The Autumn Part from the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, Gospel 1
The Gospell,
MARKE 7. 31.
Iesus departed from the Coasts of Tyre and Sydon, and came vntounto the sea of Galile, through the middest of the ten Cities, and they brought vntounto him one that was deafe, &c.
AMong many, there bee mScot… prolog. 1. sent.two maine demonstrations of Christs diuinitie: the words of his Prophets, and the workes of himselfe. Both are met together in nVega in lod.this place; for it is shewed here by S. Marke, that he wrought at oFerus ser. 5. in loc.one time, with one word, and that a pVerbulo minimo: Coster. in loc.litle word too, great wonders; and that according to the prediction of his Prophet qCap. 35. vers. 5.Esay, then shall the eyes of the blind be lightned, and the eares of the deafe bee opened. If any then want euidence to proue that Christ is God, let me say to him, as it was once said vntounto Peter and Andrew, rIohn 1. 39.come and see.
The whole may bee deuided into three principall parts, answerable to three principall parties expressed in the text, namely,
The partie
Cured: One that was deafe, and had an impediment in his speech.
Curing: Christ, And when hee had taken him aside, &c.
Procuring: Who brought the patient vntounto Christ, and prayed to put his hands vponupon him.
Iesus departed from the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and came vntounto the sea of Galile] Christ was not a perpetuall resident in one benefice; but hee sAct. 10. 38.went about from Coast to Coast, doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the diuell. By which example we may learne to be tKilius in loc.diligent and industrious in our seuerall callings, and that uArdens.we should not expect vntill other vpseeke vsus, but that wee should seeke, yea xGalat. 5. 13.serue them in louelove, doing good vntounto all men, especially to them which are of the houshold of faith. Galat. 6. 10.
And they brought vntounto him] In these neighbours of the deafe man, yLuther. Heming. Culman.interpreters hauehave noted a liuely patern both of faith and of louelove. First of faith, in that hearing of Christ they beleeued, and in beleeuing they came to him, entreating fauour, not for themselues onelyonly, but for their sicke friend also: being assured that the worlds Sauiour could with a touch easily cure him. zSarcerius.Here then are foure degrees of a iustifying faith, according to that, Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shall call vponupon the name of the Lord shalbe saued? but how shall they call on him, in whom they hauehave not beleeued? And how shall they beleeue in him, of whom they hauehave not heard? and how shall they heare without a Preacher? and how shall they preach, except they bee sent? The first step is to heare Christs word; the second, so to heare, that wee beleeue; the third, so to beleeue, that wee dare aHeb. 4. 16.goe boldly to the throne of grace; calling on him in whom we beleeue: the fourth is, so to call and aske, that our request may bee granted, and our selues saued. Againe, their action was full of louelove; first, in that they brought him vntounto Christ. bFerus serm. 3. in loc.Secondly, for that they deferred not this good worke, but instantly brought him, as soone as Christ was in the midst of their Coast. Thirdly, for that they were not cold sutors in his behalfe, but earnest petitioners vntounto Christ, that he would put his hands vponupon him. Hereby cZopper. con. 1. in loc.teaching vsus how to demeane our selues toward our sicke neighbours, and distressed friends: insinuating that it is not enough to wish well, or speake well, except wee doe well vntounto them: and that wee must not onelyonly labour to helpe them our selues, but also when need shall require, to procure other of greater skill and abilitie to giuegive them further contentment and ease. There bee many motiues vntounto this good office; but especially two; namely, Gods precept, and promise. Precept, dLuk. 6. 36.be yee mercifull, as your Father is mercifull. Promise, ePsalm. 41. 1.Blessed is he that considereth the poore and needie, the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble. See Gospell Sund. 4. and Epist. Sund. 2. after Trinitie.
One that was deafe, and had an impediment in his speech] As dumbe hee could not aske, as dease hee could not heare counsell and comfort for his good. fArdens. Coster.In which respect hee was in a more miserable case then either the blind, or the leper, or the lame: for they made their griefe knowne to Christ in crying, O Iesu the sonne of Dauid hauehave mercy on mee; and heard also what hee said vntounto them; O sonne, be of good cheere, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. Whether we construe this of spirituall or bodily deafenesse, it was occasioned by gTheophylact.Satan, and bred by sinne. The diuell as a murthering theefe, comming to steale from vsus our soule, the most pretious iewell in all our house, laboureth especially to stop our eares, lest we should heare that which is for our good, and to close our mouthes, lest we should call for that which is for our good. In which regard Sathan is termed in hLuk 11. 14another text a dumbe and a deafe diuell. Not iLudol. de vit Christ. part. 1. cap. 73.formaliter (as the Schoole doth speake) for he is a roaring Lion: but kCaietan. in Luc. 11.causaliter, as making other dumbe. See Gospell 3. Sunday in Lent.
