ON TWELFTH DAY, AT GRIMSTHORPE, ANNO 1553.
Matthew 2:1, 2.<400201>
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Jewry, in the time of Herod the king; Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
RIGHT worshipful, you heard the gospel read before you, which gospel is the beginning of the second chapter of Matthew, and it comprehendeth good matters. It speaketh of the Epiphany of Christ; how our Savior was opened, by the providence of God, to the gentiles. Notwithstanding, I intend not to tarry long in that gospel, or to entreat of it; for, if ye remember, I promised you the last SundayFA1 three things: first, I promised you, that I would speak generally of the circumcision, what it is, and what it signifieth: secondly, I promised you to speak of the circumcision of our Savior Christ, and how it chanced that he would be circumcised: thirdly, I promised you to speak of his manhood. Now you know, at the same time, I did not perform my promise, because I had no time; therefore I intend now, by the help of God, to perform that which I then promised. But yet, because the gospel containeth so good matter, I cannot go over it, but shew you certain specialties which are contained in it.FA2The evangelist Matthew in this gospel goeth about to prove, that Jesus was thisFA3 Messias which was spoken of so much beforetimes by the prophets: and this he doth, by the place where he was born, namely, at Bethlehem; and also by the time, namely, when Herod was king over the Jews. But here be no Jews; therefore it needeth not to entreat of this matter.
Furthermore, here we shall note the simplicity and heartiness of these men, which came a great way out of their countries, where the prophet Daniel had been beforetimes; for no doubt but they had learned of Daniel, that there should a Messias come. Therefore now, when they perceived by the star that he isFA4 born, they are ready to forsake their countries,
and come into Jewry, suchFA5 a great way, to make inquisition for him;
and there go very simply to work, casting no peril. They ask openly at Jerusalem for him, saying, Ubi est Rex? “Where is he that is born king of the Jews?” Here you must understand, that after Pompey the Great had subdued the Jews, in process of time Herod had gotten the rule over them, by the means and appointment of the emperor: which Herod was not a Jew, but an Idumean; a cruel, wicked, and forecasting man; for he trusted not constantly upon the Jews. He was ever afraid he should be deprived of his kingdom. Now at that time, when this wicked man had the rule, these wise men came into the city, and inquired for the king of the Jews; and openly protested their faith which they had in Christ. They were nothing afraid of Herod; for they had such a trust and confidence in God, that they knew he was able toFA6 deliver them from his hands.
But worldly-wise men will say, they were but fools to put themselves in dangerFA7 without need: they might have asked for him secretly, so that the king might not have heard of it. Such is the wisdom of theseFA8 which have no faith nor confidence in God: they will not abide any peril for God’s sake; they seek ratherFA9 all corners to hide themselves in, rather than they will profess God’s word openly. I pray you note and mark well their words: they say, “We are come to worship him; to do homage to him, to acknowledge him to be our Lord.” Then, again, note the words of Herod: he saith unto them, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I may come and worship him also.” Lo here, what a fox was this Herod! Who can judge of man’s words, except God which knoweth the hearts of men?
Note another thing, which is this: as soon as this was published, that these strangers were come, asking for the king of the Jews, “Herod was troubled,” saith the text, “and all Jerusalem with him.” This was a strange thing, that Jerusalem should be troubled, which longed so long time for that king, for that Messias, for that Savior. But they were even as we are:
they cared not for God’s word; they sought nothing but their ease, and to be at rest; they cared not greatly for religion; they thought, if we receive him, we shall have trouble with him, therefore it is better for us to leave him, and to let him alone, rather than to disquiet ourselves: they were even right merchantmen; they sought nothing but to save their substance in this world; this was all that they looked for: therefore they were troubled when they heard that Christ was born.
Now what doth Herod? Forsooth, he calleth all the bishops and learned men, and inquireth of them the time at the which Christ should be born.
They were well seen in the law and the prophets, after the letter, and therefore by and bye made answer unto him, saying, “At Bethlehem Judah he shall be born;” for so it is written in the fifth chapter of Micah, Et tu, Bethlehem Juda, “And thou, Bethlehem Judah, thou art not the least concerning the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come the captain that shall govern my people Israel.” After that Herod had heard this, he called the wise men, and bade them that they should “go and search out the child, and when they had found him, they should bring him word again, that he might come and worship him also.” O what a fox is this! There hath been many such foxes in England, specially in the time of persecution; which pretended great holiness and zeal to God-ward with their will,FA10 but their hearts are poisoned with the cruelty of Herod.
Now as soon as they were out of the city, the star appeared unto them again, and went before them till it came to the place, where it stood still.
