Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Verse 1. For the Kingdom of heaven &c.]
THat last sentence Christ further illustrateth and enforceth by this following parable. Peter and the rest were in danger to be puffed up with the preconceit of their abundant reward …, chap. 19 28, 29. This to prevent, and that they might not stand upon their tearms and tiptoes, they are again and again given to know, that … that are first shall be last, and last first.
Which … out early in the morning]
God is found of them that seek him not, Isa 65. 1. Yea the Father seeketh such to worship him, Ioh. 4. 23. he solliciteth suitours and servants. A wonderfull condescension it is, that he looketh out of himself upon the Saints and Angels in heaven, Psal. 113. 6. How much more upon us poor earth-worms?
Labourers into his Vineyard.]
Not loiterers. Iacob saw the Angels, some ascending, others descending, none standing still. God hath made … to play in the waters, not so men: they must be doing, that will keep in with God.
Verse 2. For a penny a day.]
Not for eternall life, (for this those murmuring merit-mongers never had, who yet had their peny) but something (what ever it were) that gave the labourers good content: that it was for which each of them followed Christ, whether for meat perishing, or induring.Job. 6. 27.
Verse 3. Others standing idle.]
For any good they did, or could doe, till sent into the vineyard, and set a work by God. Till then we are mere excrements of humane society. Nos numerus sumus, &c.
Verse 4. Goe … also into the Vineyard.]
God hath his times to call men in: Only let them stand in Gods way, wait at the posts of wisdoms gates, at the pool of …, &c. … & … est adgratiam vocatio, Ephes. 1. 11. The separation of the Saints is wonderfull, Exod. 33. 16.
Verse 5. About the sixth and ninth houre.]
God hath his servants of all sexes and sizes, calling when and whom he pleaseth. And they have the comfort and credit of it that are first called, so they walk worthy of their time and that vocation wherewith they are called, Ephes. 3. 1. Thus it was an honour to Mnason, that heAct. 21. 16. was an old Disciple; and to … and Junia, that Paul Rom. 16 7.should say of them, Who also were in Christ before ….
Verse 6. And about the eleventh houre.]
About five a clock in the afternoon. When it was well-nigh time to leave work. … serò, si seriò. Howbeit delaies are dangerous, … are abrupt, and headlong, and if once past, irrecoverable. If … ye will enquire, enquire, …, …, Isa. 21. 12. … that say, men may repent hereafter, say truly, but not safely. They that alledge these here that came in at the eleventh houre, … consider that these were never called till then. But now God …, yea commandeth all men every where to repent, Act. 17. 30. And now he is more peremptory, …, then ever heretofore, See Heb. 2. 3. How many are daily taken away in their offers and eslayes, before they have prepared their hearts to cleave to God?
Verse 7. Goe ye also … the Vineyard.]
At this houre the … was sent in, and he … him: for he justifies Christ, condemns himself, chides his fellow for railing, praies for a part in Paradise, &c. he lived much in a little time. Howbeit … is a singular example, one of the miracles wherewith Christ would honour the ignominy of his crosse. Neither is it often seen … of, that old men are converted. They are usually so set in … they are hardly removed: such an hoof they have over their hearts, that scarce any thing will affect them. Abraham in the old Testament, and Nicodemus in the New, were called in their … age. Name a third he that can.
Verse 8. Saith unto his steward.]
That is, to his Son Christ whom he hath made judge of all, to give unto every man according to his works. This he will doe with demonstration of his … both justice (so that none shall receive lesse then was promised him) and mercy, (so that all shall receive more then they ….) For although their peny be here called their hire, … elsewhere … reward, yea their wages, yet all is of ….
Verse 9. And when they came.]
These last … were first …, because they trusted not to the worth of their own works, … to Gods free grace and goodnes: when the other are turned off in displeasure, with Tolle quod tuum est & vade: Take thy peny and be packing.
Verse 10. They supposed that they, &c.]
Good works are … Regni caelestis, saith Bellarmine. But God is no such merchant. Caelum gratis non accipiam, I will not have heaven for nothing, saith Vega. Thou shalt never have it therefore; … give thee that gift.
Verse 11. They murmured, &c.]
They had that they agreed for, some temporall blessings, which is all that carnall men commonly care for. Or if they seek after spirituall things, it is not for any beauty he seeth, or taste he findeth in them, but only as a bridge to bring them to heaven; as Spira confessed of himself. It is not good therefore to indent and bargain with God how much he shall give us, either of temporals or spirituals: for so you may have your peny, and yet be discontented, that it is … a peny and no more. Profits, pleasures, honours, appear to be but empty things, when men are to goe into another world.