Sathan then is impellens causa, but Adam our first parent lVide Hieron. & Pauigarol. in loc.contrahens. Hee was deafe when he did not obey Gods expresse commandement; and dumbe, when he did not reprehend his seduced and seducing wife. Deafe, when he did not heare the voice of God, Adam, where arte thou? Dumbe, when he did not vponupon that summons ingenuously confesse his sinne. Now the mRom. 5. 12. & 1. Cor. 15. 22Scripture telleth vsus plainly, that in Adam all men hauehave sinned, and therefore all of vsus are by nature nMelanct. & Kilius in loc.borne deafe, and dumbe, not able to heare; much lesse to speake what we should, as we should, vntill Christ open our dull eares, and vnloose our stammering tongue with his Ephata from aboue.
oPontan. Diez.Some Postillers obserue Saint Markes order and method; first mentioning a lesser euill, one that was deafe: then a greater, and had an impediment in his speech: according to that of the pEcclesiast. 19. 1.Wise-man; he that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little. The qEuseb. E…is. Hom. in loc.Preachers of the word are they who bring this deafe and dumbe man vntounto Christ; he therefore that hath eares to heare, let him heare. For rArboreus in loc.that man is deafe who stops his eares at the Gospell; and mute, who will not open his lips that his mouth may shew forth Gods praise. Concerning their estate which are corporally deafe and dumbe: men ought to iudge charitably, knowing that the sRom. 11. 33.waies of God are past finding out; who being infinitely rich in mercy doth exact but little where hee giues a little. The t1. Ioh. 2. 27. Apocalyp. 27.spirit of the Lord happily speakes vntounto them, and uGalat. 4. 6.crieth in them Abba father; xRom. 8. 26.helping their infirmities, and yIbidem. vers. 16.witnessing with their spirit that they be the sons of God. See Hierom. exposit. prior. in Galat. cap. 3. Concil. Carthag. 4. Can. 76. Zepper. con. 3. in loc.
They prayed him] A zKilius in loc.paterne of the precept, aIam. 5. 16.pray one for another. It is bChrysoft. Hom…l. 14. ex Mat. ca…. 6.necessity makes a man pray for himselfe; but it is charity moues a man to pray for another. cThom. 22. quaest. 82. art. 7Now that deuotion is most acceptable which is not forged by dissimulation, nor forced by constraint; but ariseth out of pure zeale to God, and meere louelove to men. It is our duty therefote to pray, not for our selues onelyonly, but for others also; for d1. Tim 2. 1.all men, euen our eMat. 5. 44.enemies, earnestly beseeching Christ to put his blessed hands vponupon them, albeit they desire to lay their violent cursed hands vponupon vsus.
To put his hands vponupon him] There is a twofold foreign, mentioned in holy Scripture; fB. Barl…w: sermon at Hampton Court: Sept. 21. 1606. in Act. 20. 28.confirmatoria, & curatoria: the first vsed in ordaining Presbyters, as 1. Tim. 4. 14. and 1. Tim. 5. 22. The second in blessing and healing the people, Mat. 9. 18. and 19. 13. Now the friends of this patient entreated Christ to put his hand vponupon him; gMaldonat.either knowing that he cured other impositione manuum, as the blind man, Mark. 8. 23▪ 25. and the crooked woman, Luk. 13. 13. or else for that the Prophets and holy men of God vsed in helping and healing the sicke, to lay their hands vponupon them. A ceremony not vnknowen vntounto the Gentiles, as it is apparent by the speech of h2. King. 5 11.Naaman the Syrian; I thought with my selfe, the Prophet will surely come out, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and put his hand on the place, and heale the leprosie.