But yet you must understand, that our Savior was born in a stable, but Joseph had gotten a house in process of time, so that they found him not in the stable. There be some learned men that think, that these wise men came a year or two after his birthFA11, for they came a great way: and when they had found him, they did homage unto him, and acknowledged him to be the Lord; and declared their faith that they had in him, and broughtFA12 him gold, frankincense and myrrh. And here is to be noted the provision of God: there was nobody, that we read of, which gave any thing unto him; yet God could stir up the hearts of those strangers to shew their liberality towards him. They bring gold, which signified him to be the right king above all kings; and like as gold exceedeth all other metals, so gold signified him to be the king above all kings, and that the doctrine of him is the very true doctrine. Frankincense signified the prayer of the faithful, which maketh a good savor before God, for he greatly delighteth therein: myrrh, which they offered, signified [the]
afflictions of those which confess Christ.
But here, as I told you before, you must note God’s provision; for now Mary and Joseph must be gone to Egypt, see what provision God made for them: he sent them gold and other treasures out of a far country.
Again, how God so wonderfully preserved those wise men, which were going again to Herod, if they had not been admonished by the angel of God. Therefore learn here, that they that believe in God, and put their
hope and trust in him, shall be provided for: God will not forget them.
But how these men came to Coleyne, in Germany, I marvel greatly.FA13 I think it be but the fantasies and illusions of the devil, which stirred men up to worship stone and wood.
But I will now leave that place of scripture, and return again to my promise, and to speak somewhat of circumcision, and so make an end.
God Almighty made this promise unto Abraham, saying, Ego ero Deus tuus, et seminis tui post to; “I will be thy God, and the God ofFA14 thy seed after thee.” This was the promise of God, which promise was confirmed by that sign and outward token of circumcision. Now the covenant or promise of God abideth; but the circumcision, which was the sign of it, is gone and taken away by the coming of Christ, and instead thereof is ordained baptism. This you have heard the last time, when I told you that circumcision was not only a mark or naked token, whereby men might know a Jew from a gentile, but it had a further signification;
namely, that like as the privy member was circumcised, the foreskin cut off, so the heart of every man must be circumcised, and the foreskin of all wickedness cut off, or pulled away: like as our baptism is not only
ordained for that cause, to know a Christian from a Turk or heathen, but it hath a further signification; it signifieth that we must wash away the old Adam, forsake and set aside all carnal lusts and desires, and put on Christ; receive him with a pure heart, and study to live and go forward in all goodness, according unto his will and commandment. So, I say, at that time circumcision was not only an outward bare token, but had an inward signification; namely, that the heart of man should be circumcised from all sin, and cleansed from all wickedness.
Now come to the point: circumcision at that time was a certain, sure, infallible, and effectual token of God’s goodwill towards them to whom it was given: for as many as did believe the covenant of God, it did
ascertain them of the good-will of God towards them, that they should be delivered out of all their troubles and adversities, and that they should be sure of the help of God. An example we have in that good young man Jonathan: he comforted himself with his circumcision, saying to his weapon-bearer, Veni, transeamus ad incircumcisos; “Come, let us go to these uncircumcised.” As though he had said, “Come, let us go, we have circumcision; God hath promised to be our God to aid and help us, and deliver us out of all our troubles and calamities.” And so went on he and
his weaponFA15-bearer only, and set upon them, and killed a great number of them that same day: which victory happened by the occasion of this faithful Jonathan, the king’s son. So likewise did David, when he should fight against Goliah the Philistine, he saith, Quis est ille incircumcisus?
“What is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should revile the host of the living God?” So they exhorted themselves, and confirmed their faith with this circumcision. SoFA16 let us ever consider, in what trouble and calamity soever we be, let us remember that we be baptized; that God hath promised to help us, to deliver us from all our sins and wickedness, to be our God.FA17 And again, let us consider our promise which we have made unto him; namely, that we will forsake sin, the devil, and all his crafts and illusions, and cleave unto God only: and so by the
remembrance of this, we shall be more ready and earnest to strive and fight against the devil.
Now let us come to the circumcision of our Savior Christ. A man might marvel how it came to pass that our Savior would be circumcised, being, as he was indeed, Ipsissima justitia, “The righteousness itself.” What needeth himFA18 to be circumcised? For he was no sinner, nor had need that his faith should be confirmed by circumcision; being very God, and the material Son of God. Again, to do a thing that needeth not, it is but lost labor and the time ill-spent. And St Paul saith, Si circumcidamini, Christus vobis nihil proderit; “IfFA19you be circumcised, Christ doth you no good; you need not lookFA20 to be saved by him.” To make answer to these questions: first, I would not have you to think that Christ, being but eight days old, knew not whereabouts his parents went; what they did when they circumcised him. Yes, yes; he knew it well enough: for though he was but a child, yet he was such a child that had no fellow; for, as St Paul witnesseth, Plenitude divinitatis habitabat in illo corporaliter; “The abundancy of the Godhead dwelt in him corporally.” God dwelleth in all them that be faithful, spiritually; for we be the temples of God: but in Christ he dwelleth corporally; that is to say, he with the plenteousness of his Godhead dwelleth in Christ. You must understand that Christ hath a soul and body, and united with his divinity; therefore it is said that he dwelleth in Christ corporally. Now he, being very God, would not have been circumcised against his will, but he did it voluntarily. As for the saying of St Paul, Si circumcidamini, Christus nihil vobis proderit, it hath his understanding: for St Paul in that place speaketh not of the outward work of circumcision, but against that wicked opinion which the
gentiles had; for they thought that circumcision was a work meriting remission of sins; which opinion took away the office of Christ. Now St.
