Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 19 – Chapter 21
CHAP. XIX.
Verse 5. Zacheus, make haste]
CHrist is that good Shepheard, that knoweth all his sheep, and calleth them by name.
Make haste and come downe]
Heaven is a matter of greatest …: We must not adjourne as he did once, In … seria, more weighty … till to morrow.
To day I must abide at thy house]
Christ not only invites, but even obtrudes himself, as it …, upon …: Its happy having … guests. He doth the same to us, when he sends unto us his poor servants to presse upon our charity. Unworthy we are surely to give an almes to poor Christ, &c.
Verse 8. The half of my goods]
See the like in Tyrus converted, …. 23. 17, 18 …
I restore him four fold]
Which was the law for things stollen. Fraud is no better then theft. Restitution … necessary to … of …. God hates … ex rapina, as Sultan … could tell his Councellour Pyrrhus, who perswaded him to bestow…. Hist. sol. 567. … great wealth he … taken from the Persian Merchants, upon some notable Hospitall for releif of the poor: The dying Turk commanded it rather to be restored to the right owners, which was done accordingly; to the great shame of many Christians, who mind nothing … then restitution, &c. When Henry the Third of England had sent the Frier Minors a load of … to … them, they returned the same with this message; … he ought not to give almes of what he had rent from the poor, neitherDaniels hist. of Engl. 109. would they accept of that abhominable gift. Master … saith, If ye make no … of goods …, ye shall cough in …. …
Verse 9. He also is a son of Abraham]
That is, freely elected, Romans. 9. 1. a. … of … faith, Rom. 4. 12. and a doer of his works, Job. 8. 39. Who then can say but he is his son, and shall rest in his bosome?
Verse 14. … ]
… [of sending a lamb to this … of the earth, …. … with the … of their lips, …. 14. 3. Such … are … where; such dust-heapes are found in every corner.
Verse 15. And whon he was returned]
He went, at his Ascention; and returns at the generall Resurrection: At what time he will first reckon with his servants, and then with his enemies. Judgement shall then also begin at Gods own house.
Verse 16. Thy pound hath gained]
Not my paines, but thy pound hath done it. By the grace of God I am that I am, saith Paul that constantissimus gratiae Praedicator, as Austin calleth him.
Verse 23. Into the bank]
Gr. Unto the table, or (accordingforeign. to some coppies) unto the Usurers, whom Beza here rightly calleth humani certè gener is perniciosissimas pestes, the most pernicious pests of mankind.
Verse 27. Slay them before me]
Howbeit the Beast and the false Prophet, that is, the Pope and his Janizaries, shal not have the favour to be flain as the common sort of Christs enemies are, but shall be cast alive into the burning lake, tormented more exquisitly, Revelations 19. 20, 21.
Verse 28. He went before]
To meet death in the face: this was true magnanimity. Herein he shewed himself the captain of our salvation, though perfected by sufferings.
Verse 29. Bethphage and Bethany]
Bethphage was one mile out of Jerusalem, Bethany two.
Verse 30. Go ye into the village]
Into Bethphage, that was in their veiw as they went from Bethany.
Verse 41. He beheld the City]
That common slaughter-house of the Prophets. Our Lord is said to have been slain at Rome, Revelations 11. 8. because crucified at Jerusalem by the Roman authority.
And wept over it]
Shall not we weep over the ruines of so many fair and flourishing Churches, that now lie in the dirt? Christ wept in this day of his solemne Inauguration. It shall be in our last triumph only that all teares shall be wiped from our eyes; till then our passions must be mixed, according to the occasions.
Verse 42. Oh, if thou hadst known]
They had cognitionem historicam non mysticam, speculativam non affectivam, apprehensionis, non approbationis, discursivam, non experimentalem.
At least in this thy day]
The time of grace is fitly called a Day in regard of 1 Revelation. 2 Adornation. 3 Consolation. 4 Distinction. 5 Speedy preterition. Amend before the draw-bridge be taken up. No man can say, he shall have 12 hours to his day.
But now they are hid from thine eyes:]
Yet they lived under the Ministry long after, and no outward change to be discerned. As Plutarch writes of Hannibal, that when he could have taken Rome, he would not; when he would, he could not; so the Procrastinators.
