;

Nec verba quae dant verba, sed sunt verbera.

The Parasite, saith the ppPla…tus.Poet, hath bread in one hand, and a stone in the other; vsing vsus as the Iewes did Christ; carrie vsus vp to the top of an hill, and then cast vsus downe headlong. qqLuk. 4.27.Luke 4:27Christ therefore rebuked the Pharisies before their face, but commended Iohn behinde his backe, not to his owne but to the people, lest they should entertaine an ill conceit of him who was a Preacher and a Prophet: and here by the way note, that the difference betweene the Disciples of Christ and Iohn in matter of ceremonies, as fasting and washing of hands, made no schisme in the Church; but Iohn gaue this testimonie of p. 55Christ, that he was not worthie to loose the latchet of his shoe: and Christ here commends highly both the carriage and calling of Iohn; affirming of the one, that hee was not an inconstant or vaine man; of the other, that he was a Prophet and more then a Prophet. There are three kindes of Prophets according to the threefold distinction of time: some write of things past, as Moses: In the beginning God created, &c. penning an hexameron many yeares after the world was made: some of things to come, so Christ was foretold by the mouth of all his holy Prophets euer since the world began: some of things present, as Zacharias in his song: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people: Christ being then conceiued had begun his visitation; and such a Prophet was olde Simeon at Christs circumcision: Mine eyes hauehave seene thy saluation. Now Iohn is more then any of these, because he is all these; prophesying of things past: I am the voice of him that crieth in the wildernes, opening an olde text of rrCap. 40.3.Esay; prophesying of things present: Behold the lambe of God▪ that taketh away the sinnes of the world; prophesying of things to come, Repent, for the kingdome of God is at hand.

Secondly, Iohn is more then a Prophet; for whereas other prophesied onelyonly in their life; Iohn was a prophet in his mothers bellie before hee was borne: for ssLuk. 1.41.Luke 1:41when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe sprang in her wombe, the which was so sensible a prophesie, that Elizabeth instantly called Mary the mother of our Lord.

Thirdly, Iohn was greater then the Prophets vnderunder the lawe, because they prophesied of Christ to come: but Iohn bare record that he was come, being, as ttBeauxāmis harmon. Tom. 2. fol. 258. & Albert. in loc. & Caluin. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 9. Sect. 5.diuines hauehave tearmed him, a midling, betweene a Prophet and an Apostle: a propheticall Apostle, and an apostolicall Prophet: uuT…rtullian. lib. 4. contra Marcio….Limes inter vtrumque constitutus, in quo desinerent vetera, & noua inciperent: The Baptist then is more then a Prophet, in pointing him out with the finger; p. 56who is the very center of all the Prophets aime.

Fourthly, greater then a Prophet, xxHieron. in loc.in that he baptized the Lord of the Prophets.

But what need we looke any further, when as our Sauiour in the very next verse giues a sufficient reason of this assertion out of the Prophet yyCap. 3.1.Malachie: This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my messenger before thy face, &c. zzMaldonat. in loc.Other Prophets are sent to men, but Iohn to God, from God the Father to God the Sonne: Behold, saith God the Father, I send mine Angell before thee, &c.

Christ in all his Sermons vsually cited text for the proofe of his doctrine: so Iohn the Baptist; I am the voice of a crier, as saith the Prophet Esay: So Saint Peter, This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel: so Saint Paul buildeth all his exhortations and conclusions vponupon euidence of holy writ; teaching vsus hereby, that howsoeuer the descant bee fetched out of the schoole; yet the grounds of all our preaching must be taken out of Gods owne booke: Beleeue this, for it is written: doe this, for it is written. aaAugustin. epist. 48.A…di, dicit Dominus, non dicit Donatus, aut Rogatus, aut Vincentius, aut Hilarius, aut Augustinus, sed dicit Dominus. Expound one text by comparing it with another; for the Prophets are bbDoron Basilicon, lib. 1. pag. 8.commentaries vponupon Moses, and the Gospell is a short exposition of both; and that you may the better performe this, examine the questions, harmonies, concordances, annotations, glosses of the learned Doctors in Christs Church from time to time; for it was an impudent speech of Abelardus, Omnes sic, sed ego non sic: and worthily censured by ccEpist. 190.Bernard: Os talia loquens …ustibus iust…s tunderetur, quàm rationibus refelleretur: For as the word of God was not penned in olde time▪ so l…kewise not to be cons…ued in our time by any priuate spirit: 2. P…t. 1.20.21.

