Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Verse 1. All the Publicans and sinners]
CHrist familiarized himself with these despised persons, and thereby much wonne upon them. … easily allureth, austerity discourageth; as it did that honest citizen, which having in himself a certain conflict of conscience, came to Master Hooper the Martyrs door for counsell. But being abashed at his austereAct. & Mon. fol. 1366. behaviour, durst not come in, but departed, seeking remedy of his troubled mind at other mens hands, &c.
Verse 2. But the Scribes and Pharisees]
Being sick of the devils disease, and doing his lusts, Joh. 8. 44
Verse 7. Joy shall be in Heaven]
Would we then put harps into the Angels hands, ditties into their mouths? Repent.
Verse 8. If she lose one peice]
One Testor. Drachma enim valebat septem denarios cum dimidio. Breerwood de numb. Jud. c. 1. See the margent of our new Translation.
And sweep the house]
Everrit, not Evertit, as the vulgarforeign hath it corruptly: and Gregory with others were deceived by it in their discants and glosses, nothing to the purpose.
Verse 12. He divided unto them his living]
Gr. His life. Ourforeign. … fe is called the life of our hands, Isaiah 57. 10. because it is upheld by the labour of our hands.
Verse 13. Gathered all together]
Convasatis veluti omnibus.
With riotous living]
foreign, Not caring to save any part, … foreign, unsaveable.nihil reservans, imò seipsum non servans, being such as safety it self could not save: whence the Latines call such a man Perditum, an undone person. Such were those of whom Seneca saith, that singulis auribus bina aut terna dependent patrimonia, hanged two or three good Lordships at their eares.
And such are those amongst us that turn lands into laces, greatH. S. millies in … congessit. …. rents into great ruffes, &c. The expences of Apicius his kitchin amounted to more then two millions of gold. He having eaten up his estate, and finding by his account that he had no more then 200000. crowns remaining, thought himself poor, and that this sufficed not to maintain his luxury: whereupon he drank down a glasse of poyson.
Verse 16. … he would faine have filled his belly]
The stomack of man is a monster (saith one) which, being contained in so little a bulk as his body, is able to consume and devoure all things.
Verse 17. And when he came to himself]
For till then he had been besides himself, and not his own worthy. Nebulo (saith one) cometh of Nabal; foole of foreign: foreign & foreign are of neer affinity. Evill is Hebrew for a foole, &c. Wickednesse is called the foolishnesse of madnesse, Eccles. 7. 25.
Verse 18. Against heaven and before thee]
That is, I have not only thee, but the whole heaven for a swift witnesse against me of mine offences and out-bursts. The heaven doth declare mine iniquity, and the earth riseth up against me; Job 20. 27.
Verse 20. When he was yet a great way off]
Tantum velis & … tihi praeoccurret, saith a Father. The Prodigall was but conceiving a purpose to return, and God met him, Isaiah 65. 24.
And kissed him]
One would have thought he should have kicked him, or have killed him rather: but God is Pater miserationum, he is all bowels. The prodigall came, the father ran: God is slow to anger, swift to shew mercy.
Verse 21. Father, I have sinned]
Confesse, and the mends is made. Homo agnoscit, Deus ignoscit. Acknowledge but the debt, and he will crosse the book.
And am no more worthy, &c.]
Infernus sum domine, said that…, Hooper at his death, Act. & Mon. 1374. holy Martyr; Lord, I am hell, but thou art heaven: I am soile, and a sink of sin, but thou a g acious God, &c.
Verse 23. And bring hither the fatted calfe]
Christ is thatAct. and Mon. fol. …. fatted calfe, saith Mr. Tindall Martyr, slain to make penitent sinners good chear withall: and his right eousnesse is the goodly … to cover the naked deformities of their sinnes.
Verse 24. For this my sonne was dead, &c.]
So fareth it with every faithfull Christian. He was dead, but now lives, and cannot be insensible or ignorant of such a change.
Verse 29. And yet thou never gavest me a kid]
Much lesse a …. Hypocrites hold God to be in their debt, and through discontent weigh not his favours, as being never without some aylement.
Verse 30. But assoone as this thy sonne]
He sayth not, This my brother; he would not once owne him, because in poverty.
Which hath devoured thy living]
q d. which you were so hasty to give unto him before your death (which you need not have done) and now he hath made a faire hand of it.
Verse 32. Was lost, and is found]
Of himself he left his … yet is he called the lost son.