Verse 43. For the dayes shall come]
God hath his dayes for vengeance, as man hath his day for repentance. There is a Prime of every mans life, and of every mans. Ministry. The Levite lingered so long, that he lost his Concubine; she came short home: so doth many a mans soul for like reason.
Shall cast a trench about thee]
Because like the wild-asse, thou wouldst not otherwise be tamed, and kept within compasse of Gods Commandements.foreign.
Verse 48. Were very attentive to heare him]
Gr. Hanged on him, as the Bee doth on the flower, the babe on the breast, or the little bird on the bill of her Damme. Christ drew the people after him, as it were, by the golden chain of his heavenly eloquence.
CHAP. X X.
Verse 1. The cheif Preists and Scribes came]
GRaece, Came suddenly upon him]
As an expected storme: theforeign. Devill drove them.
Verse 4. The baptisme of John, &c.]
q. d. If John were sent by God to testifie, as he did, there is no colour of cause why ye should question mine authority?
Verse 8. Neither tell I you &c]
Gods servants should be ready with their answer upon sudden assaults, and not to seek of such arguments as may stop the mouth of an adversary. When a … Jesuite asked, Where was your religion before Luther? Answer was presently returned, In the Bible, where your religion never was.
Verse 16. God forbid]
Viz. That they should ever kill the Sonne of God sent unto them. We cannot get men to beleive that their hearts are half so bad, or their wayes so dangerous, as the preacher makes of them.
Verse 17. What is this then that is written, &c.]
q. d. If it be not so as I say, that you shall kill the Messiah, how is it that the Scripture saith as much? presse men with Scripture-testimonies: that's the readiest way of sound conviction. It was a good speech of Augustine to …, contesting with him for audience: … me, hear me, said the Heretique. Nay, saith Augustine, … ego …, … tu me, sed ambo … Apostoium …, … non cognovi, &c. It is not I say, or what thou saiest, but what the Scripture saith, that we … stand to.
Verse 20. They sent forth … ]
Gr. Fishers, that with net and bait catch the silly fish, and feed on them: such were these Emissaries,foreign. these catch-poles.Aretius.
Verse 35. Nor are given in marriage]
Hence some collect, that the difference of sexes … continue after the resurrection: wherefore else should our Saviour say, that they shall then neither marry nor be given in marriage? Sed hic foreign.
Verse 38. For all live to him]
Even in their bodies also, which he now by … refineth; and shall as certainly raise, as if they were already raised, sith all things are present with him.
CHAP. XXI.
Verse 2. Casting in their two mites]
THat is, two eight parts of an half-penny, saith the Syriack. See the Notes on Mark 12. 41, 42, &c.
Verse 13. And it shall turn to you, &c.]
Whilest the valour of the Martyrs and the savagenesse of the Persecutors strove together, till both, exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and … in beholders and hearers.
Verse 19. In your patience possesse]
That is, Enjoy yourselves, however the world goes with you. He that cannot have patience, had need make up his pack, and get out of the world: for here'sCamd. Elizab. fol. 495. no being for him. Burleigh Lord Treasurer was wont to say, that he overcame envy more by patience then ….
Verse 20. Jerusalem compassed with armies]
By Cestius …, a little before that fatall siege by …. So God gave his people this sign, to take best course for their own safety.
Verse 24. Untill the times of the Gentiles]
The Gentiles then shall not alwayes tread down Jerusalem. Those Kings of the East the Jewes may, likely, … their way prepared to it, through …. …. 16. 12. and Jerusalem be again inhabited by them,Zach. 12. 6. even … …. But this will be not long … day, … 25.
Verse 26. Mens hearts failing them]
What marvell though … men be dispirited, and even ring their bels backwards, when they shall see all on a light fire? Moses himself may tremble at the terrour of the mount, and Abraham shew some trepidation in such a fright.
Verse 34. Take heed that … hearts]
The Disciples … had in them the common poyson of nature: and so, were obnoxious even to the most reproachfull evils. That foreign, if watered with the temptation of Satan, what sinne may it not produce in the best, unlesse God prevent?
Verse 36. That ye may be accounted worthy]
Great is the Emphasisforeign of this word (saith learned Beza) for it gives us to understand that we owe all to the free election of God, who loved us first, and so accepted us for worthy; Rev. 3. 4.