Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Verse 1. They watched him]
GRaece, They superstitiously and maliciously observed him. Aristot.foreign lib. 2. Rhetor. accipit pro eo quod est ulciscendi … captare. They watched as intently as a dog doth for a bone: they pryed as narrowly into his actions, as Laban did into Jacobs stuffe.
Verse 2. A certain man before him]
A fit object, and that was sufficient to move him to mercy, who himself, by sympathy, took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Verse 3. And Jesus answering]
Viz. Their thoughts, which were naked and open, naked (for the out-side) and dissected, quartered, and as it were cleft through the back-bone (for the in-side) before him with whom they had to deal, Heb. 4. 13.
Verse 4 And he took him]
Good must be done, however it be taken.
Verse 5. Pull him out on the Sabbath-day]
The Jew of Tewkesbury, that would not be pulled out of the jakes whereinto he fell on their sabbath-day, perished deservedly.
Verse 6. And they could not answer]
Yet ran away with the bit in their mouths.
Verse 7. When he marked]
Ministers, though they may not be time-servers, yet they must be time-observers; and sharply reprove what they meet with amisse … their people.
Verse 8. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding]
When should a man rather feast then at the recovery of his lost rib?
Verse 9. Thou begin with shame]
As passing for a proud foole: a stile good enough for a self-exalter.
Verse 10. Then shalt thou have worship]
Honor est in honorante, therefore to be the lesse esteemed, because without us, and mostly but a puffe of stinking breath, not once to be valued.
Verse 11. For whosoever]
See the Note on Matthew 23. 12.
Verse 12. Nor thy rich neighbours]
Laudent … esurientium viscera, non ructantium opulenta convivia, saith Jerom. BishopHieron. ad …. Hooper had his board of beggars, who were dayly served by four at a messe, with whole and wholesome meates, before himself sateAct. & Mon. down to dinner.
Verse 13. Call the poor]
Christ preferres charity before curtesie.
Verse 14. At the resurrection of the just]
Called theirs, because they only shall have joy of that day. It were well for the wicked if they might never rise to judgement, or trot directly to hell, and not be brought before the Lamb to be sentenced.
Verse 15. Blessed is he, &c.]
This man seems to have tastedHeb. 6. 5. of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come. Happy he, if he fed heartily thereon. This, saith Luther, is Sancta crapula.
Verse 16. Made a great supper]
foreign They are happy that get to heaven: they rest from their labours. The Ancients dined frugally, supped liberally. Be of goodAct. & Mon. chear said that Martyr to her husband that suffered with her: for though wee have but an ill dinner, wee shall sup with Christ.
Verse 18. I have bought, &c.]
Licitis perimus omnes. More die by meat, then by poyson. Cavete, latet anguis in herba. What more lawfull then a farm? what more honorable, of all pleasures,Vxori … nolo mea. Martial. then marriage? But these men had not so much bought their farms, &c. as were sold to them: not so much married wives, as were married to them.
Verse 19. I have bought five yoke of Oxen]
This answers those that plead their necessities, and that they seek not …, (as farm upon farm, &c.) but only a sufficiency. What could be more necessary then Oxen, sith without them he could not follow his husbandry? Worldlinesse is a great hinderance to heaven, though a man cannot be charged with any great covetousnesse. These all excused themselves out of heaven, by bringing apologies why they could not go to heaven. Never yet any came to hell, but had some pretence for their coming thither. Our vile hearts will perswade us that there is some sense in sinning, and some reason to be mad.
Verse 20. And therefore I cannot come]
Note that the voluptuary is peremtory, and saith flatly he cannot come. Sensuall hearts are void of the Spirit, Jude 18. 19. Miry places could not be healed by the Sanctuary waters, Ezek. 47. 11. fleshly lusts fight against the soul, 1 Pet. 2. 11. Those that dance to the timbrell and harp, say, Depart from us. Job 21. 11. Better be preserved in brine, then rot in hony.
Verse 21. Then the master of the house being angry]
And good reason he had: for Non modò plur is putare quod utile videatur, Cit. …. de ….quam quod honestum, sed haec etiam inter se comparare, & in …, … est, saith the honest heathen. Surely as Pharaoh said of the Israelites, They are intangled in the land, the wildernesse hath … them in, Exod. 14. 3. so may we say of many, They are intangled in the creature, the world hath shut them in, they cannot come to Christ: They are shut up in a …, as those five Kings, Joshua 10. and have hardnesse of heart, as a great stone, rolled to the mouth, and honours, riches and pleasures as so many keepers, &c.
Verse 26. And hate not his father, &c.]
Much more his farmforeign ex odio reprobavit, respuit. and his oxen. It was not these, but the inordinate love of these, that detained them, as Christ here intimateth. Your house, home, and goods, yea …, and all that ever ye have (saith that Martyr)Master Brad. God hath given you as love-tokens, to admonish you of his love, toActs and Mon. fol. 1492. win your love to him again. Now will he try your love, whether ye set more by him, or by his tokens, &c.
Verse 28. Intending to build a tower]
Rodulphus Gualther being in Oxford, and beholding Christ-Church-Colledge said, Egregium opus: Cardinalis iste instituit collegium, & absolvit popinam. A pretty businesse! A Colledge begun, and a kitchin finished.
Counteth the cost]
Let him that intendeth to build the tower of godlinesse, sit down first and cast up the cost, left, &c.
Verse 31. Sitteth not down first]
To consult, and so with good advice to make War. Romani sedendo vincunt, saith Varro. Thou shalt succour us out of the City, 2 Sam. 18. 3.
Verse 32. He sendeth an Embassage]
Mittamus preces & lachrymas cordis legatos, saith Cyprian. Currat poenitentia, ne … sententia, saith Chrysologus. Repent, ere it be too late.
Verse 33. That forsaketh not]
Gr. That bids not farwell foreign.to all.
Verse 34. Salt is good]
This was a sentence much in our Saviours mouth, Matt. 5. 13. Mark 9. 50. And is here used, to set forth the desperate condition of Apostates.