Verse 12. Thou hast made them equall.]
Loe this is the guise of … hypocrites to be quarrelling, and contending with God and man, as unworthily … withall. Thus those Jewish …, Isa. 58. 3. hit God in the teeth with their good services, and small thanks. So the proud … sets forth not his wants, but his worth. …, Jacob cries out in a low language, Domine non sum dignus, Gen. 30. 10. So doth Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 9. the Centurion, Matth. 8. 6. the Baptist, Mat. 3. 11. St August …, Non sum dignus, quem tu …, Domine, Lord, I am … worthy of thy love.
Verse 13. Friend, I doe thee no wrong.]
Friend he is called, not …, though he were a …, a merit-monger. In arguing the case with others, use hard arguments, but in a soft language; This will soonest work: for man is a crosle crabbed creature, and if roughly dealt with, will sooner slight you for your passion, then regard your reason, though never so convincing, because not well managed. There are a generation whose wordsRom. 3. 12. — 19. are swords, whose tongues are rapiers to run men thorow with,Psal. 17. upon every small occasion, and their throats as a gaping grave to…. 17. 14. bury them in.
Verse 14. Take that thine is, and ….]
A … sentence.…. Imp. … quantum est, … est nisi …, quam di …. …. David blesseth himself from those men of Gods hand: which have their portion here, and that's all they are to look for. Valdè protest at us sum, said Luther when great … were offered him, me nolle sic a Deo satiari. A gracious spirit … rest satisfied with low things. The Turkish Empire, as big as it is, saith the same Luther, is nothing else but a crust of bread, which the good man of the house casteth to his dogs.
Verse 15. It is not lawfull for me, &c.]
This is Gods speech (who is the great proprietary of all) it may not be ours who have nothing of our own, but all in trust: So that when we present any thing to God, we must say as David did, 1 Chron. 29. 14. and afterwards Justinian the Emperour, foreign Georg Cedren. Compend hist.Of thine own we give thee: for all that is in the heaven and the earth is thine: St Bernard reports of Pope Eugenius, that meeting with a poor but honest Bishop, he secretly gave him … jewels where with he might present him. If God did not first furnish us, we should have nothing wherewith to honour him, or doe good to others.
Is thine eye evil, because I am good?]
It's commonly observed, that witches and those that are in league with the devil to doe mischief, are never given over so to doe, till they come to have an evileye. Hence that, nescio quis teneros, &c. and those that areforeign, … foreign. bewitched, are said to be overseen, that is to be looked upon with an envious eye. Envy is a quick-sighted and sharp-fanged malignity, Prov. 27. 4. and doth, de aliena mente tam promptè quam pravè conjicere, as one saith, nimbly and naughtily guesse at anotherDeg. Whear. Relect. Antelog p. 11. mans meaning.
Verse 16. So the last shall be first, &c.]
This is the purport of the preceding parable. Application is the life of preaching.
Few are chosen.]
It's a strange speech of Chrysostom, in his fourth sermon to the people of Antioch, where he was much beloved,Non arbitror inter Sacerdotes multes esse qui salvi …. and did much good. How many, think you; shall be saved in this City? It will be an hard speech to you, but I will speak it: Though there be so many thousands of you, yet there cannotChrysost Hom. 3. in Act. be found an hundred that shall be saved, and I doubt of them too: For what villany is there in youth? What sloth in old men? and so he goes on. See the notes on Mat. 7. 14.
Verse 17. Took the twelve Disciples.]
To rouse them and raise them out of their carnall fears and dejections. Jerusalem was theRevel. …. 8. … slaughter house, Luk. 13. 33. (as Rome is now, which therefore is spiritually called Jerusalem, Egypt, Sodom, &c) Hither our Saviour bent his course: hereupon they were amazed and afraid, Mark. 10. 32. and gave him counsell to goe back rather into Galilee for his own and their safety, Joh. 11 8. He takes them therefore apart, and tells them as followeth, what they must trust to: and that though he be brought to the dust of death, he will rise again gloriously, to their great comfort.
Verse 18. Behold we goe up to Jerusalem.]
Behold, as it requires attention (and this was no more then need, for St Luke Luk. 18. 34.tells us that they understood none of these things, &c.) so it sets forth our Saviours forwardnesse, to goe this dangerous voyage.
Verse 19. To mock, and to scourge, and to crucifie him.]
