The Third Part from John Baptists Nativity, Part 10
The Gospell.
MATTH. 9. 9.
As Iesus passed foorth from thence he saw a man named Matthew, &c.
IN this text 2. points are more cheifly regardable, namely the
Calling of Matthew, wherein obserue the
Bountifulnes of Christ in calling, hee saw a man named Matthew, &c.
Duetifulnesse of Matthew in comming, he arose, and followed him.
Cauilling of the Pharisees, and in it
Their accusation, Why eateth your master with Publicanes and sinners.
Christs excusation, answering for himself by groūds of
Reason, they that be strong neede not the Phisition.
Religion, goe yee rather & learne, &c.
As Iesus passed foorth from thence] we may not slightly passe ouer the passing of Iesus here from place yActs 10. 38.to place doing good, and acting works of merciemercy and miracle. Craftie polititians thrust themselues into the center of the world, as if all times should meet in their ends, neuer caring in any tempest what becommeth of the ship of estate, so they may be safe in the coc-boat of their owne fortune. But Christ here neglecting his priuate boat, was all for the publique ship of the Church, being not only painfull in his owne person all his life, but also carefull in calling apostles, who might as cunning masters and pilots guide the Churches ship after his death.
zMusculus in loc.By this example princes (which ought to be aEsay 49. 23.nursing fathers vntounto the Church) are taught, not only to see that matters be well ordered for the present; but also to foresee such things as may be for the good of the Church in time to come. They must especially maintaine the schooles of the prophets as the seminaries and nurseries of the Clergie, that there may be from time to time Peters and Matthewes, apt and able bLuke 10. 2.labourers in the Lords haruest. As for you which are men of meane qualitie, though it be true that yee can not found Colledges, or endue the Church with any large reuenewes: yet ye can cPsalm. 122. 6.pray for the peace of Hierusalem, and wish hartily that plenteousnesse may be within her pallaces: And therefore when any sute concerning the Clergie shall be tried by your verdite, dDeut. 12. 19.forsake not the Leuite as long as thou liuest vponupon earth. Let no malignant humour cause thee to rob God of his due, the Minister of his dutie, that the Gospell may not only florish in our dayes, but that there may be still a succession of learned men in all ages to come, who may eEsay. 40. 2.comfort Hierusalem at the heart, and withstand all her fPsalm. 127. 6.enemies in the gate.
He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receit of custome] He saw Matthew not (as then he saw many moe) with his corporall eyes only, gArdens, Rupert.but also with his all-seeing eyes of prescience, knowing that he was a hChrysost. apud Panigarol. hom. in loc.pearle in a dunghil, a chosen vessell vntounto the Lord from all eternitie. And with his pitifull eyes of merciemercy, euen with the verie same eyes he saw the grieuous troubles of his children in iExod. 3. 7.Aegypt, and with the same eyes he saw Peter weeping, and with the same eyes he saw kIohn 1. 48.Nathanaell vnderunder the fig-tree. Now the greatnesse of his exceeding rich mercies is amplified here by circumstances of the person, and of the place, and of the time. By circumstance of person he saw and called Matthew, a rich man, a couetous rich man, a couetous rich man in a corrūpt office, Matthew the Publican. lMarke 2. 14. Luke 5. 27.Other Euangelists in relating this history cals him leui, mHierom. …ansen. Maldenat.but he cals himselfe by that name he was best knowne, he confessed his fault, and acknowledged his folly, stiling himselfe Matthew the Publican. And this he did vntounto Gods glory, for the greater was his misery, the greater was his Sauiours mercy; the children of Israel payed no custome before their captiuity, wherefore toll-gatherers as being subiect to many foule extorsions and oppressions were most odious officers among the Iewes; in so much as Publicans and notorious malefactors are coupled vsually together in the gospell: as if nMat. 18. 17.he refuse to heare the Church also, let him be to thee as an heathen man and a Publican, and Mat. 21. 31. Verily I say vntounto you that the Publicans and the harlots shall goe before you into the kingdome of God, and Luke 15. 1. Then resorted vntounto him all the Publicans and sinners; and in our present text, why eateth your master with Publicans and sinners? So that Publicans are ioyned sometime with heathens, sometime with harlots, alway with sinners.