…e…old I se… my ….] Our Euangelist reports … spoke… by God the Fath… ▪ but the Prophet as … by the Sonne: B…h…ld, I … …end my …ess…nger and … before me. This al…ering of the persons p. 57hath troubled Interpreters a little: ddPet. Galat. de arcanuilib. 3. cap. 12. & Iansen. Concord. cap. 13.some therefore thus, I send my messenger before my face; that is, before my Sonne, Hebr. 1.3. This obseruation is true, but not pertinent: eeRibera in Malach. 3. num. 4.5.Mal 3for to send a messenger before a mans face, is nothing els but to send a messenger before him, as Hab. 3.5. Before him went the pestilence: and Ieremie, Lament. 1.5. Her children are gone into captiuitie before the enemie: Ante faciem tribulantis; and so Christ expounds it here, before thy face, that is, before thee.

Now for the changing of the persons, it is vsuall in the Bible: Saint ff2. Pet. 1.21.2 Pet 1:21Peter affirmes tha… the word of God was written by the holy Ghost; but Saint Paul saith, Hebr. 1.1. that God the Father in olde time spake by the Prophets. ggCap. 52.6.Esay doth ascribe this vntounto the Sonne; My people shall know my name, in that day they shall know, that I am he who sent to them: and the reason hereof is plaine; because all the workes of the sacred Trinitie, quoad extra, be common vntounto all the three persons, and so God the Father, and God the Sonne, and God the holy Ghost, send. The persons diuersitie then alters not the sacred Identitie: but as hhHieron. Ians…n. Maldonat. in loc.Interpreters obserue, that text of Malachie compared with this of Matthew, proues notably that God the Father, and God the Sonne are all one, their power equall, their maiestie coeternall.

My messenger:] In the vulgar Latin, Angelum meum: iiV… Beda in cap. 1. Marc.Origen therefore thought Iohn was an Angell; but other expositours more fitly, that the Baptist was Angelus officiō, non naturâ; so Malachie cals other Prophets, Angels, in his 2. Chapt. 7. The Priests lips shall preserue knowledge, and they shall s…eke the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts: Angelus Domini: so Preachers are called kkApoc. 2.1.8.12Rev 2:1Rev 2:8Rev 2:12Angels in the new Testament, that is, messengers and ambassadours of God; and here the Gospell agrees with the Epistle. This is a paterne of S. Pauls precept: Preachers are to be respected as the Ministers of Christ, and stewards of God, for God saith of Iohn the Baptist, Behold I send my messenger, &c.

p. 58Happily some will obiect, if ordinarie Prophets are called Angels, how doth this testimonie proue Iohn to be more then a Prophet? Answere is made by Zacharie, llLuk. 1.76.Luke 1:76that Iohn is foreign the Prophet, & here by Matthew, that Angell, as it were bedell or gentleman vsher vntounto Christ. As then in a solemne triumph they be most honoured, who goe next before the king; so Iohn being next vntounto Christ, euen before his face, is greater then they who went farre off: he was the voice, Christ the word: now the word and the voice are so n…ere, that Iohn was taken for Christ. Againe, Iohn may be called that Angell, in mmTheophylact. in loc.regard of his carriage so well as his calling, for albeit he did no miracle, yet, as nnMaldonat. in loc.one said, his whole life was a perpetuall mira…le: first, his conception was wonderfull; begotten, saith ooSerm. 6….Ambrose with prayer: Non tàm complexibus quàm orationibus: An Angell from heauen auoucheth as much in the first of Luke, verse 13. Feare not Zacharie; for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a Sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn. It was another miracle, that a babe which could not speake, yea, that was vnborne, began to execute his angelicall office, and to shew that Christ was neere: that dumbe Zacharie should prophesie, was a third wonder at his circumcision; and so the whole life of Iohn was very strange, liuing in the wildernes more like an Angell then a man: and in a word, those things which are commendable in other seuerally, were found in him all ioyntly, being a Prophet, Euangelist, Confessor, Virgin, Martyr: liuing and dying in the truth and for the truth. I know not (as ppVbi supra.Ambrose speakes) whether his birth, or death, or life was more wonderfull.

How Iohn doth prepare the way before Christ, is shewed in the Gospell on next Sunday; yet obserue this much in generall, that it is the Ministers office to shew men the right way to saluation, and to bring them vntounto God: our Sauiour hath promised to come vntounto men; it is our dutie therefore to knocke at the doores of your heart p. 59by preaching faith and repentance, to prepare the way for our master, that when himselfe knocks he may be let in, and so sup with you, and dwell with you, and you with him euermore. Amen.