What are all our sufferings to his? and yet we think our selves undone, if but toucht: and in setting forth our calamities, we adde, we multiply, we rise in our discourse, like him in the Poet. I am thriceforeign. …. miserable, nay ten, twenty, an hundred, a thousand times unhappie. And yet all our sufferings are but as the … and chips of that crosse, upon which Christ, nay many Christians have suffered. In the time of Adrian the Emperour, ten thousand Martyrs are said to have been crucified in the mount of Ararath, crowned with thorns, and thrust into the sides with sharp darts, after the example of the Lords passion. The chief of whom were Achaicus, Act. and Mon.Heliades, Theodorus, Carcerius, &c.
Verse 20. Then came to him, &c.]
Then, most unseasonably when Christ had by the parable been teaching them humility, and now was discoursing of his death and passion, then came these sonnes of Zebedee to beg a principality in Christs imaginary earthly Monarchy. And this is not the first time of their so foul mistake, so unseasonable a suit to him, or strife among themselves. The leprosy was cured at once in Naaman: so is not … in the Saints, but by degrees, and at times.
The mother of Zebedees children.]
Set on by her two sonnes, who were ashamed to make the motion themselves, (but as good they might, for Christ knew all, and therefore directs his answer to them, Mark. 10. 35.) and she also was not well assured of the … of her request, and therefore came curtesying and craving a certain thing: not telling him what at first, as going somewhat against her conscience. And surely her request had been impudent, but that she presumed upon her neer alliance to Christ: For she is thought to have been sister to Ioseph, who was Pater Christi politicus: and thence her boldnesse, by reason of her right of kindred by the Fathers side. And this is some kinde of carnall excuse; Yet not for her and her sons foliy and vanity, in dreaming of an earthly kingdom, and therein a distribution of honours and offices, as in Davids and Solomons daies.
Verse 21. What wilt thou?]
We may not over-hastily ingage our selves by promise of this or that to our best friends, but hold off and deliberate. Alioqui saliens antequam videat, cafurus Bern.est … debeat.
The one on thy right hand]
Quid voveat dulci nutricula … Horat.alumno? Our Saviour had promised in the former chapter that the twelve should sit upon twelve thrones, &c. These mens suit was for the first and second seat. Self-love makes men ambitious, and … them to turn the glasse to see themselves bigger, others lesser then they are, Paul on the contrary, was least of Saints, … of Apostles.
Verse 22. Ye know not what ye ask]
Ye ask and misse, becauseJam 4. 1. ye ask …. A prayer for things not lawfull, begs nothing but a deniall, as Moses did, in praying to enter into the land, Deut. 3. 25. as Job did in that peevish request of his that God wouldJob 6. 8, 9. let loose his hand and cut him off; as the Disciples did in that over-curious enquiry, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome Act. 1. 6, 7, 8.to Israel? Our Saviour answers, that that's not fit for them to know. But a better thing he could tell them, that they should shortly after be clothed which the holy Ghost. God sometimes in much mercy crosseth the prayers of his poople, as he did Davids for the childes life, who if he had lived, would have been but a standing monument of Davids shame. Was it not better for him to have a Solomon? The Saints have their praiers out, either in money or moneys-worth: provided they bring lawfull petitions and honest hearts.
Are ye able to drink of the cup, &c.]
Afflictions are frequently set forth by this metaphor of a cup, taken say some, from an ancient custom that the father of the family should give to each under his charge a cup fit for his use, according to his bignesse: Or, as others think, from the manner of feasts, whereat the Symposiarch, or ruler of the feast, as he is called, Ioh. 2. prescribed what and how much every man should drink.
And to be baptized with the baptisme]
Or plunged over head and ears in the deep waters of affliction. Of these we may … as one doth of the Spa waters, that they are more wholesome then pleasant. Ever since Christ cast his crosse into them, as Moses did that tree, Exod. 15. 25. the property of them is altered, the waters healed.
They say unto him, we are able]
In your own conceit at least, not else. For these two Disciples as they knew not what they asked, so they knew not what they answered. And yet Maldonat hath the face to defend them in it, as if they here … their alacrity rather then betrayed their precipitancy: Sed exitus … probavit: they shewed their valour at Christs apprehension.
Verse 23. Ye shall drink indeed of my cup]
Illud solum quod … est, & limpidius. The Saints sip of the top of Gods cup: as for the dregs, the wicked shall wring them out, and drink them up.
And be baptized, &c.]