And when he had taken him aside from the people] Sundrie Diuines hauehave sundrie deuices in expounding this clause. Literally, iSarcerius.some thinke that hee caried him aside from the prease, that he might the better attend the businesse out of the throng. kEuthyniu….Other, for that among so many, some would bee regardlesse and irreuerent spectators. lCaluin. apud Marlorat.Other, that he might pray more deuoutly, while he did the cure. mChrysost. apud Thom. Theophyiact. Ardens. Iansen.Most are of opinion that he did so to shun all ostentation and vaine glory. nHieron. Eu…h. Emis. Culman. Vega.Mystically, none are cured by Christ, but such as hee puts apart, drawing them out of Babylon, Apocalyp. 18. 4. out of Sodome, Gen. 19. 6. from out of the broad way, Matth 7. 13. to his little flock, Luk. 12. 32. that they may be men in the world, not of the world, Ioh. 15. 19. & 17. 16.
He put his fingers into his eares, and did spit, and touched his tongue] Christ could hauehave cured this man, as he did many, with his bare word; according to that of the oMatth. 8 8.Centurion, speake the word only, and my seruant shall be healed: but he did vse feete, finger, spettle, tongue; pTheophylact. Euthym. Arboreus.to shew that all the parts of his humane nature being vnited vntounto the Diuine, were Salutiferous, euen the true meane whereby men ate holpen in all their sicknesse. He qEsay. 53. 4. 5.carried all our sorrowes, and cured all our sores. Or happily Christ vsed these things, at this time, rSarcerius.lest wee should tempt God in neglecting ordinarie meanes. Or to sVega.shew that it was the finger of God, as Luke 11. 20. If I by the finger of God cast out diuels. And so this man was healed euen by the same hand that made him Or insinuating that hee wrought this cure by his tPanigarol.power and wisedome: the first signified by his finger, the second by spettle. Mystically, the finger of God is the spirit of God: for whereas S. uCap. 11. 10.Luke saith, If I by the finger of God cast out diuels, S. xCap. 12. 28.Matthew hath, If I cast out diuels by the spirit of God. Our blessed Sauiour therefore did put his fingers into the deafe mans eare, to yFerus ser. 4. Zepper. ser. 1. in loc.signifie that the preaching of the word to mens outward eares only, without the secret operation of the spirit speaking inwardly to their hearts, is not auailable to saluation. Albeit Paul plant, and Apollos water, only God giueth encrease, 1. Cor. 3. 6. Here some Friers are so conceited, as to tell all the fingers on Christs hand, and eueryevery ioynt of the same: but I cannot finger this lesson, I referre you therefore to Iacob de Vorag. ser. 1. in loc. Pontan. Bibliothec. Concion. tom. 4. fol. 199.
And looked vp to heauen] zEuseb Emis. & Vega, in loc.To shew that he was our mediatour and aduocate with God our Father in Heauen. Or aBeda. Iansen. Pontan.intimating that eueryevery good and perfect gift is from aboue, comming downe from the Father of lights: and therefore we must in all our sicknesse expect health and ease from heauen, saying with Dauid, bPsal. 121. 1.I will lift vp mine eyes vntounto the hils, from whence commeth my helpe: my helpe commeth euen from the Lord, which hath made heauen and earth. Or hee looked vp to heauen; cLudolphus. Iacob. de Vorag.hereby teaching vsus to set our affections on things which are aboue, Coloss. 3. 2. In this dPsal. 84. 6.vale of misery we are subiect to deafnes, and dumbnes, and infinite other infirmities of minde and body: but in Hierusalem aboue, there eApocal. 21. 4is no more dying, nor crying, but all teares shall be wiped away from our eyes, and sorrow from our hearts. And therefore let our conuersation be in heauen, as hauing in it our best friend, or best treasure, best helpe, best home.
Happily some will obiect, that lifting vp of the eyes, and sighing, are gestures of one that prayeth, and makes a sute: but Christ could hauehave wrought this myracle without praier, or helpe from other. It is true Christ could, and often did cure without praier: yet in some cases, and at some times he did vse to pray for two reasons especially. First, that all the world might know that he was sent from God, euen from the bosome of his Father in heauen. And this reason is rendered by himselfe, Ioh. 11. 41. 42. Iesus lift vp his eyes, and said, Father, I thanke thee, because thou hast heard me. I know that thou hearest me alwaies; but because of the people that stand by, I said it, that they may beleeue that thou hast sent mee. Secondly, for our fBeda. Theophylact. in loc. Idem Greg. Hom. 10 in Ez…chiel.example, teaching vsus how we should desire God to loose our stammering tongues, and open our dull eares: gEuthym. in l…c.instructing Physitions also to pray while patients are vnderunder their cure, that the God of heauen would blesse their handy worke.