But the goodnes of Christ is amplifyed more by circumstances of place and time, for that he called Matthew sitting at the receit of custome; he called oMat. 4. 18.Peter and Andrew while they were fishing; Iames and Iohn while they were mending their nets; hee called other, while they were doing some good, but (O the deepenes of the riches of Christs vnspeakeable mercies) hee called Matthew when he was doing hurt, executing his hatefull office, sitting at the receit of custome. pEuthym. Caluin, Genebrard. in Psal. 1.There be three degreees in sinne mentioned, Psalm. 1. 1. The first is walking in the counsell of the vngodly; the second is standing in the way of sinners; the third is sitting in the seat of the scornefull: now Matthew the Publican had proceeded Doctor in his faculty, he was seated in the chaire, sitting at the receit of custome, the which is worse then either walking in the counsell of the vngodly, or standing in the way of sinners.
Hence we may learne not to despaire of other, much lesse of our selues: not of other, albeit they be neuer so couetous misers and great oppressors. Indeed qMat. 19. 24.Christ said, it is easier for a Camel (or as rTheophylact, Erasmus, Drusius, in loc. Mat.other read) for a cable to goe thorough the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God, but he doth adde withall and say, with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. He can vn-twine a cable rope in eueryevery cord and thred, and so drawe it thorough the eye of a needle: he can vndoe the cordes of vanity, and cart-ropes of iniquity which hold couetous men from him, and so make them (as he did here Matthew) to follow him. He did vntwine Zacheus when he said, sLuke 19. 8.behold Lord halfe of my goods I giuegive to the poore, and if I hauehave taken from any man by forged cauillation, I restore him fourefold: and so Zacheus notwithstanding his Camels backe, that is in former time his prodigious wealth, entred into the straite gate of heauen.
And let no man euer despaire of himselfe, seeing Christ called Matthew when he was doing of euill, and the thiefe on the crosse, Luke 23. when he was suffering for euill. tPsalm. 48. 9.According to his name so is his praise, uMat. 1. 21.Iesus is his name, and he is a sauiour of his people; comming into this world (as hee protesteth and proueth in this Scripture) not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
In Matthewes obedience to Christs call, obserue with xHom. in loc.Ardens a threefold abrenunciation
1. Of his wickednes, he arose, namely from his old vnconscionable course vntounto newnes of life.
2. Of his wealth, he left all, Luke 5. 28.
3. Of his will, he followed him, and that as yParatus ser. de S. Mat.one writes
celeriter,
laetanter,
conuenienter,
perseueranter,
1. He followed Christ immediatly without delay, for assoone as Christ had said follow me; forthwith he arose and followed him.
2. He followed Christ cheerefully zAretius.without any murmuring or disputing who should execute his office, or looke to his account. aMusculus.It was in the worlds eye a great folly to leaue such a gainefull occupation, a greater folly to forsake that which he had already got, and the greatest of all to follow him who was so poore that he wanted a nest and an hole where to rest his head, Mat. 8. 20. Yet Matthew beholding his Sauiour with eyes offaith, and b2. Cor. 4. 18.looking not on the things which are seene, but on the things which are not seene, simply and cheerefully followed him, and in cRupert. in loc.token hereof (as Saint dLuke 5. 29.Luke reportes) hee made him a great feast in his owne house.
3. Matthew followed Christ conueniently, because he left all and followed him: all his worldly busines, all his vnconscionable gaines, all his corrupt affections, and whatsoeuer hindred him in the way to God. And eHierom, Caietan.herein he dealt not (as prophane Porphirius and Iulian obiect) vnaduisedly to forsake all things, and to follow one which had nothing, for Matthew doubtles had before seene many myracles of Christ, and at this present he was also drawen by the holy spirit, according to that of our Sauiour, fIohn 6. 44.no man can come to me, except the father which hath sent me drawe him. And this spirit assured his spirit that Christ as God is gGen. 17. 1.all sufficient, and a hHeb. 11 6.rewarder of such as seeke him and come vntounto him. Here the Gospell and Epistle meete, Paul preached not the word for worldly gaine, Matthew left all and followed Christ. He did not abandon all his estate, for hee feasted Christ in his owne house: but hee was iApostoli quantum ad voluntatem totum mundum reliquerunt. Hierom. epist. ad Pammac.willing to leaue the whole world to gaine that good which hee could neither kAugustin. de ciuitate dei lib. 1. cap. 10.prodere nor perdere.