Or ducked, washed (not drowned) as St Paul was in the shipwrack; or as the baptized child, which shakes off the water, or is dryed after baptisme. Afflictions saith one, are called baptisme because they set Gods mark upon us (as baptisme doth) that we belong to God: This for outward afflictions. And for desertion, it is called Christs cup, because we are sure to pledge him in that too, and be conformed unto him, as was Iob, David, Heman, Psal. 88 &c. Grace is no target against affliction: but the best shall have terrours within, and troubles without, as sure as the coat is on their back, or the heart in their belly.
Is not mine to give]
i.e. It is no part of my present office: Or, I have no such commission from my father to give precedencies to all that affect them. Christ hereby seeks to raise up the low groveling spirits of his Apostles to things supernaturall, supernall.
Verse 24. They were moved]
They were angry at that ambition in their fellows, that themselves were deeply guilty of. So Diogines trampled Platoes pride, but with greater pride. So Crassus earnestly inveighed against covetousnesse in others, when there was not a more covetous caitiffe then he upon the earth. So Gregory the great stomaked the title of universall Bishop to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which yet himself affected, and his successour Boniface arrogated and usurped.
Verse 25. Iesus called them to him and said]
We must (by Christs example) advance, cherish concord all we can, amongst… foreign … …. ministers especially, by casting out those make-bates, emulation and ambition. Pareus was wont to say, that the onelyonly cause of all Church-dissensions was, Ministers reaching after rule and preheminence, as did Diotrephes. And that if this evil humour could possibly be purged …, there would be a sweet symmetrie, an happy … of all hearts.
And they that are great]
The Grandees of the earth. There is, saith one, a greatnesse Belluine and Genuine. In that, a beast may and doth exceed us: In this we exceed ourselves and others. Great men are not alwaies wise, saith Elihu, Iob 32. 9. And … me major nisi qui justior, said Agesilaus, when the King of Persia … himself the great King. Calamitas nostra magnus est, said Mimus concerning Pompey, the people applauding so … a …. Privilegium unius conceditur in … alterius, saith a learned Doctour: & si vis esse verè …, ne sis instar utris … tumidi, sed instar uteri prole gravidi; … attollas inane supercilium, sed exhibeas utile ministerium. Goodnesse is the only greatnesse.
Verse 26. But it shall not be so amongst you]
How expresse is that against Papal primacy and Lordly prelacy? When the Duke shall be damned, what will become of the Bishop, said the clown to the bishop of Cullen? Mr Whithead refused a Bishoprick because he liked not to be Lorded. And Mr Coverdale being deprived of his Bishoprick in Q. Maries daies, would not (for the same cause) be reinvested in Q. Elizabeths, but taught a school.
Verse 27. Let him be your servant]
This is the ready way to rise. Neither may any think himself too good to serve the Saints, to wash their feet, to minister to their necessities. Christ came out of the bosome of his Father to fetch them to heaven. The holy Ghost disdains not to dwell in their hearts. Angels are desirous to do them any good office. Prophets think not much to minister to them, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Paul and Apollo and Cephas are theirs, publike servants to the Church; accounting it a far greater matter prodesse quàm praeesse, to seek mens salvation, then to exercise dominion.
Verse 28. And to give his life a ransome]
A redemptory, a valuable rate, for it was the blood of God wherewith the Churchforeign. was purchased, Acts 20. 28. silver and gold could not do it, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. nor any thing else but that counter-price given byforeign. Christ, 1 Tim. 2. 6.
Verse 29. And as they departed from Iericho]
Christ cured… in his locis … curatos esse crediderim. …. one blinde man as he went into Iericho, Luk. 18. and two as he went out; for all the haste he had to go to Ierusalem. Hence such multitudes followed him, to make up his ensuing triumph.
Verse 30. When they heard that Iesus passed by]
Happy it was for them that, though blind, yet they were not d eaf. For as death came in by the ear, so doth life. Hear and your souls shall live Isa 55. 3. a heavy ear is a singular judgement, Isa. 6. 10. a … ear a speciall favour, Prov. 20. 12. when God strook Zaechary, …. 1. he made him dumb, but not deaf. When God strook Saul, he made him blind, but not deaf. When God strook Mephibosheth he made him lame, but not deaf. There is a deafMark 9 25. devil, and a deaf adder, and deaf man, that yet want for no ears,I sal. …. 4. Isa. 43, 8. But he that heareth instruction is in the way of life, saith Solomon. These two blind beggers had heard of Christ by the hearing of the ear, but that satisfied them not, unlesse their eyes also might see him, Iob 42. 5. They way-lay therefore the Lord of light, who gives them upon their suit, both sight and light, irradiates both organ and object, cures them of their both outward and inward … at once.