And sighed] He did not this as doubting of his cure, but to shew first, that hee was very hBeda: Quasi Deus curauit: quasi homo ingemuit.man, subiect to weeping and passion as we are, yet without sin: Hebr. 4. vers. 15. Secondly, to manifest his iFerus, ser. 4. in loc. Idem Beza.compassion and pitie towards distressed men; hee that said, kMatth. 5. 7.Blessed are the pitifull, is such an high Priest lHeb. 4. 15.as is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. And by this example teaching mLudolphus. Iansen.vsus also to weepe for the weaknesse and wickednesse of our brethren. Thirdly, to demonstrate the nIacob de Vorag. serm. 1.greatnesse and grieuousnesse of sinne, which is not cured but by the sighing and suffering of the sonne of God. In more particular, oVega.some note that Christ did not sigh vntill hee touched the patients tongue, which is an vnruly euill, an pPsal. 14. 5.open sepulchre, qIames 3. 8. 6.full of deadly poison, a world of wickednesse.
And said vntounto him Ephata, that is to say, be opened] He did sigh as a man, but rPostil. cum Glossis & figuris. Idem Beda, Ferus, & alij.command as God: vsing neither the subiunctiue, nor optatiue, but sZ…inglius. Iansen. Maldonat.imperatiue moode: Bee opened. The word Ephata was vulgar in that countrey; tBullinger. apud Marlorrt.by which it doth appeare that hee did not vse it as a charme, placing extraordinarie power or confidence therein: but that it was his owne will, and proper vertue that wrought the miracle. This (as uCom. in loc.Maldonate the Iesuite censureth) is a mad glosse. Yet his old friend xConcord. euangel cap. 62.Iansenius is so well in his wits as to receiue it, and so would hee too, but that it maketh against their superstitious vsing of the word Ephata in their popish exorcisme before Baptisme. The Papists, as being masters of ceremonies, or rather indeed slaues, obserue 22. ceremonies in their administration of holy Baptisme: namely, twelue going before Baptisme, siue in the action, and other siue following after, as Bellarmine doth marshall them in his booke De Baptismo, cap. 25. 26. 27. Now the ninth ceremonie before Baptisme is applying of spettle to the nostrels and eares of the Infant, and saying Ephata be opened. And for the lawfulnes of this ceremonie yB…llarm. de baptismo, cap. 25. & Rhem. in loc.they cite Christs example, and S. Ambroses authoritie. To the first our men answere, that it is an apish tricke, rather inscorne, then imitation of Christ. And therefore the noble mother of our gratious Soueraigne K. Iames enioyned the popish Archbishop at his baptisme to forbeare this idle ceremonie; saying, that zThus his Maiestie reports: premon…tion, p. 33.shee would not hauehave a pockie Priest to spit in her childs mouth. Our blessed Sauiour here did not administer the sacrament of baptisme; why then I pray, should they not annoint the eyes of the baptised infant with clay, so well as his nostrels with spettle? for Christ in the aIoh. 9.Gospell opened the eyes of a blind man with clay; the which is so significant, and happily more sweete then vnsauorie slauer of an vnwholesome shaueling. Againe, suppose this action of Christ were sacramentall, (a thing which neither they can aske modestly, nor wee grant iudiciously) yet herein bEpise. E…i. respon. ad Card. Bellarm. Apolog. pag. 154.they doe not imitate Christ; for hee did apply spettle to the mouth of this patient, but they doe this vntounto the nostrels of the child to bee baptised. As for S. Ambroses authoritie, there bee two places in his workes vrged in this argument. The first is cited by cLib. de Baptismo, cap. 25.Bellarmine, and that is in Tom. 4. Ambros. lib. De ijs qui mysterijs initiantur, cap. 1. Where by way of preface onelyonly the learned Father dExhortatio auditorum: vt aures aperia…t. vt est in argu ment. ejusde… ….exhorteth his auditors that they would open their eares vntounto his speech, as the deafe man had his eares opened in the Gospell. The second is quoted by the Rhemists in their Annotations vponupon this text, and that is lib. 1. de sacramentis, cap. 1. Where S. Ambrose mentioneth indeed a needlesse ceremonie vsed in his age, namely, that the Priest touched the nostrels and eares of him that was baptised; and the truth is eD•. Fulke in Marke 7. 34.euen at that time, there were many superfluous and burthenous rites in the Church; of which Augustine complained in his 118. and 119. epistle to Ianuarius. But S. Ambrose speakes not in that chapter of exorcismes vsed in the ministration of Baptime, nor of spettle, nor of the word Ephata: which as fCaluin. Ins…it. lib. 4. cap. 15. §. 19.one speakes, are nugae palam in baptismi probrum effraeni licentia inuectae.
