Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Verse 1. Beware of the leaven]
WHich our eyes cannot discern from dough by the colour; but only our palate, by the taste. Such is hypocrisie; which also, as leaven, is 1 spreading: 2 swelling: 3 sowring the meal: 4 impuring aud defiling the house where it is, though it be but as much as a mans fist.
Verse II. Take ye no thought]
See the Note on Matt. 10. 19. and on Mark …. 11. Alice Driver Martyr, at her examination, put all the Doctors to silence, so that they had not a word to say, but one looked upon another. Then she said, Have ye no more to say? God be honoured: you be not able to resist the Spirit of God in me a poor woman I was an honest poor mans daughter, never brought up in the University, as you have been. But I have driven the Plough many a time before my father, I thank God: yet notwithstanding in the defence of Gods Truth, and in the cause… & …. …. of my Master Christ, by his grace I will set my foot against the foot of any of you all, in the maintenance and defence of the same: And if I had a thousand lives, it should go for payment thereof: So the Chancellour condemned her, and she returned to the …, as joyfull, as the bird of day.
Verse 15. Take heed and beware of covetousnesse]
This our … addes after who made me a Judge? to teach us not to go to Law with a covetous mind: but as Charles the French King made War with our Henry the Seventh, more desiring peace then victory.
For a … life consisteth not, &c.]
He can neither live upon them, nor lengthen his life by them. Queen Elizabeth once wished her self a milk-maid: Bajazet envied the happinesse of a poor shepheard that sate on a hill-side merrily reposing himself with his homely pipe: Therein shewing, saith the historian, that worldly…. hist 216 blisse consisteth not so much in possessing of much, subject to danger, as in joying in a little contentment void of fear.
Verse 16. The ground of a certain rich man]
Gr. The country: foreign.for he had laid field to field, till he was the only land-holder thereabouts; and had a country of corn, Esay 58.
Verse 17. And he thought within himself]
He was up with the more, and down with the lesse: he cast up his reckonings, as covetous mens manner is, and after long debate to and fro, concluded what to do.
He talked to himself, &c.]
A marvelous proper word for theforeign purpose.
Verse 19. … and drink and be merry]
A right Epicure, one that had made his gut his God: another Sardanapalus, that did eate that in earth, that he disgested in hell, as Augustine hath it.
Verse 20. Thou foole, this night, &c.]
This rich foole when, like a Jay, he was pruning himself in the boughs, came tumbling down with the arrow in his side: his glasse was run, when he thought it to be but new turned. He chopt into the earth before he was aware: like as one, that walking in a field cover'd with snow, falleth into a pit suddenly. He was shot as a bird with a bolt whilst he gazed at the bow: And this may be any mans case. Which made Austin say he would not for the gain of a world be an Atheist for one half hour: because he knew not but God might in that time call him.
Then whose shall those things be, &c.?]
As thy friends are scrambling for thy goods, worms for thy body, so devils for thy soul. We read of Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinall, Bishop of Winchester, and Chancellour of England in the reign of King Henry the Sixth, that perceiving he must needs die, he murmur'd that his riches could not repreive him. Fie, quoth he,Fox Martyrol. vol. 1. pag 925. will not Death be hired? will mony do nothing? No: its righteousnesse only that delivereth from death.
Verse 26. For the rest]
For superfluities, when ye cannot provide your selves of necessaries?
Verse 29. Neither be ye of doubtfull mind]
Hang not in suspence,foreign. as meteors doe in the ayre, not certaine whether to hang or fall to the ground, Meteoradicta volunt quod animos hominum Magir. Physic.suspensos, dubios, et quasi fluctuantes faciant. Aristotle himselfe confesseth, that of some meteors he knew not what to say, though of some other he could say somewhat. One Interpreter renders this word, Make not discourses in the ayre, as the covetous man doth, when his head is tossed with the cares of getting, or feares of losing commodity; Or it may note his endlesse framing of projects for the compassing of his desires. The Syriack rendreth it, Let not your thoughts be distracted about these things. Surely as a clock can never stand still, so long as the plummets hang thereat: so neither can a worldlings heart, for cares and anxieties. These suffer him not to rest night or day; being herein like unto the flyes of Egypt, or those tyrants Esay 16.
Verse 32. Feare not little flock]
Gr: Little, little flock. There is in the originall a double diminutive. If we divide the known parts of the world into three equall Parts, the Christians part is butBreerw. Enqui. pag. 118. as five, the Mahometans as sixe, and the Idolaters as nineteene. Among the best Churches the most are the worst, as, Philip 3. 18. Chrysostome could not find an hundred in Antioch, that he could be well perswaded of that they should be saved.
Verse 33. A treasure in the heavens]
As a merchant being to travell into a farre countrey, doth deliver his money here upon the …, that so he may be sure to receive it againe at his arrivall in that Countrey: so let us that are passing into another Country, lay up something that may stand us in stead in that day.
Verse 34. There will your heart be]
your inwardest affection, your … joy and trust.
Verse 35. Let your loynes be girded]
It implyes 1. Readinesse 2. Nimblenesse, handinesse and handsomenesse. A loose, discinct and diffluent mind is unfit to serve God. Here it is, ungirt, unblest.
Verse 37. Blessed are those servants]
So verse 38. and 43. They are three times said to be blessed that watch, Terque quaterque beati: ….Faelices ter et ….
Verse 47. Which knew his Lords will]
None are so filled with Gods wrath, as knowing men. Sapientes sapienter descendunt in …, saith Bernard. The Devill is too hard for them.
Verse 48. Much is given]
To know our masters will is the greatforeign. talent of all o her. There is a [Much] in that, There is a speciall… foreign. depositum, as the word here used importeth.
Verse 49. To send fire on the earth]
That is, that persecution1 Tim. 6. 20. 1 Tim. 1. 14.that is Evangelii genius, as Calvin wrote to the French King, and dogges at the heeles the preaching of the truth.
Verse 50. And how am I straitened]
This painfull preconceit of his passion, was a part of our Saviours passion. This made him spend many a night in prayer, bewayling our sins, and imploring Gods grace, and he was heard in that which he requested, Heb. 5.
Verse 57. yea and why … of yourselves]
By consulting with your owne consciences, which would, if rightly dealt with, tell you, that I am that Messias you have so long look't for.
Verse. 58. Give diligence]
Purus putus …, saith Drusius. foreign.Da operam: Id est, festina, & labora, omnesque … cogita quomodo ab eo libereris, as Theophylact expounds it. Be at utmost paines to get freed from him.
Verse 59. till thou hast paid the very last … ]
It is good to compound quickly with the Lord, and to take up the suite before it come to execution and judgement, lest we be forced to pay not onelyonly the main debt, but the arrearages too, that is the time of Gods long-suffering and patience, here and ….