Thou son of David]
They knew and acknowledged Christ to be the true Messias. Few such knowing blind beggers now …. They are commonly more blinde in minde then body, loose and …; such as are neither of any Church, nor common-wealth: but as the baser sort of people in Swethland, who do alwaies break the Sabbath, saying that 'tis only for gentlemen to sanctifie it: Or rather as the poor Brasilians, who are said to be sine rege, lege, fide, without any government, law, or Religion.
Verse 31. And the multitude rebuked them]
In prayer, we must look to meet with many rubs, and …; but Gods spirit is heroike, and gets over them all. The … will interrupt us, as the … did Paul, Act. 16. 16. as the birds did …, Gen. 15. 11. as those Samaritans did the Jews in building the Temple, Nehem. 6. Hence we are bid Strive in prayer, Colos. 4. 2. and watch in prayer: for Satan will be at our right hand as at Iehoshuahs, Zach. 3. 1. watching his time to cast in, if not a …, yet an impertinent thought, thereby to bereave us of the benefit of our prayers: besides our own naturall indevotion through hardnesse of heart, heavinesse of body, multiplicity of worldly distractions and …. All which we must break through and cry the more earnestly as Bartimaeus here did, though checkt by the multitude. Have mercy on us, o Lord, &c. Daniel would not be kept from his God for any danger of death,…. … … 6: nor the French Protestants restrain prayer, though King Henry 3. made a law to forbid them to pray with their families. The sun shall sooner stand still then the trade of godlinesse, and that continuall intercourse that is betwixt God, and the Christian soul.
Verse 32. And Iesus stood still]
See the admirable power of fervent prayer. Christ stands and … (for all the haste of his journey to Ierusalem, which till he had finished, oh how was he Preces … inantem remorantur.… Luk. 12. 50?) to hear the blinde beggers petition. So the sun once stood still in Gibeon, and the moon in the vally of … upon the prayer of worthy Ioshua, who set the trophies of … victorie in the very orbs of heaven.
Verse 33. Lord, that our eyes might be opened]
Truely the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun, …. 11. 7, And yet how little is this mercy …, because common. Our corrupt natures heed nothing that we enjoy, as the eye seeth nothing that lies on it: but things at a distance it discerns clearly. Bona a tergo formosissima. Copy of good things breeds satiety, and makes them no dainties, till God for our folly many times makes us see the worth of them by the want of them, and so commends and indears his favours to us. But what a blindnesse is this, worse then that of Bartimeus, never to see the face, but the back only of benefits?
Verse 34. And Iesus had compassion on them]
He made their case his own. Misericordia sounds as much as misery laid toIsa. 63. 15. heart. Christs bowels sounded upon the sight and suit of these blinde beggers: and this was beyond all almes, should he have done no more for them. For when one gives an alms, he gives somewhat without himself, but by compassion we relieve another by somewhat within and from our selves, whiles we draw out … (not our sheaf only) to the hungry, Isa. 58. 10.
And immediatly their eyes received sight]
This is not every blinde mans happinesse, that yet prayes for sight. But there is a better eye-sight then that of the body, which if God vouchsafe to any in bodily blindenesse (as he did to that blinde boy of Glocester that had suffered imprisonment there for confessing the truth) it may be said to such surely as Bishop Hooper the Martyr did to…. and …. sol. 1371. him; Ah poor boy, God hath taken from thee thy outward sight, but hath given thee another much more precious, &c. The like favour God shewed to Didymus Alexandrinus, who, though blinde from his childhood, yet was not only an excellent Artist, but an able Divine; and wrot certain Commentaries on the Psalmes,… in … vir. …. and likewise on the Gospels; being now (saith Jerome, who relates it) above 83 years of age. Trithemius and Bozius report…. de …. the like things, concerning one Nicasius de … a dutch-man, who being struck blinde at three years old, became neverthelesse an excellent scholar, and skilfull in the laws, which he publikely…. … lib. …. …. …. professed at Collen. Afterwards he proceeded Master of Arts at Lovain, Licentiate in Divinity at the same Vniversity, and lastly Doctour of the laws at Cullen: where, after he had printed his publike Lectures, he died and was buried in the Cathedrall-Church Anno Dom. 1491. 17. Calend. Septem.