And straight-way his eares were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plaine] gMaldonat. in loc.Two things illustrate Christs omnipotent power in acting this myracle: Celerity, for that hee did it so suddenly: Perfection, for that hee did it so soundly. For the first, it is said in the Text, Straight-way. Otherwise it might hauehave beene thought that his disease went away of it selfe, or that it was cured by some other. And for demonstration of the second, his thicke eares were opened, and the strings of his stammering tongue loosed in such sort, that hee did not onelyonly speake, but speake plainly, that is, rightly and readily. For he that said in the beginning: Let there be lights in the Firmament, and it was so: let the waters bee gathered together, and it was so: Let the Earth bud▪ and it was so: said heere, Be opened, and immediatly the deafe did heare, and the dumbe speake. hHeming.Mystically, men are loosed from the shackels of Sathan and sinne by the commandement of Christ, and preaching of his word And therefore Christ in healing this patient, first opened his eares and then vntied the string of his tongue: iPontan.because we must heare well, before we can speake well. He that will open his lips that his mouth may shew forth Gods praise, must be swift to heare, slow to speake: Iam. 1. 19.
And hee commanded them that they should tell no man] Heereby shewing the difference betweene the giuer of a benefit, and the receiuer. Hee that doth a good turne must instantly forget it: hee that receiueth, alway remember it. According to that of kDe ben. lib. 2. cap. 11.Seneca: Beneficium qui dedit taceat, narret qui accepit. lE…sdem lib. cap. 10.Haec scilicet inter duos beneficij lex est, alter statim obliuis…id▪ bet dati, alter accepti nunquam. Againe, there is a time for all things, a time wherein Christ would hauehave his myracles knowen, and a time wherein hee would hauehave them vnknowen.
But the more he forbad them, so much the more a great deale they published.] The particular publishing of this myracle, contrary to Christs expresse commandement, was rather immoderate mCalnin. Heming. Zepper.zeale, then an imitable vertue. See Gospell, 3. Sunday after Epipha. But their generall praising of God, in saying he hath done all things wel, is very commendable. For
God is good
In himselfe: Matth. 19. 17. None good but God.
Toward other, in his nPontan.workes of
Creation.
Preseruation.
Redemption.
Glorification.
In his Creation all well, making of nothing all things, and those good, yea oGen 1. …1.very good. In consideration wherof pContra Faust. Man. li. 21. c. 5.Augustine said sweetly: Cum opera dei considero, moueor ineffabiliter la…de creatoris illorum, qui prorsus ita magnus est in operibus magnis, vt minor non …it in minimis. In his preseruation all well, qWisdome 8. 1.ordering all things comely, disposing not onelyonly that which is good, but also that which is euill, yea the very diuell, vntounto good ends. rAugust. ad Simplic. lib. 2. quaest. 1.Etiam spiritibus malis benevtitur Dominus, ad vindictam malorum, vel ad bonorum probationem. In his redemption all things well, & far better then in his Creation. sGranat. in euangel. Dom. 1. Aduent.Illic sua nobis dedit, hic vere seipsumcontulit, non tam in dominum quàm in pretium & sacrificium. All things well, yea best of all in his glorification, giuing vsus a tMatt. 5. 12.great reward, yea so great as u1. Cor. 2. 9.mans eye neuer saw, neither eare heard, neither heart conceiued.
The Gospell and Epistle well agree: The spirit giueth life, saith Paul: the deafe man had his eares opened by the finger of Christ, saith Luke. By the Gospels ministery men are made Gods Epistle, saith Paul: by the word of Christ the deafe did heare, and the dumbe speake, saith Luk. If we be able vntounto any thing, the same commeth of God, saith Paul. He hath done all things well, saith Luke. Let vsus therefore pray with the Church:
Almighty and euerlasting God, which art alwaies more ready to heare, then wee to pray, and art wont to giuegive more then either wee desire or deserue; powre downe vponupon vsus the abundance of thy mercy, forgiuing vsus those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giuing vntounto vsus that, that our praier dare not presume to aske through Iesus Christ our Lord:
Amen.