Paul warneth them of it, and sheweth that this was a wicked opinion, to think to be saved by the circumcision.
The causes wherefore Christ our Savior would be circumcised are these:
first, because he would be a testimony that the old law was God’s law;
and for that time they were the very laws of God, and therefore he suffered himself to be circumcised, notwithstanding that he had no need of it: but this is but a secondary cause. Another cause is, to be obedient unto common orders: therefore he would suffer rather to be circumcised, than to give an occasion of hurly-burly or uproar: for the will of the Father was, that subjects should obey magistrates, and keep orders.
Subjecti estote cuivis humanae potestati; “Be obedient unto them.”
Look, what laws and ordinances are made by the magistrates, we ought to obey them. Therefore we must consider ever, in all our doings, what be the laws of the realm, and according unto the same we must live. And this is to be understood as well in spiritual matters as temporal matters;
so far forth as their laws be not against God and his word. When they will move us to do any thing against God, then we may say,
Oportet magis obedire Domino quam hominibus; “We must more be obedient unto God than unto man:” yet we may not withstand them with stoutness, or rise up against them, but suffer whatsoever they shall do unto us; for we may for nothing in the world rebel against the office of God, that is to say, against the magistrate.
Now, Christ himself giveth an ensample of this obedience; and no doubt it was a painful thing to be circumcised, as it appeared by a notable act in the first book of Moses. When Jacob, that holy man, was coming home again, out of Mesopotamia, with his wives and children and all his substance, as he came by the way, he pitched his tents about the Sechemites, Now he had a daughter called Dina, which gazing damsel went about to see the countries, and so came into the town among the strangers. Now the governor’s son of the city, seeing her to be a fair maiden, cast his love upon her; and went and took her and ravished her, and afterward made suit unto Jacob, her father, and got her toFA21 his wife. At the length, after much ado, they agreed upon that, that he, his father, and all his people should be circmncised: which was done; for upon a day all their males were circumcised. And here was a religion of
policy: they were circumcised, not for God’s sake, to acknowledge him to be their God, but only to satisfy the request of a foolish, wanton young man; as we read in Chronicles of such religion of policy. Now what happened? The third day, when their sores were very great, two of Jacob’s sons went into the city, and slew all together, men, women, and children; and took their sister away again. Here by this appeared what pain it was, thatFA22 they were not able to withstand or defend
themselves. But our Savior he was well content to suffer that great pain.
But these causes are not the chiefest; but there hangeth more of it. St.
Paul shewed the chiefest cause in the epistle to the Galatians, saying:
Postquam venit plenitudo temperis, misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere; “After that the fullness of the time came,FA23 God sentFA24 his Son made of a woman.” This is the principal cause; for “when the fullness of time was come,”—as God will have all things done in a convenient time, and the same time must be appointed by him, and not by us,—when the time was full come, then God sendeth his Son made of a woman.
“Made of a woman,” he saith; which signifieth that Christ took the substance of his body of the woman. In all things he was like unto other children, except that he had no carnal father, and was without sin; else he was very man: for we may makeFA25 him so spiritual, that we should deny his humanity. No, not so; he was very man, and was bound to the law. To what end? Ut cos qui legi erant obnoxii liberaret; “That he might deliver us from the law, to the which we were bound;” and that we might receive the right of the children of God by adoption, through God’s goodness, by his deserving; that we might have, through his fulfilling of the law,
remission of sins and eternal life. These are his gifts, which he hath deserved with his keeping of the law.
Thus you see to what end he was circumcised, and wherefore he kept the law; namely, to deliver us from the condemnation of it. For if he had not kept the law, the law had such power, that it shouldFA26 have condemned us all: for so it is written, Maledictus qui non manserit in omnibus;
“Cursed be he that abideth not by all that which is written in thisFA27 law.”
So that the least cogitation that we have against thatFA27 law of God, bringeth this curse upon our heads: so that there was never man, nor shall be one, that could remedy himself by this law; for it is spiritual; it may not be fulfilled but by the Spirit. It requireth us to be clean from all spot of sin, from all ill thoughts, words, and deeds: but we be carnal, and as St.
Paul saith, venditi sub peccato, “sold under sin and wickedness.”