4. Matthew followed Christ constantly, being first a Disciple, then an Apostle, afterward an Euangelist, and last of all a Martyr: as a Disciple he heard the Gospell of Christ, as an Apostle he preached the Gospell of Christ, as an Euangelist hee wrote the Gospell of Christ, as a Martyr he suffered for the Gospell of Christ. He was not only a Disciple, but an Apostle, numbred among the lMat. 10. 3.twelue, preaching the Gospell in mEuseb. hist. lib. 3. cap. 2…. Idem Magdeburg. cent. 1. lib. 2. col. 576.Iudea and nSocrates hist. lib. 1. cap. 15.Aethiopia, for I remember oCassanaeus catalog. 1. parl. 3. considerat. 29.one saith of him Aethiopiam nigram doctrinâ fidei fecit candidam. And that hee might preach vntounto the whole world after his death, he penned the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ, &c. In which (as Euseb. Emisen obserueth) he makes a great feast vntounto Christ, and that in pPanigarol bom. in loc. part. 1.sundry respects as 1. His Gospell is great, as being written in Hebrewe, the most ancient and most holy tongue. 2. Great, as being the qAugust. de consensu Euangel. lib 1. cap. 2.first of all the Gospels. 3. Great, as being the most large, rSee Panigarol vbi sup. & Sixt. Bibliothec. lib. 1. pag. 17.diuided by the moderne Latines into 28. Chapters, but according to the partition of Hilarius in former ages into 33. or as Druthmanus into 67. Canons. Among the Grecians Euthymius parteth it into 68. Chapters, Eusebius, Ammonius, Suidas into 355. and lastly great, as intending principally to shew that the man Christ is the Messias and Sauiour of the world, promised by the Prophets, and prefigured in the sacrifices of the law. Saint Matthew hauing cheerefully followed Christ in hearing his Gospell, in preaching his Gospell, in writing his Gospell, sVide not. Baron in Rom. Martyr Septemb. 21.on this day suffered martyrdome constantly for his Gospell.
Christ eueryevery day calleth vsus, and saith vntounto vsus as here to Matthew, follow me, though he doe not this immediatly by himselfe, yet he speaketh vntounto vsus by the tongues of his Preachers, as he spake in tHeb. 1. ….olde time to our fathers by the mouthes of the Prophets. It is our duty therefore to come when hee calleth (as his seruant Matthew) quickly, conueniently, constantly, cheerefully. Quickly without delay, nEcclesiast. 5 7.make no tarying to turne vntounto the Lord, but to day, xHeb. 3. 13.while it is called to day, let vsus heare his voyce: conueniently, forsaking our selues, and casting away eueryevery thing that presseth downe, and hindreth vsus in our way to Christ, Heb. 12. 1: constantly, yPsalm. 84. 7.going from strength to strength, and continuing zApocalyp. 2. 10.faithfull vntounto the death: cheerefully, making Christ a great feast in our owne house.
Happily thou wilt obiect, if I had liued in that golden age, when Christ my Sauiour blessed the world with his bodily presence; then I would hauehave worshipped him, and followed him, and feasted him: but alas, I hauehave good cause to complaine with Mary Magdalene, aIohn 20. 2.they hauehave taken away the Lord, and where should I finde him, if I would now feast him? O beloued, albeit Christ bEcclesiast. 5. 1.is in heauen and thou art on earth, yet thou mayest (and that in thine owne house) make to him a cArdens, Musculus, in loc.double feast; a spirituall feast, and a corporall: a spirituall, for his meat is to doe the will of God, Iohn 4. 34. And the will of God is to beleeue in him whom he hath sent, Iohn 6. 29. So that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ, and openeth the doore to his knocke, maketh him a feast in the parlour of his heart. So dApocalyp. 3. 20.himselfe saith, I stand at the doore and knocke, if any man heare my voyce, and open the doore, I will come in vntounto him, and will sup with him, and he with me. The Poets feigned that their God Iupiter fed on Nectar and Ambrosia, ePersius.Iupiter Ambrosia satur est, & Nectare plenus. But the God of heauen is refreshed with the fGalat. 5. 22.fruites of the spirit, louelove, ioy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenes, goodnes, faith, meekenes, temperance, these dishes are his dainties.
Thou mayest also feast him corporally; for whatsoeuer is done to his followers, he taketh as done to himselfe, because they be gEphes. 5. 30.members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bone: this hee will openly protest at the last day, Mat. 25. 35. I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meate: I thirsted, and ye gaue me drinke: for in as much as ye hauehave done it vntounto one of the least of these my brethren, ye hauehave done it vntounto me.
And when the Pharisces saw it] In the Pharisces accusation obserue these two circumstances especially: To whom; And of whom it was made; to whom, they said vntounto his Disciples: of whom, of Christ and the rest of the guests in Matthewes house, why eateth your master with publicans and sinners, &c. In making this obiection vntounto the Disciples, and not vntounto Christ himselfe, they shew themselues to bee crafty calumniatours. It was hAr…tius, Marlorat.craft to set vponupon the weake Disciples being a little before confounded by their master: and it was a iBullinger.calumnie to mutter that behind his backe, which they dare not vtter vntounto his face. But this was their ordinary guile to vent their gaule, when they conceited that the Disciples did amisse, they cauilled with Christ, kMat. 15. 2.why doe thy Disciples transgresse the traditions of the fathers, for they wash not their hands when they eate bread. And when they thought Christ offended, they told his Disciples, why eateth your master with publicanes and sinners? In the fact of the Disciples, they cauilled with Christ: in the fact of Christ, they cauilled with the Disciples; in both their malitious intent was to dishonour the Gospell, and estrange the Disciples from Christ, and Christ from his Disciples. In our age there be many such enuious sycophants, who being once got betweene the pot and the wall, chat in secret against that which Christ and his Ministers hauehave chaunted in publique.
The Pharisees accusing Christ and his company Publicanes and sinners, offended in vncharitablenes & pride: in vncharitablenes toward Christ, lArdens.ac si consentiens in culpa, qui consentiens in coena, as if he had communicated with them in mischiefe, as he did common with them at meate: whereas Christ conuersed with publicans and sinners as the physitian with the sicke, mAr…tius.they made not him worse, but he made them better; he had no fellowship with nEphes. 5 11.vnfruitfull workes of darknes, but only with the workers, he did louelove their persons, but leaue their vices, see Gospell on the 3. Sun. after Trinity. Againe the Pharisees were very cruell and vncharitable toward the Publicanes, in that they despised them, and had no feeling of their miseries, or care for their conuersion: and lastly they shew their pride by iustifying themselues impudently, whereas they should rather hauehave confessed ingeniously with the oPsalm. 143. 2.Psalmist, enter not into iudgement with thy seruants, for no flesh is righteous in thy sight: and with pIob 25. 5.Iob, if the starres are vncleane in his sight, how much more man a worme, euen the sonne of man which is but a worme? and with qEsay 64. 6.Esay, we hauehave all bin an vncleane thing, and all our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes.
When Christ heard that, he said vntounto them] He replied vntounto the Pharisees rMusculus, Culman.not as hoping to mende them by his answere, but least his Disciples otherwise might bee scandalized, hereby giuing vsus an example to meet with opprobrious cauils and calumnies against the Gospell, and that not to satisfie so much our aduersaries, as to strengthen our auditours.
They that be strong need not the physitian] This sentence may be considered as a sTheophylact.scomma to the Pharisees, who were so righteous and strong in their own conceit, as that they did not in any case need a physitian; but as a Lemma for tCaluin.others, in which (as in the rest of his Apologie) Christ insinuates that he came into the world, not to constraine, but to call; not the righteous, uHilarius, Panigarol, Marlorat.who iustifie themselues, but sinners, euen such as feele their wickednes and weakenes, such as are xLuke 4. 18.broken hearted, such as are laden and yMat. 11. 28.weary with the burden of their iniquity: zMusculus, Caluin.not to licentiousnes in their sinne, or to punishment for their sinne, or to satisfaction for their sinne, but to repentance for their sinne, that they being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies, might serue God in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of their life. aEpist. lib. 1. epist. 4.Paulinus saith excellently that a sinner irrepentant is like Samson in the mill grinding corne for his enemies: but if he b1. Iohn 1. 9.confesse his sinnes, and bee sorry for the same, Christ is faithfull and iust to forgiue him his sinnes, and to clense him from all vnrighteousnes.
Almighty God, which by thy blessed sonne didest … call Matthew from the receit of custome, to bee an Apostle and Euangelist: grant vsus grace to forsake all couetous desires and inordinate louelove of riches and to follow thy said sonne Iesus Christ, who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost, &c.